LEGISLATION AND CONSUMPTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6315, 16 September 1907, Page 8

LEGISLATION AND CONSUMPTION.

EXTINCTION OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE.

In his presidential address to the British Medical Association at Exeter (England;, Dr H«»nry Davy dealt with "Science in its Application to National Health** The most important function of the medical profession was, he said, the practical application of the science of the day to the health and life of the individual, and through .him to the community; and the success and usefulness of *the profession depended on the truth and the value of the knowledge which the science of the dav bad reached. Many changes had occurred in the environment of the individual and of the nation, all tending to reduce the muscular work done by the people; and this result had been mainly duo to the extended nse of machinery. la* every department of industry each succeeding year found us depending mors and more upon "labair-baving machines," every new machine tending mors and more to take the place of muscular work, until at last in some manufacture© the operative had Uttle or no work for his muscles, and vas only r& quired to attend to a machine driven by etoain or by electricity. Many other causes had contributed to .the same result. Villages and country towns, with their facilities for healthy muscular work in the open air, had diminisheds big centres of trade and manufacture had increased in population. Travelling was made easy without any exer»tiou, and the inhabitants of our towns hod, in addition, tramways and omnibuses to take them from their home© to their work without the necessity even of the exercise of a long walk. We had, perhaps, as great a love of games an ever, but much of the muscular work had been taken from them. Men paid entrance money to see a few experts playing cricket or football instead of exercising muscles by playing tha game; and some of the most manly and best exercises such a© wrestling* boxing, and fencing, had almost become extinct throughout the country. It: was a reflection on their profession that they often treated, their patients with drugs when all that they required was more exercise or less food; a© also that they were leaving it to various pro* feasors of exercises to teach them how much could be done to restore health, and. to keen ueopl© in good health, by properly regulated muscular work. Phy* sical culture was on© of the most pressing question© of the day, for it was the only means of providing a' remedy for the state of muscular degeneration which was so prevalent, A TERRIBLE RECORD. Dealing with the history of tubercular eds. Dr Davy said: "1 am quit© aware that tuberculosis has decreased under the influence ot improved sanitation during the past few years, but yet its prevalence is even now appalling. Approximately its death-roll in Great Britain is 60,000 persons a year, and Dr W. E. Philip, of Edinburgh, .has shown that the ascertained mortality from consumption may be safely multiplied bv ten in order to represent approximately the number of persons living and already seriously affected at , the time; so that Great Bru tain at the present moment contains 60,000 poor, patients with a preventable infections disease, the large majority of whom are bound slowly to, die of an illness which will Unger on for from two to five years* I .think it i© time that we spoke out the truth about this dia4 ease, for surely it is time that something was done officially in this matter, and that the attempt to stay the ravage* of so terrible a scourge be no longer left to voluntary associations, who must of ,meceesity be unable satisfactorily to deal with a task of such magnitude. Is it not time for the Government to make a careful inquiry into the subject? Having obtained the best- expert and other opinion available, having considered the precautions which other countries are talcing, they should bring forward -legislation to deal with this disease.” . ✓ POSSIBILITIES OF -GOVERNMENT ACTION.

Speaking of the possibilities in this direction, Dr Davy said that Japan had proved that it'was possible for a Govern* metnt to do more for the health of thq people. They. introduced ’ physical ezor* cases, gymnastics, and : gamesinto •- all their schools. If Japan, could thus bring-science to assist in preserving the health and physique of ’ their nation, England'could do the'same, or else she must eventually take a back seat in that ooncounse’of ■ nations in which only the fittest will be_ supreme. It was at school that children formed the foundations on which the whole of their future, physical, • intellectual, and moral, wan to be reared; and. if, they were not shown ho% to develop their bodies ■ and keep them in health, their only chance of. acquiring this knowledge would b« missed.' It was aloe essential to .' see that during their school life they,were not- exposed. to contamination , from disease, and this could only be done t by placing them under the 1 supervision of a trained and qualified medical - man, as 1 was done in Japan and in nearly every other country in Europe except England.