HEALTH COLUMN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1900, 3 July 1890, Page 41

HEALTH COLUMN.

Secret of the Skin.

Did it ever occur to you (says a contemporary) that the skin wants exercise, and gets very little 7 Nothing is a better tonic for the complexion than a brisk cold sponge bath on rising, followed by vigorous rubbing with a dry towel — not too coarse — the face and neck receiving their full share of the friction unless the skin is very sensitive, in which case the bare hands may be the instrument instead of the linen. This sets the blood to moving briskly, and electrifies the system. At bed time a warm bath may be taken, and the face should be washed slowly, carefully, and thoroughly with warm water and Castile soap. The oily matter exuding from the skin catches minute particles of dusb, which cannot be removed in any other way, and many eruptions on the face are caused by nothing else than neglect of this single precaution. After this wholesome cleansing, dip the face into a basin of clear, cold water, and the flesh will be left firm and healthy. The entire process will take barely 10 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes at night, and can, if needful, bo taken from the regular sleep, the bath being quite as restful and refreshing. FRICTION OP TIIE SKIN. As of further value for friction of the skin, Dr A. Fenykovy, of Berlin, through a medical journal, advises treating intermittent fever with friction along tho spine. Mauy years ago so many cases of intermittent fever occurred in his regiment, stationed in Servia, that the quinine supply was failing, when rubbing the back twice daily with simple ointment was ordered ,for certain patients. The day after, the usual attack did not appear. The treatment h:is been frequently employed since, and three-fourths of this physician's cases have done very well without any quinine at all. The Deadly Cold Bed.— lf trustworthy statistics could be had of the number of persons who die every year or become permanently diseased from sleeping in damp or cold beds, they would probably be astonishing and appalling. It is a peril that constantly besets travelling men, and if they are wise they will invariably insist on having their beds aired and dried, even at the risk of causing much trouble to their landlords. But the peril resides in the house, and the cold " spare room " has slain its thousands of hapless guests, and will go on with its slaughter till people learn wisdom. Not only the guest, but the family often suffer the penalty of sleeping in cold rooms and chilling their bodies at a time when they need all their bodily heat by getting between cold sheets. Even in warm summer weather a cold, damp bed will get in its deadly work. It, is a needless peril, and the ncglocb to provide dry rooms and beds has in it the elements of murder and suicide. Competitive Cycling.— The cycling season is fast approaching, and »»t only beginners bub old hands will do well to read the admirable article of Dr B. W. Bichardson on "Cycling and Physique" in the new number cf the Asclepiad. Dr Richardson says that competitive cycling is very bad exercise for those who have not arrived at full maturity; that riders of all classes should be careful not to let cycling exercise overtop altogether the natural exercise of walking ; that the mode in which the body is placed in the saddle during the process of riding the cycle is of great moment ; that all the excessive competitive feats which give rise at the time of their execution to conditions of body so self-obviously out of the order of Nature ought to be discountenanced ; that it is of the utmost importance during exercise to keep digestion well in advance of work ; and that if in any rider there should come on certain signs ot muscular failure, there must be no hesitation about giving up the exercise. It will be remembered that Dr Bichardson writes in the dual capacity of an enthusiastic cyclist and a physician. Antiseptic Value op Eucalyptus. — Writing to the Selma (U. 8.) Irrigator about Eucalyptus globulus, Mr W/A. Sanders says : — " In soaking up old wine or vinegar casks, we throw a few bluegura boughs with their leaves into the water, and it never becomes putrid, while without the bluegum we would have to change the water daily to prevent puridity and spoiling of the flavour of anything afterward kept in the cask. We have kept fresh beer eight days in the hottest weather by keeping around it a plentiful supply of green bluegum leaves and changing them daily. A decoction of green leaves is a stronger and more lasting stimulant than tea or coffee, and more salutary in its effects, as it does not cause wakefulness. It seems to have the stimulating effect of quinine without any of its injurious qualities." The Salad. — Mayonnaise sauce is a very good thing, bub ib is not indispensable in a salad ; indeed, we should half be inclined to say that egg in any shape is superfluous, though you may cut it up, and powder it about in small pieces, if you like. The oil of the spendthrift, on the other hand, and the vineprar of the miser, capers and anchovies, if possible, sugar in some cases, pepper to our fancy in all, and absolutely seme form— chive, onion, shallot, or garlic— of alliaceous matter; most of these are necessary, and without some of them no salad shall be saved. — Saturday Review. How the Chinese Avoid Disease.— Notwithstanding thut the water supply of Chinese towns generally is contaminated, their cities are remarkably free from disease. This immunity is probably due, in no small degree, to the fact that the Chinese never drink cold water.