HEALTH COLUMN

Otago Witness, Issue 1957, 27 August 1891, Page 41

HEALTH COLUMN

Fish as Food.

Though " fish days " as they were once understood are now optional, the question discussed by a writer in Temple Bar under the above beading is still a very important one. Regarding the properties of fish as food there is still much to letrn. The working classes entertain usually at utter centempt for it, and very few of them go beyond " a bloater for breakfast," or " two pennyworth of shrimps or winkles " as a supplement for their Sunday afternoon tea. " One popular fallacy" says the author, "in connection with fish£may be noticed, — namely, the oftrepeated assertion that the eating of that particular food increases brain-power I No one who has studied the subject can possibly believe the assertion. A man might eat a huge portion of fish every day of hie his, and on the day of his deatb, if the quantity of phosphorus (the brain invigourator) consumed were to become visible, it would not amount to more than might suffice to tip a couple of lucifer matches. Communities have existed that lived almost solely on fish, but these Ichthjophagists were certainly not famous for intellectual attainments. Nor are our fisher villages, in many of which much fish is presumably consumed, the seats of any great amount of brain-power. None of our fisher-folks are remarkable for genius, or even for what is called common sense; their views of life and its responsibilities being shrouded in a haze of superstition, which they lack sufficient strength of mind to see through." It is interesting, too, to note that in this expert's opinion " fishing is a profitable occupation. The sea is vast, no seed or manure is required, to force the great harvest, which brings to the fish-captors at first hand a sum of six millions sterling, and in all probability costs the consumers thrice that sum. No toil is exacted for leave to fish, no rent is required for permission to gather the harvest of the sea ; the teeming waters of the mighty deep are free to all who choose to cast their lines or nets into them."

A SPRAIN.— -When a joint is sprained, swelling comes on gradually; when dislocated, immediately.

Dangers of Quackery. — A great increase in eye disease in Brussels has been traced to a visit of an Asiatic quack, who has treated many eyes with a weak boracic acid solution applied with the same brush to all. Virus of serious disease has been conveyed by the brush to eyes which before had only unimportant inflammation.

In Favoub of Vaccination. ~ Among the suggested causes of the stationary, condition of the population of France is the great mortality from smallpox and typhoid fever. Dr Brouardel has pointed out that, while Germany loses only 110 persons a year from smallpox, France loses 14,000, and that the deaths by typhoid fever amount to 40,000. This emphasises the neoessity of making vaccination and revaccination obligatory, and of providing a supply of pure water for the towns. Such remedies, Dr Brouardel affirms, would save to the country from 25,000 to 30,000 lives annually, and these mostly of young persons of marriageable age.

Cities Detrimental to That "we are all poor critters," as the Widow Bedott quoted her late husband's saying, is but too well proved by noting the percentage of thin, Bcrawny, pale and otherwise defective people in any crowd ; but of late the doctors have presented appalling proofs that citybred people are unusually "poor critters." Their greatest defect is in the eyes. One* third of all the pity people are more or less near-sighted. The tall buildings limit their range of vision 1 ; the invisible dust, even more than the visible, injures the eye, and the wearied organ is not restored by gazing over the green fields and far away. The narrow walls of the home or play -ground or Ephoolroom shui the children in during their growing years, and the eye, habituated to so short a range, loses half its capacity. The truth of this is proved, and more's the pity.

The Latest Preventive of Influenza. — The iatest preventive of influenza suggested is the use of tobacco and cigars whioh have been baked in quinine. This process is declared to have, by these who have tried it, the additional recommendation that it destroys the nicotine in the tobacco. I cannot personally vouch for the efficacy of the expedient, but it may be worth a trial by smokers, and will, at all events, be found harmless. The cigars or tobacco should be soaked in a strong solution of quinine for four hours. The solution should then be squeezed out and the tobacco be allowed to dry. Thus treated, enthusiasts on the subject consider that tobacco, instead of being harmful, as those who condemn smoking allege, is a valuable tonio, and its aroma is yet unimpaired.

Origin of Cancer.— An investigation of cancer has convinced Mr Herbert Snow, an English writer, that the disease is chiefly of nervous origin, though it is often induced by direct mechanioai injury or irritation. He finds little evidence of hereditary influence. The disease is increasing at an accelerating rate, the aggregate mortality in England and Wales haviDg risen from 8,117 in 1864 to 17,506 in 1888, orfrom 385 to 610 per million persons. A similar growih is tound in Scotland and Ireland, and Dr Fordyce Baker has shown that the number of deaths per million in New York rose fr,om 400 in 1875 to 530 in 1885. No greater liability to local injury exists than formerly, while, on the other hand, the cares of life are becoming greater, and one cannot avoid being struck by the large number of victims who speak of antecedent trouble, worry or mental anxiety. Moreover, it is to be noted that the female, the more nervous and emotional sex, is the principal suffe.rer from cancer, and that the organs most affected are those especially influenced by the emotions.