THE WORK-GIRL’S HEALTH.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 June 1923, Page 9

THE WORK-GIRL’S HEALTH.

VALUE OF FRESH AIR. THE LUW NEt'KER DRESS. Christchurch, May 31. Lieut.-Colonel P. C. Fenwick lectured in the Y.W,C.A. rooms to a group of over 50 young women from different business houses of the city -on the importance of good breathing ami of •breathing fresh air. Breathing, he said, should be through the nose, so that the air is warmed and filtered before entering the lungs. A child that breathed through his mouth had adenoids and could not do arithmetic because he was stupid. A person could do without food for 40 days, but could not do wjthout air for four minutes. A coalminer’s lungs were black, but a Scotch shepherd’s were pink. Everyone who was in an office, shop, or did other indoor work had headaches and got cross. Even a Christian scientist became cross if she lived indoors. Many businesses took trouble to have plenty of air in their places of work, but the average shop or office was unhealthy. “I want,” said Dr. Fenwick, “to try to teach you how to get fresh air. You have not as much fresh air as you want. The larger the office the more people come into it and use up the air. The fault of modern life is that we do not get air into our lungs. “There is a good fashion growing up,” continued the doctor. “This fashion of open-necked dresses. I have never met a sailor who had a cold or sore throat, and that is because all day he has sun or wind blowing on him.” The lecturer drew attention to the value of strong muscles attached to the spine. New Zealand girls did not walk well at all. Welsh milkmaids walked better than anyone else in the world, because they carried their pails on their heads. A few acres of land for a recreation ground would be the cheapest investment a firm could make. A girl lost much time through sickness. “If the women,” said the doctor, “would only look after theipselves doctors would have nothing to do except for motor smashes and other accidents. Men are keen enough on sport not to ‘slack.’ Girls do get tired and would sooner go and eat chocolate and watch Charlie Chaplin.