HEALTH HINTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11093, 2 June 1914, Page 1

HEALTH HINTS.

IE - •» -If. ■ ALCOHOLIC STJaiULANTS:^-!. Brandy, or any other alcoholic dnx&i nowr ruises the temperature of P%\fe body,.but lowers it; the reason for-this is quite simple. Almost immediately after it is swallowed it gets iiitd the blood. and by this means Teaches every part, of the body. More particularly "it flushes the skin, dilating all the superficial capillaries there, and so producing: a fictitious feeling of warmth. But as nil the blood in the body is rapidly passed through these dilated blood-ves-sels, and so exposed to the influence of radio tiou. it quickly cools dowu, and so reduces the temperature. So much is this the case that it is a most dangerous procedure to take alcohol when the body has to be exposed for any length.of time to the cold air, as on* the top of a 'bus or a. tram-car; whilst all Arctic and Antarctic cjvplorers now know it is worso than useless for their work. Before this fact was well known it wns no uncommon thing: I'or n drunken man to be incarcerated in a cold cell for the night, and to bo found starved to death by the morning. Nowadays this would be impossible, us every constable kno»vs that alcohol extracts heat from the k.dy, and .so-, lowers the temperature. «■""#. * • * rheumatism: m children . The idea that rheumatism is a disease of old age has long ago been exploded. "As a matter or fact, ili'uren are more frequent wiffcrers, etpecioil/ , from the pcute form. Very often tlo pains designated by parents as," growin? pains " are due to rheumatism, and it would he a good thing if in ad euch. cases the trouble were not treated jo lightly. A child attacked by aesite rheumatism is often left with a diseased heart, and may bo a hopeless invalid for the rest of his life".-" It is ' therefore important to guard against anything which may cause rheumatism to develop. If the clothing bo of wool, : and cnr.e he taken that tho feet are kept dry. wot boots being changed a* , soon as the child comes in, there will be less danger than if these precautions bo neglected. As in the case of an adult, a plentiful supply of pure water helps the system to get nd or those poisons which play euch an lm- ! portaut part in rheumatio affections. 1 Children should be given a glass of | waier between meals, not with their I food, in winter as well as in summer. Their diet should bo nourishing, with a fair amount of fat, yet not including rich dishes..

HOME LESSONS AND HEALTH. If a child does home-work, it is the duty of parents to attend to the following rules. The child must have » good light to work in. Do not economiso in gas and weaken the; child a eyes. Light tip' too early rather than too lute. The light should lull over the child's left shoulder, The chiM must sit; in ft proper position, not crouched over the book. 1 rouble is taken in schools to -see that the desks aro of the correct shape. Parents do not caro twopence what sort of chair 'the .child . sits on. . Nevertheless, the crouching position is very bad. int. tin"- aside our universal, dislike ot work antf our marked 7 -preference for play, the child should take a certain amount of pleasure in, the home-lessons. A nervous child should be most carefully Matched to see if the home-lessorn worrv her. Some children lie iwrako in terror thinking of their lessons and dreading the morrow. The doctor i« all for health; the schoolmaster for certificates, examinations and prizes, in© parent, must hold tho balance and seft that, the children get a well-baJawjed education. And please dp not lay dovn laws- Charlie must, be pressed iomik because he is fat, lazy and idle. , BfijrtM* must be restrained because he is excitable and not fond enough of nninine about in the sun. And the bsS* certificate of nil is this one. "Thw.ji to coriifv that I have examined Johnny Bull anil have awarded liim a firstclass certiileaie for Cleanliness., .'Fat Chocks. Oood Teeth, and a Cheery Manner, (Signed) Tlio Family Phys'v--sian."