Talks on Health

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16942, 17 January 1923, Page 11

Talks on Health

By a Family Doctor

A FEAST OF FLOWERS. T. had to visit a man in a street in a poor quarter, and when 1 arrived i found J. had lost the paper with his number on, so I asked n group of people standing round a door if they Could direct mo to Air Jones’s house; They all answered in a chorus, •* Over there, ?ir. whore, all those flowers are.” And 1 looked and saw a lovely flower garden, r.II gay with geraniums and antirrhinums. Everyone knew him ; he was Tnc man with the flowers. He was only .1 labourer, not a bookmaker nor a pat-- < lit pill merchant, ’or any other plutocrat ; just a labourer. But his house uas a least of delight. He did it for a hobby. Alas, lie was the only one in the whole street to have such a debghtful hobby. I closed my eyes and tried to think what the street wquld look like if every house had a cluster (ited about the garden that I forgot nl; about the object of my visit. Well, we talked about flowers with much enthusiasm, and then when we had seen every plant in the front and back garden .1 said good-bye, and then lie re--1 dnded me about niy visit, and I recalled that he had had a broken leg and that I was sent to see if he was ti. for work. I shall never forget that garden. But why, oh why. only one man in the street; the labourer said it cid not cost hint much in cash ; he had to give a little time t'o it. of course. I .:ni sure our tempers and our spirits and our general health would advance if we. had flower gardens all down the street. Blessings on the labourer with the broken leg! 1 was in a good temper for the rest of the day ; my wife hardly knew me. and all because those cheery flowers in that dingy street had whispered in my ear a message of hope.

LOVE YOUlt WIFE. ;1 Please he kind to your wife. Wo . are all walking along the road of life. and most of us an uphill walk. s But poor mother! If only she would p go on strike ; if only she would greet d you with the statement that there was y no dinner as she had gone vm strike. , Please be very kind to your wife. You know. I arn old enough now to remember her being born. I saw her grow up '» such a pretty girl ; you remember that 1_ as well as I do. The first baby came, j s and the baby and she and you were v all so smart. With the arrival of a few more in after years she began to get that- tired look in her eyes and you e became less careful of youi personal appearance; some of your pride had ~ been crushed out of you. Stand by her ;n hard times; she lias stood by you. Plenty of men learned to cook in the Ai my ; perhaps you could cook the dinr net now and then. Be very kind to '•our wife. . Save her unnecessary burdens. Do not forget her birthday. Save half your tobacco money to buy ’ her a trifle. Keep yourself clean and u smart like you used to, and that will encourage her. As I write, my own wife has fallen asleep on her chair; , she has the expression of a child. She i has a feu lines on her dear lace ; ! ” expect that is my fault. I was lectur- £ mg yon on being kind to your wife. c ! should have remembered my own t I;*. lilts. I am sorry. I have always I admitted I am not good enough for my I wife, bless lier. Let us agree to be Kinder to our wives, in the future. We think they are suffering from nervous ~ I rcakdownx. but. if the truth were known, they fool like a flower, that wants watering, because we have n’ot e teen kind enough. * TAINTED SANDWICHES, d .. As soon as it is realised that sand-

wiches are tainted, anyone who ha* eaten them should take an emetic; some mustard and water will do the trick: a dose of castor oil would be beneficial as some of the food may have escaped from the stomach into the bowels, ana i the sooner it is turned out of the body i the better. If more serious symptoms i develop, the patient snoulcl be put to bed with hot water bottles and blankets ; the shock causes a fall of tempcralurc, the patient looks pinched and cold and the artificial heat in the bed helps the body to withstand the shock. A little weak brandy and milk may be given ; hot. strong coffee, may lmlp. The room should be warm, but the air must be fresh. For the first few hours probably starvation will be the best diet; a little hot water or milk and I water may be given : thirst may be relieved by administering an enema, by the. bowel. Gradually ns the patient recovers, more food may be given. Absolute rest in bed Is essential ; the patient lias very litrlc strength and it must be husbanded. KEEP THE CAUSE. The food that is suspected should be preserved for subsequent analysis by the experts; it should not be thrown away. It is important to truce the origin of the poisoning, and two or three foods may be suspected. The seller of the preserved meat should be informed; lie may have a further supply of the same batch and further tins may ibe tainted. A list of the guests should be made and from each should be obtained particulars of the food taken. Bv a study of this list it will quickly transpire that the seven people who took sandwiches wore all ill and the other seven who had no sandwiches but freely ate the lobster salad were unite all light. Result, sandwiches guilty; lobster leaves the court without a stain on its character. DON 1 WAIT. The view that we will do nothing until a child complains is thoroughly mistaken. Why wait until your little girl complains that the vertebrae of her spine are not quite in the right place, but show an abnormal deviation from the straight? Once upon a time I !><•- i lieved that nothing should be done until j the children complained. I never paid ihe rent until the children complained that a nasty man wanted to turn them all into the street. Oh. no! Kings must not wail for complaints, or they will get their heads chopped off. Remember Charles the First. “Well, that is all very nice.” you say, “ but. i after all. wo are taught that little 1 children are under the special care of Providence, so why neen we worry? i The Lord is their Shepherd.” A very nnkingly statement, that. You ought to be prouci of being King in your own household, and cheerfully take up the | burden. After all. vou brought the children into the world: you will be a I shabby person if yon fail in your duty j towards them. Why put the blame on j Providence? We hare been given our ! brains to think with and our hands to j work with, and we outfit not to push ! off our earthly responsibilities on to the i -boulders of Providence. You do not expert T’rovidonee to wash the children |or put them to bed. How ridiculous J to leave your children in a dirty coni dition. and then, when vou are hauled j over the coals for it. say, -‘All. well. ! Heaven knows best.” Do your duty.