Volcanic Eruptions.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1864, 30 July 1886, Page 3

Volcanic Eruptions.

Ti the ordinary mind the dread havoc by inch aa eruption of nature* farces as that ia New Zealand is hardly conceivable. Only a vague, uncertain idea can be conjured up, of the tremendous upheaval of a volcanic disturbance. But the terror which even this faint picture of the truth presents to the mind, is perhaps vnperior to any inspired by other calamities. With storm and shipwreck we are familiar. Wa accept these disasters as inevitable. To accident by held and flood we are Jso accustomed that they excite only a passing agitation, and fleeting sympathy. But there is indeed something awful and stupendous in tbe action of an earthquake, which, paralyses ordinary courage, and break* down the breavest and most fearless. There is no art within the reach of man, by which these Titanic convulsions may be checked, subdued, or controlled. In tba presence of this great movement, this bursting asunder of bonds that they have long held tbe seething cauldron within tbe bosom of tbe earth in bounds, man stands powerless and impotent. Even as they stood, wt oof o d beheld tbe waters encompassing tbe earth, swell and sweep over that earth, so stand we in the presence of a great earthquake. This i* what makes these eruptions of nature so terrible to contemplate. Tbe absolute helplessness of man under such circum. stances appalls and bewilders the best and bravest.

And yet. regarded philosophically, there are tenon a* dread and awful of familiar and daily occurence. If we only kuew how cloaely we tread upon the verge of death every day of our lives, this convulsion of nature in New Zealand would appear trifling when placed beside the dangers that beset ns on all sides. The lives that were lost by this outburst at Rotomabana are as nothing compared to the lives which are daily and hourly lost by disease, neglect or ill-treat-ment. We rod of sadden deaths every day in the newspapers. But we feel little trouble about these (acts, heedless that we may be ia peril of a si miliar fate. Who expected Sir John O'Shaanassy to die so suddenly, or Judge Fellows, or Judge Barry ? And we ourselves never suspect that we may come to a nmiliar paw. We deem all men mortal bat ourselves. If we feel ill we pooh pooh any suggestion of danger. We are like those who, at Rotamahana, have been bring on the crust of a volcano for years past They know it, but never deemed that there waa any chance of an eruption such as has overtaken them. So with ns in disease. We forget or ignore the fact that perfect health under tbe conditions of modem civilization is impossible, and that only by checking the insidious approach of disease can we hope to preserve our life forces nnimpared. Professor William Roberts of tbe Royal College of Physicians, London, disconnogof sudden death, speaks of the condition ef those who suffer as "part o( a wide spread tissue degeneration, involving the entire body." Diseases which culminate in sudden death are slight in origin, slow in developemcnt, and are traceable to minor causes, which, if taken in time would he driven out of the system. Like the volcano, they feed on themselves, until they burst forth and bring annihilation and death to those in whose blood tbe fire has existed, tainting and poisoning the whole system. Hereditary taint, and the invisible poison which lurks in tbe arteries and vessels of the body are most commonly the causes of tbe ailment known as heart disease. But heart disease is essentially an effect of the degeneration of tbe system. Sudden death may be traceable absolutely to stoppage of the heart's action, but tbe cause of this is found in tbe disorganisation ef the blood, debility of the nervous system, degeneracy of tbe kidneys and liver. Heart disease, vertigo, appoplexy, paralysis, are all effects, not causes. Tbe real cause is traceable to a weakened condition of the body, brought about by tbe neglect of some vital organ. Twitching and convulsion of tbe muscles, headaches, drowsiness, dimness of sight and hearing, nausea, persistent hot and dry skin, a peculiar transparent appearance of the skin, swelling of the ankles, rheumatic paint, irritability .morose temper shortness of breath, nervous dyspepsia—these and a hundred other symptoms indicate the presence of grave danger. There are few who have not experienced one or many of these signals of nature. There are thousands to whom they are hourly familiar, but who live on, regardless of their peril, even as they did, who dwelt on the margin of the romantic lakes which are now seething cauldrons in New Zealand. If these people would but realise that in 99 cases out of 100 the primary canae of their troubles lies in an abnormal condition of tbe kidneys, they could readily set themselves right. Warner's safe cure is the acknowledged remedy under such conditions By its use tbe poisonous and corrupt elements in tbe blood are purged from tbe system, and the fire and taint which nonnsh, and promote disease, cease to exist. Professor Ellery is of opinion that unless tbe convnfaioa in New Zealand is exhausted locally at a wave of the earthquake may be expected to affect Australia. But however that may be, we have the consolation of knowing that there must be a termination to the disaster. Not so with disease such as we have indicated, unless we are wise enough to fortify ourselves against attack by tha nan of the incomparable remedy above named. Then. secure against tbe enemy, we may calmly pass through perils of contagion cr infection sach as overcome those who neglect the precautions which make ns aimoer proof, even as the burning ashes and seething mud showers overwhelmed thn unfortunate people who were victim* to the temble disaster at Rotamahana.