Health and Disease.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXII, Issue XXI, 21 May 1904, Page 63

Health and Disease.

A woman physician, in addressing her audience the other day, gave some help ful suggestions as to the way of looking at our bodily conditions. She said: “Health is contagious, much more po tently so, too. than is disease. 1 ve about come to the conclusions that we physicians study disease too much and health too little to be of best use to humanity. Why, during our student years, we have an average of only one hour a week devoted to hygiene, and two, perhaps, to physiology. All the rest of the time we’re studying—disease. Now, 1 believe that just’s the opposite of what we ought to do. If we’d study health, talk health, act health, I believe disease would take care of itself. And it’s much the same thing with temperance. If we, as white ribboners, would make ourselves as lovely and lovable, as sweet tempered and usefully woman ly as we possibly could (and we can be none of these things unless we have sound bodies), 1 believe nothing would so help the cause we all love. You know it isn’t much use to talk temperance after your third cup of tea or coffee, or your one too many helpings of roast beef. It is not only intemperate, it is unchristian, to have dyspepsia. It is a

disgrace to have any ailment that com monsense will obviate. And ft shows a lack of intellectuality to make each other’s ailments and diseases the chief topic of conversation. I hope to live to see the day when it will be considered as ill-bred to ask after last week’s in tluenza or last month’s rheumatism as it now is to remark on the patch on oik’s shoe or the mole on one's face. I tell you. when we learn to think health and poise and wholesomeness, temper :in<v and economics, physical happiness won't be long in taking up its abode with us.”