CIVILISATION AND ITS EVILS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18362, 21 April 1925, Page 11

CIVILISATION AND ITS EVILS.

WHY THE NATIVE IS HAPPIER. "One word—Damnable —will .sum up our so-called civilisation,'' was the statement* of Sir William Arbuthnot Lane, in tlie course of a Iceturo to the Peoplo's League of Health in.London recently. , Civilisation, he said, , had brought in its train education, and education was the most appalling evil with which humans had over been inflicted. It had been accompanied by the absolute disregard of all Nature's commands, and the result was disease, disease of ovory type and condition, directly attributable to tho giving up of the savage's habits. A great deal had been said about the "white man's burden"; how wonderful it was to think that they journeyed into far lands to help . tho poor native. It was a case of holp the poor native—if the white man came near him, with his so-called benefits. If one looked at nativo women, and compared them with those in this country the result was pitiful. The beautiful figure,of the native swung easily as sho walked, the nativo woman after childbirth had.no need to lio down for a week or month, it was not followed by any of those dreadful diseases that were so plentiful in the white man's land. If one looked at tho native, lie was a happy, smiling, care frco individual. If ho got yellow fever, lie got it, and his attitude was that he might as well die- peacefully as in a t'renzy. Tho white people of tho world, Sir William insisted, were hopelessly ignorant, and, what was still worse, very happy in their ignorance. How many times had it been pointed out to them that it was beneficial to eat fruit, that wholemCal bread was infinitely better than white, what notice was taken of tho Government reports on the subject? What happened? They simply went on their way, grumbling at not feeling well, envying the few who were happy, and yet, "in spite of all their troubles, not taking the slightest regard for the results of years of research that scientists had spent, intent on bettering their conditions.

The one way was to din into the women of tho country, in whom wa3 the one salvation, they being responsible for the continuance of the race, that they should bring up their • children with a proper knowledge of the vital and all essential health laws of Nature.

It was not fully enough realised that the whole -human body bore a simple mechanical relation to its surroundings. Alter the surroundings, and the body adapted itself to them. How many people lay down during the dayf Everyone was always erect, either standing or sitting down.. This posture gave no rest to the organs of the body, and caused great strain to be put upon certain parts, the result of the strain in many cases being that cancer, through irritation, was set up.

The native was different. If he had a spare moment he would lie down prone instinctively, thereby giving relief throughout hisjbody. If the people in this country and throughout Europe went back to a few of the habits of their savage forbears there would be an enormous improvement in their health %nd development, and a great diminishing of disease.