THE FARMER’S HEALTH

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 57, 18 February 1927, Page 7

THE FARMER’S HEALTH

SUGGESTIONS BY A CANADIAN DOCTOR. “T)° you real ‘ M »ha.t sacrifices A- z are made to feed the people of the cities?” says Dr. R. S. Copeland. "All the perishable foodstuffs are carted miles over terrible roads and loaded into cars or motor trucks in the middle of the night. No matter what the weather is, you expect to find the bottle of milk on the threshold when you get up in the morning.

"Neither rain nor snow, nor heat, nor gloom of night, to quote Heroditus, can stay the progress of the carts, waggons and vajis moving the food into the cities. Ln drizzle, fog. wind, nipping air, as well as in sunshine and blistering heat, the farmet picks apples, digs the potatoes, pulls the beans, ploughs the fields, cultivates the corn, feeds the pigs, milks the cows and does tho thousand and one other things necessary to supply the food for a nation.

"Too many times these sacrifices are made at the expense of unnecessary disregard of the health. Farmers think they can endure anything, J have already indicated that 1 think they do endure everything. But it is inexcusable for the farmer to take unnecessary risks.

"Wet leet, cold hands, chilled body, hurried meals, little leisure ,and less o’il ertainment—here are a few tilings the farmer can avoid. But bless his conservative soul I The difficulty is to get the farmer to change his programme.

"I was born on a farm. Many of my immediate relations are farmers. 1 understand the farm psychology. Every morning the farmer sings tne Doxology: ‘As it was in the lieginning is now and ever shall be!’ ft is almost impossible to get the farmer to change his methods. It is easier for a ieopaid to*change his spots. “But. Mr Farmer, 1 want you to live longer. You can add live or ton years to your lile bv attention to a few things. They will be good years, too. not merely existing. "An extra pair of rubber boots and a pair oi' goloshes won’t cost much. They will save you the price of a lew bottles of medicine and, perhaps, your life.

" A couple of extra pairs of gloves will save you a lot of discomfort and possibly a doctor's bill. "When did you go to the dentist? Probably not since you had a tooth pulled. Saving your teeth is saving your health. Bad teeth and rheumatism are twin brothers. Have you thought of that?

“Are your glasses good enough to read the paper comfortably. If not, they should be.

"A radio is cheaply installed, and I find the movies wonderfully refreshing, puvided the air is good in the theatre. If it isn’t good, make a kick to the manager. You will sleep better for a little diversion, "Constipation is the forerunner of trouble. What about it? Are the bowels regular? If not, it is because you eat too much grease, or bocause you neglect yourself.

"'•I e thought to these suggestions, good friend, and bear in mind that they come from one of your own folks."