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Hokitika Guardian, 26 May 1920, Page 2

A wonderful announcement made in the British House of Commons that we are on the eve of far-reaching discoveries which may reveal the secret of heart disease lias attracted great attention throughout the world. The announcement- in the House was made by Hr. Walter Elliot, in a speech opposing the second reading of a Bill (which was talked out) to prevent -vivisection of dogs He said:—There is one form of palpitation of the heart from which some 20,000 pensioners from the Army alone are suffering. We have made great procress in that. I have hero diagrams showing the heart-beat of a man

and the heart-beat in the dog, and the diagrams are practically identical. These experiments prove practically and conclusively the cause of heart disease. The heart-beat starts by an impulse beginning at the top of the heart and passes down in a certain sort of current throughout the muscle. In heart disease the wires are faulty, the circuit is bad, and instead of passing straight down through the heart, as it should do, the impulse is broken up and the heart goes into what is known as fibrillation. Each muscle iibre begins twitch ing independently, and in some cases | one single muscle impulse gets looso, so j to speak, and courses round and round the heart. Already we have opened the I way to finding out what heart disease is, and that will give us a direct lead as tjf I what to do for it. We suggest i' «.t tin way we can cure it best is i ds: 1! :he ! circuit, is faulty, improve the circuit, and by altering tlie chemical composi- ! lion of the blood by means of certain J chemical salts, we hope to be able to imi prove it, and to set this fluttering, use_ less, palpitating heart beating strongly ‘ and steadily and regularly. In regard ,to this impulse that passes round the ' heart, breaking it all up, it is hoped j that by electric shock you will be able jto stop the palpitation and set the | heart beating again.

Tim suggestion mooted in our cor rev . pondenee columns by Mr, W. ,1. Bu'thr, a fortnight ago, that a fund should lie provided to establish a playground for the children as a memorial cf the Prince of Wales’s visit, has not so far met with the response it deserves. The idea was put forward when the minds of old and young were very much engrossed witii the Royal visit and probably, the matter lias been overlooked. We therefore give this further reminder to our readers, and intimate that the list is still open at this office, and further donations will be acknowledged in due course. No doubt many folk would be prepared to contribute if called upon, and perhaps if two or three gentlemen could spare a couple of afternoons during the week the money required could be raised. There is a very useful kind of juvenile swing in the Christchurch Domain and no doubt that could lie patterned here. Other suitable vehicles tor the amusement of the young could he provided which would make the local Square more and-more popular. If a reasonable sum were raised the Borough Council could he approached for a--subsidy and invited as the custodian of the grounds to carry out the work. It it is to be done, it and other improvements on Cass Square should he completed before next summer comes round, when the town will he again invaded by throngs of picnic partes from up, and down the Coast. The ground is there and equipped as it might he, it could lie made the picnic rendezvous, for all parts of the district as well as up and down the Coast. Here is one of the many opportunities Hokitika has to step into the breach and do the right thing in the right way at the right time.