A SUITABLE SUBSTITUTE

NZ Truth, Issue 1238, 22 August 1929, Page 10

A SUITABLE SUBSTITUTE

For Lack of Sunshine In Winter

(Plunket System Articles— No. 13.) The three main features of winter weather, as it generally affects children are, broadly speaking: (1) Lack of sunshine, (2) tendency to : cooping up Indoors and' consequent lack of fresh air and stimulation as well as sunshine, and ; (3) lower atmospheric temperature. THIS last Is m itself healthy and stimulating; only, under, conditions Where children are soft and coddled does it predispose to the coughs and colds and other ailments for which it is commonly blamed. '<■/ The scientific and medical and revelations of the last 15 years have shown conclusively, that the normal nutrition, development, and health of children is seriously impaired by the various artificial restrictions and the sedentary life imposed on jchildren nowadays on account of people living so much indoors instead, of outdoors. This is very injurious and enervating for us all, but the damage is specially serious In the case of young children. The younger the child the ; more gravely is it injured by anything that interferes with the processes of normal orderly growth and development.* It is extremely unfortunate for children that the whole habits, laws and customs of our modern civilisation conspire to coop them up and imprison them indoors, when Nature intended them to be playing about freely and joyously for. most of the daytime m the open air and sunlight. The injury done by such devitalising customs and habits is natur-ally-greatest m winter and early spring. When the days are short' there is little sunshine, and rain makes "outings difficult, even m the best regulated families. The question is: What can be done ln the direction of counteracting the tendency to poor nutrition, coughs, colds, adenoids and.rlckets, fostered by chilly, sunless days? v Fortunately something can be 'done m this direction by giving children subjected to these conditions a daily allowance of : suitable fats and oils— notably, cod liver oil and bone mar^rbw — as an adjunct to the ordinary diet. ,v>-^' ■ -^ ' : V - Cod. liver oil has long been recognised as a 'valuable, food,, but we now know that .it contains a very rich and reliable supply' of trie "sunshine factor." It : has b.e'eri., scienti fically and literally^giyep/ the name of, "hot- '■■•' tied sunshine," and we know that it, and certain-other fats and oils, tend to counteract ailments and diseases .due "largely ;tb ' lack of stimulation by;the, sun's rays. However,' children ;are apt to suffer from a dislike of or inability to deal with extra fat or oil m the ordinary forms, 'sometimesv especially- so during the season of coughs and colds.- ■' Consequently it is X best given m the form of an emulsion, which should be very finely, homogenised, so as to place no tax.on .the; digestive organs.

revived last year m the form of the Yale Blues. The "Yale Blues" has gone, but the Blues is still on our programmes this season, but not nearly so frequently. The four dances mentioned above are t'he modern dances most m demand. In addition, the Tango must be mentioned and the Tile Trot. The Tango is really an older dance than any of the others, and since it was popular 'm England m 1913 it has always been m demand, though not to any great extent. In New Zealand the Tango is practically unknown, and I think that, m view of this fact, much move could have been done to popularise the Tile Trot, which is a very simple dance to Tango rhythm. The only other dance worthy of mention which has so far been danced m New Zealand, is the Varsity Drag. There is quite a clever ballroom version of this one-time American stage dance. It makes a good demonstration number, but will certainly not be taken up by the public. Before concluding, I may mention that the one-step, an older dance than the fox-trot, is never danced now. • In England "it preceded the fox-trot, and, being based on the natural; walk, could perhaps be. more correctly styled as the forerunner of our modern dances. In New Zealand it followed the foxtrot andi for one season, experienced a great wave of popularity. . There has never, to my knowledge, been a dance called the "Jazz" This now obsolete term was loosely used m reference to modern dancing when it first came m, but there was no dance of, that name. ' ,