“TE KOOTIPHOBIA.”

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1298, 20 March 1883, Page 4

“TE KOOTIPHOBIA.”

A duly qualified “ tipsy writer ” sends us the following diagnosis of this fearful disease, and its remedy, which has never yet proved unfailing:— The first patient suffering with this frightful disease—dipsomania paling into utter insignificance alongside of it—was (discovered to be an able writer on the subject in the *' Evening Post," and as it developed alarming sympteins betrayed themselves, the patient striking out in a painfully distressing manner all round, and at the present day it suffering dreadfully with this dire and fearful malady. The unhappy creature formerly was collarless, and went about not altogether colourless, for he was of a dingy, shabby hue, and dirty in person; his apparel, however, was scanty, shiny, and greasy, and to all appearance he neither wore shirt nor socks, as his coat was invariably buttoned high up to the throat, around which he wore a black stock or cravat, with an air affecting great wisdom and learning ; but, gracious Heavens ! witness his long, “ grimy ” finger-nails, adorned with deep black, foul-smelling “ hatands." What must hie toes be like ? people gravely wondered • But to his credit be it said, or to some one else’s, he has of late years burnished up a little, and donned a collar—no cravat—when going about singing, or when airing his eloquence, not only in the “Post," but at the Diocesan Synods, Ac., where he at times unmistakeably showed eigne of violent temper or distemper. He has when writing a strong pungent emell of the piscatorial and red herring odour, which also at times he draws across the various articles appearing in the pages of the “ Post," and foully smelling. Prescription for effecting a cure, a permanent cure truly, for this most “perfect cure.” Go wash in the hottest bath at the great Sanatorium of Taupo, and for ever sing the lines by Burns—- “ Oh, wxd some power the sjiftie gie us, To see oursel’a as ithers set ns !”

The Au»traliai» Medical Gazette writes •' In few cities in the world loose their teeth j at so early an age as in Sydney, notwlthstand- ! iug that in eomparision with other great cities the inhabitants are domesticated and i net addicted to excess in eating, though it , must be admitted that intemperance in one form prevails to a very lamentable extent, It is not uncommon for people who arrived in this colony with teeth perfectly sound, or having only a few slightly decayed, to discover themselves, in the course of four or five yean will barely a sound tooth in either jaw. This cannot be accounted for in connection with the prevailing diet or habit of people. In the judgment of the few medical residents of the city who have devoted any consideration to it the cause is to be referred to the very small proportion of mineral eon- ■ stituents contained in the Botany water. Practically, the Sydney people drink rain water, the watershed consisting for the most part of sandhills, The Nepean water will be very similar in its constituents,, as has been shown by analysis. As soft water it has its advantages as every laundress knows. If it were made to pass through a filtering bed of limestone before delivery during the last two or three days of the week when it is more required for portable than for laundry purposes, it could be charged with those I inorganic materials so essential to the growth and maintenance o* the bony framework of the body, and not less so of the teeth, which follow the same laws of change and growth." Lately a £5 note was sent through the British Post-office System without a cover of any kind, being simply folded, addressed and stamped. Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland have refused to co-operate with New South Wales in introducing i a system of delayed telegrams. The latter Colony has established the system within its own borders. A gentleman writes to a New Jersey paper in favor of letting children go barefoot in summer. “ I believe most firmly,” he says, “ that their health is greatly augmented by the practice.” Very true, and so are the feet. The Maoris are rapidly advancing in the arts of civilisation. One of the latest instances in point is that of a Maori gentleman who stands near the South British Insurance Buildings, Auckland, and waylays the passers-by, with a request to speak to them, and f lulls out of his pocket a subscription ist for a new church or chapel. Some endeavor to lead him off with a statement that they have no money on them, but he quickly produces a pencil and asks them to put their name down on the list. In exhibiting the subscription list he adroitly calls the subscriber’s attention to the front page, where there are donations of from five guineas downwards, but folds back the second page on which are subscriptions of from os. downwards. This may be merely native simplicity, but there is a savour of the heathen Chinee about it.