The Advantages of a Sea Voyage

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 458, 29 March 1890, Page 3

The Advantages of a Sea Voyage

1. Perfect rest and quiet and complete removal from and change of ordinary occupation and way of life; a very thorough change of scene, and perfect and enforced rest from both mental and physical labour. 2. The life in the open air and the great amount of sunshine to be enjoyed. It is quite possible, under favourable circumstances, to pass fifteen hours daily in the open air, and whenever it is possible the traveller by sea is certain to endeavour to escape from the close and sometimes unpleasant atmosphere of a small cabin in'o th° pure air to be found on deck. 3. The gre purity of the air at pea and its entire freedom from organic dust and other impurities. In this respect it has an advantage over the air of the open country, for the latter is apt to contain the pollen of grasses and other plants, which in some persons excites hay fever and asthma. The air of the cabins may, of course, be contaminated, but the air of the open sea is probably the purest that can pe found anywhere. 4. The presence in the sea air of a large amount of ozone as well as of particles of saline matter, more particularly in stormy weather from the sea spray, and these may exercise a beneficial eflect in certain throat and pulmonary affections on the respiratory mucous membrane. 5. The great equability of the temperature at sea. This refers chiefly to the daily variations, which rarely exceed 4deg. or sdeg. Fahrenheit. It must be noted, as we shall see presently, that in a long sea voyage very considerable variations of temperature are encountered, and in a swift steamer the transitions are somewhat sudden. 6. The great humidity of the atmosphere and the high baremetric pressure, which are considered to exercise a useful sedative influence on certain constitutions. It is said that the temperature of the body averages-ldeg. Fahrenheitlessonaccount of this sedative effect. 7. The exhilarating and tonic effect of rapid motion through the air ; for by the continuous progress of the ship the sea breezes are constantly blowing over it, and the passengers are borne through the rapidly-moving air without any exertion of their own. The influence of tnese currents ot air on the surface of the body is no doubt important, acting as a stimulant and a tonic, increasing evaporation from the skin and imparting tone to the superficial blood-vessels. To these influences must be added, in the case of lony sea voyages, the invigorating effect of the changes of climate experienced in passing through the different regions of the ocean. It cannot, however, be doubted that, although this may have a bracing efiect on many, it is often felt to act injuriously by the more serious and sensitive class of invalids.—Dr. Burney Yeo, in the ‘Nineteenth Century.’