HEALTH AND FITNESS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 263, 28 March 1911, Page 7

HEALTH AND FITNESS

LECTURE 1 BY" DK. TRUBY KINO. The illustrated lecture delivered in •the Wliiteley Hall on Saturday evening by Dr. Truby King on Health and Fitness was most attentively listened to by a crowded and interested audience. Dr. Truby King commenced by showing microscopic slides of various cellular structures in the human body. Notable among these were those of train cells. It was shown how degeneration and finally the destruction of the cell took place through improper nourishment, or by the use of poisons, such as tea, alcohol, and coffee. People in the colonies drank far too much tea. Unsuitable and ill-prepared food accounted for much disease, while the absence of proper exercise, and above all, lack of appreciation of the absolute

NECESSITY OF FRESH AIR

led men to much ill-health which tended to develop into disease. Tor plant life air was the most important food. This point was illustrated by pictures of potato crops at Seaclifie Asylum, where the increase in yield had been produced by storing the potatoes intended for seed purposes in a well lighted place instead of in pits in the ground. Animals also needed plenty of air, then how much more man? When, asked the lecturer, would people open their windows for a plentiful supply of nature's food ? Because air was invisible it was ignored. Jt was there, however, ana was a man's most necessary food. Diagrams were shown of bedrooms flushed with_ a current of fresh air, in which a packing case cover arranged at right angles to the window frame, protected the sleeper from undue draught. Two very „ interesting slides explained the cause of adenoids in the throats of children, and how their presence caused the nasal passage to become, blocked. The child was forced to breathe through the mouth. This was responsible for mental dullness, lung diseases, and even idiocy in some cases. He vigorously I condemned the use of corsets, and by i the use of diagrams compared « section of the natural trunk with one compressed by corsets- vividly impressing on those present the extent to which corsets displaced and crowded the internal organs. The corset practically cheeked all movement of the muscles, which should not be checked but bo encouraged by the use of simple, exercises. Another vital necessity of the human frame was rational exercise. It I was .not sufficient to exercise the voluntary muscles by ten minutes' gymnastics every day, for there were the involuntary muscles to be looked after | as well. He advocated bathing both in water and in the sun-warmed air. At , least one hour should be devoted to exercise, say a four-mile walk, or its j equivalent, With children the teeth I needed to be constantly exercised on ' hard foods. The exclusive use of soft , foods such as porridge and chopped-up meat tended to produce decav in the I teeth. This was portrayed in views contrasting tiie imperfect mouth of a European with the perfect one of a I Maori, who had thrived on hard fern I root. The lecturer also referred to the sturdy frames of the outdoor-living ■ Japanese. They might be small ot ■ stature, but they had unmistakably , proved their powers of endurance, due '- to their manual labor in the open air, : often with the most primitive imple- | ments. He then demonstrated the good , work being done at the Ivaritiine Home hahies, where by careful treatment, - j proper food, adequate and suitable exer- -; eise, weak and emaciated children grndu- | ally progressed to health and strength. Tlie lecture was closed by a series of pictures taken by Dr. Trubv King during recent ascents of Tiuapchn and Ngaiiruhoe. At the conclusion of the lecture hearty votes of thanks were accorded to Dr. Trilby King and to Mr. •T. G. Morey. who manipulated the limelight apparatus.