ON KEEPING FIT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 20 October 1913, Page 6

ON KEEPING FIT.

l)r Woods; I lutehinson, writ or of a now book on. "'Common Diseases," lioves in the oolcl bath, or, at least a sponge. Doubtless ho does not believe in tlio exaggerated folly of those who look upon a. ghastly wallowing in cold water as a proof of hardiness. The thing is generally overdone. .Man is not a water-ani-mal. A certain brisking of the body at daybreak is a good thing. Also, moderate exerci.se is a weapon against the auto-pi'isoning of the system caused by all work and no play. "Remembering that fat in itself i.s not injurious," lu> writes, "hut rather a sign of health and a, valuable storo of reserve material for the body, the first principle to be laid down is that our aim should be not so much to got rid of fat, or reduce our weight, as to train ourselves to carry what wo have with comfort and efficiency. The chief —and, indeed; only safe —remedy is vogorous, active outdoor habits of life. As everywhere else, the best cure is prevention. Do not let yourself become fa t, even at forty, and you will have little trouble; keep up your girlish and boyish sports and pleasures; plan your day's work so as to got from two to five miles' walk or its equivalent in some form of exercise every day, and double that on Saturday and Sunday (the apparent loss of time will repay you double in increased vigour and improved quality of your work); and, even if you do tend to become a trifle more generous in ■your outline Vind in you J' girth after forty, you will never be conscious of ,it, except when you look in the glass." Successful exercise sends up. the weight. Overstrain sends it down, and is of no How many otherwise healthy people are cursed with an almost chronic "cold" at certain times of tho year! Neither Peary nor Scott, nor any of their parties — starting, of course, as picked vigorous men, free from disease, dirt, and germs—had a trace of a. cold, bronchitis, pneumonia, or. catarrh during the whole of the sojourn in the Arctic regions, though often under tho most trying conditions as to cold, wet, and exposure. The moment, however, that they reached civilisation on their return —Peary in Greenland and Scott at Sydney—from onethird to one-half of their parties took furious colds and sneezed and snuffled and wept to celebrate their return to warm houses and foul air." Modern cities, with their dust and draught, give one colds, and it is almost impossible to avoid thorn. The remedy is fresh air and exercise. To neglect catarrh is to court deafness and also permanent and dangerous troubles with the larynx. Doctdrs are terribly careless about such matters and seldom take any pains to effect a cure. „