Science. The Preservation of Health.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1902, 13 September 1884, Page 6

Science. The Preservation of Health.

Sib Eisdon Bknnett gives some muchneeded advice ao to the times and frequency of meals. In his opinion the present more usual practice of three meals a day has good reason, as well as custom, in its favor. When work of any kind is being done, whether mental or bodiiy, the intervals between taking food should not be so long as to entail demands on the system when its store of material for the generation of force is exhausted. An ordinary full meal, in the case of a healthy man, is generally considered to have been completely digested and to have passed out of the stomach in four hours. A period of rest should then be granted to the stomach. Assuming that two hours are allowed for this, the interval between one meal and another would be six hours ; and this accords with the experience of most men. During rest and sleep there is less wasto going on, and especially during sleep there is a greatly diminished activity of all the functions of the body. The

interval, therefore, between the last meal of one day and the first of the next may be longer, as it generally is, than between the several day meals. Assuming that bioakfast be taken about eight or nine o'clock, there should be a mid-day meal about one 1 or two. The character of this must depend on the nature of the day's occupation and the conveniency of the individual. \Vith women and children this is generally their hungry time, and the mid-day repast, whether called luncheon or dinner, is the chief meal. So is it with the middle and laboring classes, for the most part. But for merehanto, professional men, and others, whoso occupations take them from home all the day, this is inconvenient, 'and moreover, it is not found conducive to health or comfort to take a full meal in the midst of the day's work. There caiJ, however, be no doubt that much evil arises from attempting to go through the day without food, and then with exbr»usted powers Bitting down to a hearty meal. Something of a light, easily digestible, but sustaining character should be taken towards one or two o'clock." " Meat teas" are a very common institution among the middle classes, but in Sir Iti-wlon Bonnett's opinion the practice of taking tea with a principal meal is not i,o be commended. Tea does not promote digestion oi the food in the stomach, and espocially is not adapted to accompany meat, but rather bread and farinaceous articles. Meat tpas, as a daily habit, are calculated to promote dyspepsia. Xhe best time for tea is an hour or two after fuod. While fully recognising iho valna of alcohol and other stimulants under speoial oircumsUncos, and while admitting that their modeDvte uso is comparatively harmless to health, Dr. Laudov Brunlon speaks very forcibly on the subject of intemperance, and points out thn evil effects of stimulants upon the health of persons who cannot be called intemperate, jet who ace in the constant habit; of taking VC'7 small quantities of wine, beer, or spirit at all hours throughout the day. The following table of comparative mortality is in<3i;ructivo: —

In these days, when there is so much talk about over- work of the brain, it is not a little eneouiaging to find an eminent authority stating that for one instance in which the brain i 3 over-worked there must be many hundreds or thousands of cases in which it is not used enough, even for the ordinary conditions of health. And yet, although the brain may suffer irom want of exercise, the evils of over- strain — especially in the case of young people — must be fully recognised. Evening preparation of school lessons is nut without itrf dangers ; night-work often induces sleeplessness and a long train of atiendaitt evils, and contribuio.-! largely to the nervousness and debility which are becoming so common amongst school-children, particularly in towns, while it fails in securing advancement at all equal to what might be got from much I»S3 strenuous! and protracted study earlier in the day. The moat arduous mental work required of a child ought (o be imposed on it when mind and body are in their prime vigor, between 9 a.m. and noon, and certainly nothing but the lightest work should devolve upon it after 5 p.m. Questions of food, drink, r.nd labor naturally lead on to another important health consideration — rest and sleep. It cannot be denied that, as a rule, the largest amount of the best work in life is done by those who cr,n sleep well. Nor to a healthy man is any amount of work — apart irom worry and anxiety, perhaps — injurious which is followed by a due amount of sound sleep. What is a due amount varies widely in different persons. " This is due in pait to the varying degrees of activity of the vital changes. Thus, although these are most active in the young, the young require much sleep, because the rapid rate of repair during that period is met by the rapid rate of wa&te during the day. Both by day and night the changes are then most active. The aged also require much sleep, because, although there is comparatively little wasLe during the day, the process o£ repair is slow also." Ilarrasned brain-workers should encourage sound sleep hs much as possible if they wish to preserve their health and strength. Late meals .should be avoided, and mental v/oik should be put aside at least an hour or two before letiring to iest. To sum up tbe whole matter, how is health to be preserved ? By temperate and discriminating use oi food and drink •, by due cxerciso of both mind and body, but with the tivoidance of worry, and of haste to get wealthy or to acquire all knowledge ; by attention to all natural health laws, such as the need of puic air, clothing adapted to climate and the body of the wearer, &c. ; and by paying due legard to the uecesHity of sleep and rest. From such things result " a sound mind in a sound body," and a healthy and vigorous old age, with all the faculties unimpaired. — Casscl's Magazine.

.n intemperate person's chance of living is : — A temperate person's chance of living I' 3: — At 20—15 6 years. „ 30-13-8 „ „40-316 „ „ 50—10 8 „ „ 60— 8.9 „ At 20—44-2 years. „ 30 -36-5 „ „ 40—28.8 „ „ 50-21-25 „ „ 60—14-283 „