TALKS ON HEALTH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3661, 24 October 1912, Page 8

TALKS ON HEALTH.

(Specially "Written for “Tlio Gisborne Times” by Medico.)

THE CARE OF CHILDREN

I never apologise for recurring to the subject of the care of children, because any care bestowed upon them is worth about ten times as much as if it were given to grown up people. There are* hundreds of complaints which can only be successfully tackled in childhood. ' If tlie witching hour of childhood has gone and the evening time of life is approaching, the defects cannot >be remedied. You can train a sapling; who can train an oak ? It has always seemed curious to me that the idea of periodical examination should not have been applied earlier to the care of children. The drains are periodically inspected, and repairs are done, but no one inspects children they are just left until they complain. NEGLIGENCE OF PARENTS.

Fathers and mothers think themselves completely excused if they can sav that the child never complained. A' happy-go-lucky indifference is the rule. 'A "sterner attitude should bo adopted towards the ocucrrence of illness in children. It may be tlie fault of the parents. lam sure the time will come when illness will be. regarded as a disgrace. The time will come when respectable women will cross the road to avoid meeting the woman whose child had a curvature of the spine. “Fancy, my dear, the poor little thing had a commencing curvature for eighteen months before the mother discovered it, and then it was too late; can you imagine so heartless a creature being allowed to live?”

A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY. Tlie arrival of a baby throws a great responsibility on the parents, and the responsibility should be bravely and intelligently shouldered. 1 say “intelligently” because there are many parents who love their children dearly but do not act wisely towards them. Clothes may be chosen more with a view to making a show than with the desire to provide a warm, sensible garment. Children are indulged and allowed to choose their own diet with disastrous results. To save worry and the necessity for firmness, the tired mother gives way, and does not insist on the little one learning obedience. Before the tradesman takes his horse out in the morning, ho fee’s its knees and looks him over to make sure it is fit for its day’s work. And I want vou to look your child over to see if "he is fit for his life’s work.

AN INSPECTION.

Let me give you a few hints. Look at your child in a good light. Docs he always keep his mouth open and snore when he is asleep? Does lie easily take cold in the head, and talk clumsily and with a thick voice? If lie does, he may have a growth at tlie back of his nose which is preventing him from breathing freely. Only a doctor can confirm this, and you must take him to see one. . Then take out your watch and hold it to the child's ear and ask him if he can hear it ticking. Then move it further and further awav and mark the distance at which the child says lie can no longer hear it. Then try the other ear; you may find that one ear is much worse than the other. Test your other children to see how far off the watch can he heard, and you may find that one of tlie children cannot hear so well as the others. Deafness must always be inquired into at onoe, at it can be cured if taken early, but becomes permanent if neglected. Any discharge from tlie ear must be treated at once. CARE OF THE TEETH.

Next, you mut take your boy to the window and make him open his mouth wide. Look carefully at every tooth and watch for decay. A small spot of decay in August will have become a hollow tooth by December, and you will be kept awake all night by the crying of the child in pain. Whenever your child cries with the pain of toothache you must always sav to yourself, “I am ashamed of myself for not protecting my child from this 1 dreadful agony «lie is in; I should have had the tooth seen to long ago, and the child I ought to have protected is suffering now from my own neglect.” It is only justice if the father and mother are kept awake all the night. How could you expect the poor little thing to have sense enough to look after herself? You never looked at her teeth, you never bought her a tooth-brush, you never used one yourself to set her a good example, and here she is in pain. AVell, well, I do try hard; and a proud man I shall be when toothache is banished from the land. It ought to be.