THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30, 1986.
Two medical authorities doclaro that Britain is definitely a 0.8 nation in an important book published recently.
by
Mary Sutherland
(Chief Woman Oficer of the
Labour Party.j
E
W
have
witnessed.
since the passing of the first Public Health
Act in 1875, some- thing like a revolution in the health conditions of the people. Soveral years have been adder to the life of the "average man and woman. The death rate has fallen. There has beer a steady decline in the incidence of tuberculosis.
Certain virulent infectious diseases have almost disap- peared, and the danger of others to the community has been lessened by the method of Isolation.
The whole of our public health services up to the present day have been based on know- ledge of the effect of environ- ment on health.
We now take it for granted that the community through county or borough councils should be respon- sible for the isolation of Infec- tion, for the. provision of drains and a pure water supply; that tho plumber, the scavenger and the engineer, as well as the doctor, have a part to play in promoting and maintaining public health.
A
NEW type of doctor has grown up with these developments. We have with us to-day not only the general practitioner or family doctor but also the Medical Oficer of Health.
Yet, in spite of the almost dramatic progress of the last sixty year, we are not a healthy nation. We are, quite definitely, C.3. Such at least is the conclusion to be drawn from a striking book pub- ished to-day, "Poverty and Pub- He Health" (Gollancz, 05.), the Joint work of Dr. 0. C. M. M'Gonigle, Medical Omeer,
of
The whole of U.S.A. has heard the famous Dionne "quins" broadcast, If British children, too, could tell the world, they would agree with the doctors -
712
FOOD is the
Key to Health
Health for Stockton-on-Tees, and J. Kirby, M.I.S.I. ·
Doth write with authority, for their knowledge is based upon long experience of publle health work in industrial areas. They examine about the existing information health conditions of the people.
There is to-day no information about the adult population com- thic parable to the reports of Ministry of National Service, 1017- 10, which startled the nation by revealing that only one in three of the men of military age was fit and healthy.
areas
where
But we do possess information about, the health of school chill- dren, the health of children who attend Child Welfare Centres, and the health of groups of people in
certain special investigations have been undertaken. Dr. M'Conigle, one uf the authors, has himself done outstanding work In this field of inquiry.
If all children had the same attention
as the "quins".
I hope that this book will be read by those who use oficial statis- Ilcs to prove that things are not so bad" with the unemployed and with the children in In- dustrial areas. Here we are -told-very plainly that the official statis- tics which are the basis of so many complacent, soothing utterances reveal n very unsatisfac tory state of affairs.
About one in three of the elementary school children who come under routine medical -exami-
have nation
some physical defect, more than half of them being defects requiring treat- ment. In addition, two out of three of the chil dren dentally examined have dental defects ré- quizing treatment.
HOUSEWIVES TAKE
•
ar
Further,
of large number children are submitted for special inspection every year because they appear to a day observer-possibly the teacher-to have some defect, and of these well over one in threo were found to require treatment.
The authors insist that bad as these figures are they are understatement. It is pointed out that in the ordinary routine in- spection it is dimeult to detect any but the more obvious physical defects and impossible to detect such conditions as rheumatism; and that wherever more detailed investigations have taken place a much higher incidence of defects has been revealed.
For example, special inquiries in certain London and Durham schools reveal that only 12.5 ner cent. of the London children examined and 6 per cent. of the Durham children were free from all signs of rickets. Yet we are often assured that rickets is dis- appearing. Rickets 18 due to deficient diet.
T
☆ ☆ ☆
LA
HE value of much of the official Information further limited by the absence of any common standard of assessing physical condition, and especially nutrition.
is equally important as, possibly of greater importance than, en- vironment in determining health. and that our public services should more and more be directed towards sound nutrition-which is a matter of right dict.
I
☆ ☆ ☆
Tis stated emphatically by the writers that a considerable proportion
of our population cannot get a right diet because of poverty, and they are impatient with the view that inefficient housekeeping rather than poverty is the cause of faulty diet and bad nutrition. "The average housewife by rule-of- thumb anthods hows approxi- mately what foods to buy and roughly what quantities," state these, two doctors. "Her meals are determined not so much by ignor- ance as by purchasing power.
"It is possible to teach what constitutes a theoretically ident dietary (If this teaching is needed, and of this there is some doubt), but the application of this know- ledge is dependent on purchasing power."
The section of the book which examines working-class expendi- Inanture, and, the, relation between_the_
amount avaliable for food and the amount paid for rem and other necessary overhead expenses, is particularly useful, and shows an understanding of working-class life which the scientific worker does not always possess.
area where the general health standards are poor, a low standard will probably be accepted as "nor- mal." and only chlidren below that low standard will be certified as suffering from sub-normal or poor nutrition,
A careful analysis of the records of children at the Child Welfare Centre in Stockton-on-Tees shows that most of the defects which are detected in school children develop In the first and second years of life. and that there is a substantial correlation between faulty diet and many of the physien! defects from which children suffer:
This brings us to the main argu- ment of the book-that nutrition
NOTE!
THERE have been so many inquiries from readers lately these minute beetles, but in most cases. It is best to send
about sÿjinll'insects which invade newly built houses it away for expert treatment. and others which cat into wood that the following in- Persistent applications with a good fluld may stem the formation may be useful,
attacks. Each hole must be treated separately and then One species of booklice will invade new houses und stopped up to prevent further attacks when the beetle stay there sometimes for two years until brickwork and lays her eggs. Special care, should be given to any part plaster have dried out thoroughly. These are tiny soft- where the surface of the wood is worn, bodied swift-moving pests, either dark or light, and they Then there are the fumigation and the special heat delight in dampness. When the house gets absolutely systems. The latter must be carried out under · expert dry they disappear.
guidance for temperature. Meantime, there does not seem to be any specifle If fumigation is resorted to, carbon tetrachlorido is the remedy for this plague, although spraying with any re- only chemical suitable for home use. liable insecticide will help to keep them in check.
A small room or cupboard should be used if furniture is Another miniature marauder is the furniture beetle, to be fumigated but it must be airtight. Bowls of the This destructive creature bores into furniture and wood- liquid should be placed on a shelf or something similar, work, especially old wood where the polish or varnish say, a packing case if a stool is to be treated. The liquid has worn away.
should be just above the infected woodwork so that the There are various methods of ridding the wood of vapours fall directly on to the ravaged portions.
ADVERTISE
where there is no
doubt about
CIRCULATION
SALESMAN SAM
WELL, I'M JEST ABOUT SET, DUZZ HOW DO YA LIKE MY NEW HUNTIN' OUTFIT?
W
HEN a family of five la suddenly transferred from a wage of 455. to unemployment beneft of 35s... the mother is compelled to cut down food because there is nothing else she can cut; and when an un- employed family is moved from a slum house to a new Council houst. the extra low shillings needed for rent must be taken out of the chil- dren's stomachs.
And so we find that the death rate among unemployed familles transferred from a slum area to a fine new housing estate in Stock- ton-on-Tees showed a startling Increase, for no other reason than that food had to be sacrificed to rent.
The moral is that we cannot derive full advantage from our health and housing services and other measures designed to create a healthy environment unless people are adequately fed
NEW PARLOPHONE RECORDS
ROUND ABOUT
The Showman F540
I
by
is a far cry from the old smithy at Abbot's Snorting to a film star's air-cushion on the topmost pinnacle of fame.
There seems a world of differ- ence between my daughter, Coompy, who used to nudge the horses to chango legs when of were a-shoeing of 'em (Goompy the Noodger, they called her), and that gilitering..glamorous, poison- ously
pallid empress of ecstasy, Goompla Noodja, the Passion- burnt Toast of To-day, But that's how it is.
I have to noodge myself to make my. zelf believe it's all true, -There sha was, one night, sitting in a party with the lord, the left the stage to marry, and a lot of other lords and ladies; and she was picked out by a Alm producer, "I can make a star out of you!" he said.
And now...
GLAMOROUS GOOMPIA
And now I hardly know my lite Goompy. Her eyelashes brush her chin. She wears false lips of crimson glass, clipped to her teeth. Her fager nails aro tipped with crimson electris Ugiata.
Peopja faint from emotion whenever she appears. Motor-cars chase thema- selves in circles, weeping with joy. Ketilen boll over. Geese are cooked
All she says in public is "Ynirss no-ah! Yarsa... no-ati!"
· My Illtle girl! Last night ahe aald to me, Feyther, I'm in such a deytherl po'ce think they be makin' a fule of 017"
I reassured her, and so muccessfully that she laughed and nudged me plny- fully in the ribs in quite her old style,
I was knocked unconscious for fire minutes.
Passing Reference
JUDGE KNIGHT naked the child:
(State of My Heart. F.T... Maurice Winnick's Orch. (A Rendezvous with a Dream, Maurice Winnick's Orch.. R2242 (Squeexo Mo. F.T. .....Louis Armstrong & His Five- (Once in a While, F.T.....Louis Armstrong & His Five:. A2243 (Whoop it Up. F.T... Williams & His Washboard Band..'
(You Don't Understand. F.T.
Williams & His Washboard Bord.
F538 (Sky High Honeymoon. Q.S......... Harry Roy & His Orch. (No Words, Nor Anything.. Q.5... Harry Roy & His Orch.
F539
(Scat Singers. F.T. (Boris on the Bas. · F.T. R2239 (Don't Tell My Mother.
(Faust Do-Bunked.
F537
(Bot You Tell That. (Nothing's Blue But the Sky.
F541
(Your Heart & Mina, (When I'm With You
F531
1
Do
*Do you love your moma? you love your pops?". To each question Marilyn replied, * Uh, uh.'"*
And the action for the custody of a nim star's child continues.
| The Great English Speaking Nations
of The World, in chorus:—
Yeah, she loves her moms, and she
loves her pops.
Each of 'em jeeds her peppermint
drops;
But they ain't been friends for many a
day,
Moms and pops are funny that way. Soy, Marilyn, honey, don't you fret, You're much too young to get sore, my
pict:
Just say, “Uh, uh?” and try--land--
Bakes!
To ace WHAT 'A'STORY all this
makes!
The Talkers
THE cinema attendant, who woke up a sleeping patron, did so because you can never be sure, in this queer life, who are the snorern and who the non-snorers. You cannot marry every-
cns.
But I would for rather sit behind a Enurer in cinema than behind a talker. A tap on the shoulder wil disturb a snorer's rhythm; but & bl with a mallet is nécessary even to attract a talker's attention.
The high-pitched, affected volce goes on and on, reciting the day's doings in between condescending comments on the picture,
I wonder if these upes realise say- thing of the venomous hatred they
Arolse.
Wags' Corner
A MAN was anxiously awaiting the
birth of his first child. He paced up and down in misery and mental torture until, at last, the nurse brought him tho nowa.
"It's a girl," she said, sulling.
Thank heaven!" gasped the father. *I wouldn't want any son of mine to go through what I suffered to-night!"
Table Tennis Menace
I SUPPOSE you thought it was just a game, but the English Table Tennis Association have lifted what we used to call ping-pong to the plane of selentine (if not paychological) optics
with their latest ruling against
women's clothes which, necidentally or not. might dazzle opponents.
This, I think, is another of those -events which call for celebration in
song, so, if you are all ready...?
Contraltos: "I'm Prudence the Pan- ther of Ping-Pong."
Sopranos: My dresses are dazzling and ding-dong ...
Double Basses: "You'll shake in your zhoca..
Tenors: "At one glimpse of my bloose
All: "I'm the menace who makes them all ping wrong!".
Plain And Simple-Mostly Simple
HOLEY SOCKS; SAM! (ON A HUNTIN' TRIP, YA THASS TOO MUCH! YOU'C'|SKOULD DRESS AS PLAIN GET ALL TIRED OUT, AN' SIMPLE AS YA KNOW CARRYIN' ALL THAT TRUCK! HOW ~SO YA KIN MOVE, FASTER AN' EASIER!
E. DUZZ.
OFFICE
am
MEBBE VEZ RIGHT, DUZ2-
CHUNE
ATE 1396
HEY, SAM, I DREN WAITIN” FER TEN MINUTES FERYA
TA HELP ME PACK!
STORE ROOM
DUZZEM
COMING, DUZZ- COMING!
Harry Roy & His Orch. ..Harry. Roy & His Orch.
.Ronald Frankau.
.Ronald Frankau..
Len Borman with Orch. .Len Berman.with Orch.
...Leslie Hutchinson. Lesile Hutchinson,
from "POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL"
and
(POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL Selection (SHIRLEY TEMPLE'S
Patricia Rossborough. Plano. (NEW FILM.
TSANG FOOK PIANO COMPANY, Marina House, 19, Queen's Road, Central. Tel. 24648.
OUR BRITish crossWORDS
115
19
20
25
ACROSS
12
113 114
24
1 Side affected by some school-
boya.
rasher by the
0 Side affected
lovers.
The wrong 'uns whe lovers die.
10 The outside edge.
much the sainc. 11 Very 12 Churm.
made
13 Showing grief about some bad
lad.
15 Meaning meaning."
18 Meaning counsel.
10 These urchins are everywhere
in Basru.
20
Sixpence for a canopy doesn't sound dear.
22 Spure.
24 Serpent.
20 Blow-outs that don't worry, the
car-driver.
27 VIII, eight, 3. 30 It is
pounce
necessary
to make
31 Makes a reduction..
32 Put paid to.
33 "Men tilt, or," rather, pluck this
(anag.).
DOWN
1 These flies are nearly all legs. 2 Across ten thousand: this is
self-evident.
3 A tradesman who depls in leather and finds even the bits bring him
profit
4 Gives heart.
5 Spoke untruthfully about the
Jetters, albeit indistinctly. Bad roll (anag).
7 Stir and let the movement end.
120
8 The fame of the infamous, 14 This apple though grown almost
everywhere is useless for cider. 15 Place between Bury and the
final position.
16 Hung up.
17 Black, sallor.
18 Foolish person.
21 Send tea for the loss pelect part
of London (hyphen, 4, 3).
23 Bulance a coal-scuttle on
а
letter with pussy on top: quite a feat for a Fole?
24 This ant is obviously not the "main bug," as they say in the State. 23.Work Idly.
28 Cello spring?,
20 This increase in size is very
"posh."
Yesterday's Solution. STREETA EASIER Q-EVER AVENGENE A UNABLEIEVIVIAN
A HDTE ADDLE-STAC RAILED IRLAVISH EL PLATOONA = 1 6 TYM IEBY POPLAR
TIPTOE-18nIMP WH OF MAGNATEM, I IB BUES DE IRVING NHTMETRUM PESTEEM GEEGEEL EXHALE
EKTREGANDSTON
8 TBKIN, ETDIGEST
Small
IE MY HUNTIN' OUTFIT WUZ ANY PLAINER OR
SIMPLER THAN THIS – I'D BE ARRESTED!
STORE
ROOM
•KEE
PòuK