yAe MAGAZINE THA" KEEPS PEOPLE WELI IN THIS ISSUE How to Begin the Day Motorists Beware! Cancer—Curable and Preventable Mealtime Beverages Backache Eggs—All Ways »-«wt Children’s Supplement In the Consulting Room January, 1935 Registered for Magazine Post to Canada and iSewtoundland Ask our Local Good Health League Worker to bring you this magazine every month The Good H ealth League has a number o f helpers who are bringing health principles to the knowledge of the public by circulating this magazine. They will always be glad to bring the magazine regularly if resi­ dent in your district. Here are a few names and addresses of such workers : BELFAST.— Mr. J. V. Barker, 217 Ravenhill Avenue, Belfast. BRADFORD.— Mr. C. W. Poole, 342 Kensington Street, Girling- ton, Bradford. BRISTOL.— Mrs. M. A. Chappell, 31 Maxse Road, Knowle, B ristol. CARDIFF.—Mr. W. C. Smart, 98 Wilson Road, Ely, Cardiff. Mr. P. Binks CHEAM.— Mr. A. Lacey, 51 Hamilton Avenue, North Cheam, Mr. C. W. Poole of Sheffield Surrey. of Bradford COLCHESTER.— Mr. W. Smith, 6 Hytlie Quay, Colchester. PORTSLADE-BY-SEA.— Mr. J. Dean, 33 Vale Road, Portslade- LIVERPOOL— Mr. W. H. Woodfield, 8 Ruskin Street, Kirk- by-Sea. dale, Liverpool. LONDON.—Mr. W. Wallace, 148 Gladstone Avenue, Wood SHEFFIELD.—-Mr. P. Binks, 10 Cannock Street, Hillsborough, Green, N.22. Sheffield. MANCHESTER.— Mrs. M. Leigh, 191 Greengate, Salford, Man­ UDDINGSTON.— Mr. A. Innes, 3 Margaret Place, Uddingston, chester. Lanarkshire. Mr. W. Smith Mr. C. H. Smith Mr. W. C. Smart M r. J. V . B arker of Colchester of Colchester o f Cardiff o f B elfa st WHERE TO STAY LONDON-SPENSER HOUSE HOTEL A First Class Hotel— Exclusively Vegetarian BOURNEMOUTH'S FOOD REFORM GUEST HOUSE, Hot and cold water, lifts, central heating, etc. Restaurant open to public on weekdays and Sundays. Loughtonhurst, West Cliff Gardens, for a comfort­ Write for brochure No. 2 to : able holiday or a complete rest. Apply manager. Hector Nicholls, Resident Managing Director, Terms moderate. Palace Gate, Kensington, W.8. Wes. 2885. THE STANBGROUGHS Hydro and Health Home, beautifully situated in healthful surroundings, within easy access of London. Acknowledged to have the finest treatment rooms in the country. See adver­ The Largest Vegetarian Restaurant in London tisement on page iv of cover. ILFRACOMBE For sunshine, scenery, and health ! Food Reform Restaurant Mrs. James Allen’s Guest House is situated in the © most beautiful part of this lovely seaside resort, 1, 2, and 3 Furnival Street, Holborn, E.C.4. commanding magnificent views of land and sea. Opposite Grays Inn Road. Every comfort. Excellent cooking. G r a n o s e F o o d s Luncheons 12 to 3. Teas 3.30 to 7.30. Suppers 5.30 to a specialty. Liberal table. Very moderate terms. 7.30. Close on Saturday 2.30 in Summer. The Secretary, “Bryngoleu,” Broad Park Avenue. 400 Seats. Quick Service. Low Tariff. Three rooms seating 100 each; one 60; one 12 to let Please mention “Good H ea lth ” for afternoon and evening meetings. whan writing to Advertisers. Vol. 33. No. 1.___________________________________________________ JANUARY, 1935_________________________________________________________ P R I C E 3d. Contents of this Issue Marvels of the Body—1. Electricity and Life 3 “Children’s Good Health” and Children’s League How to Begin the Day : D. A. R. Aufranc, of Health: Auntie Pearl 11 M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., L.D.S., R.C.S. 4 Backache : W. F. Martin, M.D. 16 Motorists Beware! “Streamline” 6 Eggs—All Ways : Margery MacKenna 18 Cancer—A Curable and Preventable Disease : C. E. Nelson, M.D., F.R.C.S., F.R.I.P.H. 8 I Can’t Eat T h a t! George Abbott, M.D. 19 What Shall We Drink? O. V. Hellestrand 10 In the Consulting Room 22 EDITOR: C. E. NELSON, M.D., F.R.C.S., F.R.I.P.H. OFFICE EDITOR : W . L. EMMERSON MARVELS OF THE BODY—1. Electricity and Life T he twentieth century is often spoken of as the electrical age. The movements of the most powerful battleships that plough the mighty ocean, the electric trains that cross the towering Alps, or the delicate seismograph that records the quaking of the earth thousands of miles away, are all operated by electric currents. Yet even more wonderful are the electric currents which play so important a part in the functioning of the human body. The brain is a central power station and the millions of delicate nerves are highly insulated electric wires carrying the currents from the brain to all parts of the body. These delicate wires do not all have the same function. Certain nerves are called motor nerves because they carry impulses to muscles; others carry pain sensations from the skin to the brain. There are nerves that transmit light impulses, nerves that transmit impulses caused by vibrations in the air upon the ear, which the brain interprets as sound, and nerves carry­ ing impulses from the tongue which are interpreted as taste. In addition to the electric currents carried by nerve cells, it is now known that every living cell is a storage battery and by means of delicate meters it is even possible to measure the electric potentials of these cells. Thus electricity plays an important part in the chemical changes that take place in tissue. Another interesting chapter of the electricity of life is in certain species of fish, par­ ticularly the Brazilian electric eel and certain African catfish which catch their prey by stunning them with electric shocks. In these fish are found electric plates which carry charges that have the power of rendering a needle magnetic, of decomposing chemical compounds, and emitting a spark, all being wholly dependent upon nerve stimulus from the brain of the fish. The strength of current in a rayfish two to three feet long is sufficient to disable a man. c .e .n . 4 GOOD HEALTH, JANUARY, 1935 How to BEGIN the DAY TIMELY ADVICE FOR A NEW YEAR By D. A. R. All FRANC, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., L.D.S., R.C.S. © Anne Shriber Too little attention is given to the English breakfast. More often than not it mars First, and most important the rest of the day from a digestive point of view. of all, we must have plenty of good, sound sleep. This O n c e again we have come to the dawn of a will be impossible if we retire late, even if we New Year. But from a health point of view, this try to make up for it by sleeping on into the is not of very great importance except for the fact following day. Sleep taken in this way is seldom that we may be making resolutions for better sweet and refreshing and often leaves behind a health during the coming months. Each day headache for the following day. The correct way comes to us as something new and what a won­ is to retire early and rise early. Ten o’clock derful thing a new day really is. Dawn with its should be the latest time for going to bed. For crimson sky and virgin freshness and the hours most people the time of rising will probably be as yet untouched stretch out before us. But the influenced by the season of the year. Seven joys of the day will be marred unless we have o’clock may be taken as an average time, but in good health. How important, therefore, that wc the spring and summer one may often wish to begin the day correctly and do nothing that wili be up before this. Few things can compare with handicap the body in the carrying out of its the early hours of a glorious day. functions. Next in importance to sleep is food. When one Effects of Yesterday is in normal health, it is always best to have the To do this it is not sufficient to begin with last meal at least two or three hours before go­ thoughts of the morning. At this time the effects ing to bed. Sleep is much more likely to be sound of the night before are very often still in evi­ and peaceful when the stomach is empty than dence. Preparation for a day, therefore, should when it contains undigested food. Late suppers be made at least the night before and it naturally are not only a common cause of disturbed sleep ‘follows that the better we live day by day, the and heavy heads in the morning, but of many better will each succeeding day become. Health digestive troubles, since they prevent the is a matter of habit, regularity, and routine far stomach’s obtaining proper rest. When the habit more than most people realize. of eating late at night has been formed, some What, then, are the chief points we must ob­ difficulty may be found in discontinuing it. A serve in making preparation for to-morrow ? little patience and practice, however, will soon JANUARY, 1935, GOOD HEALTH 5 overcome this and then great benefit and im­ reason for believing that there is a close con­ proved health will be experienced. nection between pig’s flesh and cancer. Another important point is fresh air during Third, almost everyone eats too much pro­ the night. If one sleeps in a stuffy room, one is tein. Eggs and bacon both contain it and it is not likely to rise in the morning feeling fresh most unwise to eat protein at three or even two and vigorous.