Evening star., 1926-04-30
FOOD AND HEALTH
BY WINIFRED STUART GIBBS.
Food Specialist.

Father and mother had just re.
turned from Bermuda. Father was
looking as brown as only a Mid
winter sun can make one look. and
every one exclaimed: How much
good the trip did you.' But mother
knew that there were signs and por-
tents beginning To make themselves
felt. Sure enough, after the first
three days at home father suddenly
developed a good sized case of indi.
Sestion.
Mother nursed him. of course Ehe
could always be depended upon for
that. and no sooner was father back
at the Office when Elizabeth, the IL
year,od daughter of the family.
showed signs of an attack similar p,
fathers. Then came sick head.
ache" of a young man cousin. and it
did begin to look as If some malevo-
lent germ had decided to wreak
vengeance on the entire family.
Every one was puzzled Could the
family be suffering from poisoning
caused by some unsuspected taint in
the food? Was there any truth in
the idea that indigestion. like colds,
sometimes went round an entire
household?
Now, it so happened that the eX
perience of these particular individu-
ais was easily eXplainable. Fathers
upset" came, although he did not
suspect it, from several causes. first,
the complete change of diet and OF
living conditions plus an unaccus-
toned sea trip. Change is desirable,
of course, but the fact remains that
such a complete overturning of the
daily routine as this is apt to cause
minor illnesses. if no more than 4
f,eeting stomachache. The digestive
organs like TO settle down in their
own little ways" and when they are
pried out sof them may easily take
vengeance on their luCkless owner
Sometimes this is all to the good.
as the drinking water. for example.
in the newly visited place is really
lust what is required to correct
Slight irreGularity of the system, but,
while the system is becoming accus
toned to the change the individual
is, to say the least. uncomfortable.
Then there is the matter of sea
sickness Certainly no sane person
would elect to lose the best part of
a trip through this troublesome NAL
adv On the other hand, forewarned
is forearmed, and a little care a week
before sailing will at least reduce the
discomfort to a minimum. So let US
not decide to give up the joys and
rest Of travel because Of possible
indigestion. Let us rather study our
own requirements with a Suff1cient
intelligence to make 1t possible to
weather storms and changed condi.
tions, and so get the most possible
good out of the trips.
And the germ idea?
Were we to lapse into the YER
nacular we shOuld he tempted to
calculate feelingly, Its the bunk.
Germs. sometimes. O. YES. indeed;
but not during the everyday expert
ences OF the average normal family.
Big sisters and young man cousin s
particular little celebrations were
probably caused. not by some one iso-
lated dietary indiscretion. but by
series of chocolate ice cream 'luXu'
rioso" dainties when their young sys,
TENS were calling loudly for spinach
and milk and bread and butter.
It is so easy to make a mountain
out of a mole hill and imagine a
vain thing in regard to epidemics of
indigestion! Steady and withal cheer.
full observing of dietary laws, day in
and day out-that is the first safe.
guard.
The second is the cultivation of
philosophical attitude toward the up
sets bound to come to the best reg
ulated families and a systematic pro
gram of study as to their causes.
The third and final safeguard is, OF
course the permanent adoption OF
such a safety-first program. one that
will act as at least partial pre-
ventive.
.