NEED OF HEALTH PRINCIPLES IN GREECE.
By H. A. Henderson
H. A. HENDERSON.
Nauplia, Greece. In reading articles on health and general hygiene in the Review, I often think what a blessing such literature would be to the people in these Oriental countries. They know almost nothing concerning the laws of health. Meat is about the only food with those who can afford it, and wine is the principal drink. In Greece the people seldom live in the country. One reason for this is that their country was for so many centuries in the hands of enemies, that living in communities became a means of common safety. In the towns and cities the houses, often made of large sun-dried blocks of turf, are usually crowded closely together; and as there is no system of sewerage, the result can easily be imagined. Even in Athens, under the shadow of the Acropolis and Mars' Hill, is a section of the city where many of the streets are too narrow for a carriage, and where bad odors and filth are so prevalent that we wonder how the people can live at all. It is easy to imagine the dreadful effects of a plague in such places. The wealthier classes live in houses made mostly of stone or mortar, as troublesome insects infest wood. Bedbugs are found in the best houses. As soon as summer comes, all carpets are taken up, and all upholstered furniture is covered, to avoid them. I am inclined to think, however, that tobacco is the worst pest here. It is raised in considerable quantities, and some of it is exported, but the larger part is consumed at home. It is rare to find a man in Greece who does not use it, though the people never chew it. They are not restricted to smoking in certain sections of the train, or, in fact, anywhere else. They always smoke at the table after a meal, and in making formal calls they smoke in the parlor. The visitor is usually offered a cigarette, the hostess lighting a match for the smoker. Entering a compartment of a railroad train a few days ago, I found myself in the company of five Greek gentlemen, each one with a cigarette in his mouth. According to their hospitable nature, they immediately offered me one. Of course it was declined with thanks, and the remark, “I never smoke.” “But certainly you do occasionally!” they cried. This was my opportunity, and I began to tell them of tobacco and its evil effects. When I said that it interferes with the action of the heart, a rather fleshy man with a red face took his freshly lighted cigarette from his mouth, and threw it out of the window. I then said that in our late war with Spain many young men were not permitted to enter the army, as a result of heart weakness brought on by the excessive use of tobacco; and a young officer who sat beside me threw his cigarette from the window, and his tobacco pouch immediately followed it. In answer to my inquiring look, he said, “I will never smoke again.” “How long have you been using tobacco?” I asked. “It will be difficult to stop,” I said. “Not so difficult now as it would be later,” was the reply. I told him that if he would give me his name and address, I would call on or write to him later. He seemed much pleased, and taking out his card, wrote on the back of it, “I promise not to smoke any more.” By the earnest look on his face I feel sure he will keep that promise. Wine is used here almost as freely as water, while very little effort has been made against it. Foreigners, and even Americans who never touch wine at home, drink it here with the excuse that it is harmless, and that the water is often poor. It is true that the wine does not contain a large amount of alcohol, and drunkenness is seldom seen, yet crimes committed while under its influence are very frequent. There is a wide field here for health and temperance work, and we are sure that knowledge on these subjects would be gladly received.