Some months ago a prominent daily, O Seculo, commenced a series of articles both in editorials and by a certain physician appealing to the nation for the protection of the children. Some of the titles were as follows: “The Future of the Race,” “The Infantile Mortality in Portugal,” “A Shame of Civilization,” “Of One Thousand Graves Opened in the Cemeteries of Lisbon, in 1904, 326 Were for Children,” “The Terror-Striking Consequences of Ignorance and Carelessness,” “Questions of Hygiene,” “Victims of Ignorance,” “It Is Necessary to Organize Summary Instruction to Evade the Infantile Mortality.”
An illustrated article came out giving some interesting facts: The appeal of the Seculo concludes with reports of a rigid examination. In 500 children only one realizes the standard of beauty and robustness. A paragraph from the article will give some of the principal diseases with which these were affected:
“Thus in 500 children appeared 122 with diseased lymphatics, 60 with badly implanted teeth, 20 with ulcerated teeth, 25 with rickets of the ribs, 28 with prognathism, 23 of a very thin or slender type, 12 with pigeon-breast, 16 with teeth revealing grave hereditary diseases, four with chisel teeth, two with rickets of the cranium, seven with rickets of the face, 105 with enlarged abdomen, the rest with other diseases. From among these children how many appeared that might realize the perfect type of robustness and of beauty? Rigorously not one. It is certain that to one was given this classification, altho sufficient qualifications were lacking for it to merit this distinction.”
A Company of Our Workers and Health-reformers in Portugal.
After some comments, the writer spoke of the alimentation the children received for breakfast the morning of their examination.
“Three hundred and sixty-five had as a custom breakfasted on bread and coffee; 20 on bread and tea; 21 on beans, coffee, and bread; 10 on soup, bread, and coffee; 33 on fish, bread, and coffee; 14 on eggs, coffee, and bread; 23 on meat, coffee, and bread; one on cheese and bread; 5 on bread, cooked in oil and water with garlic, coffee, and bread; 8 had nothing. . . . Now since the stomach is treated in this way, supplied with food the nutritive principles of which are almost nil, is it to be wondered at that in 500 children appear scarcely 73 without defect?”
This is a picture of the condition generally in Portugal which may find an echo in other countries. A demand is made by great necessity for some one to instruct the people. They need the message of reform in obedience to the laws of nature and the holy law of God, the Ten Commandments. A beginning has been made in this country and the accompanying photo shows a small group of commandment-keepers and health-reform students. Some progress has been made in both lines. These who appear in this picture have left off the fermented wines, tobacco, tea, coffee, and condiments that create a desire for the stronger stimulants and narcotics. They have begun to appreciate that God desires to dwell in clean bodies and that He desires the employment of all their consecrated powers in His service.
The two young men on the right we wish to send to our school in Gland, Switzerland. One may reach there before these lines appear in the paper. Those who remain will do what they can to represent their Redeemer, preach the truth in their lives and by scattering the printed page. We already have literature in English, German, French, and Portuguese. The Young People’s Society has been presented by kind brethren with clubs of SIGNS, Watchman, Hausfreund, French Signs, and our Portuguese papers, which will be delivered or mailed to persons of the respective languages. We wish to thank those who so kindly donated papers. We can use ten more SIGNS. Pray for us that God may help us to present the only message of reform that can save Portugal from destruction through sin and disease. C. E. RENTFRO.
