PHYSIOLOGY AS A SUBJECT OF GENERAL EDUCATION 477 



a standard too often accepted as satisfactory — it is the condition of the body 

 which gives zest and joy to living. How short of that our standard is, is 

 indicated by the fact that we speak of a particular individual as being so 

 alive ! Surely we should all be alive ! 



The conditions necessary are comparatively simple : right feeding, 

 exercise, rest, sleep, fresh air, and sunshine, but education is necessary to 

 show what are right feeding, proper exercise and adequate sleep and rest, 

 and even how to make use of sunshine. What lasting harm is often de- 

 veloped in the early years by bad posture, improper use of eyes, by 

 mouth breathing, and by inadequate sleep and rest! In industry, 

 examples of the way in which attention to quite slight unsuitable con- 

 ditions has improved the health and increased the output of the workers 

 could be given over and over again from the records of the National 

 Institute of Industrial Psychology, which might almost have been 

 described more correctly as the Institute of Industrial Physiology. (Dr. 

 Lockhart will tell you of the need for this knowledge also in the proper 

 management of the workers who, behind the factory buildings and the 

 machinery, are the essential factors in production.) 



A good foundation of general physiological knowledge is necessary before 

 there can, or at least before there should, be any attempts at dealing with 

 disturbances of mental processes, and yet many who would hesitate to tackle 

 a simple physiological problem do not hesitate to deal with a psychological 

 one. Quite often a physiological difficulty lies at the root of the ' psycho- 

 logical.' A person suffering from indigestion, for example, usually has a 

 much more gloomy outlook on life and is a harder person to live with than 

 one who has given his digestive processes a fair chance. In fairness it 

 must be admitted that mental processes may be the cause of what are 

 generally regarded more definitely as physical processes. Failure of 

 digestion may be caused by emotional disturbances. Examination by 

 X-ray after a test meal will show complete cessation of movements and of 

 secretion if any strong emotion such as anger, pain, extreme anxiety, is 

 aroused. All of which goes to show the close relationship between the 

 activities of the nervous and other systems of the body. 



The proper place to begin physiological education, to teach the science 

 behind the practice of health, is of course the school, but education must 

 not stop there. It is vitally important that everyone should know something 

 of it for his own physical welfare and to enable him to take a proper share in 

 developing the health and well-being of the community. There are many 

 cases in which this knowledge would make for wiser decisions in that 

 important branch of municipal and national government, the public health 

 service. So much of government touches the well-being of the individual, 

 where even a moderate knowledge of physiology, and still more of the 

 biological outlook that comes from this, would be of the greatest value, 

 especially to legislators and Members of Cabinet. It is not enough to call 

 in the expert ; in addition there should be sufficient knowledge to enable 

 authorities and individuals who have to carry out the recommendation to 

 evaluate the arguments brought forward by the expert. Compulsory 

 examination in elementary physiology for M.P.s and for Health Committees 

 in Local Government might have splendid effects ! 



Of the problems that are discussed with so much heat, such as birth 

 control and sterilisation of the unfit, how many of the general public have 

 the knowledge to be able to consider critically the arguments for and against 

 these measures "i 



A little time ago a private Member's Bill was introduced into the House 

 to control claims made in advertisements of various proprietory medicines. 



