UNDER the above heading in the August issue the constipation trouble was dealt with. This, however, is but one of the many forms of stomach trouble brought about by unwise eating and drinking. These tend to create an impure blood stream, followed by one or more of the 101 (or am I more correct in following the learned profession by stating 1,001?) diseases, all of which are but Natures attempts to throw off the accumulate impurities in the body, which may have been increasing for many years.
If Nature is not assisted in this cleansing process, but frustrated by the taking of drugs, or other such like hindrances, then the work will continue in some other way, through the next weakest point in the human make-up. for this disease, if a name is not already known, a new name will soon be invented. Apart from accidents, most of these 101 diseases undoubtedly arise from, and can be clearly traced back to, dietetic errors of commission or omission.
Some three months ago I called on a friend who was anything but fit. He informed me that he was taking up my diet on the advice of a local Osteopath and Nature Cure Practitioner. I asked him if he intended sticking to the diet recommended. I was told he did, as it was very important to his business that he got well. I saw my friend again this week. There was no need to ask him what the result were; his bright eyes, smiling countenance and active movements told the tale.
When asked, however, he replied in as cheerful a voice as I ever heard, “I am perfectly fit now,” and pulling out the bottom portion of his waistcoat he added, “I weigh two stone lighter than I did.” He appeared quite delighted at having been relieved of the task of carrying about two stones of useless weight, and could devote the energy thus saved to what he considered far more important work.
This is but a sample of the transformation scenes experienced daily among patients by the food reform movement, and all brought about by a change of diet and wise living, without drugs or injections. Thus Nature, the only healer, has been assisted in bringing about, slowly it may be, but surely, none the less, her wonderful work, for “Though the Mills of God grind slowly
Yet they grind exceeding small,
Though with patience He stands waiting,
With exactness grinds He all.”.
Among the many different forms taken by digestive troubles, catarrh of the stomach is perhaps the most prevalent. This may prove a very serious matter. It is one that no drugs can cure, in fact medicines will only aggravate the complaint and increase the troubles. Perhaps the most serious aspect is the fact that it is very likely to recur. With this and all such troubles, while it may be comparatively easy to get well, it is quite a different matter, more important and more difficult, to keep well.
The trouble is largely brought about by the eating of white bread combined with the tea-drinking habit. White bread is a lop-sided, unnatural diet, and is the cause of endless dietetic troubles. Strong tea is a good assistant, and between the two the doctors are kept busy. For the harmful effects of the continual use of white bread read “Wholemeal Flour”. No.3 Health From Food Library, post free 3d., from the “Pitman” Health Food Co., Four Oaks.
Our digestive organs may put up with, and try to adapt themselves to, all kinds of treatment for a time (meanwhile we boast that we have never suffered with indigestion in our lives) but it is only for a time. Sooner or later the reckoning day will come, in some form or other. The length of time digestive organs can withstand a diet of white bread and similar starchy foods, largely depends on the amount of other foods mixed with it. If white bread only is eaten, one will soon find that it is the staff of death, rather than the staff of life.
A lady, a martyr to gastric catarrh, once asked the writer, “Would such and such a thing do me any good?” The answer was, “Not if you take this in addition to what you are now taking.” She then asked, “But how do you know what I am taking now?” the reply was, “I know what you had for breakfast this morning – tea with white bread and butter.” She replied, “Oh! I could not possibly live without tea.” “Then the only alternative, Madam, is to go on and suffer.” The majority of us are not aware what slaves we are to our stomachs.
A lady the writer once knew, had suffered from catarrh of the stomach until it had become chronic. After having laid in bed for a month without finding anything that she could retain on her stomach, her case was given up as hopeless by the doctors, with only a week to live. She was then persuaded to adopt a diet as recommended below. This resulted in her being up and about again within a week.
Henry followed in his father's footsteps, obtaining his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Durham in 1891. At the age of 27 he arrived in Melbourne in April 1894 aboard the Port Albert. He was registered as a medical practitioner in Victoria on 4 May 1894.
It appears that Dr Cook already believed in homœopathy, possibly because of his father's influence, as in 1895 Dr Cook took the position of Resident Surgeon of the Melbourne Homœopathic Hospital . (This position was previously held by Dr James Cook, unrelated, who resigned in March 1895). He was listed in the 1896 & 1897 editions of the Melbourne Post Office Directory as being Resident Medical Officer at the Melbourne Homœopathic Hospital, but not in the 1898 edition.
In 1901 he moved to Sale in Eastern Victoria, where he ran a practice in York Street. By 1909 his practice was at Wyndham Street, Shepparton.
By 1919 he had moved to 2 Studley Park Road, Kew, where he died on 7 May, 1923.