V-shaped depression. It is frequently followed by thunder-
storms and rain of short duration. It dries the surface and
raises dust storms when strong. So far as its effects on the
people are concerned, it does not appear to hinder the ordi-
nary occupations of life. Some invalids are better during
its continuance, some worse ; but all weakly people feel some
depression after " the change " comes. The aged are gene-
rally better in hot winds, unless they suffer from disease.
Sonth Australia. — As far as the southern regions of the
colony are concerned, we may say, speaking generally, that
light winds and calms are a very distinctive characteristic.
The prevailing Avind in the summer is the S.B., varied by
sea-breezes during the day. In the winter there are mostly
dry, cold N.E. winds, broken at intervals by westerly and
S.W. gales of moderate strength, squalls, and rain. The
best and heaviest rainfalls are those which set in with the
surface winds at N.E., the rain increasing in intensity as
the wind veers to N.W., and breaking up into showers and
squalls as it veers to S.W. In the interior, north of, say,
latitude 30° to about 18° S., the prevailing wind all the year
is the S.E. North of latitude 18° to the north coast the
country is well within the influence of the north-west mon-
soon during the summer months, Avith frequent thunder-
storms and heavy rains ; and during the winter dry S.E.
winds prevail.
Queensland. — Eastern Queensland (or rather the Pacific
Slope) is very seldom troubled w^ith hot winds. The hot
wmds of " continental " Queensland are always very dry, and
are usually accompanied by dust storms.
( 21 )
CHAPTER 11.
THE ALPHABETICAL PENTAGON OF HEALTH FOE
AUSTRALIA.
A FEW introductory remarks on this subject will serve a
useful purpose. It will be seen that I have referred to the
alphabetical pentagon of health — which is purely a pro-
visionp,l arrangement of my own. It consists of five
headings, which fall naturally into alphabetical order. They
are best considered, therefore, in the following way, namely :
(a) Ablution — the Skin and the Bath.
(b) Bedroom Ventilation.
(0 Clothing.
(d) Diet.
(e) Exercise.
This is a convenient method of remembering the five great
fundamental principles concerned in the preservation of
health. It will serve, moreover, as a means of impressing
them upon the memory, superior to any other with which I
am acquainted.
This very number five, indeed, has a more than ordinary
significance belonging to itself. It has been termed a
mystical number. "Five," says Pythagoras, "has peculiar
force in expiations. It is everything. It stops the power
of poisons and is redoubted by evil spirits." According to
the Pythagorean school of philosophy, the world is a piece
of harmony and man the full chord. The major chord con-
sists of a fundamental or tonic, its major third and its just
fifth. The eighth note, or complement of the octave, is the
diapason of man. These are of course very highly imagi-
native speculations. It is interesting to remember, however,
22 THE ART OF LIVTNG FN AUSTRALIA.
that tlie system of astronomy first taught by Pythagoras was
afterwards developed into the solar system by Copernicus,
and is now received as the Copernican system.
Page 25
Presented as published in 1893. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
V-shaped depression. It is frequently followed by thunderstorms and rain of short duration. It dries the surface and raises dust storms when strong. So far as its effects on the people are concerned, it does not appear to hinder the ordinary occupations of life. Some invalids are better during its continuance, some worse ; but all weakly people feel some depression after " the change " comes. The aged are generally better in hot winds, unless they suffer from disease.
Sonth Australia. — As far as the southern regions of the colony are concerned, we may say, speaking generally, that light winds and calms are a very distinctive characteristic. The prevailing Avind in the summer is the S.B., varied by sea-breezes during the day. In the winter there are mostly dry, cold N.E. winds, broken at intervals by westerly and S.W. gales of moderate strength, squalls, and rain. The best and heaviest rainfalls are those which set in with the surface winds at N.E., the rain increasing in intensity as the wind veers to N.W., and breaking up into showers and squalls as it veers to S.W. In the interior, north of, say, latitude 30° to about 18° S., the prevailing wind all the year is the S.E. North of latitude 18° to the north coast the country is well within the influence of the north-west monsoon during the summer months, Avith frequent thunderstorms and heavy rains ; and during the winter dry S.E. winds prevail.
Queensland. — Eastern Queensland (or rather the Pacific Slope) is very seldom troubled w^ith hot winds. The hot wmds of " continental " Queensland are always very dry, and are usually accompanied by dust storms.
( 21 )
CHAPTER 11.
THE ALPHABETICAL PENTAGON OF HEALTH FOE
A FEW introductory remarks on this subject will serve a useful purpose. It will be seen that I have referred to the alphabetical pentagon of health — which is purely a provisionp,l arrangement of my own. It consists of five headings, which fall naturally into alphabetical order. They are best considered, therefore, in the following way, namely :
(a) Ablution — the Skin and the Bath.
(b) Bedroom Ventilation. (0 Clothing.
(d) Diet.
(e) Exercise.
This is a convenient method of remembering the five great fundamental principles concerned in the preservation of health. It will serve, moreover, as a means of impressing them upon the memory, superior to any other with which I am acquainted.
This very number five, indeed, has a more than ordinary significance belonging to itself. It has been termed a mystical number. "Five," says Pythagoras, "has peculiar force in expiations. It is everything. It stops the power of poisons and is redoubted by evil spirits." According to the Pythagorean school of philosophy, the world is a piece of harmony and man the full chord. The major chord consists of a fundamental or tonic, its major third and its just fifth. The eighth note, or complement of the octave, is the diapason of man. These are of course very highly imaginative speculations. It is interesting to remember, however,
that tlie system of astronomy first taught by Pythagoras was afterwards developed into the solar system by Copernicus, and is now received as the Copernican system.