The Philippines: Past and Present (Volume 2 of 2) — John Shaqi
The Philippines: Past and Present (Volume 2 of 2)Worcester, Dean C. (Dean Conant)
History
The Philippines: Past and Present (Volume 2 of 2)
Worcester, Dean C. (Dean Conant)
Philippines; Philippines -- History -- 1898-1946
In another important particular the Bureau of Education has, in
my opinion, fallen short of performing its manifest duty. Not only
does beri-beri kill some five thousand Filipinos outright, annually,
and cripple ten times as many, but it is believed to be a determining
factor in the deaths of large numbers of infants through its untoward
influence upon their mothers. As previously stated, the fact that
it is due to a diet made up too largely of polished rice has been
demonstrated beyond a reasonable doubt. Persons who eat unpolished
rice do not contract it. Tiqui-tiqui, the substance removed from rice
in the process of polishing, has proved to be a very effective remedy
for it. The use of polished rice should therefore be discouraged,
yet at the Philippine Normal School, where the brightest and best
youths of the land receive their final education before going out to
teach their fellows, polished rice is furnished the students; and
the director of health, and I myself, have sought in vain to have
the unpolished article substituted for it.
The secretary of public instruction has stated, with obvious truth,
that it is only when polished rice forms a very large element in the
diet that there is actual danger of its causing beri-beri, and so far
as I am aware no case of beri-beri has occurred at this school; but the
practical result of the present practice will be that the graduates,
while instructing their pupils in the dangers of the use of polished
rice, will themselves continue to use it. There exists at the present
time a foolish prejudice against unpolished rice, which, although far
more nutritious and actually more palatable than the polished article,
does not look so attractive and is commonly considered "poor man's
food." So long as the instructors in the public schools continue to
teach by precept that its use is dangerous, and by example that it is
safe, the undiscriminating and ignorant Filipino public, which does
not draw fine distinctions, will be encouraged to continue to eat it,
will eat it in excess, and will pay the penalty.
The Bureau of Education has coöperated with the Bureau of Lands
in instructing the people as to the right to acquire homesteads
and free patents. It has also given the Bureau of Public Works
assistance in promoting the campaign for good roads. Its system of
civico-educational lectures has met with fair results. Thousands of
people have secured information relative to the rights and duties
of citizens, the prevention of human and animal diseases, and the
growing of corn, coconuts and other useful crops. A corn-raising
contest in 1912 was participated in by more than thirty thousand boys,
and thousands of people attended the demonstrations which formed a
part of the campaign. This is a most important matter. Corn is a far
better food than rice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account