Show PERNICIOUS NATIVE HABIT People of Northern India Much Given to Earthing or Clay Eating Efforts are being made to stamp out the habit of earthing which Is piova lent among natives over almost all India In northern India the favorite form of earth is a gray or drabcolored shale This Is excavated mostly at Meth In Ullkanlr and Is exported to tho Iunjatib at the rate of 2000 camel loads a year In different districts different arl i cites of clay are eaten but if the na tlves have at one time a taste for a special Kind ot mud ah the habit increases in-creases the depraved appetite soon becomes be-comes satified with bricks aud broken lKts White ant soil with the nets and ants themselves is a great delicacy 4 deli-cacy The reasons given for induglng in I thu habit are classified under the tom lowing heads First a peculiar fascinating fas-cinating odor and taste In the clay ren derlng it a delicacy secondly an un natural craving due to disease third ly I to batlsfy hunger fonuhly force of example fifthly supposed medic inal virtues A university student confessed to a friend that the bland earthy odor was a great temptation to him and tho thought of It mado his mouth water lIe always enjoyed the odor ho said when April showers fell upon nnDl H n prevj I ously parched earth Time effects of the habit are disas trous Those women addicted to It ery soon complain first of pain and weakness in the limbs palpitation and difficulty In walking a little distance uphill After some limo all tho other symptoms of anaemia are fully estab lished sallow and pale complexion tongue and gums bloodless and general debility vanoa Very often dropsy super |