| OCR Text |
Show PERNICIOUS NATIVE HABIT. People of Northern India Much Given to "Earthing" or Clny Eating. Efforts nro being mndo to stamp out tho habit of earthing which is prevalent preva-lent nmong natives over almost all India. In northern India tho favorite form of earth is u gray or drab-colored shale. This ls excavated mostly at Meth, In Bllkanlr, and ls exported to tho Punjaub at tho rate of 2,000 camel loads n year. I In different districts dlfforcnt vnrl-cites vnrl-cites of clay nro eaten, but if tho natives na-tives havo at ono timo a tasto for a special kind ot mud, as the hnblt increases in-creases the depraved appetite soon bo- comes satllled with bricks and broken pots. White ant soil with tho nests and ants themselves Is a great delicacy. deli-cacy. Tho rensons given for induglng In tho hnblt aro classified under the following fol-lowing bends: First, a peculiar fas-1 fas-1 clnatlng odor nnd tasto in tho clny ren. dcrlng It n delicacy; secondly, an unnatural un-natural craving due to diseaso; thirdly, third-ly, to satisfy hunger; fourthly, forco of examplo; fifthly, supposed medicinal medic-inal virtues. ' A university student confessed to a friend that tho bland, earthy odor was a great tomptntion to him and tho j thought of It mndo his mouth wnter. Ho always enjoyed tho odor, ho said, ! when April showers fell upon previously previ-ously parched earth. Tho effects ot tho habit are dlsas-uuiis. dlsas-uuiis. Thoso women addicted to it very soon complain first of pain and weakness In tho limbs, palpitation and difficulty in walking n llttlo distance uphill. After somo timo all tho other symptoms of nnaomla aro fully established; estab-lished; sallow and pnla complexion, tonguo and gums bloodless and general loblllty. Very often dropsy super vtjnoa. |
