On this Day... December 9

CEBU, Philippines – In 1916, superstar Issur Demsky was born in New York. He's better known as Kirk Douglas, and on his way to the top he earned a living as a parking-lot attendant, bellhop and soda jerk. Since then he's played a one-eyed Viking, a trapeze artist, Van Gogh, and a Jewish refugee. A notorious egotist, he's been described as "the most hated man in Hollywood." When he was appearing in a film called "Young Man with a Horn" his costar quipped, "It should be a cinch - he never stops blowing it."

• In 1608, England's blind visionary poet John Milton was born. He was known as "the Lady" because of his pale skin and beautiful auburn hair, and his major interests in life were God, the classics, and himself. He was married three times, and thought "woman was made only for obedience; man made only for rebellion." Not surprisingly, at the outbreak of civil war he was quick to join the rebellious parliamentarians against the king. Struck blind in 1652, he managed to dictate some of his finest verse - including "Paradise Lost" - often cramming 300 words into a single sentence. Though his work was widely praised, he was much disliked, and according to one contemporary he was "a silly coxcomb… with nothing more human about him than his guttering eyes."

- from Today's the Day! By Jeremy Beadle

In Christian history

• In 1917, the Ottoman Empire surrender Jerusalem tot eh British, ending 700 years of rule by Muslim Turks. Palestine remained a protectorate of Great Britain until Israel became an independent state in 1948.

- from This Day in Christian History By William D. Blake

In the Philippines

• In 1997, President Fidel V. Ramos signed Republic Act No. 8423 creating the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC). President Ramos appreciated the potential of traditional medicine in health and economy which he includes in one of his administration's "pole-vaulting strategies." PITAHC, a government-owned and controlled corporation attached to the Department of Health, answers the present needs of the people on health care through the provision and delivery of traditional and alternative health care products, services and technologies that have been proven safe, effective and affordable. Among the medicinal plants that are now being manufactured in convenient forms are "lagundi" (for cough and asthma), "sambong" (a diuretic which helps prevent the formation of kidney stones), "tsaang gubat" (for abdominal pains and as antimotility agent), "yerba buena" (for fever and body pains), "niyog-niyogan" (for ascariasis), "bayabas" or guava (use as wound disinfectant or antiseptic), "akapulko" (for antifungal skin infections), "ulasimang-bato" (for arthritis and gout), "bawang" (for lowering cholesterol), and "ampalaya" (for diabetes mellitus).

In the Philippines, the practice of traditional medicine, which has been passed on from generation to generation, has gained a deep significance in health delivery considering the expensive western medical treatment which most Filipinos cannot afford.

- www.kahimyang.info

In Cebu

• In 1847, Talamban, Cebu was established as parish by virtue of a royal decree. Its patron is San Jose.

- from Cebuano Studies Center, University of San Carlos