HEALTH HINTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 78, 1 April 1905, Page 10

HEALTH HINTS.

ANJ) CURE. A very, distressing ailment is that known under tlie name of piles, and ope liable tp v occur in both -sexes (writes Dr. Andrew Wilson in "Lloyd's"). It is emphatically an ailment for .which a great deal can be done in the way of preven-. tion,. and it is also one which can be completely cured, provided always the proper means are adopted to that end. To understand the cause aud origin of piles it is necessary to remind ourselves that the lower part of the bowel is richly supplied with blood-vessels. These, consist of arteries bringing blood, as they :do ,in all parts of the frame, for nourishrneut, and 61 veins which carry away the blood back to the heart and lungs, to be purified in the latter organs. The course of the blood in all.veins is towards the heart. In the ordinary veins of the body valves exist.. These consist' of little pockets,' whose, mouths open towards the heart. The blood when pro-, ceeding in its proper journey passes by the mouths of tfie~pockets, but if it attempts to return the pockets fill, and, meeting in the centre of the veip, thus form a partition, preventing back-flow. Now, curiously enough, in the veins of the lower bowel in man there are no valves; nor do such valves exist in lower animals, simply because/there is -no need for them owing to the position of the body in lower life presenting no obstruction to the "flow of blood. It is different with man. He has assumed the. erectposture, and the blood has to rise upwards against the force of gravity. Valves in these veins of the bowel would have been a distinct advantage to him, but "the fact remains that he does not possess them—a result, if we believe in evolution, due to the similarity between human and lower life, whereby man's veins retain much the same structure as those of the -animals. If the veins of the lower bowel, then, are liable to 'become 'engorged and congested, and if the blood is prevented ironi freely returning from them, piles originate. They thus essentially consist of "enlarged groups of veins, and the causes to which they are due are many and varied in character. Foremost, let us place conditions of- one kind or another, which, through exercising pressure, will delay and obstruct the upward flow of blood. Prominent among such causes is constipation. This is, of all, the most frequent source of piles, and those. who ; w-ish to prevent this ailment, and equal-: ly those who suffer from it. must take care .that it is obviated and cured respectively, otherwise the piles yvili not,dis-i appear. Then w_ have to reckon with a rarer cause of piles, namely, where sqme; tumour or growth,of internal kind ex-i ercises pressure on the blood-vessels in its turn. Women when pregnant are 1 liable to suffer for the same reason,, but in their ease file ailment usually disappears with the child's birth. Liver-troubles may induce piles, because the return flow of blood from the bowels has to pass through the liver .on its way to the heart. Hence,'wc require, to watch the state of the liver, and to see that it acts naturally and freely in event of piles existing. A two or three grain dose of calortie! at night, followed 'by a dose of an aperient water, or a black draught, in the niorning, often has a wonderful effect on the person suffering from piles. Sitting about on 'cold, or damp places will.produce them, and I have heard that on this account (as well, possibly, as on account of their much standing) engine-drivers show a liability to suffer. Piles;, again, are held by .phy-siQians to., depend .for their origin largely on our.habits. They'are more common iv the weU-to-ido than in the masses, and are frequently found-in people, whp iiye:too,..;weil, ana-drinJk too w e lV and who lead luxurious lives. I dp ,not kncnV if any conditions of a local kind affecting the lower part of the bowel are to be reckoned "with as definite 'causes of this ailment. But it is possible that undue friction of the clothing, and especially the use of Xcoarsc, hard toilet paper, and of printed paper especially, may induce the disease. These are all hints worth bearing in remembrance in connection with the prevention of piles. Now, as to treatment. Again I eniphasise the necessity for curing constipation, first of all, by the U3e of a diet consisting large of fruits, vegetables, salads, and the like, the latter Valuable if taken with oil. A dessertspoonful of pure olive oil taken after meals twice aday is an excellent remedy both for constipation and for piles themselves. Note that the food is to be very plain" and nonTstunulatory. Avoid "rich dishes, spices, pickles, cheese, salt meats, ;and pastry.' Live plainly, ns I have said,: with not much meat 'included ip the diet. Fish and fowl are better here than. beef or mutton. Also be particular to avoid excess of alcohol, .and it may be: best to totally abstain while the cure is being effected. A person I know iuvariably suffers from piles when he develops excess in rich foods and in alcohol. _ Of the two, the 'last, -I am persuaded, is in itself : a cause, because of its! effects on the circulation. If the piles are external they are apt ! at times to become inflamed and painful, rendering walking a pain, and even sitting inconvenient. In such a casci apply hot fomentations, and afterwards 1 smear a little hazeline ointment, over them. For an ordiuary ease apply gall and opium ointment nftfr washing the: piles carefully. Cleanliness here, I may add, is of great importance all through' tlie treatment. A very useful ointment for piles is .that known as coniurn ointment. Some physicians add to an ounce of this latter ten grains of sulphate of ; iron. For bleeding piles, an annoying l variation of trouble (and one dan-: gerous if much blood he- lost), give a dessertspoonful of a mixture made of one teaspoonfui of tincture of hamarnelis added to eight ounces of water. Tliis dose may be given every three 0*

four hours. - Tnvo tincture added to half™ pint ft f* f * may be injected, into the bowel J\ t( the bleeding. Equally useful isV., ?" which- can ~be Similarly us'wl I ""' slightly diluted With sell pr preparesuppp S ito r resl cs whi^ m,St sist of cocoa butter -to which iJ 01 medicinal substances are added n V •these can he placed within I i\»\Z ' once or twice a day. The rad Li ( where piles arc unsuccessfully t«W' as above directed is a surjrical ™_T tion. . glc ** »Pi