"DOCTOR'S OREDERS"

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 220, 17 September 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)

"DOCTOR'S OREDERS"

THE fact that pain is felt in the brain, which is the head office for the whole body, will explain to you why some patients get imaginary pains. These pains, which the sufferer will tell you are in this part or that, exist only in the imagination of the brain. Some senseless friend will say to a Aighlv-«trung, nervous lady, that appendicitis is common, and that it is shown by a pain low down on the right side of the abdomen. The lady ponders on this, feels nervous about it, recalls all the people she has ever known who

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have had appendicitis, thinks that possibly she may get it —in fact, probably will get it —and fears that 6he has the very pain her friend described coining on at this moment. It may be appendicitis; it must be appendicitis; at any rate, if it is not, it ought to be. She goes to see her friend and recites her troubles; the friend says it cannot be anything else than appendicitis, and what a horrible thing it is, but 6he hears the surgeon does not use a very big knife for the operation, only a thing about the size of a carvingknife, which he sharpens on the sole of his boot. Correct Treatment Now all this time the poor lady's appendix is perfectly happy and well, and is wondering what all the fuss is about. But the concentration of the patient's attention on her nervous system brings about a false impression on the nerves and induces in the mind an erroneous belief that the appendix is painful. The treatment of this lady is mental encouragement, a dislodging of the foolish fancy, a general spiritual bracing up, changing the direction of her mind from herself to useful Tork for other people, the throwing of the friend into a muddy canal, a change of air—but not an operation. Some modern young ladies feel an almost intolerable pain in the head when they ar«s asked to help mother, but find that the pain i« removed by an invitation to the theatre or a dance.

CtaiCVt T . . _ - ~ .. ... , It is one of the peculiarities of cancer that the original growth can give rise to secondary deposits of cancer in other parts. For instance, a growth in the b y . ka <? s to enlargement of the glands in the armpit. This is the main reason why are anxioue> for

the sake of their patients, to deal with cases of cancer early. If only we can destroy the tumour before it has thrown off smaller growths the patient will be saved much pain and suffering. Fhe parent growth may be quite small, and the secondary growths of enormous size. A very large tumour in the neck may owe its origin to a small, malignant ulcer