The Kidneys At Work

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 219, 16 September 1939, Page 5

The Kidneys At Work

THE function of the kidneys is to withdraw from the blood the poisonous matters that float in it. So long as we live and breathe and work there must always be some waste products to remove; we cannot aim at keeping the blood so pure that no poisons will ever be formed. The Healthiest person has to keep his blood clean, just as the most scrupulously clean housewife always has something to clean up and put in the dustbin. Nor do tho kidney* object to a reasonable amount of work; that's what they are there for. It is no hardship to a kidney to receive tho blood into its interior, exjirnino it, cleanse it, and pass it out again into the main blood stream. The most healthy people in the world have a constant supply of uric acid to clear out. Too Much Meat We find that one patient lias generally been a heavy eater of meat —he has "lived well," as the saying is. "Living well" means living badly; it means taking about twice as much food as is really needed to keep the body in comfortable health. The extra food that is not wanted only gets in the way; the kidneys grumble like Old Nick. Why should tiiey have to work twice as hard just because their owner is a silly man? Tho uric acid and other things contained in the meat are put in at the mouth and put out by the kidneys, and do no good it nil in the way of nourishment. The kidneys will not be sorry for one or two meatless days a week. Kidneys, J.P. Examination of the urine affords valuable information about the health. The kidneys act as magistrates; they pass all the blood in the body through

Sy... A Family Doctor

their substance; they allow good and useful parts to stay in the blood; they expel the useless constituents; they discriminate between innocent and guilty as each drop of blood passes by. In some diseases the kidneys fail in their duty; they allow poisons to remain in the blood and they cast out useful material. Thus, in inflammation of the kidneys, albumen may be found in the water in largo quantities; this causes a drain on tho resources of the body; valuable material is thrown out of the body. Or, again, sugar may actually be found in the urine. Blood is sometimes discovered, or j>erhaps fragments of stone. I do not say that an examination of the water is necessary every time you fro to the doctor, but if you take a specimen in a clean bottle it may help the doctor to understand your case. There is a sympathy between the kidneys and the skin. In winter we perspire less, and the kidneys excrete more water. In the summer we lose a large quantity of water through the pores of the skin and, in consequence, the kidneys pass less. In treating diseases of the kidney, it is important to see that the skin acts well; impurities leave the body through the skin. Many folk suffer in health because they do "not drink enough water; a plentiful supply allows the kidneys to be well washed out, and the small beginnings of stones are carried away. Keep the Health Good It is no exaggeration to say that anything that promotes the general health prevents kidney disease. Thus, fresh air, itti.r nvorcisp. sufficient sleet ■ free-

Dora from worry, holidays, baths, watertight boots and a score of other thing#?, may all be reckoned as aids to the kidneys. The poisonous matters that the kidneys remove are solids dissolved in water. Uric acid is a solid, like salt, and it takes a good deal of water to dissolve it; if the water is not supplied in abundance there is a danger of the salts crystallising out and forming stones. There is no medicine that acts so well on the kidneys as plain • water. A large tumbler of water, taken hot or cold, will help to keep the excretory organs well washed out. Alcoholic Remedies I want to give you a serious warning against the liabit of taking as medicine bottle after bottle of some alcoholic remedy. You are often persuaded by misguided friends to try such and such a remedy for depression. Many of these remedies contain alcohol and the feeling of temporary stimulation following the administration is due to the presence of the alcohol. People who would never take brandy or whisky, even claret, and who would not like to be seen in a public house, take frequent doses of this alcoholic medicine and think no harm of it. A Shortened Leg When a bone of the leg is fractured the two fragments often over-ride. The effect of this is to make the broken leg slightly shorter than the sound one. This shortening should be compensated by wearing a thick sole to the boot. The way to measure the .shortening is to take a book largo enough to stand on and place it on the floor. With both feet bare, place the foot of the broken leg on the book and turn over the pages until the shortening is compensated. The best way is to begin with the book much too thick and turn down the pages until the thickness of the book equals the loss in length of the limb. This is ascertained when the poise of the body feels comfortable.

"I'm not afraid," Linda told him, lifting her chin. "Things are not ever as glamorous when you have a different, a very special personal reason for wanting to be a success."

"The boy back home?" "I thought we weren't going to talk about him."

"True enough. We won't. Are you going to stay here at the Granada Arms indefinitely ?"

"No—l can't afford it." Linda epoke very matter-of-factly. She paused, then went on. "I met a girl to-day who wants someone to share her apartment with her. I was packing my things when you called."

"Be careful about picking up acquaintances in Hollywood. This isn't Centjrville, you know. There are lots of people here who make their living by getting hold of newcomers like you and . .

Linda threw back her head and laughed. Then she told him, swiftly, the exact circumstances under which she had met Mae Baxter. He was smiling broadly when she finished.

"She certainly sounds all right," he admitted. "I've heard of those crooks. They should be behind bars. The decent element in Hollywood deeply resents the presence of such fakers. Thank heaven they didn't get hold of you!"

"It would e much more realistic to thank Mae Baxter," Linda laughed. "I want you to meet her. You'll like her."

"The girl I'm interested in right now is you," Martin said softly. He leaned closer to her. "How about having dinner with me to-night?"

"I'd love it, Linda breathed, her eyes aglow. "But I'm moving this afternoon to Mae's apartment —I'd better give you her address."

As Martin wrote it down in a little book, Linda's eyes were on his profile. How handsome he was! Then, she suddenly remembered that she didn't even know his last name. And here 6he was making a dinner date with him!

It was iust on the tip of her tongue to remind him that he. hadn't yet properly introduced himself, when a petulant feminine voice broke in on them.

"Martin, darling, I thought you said you would be right out. I don't like to intrude but . . ."

Linda, etartk-d, looked up to find herself gazing at a tall, willowlv brunette with vividly rouged lijus and heavily shadowed eyes. Linda Meets Her First Film Star Martin stumbled to his feet. "I'_n sorry, Judith. This—uli—this is the young lady J told you about. I . . . I've just bet'u disc urging that screen test with her. Miss Linda Bailey . . . Miss Judith Grange."

Judith Grange slipped her hand through his arm, and looked down at Linda superciliously.

"Ah, yes," she murmured. Her voice was silken, but there was a note of animosity in it. "Martin has told me of your little encounter on the highway. 1 thought it too quaint! I hope you're going to like it here in Hollywood."

"I—l hope so," Linda stammered. Judith turned away. "Come alon<*, Martin. ..." * n '

Martin, .iowever, disengaged himself from her, and bent ever Linda.

"Dinner to-nifjht," he murmured quickly. "I'll call at seven." Then, holding out his hand, he said formally.

"You'll excuse me, won't you, Miss Bailey

Linda stared after him a« he turned and walked away with Judith. The incident had left iter bewildered, and somewhat dashed. She was annoyed that he should call on her with another girl, and then allow the other girl to take liim away!

She rose and was about to start toward the elevator, when she saw a plump little woman smiling amiably at her from a nearby chair.

"That was Martin Carstairs, wasn't it? My! I think he's wonderful on the screen! And wasn't that Judith Grange who went out with him? The gosstp columns say they're seen together a great deal. 1 wonder if they're engaged?" Linda managed to murmur, "I don't know," then moved dazedly toward the elevator. Martin Carstairs. The star!

As she went up in the elevator, she felt stunned. Imagine her meetiivr Martin Carstairs and not knowing who he was! What must he think? Did he realise she hadn't recognised him?

And yet, it really wasn't so incredible. He was a comparatively recent star, and it just happened that she had never seen one of his movies—had seen only printed photographs of him. Even so, she felt she should have recognised lii in!

As for Judith Grange, she had never even heard of her. She supposed she must be a featured player, since that woman in the lobby had known who she was, hut Linda was not an ardent moviegoer, and there were many feature players who were unfamiliar to her.

She thought of the woman's remark that Martin and Judith were seen together a great deal, and her speculation over whether they might be engaged. But surely, Martin wouldn't have shown so much interest in her, Linda, and wouldn't have made a dinner date with her if he were engaged!

Still, that might explain the way Judith Grange had come strolling in and taken him away as though he belonged to her. And Martin had certainly acted rather queer after Judith had appeared. . . . (To be continued,)