HEALTH HINTS.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXIII, Issue 309, 12 January 1912, Page 8

HEALTH HINTS.

TETHOLEI'M L\ THE TUEaTMKXT (>!<' CONSTIPATION. Constipation is a subject of universal interest. A remedy which is almost of universal application, and probably cures more cases of chronic constipation Idian all the other remedies put together, is to be found in liquid paraffin (writes a correspondent in the Bermingham Weekly Post). Doubtless many people ' will fee] alarmed and surprised to hear of such a substance being employed internal! v at all. This, of course, conies front the fact that in the public mind the word paraffin is usually associated with the nasty-smelling liquid mainly employed for illuminating purposes', and which is obtained at the loc?J. chemists' or dry-salters''. It is certainly by no means appetising, and although not a poison, it would"'be by no means an advisable substitute to take a good drink of ; but the term paraffin is really an appellation which describes a very large number of substances known to the chemist, of many different appearances and compositions, and very largely in their characters and consistencies. Their ingredients are always carbon, hydro- -. gen and oxygen, in various propor- ! tions, and so' they are classed among the chemical substances known as .hydro-carbons. One which is extremely well-Known is called petroleum, and it. may lie interesting to nany people to know that the familiar untmont known as vaseline is simply mre petroleum; when it is decolorisd and rendered white, it is sold liner various names, such as white asoline, alboline, etc., but the jemist perhaps knows' it under the esigiiatildn of paraffinum-inolle. A distance closely allied is called paranum liquidum, and this is nothing ore than a cheap edition of purified troleum, and is indeed, the actual bstance ned in most of the preparams called petroleum emulsion. It perfectly indigestible, and hence, nply passes through the allimentary nil in. the same condition as that which it is swallowed, and foils • reason constitutes an excellent xlicine for the cure of chronic conpat ion. Very few cases will resist administration. Four or five teaoonsful may be taken at bedtime, or e or two teaspoonsful after each >al, and its effect is simply to lubate the bowel, no harm results >m its administration, and in all ibability a minute proportion is ;ually absorbed into the body and >osited there as fat.