DOCTOR ON HEART FAILURE.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14052, 25 May 1911, Page 11

DOCTOR ON HEART FAILURE.

Speaking on heart failure at the Royal Collego of Physicians, London, Dr. James Mackenzie said that it waa characteristic of the human mind to attribute to malign influences phenomena, which were obscure in their origin and which were assumed to be unnatural. The significance of the irregular action of the heart was misunderstood. Irregularities and murmurs found so frequently in the young wero evidence neither of disease nor infirmity, but of normal phenomena, and in many cases of a perfectly healthy heart. He had never seen in the twentyeight years he had been in general practice, a single case of heart failure from functional affections of the kind with which he was dealing. Regarding every day dealings with . the subject, they found that irregular action of the heart was looked upon by tlie profesfession ns evidence of a serious heart impairment. After watching such-indivi-duals for a long period of years he could say that the great majority were in no danger, the irregularities were of no grave significance, and treatment was unnecessary. The present day conception of heart failure rested upon an unsatisfactory basis.