INSTITUTE OF HYGIENE.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17437, 24 April 1922, Page 2

INSTITUTE OF HYGIENE.

CONDEMNATION OF TONICS.

HINTS TO THE BUN-DOWN.

(VBOM OUB OWN COBSBSPONSKKT.)

LONDON, March 14. A lecture on "Work, Fatigue, and Rest," delivered by Dr. Edred M. Corner (St. Thomas's Hospital specialist), was illustrated by numerous slides showing that by means of the microscope research students in America had learned something about fatigue and energy. Their investigations seemed to show that persons suffering in any way —run-down in mind or in body, suffering from over-indulgence in work or of emotion—were ail suffering from the same thing. Any work done or any great emotion, meant the expenditure of a certain amount of energy. Energy could never be destroyed, so investigators had to look for the results of work, fatigue, <ind energy in the changes taking place of various organs that -go to form the human body. Research had been going on to see how energy could be restored with a renewal of power and vigour. The object could be compared with a gun which, before use, was loaded and when its work was done the charge was no longer there. Before work the organs were charged with the necessary material; after it, it was practically all expended. The microscope brought" to light certain peculiar conditions of the various tissues by which an organ could be recognised when at its fullest capacity for work, or later, when its energies were exhausted. The greater the work the slower the recovery of the organ to its normal condition, until there came a, point beyond which there was no recovery. Thit stage meant death. Dr. Corner described investigations which had been carried out in America, known as "Crile's Kinetic system." These experiments, which would not be allowed in England, had shown that when a person was subjected to excessive fatigue, great mental stress, shock or other emotion, certain definite changes took place in the cells of the brain and glands. /The Americans had examined the brains of birds early in the 1 morning before they had started their days search for food, and discovered that the cells of this organ were then charged with matter, which, when the body became tired, was dissipated. The photographs clearly showed that when the object was prepared for work the en-ergy-providing material was stained well on the film; when used up the staining was often so faint as to be practically invisible.

Sea Air not Always Advisable. The microscope further served to remove many popular misconceptions regarding the nature of rest. Persons suffering from mental exhaustion, for instance, were frequently advised by well-meaning friends to take a holiday. Unfortunately, however, a ally meant i change of work at the seaside. That was good enough, perhaps, for those not too much run down physically, and, besides, bodily work might tend to let the brain lie fallow and at rest, thus conducing to the complete restoration of health. Work of any kind required exertion, and sea air had usually a stimulating effect —thus using up the reserve vitality of the patientConsequently to a person already debilitated in body or exhausted in mind such palliatives might do more harm than good. What was required was absolute rest, and plenty of sleep, with a sufficiency of good, nourishing food of a character that might, readily" be. assimilated by a person m a run-down condition. Instead of being subjected to stimulating sea air, it would be advisable in many oases for the patient to select a neighbourhood, preferably an inland, wooded district, with quiet, peaceful surroundings, where a regular routine of life, with appropriate medical treatment, might lead rapidly to the complete restoration of health. Dr. Corner recommended wood-sawing for people with brain worries, and for those troubled with insomnia. - Air Gladstone and the Kaiser, both men in high positions suffering from stress and strain, found relief in that pastime, and personally he had found it to be of the greatest help to many patients.

Importance of Nourishing Food. The body must be built up by means of foods, and here it was that women's work largely came in, for they had to adapt' themselves to the means of the patient. Tonics he likened to the smir to the horse —just a temporary fillip, tonics will help for a bit, but their effect is not lasting and people when run-down often took to stimulants, feeling they were able better to dp their work. Not infrequently they took alcohol, which had a stimulating effect for a time —again just like the spur to the horse. "When a person becomes worked out, run down, or depressed, either from bodily exertion or the stress of daily life," Dr. Corner said, "the reaction is due to acid in the system. An antidote to acid is an alkaline, such as bicarbonate of soda. The amount of this to bo given depends on the patient, and should be gauged by the way he reacts when treated. The old-fashioned medicines for patients suffering in this way gave them, figuratively speaking, a clout on the side of the head. • They might often benefit by having their self-control stimulated, but we must realise that there are definite bodily changes which have to be given to the patient. Many, such as rhubarb, contain acids which might be deleterious." He recommended the onion as a "very much neglected and very excellent vegetable." On the subject of operations he said that the use of gas was slowly coming in again in this country, and would in time supplant the anaesthetic. Gas —the ordinary nitrous oxide used by dentists—was practically harmless,, while anresthetics were far frqm being so, the slides showing the comparative condition of certain organs after the patient had been for several hours under nitrous gas and ether respectively. In the former case there was far less of the material of the gland used up than in the latter, and so the patient had a far better chance ojf recovery. Later, a questioner asked if the lecturer recommended neither tonic nor alcohol, what did he advise a patient to take if he felt he required some stimulant? The answer was, "Well, many people have got on very well with tea, coffee, and water." As for onions, the audience was told that this useful vegetable was composed of something like one hundred constituent parts, and therefore it did not suit everyone. But for those who could take it it was excellent and contained many valuable properties.