TALKS ON HEALTH

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 June 1927, Page 10

TALKS ON HEALTH

BY A FAMILY DOCTOR. Imaginary Pains. This 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 arc in this p'art or that, exist only in the imagination of the brain. Some senseless friend will say to a highly-strung, nervous lady, that appendicitis is very common indeed, 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 have had appendicitis, thinks that possibly she may get it; in fact, probably will get it, and fears that she has the very pain her friend described coming 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 she hears the surgeon does not use a very big knife for the operation, only a thing about the size of a carving knife, which he sharpens on the sole of his boot before he begins.

The 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. the direction of her mind from herself to some useful work for other, people, the throwing of the friend into a miiddy canal, a change of air—but not .an operation. Some modern young ladies feel an almost intolerable pain in the head when they are asked to help mother, but find that the pain is removed by an invitation to the theatre or a dance. Cancer. It is one of the peculiarities of cancer that the original growth can give rise to secondary deposits of cancel in other parts. For instance, a growth in the breast leads to enlargement of the glands in the armpit. This is the main reason why surgeons are anxious for the sake of their patients, to deal with cases of cancer early. If only wo can destroy the tumour before it has thrown off smaller growths the patient will bo saved much pain and suffering. The parent growth may be quite small, and the secondary growths • f enormous size. A very large tumour in the neck may owe its origin to a small, malignant ulcer at the buck of the tongue. My object in writing these notes is not to make you into surgeons, but to help you to realise the importance of asking advice early. No doctor will object if you ask him about your lump; it may only be a harmless, fatty tumour, but you must know one way or the other. It, is no good living in a fools parali se.

Need for Skilled Advice. Th? special parts of the body io watch carefully are the tongue, ’he lower bowel, and the organs peculiar :o the female sex. Much can be done o relieve human suffering if ulcers, growths, or irregularities in patients over forty can be diagnosed and dealt with at the earliest possible moment. The regrettable thing is that you good people so often do the wrong thing. One nervous man may find a poor little innocent cyst in the skin at his neck, and suffer mental agonies for ’car it may be cancer, and it takes, him months to screw up his courage ,o go and ask a doctor. Another man finds a lump which is really dangerous uid he takes a dose of salts or puts on a. poultice! Which is about as much good as trying to mend a puncure in a motor-tyre with stamp-paper. You must get skilled advice; that is what doctors are trained for. Defective Circulation.

I think you have learnt that every organ of the body owes its health and strength to the circulation of the blood. The rich fluid brings fresh supplies of food and sustenance to the part, and carries away harmful waste products. Any part, where the circulation is sluggish, is soon seen to degenerate. This is true of the ankles and legs, through which the circulation is slow and feeble owing to the pressure of varicose veins. The skin is no longer white and clear; it becomes stained; the flesh is not firm, but swollen, and it can be pitted with the tips of the fingers like dough If this process continues the skin breaks and an ulcer forms. This is (called a varicose ulcer. If there is only one large vein, and it gives pain, it may be removed by operation. Several large veins could be taken out in this way, but it is impossible to operate successfully on multitudes of small veins. Th? only thing to do is to try bandages or elastic stockings. Rest After' Injury. After a head injury rest in bed is the rule. Never mind if the patient says he feels all right; persuade him to lie down for the rest of the day. It may save complications later. It is wrong to give brandy or any form of alcohol to a man whose head has been injured; the treatment should be directed to keeping the brain quiet; alcohol excites the brain. Look at the black pupils of the eyes and note i£ they are of the same size. If one is small and one large it is an unfavourable sign. First Aid For Scalp Wounds,

When a scalp is cut it bleeds very freely, because there are so many large blood-vessels on the scalp. For the same reason the scalp wound nearly always heals up well; the rich blood supply favours healing. When you wish to give first aid to a case of scalp wound, you would be wise to begin by cutting the hair off so that you can see what you are doing. Nothing makes such a mess as thick hair and clotted blood, Locate the injury as well as you can, and then either with a pair of scissors or a razor cut the hair off around the wound. If the bleeding continues, do not dab at it as though you were sopping up some spilt milk off the floor. Make sure that you see the bleeding spot, and then put a clean rag against it and press' firmly with the thumb or finger. A steady pressure for some minutes will generally stop the flow. Put a piece of clean rag, or, if you have a first-aid box handy, a piece of antiseptic gauze or boracic lint oyer the wound, and apply the bandage as tight as it can be | borne.