MEDICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14925, 24 February 1912, Page 8 (Supplement)

MEDICAL NOTES.

FRESH AIR FOR HEALTH. Sleep with the window open for eight inches at tha top summer and winter, and at least once a day, if not oftener, open all the windows and doors and let a pure wave of fresh air penetrate to all the corners of the house. Foul, polluted air, breathed over aDd over again, is directly harmful, not only to the lungs, but to the ■whole body. After fresh air comes soap and water. TOO MANY CIGARETTES. Smoking too many cigarettes may result in the appearance of one or more of the following symptoms : — Tickling cough at the back of the throat. Catarrh of the nose, throat, and larynx. Hoarse voice. Breathlessuess on slight exertion. Waking up at night with pain in the sick-. Palpitation of the heart and pallor of the skin and sweating. Weak memory, and inability to concentrate attention on work. Inflamed eyes from the irritation of the smoke. Colour blindness. Sleeplessness and loss of appetite. Lowering of general vitality, opening . the door to many complaints. EFFECT OF ALCOHOL. It is such a common belief that in any .emergency whatever the first thing to do is to rush for alcohol that it may be as well. to put on record; the exact effect of alcohol, and then we can act with discretion. The immediate, effect of the alcohol Sis to make the heart beat faster. Faintness is due to tho enfeebled action of the heart, and therefore alcohol may be given . to restore the action of the heart in cases of sudden pallor and fainuiess. Of course, tho renumlKMi„ posture and fresh air will generally be sufficient. Alcohol; however, should not be given to a man who has received an injury to the head, or to a man in a fit. Nor should it be given to a man who is bleeding profusely from a wound; the accelerated, action of the heart would ..make, the blood flow faster. It is only very rarely that alcohol is necessary for a child, and it should never he administered unless under the orders of a medical man. Of chronic complaints, alcohol is forbidden in gout. Bright* disease of the kidneys, and epilepsy, and thoso who have had an apoplectic fit and recovered from it should avoid alcohol, as it would help to bring on a second fit. THE APERIENT HABIT. We talk of a " drug habit'' when people take- to laudanum and morphia, or of a " drink habit" when they take alcohol to excess ; it. would be very just to add a third to the list, quite »■?. injurious, in a. way. as the others, and to say "the aperi''J'-' habit' deserves equal condemnation. sands of [Xioplo who could have cured themselves by judicious food, and by persevering with it proper diet, todav are paying lor their carelessness in the use ot purgative medicines in the develop!,l"m of chronic ill-health. Even in longstanding .uses of constipation much mav h ;\ ,1(l "° '■; l 'rmg about a better slate of tiling*.. Mere we come- upon the red use of purgatives. A little liquid extract of cascara taken night and morning, both in a little water; a doso of Aponta water repeated every morning, it may be for some weeks; two compound cascara tabloids every second night and tins Apenta ■water in the morning regularly; a. tumblerful of cold water drank on rising; a table-spoonful of olive oil after breakfast and dinner—all these are plain and simple remedies, any one of which may he tried. Then as to food, no meat for a time, and no pastry or sweets. The food must, not be dry. and a little liquid should be taken with meals. Stout is a remedy which acts favourably in many cases, and vegetable soups arc" excellent. Stewed fruits, cereal foods (oats, etc), salads made .with oil, and wholemeal bread are to be recommended. Fish, tripe, and light foods at large form the mainstay of the diet of the constipated, along with the diet-art dlrtfady enumerated. .Meat foods, as a rule, are constipating in nature, where any tend.;::;-;.- exists towards the development of the conditions we, are considering. Fin'ally. remember tho advice to perfierycre Kith the diet treatment*