MEDICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15700, 29 August 1914, Page 3 (Supplement)

MEDICAL NOTES.

ANEURISM. Aneurism, tho pronounced swelling of a largo artery, is sometimes the result of constitutional causes. More often, however, it, arises from excessive (lowing of the blood combined with weakness of ,tho membra no of the artery. It- is evident that any strongly exciting cause may gi y o rise to this affection —such as sudden fits of anger or grief, violent emotions of any kind —and there is therefore a strong physical, as well as moral reason, why the passions should be kept under strict control. Emotions of an extreme kind in subjects to this affection have been known to produce death. External aneurism is remedied by tying the artery above the region of the swelling, thus preventing the flow of blood to tho sac.

HEARTS SEWN UP. A Russian surgeon named Zeidlor reports thirty-one patients who recovered from slab wounds of tlie heart in the hospital at Obuchow. Prompt and rapid operations is tho probable reason for this good showing. The patients were all put wider tho infiucnco of ether very soon after the injury, part of the chest wall was removed, the heart lifted from its bed, and the stitches quickly introduced between pulsations. Tho bony chest wall over ihe heart was not put back in place, that organ being left covered only by skin and muscle. This was done to give tho heart room to expand and to prevent adhesions from embarrassing the heart's action. Several of the patients are at their daily work after seven years since tho operation.

EPIDEMICS. Where does disease come from? • This has long been .in important question, and also as to when it first makes its appearance in a given locality. It is now clearly established that all sorts of diseases may occur spontaneously, and appear as epidemics, without being propagated by contagion after tho first outbreak. All known contagious diseases may be produced originally under certain atmospheric and sanitary conditions without contact with a diseased person. Smallpox, and even the plague, has arisen spontaneously all over Europe and Asia, and these, as well as all contagious diseases, appear to possess the power of selfprppagation under favourable conditions.

ACTION OE THE HEART. Y\ hen the heart stops death ensues, as a matter of fact, through asphyxiation. Iho circulation ceases, the capillaries of the lungs become gorged with stagnant blood, while the blood in tho brain 110 longer carries away the. wasto products and brings the oxygenated fluid to restore the tifeues. As the blood takes about half a, minute to circulate, through the whole system, it, may bo taken that at the end of this ]x>riod, after iho stoppage ol the heart, tho arteries would be filled by the last effort ot the left ventricle, while tho veins would be pouring their contents into the right auricle. In a few seeon Is more, the nervous centres would cease to act, and probably by tho end of the minute the subject would be praVtically dead from suffocation, although reflex muscular action would probably keep up the appearance of life for some seconds longer.

CAUSES OF DEAFNESS. If, has taken the medical world a great many years to discover that a loss of hearing is almost invariably caused by some disease of tho throat or nose, or both. But very recent researches -in these fields Have demonstrated beyond question, that aside from rupture of tho ear-drum, there is scarcely a symptom of defective hearing which is not traceable directly to tho condition of tho nose and throat. In view of tho _ new discoveries, ear specialists are finding their ocupation gone, sav? as they make their porticular brand, an assistant in furthering investigation. It is said that the use of strong smelling salts is one of the most prolific causes of deafness, operating by weakening the olfactory nerves, and through them the auditory system.

CLAUSTROPHOBIA. Claustrophobia, a term which signifies a fear of closed spaces, a very common manifestation of those nervous diseases which appear to be steadily increasing. Victims of claustrophobia fay that should they attempt to travel in small lifts or in the closed spaces of an underground railway, for example, they arc likely to ho attacked with severe pnlpitatinn of tlie heart, breathlessness, and faintne.Es, in addition to which they suffer all the miseries of a feeling of acuto anxiety and fear, which tends to overcome them, although they know it to lie quite baseless. No drug has ever been found which will cure this condition, the opposite of which, namely agoraphobia (fear of open spaces), is also not uncommon. At the present time, treatment is usually advised on psychological lines", mental suggestion and autosuggestion playing an important part in the relief of such obsessions.

SCARLET FEVER. The notable prevalence of scarlet fever in London shows that wo are far from having got tho better of this troublesome infection. Instead of diminishing, as might resonably bo expected, after its annual spring recrudescence, this infection has shown signs of still further increased activity, over 400 cases a week having been admitted into the London fever hospitals recently. However, whilst the illness retains its present mild characteristics there need be no cause for alarm, although the fact that it is sufficiently virulent to attack 300 or <100 persons weekly, makes it possible that a serious epidemic might occur some day if by chance the strength of the infection were to become intensified. Thirty years ago some 12,000 persons used to dio from scarlet fever in England and Wales each year, ten years ago the mortality had diminished by some two-thirds, whilst during the decade it has become yet further lowered. Still, ono must remember that, although nt. tho present time iu the average individual scarlet fever does not assume the proportions of a -very serious disease, history shows one of its chief features to be great variability in intensity, As with measles, scarlet fever, or as it is sometimes called "scarlatina," is mainly an illness of early years, and owing to the dangerous complications which it occasions produces most of its fatal results in children under ten years of age. Fortunately, infants arc rarely attacked. In later years, although tho mortality is not so great, the infection when severe is likHy to lead to several conditions which mav seriously undermine the constitution.

EFFECTS OF TOBACCO. 'Experiments by Dr. Sehall on the effects of cigarettes upon the nervous system aro thus described; Tho subject of the experiments, a well-known New York actress was chosen on account of her robust Ivalth, which might be supposed to resist tho effect* of nicotine, if anything could do so. The results are thus described: "In the presence of iwo or three physicians the (pulse indicator), was attached to I lie wrist, and a tracing taken not one particle (if variation from perfect health. The whole venous and arterial of ilv heart beats. The tracing showed circulation was perfectly normal. At the oid of fifteen minutes, after Having smoked tho half of two cigarettes, the tracings /bowed a manifest disturbance of the libayt'S action. and at the end of fortyfive lYiinules, after parts ot',six cigarottcs had bi'ciV pmolted, the tracings showed .tho licit, of the heart to he unequal: at times rapid, at times rn jumps evidently .under the effect of some powerful drug agent. From this fact alone may we not .coiKilijcle that much of the nenrestheuii, in eluding a general disturbance of tbe fWgestfvo organs now so common in that, portion o! the female sex who have ample means and leisure to indulge in any luxury agreeable to theii*taste, or which, for tho time being, may contribute to their enjoy[montv is due to narcotics, which should l s only bo used medicinally I'-