HEALTH NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4384, 15 June 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

HEALTH NOTES.

(By Dr. Andrew Wilson.)

ABOUT VARICOSE VEINS

By “varicose veins/’ we mean an enlarged state of the veins of the legs, accompanied by pain and discomfort. It is a troublesome ailment this, and one which tends to incapacitate those who suffer from it from following their daily avocations. It is specially common among peopl 0 who have to stand for loug stretches at a time. Thus washerwomen are great sufferers, as also are waiters, postmen, ’bus and tram conductors, and many others. One might almost go to the length of saying that varicose veins constitute a kind of trade or- industrial disease, such as wo find associated with special kinds of work. Bor example, the men who grind cutlery suffer from Jung troubles, due to the metallic dust they iuhalo, aud the same used to be true of the coal miner, who before th 0 days_ of well-vcutilatd pits suffered from ‘ miner’s lung,” which was practically a form of consumption induced by the presence in the lung of the coal dust breathed in, while lead poisoning affects the workers in that trade, though the ailment can bo prevented it they will only exercise ordinary cleanlines of clothes and persons. Matchmakers used to suffer from “phossy jaw,” which meant the attack upon the jaw-bones by phosphorus fumes, an ailment now rarely heard of since the brown phosphorus was used in match-making, and since the workers have been duly warned against coming to work with decayed teeth, or after having teeth recently extracted. HOW VARICOSE VEINS ARE CAUSED. The veins of the. body carry blood back to the right side of the heart, whenc 0 it is sent to the lungs to be purified. Therefore the blood in the veins of the legs have to rise against the force of gravity. The heart does not propel the blond upwards, and if it exerts any influence on the upward circulation it can only do so in an indirect manner. The action of the muscles assists the blood to pass upwards in the veins, while the outcoming blood perpetually sent onwards by the heart will no doubt also tend to promote the upward flow. Then also we find valves in the veins. These are little pocket-like structures which open towards the heart. Therefore we can see that while the pockets will allow blood to pass upwards (in the case of the leg veins or those of the arms) they will fill if blood attempts to return, and thus prevent any reflux. But notwithstanding all these provisions of nature for returning blood to the heart, we see that there exists a tendency on the part of the veins of people who stand for long periods to become weakened. In that case tho valves in their turn lose the power of preventing any baekgoing of the blood, and as a result the whole vein -gets enlarged and distended, aud this comes to constitute a varicose vein, SOME OTHER CAUSES.

There is yet another cause or condition which operates to produce varicose veins. If any obstruction exists to the free upward progress of'the blood, such a condition will favour the enlargement of the veins. For example, it is a wellknown, fact that constipation will lead to this disorder. It is easy to see the connection between the two things. The loaded bowels cause pressure on the great veins that exist within the body, and therefore obstruct tile progress of the blood so far in them, while in turn the blood flow in th 0 logs will b 0 similarly affected. It is also pressure of this kind, due to constipation, which produces piles, these last being simply enlarged veins; also garters _or any other constructions applied directly to the leg will aid in inducing varicose veinSj and I doubt nob that many cases of this ailment occurring in women are due to this cause. Even a truss worn for the relief of rupture bas been known to have a similar effect by reason of its not fitting properly, and by making undue pressure on the veins at the top of the thigh. SOME DANGERS.

One of th e dangers of varicose veins is that they may become inflamed, and may give rise to a nasty sore or ulcer, known as the varicose ulcer. This is especially likely to happen if a varicose vein receives a blow or is otherwise injured. In such a case there is again another danger, that of the uloer opening into the veins, when, of course, very free bleeding will occur. If this bleeding is not checked it may prpve fatal. Whenever an accident of this kind occurs, you may stop the bleeding at once, while the doctor is being sent for, by putting a bandage both- above and below the bleeding point. Enlarged veins, besides being painful things and rendering the person unable to stand about, may give rise to the formation of blood clots. If such clots be swept away into the circulation, they may do great harm by getting into some small vessel even in th 0 brain, or in the lungs, and producing serious results. TREATMENT HINTS. I do not think it possible for anybody to treat varicose veins by any kind of home treatment. It is not an affection this, like constipation for example, which a little care and commonsense in the matter of diet should enable us to cur eh- Therefore, X advise my readers to consult a surgeon, and I would add that the sooner varicose veins are taken in hand, the greater will be the likelihood of a cure being effected. Naturally, it follows on what I have said about the causes of varicose veins, that all tight constrictions about legs or body should be done away with. Even a tight Corset on a woman will tend to cause this ailment, and this is another argument against the senseless practice of tight-lacing. Next see that no constipation exists. Take plenty of vegetable foods, salads and fruits, aud at bedtime try a couple of laxativ e compound tabloids (which contain cascara), and follow up their effect by a dose of Apenta water in the morning. This last is a valuable and mild laxative, which, taken in the morning, relieves constipation, and has no injurious effects. If the liver is at fault, take a couple of blue pills at night, and the Apenta water in the morning, and attend to the diet, by avoiding excess of flesh food, and taking plenty of fruits. ABOUT AND OTHER THINGS.

Naturally, est here is one of the most inpcrtant measur e in the way of cure. Iho patient should sit with the feet raised to favour the return of blood in the veins, and ’’e should sleep with his feet elevated on a pili-.w. Some people raise the for' of the hed on blocks of wood to effect the same result. Then you —ust hav e a Martin’s rubber bandage properly fitted to the leg, so as to compress and give support to the veins, or you may wear an elastic stocking. If the latter h„ preferred, see that it is made to fit properly. If it does not fit it will only cause pain and discomfort, while if it is a proper fit it will afford great elief. In very bad cases the surgeon performs

an operation in which the very large veins are removed. There is another plan of cure, that of blistering the veins, but like the surgical procedure, this last yan oply bo carried out under a doctor’s supervision: I shall have served my readers’ in' ests here, if I have succeeded in warning tlichn to attend early to all classes of enlarged veins, by way of saving themselves from much trouble and great pain.