HEALTH NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4473, 28 September 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

HEALTH NOTES.

• DYSPEPSIA There is no ailment more widely prevalent or more lightly treated m its initial stages than the gastric disorder entitled ayspepsia, nor is theio any that does more aaruage to the uuman system. Dyspepsia is too oiien the precursor ol nervous prostration and or consumption and other forms of degeneration to oe looked upon lightly, for it paves the way for these disorders. How often the remark is heard: “Oh, lam only sutfermg from as if indigestion weie quite an unimportant matter. When it is, fully realised that upon good aigos. tion depends life itself, then, anti not until then, will indigestion be looked upon with alarm. If the stomach and intestines do not perform their outy, our food caiyaot he converted into tiiii upbuilding blood which shall lenew the tisaue 3 of oar bodies. If the tissues are not renewed, the body wastes, ana the 'strength ooze 3 away, and the heart fails-, this is the true meaning of heart failure. This is not all that happens j it is the negative side, The positive nariu that happens when food lies undigested in the stomach and intestines is tuo lormation of gages and other poisonous product®, these latter being taken up into the poor anaemic blood and carr.od by it to the vu..i organs, set up irr.tation there. The heart thus irritated cannot, properly perform its office, b° the circulation grows weaker and weaker, and the kidneys fail of their function; they no longer carry off . the wa.ste ■ matters ,of the system, so they accumulate ana still further poison the blood. When indigestion progresses to such a degree that the patient experiences great annoyance and even acute Buffering, the family doctor is called in. Pnysioians are a.most unanimous-in disusing these v r ■ CHRONIC CASES.

of dyspepsia, because, as a rule, they get little help from tho patient, and, consequently, the cases are difficult to cure. In dyspepsia the diet and manner of living are just as important,as medication, if not more so. No matter how. skilful tho physician is no cannot undo the cL foots of continued imprudences 0 n the part of his patient. The patient must help on to his or hor own cure by exercising the greatest care and self-denial a« to diet. There is no specific for dyspepsia, no cure-all, for no two cases are precisely alike; therefore it will bo seen how much depends on the patient Himself.' . •

: If hot bread disagrees with, the patient, and it disagrees usually with all hut the most robust, ; and tup .patient •persists in eating it, of what avail will bo the •'doctor's prescriptions ? Fresh broad is one of the greatest promoters of dyspepsia in al’ the list of incUgestibles, yet how many men and women declare that they could not bo persuaded to eat any other than the freshest of bread. It forms a doughy, pulpy lump in the stomach "mat cannot be penetrated and permeated by the digestive juices, so it has to lie in -the stomach and decay and lorip gases. , Some stomachs are strong enough to ,resist this process for years, but the strongest stomach finally breaks down under this extra strain. 1 Such stomachs .would otherwise have done .'their owners good service until they reached a green old ago. cried food is’another promoter- of indigestion, and B o is pastry, but it 'is l almost useless to warn people- against, what . they like. If they like fresh; bread -and' fried food and pastry; they will eat it until their digestion ■ gives ’ out. When - this happens, especially; if suffering- ensues that is - hard to bear, the dyspeptic listens, and is glad to hear advice, even it it-is very hard to follow. To such the follow.ing ■ ; -V-. r ; v: may be of service:—lf indigestion is an established' - condition; the sooner pre. ventivo as well as curative measures are taken the better,- because indigestion leads up to serious troubles that may not be chat a physician should be consulted, and when he ’is consulted big orders should bo obeyed. He can advise you about, your diet, but no, one knows so well as yourself what, agrees and ; what disagrees with your stomach. On- general principles it can be stated that starchy foods of all kinds are to be avoided by the dyspeptic. Many starchy articles tempt by the - delicacy of their taste and appearance. Many dyspeptics are partial to light, flaky, delicate . biscuits, but these are,things they should avoid; . There are nice, wholesome, thoroughly digestible wifers made c. f gluten that one comes to like very much,- because they are tasty and nutritious, and never sour on tho gtomaoh. They may bo eaten with a little good butter at any meal and before retiring. In some forms of dyspepsia there is experienced a fro: quent#gense' of gnawing and craving at the pit of the stomach that i* quickly relieved by eating one of these waters. Gluten wafers are hard and brittle, and for this reason, require' a great deal of chewing. This thorough : salivation emulsifies the- wafer and causes it to bo assimilated, even though the other digestive fluids are inactive and wean, because., the s aliva,is one 'of the digestive fluids, and plays an important part in digestion. , WHAT TO AVOID. The dyspeptic should avoid the ordin. ary white bread, whether home-made or the baker’s product,' and eat bread at least' twenty-fdur -hours old, 'made of whole wheat flour. Good ripe, tender, .juicy tart apples are algo, wholesome, but must bo pared and cored '- to - free them from their indigestible portions. A dyspeptic- may. usually indulge freely in B uch apples, but the apples must be thoroughly well mistreated. Slightly hard cider is a good substitute for tea and coffee in dyspepsia, and a nightly drink of lime-juice and water, to which is added two teaspoonfuls of old rye whisky, is excellent for very weax dyspeptics. taken'with a gluten, wafer before retiring. . For breakfast nothing is i more' digestibleand palatable to a; weak dyspeptic than a cupful of - cooked trJuten eat*’n with geod milk:; And here a word about milk: No one, dyspeptic or otherwise, should drink great draughts of milk, because milk drunk in this manner becomes great, indigestible, impenetrable masses of .curd in the stomach. Milk; should .always be sipped or- drunk in . small draughts with -intervals between j -this - produces feathery . curds -that ,are readily penetrated and ected upon by the gastric juice.. Boasted oysters, baked potatoes, baked apples,*broiled chops . poached eggs. ..boiled custard are allowable for many dyspeptics, but every case is a law unto itself in dietary, matters, and experience must be each invalid’s teacher. In conclusion, it is safe to say that all dyspeptics should. avoid, creasy food, the skins .and seeds ’of fruit, starchy foods, salted meats, and fresh bread.