MEDICAL SCIENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18761, 15 January 1923, Page 8

MEDICAL SCIENCE

PASTEURISATION OF MILK. AN AGE OF MINUTE-BUG WORSHIP. VALUE OF PHRENOLOGY. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, November 30. Although he began tho study of phrenology thirty-seven years ago, Dr Bernard Hollander regards himself still as being a student of this study. Ho says there is no study which has been so misrepresented as has phrenology; yet its teachings are of vast importance to medicine. He finds it of great benefit for localisation of adhesions in disorders. Speaking of tho value of electricity as a stimulant, Dr Hollander thinks that for men who lack self-confidence or self-

assurance or self-esteem this method has its value. He can prove this by tho largo number of students who have succeeded in examinations in which they had previously failed. No theory of the brain other than the phrenological theory holds its ground. In. is of great importance to humanity if treated in a scientific: spirit, but for this is needed the open mind, freedom to think, and the absence of prejudice. TEETH AND RHEUMATISM. “Gout has become almost an extinct disease,” said Sir William R. Willcox, lecturing on “Rheumatism” at tho Y.M.U.A. “People of no class can over-eat and overdrink nowadays,” he declared. “They cannot afford to do so, and gout is becoming one of the rarest diseases. Ido not know that I have seen a case of primary gout, that is, gout -attacking a person lor tho first time, for some years.” No doubt the much lower consumption of alcoholic drinks was largely responsible for the great reduction in tho occurrence of the disease. People were not only more temperate in drinking, but they wore also more temperate in eating. Speaking of rheumatoid arthritis, one of the commonest diseases in this country, and one of the most crippling, ho said the research work

of the past few years clearly showed that it was due to infection with a germ, tha commonest form of which was the streptococcus, It occurred in the jaw around the roots of the teeth, in the tonsils, in some of the nasal cavities, or in the intestine. The common focus of entrance was tho mouth. By taking an X-ray photograph of the jaw one could see if there was any septic focus round tho roots of tho teeth. Rheumatoid arthritis not long ago was regarded as practically incurable, but nowadays one took a much more hopeful view. If the focus was found in the early stage of the disease and was removed undoubtedly the disease was curable. An X-ray examination of the teeth had become an almost routine procedure in America, and it was certainly essential in diseases which might arise from the teeth. He declared that the crowning of unhealthy teeth was one of the commonest causes of disease. T think one’s teeth should ho preserved as much as possible, but if a tooth is shown by an X-ray examination to bo seriously diseased, my advice is not to have it crowned, or stopped, or bridged, but to have it out.” ENIGMA OF THE CENTURIES.

“The cause of sleep is as unknown to-day as it was two thousand years ago,” said Dill. M. Leon, in a lecture on “The Physiology of Sleep,” before tho London College of Physiology. As a physiological condition, sleep is as normal as waking life, but dreams presented many unusual, if not abnormal, features. When human beings fell asleep the eyelids wore lowered on the eyeballs, which turned upwards and slightly inwards. The whole body, especially the face, presented a picture of complete repose. Respiration was modified and lowered. A sleeping man inspired one litre of air instead of seven litres when he was awake. There was also a difference ’in the amount of carbonic acid exhaled and of oxygen inhaled. During sleep tho respiratory act in man changed in character. During waking hours respiration was abdominal, during sleep it became thoracic. Inspiration was more prolonged during sleep, and the depth of respiration considerably diminished. The changes cf respiration in women, which in waking hours were usually caustal rather than abdominal, had not been observed. Men required eight hours’ sleep, women seven, but tljia rule differed very much according to age and other conditions. An explanation cf dreams might lie in the fact that during sleep attention was relaxed, whereas in waking hours it was continually at work. . Describing the theories advanced ns to the cause of sleep, Dr Loon said there were objections to all of them, and after two thousand years science was no further advanced as to tho actual cause. CANCER INCREASINGLY FATAL.

An exhaustive report on the ravages rf cancer tnroughout the world has been submitted to the Academy of Medicine by Professor Tufficr. The most notable fact emerging from his report is that, despite recent efforts in practically all civilised countries to combat this fatal disease, its rate of mortality continues steadily to increase by something like 2 per pent, every year. Professor Tuffier’s paper is based partly on personal researches and partly on figures supplied by an American statistician, Mr Hoffman. It is found that the mortality rate from cancer among 2,124,000,000 human beings is 71 per 100,000. Cancer is killing half a million people a year. In the United States the cancer death rate is 78 per 100,000 inhabitants, and about 80,000 Americans fell victims to it in 1915. The great majority of the fatal cases occur between the ages of 45*ftnd 50, and it is observed that there arc some 24 per cent, more cases among women than among men.' From 1906 *o 1910 England had the highest cancer death rate, which averaged 94 per 100.000, while Holland had 93. Next came the United .“States with 76, France with 73, and Spain with 44. The disease attacks the white and black races alike, although it is more frequent among the whites. A curious fact which no observers can explain is that the Red Indians of North America are practically immune from cancer. Among the Japanese cancer of the breast is almost unknown, and this applies to the Japanese in whatever climate they may be settled. It appears that cancer is increasing more rapidly in Franco than anywhere else, the rate of increase being 10 per 100.000. while in England it is eight, and in the United States six. A close inefuiry into the effect of environment on the frequency of cancer has yielded negligible results. TRANSPLANTED CANCER. According to the Morning Post, the Imperial Cancer Research Fund has established by experimental studies carried out for many years that there are certainly ways in which the resistance of an animal to a cancer introduced into it can be increased to such on extent that the animal is immune. This has been achieved by using some of the ordinary tissues from an animal of the same species. But unfortunately the resistance produced in this way is of a temporary character, and has not been put to any service in the treatment of cancer in the human body. During the course of collateral experimental studies it was found in the cancer research laboratories of the Middlesex Hospital that tumour tissue which had been first X-rayed sufficiently would not grow when implanted into normal animals. This dose of radiation the researchers have called the “lethal dose.” When this X-rayed tissue is put into an animal the substance is soon absorbed, and in the majority of cases the animal becomes immune to the implantation of the variety of tumour which has been used. This immunity is of a permanent character, and the dominant idea of the process has been carried into the clinical ■field. It would, of course, be altogether premature yet to speak of “cases.” though some records have been made. Professor Sidney Russ (Joel Professor of Physics at the Middlesex Hospital) has returned from a visit to Now York, whither he had been invited to demonstrate the method for tho treatment of cancer here indicated. Ho has explained all the technical details of tho laboratory process at first hand, and, at the invitation of tho Medical and Chirurgicai Society of Montreal ho also addressed a meeting in M’Gill University on the subject. Tho report of this address is awaiting publication. “PASTEURISATION FARCE.”

“Our milk supply is on the rocks,” writes Professor Henry E. Armstrong, in the Morning Post. “Should the Milk and Dairies (Amendment) Act nurnedly passed on August 4 last, come, into operation m all its clauses, not only tho present health and the healthy development of our children, but even the health of future generations may well bo most detrimentally affected. As a nation, we know, we do not drink sufficient milk; the quality, on the average, is not what it should be; yet wo are only now beginning to pay serious and proper attention to the subject. Still, substantial progress is being made on rational linos; dairy farmers are becoming alive to tho precautions to be taken in the production of a healthy article, and U is clear that a sound supply, at an economic price, is in no way an impossibility, nor need it bo long delayed. Now legislation is upon ns which may easily retard the coming advance and greatly change tho food value of milk. “At a lecture at University College last week it was stated that, whereas in 1918

only about 30 per cent, of the milk sold in London was ‘Pasteurised,’ now the proportion is about 60 per cent. lam told on good authority that the proportion is much higher, probably over 80 per cent. Moat, of us, therefore, are already not receiving ‘milk from tho cow,' but a mcssedup article, and we have in no way been warned of the change. Cow’s milk is tho one whole food known to us and available which may bo substituted for tho mother’s milk in feeding infants; at tho present day a large proportion of mothers either cannot or do not themselves nourish their infants. For young children cow’s milk may bo said to be an indispensible food. This is recognised in a Child’s Food Alphabet now popular in tho U.S.A., in tho verso;

M. is for milk, Which makes muscle and bone. One pint a day Mould lie host till you’re grown

“We know by experience that the completed human mechanism can he built up Irom it, provided enough be given to the growing child. Milk, however, has altogether special attributes. In addition to its roughly recognised, gross constituents, it contains, seemingly in very minute proportions, certain materials or agents unknown in a separate state, which have a wondrous ‘regulating’ function. Those accessory-! ood-factors or advitants are essential to life. How many are present wo do not know; it is a now field of inquiry, upon which wo have only just entered and m no wise yet explored except in a rough preliminary way • in fact, tho mysteries of food lire clearly infinite—they are now gradually being unveiled to us, yet only n ithm the past dozen years or so; there are behind the wall, we may suppose. Ihese wondrous agents are very sensitive materials. One at least is easily destroyed by heat—probably several are. Infants fed on heated milk alone sometimes show superficial signs of scurvy; experiments with animals have shown that Ihe effect may bo dMp-seated, ns the structure of the teeth is affected, a matter of special importance, as the second teeth are already present at birth. Whilst it is generally admitted that harm is done to milk by heating, it is supposed that this may bo counteracted by the use of orange juice and some other vegetable extracts—but that any such addi-

non cnn be a complete corrective is in 110 "'"J placed beyond doubt; nor con it «eil bo, ns effects may bo produced in infancy and early youth which are only manifest much later in life. Iho object of ‘pasteurising’ is to kill off certain micro-organisms; but, there i 5 no doubt that the case against these has been vastly exaggerated by the medical profession especially by the Medical Officer of Wealth, who has converted bacteria into 11 fetish. We are living in an age of minufebug worship. The public flesh is constantly being made to creep by stories of the millions upon millions of bacteria in milk; but they are our natural food—we inhale them with every breath* and so learn to know them and put up with them; only now and then do harmful ones come upon uie scene and lay hold of us, because we are not up to the mark, probably more often than not because we have not fed ourselves properly. Sanitary inspectors are so übiquitous and careful that typhoid and diphtheria are now rarely carried in milk; the danger of tubercular disease arising through drinking milk is greatly exaggerated. It is not merely an act of scientific ptoaumption and arrogance, but of scientific

tyranny, on the part of the Ministry of Health—l am assuming that the Ministry has acted upon ‘scientific’ advice —to enact a measure which may do measureless harm to the risjng and future generations and relatively little good to anyone. On no account, I believe, should ‘pasteurisation’ ho countenanced. Nay, more, we have to recognise that in the past wo may have done our children a wrong in ever giving them milk raised above our blood temperature, and to take caro in future never to heat it higher. Such is and will bo my advice to all parents. The new Act is to postpone until 1925 one that wa-s duo to come into operation. It should itself fco repealed, and another Act substituted, providing that all ‘Pasteurised’ milk should be so declared; wo shall then, at least, know what wo have to put up with.” THE DUTY OF BEING CHEERFUL. “Health, the secret of success, and how to maintain it,” was the title of a lecture delivered by Sir Bruce Bruce-Pqrter before the People's League of Health. Business, ho said, called for far greater strain in competition than in days gone by. and more people had regard for their health, though there was still not enough interest generally in that direction. The human machine was fitted out with one set of everything, except tccthj and once .these were done they could not be replaced. The strength of the chain of life was in its weakest link. “The great-

est aid to success in health is cheerfulness,” ho said. ‘‘Cheerfulness is a duty you owe to others as much as yourself. There is nothin# worse in the world than having to share an office with someone who is always grousing. If you meet a man with a grouse iigainst the world, you can he perfectly sure his health is bad. Get him into fit condi•tion and he will see the comic side of a situation that is otherwise tragic. If you start the day with a feeling of cheerfulness your job is half done. If you start with a tired feeling, and wishing you had never been born, your job will be twice as heavy. There are several essentials for good health. The first is fresh air. Don't shut all the windows in your office; if there are two, open them both. You do not get colds from draughts. When a cold enters your house you wonder who brought it in. and you know it did not blow in through the window. Golds are infectious, and much more infectious in a stuffy room with the window’s shut than in one with the windows open. The next essential is to drink enough water. The minimum amount of water necessary per clay for an average man is three pints.” Other essentials laid down by Sir Bruce were sunlight, wholemeal flour, potatoes cooked- unpeeled, exercise, sufficient sleep, care of the teeth, eyes, the nose, and throat. The main essentials of health are within the reach of everyone in this country," ho said. The want of know-ledge of the average person ns to the human machine and its care was little short of amazing. Tho want of knowledge in early youth was responsible for a great deal of preventable disease. In 1870 the expectation of life was 40 years; in 1910 the standard of health hod improved, and a child might be expected to live till 50. Given increased knowledge—and medical knowledge was more

accurate than 50 years ago —wo should improve that expectation very much. X-RAY RESEARCH. Sir H. D. Rollestou (President of the Royal College of Physicians) opened at Manchester Royal Infirmary what is officially described as the most up-to-date and powerful X-ray department in the country. It is the gift of Mr Robert M'Dougall in memory of his father, and is splendidly equipped. Sir Humphrey detailed the advances made in radiology since its discovery by Pro lessor Rontgen in 1895, instancing the r act that whereas an exposure of the hand of twenty minutes’ duration in 1896 conveyed little information an exposure in 1921 of the one-hundredth part of a second gave the bare skeleton. At first the practical utility of X-rays appeared so problematic that even so finely conceived an institution ns the now Manchester Royal Infirmary was planned without provision for a department, and it was not until 1908 that a small room in the basement was formally nssimied to the work. Sir Humphrey advocated cooperation between workers in the wards and those in the laboratories and the radiological department. It was because of the wise recognition of this fact that a lingo demonstration room had been provided wlih a big X-ray and 'crooning apparatus. which made it practicable for students to follow in detail the examination of a patient by the surgeon and radiologist. An important feature was the gradual collection of slides comparable to a museum of pathological specimens. He held that team work, combining radiology with other branches of medicine, would bear much fruit in research and the advancement of medical science, diagnosis, and treatment. Dr Barclay had him

“ GIVE HIM ‘ BAXTER’S ’ TILL I COME OUT.” Away out in the backblocks a mother is often somewhat distressed owing to the long distance from a, doctor. The experience of one woman in the North Auckland district will be interesting to other mothers. A little boy had u bad attack of croup and she hastily telephoned the doctor, who was some miles distant. lie stated that ho would bo unable to got out for some hours, but in the meantime inquired what remedies she had in the house. When she mentioned that she always kept Baxter’s Lung Preserver handy, ho said: “You cannot do better than give him ‘Baxter’s’ till 1 come out."

Baxter’s Lung Preserver is a favourite household remedy for coughs, colds, and influenza. It can bo found in tho most luxurious city apartments and in tho humblest cottage in the back country. There is good reason for this. “Baxter’s,” in addition to being a splendid cough and cold mixture, has wonderful tonio properties that build up the system. It is rich and strengthening and is pleasant to take. 2s 6d buys a generous &iz«d bottle from chemist or store. —Advt.

self provided £4OOO for research in connec tion with intensive X-ray treatment. And Sir William Milligan, Professor Bragg. Professor 11. R. Dean, Dr O. Powell White, Dr A. Burrows, and Mr James Watt, jun., had boon appointed to work with him. The Manchester Medical School now insisted on a course of radiology for every student and provided diplomas for those who intended to specialise in the science.