HEALTH COLUMN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2479, 18 September 1901, Page 64

HEALTH COLUMN.

Cataract and its Causes.

A cataiact is a di vea<-ev ea<-e of the ciystalhne lens of the eye, vi hereby its transparency is more rr less dimini-hed and the sight correspondingly impaired. The tioublc occurs most commonly as an accompaniment of advancing years ; but it is by no means confined to the aged, for cataract i.s often seen in children, and may even exist from biitli.

Hie opacity may be in the len> itself, or in the capsule winch cover-- it, and it may involve the entire length and thickness of the lens or a part of it only. It is. often impossible to discover the cause of a cataract, but it is usually some disturbance of nutrition, such as rickets in the young, diabetes in the middle-aged, and the normal failure of the nutritive processes in the old. The cause is sometimes a local one. such as a blow ov a puncture of the lens by a suan of iron-filing or other minute bodj tin own with force against the ball of the e\e. Eye-strain, resulting from astigmatism or other impertcction of vision, which is allowed to go unconnected by glasses, is. another undoubted cause of cataract.

The early symptoms of the trouble are not veiy pronounced. There is no pain, the pupil of the eye is not cloudy, and the sight — in the case of an old person — may even be improved at n'rst, so that the patient is often said facetiously to be renewing his youth, and to be getting second sight.

Presently, one of the first things noticed — and il is one which should always suggest to a person past middle life the desirability of consulting an oculist — is the seeing of two or more images of an object when it is looked at with one eve.

Later the sight grows dim, and if the pupil is inspected, moie or less of its centre is seen to have a milky appearance. In most cases the patient can see best in a dim light, for the pupil is then dilated, and he sees around the obstruction ; but sometimes, when the change in tiie lens begins at the edge, the sight is best in a bright light, when the pupil is contracted.

The operation for cataract is usually postponed until the process hos advanced to such a point that the patient can just, make out the light of a candle across tho room, and the swelling of the lens, which generally occurs at one stage, has subsided. The most common operations are "di&ciSMon," by which the cataract is* broken up and absorbed, and extraction. The first of these is, as a rule, more appropriate in the case of a child, the second in the case* of an old person.

Treatment of Bruiser. — Bruises are often painful, and if not painful ore often disfiguring, and the best way to treat them is not ahva3 T s known. If you have a fall and feel thoroughly shaken and bruised, the best thing j-ou can do is to take a really hot bath ; that simple remedy often works wonders. If j-ou are simply bruised in one place, and do not want the place to discolour, rub it at once with a little butter or vaseline, or almost any grease. In the case of a bad bruise to the bone, cold water bandages are often very efficacious in relieving the pain. A stronger remedy is a few spots of arnica in a cup of cold water ; this helps to take down the inflammation, and though it always eases the bruises, it has such an irritating effect on the skin of some people that it is not always wise to use it. In the ca.se of a verybad bruise which cannot be relieved in any of the above ways, a little belladonna* sprinkled on a rag may be applied. Wrap the bruised part up well, and, if po&sible, cover with oil skin. Writers' Cramp. — Writers' cramp is an irregular involuntary spasm cramp in the, ringers in those who write a great deaf. Persons of a nervous temperament are more liable to the disease. Occasionally it follows a slight injury. In a majority of cases a faulty method of wiiting has been, employed, using either lie little finger or the wrist as the fixed point. Persons who write from the middle of the forearm, or from the elbow, are but rarely affected. The disease is probably due to a deranged action of the nerve centres presiding over the muscular movements involved in the act of writing, a condition which has been called irritable weakness. Cramp is often an ;arly symptom, and most commonly affects the forefinger md thumb, so that the pen may be twisted from the grasp and thrown some distance. The person affected may feel a '•ense of weakness and hold the pen feebly ; a tired feeling i.s common, and there may be raiely irregularshooting pains m the aims. In severe cases the hand and aim may be flushed, and the veins increased in size. The course of the disease i^ usually chronic. If taken in time, and if the hand be allowed perfect rest, the condition may improve rapidly, but there is a strong tendency to lecurrence. As for the treatment, vaiious measures have been advised. Re.st is ab&olutely necessary. Sometimes learning to write with the left hand is tx good plan. If the method of writing is faulty it must be altered. Write from the elbow or shoulder. Rubbing or kneading the muscles with a little sweet oil and systematic exercise of a different kind from that used in writing is useful. The galvanic current applied to the muscles is recommended. If the general system is run down, you should take cod-liver oil.