Excessive Perspiration.

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 26 August 1908, Page 76

Excessive Perspiration.

Simple as the skin .functions appear to , be, we can readily understand that any serious' interference with them^ may produce j serious results. When a chill is suffered, and from, its effect on. the circulation- of the ; blocd in the skin the excretion of perspiration is intea-fcred with, the results of such a chill appear in the production of colda and like troubles. The point, however, ! with w,hich to-day we are more concerned refers to certain disorders of the perspiration on the slightest exertion, and even in the absence of this latter condition the j skin glands appear bo excrete too freely, thug causing an unnatural moisture and damp- j ness of the skin surface, and rendering the i individual more a.pt to suffer chill from , t)ie condition in which the underclothing is : thus maintained. In the case of certain diseases, excessive excretion on the part 1 of the skin is a familiar feature. The , night sweats of the consumptive person may ( be cited as an example of this faot. The j cases, however, which are more puzzling ia their nature arc those where, apparently without any serious disturbance of bodily health, the skin secretion is very much augmented in respect of its amount. In cases of tho kind alluded to, the general rule for treatment is that which advises an examination being made into the general health of the sufferer. It is no uncommon thing to find that a run-down state of tho system is responsible for tho increased action of the skin. ."Where such a condition exists, the judicious use of tonka may be recommended by way of assisting' the cure. Especially in this connection! is a combination of quinine and iron found useful, this tonio being taken thrice daily after food. The use of tepid baths, to which £>, little bi-carbonate of soda may bo added, or a little ammonia, is also to be recommended. Even if at first the tepid bath, which may be taken in the morning, should seem to increase skin action, in" a short time the toning effect of the bath on the skin will be experienced, so that this latter measure should certainly be- tried in ail cases of the kind. Care of the Teeth. The foundation for bad teeth is generally laid in early childhood; for numberless

mothers and l nurses -very carefully soften.,the food or remove the crust from the bread before giving it to the little folk, "" because it may otherwise "hurt their teeth," and so the child gsrows up with! a set of unused Organs' ini|lslTO<Mtaj and - when we have finally suo^de^ lr ..by the creation of artificial con-daji©ns,^in produc-"' ing weak organs, then we. fonder, why tihe poor childi has such bad tee'tnf,anid why -it is so often suffering".froiri toothache, attidi why the dentist's' bill is sd^hfgih:- : Teeth, says the "FamilytiiDoctor," are organs specialised to perform liJie-.';w?o*kl of mastication; they are subject to the same; laws that govern other organs, .and their :strength is determined by their use. Un-. - •deTstan-ding this, -we are obliged to admit that if we ever became a toothless rae& it will be our own fault; and in this con-- - neetion there is another matter to-be borne -= in mind— which is, that after the period of? . childhood even care should? be taken to . have the teeth periodically examined by , a- competent dentist, and anything wxong ' with them at once attended to. -1