HEALTH COLUMN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3034, 8 May 1912, Page 68

HEALTH COLUMN.

The 111-used Liver

In a state of health the liver of an adult should weigh some 41b, being the largest of all the glandular structures of the body. Its position in the abdomen is to the upper part of the right side near the front and just balow the diaphragm and the pyloric orifice of the stomach. Under the right lobe of the Hver is situated the gall-bladder. Capillary blood-vessels are numerous, and the organ is largely composed of cells whose work it is to separate glycogen and bilo from the blood, and transform the first into fat while the second passes into the gall-bladder or into the intestines direct, where it aids in the digestion of the food and also produces a laxative effect on the bowels. The liver is unfortunately easily thrown out of order —especially when anything interferes with tho action of the heart, and also in those persons who indulge inordinately in the use of alcoholic liquors. Intemperance is frequently the cause of enlargement of this organ in consequence of tho inflammatory action produced by the spirits. Tho enlargement may go on for a considerable time, but when the disease has attained a certain point the change 13 reversed, and contraction begins to take place, a condition known to medical men as cirrhosis, and- popularly called "gindrinker's liver." This is characterised by a hard condition of the organ, which naturally results in its becoming less and less able to perform its proper work, whereupon iaundice often supervenes, speedily followed by death. But spirits are not the only drinks which are bad for the liver; too much tea. will do a great amount of harm, though it is not certain it would actually cause death as alcohol may. Women are more often inclined than men to ill-use their liver in this particular way: they drink cup after cup of tea through the day, first being drawn to it because of its refreshing properties. But soon it makes the liver slugpish and the bowels become inactive, bo that depression results. Far better is it to drink a cup of hot water the last thing at night and the first in the morning, while the value of fruit, especially at breakfast or before it, cannot be overestimated. Green vegetables as well as salads are good medicine for the liver. Leukrcmfa. In full, the name of this blood disease is leucocvtheemia, a compound which means white-celled blood. When examined under a microscope our blood is found to bo not a red, hut a colourless fluid, In

which are millions of minute globules that give it colour. These red corpuscles, as they are called, should be present,/ in a very largo proportion as compared with the white corpuscles, out-numbering the latter from six to 12 hundred times. But in leucocythtemia the blood is deficient in the red corpuscles, they being equalled or even exceeded in number by the white ones. Another feature of the disease is enlargement of the spleen, the lymphatic glands and affection of the marrow of the bones. It is supposed that the tis-. sues of spleen and lymphatic glands aro chiefly concerned with the manufacture of the white corpuscles, and that their increased size and activity accounts for the super-abundance of these corpuscles. The subject, however, offers many ■■ difficulties to the most experienced of physicians, and medical science cannot so far pronounce with certainty on it. As might be guessed, the sufferer from leuksemia becomes somewhat pale, though the presence of the white corpuscles in the blood can only be ascertained by using the microscope. The spleen when it becomes enlarged reveals itself by a feeling of fulness in the abdomen, and when the swelling becomes considerable the patient himself can easily detect the presence of a large, heavy mass extending downward on the left side from under the ribs to the groin. In health the spleen weighs as a rule rather less than 41b, but in leukaemia it may attain a weight of several pounds, and though its enlargement does not give rise to actual pain, it is the cause of considerable discomfort. Weakness and shortness of breath are commonly met with, and sometimes attacks of nosebleeding. All that can be done in th© way of treatment is to maintain the patient's strengh bv nourishing food, fresh air, and tonics such as iron, quinine, and phosphorus. meningitis. . Any serious injury to head, exposure to intense cold or the heat of the sun, and excess in spirituous liquors are all likely to produce inflammation of the membranes of the brain. One very frequent cause which comes under the notice of every medical man is disease of the ear, generally of old standing. During the years in which the patient describes himself as having suffered from a running from one of his ears, denoting the formation of one abscess after another, the disease has been working its way toward the brain, and at last th© dreaded symptoms of meningitis make their appearance. There is severe and constant pain in the head, at times unbearable; there may be sudden attacks of giddiness and vomiting; fever and delirium are present, and the patient finds light extremely painful to his eyes. If the true cause of th© inflammation b e ear disease, slight pressure with the finger on the bone behind the ear will be very painful, and may induce faintness or vomiting. It is only possible to convey a general impression of th© symptoms, since these vary decidedly in individual cases. The disease is very serious, and may go on tih th© patient becomes unconscious, and dies within two or three days, though in some cases he may live for a week or two. In case of injury to the scalp, a surgical operation may be successful, but, unfortunately, it is not always possible to perform it, and when performed there is always grave danger that the patient may be too much prostrated to rally. Health Education in America. In America the pithy style of many advertisement writers is even extended to the health leaflets issued by a State Board of Health. There is something to be said for the method, for short epigrams may often stick in the memory when more formal injunctions accompanied by explanation will be forgotten, though the latter method may have the higher educational value. After all, many useful habits must be inculcated in children before these are able to appreciate our reasons for them, and so possibly the health authorities are not doing so badly with the publication of heir " Health Almanac," from which the following have been gathered. An open window is better than an open grave. A stiff drink makes th© stomach warm but the skin cold. A mumstard bath for the feet will do fae more to ward off pneumonia than a gaHon If your milkman brings you warm milk, make it hot for him.