HEALTH COLUMN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3111, 29 October 1913, Page 68

HEALTH COLUMN.

Perspiration. One function of the skin is to secrete some of rhe waste material of the body. In health, the greater part of the nitrogenous waste is eliminated by the kidneys; but in disease the skin, as well as the lining membrane of the alimentary canal, partly replaces the functions of the kidneys. In particular diseases the sweat is found to contam, sometimes pretty abundantly, sugar, bile, besides iodine, arsenic, and other drugs -taken internally. In health, then, the skin gives out but a small portion of nitrogenous waste of body, but it eliminates some carbonic acid, a small quantity of salts, and a variable quantity Of water, which may bo roughly estimated to fluctuate between 4-lb and 401 b in a day The chief constituents of the waste products in health are—water, sodium chloride or common salt, with a small amount of other inorganic salts, fatty acids, neutral fats, and urea. In other words, these are the ingredients which make up the perspiration. In appearance, sweat is a colourless, clear fluid. In certain parts of the body—as, for instance, the armpits—special glands secrete specially odoriferous matter. A similar provision is made in the lower animals, the odour being pleasant as in the civet, and the reverse as in the skunk and fox. Certain of the odours are said to be distinctive not only of particular races, but even of individuals. The Quichna Indians of Peru have been known to detect by this means, even in the dark, differences of race as well as of person. The bloodhound possesses similar instincts. —lnsensible and Sensible Perspiration— Insensible perspiration is that portion of the sweat which passes off in the form of aqueous vapour and volatile matter, as distinguished from the sensible perspiration that is visible as fluid on the skin. The proportion which one bears to the other varies with the surrounding conditions, and the seeming fluctuations are sometimes more apparent than real. Thus, when it is said that dry, hot, moving air promotes insensible perspiration, it is implied that these conditions encourage sensible perspiration also; for the rate of secretion remaining constant, dry hot air passing rapidly over the body, by evaporation of the sensible (visible) perspiration converts it into insensible (invisible) perspiration; while the cool, moist, and stationary air causes the sensible perspiration to stand upon the skin. Often, therefore, when we seem to bo perspiring profusely, it must not bo assumed that there has been an increase in the total amount of sweat, but that the moisture, which in a dry and hot air would have passed off unnoticed or insensibly, has remained chilled and visible on the surface of the body. Nevertheless, the rate of secretion itself is often so accelerated that no amount of heat, dryness, or motion of the air will suffice to evaporate it, in which case we have sensible (visible) perspiration in a dry, hot air ; and this is certainly the way to account for it usually, for heat conduces to secretion, and so, too, in all probability, does dryness of itself merely. As regards quantity, that varies with the amount and quality of food and drink, and depends much upon the amount of exercise taken, the activity of other organs, and the influence of drugs, diseases, and mental impressions. —Effect of Exercise. — Everyone knows that exercise promotes the action of the skin. The surface becomes reddened from turgosccncc of the vessels, and perspiration is greatly' increased. Water escapes from the body by the kidneys, skin, and lungs. During rest far more is eliminated by the kidneys than by the skin and lungs together. But during exercise, not only is the total amount very largely increased, but the proportion in which it passes off by the different channels is reversed. More now passes off by the skin and lungs together than by the kidneys. —Danger of Chill.— The evaporation of this water, then, from the surface reduces and regulates the temperature. which otherwise, owing to the increase of combustion, would become excessive. Hence the danger of chill from this cause is not during the period of active exercise, for the rapid loss is then compensated by extraordinary supply, but the risk arises when exertion is over. The excessive loss by evaporation still for a while continues, and now not onlv is there no additional supply, but a period of slight and temporary depression succeeds the excitement. Hence, the heat of the body rapidly declines. The surface, which may have been exposed with impunity while exertion was continued, must now be adoquately covered to protect it from undue loss. —Local Perspiration.— By this is meant perspiration confined to certain regions of the body, such as the hands, feet, armpits, groin, etc. Less fre-

quently a limb may be affected, or - the whole of one side of the body. In such states the part affected is damp, moist, and clammy; and in more marked cases the sweat may flow off in little streams. If the sweating continues, the outer skin continually moistened becomes wrinkled, and assumes a whitish tint, while its superficial layers become so softened as to be readily detached by rubbing. This state of excessive sweating, once established at a certain pitch of intensity, may remain almost stationary, showing but slight changes of importance, though varying from time to time in amount as the causes increase or diminish. Spontaneous cure is not very often observed. —General Perspiration.— General sweating, in excessive amount, occurs in many constitutional diseases, and as the bodily vigour is increased the tendency to excessive perspiration on exertion or otherwise diminishes. Obesity is a frequent cause of it, and the moist palm of the habitual tippler is familiar to everyone, while a similar condition is common in nervous women, and in persons addicted to excessive tea-drinking. —Treatment.— The treatment is both general and local. Any constitutional disease, such as rickets, alcoholism, or obesity, must be treated on the usual lines; and it will be found, as a rule, that improvement in the general health will be accompanied by diminished tendency to excessive sweating. General treatment should, however, always be accompanied by local measures. Dusting powders and astringents, applied after the part has been wiped thoroughly dry, are often of great service. A good dusting powder is ono containing salicylic acid, boracic acid with alum and starch, the proportions of which are varied according to chronicity and extent of the trouble. As a rule, 15 grains of salicylic acid and 30 grains of boracic acid to the ounce make a suitable strength. Lotions are often useful, such as those containing 1 per cent, of quinine in alcohol, or alcoholic solutions containing 2 per cent, of tannin or alum. Washing the Head. Even the best soap is not particularly suited to the cleansing of the hair and scalp. Far better is it to use a fresh egg, which may be prepared in two ways. The first is to mix white and yolk thoroughly together in a basin, then add a half-pint of warm, but not hot, water. Stir together and add a little quillaia, then rub into the scalp and hair, when a lather will bo formed. The second method is to use only the yolk of the egg, beating it in a saucer. Apply to the scalp with a small piece of flannel, parting the hair at frequent intervals. Wet the head with lukewarm water, and rub ‘the resulting lather well into the hair. Whichever way the egg may bo used it is important that the water should not bo hot, and that the hair should be thoroughly rinsed after the rubbing. Dry with towels, and if possible expose the hair to the sun, but it should not 6c dried at the fire. In the case of long hair it must bo very carefully disentangled after washing. This should be done by brushing first, the hair being divided off into two or more portions. When the brush has been used for some little time the comb may be called in. Begin at the very ends of the hair and gradually work upwards to the scalp; by this means the hair is not dragged out by the roots, as would be the case wore the process reversed.