HEALTH COLUMN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3234, 8 March 1916, Page 73

HEALTH COLUMN.

By A FAMILY DOCTOR

ABOUT CANCER,

There is a very prevalent idea that this, that, or the other kind of food will produce cancer. I suppose the belief has grown up in this way: Someone afflicted with cancer has been fond of tomatoes all her life. That, however, is no argument. Whatever the cause of tho disease may be, I feel sure it will never be discovered in our articles of diet. Although so little is known about cancer, tho inquiry into the subject is not without a great deal of interest, and many practical points ought to be borne in mind: it is not merely a matter of scientific interest. The points I am about to mention are of paramount importance to all. It has been frequently noticed that long-continued irritation of ft part may produco a malignant growth, especially in elderly people. For instance, there are many well-authenticated cases on record of cancer of the lip occurring in men in tho habit of holding a clay pipe in the same corner of the mouth, and holding it there even wheii not actually smoking. The constant irritation of the lip extending over a number of years eventually gave rise to a fatal growth. From a Broken Tooth.—

Another . oxample is also seen very commonly in the out-patient departments of tho large hospitals. I refer to cancer of the tongue produced by the friction of the tongue against a sharp tooth. Every time tho tongue is moved, every word that is spoken, the Bide of the organ of speech is rubbed against the ragged edge of the broken tooth. Nothing more serious than a small, ulcer may at first appear, and that can be easily cured by removing the offending tooth; but if nothing is done for years, the ultimate effect is to start a Cancerous growth. Yet another variety of case may be cited. An ulcer of the leg may, after tho lapse of many years, take on a cancerous nature. Examples of this may be seen hi infirmaries where old people aro sent to end their days. Here, then, we have one method of fighting the scourge t Avoid all causes of long-continued irritation, and tho most important is to beware of rotten, broken teeth ulcerating the tongue. A Word to Women. — Women are particularly liable to be affected. I want to tell them at onoe that tho only hopo of preventing all the suffering that is associated with these terrible growths is to seek advice early. I wish I could convince you of my earnestness in giving this advice. If you have even a small tumour of the breast, or if you suffer from any indication of disease of tho internal organs, you ought to run to a doctor as you would run to the fire station if your house were alight. At a recent meeting- of ,great specialists on diseases of women, all gave choir experience of tho deplorable amount of incurable disease they met with because advice had not been sought early enough. It may seem a strange statement to make, _ but one of the most unfortunato characteristics of cancer is that it is painless. If only tho earliest sign were pain, advice would at once be taken; therefore do not wait for pain, but let the tumour or other indication bo sufficient. THE HAIR. The hair is nourished by minute bloodvessels which form a network around the root of the hair. The cells which go to form, tho hair are at first quite soft and moist, and as they grow up towards the surface they assume a hard,_ horny nature, and are really somewhat similar to the cells of which the finger-nails are composed. Nerves supply tho root with feeling; henco it is painful to have a hair plucked out; but the nerves are not continued into the hair itself, so that no sensation is experienced when a hair Is cut across. The hair Itself ia practically dead, just as a finger-nail is. All growth and feeling is in tho root of the hair and in tho root of the nail. Henco ali treatment to bo efficacious must be directed to tho roots of the hair. Ointments and lotions must be applied direotly to the scalp, the hair being carefully drawn aside._ It is useless to apply ointment to tho hair itself.

When tho Hair Falls.— When tho hair falls as age advances, it Is in consequence of the death 6r atrophy of the hair follicles. Onco this has happened, it is impossible to grow tho hair again, and he is a -wise man who makes up his mind that he must put up with the inevitable. A common cause of the hair falling is the presence of too much scurf on the scalp; the follicles are not destroyed—they aro made unhealthy by the collection of scurf, and treatment directed to the removal of the superabundant scales from the. scalp will be successful in promoting.

a new and vigorous growth of hair. A lotion containing salicylic acid, alcohol, and castor oil is very useful. The application of the lotion should, however, bo under tho supervision of a doctor, as some scalps are more sensitive than others, and care must bo taken in regulating the strength of the lotion. Sometimes the comes out in patches. The condition is. known as Alopecia areata, and is very troublesomo to deal with. It is not catching, like ringworm is, and it may bo distinguished from ringworm by the fact that tho_ affected areas ar© completely bald j in ringworm, short, stubby, broken hairs are always seen. For the treatment of alopecia the best application is a lotion containing turpentine; but the cure requires much patience. It generally gete well In the end.

STARVATION FOR BILIOUSNESS. The best treatment for a bilious attack is starvation; the vomiting is tho remedy provided by an all-wise Nature when the digestive system has been overloaded with a surfeit of unsuitable food. In a fit of desperation the overworked stomach throws trie job up. Take my advice, if the stomach makes it plain to you that it does not want any food to digest, respect its wishes and starve yourself for some hours. Mothers and aunties and wives are always naturally anxious to get the patient well, and they devise all sorts of invalid food to sootho the digestive organs. When I am asked to say what is tho best food to give a patient suffering from a bilious attack I always answer quite simply, "Nothing." The digestive organs have been overworked and tormented until they can stand it no longer; in pity's name, give i them a rest. A good large bowl of nothing at all is what will please the harassed stomach best. Hot water may be drunk to relieve thirst and to give a washing out to the intestines. The mouth should be washed out frequently, with plain lemon-juice and water, a hot flannel put to the stomach, and complete rest in bed enjoined. Aftera fast of some hours a fooling of hunger will be felt ? and then you can comply with the stomach's request for food by giving a little arrowroot, or broth with toast soared in it. Remember what it M'as that upset you, so that you can avoid it another time.

FRESH AIR FOR INVALIDS. Freeh, air ia essential to everyone, but particularly to the invalid. It is Criminal not to keep the sick room fresh; to make the patient breathe the same air over and over again is to poison him. How hard It is to' persuade people that fresh air _ is good 1 I have been m sick rooms which were kept bo stuffy that the people must have thought fresh air was a curse sent on earth to destroy mankind instead of a blessing. I have sometimes felt inclined to throw a chair through the window and smash the glass.