TALKS ON HEALTH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16359, 23 February 1921, Page 6

TALKS ON HEALTH.

BY A FAMILY DOCTOR. VARICOSE VEINS. Some occupations involve a lot of standing, and those engaged in such employments are subject to varicose veins. As the blood circulates it is conducted away from the heart in the arteries and back to the heart in tho veins. Most of the arteries are situated deep in the flesh out of harm’s way. but the veins are on the surface and are plainly visible. Tt is easy for the blood to run down-hill to the feet, but it is quite another matter when it has to climb up the lower limbs against the force of o-ravity. It is on account of this difficulty in running up-hill that the veins become swollen and congested. The swelling of dropsy also begins in the feet for the same reason. Inside the veins are little valves which prevent the blood from running back in the wrong direction ; but when the veins are diseased these valves are thrown out. of gear and do not perform their function successfully. You never «oo varicose veins on the top of the head, because the Flood flows down-hill to the heart and no strain is thrown on the walls of the vessels. GARTERS BAD FOR HEALTH. Varicose veins are hereditary; parents and children suffer from the same defect. A man in whose family varicose veins frequently occur should avoid the work, say. of a policeman, who has to stand for many hours. It is not possible completely to prevent these veins from swelling, but something can be done. For instance, tight garters ought not to be worn. Suspenders do not interfere with the circuj lation. Anyway, if garters must be j worn, they should he made of broad elestic, not hits of string that leave a deep red mark on the leg when taken off at night- The blood lias bard enough work to do to get up-hill without having to snueeze by a tight garter. Another thing to remember is that the flow of blood can be encouraged bv sitting down on a- couch with the feet raised instead of adopting the ordinary posture with the feet on the ground. I know we have to earn our living ; we cannot pav our rent hv lying on a couch; hut in the rest, times it is best to keep the feet un. Tt linker a difference at the end of ten or fifteen vea.rs. If the veins ache, a light, crepe bandage may he worn as an experiment; it ran do no harm. Tf it e-ives relief, wear it: if it gives no relief, discard it. The skin of the legs most he kept very clean—-a piece of advice which. T regret to say, is too oDon. needed. Dirt and the chaffing of the troupers will cause a nasty sore in the neighbourhood of a varicose vein. A WORD TO MOTHERS. Pregnancy causes a swelling of the veins of the legs. It cannot be helped, but the doctrine of rest with the feet up becomes more important to on© who is expecting to become a mother. Two annoyances are associated with swollen veins—ulceration and bleeding. To avoid ulceration of the skin it may be necessary to go to bed for a fortnight i and keep the feet up all the time. When the skin is seer: to be red or dark-blue and thin, then is the time to take precautions. Tt is better to rest entirely for a fortnight than to have an ulcer for six weeks. Ulcers are difficult to hqal. Prevent them. Cleanliness and rest are the two great standbys. The other danger, haemorrhage, is not very common, but it is such, a serious complication that I must tell you wliat t<> do when it occurs. If the burst vein is in your own leg, lie down at once, wherever you are. If you remain _ standing up while tho blood Is pouring out of your leg you will in a few moments lose a quantity of blood that may endanger your life. If you are alone, you must put your own thumb on the bleeding spot and press —not too hard, hut hard enough just to stop the bleeding. Call as loud as you con for help, and go on calling until someone comes- Tf you happen to be the someone who romes. you must act promptly. To vour hurried injury as to what the matter i.M you will be told that a vein has burst in the log. If the patient is not already lying down, place him on the ground, raise the leg that is bleeding, and applv pressure directly to the spot. Tear off the stockings, cut the garter, press tho bleeding spot, and yell for someone to send for a doctor or the ambulance to take the patient to the hospital. You read in books that blood flows faster from an artery than from a vein, hut that does not apply to haemorrhage from a. varicose vein. If you once saw the blood com© from a ruptured vein you would not be surprised at my giving you these urgent directions. THE PATIENT MUST DECIDE. The question of operation must be discussed. When Tam asked to advise about an operation I always listen to what the patient has to say. He may say, “My veins do not trouble me much, I have no pain, and I can do my work all right.” Or he may say, “The aching in my veins is intolerable, the pain wearies me. I cannot enjoy a good .walk. I have to rest up instead of enjoying myself. Moreover, my veins are worse now than they were six months ago.” In the latter case 7 advise operation. It. is not possible to remove those veins that form a close network of small vessels under the skin ; the most favourable cases for operation are those where the vein forms one small hunch or whero one long vein runs up the leg. If you decide to wear an clastic stocking, it is a good plan to buy two and wear them on alternate days; they last longer when used in that way. Elastic likes a rest, just like the rest of us. A HOSPITAL FOR VARICOSE VEINS. If I were a rich man I should endow some beds in a hospital to be devoted exclusively to fthe cure »r>f vnrijeoefe ulcers. It fills the out-patient; surgeon with despair to see old ladies coming up week after week with their open ulcers. need rest and they cannot manage it. Tt would be a real blessing if the poor women could be taken in and nursed and cared for until the skin healed over. As it is, the beds are needed for urgent cases of pneumonia and broken legs. Do not give a too-ready credence to the quack advertisements of ointments that cure ulcers. To begin with, you have vour ulcer and your savings, and the quack his his ointment; at the end, you have the ulcer, the ointment has gone, and the quack has your savings.