Death.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1977, 4 March 1893, Page 2 (Supplement)

Death.

The Turkish Bath.— Dr. Chas. H. Shopherd, writing in reference to a sudden death in a Turkish bath says : "The recant case of death in a Turkish bath, really by excessive drinking, reported by the London JMil ';/ News, was the text for a long article in your Sunday edition, in which were many rellections based more on imagination than on solid facts. There may be danger in sleeping in a temperature of 12 j degrees, but it is infinitesimal. Do we hesitate to go to sleep because the night is very hot? By no mcan3. There is, however, great danger in the habit of excessive drinking, whatever the person may do afterward, whether it be going to the Turkish bath or to church, but the bath would be the ■Safest place to go to at that time. Tbe habit of tbe bath is a more laudable one, find is to be encouraged at all times, as it tends to tbe welfare and betterment of the community— to elevate and not degrade man. It is on the side of virtue and not of vice. Fecause some may at times use it to get relief from their excesses is no more the fault of tbe bath than is the fact that people will sin during the week and go to church on Sunday to get absolution the fault of the church. People are not made weaker or debilitated by the bath. On the contrary, they are made stronger and more vigorous, and more able to use what strength they have. Disease and bad habits most certainly weaken, but the bath never. Let us look a little further and not hastily say when a man dies tbat tbe last thing be touched killed him. There is too much reasoning fro'u the surface. Is tbe sun to be blamed for bringing noxious air from undrained swamps? If one takes a Turkish bath to-day and to-morrow isattacked witn rhenma tism or other disease, is that the fault of the bath ? Emphatically no. If it is a fact tbat tbe bath is weakening, how is it that persons weakened and debilitated by disease can take one or two baths a day and rapidly recover ? Again, how is it that the attendants have worked in the heat of the bath several hours daily for years and not lost a day from sickness? A fact most prominent in relation to these attendants is tbat they invariably improve in health and strength after commencing that kind of work. Mr. D. Urquhart. to whom moicrn civilization is indebted for the revival of theancicnt Roman or Turkish bath, as it i 3 now called, states in the ' Manual of the Turkish Bath,' that the best shampooing he ever received was from a man 90 years old, who bad been a worker in the bath since he was 8 j'cars of age. The frequent us 6of the Tuikish bath, instead of being killing, is enlivening and helps to prolong life and increase its vigor. A person who is given to excess in drink and who makes frequent use of the Turkish bath is therefore more likely to live longer than if he did not so use the bath. Tho daily use of the bath has been found in many cases of great advantage to persons in ordinary health. By that means they arc fortified against disease and their systems toned up and invigorated. Death has come to man in the pulpit, on the ferryboat, at the table. Is it at all wonderful that it should come to one while in the bath, when he has taken the eurest course, by dissipation, to bring that condition about ? Rest assured tbe bath, in and of itself, is not the thing to hasten that time. Over a quarter of a century's study and use of the bath have convince 1 me by overwhelming proofs tbat it ia one of the greatest blessings vouchsafed to man. When the bath sball have become the frequent practice of the people there will be Ic33s:ckness and suffering in the land, for tbe whole community will thereby be placed on a higher plane of health.

A Common Experience.— Many people have suffered from a form of incipient paralysis which has occasioned much anxiety, though it is simply the result of some functional disturbance. There are numbness and tingling, sometimes in one upper extremity, an! sometime 3in both; and sometimes on one side of the body. It occurs more frequently in women, but is far from being confined to them. It is not strange that the patient should feel apprehensive, for even somo physicians have been deceived by such cases, especially in tbe severer forms. A ca«e i 3 thus described : "On waking, the patient has a feeling in the arms and bauds — commonly on both sides — of numbness, deadness, ' pins andneedles ;' sometimes there is severe pain. There is also a loss of power; the band 3 and arms become useless, and he cannot bold things. This may so far preclomcate tbat the patient comes to be treated for a supposed paralysis. The symptons more commonly begin in the night, but occasionally in the day time." A physician of high standing regards these symptoms as purely functional, and as due mainly to some disorder of the stomach. He gives, among other casc3, that of a clergyman who had removed from tbe city to tbe country, a man of hearty habits but of little exercise. His tongue was badly coated, his breath offensive, and be complained of headache, irritability, and especially of numbness of the right arm and hand, A former physician bad assured Mm that he was suffering from organic disease 1 But under appropriate treatment all the symptoms pa e sed away, and be has now for years enjoyed the best of health. Such patients have little cause forany depressing fear of a paralytic shock. They are no more liable to it than those not so affected.

Condiments- — While condiments are of very little benefit as articles of food, yet they play an important part in stimulating digestion, and as factors in producing nerve force.

The principal condiments are pepper, cayenne, mustard, horse radish and vinegar, and should be used with discretion. Tbeir constant use causes debility in certain tissues ; but when moderately used, the disturbance produced is not worth considering, especially when compared with the beriefits which follow. Condiments are of great benefit in aiding the digestion of substances which would otherwise be slowly acted upon by the digestive orcrans. Their action increases tbe amount oE saliva secreted ; and in many cases where the appetite is deficient they arouse it, and cause tbe patient to eat more than he otherwise would. Condiments are very seldom given proper attention in the sick room. Tbe patient is usually allowed to use them without stint, whereas much benefit may be obtained by their judicious use. In many cases of diarrhoea, black pepper, cayenne or mustard can be taken in unusual quantities with great benefit. Black pepper h a well-known remedy in the common fever and ague of this country. Cayenne pepper is of special use in nervous dyspepsia, when there is a tendency for the food to ferment instead of to digest. Frost-Bitten Feet.—lf the feet get very much chilled a number of times, or frozen, they should be put into tepid water until feeling returns. When frozen they are generally very white, all of the blood having been driven from the surface, and if frozen repeatedly, become tender and painful. They swell with every colier change of, the weather, or crack open and bleed between the toes ; again, the heels and large toe joints are tbe only parts affected, except a general heat and swelling, or painful itching, The feet, in tbe morning, are very sore ; shoes which were comfortable enough yesterday, are at least three sizes too small to-day. If tbe large toe joints remain swollen for several weeks, they press against the shoes and form very painful bunions. A hot borax water bath of half an hour, with a thorough rubbing with glycerine, is good. The feet should be thoroughly dry (or well dried) and warm before the glycerine is applied, otherwise they will stay damp. Then put on old, loose stockings, cut off "at the ankles, and keep warm. A preparation made of two ounces each of glycerine and coal oil, with one teaspoonful of carbolic acid, is said to be good, applied with the hand twice a day for five minutes.

Thb highest exeroise of charity ia charity toward the uncharitable. Po to-day'« duty, figbj to-day's temptations; do not weaken and distract yourself by looking forward to things we cauuot see and could not ucderataud.