TALKS ON HEALTH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20150, 19 May 1928, Page 6 (Supplement)

TALKS ON HEALTH

BY A K4ALLLY DOCTOR.

WATER ON THE KNEE. T.be knee-joint is one of the most vulnerable in the body; it is very easily twisted; or sprained. Every joint is lined by a special membrance which secretes an. oily fluid to lubricate laM bearings of the joint. When a severe injury is received this membrane is inflamed and begins to pour out its fluid secretion in too great n quantity; just as the membrane lining the nose secretes mucus in large quantities when it is inflamed, as .1 the ordinary cobl in the head. The collection of the secretation in th<* knee-joint is generally known as water on the knee. The whole joint is swollen; the little pits and depressions around the knee are obliterated; in the swelling, and if there is any doubt about the swelling it. can easily be soon by comparing the injured knee with the sound knee. Rest 'Essential. When once the fluid has formed, then? is only one thing to do. and that is to test. If you walk about on a knee filled with “water” you run a grave risk of permanently injuring the mechanism of the joint. The reason why there are so many men going about with weak knees which are put out or twisted by a trivial injury is that, when they had their first accident. they had not the sense to give the knee a chance to recover. It is quite a different matter when you are dealing with an elbow, which can be rested in a sling while you are walking about. Every step you take irritates the inflamed knee and delays recovery. The two largo bones which meet at the knee-joint are united together by strong bands called ligaments. These bands are stretched when the knee joint is allowed to persist tor very long, t.hp bands or lifaments be,: come permanctly stretched, and then when the swelling has gone down they are left lax and flabby. Housemaid’s Knee. When the knee is swollen it is important to make out whether the fluid is really inside the joint or outside. For instance in the well-known complaint house-maid's knee, there is a collection of fluid in a little pouch situated outside the actual joint-cav-ity. This is not sch a serious matter, although it may be very painful. As usual, prevention is better than cure. The inflammation may be prevented by using something soft to- kneel on, ami by refraining from kneeling on the first sign of the slightest inflammation. It saves time in the end; if ■you go on irritating the inflamed swelling over the knee it will get worse, and may turn to an abscess. Sometimes a small piece of bone from a rheumatic joint gets loose within the joint and gives no'end of trouble. The piece of bone gets caught in between the two bones that form the joint, and gives rise to great pain and inflammation. An operation has to be Tierformed to remove the foreign body. The knee-cap may be broken in half by a sudden jerk; if there is a wide separation between the two fragments the best cure is to have the two fragments wired together by an operation. Ulcers of the Tongue. I have been asked to say something on the subjects of ulcers on the tongue. The smallest ulcers, which may occur in large numbers, arc quite shallow, are due to indigestion. They often occur on the lips as well as tho longue, and should be treate.d with a mouthwash of borasie- or very weak carbolic. A careful diet and a dose of salts will remedy the disorder of the stomach. An ulcer may be found al the side of the tongue, lying immediately against a sharp decayed tooth. This variety of ulcer will never heal unless the tooth is rcmovirl or filed down. Every time the tongue moves the ulcer is rubbed against the ragged edge of the tooth, and the ulcer is effectually prevented from healing. Danger of Cancer. We* know very little about cancer and its causes, but we do know that long continued irritation will form a chronic ulcer which may assume a cancerous nature if it is not speedily cured. Cancerous ulcer of the tongue is quite common, and is fouiud much more often in men than in women. It has been thought that in some cases the constant irritation of a clay pipe may have somijthing to do with the appearance of the cancer on the tongue or lip. The one golden rule that must never be forgotten is that an ulcer of the tongue of an elderly person should be shown to a surgeon at once. An Unhealthy Mouth. In many cases the ulceration of the tongue is part of the general unhealthy condition of the mouth, the tonsils, l.he throat, the gums,.and the teeth all present an unhealthy appearance; the care and hygiene of the mouth is much neglected. Anri once the mouth gets into an unwholesome state it is difficult to get right, again. Ulceration of the tongue may be very painful, and in order to give the tongue a chance to get well a most careful diet, must be ordered. All forms of .hot, or irritating foo.d or condiments are forbidden. No mustand; or pepper, no curries