Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-05-03
THE HOME DOCTOR.
DISSIPATION AND EXPOSURE.


A physician says that exposure pays a
secondary role in the production of apo
pickles, brain softenings and the like,
when compared with dissipation; that
both in the higher and lower ranks of
life, whilst work and worry count their
victims by hundreds, dissipation counts
its by thousands.
MEAT-EATERS.
A British medical journal says:
"Nervous diseases and weaknesses in
crease in country as the population
comes to live on the flesh of the warm
blooded animals. The meat-eater lives
at high pressure, and is, or ought to be,
a peculiarly active organism, like pre-
datory animal, always on the alert, walk
ing rapidly, and consuming large guam
titles of oxygen. In practice we find
that the meat-eater does not live up to
the level of his food, and as a conse-
quence he cannot or does not take in
enough oxygen to satisfy the exigencies
of his mode of life. Thereupon follow
many, if not most of the ills to which
highly civilized and luxurious classes
are liable.
PROPAGATION OF DIPHTHERIA.
The Society of Medical Officers, Lon
don, have recently discussed the subject
of propagation of diphtheria, some mem
bers taking the ground that the disease
is transmitted by fungi. According to
DR.. Blyth, all that it required was the
communication of excessively light par
ticles evolved from the affected mucous
surfaces, out, unfortunately, by far the
greater part of these fall on soil insult
able for their development, and it is
probably only when they fall on moist
mucous surfaces that they can develop
even when they do not touch the larynx,
in many cases, doubtless, they are un-
Willingly got rid of by swallowing,
| coughing, etc. In regard to prevention,
it may be assumed that, if the germ of
the disease is essentially local first, and
then constitutional, its ravages may be
restricted 10y keeping the Threats of the
! healthy, who come In contact with the
sick, constantly disinfected by means of
disinfecting fuidsr DR.. Blyth thinks
that the question of it's affecting the
same person twice is still undecided.
QUANTITY OF FOOD.
If children are very hearty eaters their
| food should be of the simplest kind, and
thus prevent eating more than the sys-
tenn really needs. The first reason fol
consuming food should be necessity and
the second may be the qualification OF
the appetite. Usually children have ap-
petites SO strong that they need no slim.
ulants, no condiments, as spices, pepper
or mustard. The articles should be re-
served for failing appetites of debility
and age. They are useful only by way
of increasing the appetite and promoting
the dull digestion of what is eaten.
They may stimulate the nervous system,
and should be avoided In all inhamma-
tory tendencies of the system. The ex,
cessive use Of syrups, sugar and molas.
ses may induce fermentation in the
stomach and long canal. In moderate
quantities they are useful and some
times are strongly needed. Articlespre
served in syrup should be sparingly
taken as they are usually not easy of di-
gestion. Since health and growth de-
mand that the amount of food should
vary with the amount of exercise. the
kinds of food should be such as may
supply the needs of the system; the
amount of food should be no more than
can be easily digested.