The bee., 1882-06-24
THE HOME DOCTOR.

STARVATION From OVER EATING. 1t is
rs certainly true that one may fail to be
we'll nourished while taking too much
food, more than the organs of digestion
can possibly dispose of, as when taking
less than the system absolutely needs.
The stomach may become SO crippled
by over taxing as to positively refuse all
duty, or if not, to taii to perform ordi-
nary labor, doing tbs diminished labor
very imperfectly. Hence, the amount
of food actually taken does not determine
the amount of nourishment secured, the
amount of strength gained, since all
food taken, if not actually digested,
must always prove an irritant, doing
more harm than good, remaining in the
stomach until it ferments, becomes acid
and absolutely decays. It is also true
that stomach labor may exhaust the
system as certainly as will that of any
other organ OF the body, rendering it
certain that this exhaustion, in some
cases, in which indigestible food is
taken, more than equals the amount of
strength secured. 1t is also true that
when food is selected which does not
contain the elements of nourishment
needed, the bone, muscle and nerve ele-
ments, or when more of the fuel-food,
the "heaters," are employed than the
season demands, that the organs of di-
gestion are over taxed. enfeebled end
diseased, of course resulting in failure
to nourish the whole system sufficiently.
If, for example, such articles as pastry,
when specially rich, or when the starch
and fat elements ara in excess-con-
tanning but little to Eourish the bones
and muscles, giving but little real
power or strength-with the whole
range of the starchy foods, the oils and
the sweets, all of which being in excess
of the demands. of the system, particu-
larly in warm weather, practical starva-
tion occurs. Nor is this all. If more
of the elements containing carbon are
employed than are needed to sustain the
heat Of the body, this excess must de-
range the system, including the organs
of digestion more especially, while the
irritation, inflammation of the membranes
throat, eyes, ears and nasal passages is
almost sure to result. These results
are often observed and attributed to
colds, when the real seat of the disease
is in the stomach, caused by an excess
of the heating elements,
DIPHruER1A.-Dr. franklin Staples,
of Winona, Minnesota, after an extend
ed correspondence with physicians in
most of the counties of his State, has
published report on diphtheria, in
which he classes the disease as conta-
gious and infectious, and demonstrates
that it is on the increase-a fact due, in
his opinion, to failure on the part of
physicians in recognizing its self-propa-
eating properties; to want of systematic |
nursing of patients suffering from the
disease; to incomplete disinfection of |
premises attacked; and last but not least, |
to the frequent Intercourse of GONZALES |
cents with healthy persons. He main |
tains that strict regulations, rigidly en-
forced, are the only means adequate to |
cut short its career, and since individual !
power is unable to cope with it, urges |
that every city and town should devise |
efficient sanitary laws, and let them be
enforced by intelligent medical officers,
WHO Sndll dlSO uldho III tueiE Oubg 10 lu- |
struct the people in sanitary rules. To |
guard against contamination, he believes
that filth, whether from dirty rooms,
soiled clothing, defective drains and
cesspools, ill-ventilated rooms, poison
Gus, inodorous gases, etc, should be |
regarded as conditions which invite the |
disease; that the apartments set apart for
the patient should be divested of all !
furniture, carpets, curtains. and fabrics |
of any lind not absolutely required; that |
discharges from the nose, mouth and
bowels should be carefully collected |
and destroyed, aud that all personal
clothing, bed linen, ETC., should be
thoroughly disinfected before being |
sent to the general wash. In case of |
death, all clothing and unimportant arti-
cles should be burnt, the body should |
be Immediately disinfected and put in
to its coffiu, which should be kept per-
manently closed. There should be no
public funeral. He prefers disinfection
by chloride gas, which is to be set free |
in the room. Ventilation for number |
of hours should then be insisted upon. |
Precautions falling short Of these Or.
Staples considers to be useless in pre-
venting the spread of the infection.