The Dickinson press., 1883-06-16

Its Relation to Diseascs-Causes and
Remedies.

The important relation of indigestion
to many diseases which people suffer is
not sufficiently realized. Difficulty i'm
breathing, occurring spontaneously, or
ON slight exertion, may be caused by in
digestion. Indigestion ca~uscsa!terations
in the general nutrition of the body,
whi.h are manifested in various ways
among which are the following: Annmia,
or a depraved state ofthe blood, involv-
ing deficiency of the red globuies of the
blood, and causing persons thus affected
to he unuaturully pale, especially about
the lips; decay of the teeth; grayness of
the hair; excessive liability to
Inflammation, from slight causes of the
mucous membranes especially the eyes
and throat; to which may he added, in
cases of tn use predisposed to such atfec-
tons, liability to govt and rheumatism,
and affections of the lungs and kidneys.
Consumption has frequently been re-
garded us due i'll many eases to long
continued arrangement of the digestion,
whereby the general nutrition of the
system has become impaired. The in
Illumination of the mucous membrane of
the throat, known as =" clcryman's sore
throat, " is a product of indigestion, and
the removal of the cause by the adoption
of IL suitable diet Try exercise in the open
air, and observance of the laws ofhealth
generally will be the best treatment Of
1t. Indigestion is the cause of various
alterations in the skin, manifested by
general GOODNESS or clIilliness, especially
of the %eXtlrmitles, by changes i'll lis
color or texture, which may be earthly
or sallow in Tint, or dry and coarse, and
by various eruptions, among which are
the W~ell-knOWn eczema, acne, lmpG,lgO
and nettle rash. Most of the cases OF
skin diseases affecting children are best
treated by attention to the diet, making
the diet easily disestinlc and sufficiently
limited to insure complete digestion.
the food or condition OF the stomach.
The food may be detective in quality.
There may becNcess Ordciiriency OF the
normal ingredients, sacch ,rine. starchy,
albuminous. or fatty, or some OF the nat
urally indi9estible materials which form
a part of all food. The food may be in
troduced in an indigestible form on ac-
count of the defects in the cooking of it,
or imperfect inastication, or from its
having undergone putrciactiGn or fer
mentation, which arrests the functions
of the stomach. Imperfect mastication
of food is u very common cal1s: of in
digestion among Americans. Eating too
much is probably the most common of
all causes Of Indigestion. The secretion
ofthe gastric juice in the stomach Seems
to he proportiored to the amount of ma
trrial required for the nonrisinnent Of
the system. Food taken in excess of
This amount acts as a foreign substance
undergoing fermentation and putrcfac-
ton, and occasioning much disturbance
in the system. Much may be done fer
the cure of indigestion by eating very
a;>stemiously of suitable food, thoroughly
masticatcd. taking exercise in the open
air, breathing pure air, and observing
tie laws of health generally. The
amount of food should be reduced until
the quantity is reached which the stom-
ach can digest without evincing any
symptoms Observation-Disclosures
Journal.