The Wilmingtonian., 1884-06-14
HEALTH HINTS.
THE USE AND ABUSE OF MEDICINE.

selves and the quacks, whose Specious
are such as include not only
all the ills that flesh is heir to, but a great
many more which reside chiefly, if not entire
ly, in the patients imagination,
Now physic is an excellent thing ut the
proper time and season. that is to say when
a great evil has to be got lid of at the
expense of IL smaller one. No one would |
think of putting a mustard plaster on his |
chest unless he had some internal pain or
inflammation, which rendered the inconven-
fence of external irritation a minor matter. |
Yet thousands OF healthy persons will per-
sistently physic themselves, to bring them
selves up to some ideal and unattainable
standard of health, or to ward off future
attacks Of disease, till they become like
some iron-clad which the designer has resell
we'd to make perfectly invulnerable by piling
on plate after plate, till one fine day the
craft sinks in mid-oceanfrom the overweight
of the very material relied on for its protec-
ton.
A man in fair average health who eats
well, drinks wei aud sleep well is very much
may have little occasional trouble with his
kidneys and bowels, which seasonable dose
of medicine will relieve, but it is worse than
foolish for any persons to imagine that their
health is only to be preserved by continually
drenching themselves with tonics, BLOOD
purifiers and specifics. Nearly all the vaun-
ted nostrums wrapped up in long coflin-like
bottles at a dollar piece are injurious when
taken PERSISTENT or in large quantities.
They desahge the stomach, oyertax the kid
neys and in many cases 0verstimulate the
heart and brain. AS for purgative med
cmes, it is well-known that their continued
use at last abolishes the natural action of the
bowels and leads TO the most serious conse-
quences.
OF the whole catalogue of drugs there are
but very few Of which the action is spec
ific and capable of being definitely esti-
mated. OF this class are opium (and its
alkaoid Morphia), iodine, mercury iron and
qunine, the alkalod of Peruvian Bark. There
is a second class of drugs, very valuable in
experienced hands and coriespondingly dan
gerous in the hands of the initiated. Of
such are digtalis, aconite, belladonna, stram-
oIium, anthony and arsenic. Lastly there
is class of drugs appeitaining chiefly to the
domain Of the herbalist, as buchu, dande-
lion, lobelia, sarsaparilla, and mandrake
(podophyllin), some quite harmless and even
inert; others endowed with distinctly dan
gerous properties, and extremely uncertain
in their action. Lobelia is conspicuous
example, for fits emetic action fails,it may
entail the most serious depression of the
nervous system. Yet nearly all these drugs
are handled by the quacks with the utmost
freedom and recklessness; and if the fatal
results Of their work are not oftener heard of
it is because the grave, like charity, covers
a multitude of sins.
Let us glance for moment at the spccii
evils resulting from the abuse of drugs.
Iron is a most valuable nedicine in drop
sv il Iiight's disease And-Asssnsh-7s- s''''-
mic or Impoverished CONNEXIONS OF the blood,
especially where the patenHjs able to take
exercise and there is no grave disturbance Of
the digestive organs. On the other hand the
preparations of iron not only produce no
benefit, but do great and lasting harm in cases
where there is irritation of the alimentary
canal, Of the womb or any internal organ;or
again where there is any tendency to
fulncss of the blood-vessels.
Quinne, drug Of the greatest value in
Malaria and in convalcscence from exhaust
ing fcvers, may produce grave mischief in
person suffering from the determination of
4 4 In,I itn1 Ia
dtion OF the heart. Moreover both quinine
and iron will fail of any good effects as tonics
till the digestive apparatus is properly reg
ulated by treatment.
Opium has saved thousands of lives, but
has destroyed as many as ever it las cured.
Every man has read of, if he has not cxper-
| fenced, the serious consequences resulting
from abuse of preparations of opium. To
children they alc speedily and absolutely
fatal. With adults the mischief appears in
the suppression or arrangement Of the most
Important secretiOns.
Iodine Gin the form of Iodidc of Potas-
STUMP is largely administered in certain
specific disorders OF blood, and often works
astonishing cures, but the long-continued
use of the remedy may result in de-yitaliz-
ing the glandular and genorative system,
besides entailing minor ttoublesEwhich. hap
pily,give warning,to those who will heed il
that the action of the drug is being pushed
too far.
Cough syrups are a fruitful cause of diges.
tive troubles by reason of the squills ipecac
huanha and preparations of opium from
which they are mostly compounded.
But the greatest mischief is wrought 10y
preparations protesting to be cures for dis
orders of the kidneys. 1t is manifest thai
irregular action of the kidneys and bladder
may arise from causes precisely opposite il
their nature and requiring precisely oppo
site course of treatment. Therefore for I
patient to rush haphazard into the use o
a specific without any thought Of whethe
he is being benefited or poisoned is an act littl
short Of insanity, aud sure in the majority o
!. eases to be followed by evil consequences
: One bottle may do no harm, but the more
patiei.t takes, the worse he gets Whethe
c the remedy is appropriate OF not he is over
n working the kidneys precisely at tim
s when they need the most rest.
n Therefore we say that for person to pre-
# fer to dose himself at tile cost of a dollar t
c paying the triilng extra fee involved in con
n sulting respectable physician is a gray
o error, and that medicine, like fire, may be
: good servant but the worst kind of master
/ The less physic a man takes the better. /
n certain cases he may need little, and for
e short time. but no man ever lived to be
II 1910 Il L.. E.Il...ri,.Lr Al,1 In.