Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-17


chambers Of the heart called the left auriele.
It thence passes into the left ventricle, and
from that cavity is propelled into the lungs,
where it is subjected to the action OF the
oxygen Of the air, whereby its impurities
are removed, and it is rendered 6t to again
assume the Office Of nourishing the body.
From the lungs it passes into the right
auricle, then into the right ventricle, from
which it is sent out to every part OF the sys-
tenn, accomplishing Its work Of nourisbing
the tissues, and when this is fulfilled re-
turning to the heart as before, and so on un-
ceasingly while life lasts. This round of
work is'called the circulation Of the blood,
discovered in part by that great genius
Michael Servitus, whom John Calvin caused
to be burnt at the stake, and that equally
remarkable man, William Harvey,w who was
prosecuted by his brother physicians for
having discovered something Of which they
were ignorant.
THE HEARTS ACTION.
It does not require much anatomical
in order for the heart to do its work in
thoroughly good way the valves must be in
perfect order, and the substance of which it
is composed in such state of integrity as
will enable it to act with sufficient force. If,
for instance, the valves are so diseased that
they DO not open and shut in an entirely
normal manner the blood will be unable to
get out Of the heart as freely as is necessary.
. H. h.
walls of the heart is from any cause weak
or inefficient in its action it will not contract
upon the blood in its chambers with the
requisite degree Of force, hence the organs
of the body will not receive their due sup
ply of life-giving fluid In either case Sc
rious and even fatal consequences may re-
suit.
1t is the general impression among those
who do not stop to consider, that the heart
Is continually in action, but such is really
very far from being the tact, for about one
third part OF the life Of the organ is passed
in absolute rest. Thus it dilates to receive
the blood, it contracts to expel the blood,
and it rests between these two actions. By
simply putting the finger on the pulse the
truth of this assertion will be readily demon
strated. The artery at the wrist, for in
stance, will be felt to dilate and then there
is quite an appreciable interval before it is
felt again, and this marks the repose Of the
heart. This period varies greatly in diff
ferent persons and under different circum-
stances and sometimes, as in fevers or con-
ditions of great exhaustion, the pulsations
follow each other with such great degree
of rapidity that the interval between them
can scarcely be measured. In other in
stances the pulsations are so very slow that
the impression that the heart has entirely
stopped may be obtained.
CAUSE OF HEART FAILURE.
Ordinarily and in normal conditions of
the system and in adults the pulsations
vary in number from go to 80 in a minute,
but this rule is not without its exceptions.
I have known healthy persons in whom the
heart beats were as few as 40 a minute, and
others in whom it exceeded 80. They are
generally increased in all persons by mental
excitement, by stimulating food or drink,
or even by an ordinary meal and by physi-
cal exercise.
1 think it undoubtedly true that the heart
beats more rapidly at the present day than
it did 80 years ago. A result which must
he ascribed to the greater mental activity of
the age. As a consequence the heart wears
out more quickly now than it did with our
ancestors, and cases of heart weakness and
heart failure, which in former times were
almost unknown, are now quite common.
Like every other muscle of the body, the
heart is strengthened by exercise, but this ex-
erclse must be systematic, regular and not so
powers of the organ. For instance, person
who has not been in the habit of taking much
physical exercise has heart, which like all the
other muscles of the body, is comparatively
weak. He is suddenly forced to exert himself
in manner which is unusual to him. He runs
lVO yards or so, or rapidly ascends a long and
steep staircase. This exertion causes him to
breathe more rapidly than is natural to him,
the blood must be sent into the lungs in in
creased quantity the heart must respond to
the demands made upon it and in order TO az
complish its work its pusations are greatly in
creased in number. 1t may be unable to ac-
complish its task and 1t suddenly stops alto
gether and in the twinkllng of an eye death
ensueS
DANGEROUS EMOTIONS.
Another may think he is leading very regu-
lar life, his business is of sedentary charac-
ter, and when he has to 60 from place to place
he rides in a horse car or drives in carriage.
He probably does not walk altogether as much
as a quarter Of a mile a day. Suddenly some
violent emotion is excited within him. the
heart participates in the general disturbance,
it throws more blood into the lungs than they
can manage, the pulmonary vessels are clogged.
it cannot overcome the obstacle of column of
almost stagnant blood, it stops and the individ
ual is dead of heart failure. We can scarcely
pick up newspaper without reading OF some
such occurrences as these, not the result of Or
ganc disease of the heart such as arrangement
of its valves, but functional disorder, the re-
suit of vicious mode of life.
That in many cases the heart ma, be |
strengthened by proper hygienic measures and |
di0a frao I'M In ror1
this there is no doubt. Systematic but mOder- |
ate exercise which, strengthening the Othe- !
muscles of the body, also strengthens the heart, |
is probably the most valuable of all the means |
to be adopted, and of this climbing heights |
should be a prominent feature. person un-
accustomed to this kind of physical exertion |
should, of course, proceed very carefully, and |
under the directions of physician, till the |
body has become habituated tn the work. The |
food should be of the most nutritious charac-
ter, not over-stimulating. and especially not ex-
cessive in quantity Tobacco, if used at all,
should be used in moderation, for it is very
tion weakens the heart The like is true OF al
coholic drinks of all kinds The mode of life
should be such as to initiate against
the accumulation of fat in the body
The heart of man weighing $50 pounds,
for instance. may be strong enough for ali
the purposes of life; but if he makes his body
weigh 200 pounds the proper proportion is de-
stroyed, and the heart is relatively weak. TIE
Materia Medica embraces several agents which
are directly heart tonics, and by the use of
which the tone of the organ is increased but
they are not to be employed without the advice
of physician. 1t is just as easy tn make the
heart strong as it is TO strengthen the muscles
of the arms or legs. And II proper yie=s on
this subject can be causeh to prevail and to be
carried out in practice we shall hear less OF
weak heart and heart failure A person will
then be able to dispense with an elevator when
he has to ascend to the seventh or eighth story
of building, and he can then indulge in fit
Of anger, II so disposed. without running the
risk of dropping dead { the feet of his antago-
mist. DR.. VIM. A. HAMMOND.