The National tribune., 1890-04-10
HEALTH HINTS
For Old and Young.
ny FELIX t. OSWALD, NJ. D.,
Author OF physical Education; Household
Remedies: The Bible Of Nature" etc.
CHAPTER LXII.
DISEASES OF OLD AGE-(continued).

! CISCO newspaper ViSlteu number oil Sailors
boarding houses to interview the mariners of
the q. S. Navy as TO the cause of desertion, and
found their views on that point varying SO
| widely that he collected not less than 42 differ
| ent opinions.
There is an almost equally remarkable differ
ence in the prevalent theories on the cause of
rheumatism. Some victims of tho problematio
affection ascribe il to the after effects of hard
work. others to dietetic mistakes, others to the
universal bugbear of invalids-cold air. Rheu-
matism in many Of its symptoms is akin to
govt, and is equally apt to be aggravated by
"high living" as famiy-doctors vaguely OK
press it. Dr. Charles Murchison's definition,
however, seems to hold good in nine out of ten
cases Acute rheumatism" he says, sis caused
| by vitiatcd humors which in their turn are
| engendercd by tho accumulation of undigested
| food" That accumulation is by no means ex-
| cusively due to the habit of over eating
| Hard working men of anything but luxurious
habits are often martyrs to rheumatic affections
| OF kind resisting all chemical prescriptions,
aud seem to owe their afiiction chiefly to the
| custom of going to work directly after full
meal Rest after dinner is tho only effective
| remedy in such cases. A wood-cutter or rail-
! road -Iaborer returning to his work Immediately
| after the principal meal OF the day, obliges his
| organism TO postpone the work of digestion to
| the time of the evening rest, and in the mean
| time lin warm weather especially the ingestd
| are apt TO undergo n process of fermentation.
| Claude Bernard, French Psychologist and adj
vocate of medical reform, proved that fact by a
curious experiment He procured two cur
| dogs. whelps of the same litter and very much
| alike III SIZE habits and general physique. At
| 10 in the morning one bright Summer-day
both dogs were treated to liberal meal of
sliced beef and potato chips, and after finishing
| that meal one dog was locked up in comfort
able kennel, while the other was tied to the
tail board of a country wagon and obliged TO
| trot through rough hil-country for six hours
| at tho ratio OF FIVE miles an hour. At 6 p. IN.
| both dogs were killed and dissected Dog No.
| /, in his snug kennel had perfectly digested
| his meal, whic in the stomach of dog No. the
work of digestion had not yet even begun, the
| appearance Of tho potato chips and cubic pieces
| of beef being much the Same as when the ami
NAL swallowed them.
There IL no doubt that the digestion Of many
| n meal eaten In the brief intervals of hard work
| is similarly retarded, and the consequences are
| apt to puzzle men who cannot accuse them
| selves of having deserved their rheumatic mar.
| tyrdom by gluttony or the excessive use of al
| coholic beverages. And yet they cannot be ao-
quilted from the folly of having again and
again incurred tho risk of transgressions
! against very plainly sef-assertinR health-iaw
| OF nature. Tho necessity of rost after dinner
| in warm weather is indicated by the demands
| of an instinct as imperiOus as tho craving for
| food and drink, and In climates of perpetual
| Summer the wisdom OF induging laborers In
| few hours siesta is so universally recognized
| that oven the inhuman task masters OF the
| Brazilian coffee plantations permitted their
slaves TO rest from till half past two o'clock.
| The MONDAY heat of the Brazilian coastnnds,
It's true, exceeds that of OUT southernmost Bor-
| der States, but coffee. planters work in the
| shade, aud are perhaps less liable 10 sunstrOkes
than the farm laborors of our Western prairie
| countries The hired men of a routine farmer
or railway contractor have no vote on such
matters. but eau always avail themselves Of tho
| right 10 devote the MONDAY recess TO q slight
| lunch aud few minutes rest under a shade
tree. aud eat tho principal meal of the day in
| the cool of the evening
Much more frequently, however, rheumatism
| - undoubtedly consequences of sluggish,
| crapuieut mode OF indoor life, aggravated by
| bad ventilation aud the habitual use of strong
| drink. Hence, perhaps the fact that acute
/ rheumatic affections claim SO many victims
| among tavern keepers and rum sellers, men
| who run risk from exposure to wet aud
! cold, bat pass dag after day in atmosphere
/ Of t0bacco-smoke aud alcohol fumes, being
| obliged 70 stick TO a business aiiordiug very
| little opportunity for active exercise, but in-
vpivlng no end OF tnptations To dietettc trans
! gressiona. Tho apparent success of quack
/ nosirums, in such cases. is founded on the cir
cHmstance that Rheumatism Is a Sol f-limitcd, or
| rather intermittent, disease TO-, altcruaics with
periods Of rest, which the patient is apt 10 mis-
take for a guarantee OF permanent improve
ment DIR. Austin Flint, OF Bellevue Hospital
| New York CITY, found by careful observation
that the average duration of the affection is a
little less than four weeks, and that III a vast
| majority Of cases patients will temporarily
| recover before the end of the fifth week without
the use Of any drugs whatever.
Counter-irrtants such as the application Of
hot poultces aud hot blankets, are generally
effective IN mOdcrating the paroxysms of the
| disease but permanent relief can be obtained
| only by a change Of habits: careful abstinence
from alcohol, not spices, pickles, sour milk, and
| as much outdoor exercise AS the patiout can
possibly reconcile with his opportunities for
leisure. The feverish condition often super
| vening in severe attacks Of acute rheumatism
| can DO best counteracted by cold baths, and u
| French physician claims To have obtained ex-
| traordinary results from the plan of Injecting
cold water, by means OF hypodermic syringe,
into tho joints oppos 10 the affected parts. Hot
| vapor baths have likewise been used it'll great
success. Among the almost countless chemi-
cal specifics which have been Wanted as infal-
| iible remedies Of rheumatism, bi-carbonate of
Soda or common baking powder, iii doses of
| half teaspOOnful three times day is, per-
| haps, the most harmless and least expensive,
and ought 10 DO tried in preference to more vio-
lent drugs, such salieylic acid, which seems
10 have an undoubtcd tendency 10 shorten the
period Of the attacks, but is apt to complcate
tho disorder aud trouble the patient for weeks
with all sorts Of distressing after-cflcets. Diet
etic precautions will generally pallate the evil
with much less risk, aud il long enough con-
tinued VIII prove their remedial effect even in
the case of patients prevented by circumstances
or bodily infrmities 10 give themselves tho ben
eft of active exercise
CHRONIC RHEUMATISM.
rheumatism Of a milder form becomes oc-
casionaily permanent affection. The parox-
ysms of the disease grow less frequent, but the
patient complains Of u continual feeling OF sore
meas IN certain joints, which, at the same time,
are liable To become stiff or defOrmed. No fe-
yerish symptoms accompany those affections
and there are days when the feeling of discom-
fort is experienced only after pressure of the
sore spot; but in bad weather. and especially in
cold nights, the patient feels worse and may be-
obliged 10 leave his bed and apply hot poul-
tlce. Hot water is, indeed, specific in the
positive treatment of chronic rheumatism
though its effect is mainly that of counter
irritant. That effect explains tho reputation
of certain mineral springs of high tempera
tnre. In the second week of his visit the in