The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-21
DISEASES Of THE HEART.
They Are Many in Character and Of
Totally unsupported
Frequency.
A Doctor Thinks The Affections
Arc More Prevalent Now
Than Formerly.
Changes Wrought In the Muscular Struot-
urs of the Heart by tho Use
OF Liquor.

eyes. heart disease is common; it is, per-
haps, much more frequent than is generally
realized, il you take into consideration all
the forms of heart disease. The heart, like
other organs, is the seat of a large number
OF diseases, and the expression heart dis
ease 10 as indefinite as the term skin dis
eases; il may have a score of different
meanings" The speaker was DR.. James M.
French. of tho Ohio Medical college, and
the little doctor being IN acknowledged
authority on diseases of the heart, a Cincin-
natl Times-Star reporter who CHANGED to
catch the remark asked him to give a rea-
son, if possible. for this wide prevalence of
the insidious disease that strikes down its
chosen victims go suddenly.
II am inclined to believe that heart dis
eases are more common than they formerly
wsre," he continued. This is due to the
great nervous and physical strain which at
tends our modern mode of living. But it
is a great wonder that the heart is not more
frequently the seat of disease than it is,
whom We consider its delicate mechanism,
its ceaseless labor, and, | might add. the
abuses to which it is subjected, The heart
Is one of the most exquisitely constructed.
machines that can be conceived of. With
its four chambers, its four sets of valves, ana
supplying it's own motive power, it tolls
constantly, faithfully, for it's three score
years and ten, without rest. without re-
pair, responding to every demand. "
unreasonable. until, finally exhausted by Ia
Dor or degensrated by disease, it is no lon
ger capable of carrying on its function,
1t falters, then resumes its work; falters
again, as if to vain it's host that he must
be less exacting; again it resumes, and
again ~falters, until, soorer or later. the last
point of endurance is reached, and it ceases
to beat.
"Acute inlammatory rheumatism is the
most frequent cause of organic heart dis
ease, particularly of the valves. 1t causes
the formation of small negotiations, little
wart-like projections from the surfaces of
the valves. And, unfortunately, these lit
tie projections. are located just where they
will do the most harm, right at the line of
contact between the leaflets Of the valves.
they prevent the accurate closure of the
orifoe. The valves may grow together and
cause a permanent partial closure of the
opening which they guard"
Does the use of liquor cause heart dis
ease?'
The excessive use of liquor docs very
markedly affect the heart. It causes
changes in it's muscular structure. It inn
pairs its powers or produces changes in
the great vessels about the heart that are
less easily recognized, bat mono the less
fatal. Thu effect of a very small quantity
of alcohol on one not accustomed to it
is easily recognizable in the flushed
face, due to the increased flow of
blood and in the increased rapidity of the
heart. But tolerance is soon gained, and
the more serious changes are slow of de-
wetNprnnpf ft rr,J1Sf ha o6poJffA1 hN-nwAr
that I'll circulatoTy system is the last to
fall as a result of alcoholic poison. Most
of the evil effects of whisky drinking are
found in other organs, particularly the
liver and kidneys. and only secondary in the
heart.
"a beer drinker acquires, along with his
portly abdomen, a fatty heart. Minute
lines of fat cells push themselves in be-
tween the hbers of the heart and weaken
it in proportion to their abundance. The
heart becomes large. They are big hearted
in the more serious sense of the word. The
heart ia sometimes SO completely surrounded
with q dense layer of fat as to be entirely
hidden from view when the chest is opened
after death. In extreme cases the fibers of
heart muscles actually turn to fat. This is
the beginning of the end; for, unless the
cause of the fatty change is removed. the
individuals days are numbered. He be-
gins to got short of breath, his ankles have
a propensity to swell, he can't go upstairs,
be becomes an invalid, unable to leave
home. and ultimately dies of dropsy.
'Then there is a long list of functional
disturbances of the heart, conditions in
which there is absolutely no disease Of the
organ in any part, but where the heart is
manifestly acting MISUNDERSTANDING,
Tutoring, skipping beats, soaring its unfor-
tunate owner out of his wits and into his
nhysician's care, until it Is discovered that
he is eating too many late suppers, smok-
ing too many cigars, drinking too much
wine, or otherwise imprudsnt, Or, he may
be innocently working too hard. losing
sleep, etc. 1t was merely a functional dis
turbance which led Angelo to exclaim, on
the approach OF Isabella,
O.: heavens.
Why does my blood thus muster to my heart.
Making 1t both unable for itself,
And dispossessing all my other part
OF necessary fitness?
working women, and perhaps more fire.
quently young school girls, suffer from this
trouble, either as a result of direct fatigue
or as a result of Impeachment of the
blood acting directly on the heart-rob-
bling it of its proper n~eurishment.
dangerous functional disturbance of the
heart is sometimes produced by individuals
who attempt to rapidly develop their mus
elss. A valve of the heart has even been
Iuptured in this way, but usually the result
ia weakness and irregulsrity Of it's action.
Bookkeepers and other office people are
SoPSN1eA ooA y oNCI-CAoiC1hO SlLSE lE1V- /
ing their work. They 20 TO the gymnasium
and work like blacksmiths or baseball
players, swing heavy clubs, etc. The sud-
den demand put upon the heart is enough
to cause its rupture or paralysis. These are
the people who suddenly die of heart fail
ure.'
Heart failure is not a disease; it il but
the closing chapter of q great many dis
eases or disorders. A man who dies in the
dentists chair or under the a%dnlnistra-
ton of ohloroform dies of heart failure.
The same is true in the case of death from
fright, sudden strong emotion or extrem q
loss of blood. A faint is a partial heart
failure. Heart failure is merely the ina
bility of the organ, for some cause, to con-
tiDnst the work. 1t is, too, the termination
of most cases of the organic heart disease.
Unfortunately, the term, Objectionable at
beat. has come 10 be in many cases a shield
of ignorance-a satisfactory term to apply
to r mysterious death. Used alone, the
term IL virtually an admission of Ignorance