Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-11-14
DEFENDING THE HEART.

A Physician Enters Protest Against the
Charges on n Useful Organ.
/ wish to say few words about heart
failure. We almost daily see reports of
deaths attributed TO heart failure. Now,
what l wish to ask is, What is it the heart
fails to do2 l have always considered the
heart the most perfect organ of the animal
economy, and one that never shirks its
duty. 1t commences its la Dor during the
early stages of pregnancy, and goes on
until the last moment of life, without one
seconds rest, night or day; often without
the intermission of single pulsation for
100 years or more. AT every beat it propels
Q ounces of blood through the structure
At rs pulsations per minute 9 pounds of
blood is sucked in and pumped out. Every
hour, $40 pounds; every day 1880 pounds;
every year, 4,730,4OO pounds; every 100
years, 473,O40,O0O pounds Verify good
organ, and all performed W thout one mo-
ment's rest.
Now the heart has the very meanest and
most contemplate neighbor that ever an
organ had, namely-the stomach, drunk
ard. glutton, a treSpasser, and almost
everything else that is bad. Verify it
ought to be walled in and compelled to
keep on its own grounds.
The stomach lies directly under the
heart, with only the diaphragm between,
and when it fills with gas it is like small
balloon, and lifts up till it interferes di-
rectly with the hearts action. The stom-
ach never generates gas, but when filled
with undigested food fern entation takes
place and gas is formed, and the interfer-
ence depends upon the amount of gas in
the stomach. To overcome this obstruc-
ton the heart has to exert self in proper
on fraN l.T. v.eo, ~
to the brain and the following symptoms
are the result: A dizzy head, flushed
face, loss of sight, spots or blurs before
the eyes, flashes of light, zigzag lines or
chains, etc, often followed by the most
severe headache. These symptoms are
usually relieved when the gas is expelled
from the stomach.
Now. when this upward pressure upon
the heart becomes excessive more danger
GUS symptoms supervene, larger quantity
or blood is sent to the bra N, some vessel
ruptures and blood clot in the brain is
the result, and the patient dies of apo
plexy. or, if he lives, is cripple for life
When a sick person, or an old one, or
one with feeble digestion sleeps, digestion
is nearly or quite suspended, but fermen-
tation goes on, and gas is generated as be-
fore stated.
~ man Is lOunQ DEAD II bed, and the
medical attendant pronour ces it the re-
suit of heart failure, and such is the GER
tificate of burial given. Nov, the man was
out, partook Of a late supper, and ate roast
beef, turkey, chicken, LOBSTER, oysters,
mince pie, plum pudding, ice cream cake,
an orange, nuts and raisins, three or four
cups of coffee, etc, went home at mid
night, retired and died of heart failure
before 9 O'Clock next morning What did
the heart fail to do?
Again, man is sick with typhoid fever
or pneumonia, or almost any other disease.
and dies, 1t is said, from heart failure; but
what has his diet been during his sickness.
At present it is very fashionable to COM
mence at once with what might well be
called the stuffing processi Iced milk.
which is SO cool and grateful to the patient,
from three pints TO one gallon during the
day and night. But if l might be allowed
to make suggestion, would suggest in
place of it clam chowder thickened with
gravel stones, eggs, beef tea, whisky,
cream and all the other good things the
poor patient can be induced to swallow
Cor. Medical Brief