Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-24
SNOW Is HEALTHFUL.
1t Brings Out the Weak Eyes, but
It Paints the Cheeks Red.
HOW THE FLAKES PURIFY THE AIR
The Tonsils Manufacture the White Cor
puscles of the Blood
HOW THEY FIGHT GERMS OF DISEASE
twHrrrzs FOR THE DrspArcH.l

WRITTEN FOH THE DIBPATCHs1
'The first snow storm always brings many
patients to u.s." said my friend the oculist,
"and we examine eyes, give eye water and
instructions by the hour. City people have
weak eyes. They are strained and weakened
by work In gas light, by late night pleasures,
overwork and nervous disorders They are
SO weak that they are upset by the least
the landscape clothed in its white dress.
''The glare and reflection, however, are too
much for the poor abused eyes. They wear
blue and green glasses (Which, by the way,
are bad for the eyes) smoked glasses and
shades, but they still suffer great deal.
Eye washes may do them some good, but
the fault is in the eyes themselves, and
temporary applications will only relieve
the complaint and not cure il. Many pleas
ures of sleigh ride have been spoiled by
having weak eyes,
Rest and Ice Cold Water.
cts there any remedy? Well, the best
remedy that I know of is to take better
care of the eyes all through the year.
Bathe them in cold water whenever they
ache and feel tired. Give them plenty of
rest in dark room at times, and obey the
general hygienio laws concerning those or.
gans. Our medicine is generally rest and
ice cold water. These two remedies are
better than all of the pretended eye washes
and salves.
"After . nights dissipation one should
wash and soak the eyes in cold water to re-
lieve any depressing feeling over them.
The same should be repeated several times
the next day. The melted snow is a good
relief. While taking your sleigh ride apply
little of the snow occasionally to the eyes,
let it melt there, and keep the eyes closed,
and then, with the aid Of smoked glasses,
you will get along tolerably well while the
ground is clothed with glaring white
mantle, even though your eyes be very
weak"
The snow, however, brings other compen-
sating values besides sleigh rides. The eyes
are benefited in one way by having the
ground covered with the snow The whirl-
ing dust, ashes and cinders of the city are
laid for good, and they no longer obstruct
the vision, and cause irritating feelings in
the visual organs.
Snow Is Good Tor People.
If we could have snow on the ground most
Of the time our health would be better, for
snow is great sanitary and hygienio
agent It purifes the ground and the air,
gives new zeal and zest to life, rouses the
spirits to q better appreciation of nature,
and makes such a change in the monotony
of winter weather that every one feels bet
ter for it. Those who seek warm climates
In, tha nfo mil S,f H..
ating sights that nature cah give In addi-
tion to all of this are the sports of coasting,
tobogganing and sleigh riding, which alone
can compensate for a great deal of discom-
fort
The reflection from the snow is also bene-
fetal to the complexion, and gives a fresher
and purer tinge to this cheeks. Snow water
IL one Of the best washes that can be applied
to the face. 1t should be gathered from
some snow bank where dust and dirt have
not accumulated on it, and only short dis
tance from the surface. Scrape off the top
crust, and gather the pure white substance.
The bottom layer OF the snow is generally
as dirty and full OF impurities as the top
layer. This is due to the fact that as the
snow storm begins it carries down with ID
all of the floating impurities from the air.
Every flake that comes in contact with dust,
dirt and germs of disease carries them
down to the ground, In this way the snow
acts M as great purifier OF the air, and short.
pure and fresh as that found among the
mountains. 1t should be breathed into the
lungs as the very elixir Of life. 1t is this
pure air which is so good for the complexion,
and makes it good for one to be out of doors
Sanitary Agents of the Blood.
When the blood is attacked by the germs
of disease it is always the red corpuscles
which suffer, aud by their destruction the
person appears white and anaemic. The
microbes of malaria are good illustration OF
this, and efforts are ma de to restore the
blood to its normal condition by taking food
that will produce red corpuscles. The white
corpuscles, however, are the greatest friends
we have, and they go through the system,
destroying the germs which have eaten up
the red corpuscles. If 1t were not for these
white cells in the blood thousands of germs
that now have apparently little effect upon
us would work destruction in our system.
They are the sanitary agents of the blood,
and their work is of inestimable value.
When the malarial germs have entered the
system and destroyed the red corpuscles,
the white cells Immediately proceed to de- |
fever is then a. hand, and for several days
the fever germs are quiescent. Our food |
produces more red corpuscles, and we grow |
rapidly betterj but meanwhile the fnalarial |
germs are multiplying rapidly, and in a |
short time they begin their destructive work |
once more, only to be checked IN time by |
the white Cells. IL Is tnl5 cnaDS6 which 4
produces the periodicity of malaria.
The Function of the TonsiIs.
Medical discovery has justdemonstrated |
that the glands in the throat, known as the |
tonsils are the workshop for these white |
cells, and that they are manufactured here
In great quantities. From this workshop.
the white cells are sent all over the system,
like sanitary agents, to destroy all the |
enemies in the blood and to preserve the
red corpuscles from destruction. Moreover,
it has been discovered that they stand at the
entrance to the throat, ready to challenge
every enemy that enters through the breath |
OF food. This explains why SO many of the
germs which enter our mouth do not per-
and killed by the white cell sem
tries in the tonsils.
It appears from this that people who are
subject to qninsy and Inflammation of the
tonsils are not SO we'll protected as those
who have strong, healthy tonsils. Weak
ened from some cause the workshops of the |
sanitary agents are attacked by the enemj-A
and yield to the inroads of the very GERM
which they are intended to kill. Extreme
caution in the winter time to preserve these
glands from colds and irritation might be
the means of warding off many diseases of
violent nature. The discoveries are not
only interesting, but of great hygienic value.
Heretofore medical science has marked the
use of these glands as unknown"
A. s. ATKINSON, NJ. D.
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