St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-07-15
THE BODY AND ITS HEALTH.

DANGER or BEATING CARPETS II THE
CITY. The City Improvement Society
considers it vitality necessary, in view Of
the pending danger from cholera, that
citizens should be informed that the per-
nicious habit, which has become SO
general, Of beating carpets, rugs, cloth
ing, etc, in the open spaces called
''yards," in the rear Of their premises, is
iii direct violation Of Section - of the
Sanitary Code, which provides that the
above shall not be done " in any place
where particles may be set in motion and
pass into any occupied PREMISES
SYMPATHETIC INFLANMATIoN. - This
popularity is strikingly cXcmplified in
cases of foreign bodies entering the eve,
and in a recent explanation of the matter
by DR.. David Webster, emphasis is laid
upon the necessity, in all instances of in
Illumination of one eye coming on sud
denly and without apparent cause, of
searching carefully fer such intruders on
the corner and Oh the con iunctivia-re-
moving them, when found, with as little
injury rs possible to the surrounding
parts. Dr. Webster says that when
foreign body is lodged within the eye
ball. especially in the ciliary region, the
patient is in danger Of losing the fellow
eye by pathetic inflammation, whether
the foreign body is removed or not,
though the removal Of the foreign body
greatly lessons such danger; but if the
foreign body has already destroyed the
sight, the eye should be cleared without
delay If sympathetic inflammation sets
in, DR.. Webster says that the sooner the
cyeball containing the foreign body is
cleared-unlcSs it has scrviceablc vision
the better will be the patients chances
of retaining useful sight, or, if the
fcllow-eyc is attacked with symptoms of
severe sympathetic irritation, the eye
containing the foreign body should be
cleared without waiting for actual SYM
pathetic inflammation. Further, the mag
net is scrviccablc in eases where the
foreign body is of attractablc material
and can be seen, and is not firmly i'm
bedded in the eyewall, or cncapsuled
with organized lymph.
ABOUT TIGHT LACING.-It would still
be premature to conclude that we have
done with the practice of the i'll effects
of tight lacing. Were we disposed to
doubt the prevalence of this custom, tho
medical records Of every day could
prove its continuance, nor can we see
how it should be otherwise as long as the
stiff corset retains its place rs an article
of dress. Now and then some fatal mis-
chance is found to be traceablc to its
abuse. while instances where i'll health
has been the penalty are far from I'M
common. Every practitioner is familiar
with cases of this kind, and it needs no
searching examination to convince him
that among the pallid compilations and
pal pitating hearts which require his at.
tcntion some are directly traceable to the
pinching vanity Of the corset. Why
this effect should follow such a cause we
need hardly explain to medical read
ers. They can well appreciate the
vicious influence of cramping pressure
exercised upon the trunk and its vlscera
without cessation for the greater part OF
every day, says the London Lalcct. Let
us, nevertheless, discuss briefly the effect
of such pressure upon the different organs
exposed to it, Naturally the kidneys
being deeply placed may be expected to
escape entirely from its direct action and
they constitute the sole example of such
immunity. The lungs and heart suffer
almost if not in equal degree and the
consequences in their case are visible in
impaired respiration, defective nutrition
of the blood, with consequent inn
povcrishment of every organ and tissue
and a weakened and excited or Ian
guild cardiac action, eliminating, 1t
may even happen, as in an instance
lately reported, in fatal syncope. The
effect u pom digestion is noteworthy.
There being but little space for the nor
nal expansion of the stomach after
eating, less and less food is taken until
the foolish sufferer is virtually half
starved. Constipation is necessary
sequel, and hatulant distension adds an
other impeachment to the course OF
laboring circulation and ovcrpressed
respiratory organs. Naturally those Wis
ccra which lie low in the pelvis feel this
strain, so that almost every function
required for healthy existence is de-
prived of its normal exercise. What
| then of health itself And need we feel
surprised if now and then the thoughtless
vanity which thus exchanges every
physical comfort for mere appearance
| leads to forfeit of life also: If expert
l. ,r CO