The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-09-22

1t is my intention to explain the
various causes of heart disease. to
point out the way to avoid it, and
especially to indicate the various by.
gienio rules to which it is necessary
to submit ones self, if affected by
heart trouble, in order to alternate
its unfortunate results.
The usual causes Of heart trouble
are old age, alcoholism, rheumatism
and govt
The heart of an elderly person is
almost always deteriorated from hav-
ing worked, often to excess. for SO
many years. during which period II
has been fastened on by morbid germs
that will multiply or by Disorders
that will become more marked. Old
age is in fact the period when obesi-
ty acquires pathological proportions,
when the arteries harden and govt is
most dangerous. It is then that the
heart muscle. Aabby, soft and dis
tended, with little power of resist
ance. may be stopped in its action or
ruptured BY any too violent shock.
The dis6rders produced in the
heart by slow and natural process
of wear and tear in the course of
years may be brought on pfematurely
by the alcoholic habit by q process
of rapid and artificial overuse Al
coholism is at the bottom nothing
but anticipated old age, with it's
trembling and general deterioration
of the organism. Old age and alco-
-holism produce these changes by a
chronic process, but rheumatism may
bring them on in an acute form. It
is in the form of an inAamed state of
its membranes that the heart pays
its tribute to this diathesis. As a
usual thing the joints are seized be-
fore the heart. but it sometimes hap
pens that they gre affected stimuli
taneously, while in the case of few
persons the heart symptoms are the
first to appear, and that with such
intensity that they absorb all the at
tention in the course of the rheu-
matte attack.
Gout also engenders heart disease,
but with much less frequency tina n
rhematism. In many instances a
equity patient only suffers from the
heart during an attack through being
predisposed thereto by some old dis
order, the attack of govt only acting
In such cases as a predisposing
agent.
In order to be complete on the
question it should be mentioned tn at
chorea and infectious fevers may also
give rise to cardiac disorders.
Nothing, unfortunately, can pre-
vent the deterioration of our tissues
caused by advancing years. To grow
old is disease in itself. Since. how
ever, there is no panacea that can
give US everlasting youth, let us bow
before this memorable law, but en-
deavor to prepare for ourselves a
green old age by avoiding every
other source of organic deterioration.
Sobriety and temperance will pre-
serve us from that great enemy, the
alcohol habit.
Violent exercise in walking or in
long runs may give rise to some dis
orders of the heart This is also the
case with some forms of clothing,
which, through being too tight at
the neck, prevent the circulation,
press on the chest and hinder its
proper expansion. In this connection
it may be we'll to mention the dis
astrous effect of q corset that is toe
tightly laced.
A person afflicted with lesion OF
the heart is not necessarily an invalid
in the rigorous sense of the word.
These persons come and go, take part
in ordinary life, and in some in.
stances occupy high position in SO
ciety. But although they are not i'll,
they are through the tact Of their
lesion continually exposed to serious
trouble. Over fatigue or a sudden
emotion may bring on disorders that
are always serious and sometimes
rapidly fatal The hygiene Of such q
person can be summed up in the fol.
lowing formula: To avoid everything
that may over-excite the heart, to
follow a healthy course OF diet, to
avoid all causes of anamia and to
keep up the strength.
In the case of the child it is neces.
sary to forbid games that are too en-.
ergetic-running, jumping, dancing,
gymnastics, riding, swimming. cold
baths, in which there is temptation
to remain too long, and sea bathing
in general It is best to recommend
moderate exercise, daily cold
sponge bath or short sea bath, with
prolonged exposure to the sun on the
beach while avoiding any damp OF
cold atmosphere. The path OF life
to be ultimately chosen for the child
should be one that entails neither 9
sedentary nor too active existence,
nor one too full of responsibility.
If the heart trouble is acquired
later in life in a person who has
already adopted a career, the part oil
the medical adviser becomes much
more difficult. II the patient is q
political man and insists on continu-
ing to be one, it will soon be up with
him, as was the case with Ferry and
SO many other politicians of our day.
But inthe case ofpersons placed in
more normal circumstances and on
whose physical and normal existence
we can have some control, modera-
ton in all things, and especially q
course of diet, are to be advised.
A person with heart trouble should
avoid all excess in eating, and the