The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-17
MEDICAL NOTES.

MEDICAL NOTES. 5
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In Belgium there is in use In her rail-
way systems a specially designed hospital
car which is available in case of serious
railway accidents and also to convey in
valids from one point to another as from
inland towns to heaIth-givlng seaside re-
sorts The interior has large main COM
partment with two small rooms at the
end. In the larger room are twentyfOur
beds, with two small windows. which can
be opened, in front of each. a movable
table being provided which can be low
fred over each bed. There are lockers in
the corridors for the chests, provisions
Ind linen. If necessary a portion Of the
large room can be shut oft to form an
operating room. In connection with this
railroad hospital is a small chapel for
religious services. In view of the serious
accidents which often occur upon our own
railroads such hospital car should form
part of the equipment of every wreck
ing train. These accidents often occur In
places remote from hospitals and the
victims are of necessity subjected to
HUGH lNOuNCtlleICe IL not actual DANGER
from poor accommodations and lack of
proper care and timely attention. With
such car with surgeons and nurses
always ready for an emergency call, the
victims of a railroad disaster would be
much better and more speedily cared for
and could be at once taken to we'll
equipped hospitals in the city. On the
humanitarian side this would prevent
much needless suffering and even death.
On the financial side. 1t would materially
lessen the amount of damages against the
railroad
According to- Zenner the mental states
NEST injurious to health are the painful
and depressing emotions, care, worry,
sorrow, grief, anxiety, fright, terror,
anger, rage, disappointment, etc. There
is scarcely d limit to their disastrous eff
fects. Most commonly they produce men,
tai disease or some other disorder of the
nervous system, chiefly hysteria and neu-
rasthenia. Organic nervous disease is
not rarely brought on in the same man
ner. and any organ, especially If it has
some inherent weakness, may thus be-
come diS0rdered in its functions or the
seat of organic disease. And not only
this, but the same mental states may in
fiuence infectious diseases as we'll as the
source of surgical disease and the result
of surgical operations.
The unfortunate custom so common
among the laity of discussing continuous
ly sickness and sick people is a fertile
source Of suggestive disease. Nor is the
medical profession altogether innocent.
Careless words often do great harm in
this direction.
Kestell considers that consumption is
entirely disease of mal-nutrftion Di-
sestive disturbance, with a sensitive
nervous organization and poor sanitation
lower the vitality Of the patient Slight
exposure Their causes pulmonary conges-
ton which the system is unable to throw
off. Tubercular tissue is then formed in
the lungs furnishing fertile soil for the
growth OF bacilH Easily digested foods
should be used which, are rich in al
bumen, phosphates and fat The use of
pork veal, white bread and sweets
fayors an increase. of tuberculosis. Kas-
tell believes in the efficacy of creosote in
FIVE drop doses, three times day, grad
ually increased to fifteen or twenty
drops. He claims that this drug i'm
proves the appetite, decreases the bron~
chial secretion and moderates the cough
-
An English physician recently called at
tentiOn to the absence of cloak room
as one of the contributory causes of Ill
ness to those who attend places of Wor-
ship. There can be little doubt but that
there are many evils connected with the
too common practice of importing into
the sacred ediflce wet or snow-laden
shoes, capes and mackintoshes, and even
umbrellas, to exhale during the service a.
nHSTlfRTOIIs moi IN, info
unity to the worshipers. The art of
making churches comfortable and provid-
Ing for their frequenters those luxuries
which are taken for granted at all other
places of public resort except, perhaps,
political meetings, is in a somewhat back
ward state, and in many such measures
there Is grand opening for reform.
A well known English authority on
mental diseases said that the cause Of
suicide among the more intelligent classes
was due 10 auto-hypnOtism.e. He explain
ed that a series of unhealthy suggestions
are In some way set up which do not nee
essarily result in seif-destruction. bur
bring about of necessity. an abnormal
state, and bodily disease may follow The
constant repetition of suggestions as TO
suicide finally induces the victim to
overlook that his or her statement or
thought is, Il will kill myself and this
NJ
pulse over which there is no control The
action eventually becomes automatic and
the act Of sef-destruction an unconscious
one.
Being a good fellow kills more doc
tors than any other thing This one
drinks at first for companionship as he
desires to and finally dies a drunkard
because he can't help it. He stimulates
over an emergency with morphine. CO.
came, chioral-anything- feels strong
and glad and afraid to undertake moth
Ing, but finally enters an early grave
frightened there by his own shadow.
Inc number of medical men, and women
tco' who are addicted to some drug habit
is becoming appalling
The public should better understand
some general truths about the approach
and manifestations Of insanity who is to
teach this, if not the physician? They
should be taught that the majority of in
sane people do not rave. That the forma-
tive stage extends over period Of weeks
and months, and that during this time
sktllful treatment and proper restraint
may permanently arrest the diseas Sc Also
that change in disposition, habits and
inclnatiOns, without any apparent cause
IS sign of mental deterioration, even
Whlle the capability of conversing sanelv
on other subjects remains unaltered
DR.. Coulter truly says that "taktnp
colo Is most frequent condition in the