Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1904-06-11
POPULAR MEDICAL DELUslONs.
An Old Family Physician Tells of
Some of His Experiences.

An Old Family Physician Tells of
Some of His Experiences.
Tradition and superstition, it is said
die hard, and even In this twentieth
century, the age of education and pro.
gress, it Is surprising. what erroneous
and delusive ideas prevail regarding
medical matters, says a doctor in the
London T1t.Bits.
In some OF the more common all
ments of children a doctor hears at
times peculiar views expressed. Many
patients are quite under the impression !
that it is for their children's welfare
that they should contract while young |
such diseases as measles, whooping
cough and chicken pox, or glasspox,
and they will even go so far as to ex
pose them to infection, SO as to, as
they express it, get it over and done
with"
AS a matter of fact there is no rea-
son or necessity why any child should
suffer from any one of these diseases.
Happy is the family that escapes them,
for then there Is a chance of the young
sters growing up healthy men and wo-
men and useful members of society.
Most erroneous ideas prevail as to
the effect of these complaints of child
hood. I have often heard 1t said, "Oh,
it's only measles" or chicken poI, as
the case may be, quite oblivious to af-
ter effects. Any one who would take
the trouble to read health statistics
would soon be convinced that measles
especially is not to be trified with. And
yet medical men as a rule find a reck-
less disregard for isolation, and in
many cases not even the precaution Of
calling in the family doctor, the result
being naturally that the disease
spreads at it's own sweet will and often
works havoc.
In the treatment OF this complaint,
again, decisions and erroneous ideas
exist among a large number Of the
community. Tradition, so it appears to
me, is more prevalent with regard to
measles than almost any other chill
dren's disease.
A remedy that has been handed
down from mother to daughter for
don't know how many generations is
saffron. Now, what effect saffron has
upon this particular fever no doctor
knows Certainly there is no peculiar
element In its composition that make:
it necessity. When one remember!
that saffron is merely dye-principal
ly used commercially in that role-anC
that it possesses no medicinal value
one fails to understand why it is s,
universally used. The only thing t,
be said in its favor is that, while beinl
useless, it Is harmless.
A favorite addition to saffron 4
, brandy; but as saffron is harmless
brandy, on the other hand, especial.
. with babies and young children, is pos
, itively injurious, and should never b
given except under medical advice.
Children are always thirsty in thei
feverish ailments. Yet how seldom tn
: mother thinks of giving her child waite
q to drink. 1t is nearly always milk
y another popular delusion. Milk is a
e excellent food but it does not Quenc
II thirst; in fact, it increases it. Civ
IS the child cold boiled water and it wi
% become quiet and less fretful.
n A very popular error is that spirit
re keep the cold out. AS matter Of ia,
q they do just the opposite. Alcohol il
4 crcases the action of the skin, oper
s. the pores and makes the individu
10 more liable to contract chills and cold
TO often with serious results. A glass
o. hot milk is far better and much chea-
1t er and purer.