Columbia courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1902-1905, 1904-01-22
POPULAR MEDICAL DELUSloNS,
An Old Family Physician Tells of
Some of His ExperIeuc-s


Some of His Experiences.
Tradition and superstition, 1t is said.
die hard, and even In this twentieth
century, the age of education and pro-
gress, II Is surprising what erroneous
and deluslve ideas prevail regarding
medical matters, says Il doctor in the
London l'it-Iits.
In some of the more common all
ments of children 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 ns measles. whooping
cough and chicken poX. or gasspoX,
and they will even go so far as to cX-
pose them to Infection, so us to. as
they express it, get it over and done
with"
AS 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 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. l have often heard 1t said, "Oh,
It's only measles" or chicken pox. as
the case may be, quite obllvious 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 trited with. And
yet medical men as a rule find 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 its own sweet will and often
works havoc.
In the treatment Of this complaint,
again, delusions and erroneous ideas
exist among large number of the
community. Tradition, so 1t 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 l
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 makes
1t a necessity. When one remembers
that saffron Is merely dye-principal-
ly used commercially In that role-and
that 1t possesses no medicinal value,
one fails to understand why 1t is SO
universally used. The only thing to
be said in its favor is that, while being
useless, 1t is harmless.
A favorite addition to saffron is
brandy; but as saffron is harmless,
brandy, on the other hand. especially
with babies and young children, is pos
lively injurious, and should never be
given except under medical advice.
Children are always thirsty in their
feverish ailments. Yet how seldom the
mother thinks Of giving her child water
to drink. 1t is nearly always milk
another popular deluslon. Milk is an
excellent food, but 1t does not quench
thirst; in fact, 1t increases 1t. Give
the child cold boiled water and it will
become quiet and less fretful.
A very popular error is that spirits
keep the cold out As matter of fact
they do just the opposite. Alcohol in
creases the action of the skin, opens
the pores and makes the individual
more liable to contract chills and colds.
often with serious results. A glass of
hot milk is far better and much cheap
er and purer.