Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-24

From the Pittshurg Press.
1t IL rather curious that many OF the Ills
which make life wretched AFFAIR are
caused by our own daily actions. sitting
on chairs. for instance. Is 1.-THE cause OF
nearly all our evils in regard to the spine.
according to DR.. Noble Smith. surgeon
OF fepute. It would surprise the iaymen
to know how many men, women and chill
dren who pass muster In the street or the
dancing room suffer from deformity OF the
spine. They are the surgeons best GUS
toners. And if DR.. Smith II right, We
ought to aboast chairs and introduce the
ancient fashion of reclining on mats.
DIR. Covers, one OF the greatest authorities
on diseases of the nervous system. brings
another charge against chairs. II one
habitually sits on a hard chair, he says.
the pressure OF the edge Is Mkely to give
rise to scfatica. This 10 worth remembers
ing. for there must be thousands OF people
sciatica while they are all the time adding
fuel to it by sitting on hard-edged chairs.
This same disease. as well as the still
more painful one of lumbago, are caused
by other everyday habits. In hot weather
people sit, without thought of the conse-
quences, on the grass. the sands, and,
worst of all, on rocks. Perhaps they es-
cape for the time, but as soon as the nrst
touch of winter comes the lunbago and
sciatica make their appearance.
Then in the morning tub we have the seeds
of rheumatism. Sooner or later this daily
chilling of the feet produces that fnf1amma-
tory rheumatism condition of the joint car
tilages which results In gripping rheuma-
tism. A simple precaution Is to use cork
mat or piece Of wood for standing on in
the bath. A block that would raise the feet
out of the water is better still.
Perhaps the inventor of ciicloth has been
the greatest enemy of those predisposed to
rheumatism. Even when wearing thick
boots, If you stand much Oh the oilcoth
feet If you-ca afford carpets. stain
the floor. and you will be saved much suf-
fering.
Most people make themselves i'll on Sun
day. At least majority are not in such
good form on Monday morning as on other
days of the week. This fact has been
explained by suggesting that people eat
too much and take too little exercise on the
Sabbath. But probably the chief cause is
closed doors and windows. On Sunday the
doors are closed, and, too often, the vim
dows also. Hence the Sunday night dull
ness and Monday morning below-par con-
dition.
Doctors find those dyspeptic patients who
are engaged in bookkeeping and other desk
work almost incurable. The reason Is that
the writing attitude is most unphysiolog-
ical. With the left arm resting on the
desk and the body bent, the spine is much
twisted. The left ribs are lowered until
they touch the hip bone. Consequently the
stomach and intestines are compressed and
moved out of place, the heart. spleen. liver
and other organs are pressed upon. and to
add to the evil the neck is also twisted,
squeezing the blood vessels and causing
congestion of the brain Obviously no func-
ton can be properly performed under these
circumstances, and incurable dyspepsia is
a certain result.
BY violent brushing of the teeth we ruin
our gums and produce decay of the teeth;
by leaving little moisture in the ears
after washing We cause neuralgia; by drink
w "a 1xz
the stomach.
But the greatest number of evils we work
on ourselves are produced by faulty articles
of dress. This has been written about SO
much that doctors haye nothing new to say
on the matter, except, perhaps, with re-
gard to the waterproof coat. And although
that is out of season just now, it may be
pointed out that the man who wears "a
waterproof coat while walking or cycling
convertSthe clothing into a poultee. When
he takes it off he is in the same position
as If he had put on very damp clothes, and
this is thing no one would be senseless
enough to do.