The Detroit times., 1911-05-23
EXPERT talks OF
HEART DISEASES
Dr.. Charles s. williamsons Clinic
Attracts Attention Explains dag
nosis Of Broken Compensation"

was the subject or a lecture given In
the amphitheater OF Harper hospital.
Tuesday morning. by DR.. Charles s.
Williamson. Of Chicago, Ill, In con.
nection with the clinic OF the Detroit
College or Medicine Alumni associa-
ton. IL was voted one OF the best
addresses yet given at the clinics. The
lecturer added interest to his talk by
presenting patients suffering from
the different kinds OF LESSONS and 9TH
er defects OF the heart with which he
dealt.
DR.. Williamson Is noted specialist
In heart affections, and his presence
at the clinic was the means OF bring
Ing out the largest attendance thus
far.
Or. Williamson dealt at length with
broken compensation" the failure OF
the heart TO pump sufficient blood
through the system to feed the differ
ent portions OF the body.
Il want you TO pay strict attention
to this point OF broken compensa-
tion.' said DR.. Williamson, "for II is
most important. First OF all, want
to tell you how to determine whether
there Is broken compensation
There Ii a common custom among
practitioners TO look for such q condi-
tion by listening to the heart action
Now don't want you to do that You
may make mistake by doing IT,
don't care a fig for what | may hear
by listening to the heart. tell you
the proper way to find out whether
patient has a broken compen sation'
Is to see what condition the liver Is
In. III there Is an enlargement OF tho
liver, II Ia sure sign that the patient
Is suffering from broken compensa-
tion.' Then there are two other symp-
toms which usually accompany the
enlarging OF the liver-shortness OF
breath and swelling of the feet. The
swelling OF the feet, however, Is a
secondary symptom: the enlarging of
the liver always comes first. Many
physicians make q mistake nowadays
by first looking for the swelling of the
feet In broken compensation Now
get the practice out OF your minds.
III any OF you have been In the habit
OF following It,"
DR.. Williamson then went on to ex-
plain that broken compensation was
not always due to the same cause.
One OF the clinic patients suffering
from IL was first afflicted with de-
fective kidney. This placed extra eff
forts on the heart to pump the blood
through the kidneys, with result
that high blood pressure and broken
compensation resulted. Another pa
tient, whose compensation was brok-
en-, was simply suffering from heart
LESSONS, only one vertricle being ar
fected
Dr. Williamson, in dealing with the
treatment Of the different heart affec-
lions, implored the doctors to be care
full In the use OF digitalis, one OF the
strongest heart stimulants known.
The drug should not be administered
In cases. I, he said, where the heart,
though defective, was doing fits work
satisfactorily. DiRitalis sboe,iA. be
given only, he added, where the heart
needed bolstering up.
Il want TO advise you not to be
afraid Of digitalis, however" said DR..
Williamson. THE trouble with most
physicians 10 that they are afraid OF
the drug. The great thing Ia to know
about II Is just what quantity should
be given. II IL sometimes difieuN to
regulate the doses, because OF the
fact that It quickly loses It's strength.
Not long ago samples Of the drug
were taken from one Of the largest
drug manufacturing concerns In the
world, located, II l remember correct
ly, right here In your own city, and
they were found to be below the
strength claimed for them. But I
want to be fair with the manufactur-
err; he was really not to blame. II is
the tendency OF the drug to lose It's
strength soon after being manufac-
tured that caused the low standard In
the samples I refer to-"