The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1913-07-15
SIGNS OF SICKNESS
Symptoms That May Alarm and
Yet May Not Be Serious.
CAUSED By SIMPLE AILMENTS.

Spots Before the Eyes, For Instance,
May Mean Brain Disease, but tho
/ Chances Are Thousands to One That
7 They Arise From Some Slight Cause.
a doctor, writing in London Answers,
says:
People often come to me nowadays
in very great dread. because they hear
ringing in the ears, see spots before the
eyes, or suffer from some other symp-
tom which they suppose to signify Sc
rlous disease.
Nearly always l find that something
very slight, or nothing at all, Is the
matter; but do not always succeed in
so convincing my patients.
These Groundless fears make n great
many people so nervous and miserable
that an explanation of few of the
! commonest symptoms of i'll health may
be of some service
Noises in the ear, as of bells ringing
whistles blowing, hooters sounding,
etc. most commonly arise from nerv-
Gus exhaustion, slight increase Of the
blood supply of the BRAIN caused by
fit of fatulent indigestion, temporary
thickening OF part of the ear and merry.
Gus strain. All these are not of the
least account and should cause no
alarm.
No doubt some really serious disease,
such as enlargement of the heart mus
Giles does sometimes exist But every
one who feels alarm about his health
should remember that almost any dan
gerous illness will show itself unmis-
takably, not by one, but by half doz-
en- symptoms.
Spots before the eyes may signify
brain disease. but the chances are one
hundred thousand to one that only
some very slight cause is responsible.
such as torpid liver, WEAKNESS Of the
nervous system. insufficient sleep or
some little congestion Of the brain.
Flashes In the eyes form another
source of anxiety, and they are really
very startling But. while sometimes
due to eye disease, one of the com
monest causes is catarrh of the stom-
ach
Another little eye trouble is blurred
vision, which makes a nervous person
think he is becoming blind. 1t may,
of course, be due to bad sight; but.
happening now and again, It is usual
~ caused by a sluggish liver or nerv-
Gus dyspepsia.
Shortness of breath gives rise to ex-
IRENE distress, for the first thought Is
OF consumption. But this is an effect
, or multitude OF disorders, great and
small. Congestion of the liver, amaze
mia, obesity may cause it, 1t is COM
mon in chronic bronchitis-a trouble
some, but by no means dangerous dis
ease.
Sometimes. of course, 1t signifies
more serious maladies. But then there
are many other symptoms to tell the
tale.
Dizziness nine times out of ten re-
suits from a dlsordered digestion. ca
tarrh OF the stomach especially. or
from sluggishness of the liver, 1aun-
dice or temporary decrease of the
blood supply Of the brain. l find my
patients who thus suffer turn their
thoughts ut once to something very
grave. such as locomotor ataxia or
Meniere's disease.
Confusion of mind and sleeplessness
give rise to the fenr of approaching
insanity.
1t X really wonderful how people
always seize on the most fearsome ex-
PLANTATION But sleeplessness may bo
due to hundred and one trihes ana
Is most commonly the result of some
very innocent cause
Ii may be occasioned by nervous
| dyspepsia or catarrh of the stomach,
torpid liver, excitement OF the brain
from overwork. tea or coffee taken
late In the evening. too much smoking,
too heavy bedclothes. cold feet, bad
ly ventilated room. could go on for
an hour writing the common causes
of this trouble
Confusion Of mind may result from
too little sleep, a torpid liver, indiges-
ton. too little or too much blood i'm
the brain and other minor things that
are Of no real consequence Drowsi-
ness makes some people think they
are In for softening OF the brain or
some other dreadful disense 1t most
often arises from slow digestion. an
inactive liver or from temporary de-
crease of the blood supply of the brain.
The commonest cause of all these.
though. is an oversensitve nervous
system.
Occasionally no doubt. confusion OF
the mind or drowslness may be n symp.
tom OF diabetes or other serious dis
ease. but such cases, it may be said,
are the exception
I'm all these cases the only sensible
rule is to put an Isolated symptom
down to some simple and harmless
cause IF there is anything seriously
wrong IT will make itself known by
many symptoms
"No doubt any Of The things emu.
merated above may be the Grst sign
Of something Of real gravity; but tho
chances are thousands 70 one that tho
cause is n mere trihe.
which,