The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-08-22


 been pronounced in perfect health py the best of physicians after the GUS tornary examination, that man cannot be honestly assured by such an opin- ion unless his blood pressure has been accurately estimated. Such is the lat est gospel in taking the health meas =rement sof any man, but pa,rticusAE1y does this latest sdietum hold good, for I'll individuals over 40. Those Whol value health for its own sake should welcome a new mthod of estimation.
 But the method scores in another way Where a correct estimation of ones physical condition Is related closely to dollars and cents, as in life insurance, this gospel of blood pres sure cuts a very important hgure-ln fact, few of the more progressive comma nies win not accept a risk apoVe the age of 40Nsuntil they feel safe on this particular. One or two of these .cornpanies have themselves recently thrown the spotlight on this interest ing but puzzling problem in our daily human drama.
 What Is blood pressure, anyway? In the first place, it is not essentially anything harmful Everybody has it. If is only when it is found to be un- usually high that it is to be taken se- riously It is comparable to the pres-- sure exerted by water when passing through an ordinary garden hose In our bodies the hose is represented py ys by the heart forcing the blood through this
 Pressure is less where fluid is pass ing though a flexible tube because the walls, owing to their elasticity, oner little resistance But with the same force behind, the pressure is increased if the walls of the tube are excellent. Tubes Of rubber and glass are excel7, lent illustrations of such contrasts Now where hardening of the arteries -5ise 10 old age, gout, alcoholism or other excesses-has set iny the blood pressure as a consequence is nigh roo much pressure, high pressure, is very apt to break the artery IT ttfs occurs in the brain we have apo
 There is an ingenious instrument called the nanometer which is de- vice for taking the measure of, this pressure. and this is recorded on scale very like that of the thermome- ter. only, instead of degrees. the scale ie divided into ni1limeters-
 Suppose the instrument is applied 2 over the artery in the arm of a man etflI in his POS. The mercury in the rsiass tube of the instrument runs up. to about 7a0 Whats the verdict? That young fellows blood pressure is per- fectiy normal and the chances are even if any other examination by other methods be made, nothing will be found wrong with his heart or kidneys. This test should always be made be- fore anyone takes up athletic Work or any kind
 Suppose, on the other hand, that a man a little over 40 has his blood pres sure taken, and the fercury in the manometer mounts as high as 155 or 160 then the probabilities are that there is some disease hidden away Tn his system, though he may never have complained of i'll health in all his life At the best guess, his state of health fFouId not be above suspicion, and would require a further search by oth- CT means
 Suppose again that some third indi-' vidual around the age of 50 undergoes examination for his physical condition, and after the usual pounding and sounding in every possible way noth-l ing is found wrong with him. lie teame with sstisfaction; so far all IS well. Then the rnanometer is brought. forth and carefully applied, and the mercury runs up to 1S5. What thenf Even with no other manifestations or trolibIe the chances are about even that unless he adopts, some means to combat this high press1re-Uhich 1t IS rsoesfble to do-he will develop within the next year or two either a harden ing of the arteries, a trouble known as heart rnurmur, or an actual enlarge- me1f of the heart, or if not one or Ihase then some kidney trouble like F3rirttss disease, or some one of the many nervous affections, and even possibly diabetes. He will also run a more than usual risk of dying sooner or later from either apoplexy or kid nev trouble It is not positive that he will. but certainly his chances of doing zo are too great for him not to heed fine warning of the little instrument used in ascertaining his blood pres sure.
 If is interesting and important to 1ofe that in persons known to be heal thv the blood pressure will rise under certain conditions and circumstances Those of a nervous, anxious tempera- rnuent. engaged in occupations which involve much worry or nerve strain, have a great tendency to an increased pressure in their arteries Exercise and muscular action of any kind will also raise the pressure, especially in the veins Even posture has an 1nf1u- ence. pressure being highest while standing and lowest when sitting or lying down. All this has bearing in certain occupations and under certain conditions which each individual must apply to his own special case, for even this sort of pressure is conducive to disease.
 Mental excitement and perturbation cause inrreased pressure, while even climate and weather have their inf1u- ences The same individual, when measured for his blood pressure at va rious seasons will be found to have a lower pressure in summer than in win ter With these striking 1acCS In nina, 1t should be safe to presume that few CT persons are afflicted with apoplexy or kidney trouble in such equable eli mates IS southern California or Flor ida than in those portions of the coun- try subject to extreme changes in weather.
 That much might be theory, but the orrizing on other phases of the subject Is wholly unnecessary; sufficient sta tistics exist to cIinch the facts. One progressive life insurance company ir fhe middle West rejected in a certain period 365 applicants for no other req son than this: Their blood pressure was found to be too highl Nothing