The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1913-03-13
SIGNS OF SICKNESS
Symptoms That May Alarm and
Yet May Not Be Serious
CAUSED BY SIMPLE AILMENTS.


May Mean Brain Disease, but the
Chances Are Thousands to One That
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
rious disease.
Nearly always 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 great
many people so nervous and miserable
that an explanation Of a few Of the
commonest symptoms of Ill 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
At Of fiatulent indigestion. temporary
thickening of part Of the ear and nerv-
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
cles 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, 1t is usual
ly 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
Of a 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. it 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 disordered digestion, ca
tarrh Of the stomach especially, or
from sluggishness Of the liver, jaun-
dice or temporary decrease Of the
blood supply of the brain. l find my
patients who thus suffer turn their
thoughts at once to something very
grave, such as locomotor ataxia or
Meniere's disease.
Confusion Of mind and sleeplessness
give rise to the fear Of approaching
insanity.
It is really wonderful how people
always seize on the most fearsome ex-
PLANTATION. But sleeplessness may be
due to a hundred and one trifes and
is most commonly the result OF some
very innocent cause.
It 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
" ventilated room. l could go on for
an hour writing the common causes
of this trouble.
| Confusion Of mind may result from
too little sleep, torpid liver, indiges-
ton, too little or too much blood in
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 disease. 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 oversensitive nervous
system.
Occasionally, no doubt, confusion OF
the mind or drowsiness may be symp-
tom Of diabetes or other serious dis.
ease, but such cases, it may be said
are the exception.
In 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 1t will make itself known by
many symptoms.
"No doubt any of the things emu
merated above may be the first sign
of something Of real gravity; but the
chances are thousands to one that the
cause Is a mere trife.