Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-03-28
SlCNSOF SICKNESS
Symptoms That May Alarm and
Yet Hay Not Be Serious.
CAUSED BY SIMPLE AILMENTS.

Spots Before the Eyes, For Instance.
May kean Brain Disease. but the
Chances Ars 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 Ia 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 eroundless fears make great
many people so nervous and miserable
that an explanation Of few Of the
commonest symptoms Of i'll health may
he Of some service.
Noises III 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
OF Of natulent Indigestion. temporary
thickcnins of nart OF the ear and nerv-
Gus strain. All these are not Of the
least account and should cause no
alarm
Ne douht some really serious disease.
such as enlargement Of the heart mus
cles does sometimes exist But every
one who feels atarm about his health
should Fcmember that almost any dan
gcrons illness will show itself unmis-
takably. not By one. but by BALI 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 a torpid liver. weariness 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 nervous person
think be is becoming blind 1t may.
Of course. he due to bad sight: but.
happening now and again. 1t is usual
" caused by sluggish liver or nerv-
Gus dyspepsia.
Shortness Of breath gives rise to ex-
treme 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 Ms locomotor ataxia or
Menieres disease.
Confusion Of mind and sleepiessness
give rise to the fear of approaching
insanity.
1t Is really wonderful how people
always seize on the most fearsome ex-
PLANTATION. But sleeplessness may be
due TO hundred and one trifies and
Is most commonly the result of some
very innocent cause.
II may be oecasioned 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. 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 OF
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. 1t may be said.
are the exception.
In all these eases 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 mere trife.