Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-11-20

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
tcopynshs. 1914. BY A. $. Gray>
PERSONAL REsIsTANcE TO De
CAY.
Whether the reaction OF the saliva II
acid or alkaline has been under dis
cussion for q century, and men still
differ so widely and so many authori
ties may be found on either side thai
the subject is involved in confusion
Without doubt the truth is that tbs
saliva is very feebly alkaline and
readily changes either to acid or al
kaline with the establishment Of va
rious constitutional conditions. Nc
two individuals can possibly be, exact
ly alike and the constitution of the
mouth secretions must vary according
to time, place and the predominance OF
one or more Of the forms Of the many
species of micro-organisms known to
be found in the mouth: also It must
vary in accordance with the individual
state of health and mind, SO that
physiological. saliva, with the biochem'
ical elements in. q state Of equilibrium.
Z Is probably very rare. g; az s..- s.s,..;
II confusion exists concerning SO
comparatively simple q matter as the
reaction of the saliva. it is reasonable
to expect difference Of opinion In re.
gard to so worldwide and vague q dis
ease as carries, or tooth decay, and its
numerous allied conditions. Because
they are SO very closely identified the
same general confusion exists with
reference to the subject of decay of
the teeth as pertains to the reaction of
the saliva. Hence. one authority finds
carries due to acidity and another to
akalinity; another declares it to be
caused by the absence of certain
element, and still another finds it is
caused by the presence of that same
element. ~. d. e@ Ha5a
, When the teeth of children are seen
to be decaying badly the general inter
probation is that they are soft and
poorly calcified. II, on the other hand,
the children happen to grow up to ma
turity without developing decay of the
teeth the Interpretation is that the
teeth are hard and firm and therefore
resist decay. Then 1t has been gen.
orally observed that during pregnancy
and lactation the teeth Of women SUI
fer more from carries than during other
periods, and this has been SO universal
an experience that 1t gave birth to an
old saying: "A tooth for every child"
1t 10 generally held that the teeth
Of the mother are robbed Of the cal
cium salts to build up the bones Of
the unborn infant, but this is one of
those half truths that are 80 confus.
Ing and misleading. y {@f
Carries is essentially a disease Of
childhood, and childhood has epigram-
matically and most truly been desig-
mated as AN extra hazardous occu-
patton" Child bearing is an extra
hazardous occupation. too; and so.
measured by it's mortality, is modern
business hazardous. We have already
noted that typhoid and other fevers
frequently and quickly destroy teeth,
and so does excessive physical work.
1t is only within the last few years
with the dawning understanding of
the action of catalyzers, the engines,
and the ductless glands of our bodies,
and more especially since Funk's DEM
onstration of the vitamines and their
influence on the hormones Of the duct
less glands-the governors of our bod
ies-that the matter begins to clear.
We begin to suspect that it is not
solely the abstraction of the phosphor.
US, the calcium, the magnesium, the
carbon, the iron and the fuorine from
our food that is the cause of the
universal prevalence of tooth and gen.
eral physical decay. We begin to
suspect that the loss Of that part of
the eternal energy by which those ele-
ments are normally welded into and
held in the plants, our ultimate source
of life, precipitates these troubles
upon us. We know that animals can
be starved on physiological combine
tons" of the pure salts Of these ele-
ments, and we know that they thrive
on the natural constituents of the
same elements. 1.aG-. ~. '.t. "a . x
With the single exception of the
tides, the movements OF which are
connected with the moon, and the 70
tation OF the earth on its axis. livery
motion on this earth from the beat
ing of every individual heart to the
turning Of every windmill may be
traced back to one ultimate cause
a sunbeam---and every form of life is
a component part Of a cycle continu.
ally Transforming, by means Of the
sunbeams, dynamic, into potential
and potential hack into dynamic; en-,
ergy. So far. as we. know man is
the only species with sufficient pre-
sumption to break the cycle, and the
~~~~~~~-~~-~~.~e~
Various Graees for Various Places.
"Of course" said the young husband
who is trying to be humble and take in
Dtructions, I'll admit that my ballroom
and reception manners are pretty