The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1914-01-06
HEALTH AND HYGIENE
Importance OF Prompt Medical Advice
In Case of Disease and Injury.
(By the Idaho State Board of HEALTH

The Importance of prompt medical
advice and treatment in the presence
of disease and injury is unfortunately
| but little appreciated, and it is neces-
sary that special reference should be
made to it for, in the light of our pres
ent knowledge of the prevention and |
treatment of disease the most success |
full results may be obtained if proper |
means are employed. On the other
hand it would be difficult to overesti- |
mate the loss of life and the number |
who are permanently invalided or
crippled through neglect in this direc- |
ton The latter is largely the result
of what may be termed home treat |
ment, for it is very generally believed
that the so-called simple affections
may be cared for without the aid of
physician The danger of this prac-
tice lies primarily in the fact that
those who are not physicians are not
/, competent to decide when impaired
physical conditions are simple and
practically devoid of danger and what
symptoms may be forerunners of some
serious affection Cases Of this kind
are constantly occurring; for instance,
, persons having appendicitis are not
! infrequently treated at home for 1ndl-
gestion or for some alleged simple
stomach or bowel trouble and the nee
! essity for prompt medical attention
= is not recognized until it is too late to
= render aid to the patient Sore throat
among children is often believed by
D mothers to be some unimportant at
: fection probably the result of cold,
= when the truth is that diptheria is
. present in a mild form, but still infec-
= tious. and the disease in this way is
t many times transmitted to others and
: sometimes with a fatal result. This
n also frequently occurs in connection
e with scarlet fever and measles. Mild
n or unrecognized cases of smallpox
e are often mistaken for some simple
# skin eruption or so-called stomach
b rash, and treated with domestic rene
Il dies. and through exposure in this
way a large section of the country
may become affected. These are not
occasional but common occurrences,
l. particularly in connection with tuber-
s. culosis for large percentage OF these
l. cases are treated at home usually as
d common colds and the disease is Of
n ten far advanced before its true nature
is recognized. This not only seriously
l. interferes with the recovery of the pa
l. tient but for want of proper precau-
Of others. The public is yet to know the
: frequency with which some of the
r most dangerous diseases occur in a
lie mild or unrecognized form.
D. In some sections of the country it is
t. difficult or practically impossible to
m secure medical advice, besides even
rs in built up communities accidents may
a. occur which demand instant relief
to and it is therefore very much to be
r desired that everyone should so far as
lie possible, become familiar with various
p simple and practical means by which
emergencies may be dealt with until
il the arrival of a physician, for through
n this aid many lives have been saved
Ill however, this deals rather with emer-
a gencies and is intended to render such
a. help as many be available only until
proper medical care can be obtained
lg 1t is not expected that the many
If simple aches and pains and trivial in
he juries which commonly affect us and
to which are of brief duration shall re-
ic quire the attention of physician, but
IN home treatment, which is so general
ne in this country, is not restricted tc
Sc apparently simple conditions but in
IS, cIudes the continued use of domestic
nd remedies in cases where even laymer
re should be able to dectect evidence o
srious maladis, particularly where
nd fever is present or where we'll marked
or acute symptoms are referred Il
the head, chest or abdomen.
n Home treatment is employed large
OF ~ for economical reasons, although al
OF a matter of fact it is not really a say
he ing, for oftentimes serious results fol
nd low this practice, and in this way
rs far greater expense is involved than
prompt medical care had been obtain
tn ed
To- Curiously enough a person will
M promptly consult a lawyer If som
ed simple legal question is involved o
ne will quickly send for veterinary sur
en- geon if valuable animal is sick, bu
lst he will at the same time prescribe 70
OF his children or other member of tn
lat family without the least concern as t
by the result This practice is aided an
M abetted by charlatans and manufac
ID turers of patent medicine who, wit
Sh no scientific knowledge of the subject
co prepare and offer for sale innumer
At able nostrums warranted to cure ever
as ILL., 1t is hardly necessary to stat
he that almost every home contains som
of them, particularly headache pow
nc ders or tablets. Those who use tn
as latter know nothing of their compost
lie ton and danger, for they are com
ma posed chiefly of coal tar products an
en- are extremely depressing to the heart
'es The wealth amassed by the manufac
m tureTs of these articles is evidence Q
the credulity of the public. The NOR
'ut serious the disease the more numer
Die Gus are the remedies offered for 1t
he treatment This is best illustrate
by the man consumption cures whic
are offered for sale and which are nc
=, only absolutely worthless but the tim
he which is lost through their use ofte
20 robs the patient of the chance of re
~, covery which would be assured him
he proper treatment was employed.
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