The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1914-10-29


"Castor-oil is good enough for
me-" said Grandma Sharpless en-
phatically.
ITS good enough for anybody
that is to say, bad enough and nasty
enough so that there isn't much
danger Of its being abused. But
these internal sugar-cOated candy
cathartics get hold on a mans in
testinal organization so that il cant
do its work without 'em, and, Lord
knows, il can't stand their stimulus
indefinitely. Then along comes
appendicitis"
But some Of the laxative medi-
cines advertise TO prevent appen-
dicitis," said Mrs. Clyde.
DR.. Strong's face was very grim.
"Yes, they advertise. Commercial
travellers, because of their irregular
habits, are great pill-guzklers as a
class. Appendicitis is q very com.
mon complaint among them. A
Pittsburgh surgeon with a large
practice among travelling men has
kept records, and he believes that
more than fifty per cent of the APP.
pendicitis cases he treats are caused
by the 'liver-pill' and steady
cathartic' habit. He explains his
theory in this way. The man be.
gins taking the laxative to correct
his bad habits of life. Little by lit
tie he increases his dose as the di-
gestive mechanism grows less re-
sponsive to the stimulus, until pre-
sently an overdose sets his intes-
tines churning around with a vio-
lence never intended by nature.
Then, under this abnormal peristal-
sis, as it is called, the appendix be-
comes infected, and there's nothing
for it but the surgeons knife"
Would you have people run to
the doctor and pay two dollars
every time their stomach got lit
tie out of kilter?" asked Mrs. Sharp
less shrewdly.
run to the doctor; run to the
run TO the plumber; run
so long as you run far
enough and fast enough" answered
DIR. Strong with a smile. "A mile
a day at a good clip, or three miles
Of brisk walking would be the be-
of the readjustment. Less
food more slowly eaten and no
strong liquors would complete the
cure in nine cases out OF ten. The
tenth case needs the doctor; not the
newspaper-and-drug-st store pill"
But all patent medicines aren't
bad, are they?" asked Mrs. Clyde
Some have very good testimonials"
Bought or wheedled. Any medi-
cine which claims to cure is a fraud
and a swindle."
Don't tell me, young manr said
Grandma Sharpless. you doctors
are prejudiced against patent med
icines, but we old folks have used
EN- long enough to know which are
good and which are bad. Now I
don't claim but what the Indian
herb remedies and the ready re-
leifs' and that lot are frauds. But
my family was brought up on teeth
ing powders and soothing syrups."
Then you're fortunate" said DR..
Strong sternly, that none of them
has turned out to be an opium
flend."
The instant he said it, he saw,
with sharp regret, that his shaft
had sped true to the mark. The
clear, dark red of a hale old age
faded from Grandma Sharpless's
cheeks. Mr.. Clyde shot quick
glance Of warning at him.
And speaking of Indian rene
dies" went on the doctor glibly, II
remember as a boy"
stop a minute" said Grandma
steadily. THE truth is
MT going to hurt me. Or, if it does
hurt, maybe it's right il should. Il
had a younger brother who died in
a sanitarium for drug-habit when
he was twenty-four. As a child he
pretty nearly lived on soothing
syrups; had to have them all the
time, because he was such a nerv-
Gus little fellow; always having ear
ache and stomach-ache, until he
was eight or nine years old. Then
he got better and became a strong,
active boy, and a robust man. Aft
er his college course he went 10
Philadelphia, and was doing well
when he contracted the morphine
hablt-hOw or why, we never knew.
II killed him in three years. Do
yon thinks it impossible that the
soothing syrups--rve heard they
have morphine in them-had any
Thing to do with his ruin?"
Why Mrs. Sharpless," said the
Di her vary UaufIy 81 o,p ,.pI.. - "A