Charlevoix county herald., 1916-11-10
LOCAL INFECTION
EXPLAINS ILLS
Battling Eye Affections, Joint ALL
ments, and Even Appended
tbs Accounted For.
DOCTORS ADMIT LAY WISDOM
High Priests Of Medicine No Longer
Regard Patients Diagnosis as Mere
Superstition-Tonsi and Teeth
at Bottom Of Trouble.

New York.-Recent experiments, In
vestigations, and experimental treat
ment In the domains of medicine and
surgery have led to "a solution of many
of the hitherto puzzling problems OF
medical science. Physicians are be-
ginning to realize that many general
constitutional disturbances which baf-
fled their skill are still due to small
local foci of infection. When these
are removed their patients soon re-
cover, sometimes, indeed, with aston
ishing rapidity.
How recent the realization of the
real solution of these medical mys-
teries Is may be judged from the fol-
lowing editorial comment In the New
York Medical Journal:
For many years 1t was thought
that we were well acquainted with bac-
terra and their vagaries, but recently
we have discovered that there remains
much to be learned. OF the various
activities of bacteria the most interest
focal infection. BY this is meant a
small, more or less quiescent point of
disease, which, although 1t causes no
local disturbance, gives rise to symp-
toms elsewhere In the body.
Most Important Manifestation.
probably the most important of
these manifestations Is the involve
ment of the various joints of the body.
If we pick up our textbooks to read
about arthritis, the chances are that
we shall be much discouraged, not
only by the unfavorable prognosis,
but also by our inability to determine
the cause.
others, however, we are fast realizing
that small collection of bacteria may
be responsible for the joint condition,
and we are also discovering the fact
that the only way to accomplish much
good is to attack the primary focus.
"At present the capable physician is
no longer content to give antipyrethics
in expectation of a marvellous cure. If
patient now gives history of chronic
and painful joints, the first thought of
his physician should be focal infec-
ton. To determine the presence or
absence of such a condition Is not al
ways an easy task, and outside aid,
particularly the Roentgen ray, will
have to be called upon.
TonsiIs and Teeth.
"The tonsils may be diseased, or,
what is very common, there may be in
lection at the roots of the teeth. This
last Is a frequent condition and may
be present without local indications.
1t is also interesting to note that
many infiammatory conditions of the
eye are directly referable to dental
infections. This has long been recog-
considered to be mere superstition by
the medical high priests.
after removal of the focal infec-
ton the patients rapid recovery, in
many instances, Is little short of mar
velous. In most cases no further treat
ment seems TO be necessary, the joints
cease to be painful, and the GONZALES
cent goes on his way rejoicing.
"That bacteria in the foci cause the
distant lesion has been proved so
many times that there can now be no
doubt as to the causal relation. The
isolated organisms, when injected into
experimental animals, show a special
affinity for tissues similar to those in
volved in the original instance. A joint
will be attacked, an eye become in
volved, even the appendix will sue
cumb, according to the affinity shown
in the first case.
'"The more thoroughly the matter is
investigated, the clearer 1t becomes
that focal infection seems to explain
satisfactorily certain of the hitherto
unsolved problems of medicine"