Omaha daily bee., 1916-04-27
Tragedy of
an Appetite
ny DIR. ROBERT WATSON,


A little boy who brought bis mothers
hottie to the dspensary 10 be rsfilled
vas asked by the wearied Doctor
What's wrong with your mother?' For
moment his face was blank, then he
caught an Idea and frightened. II think
Il think she's got the appetite" he ssid,
I Whether the mother really had the
+ complaint am not able to state; but
"Gharlottc W." has It and has II IN 80
serious form that she writes 70 implors
aid Her letter runs
| Il am troubled very much with a glut.
tonous appetite. never know when I've
l had enough TO cat I've tried aud trie1
/ to be moderate, but ! can't help myself,
4 II iln't that cat dainties, or want them
/ II II Ia only bread and tea ] am Just tho
same, never knowing when 20 stop I
think II must bo a disease. VIII you
please toll me II II IL or notY And what
should do or take7 | feel that life 10
not worth living, and ! do want to be
tsm3Cra 9. am only 20 and have worked
hard alwaye.'
sTfat is an epistle Of despair. but uhs
signs H. yours hopefully
At 3D a hard worker " entitled 10 eat
/ freely; and of the last two, I would say
+ that girl of % needed more uolrlshmant
4 than lad Of the same age Growth AM
development csll for matenalb Work
means the combustion of nourighmen',
( On all counts, there must he q big de
nand fer food 10 meet every requirement
and make sure that no part of the system
rs penalizod and that the evolution Of the
proper woman or proper man goes on
evenly and satisfactorily.
! 4 house building means q vast deoi Of
things. but tho bodybuilding means NOR
( IN proportion; and whereas tho archi.
tect's specifications. enable exact guam
| tiii's Of particular things 10 be brought
| for the purpose 20 the house. your body
\ mas 10 pick its needs out Of the mass Of
food you offer; and the matter 10 com.
\ plicatod by tho fact that your building
is ell the while living on1 acting, and
needs fuel and the whereuitbni 10 effect
repairs nnd improvements.
Therefore ] would commend to Char
/ lotte W. the old proverbs, Never be
ashamed TO cat your meat and ia.
~ pleasure. drink by measure incline
70 believe that the truths buried In say.
| inss Ike more die by food than by fam
ine" eni SPIT Kills more than splgot."
MD "Gluttony Kills more than ire sword"
ard They are ro,er good who mind their
ielly too much." arc aimed st thoss
omong the eldorly who appear TO live
10 rat
IL such an appetite dIseasef the letter
aaka. That would be for a doctor who
had examined Charlotte W." to answer.
! H. studying the maid. her meals her
work, he could not reconcile the amount
consumed with the other facts Of her
case, he would be forced 10 conclude that
abe hod-not disease exactly, but--a
symptom which pointed NJ disease And
the symptom has name. Older books
enll II "Bulimy," modern scientific works
srell II az "Bullma' and the word cornos
from Greek words for "ox" and Hunger"
II Charlotte W." Is a victim Of or
hunger. she wants 70 know what 70 do
or take" Irrcyerent readers may whisper
obout grass and hay heing Just the thing
fer her complaint, but the matter may
be too serious for testing. Bulimia is a
symptom Of disepse, not disease IN g.
self That means that bulrnia may oc-
cur IN a number Of diseases, ard that
other symptoms must be found (mors
elues) TO narrow suspicion down TO such
fine point that the real source OF her
excessive appetite may be identified. Doss
''charottes" letter contain a hint OF
other symptoms?
For one thing think IT, proves her
body stronger than her mInd-her muscles
ere better than her nervous system She
oonfesses that though she has tried AMI
tried she cannot overcome this appetite
even bread and tea can wreck her best
resolves. But she always works hard
she is vigorous. but weak-willed. Then
in one dip of her pen she declares life
mot worth living" and with the next
sho signs quite hopefully"
Now. OF the many diseases in which
you may find bullmia. one great group
Of diseases includes such nervous all
ments as hysteria. ncurasthenia (nervous
febility). epilepsy. brain tumors and in
sanity. "charlotte's' letter is too alert
too concise for the last OF these. but I
think Il probable that her nerves may be
out OF order. She may be a little hys.
teroal and debllltated. only throw out
tho hint Let her be good to her nor-
vous system avoiding excitement. aiming
TO live without worry. denying herself
tea and coffee in favor OF cocoa or milk,
gplng early 10 bed, perhaps having a cold
bath or a cool sponge all over before she
dresses OF a morning, and IN general liv.
lng the simple life And II IN month
or thereabouts her appetite is still ire
sstiblc, | would strongly advise Char.
lotte W, to bring her case before Local
doctor.