The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-26

The important factor of climate |
which favors recovery from consump-
tion is 4 number of hours per day the |
patient may comfortably live in the |
open air.
Nearly every victim of pulmonary |
tuberculosis feels that a change of
climate offers the best opportunity OF
getting well. This too frequently leads |
the misguided invalid to journey to
some distant place in a vain search
for a climate which will cure him in
some mysterious way. And unfortu-
nately there are still physicians who
encourage the patient without eau
tioning the patient about many things
which are essential for recovery.
First, has the patient sufficient funds
to pay his raildoad fare, to employ
good medical services in the new
home, to buy wholesome, well cooked
food, and to live without worry for a
year? If not, the chance of regaining
health is better at home.
If the stage of the disease is such
that work may be done without harm,
or possibly with benefit, is the patient
assured that work will be available in
the new home? II the choice happens
to be a resort where many other tuber-
culosis patients go, there is likely to
be keen competition for the jobs which
q consumptive naturally prefers
open air work. And if it proves neces-
sary to accept some indoor job, or some
outdoor job demanding too great eX-
penditure of strength. it would be far
better for the patient to remain at
home.
Beware Of Homesiekness.
@-*. Has the patient ever been away
from home before? Is he likely to be
hOmesick among strangers? Home
sickness is a bar to recovery from any
disease. If inconsistencies is to be the
unhappy travellers lot he might far
better content himself with the open
air life in his own back yard, or on
the porch or on the roof, where he can
see his friends and be happy.
win it be possible for the patient
to make his new home his permanent
residence? When recovery does occur,
that is. when the tuberculosis process
Is arrested or when the patient is
apparently cured,' as doctors say
for it is an axiom that once tn
berculOsis. always tuberculosis--it is
best for the unfortunate one to make
the place his permanent home. If he
returns to the old home and the old
mode of life, the arrested tuberculosis
may light up at any time. Hence it is
always better. if possible, to remain a
resident of the place in which recovery
has occurred.
While the cure may be pursued with
more comfort and, perhaps with more
enthusiasm in a favorable climate, it
Is nevertheless a fact, that if the pa
tient can and will live the open air
life in his own home his chance of
recovery is as good as it would be any
where in the wide world
Diabetie Would Be Own Doctor.
! have been pronounced diabetic by
two different physicians, who found
from three to six per cent sugar.
would very much like to go at m,
trouble in a businesslike way and make
my own tests, SO that l can regulate
my diet accordingly. Could you tel
me where l can obtain books that will
teach me how to make the necessar,
tests and regulate the diet? (E. +. r.
Win you kindly outline a suitabl,
diet for a woman IS years old who has
diabetes and is informed that there is
no cure for that disease? q. Al
Observation-Disclosures is not a disease
entity, but a symptom. 1t consists of {
reduced capacity to metabolizc Ger,
tain kinds of food. 1t Is neither cur
able nor incurablc; that is to say, a:
rule, the metabolism of -carbohy
dratcs. (starches and sugars) remains
defective for life, although by inteili
gent study the doctor may determin,
the individuals limitations of toleranc,
and prescribe a limited number O
calories. and if the patient will abid
by this the symptom may be controlle,
indefinitely While a. patient migh
learn how to test the urine for glu
cose. no book can teach him how +
determine a safe diet. That is a yer,
difficult matter even for the trained
physician. To begin with, a fast o
several days is necessary to clear tn
blood and urine of glucose and keton
poison. 1t would be inadvisable for
diabetic to attempt an absolute fas
of three or five days without medica
supervision. A diet alleged to be ap
propriate for diabetes in any or man
cases is very futile guessWork. TIL
diet must be worked out to fit the toll
erance of each individual case
,. quantity which is eNceedingly yariabl,