Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-02-03
How To Keep
Yourself Well

Q. My husband has been suffering
from heart trouble the last five
years. It's getting worse all the
time. When he walks too fast and
lifts too heavy he falls over in a
faint. His doctor last week said he
had an enlarged heart, but could not
say what from. He has had X-ray
taken of his teeth and has had one
tooth pulled out and another will
come out next Monday. but other
wise his teeth are solid for a man of
forty years.
We talked to a trained nurse, who
has a father that is a great doctor,
and she says enlarged heart comes
from too heavy and thick blood.
This nurse claims his heart stops
for that second when he faints until
the heart can pump that heavy
blood. Could you tell nae what diet
or medicine will thin out his blood?
A. The nurses explanation was
Incorrect or else you misunderstood
her. Enlargement of the heart
comes from some extra work It has
had to do. Perhaps the enlarge
ment was due to a leaking valve. or
there might be a ~roughness on the
valve which made some obstruction
to the flow of the blood, or there
might be some trouble with the
arteries. or kidneys. or even with
the liver, which would throw extra
work on the heart.
Anything which makes the heart
work harder Is liable to result in an
enlargement of the heart. The con-
dition Is very similar to that in the
muscles Of the arm. Every one is
familiar with the enlargement of
the muscles Of the arm as the result
Of heavy work.
There Is nothing to fear that the
blood is too heavy and thick. and
that you should thin 1t by diet or
medicines. A person suffering with
heart trouble should be under the
care of a qualified physician, but he
should be careful not to overexert
himself. and should avoid running.
hill climbing, stair climbing and
heavy lifting.
For details Of treatment the
PHYSICIANS advice should be follow
ed.
@. Is leakage of the heart and
valvular heart trouble the same as
heart murmur?" Am anxious to
have my tonsils removed but have
been told by my physician / have a
heart murmur and am afraid to take
an ~anaesthetic. What would you ad-
wise me to do?
A. They are not the same, though
very frequently the murmur is
caused by a leakage of the valves
or some other form of valvular
trouble. The "murmur" is the alb
normal sound made by the heart,
and is not necessarily due to any
form of valvular trouble. Thus in
anemia there is often a murmur
even though there Is nothing wrong
with the heart valves. A murmur
is relatively unimportant.
What Is important is the manner
in which the heart is able to carry
on its work evenS In the face of
handicaps. In other words. the de-
gree to which the heart can COM
pensate for the handicap, hat Is
heart is otherwise in good condition.
and If there is good compensation
an ~anaesthetic may, perhaps. be well
borne. Even then, however. the
anaesthetic should be administered
by an expert. You may also be in
terested to know that certain forms
of operation of amputating enlarged
| tonsils are done without an anaes-
thetic.
Q. I have been unable to do work
for two years and over. Had the
uu, ana now nave ~lllulscsliOH very
bad, but I am also troubled with
something in my breast. When l
walk any distance, my breast just
aches and pains and my heart just
aches and pains and beats very.
very fast. My head aches. limbs
tremble and runs to the small of the
back. When I stop and sit down
or lie down. I get better. I do not
eat well, do not sleep much. and
jerk so all over my body. / am very
nervous. Please give me informa-
ton as to what to do.
A. 1t is not possible merely from
your letter to tell what nay be the
nature of your ailment. The very
rapid heart action and distress on
exertion might be due to some or
ganic heart trouble.
Rapid heart action, shortness of
breath, nervousness. sleeplessness
and other symptoms also occur in
disorders Of the thyroid gland.
Finally. it may be mentioned that
distress about the heart is often ex-
~perienced as a result of indigestion.
especially when there is much fiat
ulence.