The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1921-12-16
Prophylactoeraphs
THE ABUSE or IRON.

malady. A large percentage of these
cases would be aneEnic, their faces
assuming that peculiar pallor COM
monty referred to as tatiow face"
Their systems were crying out for
iron. Then diet in most cases was
simply meat and bread. which fur
nished little of this needed element.
Owing to poverty and scarcity of
medicine. in many instances they
seemed to seek the remedy by intu-
ition. In one home you would find
a decoction made by soaking rusty
nails in vinegar. La another you
would find the iron filings collected
from the blaeksmith's anvil, while
in another you would zee crude sui
phate of iron made by holding the
Old-fashioned sulphur stick i'm con.
tact with a bar of iron heated white
hot. These crude forms OF the drug,
while inelegant. seemed to serve the
purpose fairly we'll. People do not
need go much iron under present
conditions because we understand
dietetics better and are provided in
most instances with balanced diet,
which provides ample quantities
in health. Then, too. the ravages
of malaria. with It's attendant de-
struction of red blood cells, has
been decreased in this section at
least rs per cent. hence there is no
such need for this element as in
former days.
We admit that we are taking en-
tirely too much iron in this section.
wells of the present day
furnish water with a high percent /
age of this element. unless they are |
sunk below and eased off from the
usual strata of supply. In addition
20 this. people are aocking to drug
stores for various Preparations.
OF the harm tisat may come OF
he indiscriminate use of this ele-
nent. all authorities agree. We will
luote DR.. Hare. a man with an in
ernational reputation. He says in
lis book on therapeutics:
1t is apt to cause gastric (stom-
CHI distress and frontal headache
n persons who are susceptible to its
lse. Even one dose will cause this
rouble in some patients. In many
instances the frontal headache will
,e found to be due to constipation
which has been brought on by the
ron, and will be relieved If mild lax
.tives or purges are used. The state
# the bowels should always be in
Iuired into when iron is being used
nd laxatives given when constipa-
ion is present. In rheumatic and
,outy persons frontal headaches are
common symptom when iron is
.iyen and purgatiyes will not gen
rally give relief.
"Garrod and Haig have shown
hat iron decreases the elimination
Il uric acid, and they think this may
ccount for the production of head
che in cases of rheumatic patients
Inder it's influence. Sometimes iron
reduces vesical irritation and a
onstant desire to urinate. causing
nucus to form in abnormal amount
n the bladder. In children its use
nav result in nocturnal incontinence
( urine"
From a careful reading of the
bove expert opinion. with which
bsolutely all authorities agree. you
yill agree that a word of caution is
imely for our people. many of whom
re drinking daily large quantities
{ artesian water impregnated with
on, in addition to getting it from
ther sources.
1t is not the object of the writer
, condemn artesian water. Our
lany artesian wells are great bless
lgs. for which We are grateful. and
Mould this article be construed to
lean thatit is dangerous to all, the
ritter will be misunderstood. The
ling we wish to impress with all
le force of which We are capable is
lat to some people it does cause
reat harm. So far as the writer's
is concerned. the great
It of the untoward symptoms emu
Ierated by Hare is headache, indi-
sstion and constipation When
lis train of symptoms occur the
lfferer takes great amounts of dras
C purgatives. which further adds
his misery.
ABERDEEN LIONS CLUB COMMIT