Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-19

ao,nhia Association for the Prevention
nd Relief of Heart Disease has grown
out Of certain serious fact that Tor
.sr,e reason has escaped popular atten-
,,on that each year heart disease taxes
r,ore lives than either cancer or tupcr-
.r,oss. The figures for 1921 in Phi'a-
Sslpbia alone are representative:
>.r Deaths
Sapcer ..,...s.s. ..s''' go '''''' aotn
ppsussnIo heart disease ..."....... 827o
The association has opened head
.,orters at 1O11 Clinton street with
W., Mildred II. Strong ns executive
..oretory. and proposes to reduce not 10
urcb the ratio Of the figures as the hg-
ures themselves.
The situation that has given rise to
,ho association is not that heart disease
!. IN the increase. or that a world OF
..,,rovs iazz. automobile shows, psy-
esdhoonaiysis and prohibition has pro ;
S.,cad a generation of weak hearts, but
,hot modern methods of examination
snd diagnosis have enabled physicians
90 discover many thousands Of hearts
in need Of care and correction.
No Line OF Demarcation
As the study of heart diseases has
,rocressed Il has grown, like the study
- 1ental diseases and of tuberculosis,
~ ;n.rees singly less absolute. There Is no
innoer sharp line Of division between
,ba abnormal and the normal heart.
Aiso II is recognized that there are
~ two hearts. any more than two
minds. precisely alike. in their situation
and needs. and the association deduces
that in this city there must be thou :
sands OF persons whose hearts need
skilled observation. 1T
This problem subdivides itself two or
three times when IL Is understood that
uch persons are sacattered among
dozen social and occppational milieus.
Patients who may be found to have, car
diac weaknesses cannot be allowed 70
continue mt occupations that aggravate
these Weaknesses IL they and their
families are dependent on such occupa
tions the patients should be educated
into other occupations"
Rebuilding Is Essential
After patients who have suffered from
heart disease have been discharged from
hospitals there should be sort Of grad
ual preparation before they are allowed
10 resume routine work Of any sort
This in many cases may mean hardship
for their families unless there is tenn
porary relief from outside sources. Thus
the association proposes q sort of econ
omic adjustment bureau after the mode
set up by the Health Council.
There are similar associations in New
York and some other cities with which
this one Is to be affiliated by the crea
ton Of national association. The ex
perience of the New York Association
where the movement Is six years old
will be the guide for the work here
Most Of the apparatus Is already al
hand and needs but to be CO. ordinatet
and public interest and cooperation
assured
The organization of heart clinics ir
all, or nearly all, OF the city hospitals
is the first step. In fact, several hos
pitals have already such clinics. Eact
hospital and its staff of experts, viii
be intrusted with the relief of what
ever hearts are bowed down with
weight Of woe, or whatever else, within
its designated district.
Clinics to Be Opened
Persons known to have heart disor
ders will be persuaded to report at thu
clinic at suitable intervals, and Others
who may or may not have them will b.
encouraged to report at least once.
At these clinics will be made exam
nations not merely of the heart, bu
Of all other organs Of the body. II
these examinations the X-ray, the elec
tocardiograph and blood and urine an
found to be elsewhere than in the heart
the patient will be turned over to th
appropriate clinic.
Heart patients will be told what the,
may and may not do will be told, a
nearly as the physicians can guess it
now much exertion their hearts will tol
crate: A later date will be appointed
Tor the patients return to the clinic
and in the interval a social worker vii
visit him at his home and place of oc
cupation TO see if the instructions givei
az the clinic have been needed or neg
lscted.
Children TO Be Helped
Another important phase of the worl
contemplated by the association /
among the children of the publ
srnools' There is said to be much hear
disease among children. left In the wax
otdlphtheria OF and scarlet fever, and oftel
gnsuspected by parents. The virtue o
detecting even slight heart alteration
among children and correcting then
Oetore adult life is quite apparent.
The creation Of convalescent home
Will come In the course of time. Here
perhaps, will be the largest field 70
the vocational training that will hav
60 large place in the association
Undertakings. Chronic heart diseas
need not destroy ones value as wag
Garner or bread winner. for the ex
perience OF the New York association
mas shown that even persons of limite
ed9cation can be trained to certai
sedentary occupations that make n
severe demands on the heart.
The present plan is TO create an en-
aowment fund for these homes out @
the membership fees collected fror
physicians and laymen who join tn
association. The other expenses wi
De met by funds supplied from tn
Welfare Council