The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-22
Popular Hedlth 4 AdUice

of the child, and produce chronic con- ditions which are difficult to overcome. ' The two major mistakes which the amateur makes in administering an enema involve the use of a hard nozzle instead Of soft rubber tube and the holding too high of the vessel contain ing, the fluid The pressure increases when the bag is held too high, and this causes dilation and pain. If the vessel is held lower a. little more time may be required to complete the procedure, but the results will be more satisfac- tory, @...,.. < ... >. .:... ,..s :, :. .,. The other undesirsbilities : of home care, of the child include swabbing of the throat, which frequently results in injury to .the delicate tissues or Athe overlooking of a. serious condition such as diphtheria. It is almost hopeless to make, a child submit to atomizing of it's throat and yet the mother. will and there is$a specific. remedy for such
 mouth in order to force few drops of where in the vicinity of the tonsils. If the child has learned ofiits. own accord to garSle it may be amused with this procedure with equally satisfactory re- suits. x. ~-s t3f. l.;%1
 The remedy that puts the child to sleep too easily probably contains something that the child is better off without as d part tof. regular diet.
 7 The cough medicines of the days be fore the food and drugs acts; were heavily loaded with. derivatives of opium and other h1bit-produc drugs. The cough medicines of today are prob ably harmless, since they contain only
 mild, laxatites and heavy syrups, but by the same token they are also use lesss, And the careless mother comes to put her reliance on the regular spoonful of medicine and to, overlook the proper individual attention. to the child, including its proper bathing diet; and the airing of it's bedroom. @,. t .,
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ",s
 ,- Rubber COrsets
 B. J. R. asks < "Would you be good enough to inform me 1.-the rubber gar ments sold for reducing purposes are injurious in any way Corsets and bras sferes, for instance, are being put Ion the market and seem to be creating a big demand among the trade. They are supposed to be made. of pure gum rubber and worn. next to the skin. I am, cosetiere and interested in the surgical ee stic industry, but know nothing of the. pure rubber and it's action on the skin. The few physicians have talked with are frank to say they do not Know and referred me to you,' ,y~,s < ss.
 Answer.-The chief effect of wear. ing rubber garments next toNthe skin is that they. retain the. perspirati tion on the surface. If this is overdone, it often produces irritation of the skin. The contact with rubber itself might pro. duce irritation, but this is. very. un- common effect. Used with ordinary precaution, rubber next to the skin is not likely to do any harm. It, how ever, deesi no good. It does not in crease sweat, it simply causes its re tention on the surface. It does, not cleanse the skin. It has no effect what ever in reducing weight. | 3 The chief functions of the sweat are, first, to provide for the regulation of temperature by evaporat tion,; second, to keep the skin soft, by keeping it moist and fabricated. The first pur- pose is defeated by rubber garments, the sole action of which is to prevent evaporation. This does no great harm unless used to the extent of preventing evaporat tion over most of the body. The second function is overdone by putting on, rubber garment. There is stif- ficient, moistenihg of the skin by ordi- nary sweating without providing ard- ficially for its retention on the sur face. All this excessive sweat is mac erating to the skin, and in that Xwsy makes it less resistant and more. likely to be externally damaged. &e. '.
 - - .,. ;