Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-05-27
ANEMlA OF THE YOUNG
By H. Addington Bruce

NEMIA-defciency Of red corpusces
a in the blood-has many causes and
may develop In persons Of any age.
But there is one type of anemia Of such fire.
quent occurrence in earlier life an so uni
form in causation that it might well be given
the distinctive name of anemia precox, or
anemia Of the young.
This anema is not in itself dangerous
condition. 1t is not akin, for example, to
the so-called pernicious anemia which still
constitutes a mystery battling to medical Scr
ence. Anemia of the young is usually read
lily controlled. 1t is, however, significant OF
state of affairs which, if allowed to con-
tinue, will pave the way for an illness that
may be serious.
Mostly it is a direct result of faulty hab-
it's of living, and especially Of faulty dietetc
habits Sometimes, to be sure, as in the
case of anemia developing in the fully
grown. it is a sign of a chronic infection To-
Called nthe teeth tonsils, nasal passages,
sinuses of the face, ror in some part of the
intestinal tract. This possibility should al
ways be kept in mind.
But as rule infection need not be in
eliminated to explain anemia of the young.
Let growing boy~or girl be kept too much
indoors be deprived or deprive himself or
herself of adequate exercise, or live on food
stufs deficient in iron, then anemia will fol-
low almost inevitably.
And the fact is that many young persons
live so unhygenically that they cannot avoid
becoming anemic and manlfest1ng the Varl-
Gus symptoms of anemia. One symptom
pallor-they may hide by the use of cosmet-N
les, mode Of concealment nowadays adopt
ed by numerous foolish girls even girls in
their early teens. But they cannot hide
their listlessness and their fatiguability.
Commonly their parents assume hat all
they need is rest-and rest does have
place in the treatment Of anemia of the
young More important, though, are fresh
air, sunshine, and systematic exercise out
doors, and most important of all is the IN
clusion in the diet of iron-containing FOODS.
Here is list of such tocds, In the order
Of their iron content
Spinach string beans cabbage, lean beet'
celery. strawberries, dried beans, eggs, to-
matoes, carrots, potatoes, beets, turnlps,
Graham bread, grapes, onions, raisins, hss'
oatmeal, prunes.
Merely to read this list should assist not
few young anemics-and some older ones
to understand why they are suffering from
anemia And they should not reassurlngly
tell themselves that they can cling to the
meanwhile bread-cake- pastry-candy diet they
prefer, and still conquer their anemla by
dosing themselves with an lron-containlns
medicine.
Physicians are beginning to doubt whether
medicinal iron has any direct upbuilding In
Guence. AS recently noted, for example, BY
DR.. Eugene i. Fisk
cit has been maintained that medicinal
iron is never absorbed as such, but merely
eXelts a slight influence In promoting ap-
sorption of iron in the food, or in stimulate
ing the blood-forming organs"
Besides which:
"Medicnal iron is likely to prove con-
stinating: but the iron-bearing foods, such
as Graham bread, whole wheat bread, whole
cereals, spinach and other greens, and fruit
Juices are laxative"
To eat good foods, to stay outdoors IN sum
shine as much as possible, to rest and TO
exercise with regularity, that is the course
of wisdom for all young anemcs-after they
have of course made sure that their anema
is not secondary to some infection.
Copyright, 1920