New Britain herald., 1925-10-31
Your Health
How to Keep tt
Causes Of Illness
BY DIR. HUGH S. CUMMING

| by DI' W NJ MlNS
Surgeon General. United States
Public Health Service
The term "anemia" Is usually as
sociated In our minds with pallor.
If person is pale. We are apt to
say he Is anemic.
1t Is true that anemia produces
pallor but not all pale people are
anemic nor are anemic people al.
ways pale.
| How do. doctors tell whether or.
not a person is anemic?
This Is done by an examination
Of the blood.
You will remember that you
learned at school that the blood Is
made up of red cells and white i.
cells suspended In a colorless fluid
called serum. The fluid which you
get in a blister Is mostly blood
serum. There may be a few white
cells in 1t, but no red cells, except
In the so-called blood blister.
There are in the normal adult
somewhere between five and a half
and seven millions Of red blood
cells in every cubic .millimeter of
blood and cubic millimetern Is
! about one-fourth OF Il medium
sized drop There are five TO eight
thousand white blood cells TO the
cubic n1illimeter. 80, a..
Finally, the color of the blood is
due 10 the presence IN the red cells
!. of substance called hemoglobjn.
In adults, as rule, the amount of
blood in the body Is approximately
: one-thirteenth of the body weight
but this may vary in different con-
tlitions
Now anonia means one or two
T.. things or both together.
In anernia there Is either a re-
ducton in the number OF red cells
per cubic millimeter or there Ia a
reduction in the amount OF coloring
2 matter or hemoglobin which these
5 red coils contain There may be a
reduction In both at the same time
- There are three general causes of
V anemia and one or more Of these
may always be determined to be
o operative.
Y. First, there Is loss of blood OF
y bleeding, leading to diiution Of
|. the blood with fluid, such as water
y taken up from the intestinal tract
| to give the blood volume. Some
IL times this fluid Is injected directly
l. into the veins. usually in the form
of salt solution. re-.
e Second, there may be actual de-
struction Of the red cells wl1icl,
u causes them to dissolve in the fluid
Is and disappear as cells -. spoken OF
'. as hemolysis.
u Finally. there may be disturb
l. ance, a detection in the manufac-
IL ture or the formation of red cells
q in the body.
1t Secondary anemias are those fol-
lowing hemorrhages OF varioua
kinds $500 those which occur In mall
Is nutrition or starvation or In chronic
10 infections. such as are called blood
poisonngs and In pyorrhea, mals-
J. ria. rheumatism. diphtheria and
other infectious diseases. and also
E. In poisoning by certain drugs.
er Among the secondary ancmias
a are listed also those caused by ami :
NAL parasites, such as hookworm
is and tapeworm.
H. Chlorosis a Common disease
er The loss of a pint of blood by an
or adult will produce some temporary
De anemia; the rapid loss of two pints
Of blood will produce a severe ane-
mia and the loss of two quarts of
lie blood may produce death. directly
or from anemia following. There is
ey only one anemia which will be
h. brought to your attention at this
IS time and this Is disease called
st chlorosis.
re Chlorosis is a fairly common dis
let ease in young girls. 1t is very i'm
ut portant that this condition should
It, be recognized early and properly
lie treated.
SO The disease develops generally al
dy about the age of IL to 16 - rarely
* as late as 90.
ng If untreated. chlorosis may last
Ie- many years and may interfere serf.
ously with school work. 1t is usual.
m ly fairly easy to cure but 1t may
return. 1t Is readily recognized b,
a competent physician early In 1t,
OIL course. but 1t may be unrecogniset
alt by parents. who do not understand
as- its significance.
The girls complexion will b.
pale with possibly In some cases 1
m greenish tinge, hence the name
I'VE She may be even heavier than nor
nd NAL in weight she tires easily
suffers from shortness of breath
he often dizziness and faintness: sh,
,to may have palpitation OF the hear
and sometimes swelling Of the feet
Ike The appetite Is variable and sh
may be nervous and emotional an,
IN may suffer from dyspepsia. -
The cause of ehlorosis Is IN
known.
The treatment should at all time
be directed by a competent physi
Led clan and will include proper diei
Tx. proper clothing (no stays). RESI-
i've and exercise II necessary. correc
lions of any defects or disease
lite. conditions of the teeth and the ad
ut; ministration of some standar
preparation OF iron,