The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1928-11-08
Stomach Trouble" Badly
Abused, Science Says
Medicine Suitable for One Person
Would be Hazardous for
Another

st. Paul, Nov. 6-PeOple nave
become so accustomed to the term,
stomach trouble" that many of
them do not realize the Importance
of finding out just what is wrong
before restoring to treatment, the
health committee of the Minneso-
ia State Medical Association de-
clares in a bulletin.
The committee points out that
stomach trouble" may be caused
by any one of a number of all
ments and that remedy to relieve
one sufferer under this genera
classification may be exceedingly
harmful to another, who although
also having stomach trouble may
be afflicted with altogether a diff
ferent form of disease.
Stomach trouble may be caused
by ulcers, which although usually
yielding to treatment in the earlier
stages, may develop into such a
serious condition that an operation
is necessary to repair the damage
to the stomach wall, the committee
says. The committee points out
that acid stomach juices, which aid
in digestion, are a decided handi-
cap in treating ulcers in that they
prevent these stomach sores from
healing.
The lining of the stomach is par
ticularly adapted to resist action of
these stomach acids, the committee
says, and declares that almost ev-
erybody can attest to the acidity
of the stomach fluids through per-
sonal experience.
Several things may happen in
these ulcer cases." the committees
bulletin says. "The mucous men,
brane which forms the lining of
the stomach may succeed in grow
ing together. If this does not hap
pen soon, nature tries to make up
for the membrane by forming scar
tissue. Sometimes the digesting
eats into the scar so that hole is
made through the stomach wall.
This allows an escape of food and
juices into the abdomen most
serious complication demanding
immediate operation. Sometimes
blood vessel in the ulcer ruptures,
and the person has sudden severe
internal hemmorrage. Again, the
complication may be contracting
scar. If the ulcer is at the pylor
us, this makes the opening of the
stomach too small for food to pass
on into the intestine. Such a COM
plication may get so bad that the
person slowly starves to death. He
may eat we'll, but food just stays
in the stomach until vomited back.
When such a condition arises, an
operation making a new opening
between stomach and intestines of
ten makes a new man out of
chronic invalid.
"The more common course is to
have none of these complications,
but year in and year out, more or
less Stomach trouble This is typ
ically feeling of discomfort COM
ing one one half hour or two hours
after meals. 1t tends to get worst
until it is a sharp gnawing pain
in the pit of the stomach, seeming
to go straight through to the back.
There may be vomiting "A fact
that at first seems curious is that
eating something after the dis
comfort begins often gives relief,
even just drinking water may do
SO. Taking soda usually does! TAX
ing most anything not acid helps.
The explanation, however, is so
simple that anyone with even
rudimentary knowledge of chemis-
try can understand it. The stom-
ach is not well supplied with nerves
of sensation. Although an ulcer is