The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-08-06
THE CRAZE FOR DRAINING SINUSES

When I asserted in a series of articles here two three years ago that the tonsl removing business had become q scandal, some of the all l around specialists (al1eged specialists in dis | eases of the eyes, ears, nose and throat) did
 considerable snarling and scolding about it, | in a quiet way, not for publication and under promise of secrecy. Here and there some of our writing colleagues took q vicious wallop at me, but nothing to do any harm at all. kept right on criticzing the excessive and unwarranted tonsl operations. Of course don't know how | much effect my nasty little attacks on these | evils may have, but 1 do believe the medical
 profession is swinging back from the orgy of
 practice in dealing with this question, have | heard many good physicians express them
 selves quite frankly-I can't quote them, but the purport of their remarks is that tonsillec- tony is a rather poor gamble at best. Under stand, do not imply that tonsils should not be removed when they are evidently doing harm. I'd have mine out, assure you if l suspected
 they were causing q lame shoulder anyth hing |-only I'd have no crude surgery for mine
 I'd toddle down to the office of a doctor who ex-
 tirpates em with dathermy.
 Now that the tonsillectomy fever is subsiding,
 it seems lot of these all-around specialists
 bidding for public patronage find some of their
 mornings bit dul what with only q few ton
 sillectomies at the hospital, so they have taken
 to draining sinuses
 If you once get into the consulting room
 of an all-around specialist and admit you have
 any little trouble about your head, trunk or limbs, it is fair bet he will have your access sory or paranasal sinuses X-rayed, and If the negatives show little cloudiness somewhere you will come off with that sinus drained for
 the time being.
 Now I tell you frankly, folks, if I had a whale of a pain or terrible pressure some
 thing might submit to such exploration of the suspected sinus myself, but otherwise I'd take
 the eager specialists advice under considera- tion and sleep it a week two before let ting him go ahead with his sinus drainage. There are thousands of victims, many thous- ands of them, running-yes, running around in comparative misery since they acquiesced in q weak and unwarry moment to a puncture of | q slnus by some snappy eye-ear-nose and throat Not all the charlatans are so branded you know. We have quite few of em, the veriest quacks in our regular ranks, doctors who main tain good standing in the profession for the very purpose of attracting better classes of pa
 tients and exploiting them when they come. estimate-mind, l have no actual statistics -I estimate that two out of every three sinus
 drainages being done day unjustfabe. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Come On, Cotton
 In view of your comments on the dust nus-
 ancc and the injury to the health of employees of the pOstOfIicc, from the use of the cheap
 sllOddy twinc, I thought you would be interest,"
 cd in the announcement that the postoiIicc de-
 pertinent Is now experimenting with a better twfnc. (B. II. R.)
 Answer--rhank you. The newspaper item says the post stofice department is advertising for of the jute now in use In behalf of thousa nds ! of mail handlers. not to mention a few million patrons, l say Come on, Cotton, we've had
 enough wheezing and coughing from this econ Omical twine."
 After My Operation
 Kindly tell me whether or not 1t would be in furious for d person who had appendicitis
 operation six months ago to take exercises sucI,
 as deep breathing. belly breathing bending to
 floor, rotating in circle at walstlinc, and kicking
 heels head? (Niiss $. r. O.
 Answer-Unless your doctor specifically in-
 structs you other wise, 1t is advisa ble to resume your regular exercise within two weeks after
 such operation. In fact it Is probably better for | most patients to begin belly breathing and leg raising exercises while still In bed a few days physician We're on the Air Now I am cigar smoker. I have an idea that | every time I smoke 1t affects my gums, seems | to soften them they bleed easily. Maybe il would not be ethical from the tobacco peoples | standpoint, but I wonder if you can tell me what effect cigar smoking has on the gums and | teeth. P. r. J.) | Answer-As not on the air may say that in my opinion 1t has effect though you should consult your dentist. Spongness and bleeding of the gums may be from some gen. eral condition, or from faulty nutrition, or from local disease Of the teeth or gums A droI of very dilute solution of epicac on the tooth brush or in a mouthwash once or twice daily often relieves such trouble. Such dilute solu- ton is, say. one drop of fluid extract of epicac I in ounce of water.
 Aw, Ma. Don't COldlc the Infant I am 20 years old, six feet tall and weigh 1SO | pounds. Yearly examination shows my health | fine. But mother insists that bundle up and | wear IVn even when 1t is not cold. (B. S., JP.) Answer-Give Mother a great big Ina ha and do as you please about unbundlng or leaving off the lid. A man must break such ties sooner ] or later.