The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-12-29
GONE ARE THE DAYS WHEN THE DOCS
 pRONOuNCED THINGS


 | In the days of my youth in practice 1t was | the custom of the people of the countrywide,
 whenever we ordinary doctors seemed a bit
 puzzled or somewhat tentative about the di- | agnoss, to summon Bill Jones' let u8 call him, and Bill generally pronounced 1t whatever the
 majority of the attending physicians had thought it might be. When Bill rolled away in
 his calm, deliberate Stanhopo all was quiet on
 the surface. The folks were satisfied. Yet Bill
 was pretty awful doctor, even for his day. | remember 0 tlme when he and held council | over a very sick lad--hs patient. When we
 were closetod asked Bill if he had had Q
 Vidal test--the well known blood test for ty. thought for moment he was pulling my log. | but by gosh he really had never heard of 1t,
 tho test for his patient. Nevertheless, Bill kept | on pronouncing things In his ride" for many years as had his father and grandfather be-
 fore him, probably because they had gone be- fore him.
 l nm afraid some of our medical brethren still think they can pronounce things and get away with it. That is the only reason can sec
 for tho rather ridiculous attitude of many of | the older docs In respect to catching cold. AL though anybody with half brain knows | there is no such thing us "resistance" these
 fusty old fellows who are so careful to inform you they are "sclentihc" still continue to wrg- gle out of every corner by mumbling something
 Their fath In the efficacy of that Is like the | child's faith in crossed fingers to protect him against being tagged "it."
 My friend the miner, aged 63 says his work makes him appreciate fresh air and he sleeps In draft of good Colorado air every night. drawing his bed before the open window for that purpose. Ho believes this helps to keep him fit and well. He cites m article by u med ica woman who solemnly assured the maga-
 zlne readers that one may take cold from cold air, yet she advised them to air tho bedroom every day. The miner thinks this illogical, and l agree with him. he thinks it would be better
 10 keep tho bedroom window sealed up If there is any risk of being injured by the cold air.
 But at that tho lady doc is quite as consist
 ent as are any of the old women medical or health authorities of our own gender who teach the public n lot of hooey about this. For merly l enjoyed arguing with the old timers.
 But there is not much fun In 1t any more. When you pin ono down he can always squirm out Of 1t with some humble about resistance"
 or If 1t comes to pinch he can switch his
 common cold,' and in fact you can't get an old timer to commit himself in definition of what he means by "cold." I'll give 'em cred 1t for that-they're too foxy to tell just what they mean. The public is very gullible about 1t, you see The old timers have only to say Everybody knows what simple cold is." Yeh but if only we could find somebody who would dare to tell!
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Safety First for Singers The doctors say my tOnsils must he removed. chances of injury to my singing voice if the operation Is done by competent specialist? CT. R. E.)
 Answer-Even the best of them may injure the tissues adjacent to and perhaps adherent to the tonsls. This happens only in rare cases. As rule removal of diseased tonsils improves the singing voice. In your place should elect diathermy extirpation as safer than surgical tonsllectomy.
 Fibroid Tumor
 Is operation the only remedy for Abroid tn.
 mor of the womb? Can't this new dathermy
 method which you recommend for removing tOnsIs bc used for hbroid tumOr? co. H) Answer--In many cases fbroid tumor re- quires no treatment and does harm. In | some cases it is most satisfactorily treated with a series of X-ray exposures, which shrinkage of the tumor In perhaps a third of the cases the best treatment is surgical l operation. The endothermy type of dathermy
 may be used in any cutting operation where bleeding is to he avoided. It Is much used in
 goitre operations. brain operations. bladder
 operations
 Post Hoe PrOpter How do yOu explain ihe fact that so many
 persons get defective eyeslglit after they arc
 yasxinatesi. although they had no eye trouble
 before? (W. q. D.)
 Answer--It ls as difficult as explaining how SO many of 'em marry and have children after they are vaceinated. You can't pick a quarrel
 with me about vaccination, brother believe in it for myself; advise all parents To see that their children arc yaccinated in early infancy.
 Hut I'm absolutely AGAINST all compulsory vaccination. and ail dodges by means of'which health school authorities enforce vaccination on people who do not want il. (c0pyftght John Y. rule Co)