The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-04-22
ALL THAT >,HEEzEs IS NOT ASTHMA

Asthma is-well, frankly nobody knows just what 1t is or why, but anyway the condition IS 1 a periodic one. like migraine or epilepsy While a spell, seizure attack is on. there is little difficulty in seeing what ails the patient. But between spells nothing whatever ails the pa tient so far as ordinary observation or med ical examination, or the patients own sensa- tions can show. That is the characteristic fea- ture which distinguishes asthma. as physicians call it. from other diseases in which wheezing or difficult breathing happens to be prom inent symptom. A lot of people assume they have asthma when in fact they have no such thing. Many of these take what purports to be good treatment for asthma when the treatment can't possibly help them even If it is good for asthma But then we might say virtually the same thing for numerous other ailments-ln- deed that is why the most successful nostrums purport to be good for so many different com plaints; the manufacturers kindhearted scoun- drels, want to give customers plenty of liberty in the matter of their ailments, as long they all ask for the same medicine. Thus the nos, trum makers keep customers senses benumbed without all the fuss and bother of using lot of different dopes for the different complaints One reader writes that he has had asthma for 20 years. He was miner for many years He still can work outdoors. though he breathes hard and wheezes when he has to walk any distance and he coughs and coughs and raises much phlegm and has rattling noise in his throat
 Obviously the man hasn't asthma at all. but rather anthracosis or chronic bronchitis or chronic lung inflammation from the coal dust deposited in his lungs in the years he was en- ployed a miner.
 do not know what the record duration for an attack of asthma is, but we may safely say it's is not more than few weeks at the longest. Anybody who purports to suffer constantly, over a period of months and years with asth- ma. is in error, that's all The usual duration of an attack of asthma, is hours or days. When the attack is over, the patient is perfectly well. at least there is no wheezing or other difficulty in breathing
 If this seems quibbling about a technical question, my motive is better than you think. There is little we can do for victim or anthra- cosis for example. There is good deal we can do for an asthma sufferer when we are sure his trouble is bronchial or spasmodic asthma, as doctors call it. and not. some other wheeze
 Difficulty in breathing occurs in many cases of heart disease, lung, pleural and bronchial affections, anemia, and sometimes from kidney disease. It Is unfortunate for the welfare of the with asthma
 One may have any of these other diseases and still be subject to genuine asthma, of course.
 A characteristic of the difficult breathing of true asthma is that the dificulty is only with expiration or breathing out Indeed the sufferer is obviously too full of air and emparrassed 10 exhale 1t.
 To the best of our knowledge asthma is a neurosis akin to nligraine, epilepsy and hives I don't know the cure for jt. but in many cases a course of calcium lactate, ten grains three times day for period of eight or ten weeks seems beneficial.
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
 Sherman Said It
 
 Sherman on his march to the sea wrote his wife: "It is q general truth that men exposed to the clements don't catch cold and have not heard a man cough or sneeze for three months, but were the same men to go into houses. in n month the doctor would have half of thcm." This was written in February. 1883. "Numbers of the men had been marching barefoot Thousands had split boots and tattered cloth- ing" (Nirs ID. U. L)
 Answer-Thank you. All actual evidence is against the theory superstition that expo sure to cold or wet causes or predisposes to cretain disease. Our men in the trenches In France and Belgium observed the same truth.
 The Diaphragm and High Blood Pressure
 Received your instructions on Belly Breath Ing four months go. My blood pressure was so high the doctor told me take six breaths lying on my right side. and six lying my left side. It is wonderful how much relief have obtained I am 03 years old and feel % per cent younger. (W. F. Ra
 Answer--The regular daily practice of the Belly Breathing exercise helps to prevent or reduce high blood pressure. Send stamped en- velope bearing your address and ask for the Belly Breathing insiructions
 (copyrisht John r. pillc co)