The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-10-31
THE PATIENT IS THE VICTIM
 OF NERVOUS IMPOSITION,

man aged 51 years who had always en- 5oyed good health began to fail in health. He could no longer work, play or take the interest l In life that he formerly did. He complained of the general symptoms that don't mean any, to the family physician, who listened to the mans own version and the version of his son and Wife and others. and told the patient he was suffering from-The Old Hokum Bunkem l tion." \
 | On this trick diagnosis the family ouack treated the patient for sveral months, and the patient kept feeling little better right along so-o-o-o one day some gilt edge stocks sneaked around and put his case up to another doctor who had been highly recommended by one of the patients gambling acquaintances. vaguely that his nerves certainly were in bad shape. so-o-o-o now listen. Graham, this is
 The patients son became indignant. Seemed the callow youth had been reading something that made him feel that the nervous" diag- man to go to young doctor he knew. one who had gained reputation as good diagnosti- This doctor o, examned the patient that the old gent had d serious heart impair ment and in his opinion would not live long, and left it with the family whether to inform the patient of the gravity of his condition. Within six months the patient died.
 Who is responsible for his death? asks his nervous imposition the quacks practiced on the patient. The physicians who were in at the death informed the family that had the patieht received the right care for the two years of his last illness his life might have been appreciably prolonged.
 don't know about that. We doctors are all pretty liberal in post-mortem progno nosis-when We are rviewing other doctors work. But the bitterness of the family of the patient is quite given to expressing bitterness about that sort of thing. The plain truth is, as I have repeatedly stated here and no one of any standing has patient the trouble Is just nerves" nervous exhaustion or anything of the sort the man is unworthy of the patients confidence. for there exhaustion" or nervous prostration," and mo- body knows this better than the quacks who public. This trick diagnosis is used sometimes by honest physicians to satisfy public curiosity about the nature of some famous or notorious Individuals illness-and when so used the trick Is jusihable, for of course the nature of the pa- tients illness is none of the publc's business But when the diagnosis is offered seriously to the patient or his family it means just one thing. It means the doctor doesn't know wha. ails the patient and is not honest enough to say Rest assured my medical colleagues will let me know if I'm wrong. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS No s. A. E. No AnsAer
 It seems Q lot of Scotch and Yankee readers cosins stamped enveIope os when writing to Dr Brady, and then they emit loud laments when the hard hearted old doctor fails to answer. Please, friends, abide by the rules. Tobacco and Oementia
 My brother, 2S. has been fin - hospital, a dementia prec0x case He likes to smoke cig- arets constantly, lighting one from the stub of the other, and never ccasing all day. What ef- feet has nicotine on the brain cells? (M. H. FL Answer-I don't know. but there is no ques- | ton that the excessive use of tobacco is in- furious. Tn such a case, it is as likely that the mental inferiority or deterioration accounts for the over-indulgence.
 Erythema Nodosum | Please give the meaning of the following medical term--I am not sure about the spelling but it sounds like arthcma nodosa. Is 1t dan. gcrous? What Is the remedy? (Nsiss J. E.l Answer-Erythema nodosum is an acute skin Inflammation with the appearance of painful nodes or swelltngs here and there. especially over the ehins. It Is commonly Associated with infectious arthritis If it were dangerous Ira not mention the condition here. A patient | with this condition requires medical care. Copyright. 1888. John r. pille Col