The Washington times., 1933-10-12
HENS TO NECKLNES ARE REVEALS OF VICTORIAN ERA
Secrets OF
Health
By DIR. LOUIS E. BISCH
Organic Heart Disease Always
Potentially Dangerous at Least
=. Copyright, 1893. King Features

P0tentlally Dangerous at Least
zee Copyright. 1888, King Features
Syndicate, IncS
We all know that heart dis.
ease claims an increasing
number of victims each year
One reason is that some PEI.
pie live at too fast and tense
a pace. Another is that many
are careless even after they
know the heart is damaged.
A third reason is that hun
dreds of men and women are
suffering from heart disorders
but do not even suspect it.
Many varieties of heart
trouble exist. For purposes of
convenience, as well as clarity,
these may be divided into
functional and organic de-
rangements.
Functional disorders do not
endanger life. Among these
may be mentioned palpitation,
rapid heart, a heart that skips
beats, etc. But organic heart
disease is always a danger, po-
tentially at least.
Proper Care.
Nevertheless, even if changes
have taken place in the struc-
ture of the heart itself and
serious impairment of func-
,tion has resulted, no person
need have fear provided he
takes care Of himself and fol.
lows the rules which his physi-
clan lays down for his par
ticular type of case.
In fact, the individual with
chronic heart disease is more
likely to die of some acute NAL
ady than he is Of heart trouble.
He must, however, have himself
examined at regular intervals.
Often, indeed, due to such per-
Sonal care, a person lives longer
than if he had had no heart
trouble at all. In other words,
knowing that he must be care
full about his diet, exercise, work
and possibly his designations, he
leads a more hygienic existence
than otherwise. Thus he builds
up an unusually strong resist
ance to ordinary diseases which
kill so many others.
Valvular trouble is among the
commonest Of the heart upsets.
Here the cup-like shutters which
permit the blood to flow from
one of the hearts chambers to
another, do not close tightly.
AS a result more or less back
flow of blood takes place. This
condition is popularity spoken of
as "leaky heart"
"COmpenSating"
AS a matter of fact, If the
heart muscle-that is, the heart
mass disadvantages sufficient
ly to meet this handicap, one
or more leaky valves does not
matter. In such cases the heart
contractionS are stronger and,
despite the back-flow, sufficient
blood is pumped through the
system at regular intervals to
maintain state of health. One
then says that the heart is
"compensating."
Although physicians are high
ly skilled in the use of the
Stethoscope, by means of which
instrument heart sounds are
heard louder and clearer than
with the ear alone, minor
changes in organic structure
m ay exist which can be de-
tected only by means of an
electrical device called the
"cardiograph." With this deli
cate instrument even trouble
with the coronary arteries
which supply nourishment to
the heart muscles, may be de-
tected.
Congenital disorders of the
heart also exist. These may
or may not be of serious
nature.
Dangerous heart derange-
ments do not, of course, start
all Of a sudden. An illness,
like rheumatic fever or influ-
enza, as we'll as an infection,
Of the general living condi-
tionS Of the patient maybe
the cause. It behooves every
one. therefore, to watch this
living pump" closely. The
sooner one knows what is
wrong with it the better.