The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-10-12
Let Our Motto Be
GOOD HEALTH
by DR.. LLOYD ARNOLD
Professor Of Bacterioloey and Preventive
Medicine. University Of Illinois.
College of Medicine.
HEALTHY HEARTS FOR
YOUNGSTERS


congenltally deformed heart. There Is
structural deformlty in the heart
and these babies do not live until
their first birthday. Nothing can be
done to help them.
After the first year the heart dis
eases are due to bacterial invasions OF
the heart and can be thought of as
direct heart poisoning. The deaths
from this cause begin to be more fire.
quent after the first three years of
life. This period, up to puberty, Is
the time when the infectious diseases,
such as diphtheria, scarlet fever, and
measles are most prevalent. This Is
also the period In which children have
frequent head colds and sore throats
The tonsils and adenoids are ac-
cumulations of lymph tissue at the
back of the nose and In the throat
The bacteria growing in the nose and
throat during head colds and sore
threats become lodged in the adenoids
and tonsils. This causes an enlarge
ment of these lymph glands and the
enlarged adenoids lead to the typical
mouth breather because they close up
the back part of the nose and make
breathing through the mouth easier
than through the nose. After the head
cold or sore throat disappears, we can
still oftentimes find numerous disease
producing bacteria In the enlarged
tonsils and adenoids. Many Of these
bacteria belong to the group of germs
called streptococci. One of the main
reasons why physicians recommend
the removal of enlarged tonsils is be-
cause they contain bacteria that are
| very harmful to the Individual.
Infectious heart disease is due to
an infection of the heart by bacteria.
These bacteria usually pass from the
nose and throat into the body and
| lodge In the heart Rheumatic fever
belongs to this group of heart dis
eases. Joint pains, muscle pains,
chorea or ST. Vitus dance, are all
part of a rheumatic fever picture.
Severe sore throat with fever, fol-
lowed by enlargement of the glands
| in the side of the neck, are indica-
lions of infection of the throat with
a group of bacteria capable of caus-
ing heart disease under certain con-
ditions.
Young children with heart disease
| need absolute rest in bed until the
acute symptoms subside. This Is di-
| ficult to do because these children
are not In pain and naturally want
to play. But they become easily ex-
hausted and the heart condition may
become gradually worse until perma-
nent damage Is done. Many Of the
deaths from heart disease In the first
decade of life are due to neglected
cases of rheumatic fever with cardiac
complications
Heart disease sometimes follows
| diphtheria, scarlet fever and measles.
Kidney trouble also follows these in
| fectious diseases at times and Is due
to the same group of bacteria that
cause cardiac damage. After child
RECEIVERS from any of these in
fictitious diseases, the heart is some
| times weak for a few, months but
careful supervision will lead to re-
covery. In these instances the weak
ness Is due to toxins poisoning the
heart during the attack of the dis
ease If the heart is allowed to rest,
little damage will result and the child
will not be handicapped in future life
by weak heart.
| TI,o boort ,1r, IF nofm0rlx
of muscle fbers that are Joined to
| each other These muscles contract
about 72 times per minute, and they
rest between each contraction. Thus
they have definite period Of work
and definite period Of rest. Dur
ing fever, due to diphtheria, scarlet
fever, measles and sore throat, the
heart beats faster than normal and
hence the resting period between each
beat is shortened. This causes an ex-
haustion of muscle fibers. 1t Is just
the same as If you worked 20 hours
day with only 2 or hours rest.
After any illness associated with
high temperature and fast heart rate,
the heart should be examined to see
that it has fully recovered from the
strain. The child should not return
| to school the day after a spell of
fever but should be kept in bed for
few days to allow the heart to rest.
Strenuous muscular exercise, such as
running, jumping and playing, will
throw a tremendous strain on an al
ready exhausted heart. Sometimes
there is a fatal outcome Immediately
following such strenuous efforts made
by the exhausted heart muscles.
1t is very difficult to cure heart dis
ease. 1t is much easier to prevent 1t
and the prevention should start early
In life. The first ten years Is not
too early to begin to take measures
to insure healthy. normal heart that
will perform its functions properly for
the next six or seven decades. A heart
damaged during the first decade may
lead to, semi-invalidism during the
fourth and fifth decades of life.
~