The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-07-19
PROTECTION OF HEALTH IN REDUCTION OF CORPULENCE

Two young women who reduced to the verge of spirituality to hold
 their jobs in the movies developed active tuberculosis and were com pelled to take the cure in a sana- l torium for a year or two. One l succumbed, the other recovered. If a reduction regimen does not promote better health or at least spare the health of the patient from impairment, it does not de- serve a moments consideration. The only reason why physicians condemn given reduction treat ment or method is that they know it endangers health.
 Certain methods which have en- joyed some degree of popularity among ignorant people depend for their effects upon purgation. Whether the purgative or laxative employed is ordinary salts or some fancy kind of salts or mineral water, or whether it is castor oil or an old familiar pill, it reduces weight only to the extent of the fluid it withdraws from the body tissues. That fluid is quickly re- placed by fluid taken in water or foods in the net few hours. Of course if the laxative is taken re- peatedly over prolonged period, in time the loss of weight so brought about will become perma- nent, and so will the loss of health brought about by the abuse.
 Besides seriously disturbing the fluid and mineral balance in the cells of the body. reduction treat ment depending on laxatives irri- tates the whole delicate lining of the gastro-intestinal tract, sets up colitis, shrinks the blood volume. interferes with the calcium and pro- tein metabolism.
 Many persons cultivate the habit of taking some kind of salts reg ularly, even daily. This is unwise, except in cases where it is desired to dehydrate the body. Tn such cases the physicians judgment is essential. Salts of any sort, manu- factured or obtained from natural springs. are dehydrating agents, and their effects are essentially the effects of deprivation of water. In any case no good purpose can be served by saline laXatives or purga- tives unless the fluid intake is reg ulated. It is certainly unwise for D AoJ tO iOoIiASI hAo take in any way. Only a physician can safely or profitably manage such treatment.
 Where dehydration is carried too far with saline laxatives a grave condition known as salt fever may develop. Instead of having a cooling" influence on the blood. as many imagine. salts rather than physic make it harder for one to endure heat.
 Thyroid extract is the active in- gredient in many obesity remedies. The use of thyroid is harmful to normal person; it speeds up the heart. makes you feel nervous" and apprehensive and trembly and produces other toxic effects. In the great majority of cases obesity or oversize is purely nutritionaL In the relatively small number of cases in which obesity or oversize is due to ductless gland deficien- cies, thyroid or pituitary or both. the use of the powerful gland ex- tracts should be left entirely in the physicians hands. Proper dietary or other measures may be benefi- cial along with the treatment of the gland deficiency, and there is no reason why the victim of glan- dular obesity should not have the advantage of some such regimen along with the ductless gland ther- apy.