The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-01-10

THE DWINDLE BUSINESS
 Tn many cases obesity (over- weight) is accompanied by anemia and only 6 few fat folk are as ple- thoric or fullblooded as they seem to the casual eye.
 Most obese individuals have low blood pressure.
 There is a difference between plethora or "too much blood" and high blood pressure, a difference which wiseacres and their quacks fail to consider, much to the sor- row of the former and the profit of the latter.
 Probably there is more or less CVD (heart and artery degenera- tion) in all cases of obesity. Just toting the superfiuous weight about is an extra strain on the heart and arteries. In long standing cases there is likely to be some fatty in- filtration or fatty degeneration of the heart, which is only O more advanced stage of myocarditis or
 The puffing and blowing of the OUcoc 1AULNAuu6k AS ohAJ AAeASAAeS A healthy, normal individual would puff and blow if he or she had to carry a forty pound handicap all the time. But the big ones short ness of breath on mild exertion Is in part due to fatty infiltration of the heart.
 Fatty infiltration does not mean merely a lot of fat around the |, zo x,,n,s1A oarioto1xy iY,o '. pair the efficiency of the heart; 1t would only interfere with the cool ing process. Fatty infiltration means the deposit of fat-droplets from the circulation (from food) in tissues which normally contain none or an excess of such fat droplets in tis- sues which normally contain a lit- tie fat. Fatty infiltration might be called the way of all heshiness. There are other conditions that may account for overweight, but when you think of obesity think of fatty infiltration. The favorite seats of fatty infiltration are the subcu- taneous tissues. the mesenteries and omentum (the great abdom- inal apron), along the fasciae or tissue partitions between muscles, around the kidneys, and in the liver and the heart.
 By examining bit of any such tissue under the microscope we can see the fat droplets between the cells and in the cells. In the cells the fat droplets push the cell nu- cleus and protoplasm to one side. Annoying, that 1s-the nucleus doesn't like being pushed around that way. But the faithful little cells continue for time to func- ton as well as they can. until the fat chokes them into submission. Then they hibernate, as does the host.
 We cannot say precisely where the normal physiological utilization or assimilation of fat ends and ab- normal or pathological fatty infii- tration begins. But we can give some practical hints to those who wish to stay on the right side oi the line. That In good time. Right here suffice to say that anything which restricts combustion favors fatty infiltration.
 Let's not dwell on fatty degen- eration. Frankly we are not toe sure about it. The term implies that the cell protopiasm under. goes conversion Into fat. This slow death occurs in cases of poisoning by mercury, phosphorus, lead. ar' senic, from toxins of bacteria, from advanced anemia or the cachoxIn Of cancer and the like. The only reason drag the thought in. here at ali is because some patholosieta believe fatty degeneration may bt the last stage of fatty infiltfation in sOmO ingtanees. Ho there.