The Washington times., 1935-08-24

Ia varieties,
s' s'sA @ from the very
Dr. ClendeninE difficult
breathing with hard wheeling
that can be heard clear across
the room-the extreme and pitt
full state-down to the minor
feeling just mentioned, tight
ness in the chest, with just a
hint Of difficulty in breathing
enough to make one conscious
Of the fact that he is breathing.
The cause Of asthma is spasm
of the circular bands Of muscle
tissue which encircles the bron.
chi. These become sensitive to
the pollen, just as the mem.
brane of the nose and eyes be-
come sensitive to it.
Climatic Influences
In the muscle fibers it pro-
duces a spasm which constructs
the size of the opening in the
bronchial tube which produces
the difficulty in breathing.
Asthma may be caused by
many things besides pollen.
Animal emanations, dandruff
or animal smells of whatever
origin you choose to think
them, Is another cause, while
special foods constitute another.
Recently an interesting study
from some Spanish inveStiga.
tors has emphasized climatic
asthma.
Climate may prove beneficial
to estimates, and again some
asthmas occur only in a GER
tain climate. In Holland a DR..
Leeuwan has prepared a chart
showing the incidence Of asth-
ma in each region, and dem.
onstrating definitely that there
are certain regions especially
favorable to asthma and others
in which it rarely appears.
The former are humid and
marshy land, the latter are
drier inland communities. Air
collected in one region, trans
ported and given to healthy
people in asthma-free territories
to breathe, produced asthma in
them. DR.. Won LeeuWan con.
sidered that fungi-producing
tiny spores was the cause.
Bad Attack
The argument gains some
point from the case.report Of a
patient who, removed from the
marshy country to the dry in
land with the consequent disap-
pearance of her asthma, When
she had been asthma-free fol
some time, in the new climate,
a culture of a tiny fungi, Pen
cillium glaucum, was sprayed
on her pillow. Although she
had been a whole month free
from asthma, that night she
had a very bad attack.
Other instances of the effect
OF climate on asthma are more
direct. A patient sensitive to
feathers was freed from asthma
on leaving home; the explana-
ton was that pigeon houses
were numerous where she lived.
Another patient sensitive tn
flour, always had asthma at
home because opposite her
house was a flour mill. She
was always free when in
Madrid, so miles away.
QUESTIONS FROM READERS
G. E. D. writes: I'm your
several articles on so-called ath-
lete's foot you have missed
point which is very important
in the treatment of this most
persistent of itches. Reinfec-
ton from shoes is the cause of
so many failures in overcom-
ing this fungus. A remedy so sim
pie that its simplicity would
probably cause you to doubt
its effectiveness, is lemon
juice, after thorough cleaning
and drying feet without rub,
bling them too harshly."
We are very glad to print
this letter and endorse 1t. An.
other method of disinfecting
shoes is to put some formalin
in them.
EDITORS NOTE: Six pam.
phlets by DR.. Clendening can
now be obtained by sending 10
cents in coin. for each, and a
self-addressed envelope stamped
with a Scent stamp, to DR..
Logan Clendening, in care of
this paper. The pamphlets are:
Indigestion and Constipation"
Reducing and Gaining" I'm"
FAINT Feeding" instructions
for the Treatment Of Dia.
betes," Feminine Hygiene"
and 1.-THE Care of the Hair and
Skin"
SHRED Details
AS1 49, -1.~~ wx,~ st. 4