The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-06-06
CARDIOVASCUIAAR DEGENER-
ALTON

In lecture nearly $50 years ago
DR.. BENJAMIN Rush the famous
Philadelphia physician said he had
toris, and mentioned another emf
nent physician who had seen but
one case. DR.. Henry l.. Elsner, pro-
fessor of medicine in Syracuse Uni
versity, writing in 1915 ("Prog-
nosis," Monographs Medicine, APP
pleton's) said that among sos
patients seen in private practice in
seven years there had been 101
cases of angina pectoris. Query
(Which can't answer): Is cardio-
vascular disease so much more FREE
quent now or has diagnosis i'm
proved nearly 100 per cent? All
vital statistics would give the i'm
preston that cardiovascular de-
generation is on the increase, but
mere figures so often lie.
Cardiovascular degeneration or
disease (CVD) covers good deal
of pathology. 1t accounts for %
per cent of all deaths after the
fortieth year of age. 1t includes
arteriosclerosis, roughening of
aortic valve or ascending aorta
(aortitis), narrowing or contrac-
ton Of the valve (aortic stenosis),
leakage of the valve, (aortic insult
ficiency), angina pectoris, myocar-
ditis (slow heart muscle failure,
fatty degeneration), chronic inter-
stitial nephritis (Bright's disease)
with apprehension (high blood
pressure), cerebral hemorrhage
(apoplexy, shock or stroke of par
alysis, cerebral thrombosis (clotting
OF blood in vessel in brain).
The apparent increase in CvD in
the past fifty years or more is view
ed with apprehension by clinicians,
statisticians and sanatologists. I
don't rate any of these applications,
but as health column conductor
do considerable browsing around
and listening in and occasionally
I have an idea, no matter whether
1t is natural born or adopted. I
take little stock in the common con
ceit that premature physical break
down or wearing out is due to the
high tension and killing pace of
American life. The high tension is
mainly overeating and drinking
and smoking, and the killing pace
is fifty to eighty miles per hour,
and that's all can see in it. This
conceit belongs in the category
with the banal fancy that large
business responsibilities or domes-
tic cares bring on nervous ex-
haustion" or nervous breakdown"
meaning insanity. Polite lies to
print in teh paper or to give out to
nosy neighbors, but they will
scracely do in the consulting room
unless 1t is your purpose to deceive
the doctor or his purpose to string
you along.
In virtually all coses of CVD
there Is a period of apprehension
elevated blood pressure) which
precedes the fully developed symp-
toms of arteriosclerosis. If your
blood pressure is not very high it
might be unhealthful to let that
thought harass you for while.
Maybe you'll get a hint or two for
more hygienic life out of the list
or common causes of apprehension
Wen recite presently. But first con-
slider the women. how nice and soft
they manage to keep their arteries
don't they have domestic cares
and even business responsibilities?
Among men per cent Of the cases
of arteriosclerosis occur in the
third decade, 10 per cent in the
fourth, 80 per cent in the fifth and
30 per cent in the sixth decade or
later. Among women, less than 1
per cent of cases occur in the 4th
| decade. per cent in the fifth and
80 per cent after the age OF so.
These statistics were compiled
forty years ago. Perhaps the in
crease In smoking and drinking
among young women of late years
will spoil this record.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS