The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-09-20

tistic 1t doesn't matter much to a careening world that the popular white collar man, Smiling Dick Roe, has quietly donned a new panniculus (blanket to you) since he slipped past thirty. and the sad part of it is that all his friends think it is becoming and nearly everybody interprets this insidious blanketing with adipose as sign of super-a bundant health, whereas in fact 1t marks the onset of de- generation. Dick would see this himself If he were licking an hon. est life. But clothes and mechan- ical means of transportation and labor-saving devices and all the little tricks of civilization which contribute to our false dignity and scdentary habit conspire to de- ceive him and and jolly him along until he is brought up with jolt. Too often the jolt is some serious organic breakdown. Dick seldom listens to warnings such as this l am trying to give. That foolish smile of his Is partly an express sion of his opinion of doctors and their nutty ideas; he has little use for the medicos and further along in the story when Dick calls in a few specialists they can't do much for him.
 Taken in time, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular degeneration are all amenable to good hygiene and preventive medicine.
 One great difficulty in the way of good hygiene and preventive medi- cine in this field is the lack of definite dividing line between over weight and obesity. Tell patient he is overweight and he is mildly interested if at all; tell him he has obesity and he is alarmed. But who shall say where overweight leaves off and obesity begins?
 Some obese individuals never be- come diabetic, but it is certain that overweight imposes strain on the islands of Langerhans in the pan crcas, those groups of specialized cells which secrate insulin, and so 1t Is that Smiling Dicks becoming new panniculus makes him more liable to develop diabetes. In prac- tice it seems to be as difficult to catch diabetes in time as 1t is to diagnose tuberculosis in it's incipi- ency. I don't know whether this Is due to dumbness of the laity or incompetence of the medical pro- fcssion or both.
 The Younger Generation
 Will not the younger generation sucr with rheumatism in years to come, from the scanty clothing they wear? (Miss I. W.)
 Answcr---I believe the scanty clothing they wear will build bet ter health for them in years to come.
 A Little Book on the Heart
 Why don't you get out a little book on the care of the heart, along the lines of your Little Les sons" series? The increasing prom thence of heart disease as q cause of death, the early heart break down of many men in business life and all .(W. l.. K.)
 Answer--I have prepared a mum. Der of little books about that, un- der various titles, in the Little Lessons" series. Building Vital ity', "The Regeneration Regimen" '"The Art of Easy Breathing" Chronic Nervous Imposition" 'The Last Brady Symphony, De sign for Dwindling" are some oi the titles. Send ten cents in coiT and stamped envelope bearing you address, for any one of these. Typists Have Cracked Fingers During many years of work as typist I suffered much from crack ed fingers. I found that by paint ing the ends of my fingers witl newskin. which quickly hardens,
 protected my fingers and relievc' the pain and sorenegS. and th cracks hOtled readily. lave sug gested this to many friends. in tn same work and they find 1t satis