The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-05-21
ADVICE TO THE PLETHORIC

ADVICE TO THE PLETHORIC
 Plethora means an excess of blood in the body, or did mean that in times past when the germ was in use. Still earlier it meant a super abundance of nutritive material in the body. Upon these quaint con- captions was based the practice of phlebotomy or opening vein to bleed the patient for whatever ailed him. On th- same notion which still persists in the lay mind, is based the popular habit of taking saline catharticS.
 In modern times, with the aid of instruments O: precision, we have learned that high blood pressure does not necessarily mean the pa tient has too much blood or too rich blood. On the contrary many pa tients with high blood pressure have rather too little blood or weak blood -anemia.
 StoutnesS or corpulence or notice ably large girth conveys to the ineX- pert the suggestion of plethora, too much blood, high blood pressure and even better than ordinary health. In actual practice we find that the great majority of such persons are rather anemic and have normal or subnormal blood pressure-and all of them, of course, suffer from mal- nutrition and none has optimal health. For one whose nutrition is normal is neither too stout nor too lean.
 When an overweight individual of mature age has high blood pressure it is of little advantage and may be detrimental to treat the high blood pressure without treating the over weight. The one feature is as sig nificant as the other, as regards what ails the patient.
 Vague remnants of the uric acid' fallacy still pervade the lay mind and the medical mind too in some instances. That is the only explain ation for the notion that a plethoric individual with high blood pressure cannot eat reasonable amount of meat. With the developing science of nutrition it is becoming more and more evident that it is not too much meat, light or dark, but too much carbohydrate that one so inclined should avoid. Not natural carbohy- drates-starch, flour, sugar and the various items in which these are an important ingredient. Not the cer- calls as they grow, but the cereal products which furnish from one third to two-thirds of all the calor- ies in the average dietary.
 Without going to extremes in the unwise attempt to follow a salt free" diet (except under medical su- pervision) it is well for the pleth- oric, whether blood pressure is high, low or normal, to add as little salt as possible to food, in cooking or at table, and to rely upon the salt na- turally present in meat, fish, milk, eggs to supply the requirements of the body. Most persons consume nearly an ounce of salt daily, where as the body requires scarcely one fourth ounce. Too much salt tends to keep the body tissues water logged, fiabby, more susceptible to inflammation, and in some instances contributes to edema Cdropsy). Plethoric individuals should be ab- stemious in the use of all condi- ments. Not that a bit of lemon juice or vinegar on ones salad, cabbage, lettuce or beans is half bad, or a dash of catsup makes spaghetti a less healthful food. But just that one should not make hog of one self
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Reasonable
 I am always glad, when I can, to name good physician or specialist by private letter. But as to the fees or costs of treatment f can give no information, and I think reason able" means the fees or costs or prices customary in the community for the services rendered. co Doc BradyD
 We All Have 8 Little Color
 Contemplating marriage to man who has character, refinement and fine position in his business. Now, friends bring a story that the man has colored blood in his family; they