The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-04-16

ment, in the Practice" written fiji
ty years ago, still carries the weigh
of unquestionable authority in the
minds Of doctors who do not do
much thinking:
Chronic bronchitis is frequent
in the aged; the young are rare
II affected. Climate and season
have an important influence. 1t
is the winter cough of the aged,
recurring with regularity as the
weather gets cold and change
able. Owing to the more uniform
heating of the houses, it is much
less common in Canada and In
the United States than In Eng
land.
Now, before we begin quarreling
I request that you bear in mind that
I regard youth or old age as a
state of mind and not matter OF
years. So I have no illusions about
the outcome of an argument with
any old geezer, medical or lay, who
accepts the opinions, views or teach
ings of Osler or any other author
ity as infallible and final. But, as
have said many times before, in
this column the aim is to embroll
the young ones in controversy over
as many health questions as pos
sible, and let the old ones cling to
their queer concepts as fondly as
they wish.
Without bandying WordS-and
words are all the old timers or great
authorities can handy to support
their funny notions about exposure
to cold, da! lpness and changeable
weather-Ill say simply that it Is
my belief and teaching that eS)os-
ure to cold, dampness and change
able Wea ther, wet feet, drafts, or sud-
den chilling of the body or part of
the body after overheating or sweat
ing has nothing whatever to do with
respiratory disease. Take it or leave
it, without any exception or modifi-
cation. I mean just what I say. If
you choose to reject my teaching,
that is all right with me. Unless
you can accept it without reserva-
ton you will derive no particular
benefit, save perhaps some amuse-
ment, from further reading of these
articles on coughs and wheeZeS.
1t is my belief that the actual
cause of bronchitis and other respi-
ratory disease which the old timers
ascribe to climate, season, cold and
changeable weather, drafts and
chilling, is the excessive drying out
of the air indoors by artificial heat
ing. And further I believe that
ample experience with moGern air
conditioning in the past five or ten
years has as nearly as possible
proved this to be so. On the other
hand the universal experience of ar
cite and antarctic explorers, hun
tiers, fishermen, woodsmen and
others exposed to the severest cold,
wet and sudden changes makes the
idea of the old timers seem absurd.
In the next talk on this subject
We'll waste a few words to clarity
the question of exposure to cold
Towering resistance" and predis-
posing to infection-and the most
important word will be No.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Quinine A Good Tonic
Following your suggestion "Quin-
inc An Excellent Tonic" have been
taking two grains three times day
and deriving much benefit. Would
it be advisable to continue its use
in case I become pregnant.
(Mrs. p. J. C.)
Answer-That is question to
submit to your physician, whose adj
vice and instruction you should
have regarding every matter OF
health or hygiene throughout the
duration of pregnancy. Send stamp
ed envelope bearing your address,
inclose ten cents coin, fer booklet
preparing For Maternity"
TOnsils Gone
Six years ago, at the age OF 60,
had tonsil trouble. Doctor said they
should be removed but I could not
stand the operation. Wrote you.
You recommended doctor who
gave me diathermy treatment
since then three doctors have ex-
amined my throat, said 1t was clean
est job they ever saw. Thank you
Oh. M. e.
Answer-Thank you for taking
the trouble to report your exper-
fence, especially when you seek no
further information or advice-it is
an extraordinary thing. Perhaps
some of the old fogies in medicine
world were still grabbing about the
modern method, six years ago. but
diathemy extirpation of tonsils is
now thoroly established as the
method of choice in the majority
of cases-even If some victims are
still unwarrantably subjected to the
pain, disability and grave risks Of
the crude old Snanish method.