The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-03-15

sense and self-control.
 Acetanilide gives that allusion to the individual who uses it frequent ly or constantly. But the drug real- ly is depressant not only to the cen- tral nervous system but, what is most important, to the heart.
 It is indeed odd, not to say ironi- cal, that our Yankee law and cus- tom sternly demands a poison label on tincture of iodine, with which 1t is difficult to kill yourself seven if you try, yet benignly sanctions the indiscriminate sale of acetanilide In all sorts of >nostrums purporting to be harmless, notwithstanding the many instances on record where coroners' inquests have returned verdicts of death from acetanilide taken innocently in one or another of these dangerous nostrums. It is remarkable, too, how silent the medical and health authorities are today about this peril.
 The characteristic symptoms pro- duced by chronic acetanilide pois- oning or addiction are fatigue, head ache, anemia, loss of weight and a peculiar dusky bluish discoloration of the skin and lips and nails (called cyanosis). There is consider able quibbling in our present day scientific" medical literature over the precise cause of this cyanosis, that is, whether 1t is due to methe- moglobin or to a brownish discolor- atiou of the blood by a decomposi- ton product of the acetanilide. The important point is that acetanilide unquestionably causes progressive decrease in the number of red cor- puscles and interferes with the vital ovygen-carrying function of the hemoglobin in the blood. To this anoxia I attribute the grave under mining of physical and mental health in cases of acetanilide addic- ton, as well as the fatalities from a dose or a few doses of acetanilide m numerous recorded cases.
 If I were to use any pain-killer at all for relief of headache I'd choose aspirin, any brand or make available. as much less dangerous and injurious to health than the coaltar derivatives in any circum- stance. Nor does it take the curse of from acetanilide, phenacetine. antipyrine or auainopyrine to mix lit with stimulant. There is no stimulant which antidotes these | poisons.
 QUESTIONS < ANSWERS Impervi0us Skin
 Our home economic class studying vitamins. We would like to know if it is possible to absorb vitamin A or vitamin D thru the skin when a cream containing the vitamin Is applied (M. HJ
 Answer-In my opinion 1t Is not Vitamins, chemicals, medicines may be absorbed thru the mucous mem- brane lining nose or eyelids, but the unbroken skin to the best of my knowledge and belief. will not ab- sorb naything as long as the skir remains unscratched, unpuncsured upholstered, unabraded, uncracked.
 Race Dope
 Japanese in Olympic games ir California 1882 were successful ir swimming events-shortly before thu race the Japanese swimmers inhal. ed oxygen for i've minutes. Phy. siologist (Karpovich) tested effectl of two deep lnhalations of purs oxygen immediately before plung' Inc into the water-in eleven out O seventeen cases men who did thi were able to break their own pre- vlous records, but in the short dis tances only. Value Of this trick
 that it enables the swimmer, O runner, to run his Sace withou broathing at eil-bTeathing move ments Tstard speed. tL. D.. H. pJ
 AnsWer-Thank you, Doctor. It 70
 minds ils that some students inhal a pure oxygen for two or thye minutes, then held their breath fo
 oVoF thirteen minutes. Next step, suppose, Wiil De to equip the race
 With . light bag Of pure oxygel from which he can take shot l ho has e bTeathe at Ali during th
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