The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-06-08
BY WILLIAM BRADY, MD.
The Refrigeration Of Bacon.

George Washington became pres
ident at the OF fifty-Seven years and
died In 1899 at the age of 81 years.
That was less than l40 years ago,
yet we are without any knowledge
of the cause of Washingtons death.
Was 1t diphtheria, pneumonia, quin-
sey, Ludwig's angina? Or was the
man bled to death? It does not
seem that man Of Washington S
good living habits and strong con-
stitution would be greatly injured
by the loss of a half pint of blood
sixteen hours before death and an
other half pint perhaps eight hours
before death, In an acute illness. No
body knows what caused George
Washington's death.
Sir Francis Bacon died 314 years
ago, Of refrigeration. I would not
60 so far as to say that Bacon froze
to death, but have 1t on the au-
thority of that distinguished clini-
clan, Frederic j. Haskin, that Bacon
died as the result Of a cold caught
during an experimentation on the
refrigeration of fresh meat"
That reminds me-two days be-
fore Washington's final illness he
came back from ride to his farms
with his collar still wet and snow
hanging upon his hair, and sat right
down to dinner without changing to
dry clothes. viii some one kindly
find out whether this circumstance
had anything to do with Washing
toms illness?
If trick doctor so far forgot
himself as to file with his health
department report of illness as a
"cold' or sign a death certificate
like that, he would find himself
called upon for an explanation. No
one seriously recognizes cold as a
rational explanation of illness or
death. The term is just meaning
less. we can't say harmless one for
filling in the blank or silent space
when you don't know what really
is the matter.
In my files are enough abstracts,
clippings and reprints from current
medical literature mot lay publ
cations) to fill set Of books that
would make DR.. Elliotts lot look
miniature. Yet in all this impos-
ing chatter 1t is hard to find an OBJ
servation or a fact that stands from
season to season. Although IL is
fled under the heading Of "Cold."
in order to keep the filing system
in order, some day when my secre-
tary isn't here I'm going to trans
fer it to another and more fitting
heading, viz, Malarkey. (Medicalo
Nearly every day some wiseacre
asks peevishly why In the name Of
well, let us say better health do
I insist in calling the common cold
by a name nobody understands or
uses, and Just what difference 1t
makes anyway whether person
calls 1t cold or cri? Here there Is
room to mention only three reasons:
"a because cold has nothing to do
with the illness or indisposition; 90
because cri (kree) means merely
Common Respiratory Infection, is
noncommittal as to the precise ma
ture of the infection, but still con-
yeys fair warning to all concerned,
and SO has some prophylactic value
in itself.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Ethyl Gasoline
Please state whether person
could contract lead poisoning from
driving in a closed car using tetra-
ethyl loaded gasoline, or from
handling ethyl gasoline In tank
wagon or filling station work. A.
H. P)
Ans.-During eight years u pos
sible cases among filling station at
tendants and similar workers were
investigated by experts of the U. s.
Public Health Service, but lead was
not found a factor In any of the
cases. The present opinion. based
on careful study and observation, is
that there is very little danger of
lead poisoning from that source,
Baby Book.
What, you actually have baby?
Accept my applause, and also, II you
will provide stamped envelope
bearing your address. Q compliment
tary copy Of the Brady Better and
Bigger Baby Book. The envelops
must be Of standard size. properly
stamped and addressed. II 1t Is 9
dinky envelope or not stamped ~
addressed Local" or "City" youI