The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-08-23
WHY so MUCH HEART
 DISEASE?

A frequent query from folk who read other parts of the paper be- sides this column, and sometimes I think there are a good many who do, Is for an explanatio of the ap- parently increasing number of deaths from heart failure. A con- siderable proportion of these queries are merely rhetorical, however. They state the question as an iptToduc- tion to an elucidatiori of the prob- lem for my information. A favorite fancy of these readers reminds me of the fundamental concept my fa- ther strove to impress on my mind when was a sophomore medical student. My boy" he constantly reiterated, with all the earnestness and conviction of one who has no basic scientific training but in- dulges in a great deal of thinking and conjecture, "my boy, all disease begins in the stomach.' Then. knowing perfectly well that father was wrong, I'd bring up all my re- serves and do my darnedest, but two hours later when I had run out of ammunition father would feel all the more convinced-as he calmly downed a teaspoonful or two of sand-that if we can but keep the stomach in good condition we will remain free from disease indefinite ly.
 The idea so many correspondents conceive and present to me is that the pace of modern life, the high tension under which we live, the nervous strain involved in the re- responsibilities of business and the cares of the home, the unrelenting drive of hurry, hustle and buStle and the ruthless pace set by re- placeable is too great for the u1a- replaceable motor of the human machine, and so the heart fails from wear and tear.
 Adapting the thought that a man is as old as his arteries to his pur- pose the great Dr. Osler, in his fa- nous textbook of Practice, observed that a man is born with good ma terial or poor material fin his ar- teries and that determines how long he will live. Longevity, Osler taught, was a vascular question. Dr. Osler was a great teacher, but we have acquired considerable new knowl- edge since his time. From this ad- ditional knowledge we confidently reject the Oslerian view, at least in large measure, and accept rather the modern view that longevity is a hygienic question and we believe the preservation and prolongation Of youth is matter of nutrition pri- marily and inheritance only secon- darily if at all. This is the theme of No. 3 little lesson in the ways of health. the booklet CVD (Cardio- vascular degeneration), which deals with heart and artery disease, high blood pressure, etc.. in 4l pages or so, and sets you back a dime and stamped envelope bearing your ad- dress If you send for a copy.
 Notwithstanding all the fiattering. high-priced conversation about great business responsibilities and high tension and the like, this Is NOT the age of hustle. speed and overwork. On the contrary it ts the age of sit of passivity. of hiring others to do things or paying to watch them do things we should do ourselves. It Is the age oe emotion e q substitute for motion. Hys. tcrical make-belicve instead of piay- ing the game. unquestionably the excitement of the nu. or fan in ate tendance ct the bailgame C hard on the motor. But that isn't overwork --on the contrary t is directly due