The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-04-24

ever it appears it is a frightening
and disturbing symptom. The per-
son usually feels sort Of sluggish
and uninterested C"bilious" was
the old name for it). And 10! One
morning he looks in the mirror
and finds that he is a light yellow
ish-greenish color, and is natural
ly just scared to death.
But most cases Of jaundice
tower 90 per cent? respond to
treatment and the scare, while
perfectly understandable, is not
as justifiable as first sight sug-
gests.
When jaundice is accompanied
by pain under the right rib mar
gin, it is usually due to gall-stones.
Or, rather, a gladstone that trav-
els down the bile duct trying to
get out into the intestine. This
may be, usually is, small stone
and usually makes the grade, gets
out into the intestine and is no
more trouble. The jsundice clears
up and the victim is cheerier. One
gladstone, however, usually means
more, nested away in the gall
bladder, and this requires inves-
tigation and careful thought as
TO what to do. Sometimes they
may safely be left alone, some
times they should be removed by
operation. The judgment is in the
hands of your physician.
Due to Infection
There is a form of jsundice,
however. that has nothing to do
with gallstones but is due to an
infection, which goes up the bile
ducts through their opening in
the intestine. 1t is really kind
Of fever and is the condition usu-
ally meant when our southern
cousins refer to somebody having
the "yaller janders."
Though it may occur to one
person in a community, and one
only, it often goes in epidemics.
The first epidemic Of this kind
reported in the United States was
in Virginia in 1912. The epidem-
les continue to occur, however, and
! have before me the report of one
in Pennsylvania which began in
September, 1887, and continued
to March, 1888. Then there was
let-up until September, 1899 and
this second wave went on until
March, 1889.
Most Of the people affected were
not sick enough to go to bed after
the first few days, but walked
around Haunting their augmented
eountenances. That it was infec-
tious is shown by the fact that six
cases occurred in one family.
Rats Garry Germ
The cause is undoubtedly a
germ which somehow is associ-
ated with rodents, particularly
rats. 1t get into the food, makes
its way from the intestine, as has
been said, and travels up the bile
passages. The jaundice is due to
the action Of the germ on the bile,
causing it to thicken and obstruct
the bile ducts.
In these epidemics, the jaundice
IL accompanied, as jaundice usu-
ally is, by nausea and itching. The
presence of bile in the skin al
ways is accompanied by itching,
sometimes agonizing in its an
noyance.
The treatment is quite simple.
A saline cathartic, such as sodium
phosphate, taken in the morning
is good for this as for other forms
of "biliousness. In all cases of
damage, sugar and starches should
be pushed to protect the liver.
Wherever such epidemics occur,
a campaign TO kill off mice and
rats should be inaugurated.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
M. P.:-"Please answer in your
column what foods have the min
erals, calcium phosphate and cal
cium sulphate in them"
Answer-Milk, cheese, vegeta-
bles.
ginning and with furs at the be-
ginning Of summer.
And such other stunts. II fol-
lowed, Of course. that our business
there went flooey.
Now we're offered another crack
at II.
Moreover, II isn't solely COM
rnarcial. ttfa aipaad AZ hapnfsnhayi.