The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-02-14

tors would have been strewn along
the shores Of the paleozoic ocean,
without giving the world the bene-
fit Of arranging for the production
Of US.
Process Of Coagulation
This process Of the coagulation
Of the blood, however-important
as its survival value has been-is
far better known in the gross than
understood in its minute details:
Why does the blood remain fluid
while inside the blood vessels, and
Immediately jell when exposed to
air? Some chemical change must
occur in it to form the sticky
strands called "fibrin," which is
the Jelly, but what that chemical
change is remains more. or less
theoretical. 1t is unnecessary
indeed, it would take US deep into
technical biochemistry-to outline
the theories. Suffice it to say that
somehow a new chemical element
is formed on exposure to the air,
much as chemical change is pro-
duced on a Photographic plate on
exposure to air. Suffice it that
some anatomical elements always
found in circulating blood-called
the blood platelets-dissolve on
exposure to air, and probably lib
crate a substance which produces
the jelly fibrin.
When the coagulating power Of
the blood disappears, as it some
times does-in fact, quite fire.
quently - real trouble begins.
Newborn babies, for instance, Of
ten have a bleeding disease, so
that the blood seeps out of the UNI
bilical cord. This can be stopped
by immediate small transfusions
or giving Vitamin X and the
.baby's coagulating power is soon
restored.
Cases Of vitamin Deficiency
In other cases Of vitamin de-
fciency - scurvy - something Is
lacking and hemorrhages appear
under the skin and from the gums.
In other cases, the blood platelets
are depleted and massive hemor-
rhages appear from the bowels
and the gums-purpura.
There are many means OF
treating these coagulation or
hemorrhagic disturbances Of the
blood, once the correct and exact
diagnosis il made. TRANSMISSION OF
healthy blood, Of course, supplies
and replaces the blood platelets II
they should be deficient.
A fascinating new field has
been opened up by the use Of Vita
min K, as was indicated above.
We all get plenty Of Vitamin K in
our food but for its absorption It
depends on bile in the intestines.
In jaundice, where no bile reaches
the intestine, as is well known,
hemorrhages are common. That is
what has made hemorrhages in
jaundiced patients SO hazardous.
Now the surgeon can give his pa.
tient grass juice-obtained in q
form known as cerophyll - and
supply Vitamin K, which when
given with bile salts by mouth
renders the dangers Of hemor-
rhage negligible. Grass juice con-
tains, in fact, a number Of vita
Minis and minerals useful in blood
and nutritional conditions.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
N. R.:-"My daughter, who
is now II years old, contracted
chorea several years ago. She
doesn't seem TO have any symp-
toms Of this now. Does this indi-
cate that she harbors a rheumatic
infection Fl"
Answer-This Is not an easy
question 70 answer. Chorea, st.
Vitus' dance and rheumatism are
supposed to be related. This, how
ever, cannot be proved because
nobody knows the exact germ
which causes it. | should say il
your daughter is we'll over the
chorea, there need not be a great
deal of worry about rheumatism
coming on in the future.
r. o. B.:-"What is the cause Of
sweats which come on in man
from 4 pm. until 9 pm. each day?
Have also been sick, weak and
nervous"
Answer-Any chronic infection
will do this, particularly tubercu-
losis. So will thyroid disease and
occasionally nervousness. You
need a complete physical exam
nation.