The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-08-24
THE WORK OF THE HEART

THE WORK OF THE HEART
 Medical literature is full of articles on the value of, the precise "indi- cations" for (reasons for giving) and the best-preparations of the drug digitalis, with imposing scientific studies of the pharmacologic action of digitalis and inferences drawn from laboratory or experimental observations for application in hu- man practice.
 To the layman with little know ledge, and I fear to some physicians too, the chief value of digitalis is the use of the medicine as a heart "tonic." A tonic is anything that improves or restores enfeebled func- ton or increases tone or vigor.
 I can comprehend how a light touch of the whip now and then may make your horse work better for an hour or two, but I compre- bend as well how constant or per- sistent whipping oh the horse would presently bring exhaustion. The whip does not add any energy or strength, but merely stimulates or excites the horse to put forth more energy for 8 while. Of course this must be at the expense of whatever reserve power the horse may have. If you keep drawing on the reserve power you are bound to bring ex- haustion. That is plain common sense, good physiology, sound phy- SicS.
 Independently" says Basetdo, in his textbook Materia Medica, Pharmacology and Therapeutics Saunders, '38) "digitalis enables the damaged heart to do mere work with the same expenditure of energy" But this authority does not explain how this anomaly of physics is achieved by digitalis.
 Every beat of the heart involves expenditure of energy, and the amount of energy expended varies with the force and the rapidity of the heart beat. Digitalis and some other drugs may temporarily in- crease or decrease the rate and force of the heart beat, but hardly without a corresponding increase or decrease in the amount Of energy expended.
 It is a mistake to imagine digitalls cures heart disease. The medicine only modifies the action of the heart. It may slow a too rapid heart or make more regular an irregular heart. Nearly all author ities believe it improves the tone and contractile power of the ventr1- cular muscle"-the muscle of the heart wall which pumps the blood cut into the arteries. If that means temporarily, I can understand it. But for more lasting effect I'd put more faith in an optimal daily ra- ton of vitamin B complex or even a good daily ration of synthetic B l (thiamin) alone than I would in the prolonged or constant use of digitalis. In any case where digitalis is used for any length of time 1t can do no harm, may do much good, to supplement the diet with an optimal daily ration of vitamin B complex in one form or another. It really does improve tone, con- tractility and Wgor of the heart - not in few hours but after few weeks.
 QUESTIONS $ ANSWERS
 The Calcium Shortage
 Inclosed you will find 8 stamped nyelope bearing my address. Please send me the pamphlets "The Cal o.um shortage" and "So You Have yndigeStion?"- O. O.
 Ans.-Calcium shortage pamphlet IS on the way. "So You Have In- digestion?" is & booklet-for copy iilclose ten cents and stamped self addressed envelope.
 Wine
 Is 1t harmful for a person to drink a cupful of port wine every day2 The wine contains 20 percent of alcohol by volume. The person refer to has taken . cup of wine every day for the past two or three years to make new blood
 (Mrs. E. O.
 Ans-It will not make new blood If she drinks 1t every day for life. No alcoholic beverage can compare with fresh fruit juice drinks for naskinG blood.