The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-12-21

four humours we're named: II a
man had too much blood he was
called sanguine; II he had too
much phlegm, he was called phleg-
matte and if he had too much bile,
he was called melancholy.
This system had the great ad-
vantage that il VS. very easy TO
prescribe treatment. If man had
too much blood. you bled him; II
he had too much phlegm and was
cold, you warmed HIM up with hot
pads. Hippocrstes believed that
there were two types OF individu-
ais: those who had a phthisic habi-
tuS and those who bad an spoplec-
tic habitus. The phthisic types
had a long. thin body and were
subject 20 tuberculosis: the apo
plectics had thick, heavy body
and were subject to apspleXy.
Later these crude geaeraIiza-
tons were subjected TO exact,
mathematical measurements
Among the earliest Of these work
ers was an Italian named Viola
who measured in various indi-
vlduals the exact amount of space
in the ches. and abdomen. He
found that - per cent had small
organs, 2s per cent had large Or
gans and SO per cent were medium
in size. By following these pa
tients for years, he was able TO
make a rough table of how re-
sistant they were to disease and
what diseases were likely to over
come them.
Value Of Studies
These studies have value
which is implied rather than east
ly defined. William 0sler once
said that the difference between a
great physician ard a good ply
stefan lay in the ability of the
former to diagnose the patient as
well as the disease. The great
physician in the course of time is
able to tell what is the matter by
the patients knock on the door.
The latest and most elaborate
OF the studies in measurement OF
the body in order to classify types
is that done by DR.. w. II. Sheldon
of Harvard University. After
making a number Of measure
ments, he obtains what he calls a
somstotype and he has named
three kinds of somatotypes.
First endomorphy. which goes
with the relative predominance Of
the internal organs and tapering
arms and legs. When endomorphy
is extreme, the digestive organs
are large and tend TO dominate the
body economy.
Mesomorphy
Mesomorphy is shown by the
predominance Of muscle, bone and
connective tissue-the medal It's
sues in the body. The skin is
coarse and hairy, the hands and
feet large.
Ectomorphy is indicated by
small abdomen and chest and a
tendency to fragi!ity. The ecto-
morphic type has the largest
brain and central nervous system.
Not only a tendency towards
disease, but also tendencies to-
wards mental traits are brought
out in these studies. The broad,
heavy mesomorphic type is likely
20 have aggressiveness. leadership
and sociability. There is also what
DR.. Sheldon calls p.p.j. (pyknic
practical joke) where an individu-
al who has grown much heavier
in the last 20 years has retained
bathing suit pictures Of himself in
his pristine slenderness.
A number Of tendencies con-
tribute to the makeup Of the con-
stitution Of man: heredity, the ac-
ton Of the ductless glands and
the balance OF the ductles glands,
habits Of eating and activity are
bAbbdbAF Nitf hbllllildlAk AtdNAlt u
that should be mentioned. There
IS, as has been said, a destiny
which ends our shapes, rough hew
them as we will.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Mrs. J. R.:-Can a doctor de-
tect with stethoscope whether a
person has tuberculosis by the way
the breathing and lungs act Can
person contract this disease from
another a year after having been
in contact with him.
Answer: In most cases a doctor
can detect tuberculosis in a ply
sical examination with stetto-
scope. tuberculosis is very rare
Is, Il ever, contracted bv adults.