The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-06-11

the headache was coming on. I
asked at the time if any other Of
my readers had had such expert
ences and | have had a very large
and generous response from peo-
pie who have had the same expert
ence.
There were too many of these
letters for the results to be mere
coincidence. SO far as know, |
have never seen any reference to
this in a textbook of medicine, but
that is understandable because so
many people with migraine or sick
headache treat themselves and
their remedies never get to the
medical profession.
They probably start out by hav-
ing a doctor when their attacks
first begin but soon find that he
does not give very much relief or
that they can learn everything
that he has to offer. For instance,
in one of the letters that was sent
me on the subject, a woman says
that she and her family have
moved seven times in the last rs
years and have consulted a great
many doctors but she has never
consulted one about her head
aches.
Took Opiates
A typical statement is as fol-
lows: Il suffered terribly from mi
graine for many years and it was
necessary for me to take a great
many opiates. l was always told
to drink lot of water but got
disguised and quit it and found
that my headaches were not nearly
so severe, although they did not
quit entirely. But when force
myself to drink water, they are
always worse. l am writing this,
hoping it might be a help to some
one else"
Another one says, '"I have had
migraines since | was about 10
and am now so. I cannot endure
the thought Of drinking water be-
fore the headaches start or during
the worst of the pain and when
water tastes good, ! am sure the
headache is over for that time. An
other thing I have noticed is that
the quickest way TO get over the
exhaustion from the pain and nau-
sea is TO eat very rare beef. My
family have their laugh at Moth
er's day-after-a-headache diet Of
rare hamburger steak. My grand
father had these headaches, also
my father who was an MD, but
could not cure his own migraine
headaches. Ny sister has them, but
my brother does not"
Other Letters
Another letter says: Il con
frmed the fact that drinking water
makes the headaches worse when
one day was coming out Of church
services and the minister advised
me to drink lot of water for my
severe headache. I took his ad-
vice and as usual my headache be-
came a lot worse. If / starve my
self from water entirely, the head
ache is always less severe and
sometimes | can prevent it entire
ly in this way"
These letters indicate some of
the high points of that queer,
queer disease, migraine. 1t is IN
doubtedly hereditary. It is a dis
ease Of the active part of life.
usually beginning about the age Of
nineteen and usually stopping
about the age of fifty.
The victim nearly always can
tell when he is going to have
headache, so the admonition to
stop water drinking can be obeyed
in most instances early enough to
do some good. While there are
number Of different remedies which
may help, such as the recently in
troduced ergotamine, there is nc
100 per cent relief that works in
all cases.
The cause Of the disease is prob
ably some upset in the chemistr,
Of the body and it may very well
be that a change in water balance
could bring on the attacks. At any
rate, abstinence from water cam
do anybody any harm and l brint
this experience forward for what
it is worth.
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