The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-08-01
NOT A GOOD CATHARTTC


 Jim Lightfoot, let us call him, was an awful flop as student but everybody liked him and somehow he managed to get through medical school eventually. What was more amazing, he even wangled an ap- pointment as intern when an un- expected vacancy occurred mid-year and Jim happened to be available.
 Some of the attending physicians on the hospital staff permitted in- terms on their wards to try their hnads at giving treatment or pre- scribing for the minor cases. Jim had sort of favorite prescription for all such cases. One day his chief ac- companied him on rounds and mere ly looked On while Jim did every thing. With characteristic flourish Jim wrote his favorite prescription for several "chronics". It was a good dash of tincture of nux Vomica and wee pinch of strychnine sulfate and generous menstrum of Spts. Fru,-short for Whiskey. The chief glanced at the order, frowned bit and asked "Lightfoot, why combine ctrychnine with nux vomica?" Jim grinned in his affable way, flushed darkly mad somehow guessed what was biting the chief-it dawned on him that probably strychnine is the alkaliod or active principle in nux Vomica. As realization of that came to him he quickly recovered sang froid. "Oh, I thought if little is good more is better" he explained and to that the chief could make no adequate rejoiner. Jim's ration able too closely followed the peculiar type of reasoning on which much of the therapeutics of the time was based. Of course 1t wasr't ration ale with Jim - 1t was just the fa- nous expediency which had always served him so well and which still served him faithfully after he en- tered private practice.
 A great many people have &C., quired a little knowledge of the medicine cascara sagrada lRham- nus Purshiana) and take 1t as a cathartic. Cascara is not good cathartic because enough cascara to give cathartic action is likely to cause cramp or griping. Casara is one of the least objectionable medi- cines for child or adult if 1t is prop erly used, ore of the most obpection- able if wrongly used. A little cas- cara is good but a little too much is harmful. Two or three minimum doses of caScara daily, according to experienced physicians and recog- niZed authorities on therapeutics give the gentle laxative effect de- sired and make gradual reduction of the dose possible, that is cure of the constipation, so that laxatives may be dispensed with altogether. But just one full dose of cascara daily, though 1t may produce ca- thartic effect, tends to aggravate constipation, especially spastic or hypertonic constipation and to fix upon the patient the psysic habit.
 This is scientific and practical rule in reference to the use of cas- cara and for that matter other medicines of the same (anthrauin- one) class, such as aloes, rhubarb and senna: If you use the medicine for constipation take three small doses daily, never one full dose a day.
 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
 Page McndeI
 Daughter, sophomore studying bi- ology, says your statement that child is never more negroid in char acteristics than its parent, Is con- trary to Mendals law. am getting the worst of the argument-I say Mendels law supplies only to plants and the lower animals. Daughter says It would apply to humans If the experiments could be controlled as they are with plants and the low CT animals. n. R. N)
 Answer-Well. let's sit tight until daughter gets the controls working. Meanwhile, there is no authentic in- stance of a black child or 8 child with negroid characteristic being born to parents who are white or who have a trace of negro blood. That happens only in folk tales and backyard gossip.
 Magnesla
 Is 1t harmful to take several mag nesia tablets a day-they seem to help my acid condition and keep the bowels in good order. (B. H)
 Answer-Occasional use of mag