Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-09-04
No Burden
Put on Heart
ByArmyLife

Unusual Activity Do Q
Cause Enlargement
BY DIR. LOGAN CLENDENING
THE term athletes heart"
(once heard almost as much
as athletes foot" Is today
went out of fashion, partly be-
cause of lack of rigid definition,
and partly because careful ex-
animation by modern methods
of such hearts showed in most
cases that the actual trouble
was old rheumatic heart disease,
hardening of the arteries or
some condition not connected
with the exertion of athletic
competition.
Today with the tremendous
extra strain put on the hearts
of new recruits with the exer-
cises, long marches and harden
ing process for mifitary
maneuvers. the concept requires
some further definition.
A CUTE heart strain undoubt-
"A eddy occurs.
The causes are ID occupa-
tional. l2l infectious. l3l preyi-
ously existing heart disease, "a
age-over 40 there is less elias
ITCHY in the heart muscle and
large arteries, go nervous strain
or excitement, and most irnpor-
tant 90 excessive exertion In
lifting. pulling. straining, march
ing, running, carrying heavy
loads.
The symptoms are sudden
onset with pain or discomfort
over the heart, weakness, short
ness of breath and palpitation,
and limitation of response on
the part of the heart to exercise
tests. rapid pulse, often enlarge
ment of the heart (dilation)
and pulse irregularity.
The basic cause is probably
overstretching Of the heart
muscle.
Many doctors do not agree that
there is any such thing, but at
least all the signs disappear on
rest and the quoting of appre-
tensions.
DOES acute strain 60 over
~ into chronic heart strain?
That is what we want to know
in connection with school ath-
leties and military training.
The heart of chronic strain
may be defined, for purposes of
argument, as an enlarged heart
with a low reserve.
There is no question that I'M
usual activity causes enlarge
ment of the heart.
Soldiers hearts are larger
than civilians.
Heavy laborers have larger
hearts.
Wild animals have larger
hearts than household pets--the
wild rabbit has a heart almost
three times as heavy as a pen
rabbit OF the same weight.
DUT does this do any perrna-
- nent harm? Probably not.
Nor cause any unpleasant symp-
toms.
Farrell studied % runners
three days after they had
reached New York from Los
Angeles.
They had averaged al miles
for "a consecutive days. yet only
one mans heart was larger than
when they had started and he
was ga years old and had been
running for 40 years.
The conclusion seems to be
that there is no such thing as
chronic heart strain and that
under military supervision the
soldiers life puts no burdens on
the heart.
QUESTIONS, ANSWERS
J. j.: Will a strict fruit diet
for one or two weeks aid an
adult suffering from chronic
constipation?
Answer: Yes, but you don't
need to 60 on strict fruit diet,
and two weeks is too short
period to set TO cure chronic
constipation. Give up cathartics
and eat as usual. but eat only
fruit, not sweets, for dessert and
eat a good helping of vegetables
at each meal and an apple at
bedtime.
Anon: Is drinking buttermilk
of any benefit to a person with
high blood pressure and heart
trouble?
Answer: 1t does not have any
IL Il