The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-07-26
so YOU NEED A TONIC?

so YOU NEED A TONIC?
Every days mail brings a letter
or two complaining that phySici-t5
do not pay enough attention to In =
nor ailments, dismiss patients with
such ailments with some advice CT
a laugh and a pat on the back and
do not give them a careful exam
nation. And every days mail brings
a letter or two complaining that
physicians take minor ailments too
seriously, put such patients through
lot Of tests or special investiga-
tons, run up big bill, when all the
patient really needs is a good tonic
or some advice about diet.
People, like doctors, are funny
that way.
Whether they take the first view
of the matter Or the second, Ger
tainly good many people, when or
if they do consult a physician. ad-
wise the physician at the outset that
all they need is a good tonic
They sem to think that this is a
shrewd way to deal with doctor
get prescription for the tonic for
a dollar or two and hurry before
the doctor can make case out of
it,
There are two alternatives for
the doctor in such circumstances.
First, he may ignore the allusion to
a tonic and proceed to give the pa
tent good going over. Or he may
do the affable act and give the pa
tent the tonic and to h.. coed
buy to the patient, unless old j. j.
Coincidence takes hand and brings
the patient back next year for son2c
more of that same medicine-never
knew of such magic, ETC., etc.
have tried both alternatives, the
one as many times as the other, and
I don't know which is better fer
J. j. Coincidence is an impondeabla
factor.
A tonic is something that tones,
invigorates, strengthens, improves
resiliency, function. Familiar eX-
amples are change of weather CT
climate, nip Of iodine two or three
times a week, good chaW of vita
min B-compleX and vitamin D to
supplement your breakfast evcrv
morning, two miles Of oxygen Oil
the hoof at least once day, as
much exposure to sunlight or sky
shine as you can stand short of sun
burn, an afternoon In the bleachers
or grandstand if your work with
your muscles or a game of ball, ten
mis-, golf, lawn bowls, three-old -cat
softball or horseshoes if your jib is
the white collar kind.
But it is as absurd for patient to
tell his doctor he or she needs or
wants good tonic" as it would be
to tell the doctor he or she needs or
wants good tonic" as it would be
to tell the doctor he or she needs or
wants tonsillectomy or an appen-
dectomy. The sensible thing is to
tell the doctor your present COM
plant and leave it to the doctor to
decide what remedy or treatment
you need.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Hardening of the Arteries
Physician here-one who has a
very large practice-says the use Of
potassium tablets will cause hard
ening of the arteries. I have been
using them with most satisfactory
results for a chronic eczema on my
legs, as suggested in your pamph-
lets on Allergy and Eczema. G. M
s.
AnsWer-A physician here one
who has a very large (but not too
large) collection of pipes - doubts
there is any scientific foundation
for the idea, or at least don't be-
lieve the use of potassium chloride
for relief of allergic conditions will
cause hardening of the arteries.
Brutality
What do you think of whipping
months old baby often and
hard? I am sure the woman loves
her baby, but she seems to think
such whippings necessary and IL
seems terrible. (Mrs. w. Nd
AnSWer-I am sure no doctor. not
even self-styled child training spe-
cialist. would sanction it. A sudden
slap on the hand to correct an in
FAINT less than year old may be
all right, but 1t is brutal and wicked
to administer corporal punishment
to baby.
Reducing
Have you anything in the way OF
advice on reducing? I have accumu-
lated a good deal of excess weight
in hte past ten years and If can
reduce without endangering my
health. ANTS. M. H. d.
Answer-That's the right way to
regard it, Send twenty-five cents and
stamped nevelope bearing your I'D
dress, for "Rules for Reducing"
Copyright 1913, John F. Ollie Co..
PRISONERS FOR THE U. s.