The Ypsilanti daily press., 1944-10-16

This is literally a good descrip-
tion. IL is almost unknown among
natives of the tropics or of arctic
Or subarctic regions.
What are the elements that
make it a temperate climate di-
sease? Well, in the first place, a
temperate climate is where the
largest number of people are
crowded together and close to-
gether. They get indoors together,
in which their habits are different
from their tropical neighbors. The
Eskimos go inside, or at least so l
have heard, but there are not so
many of them. This first element
then in making sinus" a tenn
perate disease is that in a tenn
perate climate people swap germs
with greater frequency and faci-
lity.
Another factor is that in the
temperate zone the vegetation is
Of the sort that is liable to be wind
pollinated, and dust flies around
so We have the allergic, or vsso-
motor, rhinitis type of chronic
sinus.
Shape of Nose
Still another factor is anatoml-
cal. The temperate zone inhabi-
tant tends to have thin nose with
poor drainage, a disadvantage
from the sinus viewpoint over the
broad nose of both the South Sea
Islander and the Eskimo.
Whatever the reasons it is Ger.
tainly here in full force. There
have been a good many advances
in the medical knowledge of the
condition. In general, more con-
servative methods of treatment
are now selected by the nose and
throat specialists. Nasal ventila-
tion and drainage are in most
cases now secured without radical
removal of the nasal septum. Elec-
tro surgery is used to shrink the
swollen turbinates of the nose. Ir-
radiation by the X-ray and ra-
dium will remove lymphoid tissue
and polyps with ( le minimum Of
inconvenience. And the X-ray has
proven most useful in diagnosis
when the latest technique is used
to show all the anatomical details
present.
Still, with all the improvements
the chronic sinus sufferer can still
hardly look forward to any COM
plete and magical relief. The very
stars in their courses are against
that. Or to be less poetical, what
DR.. Johnson would have called the
anfrachiosities Ito save you a vis-
it to the dictionary, that means
workings and turnings) of the in
side Of the nose are against it.
You get few rats trapped in the
Mammoth Cave and it is hard TO
get them all out with a small gar
den hose. You get a few germs
wandering around the caverns of
the nose and it is hard to get them
all out permanently with a nasal
-nray or a nasal douche.
Three Types of Sinus
The difference between the fell
low who has an infective sinus
disease due to germs and an al
llergy due to pollens or dust or
food can be distinguished by the
victim himself. For the fairly rare
individual who has never picked
up a chronic sinus infection, a
winter cold, TO one Of which we
are each entitled, lasts about six
weeks and then he is probably i'm
mune, perhaps for the rest of the
winter, or perhaps until spring.
The germ-sinus subject has one
that lasts little longer, he is a
little more susceptible to another,
but he finally manages to acquire
a fairly long period of immunity
and freedom from discomfort. But
the fellow with the allergic coryza
is always shifting. No sooner does
he get rid of one stubbed ub dose
than he gets another. You may
find his spray gun in the bath
room or in a drawer in his desk
or on the mantle piece. OF course
only too frequently a chronic
germ infection Of the sinuses sem
sitizes to allergy of multiple ma
lures and those people / just feel
sorry for.