The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-04-28
JOINT LUBRICANT

Mother of a boy in service says
that after the boy went through
basic training in the Army 0hd
army doctors knowing he had no
fluid in the Synovia or cartilageS or
his knees his knees grew worse, ana
he is now serving as assistant to
the chaplain. His trouble began
when he fell and injured his knees
playing football in high school.
incidentally, and parents OF
schoolboys please pay attention, II
anybody asks me I say football
should be eliminated from high
school curricula. High school foot
ball subjects the unfortunate young
sters who are permitted to play or to
train" for it to serious strain in
their growing, developing period.
I say football Is a grown mans
game.
The soldiers mother asks whether
there is some treatment that will
put this fluid back into the boys
knee joints. He has asked not to
be discharged from the service, as
he believes there are many ways he
can be of use other than using his
legs, yet he does not want to enter
the hospital.
Mother doesn't give further de-
tails about the question of entering
the hospital.
In the first place, this idea that
the injured or diseased joint has
lost it's fluid and that the primary
purpose of any remedy or treat
ment is to put the fluid ba ck into
the joint, Is popular miscopcep-
ton. The few drops of clear serum
in joint may lubricate the Joint
but loss of the fluid is no more Seri-
Gus than is loss Of q few drops of
blood from a cut finger, for there
is plenty more where the lost fluid
came from. So one should not
be misled by the notion that some
remedy or treatment will restore
the lubricant OF the dry" joint.
Very likely this boy sustained a
tear and more or less displacement
or partial detachment of cartil-
age or a piece Of synovial mem
brane (the joint lining which Sc
cretes the fluid. That is a COM
mon occurrence in sprain or twist
or wrench of the knee. If con-
siderable degree Of disability per-
siStS for q year or more, the SEN
sible and usually advisable course
is operation. The operation is un-
dertaken to remove the dislocated
or partially detached cartilage or
Synovial fringe, or to anchor 1t in
place. The operation, under mod
ern aSeptic conditions, Is as safe as
houses and it offers an excellent
chance of restoring the joint func-
ton. 1t does not subject the pa
tient to greater risk of getting a.
stiff joint or a useless one than the
untreated triuble itself does.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Swollen Glands
What causes swollen glands in
children? (MrS. K. M. M
Answer-Tf you mean kernels" in
the neck, they are enlarged lymph
nodes due to infection Of throat,
tonsilS, nose, ears, teeth. Neglected
carries of back teeth is a common
cause. Chronic tonsillitis or 'en-
larged tonsils and adenoids" Is an
other common cause. Send stamped
envelope bearing your address, for
pamphlet "Adenoids and Tonsils."
Starch
My sister and I crave laundry
starch and sour dirt What causes
this? Will eating such things in
jure health?
(Miss H. L. A., MississippD.
Answer-Eating laundry starch is
as harmless as eating so much corn
starch or white flour. I don't know
what "sour dirt" is-if it is soil,
earth or some kind, it is compare
lively harmless provided it is baked
to kill any hookworm larvae or
other parasitic eggs or germs in it.
Ninnyhammer
I am wondering whether I ought
to sue you in order to protect my
priority rights on the name "Ninny-
hammer" I've used it for thirty
years, and now I find you pirate
the word. (H. A.
Answer-No soap-Webster beat
both Of us to 1t.
(For,rr101ok 9nAA ToL.x. r7 YNsl1n ~ !