The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-04-08

only, and then only through
his column.
my blood pressure is $50. There
seem 10 be scores Of people trou-
bled this way"
This is an appeal ad hominem,
since he asks me for my treatment
for high blood pressure and am
in about the same condition he is,
Twill give my treatment Of myself.
| should preface it by saying,
however, that | had another letter
from a fellow who said: The joke
is on you. You turned me down for
life insurance on account of high
blood pressure in 1921 and I am
still going strong" This is no
news to me. | see dozen men
daily - on the golf links, rushing
about the marts Of trade - who
had really high blood pressures -
none of your little $50 stuff -
and ! turned them down for life
insurance. And, let me see 49, how
long ago was that? Well, haven't
examined for life insurance for at
least twenty years. And they are
still going strong.
| think the life insurance COM
psnies have softened Up on their
standards a good deal in the last
few years.
| tried to find out few years
ago just what was the incidence Of
high blood pressure in people over
so. How many out Of hundred at
that age have a reading Of over
$50? | wrote to a number of the
largest life insurance companies
and they didn't know. One or two
offered TO look it up for me and
finally said their figures indicated
about Is per cent. but since they
rejected all applicants with
pressure over $50, they were not
certain that figure was right.
So | asked a number of physi-
clans to give me the blood pressure
readings consecutively on a hun
dred of their patients over so
years of age, no matter what
disease they had. The first report
that came in showed SO per cent
had it, which surprised everybody.
We thought it was inaccurate, but
later reports were about the same.
And let me emphasize that these
physicians were not specialists in
heart work or high blood pressure,
so the cases we're not selective.
One was a nose and throat special
ist and he found &C per cent Of his
patients over 80 had a blood pres
sure over $50.
Ny first conclusion then is that
more of US have it than don't have
1t. And We do pretty well with it.
am not trying to minimize the
seriousness of the sign. ! am per-
fectly aware that it accompanies
or is the cause Of kidney disease,
Bright's disease, and apoplexy.
and heart disease and diabetes and
a lot Of other conditions. But:
A. The severe, Gripping cases
are in the minority. Most people
never know they have it and die at
an advanced age Of something
else.
B. With few exceptions-such
as angina pectoris and cramps in
the legs-it is not painful.
c. Why worry about it because
l never knew Of any treatment,
diet, drug, surgical operation
which ever changed anybody's
blood pressure for any length Of
time.
Now to get down to my method
Of treating my own case. go to
bed between 10 p. m. and 2 a. m.
every night. l never get up until
after | awaken. After dressing
go down to breakfast. l am very
careful about my diet. ! eat what
ever they put before me, and l
have been very careful that no one
in my house has heard about blood
pressure diets. Then | work about
eight hours, punctuated by lunch,
several cigars, and an hours walk.
Then | go home and sit down and
smoke two or three cigars before
dinner. Then / go to the movies
or turn on the radio, or read and
then go to bed. And | never let
anyone take my blood pressure if
/ can help it or tell me what my
blood pressure is.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A. A. R.: Is a heart murmur
durable? What are its signs and
symptoms? Does it affect the life
span Of the individual?
Answer: There are about twen-
ty kinds Of heart murmurs-some
durable, some not. The sign Of a
heart murmur is heart murmur.
Some murmurs shorten life, some
do not.