The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-07-27
Your Health By Dr.. William Brady

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 William Brady. National News
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 | FLATULENCY IS NOT DANGER OUS
 A middle aged woman who held an executive position in collegS for women, was subject to datul- ency, distension of stomach, bloat- ing, which come on late in the evening, particularly after busy and trying day.
 When she felt the gas Gas she supposed) accommodating she would walk the floor and do various gym. nastic exercises in the effort to ge, rid of the "gas" before she could feel safe to retire.
 Finally she consulted physician, who, after careful examinations, re- peated examinations, and a period of observation, decided that the woman was swallowing air as fast or faster than she could belch it or expel it. The distension of the stomach so produced alarmed her into a frenzy, and that state of anxiety made her swallow all the more as she paced the flood and did her stunts ..
 The physician explained the act- !, ual condition and assured the pa- tient that if she would take the air without getting all in dither about it, or just sit quietly and placidly and the hell with it, the "gas" would either pass into the intestine or be absorbed and no harm done. Fortunately the patient was convinced by the thorough ex- animation and study the doctor had made, that the doctor knew better than she did. She followed the doc tors advice and found presently that there was no "gas" to worry about.
 In no circumstances is such bloat- ing, distension, accumulation Of gas, air or wind dangerous. It nev- CT hampers the action of the heart. Only when the individual gets alarmed and resorts to all sorts of expedients to get rid of the "gas" quickly, does such flatulency be- come a medical problem.
 There is only one medicine can recommended as virtually harmless and often affording the desired re- lief in f1atulency-one or two discs of calcium carbonate and magnesi- um silicate. This is an antacid, and the patient with gastric hyperacid- ity, heartburn, waterbrash or sour eructations may get relief for hours from a disc or two, there being about 612 grains of calcium car bonate, 3 grains of magnesium silicate in each disc; calcium car- bonate to neutralize excessive acid- l ity, magnesium silicate to absorb acids of fermentation.
 Car1ninatives such as peppermint, wintergreen, pepper, ginger, anise, capsicum, mustard. cloves, cinna- I mon, camphor, valerian, asafetida, turpentine and worst, are crude and ineffective remedies for gas" bloating. collie, flatulence, in my opinion.
 The thing to remember, is that If you keep your composure and stop worrying about things that never happen you'll swallow less air and the air you have already swallowed will be quickly absorbed and expired with the breath or it will pass along in the normal course of digestion into the intes- tine, where reasonable amount of gas or air is required for good digestion.