The Wilmington morning star., 1946-08-08
Doctor Says-
YOU CAN'T CURE
| HEART DISEASE
| WITH YlTAMlNS
BY WILLIAM A, O'BRIFN NJ -

BY WILLIAM A. o'BRIEy NJ ~
Spectacular announcements
cures for all the common fo~oa
of heart disease with the ,iss -
Vitamin E are premature, Irya,
legations have not been compIetoS
and Vitamin E is not know :,
possess specific healing propertis,
to combat the changes encounter,
ed in heart disease.
Heart disease can develop in
connection with beri-beri, a form
of Vitamin B deficiency. The co1,
dition, which is well known in +ba
Orient, is uncommon in our conn.
try, except for those few cases
which occur in alcoholics and in
those suffering from serious M
tritional disorders (pellagra and mn,
tritional neuritis.)
Many alcoholics develop stsrva.
ton sickness because thew trv n
obtain their calories from alcohol
and not from food. Body organs
are seldom injured by alcohol
unless there is associated starva,
ton. It is practically impossible IA
produce liver cirrhosis in experi.
mental animals unless food is re-.
stricted when alcohol is admins.
tered,
Individuals do not develop beri.
beri heart disease until they have
been living on a deficient diet for
months.
Thiamia Witamin b heart
trouble resembles the other varie.
ties of heart trouble, for shortness
of breath, swelling of the feet and
ankles, and congestion Of the liver
are the common complaints.
Beri = beri heart disease differs
from the other forms in that the
enlarged heart can be reduced 10
normal by eating an adequate diet
plus large doses of thiamin But
after the condition has been pres
ent for some time it is difficult to
effect a cure.
1t is not likely that the usual
varieties Of heart disease will be
combatted by taking vitamins. If
there is an associated malnutri.
ton. the patients general condi.
ton will be improved by a good
diet supplemented by necessary
vitamins, even though no definite
effect on the heart can be demon.
strated.
Patients with heart disease
should not try vitamins for their
trouble if it means discontinuing
the treatments which have been
prescribed by the physician.
The management of heart dis
ease is a cooperative effort Of
patient and physician, and if vita
minis are needed the physician
should prescribe them in the
proper variety and amounts.
Vitamia supplements are not a
cure-all in heart disease or in any
other condition, as diets which
lack vitamins usually are wanting
in other food essentials.
The only exception to this gen.
eral rule is in childhood, when ad-
ditional Vitamin D is necessary
until growth is completed. In
certain sections, the sun may pro.
vide a Vitamin D effect during
part of the summer months, but
it is not a reliable source,)
Question: I read q magazine
article recently in which a drug
called demerol was recommended
to ease the torment of migraiae.
Is a physicians prescription nee
eSsary to obtain this drug? l I'M
derstand that there is no danger
of addiction from its use.
ANSWER: A physicians pre-
scription is necessary. H. J.. An
singer, Washington, D. c., Com
missioner of Narcotics, states:
"Demerol was placed under federal
narcotic control by the Con-
gress because of evidence given
before that body of its dangerous
properties. Our files contain
numerous cases of addiction In
volving the use Of demerol.'