Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1961-10-17
Stop
Killing
Yourself
Motion Sickness
By PETER J. sTEINcRoHN

Dear DR.. Steincrohn: plan
to make my first plane trip
within a few weeks. I'm ter
ribly subject to motion sick
ness. Also, I have a prob
lem in that I am a coro-
nary patient. 1 wonder if my
heart can take it.-Mr. T.,
Florida.
FEAR AND apprehension
are important factors in the
cause of motion sickness on
plane. or anywhere. I can't
tell you to stop thinking
about it. but the less you do.
the better are the chances
you won't be air-sick. Jet
planes often fly above bad
weather. which is also a cause
of sickness.
This being your first flight.
ask the flight attendant for
an anti-motion sickness pill
as soon as you board. Try
getting a seat right behind
the wing, and on the right
side. Choose an aisle seat
rather than a window view.
AS most turns in aerial traf-
flee are to the left, you won't
feel as if you're sliding off to
the ground when the big
planes banks.
Don't drink, because alco-
hol predisposes to rather
than prevents. air-sickness.
Take a light meal about an
hour before you get on the
plane. To repeat: don't be
sure you're going to get sick.
Otherwise, you will.
AS for your second ques-
ton: Coronary patients can
fly If they have no symp-
tom: and il they haven't had
an attack of thrombosis with
in the past few months. This
is also true for anginal pa
tients who can walk at least
a 100 yards without pain and
can climb the steps to the
plane without discomfort. For
heart patients this dictum is
usually an acceptable one:
IF you can walk you can
fly"
Dear DR.. Steincrohn: What
can be done about spurs on
the spine?-Mr. H, Detroit.
SPUR is nothing more
than an excess pile-up Of bone
on the vertebra. 1t may occur
throughout the spine. or only
in isolated spots. Many peo-
pie have spurs and don't even
know it. Call 1t the natural
process of growing old and
you might be right or wrong.
For, some people in the 70s
have few spurs and others in
their 30s and 40s are loaded"
with them. Spurs are the
common term for these bony
overgrowths in what is known
as osteoarthritis. Sometimes
there's pain; often there
isn't.
Treatment consists OF
graduated exercises. heat and
aspirin If pain and stiffness
are a problem. If your doc
tor finds spurs on taking a
routine X-ray of your spine
land you have no pain for
get that you have them.
Dear DR.. Steincrohn:
Would you please tell me
what auricular fertilization
means? Does it cause fluid
in the legs?-Mrs. L., Texas.
AURICULAR fertilization is
a heart irregularity. Normally,
the heart beats starts in its
upper right side in the "sino-
auricular node" and spreads
regularly tat a rate of any
where from 5000 beats a
minute) through the rest Of
the heart. But in some type
of heart disease. the muscles
(which are made up of "fi-
brilS") become irritated and
start heart beats of their
own. This is what we call
fertilization.
Hundreds of beats a min
ute are generated by the dis
ordered muscle fibrils, and
only comparatively few get
through to the pumping VEN
tricles of the heart. The re-
suit is a rapid, irregular
pluse. Due to inefficiency of
the pumping mechanism,
fluid may collect in the legs.
chest and abdomen. When we
make a diagnosis of auricu-
lar fertilization it's important
to recognize the underlying
cause. Is it rheumatic heart
disease, arterioSclerotic heart
disease, ETC.? In that way, we