Evening star., 1961-12-19
STOP KILLING
YOURSELF
By PETER J. STElNCROHN

knows all. But I'm thankful
I've never fallen. The first
time I read one of my col
umns in which I seem to be
pounding a golden typewriter
and giving forth gems of
wisdom, in which I seem to
be the only doctor within
hundreds of miles who knows
anything about what's
troubling you-that's when
l will confront myself in the
mirror, shake a warning
forefinger in my own face
and say: Come down to
earth, man, you're beginning
to sprout wings"
l RECEIVE hundreds of
letters from readers who ask
for specific treatment, who'd
like a diagnosis their own
doctor can't seem to make,
who are dissatisfied with
doctors. nurses, hospitals.
l really feel flattered that
they come to me expecting
to get the correct answers.
At least, these overtures in
dicate that readers consider
me a good friend-which l
try to be.
But as l said earlier, l
know my own limitations.
From here I can do just so
much and no more. Many
readers write to say that
they can't get up the courage
to talk to their own doctor;
instead, they write to me.
1 keep telling them distance
lends enchantment. "a pro-
fesSor is any doctor who lives
at least 100 miles out of
town.
Remember that your own
doctor, who lives around the
block, may be the one who
deserves all your confidence.
One of the most effective
weapons against illness is a
strong physician-patient re-
lationship. If you hesitate
to confide fully in your own
doctor, you weaken your
chances. Keep confiding in
NE; but don't be ashamed to
confide in him, too.
= Il
READERS may recall that
| l have often said that the
letters MD. might as we'll
stand for medical detective
as we'll as medical doctor.
| Consider this review appear
ing in the J. A. M. A. (Jour-
nal of the American Medical
| Association of a case his
| tory presented by Drs. D. L.
HoW1e and H. Moller in the
( Delaware Medical Journal:
The authors present the
history of a 50-year-old man.
who was hospitalized with a
chief complaint of weakness
and dizziness coming on in
/ attacks over a period of
two years. He had noted a
bitter taste in his mouth.
/ He was next seen four
months after his first ad-
mission. when he had taken
i'll with abdominal pain
during supper. The next
day the patient claimed that
he felt fine and wanted to
go home. Eight days later
! he was brought in uncon-
scious. He had slow reSpira-
tions and peculiar bitter
sweet odor to the breath.
The patient died within p
hour.
Because of the resident
physicians tentative dag
nosiS and the autopsy find
ing of a gastritis. gastric
contents were treated with
ferrous sulfate, ferric chlo-
ride and hydrochloride acid.
The typical ferriferrocyanide
color resulted. Search of the
patients premises yielded
both cyanide and arsenic
preparations.
The wife later admitted
administering cyanide to
her husband. Cases of homi-
cidal poisoning are missed,
largely because the physician
is not suspicious or is too
ready to sign a death cer-
tificate as coronary throm-
boSis. A higher index of
suspicion and more autopsies
where the cause of death is
not known will undoubtedly
reveal more cases of criminal
and homicidal poisoning"
x X = Il
EVERY LITTLE BIT helps.
If you have been having
trouble with the circulation
in your legs, you will be
surprised by the comfort
you find when you stop
wearing tight elastic to hold
up your socks. You'll soon
get over feeling sloppy when
your socks slip down your
ShinS.
DR.. Stetncrohn'S ledtlet
Hints on Ho,D to Overcome
Headaches" 1Dill be mailed
on receipt OF a stamped, self
addressed envelope and ID
cents in coin for handling
Address DR.. SteincrohA in
care OF The EUening Star.
Bell Syndicate Feature
Tomorrow: Age