JANUARY 1971 FIEAL.TH 'FRE ART OF HEALING

by A DOCTOR

E are living in an age of machines, be they First of all let us consider the relevent "built-in motor cars, washing machines, or even sewing self-care and self-repair devices" with which we w machines. The list could be continued on and propose you should co-operate. We can here deal with on, but whatever may be the direction or the extent only the more obvious of these; for one has only to of the mechanization of our particular home, we very recall the massive tomes dealing with anatomy and soon learn that we must take care of our machines or physiology which every doctor must study, to realize else they won't work. It may be no more than a little the limitations imposed by the necessary brevity of cleaning, or oiling, or the adjustment of a nut, screw this article. or bolt that is necessary, but if we want the machine Machine Maintenance to work for us properly, sooner or later we have to give it the needed attention. Looking at the back of my hand I see the veins By far the most wonderful, the complicated which stand out and remind me of the blood stream machine we have to deal with is the human body— which courses ceaselessly throughout my body. Blood, our own bodies. We wish to stress those last three as we commonly know it, seems to be a red fluid but words, our own bodies, because each one of us should is in fact of itself colourless. The redness is provided in the first instance be the one to take steps to keep by the countless millions of red corpuscles which the his own particular body-machine in proper working blood carries along. These red corpuscles may be re- order. garded as small envelopes carrying supplies of oxygen One of the very wonderful details of the body- to every part of the body, through the arterial system machine is the fact that it is equipped with what on the "outward" journey, and through the venous might be described as built-in self-care and self-repair system on the "return" journey, the "used" oxygen devices; and our own personal contribution to this (carbon dioxide) going back to the lungs for replace- care and repair department is sensible co-operation n_ent. They are of profound importance. with those built-in devices. As well as the red corpuscles which give the Let us digress briefly to draw attention to those blood its characteristic colour there are also white words sensible co-operation because they should re- corpuscles, much less numerous, but also very im- mind us of the immeasurable difference between our portant. They are of different kinds, and of one human bodies and those of any other living creatures. group we read: " . . . the amceboid cells inhabiting We refer here to our possession of minds capable of my blood and lymph crawl about over and through thinking, investigating, reasoning, remembering, and the membranes limiting the fluid channels in the our purpose in this article is to assist you in applying body. They catch and digest particles. Should I get your minds in the matter of the care and repair of a wound they contribute to its healing. They give your body-machine. To page 33

HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 CLIPP.ItiGSan - COMMENTS deQta' HEALTH Of Bulgaria's eight million peo- Vol. 48, No. 1 January 1971 ple, 426 are above the age of 100. This puts Bulgaria in the first rank in Europe in the relative num- ber of its centenarians. They come Editor: JOHN M. FOWLER, M.A., M.S. mainly from large families of be- tween four and nine children. Of the centenarians, fifty-eight per MEDICAL CONSULTANTS cent are women. These figures I. R. Bazliel, Ex-Maj., I.M.S. Yawalkar, M.B.B.S., D.V.D., M.D. have emerged from studies under- C. A. Ninan, M.B., F.R.C.S., Ed. Elizabeth J. Hiscox, M.D. taken by the Centre of Geron- K. A. Paulsen, M.R.C.P., D.C.H. R. M. Meher-Homji, B.D.S. tology, in Sofia.

Oral poliomyelitis vaccines are among the safest of live vaccines ARTICLES in use, concluded a WHO Scien- tific Group after examining the re- The Art of Healing A Doctor 2 sults of administering 370 million Low Back Pain Mary Catherine Noble, R.N., R.P.T. 5 doses, which led to less than ninety Rheumatic Fever Clifford R. Anderson, M. D. 7 polio cases. The Weather Affects Us All David Bowen 10 The sharp decline in polio as a Heart Transplants—I Walter Froehlich 11 result of the vaccination cam- Physical Fitness Selected 12 paigns, begun in 1955 with Salk How to Relax—I Clarence W. Dail, M. D. 14 vaccine and continued after 1959 Capsule Rules for Happiness Selected 17 with live attenuated polio vaccines, represent an achievement un- Pain in the Joints—I William T. Gibb, M.D. 18 paralleled in the control of any Tonsils Are in Fashion Edith Lahr 21 other disease by vaccination, the Is Breakfast Important? 7. A. Saxon and Dorothea Jones 22 group noted. Hair Care Vee Picton 24 Why People Still Smoke? Harold Shryock, M. D. 26 Newly developed by a New The Fox and the Grapes Edward W. H. Vick 36 Zealand University of Canterbury professor, a pair of spectacles FEATURES enables a blind person to pick up sound waves from objects and thus avoid bumping into them. The Clippings and Comments .. 3 Guest Editorial 4 glasses have three tiny receivers Your Radio Doctor 7 The Doctor Advises 29 fitted onto them which transmit Household Hints 31 Little People 32 signals through the arms to small Medicine Today 35 tubes fitted into the wearer's ears. The volume and quality of the

sound indicate the nature of an A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST PUBLI-Our Bengal—Morabadi Villa, Ranchi, Bihar; Assam object in the beam and its pitch CATION issued monthly by the ORIENTAL —Nongthymmai, Shillong; East Pakistan- WATCMAN PUBLISHING HOUSE, P. 0. 130/C Dhanmandi Road, Dacca; Ceylon— indicates the distance. bur 35, Poona 1, India. / Alfred House Gardens, Colpetty, Colombo 3, West Pakistan—Oriental Watch- * SUBSCRIPTION RATES: 1 yr. Rs. 12.60; 2 yrs. Rs. 24.70; 3 yrs. Rs. 36.30; man Publishing House, 57 Multan Road 5 yrs. Rs. 60.50 Foreign postage, Rs. 3.00 Lahore; Burma—Book ea Bible House, 68 U Wisara Road, Rangoon. School in Greenland is compul- per year. Foreign: Malaysia, §12.00. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Send new sory until the age of fourteen. address, with wrapper from magazine, or SUBSCRIPTION PAYMENTS : reference number on wrapper, to indicate old Courses include kayak (canoe representatives are authorized to receive cash address. made of sealskin) handling and or cheques and to issue official receipts for NON-RECEIPT OF MAGAZINE : In- same. For orders sent to publishers, make quire at local post-office before informing us. sewing furs. cheque or money order payable to Oriental If possible, send magazine wrapper when Watchman Publishing House, Salisbury Park, writing regarding non-receipt. Poona 1. EXPIRY NOTICE: X on wrapper of REGIONAL OFFICES: Andhra, Kerala, magazine indicates subscription has expired, PICTURE CREDITS Madras and Mysore-13, Cunningham Road,Owned ing House, by the P.Oriental 0. Box Watchman 35, Poona Publish- 1, and Cover: Transparency by Shaikh Burhanbai. Bangalore 1; Gujarat and Maharashtra-16 5—M. Sundar Rao; 7—Aruna Banker; 11, 18, Club Road, Bombay 8; Uttar Pradesh, East printed and published by V. Raju at and 21, 26—J. S. Moses; 12—Govindlal; 22—G. Punjab, Delhi and Adjacent States-11, for the Oriental Watchman Publishing House, T. Zachariah; 24—J. M. Fowler. Halley Road, New Delhi; Bihar, Orissa, West Post Box 35, Poona 1. 695-70. HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 3 ili 111111111 11111111111111 ment of wheat and rice plants, created a technological breakthrough which makes it possible to abolish hunger in the developing countries in the course of a few years," said Guest Editorial the chairman of the Nobel Peace Prize Com- mittee in making the award. Appropriately enough, Dr. Borlaug received Towards word of the Award while working in the fields of the Mexico experimental station. Looking Abolishing up from a wheat row he said modestly: "This Hunger is an award to a team, not to me personally. What I have done I have done with a group of young, dedicated scientists from more than Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, the architect of 25 countries. Many of them played an active the Green Revolution which is transforming role. If anything, I have only supplied a little India and many other developing countries in spark." Asia, Africa and Latin America from food im- As he said this, Dr. Borlaug pointed to porters to self-sufficiency, has been awarded some of the scientists with him including Dr. the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize. S. Rajaram and Dr. George Varughese of The Green Revolution is the development India. and application largely in the developing Dr. Borlaug's search for high yielding countries, of the new high-yield cereals— cereal strains began twenty-five years ago. wheat, rice and maize, and also sorghums, The breakthrough came .. in 1953 when he millets, potatoes and grain legumes—leading selected some obscure but extremely short to bumper harvests and adequate food for the north Japanese wheat varieties for his experi- majority of mankind. ments. The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize The "dwarfs" were interbred with Mexi- to Dr. Borlaug for his work assuring freedom can strains to produce a plant that could with- from hunger underlies the vital role of food stand heavy fertilization and produce high self-sufficiency in the world's search for peace. yields without lodging or falling over. It is also proof of the world's growing recogni- Three of the more promising variants of tion that peace, progress and prosperity do this dwarf wheat were later released to farmers not depend solely upon diplomats, upon inter- in Mexico. What has happened since then is national conferences or upon resounding in- well known. Mexico which imported over ternational agreements. 4,00,000 tons of wheat in 1950, became self- Iowa-born Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, 56, sufficient in 1956. And today it is exporting the American Agricultural expert, who is pres- wheat to other countries. ently director of the International Maize and Dr. Borlaug's link with India is both Wheat Improvement Centre in Mexico, was personal and professional. He first came to given the world's most coveted award for his India in 1963 at the invitation of the Govern- "great contribution" in spurring food produc- ment of India. tion in recent years, especially in Mexico, India According to Dr. R. G. Anderson, wheat and other countries. specialist of the Indian agricultural programme India, which expects to become self-suf- of the Rockefeller Foundation, Dr. Borlaug ficient in food by 1972, had an output of 100 attaches great importance to India because "it million tons in the 1969-70 harvest season, is here that research is being done on the eleven million tons more than the record largest scale at the moment for evolving new eighty-nine million in 1964-65. This increase varieties." is due largely to derivatives from Dr. Borlaug's RADHAKRISHNAN new strains of wheat. Managing Editor, "Dr. Borlaug has through his improve- The American Reporter Low Back Pain

by MARY CATHERINE NOBLE, R.N., R.P.T.

H, my aching back!" This com- difficult to understand that pain in tion also can be caused by muscle mon expression used by a teen-ager the back may not be simply local spasm, so not all radiating pain is probably means that his instructors but a problem of total body posture caused by disc injury. Nerve irrita- at school have loaded him with and function. tion is often relieved by delicate homework just when his social cal- Although we speak of vertebra treatments such as heat applica- endar is fully booked. When mother out of place, this condition is im- tion and gentle massage. uses the expression she probably is probable except in severe injury The spinal cord is the main trunk suffering the effects of an allergy where the spine is broken and of the body's electrical system. It she got from pollen in weeds among paralysis results. constantly feeds messages from the the roses in her garden. Father Small resilient disc of cartilage body to the brain and responses finds that week-end recreation in lying between the vertebrae act as from the brain to the body. This the mountains provides too much shock absorbers. In the centre of important member is protected on strain for his too-little-used muscles. the disc is a spongy nucleus that every side by bones. The human back, a marvel of sometimes ruptures under great A common source of low back engineering, is composed of a stress, causing pain in the back that pain is strain or sprain. It may be slender column of bones, each an often radiates down the leg. called sacreiliac strain or sprain or individual in its own right. The This radiating pain occurs be- lumbosacral sprain. The difference bones are held together and careful- cause the large nerves enter the between the two is the area of the ly balanced by ligaments and mus- spinal column (which houses the back that is injured. cles. Normally, this column is delicate spinal cord) at side open- We may get a better understand- balanced over the pelvis, to which ings adjacent to the disc. Injury to ing of back sprain if we think of a the legs are attached, and on top of a disc may cause pinching or irrita- sprained ankle. The structure is the column rests the head. It is not tion, which causes the pain. Irrita- different, but stretched and pulled HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 5 ligaments and muscles protest when that is painful for a period of time Still stretching out tightly, do abused, wherever they are. Some tends to contract, shorten, and be- the next exercise while lying on time is required before the ankle come useless. The ligaments also your back. In the acute stage of gives good service without discom- tighten and shorten from disuse. back pain, choose the reclining fort. If we remember this fact we a. Tilt the Pelvis. Pelvic tilt is position, because the firm surface can be more patient with back pain. most simply done with the patient of the floor or table protects your No doubt impatience comes because lying face down after the heat treat. back from injury. It may be said back pain is disabling. A sprained ment. Place a pillow low under the to act as a splint. No further dam- ankle, although painful, soon abdomen and a small pillow un- age will be done if the exercises are permits us to resume regular ac- der the ankles in such a way that carried out correctly. This knowl- tivities. the feet are comfortable and there edge gives you confidence to persist Here is what to do for back is no strain on the back muscles. inspite of pain that the stretching sprain: The pillow under the ankles per- of tightness causes. 1. Rest. As in any sprain or mits the leg muscles to relax. One word of caution: There is strain, rest is of first importance. Do the exercise by tightening always the person who becomes This usually means rest in bed on large hip muscles, thus flattening enthusiastic over his exercises and a firm mattress, making sure that the hips down over the pillow. At thinks that if some exercise is good, there is no sagging. the same time use the abdominal more must be better. Too much muscles to pull up on the front exercise soon causes stiffness and 2. Physical Therapy. If physical part of the pelvis, thus flattening soreness even when the patient has therapy is available, your physician the stomach. With practice a good begun to feel better. He then com- probably will recommend some rocking motion can be obtained, plains to the physician that the ex- kind of physical treatment such as which can be used in other posi- ercises are making him worse, and heat application, gentle massage, tions such as standing once the they are thought to be of little or ultrasound, and (after the acute patient becomes aware of the pull no value in relieving pain. stage) a programme of scientific ex- of the muscles in the pelvic area. Do each exercise ten times at the ercise to restore the back to health. b. Stretch Tight Hip Muscles. most. An exercise programme of In addition to this programme, he Still lying face down, lift first one ten or fifteen minutes twice daily may make some suggestions for leg and then the other without roll- is usually sufficient. Once you home treatment. ing or lifting your body. If lifting achieve complete relief from acute Physicians commonly recom- with your leg straight is too pain- pain you may do further condi- mend the hot tub bath as a heat ful, try keeping your knee bent tioning and strengthening exercises, treatment, to get the muscles re- when lifting. In addition to but in the acute stage avoid over- laxed. Moist heat has been found to strengthening the large hip mus- exercising. produce better relaxation of mus- cles, this exercise stretches any c. Stretch the Low Back. Hip cle spasm and tightness than dry tightness in the front of the thigh. hiking is the name for this exercise. heat produces. Hot packs, or fo- Bend your knee and bring your Stretch your low back while lying mentation, are also excellent for foot back on your thigh as far as on a firm surface on your back. applying moist heat. Some people is comfortably possible in order to Do this exercise by moving the find a hot shower helpful, with the further stretch any tightness in the large muscle on the side of your hot water beating across the pain- front of your thigh. In the acute hip bone. When the exercise is done ful area. The temperature of the stage the patient often is surprised correctly, the straight leg resting bath should not be higher than to find that he cannot do this. He on the floor or bed is an inch or 102° F., and the time in the bath has limited the motion of his leg. two above the other leg because should be limited to ten or fifteen Two or three days of gentle ex- of the seesaw motion in the back. minutes. ercise usually result in marked Do the exercise with first one leg Avoid chilling after the home improvement. shortened and then the other, with treatment, for it would increase In exercising, we need to remind your knee straight. This to-and-fro muscle spasm and pain. ourselves continually that we should motion helps stretch the tough tis- 3. Exercise Programme. During do each exercise correctly and sue in the low back called fascia. the acute stage of back sprain only without haste, then take a moment For the next exercise bend your gentle massage is recommended, or two of rest. The rest not only knees so that the soles of your feet and during the first two or three enables us to get a good breath rest on the floor. Bring up to your days exercises are not begun, be- but gives the circulation in the body first one knee and then the cause movement is so painful. Ex- working muscle a chance to get other. When you can do each leg ercises are useful because a muscle through the blood vessels. easily, bend your legs together and 6 HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 bring them up to your body so that you achieve a curling effect. Use your hands to pull your knees down to your chest, increasing the stretch on your back. When this exercise is no longer difficult for you, bring your head down to meet your knees, so that your entire back must stretch around the out- side of the circle your body makes. d. Stretch Calf and Thigh Mus- cles. After the curling motion just mentioned, bend your knees and flex your legs at your hip and push your foot upward toward the ceil- ing, keeping your foot at a right angle to your leg. Often the angle at the hip is not even thirty degrees, because with a greater angle your knee cannot be tightened owing to the pain and rigidity. As you con- tinue the stretching programme, you should be able to reach the optimum, which is a right angle at your hip while maintaining a right angle at your ankle. Keep your leg straight and lower it slowly. Straight-leg raising is not recom- Rheumatic Fever mended, because your low back must bow to get the leg lifted off the bed. This bowing of your back childhood's greatest killer would increase the pain. The same stretching and strengthening can be by CLIFFORD R. ANDERSON, M.D. accomplished by first bending your knee and hip as suggested, then YOUR RADIO DOCTOR pushing your leg up and straight, working toward the right angle at HEUMATIC fever is one of throat." The rheumatic feer is the hip and ankle with your knee childhood's greatest enemies. just a delayed reaction from the straight and then lowering your leg. R No other disease is more wide- presence of these germs. Some- When straight-leg lowering with spread and more crippling in its ef- times the tonsils are badly in- one leg becomes easy, do it with fects on children and young people flamed, At other times the infec- your two legs lowered together. today. It occurs in every country tion may be so mild as to almost This way is more difficult. You and among all classes of people. escape notice. may notice some abdominal sore- This is one disease that every par- Any person who is subject to ness after beginning this exercise, ent and teacher should be on the frequent sore throats may come because not only does the exercise lookout for, especially during the down with rheumatic fever. Some stretch out your leg muscles but colder months of the year. families are far more prone to lowering your legs strengthens the In many ways rheumatic fever is have this disease, just as other fam- abdominal muscles. rather a strange disease. We can- ilies are more likely to develop After the pain has subsided and not say that it is actually caused tuberculosis. We do not yet know you are beginning to think about by germs, but it always seems to the reason for this, except that the returning to work, give some con- follow some infection of the throat. tissues of some people seem to re- sideration to posture. A bout with In most cases the throat infection act differently to the presence of pain often causes a person to as- is caused by certain streptococcus streptococcus germs. sume faulty body positions. *** germs—in other words, a "strep The extreme seriousness of rheu- HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 7 Children of school age are with young people. Not all who formed because the two conditions very prone to develop seri- develop sore throats will come seemed so much alike at the time. ous throat infections. This down with rheumatic fever. Most Actually, rheumatic fever and ap- should be watched carefully. of them will fortunately escape any pendicitis have nothing in com- further complications. But enough mon, except abdominal pain in matic fever is the fact that it af- cases of rheumatic fever occur to some cases. fects the heart. All other parts of make this a most serious disease Other cases are much milder. the body may also be involved, during the young and vigorous For a few weeks the parents may , but the disability in these areas years of life. have noticed that the child is not may be merely temporary. In the eating too well. He may be losing heart the damage may be perma- Making the Diagnosis weight, and feeling tired, and nent. This is why this disease is so weak. Often there is not much you serious in children and young peo- Because rheumatic fever involves can put your finger on. Every- ple. so many different parts of the body, thing seems so vague. But you Rheumatic fever is mainly a dis- it is often difficult to make the know the child is sick, for some ease of childhood and youth. It diagnosis. Its chief effects are seen reason that is not too clear. Rheu- occurs most frequently among in the joints, the blood vessels, and matic fever should always be con- children of school age, from five to the heart. sidered in cases like this. fifteen years. But it may also come When a young person complains Frequent nosebleeding is an im- on later in life. However, a careful of fever and pains in the joints, it portant sign, especially if the review of the patient's history usu- is time to sit up and take notice. youngster has mild joint pains as ally reveals the presence of rheu- Even the mildest "growing pains" well. Such a child needs to be care- matic fever during the earlier years may be the first signs of trouble. fully studied by a competent doc- as well, even though it may have If in addition to this, the child tor. Now is the time to do some- been overlooked or neglected at the thing to help him. time. When a young person Children of school age are very complains of fever and pains When the Heart is Involved prone to develop serious throat in- in the joints, it is time to sit fections. Often they are crowded up and take notice. Even the In some young people the heart together in schoolrooms, especially mildest growing pains may becomes involved early in the during the colder months of the be the first signs of trouble. course of the disease. In others it year. One child may have a may show up much later. Some- complains of vague pains over the chronic throat infection. Perhaps it times the first sign of trouble may heart, it is time to do something is not bad enough to keep him be a strange pain over the heart. definite about it. away from school. Sitting in a cold An electrocardiogram taken at this draught he soon begins to cough. The typical case may run some- time reveals the presence of infec- This quickly spreads the germs thing like this. Several weeks pre- tion in the muscles of the heart. around the room, infecting others viously the patient had a cold. This This may affect the rhythm of the on all sides. Most of these children was followed by a sore throat heart beats. The different heart will develop sore throats. Some which may have appeared to clear chambers may be out of time with may come down with rheumatic up fairly well. Suddenly he comes each other. There may be a com- fever. down with a fever. His face is plete heart block. Various murmurs Young soldiers in barracks are flushed, and some of his joints are may be heard, depending upon in a similar situation. Living under sore. Today the knee is involved; which heart valves are involved. they readily tomorrow the elbow. The inflam- crowded conditions, Sometimes the heart becomes infect each other. Someone devel- mation seems to skip around from greatly enlarged, and pericarditis ops a "strep throat." Soon others one joint to another. There may be may develop. In very severe at- are involved. During World War a strange rash on the skin with tacks the child may die from heart actual epidemics of rheumatic rough circular lesions like rings. II failure. But most patients recover fever occurred in military camps. The centre of these may be clear. The worst thing about rheumatic There may be nodules under the. Sometimes the heart be- fever is that it cripples the young. skin. comes greatly enlarged, and Insufficient clothing, inadequate At times there may be pains in pericarditis may develop. In food, and poor housing all play a the abdomen, which may be mis- very severe attacks, the part in opening the way for these taken for acute appendicitis. child may die from heart germs to do their worst, especially Many an operation has been per- failure.

HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 from the acute attack, only to have Good nursing care and a extent they may help the tissues to further trouble showing up later sensible attitude toward this heal. on. serious disease are most im- Many a sickly child, in whom portant in meeting the prob- Avoiding Further Trouble lems of rheumatic fever. there is no very clear reason for this The patient should remain under illness, may be suffering from a the care of his doctor for several low-grade type of rheumatic fever. Bed rest is most important in the months or as long as may be need- Later in life the real picture may treatment of rheumatic fever. The ed. His heart should be checked develop. One or two of his heart patient must stay there as long as at regular intervals, and his throat valves may have been badly dam- there are any signs of the disease should be watched for signs of fur- aged. Scar tissue has formed on the remaining. This may be for weeks ther infection. edges of the valves, interfering or months, according to how the As much as possible, he should with the normal action of the doctor may advise. It is far better avoid contact with those who are heart. to stay in bed a little longer rather suffering from sore throats and up- As time goes on the scar tissue than to be up and about too soon. p er respiratory infections. At the becomes thicker and more rigid. The patient must not be deceived first sign of trouble he should see The heart valve becomes narrowed. by the fact that since taking his his doctor, and if necessary go to It is neither able to open nor close medicine he is now beginning to the hospital for a more complete properly. Doctors refer to this as feel better. Once he stops the medi- study of his case. stenosis of the valve. When this cine he may relapse back into a Rheumatic fever is not a dis- occurs, either the mitral or the worse state than before. The whole ease that one can afford to neglect. aortic valves may be deformed. body has been damaged by this More children of school age are Sometimes both are involved. disease. It will take time to make a crippled by this than by any other This condition is serious because good recovery. disease. With proper care most of it interferes with the normal flow A child of school age should be the serious complications can be encouraged to study and keep up avoided, or at least greatly reduced. Bed rest is most important with his schoolmates as much as Patients who continue under com- in the treatment of rheumatic possible. But he must not do too petent medical care, and who live fever. The patient must stay much. He should have his meals in there as long as there are any sensibly may escape any further at- bed. He may get up to the bath- tacks. They may confidently look signs of the disease remain- room, provided his heart is not too ing. forward to enjoying life in the fu- badly involved. Such decisions ture, provided they take their medi- must be left up to the doctor. of blood from the left ventricle of cines and avoid further infections. Because of the danger of fresh the heart. When the mitral valve is Good nursing care and a sensible infection, it is advisable for all pa- partially closed over, the blood is attitude toward this serious disease tients to be given penicillin or some dammed back within the lungs, are most important in meeting the other suitable antibiotic. Injections causing severe shortness of breath. problems of rheumatic fever. And are best at first. Later he may take He may have a chronic cough. His with all the new operations and a penicillin tablets (200,000 units, legs and ankles may swell. wholesome approach to life, even twice daily). He should continue the child who has been disabled Treatment of Rheumatic Fever to do this until he is at least eigh- may now live a normal life, and teen years of age, and longer if his have the joy of doing something When the aortic valve is in- throat continues to be sore. Most useful and constructive in the serv- volved, the left side of the heart is doctors give sodium salicylate sev- ice of his fellow men. *** mainly affected. The muscular eral times a day during the earlier walls of the heart become greatly stages of the disease. This is to help thickened, trying to push the blood control the joint pains, and may •••••••••••••••••••••••••• • past the scar tissue, obstructing the even stimulate the production of An ounce of prevention is outlet of the heart. This causes a hormones from the adrenalin better than a pound of cure. rise in blood pressure within the glands. What must you do to prevent •• During the acute phase of the • sickness and enjoy robust •• heart, and often within the lungs • disease one of the cortisone pro- • health? You will find the • as well. The heart eventually fails. • answer in a free health cor- •• The rhythm of the heart may be- ducts may also be used with some • • respondence course. Apply ; come abnormal and the patient benefit. These medicines do not • today to Department H, finds himself unable to carry on cure the disease. But they do re- • Post Box 35, Poona 1. • his ordinary work. duce the discomfort, and to some •••••••••••••••••••••••••• HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 9 is good for our productive senses. At such times, and particularly if there is a drop of temperature some The WEATHER hours before rain commences, we may have a sudden urge to get everything done. Wives decide to re- organize the furniture or clean the house; while AFFECTS husbands (even ignoring the forecast of rain to come) may give the car a special clean. This may seem hard to believe, but during recent wet season I have witnessed a great deal of what can only be described US All as furious car-cleaning between rainstorms. Outdoor performance in cold weather is a dif- ferent matter, for research again shows that bodily by DAVID BOWEN efficiency drops as energy and combustion levels rise; consequently we waste more energy on any job in the cold. he feeling of being "under the weather" is a com- There is no truth in the oft-quoted saying that mon one, and some people go so far as to blame mild winters are unhealthy. Despite the old adage T the weather for mistakes that they have made or that "a green winter makes a fat churchyard," mild- tasks they have overlooked. This attitude may not be ness generally brings a big drop in mid-winter ailments. wholly unjustified. Some of us cherish the thought that we work Research pioneered in the United States reveals best in good weather, yet there can be no doubt that that days when everything seems to go wrong tend to a clear bright day inspires us—but apparently not to occur frequently when barometric pressure has been do work. low for some considerable time. We may even feel on Constant, unrelieved heat can sap physical vita- edge, irritable, nervous, or forgetful. Experiments have lity and cripple mental powers; it can also break down shown that pressure does influence the water content moral judgment. It is said that marital quarrels of human tissues and on low pressure days the tissues reach a peak in mid-summer, and crime rates rise of the brain are taking up more water than normal. during the hot months. A criminologist who studied This can be reflected in our emotions. the incidence of crime in France and Italy found that The American researcher Edwin Dexter obtained in the warm summer sections of both countries, crimes proof some years ago that children behaved best on of violence and sex were twice as numerous as in the cold, calm and clear days; they misbehaved when it cool north. And they reach their peak proportions in was muggy, hot, and windy. He found that girls are the hottest and most oppressive summer months. less affected by weather, on the whole, than boys. Ellesworth Huntingdon, one of the pioneers in Certain types of weather are notorious for pro- this field of research, established that the ideal ducing headaches. Strong wind, particularly if it temperature for health and work is an average of persists for several days, is perhaps the most offensive 64°F. for day and night. The importance, however, weather element in this respect during the winter of this finding lies in the word "average," for this months, but sometimes a very sharp frost can have implies certain variations of temperatures over a this effect. In summer too, much sunshine or a change period rather than a uniform temperature all the time. toward thundery conditions, can give prolonged MonotoRous weather has. in fact, a depressing headache. effect upon the health and mental agility of most Of course, we should not blame the weather for people. everything, for although the body has to make an Spring and summer bring their special weather adjustment every time there are temperature or hazards to us, and we do not always learn from barometric pressure changes, this can often be done experience. Many doctors consider that the spring quite easily, without our being aware of the fact. But season is not the time to rush around the house, clean- at other times the weather makes drastic demands ing everything we can find. upon both mind and body. The danger of "spring fever" is a real one—when We should not forget that there are times when we wake up on a fine morning feeling as though we weather acts in our favour; that is, as a stimulus rather have not slept, and, as the day goes on, feel increasing- than a drag. It can help us to perform at a superior ly unable to keep our thoughts in line. The reason for level what we did not dream we could achieve. this is that, in spring, the temperature of the air Normally when the weather is cool and invigorat- rises, and the body has to get rid of more heat. This ing, we feel optimistic and invulnerable. But to be, can mean extra hard work for the human system and to some extent, in a state of revolt against the weather a drop in vitality. ***

10 HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 HEART TRANSPLANTS

FIRST IN A SERIES OF FIVE ARTICLES by Walter Froehlich

HE concept of allowing organs today with kidneys implanted into these muscles limp at least tem- to serve more than one life is them from others. porarily. These drugs, such as I not new. Physicians have long Blood transfusions—injecting in- curare, are considered the single watched helplessly as a patient in to a patient blood withdrawn from greatest advance in anzsthesia in otherwise excellent health died be- another person—have become recent years. cause of one malfunctioning organ. routine in hospitals throughout the Meanwhile, the techniques for Accident victims often die though world. Skin has been transplanted heart transplantation evolved. most of their vital organs are on burn victims. Cornea trans- In 1959, two of Dr. Wangen- healthy and strong. plantations to correct some forms steen's students, Dr. Norman E. Could surgeons learn to combine of blindness are very common. Shumway and Dr. Richard R. the healthy body parts of two per- At the University of Minnesota, Lower (another student was Dr. sons and thereby save one? U.S.A., the eminent surgeon and Christiaan Barnard), reported a The world's first successful teacher, Dr. Owen Wangensteen technique for transplanting hearts h;.-man-to-human transplantation encouraged his students to experi- in dogs. After the first such opera- of a major organ took place on ment with heart surgery on re- tion performed by the two physi- December 23, 1954. At Peter Bent search animals. cians, the recipient dog lived for Brigham Hospital in Boston, The heart-lung machine neces- eight days with his new heart. In U.S.A. Richard Herrick, then sary for such surgery was developed subsequent experiments survival dying of kidney disease, received in the United States about twelve times lengthened, eventually to a healthy kidney removed . from years ago. The machine temporar- eighteen months. IL, identical twin, Ronald. ily takes over the heart's functions In October 1967, at the annual It was truly a gift of life. The of pumping and warming the blood meeting of the American College donor, Ronald, was able to live while the surgeon exchanges the of Surgeons at Chicago, Dr. Lower, normally with but one kidney. heart. Without this machine heart then at the Medical College of Richard, the gravely ill brother, transplant surgery would be im- Virginia, showed movies of dogs quickly recovered. He married his possible. who were living normally with im- nurse. He lived for more than eight Likewise, heart surgeons are de- planted hearts. One of the animals years before his disease returned pendent on new anxsthetics. Even even gave birth to normal puppies. and caused his death. under the effect of anxsthesia, stiff As he showed the film, Dr. More than one thousand kidney muscles can prevent the surgeon Lower told his colleagues: transplants have been performed from reaching deep inside the "After eight years of laboratory since then. Scores of patients live body. Muscle-relaxing drugs make To page 28 HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 11 hysical fitness is more than having strong muscles and endurance. It indicates the possession of the p best possible level of health, plus the capacity to perform every-day tasks and to meet with emergency situations as they arise; in other words, physical fitness is never only physical—it concerns the whole person.

Symptoms from Lack of Exercise

Lack of physical exercise is found among all classes of people with increasing reliance on labour saving devices and modern methods of transport. Dr. Paul D. White, the famous cardiologist, has pointed out that lack of exercise is causing obesity, nervous tension, insomnia, high blood pressure, degenerative heart disease, and back problems re- sulting in lumbar baikache. Many persons suffering from the latter can be helped with exercises and if they continue these, keeping themselves in good physical condition, strengthening the abdominal muscles, correcting posture and limbering up the joints of the spine, recurrences will probably not occur. Nervous tension is caused by continued stress and lack of exercise and relaxation. This may result in pain in the neck and shoulder, headache, sleep- lessness, exhaustion and inability to perform even small jobs. Heat, massage and exercise will bring relief in most cases. Hundreds of people die of heart attacks each year, many in their most productive years. During muscular exercise the heartbeat accelerates, the amount of blood pumped increases and the blood is diverted from other areas into the working muscles, thus supplying the required extra oxygen and nourishment. This creates a steady increase in work tolerance and reduces the risk of heart attacks.

Total Fitness

Under pressure, tasks may be performed which one would normally think to be beyond one's capa- bility. This is because there are mental and emo- tional aspects to fitness, and sometimes an outstand- ing performance is due to sheer determination.

Physical Fitness Some people require teamwork to achieve an es- fitness improves. However, the exercise period needs tablished goal. Thus total fitness involves intellectual, to be long enough and vigorous enough to tax the emotional and social as well as physical components. body somewhat. Reasonable fatigue is not harmful, There must be, firstly, medical fitness or body particularly if breathlessness and pounding of the soundness which will be revealed by a doctor's heart return to normal within a few minutes. Fatigue examination. Secondly, there is dynamic fitness or should disappear within an hour or so. action capacity, which is revealed by certain tests, Exercise of the correct intensity should not such as measuring the increase in pulse rate after interfere with sleep, nor should you feel unduly doing a given amount of work. There can be one stiff the next day, except perhaps during the initial phase of physical fitness without the other, e.g. , a few days. If the exercise is vigorous enough to pro- person may pass a physical check-up but may be duce the sustained heart rate of 150 beats per minute hardly able to do his day's work and unable to or more, the training effect begins about five minutes endure even slight exertion. On the other hand, an after the exercise starts and continues as long as the athlete may perform exceptionally well and yet have exercise is performed. a medical condition or undiscovered health problem. However, superior fitness is founded on good health What Types of Exercise? and necessitates regular and daily exercise. This is not the only essential in maintaining physical capacity. There are basically four categories. Firstly Sufficient rest and sleep, adequate diet and abstinence there are those that tense the muscle without pro- from excesses are also important. ducing movement, isometric exercises, such as pushing against opposite sides of a door jamb or pulling up on a chair on which you are sitting. Atrophy of mus- Dynamic Fitness cle can be prevented by using these, but they do not have any significant effect on overall health, parti- Why worry about strength and endurance in cularly as it relates to the activity of the heart and an automated age? There are a number of answers lungs. to this question. Daily tasks can then be performed The second category are those that tense muscles with relative ease since only a small part of physical to produce movement such as the callisthenic or reserve is used in routine activity. Practice results in weight-lifting exercises and some of the mild skill and agility, with resulting economy of movement, participant sports, e. g. , archery and the throwing and this adds grace and poise allowing one to feel at of horse-shoes. These do not make very great de- ease in :social situations. Good muscular development mands on the heart. If anything, they are preferable is an insurance against back problems, overweight to the former, but generally they are too short-lived and heart disease, as well as nervous symptoms. It to be beneficial in producing a training effect or gives protection against accidents, which could be a increased overall fitness. life-saving factor in emergencies. The third category are those that require strenuous muscular activity but are of short duration. How Much Exercise? These include the short sprint, cycling for a few blocks or swimming for a short distance. The best The answer to this depends on your doctor's type of exercise to promote physical fitness is the one advice, which is based on your age, condition, the that uses most of the larger muscles in the body and continues for a sufficient length of time. It result of your general medical examination, and should be something that is enjoyable, fits easily response to physical activity. Those who are out of into the daily schedule and is vigorous enough to training should always start slowly and increase the give the desired tonic effect. Walking, running or duration and strenuous nature of their exercises as jogging, swimming and cycling are all excellent. Of course, one may engage in sport such as tennis, row- ing, volley-ball, badminton, skiing and skating, or a profitable pursuit such as gardening, and derive the san e benefits this way. However, it is important to incorporate some regular activity into one's daily Good muscular development is an insurance programme, and if this is done it will not be long against back problems, overweight and heart disease, as well as nervous symptoms. It before it will be looked upon as routine just the same gives protection against accidents, which as eating, sleeping or reading the newspaper. The could be a life-saving factor in emergencies. practice of this life-long habit will not only add years to your life but make them much more enjoyable. ***

13 HOW TO RELAX FOR HEAL TH

FIRST OF THREE PARTS by Clarence W. Dail, M.D.

EST is one of the most common remedies in sion may be educational, but it is not true relaxation. treating disease. A pneumonia patient is put A person is not relaxed while watching an exciting, R to bed because he must have complete rest. sports event or being enthusiastic about a hobby. Hit vitality must be conserved so that infection may Rather, he is all wrapped up in the outcome of the be overcome. Complete bed rest is lifesaving for the game or in pursuing his hobby. patient suffering the effects of overwork in certain True relaxation consists of perfect muscle rest, in kinds of heart disease. The good results obtained in which there is not the least muscular flicker. With treating tuberculosis are due partly to recognition of complete relaxation there is complete muscle rest, the need for rest. So it is with many other diseases. with the tendency toward sleep. Complete relaxation Rest gives the body a chance to overcome the disease leads to sleep, yet sleep is not necessarily associated in many cases. with perfect relaxation. If a person drops off to sleep Rest or relaxation is necessary, not only for treat- during an excited state when his muscles are tense, ing disease but also for maintaining a healthy body. he has disturbed sleep. He tosses about in bed and To be effective, rest must be complete. There must has unpleasant dreams. When he wakes up he is not be relaxation of all muscles. refreshed. Adequate rest prevents disease and breakdown. The heart is an example of a muscle that relaxes Without it, body strain develops and resistance to in- well. Between beats it is perfectly relaxed. It is well fection is lowered. A person who loses his rest and relaxed for about a third of the time. Although the keeps going loses resistance to most diseases because rest periods are short, they are sufficient. Even in of tension. disease the heart does well. All muscles of the body should be as well relaxed as the heart muscle when Relaxation may be taken to mean such activity they are not actually contracting. as attending ball games or motion pictures, listening to exciting stories on television, spending vacation For another example of good relaxation, watch days at the beach, or going on long car trips. Such a cat. When it rests it becomes limp. Man should relaxation is encouraged by alluring billboards and follow that example and learn how to go limp and pleasing voices over the air. They indicate that people relax. should smoke, drink, or vacation in order to relax. Relax your body completely during sleep and Most of these activities are not relaxing but exciting. rest periods. Parts of your body not needed to per- They produce muscle tension and loss of sleep. form particular activity should always be at rest. Diversion has a place in healthful living. If a per- When you are walking, you need not tense your son's occupation is mainly active, he should have shoulders, and when you are writing it is wasted mental diversion. If his occupation is mainly inactive, energy to tense the muscles of your leg. Unnecessary he should have physical diversion. Occasional diver- tension during activity produces unnecessary strain sion with family and friends is a responsibility neces- of body functions, and unnecessary fatigue increases sary for developing a well-rounded personality. Diver- wear and tear of joints, tendons, and muscles. 14 HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 responsibilities. Nerve and muscle tension is the chief cause of nervousness, insomnia, indigestion, acid stomach, gas, colitis, constipation, and nervous break- down. Tension aggravates high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, some forms of heart disease, stomach ulcer, and gall-bladder disease. Many peo- ple suffering from various diseases are benefited by proper rest and relaxation. The work and the recreation of civilized life both can be factors in causing disease. The very effort to relieve the strain of modern living may aggravate tension. People seek diversion in television, motion pictures, competitive sports, and gambling, which are likely to rob sleep, unsettle the mind, and increase tension. Diversion should be quieting. When tension is released, efficiency and pleasure are in- creased. To relieve strain, do away with unnecessary mus- cle tension. Most people do not know they have it. To be able to relax they must learn to detect tension. Simple outdoor life develops fatigue and favours It is necessary to determine to themselves that such healthful and restful sleep, but if no time is spent tension does exist in them. The simplest method is in mental activity, proper development is not pro- by looking for it. moted. The farmer needs to stretch his mind as well Are you 'holding any part of your body stiff as his legs. He may do this in planning his work, without helping the performance of what you are studying better methods of farming, and keeping up doing? While reading, are you holding your shoulders with world events. His work is among created things, and arms in a cramped position? Are you fidgeting? and in contemplating nature's beauties he has an When performing a task, do you make many false uplifting diversion. or unnecessary moves? Do you talk unnecessarily? Harmonious development of body, mind, and Do you usually maintain a one-sided conversation? spirit assures good health. There should be balance Do you start at unexpected noise? Do you feel nervous of physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of life. and hold most of your muscles drawn up tight? Do Civilization is a wonderful thing, but it has many you grip the steering wheel when you drive? If so, you disadvantages. It often upsets the balance between show evidence of undesirable tension. the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of life. To detect your own tension you need special Where there is over-emphasis of mental activity, there guidance, because ordinarily people do not recognize is too little physical and spiritual activity. The busi- that they are tense. In order to lean, anything, peo- nessman, office worker, teacher, student, and techni- ple need instruction. To develop this ability is similar cal worker are often- lacking in the physical and to learning any skill. It requires diligent practice. spiritual areas of life. The balance is upset by undue emphasis on mental activity, with no time for physi- cal and spiritual development. Tension Recognition Many diseases occur in civilization, diseases common among civilized peoples but absent among You learn to recognize tension in parts of your primitive peoples. Some are caused by eating a poor body where there is muscular activity. You can ob- diet and other unhealthful practices, but most are serve tension easily when you have strong contraction caused by strain placed on the body by the civilized of a muscle, such as the biceps a boy shows off when economy. Such tension can cause disease. he clenches his fist and doubles up his arm. You Scientists have done much to overcome disease, can measure tension by decreasing contraction to the chiefly with infectious diseases, although the incidence point that there is no perceptible motion. When you of some diseases has increased in spite of all efforts merely think of contracting muscles you can feel to curb it. Many scientists who have done much to yours become tense or tighten up, even without any wipe out disease have developed unconquerable evidence of muscle action. maladies as a result of intense activity. Whets you learn to detect your muscle tension, Unnecessary nerve and muscle tension causes you learn to release it. Then only can you learn to many distressing symptoms in people with heavy relax. By relaxing the sensation you feel in a muscle,

HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 15 Body movement, restlessness, irritability, tions made on patients and subjects, and by a patient, muscle stiffness, and facial wrinkles are out- have resulted in conclusions valuable to the doctor. ward signs of muscle tension. Movement, Although it has been commonly taught that all irritability, muscle stiffness, and wrinkles muscle having nerve connection with the spinal cord cannot be present if the muscles are perfectly has some tone, it appears from the study of these relaxed. minute muscle-action currents that when there is you relax your tension. That this actually happens perfect relaxation there is no tone or tension in the can be demonstrated by methods that do not depend muscle. on your observations, which may be biased. Observa- When a person has learned to relax his muscles, tions can be made by another person and tests can reflex is much decreased. The knee jerk is a good be made that show muscle tension. example of a reflex. The doctor usually performs this Body movement, restlessness, irritability, muscle simple test while the person is sitting in a chair. He stiffness, and facial wrinkles are outward signs of taps the leg lightly with a small rubber hammer. The muscle tension. Movement, irritability, muscle stiff- tap causes the lower leg to swing forward, because ness, and wrinkles cannot be present if the muscles of muscle contraction at the front part of the thigh. are perfectly relaxed. The extent of these signs is an When the muscles are tense, the knee jerk is greater index to the amount of tension in a person. than normal. It has been found that when a person Muscle tightening in the face produces wrinkles. is able to relax well, as indicated by a decrease in the Wrinkles may be permanent, the result of prolonged knee jerk, the electrical tests, and other signs, he is tension, or they may be temporary. They may be the not likely to be suffering from nervous complaints. The slightest movement causes increase in mus- result of strain lasting for months or years, or they cle tension. When a person is asleep, the waves are may be caused by a fleeting emotion. shallower than when he is awake, even though he is With every chemical reaction in the body there quite relaxed. Slight muscle action still further in- is an accompanying electrical reaction, charge, force, creases the height of the waves. Strong contractions or voltage. This is true in all the body tissues as they would cause the waves to be so high they would go burn food material. Electric reactions occur during off the graph. the complex chemical process that produces nerve impulses and muscle contraction. The doctor studies It has been shown that thinking about an activ- such electrical waves in connection with brain, nerve, ity requiring movement of a certain muscle causes heart, and muscle activity. Recorded on paper, they tension in that muscle, as revealed in a feeling of are a help to his examination of the brain. In diag- tightness and a spurt in electrical activity. This re- nosis of heart disease by the electrocardiograph, a action has been seen in so many muscles and varied special machine makes recordings of the small elec- thoughts that apparently muscle movement and ten- trical currents from the heart. sion are a necessary accompaniment of thought. The eye and speech muscles appear to be espe- Electrical Forces cially associated with thought. The idea that muscle In studying tension, our primary interest here is action is necessary for thought is affirmed in patients in the electrical forces, waves, or action currents who have been taught to relax all the muscles of the that arise from a contracting muscle. They are too body, especially of the eyes, jaws, and tongue. small to study with ordinary measuring and record- Thought and emotion are reflected by facial grimace ing devices. and body movement. To amplify the forces from relaxed or nearly There is a close relationship between muscle relaxed muscle, an instrument must be used that is tension and internal-organ activity. Relaxing produces able to detect vibrating forces as small as one- a quieting effect, and it often relieves symptoms re- millionth of a volt. The apparatus used is similar to sulting from spasm of these organs. A vicious cycle television. After amplification, the electrical vibrat- between tension and internal organs may be set up: ing forces may be observed on a television-like screen, anxiety and worry causes tension, tension causes photographed, or traced by pen on paper, as it activity and spasm of the internal organs, and spasm moves along like ticker tape. causes loss of sleep. As if the original anxiety were The delicate instrument may be employed to not enough, worry about the symptoms may further measure not only the degree of tension in muscles but aggravate the condition and keep the cycle turning. also the amount of relaxation a person is able to Relaxation may bring the vicious cycle under control. attain. Many studies using this instrument have been Role of Sleep made to learn more about the physiology of muscle Sleep is necessary. Inability to sleep (called in- action, sleep, And thought, These and other observa- somnia) causes irritability, inefficiency, and disease. 16 HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971

When a person cannot sleep he may try many meas- but eating a hearty meal just before going to bed ures in an effort to get the needed rest. Often such may cause greater disturbance. attempts are worthless, and they may increase the Whenever possible, remove the cause of your insomnia or cause some other injury, especially when insomnia. The most common physical factor that he uses sedative drugs. robs sleep is nerve and muscle tension. If you can Ability to fall asleep and soundness of sleep relax, you may sleep well in spite of annoying con- differ greatly in various people. One person's sleep ditions. Most of us have to live in a civilized world, may not be disturbed by loud noise. Another per- where there is much that can interfere with quiet- son's sleep 'may be disturbed by a whisper. Some ness. We gain much by learning to relax nerve and people sleep quietly, others toss about all night. muscle tension, which causes insomnia, nervousness, Sound sleep is favoured by a relaxed body at bedtime. indigestion, and colitis. If you suffer from lack of sleep you benefit by learn- You learn nerve and muscle relaxation only by ing how to relax. persistent practice. It may take months. Most skills Sleep is often disturbed by modern ways of take longer than this to learn. You cannot expect living. Amusements and sports are exciting. Certain perfection in relaxing from reading this alone, but movies and television programmes may be partic- it will help. Much depends on trying. Learning ularly undesirable, because they often stir up the to relax properly involves the basic habits of life. emotions to a point where sleep is impossible. Com- Training yourself to respond calmly to varied sur- petitive business problems cause worry that may carry roundings and conflicting tension is a first step, then over into morning. Avoid exciting habits. you can relax muscles that are not needed for the Fear, a guilty conscience, and remorse often task at hand. break into sleep. It is impossible to remove the cause Relaxation is not difficult. It can be easy to of these emotions unless you trust in divine leadership, learn. To illustrate this fact, lift your arm. Doing protection, and forgiveness. When you right any so requires an effort. If you resist the motion, the wrong done to others, your sense of well-being is a effort is greater. Then drop your arm, letting it fall marvellous soother of the nerves that permit you to limply. That, the opposite of exertion, is relaxation. get restful sleep. The chief difficulty during an attempt to relax is the Disturbance caused by disease, severe fatigue, effort made when, one muscle attempts to relax an- and lack of exercise may drive, away sleep. Nervous other. Relaxation requires no effort. It is the opposite exhaustion is more likely to cause insomnia than is of effort. Learning to drop all effort requires practice. physical exhaustion. Hunger may cause wakefulness, (To be continued) ***

Capsule Rules for Happiness Never let the scramble for enough to live on keeping a log of the storms you encounter. on obscure your goal of something to live for. Approach your problems with an open Compensate for life's detours by enjoying mind, not with an open mouth. the unfamiliar scenery. Live within your income, for there is no Put more steam in your work and you will fate worse than debt. whistle the louder at day's end. Remember that your credit in heaven de- Remember that life is rewarding less by pends not on what you give but on what you what we make it than by how we take it. have left. If you are set on making good somewhere, Fight your character battles in the area of are. sometime, start today right where you the common place—it offers broader training. Practise the implications of the proverb, "He that ruleth his spirit is greater than he Don't lose in a thoughtless hour that friend that taketh a city." it took you a year to win. Waste no time trying to prove something Admit your faults if you would confound that is perfectly obvious. your critics and endear yourself to your If at first you don't succeed, try a little friends. ardour. Match the miracles of faith with the top Concentrate on bringing in the ship, not performance of ordinary talents.

HERALD OR HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 17 (t - w 4 \zti/f j in the Pinta

HERE are a number of definitions of the word Fortunately, farmwork does not require a fine rheumatism, but I think it describes a variety of degree of dexterity, and by gritting his teeth the T conditions characterized by pain in the joints, farmer was able to manage despite his disability. He muscles, and fibrous tissues. It is a descriptive term suffered pain, but he learned to keep it from oc- rather than the name of a specific disease. It is like cupying his thoughts. So long as he could grip the the word headache, which includes any sort of dis- handle of the plough and walk the furrow, he was agreeable sensation in the head. I want to show why able to carry on. rheumatic pain exists, what causes it, and why it Call this strength of character, fate, breeding, disables people. or background, but it is true that some people have Most rheumatic pain is in joints and therefore the fortitude to carry on in spite of disability and is considered to be arthritic—inflammation of the handicap that would be insurmountable to others. joint. Now I think of a plump, spoiled, middle-aged Consider a tough old farmer I knew years ago. wealthy widow with early arthritis in her fingers. At best it was difficult to scratch a living out of the Instead of accepting the advice of her physician that farm, and he led a hand-to-mouth existence. He suf- there was not much that could be done, that hor- fered from severe chronic arthritis involving his mones and other remedies would change the course hands, which were gnarled, twisted, and stiff. very little, she insisted on going from doctor to doctor In spite of this disability, which to most people and clinic to clinic. would be the end of everything, the farmer did his Actually her fingers did not pain her greatly, yet ploughing, weeded his garden, and performed all the she allowed the condition to disable her. She avoided rest of the exhausting chores on a farm. I do not re- most of her friends and became almost a recluse. Her call that I ever heard him complain except to men- personality and interest changed, and she thought and tion in an offhand way that his rheumatism was talked of nothing but her fingers. Because of her acting up, which usually was a sign that it would chronic complaining her friends began to avoid her. rain that evening. This woman's case illustrates how profoundly How was he able to carry on with a disability psychological reaction to illness can change the course that would have floored most of us? He had never of an otherwise good life. led an easy life. Experience taught him that if he Working of joints fell by the wayside there was no one to pick him up. Luxury and easy living were unknown to him, and A joint is a hinge between two bones that allows he was satisfied with what he was doing. He was motion and keeps the bone ends firmly together. Mus- forced by circumstances to take a philosophic ap- cles provide the power by which the bones move. The proach to life and get along as best he could without muscles are attached close to the joint by tendons. being a burden to other people—and was proud of The ends of the two bones that make up a joint the fact. are covered with a layer of cartilage, which is sprin- 18 HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 the joint become red, swollen, and tender. Even the weight of the bedclothes on the foot is painful. The foot feels much better if it is put up on a stool or a hassock. The excruciating pain actually starts in the tissues around the joint, not in the joint cavity. The tissues around the joint are swollen, inflamed, and congested. Hot or cold applications have only a short-time good effect in gout. The slightest motion that in- volves the tissues is agonizing, but when the swelling goes down the pain stops. The same may be said of the acute arthritic FIRST OF TWO PARTS by William T. Gibb, M.D. pain of rheumatic fever, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis. The pain is not necessarily caused directly by the rubbing together of two inflamed bone ends. Bier and more elastic than bone and makes for smooth Inflamed joint motion of the joint. The two bones of a joint are held together by a series of ligaments that form a An inflamed joint feels most comfortable when complete capsule around their ends. These ligaments put at rest in a partly bent position. The tension on are composed of tissue that is strong, tough, and un- the involved parts is at the least possible strain. Peo- stretchable but also pliable and flexible. The space ple with water on the knee are comfortable when bounded by the cartilage and the ligaments is lined lying on the affecting side with the knee drawn up with a layer of cells called the synovial membrane. halfway. It secretes a liquid that lubricates the moving surfaces. If people with inflamed or painful joints remain Banes have two purposes—to support the struc- in bed too long, the ligaments and tendons about tures of the body and maintain its form and stature the joint tend to shorten and become fixed in one and to provide a place for the attachments of the position. This contracture can become so severe, that ends of muscles. The bones of the legs, the hips, and it is impossible to straighten the joint without the the spine support the weight of the body, and so help of another person. It is one of the dangers in most of the joints involved must bear weight of vary- longtime complete bed rest, for if the patient can- ing degrees when the person is standing. The nearer tot straighten out his legs he cannot walk. Without to the feet a joint is, the more weight it must support. help he continues to be bedridden and thereby even- The feet and ankles take a beating, and it is no tually compounds his problem. wonder that so many of our rheumatic-type pains To prevent contracture is a difficult nursing are in their area. Everyone is troubled with sore feet problem. Stretching stiffened and shortened parts is occasionally. painful, and sick people do not like to.,be bothered In and around a joint there are many structures even though they know that what is done is good that can be diseased or weakened and give pain, for them. stiffness, and discomfort. They include ligaments, Vague aches and pains about joints become fre- tendons, muscles, bursae, cartilage, and the bones quent and bothersome as we get older. Wear and themselves. To classify all these conditions as arthri- tear over the years takes its toll. The jarring, twisting, tis which specifically means inflammation or irrita- pounding, and banging of everyday life gradually tion of the joint surfaces, is too easy. We should in- affect practically every joint in the body. There may clude disorders of these other structures. Even when have been no major injuries that the person can re- a specific kind of arthritis is present, the disability call. Nevertheless, there have been many minor in- and pain do not come directly from the diseased juries, mostly sprains, strains, and direct blows. At cartilage or bone. Most likely the pain is from the the time of injury none was severe enough to pain secondary effect on the joint structure. for more than a day. The structures forming the Suppose you have an attack of gout involving joint capsule begin to lose some of their suppleness. thejoint of one of your big toes. The tissues around Eventually there may be a little stiffness the HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 • 19 first thing in the morning. Because the hands and feet stiffness of the joint capsule increases. When you re- are used the most, they take the brunt of the in- turn to your activities the pain is worse than ever. juries. At first this discomfort .vanishes when the per- Keeping on with your activities is best. You may son begins to move about. So long as people remain change your golf swing a trifle and not try to kill physically active, this discomfort is not particularly the ball. Action keeps joints loosened up, which is bothersome except for professional athletes in their just what you want to do. Eventually the pain prob- middle or late thirties. Athletes are said to age more ably will go away or at least improve. rapidly than other people. Actually, they simply feel It is difficult to say exactly what goes on in the effects sooner. painful joints. I think there has been loss of elasticity involving the joint capsule because of the repeated Pain Signal minor sprains and strains. Each new injury makes the joint weaker and more subject to further injury In time the pain is a signal that it is time to retire of a similar nature. to a new form of livelihood that is not trying on the The more serious condition can come about in joints. With lessened activity, the stiffness, pain, and a number of ways. Extra strain will do it. Activity loss of flexibility become pronounced. One or two that you have engaged in repeatedly in the past but joints that were repeatedly injured become more have not done for a long time is another way. noticeable than the other joints, and you wonder whether you have the start of crippling arthritis. Getting Back Gradually You consult a physician, who orders X-rays for examining, and he reports that there is nothing You should get back into condition gradually, wrong. X-rays, by the way, show only changes in the perhaps at first by swinging a club at home for a bone itself and tell little or nothing about the joint while and then practising short iron shorts for an hour capsule and its soft tissues unless there are calcium or so for several days. If gardening is your hobby deposits. The physician prescribes some form of heat you should not try to spade up the whole flowerbed therapy and perhaps aspirin. on the first spring day. Work up to it by doing some For a time all goes well, but all too soon the of the minor chores for a few days to get your joints pain returns. One of the worst things to do then is and muscles back into shape. give up golf or other activity until the pain goes If you do not take this advice you can well tear away. It is true that the pain may eventually subside a ligament that may take weeks to heal. At best you by thus putting the joint at partial rest, but the can severely strain the joint capsule. Even if you take precautions, minor strains show themselves in stiff- ness and pain the next morning. Whenever the joint capsule is injured, there is a certain amount of swelling in the fibres of ligaments Kumar, Radha, Anil, and Mohan etc. and tendons that stretches these structures. This swell- ing is what you find painful. Your editorial article under the caption Even though you followed this advice and got "Double Standards" appearing in the November back into good physical condition, one day you issue of the HEALTH magazine is very pertinent and thought provoking. It clearly shows that slipped and prevented a bad fall by catching yourself people have no sincerity of purpose. They have violently. Perhaps you were trying a difficult sandtrap no mind to practise what they preach. They talk shot or a bad side-hill lie, and missed the ball. Your something and they do something else. There muscles were all set for a certain situation that did is no identity between their word and deed. not happen, and your swing carried your body past This is the trend of our society. It lacks firm- its expected position before it had time to readjust. ness of character and integrity. National pro- When these muscles did try to save you they con- gress is also impaired on this account. tracted in a violent and somewhat uncontrolled way. Kumar, Radha, Anil and Mohan are characters Something was strained, and the resulting pain was in every home and the problems you have raised near a joint. This twisting may have torn a few fibres are identical everywhere. Right action will fol- at the insertion of a tendon in a bone, causing slight low when there is sincerity of the mind. bleeding and swelling. The older we get the more vulnerable the structures around a joint become, and S. K. BHATE, Indore. the more easily they are injured. Next month I will talk about hot and cold applications to painful joints and muscles. ***

20 HERALD of HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 2. Enlarged Normal tonsil tonsil

Tomstu AKE IN FASHION Edith Lahr

UR neighbour's daughter had her tonsils out. exists almost everywhere in our bodies—runs through O "I think I shall have mine operated on also," them and is cleaned in a similar way as blood is my eight-year-old niece told me with an air of im- cleaned in the lungs. portance. When I inquired whether they were so much Tonsils also seem to produce white cells which inflamed, she confessed that they were not infected are floating in the lymph. They are known as lympho- at all. A few of her schoolmates had their tonsils out cytes and pass from the lymph to the blood, always recently and this seemed to be the fashionable trend ready to battle germs which have invaded our body. at the moment. In order not to miss out on anything, Tonsils are most active in their role as guardians she just wished to join the crowd. between the date of birth and seven years of age. Incidentally, a friend of mine told me a few After the age of seven they decrease their activities days later about "Aunt Emily" who had a terrible and in later years seem to become obsolete and even haemorrhage after a tonsillectomy. She concluded her diminish in size. report by saying that she would never agree to a tonsil Before a surgeon decides to recommend a tonsil operation for any member of her family, since modern operation, recurring infections with symptoms sug- medicine surely offers better cures than surgery. gesting a general decline in health may have pointed Bewildered by these two contradictory attitudes him to consider this step. Then a number of labora- I did what a tourist would do when he is lost in a tory tests are necessary to confirm his suspicion that strange city. I looked for a guide. Who could be the "defence system" is not up to its required stand- better suited to advise me than my old friend, an ear, ard. In fact, if the tonsils cause secondary infections, nose, and throat specialist? the specialist would recommend surgery only if modern remedies do not give the desired effect. Tonsils Are Filters Infections He explained in detail that our tonsils form part of our defence system and consist of lymphoid tissue. It sometimes happens that the tonsils become We have three sets of tonsils which lie all embedded chronically infected at an age when they would in the mucous membrane at the entrance of the normally no longer be active. "Debris" in the form pharynx which is the cavity behind nose and mouth. of food remnants mixed with discarded mucus and Tonsils have a similar structure and therefore func- saliva may settle in their folds and form an irritant. tions similar to the lymph n'des. We could call them A special type of penicillin has been developed to filters, since the lymph—a yellowish liquid which To page 30 HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 21 IS BREAKFAST IMPORTANT?

by J. A. SAXON and DOROTHEA JONES

o you ever feel shaky, nervous, especially true of children. A perinsulinism, characterized by irritable, or suddenly very tired child who eats a good breakfast nervousness, irritability, chronic D in the middle of the morning? has a better chance to do well in fatigue, inability to concentrate If so, it could be that you are ex- studies and games." and other symptoms. These effects periencing an attack of hypo- The Department of Nutrition arc similar to what a diabetic glycxmia. This condition is com- and Physiology in the medical would experience after he has re- monly known as low blood-sugar. school of the University of Iowa cieved an overdose of insulin. The United States Department (U.S.A.) has carried out an ex- Work output of an adult suffers of Agriculture publishes a bulletin tensive research programme to as the hours of hunger wear on. entitled: Eat a Good Breakfast— study breakfast and its effect on Accidents due to inattention or Start a Good Dal'. The inside of the health and efficiency of various carelessness increase in the hour or this folder states: "One thing is age groups. They made studies so before noon. Physical strength certain. Going without breakfast on basic breakfasts versus no lessens, as shown by grip and is a bad start for the day. It has breakfasts to determine their rel- endurance tests on people of all been found that workers who skip ative value. When breakfast was ages. breakfast get less done in the first included in the day's meal plan- working hour than those who tuck ning, there was a significant in- Hypoglyrwmia away a good meal before work. crease in mental and physiological And as the morning goes on, the efficiency. Nearly all the symptoms of hungry ones are . less efficient. When a person skips breakfast. hypoglycxmia can be explained After lunch they do better, and by ten-thirty or eleven o'clock in by the effects of low blood-sugar then they slow down again. What the morning the blood-sugar on your brain and nervous system. happens to these workers happens evel often falls below the fasting Proper function of your brain to home-makers and to everyone point. The resulting condition is depends almost entirely on an else who skips breakfast. It is known as hypoglyca-mia, or hy- adequate supply of glucose (blood- 22 HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 sugar) and oxygen. When the diseases of the pancreas can pro- One of the quickest ways to ad- glucose in your blood reaches too duce very severe symptoms. Ab- just the body to the need for low a level it begins to interfere normally low blood-sugar levels breakfast is to omit the evening with the function of your brain. can also be caused by diseases meal, eAt nothing before going to An electro-encephalogram taken that affect certain hormone glands. bed. We guarantee that your during an episode of hypoglycxmia These glands are the thyroid, ad- stomach will wake you in time for shows that there is a marked de- renals, pituitary, and hypothalmus. a good breakfast the next morning. crease in its electrical activity. Diseases of the liver or kidneys We know of some people who eat A breakfast that is extremely can also produce this condition. practically nothing all day long, high in concentrated carbohydrates Fortunately these diseases are rare. then take a heavy meal after they such as syrup, jelly, jam and a The absolute diagnosis of finish work in the evening. They sweet beverage could well have the hypoglycxmia due to emotions or sit and munch snacks until time same effect as no breakfast, because improper diet may be difficult. fcr bed. Of course they are not it can easily give extra stimulation Often it is necessary to rule out ready for breakfast in the morning, to the cells secreting insulin, and organic disease before your doctor because the food probably has not thus lower the blood-sugar below can be certain that your hypo- left their stomach in time to give fasting level. gymmia is the functional type. it rest. It will take time to educate the stomach to accept a different Going without breakfast or eat- The two most common causes of programme. ing the wrong kind of breakfast hypoglycxmia in the general may be behind the urge to eat bet- population are improper dietary A much better nutritional plan ween meals. Most of the between- habits and emotional effects on the would be to have a good breakfast meal snacks are sweet—chocolate, nervous system. These are the two in the morning, with dinner at sweets, cake, biscuits, and ice- pauses about which you can do noon and then something light for cream. These sweet snacks bring something. supper in the evening, with nothing before bedtime. With this arrange- about a rise in blood-sugar that Need for Breakfast takes away our hunger for the time ment they will rest much better being. Usually in a short time the Why do people go without and will be ready for breakfast. blood-sugar level falls to a lower breakfast? Habit is one of the fac- A light supper promotes sound point than before the sweet snack tors, and eating a big dinner in sleep. was eaten, and we have the urge the evening or just before going to eat again. to bed is another one. We get in Best Pattern Many people munch all day long the habit of doing without break- What shall we serve for break- on sweet snacks. Their blood-sugar fast, and our body is not ready for fast? To discover the best pattern is going from high to low to high, it. On the other hand, when we for breakfast, the research group continually up and down through- eat too much food at night, parti- mentioned earlier in the article out the day. cularly late at night, the stomach did balanced studies to show the is not ready for food at breakfast Irregularity in eating can also nutritional efficiency of various time. If you have been a breakfast- cause you to have trouble with types of breakfasts. skipper it will probably take you hypoglycxmia. Even though you - The basic breakfast was defined some time to re-educate your body eat a fairly good breakfast, if the as one that provides twenty-five to accept a good meal in the morn- noon meal is delayed longer than per cent of the daily food require- ing. Bring this about by cutting usual, low blood-sugar may deve- ment. The heavy breakfast re- down on the food intake at night lop. Some individuals seem more presented about forty per cent of and increasing the food intake in susceptible to this than others. the total day's food intake. To the morning. If the sugar level goes below 50 al praise the efficiency of the mgms. per 100 c.c. of blood various breakfasts on physiological (normal is 150 mgms. per 100 c.c.) response, especially designed equip- then psychotic behaviour develops. One thing is certain. Going ment was used. Brain damage can result if this low without breakfast is a bad From these experiments sound level is maintained for more than start for the day. This is as and practical conclusions were forty-five minutes. Such a very true in the case of workers drawn. It was shown quite con- low blood-sugar level is not likely as in housewives and chil- clusively that among any of the to occur except in the presence of dren. age groups studied, the content of the rare insulin-forming tumours the breakfast was relatively of the pancreas. In fact, organic To page 31 HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 23 HAIR CARE

by VEE PICTON

HINING, healthy hair, starts from within. If Women may prefer to use a stiff brush for the you are run down or out of sorts, nothing that all-over-scalp treatment first, and then to finish off S you try externally will give your hair that with a softer one which is ideal for arranging the special glowing lustre that comes from within. This hair. is usually the case after a short or prolonged illness, Naturally wavy, and also short hair, should and the first aim on recovering is to regain into the always be brushed upward, then combed downward system vitamins the body may be lacking. to set in style. It is the exact opposite for long hair, A daily diet that contains plenty of green vege- which should be divided into strands and brushed tables, fresh salads and fruit, with maybe the added downward. This method of downward brushing is assistance of a good iron tonic, should soon improve best for children's hair also, whether it is short or this problem. long, with a gentle combing first to remove any On the other hand, open air, outdoor activities tangles. Always start combing out tangles from the play havoc with the hair of all healthy sports-loving bottom first, working slowly upward to the top of individuals. Therefore most of us need some sort of the head. regular hair attention if our hair is to be "our crown- Wash brushes and combs frequently. A few ing glory." drops of ammonia and a gentle scrubbing will re- move grease. BRUSHING MASSAGE The value of this treatment cannot be over- emphasized for it polishes the hair and gives it glow- This is wonderful for stimulating the flow of ing sheen. But mainly it serves the purpose of helping blood to the hair roots. It can be easily done in to keep dreaded dandruff at bay, because the bristles your leisure moments when sitting, reading, or listen- stimulate and aid in cleansing the scalp. ing to radio, etc. Selection of a good hairbrush is well worth the Using tiny circular movements, start at the back extra money. Make sure the bristles are stiff, and of of your head and gently work the fingers around even thickness over the entire surface, as this induces the front. At the same time try to press and knead the correct friction the scalp requires. the scalp to aid in keeping it loose and supple. For Men find a pair of brushes useful and time a final stimulant, grasp the back of your head with saving, one held in each hand. open fingers, press firmly upon the scalp, and move 24 HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 it back and forth about ten times. Repeat this exer- GREASY HAIR cise at both sides and the front of your head. Keep- ing a loose skin upon the scalp is essential to good For this kind of hair it is the exact opposite to hair growth. the treatment for dry hair. The sebaceous glands pro- duce too much oil, so it is a good idea to endeavour CLEANLINESS not to overwork them by over rubbing and shampoo- ing. Wash the hair about every ten days making sure Everyday impurities in the air are a continual to rinse always in lukewarm—not hot—water. Excess threat to healthy hair. Dust, smoke and smog clog up grease between shampoos is easily removed by soaking the pores and make our hair look lifeless. Keeping a pad of wool in soap water, cologne, or plain old the scalp clean is the only way to beat this modern rubbing alcohol, and rubbing this well in all over the menace. Make sure to always wear some type of hair head. Now pad a hair brush with cotton wool and covering when doing any dirty, dust work, and be- finish off by brushing this through your hair briskly. tween shampoos rub your hair briskly with a clean If this is a little too fussy for you, there are towel, just before bedtime. many kinds of dry shampoos sold today, that are ideal for those unexpected occasions when hair must look SHAMPOOING extra special and time is precious.

Authorities on hair care differ tremendously DANDRUFF about how often hair should be washed. The wise plan is to know your particular hair type, and then use Never allow dandruff to pass untreated, for then your own judgment. Washing the actual hair is a it could become a worry. Nothing spoils good groom- simple part. It is cleansing the scalp that should be ing more than flakes of dry scales upon shoulders. given the most attention and care. Work up a soapy Apart from this it makes hair dull and listless very lather, then with the fingertips rub and massage the quickly. The treatment is exactly the same as for dry scalp vigorously—watch out for those long finger- hair, but if dandruff is exceptionally bad and keeps nails and only use the pads of the fingertips. Always recurring, then it is wisest to visit a doctor for advice. shampoo your hair twice, rinsing well both times. A little time occasionally spent on giving our Test for clean un-soapy finish by pulling a few strands hair some extra attention really is worth the effort, of hair between the finger tips. If it "squeaks" you for healthy hair can never be put down to—just a have top marks. matter of luck! *** For fair hair add one tablespoon of strained lemon juice to the final rinse for a gorgeous sheen. For dark hair use one tablespoon of vinegar for the same results. Your choice of shampoo will depend . How To Suffocate upon whether you have normal, dry, or greasy hair. There are many kinds to choose from that suit all After heart disease, one of the greatest cripplers three types. If you have dry hair, a cream or oil is emphysema, which makes breathing increasingly shampoo is best. For greasy hair, use a medicated difficult. Probably the greatest single factor in the or lemon shampoo to help your problem. If you cause of emphysema and chronic bronchitis is smok- have a little dandruff, there are shampoos for this ing. In simple terms, the disease develops like this: as well. smoking irritates the lining of the air tubes, called bronchi, causing them to secrete excessive mucus, or phlegm. The sufferer tries to expel this mucus by DRY HAIR coughing, which increases as the irritation increases. Usually, mucus is swept out of the air passages by If your hair is very dry and dull, try helping tiny hairs called cilia that are in constant motion. it back to normal with this easy-to-do treatment. Part However, cigarette smoke first paralyses these hairs the hair and massage with either warm olive or al- and then mucus overwhelms them. The mucus is not mond oil gently into the scalp. Rub especially hard removed and so clogs the air tubes. Emphysema at the nape of the neck, for this is where the glands develops, and these sacs are gradually destroyed. The called sebaceous glands are, and they control the lungs lose their elasticity and can no longer expand natural flow of oil to the scalp. Wrap a warmed and contract easily to draw in and expel air. Smokers are much more likely to develop respiratory diseases towel around your head and leave on for at least than non-smokers. fifteen minutes. Shampoo in the usual manner, but —Good Health give your hair three latherings instead of two, just to make sure all the oil is removed. HERALD OF HEALTH, JANDARY 1971 25 N executive secretary for a serious forms of illness, and yet the Mounting research large organization was eat- possibility that he could improve A ing lunch in the company his own health status by quitting Immediately following this dining room with a physician and was a closed issue. Why did he "scare" over the relation between a dentist. When the conversion keep on smoking while he knew smoking and lung cancer, the sales shifted to the subject of smoking, fill well that smoking was en- of cigarettes fell off significantly. he commented, between puffs, dangering his health and reducing Within a few weeks, however, they "There is no longer any question his life expectancy? climbed back to their former level in my mind on the harmful effects The big awakening to the dan- and then continued to rise. But of smoking. I accept the evidence gers of smoking began in 1952. among those with influence in as conclusive. The remaining ques- Then it was that several statistical matters of health the issue was not tion is how to persuade the public studies dealing with lung cancer forgotten. Medical literature be- to change an established custom." indicated that this rapidly in- gan to carry more and more arti- "Take my own case," he con- creasing and highly fatal form of cles in which the health-destroying tinued. "I have smoked for years, cancer occurs almost exclusively effects of smoking were well docu- and it's no use for me to try to among those who smoke cigaret- mented. And it began to be ap- quit now. I am resigned to taking tes. Then people began to take parent that the harmful effects of whatever consequences my smok- sides on the question, Does smok- smoking are not limited to its ing may produce. I think the ef- ing cause lung cancer? influence in causing lung cancer. forts of the Public Health Service Smokers, for the most part, were Coronary heart disease was found and of the medical professions critical of the evidence against to be much prevalent among those should be directed to the nation's smoking. The tobacco industry be- who smoke. Emphysema seldom teen-agers. If the facts can be pre- gqn to spend large sums of money occurs in non-smokers. The sented to them in such a persuasive on research, hoping to disprove the mortality ratios for death from way that they never take up smok- contention that smoking is harm- almost all causes was found to be ing, then the next generation will ful or, at least, to identify the significantly higher among smokers. be saved from the thousands of harmful constituent in cigarette Still there were many who con- premature deaths that smoking smoke and find ways to eliminate tinued to scoff at the idea that Low causes every year." it. Pending the results of such ef- smoking is harmful. Here was an intelligent person forts, the tobacco companies con- In 1961 four organizations con- who was convinced that smoking tended that presumptive evidence cerned with preserving the health causes orcpeaributes- - to many was not proof. of the American people framed a 0 \

WHY PEOPLE SIM SMOKE

by HAROLD SHRYOCK, M.D. letter of appeal to the President Many are not realistic enough the smoker continues his usual of the United States requesting to apply the scientific evi- way of life, even bolstering his that he appoint a commission of dence in their own cases. feelings by reasoning, "Now I have scientists to evaluate and sum- These are the ones who say, proof that smoking has not injured "It can't happen to me." marize the data relative to the my health." harmful effects of smoking. The The second reason that people four organizations were the articles relating to the effects of continue to smoke is that the habit American Cancer Society, the smoking had been published, But of smoking is tenacious. It is true American Public Health Associa- during the short space of the next that some people are able to quit tion, the American Health Associa- three years two thousand additional by merely deciding to do so; but tion, and the National Tuberculosis research studies appeared in print. others, even with strong determi- Association. This request led to the In view of this continuing and nation, find that they break their formation of the now famous increasing research interest in the resolution time after time. Surgeon General's Advisory Com- effects of smoking, the U.S. Sur- mittee on Smoking and Health. geon General in 1967 submitted to Unconscious Ritual The committee proper consisted the U.S. Secretary of Health, Edu- of ten eminent scientists. Its work cation, and Welfare a supplemen- Once a person has become ac- was facilitated by the appointment tary report of more than two hun- customed to smoking, the details of eight additional professional dred printed pages, entitled The of the act become part of a ritual. staff members together with a Health Consequences of Smoking. Without giving conscious thought group of fifteen secretaries and In this the Surgeon General com- he takes a cigarette, taps it on his technicians. In the course of its mented, "These additional studies thumbnail, applies a match or a work, the committee enlisted the confirm and strengthen the con- lighter, and keeps the cigarette collaboration of 175 specialists in clusion of the Surgeon General's burning, puff by puff. This routine various fields relating to the prob- Advisory Committee" (of 1964). soon becomes so automatic that he lem under consideration. The 1967 report points up the has no conscious hesitation on what The committee's report, released hazard of smoking very graphically to do next. Smoking has become in 1964, constitutes a book of 387 when it states, "The life expectancy a part of his way of life. He no pages entitled Smoking and Health. of a two-pack-a-day, or more longer asks himself, "Do I want In it are graphs and summaries of smoker at age twenty-five is 8.3 to smoke?" before taking out an- the hundreds of research articles years less than [that for] the cor- other cigarette. which had been reviewed, together responding nonsmoker." There are certain occasions in with statements of conclusion the day's experience when the drawn by the committee. The re- The Smoker's Struggle habit of smoking becomes almost port may be crisply summarized compulsive. After a meal the in the committee's own words: The reason so many people still smoker reaches for a cigarette "Cigarette smoking is a health smoke even in the face of the without even knowing that he does hazard of sufficient importance in evidence that smoking contributes so. In the company of others who the United States to warrant ap- to several serious diseases, and that smoke, the habit takes over. When propriate remedial action." it shortens life, centres around two some time has elapsed since that The 1964 report was so well factors. First, many are not realis- last cigarette, there develops a documented and so obviously free tic enough to apply the scientific mild feeling of depression or ir- from bias that it made a great im- evidence in their own cases. These ritability which only a cigarette pact on all agencies and persons are the ones who say, "It can't can relieve. concerned with the cigarette prob- happen to me." Day by day as In the cases of most smokers the lem. Immediately after the release they continue to smoke they feel simple factor of habit is reinforced of the report, sales of cigarettes reassured because no disease has by the demand the body has de- again declined. Many persons yet overtaken them. Their friends veloped for the nicotine that to- actually discontinued smoking. continue to smoke and their health bacco contains. For some smokers Others tried to quit but found it still seems to be normal. this dependence on nicotine is the so difficult that they became dis- But let one of these persons who principal reason their willpower couraged and resumed their indul- closes his eyes to the evidence de- breaks down even when they are gence in cigarettes. velop some unusual symptom of convinced that they should quit. It is interesting to note that in illness, and he rushes to the doctor As long ago as 1942 a British re- the twelve years prior to 1964, and requests an examination. If searcher, L. M. Johnston, explored some three thousand scientific ths: doctor finds no serious disease, this craving for nicotine by giving HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 27 becomes compelling as they witness the time was ripe for such a trans- For those interested in the suffering which smoking plantation. Surgeons at several quitting the smoking habit, causes. A survey conducted in 1968 large medical centres in the United we recommend the pamph- in the United States indicated that States and several other countries let, "A Five-day Plan to 100,000 physicians have quit. Only were merely waiting for the right Stop Smoking," by W. A. about twenty-nine per cent of combination of circumstances—a McFarland, M.D. For a free physicians still smoke, in contrast patient dying of untreatable heart copy of the pamphlet, please to the fifty-two per cent of the disease, and a patient who had send a stamped, self- general adult male population in just died, but whose heart was addressed envelope to Dept. th.: United States. strong and healthy. H, Post Box 35, Poona 1. For dentists, the magazine Time and fate co-operated in Dental Survey reported in 1965 Cape Town, South Africa. that forty-seven per cent of the Dr. Barnard and his associates small injections of nicotine, instead dentists who once smoked regularly were alert to the opportunity when of smokes, to a group of established had given up the practice. it came. smokers. As long as they received If you are a smoker, force your- On December 3, 1967, Louis the injections, their hankering for self to face the reality of the high Washkansky, 53, was failing fast. cigarettes was assuaged. price you are paying for your in- His badly diseased heart was about For many persons, then, smok- dulgence. Wrestle with the ques- to give out. ing is actually an addiction. For tion, Why do I still smoke? Then, Denice Darvall, 25, arrived at these, the discomforts of trying to when you realize that you are not the same hospital with a fatal brain quit is produced by actual with- able to give an answer that justifies ir_jury, incurred in a traffic acci- drawal symptoms. the risk you are taking, take your- dent. Social Custom self in hand and require obedience Dr. Barnard and his associates, to your intellect rather than to using the technique outlined by Dr. For many smokers, the habit is your established cravings. *** Shumway two weeks earlier, further augmented by the pressure quickly removed the dead girl's of social custom. The act of smok- heart and implanted it into Wash- ing permits a person to join his HEART TRANSPLANTS kansky's chest. He regained con- associates in "something we all sciousness, and lived for 17 days. do." And this factor is strength- From page 11 At that time, it was double pneumo- ened every time the smoker sees nia, not his new heart, that caused an advertisement for cigarettes. experience we are now quite con- ckath. However, medicines given Cigarette advertisements are so vinced that cardiac transplantation him to protect his new heart from prevalent that one can hardly es- is a perfectly feasible procedure "rejection" by his own body, were cape their influence on his think- from the technical as well as from undoubtedly responsible for strip- ing. The cigarette industry spends the physiological standpoint." ping him of his normal defences an astounding sum each year in Dr. Shumway, now at Stanford against bacterial and viral attacks, advertising. The advertisements University in California, also con- thus making him susceptible to the are designed by specialists to make tinued his research. In the Novem- pneumonia. a personal appeal and to leave the ber 20, 1967, issue of the 7ournal Other heart transplant opera- impression that smoking is the ac- of the American Medical Associa- tions involving humans would now cepted thing. tion he declared he was satisfied be undertaken. A new era in heart There is a brighter side to the with the procedures which he had surgery had begun. Some of these picture, however, and that is that developed and which he intended operations would eventually add many smokers have mustered the to use for human-to-human heart considerable time to the lives of necessary determination to quit. transplantation. otherwise doomed patients. Of the various groups of people "We think the way is clear for The names of Dr. Barnard and who have discontinued smoking, trial of a human heart transplan- all others involved in the first heart physicians and dentists stand out tation," said Dr. Shumway in a transplantation would be in- significantly. Members of these press conference at that time. "One scribed in the annals of medicine. professional groups cannot shrug person's heart will be transplanted Seen in perspective, they would be off the evidence of the harmfulness to another's body as soon as a hailed for making a momentous of smoking, for they see this evi- suitable donor and recipient can contribution to the never-ending dence as they deal with their pa- be found." search for human betterment. (To tients day by day. The evidence Clearly, as 1967 neared its end, be continued.) *** 28 HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 The DoctorAdvises A SERVICE FOR OUR SUBSCRIBERS

READERS REQUIRING PERSONAL ANSWERS MUST SEND STAMPED SELF.ADDRESSED ENVELOPES WITH THEIR QUESTIONS.

Diet for Chronic Colitis observations which could be made in this connection which would be helpful and then beyond that it I am a chronic sufferer of colitis and almost all would be necessary to place yourself in the hands vegetables irritate my system. With the exception of of a neurologist or perferably an internist who will bananas, all other fruits do not agree with me. I call in neurological and psychiatric counsel in con- try to avoid butter, cream and eggs as I am sixty-one nection with your case. years old. My blood pressure is quite normal, and You mentioned that you have been smoking I have no other organic disease. Would you please since you were seven, and drinking since you were advise me on my diet? twenty. This may very likely account for the tension you are experiencing. It will be no easy matter for A colitis patient is advised to have bed rest with you to throw off the cigarette habit, but I feel that plenty of fluids and a high protein diet. Foods should cigarettes and alcohol together contribute much to be attractively prepared. The diet should contain at cases such as yours. Anyone who experiences the kind least 2,500 calories a day, given in three or four of tension which you speak of is usually helped by general meals. a programme of enjoyable physical activity. Various Now in regard to vegetables, you should avoid sports can be engaged in which help to lower the those that produce a considerable residue of fibre. tension. Swimming, hiking, mountain climbing as well There are two vegetables, however, which you would as competitive sports are beneficial. be able to handle without difficulty: carrots, well Now because there may be an actual problem steamed and soft, and potatoes. Baked potatoes involved, you should be attended to by a well-quali- used with a little milk or cream and salt to taste fied physician, and he may call for psychiatric coun- should not be difficult even with the degree of colitis sel to arrive at the basic problem, and to recommend which you have. treatment and medication. There are medications With regard to fruits, some are tolerated when which are helpful in these conditions. well cooked although they may not be tolerated in the fresh form. You may experiment by slightly cook- Amoebic Dysentery ing your fruit. With regard to butter, cream and eggs, you are I have had amcebic dysentery, for the past ten advised to have a litre of nonfat milk daily, and one years. The attack starts with grips in the stomach and or two eggs a week. This will help on your protein the passing of bowels as often as three to four times intake and will also contribute somewhat to your a day. I pass mucus and foam, but not blood in my vitamin requirement. Wheat chapatties are excellent, stools. This stops a day or two after I begin my and so is dhal. treatment. I have taken a number of medicines, but It would be well for you to keep in touch with a no treatment has been able to completely cure this competent physician to advise you from time to time condition. in regard to your physical condition and as to your The symptoms which you have mentioned are nutritional needs. typical of amcebic dysentery. It is not clear, however, as to how you have continued your course of treat- Extreme Nervousness ment. In almost every case, if we expect to get per- manent results, it is necessary to take the course of I am a very hot-headed person, and I dislike the medication for about one week, lay off for three company. I have developed a complex. I get irritated or four days, then repeat a second time, and then by the slightest disturbance; my head feels foggy, lay off again and then a third time take the same and my feet and palms perspire. I started smoking course for about seven days. If you have not taken and drinking at the very young age of seven and the medicines on this kind of a repeated basis, we twenty respectively. What advice can you give? advise you to give this a trail. This should not, how- ever, be necessary in connection with the injections It is possible you have a difficult neurological of emetin. A course of injections of emetin daily for and psychological problem. There are some general seven to ten days is usually sufficient to clear up a HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 29 case of amceba. If you pursue such a course, you usually performed under local anxsthesia. Only after would be able to bring the disease condition under the last world war has this part of medical practice. control. Please bear in mind that there are some experienced such a rapid development that it rests' cases in which no matter how persistently or consis- now in the hands of highly trained doctors. Many tently the patient is treated, the amceba still continues. doctors still perform tonsillectomies under local anxs- In such cases one should simply learn to live with thesia simply because they have not enough trained the disease. personnel available. Under general anxsthesia, the Excessive Perspiration patient receives an intravenous injection, falls asleep, and wakes up after the tonsils are removed. This I am twenty-one years old. I have been perspiring method gives the surgeon the possibility of a quicker profusely on my forehead and round the neck. How and safer operation without the nervousness of a could I remedy this? frightened patient. For a few days following surgery the patient A certain amount of sweating is normal for every- will have a sore throat until scar tissue has formed to one. But excessive sweating such as you describe is definitely abnormal and should be investigated. Ex- close the wound. At the same time the patient must cessive moisture on the skin raises the possibility of have a normal amount of food to help the healing further infection with fungus and bacteria, especially process. Pain-killing drugs are given before each on the feet, around the genital areas and under the meal and the patient is able to eat normally, pro- armpits. Many people are troubled with cold, wet vided he chews the food very well and does not in- hands and feet when under nervous strain. Also ex- tend to swallow large pieces whole. Lukewarm cessive perspiration is not at all an uncommon prob- temperature is considered the most suitable for all lem in areas where there is high humidity and high food and drinks. Neither iced nor extremely hdt temperature. food is pleasant to swallow during the first days of Make a thorough search for the cause. A physical convalescence. Highly acid fruit juices such as orange examination is advisable to rule out the presence of or pineapple should be avoided since they cause a some other disorder that should be corrected. For localized areas of excessive perspiration, potassium burning sensation. permanganate compress three times a day would be of help. Dissolve one tablet of potassium permanga- Nature Restores nate in one quart of water. Wring out a small com- press, such as face cloth, and apply this to the area One recommendation which struck me as curi- for twenty minutes. ous was the advice to chew gum in order to keep the soft parts of the throat from hardening. I am sure, children will appreciate this method and make ample TONSILS ARE IN FASHION use of it. All gargling is barred unless the doctor should specially recommend it. Nature will restore the From page 21 normal conditions in the patient's throat if it is left alone. It may take an adult up to three weeks after cure this condition. The antibiotic's unique structure a tonsillectomy before he can return to work. Chil- allows a prolonged treatment with the air of avoiding dren usually recuperate faster. surgery. If the specialist is finally convinced that an Middle aged patients may feel the scar tissue operation is the only way to a complete cure, he will "stiff" or "rough" after they have otherwise recovered. undertake steps to hospitalize the patient for the Relaxing exercises of the throat will help to overcome period necessary to perform the tonsillectomy plus a this sensation. Excellent guidance is available from few days' supervision after the operation. Most likely speech therapists who will assess the patient's prob- he will suggest a hospital where he is well known and lem individually and help him to regain confidence where he can expect the best co-operation from as- in his voice. sisting doctors and the nursing staff. It is therefore Altogether there are fewer tonsillectomies per- advisable, and in the patient's own interest, to con- formed today than about forty years ago. In those form to his arrangements. The patient enters hospi- days tonsils Were "out." The specialist's opinion has tal on the eve of the scheduled operation. changed several times since, before the present ap- proach became universal. This is partly due to effec- Ancesthesia tive medical treatment which may prevent surgery in a number of cases. Consequently, tonsils are very On my inquiry concerning anxsthesia, I was in- much in fashion today and doctors decide in favour formed that up to World War H, tonsillectomies were of an operation only in exceptional cases. ***

30 HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 IS BREAKFAST IMPORTANT? It is not always necessary to serve most frequent single cause of cooked cereal in a bowl with hypoglycaemia. Our final word From page 23 milk. Try using it sometimes with comes from a famous health ground or chopped nuts, made educator of the past century, E. G. unimportant so long as it contained into patties, and browned in the White, who wrote in 1884: "It adequate protein and calories. One oven. is the custom and order of society quarter to one third of the day's The habit of putting sugar on to take a slight breakfast. But nutritional needs should be met in cereal, either cooked or dry, is this is not the best way to treat breakfast. not a good practice nutritionally. the stomach. At breakfast time the Dr. Louis N. Katz in his book It is simply a habit, and can be stomach is in a better condition Nutrition and Atherosclerosis says changed easily with a little deter- to take care of more food than that the high-calorie and high- mination and self-control. If you at the second or third meal of thc cholesterol breakfasts should be the are especially fond of sugar on day. The habit of eating a sparing exception and not the rule. These cereal, use raisins, dates, or other breakfast and a large dinner is breakfasts, he says, should be re- sweet fruits. They will satisfy your wrong. Make your breakfast cor- placed with whole-grain cereals, sweet tooth and furnish you some respond more nearly to thc fruit and milk. Dr. Katz makes vitamins and minerals as an heartiest meal of the day."— this recommendation in connection extra bonus. Counsels on Diet and Foods, *** with an attempt to lower incidence Improper dietary habits is the page 173. of. degenerative heart disease by lowering the saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet. The first meal of the day seems to be the one that is hardest to make interesting, yet nutritionally adequate. There are many things that can be served at breakfast. A well-balanced pattern should in- clude fruit, cereal and/or toast, and protein. Let us discuss briefly these ousehoL6 various food classifications. The US fruit may include two fruits, both fresh during the season. Fruit may be mixed to provide an interesting Prevent Sticking Shoe Polish variety, such as berries with sliced peaches. Papayas and sweet lime A few drops of olive oil or salad To prevent shoe polish from make a good combination. Bananas oil added to the water when cook- breaking up in the tin, cut a circle ing rice, macaroni, or spaghetti, of net-wire to fit in the tin over sliced with oranges gives a change will prevent it clinging together and the polish, then use the brush in flavour. Vary the flavour of spilling over. through the wire. Saves such mess! cooked fruit—sprinkle apple-sauce with raisins or chopped dried fruit Setting Lotion such as dates. Add orange or lemon Paint Removal from Clothes slices to prunes or other dried fruit A quick and inexpensive setting while preparing them. Baked ap- lotion for the hair is to add a For fresh paint: Scrape off with ples and apple-sauce are always tablespoon of sugar to a cup of dull blade, and sponge remainder popular at breakfast. water. with turpentine. If stains are stub- The cereal may be a cooked born, work vaseline well in to Fertilizing Pot-Plants soften them. Soak in turps. Rinse cereal, and for a heavier breakfast in fresh turps, then sponge with you may include toast. For a Never give pot-plants liquid water, or wash in hot suds if mate- lighter breakfast or a reducing manure unless they have been rial is washable. eakfast, either cereal or toast may watered well the previous day. If For old paint: Sponge with a be used. Both should be made from the plant is dry when the liquid mixture of equal parts methylated whole grains, of wheat alone, or a food is given, too much is ab- spirit and carbon tetrachloride. combination of different cereals. sorbed at once. Wash in hot suds. HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 31 A PAGE FOR LITTLE PEOPLE

JOKER SUNIL

by BONNIE MOYERS

UNIL was a nice-looking boy of thirteen. He After making the calls he nearly bent double with was nearly six feet tall and had a serious face. laughter. "Such fun!" he chortled. "And to think S This, combined with his black hair and dark- that nobody has any idea who is calling them. Oh, rimmed glasses, gave him quite a scholarly appear- well, what they don't know won't hurt them." At ance. least that's what he thought. But several of the peo- But you can't always judge a book by its cover. ple he called didn't enjoy being pestered. They noti- And so it was with Sunil. His studious appearance fied the police. One day a warning in bold black type belied his mischievous nature. He loved playing what came out on the front page of the morning paper. he glibly called practical jokes! "Police have been alerted that a prankster in the Some of his fun was derived from making pran- area has been making a public nuisance of himself kish phone calls. The gags he used had been pulled by placing annoying telephone calls. Unless these calls at least a thousand times before, but he still got a stop immediately, further investigation will be made." laugh from them. Sunil read the notice in the paper, but he didn't Selecting a name at random from the phone apply it to himself. He was sure no one would dis- book, he'd dial the number of some busy housewife. cover that he was the culprit! When she answered the telephone, he'd say in his Nevertheless, he was frightened enough to let deepest voice, "Good afternoon, Mrs. . I called a week pass before he made any more calls. to ask you, Is your refrigerator running?" But one day he had some words with Mrs. Thinking Sunil was a repairman, the lady would Shrivastava, his teacher. She scolded him and kept reply politely, "Yes, of course, it's running." him in for fighting with a smaller boy. "Well, then," Sunil would say, "if it's running, "That woman!" he muttered to himself. "I des- don't you think you'd better go catch it?" Before the pise her! How I wish I could do something that disgusted lady could give him a piece of her mind would get even with her and put her in her place." he'd quickly hang up. Then he had an idea. "I know!" he told him- Sunil went to one school, his small brother self. "I'll call the road building company and order Sudhir to another. Mother taught at the school Sudhir two yards of concrete for the Shrivastava's sidewalk attended. Big sister Sheela worked as a secretary in in the garden." an office. Father was a businessman, which fact meant That evening after school he hurried to the tele- that he was unable to spend much time at home. In phone. This call would take longer than the others the evenings before the rest of the family reached he had made. So he'd have to work quickly—before home, time hung heavy on Sunil's hands. To relieve his mother got home. the boredom and the tomb-like quiet of the empty "Road builders," said the voice at the other end house, he made the crank calls. of the line. 32 HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 "This is Shrivastava. I live at 2724 Main Street," "Not much, I guess," he replied. "But I've said Sunil in rumbly bass tones. "I am calling to order never been in trouble with the law before. Honest. two yards of concrete. Please come at your conveni- Do you think"—and Sunil's face brightened a bit— ence and pour it for my sidewalk. The forms are in "that if I apologize to Shrivastavas and the road place and ready to be filled." building company and pay them whatever this cost, "Certainly, Mr. Shrivastava. How would to- that they would be willing to forgive?" n.orrow morning at eleven o'clock be?" "Those would be steps in the right direction," "Fine." father said. "If it will help give you the courage to "Very well, we'll be there then. Thank you for make things right, I'll go with you to the road build- your order. Good-bye." ing company." Sunil laughed until the tears came. Wouldn't The next day Sunil and his father went to the Mrs. Shrivastava be shocked! It would be her just Shrivastavas. Sunil asked their forgiveness. "Of course deserts, though. Perhaps it would teach her not to pick you're forgiven," they assured him. on others. And so he salved his conscience. After they left the Shrivastavas he and father The next day in school Sunil could hardly con- climbed into the car and headed for the office of the centrate on his lessons. He kept wondering how his Company. It seemed to Sunil that the walk up the little joke was coming along. Time dragged. Would steps to the manager's office was the longest journey three o'clock never come? he'd ever taken. Something was about to happen, though, that "Mr. Mehta," he promised the dignified gray- Sunil was unprepared for. A policeman met Sunil haired manager, "I will make full restitution for all at the door. "Come in, boy," he said gruffly. "We the loss and trouble I caused you. Here is all the want to talk with you." money in my savings account and all that was in my "Why, why, wh-what?" stammered Sunil. bank at home. I'll either take a paper route or sell "I think," interrupted a second policeman, "that magazines until the rest is paid." you know why we're here. Didn't you realize that "Thank you, son." Mr. Mehta put his hand on making prank phone calls was punishable by fine Sunil's shoulder. "I won't press any charge against and/or imprisonment?" you in court. .I think the loss of all your money will Sunil stood speechless, staring at the toes of his be punishment enough." shoes. He was too ashamed to look at either of the Sunil put in some long hours before his debt to policeman or at his father. the company was finally paid. And he used the tele- *** "How did you find out that I did it?" he asked. phone for proper purposes only after that! "It happened that Mr. Shrivastava was at home when the concrete truck pulled into his driveway. He had come home early from his office and was THE ART OF HEALING packing for a business trip. When he saw the truck, he asked the driver and his helper just what they From page 2 were planning to do. When they explained, he protested that he had not ordered any concrete, that it a chance to mend, by eating and digesting bacteria someone must have called in the order as a joke." which poison it, and by feeding on the dead cells "Mr. Shrivastava called us and reported the which the wound-injury has killed." incident. Several other people have phoned us lately complaining about your calls. We wanted to give fair Co-operation with the Body warning, so we printed that notice in the paper. Perhaps you weren't aware of it, but we were already Above we have suggested "sensible co-operation on your trail." with these built-in devices." What can we do to "When you placed the call to the concrete com- co-operate? pany, you went entirely too far. You not only made Doctors speak of "redness, swelling heat and a false order, but you impersonated someone else, pain" as cardinal signs of inflammation, and if you and that also is an offence against the law. We could have ever had a boil you are no doubt prepared arrest you on either or both of these charges. What to endorse this item of medical observation as do you have to say for yourself, son?" , correct. While the fourth of these signs is largely Sunil stood rooted to the spot. The thought of a sequel to the preceeding three, these themselves being arrested and put in jail gave him a queasy are brought about by an increase in the flow of feeling in the pit of his stomach. He broke out in a blood to the affected area. This increases in what cold sweat. He cleared his throat and looked at the we might call the "battle area," the "army" of policeman. those amceboid cells of whom Sir Charles Sherrington HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 33 wrote, as that they may "contribute to its healing." a teaspoonful of an inhalant prepared from menthol Thus the body's built-in device, in this case, in- and eucalyptus, to the pint or so of nearly-boiling cludes an increase in the local blood supply. water involved. Now, every housewife knows that when she A convenient way to have an inhalation is to is working at a hot cooker, she is apt to become very put the very hot water, plus whatever you add as red in the face. In other Words, the local applica- suggested above, into an old jar or similar container. tion of heat has increased the blood flow in the areas Over the top of this slip a conveniently-sized stout of her body exposed to the heat. paper bag, from which you have torn one of the Applying this simple fact to the problem bottom corners providing an aperture into which presented by our boil, we expose it to heat by the you can just insert your nose. With your nose in- most convenient method, which may be the ap- serted as mentioned, proceed to breathe in through plication of a hot poultice, or some other kind of it; and you may find it convenient to breathe out fomentation, or possibly by immersing the affected through your mouth (which is, of course, outside the area in a suitable hot bath. apparatus). A few special details should be noted. The steam will be very hot. Normally the outer sur- Colds and Heat face of the nose is quite sensitive to heat although the inner surface of the nostrils and throat is not so If you have ever had a cold you will almost sensitive. If you cannot bear the heat on the outside certainly have noticed the accompanying redness of the nose, partially withdraw it so that each in- of your nose, and maybe of your throat; the rel- drawn breath is cooled somewhat by the resulting evant built-in care and repair device. Under such admixture of outside air; but as soon as possible a circumstance you can easily co-operate by using fully insert the nose and get the full benefit of the a hot gargle and a steam inhalation; and these I heat. Another point: often when you have a cold, will describe, using such simple things as are likely one or other nostril is blocked, if not both. In to be readily available to all. such a case, take a, few preliminary breaths of the For the hot gargle, take a pint of water (as inhalant in through the mouth and out through hot as you usually drink a hot drink) and to it add the nose, one nostril at a time if necessary. This a level teaspoonful of ordinary table salt. Now procedure usually helps clear the airway so that you gargle with that, and be prepared to repeat the can resume the sequence of breathing in through treatment several times a day. If you feel you must the nose and out through the mouth. have something more elaborate, you can use a glycerin Again, this is a treatment which, like the gargle, and thymol gargle; but remember, the most effective should be repeated a number of times a day, pref- component is the heat of the water, the salt being erably in the evening if you have to go out during added to make the water more suitable for appli- the day. cation to the mouth and pharynx. So much for simple treatment of the early Sometimes individuals say: "I cannot gargle." stages of a cold; but if you have a persisting tempera- For such I reply: "Try this method." Prepare the ture, or your chest is sore and raw from coughing, gargle and have it ready. Take a good breath and hold or if in your throat there are patches on the tonsils or it. With the throat closed against swallowing, take adjacent pharynx, then consult your doctor and a mouthful of the gargle; slightly tilt the head back- wards, and commence to breathe out. This will let him take charge. produce the characteristic gurgling sound, with Chilblains which is associated the desirable moving of the Often in the colds and coughs season another gargle in the pharynx. Spit out the gargle and trouble is the matter of chilblains on the feet, which is repeat the process until it is all finished. The aim also an item that can usually be dealt with effectively of the treatment is (a) to apply heat to the pharynx, in a simple way. Into a medium-size bowl put water and (b) to wash away any adhering mucus or dis- for a hot footbath and stand this in the bathroom. charge. This you will have accomplished. Sit on a stool and put the feet into the hot water for about two minutes. Then hold them under the Is Your Nose Red? running cold water tap for about half a minute. Now about the acute redness of the nose, which Reinsert them into the hot water, and continue this is a signal that the uppermost air passages are in- alternation of hot and cold bathing for ten minutes flamed. This is where the steam inhalation will play or more, renewing the hot footbath if necessary. its part. Remember again that the heat is the im- It sounds very simple. Try it next time you have this portant operative component of the treatment, trouble, and you will find it wonderfully helpful. though, if you like, you can add something such as *** 34 HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 Vitamin Clue to Rheumatoid Arthritis After their diets were altered to include more protein and to become better balanced, the readings Recent experiments on rheumatoid synovial sometimes resembled those of persons younger than tissue have shown that certain special forms of vita- the subjects. The diet changes cut in half complaints mins C and K seem to have a correcting effect on the of indigestion, nervousness, and depression. At the excess of hydrogen found in the rheumatoid tissue. beginning of the study forty-five per cent of the per- This excess in tissue hydrogen is thought by sons had either too much or too little blood sugar. many people to be a vital contributory factor in About thirty-five per cent had abnormal cholesterol rheumatoid arthritis, and research workers at the levels. cellular biology division of the Kennedy Institute —Home and Health of Rheumatology, London, are optimistic that a "cure" is well on the way. Atomic Camera Clinical trials are expected to start later this year, but for the moment the institute is not reveal- This is a warning to all narcotics smugglers and ing precisely what the special vitamin forms are, in drug pushers : The United States Atomic Energy Com- case people begin using them before the experiments mission (AEC) has developed a portable atomic are completed. camera that, it says, "can detect hidden quantities "The final proof will be to establish that if you of drugs or narcotics." change the tissue hydrogen you reverse or correct the The camera uses the radioisotope califorium 252 damaging process," noted a research worker. to generate the neutrons needed to take the "picture." —Good Health Scientists have tested it for months and insist it does what it's specified to do—for industry, the Anti-Cancer Gun medical profession, and narcotics bureau and customs agents. An injection gun that fires tiny radioactive This camera can be turned on a suitcase, and "bullets" is the latest weapon in the war against no matter where a smuggler may have hidden his cancer, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission has illicit goods the camera will spot it—without damag- announced. The anti-cancer gun, still in experimental ing or opening the suitcase. stage, was described in the agency's annual report —Listen to Congress. The gun uses tiny, seed-like bits of radio-active chromium wire as cancer-attacking bul- Aspirins and Kidneys lets that are shot through the skin or implanted by surgery. Only a few patients have had the gun treat- All advertisements indicating that headache and ment, but results have been "promising enough to de- other pain-relieving drugs are safe should be banned, serve more attention," the report says. according to Professor R. R. Lovel, professor of —Home and Health medicine at Melbourne University. Professor Lovell said: "One must stress the dangers inherent in over- You Are What You Eat indulgence in pain-relieving tablets or powders of all sorts, particularly those containing mixtures of A three-year study of 400 persons shows that aspirin, phenacetin and caffeine or codeine." many improved their mood and their heart perform- "Evidence," according to Professor Lovell, "sug- ance by changing their diet. gests that the consumption of such preparations is At the beginning of the study many persons had ordinately high in Australia and is related to the electro-cardiogram readings typical of persons older large amount of kidney disease in the community." than themselves. —Good Health HERALD OF HEALTH, JANUARY 1971 35 THE FOX AND THE Glk,t‘PES

by Edward W. H. VicK, Ph. D.

Now you will have heard the story of the As he sat down to rest, he thought of some fox and the grapes. But not this one. So if you are clever friends and went off to seek their advice. sitting comfortably, I shall tell it to you. They suggested he get professional help and train- Once upon a time there was a fox. He was ing, so he went to the wisest foxes in the land and out walking one day when he saw a sight that sat at their feet. made his mouth water, and he began to feel Fortified by what he had learned, he then hungry as hungry can be. He spied a vine with a went back to the vine where he had seen the grapes, most luscious bunch of grapes on it. But, sad to and after many long and arduous efforts he finally say, the grapes were very high up, very high in- achieved his goal and got hold of the prize. He deed—far up beyond his reach. went off joyfully with his grapes in hand and— This fox had, of course, heard the story of what do you think? When he began to eat them he the other fox who had seen a most luscious bunch found that they actually were sour. of grapes, had wanted them, and had made effort after effort to fetch them down. The other fox, So he sat down and thought about the matter when he could not get them and had given up, very carefully. When he went to bed he could not had said that they were sour. But this fox knew sleep for thinking. He could not let on about it to better than to believe such a tale. He was, more- the other foxes. They had spent long hours teach- over, a different kind of fox, and he was not ing him how to be successful, and had time and going to be prevented from getting those grapes. again encouraged him to persevere. His friends So he was not easily put off, and when his had put up with his arduous way of life while first efforts to reach them failed, he was simply he was in training. Since everyone had been of spurred on to try again. He could not forget what such help, he did not want to disillusion them. In his mother had taught him, that if at first you fact, he himself did not want to believe that the don't succeed, you must try, try, try again. So grapes were sour. That is why he always let it be he did try as hard as he could, again and again. known how much he enjoyed the grapes. He jumped and he pulled. He rested and he Wherever he went, whenever people asked climbed. He even shouted a little. But all without him about the grapes, he said that they were very success. sweet. ***

Registered No. MH-40.