%m wSmtffto i 6 Mffin B Slss HI ■ $3553322 1&3!I Sffisjs© E rtKOTtm^ Wm ;, v gg§ MB '•;. ; ' : /- ■yi';;;;-\ ,''■/''}.'■■ wm?j86 SSsSl m fflr QassSLC %/ COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT A Thousand Health Questions Answered IV * Copyright 1917 BY J. H. KELLOGG / OCT 18 1317 ./v* Foreword For forty years, the writer of this volume has each week stood before an audience of invalids at the Battle Creek Sanitarium to open a popular question box. During the same period the writer has supplied each month to his journal, Good Health, several columns of answers to corres- pondents. Out of the seventy or eighty thousand questions which have been thus dealt with some- thing more than a thousand have been ^elected, which, with their answers, constitute this volume. The reader will naturally expect to find the sub- ject matter of this book highly practical in char- acter, and in this we are confident he will not be disappointed. It is also believed that the range of topics considered is sufficiently large to cover in a fairly comprehensive way the whole subject of practical hygiene, as related to the home and individual. Any reader who, in consulting this volume, is disappointed in not finding an answer to the question in which he is especially interested, is hereby cordially invited to ask the question in a 6 FOREWORD letter addressed to the author or the publishers who will at once endeavor to find the answer and communicate it to the questioner, and will incorporate the question, if of general interest, in the next edition of the work, or another volume of similar character. Contents PAl Foreword .... 9 Care of Children .... 11 Foot Troubles .... . 40 Skin Ailments .... 47 Sleep . . . ... . 71 Nerves ..... 86 Rheumatism .... . 129 Cancer ..... 137 Miscellaneous Questions . . 142 The Blood and Blood Vessels 226 Obesity ..... . 250 Bowel Disorders .... 266 The Kidney and Its Disorders . . 323 The Liver and Gall Bladder . 333 Digestive Disorders . . 349 8 CONTENTS PAGE The Thyroid Gland .... 370 Tuberculosis ...... 372 Catarrh, Colds, Deafness . . . 379 The Teeth 396 Remedies ...... 405 Relief of Pain 449 Stimulants and Narcotics . . . 458 Clothing 479 Exercise ...... 483 Race Statistics 496 Measurements and Strength of Body . 504 General Hygiene . . . . .518 Dietetics ...... 532 Food and Food Values .... 587 Beverages ...... 664 Meat 680 Milk ....... 700 Eggs 709 Digestion . . . . . . 737 A Thousand Health Questions Answered Care of Children Artificial Feeding Schedule Q. What is the best plan for artificial feeding of infants? A. Recent experience in both this country and Europe justifies the claim that the following simple plan of artificial feeding may be relied upon as best for the infant as well as the simplest, least expensive, and least troublesome to the mother, and hence most practical for general use: Feeding Schedule During the first year: Number of feedings in twenty- four hours, first month, 8 ; second month 6; after second month, 5. Milk Mixtures: First month, one-third milk, two-thirds water, with two ounces malt sugar to the quart. One ounce gives 14 calories. Second to sixth months, half water, half milk, with two ounces of malt sugar to the quart. One ounce gives 17 calories. Third quarter — 7th to 9th months — use two- thirds milk, one-third water, two ounces of malt sugar to the quart. One ounce gives 21 calories. 12 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Fourth quarter — 10th to 12th months — use full milk with addition of two ounces of malt sugar to the quart. One ounce gives 25 calor- ies. Amt. of No. of Amt. of Calories Age Weight Food Feedings Feeding Daily Birth 7 lbs. 20 oz. 8 2^ oz. 350 1 mo. 9 lbs. 24 oz. 6 4 oz. 400 2 mo. 10 1 A lbs. 28 oz. 5 5 l / 2 oz. 475 3 mo. 12 lbs. 30 oz. 5 6 oz. 510 4 mo. 13 *lbs. 32 oz. 5 6 l / 2 oz. 545 5 mo. 14 lbs. 34 oz. 5 7 oz. 575 6 mo. 15 lbs. 36 oz. 5 7*4 oz. 612 7 mo. 16 lbs. 32 oz. 5 6^ oz. 640 8 mo. 17 lbs. 33 oz. 5 7 l / 2 oz. 660 9 mo. 18 lbs. 34 oz. 5 8 oz. 680 10 mo. 19 lbs. 28 oz. 5 5 2 / 3 oz. 700 11 mo. 20 lbs. 29 oz. 5 5% oz. 'Ul 12 mo. 21 lbs. 30 oz. 5 6 oz. 750 Infants under one year should not take more than 32 to 36 ounces of food. In changing to stronger diet, that is from half milk to two- thirds milk, or two-thirds milk to full milk, the quantity should be reduced at first. After the child weighs eight pounds, the amount may be increased one ounce of the full milk mixture for every six ounces that he gains in weight. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 13 Bottle Fed Babies Q. Why are so many infants bottle fed? A. The manufacture and sale of "baby foods" has developed into an enormous in- dustry within the last 50 years. The maternal fount is drying up. According to Holt, "In New York, at least three children out of every four born into the homes of well-to-do classes must be fed at some other fount than the maternal breast." A pro- fessor of entomology, of the University of Cali- fornia, finds an analogy between the human race and bees, ants and some other insects. He in- sists that the increasing number of women who have lost both the instinct and the capacity for motherhood is evidence that there is developing in the human race a neuter type corresponding to the worker class among bees and ants. In certain parts of the United States the decay of the native population as shown by diminished fertility is far advanced. For example, among native-born New England wives the average number of children is only 2.7, while foreign- born wives living in the same communities have an average of 4.4 children. 14 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Infants' Stools Q. What should be the appearance of the stools of a young infant? A. The color of normal stools from chil- dren fed on cow's milk is yellow, but not so bright a yellow as the stools of the breast-fed child; on standing exposed to the air, they turn nearly white or greyish-yellow. If carbohy- drates, gruels, replace cow's milk as food, the yel- low colour of the stools is more intense. Lime Water in Milk Q. Is the addition of lime water to milk beneficial in feeding infants? A. The idea seems to be current that lime water used in cow's milk is a valuable addition to the baby's diet, and will prevent rickets. The impression holds that the baby is going to get needed lime out of the lime water. People who entertain this notion are entirely oblivious of the fact that milk itself contains more lime than does lime water. This lime is held in solution by the casein of the milk. Another important difference is this, that the lime of the milk is organic lime, organized lime, lime that is ready to be assimilated, whereas the lime in the lime water is dead lime, mineral lime. There is abundant evidence that this mineral A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 15 matter can not be assimilated by the body, and very little of it can be used. Nor is this all. The lime water may do harm. Lime is an alkali ; it neutralizes the hydrochloric acid of the gastric juice, and so injures digestion. There is already too much lime in cow's milk for the baby's needs. The milk of various spe- cies of animals is adapted to those animals, and the amount of lime in the milk depends on the rate at which the young animal grows. A calf will double its weight in six or eight weeks, but a baby requires five or six times as long to double its weight, so the calf requires four or five times as much lime. Other animals — dogs and rabbits, for example — that double their weight very rapidly have as high as one hundred times as much lime as there is found in the normal food of the baby. Babies grow very slowly, and consequently they need but little lime. Mother's milk contains only three grains of lime to the pint, instead of twenty- six, as in cow's milk. Milk in its ordinary state needs dilution for the baby. The only real value of lime water is to dilute the milk and this is far better done by the use of pure boiled water, or by the use of very thin, well boiled and strained barley or oatmeal gruel. 16 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Fruit for Children Q. May fruit be given to little children? A. The juice of any ripe fruit may be given to children after six months. The idea that fruit is dangerous for young children is a most mis- chievous error. Great care must be taken that the fruit is thoroughly ripe. In case of very young children who have no teeth, and who have not yet learned to masticate their food thoroughly, only the juice should be given. Older children who have teeth may take fruit as freely as adults without injury. Fruits have a bene- ficial laxative tendency. Diet for Teething Child Q. Suggest a good diet for a teething child. A. If teething begins while the baby is still feeding from the breast, no other food than mother's milk is required. At ten months the normal child has six teeth. It is highly important that the food should at all times contain an abundance of lime. After weaning, food which is rich in lime should be taken at every meal. Greens and root vegetables finely mashed or in the form of puree should be freely used. Fine flour bread should A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 17 be avoided. Malt sugar should be used instead of cane. Care should be taken that the bowels move three or four times a day. Teething Q. Since teething is a natural process why do derangements of digestion so commonly ac- company it? A. It is most unfortunate that mothers are not better informed. Very many have heard that diarrhea, mucous discharges and other bowel troubles are inevitable results of dentition and supposing they will cease when the teeth are through give the matter little concern, unless it assumes so grave a form as to be alarming. Even then the fact that the child is teething serves as an apology for its serious condition. Every one who has the care of an infant should understand that teething is a normal process and not a disease, that it is not needful for the bowels to be out of order and loose when the child is teething, and that bowel disorders of infancy are usually the result of taking spoiled or unclean food, too much food, meat, or food in lumps that the child cannot masticate. Teething is not of itself a potent cause of dis- ease; while it may intensify the effects of bad food, bad water, foul air, extremes of heat and cold, and the like, yet these causes are responsible 18 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED for the mortality of infants at the teething period as well as at every other age. This is an important fact to remember, as these conditions are all more or less preventable. % Weaning Q. At what age should an infant be weaned? A. Nine to ten months. When to Vary an Infant's Food Q. When may food properly be given in connection with the mother's milk? A. A moderate amount of prune juice or orange juice diluted with boiled water may be given to a six months' old baby. To a baby who is well nourished and thriving on mother's milk, absolutely no other food should be given but strained fresh fruit juices until after the child is weaned. How Much Should a Child Eat? Q. How many calories should a child weighing eighteen pounds take daily? A. A child must have not less than fifty calories per kilogram of the body weight. We will say twenty-five calories to the pound of body weight. This is the minimum for growth. The A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 19 child really needs more than that. A child weigh- ing eighteen pounds ought to eat about six to eight hundred calories a day. First Food for Babies Q. What is the best cereal food for a baby beginning its second year, and that is being weaned from a malt sugar formula? A. Rice gruel, potato gruel, and wheat meal gruel are the best farinaceous foods for an in- fant. The diet should never be confined to cereals, as this class of foodstuffs is deficient in alkaline salts, which are quite essential for grow- ing infants. Diet for Child of Two Years Q. What is the best diet for a two year old child? A. Fresh fruits, stewed fruits, purees of vegetables and cereal foods are suited to the child's wants and with milk and cream are cap- able of supplying all its nutritive needs. The best cereal preparations are wheat flakes, shredded wheat biscuit, oatmeal, cracked wheat and graham bread. Potato and other vege- table purees, and purees of fresh or stewed fruit should also constitute a considerable part of the dietary. Malt Sugar should be used freely with cereals and fruits, but cane sugar should be 20 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED avoided. It is an unwholesome sweet, even for adults in other than very small quantities, and often produces decidedly injurious and even poisonous effects in young children. Children should be taught to drink frequently. Three to four ounces of water should be given several times a day between meals. Most of the various popular infant foods are objectionable, as their exclusive use leads to rickets and malnutrition. jPastry, candies, ice cream and soda water drinks, should be avoided by young children. Tea, coffee, chocolate, and coca cola contain caffeine which is productive of great harm. A cup of coffee contains twice as much uric acid or its equivalent, as does the same amount of urine. These harmful drinks should never be given to children at any age. Children should be taught from the first to masticate their food thoroughly. This is highly important, as the habit of mastication formed in childhood is likely to be maintained throughout life. Regularity of meals is also highly important. Upon regularity of meals depends regularity of bowel action. Food is the natural laxative. When food is taken between meals or at irregular in- tervals, digestion becomes disturbed, normal bowel action is interrupted, and numerous evils result. It is especially important to avoid taking A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 21 food at too frequent intervals. When food is received into a stomach which contains undi- gested food, serious indigestion is certain to re- sult. Shall Children Eat Meat Q. Should children be allowed to eat meat? A. Professor Sherman of Columbia Univer- sity, an able physiologist, several years ago called the attention of the profession to the fact that meat is lacking in lime salts, and consequently is not a suitable food for children. Professor Sherman's statements are based upon the results observed in experiments upon animals. His ob- servations fully confirm the views of Dr. Joseph Winters, an eminent physician, who a few years ago presented to the profession an able and in- teresting essay entitled "The Meat Habit in Chil- dren.'* Dr. Winters maintained that one of the most evil consequences of the early use of meat by children "is the loss of relish it creates for the physiological foods of childhood— milk, cereals^ and vegetables." Said Dr. Winters : "A child that is allowed a generous meat diet is certain to refuse cereals and vegetables. Meat, by its stimulating effect, produces a habit as surely as does alcohol, tea, or coffee, and a dis- taste for less satisfying foods. The foods which the meat-eating child eschews contain in large proportions certain mineral constituents which 22 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED are essential to bodily nutrition and health, and without which the processes of fresh growth and development are stunted." Dr. Winters attributes to the use of meat many of the disorders to which children are subject, particularly incontinence of the urine, rheu- matism, chorea, rheumatic inflammation of the tonsils, night terrors, urticaria, anemia, convul- sions, and even epilepsy. Dr. Winters insists that "there is more so- called nervousness, anemia, rheumatism, valvular disease of the heart, and chorea at the present time in children from an excess of meat and its preparations in the diet than from all other causes combine d." Vomiting in Infants Q. How may one prevent a three months' old baby from vomiting its food very soon after eating? A. Those who handle the little one are often to blame for its misfortune. Tossing the baby up and down, jogging it upon the knee or plac- ing it over the shoulder and patting it upon the back just after its meal are abuses which con- duce to make it throw up its food. If a baby has a tendency to vomiting soon after eating, it should be allowed to remain quietly in a recumbent position for a time. More than likely the cause is a too large in- take of food, or too rapid feeding. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 23 Diet for Nursing Mother Q What is the proper diet for a nursing mother? A. Nursing mothers should make free use of fruits and fresh vegetables, avoiding strongly flavored vegetables, such as onions and garlic. Tea, coffee, wine, beer, condiments, cocoa, pickles, rich gravies, sweet-breads, fish, and oysters should be altogether avoided by the mother. It is best also to avoid flesh meat. All kinds of meat foods are contaminated with bacteria and promote intestinal autointoxication, through which the in- fant as well as the mother may be poisoned. The diet should be bulky; that is, it should contain a large amount of indigestible residue. The best foods for bulk are lettuce, carrots, beets, greens, spinach, huckleberries, raspberries, prunes, figs, apples, apricots, graham bread, shredded wheat biscuit, wheat flakes, cracked wheat, rye bread, ripe olives, and bran. Oranges are excellent, and also fruit juices of all sorts, be- cause of the fruit sugar and acids which they contain. Care should be taken to keep the bowels freely open. They should move three or four times a day, or at least after every meal. If necessary, the enema should be used, employing one to three pints of water at a temperature of 80° F. 24 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED The amount of fat should be increased about twenty-five percent above that ordinarily re- quired. The amount of protein should be fifty per cent greater. A tablespoonful of bran should be taken at every meal. Certain foods tend to increase the flow of milk. This is particularly true of malt sugar, of the whole-grain cereals, cracked wheat, oat- meal, free water-drinking, and the free use of juicy fruits. Not less than three or four pints of water should be taken daily, in addition to the liquids taken with the meals. Cold Baths Q. To how young a child may cold baths be given? A. Babies should not be given very cold baths. Water at 90° F. is cold enough for a young baby. The temperature of an infant's bath should at first be about 100° F., since to its sensitive, velvety skin even this temperature will seem cool ; it should however be lowered five or ten degrees at its conclusion ; and the general temperature should be gradually lowered from week to* week until, when the child is six months old, water of 90° to 95° F. in winter and 85° F. in summer may be employed. With most children under four years it is well to begin the bath at about the temperature of the body if a tub bath is A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 25 used, and at its close cool the water until the temperature is 80° or 85° F., or end the bath with a very short but not forcible spray of cool water. Children under seven do not well bear the application of very cold water. A temperature ranging between 70° and 80° F. will produce suf- ficiently strong impressions to develop a good reaction in children under seven years. An older child may enjoy a bath at lower temperature. The Pacifier Q. What harm can there be in the use of the "soother" if it is cleansed each time before being introduced into the baby's mouth? A. The "soother," "consolation nipple," or "pacifier," as it is variously termed, has long been conceded to be one of the most common means whereby harmful germs are introduced into the mouth of a child allowed to use it. The effects of the unnatural and prolonged sucking are different with different children, de- pending upon the way in which the child draws on the nipple. The worst effect that is laid at the door of the "consolation nipple" is the scourge of ade- noids that now assails almost all children in civilized countries. A series of experiments undertaken to seek out the causes of the prevalence of this disease 26 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED resulted in the demonstration that the rubber nipple used as a pacifier is one of the most active causes of disease that modern children encounter. Outdoor Sleeping Q. How early in life may a winter baby sleep out of doors? A. The writer has known several instances in which babies two or three months old were placed to sleep several hours daily in the open air even in quite cold weather, not only without injury, but with much apparent benefit. Caution must, of course, be taken to wrap the little one so warmly with a light woolen blanket that he cannot possibly become chilled. In very cold weather the face may need a light covering with the exception of the nostrils, to which the fresh air should always have free access. The sleeping arrangements should be such as to fully protect from winds and stormy weather. A rather deep laundry basket well lined with warm blankets and placed in a sheltered position on a covered veranda serves well for an infants' bed for outdoor day time naps. The same serves well also for night sleeping. There should always be a conveniently accessible warm room to which the mother can remove the child for any attention needed during the night. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 27 Thumb Sucking Q. Is thumb sucking harmful to a baby? If so how can it be prevented? A. This practice tends to produce certain de- formities of the teeth and jaws and perhaps still more serious injury. Various measures of pre- vention have been adopted. The hands may be encased in mitts. Still another method is to place a rather stiff bandage about the middle of the arm so as to make it impossible for the child to bend the el- bow sufficiently to reach the mouth. These re- stricting means ought not to be continued so long as to interfere with the proper development of the hands and arms. The Baby in Hot Weather Q. What is the best method of protecting a baby from the injurious effects of hot weather? A. Give him cool sponge baths or neutral baths. The child a year or more of age may be allowed short periods of play in the bath tub in water at a temperature of 94° F. Play things that float, basins with which he can dip water, etc., will make the time pass rapidly. Vary the amount and kind of his clothing co suit the temperature. 28 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Give him plenty of fresh air night and day. However, don't compel him to lie all the time tightly bundled up in his cab among fluffy feather pillows. Provide him a comfortable mattress in some cool place where he can lie straight and stretch and kick at will. Protect him at all times from flies, mosquitoes and other tormenting insects, and from floor dust and dirt. Give him often a drink of cool water, from a source known to be pure or of water which has been freshly boiled, cooled and kept in a bottle. Have stated times for feeding and feed regu- larly, not whenever the baby cries. Avoid over- feeding, especially in hot weather. If not breast-fed, feed by schedule or quantity according to age, as directed by some competent authority. (See page 12). Use only certified or pasteurized milk and ex- ercise the greatest care as to cleanliness in every particular, and especially screen the food from dust and flies. Give orange juice daily. Discard pacifiers ; they are always a source of injury to the little one. Don't use soothing sy ups, or any patent nostrums. If the baby is ailing, call a trained nurse or physician to direct its care. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 29 Effect on Children of Parents' 111 Health Q. Does the ill health of parents im- mediately affect their children? A. Modern biologic investigations have shown that heredity is not responsible for much that is charged to its account. Pinard, the eminent French gynecologist, investigated twenty- three cases of families in each of which there was a single idiot, imbecile, or degenerate child, with other healthy children. In twenty-two cases he was able to find a cause for the defective child in the illness shortly before conception of one or both parents from rheumatism, influenza, jaun- dice, gout, or typhoid fever. These facts emphasize anew the importance of applying to the human race, so far as possible, those great biologic facts and principles which have been found of such great xalue in the im- provement of breeds of horses, cows, and other domestic animals. The neglect of these laws is developing an increasing population of defectives. Lunatic and feeble-minded asylums are multiply- ing faster than the increase of population warrants. The race is ri deteriorating for lack of at- tention to the plainest teachings of science. The gospel of right living must be taught for the benefit of the unborn as well as of the living. 30 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Mother's Mark Q. What can be done for the so-called mother's mark? A. These are of various kinds: 1. Raised brown spots, known as moles; 2. Brown spots producing hair; 3. A tumor composed of en- larged blood-vessels, constituting the true "port wine" or "mother's mark." These marks do not originate in ante-natal influences, as many per- sons suppose. Their origin is, however, obscure. Electrolysis, radium, and carbon dioxide ice, are all efficient measures for removing these blemishes. Carbon dioxide ice is the simplest and best means, but can only be applied by a physician who has the proper apparatus. The methods leave no scar. Hiccough in Children Q. What remedy should be adopted to cure a child two years of age hiccoughing? A. The cause of hiccough is gastric irritation. A hot fomentation over the stomach two or three times a day and the moist abdominal bandage worn day and night, will be found helpful. Care should be taken not to permit the baby to take its food too rapidly. Massage of the abdomen, especially in the region of the stomach, is help- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 31 ful. Care to keep the bowels moving freely through the use of baked apple pulp, prunes, and orange juice, and malt sugar, is essential. Left- Handedness Q. What is the best method for correcting a decided tendency to left-handedness in a seventeen-months-old child? A. Care should be taken to cultivate the use of the right hand ; but it is possible that the child is organized in such a way that the left hand is capable of more perfect development than the right, in which case it would be an advantage to the child to be allowed to train the left hand. Life is not long enough for the equal training of both hands, hence we- are compelled to spe- cialize in relation to the hand, as well as in re- lation to occupation. Bed Wetting Q. What is the cause of bed wetting? Can it be cured? A. There is an irritable condition of the bladder or of the controlling nerve centers. For wetting the bed at night a great variety of remedies have been tried, most of which are of no value whatever. The most effective plan that can be pursued is to restrain the patient from 32 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED eating or drinking for three or four hours be- fore retiring. An eminent physician has also suggested that the use of meat by children en- courages the habit. Whipping, scolding, and frightening children will do no good; in fact these measures are likely to do harm by creating a condition of the nervous system that will en- courage the very thing which is to be corrected. A short hot sitz bath taken at bedtime will be beneficial. In other cases, a short general cold bath, concluding with a dash of cold water upon the lower spine, is usually beneficial. Raising the foot of the bed eight to ten inches succeeds in some cases. Wearing a moist towel covered by a dry flannel bandage about the lower part of the bowels at night is a very useful measure. To pre- vent the patient from sleeping upon the back, a good remedy is to tie a knot in a towel and place it about the body in such a way that the knot will come at the center of the back. In cases in which the patient is old enough, and sufficiently intelligent to appreciate moral influence, he should be encouraged to try to overcome the habit. He may be given some simple prescription in which he should be taught to have perfect confidence as a certain cure, since faith will sometimes do much toward effecting a cure when other reme- dies fail. This difficulty usually disappears with the development of the child. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 33 Worms Q. Are worms in children due to the hand- ling of dogs and cats? A. There is a certain species of worms that are contracted from dogs. Intestinal parasites much more generally come, however, from the use of flesh food, or of vegetables which have been contaminated. Lettuce, cabbage and turnips are particularly liable to be thus contaminated. All greens and salad vegetables used uncooked, should be very carefully washed and disinfected before serving by soaking five minutes in a 5 per cent peroxide solution. Earache Q. How may the baby's earache be re- lieved? A. Slight attacks of earache may be promptly relieved by the application of heat. A rubber bag filled with water as hot as the hand can bear but not hot enough to burn, should be covered with a layer of flannel and held next to the ear for half hour or more at a time. If the child becomes restless the cause may be over- heating of the head. This difficulty may be over- come by applying a cold cheese cloth compress to the opposite side of the head. Consult a physician. 34 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Whooping Cough Q. What is the cause of whooping cough? A. Whooping cough is due to a specific germ. The duration of the disease is somewhat in- definite. It usually lasts four to six weeks. It may become chronic and last much longer. It is very contagious. A child suffering from whooping cough should drink large quantities of water daily and should be constantly in the open air. Nervousness Q. Our little girl, seven years of age, con- tinually moves her nose and shoulders. At first we thought it a habit, but she seems un- able to overcome the difficulty. Kindly sug- gest a remedy. A. The child is probably suffering from chorea, or St. Vitus dance. The difficulty is usually curable. The child's general health should be improved by an outdoor life, an anti- toxic diet, and special attention to the bowels. Every possible cause for nervous irritation should be sought out and removed. A nerve specialist should be consulted. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 35 Neurasthenia Q. Do children suffer from neurasthenia? A. Neurasthenia often begins in childhood. Multitudes of children are made neurasthenic by wrong methods in education, especially by the neglect of physical development, and by im- proper discipline in the school or in the home. Doubtless most of these young neurasthenics are predisposed to neuroses by heredity. The proportion of such children to the total school population is unquestionably increasing. In a school numbering six hundred pupils, thirty per cent showed symptoms of neurasthenia, such as persistent headache, insomnia, palpitation, sudden neuralgic pains, etc. A very significant fact is the increase of the proportion of neurasthenics with each advancing grade. In the classes of a secondary school the following proportion of neurasthenic children were found in the several grades : Preparatory class 8 per cent First class 15 per cent Second class 22 per cent Third class 28 per cent Fourth class 44 per cent Fifth class 47 per cent Sixth class 58 per cent Seventh class 64 per cent Eighth class 89 per cent 36 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Remedy for Eczema Q. What is the remedy for eczema in in- fants? A. Eczema" is generally due to constipation, indigestion or colitis. First of all the diet of the child must be regulated so as to secure nor- mal digestion. The bowels should move at least three or four times a day. The bowels normally move after each feeding. In some cases cow's milk seems to be a cause of eczema in young children. In such cases the amount of milk in the diet should be diminished. In some cases it may be necessary to suspend milk feeding en- tirely for a few days substituting gruels and vegetable purees to which a little butter has been added. Malt sugar should be used to the ex- tent of one or two ounces daily. The irritation of the skin may be relieved by the use of lanoline cream. Cleft Palate Q. If a child is born with cleft palate, can it be cured, or remedied by operation? A. It can be greatly helped by an operation; perhaps entirely cured. It is just as well to wait until the child is six or eight years of age for such an operation. It is caused by deficient development, and if A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 37 allowed to go without attention will affect the speech, and be a great handicap. Increasing a Child's Height Q. What will make a child grow taller? A. The child should exercise the legs par- ticularly. As much time as possible should be spent in the open air. One of the best exercises is swimming, which combines excellent move- ments of the arms and legs with the tonic effect of cold water. Chicken-pox Q. What treatment should be given for chicken-pox? A. This disease is rarely serious enough to require anything more than a spare but laxative diet of fruits and bran with such fresh foods as celery, lettuce and the juices of fruits, and free water-drinking. Take care to keep the bowels open, and avoid taking cold. If the temperature rises so high as to cause discomfort, one or two wet sheet packs will generally control it. A moist bandage worn around the abdomen, con- sisting of a towel wrung rather dry out of cold water, covered with one or two thicknesses of flannel is excellent treatment. 38 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED The Proper School Age Q. At what age should a child be sent to school? A. It depends upon the child, his health and mental and bodily development, and upon the school and its environments. No child ought to be deprived of ample opportunity for growth and health of body for the sake of mental culture in his early years. A sound body is the first consideration. With the school course of study for a guide, an apt mother can teach her boy in an hour or two a day what he would be a whole school day in acquiring under a teacher who has a roomful to attend to. The Cause of Colic Q. Why should a child of six weeks have colicky pains one or two hours daily? A. Probably there is something wrong with the mother's dietary. There may be some hereditary weakness of the stomach. It is likely the bowels are constipated. Children often have colic from over-feeding or taking nourishment too rapidly. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 39 Hip Disease Q. What is the proper treatment for hip disease in boy ten years old? A. The boy should be put under the care of a reliable surgeon who has had experience in similar cases. Different stages of the disease require different treatment. In many cases rest in bed is necessary. A short, cold, rubbing bath of some sort should be administered twice daily. The application should be brief, the water quite cold. The best method is the cold mitten fric- tion, shower bath, or cold wet-hand rub. Enlarged Neck Glands Q. What causes enlarged glands in a child's neck? A. The usual cause is tuberculosis. In many instances the infection is derived from infected milk. Enlarged tonsils or adenoids may be the cause. Foot Troubles Sore Feet Q. What are the best means for preventing soreness of the feet due to walking? A. The British Red Cross Association has prepared the following excellent rules for the care of sore feet. 1. Feet should be washed with soap and water, and very gently dried — not rubbed. 2. Dab with methylated spirit on absorbent cotton, except where the skin is broken. 3. When dry, dust with powder composed of equal parts of starch and boracic acid or fuller's earth. 4. Bandage with clean bandage, not too tight — or else put on clean socks. All soiled socks should be washed and dried before use. 5. Reddened skin or recent blisters should be protected by strips of strapping. 6. All corns should be protected by strapping. Open sores require surgical advice, and this should be sought whenever possible, especially if the surrounding redness of the foot is ex- tending. 7. Toenails should be cut short and square — not too short. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 41 Flat Foot Q. Is there any cure for flat foot? A. Yes, if the defect is taken in hand early enough. The deformity is due to weakness of the muscles and ligaments which support the arch of the foot. These may be strengthened by walking on tiptoe with the heels turned slightly outward. In adults the only remedy is the wearing of a steel insole so shaped as to support the arch of the foot. Corns Q. How may corns on the soles of the feet be cured? A. Corns, or calluses, on the soles of the feet are often very painful, and occasion great in- convenience. If very tender and swollen, with redness of the tissues around about, the proper remedy is rest, lying in a horizontal position, ac- companied by proper use of poultices, until the soreness and irritation disappear. After the tenderness has subsided, a loose shoe should be worn; and to relieve the corn of pressure, apply over it a thick piece of buckskin or felt, with an opening in the middle of the size of the callus. By this means, the pressure can be wholly taken off the callus, and nature will in due time effect a cure. If the skin is very thick, it may be 42 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED softened by the application of compresses wet in soda-water and saccharated solutions. In a short time, the skin becomes softened, so it can be easily scraped off. Care of the Feet in Winter Q. Give practical hints on the care of the feet in winter. A. Bathe the feet in cold water night and morning. Rub well and apply talcum powder. If the feet perspire, change the stockings every day. Two pairs of stockings will answer, each pair being rinsed and dried after being worn a day, in preparation for the alternate day; or, ii a little soap is added to the water, and there is opportunity for drying overnight, a single pair of stockings will serve for a week. Hot Feet Q. Is there any remedy for burning of the feet at night? A. The symptom is due to a vasomotor dis- turbance, the cause of which will generally be found to be chronic constipation or colitis. If this symptom is troublesome at night it may often be relieved by placing at the feet a bag filled with cold water, also by applying to the feet an ointment consisting of cold cream with the ad- dition of ten grains of menthol to the ounce. This should be rubbed on at bed time. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 43 Sweating Hands and Feet Q. What causes sweating hands and feet? A. Neurasthenics are much subject to per- spiration of the hands and feet. The perspir- ing parts are usually cold. This condition is usually associated with constipation and is re- lieved by the application of measures elsewhere recommended for relief of constipation and neu- rasthenia. Chilblains Q. What is the best treatment for chil- blains? A. The alternate hot and cold foot bath is an excellent remedy for chilblains. The hot water should be as hot as can be borne, and the cold water as cold as can be obtained. Allow the feet to remain half a minute in the hot water and fifteen seconds in the cold water. Alternate ten or twelve times. Apply this treatment twice daily. Frost Bite Q. What is the treatment for frost bite? A. Extensive experience in the trenches dur- ing the European war showed that lack of cleanli- ness of the feet is an important predisposing cause of frost bite. Moisture and over-tight 44 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED shoes are also contributing causes. In bad cases there has been found a fungus similar to the mold which sometimes grows on meat and bread. Washing the feet with borated camphorated soap and keeping them warm and dry are neces- sary aids to recovery. Electric heating pads have been used in the trenches with success. The alternate hot and cold foot bath recom- mended for chilblains is of great service in re- storing the vitality of the injured tissues. The mold referred to abounds in straw and stable litter and hence dairymen and those who work in stables should take care to wash their feet several times a week with the disinfecting soap above mentioned or some similar prepa- ration. Gold Feet Q. What is the cause of cold feet? A. When the feet and legs are cold there is deficient circulation of the blood through the parts, and the result is an excessive accumu- lation of blood in the liver, stomach, spleen, and other abdominal organs. The congestion of blood in these parts interferes seriously with their functions. The brain, spinal cord, and lungs are also congested and various mischiefs result; hence the feet must be kept warm. The feet are not cold because the circulation is weak, but because of spasm of the blood A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 45 vessels of the extremities due to irritation of the vasomotor centers of the spine. This is generally the result of absorption of poisons from the alimentary canal. Coldness of the hands and feet is a common symptom of intestinal au- tointoxication. This condition is promoted b} flesh eating, by hasty eating, by excessive eating, by an inactive state of the bowels, and by what- ever interferes with good digestion. Many neurasthenics suffer almost constantly from coldness, and often clamminess, of the hands and feet. This symptom is most likely to appear soon after eating. It may also be in- duced by mental or nervous excitement. Temporary relief may be obtained by rubbing, or by alternating hot and cold applications to the spine. The abdominal supporter sometimes affords complete relief by supporting the ab- dominal viscera and thus preventing reflex irritation of the vasomotor centers. Bunions Q. What is the best treatment for bunions? A. Bunions are the result of wearing shoes which are too narrow at the toe. Benefit may be obtained by wearing sandals and shoes with wide toes. In very bad cases an operation may be necessary. Bunion plasters give great re- lief by preventing pressure. 46 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Weak Ankle Q. Prescribe treatment for weak ankle which turns frequently. A. The ankle may be strengthened by special exercises, especially toe walking. Bathe the parts in cold water daily, applying a heating compress at night. Do not wear low shoes. A leather ankle support may be made by any shoe- maker. In bad cases a special apparatus may be needed. In such cases a surgeon should be consulted. Ingrowing Toenails Q. What can be done for ingrowing toe- nails? A. Ingrowing toenails may be radically cured by a simple operation. If the difficulty is slight, it may be cured by wearing a broad-toed shoe, scraping the center of the nail and taking care to give the nail a square edge to prevent the cor- ners from penetrating the flesh. Skin Ailments Dry Skin Q. What is the cause of a dry skin? A. The skin naturally secretes a fine oil which serves as a lubricant and protects the body from excessive loss of heat. It also serves as a natural means of cleansing the skin. This oil is secreted by the oil glands of the skin. These, as well as other glands of the skin are under the control of the thyroid gland. When the activity of the gland is diminished, as it sometimes is, especially in persons past middle age, the skin becomes dry. The hair usually begins to fall out and to become less vigorous in growth from the same cause. Constipation and the resulting intestinal toxemia is probably the chief cause. The bowels should be made to move three times a day (see Constipation) so as to keep the body free from toxins. Water must be taken freely, two or three quarts a day. Bathe only in soft water and be careful to remove all soap from the skin. After the bath apply lanoline cream. It is well also to apply a little of the cream daily, especially if there is a tendency to irritation, itching, burning, or "breaking out/' 48 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Lanoline Cream — "Skin Food" Q. What is the best "skin food" or oint- ment for the skin? A. There is no such thing as "skin food." The many advertised "skin foods" are usually simple ointments prepared from lard or other cheap grease of some sort and highly perfumed. The skin cannot be fed by rubbing anything upon it or into it. The skin is not a stomach. The skin is a breathing organ and an excreting or- gan. The skin lets things out. It takes very little in. It will take in moisture to a very slight degree. Friction improves the circulation of the skin and thus helps its nutrition. When natural oil of the skin is deficient, oil in some form should be applied daily. The best skin lubricant is the following, prepared from a formula given the writer by an eminent New York skin specialist: Lanolin 2 ounces Boro-glyceride 1 " Cold cream made with white vaseline 6 " Apply daily when the skin is dry or chapped. Chapped Hands Q. What is good for chapped hands? A. The sensitive parts of the skin are pro- tected by a thin horny layer. Dry cold air cracks A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 49 this natural protective covering and exposes the sensitive structures beneath. When the hands are washed with soap in hard water, some of the insoluble lime soap which is formed is left upon the skin, and this increases the tendency of the skin to crack or chap. If the hands are soiled, the chapping gets worse because of in- fection of the raw surface exposed at the bot- tom of each crack. The remedy is simple. Keep the hands per- fectly clean by washing with good soap and soft water (rain or snow water, distilled or softened water). After washing, rinse the hands in clear water until all the soap is removed. Wash in a running stream, not in a bowl. Apply "lano- line cream" night and morning, and rub in well. Dingy Complexion Q. What is the cause of a bad or dingy complexion? A. No one admires brown circles around the eyes, and brown patches on the hands, and a leather-colored skin. What these things mean is that behind the leather-colored skin is a bad breath. Behind the bad breath is impure blood — blood charged with these same offensive aromas that are coming out in the breath, for that is where these offensive odors come from. The blood picks them up in the colon and other parts 50 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED . of the body and carries them to the lungs, where they are poured into the breath. The breath is bad because the whole body is bad. It is not simply the breath that smells bad — the whole body is tainted. Even the perspiration is offensive, because some of the poisons that do not escape by the breath escape by way of the skin — foul putrescent materials that ought to be carried out through the bowels, but that are obliged to escape through the lungs, kidneys and the skin. A dingy skin can not be cleared by rubbing on cosmetics or lotions of any sort. The cleansing process must he thorough-going. First of all the diet must be changed. Stop eating meats and rich foods. They rot in the colon and produce the poisonous brown pigment which tinges the skin, brenzc ate chin. Make the bowels move three times a day by the use of sterilized bran and paralax or some other good preparation of paraffin. Drink three quarts of water daily. Sleep in the open air on a porch or at least with open win- dows at all seasons. Take a sweating bath twice a week and a cold air bath or cold towel rub every morning. Live simply, biologically, scientifically. A brown skin means that the possessor is grow- ing old too fast. It is necessary to cultivate youth by obeying the laws of health and keeping the body clear of poisons. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 51 Sensitive Skin Q. Why do my hands itch and burn in cold weather? A. Doubtless you have a very sensitive skin. You should protect it by applying to it a coating of oil. Lanoline cream is best. (See page 48). Take great pains also when cleaning the hands not to leave soap on the skin. The hands should always be washed in running water, and not in water held in a bowl or basin. The first use of water in a bowl soils the whole quantity and it is then impossible, no matter how long the pro- cess is continued to get the hands clean in un- clean water. The reason why the hands chap in cold weather is generally that either dirt or soap is left on the skin, producing an irritation. Oily Skin Q. What can be done for oily skin? A. In some persons there is an excessive pro- duction of sebaceous matter or sebum, due to morbid activity of the fat glands of the skin. The skin of such persons presents a shiny look Little beads of oily matter may be seen at the mouths of the glands near the roots of the hairs. The forehead, nose and cheeks are most fre- quently affected. When the scalp is affected, the condition may be indicated by soiling of the pil- 52 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED low. Acne is frequently accompanied by this condition. When many of the glands are clogged up, as indicated by the abundance of blackheads, the surface should first be thoroughly rubbed with warm oil. Cocoanut or almond oil is the best. After half an hour the surface should be rubbed with a flannel cloth, thoroughly saturated with soap moistened with warm water, and stretched over the fingers ; or a soft sponge may be used. This is best done at night, just before retiring. Repeat every few days. The x-ray has proved itself very serviceable in oily skin and seborrhea. It cures by destroying the glands. Excessive Perspiration Q. What is the best means of checking ex- cessive perspiration? A. Excessive perspiration is often a neu- rasthenic symptom and is due to toxemia. The skin is making an effort to remove from the blood the poisons with which it is congested. Ex- cessive perspiration is often a common symptom of tuberculosis. Neurasthenics are likely to sweat profusely when they fall asleep and when subject to nervous strain of any sort. The con- sumptive sweats at night. Sponging the skin with very hot water at bed time is an excellent means of lessening the night sweats. The neu- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 53 i rasthenic should unload his overloaded colon by making the bowels move three or four times daily, not for a few days only but habitually. A non- flesh diet and careful following of the simple life rules will in time effect a cure. Lupus Q. What is this disease and is it con- tagious? A. Lupus is simply tuberculosis of the skin. It may be communicated the same as other forms of tuberculosis but is less likely to be a source of infection for the reason that the germs of this disease are very deep in the skin and are not likely to be spread about as are the germs which develop in connection with pul- monary tuberculosis and with which the ex- pectorated matters of the patient are teeming. Wens Q. What causes the growth of wens? A. Obstruction of the oil glands in the skin. These glands manufacture a fatty substance which is normally expelled upon the skin. This substance accumulates when the opening of the ducts becomes obstructed, and forms a tumor, commonly called a wen. 54 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Removal of Wens Q. Can a wen be removed without a knife? A. It might be removed with caustic appli- cations, but it would be painful and bungling, and leave an unsightly scar. The knife is the only proper means ; it makes a clean wound which heals immediately. Small Seed Warts Q. What is the easiest way to remove small seed warts? A. Put on a little acetic acid every night with the tip of a wooden toothpick and in a few days the wart will soften and rub off. Radium and carbon dioxide ice are painless and certain rem- edies for warts. Leucoderma — Piebald Skin Q. Is there any cure for leucoderma, or any way to prevent the spread of it? A. Correction of the auto-intoxication to which this condition is usually due will arrest the spread of the skin changes, and the writer has seen one case in which the natural color of the skin returned. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 55 Warts and Moles Q. How should warts and moles be re- moved? A. The best means is freezing with carbon dioxide ice. Radium is also effective and the x-ray. Excision, that is, removal by the knife, is a satisfactory method of dealing with these ab- normalities if the work is done thoroughly. In the case of moles it is highly important that the entire mole should be removed. A small fragment left behind may develop into a cancer. Incom- plete removal has led to the popular notion that operation is dangerous in these cases. As a mat- ter of fact, nothing is more dangerous than in- complete operation except an injury, which is still more likely to lead to cancer development. Enlarged Pores Q. Can the skin of the cheeks and nose with enlarged pores be made normal? A. The most that can be said with reference to this condition is that it can be greatly im- proved. 56 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED The Senile Skin Q. What is the significance of brown spots on the hands and a shiny appearace' A. The skin is a very good indicator of a person's real age. "A man is as old as his arteries," as his kidneys, also as his skin. A thin, shiny, wrinkled, inelastic skin, indicates senility, no matter what the person's age. Large dark brown spots on the hands have the same meaning. The skin is thin because it has under- gone degeneration and this condition of the skin accompanies similar degenerations which are taking place in all parts of the body. In many cases the skin may be very greatly improved by baths, massage, sun or electric light baths and by a strict antitoxic and laxative diet. The bowels must be made to move three times a day by proper diet and the use of paraffin oil, bran or agar-agar, and the kidneys must be kept ac- tive by free water drinking. Brown Patches on the Skin Q. Why do brown spots, somewhat re- sembling freckles, appear on the hands and what is the cause of them? A. They are an evidence that degeneration of the thyroid gland and of the suprarenal cap- sules of the kidney has taken place. Long re- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 57 tention of putrescible food material in the colon is the cause. A product of the decay that thus takes place is certain brownish coloring matters which are absorbed into the blood. It is one of the functions of the suprarenal capsules to destroy this brown coloring matter. But when these glands have too much work to do, because of the flood of poisons pouring into the blood continuously, they get worn out. And so the brown coloring matter is left as a deposit under the skin. Most often the hands, but the face and all portions of the body are subject to them. In one whose antitoxic glands have entirely failed, the whole skin may be as brown as an Indian's. The only safe plan is to avoid the difficulty by eating natural foods (grains, vegetables, nuts and fruits), and by frequent bowel movements, keeping the colon from becoming a storage place for body waste and poisons. Pimples Q. What is the safest and surest way of getting rid of pimples on face, neck, chest, and arms? Are any of the face creams advertised on the market useful? A. Pimples or acne on the face and other parts are the result of lowered vital resistance, almost invariably the result of intestinal auto- 58 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED intoxication. Bathing the parts with very hot water is beneficial, but a rapid cure can be ac- complished only by the adoption of an anti- toxic diet and care to secure thorough movement of the bowels two or three times daily. Vigorous outdoor exercise sufficient to cause free perspiration, copious water drinking (two or three quarts a day), avoidance of meat and espe- cially of animal fats, abundant use of fresh fruits at every meal and the free use of bran, sufficient to make the bowels move freely three times a day, are the best means of raising vital resistance. Sometimes the use of an autogenous vaccine is necessary. The application of the x-ray by a skillful roentgenologist is a very certain method of cure and the actinic ray of the electric light is almost equally efficient. Sunburning is a most excellent method. Prickly Heat Q. How can I rid myself of prickly heat? A. Prickly heat, or heat eruptions, accom- panied by severe prickling and itching, gen- erally disappears within a few hours, but it may continue for some time and finally become eczema. Persons subject to prickly heat should wear cotton or silk next to the body, and should avoid overexerting themselves during hot weather. The irritation may be relieved by cool A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 59 sponging and by bathing the surface with soda or saleratus water, a teaspoonful to the pint. After bathing, the surface should be dried by a gentle patting with a soft towel, without rub- bing. Rice powder or borated talcum powder is useful. Salt Rheum — Eczema Q. What is salt rheum? A. Salt rheum is a common name for eczema, or moist tetter. This is the most com- mon of all skin diseases. Eczema appears in various forms. When acute it is characterized by intense burning, or itching, with a watery discharge; when chronic the skin thickens and scales and scabs farm. This condition is gen- erally caused by intestinal toxemia, inactivity of the bowels and a high-protein diet. Salt rheum is curable by regulation of the diet and by application of other means. A cure can always be hastened by local applications; espe- cially by the use of the x-ray. Light applications are also useful in some cases. The burning and itching can be greatly relieved by an application of gauze wrung out of very hot water. The temperature of the water should be as hot as can possibly be borne. Cloths wrung out of hot soda water (a teaspoonful of bi-carbonate of soda to a pint of water) generally afford relief. 60 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Spots Under the Skin Q. What causes small red spots, like blood, to form under the skin? A. Rupture of the blood vessels from de- generation of the vessel walls. The case may be a very serious one, and the patient should be placed under the most skilled medical care im- mediately. Ringworm Q. What is the cause of and cure for ring- worm? A. Ringworm is a parasitic disease. Paint the part with tincture of iodine, turpentine, or a strong solution of borax. Improve the general health. The x-ray is a certain cure. Nails Q. What is the cause of ridges and white spots on the nails? A. Slight defects in the nutrition of the nail, which probably indicate some general im- pairment of nutrition at the time when the af- fected part of the nail was being formed, such as loss of sleep, attack of indigestion, or some other illness. A very common cause is chronic constipation, which disturbs all the bodily func- tions by causing the absorption of poisons. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 61 "Winter Itch" Q. Is there a remedy for "winter itch?" A. Many persons suffer from intolerable burning or itching which makes its appearance at the beginning of cold weather and disappears with the first warm, damp days of spring. The cause is fine chapping or cracking of the skin due to the dryness of the air. At first no erup- tion appears; but after the parts have been rubbed, redness appears, and often the char- acteristic appearance of eczema or salt rheum. Almost instant relief from the intolerable itch- ing or burning may be obtained by bathing the parts with very hot water. The temperature must be 105° to 115° F. The water may be poured on from a basin or applied by means of a soft, folded towel wrung out of water hotter than the skin will bear without injury if con- tact is prolonged. The water should be dashed on, or the towel applied for a few seconds then withdrawn and reapplied. After the hot application, smear well with lan- oline cream. (Page 48.) Repeat the treat- ment twice a day. Carefully avoid rubbing or scratching, as this will cause infection and may give rise to eczema. 62 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Pigmentation of the Skin Q. What is the cause of pigmentation of the skin observed in intestinal toxemia? A. Combe and other investigators have shown that pigmentation of the skin is due to the absorption by the intestine of certain color- ing matters produced by the putrefaction of pro- tein. The most important are brenzcatechin and alkapton, highly poisonous substances produced by decay of meat in the colon. Freckles Q. Is there any safe method of removing freckles? A. Superficial freckles may be removed by lotions of various sorts, such as lemon juice and boracic acid, buttermilk compresses, etc. Permanent freckles which are not caused by ex- posure to the sun and wind and which are due to deposits are, in many cases, the result of in- testinal autointoxication. A coloring matter known as brenzcatechin is formed by the de- composition of animal substances in the in- testine. The deposit of these substances in the skin gives rise to the brown spots and patches sometimes known as liver spots. The adoption A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 63 of an antitoxic diet, free water drinking, sweat- ing baths, abundant exercise out of doors, sleep- ing out of doors, and other measures which pro- mote purity of the blood and improve the health will often cause the disappearance of these blemishes. Care must also be taken to make the bowels move three times a day (see constipation). Large, dark brown spots and "moles" may be removed by the careful application of carbon dioxide ice. Boils Q. What is the cause of boils and how may they be prevented? A. Boils are directly due to infection of the tissues with germs. There are always found upon the skin germs which are capable of produc- ing boils and other suppurative processes if in- troduced into the system. Ordinarily, however, the body does not suffer from the close proximity of these noxious elements, for the reason that the tissues are able to destroy, in various ways, the small number of bacteria which penetrate the skin. When, however, by any means the vital- ity of the system becomes lowered to a sufficient degree, invasion by these parasitic microbes through a scratch, a pin prick, or any other abrasion of the skin, may give rise to the mul- 64 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED tiplication of germs under the skin and the pro- duction of pus, with the accompanying swell- ing, pain, and inflammation. A person subject to boils should build up his resistance by simple living, — cold bathing, out-of-door life, day and night, abstaining from flesh foods and meats of all kinds. The diet should consist chiefly of fruits and vegetables. The bowels should be made to move three or four times daily. If the boils still continue to appear an auto vaccine should be prepared and administered. In most cases immunity may be quickly established by this method. Treatment for Boils Q. What treatment is of value for boils? A. The application of heat and cold alter- nately will sometimes disperse a boil in the early stage. When it becomes painful, apply hot fomentations frequently, with the wet com- press during the intervals, or apply continuously a soft poultice. The wet compress covered with oil-silk has the same effect as the poultice. The kind of poultice is quite immaterial, if it be non- irritating, for its only valuable properties are warmth and moisture. When the boil is ripe, that is, when a little white vesicle appears near the surface, its cure may be hastened by lancing with a sharp knife. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 65 The discharge may be encouraged by gentle pressure; but squeezing boils is a very harm- ful practice, and greatly retards their cure. After opening, a boil should be dressed with compresses wet with boracic acid solution, or with a five per- cent solution of common salt. Applications for the treatment of boils, to be effective, should in- clude the surrounding tissues as well as the boil. A carbuncle is simply a large boil. A sty is a small boil on the eyelid. Treatment for each is the same as for ordinary boils. It is a mistaken notion that the purulent mat- ters discharged from boils are concentrated im- purities which previously existed in the blood. The pus itself is made up of the white blood corpuscles, the most precious part of the blood. It is an error to suppose that boils are in any way beneficial to the health. They are due to in- fection and are caused by low vital resistance. This condition is commonly expressed by the term ''bad blood," or a "low state of the body/' A pec on in this condition should proceed to build himself up by "right living" as quickly as possible, otherwise he may fall a victim to some malady much more serious than boils. 66 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Ulcers Q. How may the offensive odor of ulcers be removed? A. Old ulcers on various parts of the body are frequently very offensive as well as painful. To remove the odor emitted by the discharges, apply cloths wet with Dakin's solution. Alternate hot and cold applications once or twice a day hastens the healing of chronic ulcers. Blackheads — Comedo Q. Is there an efficient remedy for black- heads? A. When these are present in large num- bers, the face appears as though gun powder had been blown into it, or pepper sprinkled over it. It is best to remove them, as, if not removed nature undertakes the work by setting up an in- flammation about each one and producing real acne. They may be squeezed out by pressure between the nails, but are best removed by a little tube with an opening about the thirty-sec- ond of an inch in diameter, or a watch key, which should be pressed directly down upon the affected gland, care being taken not to injure the skin by too great pressure. The further treatment of comedo should be the same as recommended elsewhere for oily skin. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 67 Beri-beri Q. What is the caust of beri-beri? A. Beri-beri is caused by lack of vitamines. It is generally due to an exclusive diet of polished rice, but may be caused by fine wheat flour. Cause of Nettle Rash Q. What causes nettle rash? A. Poisons absorbed from the intestine, or acute intestinal toxemia. This is now thoroughly demonstrated. There was recently a symposium on the subject of intestinal toxemia in London at which sixty of the most distinguished men of England took opportunity to attend and all agreed that nettle rash is practically always due to poisons absorbed from the intestine. Treatment for Rash in An Infant Q. Please give advice for treatment of nettle rash in an infant. A. Bathe with very hot water containing a dram of salt or soda to the pint. The child's diet should be corrected. Nettle rash is due to indigestion. A physician should be consulted in regard to a change in the baby's food. Usually the child is constipated. Malt sugar and orange juice may be needed. 68 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Heat Rash Q. What is the cause of a rash that comes out on the arms and wrists when a person becomes heated? A. There is doubtless a hypersensitive con- dition of the skin, very possibly the result of an acrid state of the perspiration. This condition is generally the result of a chronic toxemia aris- ing from the absorption of putrefactive products from the intestine. Relief can generally be ob- tained by cleansing the parts daily with distilled or soft water, by bathing with alcohol, and the free use of borated talcum powder. Bruises Q. What is a good treatment for a bruise? A. For severe contusion in consequence of a blow received on any of the soft parts of the body apply a hot fomentation as soon as possible after the accident. Repeat the fomentation at intervals of two or three hours as long as the bruise remains sore and painful. During the in- terval apply over the part a compress consist- ing of a towel wrung as dry as possible from cold water, and covered first with mackintosh, then with several thicknesses of flannel to main- tain warmth. The hemorrhage beneath the skin which frequently occurs in consequence of a A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 69 severe bruise, may generally be prevented by firm compression immediately after the injury. It is a custom among German mothers when a child falls, striking its head severely, to apply the convex surface of the bowl of a teaspoon immediately on picking it up. The compression can be kept up by means of a pad and bandage as long as desired. When a person has been much jarred by a considerable fall, or more or less bruised all over, a hot full bath or a hot blanket pack will give more relief than any other remedy. This measure should not be applied however when the patient is faint. In case a person has been bruised about the trunk or body, by having a tree fall on him or being run over, the services of a skilled surgeon should be obtained as soon as possible. Hot fomentations or a hot full bath may be employed in the meantime. Bruises upon the head in consequence of severe blows or a fall, often give rise to serious symptoms on account of fracture of the skull and compression of the brain, or from simple concussion or jarring of the brain. If a person is insensible or partially paralyzed in con- sequence of an accident in which the head is injured, surgical advice should be secured at 70 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED once. As a general rule, continuous cold is the best application for injuries resulting from severe blows upon the head. Fomentations may be ap- plied at intervals to relieve soreness, but the application should be continued not longer than five or ten minutes at a time. Sleep Hours of Sleep Q. How many hours of sleep are required? A. A very few persons may he able to get along fairly well with six hours, but eight hours of complete rest in bed are required by the average person. Many persons who have a pre- disposition to neurasthenia require an hour or two more. Few persons are able to work con- tinuously for any length of time with less than six hours sleep. The stories told of persons who habitually require but four hours sleep are not authentic. Napoleon slept but four hours in his bed but took naps in the day time. The Duke of Wellington slept four hours at night but often fell asleep at the dinner table and sometimes when riding. Mr. Edison advocates four hours sleep as sufficient, but in addition to four hours in bed often takes naps in the day-time on a bed in his laboratory. His intimates say that he sleeps as much as most people do, which is six to eight hours in twenty- four. 72 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Cause of Insomnia Q. What is the cause of sleeplessness or insomnia? A. The disease may be due to too much blood in the brain, or to irritating poisons in the blood. The cause must be removed. Insomnia is usually accompanied by constipation, and is the natural result of the absorption of poisonous matters from the colon. The putrefaction of undigested remnants of food in the colon gives rise to the formation of poisons of various sorts, some of which are capable of exciting the brain and nerves in such a way as to give rise to insom- nia. It is generally impossible to cure insomnia without relief of accompanying constipation. Drowsiness Q . How may one relieve drowsiness? A. A person who cannot sleep at night is often afflicted with an almost irresistible drowsi- ness during the day, especially after meals. In- ability to keep awake in church or at a lecture is not uncommon. This difficulty is especially com- mon in visceral neurasthenics, who often suffer from drowsiness when sitting or standing, but become wide awake on assuming the horizontal A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 73 position. These persons suffer from lack of vaso- motor regulation, and so are at the mercy of gravitation — when upright the blood runs into the dilated abdominal vessels; when horizontal, the blood runs back to the head, so that the brain is alternately drained of blood and overcharged. For temporary relief, bathing the face and neck with very hot or cold water, or with hot and cold water in alternation, are most efficient measures. Drinking half a glassful of hot water and lying upon the face over a pillow for a few minutes, avoiding sleep, are simple measures which often afford prompt, if temporary, relief. Morning Drowsiness Q. What is the cause of my being very sleepy mornings? I fall asleep while reading the newspaper and remain sleepy until about noon. I am apparently in good health. A. The cause of drowsiness is probably a de- ficient blood supply to the brain. This may be due to a congestion of the portal circulation. Remedial measures are the morning cold bath, an abdominal supporter, outdoor exercise, and rather light breakfast. Keep the bowels active by free use of bran and paraffin. 74 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Remedy for Sleeplessness Q. What is the best remedy for sleepless- ness? A. At bed- time take a neutral bath. This con- sists of a full bath at a temperature of 92° to 96° F. A bath of this temperature has wonderful calmative and soporific effects. The duration of the bath may be as long as necessary to produce the desired effects. Several hours in the bath may be required. Sooner or later the disposition to sleep will come, and then the patient may leave the bath and retire. In getting out of the bath the greatest care must be taken to avoid chilling, even in the slightest degree. The patient should not be cooled off in the manner usual after warm baths, but should be wrapped in a Turkish sheet and gently dried (not rubbed), and should then slip into a warm bed as quickly as possible. A warm foot bath taken just before going to bed will often induce sleep by withdrawing the blood from the head. The moist abdominal band- age, — a wet bandage well covered with flannel so as to produce thorough warming will often ac- complish the same result. In addition observe the following rules : 1. Discard meats. 2. Take only a light supper, consisting of fruits, with perhaps a glass of buttermilk or plain soup of some sort. Avoid bread and butter, cake, pastry and all in- digestibles. The less work the stomach has to A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 75 do during the night, the sounder the sleep will be. 3. Discard tea and coffee if you are addicted to the use of these poisons. 4. Drink two or three quarts of water daily. 5. Make the bowels move three or four times a day by the use of laxative foods. The bowels ought at least to move after every meal. 6. Live out of doors as much as possible, and sleep in a tent or on a porch so as to breathe out-of-door air when asleep. 7. Take enough muscular exercise every day to get really tired. 8. Avoid excitement of any sort before going to bed. 9. Avoid feather mattresses and pillows, and too much bed cov- ering. The bed covers should be light and por- ous. The writer has sometimes, when under great strain, found it advantageous to spend the greater part of the night in the neutral bath. It appears that one can sleep at least twice as fast in a bathtub as in bed. Care should be taken to encourage the drowsy feeling which the bath induces and to get into bed and get to sleep with- out in any way exciting the nervous system. Food at Bedtime Q. Is it true that food may be used to pro- mote sleep, and is most beneficial to nervous persons who have not eaten a very hearty or a very late meal ? A, The above is true, but it is far better to 76 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED draw the blood from the brain by warming the feet than by exciting the stomach. Or, if it is necessary to divert blood into the abdominal veins, this may be done by a moist abdominal bandage, thus saving the stomach the labor of digesting the food. One might divert blood from the head to the feet by walking, but this would exhaust one's energies if he were already tired. The effort of digestion is likewise ex- hausting, and interferes with sleep. It is well when one is wakeful to warm the feet, if cold, by the application of a hot bottle, or heat in some other form, or by rubbing. Wakefulness Q. I frequently waken between three and four o'clock in the morning, after about five hours' sleep. What will help me to go sleep again? A. The moist abdominal bandage at night will aid sleep. Rubbing the surface of the body with the hands for a few minutes will often con- duce to sleep. When the moist abdominal band- age is applied, if found too dry on awaking, it should be re-wet, Avoid suppers, except fruit. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 77 Avoid Drugs in Insomnia Q. May sleep producing drugs be used safely? A. Sleep obtained by the use of opiates, is by no means a substitute for natural sleep. The condition is one of insensibility, but not of na- tural refreshing recuperation. Three or four hours of natural sleep will be more than equival- ent to double that amount of sleep obtained by the use of narcotics. When a person once be- comes dependent upon drugs of any kind for producing sleep, it is almost impossible for him to dispense with them. It is often dangerous to resort to their temporary use, on account of the great tendency to the formation of the habit of continuous use. The most effective means of combating sleeplessness when known causes of this condition have been removed is the neutral bath. This consists of a full bath given at a temperature of 92° to 96° F. The temper- ature should never be higher or lower. The neutral bath quiets the nervous system by sat- urating the cutaneous nerves with water and thus diminishing their sensibility. The absorption of water from the bath stimulates the action of the kidneys and thus carries away the irritating poisons. Practically every case may be relieved by the neutral bath if the bath is continued long enough. In insane asylums patients are fre- 78 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED quently kept in the bath two to five hours. No injury results from this bath, no matter how long it is continued. The neutral pack may be used when the neutral bath is not available. Return of Insomnia Q. Will insomnia once cured return if the patient takes good care of himself? A. No. If he keeps right on doing the things that made him sleep he will continue to sleep. In- somnia sometimes gets to be a habit and when the bad habit is broken it has to be cultivated before it will return. Sleep Walking — Somnambulism Q. What is the cause of sleep walking? A. The habit of walking about while asleep is one of the most curious of all the phenomena of nervous action. The somnambulistic state is simply an exaggeration of the state of dream. It is a condition in which the intellectual faculties are dormant, while many parts of the brain seem to be even more active than usual. While in this curious state, persons will accomplish feats which would be impossible for them while awake. Many remarkable instances of somnambulism are recorded. For example a story is told of one Cortelli, who was found one night asleep A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 79 in the act of translating from a dictionary. When his candle was extinguished, he arose and went to seek another light. The Archbishop of Bordeaux tells a story of a theological studeint who wrote sermons while he was asleep. He continued to write after the paper was removed and while he was re- vising a page requiring correction, a piece of blank paper of the exact size was substituted for his own manuscript, and on that he made the cor- rections in the precise situation which they would have occupied on the original page. Nightmare Q. What is the cause of nightmare, and the best remedy? A. Nightmare is a nervous disorder oc- curring during sleep, most frequently the effect of indigestion. The remedy is to avoid eating at night — avoid sleeping on the back, especially; see that the bowels are emptied before retiring. An excellent precaution is to take a neutral bath for half an hour just before going to bed. Sleeping With Mouth Open Q. Why does a person sleep with the mouth open? A. There is probably obstruction of the nose which must be removed. In some cases where 80 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED mouth breathing is only a habit it is necessary to close the mouth by means of a bandage or some other device. Sleeping in the Open Air Q. What are the best arrangements for open-air sleeping? A. In the summer the problem is a simple one. It is only necessary to place the bed upon a porch or balcony or in a tent on the lawn or under an awning on the roof. The writer found a very comfortable sleeping place during severa* summers in a cozy bungalow built in the top of a large oak tree about thirty feet above the ground. The only inconvenience was the screeching of the blue jays and the chattering of the squirrels in the early morning hours. For fresh air sleeping during the cold months more elaborate arrangements are necessary. There are numerous devices for overcoming the several difficulties which present themselves. The most important thing to be remembered is that the bed clothing should not be left out of doors or continually exposed to the cold air, for the reason that it becomes saturated with moisture from the body and the sleeper becomes chilled while warming up the bed after retiring. If the bed is out of doors the bed clothing should be kept in doors and taken out just before re- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 81 tiring. A convenient method of accomplishing this is to arrange the bed in such a way that while two legs are always outside, the other two legs are inside. It is best to have the head of the bed outside and the foot inside. During the day time the bed should be drawn in and the window sash should be shut down. At night the window is raised and the bed shoved out upon a balcony or porch arranged to receive it. On retiring the window sash may be pushed down so that the bedroom may be kept warm for dressing in the morning. A device used in the writer's family is an electric rug placed over the mattress of each of the beds which are on a sleeping porch open on three sides. The blanket is so con- structed that by pushing a button an electric current may be passed through many feet of German silver wire which are woven into the mattress. The wire is thus heated and the bed is warmed. By turning on the current half an hour before bed time a warm dry bed is insured. After going to bed the occupant turns of! the heat, but it may be turned on again for a few minutes at any time during the night if a change of weather renders additional heat necessary. 82 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Sleeping in a Tent Q. What is the best arrangement for out- door sleeping in a tent? A. It is simply necessary to take care to see that the tent is open so that the air can circulate through. One may shut a tent up so tight that he will be a great deal worse off than if indoors, because the tent does not let in so much light as do glass windows and the fresh air admitted may be less than in a well ventilated room. Disturbed Sleep Q. How may one fall asleep quickly after being disturbed at night? A. Practice rhythmical deep breathing, and count the breaths from one to one hundred. You will probably fall asleep before you reach one hundred. Proper Position in Sleeping Q. Should one sleep upon the back or upon the side? A. The best position for sleeping is that in which one finds himself most comfortable. It is known that lying upon the right side favors emptying of the stomach. For persons who have very weak abdominal muscles and whose intes- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 83 tines are constantly filled with gas because of incompetency of the ileocecal valve it is a good plan to sleep upon the face. Sometimes it is still more beneficial to lie over a small cushion or pillow, the pressure of which upon the abdomen encourages bowel action. Sleeping After Meals Q. Does sleeping after meals hinder di- gestion? A. On the whole, digestion interferes with sleep more than sleep interferes with digestion. Six o'clock dinners are a very common cause of insomnia. A hearty meal should not be eaten within six or eight hours before retiring. Food is a nerve stimulant. The great influx of blood which occurs a few hours after eating a meal stimulates the brain and nerves and thus pro- duces sleeplessness. The drowsiness which oc- curs immediately after eating is due to the fact that a large amount of blood is drawn to the stomach to aid the process of digestion. This lessens the blood supply of the brain and so pro- duces drowsiness or dullness. Dr. Schule, in carefully conducted experiments upon two subjects, showed that sleep during digestion greatly increases the acidity of the gastric juice but hinders the passage of food from the stomach into the intestine. Simply 84 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED resting in a horizontal position after eating, with- out sleeping, was observed to encourage digestion. These experiments clearly demonstrate the in- jury resulting from late suppers. After Dinner Naps Q. Is there any objection to taking a nap after dinner or any other hearty meal? A. Sleeping immediately after eating is de- cidely objectionable and often gives rise to hy- peracidity. The stomach has two distinct lines of work: 1. It secretes a digestive fluid which dissolves food. 2. Its muscular walls contract upon the food, mixing the gastric contents and pushing the di- gested portion along to the intestine. During sleep the secretion proceeds normally, but the movements of the stomach are greatly diminished in intensity so that the stomach is not emptied at the proper rate. This is partly due to the fact that the breathing movements are greatly diminished during sleep and so the as- sistance which the stomach receives from the diaphragm in moving food along into the in- testine is lost. When the food is retained too long in the stomach the gastric contents be- come excessively acid, and the mucous membrane is injured and pain, spasm of the pylorus and A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 85 other symptoms m are the result. A short nap of ten or fifteen minutes after a meal is not objec- tionable, but prolonged sleeping directly after eating should be avoided. Dreams Q. What is the cause of dreams? A. Dreams never occur in perfectly sound sleep. They are an indication that there is not complete cessation of activity in the cerebrum. The will being dormant, the various faculties act in an irregular, disorderly manner, giving rise- to a great variety of absurd, grotesque, in- consistent mental pictures. It has been remarked that dreams are the best index to a person's char- acter since they are really but the echoes of our waking thoughts. The superstitious confidence which many people put in dreams is in the highest degree unphilosophical, and has not a shadow of evidence in its favor. Late eating and deficient physical exercise are the most com- mon causes of bad dreams, which are also a symptom of disease. Nerves The Sympathetic Nerves Q. What are the sympathetic nerves or the so-called sympathetic nervous system? A. This system is made up of a series of small ganglia found in the head and on either side of the spinal column within the cavities of the trunk. The ganglia are all connected by small fibres, so that they are sometimes spoken of as being a single nerve, the great sympathetic. Their fibres follow the blood-vessels in great numbers, starting with them as they go out from the heart. A large collection of sympathetic nerves found just back of the stomach, is known as the solar plexus. This system is closely con- nected with the cerebro-spinal system. It largely controls the functions of the heart, bloodvessels, stomach, liver and other vital organs. Neuron Q. What is a neuron? A. A neuron or nerve cell is the unit of the nervous system of the body. It consists of three parts ; a body, arms or branches known as "dend- rites" and one very long arm called the "axon." A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 87 A nerve cell is strictly comparable to a small battery or a battery cell. In its body is gen- erated nerve energy, much as a battery cell or a dynamo generates electricity. . The axon con- ducts the nerve energy as a wire conducts elec- tricity. The dendrites are receiving organs, like the antennae of the wireless apparatus. The dendrites of one cell form contacts with one or more axons of other cells. A nerve cell is also comparable to a central telephone station ; it both receives and sends out messages. It differs from a telephone station essentially in the fact that while it may receive messages from many di- rections through its numerous branching dend- rites, it has but one wire on which to send out its messages. But this one wire may make con- tacts with many different cells. Nerve Energy Q. What is nerve energy? A. The energy generated by nerve cells was once supposed to be identical with electricity, but it is now known that this is not true. Nerve energy travels much more slowly than does elec- tricity. The rate at which a nerve impulse travels is only about one hundred feet a second, whereas electricity travels at the rate of 280,000 miles a second. Nerve energy differs from electricity in an- 88 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED other important particular. Electricity will travel on any moist or metallic substance. Nerve force will travel on nothing but nerves — axons or neurons. If a nerve is cut, the current of nerve energy is at once interrupted and is not restored, even if the ends are pressed together every so closely. The nerve conductor is re- stored only by actual repair and restoration of the continuity of the living conducting path. Electricity, on the other hand, requires only a good contact to insure conduction. When examined under a microscope, a healthy nerve cell is seen to contain a number of minute, glistening granules. Certain coloring matters are readily taken up by these granules so that they may be made easily visible under the micro- scope and thus their number readily estimated. Professor Hodge, an eminent physiologist, has demonstrated by a minute study of the nerve cells of swallows that there is a great loss of cell substance after the bird has been for hours active on the wing. These observations, with numerous others, have definitely proved that the granules represent stored energy. Mental energy, like nerve energy, of which it is only one form, depends upon the energy granules stored up in the cells. Mental capacity depends upon the number of brain cells and the number of groupings formed by connecting or so-called "association" fibres. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 89 Fatigue Q. What is fatigue? A. A cell through its activity consumes itself, just as a battery uses up the elements of which it is composed. The exhausted cell is diminished in size and it has a much smaller number of energy granules than does the rested cell. The nerve cell which has used up its store of energy so that its output is very small, or has ceased altogether, is in a state of partial or com- plete exhaustion. When fatigue is the result of work, rest is demanded. If one continues to work when tired a wasteful expenditure of energy occurs. L. Zuntz, of Berlin, has shown that when one is fatigued the amount of energy required for the performance of a given task is greatly increased. For example, if one walking at the rate of three miles an hour expends seventy-five units of energy for each mile when fresh, after walking for some time and becoming weary, the energy expended per mile will be ninety calories or even more. The explanation of this increased energy expenditure is found in the fact that when one becomes tired he uses a larger number of muscles for performing the same work than when fresh. 90 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Fatigue Poisons Q. What are fatigue poisons? A. Laboratory experiments have demon- strated that an exhausted muscle may be com- pletely rested by simply washing it, showing that the exhausted muscle contains some element the removal of which restores the ability of the muscle to work. It has been noted, also, that if the muscles of the legs are worked to the ex- tent of exhaustion the arms also become tired, even though they have taken no part in the work. Professor Ranke found that an extract prepared from exhausted frog muscles produced fatigue when introduced into the circulation of fresh muscles. These experiments have led to the con- clusion that poisons result from the activities of the cell. These fatigue poisons lessen the cell's working power. Neurasthenic Fatigue Q. What is the most common cause of fatigue ? A. There are two forms of fatigue. 1. The natural feeling of weariness or ex- haustion which results from long work or ac- tivity. 2. A sense of exhaustion or "good for noth- ingness" which is not the result of work and is A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 91 not relieved by rest — a very common symptom of neurasthenia. Natural fatigue is an acute condition but "the tired feeling" of the neu- rasthenic is a chronic condition and an unna- tural state which no amount of rest will cure. Both forms of fatigue are due to poisoning. There is in the brain a nerve center known as the fatigue center. When work is done poisons accumulate in the tissues and when the poisons have accumulated to a sufficient degree they ex- cite the fatigue center and thus call attention to the fact that the body requires rest. These products are known as fatigue poisons. Proper rest, especially if accompanied by sleep, quickly relieves fatigue by giving the blood an opportunity to wash poisons out of the tissues and for the liver and kidneys to destroy and re- move them. The poisons that give rise to chronic fatigue are the result of the putrefaction of undigested and unused foodstuffs in the colon, and particularly undigested remnants of flesh food. This is why a person feels languid and tired when constipated, even when he has not worked. It is also the cause of the great ex- haustion and weakness in a person suffering from diarrhoea or looseness of the bowels. Neu- rasthenics are often continually tired, frequent- ly to the point of exhaustion, when they have done no work. In such cases the fatigue is due to the poisons resulting from chronic colitis or 92 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED other infections of the colon. Doctor Lee, of New York, showed that indol and skatol, the poisons which give to fecal matters their offensive odor, ere powerful fatigue poisons. Constipation is a much more common cause of fatigue than is over work. Neurasthenic business men imagine that they are being worn out by business cares and labors, because they are tired ; whereas the real cause of their ex- haustion is an overloaded condition of the colon. The temporary relief which such persons often seek in periodical visits to mineral water resorts is due to the laxative effects of the waters which temporarily unload from their bodies the poisons with which their tissues are saturated. This re- lief is only temporary however, for the use of mineral waters sooner or later results in colitis and an aggravation of the troubles for which re- lief is sought. The bowels must be made to move regularly three or four times a day by the use of agar-agar, bran preparations or paraffin. The free use of meat is a common cause of after dinner fatigue. Many business men are unable to perform work of any kind after eating a hearty meal. A member of the Supreme bench of a western state, who had for several years been unable to do men- tal work for several hours after his midday meal, discovered after discarding flesh foods that he was able to work as easily and efficiently after A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 93 dinner as in the morning. A prominent surgeon of the writer's acquaintance who had been un- able to do any sort of professional work for several hours after his midday meal, after tak- ing for the first time a dinner from which meat was excluded remarked: "There is something very remarkable about that dinner. I ate heartily but I feel just as well as I did before dinner and just as fit for work.'' This busy surgeon was so delighted with the discovery of a means by which his working capacity might be doubled that he discarded flesh meats of all sorts at once and has been a flesh abstainer ever since. He declared that he experienced so great an increase in capacity for work and general sense of well being that he feels quite like an- other man. The writer easily might cite hun- dreds of similiar instances. A short hot bath is one of the most efficient means of relieving a sense of fatigue, whether produced by exhausting work, or the result of chronic toxemia or neurasthenia. The bath must be short however, not more than two or three minutes, and should be followed by a dash over the body with cool or tepid water. Very cold water should never be used in conditions of fatigue for the reason that the expenditure of nervous energy required to produce reaction is 94 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED absent, and reaction is likely to fail. Prolonged cold applications will still further exhaust the en- feebled nerve centers. Heat and Fatigue Q. Is heat the cause of fatigue? A. A condition which closely resembles fatigue is the depression which results from ex- cessive heat. The direct effect of heat upon liv- ing cells is stimulation. Heat, like cold, is an excitant, but the effect upon the nervous system of an overheated atmosphere, or a prolonged hot bath, is highly depressing. Neuritis Q. What is the cause and the best remedy for neuritis? A. Neuritis is produced from many causes. A bruise or exposure to cold may produce in- flammation of a nerve. The most common cause are poisons absorbed from the colon, which may give rise to so-called inflammation of a nerve which may become chronic. Another cause is focal infection, often diseased teeth or tonsils. The most valuable of all remedies is heat. Heat kills pain. Very hot fomentations should be given morning and night, or better still, three times a day. Care should be taken to avoid ex- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 95 posure of the affected parts to cold which greatly aggravates pain. The electric light bath and other hot baths are beneficial, but must not be too prolonged as they may produce a depressing effect. Acute neuritis requires rest. Chronic neuritis is bene- fited by exercise and massage. In this respect neuritis differs from rheumatism. Rheumatism requires rest of the affected parts. The in- creased movement of the blood resulting from exercise is highly beneficial in neuritis. The cause of neuritis should be combated by dis- carding tobacco, if this drug is used, and tea, coffee, condiments and poisons of all sorts. Meats of all kinds must be disused, not only because of the poisons which they contain but because of the poisons which result from the putrefaction of the undigested remnants of flesh foods re- maining in the colon. The flora must be changed and the bowels must be made to move three or four times a day by the free use of bran or bran preparations or agar-agar and paraffin. Oiling the Skin Q. Does oil fatten and build up the nerves when rubbed on the body? A. No, it has no effect at.all in that way. The rubbing improves the circulation and the general nutrition, nothing more. 96 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Flushed Face Q. What causes the face to become red during the middle of the day with great lassi- tude and lack of nerve force? A. The symptoms mentioned are due to vaso- motor disturbance, one of the most common causes of which is intestinal intoxication. Remedy for Flushed Face Q. What will relieve flushing of the face? A. An antitoxic diet; that is, a diet in which meat is entirely excluded, including fish and fowl and an increase of bowel activity. The bowels should move three times a day. Bathe the face with very hot water. Hot Flashes Q. What can be done for hot flashes? A. Hot flashes are due to a disturbance of the sympathetic nervous system. The best measures of treatment are an out- door life and improvement of the general health. Special attention should be given to the bowels which should be made to move three or four times a day by regulation of the diet and the use of simple measures, such as agar-ajar A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 97 and bran and some good preparation of paraffin. A neutral bath taken at night often proves very valuabL. The temperature of the bath should be 96° to 92° F. and the duration from thirty to forty minutes. Take every morning a cold towel rub. If thin in flesh, try to gain in weight by increasing the amount of starchy food and fat in the diet. Neurasthenic Gait Q. Is a person suffering from neurasthenia in danger of becoming afflicted with locomotor ataxia? A. No. The incoordination, or the un- steadiness of gait, sometimes observed in neu- rasthenia is due to weakness of the nerve centers, and disappears with recovery. Is Neurasthenia a Disease Q. Is neurasthenia a distinct disease? A. It is not really a distinct malady in the sense that typhoid fever, small pox, pulmonary tuberculosis and pneumonia are diseases, but is rather a symptom or group of symptoms result- ing from disease. Or, to speak more accurately, it is a group of symptoms that are not con- nected with a definite morbid condition, but that may accompany various morbid states — 98 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED just as fever with its accompanying headache, rapid pulse, high temperature, hot skin and prostration is not a disease, but rather an indi- cation of the presence of disease, the character and seat of which may vary greatly. Neurasthenia is simply a state of exhaustion of the vital resources, the result of neglecting to conform to the great biologic laws which have control over the functions of the mind and body, just as the law of gravitation controls the movements of the planets. Cause of Neurasthenia Q. What is the cause of neurasthenia? A. Neurasthenia is generally attributed to over work. In the writer's experience cases of neurasthenia due to over work are extremely rare. Indeed the author does not feel certain that he has ever encountered a case of this sort. It is not over work, but over civilization and useless waste of energy in worry and in other ways that produce neurasthenia. Work is physiological. The damages that result from work, even from over work, are readily repaired by rest and sleep, Nature's efficient remedies for the consequences of over-activity. Every tired person is for the time being neu- rasthenic. His store of nerve energy is ex- hausted, his efficiency is impaired; but a period A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 99 of rest, with a few hours' sleep, completely re- stores him to his normal state. This is true of a healthy man; but a neurasthenic is tired when he has not worked, perhaps even feels worse after he has slept. So it is plain that the neurasthenic is suffering from something more than over work. His fatigue is not of a sort that is cured by rest or sleep. He is chronically tired usually as the result of the absorption of poisons from his colon. Neurasthenia of Sedentary Persons Q. Does neurasthenia especially affect sedentary persons? A. Among 604 neurasthenics there were found : — ■ Merchants and manufacturers 198 Clerks 130 Professors and teachers 68 Students 50 Officers 38 Artists 33 Without profession 19 Medical men 17 Agriculturalists 17 Clergy 10 Men of science and learning 6 Schoolboys 6 Working men 6 100 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED That muscular work, even excessive, is not a common cause of neurasthenia is clearly shown by clinical experience. The above table shows only one neurasthenic from the working class to more than a hundred from men leading sedentary lives. Can One Inherit Neurasthenia Q. Is neurasthenia an inherited condition? A. Neurasthenia is not hereditary, but an in- creasingly large proportion of the population is born with a predisposition to neurasthenia and other neuroses. This predisposition is, of course, not curable. It is a personal characteristic as definite and ineradicable as the color of the hair or the eyes; but if the predisposition cannot be removed, its outward manifestations may be in- definitely postponed or altogether prevented. Probably most neurasthenics are born with a pre- disposition to the disease, although it is also probable that any person may become a neu- rasthenic if the exciting causes of this condition are applied with sufficient intensity and for a sufficient length of time. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 101 Causes of Headache Q. What are the usual causes of headache? A. Among the most common types of head- ache are: 1. Neurasthenic headache. This headache is not a sharp pain but a pressure at the back or top of the head, often described as a band about the head. 2. "Sinus" headache; a form of headache generally located just above the eyes and due to a diseased condition of some of the sinuses con- nected with the nose. 3. Rheumatic headache; due to the absorption of pus from some focus of infection which may be the tonsils, teeth, suppurating ear, or a dis- eased colon. 4. Nervous or migraine headache; sometimes called sick headache due to toxins absorbed from the colon and always associated with intestinal stasis or constipation. Nervous Headache— Migraine — Bilious Headache Q. What is the cause of nervous headache? A. The so-called nervous headache is not an affection of the nerves but a sign of toxemia. This is certainly true in the great majority of cases, if indeed there are exceptions to the rule. 102 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED The ordinary cause of headache is the absorp- tion into the system of poisons due to stagnation in some part of the intestines, resulting in ab- sorption of poisonous matter generated by the putrefaction of the delayed fecal material. In many cases the stasis or stagnation occurs in the upper part of the colon or cecum. X-ray exami- nations show in practically all cases of chronic nervous headache incompetency of the ileocecal valve; that is, the small intestine is no longer shut off from the large intestine, because of over- stretching of the bowel. The opening at the junc- tion of the small intestine with the colon is so greatly enlarged that the check-valve which nor- mally exists at this point is rendered inoperative so that the putrefying fecal matters found in the colon back up into the small intestine. So long as the poisonous materials remain in the colon comparatively little harm is done for the reason that the mucous membrane of the colon appears to act as a very efficient filter, holding back the poisonous matters which are present in the colon contents, and permitting absorption only of water and harmless substances. The small intestine is not so well prepared and at the same time ab- sorbs with very great rapidity. The small in- testine for example, absorbs five or six quarts of liquid every twenty-four hours and the greater part of this absorption takes place in the lower part of the small intestine or the part adjacent A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 103 to the colon. The colon absorbs only a few ounces of liquid each twenty-four hours. The constant presence of incompetency of the ileocecal valve in cases of nervous headache or migraine gives good ground to suspect that this defect is one of the important causes of this distressing malady. Sufferers from this disease are also chronically constipated, or experience alternations of diarrhoea and constipation. Bouchard, who originated the doctrine of auto- intoxication, was one of the first to call attention to the relation of migraine to intestinal toxemia, and he stated : "I believe that nine-tenths of the migraines are of dyspeptic origin, produced by a primary intestinal intoxication. The effect may be made to disappear by the administration of caffeine or antipyrin, but the cause remains. The patient feels his pains immediately lessen, but they rarely disappear entirely ; often they reappear more vio- lently than ever. But what we must endeavor to do is to prevent a return of this crisis, and to se- cure this it is necessary that all putrid fer- mentation be expunged from the intestinal canal during digestion. If we can make the dyspepsia disappear, we heal the migraine." 104 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Treatment of Migraine Q. What is the best treatment of migraine? A. Recent observations indicate that mi- graine in many cases is due- to anaphylaxis. In many instances the attacks are due to the absorp- tion of protein; the protein of milk and eggs seems especially likely to produce an attack. Of greatest importance is particular atten- tion to the bowels, which should be made to move freely at least two or three times a day. It is the usual experience of sufferers from migraine that an attack is preceded by consti- pation. In cases in which this symptom is not observed, a sluggish state of the bowels probably exists, although not apparent to the patient. Ad- ministration of an enema in such cases generally leads to the discovery that the cecum is filled with decomposing food remnants, which have been re- tained for some days in this dilated portion of the colon. The free use of fruit is a matter of very great consequence in migraine, -and an exclusive fruit diet will almost certainly secure complete relief from suffering so long as it is maintained ; but of course such a diet cannot be continued in- definitely, though the disease can be greatly benefited. Migraine is now generally recognized as one of the symptoms of intestinal autointoxication. Poisons absorbed from the intestine circulate in A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 105 the blood and are excreted in the stomach, giv- ing rise to nausea, gastric irritation, nervous exhaustion and other general symptoms as well as local pain. Where an attack of migraine is threatened, a repeated enema should be admin- istered, and in many cases the attack can be shortened by some quickly-acting laxative, as a seidlitz powder or a dose of sulphur. Gastric lavage may also be administered with great advantage. Nearly always a considerable quantity of acrid material is found in the stom- ach even when no food has been taken, and after free vomiting. There is reason to believe that in migraine poisonous substances absorbed from the colon are excreted into the stomach in con- siderable quantity and the resulting gastric irritation is one of the causes of the distress- ing symptoms experienced by the patient. The water employed in the gastric lavage should be at a temperature of about 105° F., at least not less than this. Great relief is generally ex- perienced when the lavage is administered promptly at the very beginning of the attack. Migraine is, without doubt, a result of er- roneous habits of life. It is a malady which particularly effects sedentary persons, hence is found among professional people. The use of tea and coffee, the use of flesh foods or a high protein diet are unquestionably the great causes of migraine, and of course the disease will not 106 A THOUSAND OUESTIONS ANSWERED be cured so long as these practices are con- tinued. Attacks of migraine, when once begun, cannot be abruptly stopped, although the patient's suffer- ing may be greatly mitigated and the attack may be abbreviated. The time to cure an attack of migraine is before it begins, and this is true of headache in general. A thorough bowel move- ment three times a day, a careful adherence to an antitoxic diet, excluding both milk and eggs as well as meat, are most effective measures for combating "sick headache.' Neuralgia Q. What is neuralgia? How may the pain be relieved? A. Neuralgia may be caused by malnutri- tion, impoverishment of the blood, an excess of protein in the diet, autointoxication through the absorption from the colon of the products of putrefaction. An eminent French physician has stated that pain is the cry of a hungry nerve for better blood. The best way to secure better blood is to live an active outdoor life. Better blood is secured by careful regulation of the dietary, avoiding all irritant and poison-contain- ing foods, by thorough mastication of food, and a sufficient amount of exercise daily in the open air to secure moderate perspiration; the cold A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 107 bath every morning on rising, and an abund- ance of fresh air during the night secured by opening wide the windows of the bedroom or by sleeping outdoors. For temporary relief heat is the best of all remedies. It cannot be too often repeated that heat kills pain. Applications of heat may be ap- plied in a great variety of ways, as by hot fo- mentations, hot water bags, hot sand bags, hot poultices, photophore, incandescent electric light, arc light and diathermy. The last named remedy is a modification of the wireless electricity and is especially useful in cases of deep seated neu- ralgia, visceral neuralgia, which cannot always be relieved by external hot applications. By means of diathermy heat may be supplied to any internal part, no matter how deeply seated. Three bowel movements daily, and a hot bath every night, and cold bath and vigorous friction every morning, and careful adherence to simple life rules are effective remedies. In making hot applications for relief of neu- ralgia it is important to remember that the water must be as hot as the patient can bear it. The application should be so hot as to make it necessary to take it off and put it on two or three times, until the patient's skin can bear it a little better. Commencing the application at about 110° F., the skin will gradually acquire a tolerance for heat until a temperature from 140° 108 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED to 160° F. can be borne. Facial neuralgia, neu- ralgia of the stomach, intestines, or bladder, lumbago, sciatica, in fact, almost any form of neuralgia, is relieved by the application of in- tense heat. It must be remembered also that the hot treatment is not to be continued indefinitely — fifteen or twenty minutes is sufficiently long, and it should be immediately followed by the application of a towel or compress wrung very dry from ice-water and left in place thirty seconds. The parts should then be covered with dry flannel, which will greatly prolong the ef- fect of the hot application. Tic Doloureux Q. What is the best treatment for tic doloureux, or trifacial neuralgia? A. In bad cases it is necessary to destroy the nerve by injecting alcohol into the nerve trunk. In some cases, the disease disappears if the bowels are made to move well three times a day, and the diet confined to fruits, grains, nuts and vegetables. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 109 Prickling Sensations Q. What is the cause of prickling sen- sations? A. Hot flashes, cold sensations, prickling, smarting, "electric thrills" and a great variety of other perversions of sensations are ex- perienced by certain classes of neurasthenics. While all these symptoms are sometimes ex- perienced by those suffering from organic nerv- ous diseases, their occurrence in neurasthenia has no other significance than a disturbed cir- culation of the nerve trunks. Shingles — Herpes Zoster Q. What causes shingles? A. This peculiar and very painful disease is due to inflammation of a nerve trunk believed to be the result of infection. The most com- mon seat of the disease is the side. The erup- tion follows the course of the inter-costal nerve. A single nerve trunk of the leg or any other part of the body may be the seat of the inflam- mation. At the beginning of the disease very hot applications applied over the affected parts give the most relief. If for example, the shingles affects the side, the most common seat, the fomentations should go two thirds the way around the body, and 1 10 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED should reach from the armpit to the hip. The affected part itself should be covered first with a little dry cotton or cheese cloth, and then by mackintosh or a piece of newspaper folded to three or four thicknesses. After the fomenta- tions, rub the sound skin over the whole sur- face that has been reddened with the hand or a soft napkin dipped in very cold water. Continue the rubbing about half a minute, fre- quently dipping the hand in the cold water. Then dry the parts, and dust the inflamed sur- face with starch and cover with soft, cotton or with a mass of soft cheese cloth. Apply a bandage around the body just tight enough to hold the cotton in place. This may be repeated three or four times a day, and will afford very great relief; but the disease has a definite course the same as measles, whooping-cough, and many other diseases. After a few days the eruption will disappear. The parts which have been inflamed are fre- quently the seat of disagreeable neuralgic pains for some weeks or even months after an at- tack. For this apply very hot fomentations three or four times a day and the heating compress during the interval and at night. The heating compress consists of a napkin or small towel wrung dry out of very cold water, and applied A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 1 1 1 over the part, covered first with mackintosh, and then with flannels so as to keep it very warm. Sciatica Q. What is sciatica and what is the best method of treatment for this condition? A. Sciatica is a painful affection of the sciatic nerve or large nerve which supplies the back part of the thigh and also the leg. The pain and suffering caused by this dis- ease is often most distressing. Fortunately it may generally be relieved. A very hot bath is a most excellent remedy for relieving the pain of sciatica. The patient sits in an ordinary tub with the limbs extended and the water deep enough to reach the um- bilicus. The temperature of the water is grad- ually raised until as hot as can possibly be borne. The duration of the bath should be two to ten minutes. At the end the temperature may be reduced to 80° F. for half a minute. The pa- tient should be then put in bed and wrapped up warmly. Hot fomentations over the painful parts, the arc light, photophore, thermophore, galvanism and massage are other measures which may be used advantageously. Sometimes sciatica is due to intestinal autointoxication. Most persons suffering from sciatica are sub- jects of chronic constipation. One of the most 112 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED effective measures of combating the disease is to change the intestinal flora and to secure nor- mal bowel activity, that is, three or four full bowel movements daily. The patient should adopt permanently a strictly anti-toxic diet. A person who suffers pain in the hip which does not rapidly yield to treatment should submit him- self to examination by a competent x-ray spe- cialist. Pain in this region is not infrequently due to sarcoma or some other form of malignant disease, or to tuberculosis. How the Mind May Cause Disease Q. How does the mind affect the body in producing disease? A. Recent scientific experiments show that joy, sorrow, anger and fear, as well as other emotional states, are powerful forces which may exalt or depress bodily functions as quickly and as powerfully as the most potent drugs or the most active physical agents. Joyful emotions heighten the activity of all the bodily functions. Under the influence of joy the small arteries and capillaries dilate, and every organ receives an increased and more active blood supply. Through the influence of joy upon the muscular system there is not only an increased disposi- tion to activity, but an increased capacity for effort and endurance. The heart beats stronger, A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 1 13 the brain thinks clearer, breathing is deeper, digestion more active, the eyes brighten, the cheeks glow — the whole body rejoices and pros- pers under the influence of a peaceful, con- tented and joyous mental state. Sorrow produces a bodily condition quite the opposite of that produced by joy. Under the influence of sadness, all the bodily functions are depressed. The muscular system is relaxed and weakened. The sorrowful individual has the appearance of one who is exhausted or fatigued. The frequent sigh is simply Nature's effort to make up by deep breaths the loss of oxygen which results from the decreased ac- tivity of the chest. There is a physiologic basis for the current expression, "Weighted down with sorrow." The effect of sorrow upon the internal or- gans is most profound. The external blood- vessels are contracted, causing pallor or some- times a livid appearance, due to diminished cir- culation through the skin; the hands and feet are often cold, and the secretions are diminished. 114 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Worry and Exhaustion Q. Why does worry cause exhaustion and depression? A. Worry is a sort of mental short-circuit- ing which rapidly exhausts the nerve centers, draining them of their energy and unfitting the body for useful effort. Experiments have demonstrated that depressing emotions are far more powerful causes of wear and tear to nerve centers than is healthy brain work. According to Mosso's observations, the effect of vigorous intellectual activity upon the brain is far less than that of a disturbing emotion. Mental work, combined with worry and anxiety, tears down the nerve centers, exhausts their stores of en- ergy, and cripples' their ability to recuperate; but it is not the work itself which does the mischief; it is the cross-fire, the short circuit, the confusing and harassing influence oi dis- turbing emotions, which exhaust the nerve forces and prevent the brain from repairing its losses. Mental Healing Q. Is "mental healing" possible? A. The success of various classes of mind healers with certain invalids affords most con- vincing evidence that a large number of per- sons suffer from maladies which have their chief A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 115 seat in a morbid imagination or a wrong mental attitude. Thousands of neurasthenics are made miserable by depressing symptoms which are the outgrowth of a disordered state of the nervous system, and which have no organic foundation. Morbid sensations which are dis- tressing and even highly painful in these pa- tients not infrequently disappear instantly when some happy circumstance produces a favorable change in the patient's state of mind. On the other hand, an unfavorable mental change may bring about at once an aggravation of symptoms present or may induce a wholly new crop of un- pleasant sensations. Every physician of ex- perience has encountered such cases, How to Cure Worry Q. How can one overcome a disposition to worry? A. The man who worries because of the threatened collapse of an important business en- terprise, to the building up of which his whole life has been devoted, may not be relieved until the threatened danger is averted or the crisis passed. The man who is suffering from phy- sical deterioration, because of chronic toxemia, must be renovated physically. Poison habits must be abandoned. A natural antitoxic diet- ary must be substituted for his customary pois- 116 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED on-laden bill of fare. The bowels must, by nat- ural means, be made to move three or four times a day, thus ridding the body of the in- fluence of worry-producing poisons. There must be a complete revolution in living habits, and a thoroughgoing adoption of simple-life principles of living. By this means a general physical regeneration may be produced, with the development of which the disposition to worry will gradually disappear as the cause is removed, until finally a normal, happy mental state is es- tablished. Diversion is one of the most valuable remedies for worry. Concentration of the attention upon some wholesome subject is of utmost import- ance as a means of combating worry, whether due to present physical or mental causes or merely habit. Constant occupation of some sort is essential as an aid to diversion. Manual work is best. Night Noise Q. Are night noises injurious if one is able to sleep in spite of them? A. That noise may be a cause of disease is no longer questioned by pathologists. Certain persons get used to noises, no matter of what sort, when long exposed to them, and seem to suffer no injury; but even these persons are being damaged more or less by the constant ham- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 117 mering upon their nerve centers through the auditory nerves. Nerve centers need rest quite as much as do muscles. Sound, restful sleep in the presence of noise is impossible. A person who lives in the midst of noise gets no really complete rest day or night; asleep or awake, the nerve centers are constantly receiving a torrent of irritating im- pulses. This incessant nerve nagging gives no opportunity for recuperative rest. Fear Q. Is there any relation between fear and disease ? A. There is no doubt that fear, worry and other depressing emotions — anxiety, sorrow, ap- prehension, pain and suspense are active causes in producing disease. Doctor Jensen, an emin- ent London physician, by careful analysis of the symptoms resulting from these depressing emo- tions, has discovered that their effects are sim- ilar to those resulting from severe surgical shock. The l^lood vessels of the intestines be- come paralyzed, the blood accumulates in these parts, robbing the brain and other vital organs of their natural blood supply and so producing mental inefficiency, shortness of breath and a general condition resembling fatigue. This disten- sion of the blood vessels of the intestine encour- age: the absorption of the poisons generated i. 1 18 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED the intestine, while at the same time increasing the production of poisons by impairing the di- gestive functions. The extreme dryness of the mouth which usually accompanies a state of fear is strong evidence of the correctness of Doctor Jensen's theory, being due to the fact that the general tissues of the body including the sali- vary glands are robbed of their normal blood supply and drained of their fluids which are accumulated to an extraordinary degree in the abdominal organs. This theory accounts for the well-known fact that the milk of a nursing woman is made poisonous to the infant by an outburst of anger or a severe fright. The fact that fear and other depressing emo- tions produce these physical changes in the body emphasizes the great importance of elim- nating this cause of disease and especially in the protection of sick persons against its malig- nant influence by optimistic suggestion and through encouragement and cheerful surround- ings. • Prolapsed Stomach and Bowels Q. Does prolapse of the stomach and bowels produce neurasthenia? A. Weakness of the trunk muscles, resulting in a sagging of the abdominal wall and a pro- lapse of the viscera, must be regarded as one of the causes of gastric or splanchnic neurasthenia A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 119 — one of the most common results of a sedentary life. The deforming bulge of the lower ab- domen is most commonly seen in persons of se- dentary habits. It is most common in women, but professional men of all classes very fre- quently present the same ungainly shape of body and suffer from the natural consequence — splanchnic engorgement and visceral neuras- thenia. Treatment of the Narcotic Habit Q. What is the best way to get rid of a narcotic habit? A. The best means of ridding oneself of the alcohol, tea, coffee, or tobacco habit is to adopt a dry dietary, making free use of fruits, es- pecially fresh fruits, also stewed fruits and fruit juices. Flesh foods and animal broths and ex- tracts unquestionably excite the nerves, and create a demand for the soothing effect of a narcotic. Hence a person who desires to free himself from the alcohol, the tobacco or the tea or coffee habit must first of all dispense with all flesh foods. Condiments must also be dis- carded, as these irritate and excite the nerves, creating a desire for the soothing effects of some narcotic drug. The nervousness and irritability which fol- lows the withdrawal of the accustomed drug may be wonderfully relieved by the prolonged neu- 120 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED tral bath at a temperature of 94° to 90° F. The duration of the bath may be indefinite; several hours if necessary. If there is palpitation of the heart, or rapid pulse with a feeling of distress through the chest, this may be relieved by the ap- plication of an ice bag over the heart, by spong- ing the spine alternately with hot and cold water, or applying first hot and then cold compresses to the spine, alternating every minute. Baths for the Insane Q. Can insanity be cured by baths and diet? A. Certain forms of insanity are greatly bene- fited by the proper baths. This is particularly true of melancholia and mania. Acute forms of insanity generally recover under careful treat- ment, including baths, proper regulation of the diet, etc. Baths are now administered in all well- organized insane asylums. The prolonged neutral bath is of special value in the treatment of insanity. In a case of acute mania the neutral bath is superior to all remedies as a means of producing sleep. The patient is placed in the bath suspended in a hammock and is kept in the bath until he becomes quiet. At first a very prolonged ap- plication may be necessary ; two or three or even ten or twelve hours, but the patient sooner or A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 121 later becomes quiet and falls into a refreshing sleep. The neutral bath is now recognized as the most valuable of all means to promote recovery in these cases. The shower bath and douche, both hot and cold, are also highly useful measures in various forms of insanity. At the present time drugs are very little used in the treatment of in- sane patients. In the New York State Hospital for the insane the electric light bath, the shower bath and the neutral bath are the principal meas- ures of treatment employed and are found to be so effective that drugs of all sorts have almost fallen into disuse. Locomotor Ataxia Q. What is the cause of locomotor ataxia? A. The most common cause is syphilis. It is one of the lat^. manifestations of infection of the body with the spirochete, the parasite to which the disease known as syphilis is due. It is barely possible that locomotor ataxia may be due to some other causes, but it is the general belief among physicians that this malady is rare- ly, if ever, attributable to any cause other than syphilitic infection. Syphilitic infection con- " tracted in youth is likely to be followed twenty or thirty years later by tabes dorsalis or locomotor ataxia. The infection may be inherited. 122 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Remedy for Locomotor Ataxia Q. Is there any remedy for this disease? If so what? A. This disease being generally due to syph- ilitic infection it is evident that a person suffer- ing from locomotor ataxia should submit at once to a thoroughgoing examination by a competent physician. The Wasserman test should be ad- ministered. Other measures are also valuable. By proper gymnastic training the staggering gait may be greatly improved or overcome. The patient must live the simple life. Mind Blindness Q. What is meant by mind blindness? A. Mind blindness is a condition in which, al- though a person's eyesight is perfect, he is still unable to see. The eye and the optic nerve per- form their function properly, but the nerve center in the brain in which are stored the memories of sight no longer performs its function and so the object is not recognized, although it may be a most familiar one. Mind blindness may be re- lated to various objects or only to words. In some rare cases the mind blindness may relate to words of one language only, while words of an- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 123 other language may be recognized promptly. This condition is due to an injury to a small portion of brain substance found near the anterior portion of the left side of the brain. Recovery sometimes occurs, although the injury is often permanent. Morning Depression Q. What is good for morning depression? A. A cold morning bath, properly ad- ministered, is a complete antidote for the morn- ing depression experienced by many neu- rasthenics. It is of the highest importance, how- ever, that the bath should be taken in a proper way. The average neurasthenic would be little likely to receive benefit from a plunge into a tub filled with cold water. Such a bath would likely be followed by an aggravation of symp- toms, increased pain, increased depression, in- creased disturbances of circulation, as shown by cold hands and feet, etc. A single trial would be sufficient to discourage further efforts in the direction of cold bathing. Neurasthenics are generally highly sensitive to the effects of cold water, and on this account it is necessary that several important precautions should receive careful attention. 124 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Muscle Tone Q. What is meant by the term "muscle tone"? A. The living muscle is always at work. The controlling centers continually send out a rhythmic stream of impulses whereby the muscle is kept constantly in a state of contraction. This is muscle tone. When the nerve centers are full of energy and the muscles are in a healthy state, muscle tone is good ; that is, strong impulses are sent into strong muscles, and the result is strong muscular tension. In certain conditions of dis- ease when irritation of muscles or nerve centers exists, either as the result of the direct effect of diseased conditions or of reflex influence, tension may be enormously exaggerated, as may be seen, for example, in torticollis, writer's cramp, hysteria and in the tensed condition of the ab- dominal muscles accompanying disease of the appendix or inflammation of the gall bladder. Imperfectly developed muscles are deficient in tone. Unused muscles rapidly lose their normal tone. Overstrained muscles become relaxed, which is also true of muscles controlled by exhausted^ nerve centers. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 125 Muscular Go-ordination Q. What is meant by muscular co-ordi- nation? A. The coordination of muscular movement is one of the results of training which is secured through the use of the muscular sense. Co-ordination denotes the association of various muscles in performing work, particularly such complicated acts as writing, walking or piano playing. A man who has lost the power of co- ordination in the legs, staggers when he walks. This is the cause of staggering in a drunken man or a man suffering from locomotor ataxia. Neu- rasthenics sometimes show this symptom slightly, especially in the hands. Inability to stand with the eyes closed is a test for inco-ordination. The loss of the muscle sense in locomotor ataxia leads to incoordination. It may be rede- veloped by training, which is of great importance in the treatment of locomotor ataxia and other conditions in which this function is disturbed. Every new association of muscles must be learned and perfected by repeated effort. These efforts are at first painful and exhausting, as for ex- ample in walking a crack or narrow plank. Writ- ing, piano-playing, typewriting and similar move- ments at first very quickly produce fatigue, hence should not be continued too long at a time. 126 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Tea Taster's Disorder Q. What are the symptoms of chronic tea taster's disorder? A. An eminent New York neurologist gave the following description of the symptoms presented by a tea taster : "Headache is frequent, principally frontal and vertical; a ringing and buzzing in the ears is very constant; black spots often flit before the eyes, and he sees flashes of light. Vertigo also is very persistently present; he cannot look up at a clock on a steeple without staggering; in- somnia exists to a considerable extent ; he seldom has a good night's sleep, and he dreams much, but his dreams are of a pleasant character; he sometimes sees visions when not sleeping. Dyspepsia is more troublesome than any of the foregoing three symptoms. This, the patient assigns strictly to tea-tasting, since it is made worse by tea, and improves when he abstains from it, though now becoming confirmed. His appetite is captious, he feels heavy at the epi- gastrium, he has eructations and sour taste, and finds that certain kinds of food distress him. He has a frequent gurgling, and is in the habit of 'working' his whole chest and abdomen to make the gas pass on. "His mental condition is peculiar. He lives in a state of dread that some accident may hap- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 127 pen to him; in the omnibus, fears a collision; crossing the street, fears that he will be crushed by passing teams; walking on the sidewalks, fears that a brick wall may fall down and kill him; under the apprehension that every dog he meets is going to bite the calves of his legs, he carries an umbrella in all weather, as a de- fense against such an attack. He often dreads entering his office for fear of being told that some business friend has failed; and in short, lives in a state of constant foreboding of some impending evil. At times his left leg drags and feels numb, and he is conscious of an unsteady gait. He has also often a twitching of the muscles of the face and eyelids." Doctor Cole, of England, describes the cases of several individuals who were frequently found lying insensible as the result of tea-drinking. One case which he mentions was an author who was thus found two or three times a week. Tea and Coffee Neurasthenia Q. Does the use of tea and coffee cause neurasthenia ? A. Yes. The widespread use of tea and cof- fee in England and America and in other civil- ized countries is unquestionably a prolific cause of neurasthenia, especially in women who, on the whole, seem to be more susceptible to these 128 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED drugs than are men, and more addicted to their use. A man or woman who cannot begin a day's work in comfort without one or two cups of tea or coffee, or who suffers from headache or nervousness when deprived of the accustomed beverage, is a tea or coffee neurasthenic and as much a drug habitue as a person who is addicted to the use of opium or cocaine. Yawning Q. What is the cause of yawning? A. Physiologists tell us that in the middle of the upper portion of the spinal cord there is a small nerve center which has charge of the back movement or group of movements which we call yawning. Just what brings this center into action nobody knows. It is a curious fact, however, that the disposition to yawn seems to be to a certain extent infectious. If one of a group of persons yawns another member of the group is almost certain to yawn a few minutes later. Yawning generally occurs when a per- son is weary or drowsy. Many persons are in- clined to yawn after eating. Bathing the face with cold water, drinking a glass of hot or cold water or some refreshing beverage will generally cause the disposition to yawn to disappear. Rheumatism Causes Q. What is the cause of rheumatism and what should be the diet and treatment for people suffering from rheumatism? A. The term rheumatism is somewhat loosely employed. It is applied to inflammatory con- ditions of the joints, to degenerative changes in the joints, and to painful affections of the nerves and muscles. These conditions are due to a great variety of causes, and hence cannot be considered as a single or well-defined disease. Inflammation of the joints is due to infection. Degenerative changes may be due to infection, or to the influence of toxins absorbed from the intestine, or from other parts. Rheumatism of the muscles and nerves is probably due in most cases to toxins, the most common source of which is the intestine. An infected condition of the tonsils is known to be a frequent cause of joint rheumatism. Colitis, infection of the colon — a frequent result of constipation — is very often associated with rheumatism. In general, the diet should be anti-toxic and laxative. That is, meats of all kinds and con- diments should be discarded, and the diet should 130 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED be made bulky, consisting of fruits and vegetables. Potatoes and other vegetables and fresh fruits should chiefly compose the diet. Simple rheumatism is quite promptly cured by rest in bed and proper applications to the af- fected joints. The best measures are the fol- lowing. Apply very hot fomentations to the joints three times a day. A wet compress should be worn all the time, both day and night. Care should be taken to cover the compress to keep it very warm. The photophore or electric light is also an excellent means for treatment of rheu- matism. The great success of certain European springs in the treatment of rheumatism is chiefly due perhaps to the small amount of radium found in the water. It is, of course, important that the bowels should be kept active by the free use of bran and paraffin in addition to a laxative diet. The bowels should move three or four times a day. Most persons afflicted with rheumatism are suffering from colitis or chronic constipation. The tongue must be made clean and the breath sweet. The skin must be made active and the kidneys must be made to act freely by copious water drinking. A person should take three or four pints daily. Massage of the joints and ap- plications of electricity, electric light baths and A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 131 tonic cold rubbings are of great service ^s curative measures. Deforming rheumatism, sometimes known as rheumatic gout, rheumatoid arthritis or osteo- arthritis is a degenerative disease and cannot often be entirely cured, though it may gener- ally be arrested. The best measures are those above mentioned as adapted to the treatment of rheumatism. The pains in the bones and carti- lages which accompany this form of rheumatism cannot be influenced by treatment. The sore- ness and pain in the joints can usually be re- lieved by hot applications and the use of the heating compress. Stiff Joints Q. What can be done for stiff joints? Can the motion be restored? A. There are two classes of stiff joints: I. Those in which the stiffness is due to adhesions in or around the joint, to adhesions or contrac- tions of muscles, to a floating cartilage in the joint or to growths due to osteo-arthritis or rheu- matic gout. 2. Those in which the ends of the bones forming the joints have become joined to- gether by bony union as a single bone. The con- dition of the joint may be determined by an x-ray examination. In cases of the first class, motion can usually 132 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED be restored to the joint either by fomentations, massage and passive movements or by mobilizing the joint under anesthesia. Mobilization should not be attempted in cases in which the stiffness is due to tuberculous disease, in cases in which there is much heat without fluid in the joint, nor in cases in which the muscles are rigid or ad- herent. Any joint which is not absolutely stiff, which is not hot and contains no fluid may be forcibly mobilized under anesthesia without risk. A few surgeons have succeeded in restoring motion to joints which have been destroyed by union of the bones, but such joints are usually weak and troublesome and the results have been on the whole disappointing. Acute Rheumatism Q. What are the dangers from acute rheu- matism and what can be done? A. Acute rheumatism is rarely immediately fatal, but sometimes leaves the victim with difficulties which, sooner or later, terminate his life. This occurs whenever the heart becomes affected by the disease, which not infrequently happens. It does not result from a change of the seat of the malady from the joints to the heart, as is sometimes thought, but by an extension of the disease to the lining membrane of the heart. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 133 In consequence of inflammation, the valves of the heart become thickened and contracted so that valvular organic disease of the heart results ; rheumatism, indeed, is the most common cause of this form of heart disease. The extension of the disease to the heart is indicated by the occurrence of acute pain in the left side, disturb- ance of the pulse, increase of fever, and increased frequency of respiration. Either one or all the joints in the body may participate in the inflammation. The joints are generally af- fected symmetrically; that is, the ankles, wrist, knees, elbows, or shoulders will be affected on both sides at the same time. When this is not the case, analogous joints upon the same side are likely to be affected, as the ankle and wrist, the knee and elbow, the hip and shoulder, etc. Some- times the disease appears to be very fickle, changing constantly from one joint to another without any apparent cause, the change taking place within a few hours. Anything which lowers vital resistance will, of course, predispose to rheumatism. Meat-eating, beer-drinking, the use of tea and coffee, exces- sive eating, exposure of the body to prolonged chilling when perspiring or in a state of fatigue, and neglect of the bowels, are among the most potent predisposing and active causes of the disease. Eminent authorities agree that medicines have 134 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED little or no effect in shortening the course of this disease. It has been shown that a person suffering from rheumatism with rest and proper care usually recovers without any treatment. But there can be no doubt that many things can be done for the patient that will tend greatly to shorten the course of the disease and give very great relief from the suffering incident to the painful malady. A rheumatism patient should first of all be provided with a suitable bed. This should con- sist of a soft, smooth mattress, preferably cot- ton or hair, or better still an air mattress. He should be provided with a woolen gown and with perhaps a woolen cape to protect the shoulders in addition. Linen or cotton sheets should be replaced by woolen sheets so that the patient will be less likely to chill after perspir- ing. It has been noted that in this disease there is apparently an over-production of lactic acid, much of which is excreted by the skin, causing the perspiration to become acid. The tendency to perspiration should be encouraged by fre- quent sweating baths. The affected joints should be kept as quiet as possible. In case the knej or elbow joints are affected, it is a good plan to place the limb upon a splint and so avoid mo- tion of the painful joint. As soon as possible after an attack begins, the patient should be placed in a hot blanket A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 135 pack, in which he should be kept for several hours. As a general rule the longer the pack is continued, the better the effect. The pack should be continued two to four hours at least, and may be repeated two or three times within the twenty- four hours with advantage. Hot fomentations applied over the affected joints also give great relief. The joints should be kept constantly enveloped in warm applications. Moist heat may sometimes be exchanged for dry heat, in the form of bags filled with salt, sand, or cornmeal, or some similar substance as hot as can be borne. Hot-water bags constitute the best method of applying dry heat in these cases. The patient should be allowed an abundance of water. Lemonade, with a very little sugar, is one of the best drinks, as the juice of the lemon seems to have some influence upon the disease, in some cases. The sour perspiration should be frequently removed from the skin by rub- bing with dry flannels. Warm sponge baths often add to the patient's comfort. When the fever rises very high, it is, in some cases, neces- sary to administer a prolonged cool bath. The patient should be put into a bath about the tem- perature of the bo.dy, the temperature of the water being gradually lowered to 7$° or 70° F. The bath should not be prolonged sufficiently to produce marked chilliness on the part of the pa- tient. Tepid sponge baths, repeated every hour 136 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED or two, or more frequently, if necessary, may be employed in these cases. When hot fomentations seem to increase the pain in the joints, cool or cold applications may he employed. The diet of the patient during the attack should consist wholly of simple preparations of fruits and grains. Meat of all kinds, as well as beef-tea, should be wholly avoided. The use of meat after convalescence is begun is a fre- quent cause of relapse, hence flesh should be wholly discarded. If symptoms of inflammation of the heart arise, the patient should be kept upon a very low diet, or should take little or no food for a day or two. Hot fomentations and poultices should be constantly applied to the chest, covering the whole left side. The patient should have an abundance of fresh air, but should not be ex- posed to drafts. Cancer Causes Q. What is cancer? A. Cancer is a general term, like fever. The morbid growths to which the term cancer is commonly applied differ much in character as well as in appearance. Growths which recur when they are removed, or which show a tend- ency to invade the tissues and to develop similar growths in different parts of the body, are known as malignant as distinguished from be- nign growths which do not invade the tissues, but are generally enclosed within capsules, and purely local growths which, when removed do not recur. Malignant growths include quite a large family of neoplasms (new growths) which are recognizable by their microscopic structure and often also by their gross appear- ance. The different forms of cancer or malig- nant disease differ in the degree of their malig- nancy or tendency to recurrence and some forms are much more curable than others. Skin cancer for example, or epithelioma, when con- fined to the skin is almost certainly curable by any one of several different methods, the best of which are the x-ray, radium, and the applica- 138 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED tion of carbon dioxide ice. Successful treat- ment of cancer depends upon the application of thoroughgoing measures at the earliest possible stage of the disease. In any case in which there is the slightest ground for the suspicion of can- cer an able surgeon should be promptly con- sulted. Is Cancer Curable Q. Is cancer curable? A. Most cancers are at their beginning purely local in character. Early and thorough removal of the disease will doubtless effect a cure in the majority of cases. It should be remembered, however, that the predisposition to cancer remains and hence a new development may occur; consequently simply removing the cancerous growth by surgical operation is not sufficient. The patient must be placed under a special regimen, which means a restricted anti- toxic and laxative diet, out-door life, day and night, and the adoption of all possible means for building up the resistance of the body. Cancer Increasing Q. Is cancer increasing? A. Cancer is undoubtedly on the increase. Within the last fifty years this disease, which was well known, but was rare in its occurrence, A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 159 has increased in frequency until at the present time it destroys one out of twenty of the total population of the United States. The total mortality among the civilized people of the world is probably not less than one-half million yearly. And this terrible destruction of life by one of the most horrible and loathsome maladies is steadily Cancer Less in Vegetarians Q. What are the statistics as to the relative prevalence of cancer among vegetarians and non- vegetarians ? A. Doctor Williams of Bristol, England, in his work on cancer, gives the results of statis- tical researches in all civilized countries and such information as is available concerning countries in which statistical records are not kept. Doctor Hoffman, of the Prudential Life In- surance Company, has also published a work in relation to cancer, in which a large number cf statistics are given. Careful study of these statistics leaves no room for question that while vegetarians are not absolutely immune in rela- tion to cancer, they are far less subject to this form of degeneration than are flesh eaters. This is true of animals, as well as of men. 140 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED How to Prevent Cancer Q. What precautions may be taken against cancer? A. First of all, one should abstain from flesh foods, since cancer is a disease of flesh eat- ing men and animals. In addition the follow- ing facts published by the International Journal of Surgery should be kept constantly in mind, especially by women, who are more subject to cancer than are men : 1. "Cancer of the uterus commonly arises be- tween the ages of thirty and fifty. 2. "The normal change of life is never marked by an increase in the menstrual flow. The loss of blood, however slight, between menstrual periods or after the establishment of the menopause, is presumptive evidence of cancer and calls for an immediate, searching examination. 3. "A watery discharge is almost as suggestive as is hemorrhage when occurring late in life. 4. "Pain is a very unreliable guide and does not occur until the disease has advanced beyond the uterus, when it is too late to assure good re- sults. 5. "Loss of flesh does not usually occur until the disease has run half its course. 6. "Pelvic complaints of whatever nature aris- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 141 ing late in life, should awaken a suspicion of a possible cancer. 7. "Cancer of the uterus may reach the inoper- able stage without giving rise to a single symp- tom, hence the advisability of submitting to an examination at intervals during the period of life between thirty and fifty years, when the liability of cancer is greatest. 8. "The only hope for cure rests in early recognition and in early removal." Cancer of Stomach Q. Is cancer of the stomach curable? A. Nearly forty years ago, Professor Bill- broth, the famous Austrian surgeon of Vienna, devised an operation for removal of a portion of the stomach in cases of cancer of this organ. The operation was at first unsuccessful but as a re- sult of later improvements this operation may now be performed very safely, and when the cancer is still confined to the stomach there is an excellent prospect that the disease will not re- turn; but even if it does return the patient's life may by this operation be very greatly prolonged, the patient being given a number of years of comfortable and useful life even though at the time of the operation the condition was so grave that death must have occurred within a few weeks at the longest. Miscellaneous Questions (In this section no attempt has been made to group the many topics discussed, be- cause of the very great variety of subjects and the numerous instances of overlapping, making strict classification impossible.) The Gum Chewing Habit Q. Is the chewing of gum harmful? A. Yes. The constant activity of the salivary glands induced by gum chewing, especially when flavored gum is chewed, exhausts the glands so that they lose their power to digest starch, a very important function which is necessary for good digestion. This has been proven by actual ex- periment. A man was made to chew gum con- stantly for several hours. At the end of the first hour there was slight diminution in the digestive power of the saliva. At the end of two hours there was a very marked loss of digestive activity and at the end of four hours, when the experi- ment was terminated, the saliva had almost en- tirely lost its activity. The habit of chewing to- bacco or gum exhausts the salivary glands and thus lays the foundation for indigestion. The thorough chewing of the food is essential to good A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 143 digestion ; but gum chewing is a useless and more or less harmful practice. Protoplasm Q. What is the meaning of the word "pro- toplasm" ? A. Protoplasm is the technical term which scientists apply to the atom of living forms. Out of these simple forms of life all higher and more complex organisms are formed. This is true of animals as well as vegetables. Take a man in pieces, and he will be found to be made of similar masses connected together by various devices. Dissect a tree, and the same will be found to hold true. Examine a drop of blood with a microscope, and it will be seen that the blood is simply a stream in which are floating, develop- ing, moving, and working, millions of little creatures so nearly like the microscopic creatures found in the scum of a stagnant pool that they have received the same name. The arteries and veins of the body may be looked upon as cor- responding to the rivers and streams of a conti- nent, and the blood corpuscles to the fish which swim in the waters. 144 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Effects of Heat Q. Does heat cause breaking down of the tissues? A. Experiments have shown that a rise of body temperature in man caused by external ap- plication of heat, and continued intermittently for several days, is not attended with an increased breaking down of protein, so long as the temper- ature does not rise much above 102° F. but that such increase appears when the body temperature reaches or exceeds 104° F. Traveling for Health Q. Is it wise for an invalid to travel for health? A. Travel is often highly beneficial to the health of chronic invalids. The chief benefits of travel are not to be attributed to the change of air or scene, in the majority of cases, but rather to the change of habits necessarily involved in moving about from place to place in sight seeing, etc. Many persons who at home take practically no exercise, in traveling, especially in mountainous regions, find themselves actually doing as much muscular work as an ordinary laborer or me- chanic in performing his daily tasks. This in- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 145 creased activity is of the greatest benefit through improving the digestion, bowel action, strengthen- ing the heart, encouraging proper circulation of the blood, increasing the action of the lungs and blood purification by absorption of oxygen and general health promotion. Change of diet is also in many cases of great service, especially when one goes on a camping expedition. Heavy meals with many courses and rich desserts are necessarily exchanged for simpler bills of fare which gives the digestive organs a much rieeded rest. In the majority of cases a correction of the daily habits of life, undertaken at home, will ac- complish far more in a curative way than may be expected from the negative benefits derived from travel. The Instincts as Safe Guides for the Appetite Q. Are the body appetites safe guides? A. It is often said that animals are guided by instincts; human beings by intelligence. This statement is both true and not true. Animals show evidence of intelligence and human beings 146 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED are led hy instinct perhaps to a much larger de- gree than we ordinarily recognize. In fact we could scarcely live an hour without the operation of instinct. It is instinct which maintains the rhythm of the breath. Instinct manifesting it- self as thirst, informs us when we are in need of water. The natural instinct of hunger tells us when we should eat. The instinct of smell warns us of danger from impure air and certain food im- purities. By disuse or abuse our instincts have been greatly blunted so that they are of far less use to us than to primitive men and infinitely less useful than in lower animals. The extent to which our instincts may be benumbed is well illustrated in a thousand and one perverted habits which we have acquired. Bone Grafting Q. What is meant by bone grafting? A. In recent years, as a result of numerous experiments upon animals as well as human be- ings, a method has developed which has proven to be the most successful of all means of re- storing injured bones to a normal condition. If, for example, a portion of a thigh bone is de- stroyed so that the ends of the bone cannot he brought together so as to secure a solid union, a portion of the fibula or a strip of bone removed A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 147 from the tibia may be used to fill in the gap. A slender piece of bone thus implanted is found to grow and develop until it becomes large enough to meet the needs of its new situation. This fact affords a very, striking illustration of the mar- velous intelligence everywhere displayed in the functions and activities of the human body. Fattening the Face Q. What harmless "cream" may be used to fatten the face? A. The face cannot be fattened by rubbing in "cream" of any sort. A diet which causes a gain in weight will produce increased fullness of the face. Massage of the face will encourage the deposit of fat in the cheeks by bringing more blood to the parts. As a lubricant for the skin of the face or "face cream" there is nothing bet- ter than lanolin cream. (See page 48.) Centipede Bite Q. Is the bite of the centipede poisonous? A. The house centipede known in this coun- try is more or less poisonous but fortunately its bite is never fatal. Although possessed of a most voracious carnivorous appetite the centipede probably never attacks human beings unless brought into immediate contact with the body and obliged to defend itself. The centipede feeds 148 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED on house flies, cockroaches, and bed bugs, and s is somewhat useful as a destroyer of household pests. It lives in bath rooms, moist closets cellars and pantries where roaches and flies ar likely to be found. The bite of the centipede is generally relieve' by the prompt application of ammonia. Mineral Elements of Plants Q. In what foods are iron, potash and phos phates found in greatest abundance? A. Metallic iron, phosphorus, and potash i: the form in which these elements are known i: the laboratory are not found in foodstuffs. I: foods these substances are incorporated in th living structure in organic combination wit' other elements needed folr nutrition. Th amount of the elements named found in or ganized form in various foodstuffs differs, how ever, very considerably. For example, iron i most abundant in the colored parts of plant* Lettuce, spinach and tomatoes are particular! rich in this element. Potash is most abundar in green vegetables, particularly roots and under ground stems, such as the potato, the artichoke turnips, carrots, parsnips and sweet potatoes Phosphorus is found in large proportions ii cereals, particularly whole-grain preparation such as wheat, rye, barley, oatmeal, and unpol ished rice. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 149 Rigor Mortis Q. What is rigor mortis? A. The peculiar rigidity which comes soon : ter death in man and animals is supposed to : due to coagulation of the muscular fibre. It the beginning of decomposition, and indicates e death of the muscular fibres. It is ob- rved that in persons who die suddenly in a state comparative health, as from accident, rigoi ortis does not appear for some hours after i ath, and then remains for some time. In per- ns who die from long-continued or wasting sease, the opposite in both particulars is true. House Pets Q. Are house pets objectionable? A. All house pets are more or less dangerous, ogs are a constant source of danger. Cats e perhaps the most dangerous of all domestic limals. In a paper read before the National inference of Charities and Corrections held Richmond, these facts were emphasized, and e assertion was made that it requires more .re to keep a cat or a dog in a safe and sanitary mdition than to care for a child. Cats suffer om nearly all diseases to which human beings e subject. They are especially subject to phtheria and ringworm. An entire community 150 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED became infected with diphtheria from a sh cat. The speaker mentioned a case which come within his own personal knowledge which several families were infected with ri worm from a handsome pet cat. Twins Q. What is the cause of twins? A. There are two varieties of twins. Fi those in which the twins do not look alike, second, those in which they are identical in and closely resemble one another in all pa culars. Twins of the first sort are due to simultaneous fertilization of two distinct ovs embryos, each of which develops independer Identical twins are developed from a sir embryo. Early in its history the develop embryo splits in two and the two halves t develop independently into two identical hur beings. Resemblances Between Man and Apes Q. Do higher apes resemble man in ot respects than anatomical structure? A. Professor R. L. Garner, who has devc many years of his life to the study of the n like apes of Africa in their native forests made many interesting observations of the ha and social conditions of these creatures. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 151 5 that they resemble in very many respects lower human races. They live upon the na- 1 products of the forest, chiefly fruits, nuts, green shoots. L'hev sleep on the back or side, like human gs, and often make their beds 18 to 25 feet i the ground. They have acute sight and espe- y hearing, but their sense of smell is not h better developed than that of man. The Dd of gestation is probably seven months, n births are exceedingly rare. Females are tally mature at from 7 to 9 years; males a or two later. The usual duration of life is 21 years. Rights of ownership are well ected among them." Smoke Is smoke injurious to health? . The smoke nuisance has come to be one le most glaring evils of city life, especially in strial communities. Recent experiments in- to that the enormous financial loss which oc- through the contamination of the atmosphere smoke is but a very small part of the in- produced. Coal smoke contains among r poisonous substances sulphurous acid gas. 1 gas is poisonous to all living things. Its : properties are well shown by its poisonous :ts produced upon plants. Very sensitive 152 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED plants, such as fir trees, are injured by one part of sulphurous acid gas in one million parts ot air. The curious fact was noted that the in- jury to plants by sulphurous acid is much greater during daylight than during night; it is also greater in spring than in winter. Sulphurous acid interferes with the process of assimilation in the plant. The pine tree, in fact all cone bearing trees, are found to be highly sensitive to the influence of smoke poisons. It cannot be doubted that similar injuries are inflicted upon the sensitive organism of young children and even older persons who are constantly sub- jected to the influence of a smoke laden atmos- phere. Body Consumption in Starvation Q. What portions of the body are first at- tacked when food is withdrawn? A. The calorimeter studies of the human body as well as of dogs, rabbits and other ani- mals, show that in starvation the body first con- sumes its store of glycogen or carbohydrates. Even this, however, are not entirely used up, although at the end of three days only a small fraction of the normal store of glycogen which amounts to about four per cent of the weight of the body is found remaining. The fats are absorbed only after the carbohydrates have been A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 153 consumed. The protein or albuminous tissues are attacked simultaneously and in increasing amount as the fat is consumed. First of all in fasting such portions of protein as have not been assimilated but are, so to speak, afloat in the body are burned. Then the carbohydrates are at- tacked and lastly the fats. Protein is necessarily burned first for the reason that there is no pro- vision made in the body for storing protein while carbohydrates are stored as glycogen, any sur- plus being converted into fat and stored as adi- pose tissue. Reproduction of Body Cells Q. How are the cells of the body repro- duced? A. Cells have a limited life. They are con- stantly dying. New cells must be formed from foodstuffs. They cannot be formed from the materials of dead cells. When a cell dies, its ma- terial is disintegrated and cast out of the body. It has normally no further utilization in the body. This fact affords a strong hint that animal tissue cannot be the best source for nutrient ma- terial for the human body. Otherwise, why should not the body use the remnants of its own tissues when crippled by use? A further strik- ing fact also appears : the tissues of animals must always contain a very considerable amount 154 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED of material derived from dead cells. All the cells of animal flesh are dead. It is rather sur- prising indeed that any utilizable material can be obtained from flesh. In the case of a machine, worn-out parts may be recast into new parts, but in the animal body this cannot be done. Worn parts are wholly dis- carded and new parts must be constructed out of new material derived from the daily food, and in part, from stored material. Suspended Animation Q. Are the reports of long suspended ani- mation in animals confirmed by scientific in- vestigation? A. It is well known that frogs and fishes may be preserved alive for months imbedded in blocks of ice or frozen mud, and when restored to activity by being slowly thawed out are ap- parently wholly uninjured by the long exposure to a low temperature. Recent experiments have shown that round worms may be so thoroughly dried that they are flat like strips of paper, and may be kept for months in this condition, yet when soaked in water the dried worms may be in a few moments restored to a perfectly healthy appearance and activity. The conclusion is that although most of the functions of life are sus- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 155 pended in these cases a small degree of vital activity still remain ; in other words actual death does not occur. Life in Detached Body Tissue Q. May the cells or tissues of the body con- tinue to live and grow after separation from it? A. Dr. Carrel, has within the last few years succeeded in cultivating various tissues outside of the body. A fragment of the heart of a chicken planted in lymph in a few hours had at- tained a size five times that of the original frag- ment and continued' to grow for months. The fragment of tissue continued to beat regularly in the new medium. After a day or two it was noted that the beating would cease, but if the tis- sue were placed in a temperature a little above freezing for a day or two, when warmed up again the beating would recommence and continue for twenty-four hours or more. The resting in the cold was found to be necessary to allow the tissues to get rid of the fatigue poisons. In other experi- ments Dr. Carrel succeeded in replacing one kid- ney of a cat by a kidney from another cat. After a time the other kidney was also replaced so that the cat, although both kidneys had been removed was apparently in perfect health through the ac- 156 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED tivity of the kidneys obtained from two other cats. The experiment was not successful however, for it was found that after some months the transplanted kidneys underwent degeneration. Hope is entertained that sometime it may be- come possible to transplant important organs from one person to another. Ozone Q. What is ozone and is it a very valuable remedy for consumption? A. Ozone is a very active form of oxygen. When inhaled even in very dilute form it is high- ly irritating. It has many times been tried in the treatment of consumption but has proved to be entirely useless. Density of the Air Q. What is the difference in the amount of oxygen present in the air on a mountain top and at sea level? A. The density of air depends upon the weight of the overlying atmosphere. It varies slightly at different times of the year, and in different parts of the world, and with the amount of vapor which it contains. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 157 The air becomes rapidly less dense, as one rises above the sea level. At an elevation of two and seven-tenths miles, the amount of oxygen contained in a given quantity of air will be pro- portionately lessened, one-half what it is at sea level. It is calculated that at a height of 100 miles the pressure is one one-millionth of that at the earth's surface. The boiling point which at sea level is 21 2** F., diminishes one degree for every 350 feet of elevation above sea level. At the top of a high mountain, as mount Shasta, water boils at about 170° F. Epilepsy Q. What is the cause of epilepsy? A. The most eminent nerve specialists are now agreed that in the majority of cases epilepsy is due to bad heredity or constitutional defect of some sort. It is hence evident that for a radical cure the treatment of an epileptic must begin be- fore he is born. The inherent defect which mani- fests itself in epilepsy may be inherited from either the father or the mother. Alcohol, syphilis, lead poisoning and probably many other in- fections may so impair the germ plasm of the parents or injure the developing embryo as to give rise to epilepsy. There are, of course, cases in which the disease is due to the growth of a tumor in the brain. These cases are com- 158 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED paratively rare. In the majority of cases of epilepsy, according to Dr. Williams, former superintendent of the State Epileptic Institution of New Jersey, the family history shows epilepsy if not in the parents, in an uncle, aunt, cousin, or some other near relative. Dr. Williams insists that children born in families with an epileptic heredity should be placed under special treat- ment and training before the active symptoms of the disease develop. Dr. Derkum of Philadel- phia, one of the leading nerve specialists of the United States, insists that the best remedy for epilepsy is the simple life, what he terms, "the back-to-Nature cure." Out of door life, abundant exercise in the open air, simple non- stimulating food, general health culture — these are the most effective means recognized to combat this grave disease. When the laws of eugenics come to be bet- ter understood and their bearing upon race welfare better appreciated, no doubt legal re- strictions will be placed upon the marriage of epileptics as a most effective means of prevent- ing the increase of defectives of this class. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 159 Breast Hardening Q. What should be done for the lumps rhich sometimes form in the breast especially bout the time of the menopause ? A. When painful lumps are found in the reast a competent surgeon should be consulted. ,umps which grow or which cause retraction of le nipple, should be removed at once. Artificial Respiration Q. What is the best method of administer- ig artificial respiration? A. One of the best methods is known as the ylvester method. After clearing the mouth of dirt and saliva, nd drawing the tongue forward, the patient is dd upon the back with the shoulders and head ightly raised. The operator then kneels be- nd his head, grasps the arms just above the el- dws, and draws them steadily upward until ley meet above the head. By this means, the bs are elevated, and inspiration is produced, he arms are then brought down to the sides i the chest, the ribs being compressed against le chest, so as to produce expiration. These lovements are to be repeated twelve to sixteen mes a minute. 160 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Asthma Q. What is the cause of asthma? Can it be cured? A. Asthma is generally curable. There are at least three kinds of asthma. One kind is due to intestinal toxemia upon the colon and trn* is the most common. Poisons absorbed from the colon and excreted through the lungs, irritate the small air passages and cause them to contract and pro- duce a spasm, so that the inhaled air cannot be readily gotten out of the lungs. Another form which is less common is due to bronchial catarrh, which causes irritation of the small air passages and causes them to con- tract. Still another form is due to a diseased con- dition of the heart so that the organ is not able to carry the blood away from the lungs and they become congested. All of these conditions may be relieved. Asthma due to disease of the colon can be cured in a short time. Asthma due to bron- chial catarrh is also usually amenable to treat- ment. Asthma which is due to heart disease may be helped, but cannot always be cured. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 161 Artificial Light Q. What kind of artificial light is best for the eyes? A. A soft diffused light. Brilliant light should never strike the retina of the eye. Artificial Lighting and Eye Disease Q. Is it probable that modern methods of artificial lighting are the cause of the apparent increase of eye disease in recent times? A. It is probable that certain forms of ar- tificial light are highly injurious to the eyes. Scientific experiment has shown that a com- bination of red and yellow rays are most agree- able, and least injurious, to the eye. The light furnished by the old fashioned candle and the kerosene lamp was most wholesome for the eye as regards quality, although frequently de- ficient in quantity. White light contains actinic rays, which are pernicious, and light which is capable of producing tanning of the skin is unquestionably injurious to the eyes. It has been found that workmen in glass factories, and other industries in which the eyes are con- stantly exposed to bright light are very subject to cataract. It is quite possible that the great brilliancy of the most improved forms of lamps 162 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED now used in house lighting may be responsible for many cases of cataract and other forms of eye disease. The indirect and semi-indirect systems of lighting are unquestionably a very great improvement, since they serve to protect the eye from the brilliant rays of the incandes- cent film. Eye Lotion Q. Is borax solution good for inflamed eyes? A. No. Borax is often useful as a skin lotion but should not be used for the eyes. Boracic acid is highly useful, as has been long known; but in borax the acid is combined with an irri- tating alkali and so borax should not be used in applications to so delicate a surface as the mucous membrane of the eye. A saturated solution of boracic acid dropped into the eye several times a day is highly useful for inflamed eyelids. Acidosis Q. What is acidosis? A. Acidosis relates to a condition of the body in which acids are predominant. Under nor- mal conditions the fluids of the body are neu- tral. In certain conditions of disease the normal balance is destroyed. This condition is very commonly present in many forms of chronic dis- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 163 ease, such as Bright's disease, which some emin- ent authorities believe to be due to an over ac- cumulation of acids in the tissues. There are two forms of acidosis, true acidosis and relative acidosis. True acidosis is a condition in which acids have accumulated in the body to so great an extent that they can no longer be neutral- ized, while relative acidosis is not due to the accumulation of acids, but rather to loss of alkalies. Relative acidosis is a condition almost wholly confined to children in whom it some- times though rarely occurs as a result of acid fermentations in the intestines. The source of these acid fermentations is an excess of fat in the food. The fats ferment, producing butyric acid. The body secretes alkalies to neutralize the acids and thus the body is robbed of its al- kaline substances. The condition of relative acidosis sometimes occurs also as a result of diarrhea in which the alkalies of the body are discharged more rapidly than they can be re- placed. Acetone Q. What is the cause of acetone? A. Acetone found in the breath and urine, especially in diabetes, is the result of imperfect burning of fat. It is on this account that great care must be taken in feeding diabetics to avoid giving an ex- 164 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED cess of fat, although, of course it is necessar) that the amount of fat should be very greatl) increased in many cases of diabetes in which i 1 is often necessary to give the patient three times the amount of fat called for by the standard ration. Air Swallowing Q. Is the swallowing of air a common com- plaint? A. The habit of swallowing air was form- erly supposed to be very rare. It is now knowr that most people who think they are suffering from gas on the stomach are really addicted tc the habit of swallowing air. Discomfort ir the stomach gives rise to a peculiar musculai movement, as a result of which air is drawr down into the stomach. The patient thinks thai he is expelling gas from the stomach when the real fact is that he is filling his stomach up with air by swallowing it. At intervals the ac- cumulated air will be belched out of the stom- ach and then the swallowing will begin again The best means of temporary relief is to oper the mouth wide and take deep breaths. It is a good plan to swallow one or two glassfuls oi hot water. Air swallowing is frequently a habit which can be broken only by a strong ef- fort of the will. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 165 Bronchitis Q. What is the cause of bronchitis? 'A. Chronic bronchial catarrh is most fre- quently the result of constipation. The poisons ibsorbed from the colon are eliminated through the lungs and irritate the mucous membrane, giving rise to an increased secretion. The vital resistance is at the same time lowered, by which neans the growth of germs in the air passage is encouraged. The greatest benefit is likely to De derived from securing three thorough move- ments of the bowels daily by natural and unirri- tating means, by proper regulation of the diet, discarding flesh foods of all kinds, and by build- ing up the general health in every possible way. In most cases of chronic bronchitis the skin s dingy or pigmented, the tongue coated, the breath bad, and there are many other evidences Df intestinal toxemia or auto-intoxication. This condition must be cured by change of diet and increased bowel activity. The skin may be im- proved by the electric light bath three or four times a week, followed by cold friction, the air bath and oil rubbing every day and sun bathing tt"hen possible. The chest pack is one of the best measures of relieving the cough. To encourage expectora- tion, use the chest pack at night or even night 166 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED and day, and drink - hot water freely, three or four pints during the day. A non-flesh diet is essential; also the avoidance of condiments, and salt should be used very sparingly, the less the better. Burns Q. What is the best method of treating burns? A. Slight burns in which the skin is not broken are best treated by the application of talcum powder, bismuth or powdered alum. In cases in which much pain is present relief may be obtained by applying a compress wet with two to five per cent of subacetate of aluminum. When the pain is relieved the compress should be removed and powder applied. In a few days the skin peels off and the parts rapidly be- come normal. In more severe burns in which the skin is badly blistered there is always much pain. Compresses with the aluminum subace- tate solution should be constantly applied. The compresses should not be allowed to get dry. Cheese cloth is the best material. It should be laid over the affected parts and kept constantly moist with the solution. To prevent drying the compress is covered with oiled silk or mus- lin. Avoid the use of carron oil, ointments, and other greasy preparations. Blisters, when distended with serum should be carefully punc- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 167 tured and shreds of tissue and skin should be removed. When the pain is relieved and the healing process begun it is found to be advan- tageous to expose the parts to the air without covering for one to three hours daily. Dry tal- cum powder or bismuth is then sprinkled over the rough surface and a sterilized gauze com- press is applied. Burns usually recover in a week or ten days. Later, to prevent formation of crusts, vaselin containing two or three per cent of boric acid may be applied. In very bad burns in which the injury extends to a considerable depth, cheese cloth compresses wet with a solution of aluminum subacetate should be constantly used until the dead parts separate. The line of division between the live and the dead tissues will usually appear by the third or fourth day. Care should be taken to avoid tear- ing away the dead parts so as to induce bleed- ing as this will cause opening of the blood ves- sels and infection. If there is much pus forma- tion and fever, a compress wet in a solution of bichloride, one part to two thousand may be use- fully employed. After a healthy granular sur- face appears, the healing may be greatly en- couraged by skin grafting. After grafts are ap- plied the wound should be exposed to the air for one to three hours every day. The expos- ure to the air forms a slight dry film under which the newly formed tissue develops rapidly. 168 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED After exposure to the air lint covered with vaselin containing two per cent boric acid is applied to prevent the formation of crusts. When a large surface is involved it is a good plan to cover the, raw surface with gutta percha tissue in which numerous holes are made to allow the escape of serum; over this is applied a cheese- cloth compress, which is kept moistened with a solution containing three to five per cent of common salt and one per cent of citrate of soda. Old sores resulting from burns may be stim- ulated to rapid healing by exposure to the direct sunlight or arc light rays for an hour daily. A new method of treating burns has been de- veloped recently in one of the field hospitals of France. The method consists of spraying the burned surface with a preparation consisting of paraffin molding wax or resin in solution. A mixture of paraffin oil and paraffin wax equal parts works nearly as well as the proprietary preparation. It is heated to 150 F. by putting the container in hot water, and is applied with an atomizer after carefully cleansing and drying the burned surface. After the first layer has been applied, a thin layer of cotton is put on and then more of the paraffin is sprayed on. It is applied twice a day. The results are most ex- cellent. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 169 Gar Sickness Q. How may car sickness be prevented? A. Before taking a trip upon the cars be careful to have the bowels thoroughly evacuated. Make the diet consist of cereals and fruits, avoiding fats and wholly discarding meats. While riding on the cars keep the head in a horizontal position. Do not attempt to read. Do not look out of the car windows. If pos- sible, lie down and keep the eyes closed. Cramped Legs Q. What is the cause of cramping of the leg muscles? A. Cramping of the muscles of the legs is a frequent neurasthenic symptom. A very painful form sometimes occurs in elderly people as a result of hardening of the arteries of the legs. A cramping muscle can generally be relieved by firm pressure made by grasping the limb with the hands. Relieving Leg Cramps at Night Q. "What will relieve cramps in the legs, occuring at night in bed? A. A hot leg bath just before retiring, to be followed by a heating compress to be worn during the night, will afford relief. For the 170 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED heating compress, a cotton stocking wrung quite dry out of cold water, and worn with a woolen stocking over it will answer the purpose; or a towel wrung dry out of very cold water, ap- plied to the leg and covered with mackintosh and flannel. Creaking Joints Q. What are the probable causes of crack- ing of the joints of the feet, legs, and wrist? A. Creaking of the knee joints is usually due to arthritis. Diabetes Q. Is diabetes curable? A. In the majority of cases the disease is not curable in the strict sense of the word, but in nearly all cases the sugar may be made to disappear from the urine and the patient may be made able to live a comfortable and useful life for many years. Cause of Diabetes Q. What is the cause of diabetes? A. It is now generally believed that diabetes is in most cases caused by a disease of the pancreas. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 171 Diet Schedule for Diabetes Q. Is there any reliable rule of diet which a diabetic patient may follow after get- ting the urine free from sugar by fasting? A. Yes. The following schedule has long been in use at the Battle Creek Sanitarium in such cases, though, of course, some variations are necessary to suit individual cases : Diabetic Diet Schedule Energy intake calculated for body weight of 130 pounds (59 kilos). Carbohydrate Protein Fat Total Day Cal. Cal. Cal. Cal. Cal. Cal. Cal. Cal. Cal. per per per per per pound poun d pound pound kil. 1 65 .5 195 1.5 260 2.0 520 4.0 8.8 2 130 1.0 195 1.5 390 3.0 715 5.5 12.1 3 195 1.5 195 1.5 520 4.0 910 7.0 15.4 4 260 2.0 195 1.5 650 5.0 1105 8.5 18.7 5 325 2.5 195 1.5 780 6.0 1300 10.0 22.0 6 338 2.6 195 1.5 845 6.5 1378 10.6 23.3 7 351 2.7 195 1.5 910 7.0 1465 11.2 24.6 8 364 2.8 195 1.5 975 7.5 1534 11.8 26.0 9 377 2.9 195 1.5 1040 8.0 1612 12.4 27.3 10 390 3.0 195 1.5 1105 8.5 1690 13.0 28.6 11 416 3.2 195 1.5 1170 9.0 1781 13.7 30.1 12 442 3.4 195 1.5 1235 9.5 1872 14.4 31.7 13 468 3.6 195 1.5 1300 10.0 1963 15.1 33.2 14 494 3.8 195 1.5 1300 10.0 1989 15.3 33.7 15 520 4.0 195 1.5 1300 10.0 2015 15.5 34.1 Work ration 650 5.0 195 1.5 1560 12.0 2405 18.0 39.6 172 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Dry Mouth Q. What is the cause of dryness of mouth and tongue at night? A. The cause may be sleeping with the mouth open or a feverish condition. Mouth breathing is almost always due to nasal obstruction. If due to fever at night there is perhaps ground for suspicion that some chronic disease, as tu- berculosis of the lungs, may be getting a foot- hold. White Patches in Mouth Q. What is the cause and remedy of small white sores on inside of the mouth? A. The condition described is probably aphthae. In children the mouth should always be washed out with a clean wet cloth immedi- ately after feeding, for food remnants left in the mouth form the best possible soil for the production of the disease. An acid state of the stomach and a feeble condition of the sys- tem favor the production of this condition. The use of sour fruits and raw tomatoes are sometimes the exciting factors. Rinse the mouth often with boracic acid solution or peroxide of hydrogen in water. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 173 Foul Breath Q. What is the cause of a foul breath? A. There are many minor causes, such as decaying teeth, chronic nasal catarrh, and dis- eased tonsils, but the principal cause is consti- pation. The poisons absorbed from the colon are discharged through the lungs giving a fecal odor to the breath. The remedy is to adopt an antitoxic diet and to train the bowels to move three times a day. Enlarged Finger Joints Q. What causes enlarged finger joints? A. The condition is probably rheumatic in character, and is often connected with dilatation of the stomach. It is practically incurable, though further progress of the disease may often be arrested by careful regulation of the diet and by proper treatment. The fingers should be soaked in hot water for ten minutes twice daily, and afterward the hands should be dipped in cold water for a few seconds, then rubbed and flexed. If quite painful, the rubbing should be gentle, simply passing the hands over the joints with moderate pressure. A moist bandage consisting of two or three thicknesses of cheese cloth wet in cold water, and well wrung, should 174 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED be wrapped around the joints, covered with flannel and mackintosh, to be retained during the night. Massage of the joints with olive or cocoanut oil or white vaseline is excellent. Numb Fingers Q. What causes numbness and tingling in the finger ends when they become cold? What is a good remedy? A. A disturbed circulation. Bathing the hands alternately in hot and cold water morning and night for ten or fifteen minutes, and mas- sage, are useful measures. The real cause of this condition in most cases is intestinal auto- intoxication, which is a common result of chronic constipation. The condition of the fingers should receive attention promptly, since it may easily develop into a most serious con- dition known as "dead finger." Exposure of the parts to the rays of the arc light or the quart light is an excellent means of stimulating the tissues and restoring a normal condition. Exposure to the sun's rays is an equally efficient method. Care must be taken to protect the fingers from the cold. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 175 Foreign Bodies Swallowed Q. Do foreign bodies do much harm in the stomach and may they be safely removed? A. Small coins, buttons, and other round objects, generally create no very great disturb- ance if they reach the stomach, as they usually do. Much unnecessary alarm is often felt when articles of this kind have been swallowed. Even pins and needles are generally successfully passed through the intestine if they reach the stomach. The intestine shows marvelous intelli- gence in dealing with these sharp objects. Pro- fessor Roger has shown by experiments upon animals that when a pin is placed in the intes- tine with the point downward and sticking into the intestinal wall, the intestine promptly turns the pin over, giving the head a down-stream di- rection, thus preventing penetration of the in- testine. When any sharp or angular object has been swallowed which may possibly injure the stomach or intestines, the danger of injury may be frequently lessened by giving large quanti- ties of potatoes and other bulky vegetables, so as to distend the stomach and bowels and thus give plenty of room for the passage of the for- eign body. When the substance swallowed is of a metallic character, its location may easily be determined by means of the x-ray. Frequently such 176 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED bodies are discharged from the bowels without their escape being noticed. In such cases the x-ray examination will render great service by removing cause for further anxiety. Fever Q. What is the cause of fever? A. Fever may result from an increase of heat production or deficient heat elimination. The principal cause of the rise of temperature in fever has been shown to be due to dimin- ished elimination of heat. The sweat glands become paralyzed, the skin is dry, so that little evaporation takes place from the surface. Diet in Fever Q. Should fever patients be fed? A. It is highly important that fever patients should receive a proper amount of food and food of the right sort. Physiologic experiments have shown that during fever, especially when the temperature is high, the muscles, glands and blood are rapidly destroyed. This is the reason for the great weakness as well as emaciation of the fever patient whose temperature has run very high for some days. From careful investigations May reached the conclusion that the destruction of the tissues in fever is due to the lack of car- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 177 bohydrates. More recently conducted experiments show that by feeding an abundance of carbohy- drates the wasting of the muscles and the ex- traordinary weakening of the body which fre- quently occurs may be prevented. This is a mat- ter of very great importance. It is also interesting to note that these scientific experiments confirm the practical observations made long ago by physicians that the best diet for fever patients consists of farinaceous preparations, fruits and fruit juices. Neimeyer, the eminent German physician, fed his fever patients on fruit soup, a very popular dish in Germany. Hippocrates, the noted physician of ancient Greece, recom- mended for fever patients a thin gruel prepared from barley — "ptisan." The starvation plan of treating fever patients is known to be positively dangerous and should be abandoned. The diet should consist of fruits, fruit juices and cereal preparations. The juice of fresh or dried fruits is greatly to be preferred to cooked fruits for the reason that cooking de- stroys the precious vitamines of which the fever patient stands greatly in need. VonHoesslin demonstrated long ago that fever patients should be given quite a liberal supply of food of the right sort to prevent the great weakening which is certain to occur from the combined influence of the fever processes and starvation. 178 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Goiter Q. Please give the cause of goitre, and sug- gest methods of cure? A. There are several forms of goitre — ex- ophthalmic goitre or Grave's disease, is prob- ably due to auto-intoxication. Ordinary goitre is now believed to be due to a parasite infection derived from impure water. Gout Q. What is the best diet for gout? A. Gout is due to an accumulation of uric acid in the body. The diet best adapted for per- sons suffering from gout is such a diet as will enable them to eliminate uric acid from the sys- tem. Since uric acid is a result of meat eating, meat should, of course, be discarded. Doctor Hinhede, an eminent Scandinavian physician who has given much attention to the study of diet, and who has, for many years, ad- vocated a low-protein and non-flesh dietary, has recently published the results of extended ex- periments with various exclusive diets, especially in relation to uric acid, in which he found that when the diet consisted of potatoes only the urine was but slightly acid and contained no uric acid. He finally discovered that the urine from a potato A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 179 diet was capable of dissolving from one-half dram to a dram of uric acid daily. This was found to be true, also, when strawberries or milk, or both, were taken with the potatoes. A diet consisting largely of apples or tomatoes produced similar results. Hay Fever Q. What is the cause of hay-fever? A. The pollen of plants. There are one hundred twenty-five different kinds of pollen known to produce hay- fever. Even morning- glories will cause hay-fever in some people. Different people are affected by different plants. Remedy for Hay Fever Q. What can be done for this distressing malady? A. The best remedy for hay fever is a change of residence to a location which is free from the cause of the disease. It is now known that hay fever is due to a combination of two things, — first, a susceptible nasal mucous membrane, and second, the pollen of certain plants which, float- ing in the air, is inhaled and sets up the irritation characteristic of this disease. There is now sold in most drug stores an antitoxic substance pre- pared from the pollen of plants which give rise 180 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED to hay fever and which is very useful as a means of mitigating this really unpleasant malady. Special vaccines are also prepared and used with great success. Patients suffering from hay fever are often wonderfully relieved by being placed in a very cold room (temp. 30° F. to 0° F.) for an hour or two. The relief often lasts for several hours and so may insure a good night's rest. The services of a nose and throat specialist should always be secured in advance of the ex- pected attack. In the morning, at night and at other times, lightly smearing the lining of the nostrils with vaselin protects the sensitive mucous membrane. The Cause of Typhus Fever The cause of this grave disease, until recently a profound mystery, has been now clearly shown to be a minute micro-organism which is communi- cated to human beings by the body louse. The fact that the louse is an active carrier of the in- fection was first shown by Plotz. Recent work done in Mexico by Olitsky and others confirm the work of Plotz, and it may now be regarded as definitely proven that typhus fever is caused by the bite of infected body lice. A vaccine has been produced by the use of which a person may be rendered immune to this disease. Of more A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 181 than eight thousand persons vaccinated, and who were thoroughly exposed to the disease, only six contracted the disease. It has been observed that typhus fever is much less severe and fatal in certain races, particularly Jews and Arabs. It is a curious fact that typhus fever is chiefly con- fined to the colder regions of the earth. This is because the body louse is more active in cold latitudes, being rendered lethargic by heat. Sprue Due to a Fungus Infection A study of sprue by Brown confirms the view that this disease is due to infection by a fungus, monilia, allied to the fungus which produces thrush. His observations also show that the pan- creatic secretion is lacking in this disease and the patients are benefited by the use of pancreatic extracts. Prevention of Hay Fever Q. Is there any way in which a locality can be freed from hay fever? A. This is a new question in public health, but one that promises fair to be answered satis- factorily. Through the efforts of the American Hay Fever Prevention Association, the city of New Orleans has recently adopted a hay fever ordi- nance, which provides that the tenant or owner 182 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED of any premises shall not permit weeds or grass over two feet in height to grow or stand on such premises, or permit weeds or grass over one foot in height to grow or stand on the sidewalk abut- ting such premises. In commenting on this ordi- nance, which has been hailed as the first of its kind to be adopted in America, the New York City Department of Health calls attention to Sec- tion 221 of the New York Sanitary Code, which was adopted a year ago and reads as follows: "Growth of poison ivy and rag weed prohibited. No person owning, occupying, or having charge of any lot or premises in the City of New York shall cause, suffer, or allow poison ivy, rag weed, or other poisonous weed to grow therein or there- on in such manner that any part of such ivy, rag weed, or other poisonous weed shall extend upon, overhang, or border upon any public place, or allow the seed pollen or other poisonous particles or emanations therefrom to be carried through the air into any public place." Hodgkin's Disease Q. What are the nature, symptoms and cure of Hodgkin's disease? If not curable, can its progress be retarded by proper living. A. The cause of this disease has not yet been satisfactorily determined. It is probably allied to tuberculosis. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 183 This disease has generally been regarded as incurable. Recently however, the application of the x-ray, by the so-called intensive method has secured results which give some promise of suc- cess. A person suffering from this disease should place himself under the care of a com- petent physician and an up-to-date x-ray spe- cialist. Hiccough Q. What is the cause of hiccough and how may it be relieved? A. Hiccough is produced by a sudden spasm of the diaphragm. It may be excited by eating too much, thus causing indigestion and irri- tation of the stomach, drinking a large quantity of cold water, or by long continued or im- moderate laughter. It also occurs, sometimes, in the last stages of wasting diseases, when it is re- garded as a very grave symptom, indicating ap- proaching dissolution. Treatment: Hiccough can generally be stopped by taking a very small sip of very cold water or swallowing a small piece of ice. It may also generally be checked by holding the breath a long time, so as to interrupt the paroxysm, which occurs at regular intervals. 184 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED (Vhen it is very obstinate, and is evidently the result of indigestion, 'the stomach should be washed out with a stomach tube. Hookworm Q. What is the nature of hookworm? A. This disease is one of the most prevalent, most harmful and most certainly curable of all diseases. It is more or less prevalent through- out the world. More than half the population of the globe are exposed to this malady. The dis- ease was known to the ancient Egyptians, al- though its cause was not understood. It is less than a hundred years since the discovery of the hookworm by an Italian physician. It was first discovered in this country in Porto Rico in 1899. Three years later it was discovered in the south- ern states. It is believed that the disease was brought to this country through the slave trade. In some parts of the South ninety per cent of the whole population are found affected by this disease. It is more frequent in country dis- tricts than in cities. It is especially prevalent among the so-called mountain whites of the South. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 185 Lightning Stroke Q. What should be done in a case of lightning stroke? A. Suspended respiration in consequence of lightning stroke, calls for the application of arti- ficial respiration. Any one of the methods may be employed. Burns, fracture of the bones, paralysis, and various other injuries which re- sult by injury from lightning should be treated as when produced by other causes. Resuscitation After Electric Shock Q. What is the best means of reviving a person who has been rendered unconscious and apparently killed by electric shock? A. It has long been known that the same methods which have been found useful after drowning or asphyxia from smoke are also ser- viceable and often successful in cases of electric shock. Artificial respiration by any of the sev- eral methods elsewhere described should be ap- plied at the earliest possible moment. The tongue should be pulled forward by seizing with a hand- kerchief or a bit of cloth, and should be held forward to keep the throat clear. If necessary the jaws are propped open by a thick fold of cloth or paper placed between the teeth. 186 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED The best means of applying artificial respiration is the pulmotor. This instrument should always be at hand where there is danger of injury from electric shock. The apparatus is automatic when once set in operation and is most efficient. It fills the lungs with oxygen and then empties the lungs and fills them again thus continuing until the supply of compressed oxygen is gone. The lung motor is a pump which may be used in a similar manner, but is somewhat less efficient. Another measure which has recently been used with success is violent slapping of the feet with a stick without removing the shoes. Lifting the legs and trunk high as possible then dropping upon the ground, the head being left upon the ground, is another method which is said to be useful. It is well to be prepared to practice all these methods in succession or more or less simultaneously as none of them are infallible. Suitable applications of water are also useful. Hot fomentations to the spine alternating every half minute with ice rubbing, may arouse the paralyzed centers of the spinal cord and thus aid in restoring normal action of the heart and lungs. Cold applications to the chest are also very useful. They should be short and accom- panied with slapping of the chest. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 187 Enlarged Lymph Glands Q. What is the cause of enlarged lymph glands ? A. The cause of enlarged lymphatic glands is usually tuberculosis. In the majority of cases recovery takes place spontaneously. This is be- cause the glands are good fighters in the first place. It is their business to resist germs. They are policemen placed about the citadel of life for the purpose of protecting it. Suppose there were a row of police — a hundred in line — standing in front of a house, and that burglars were com- pelled to fight every one of those policemen before they could get into the house; it would stand a very good chance of remaining unmolested. In just this way, the lymphatic glands are policemen. If a sliver lodges in the finger, and a nest of germs attacks the body, then the lymphatic glands in the neighborhood come to the rescue and be- come enlarged. The nearer we approach the center of the body, the greater number of glands we find to oppose the germs. Germs must fight their way through a long procession of glands before they can obtain a foothold in the interior of the body. But when germs get into the glands themselves, the power of the latter is vastly crippled. If they become seriously affected, they should be re- 188 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED moved ; yet people are often in too great a hurry to have the glands removed. They are the nat- ural barriers of the body and when they are broken down there is nothing to prevent the germs from establishing themselves in the body. Malarial Chills ■• Q. Can malarial chills be cured without medicine? A. Nearly four hundred years ago, Don Alexis, of Piedmont, Italy, was treating cases of malarial fever successfully by means of sweat- ing baths applied just before the beginning of a chill. The patients were first rubbed with hot linen cloths, then warmly wrapped and made to perspire. The same method, in one form or an- other, is still in use by the laity in various parts of the world. The writer was cured of a very severe attack of intermittent fever nearly fifty years ago by a corn sweat, prescribed by an old lady who had used it successfully in a large number of cases. The remedy often succeeds at the* very first ap- plication, though sometimes three or more ap- plications were needed, as observed by Don Alexis. Among the laity of Germany, a method em- ployed by Priessnitz, and probably in use long before his time, consisted in the cold douche. On A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 189 the first approach of a chill, several pailfuls of cold water were poured over the patient. He was then vigorously rubbed, put to bed, wrapped with woolen blankets, and made to perspire vigor- ously. This method answers very well in persons with strong constitutions. A combination of the two methods is most effective. It must be added that while the cure of ma- larial infection is often possible without the use of quinine, in most cases it is well to use quinine in connection with the methods outlined above. By this means the treatment succeeds more quickly. The dose of quinine required is small, usually not more than five grains repeated at proper intervals until fifteen or twenty grains have been taken. Mouth-Breathing Q. How may mouth-breathing be cor- rected? A. The nose should have attention. There is probably more or less obstruction of one or both nostrils. If the habit still continues, the mouth should be closed by some suitable appliance dur- ing sleep. A thin strip of celluloid fitted in be- tween the lips and the teeth answers the pur- pose very well. The lips may be closed by strips of adhesive plaster. Mouth-breathing during sleep is evidence of the 190 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED presence of adenoids. A nose and throat specialist should be consulted and the adenoids should be removed, the earlier the better, as mouth-breath- ing gives rise to malformations of the upper jaw, and also of the nasal and other facial bones, and defects of speech, while the diseased condition to which the adenoids is due may extend into the Eustachian tubes, and may even affect the hear- ing. Miental impairment also has been traced to adenoids and other conditions which give rise to mouth-breathing. The Pulmotor Q. What is the pulmotor? A. The most successful method of applying artificial respiration is by means of the pul- motor, a new invention by means of which oxygen is forced into the lungs, making the chest act as in ordinary respiration. This method has been successful in reviving persons who have apparently been dead for some minutes. It should always be used in cases of suspended re- spiration from whatever cause. It has been especially successful in cases of apparent death from electrical shock. In choking, strangling, hanging, and when- ever respiration is suspended by any cause what- ever, the methods of artificial respiration de- scribed should be employed. In cases of A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 191 suspended respiration from the use of chloroform or any anesthetic, the head should be placed lower than other parts of the body. In case of heart failure, sharp percussion over the heart should be tried and repeated many times. Rhythmical traction of the tongue is a method for restoring respiration, which should never be neglected. Pneumonia Q. . Is there any drug which will cure pneu- monia? A. It is now known that pneumonia is an in- fectious disease and it runs a regular course like measles, small pox and other contagious diseases. It is also probably infectious like these diseases. No intelligent physician at the present time will administer drugs to a pneumonia patient with the expectation that the pneumonia will be cured thereby; in fact there is no treatment which will cure pneumonia, but there are many simple measures of treatment which are of great service in the disease. Among these are the cold com- press or ice bag to the chest during the early stages of the disease which is a most efficient means of relieving cough and pain and lessen- ing the intensity of the disease. The cold ap- plication should be removed for five minutes about once in twenty minutes. When there is much pain a short hot fomentation may be ap- 192 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED plied for two or three hours. A hot blanket pack from the hips down is an excellent means of re- lieving pulmonary congestion. The patient should take a glass of water every hour. The bowels should be opened by means of enemas administered two or three times a day. The patient is greatly benefited by being kept in the open air. In one of the largest children's hospitals in New York very young children who are suffering from pneumonia are kept out of doors, constantly, even during the very coldest weather. They are of course well wrapped to prevent chilling. The children are permitted to breathe very cold air with the greatest possible benefit. Many apparently hopeless cases have thus been saved. A prolonged very hot bath taken in the beginning of an attack of pneumonia may lessen the intensity of the disease and shorten its course. Fomentations exercise a favorable influence upon the cough. Sipping hot water is also an excellent measure for relieving cough. How to Prevent Pneumonia Q. Is pneumonia catching? Can it be pre- vented or avoided? A. Recent investigations have shown that there are four types of pneumonia, varying in virulence and fatality. One form of the disease A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 193 is produced by germs which are found in the mouths of people who live in cities. This form of the disease, fortunately, produces a very mild type of the disease and is rarely fatal. The other types of pneumonia are caught by infection from other persons just as is typhoid fever, small pox and measles. The germs of pneumonia are sent into the air by coughing, sneezing and speaking. In this way the infection is scattered. Persons who have apparently recovered from pneumonia often carry the germs in the nasal secretions and sputum for weeks, possibly longer, and thus be- come carriers of the disease. Two things are necessary to produce pneu- monia, a pneumonia germ and a susceptible pa- tient. A person whose resistance is sufficiently high may meet any numher of pneumonia germs without danger. The germs are received, but they are unable to obtain a foothold and develop the characteristic disease. Fresh air in abundance day and night, care in diet, avoidance of poison habits, alcohol, to- bacco, tea, coffee, etc., daily cold bathing, avoid- ance of contact with persons suffering from pneu- monia, grip or hard colds, these are the principal means Of increasing resistance and combating the disease. 194 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Pellagra and Meat Diet Q. Is a meat diet necessary in pellagra? A. In the investigation of the cause of pellagra made by the United States Public Health Service the conclusion was reached that the real cause of pellagra was not to be found in moldy corn or any form of infection but in a defective dietary. Meat was among the articles recommended as beneficial in pellagra cases. Meat is not necessary to prevent pellagra. The conviction is gaining ground among physicians that the cause of pellagra is a lack of vita- mines in the food. It is true that vitamines are present in meat but the amount of vitamines present in flesh foods is not greater than that found in most vegetable foods ; indeed, vitamines are much more plentiful in certain vegetables than in meats; this is particularly true of peas and beans. In speaking upon this subject Doctor Goldberger admitted that the use of meat was not necessary provided eggs, milk, peas or beans were supplied. Observations made in the treat- ment of beri-beri and allied diseases showed that the addition of beans to the diet was a much more efficient method in curing and preventing beri-beri than the use of meat. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 195 Enlargement of the Prostate Gland Q. What is the cause of this condition and how may it be remedied? A. Men only are subject to this disease. The prostate gland in men is a structure analogous to the womb or uterus in women. Chronic en- largement of the prostate gland is a condition closely akin to the development of fibroid tumors of the uterus. A temporary enlargement of the prostate gland may be due to inflammation. In such cases increased activity of the bowels, the avoidance of irritating condiments and flesh foods and copious water drinking are measures which should not be neglected. A very hot sitz bath or a hot hip and leg pack are the best means of affording relief from pain. These applications may be repeated several times a day. After the pain subsides colder baths may be used. A pro- longed sitz bath at 80° to 70° F. continued for ten or fifteen minutes is the best means of com- bating congestion which follows acute inflam- mation. Chronic enlargement of the prostate gland is a very serious condition quite common in men past middle life. It is, in fact one of the gravest conditions to which men in ad- vanced years are subject, and is the cause of an enormous amount of suffering and not a few deaths. Nearly all of this suffering and mortality 196 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED might be saved if attention were given in time. As the gland becomes enlarged it interferes more and more with the discharge of urine from the bladder. After a time a considerable quantity of urine is retained, and the so-called residual urine of the bladder is never emptied. Oc- casionally the bladder becomes over-distended and there is continued leaking or drippling of urine, giving the patient the impression that he is passing an excessive quantity of urine. In a case of this sort encountered by the writer the bladder was found to contain more than two quarts of very foul smelling urine as a result of the retention. The urine readily under- goes decomposition and inflammation of the bladder is set up. After a time the inflammation extends to the kidneys and when both of the kid- neys become involved death is likely to follow as a result of uremic coma. In the early stages sim- ple enlargement of the prostate may generally be relieved by the prolonged cold sitz bath, ad- ministered daily for several weeks or months. The temperature of the bath should be 80° at first and gradually reduced to 70° or even 60° F. The duration of the bath should be ten to fifteen minutes. When the prostate be- comes enlarged to such a degree that mechanical obstruction occurs and the bladder cannot empty itself of its contents a catheter must be used several times daily for temporary relief. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 197 As soon as the usually present infection of the bladder can be relieved a surgical operation for the removal of the obstruction should be per- formed. This operation was formerly attended by great danger to life but improved methods which have come into vogue within the last few years render the operation practically safe, espe- cially when it can be performed before the kid- neys have become seriously involved. The greatest danger connected with the operation re- sults from the use of ether or chloroform. Fortunately this danger may now be avoided thanks to the improved methods of administer- ing laughing gas, which may be safely employed. Quinine Q. Is there such a thing as quinine fever? A. Half a century ago, the pioneer settlers of Michigan, Indiana and other states, which then constituted the West, suffered greatly from malarial infection, and sometimes not finding relief from quinine, successfully adopted a plan of wearing out the disease. These vet- erans in the warfare with one of the most terrible parasites whicfr has ever afflicted the human race, learned by experience that paroxysms of chill and fever sometimes followed the use of qui- nine, a fact which gave rise to the phrase, then current, "quinine chills." Modern studies of 198 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED the effects of quinine upon the human organism have explained these puzzling facts. It has long been known that quinine is a protoplasmic poison. It weakens the parasites, but at the same time weakens the white blood cells. This has been shown by numerous observers, among others Binz, Baxter, Martin, Jerusalimsky, and Cohnheim. Hare showed that one part of qui- nine in twenty thousand parts of blood arrests amoeboid movements and hence renders the leu- cocyte incapable of capturing the malarial Plas- modium. Professors Koch, Rivet and others have reported cases in which malarial paroxysm has occurred as a result of the administration of quinine and on examination of the blood showed the presence of parasites. In a case reported by the London Lancet some years ago (Sept. 22, 1906), doses of quinine ranging from' three-fourths of a grain to twenty grains were on four different occasions within two weeks followed by severe malarial paroxysms. Potter calls attention to this fact in his work on "Materia Medica," stating that malarial par- oxysms have been produced by quinine in many well authenticated instances, noting the fact that quinine never produced such effects except in malarial subjects. ' Jacobson finds the explanation of these inter- teresting observations in the fact that quinine paralyzes the white cells of the blood to such A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 199 an extent that they are not able to recover them- selves before the parasites hiding away in the tissues when the quinine is present, return to the attack after its elimination. Being thus left defenseless, the body is at the mercy of the parasites. Thus, quinine instead of affect- ing a cure actually produces an aggravation of the disease by lessening the natural defenses. It cannot be denied that quinine renders valuable service in the treatment of malarial fever, but it is important that the possible evil effects which arise from its use should also be recog- nized and especially that the important fact should be borne in mind that the real cure of malarial fever, whether with or without the use of quinine, is accomplished by the natural powers of the body, especially by the leucocytes whereby the Plasmodium is captured and de- stroyed. Muscular Electricity Q. Is it true that electricity is generated in the body? A. Experiments upon both human beings and animals have clearly demonstrated that the human body is a real electrical battery, gener- ating appreciable quantities of electricity by every vital act. Every muscular contraction generates a current of electricity, the exact quantity and quality of which can be determined 200 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED by the proper instruments. There is no special electrical apparatus in the human body, as in certain fishes and other curious animals which produce this subtle agent in prodigious quanti- ties, but the whole body develops it. Every breath we draw in, every heart beat, every wink of the eye, even every thought, generates the same element that darts destruction from the thunder cloud, and flashes intelligence around the world. Round Shoulders Q. What is the best method of correcting a case of round shoulders in a young woman twenty-one years of age? A. A correct position in sitting and exer- cises for developing the arm and shoulder muscles are necessary. In sitting, standing and walking the chest should be held high, the ab- dominal muscles being well drawn in, the hips held back, while the chest is held forward. Swimming is, perhaps, the best of all exercises for the correction of this condition. Lying upon the back and raising the head is also a good exercise. The daily use of corrective exercises, such as lying upon the face and raising the head backward, bending backward, and rowing are es- sential in all cases. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 201 The most important measure of all is a correct sitting posture. For this a proper chair is needed, one which will support the center of the back. In the absence of a properly constructed chair, a cushion may be placed at the small of the back. The chest must be held up and the chin in. Seasickness Q. What is the cause of seasickness and how may it be avoided? A. It is now believed that seasickness is due to the excessive stimulation of the pneumogastric nerve, causing spasmodic contraction of the stomach and abdominal muscles. The irritation is due to the sudden and repeated disturbance of equilibrium due to the movements of the ship in one who is not accustomed to such movements. Young infants are never seasick, probably for the reason that they are accustomed to frequent changes of the position of the body. A sea-sick person should remain horizontal, with ice bag to back of neck, the eyes closed and a firm bandage applied over the stomach and ab- domen. A sand bag might serve the same pur- pose. Lying in a tub of water is also found beneficial. Some large ocean vessels are now supplied with swinging tanks in which one may enjoy complete immunity from seasickness. 202 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Sty Q. What causes styes? A. Eye strain causing congestion of the eye. Consult an oculist. Violet Rays Q. How can one obtain the benefit of the violet rays without great expense? A. By exposure to the sun's rays. If the rays of the sun are so hot as to cause unpleas- ant effects, this difficulty can be overcome by al- lowing the rays to pass through colored glass. A better plan, however, is to protect the head by a shield of some sort, and then to expose the rest of the body in sections, making the time of exposure a little longer each day. "Tanning" the whole skin of the body is very beneficial. Snake Bite Q. What is the best remedy for the bite of a rattle snake and is whiskey beneficial? A. When a person has been bitten by a rat- tle snake or any other venomous serpent, the following measures should be adopted. 1. Place around the limb, a short distance above the wound, a cord, tying it as tightly as pos- sible. A whip-cord, shoe-string, neck-tie, strap, or anything which can be made to answer the A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 203 purpose of a ligature, may be used. It should be sufficiently tight to cut of! the circulation. This may be accomplished by placing a small stick beneath the cord and twisting it tight about the limb. 2. If possible, cut out the bitten part, being sure to include all of the poisoned tissue. 3 If there is no sore, ulcer, or abrasion in the mouth, it will be safe and proper to next pro- ceed to suck the wound, as the poison will do no harm if not received into the circulation. Freely incise the bitten place and rub in crystals of permanganate of potash or apply a solution of chloride of lime (teaspoonful to the pint). Sur- round the patient with blankets and hot bottles. Wash stomach every half hour with stomach tube until dangerous symptoms disappear. An anti-venom has been prepared which protects against cobra bite but is of very little value against other snake bites. Alcohol in the form of whiskey or brandy has been very frequently shown to be no antidote. The popular belief that alcoholic liquors are necessary in the treat- ment of. snake bite has been abundantly shown to be without foundation. According to Wil- son, one in twenty of the deaths from snake- bite in the United States are due to the large quantities of whiskey given. It should be recol- lected that many of those bitten are not poisoned, to which fact may be attributed the supposed 204 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED efficacy of many remedies which have been recommended. Osteopathy Q. What is osteopathy? A. This system, which has come into con- siderable prominence within recent years, in many respqcts , resembles the Swedish system though differing from it in some particulars. The practitioners of this system make use of many movements of the Swedish system, as well as the various forms of manipulation known as mas- sage, but lay special stress upon the manipulation of the joints, especially those of the spine and particularly those of the upper part of the spine. The central idea of this system appears to be that the spinal vertebrae are very liable to dis- placements or changes of position, or what might be termed dislocations, and these displacements, however slight, are likely to be accompanied by grave symptoms which may manifest themselves either locally or in some other part. It is main- tained that various acute and chronic disorders supposed to be due to this cause through vaso- motor or sympathetic disturbances which are set up thereby are promptly relieved by the restor- ation of the displaced parts to normal position. The amount of scientific evidence which has thus far been presented by the practitioners of A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 205 this system in support of their contention has not been sufficiently great to convince any con- siderable number of scientific physicians of the correctness of the theories advanced, although it is evident that a great number of persons have been benefited by manipulations which they have received. The question remains, however, whether the benefit received was the result of a restoration of misplaced hones or cartileges to their normal position or whether they were the result of the improved circulation and other benefits flowing from the manipulations, wholly independent of any mechanical effects. It is evi- dent that many of the claims made by the ad- vocates of this system are not consistent with the proven facts of scientific medicine, and the writer may add that he has had occasion to meet in a professional way a very large number of persons who have been treated, often for very considerable periods of time, without benefit by osteopathic practitioners, and who were speedily restored to health by the correction of the erroneous habits of life to which their defects were really attributable rather than to mere mechanical causes, either in the spinal column or elsewhere. 206 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Thirst Cure Q. Is there any advantage to be gained by the thirst cure? A. It has been claimed that by withhold- ing water the body will be compelled to burn up its waste matters more actively. But care- fully conducted experiments carried out by Solo- mon on two subjects showed most conclusively that the amount of oxygen consumed by persons undergoing the thirst cure is not at all increased, which is sufficient proof that there is no increase of oxidation and hence no advantage to be gained from this standpoint. Source of Animal Heat Q. What is the source of animal heat? A. It was formerly supposed that heat was generated by a special mechanism under the control of the central nervous system. It is now known that this is an error. Heat is regarded as a by-product in the human body as it is in the operation of the steam engine. In case cf the human body, the heat, though a waste prod- uct, serves a useful and necessary purpose ex- cept, of course, when it is produced in greater excess than is necessary to maintain the temper- ature of the body at 100° F. Under ordinary cir- cumstances two-thirds of all the energy con- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 207 tained in the food reappears as animal heat. The other third is dissipated in external work performed by the muscles. For a given amount of work the same amount of energy is required whether the work is done in summer or in win- ter. In summer time the the body generally di- minishes somewhat in weight because the appetite fails on account of the depressing influence of heat so that the intake of energy becomes less than the output. The negro and other natives of tropical countries have in this respect an advant- age over the v/hite men, for they escape the de- pressing influence of heat, being able to eat as much in hot weather as in cold weather, and they are able to make good their energy expenditures and do not lose weight. Rubner attributes this advantage of the negro to the fact that he is a vegetarian, remarking: "The negro, however, is able in summer to take a full diet owing to the small amount of protein which he consumes," also "because he is wonderfully free from fat." Hernia Q. Can rupture be cured without an oper- ation? A. A truss applied very early in young per- sons, well fitted and worn constantly will some- times effect a cure if the rupture is slight in ex- tent. Other non-surgical methods are altogether 208 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED unreliable and some are dangerous. An opera- tion is safe, and in skilled hands nearly always succeeds. Small Hernia Dangerous Q. Is a small rupture the size of a hickory nut likely to do any harm? A. Small ruptures are much more danger- ous than large ones since they are more likely to produce obstruction. All ruptures are dan- gerous and when possible should be cured by a radical operation. Flesh Building Diet Q. Kindly indicate a flesh-building diet. A. Avoid meats, eat an abundance of fruits, rice and Other cereals, fresh vegetables, ripe olives or olive oil, and take care that the bowels move two or three times a day. Nuts, sweet butter, cream, buttermilk, raw eggs beaten in milk, hot milk with a pinch of salt, simple pud- dings are all fattening foods. Drink an abund- ance of pure water between meals, morning and night. Live in the open air. Sleep outdoors. Take a cold rub or "salt glow" every morning. When it is desirable to make a decided gain in weight there is no better means than the milk regimen. Five or six quarts must be taken daily A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 209 to insure an actual gain. Four quarts are needed to maintain the weight. More must be taken to insure a gain. Typhoid Fever Q. Will water drinking cure typhoid fever? A. There are physicians who believe that a glass of water taken every hour is about the only treatment a typhoid fever patient needs. Copious water drinking has been shown to be an efficient means of combating the pronounced toxemia of typhoid fever. Cushing and Clark reported {American Journal of Medical Sci- ences) most excellent results from this method. They made the patient drink four ounces of water every fifteen minutes when awake, and gave besides every two hours during the day and once or twice at night in alternation six ounces of milk and six ounces of albumin water. They found that the patients were soon able to take from a gallon to a gallon and a half of water every twenty- four hours. They found great amelioration of all the toxic symptoms, the tongue and mouth remained clean and moist, headache was little troublesome, apathy, restlessness, delirium and other symp- toms of toxemia were less pronounced, nausea seldom occurred, and the fever was easily con- trolled. Fifty-six cases were treated without a 210 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED single death, although the epidemic prevailing in the neighborhood was of a severe type and the mortality large. Typhoid Carrier Q. What is a typhoid carrier? A. It has been discovered in recent years that certain persons are microbe carriers. When a person suffers from pneumonia, scar- let fever, diphtheria, or typhoid fever, recov- ery, if it takes place, is due to the development of immunity. That is, the tissues of the pa- tient develop such a degree of tolerance for the infecting microbe that its presence is no longer capable of giving rise to serious symptoms. Typhoid, diphtheria or pneumonia patients do not recover because the bacteria which produce the disease have left the body, but because the body has acquired ability to successfully com- bat the invading bacteria or to render its poisons innocuous. Numerous observations have been made that show in the case of typhoid fever the subjects of this disease continue to discharge daily from their intestines millions of typhoid fever germs for three months or more. A recent epidemic of typhoid in New York in which the infection was conveyed through milk was traced to infec- tion by a typhoid carrier who had suffered from A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 211 typhoid fever in the west some forty-six years previously. A most remarkable typhoid carrier is Mary Mallon, the famous 'Typhoid Mary," a cook, who has carried typhoid germs about with her for more than fifty years, although it could not be learned that she herself ever suffered from an attack of the disease. The probability is that she suffered from an attack of the disease in so light a form that its real nature was not dis- covered; nevertheless she was the cause of ty- phoid fever outbreaks in eight families in which she worked at different times. Although con- fined for a time, "Typhoid Mary" is now free and may be employed by some family as a cook. Careful bacteriologic investigations have shown that in every community two or three persons out of every hundred carry about with them continually diphtheria germs, while two or three in every thousand persons are typhoid carriers. This important fact explains the oc- casional occurrence of outbreaks of typhoid fever, diphtheria and other diseases that cannot be traced to direct infection from persons suf- fering from an acute attack of the same mal- adies. 212 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Precautions Against Typhoid Q. What precautions are necessary in eat- ing in a house which contains typhoid fever? A. Everything eaten in such a house should be thoroughly sterilized by boiling or exposure to the heat of a hot oven before eating. There is still more danger if there is any communica- tion, either direct or indirect, with the fever patient. It should also be remembered that flies are a common means of conveying typhoid fever infection. Hence precautions should be taken to exclude flies from the fever patient and also from contact with all eatables. Vaccination Against Typhoid Fever Q. Has the new method of vaccination against typhoid fever proved successful? A. The method of vaccination against ty- phoid fever perfected by Dr. Wright of Lon- don, has now been very extensively used in the army of the United States and other countries and is found to be highly successful. The method is harmless and the protection is said to last for at least three years. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 213 Diphtheria Carriers Q. Is there any means by which persons who have had diphtheria and still harbor the germs in their throats may be cured so that they will not be a menace to those with whom they associate? A. Yes; a simple remedy has recently been suggested. Lactic acid forming germs are an- tagonistic to all forms of disease producing germs outside the body as well as in the body. Moffit suggests the use of fresh buttermilk as a gargle in patients who have had diphtheria but in whose throats cultures of the diphtheria bacillus were present after all other manifesta- tions of the disease had disappeared, The plain buttermilk was used five or six times a day and from his experience with nine cases, Moffit be- lieved that the diphtheria organisms will be dis- placed entirely within three days, while pure cul- tures of the lactic acid bacillus will be found on the swab. This is in harmony with a suggestion recently made to use cultures of the bacillus bulgaricus for the same purpose. Swabbing the" throat (or gargling) two or three times daily with a good liquid culture of this organism is sufficient to render the throat free from dangerous or- ganisms and to facilitate the releasing of the pa- 214 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED tient from quarantine. It was also suggested that this same procedure might be equally useful in diphtheria. Varicocele Q. Can varicocele be cured by natural methods? A. Varicocele is curable by a slight opera- tion. Radical relief cannot be obtained in any other way. Water Drinking in Dropsy Q. If a person is dropsical, or if water collects in any part of the body, should he refrain from drinking water or any kind of liquids? A. It is not necessary for one to refrain from drinking water in dropsy. The dropsy is not diminished by lessening the amount of water taken by the mouth. Lithia Water Q. Do you recommend lithia water in case of inflammation of the bladder? A. Yes; lithia water is good, but not better than ordinary water. In general, water should be freely used in case of inflammation of the bladder A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 215 for the purpose of diluting the urine. It is im- material whether the water contains a little lithia or not. Ordinary lithia water contains such a small amount of lithia that at least a barrel full would be required for an ordinary dose of this drug. It is immaterial, however, whether the proportion of lithia is large or small, as it has been clearly shown by modern investigations that lithia has no value whatever as a remedy for uric acid conditions, or diseases of the kidneys and bladder. Hard Water Q. Does the body appropriate for bones and teeth the lime or calcium carbonate from ordinary hard water? A. We know of no evidence that the mineral constituents of hard water can serve as food or nutriment to the body. In the foodstuffs the lime exists in an organized form in which it is prepared for assimilation. The lime found in hard water is an ordinary inorganic mineral compound. The best sources of lime are oat- meal, graham bread, bran, milk and vegetables, especially "greens." Potatoes, sugar, rice, fine flour bread, meats, butter, lard and other fats, contain practically no lime. Milk and bran are very rich in lime, also turnip "greens" and spin- ach. These same foods are rich in iron. Lime and iron are usually associated in foodstuffs. 216 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Mineral Waters Q. Why are mineral waters harmful? Are they not Nature's healing remedies? A. Laxative mineral waters are harmful, be- cause they irritate the mucous membrane and in time produce intestinal catarrh. They also expose the liver and kidneys to the harmful ef- fects of overwork. Mineral waters are no more natural healing agencies than are minerals them- selves. No one would think of recommending iron pyrites or limestone as a healing agent; neither are the great salt beds or alkali deposits regarded as natural healing agents. Mineral waters are simply rain water which has been contaminated by coming in contact with various mineral substances while percolating through the earth. To call mineral waters "Nature's healing remedy" is a great misapplication of terms, and is an error which grows out of a misapprehension of what a natural healing agent is. Nature's healing remedies consist in those forces or agencies which are essential for the maintenance of life, and which are in constant use in carrying forward the ordinary life processes. The curative or therapeutic application of these remedies con- sists in so utilizing them as to intensify or con- centrate the effects which they ordinarily exer- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 217 cise upon the body. Mineral waters are in no way beneficial to a healthy man. They may in some instances prove of temporary service in emergencies, but their constant use is now recognized as being highly detrimental. Many European physicians who formerly recommended mineral waters very freely to their patients, now condemn their use for the reasons above stated. There are many excellent natural waters which are remarkable for their extreme purity or free- dom from both mineral contamination and germs or bacteria. Such waters may be used freely, not only without harm, but even with very great safety and advantage. The Wassermann Test Q. What is the nature of this test and is it reliable? A. The Wassermann test is employed to de- termine whether a person is suffering from syphilitic infection. The test consists of obtaining a portion of the patient's blood and subjecting this to certain laboratory tests. When carefully done the test is found to be remarkably reliable. In certain cases the spinal fluid is used for making the test instead of the blood. It is important to know that a "positive" Was- 218 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED sermann reaction is no evidence of immorality or vicious conduct. Syphilis has become so wide- spread that the disease may be quite easily con- tracted by accidental contact with the infection, either directly or indirectly. The disease is in many cases inherited. The Body Heals Itself Q. What is the process of cure? A. Said Dietl, pupil of the famous Ger- man pathologist, Rokitanski : "Nature alone can cure; this is the highest law of practical medi- cine, and the one to which we must adhere. . . Nature creates and maintains ; she must there- fore be able to cure." The healing power is in the blood; it is the blood that heals, or rather, the creative power which formed the body in the first place, and which repairs the damage done by the wear and tear of life. It is this same power which re- stores disordered functions and repairs damaged tissue. Physicians do not and cannot heal. Medicines, baths, and other so-called remedial measures are powerless to heal. All that phy- sicians and remedies can do is to aid in remov- ing causes of disease and supplying favorable conditions. Physiological measures, such as water, electricity, massage, exercise, and sunlight, regulation of diet and clothing, possess a won- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 219 derful controlling influence over the healing power of the body by regulating the movement of the blood, the greatest of all remedial agencies ; and by stimulating the vital activities and con- trolling the vital forces by which the healing process is carried on. Aspirin Q. Is aspirin a harmless drug? A. By no means. All drugs are more or less harmful. The growing practice of dosing with aspirin whenever one may feel a twinge of pain, which may be attributed to rheumatism or neuralgia is greatly to be deplored. Rheu- matism or neuralgia are usually due to some error in one's habits of living. Aspirin only con- ceals the difficulty without removing its cause. Increased bowel activity, the disuse of meat, tea and coffee, warm bath at night, more exercise in the open air — these are measures which will in most cases cause quick disappearance of painful symptoms and will leave no unpleasant effects be- hind. A hot fomentation or hot water bag over the seat of pain will very likely afford relief. Do not dope ! All drugs are unfriendly to the tissues and do more or less harm when freely used. Some drugs are highly injurious in even very minute doses. Aspirin is less injurious than morphine but not harmless. 220 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Tonics Q. Are tonics beneficial? A. The neurasthenic is constantly told that his nutrition is defective, that he needs building up. He seeks to accomplish this by means of tonics of various kinds, in most of which strych- nia is the dominant element. This ''building up" is purely factitious, for it is only through the use of natural physiologic agencies that tissue building can be accelerated or improved. Tonics make the patient feel better without making him better. They have been aptly termed "nerve foolers." They produce a false sense of vigor and energy, which results in the further drain- ing of the patient's already depleted stores of energy and vitality. Strychnia Q. Is strychnia a good tonic? A. No. There is no drug which can properly be called a good tonic. Strychnia has for gen- erations been the popular tonic. Countless thous- ands have been deceived by its delusive effects. Erroneous conceptions were responsible for the false confidence reposed in this powerful nerve excitant. Modern studies of nutrition have clearly demonstrated the futility of attempting to find any substitute for the vital energy generated by A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 221 healthy cells acting under the influence of nor- mal or physiologic stimuli. The apparent in- crease in vigor which follows a dose of strychnia is not due to an actual addition to the sum of the bodily energies, but is simply the result of a forced expenditure of energy which is already depleted to the point of danger. Strychnia, and other similar drugs, are simply devices for getting energy out of a man which he cannot afford to spare, and which he ought to keep. Veronal Q. Is veronal a harmless drug? A. No indeed, it is not a harmless drug. It disturbs digestion and disturbs the nerves and is a foreign body which must be eliminated by the kidneys, which are thus compelled to do un- necessary work. Castor Oil Q. Is the frequent use of castor oil harm- ful? A. The frequent or habitual use of castor oil gives rise to colitis and produces very obstinate constipation. The same is true of other medicinal laxatives. Castor oil is rarely useful and cannot be used habitually without in the end doing much harm. Paraffin oil or paraffin in some form and 222 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED the free use of bran or agar-agar are safe and efficient means which when properly employed obviate the necessity for the use of castor oil or other laxatives in nearly all cases. Dangerous Patent Medicines Q. Are patent medicines harmful? A. Hundreds of deaths occur annually as the result of patent medicines. Thousands become addicted to alcohol and other drug habits by the use of remedies containing these poisons. God Liver Oil Q. Is cod liver oil necessary in the treat- ment of consumption or any other disease? A. Cod liver oil is a time honored remedy the value of which has been overrated. Sweet cream, sterilized butter, olive oil, oil of almonds, and other vegetable oils are in every way su- perior to cod liver oil. The Opium Habit Q. Can the opium habit be cured without drugs ? A. The opium habit and other drug habits are very seldom cured hy the use of drugs. Any method to be successful must restore the pa- tient's nerve tone and build up his vital resistance A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 223 and remove the causes of the suffering for the alleviation of which the drug is employed. This can be done without drugs. Gascara Q. Is cascara a harmless laxative? A. One of the most unfortunate results of chronic constipation is its by-product of drug habits. There are many substances, of course, course, that bring about action of the bowels that bring about action of the bowels with much promptitude, and with such evident relief that the sufferer resorts to the same remedy on the next occasion, without stopping to inquire whether the drug might not be as dangerous as the disease. The chances are he does not stop to consider the matter one way or another, but falls an easy victim to the habit of drug taking. One of the most vicious of these vile sub- stances is cascara, which contains irritating poisons, among them a substance known as an- thracin, which is extremely poisonous, and which may, if used for some time, produce colitis. At one time the writer discussed this matter of constipation and the drug habit with an eminent European physician, and the dis- tinguished scientist said : "There is nothing so bad as the chronic use of drugs." And when asked 224 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED about his method of treatment in cases of bad constipation he said : "I regulate the diet." Noth- ing is no bad as the chronic use of drugs. Stomach Warmer Q. Is the use of the stomach warmer bene- ficial in indigestion? A. The application of heat to the stomach is one of the oldestand, aside from diet, one of the best remedies for various gastric discom- forts. A hundred years ago tin cans made con- cave to fit the body were to be found in almost every tin shop, and their use was continued ^lntil the manufacture of rubber hot-water bags was begun some fifty or sixty years ago. The writer well remembers an old-fashioned schoolmaster from Canada who came under his care many years ago, bringing with him a huge stomach heater of the sort described. Two hundred years before the invention of the tin stomach warmer, the warming stone was in common use, and was described in a medical work published in 1640 as "An Excellent Help really found out for cold, aged and sick Peo- ple — and for the Poor, who may borrow the heating of this stone at a neighbor's fire, if his Charity b,e not altogether cold ; for it will damni- fie him no more than lighting one candle by an- other/' A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 225 Persons who suffer from discomfort after eating are usually greatly relieved by application of a hot water bag over the stomach while ly- ing down for half an hour or an hour after a meal. Hot sand bags answer the same purpose. When nausea or vomiting are present, the pa- tient should take care to lie on the left side as this position subjects the stomach to less strain and often prevents vomiting. The Blood and Blood Vessels The Blood Cells Q. In what part of the body is the blood produced? A. Carefully conducted researches have re- vealed the remarkable and interesting fact that the bones are active in the formation of blood cells. The marrow of the bone produces both red and white corpuscles. The white blood cor- puscles produced in the bones are somewhat different in appearance from those of the spleen and lymphatic glands, and in certain forms of disease are produced in excessive numbers. Poor Circulation Q. What may be done for poor circulation? A. The difficulty is probably due to a vaso- motor spasm of the vessels in the extremities. The most common cause is toxins absorbed from the intestine. The bowels should be made to move three or four times a day by regulation of the diet and the free use of sterilized bran and paraffin oil. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 227 Effect of Fruits on the Blood Q. May the blood be made alkaline by eat- ing fruits and vegetables? A. We cannot make the blood alkaline or acid. The blood always remains neutral, but the tissues may become acid. They never can be- come alkaline. The body will not allow an excess of alkali because the alkalines have to be taken in but the acids are produced in the body. They are both introduced into die body by the foods but the acids are produced in the body also and consequently it is necessary for us to take a diet which is largely alkaline in order to neutralize the acids of the body. Normal Blood Count Q. What is the normal blood count and the normal blood pressure? A. The average number of red blood cells per cubic millimeter for men is five million; the nor- mal blood pressure is one hundred to one hun- dred twenty. 228 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED Blood Pressure Q. What is blood pressure and how is it determined? A. The pressure against which the heart works in any given case is determined by means of the sphygmomanometer. Examinations made with this instrument show great variation in the blood pressure in various diseased conditions. In fevers and in many other conditions in which great bodily weakness exists, the blood pressure is often found very low. In cases of Bright's dis- ease with arteriosclerosis, the blood pressure sometimes rises to three times the normal, or more than 300 millimeters of mercury. In shock, blood pressure falls far below the normal. High Blood Pressure Q. What is the significance of high blood pressure? A. A persistent high blood pressure compels the heart to do an enormous amount of extra work and wears it out, thus leading to dilatation of the heart and heart failure. With a blood pressure of 200 the heart does more than double the work required at 100. This extra labor wears the heart out rapidily. It is a very common thing to find the heart, blood-vessels and kidneys simultaneously diseased, so-called cardio-vas- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 229 cular-renal disease. These grave cases require prompt and persistent attention. The rise of the blood pressure through harden- ing of the arteries is one of the early symptoms of approaching old age. It is also one of the premonitory symptoms of Bright's disease. Every person over forty years of age should have the blood pressure taken at least once a year. When this diseased condition is discovered in the early stages, much can be done by change of habits and by the application of proper treat- ment toward the arrest of the disease and im- provement of the patient's condition. A fall of twenty-five to fifty points, often more, is the usual result of special regimen and rational treatment in cases of high blood pressure. Climate for High Blood Pressure Q. Which is best for one who has high blood pressure, a warm or a cold climate ? A. The cold climate is better provided one keeps warm. One does not need to suffer from cold in a cold climate. The breathing of the cold air is a very great advantage in cases of high blood pressure because it supplies the body with oxygen and helps to carry off poisons. A warm climate has a very depressing effect upon the heart. This is a great disadvantage to persons suffering from high blood pressure. 230 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Pressure Reducing Drugs Q. Is there any known medicine that will reduce high blood pressure? A. Yes, there are many drugs which will reduce blood pressure temporarily, or as long as the drug is being used. Nitroglycerine and nitrite of soda are especially active. The effect is disastrous, however, and death is hastened. Blood pressure should be reduced by removal of the cause. Pressure is never any higher than it needs to be. The injury is not from the high blood pressure, but from the poisons which pro- duce the high pressure and cause degenerations in the heart, kidneys and other organs. Pres- sure-lowering drugs are very rarely indicated and are very little used by up-to-date specialists in diseases of the heart. Sugar in the Blood Q. Is sugar normally found in the blood, and in what quantity? A. The normal blood contains about one part of sugar in one thousand. When the amount of sugar is greater than this sugar appears in the urine. In cases of diabetes the amount of sugar in the blood may become three or four times the normal. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 231 In diabetes the sugar of the urine may be made to disappear while an excess of sugar in the blood still remains. Fainting Q. What causes fainting? A. For some one of many reasons the blood recedes from the brain and when the brain is too much depleted of blood unconsciousness results. Thick Blood Q. Does the blood ever become too thick? A. There is no doubt that the viscosity of the blood is sometimes abnormally increased. In common parlance, the blood becomes too thick. This increases the work of the heart in driving the blood through the small vessels and the blood pressure rises. Iodide of potash is often given to reduce viscosity of the blood. Recent scientific experiments show that a single hot bath taken for fifteen minutes may produce an effect in lowering the viscosity of the blood equal to the maximum effect which may be obtained from iodide of potash. There is this important difference, however, between these two agents : the bath may be repeated an indefinite number of times without any injurious effect 232 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED upon the body, whereas the continuous use of iodide of potash sooner or later results in iodism and various pathological changes more or less grave in character. A fact which is highly worthy of note in this connection is that the changes produced in the viscosity of the blood by hot baths and cold baths have the same influence upon blood-pressure as do the vasomotor and other effects produced by hot and cold baths respectively ; that is, the warm baths lower blood-pressure by dilating the sur- face vessels and inhibiting the vasomotor centers, while at the same time lessening the viscosity of the blood and thereby diminishing the effort re- quired to force the blood from the arterial reser- voir through the arteries into the venous system of low-pressure reservoirs. Diminished Blood Cells Q. Is it possible for a person's health to improve while the blood cells are diminishing in number? A. An eminent physiologist, Von Hoesslin, called attention to the fact that when the weight of the body increases and health improves, the hemoglobin of the blood may diminish. This is not because the red cells or hemoglobin have been destroyed, but is simply an indica- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 233 tion that the volume of the blood is increased or regenerated more rapidly than the red cells. The increase in the number of cells comes later. Vertigo Q. What is the cause of vertigo and what is the remedy? A. There are various causes. Here are a few : Menier's disease, a disease of the inner ear ear or labyrinth; arteriosclerosis; anemia; gen- eral weakness, especially a weak heart ; intestinal toxemia or autointoxication due to constipation and colon infection. When the attacks of vertigo occur only occa- sionally they are very likely due to indigestion. It must be remembered) however, that in certain mild forms of epilepsy the patient suffers from attacks which are often described as vertigo, the so-called petit mat. When the vertigo is constant or very frequent, some profound disturbance of the bodily functions almost certainly exists. This may be hardening of the arteries, degeneration of the heart or kidneys, or some other grave con- dition. Occasionally the giddiness may be the result of the use of drugs, especially of head- ache powders and sleep-producing drugs. Bro- mide of potash causes very severe vertigo when freely used. In every case of vertigo the cause must be 234 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED diligently sought for and removed. When the attack is accompanied by pallor, the patient should lie down; or if this is inconvenient, he may simply bend the body forward so as to hold the head as low down as possible. If the face is flushed, the patient should lie down with the head welLpropped up and cold cloths should be applied to the neck and head. Not infrequently the cause of giddiness is sim- ply constipation. Poisons absorbed from the colon affect the brain as do certain drugs. An enema may be given for temporary relief, but the real remedy will be found in training the bowels to move well three or four times a day. Certain persons suffer from vertigo after tak- ing an enema. The cause may be the drawing of too much blood to the abdominal vessels. Using water at 80° F. or less will usually prevent the vertigo. Vertigo is likely to follow a very long hot bath because of the weakening effect of the bath upon the heart and the great dilatation of the sur- face vessels. A dash of cold water will cause the symptom to disappear. Vertigo with pallor may usually be relieved by a dash of cold water upon the face and chest or by applying hot cloths to the head. Neurasthenics often suffer much from vertigo. In such cases the vertigo is usually accompanied A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 235 by a feeling of constriction or a "band sensation in the head with a sensation of pressure at the back of the head. There are also numbness" and other disturbances of sensation in various parts of the body. In these cases, hot applica- tions to the top and back of the head afford re- lief. Bathing the face with hot water is also beneficial. The Diaphragm and the Circulation Q. Does the diaphragm aid in the cir- culation of the blood? A. The diaphragm in its downward move- ments, not only draws air into the lungs by an action resembling that of the piston of a pump, but while producing a suction effect in the chest, the descending diaphragm at the same time compresses the liver, stomach and other viscera against the tense abdominal wall ; it thus empties them of blood, and so assists the portal circula- tion, by propelling the venous blood of the ab- domen toward the heart. The influence of the diaphragm also extends to the head and even more remote parts of the body. In fact, the diaphragm is one of the most important factors in the circulation of the blood. In order, however, for the diaphragm to aid the circulation it must have an opportunity to act efficiently. This it cannot do if it is cramped 236 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED and hindered by tight clothing. As commonly worn corsets and waist bands greatly hinder the action of the diaphragm, preventing it from de- scending properly. A stooped or ""slumped" position in sitting or standing is most as injurious as waist constric- tion. This position relaxes the abdomen and so prevents the proper ascent of the diaphragm. Blushing Q. What is the cause of blushing? A. The sudden reddening of the cheeks known as blushing, is due to the influence of cer- tain emotions upon the vaso-motor center, that is, the part of the brain that controls the blood vessels of the body. In some persons, blushing is wholly confined to the cheeks, while in others it extends to the forehead, and in still others to the neck and shoulders. Apoplexy Q. What is the cause of apoplexy? A. Rupture of an artery. It is not often, however, that the artery rup- tures because of excessive pressure. A healthy artery is able to resist a pressure many times that to which it is usually subjected. The real A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 237 cause of the rupture is weakening of the wall of the blood vessels the result of degenerative change. Arteriosclerosis — Hardening of the Arteries Q. What is arteriosclerosis? A. This disease is much more common than formerly supposed. The cause is the circula- tion of poisons in the blood. There are many poisons which produce hardening of the ar- teries. The most active of these are syphilis, lead, alcohol, tobacco, caffein, the poison of tea and coffee, and last, but not least, colon poisons. It is probable that poisons generated in the colon from the putrefaction of undigested portions of meat are the most common and most serious cause of hardening of the arteries and premature senility. A very common symptom which results from hardening of the arteries is a rise of blood pressure. The normal blood pressure is 100° to 120° F. In arteriosclerosis the blood pressure may rise to 200 and even 300. In many cases changes of the arteries occur without a rise of blood pressure. An elevation of blood-pressure generally gives rise to very little inconvenience at first. Later come shortness of breath, insomnia, and num- erous other distressing symptoms. High blood- pressure is an exceedingly grave symptom, and 238 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED when found present should lead to an immedi- ate change of habits in renouncing the use of tea, coffee, tobacco, alcohol or any other habit drug. Condiments must be discarded from the diet- ary; also meats of all sorts. The bowels must be made to move three or four times every day. Every possible means should be taken to sup- press the development and absorption of poisons. An out-of-door life, a large amount of moder- ate exercise and warm (not hot) baths are of great importance in reducing the high pressure. The electric light bath used in moderation ren- ders most valuable service. Massage of the whole body and thorough friction of the skin should be applied daily. In many cases these simple measures bring down the blood-pressure thirty or forty points, sometimes even more. Ar- teriosclerosis is naturally a progressive disease, hence must be fought with great thoroughness and persistency. A person who finds himself a victim of the malady must prepare himself for a life-long struggle with the disease as the only condition on which he can hope to extend his life for any considerable period. The final re- sult of arteriosclerosis is apoplexy, Bright's dis- ease, heart disease, or a combination of the three maladies, or the so-called cardio-vascular-renal disease. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 239 When the disease is localized in the kidneys, a form of Bright's disease develops. In the liver the result is cirrhosis. In the brain apoplexy occurs through rupture of the degenerated ar- teries. In the early stage of the disease the blood-pressure rises slightly above normal, but when the number of blood vessels affected is so great that the area for the circulation of the blood is materially diminished, the blood-pres- sure is raised as a compensatory measure so that a proper amount of blood may be distri- buted to the various bodily organs. As a matter of fact, the blood-pressure is never any higher than it needs to be to secure the proper blood supply for each bodily organ. Early Signs of Arteriosclerosis Q. What is the first indication of hardening of the arteries? A. Usually one of the first indications is the rise of blood pressure. Rise of blood pressure, however, is not in itself a proof positive of hardening of the arteries. Sometimes, also, the disease is far advanced before rise of blood pressure occurs. In very advanced cases, the blood pressure falls because of weakening of the heart. 240 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Cause of Arteriosclerosis Q. What causes arteriosclerosis in persons who never used tobacco, alcoholic drinks or much meat? A. Inactivity of the bowels, tea, coffee and constipation are causes. Constipation doubtless is the most important of all causes. The use of tea and coffee is harmful as well as the use of tobacco. Lead from lead pipes will produce hardening of the arteries. Typhoid fever and other in- fectious diseases are common causes. Increase of Heart Disease Q. Are diseases of the heart and blood ves- sels increasing? A. The cause of the increase of these two highly fatal diseases is very likely to be found in the steady increase in the use of tobacco and alcohol. Within the last ten years the mortality from heart disease has increased over 50 per cent, the mortality from arteriosclerosis has increased from 6.1 per hundred thousand in 1900, to 21 in 1911, an increase of nearly 250 per cent. According to the Census report, nearly four times as many people die from disease of the blood vessels to- day as thirty years ago. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 241 Tea and coffee contain caffein, a pressure- raising drug. A cup of coffee contains four grains of caffein, or two medicinal doses. Coca- cola contains as much caffein as coffee. Organic Heart Disease Q. Can leakage of the heart be cured in the case of a man of forty years? A. Organic disease of the heart can not be cured, but much can be done to aid the patient to tolerate the disease so that serious symptoms may be postponed for many years. Very hot baths must be avoided in cases of heart disease and cold applications must be made with great care. Cause of Heart Disease Q. What is the cause of heart disease? A. The most common causes of heart failure are the presence of poisons in the blood and de- generation of the arteries. Nicotin, alcohol, tea and coffee, the free use of flesh foods, and con- stipation are among the most common direct and indirect causes of heart failure. 242 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Heart Failure Q. What are the symptoms of heart failure? A. There are various symptoms by which the failure of the heart to do its duty is indicated. One of the most common is shortness of the breath. It is one of the duties of the heart to pump the blood through the lungs for purifi- cation. When the heart is not able to pass the blood through the lungs rapidly enough to keep the blood free from carbon dioxide, this poison accumulates in the blood and shortness of breath is the result. Another common symptom is swelling of the feet. Swelling of the feet is generally an in- dication either that the heart is weak or that the kidneys are diseased. Both conditions may exist at the same time. Still another indication of weakness of the heart is blueness of the lips. This symptom in- dicates that the blood is not being circulated fast enough to keep it free from carbon dioxide. That is, the blood in the arteries instead of being of the natural scarlet color differs little from that of the veins because of the lack of oxygen. Still another and a very important indication of heart failure is increase in the pulse rate. When there is found to be a progressive in- crease from day to day in the rate of the heart A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 243 beat, the significance is that the heart is becom- ing progressively weaker and weaker. Suppose for example, the rate of the pulse today is 75, tomorrow 78, next day 80, the following day 85, a day or two later 90, some days later 110, at the end of two or three weeks, 130 or 140. The indication is very certain that the patient is suf- fering from progressive and increasing weak- ness of the heart which will finally result in heart failure. An intelligent nurse or a wise physician will, of course, note the significance of this symptom and will take measures to arrest the progress of the disease which is causing the heart weakness. One of the most efficient means of strengthen- ing the heart is the cold compress over the heart or even an ice bag. If an ice bag is used it should be protected with one thickness of flannel to avoid excessive chilling of the skin. The cold appli- cation should be removed at least once in twenty minutes. It may be reapplied after an interval of five minutes. The purpose is to give the skin a chance to react. Reaction may be encouraged by rubbing the skin with the hand so as to re- store the warmth of the part. By this means the nerves are kept active and so the reflex effect through which the good result is produced may be maintained for an indefinite time. Short cold rubbing baths, deep breathing and massage 244 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED are other means of aiding the weakened heart and combating heart failure. Ordinary fainting is a condition of heart fail- ure. This condition is most successfully com- bated by the application of cold over the front of the chest. Percussion over the heart is also beneficial. Application of cold to the face, in fact to any part of the body, is also helpful. To produce the strongest effects, a cold application may be made to the whole surface of the body. Blue Lips Q. What causes blueness of the lips in heart disease, especially on exercise? A. The effect of exercise upon a person suf- fering from heart disease is quite different from that of a person in health. In health the amount of carbon dioxide in the body is greatly de- creased by exercise whereas in the case of per- sons suffering from disease of the heart the amount of carbon dioxide may be increased to nearly fifty per cent above the normal. It is this accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood which produces the shortness of breath and the blueness of the lips which are characteristic of this condition. In persons suffering from dis- ease of the heart in an advanced stage, the blood is constantly over loaded with carbon dioxide. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 245 Athletic Heart Q. Is it possible for a person to be a long distance runner without getting "athletic heart ?" A. Yes. One of the greatest athletic events in 1916 was a run of one hundred miles, made between Milwaukee and Chicago by Syndey Hatch. The former record for this run was eighteen hours, but was lowered by Hatch to fourteen hours. Every foot of the journey was run, and the only stops made were four, aggregating one- half hour. This run is remarkable, not only because of the time that was made, but also because Mr. Hatch made it at an age that is supposed to be beyond the period of active athletics — thirty-four years. Still, one need not be surprised when he learns of the method of living followed by Mr. Hatch. He abstains absolutely from alcoholic liquors of all kinds, as also from tobacco. More than this, although he has made more runs than any other two athletes in this country, he has not developed what is known as an "athletic heart." Clean liv- ing and adherence to clean ideals have preserved his heart intact. 246 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Work of the Heart Q. Has any estimate been made of the work that is done by the heart in circulating the blood? A. Yes. The work of the heart of an ordi- nary man in twenty- four hours is equal to many tons. It has been estimated that the heart at each beat does work equal to lifting one pound one foot high. The amount of energy consumed is 1/1000 of a calory. The work of the heart mus- cle is about one-tenth of the work done by the entire body. The rate at which the heart works varies with many conditions. On counting the pulse at the wrist, the ordinary rate in an adult, sitting up- right, is found to be 68. In the same person lying down the pulse rate will be found to be 64 beats, and in the standing position the rate would be increased to 78. Walking at a moderate rate usually raises the pulse to about 100, while by running and other violent muscular efforts, it may he increased to 180 or even more. The pulse rate of an infant is about 130 to 140; that of a child of ten years, 90. In aged persons the pulse is likewise found to be five to ten beats faster than in middle age. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 247 Shivering Q. What is the cause of shivering? A. Shivering occurs when the temperature of the blood has been reduced a few tenths of a degree. Muscular action is always attended by the production of heat as a by-product. When the temperature of the blood is lowered, shivering, an involuntary action of the muscles, takes place as a defensive effort having for its purpose the production of heat. Shivering is thus a remedial process and may be even encouraged with ad- vantage. An eminent English traveler who ex- plored the Arctic regions, in giving an account of his experiences mentioned that on a certain occasion he and his companions having become greatly chilled by exposure sat down upon a block of ice and shivered themselves warm. Hemorrhage Q. By what means may hemorrhage be controlled? A. The principal means to be employed for arresting hemorrhage are pressure, ice or cold water, hot water, and the ligature. The means to be employed differ somewhat according to the part in which the hemorrhage occurs. As a general rule, the bleeding part should be ele- 248 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED vated, and pressure applied at the point of in- jury. Very hot or very cold applications should be made. Pressure acts by closing the blood vessels and allowing the blood to coagulate. Cold at first causes the blood vessels to contract; but if applied continuously for a long time, the blood vessels are paralyzed and become relaxed. In using the ligature, apply it either above or be- low the injury if it occurs in a limb, according, as the bleeding comes from an artery or a vein. If an artery is wounded, the blood will flow in jets; if a vein is injured, the blood will be dark in color and will flow in a steady stream. If the vessel is an artery, the ligature or pressure should be applied between the wound and the heart; if a vein, it should be applied on the op- posite side. A slight hemorrhage from a wound may generally be very easily controlled by pressure upon the injured part with the fin- gers or a compress of folded muslin. Bleeding from the nose may generally be checked by holding the head erect, snuffing cold water up the nostrils and holding the arms as high as possible. Hemorrhage from the stomach, indicated by vomiting of blood, requires perfect rest, the ap- plication of ice over the stomach, and swallow- ing small bits of ice in rapid succession. Hemorrhage from the lungs requires heat at the extremities; restraint from coughing; the A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 249 application of cold to the chest, ice pills, and the inhalation of an atomized solution of tan- nin, or the vapor of turpentine. Hemorrhage from the bowels generally re- sults from hemorrhoids. Cold water should be injected into the rectum, and the patient should be kept quiet in a horizontal position. Bleeding from a rupture of varicose veins in the lower limbs is sometimes very severe. It may be relieved by a tight ligature both above and below the point of rupture. Obesity Degrees of Obesity Q. When may a person be regarded as obese? A. There are, of course, degrees of obesity. A person whose weight is ten or fifteen per cent greater than that of the average person of his height may be said to be over- fat. When the excess of fat amounts to twenty-five per cent of the normal weight of the individual he may be said to be obese. Cases are sometimes met in which the fat accumulation is so great that" the person's weight has become more than double the normal. Such a person is danger- ously obese. Any person whose weight is fifteen or twenty pounds more than the normal weight for his height should take measures to reduce his weight. The following table which is based upon act- ual statistics gathered by large life insurance companies shows the proper weight for individ- uals of different heights: A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 251 MEN WOMEN Height Weight Height Weight in Inches in Pounds in Inches in' Pounds 61 131 59 119 62 133 60 122 63 136 61 124 64 140 62 127 65 143 63 131 66 147 64 134 67 152 65 139 68 157 66 143 69 162 67 147 70 167 68 151 71 173 69 155 72 179 70 159 73 185 74 192 75 200 The Cause of Obesity What is the cause of obesity? There are several causes. Q. A. The most common cause is over eating or eating an excess of fats. An excessive intake of starchy foods also tends to produce an exces- sive accumulation of flesh. The same is true of sugar. Candy eating is undoubtedly a fre- quent cause of excessive fat accumulation. Food is fuel ; fat is unused fuel. 252 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED About one-fourth of the food we eat is con- sumed in muscle work, the remaining three- fourths is mostly used in maintaining the heat of the body. It is evident then, that the amount of food consumed should be regulated by the temperature and amount of work done. A per- son lying quietly in a warm bed requires less than half the amount of food which is needed by a person exposed to cold and engaged in active exercise. A man working very hard out doors in very cold weather might in fact utilize fully three times as much food as a person ly- ing still in bed or sitting quietly in a warm room. It is evident then, that the amount of in- take should be carefully regulated to the out- put in heat and work. Obese people are gen- erally persons who have a good appetite and good digestion and on this account are likely to eat more than the body requires to maintain the normal body temperature of one hundred degrees and the necessary output of energy. When a person finds himself gaining in weight this fact is usually evidence that his intake of food fuel is greater than the consumption. This excess of intake will be deposited as reserve tissue or fat. It should be borne in mind also that it is not so much the quantity of food eaten, but the character of the food. One may for example, eat very liberally of such food- stuffs as juicy fruits, lettuce, celery, turnips, A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 253 greens and other fresh vegetables without ac- cumulating flesh. Indeed, on such a diet one may easily loose flesh, whereas if one eats freely of such concentrated foodstuffs as bread, cer- eals, sugar and fats one may easily eat an ex- cess even though the quantity eaten has not been at any time sufficient to produce a sensation of fullness in the stomach. It is for this reason that starchy foods and fats are said to be fat- tening, whereas it would be quite impossible for a person to become over-fat on a diet of fruits and vegetables, the Irish potato and sweet po- tato being excepted. In recent years another form of obesity has been recognized which can scarcely be said to be due to over eating. This form of the disease has been shown to be due to a disturbance of the internal secretions. Persons who suffer from this form of obesity are often pale. They may be small eaters. The difficulty appears to be that the food is not utilized; that is, the food fuel is not burned as efficiently as it should be. The individual is like a furnace that has insuf- ficient draft. The fuel not being properly burned accumulates and the furnace is choked. 254 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Is Obesity Curable Q. Is obesity curable? If so, by what means? A. Practically all cases of obesity are cur- able if proper means are adopted. It must be understood, however, by a cure is not meant complete restoration to a normal condition. This is by no means always possible; in fact, in cases of extreme obesity it is not safe even if it were possible to reduce the patient's weight to his original standard. If, for ex- ample, a person whose normal weight is 175 pounds has acquired a weight of 350 pounds he should be content to reduce his weight to 225 or 250 pounds. A reduction of weight of 150 or 175 pounds could scarcely be accomplished in such a case without doing the individual serious damage. A great accumulation of fat in the abdomen stretches the abdominal muscles so that when this condition has existed for a con- siderable length of time the removal of the fat will leave the abdominal muscles in such a re- laxed condition that they will not afford proper support to the viscera. The fat which has been present in excess has been deposited all about the various internal organs, in some instances in masses an inch or more in thickness. When this padding is absorbed, a relaxed condition is developed which often gives rise to pain and A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 255 miseries of various sorts, such as those which attend the condition known as floating kidney for example. The treatment of obesity is simple in appearance, but not always easy in execution. The average obese patient is over-fat because he has eaten too much food and taken too little ex- ercise, so the essential features of treatment are, first, a diminution of the amount of food, second, an increase of the amount of exercise. A decrease in food intake is by far the most im- portant of all measures which can be adopted in the treatment of this disease. As obese pa- tients generally have excellent appetites the re- duction of food intake is often a matter of much distress and inconvenience especially if the dietary is unwisely managed. It is by no means necessary that the patient should fast or even that the amount eaten should be diminished. It is best that the full volume of food should be maintained or even that the food should be increased in volume, but instead of such concentrated foodstuffs as bread, potatoes, sugar and fats of various sorts the patient should restrict his dietary to fruits and vege- tables with the exception of the potato. In many instances this is all the restriction required. The patient should abstain from the use of fat meats, butter, and other fats, cream and milk with the exception of skimmed milk, bread and other cereals and potatoes. Lettuce, celery, 256 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED greens of all sorts, fresh vegetables and juicy fruits may be eaten freely. In this way the appetite is satisfied even though the actual amount of nutriment may be very greatly di- minished. In general, it is necessary that the obese patient should diminish the amount of actual food substance eaten to one-half the amount he has been accustomed to take or two- thirds of the normal ration for a person of his height. Obesity Dangers Q. What are the dangers from obesity? A. Plump people are only one-fourth as likely to suffer from tuberculosis as a person of average weight, while lean people are six times as likely to suffer from this disease as those who are overweight. Dr. Symmonds has clearly shown that leanness predisposes to tuberculosis or at least to fatal tuberculosis, while lean per- sons are only half as likely to suffer from dia- betes as persons of average weight. Lean persons, on the other hand, are twice as likely to die from pneumonia as persons who are overweight. Fleshy persons seem to be in some way immune against the germ of pneu- monia, while lean persons are especially suscep- tible. Overweights suffer twice as often from Bright's disease, both acute and" chronic, as do persons of normal weight. This is probably due to the excessive feeding to which overweights A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 257 are likely to be habituated. Obese persons suf- fer from cirrhosis of the liver three and one- half times as often as persons of normal weight. Doctor Rogers, the chief medical director of a great New York life insurance company has shown by extended and careful study of the data furnished by the experience of this great insur- ance company, that persons who are even ten per cent above the normal weight have a consid- erably higher mortality than those who are ten per cent below the normal weight. It appears then, that it is much safer to be thin than over- fat. An abundance of flesh is generally looked upon as an evidence of health and vigor, but this popular notion is evidently an error. Over- fatness is a diseased condition. An accumula- tion of flesh becomes a handicap to the body even when the amount is comparatively small. A large accumulation of fat is highly burden- some because it imposes upon the body the task of carrying around a dead weight. If, for ex- ample, a person's weight is double what it should be such an individual is like a man who is carrying constantly upon his shoulders an- other man whose weight is equal to his own ; wherever he goes he must carry his burden with him. He cannot lay it down even for a moment. When sitting still little inconvenience may be ex- perienced, but as soon as active exercise begins the handicap makes itself felt. When the fat 258 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED man attempts to run or is required to climb a hill or flight of stairs he is quickly out of breath, partly for the reason that he is required to do perhaps double the amount of work which a person of normal weight would do under the same circumstances; in other words, with one man's muscles he is carrying the weight of two men. There is another reason why the over- fat man is short of breath. The fat accumulation is not upon the surface alone, it is within the body as well. In some cases the chief part of the accumulation is within the cavities of the body. The heart and lungs are enclosed within a bony cage. In the fat man the accumulation of fat in the chest lessens the room for the heart and lungs. The natural result is shortness of breath such as would occur if one had lost the use of one lung or part of a lung from pneu- monia, pleurisy or other cause, or if the action of the lungs were restricted by tight lacing. An accumulation of fat about the heart acts as a burden and lessens its efficiency. An accumulation of fat in the abdomen is also a source of shortness of breath by interfering with the descent of the diaphragm in inhalation. An excessive accumulation of fat in the ab- domen may be readily detected by a very simple means. The patient puts himself in a horizontal position with the clothing of the trunk loosened so that the abdominal fat may be grasped be- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 259 tween the hands. If now the head or legs are raised so as to strongly contract the abdominal muscles it may be observed that the fat grasped between the hands disappears. When this occurs it is because the fat is inside of the abdomen. If the skin is pinched up while the legs are raised and muscles tense it will be found to be not much thicker than normal. In other words there is no large accumulation of fat beneath the skin. If the deposit of fat is on the out- side, however, the mass gathered between the hands will not disappear when the legs are raised since the fat accumulation is outside of the abdominal muscles instead of beneath them. In very chronic cases of obesity fatty de- generation occurs. The fat has not only ac- cumulated upon and between the various or- gans of the body, but the organs themselves be- come changed to fat, that is, the heart muscle is not only overloaded with fat, but the muscle it- self undergoes a fatty change so that the heart becomes weaker and weaker and finally becomes unable to do its work. Fatty degeneration of other muscle structures and of the liver and other glands is also common in these cases. Over-fatness should always be regarded as a serious disease, and persons who find themselves inclined to take on fat should combat it early instead of waiting until they become monstrous masses of adipose tissue, since it is much easier 260 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED to prevent the development of this disease than to cure it; in fact when a person has been long the subject of excessive fat accumulation cer- tain changes occur in the body which are more or less irremediable. It is far better to avoid becoming over-fat than to rely upon taking an obesity cure for it when one has accumulated an unusable surplus. How to Reduce a Fat Abdomen Q. What will reduce a fat abdomen? A. Sawing wood. This is a capital exercise, something that will make the abdominal mus- cles work. Or one may lie on the back and raise the legs to vertical 150 times a day. The next best thing is to lie on the back and raise the head far enough to see the feet for a considerable number of times daily. This will contract the abdominal muscles and make them work. This part of the body gets fat because the muscles are so little used. Work uses up fat as fuel. Fat accumulates where there is deficient activity ; so the main thing to do is to make that part of the body work. Swimming is a good ex- ercise for the purpose. Automatic exercise, that is, exercise produced by rhythmical electrical stimulation of the mus- cles, is a most efficient means of reducing either general or local obesity. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 261 Buttermilk Cure for Obesity Q. What is the buttermilk and potato cure for obesity? A. In the so-called "buttermilk and potato cure" for obesity, the patient is allowed to eat nothing at all but buttermilk and potatoes. A full ration of these two articles would require a person to eat two quarts of buttermilk and seven pounds of potatoes. The bulk of this diet is so great that the patient finds it quite im- possible to eat the whole of it. Consequently he is able to satisfy his appetite completely while at the same time the amount of food he takes is less than his body requires, and the result is he loses in weight. This diet has a further advantage in that it contains very little fat. The sense to satiety de- pends more upon the bulk of the food than the quality of it. Fasting to Relieve Obesity Q. In fasting for relief of obesity, how much may the diet be reduced? A. In an attempt to get rid of surplus flesh by reducing the intake of food, it is highly im- portant to avoid robbing the body of its store of protein as this must result in wasting of the muscles, weakening the heart, depreciating the 262 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED blood and generally injuring the vital machin- ery. Carefully conducted experiments by Mag- nus-Levy, Bernstein, and others, have shown that if the dietary is not reduced much below two-thirds of the actual requirement, that is, not more than one-third below the energy out- put, the protein of the tissues will not be at- tacked while the fat will be progressively con- sumed. It is especially important also to note in arranging the dietary for a fat patient that the protein may be protected by making the diet consist almost exclusively of carbohydrates. That is, fats should be almost withdrawn from the diet. The protein intake may be kept at the, minimum, but the carbohydrates should constitute the greater part of the ration. The "Fruit Regimen" for Obesity Q. Is the "Fruit Regimen" good for obes- ity? A. There is no method superior to the fruit and bran regimen. This plan is very simple. The diet is made to consist exclusively of juicy fruits, bran, celery, lettuce, cucumbers, etc. The food should be taken four times a day or at intervals of about four hours. Convenient hours are seven a. m., eleven a. m., three p. m. and seven p. m. At each meal two or three heaping dessert spoonfuls of sterilized bran A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 263 should be eaten. A very convenient way to take the bran is with stewed tomatoes or apple sauce, or it may be made into a porridge with tomatoes or fruit of some sort thickened with a small spoonful of flour or meal. Salt should be avoided altogether or taken only in a very min- ute quantity. This is quite important if a rapid reduction of weight is desired. One or two paraffin tablets or an ounce of paraffin oil should be taken at each meal. The purpose of this regimen is to secure very pronounced activity of the bowels which greatly aids in the reduction of flesh. After a week or two the number of bran and fruit meals may be reduced to three and the amount of nutriment may be increased 1)V the addition of other vegetables, one or two small potatoes, a small slice of bread and but- ter at each meal, preferably in the form of zweiback and small portions of scalded oat- meal. Care should be taken to avoid making the regimen so severe as to produce a sense of weakness and exhaustion. Two or three quarts of water should be taken daily. Free water drinking helps to rid the body of tissue wastes. In cases in which the tongue is coated as the result of intestinal toxemia, the "fruit regimen" not only reduces the weight but also changes the intestinal and alkalinizes the blood and tissue fluids. Constipation and intestinal toxemia with 264 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED head ache or rheumatism as natural consequences is frequent in obesity, the "fruit" affords a highly useful means of dealing with disease. Obesity Pills, Anti-Fat Remedies Q. Is it safe to make use of the much ad- vertised anti-fat remedies for reducing the weight? A. Certainly not. Many of these so-called obesity remedies are dangerous. Such nostrums do harm by caus- ing delay in the application of efficient remedies. And besides, not a few of these obesity remedies contain active and highly dangerous drugs. One of the products most frequently employed is the dried thyroid of the sheep. This remedy may be of some value in rare cases in which there is a deficiency of the se- cretion of the thyroid gland, but even in these cases it must be used with the greatest care as an over-dose is likely to produce serious dis- turbances of the heart and various nervous dis- turbances of more or less serious character. In by far the great majority of cases of obesity there is no deficiency of the thyroid secretion and administration of thyroid is followed within a few days by quickening of the pulse and the appearance of various unpleasant and more or less serious nervous disturbances and sooner or later grave conditions may be developed. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 265 Thousands of persons have been damaged by the use of these meretricious nostrums. The only safe thing is to avoid them altogether. One who suffers from obesity should place himself under the care of an intelligent physician and care- fully follow his instructions. Diet and exercise are sovereign remedies for this condition. Massage not an Efficient Remedy for Obesity Q. Can excessive fat be removed by means of massage? A. No. Massage is purely mechanical in ite effects. It does not increase to any considerable extent the bodily activities by means of which alone fat can be consumed. Careful experi- ments made by Zuntz, an eminent German in- vestigator, and others showed that massage does not increase metabolism and hence cannot be relied upon as a means of reducing fat. Many persons have wasted an enormous amount of time and money in an attempt to reduce their weight by treatment at the hands of manipula-** tors who claim to be able to accomplish a cure, by massage and various special manipulations, but do not make good their claims. Work is necessary for the reduction of fat, and work by the patient himself, no matter how distasteful. The obese patient must make up his mind that he must work out his own salvation. Bowel Disorders Bowel Rhythm Q. How often should the bowels move? A. The normal rhythm of the bowel move- ment requires an evacuation after each meal. This is the rule with animals, infants, and primi- tive people. One a day or once in a while is the rule with most civilized people. If the bowels can be induced to move two or three times daily by natural means great advantage will be gained, as less opportunity will be given for the for- mation and absorption of intestinal poisons. How to Avoid Laxatives Q. How can one secure three movements of the bowels daily? A. In most cases the bowels may be made to move three times a day regularly by observing the following rules : 1. Give the bowels an opportunity to move after each meal. 2. Observe regularity of meals. 3. Make each meal consist of bulky vegetable foods, that is, foods containing a considerable A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 267 amount of cellulose. Fresh vegetables, both raw and cooked, should constitute a part of every meal. In fact, they should constitute the great bulk of the food. 4. In most cases it is necessary to increase the bulk of the food by the addition of bran or agar-agar. 5. In a large proportion of cases it is necessary to make use of paraffin oil in some form, to lubricate the alimentary canal. 6. At first it may be necessary to use a small cool enema at 80° to 70° F. once a day to re- store the normal sensibility and tone of the bowels. Intestinal Gas Q. I am troubled with gas some hours after eating. Do . you recommend buttermilk pre- pared from cultures of the Bacillus Bulgaricus for this condition? A. The usual cause of an excess of in- testinal gases is the retention of fecal matters for an excessive length of time. The most troublesome form of intestinal flatulence is the result of incompetency of the ileocecal valve. If the bowels are made to move three or four times a day this symptom will disappear. 268 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Soreness in the Side Q. What is the cause of soreness in the right side of the body near the stomach? A. The symptom may be due to any of sev- eral things. Pain near the stomach under the right rib may be due to ulcer of the stomach, ulcer of the duodenum, disease of the pancreas, disease of the gall-bladder, gallstones, or other less common affections. It is entirely possible that the soreness may be due to a diseased kidney ; or the appendix or the colon may be diseased. There are many other possibilities. You should be examined by a thor- oughly competent surgeon as soon as possible. An x-ray examination after a bismuth meal would doubtless throw great light on your case. Bowel Trouble in Summer Q. Why are bowel troubles so frequent in summer time? A. "Bowel troubles" are the prevalent dis- orders of summer, and the mortality lists are lengthened by fatalities due to this class of maladies. Old and young suffer, but infants most. Recent experiments and observations by European physicians show that the chief cause of these maladies is to be found in the increase A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 269 during the warm months of the particular class of germs which give rise to putrefaction. Milk, meat, and bad water are the chief sources of infection. Milk may be boiled, and meat should be discarded, better forever, but certainly during the hot months, when it is al- ways swarming with tiie germs which cause de- cay. Water should be boiled unless known to be pure. Water from dug wells or from lakes, streams and any sources except springs or artesian wells, is certain to contain harmful germs, parasites, and various impurities. Such water is always unfit for use without boiling. A precaution which will almost certainly pre- vent these summer bowel troubles is the careful disinfection of fruits and all other fresh foods, such as lettuce, celery, radishes and cabbage. These foods are often soiled with sewage or soil used as fertilizer and hence are highly infected. They often introduce animal parasites into the intestine. It is easy to render these foods entirely wholesome as follows : Wash thoroughly in clean water then soak for five minutes in a solution of peroxide of hydrogen one part to twenty of water. After soaking in the peroxide solution rinse well. Fresh vegetables from the market should never be eaten without this preparation. Of course vegetables grown in one's own garden may be known to be safe. 270 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Fruit, fruit juice, cereals, and fresh vegetables should be the chief dietary during the summer months. Keep the bowels moving freely by a laxative diet, and keep the general health up by free water drinking, the daily cold bath, and the out-of-door life. This advice can not be too often reiterated. Hemorrhage of the Bowels Q. Is there any connection between hemorrhage and constipation? A. Hemorrhage from the bowels is most fre- quently due to hemorrhoids, in which case con- stipation may be the direct cause of the hemor- rhage. Hemorrhage also sometimes results from ulcer, due to colitis. Ulcer of the stomach or of the duodenum not infrequently gives rise to bloody stools. Pain in the Bowels Q. Can pain in the bowels be relieved by heat applications? A. Fomentations are very useful when the pain in the bowels or abdominal region is due to local inflammation of some sort, as peritonitis, inflammation of the small or large intestine, or other abdominal or pelvic viscera. The appli- cations should not be continued more than A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 271 fifteen or twenty minutes, when a cool compress should be applied for an hour or two, after which the fomentation may be again renewed. The Bismuth Meal Q. What is the bismuth meal and what in- formation is obtained by it? A. The bismuth meal consists of a small quantity of food to which bismuth or some similiar substance has been added. After the food is swallowed, observations are made by the x-ray and the time is noted when the stom- ach is emptied, also when the bismuth meal ap- pears at different points along the alimentary canal. By the careful study of normal persons, the time required for the movement of the food mass from one part of the alimentary canal to another has been definitely determined ; also the length of time which it is normally retained in the stomach, the cecum and other parts of the intestine. In certain forms of disease, the move- ment of the food along the canal is accelerated, but more often it is delayed in some parts, espe- cially in the stomach and the colon. By means of x-ray examinations of the stom- ach, it is now possible to determine the exact shape, size and location of this organ and to actually follow its activities with the eye, thus making clear many conditions which were form- 272 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED erly highly problematical. It is also possible to determine the location of ulcers, cancers or other growths, "kinks," adhesions, and various mal- formations. Rectal Dilators Q. Will the use of rectal dilators cure piles, fistula, and especially a contracted condi- tion of the sphincter ani, as claimed by various specialists? A. If you are suffering from any of the difficulties named, by all means consult a re- liable surgeon. Do not waste time in the use of dilators or any other mechanical means. It is true that some persons have apparently been relieved of trifling rectal ailments by the use of dilators, but even in these cases it is quite possible that suggestion may have played an im- portant part. Dilatation of the Colon Q. What is the most common cause of dilatation of the colon? A. Sedentary habits, causing weakening or relaxation of the abdominal muscles; a relaxed, forward stooping position in sitting; overeating; neglect to attend to the calls of Nature for empty- ing the bowels ; a constipating diet, especially the use of fine-flour bread and concentrated foods. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 273 Indigestion — Causes Q. What are the causes of indigestion? A. The principal causes of indigestion are the following: 1. Insufficient mastication of food. 2. Unwholesome foods. 3. A deficient secretion of gastric juice and other digestive fluids caused by condiments. 4. A deficiency of muscular activity of the stomach or intestine caused by too long retention of foodstuffs. The stomach should be empty in four or four and one-half hours after the taking of food and the small intestine at the end of eight or nine hours. 5. The slow absorption of liquids and digested foodstuffs from the intestine. 6. Infection of the alimentary canal with the so-called "wild" bacteria. Serious disturbances of digestion are much more frequently due to a deficiency of muscular activity of the stomach or intestine, or so-called disorders of motility, than to disturbances of the secreting functions of the digestive glands; but gastric acid is necessary for the digestion of proteins. The acid of the gastric juice also stimulates the secretion of pepsin and activates pepsin, or enables it to digest protein. Hy- 274 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED drochloric acid acts as an antiseptic in the stom- ach, preventing the growth and development of bacteria. In the duodenum, hydrochloric acid causes the formation of secretin which stim- ulates the action of the pancreas and the liver. It is thus apparent that when hydrochloric acid is absent, several important functions of the stomach and intestine are seriously interfered with. Mucous Stools Q. What is the cause of long, jelly-like and ropy strings found in the stools? 7 A. The symptoms described are characteristic of colitis, catarrh or infection of the colon. Function of Small Intestine Q. Of what use is the small intestine in digestion? A. The small intestine is the chief organ of digestion and practically the sole organ of ab- sorption of the products of digestion. Normally three-fourths of the work of di- gestion is accomplished in the small intestine, and this organ is alone capable of maintaining the entire function of digestion. The three important agencies of digestion in A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 275 the intestine are the pancreatic juice, bile, and the intestinal juice. The pancreatic juice and the intestinal juice each furnishes a complete set of ferments. In other words, they are ''duplicate plants." Puffiness Under the Eyes Q. What is the cause of puffiness under the eyes? A. The most common cause is intestinal autointoxication. This is also a symptom of failing Heart and diseased kidneys. It is possible one suffering thus may have arteriosclerosis and weak heart resulting. He should submit him- self to a competent physician for a careful ex- amination. Brown Circles about the Eyes Q. What causes brown circles about the eyes? Please suggest treatment? A. The most common cause of the symptom mentioned is intestinal autointoxication. Brown coloring matters of a poisonous character are formed by the decomposition of animal proteins in the colon. These are absorbed and deposited in the skin. This is the cause of pigmentation of the skin, either about the eyes or in other 276 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED places. Such persons are often neurasthenic. The most important thing for them to do is to discard the use of flesh foods; that is, adopt an antitoxic diet, live outdoors. Keep the bowels active; they should move at least two or three times a day. The cold water bath daily, the cold air bath, the sun bath and all hygienic means are indicated. Gas in Stomach and Intestines Q. What is the best remedy for gas in the stomach and intestines? A. Gas in the intestines practically always means stasis; that is, material left behind which should have been evacuated. Relief is obtained when the colon is emptied. Flatulence of the stomach is usually the result of air-swallowing. It is very difficult to convince persons who have the habit of swallowing air that they are ad- dicted to such a habit. Nevertheless, careful study will show that in by far the majority of cases, patients who complain of flatulence or gas on the stomach are habitual air swallowers, though unconscious of the fact. What seems to such a person to be raising gas from the stom- ach, is as a matter of fact the introduction of air into the stomach. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 277 Gas which cannot be expelled is usually in the small intestine and is associated with an incom- petent ileocolic valve. Bad Breath Q. What is the cause of bad breath? A. Perfume and cosmetics may cover up a bad breath and a dirty complexion, but they do not change them. The cause is loathsome masses of putrescent food remnants in the colon. Foul gases absorbed into the blood find their way out through the lungs and pollute the breath. A strong odor of the perspiration is due to the same cause. The remedy consists in clear- ing out that ancient cesspool, the cecum, a hold of every unclean germ. Often the whole colon is filled with rotting remnants of foodsuffs too loathsome for description. Coated Tongue Q. How may the tongue be cleared when coated? A. A coated tongue is not an indication of a diseased state of the stomach, but of the blood. The cause is usually located in the colon. Con- stipation is the usual cause of a coated tongue and a foul breath. The remedy is to be found in changing the intestinal flora and the cure of constipation. 278 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Anti-toxic Glands Q. What are the anti-toxic glands? A. Notwithstanding the marvelous activity of the intestinal mucous membrane and the liver in the exclusion, destruction and attenua- tion of poisons, still a considerable quantity of toxins reach the general circulation, especi- ally in cases in which intestinal putrefaction is active. The destruction of these poisons is a function which pertains to a class of glands the purpose of which was not understood until the development of the doctrine relating to auto- intoxication by Bouchard and his followers. It is now known that the thyroid gland, the suprarenal capsules, the pituitary body, the thy- roid, the parathyroid, and the thymus glands are actively engaged in the destruction or antidoting of toxins absorbed from the intestine and circu- lating in the body through the blood and lymph. Dogs fed on meat die quickly after the opera- tion of thyroidectomy, as shown by Horsely and Scruff. Rabbits suffer little inconvenience from the operation. Dogs fed upon bread and milk are nearly exempt from ill-effects from the operation, but die quickly when fed on beef tea and roast meats. Here is another graphic il- lustration of the difference between a flesh diet and a non-flesh dietary as regards the protective struggle required by the body. Combe, nearly A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 279 twenty years ago from observations made upon infants, was led to believe that the chief func- tion of the thyroid and parathyroid was to de- stroy the products of intestinal putrefaction. I lis views seem to be confirmed by the very re- cent observations of numerous investigators, particularly those of Blum and Kishi. Blum holds that the thyroid neutralizes the toxins produced by the putrefaction of albumens in the intestine. Kishi believes that a highly toxic sub- stance which he calls prothyreo toxin, a nucleo- proteid, is produced by the putrefactive decom- position of meat in the intestines and that the secretion of the thyroid gland, thyroidin, has a special affinity for this poison and combining with it forms thyreotoxin, which splits up into two harmless substances which constitute the in- ternal secretion of the thyroid gland and are eliminated by the kidneys. This protective action, according to Kishi, is carried on by the thyroid and parathyroid glands in conjunction. When these glands fail to do their work, the prothy- reotoxin accumulates in the body and general toxic symptoms develop in the nervous system and the entire body. When the insufficiency exists in the parathyroids alone, the result is tetany. If the insufficiency is in the thyroid, the result is myxoedema. The pituitary body is a remarkable structure, formerly regarded as a gland, now known to be 280 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED half a gland and half a ganglion, notwithstand- ing its minute size is believed to play a highly important part in the defense of the body against entero-toxins. The action of the pituitary body appears to be in some way related to the supra- renal capsules. Gley, Oliver, Abelous and others have clearly established the importance of the internal secre- tion of the suprarenals as an anti-toxic agent, of great importance in the protection of the body against entero-toxins. Charrin has shown that suprarenal secretion attenuates the toxicity of alkaloids, and Gourf eim has established the fact that the secretion of the suprarenals neutralizes or destroys a number of toxic substances which are found in the blood stream. Muhlman dis- covered that the suprarenals destroyed a highly toxic substance resulting from intestinal putre- faction, brenzcatechin, to which the pigmentation of the skin, so commonly seen in intestinal au- tointoxication, is due. This discovery makes clear the reason for the remarkable pigmentation of the skin which occurs in Addison's disease. Flatulence From Drinking at Meals Q. Why should a glass of water, or even a half glass, taken between meals, cause gas on the stomach? Can this be prevented? And does one not need the water? A. The symptom referred to may be the re- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 281 suit of the swallowing of air while drinking wa- ter. It may be due to the setting up of peristaltic movements in the stomach. In cases of hypera- cidity in which the pylorous is likely to be too strongly contracted, water drinking, by increas- ing the acid formation and causing contraction of the stomach, frequently gives rise to eructations of gas that is forced upward on ac- count of the closure of the pylorus preventing its escape downward. Prolapsed Colon Q. What causes prolapsed colon? A. Over filling it with semi-solid contents or gas. Ulcer of the Duodenum Q. Can ulcer of the duodenum be perma- nently cured without operation? A. Most cases may be cured without oper- ation provided the colon can be made to act properly and the patient can be made to follow die required regimen. Ulceration of the Rectum Q. What is the cause of ulceration of the rectum, and what can I do to prevent the re- turn of this condition? A. Ulceration of the rectum is due to in- 282 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED fection. The most important thing to do to prevent a return is to build up the general health as much as possible and thus keep resistance high and exercise especial care to keep the rectum thoroughly clean. Any residue of fecal matter left in the rectum will cause local irrita- tion and infection. If the rectum is kept thor- oughly clean, this will not occur. In many per- sons, the bowels are not completely evacuated, a small amount of fecal matter being left behind in the rectum or lower bowel. In such cases, the introduction of a few ounces of cold water just after the bowels have acted will remove any such residue. The introduction of an ounce or two of oil at night is also beneficial. The anal region should be cleansed with water after every bowel movement. The native Hindoo always does this and thinks the practice of Euro- peans most uncleanly. When the parts are not cleansed thoroughly, the highly infectious mate- rial left behind in folds of the skin and mucous membrane set up irritation and inflammation the result of which may be either ulcer, fissure, hem- morrhoids or eczema. When the parts are thor- oughly cleansed after every stool, irritations pres- ent usually soon recover. Even hemorrhoids generally disappear. If anything more is needed, a suppository containing tannin or some other antiseptic may be used after each movement. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 283 Charcoal Q. Is charcoal of any value in combating intestinal toxemia? A. Powdered charcoal if taken in sufficient quantity is undoubtedly capable of rendering valuable service in combating toxic conditions of the intestine. Besides producing a laxative ef- fect the charcoal absorbs a considerable amount of the poisons resulting from putrefactive changes in the intestine. Charcoal tablets are useless. Diarrhoea With Constipation Q. What is the cause of chronic diarrhoea? A. Diarrhoea often means the same thing as constipation being due to irritation result- ing from retained fecal matters. Frequent bowel movements occur because the bowel is never completely emptied. The writer has met many cases in which the x-ray showed that a test meal remained three or four days in the colon, notwithstanding the fact that the patient's bowels moved ten or twelve times a day. Bowel movements are too frequent but never complete. The* patient feels sure that his bowels move too much and that they should be checked. To make use of bland and con- centrated foods is a serious error. Such a diet 284 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED only makes matters worse. Scourers are needed to clear the bowel out and to keep it clean. In no other way can the intestine be restored to a normal condition. The "Fruit Regimen" is es- pecially useful. Causes of Constipation Q. What are the causes of constipation? A. The causes are many. The chief ones are: 1. Concentrated food, that is, insufficient roughage or bulk making food. 2. Neglect to attend the "call" of Nature promptly. 3. The use of flesh foods. 4. Lack of exercise, causing weakness of the abdominal muscles. 5. Stooped or "slumped'' attitude in sitting. 6. In women, the corset and tight bands. 7. The high closet seat. 8. Irritating condiments. 9. Irregularity of meals. 10. The use of laxative mineral waters and drugs. Inactivity of the bowels may be due to any one of these several causes. A most common cause is a torpid state of the liver. In cases in which the stool is hard and dry, the im- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 285 mediate cause is deficiency of secretion of mu- cus by the intestinal mucous membrane. The following suggestions will be found helpful: 1. Eat coarse food, such as brose, peas, beans, vegetables, etc. Avoid meat and condiments, tea, coffee, fats, pastry, and all unwholesome articles of food. 2. Drink two to three quarts of water daily. The water should be taken an hour be- fore the meal, and not within two hours after. 3. Wear at night a wet abdominal bandage, con- sisting of a towel wrung out of cold water dry enough so it will not drip, and covered with several thicknesses of dry flannel. The towel should be long enough to go around the body two or three times. It should be taken off in the morning, and the surface should be well rubbed with the hand dipped in cold water. 4. Two or three times a day knead and per- cuss the bowels with the hands for five or ten minutes very thoroughly. Flesh Eating and Constipation Q. Are the effects of constipation worse when meat is eaten? A. Yes. Constipation is an exceedingly damaging condition to any person, but this is especially true when flesh food of any sort en- ters largely into the dietary. Eggs and flesh food readily undergo putrefactive changes. This is 286 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED just as true within the body as outside of the body, and is especially true in the body for two reasons. The conditions of warmth and moisture within the- body are exactly such as favor decay in the highest degree; and, besides there are al- ways found in the intestine many millions of active, putrefactive bacteria, which quickly set up decay in any putrescible substances with which they may come in contact. A beefsteak smeared with fecal matters and left in a warm place would certainly undergo very active putrefaction. The same beefsteak in contact with the same fecal matters within the body would undergo decomposition with equal facility. The more largely eggs and meat enter into the dietary, the larger will be the amount of undigested remnants of these putres- cible foodstuffs, and the greater will be the amount of putrefaction products. The free use of eggs and meat is unquestionably a widespread cause of disease through the encouragement of intestinal putrefactions resulting in intestinal autointoxication. Vegetarians may suffer much the same as meat eaters when milk and eggs are freely used. Even persons who are strict vegetarians, but who are constipated, may suffer from intes- tinal putrefaction. In these cases the putrefac- tion is doubtless in large part due to ihe fact that the intestine has become diseased and in- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 287 fected by the long use of putrescible foods, and the active germs which are present find a suffi- cient amount of food material, even in such food- stuffs as nuts, cereals, peas and beans, to main- tain an active putrefactive process. Constipation and Hyperacidity Q. Will constipation produce hyperacidity? A. The constant association of hyperhydro- chloria or gastric hyperacidity with intestinal au- tointoxication or toxemia has been observed by many authors ; but, so far as the writer is aware, little or no attention has been given to what seems to be a very evident relation between in- testinal putrefaction and hyperacidity. Roger, who has made an elaborate study of the toxins produced in the alimentary canal under various conditions, has demonstrated that one of the functions of the stomach is to excrete poisons from the blood. He holds that these poisons may be derived from intestinal putrefaction, and one of the functions of the stomach is to eliminate the poisons absorbed from the intestines. He found the toxicity of the contents of a rabbit's stomach to be 11.5, the amount required to kill a rabbit. That of a dog fed on meat was 4.5, near- ly three times as great. Cassaut and Soux found the toxicity to be 5.3. The gastric juice tested 288 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED by them was found to have a toxicity of 30. When meat was digested in the gastric juice, the product had a toxicity of 13.7. Golds and Constipation Q. Is a cold the result of constipation, or does a cold produce ^this disease? A. A person suffering from a cold is usually constipated, but on investigation it will generally be found that there had been more or less con- stipation before the cold was contracted. The cold is, of course, aggravated by constipation, because it leads to the accumulation of poisons. In a condition of cold there is already an ac- cumulation of poisons, and one of the measures of first importance in getting rid of a cold is to increase the activity of the bowels. The bowels ought to be made to move three or four times a day. Incompetency of the Ileocecal Valve Q. Does incompetency of the ileocecal valve cause autointoxication ? A. It seems clear that simple decrease and in- crease of peristalsis at least, so far as the colon is concerned — have little or no influence upon the amount of decomposition. The latter is aug- mented when large quantities of material liable to decompose — mucous and other inflammatory A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 289 products, soluble protein, and so on — are present at the same time ; or when the small intestine is simultaneously affected, owing to incompetence of the ileocecal valve, stenosis, or other similar conditions. Indeed, Strasburger maintains that the total number of bacteria in the feces is less in consti- pation than in diarrhoea. Tight Sphincter Q. Is it true that undue contraction of the anal muscle gives rise to nervous prostra- tion, insomnia, debility, etc., through pressure upon the sympathetic nerves? A. The \nnocent public has-been humbugged to an enormous degree by so-called rectal spe- cialists or orificial surgeons who have claimed to find in rectal disorders the cause of almost every malady known to medical science. Most chronic ailments are due to incorrect habits in diet or in other particulars. When the cause is removed, recovery is generally quite prompt through the natural recuperative powers of the body. Anal hypertension is a symptom, not a cause. 290 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Fat Fermentation Q. Do fats ferment in the intestine? A. According to Taylor: "The fats are very resistant to fermentation in the intestine, and even under pathological conditions it is rare to find an active fermentation of fat. There is no foundation for the fear that an acidosis may be caused by the formation of harmful acids from fatty acid in the intestine." Ferments of the Intestinal Juiee Q. What are the ferments of the intestinal juice? The intestinal mucous membrane is the one tissue that forms all the different ferments em- ployed in digestion. These ferments are: amyl- ase, maltase, invertase, lactase, emulsin, erepsin, lipase, chymosin. The intestine alone may accomplish the entire work of digestion without the aid of the sali- vary glands, the stomach or the pancreas. Nearly the whole work of digestion and ab- sorption is done by the small intestine. The stomach digests little and absorbs less. The small intestine absorbs nearly six quarts of liquid daily. The colon absorbs only ten or twelve ounces. It is quite evident then that the small intestine is A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 291 the most important part of the digestive appa- ratus. Notwithstanding this fact, half of the small intestine (ten or twelve feet) has been suc- cessfully removed. In these cases nutrition was found to be somewhat impaired but according to Albu one-third of the small intestine may be removed without disturbing nutrition. Lane and numerous other surgeons have shown that practically the entire colon may be removed, not only without injury to the health, but with great advantage to the patient in certain cases. Chronic Toxemia Q. What are the effects of chronic intestinal toxemia? A. Among the effects enumerated by Schmidt and other German authorities are trophic changes in the stomach and intestines. These are very commonly found in cases of pernicious anemia and are attributed to the influence of intestinal toxins which are enormously increased in this disease. According to Stiler, albumin and casts are frequently found in cases of severe consti- pation as well as in intestinal obstruction and Stromayer has shown that partially digested meat may be found in the urine in cases of ulceration of the intestine. Bouchard and Boix called attention to the fact that intestinal toxemia 292 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED may give rise to enlargement and cirrhosis of the liver. Most chronic maladies are chiefly due to intestinal toxemia. Extent of Intestinal Putrefaction Q. To what extent does putrefaction take place in the intestine? A. According to Hencki, MacFayden, and other investigators, not less than one-seventh of the total amount of protein eaten is ordinarily destroyed by putrefaction, thus occasioning a very considerable loss to the body. But the loss of an important food principle is a matter of small consequence compared with the mischiefs which result from the poisons into which this one-seventh of the nitrogenous food supply is converted, instead of being converted into human albumin adapted to the nutrition of the body. Intestinal Flora Q. What is meant by the intestinal flora? A. Plants which grow in a locality are known as its flora. Germs are microscopic organ- isms which belong to the vegetable kingdom and hence the germs found in the intestine are known by bacteriologists as the intestinal flora. Much attention has been given to the study of these intestinal germs. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 293 Herter, as well as others, has clearly shown that the number of these pernicious toxin-pro- ducing organisms present depends largely upon the character of the food, — the larger the amount of protein food, the larger the number of or- ganisms. The feces of the lion, tiger, wolf, and cat showed enormous numbers of these patho- genic organisms. On the other hand, exami- nation showed the fecal matters of the buffalo, goat, camel and elephant to be very free from vir- ulent organisms. In other words, Doctor Herter shows that there is a distinct herbivorous type of bacterial flora. When broth was inoculated with feces, he found mercaptan was produced by the feces of carnivorous animals, but that none was produced by the feces of herbivorous ani- mals. Emulsions of carnivorous feces inocu- lated into guinea-pigs gave rise to edema, hemorrhages, and destruction of tissues. Gas and butyric acid were formed. The effects were similar to those produced by Welch's bacillus aero genes capsulatus. Food Absorption Q. In what part of the intestine is food ab- sorbed? A. The most rapid absorption occurs in the lower duodenum and upper jejunum and lessens 294 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED gradually from the upper part of the jejunum to the lower part of the ileum. There is practically no absorption of food products from the colon. Putrefaction in Starvation Q. Does intestinal putrefaction occur dur- ing starvation? A. Intestinal putrefaction > does not cease in starvation. On the contrary, after the first few days the signs of intestinal putrefaction in the urine and feces indicate that the bacteria in the intestine are very active. The material on which they feed is the protein of the intestinal se- cretions. These proteins are apparently rich in phenyl- amino-acids and tryptophan, as phenol and indol compounds are prominent in the urine and feces of the starving individual. The ac- tion of bacteria under these conditions is heightened by the presence of constipation. And though we must believe that the mass of ali- mentary secretions is much reduced in the state of starvation, their prolonged retention in the lower intestinal tract affords to bacteria full op- portunity for action. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 295 Rectal Pain Q. What will relieve rectal pain? A. The pain of hemorrhoids and rectal ulcer generally yields to fomentations applied over the anal region. A very hot sitz bath is usually effective in cases of this sort. The water need not be more than two or three inches deep, but should be as hot as can be borne, the temperature being gradually raised, after the patient enters the bath, to 115° or 120° F. The pain of in- flamed hemorrhoids is sometimes best relieved by an alternation of heat and cold. In cases in which there is great pain at stool, relief is often experienced by sitting over a pail or jar half rilled with boiling water while moving the bowels. The hot steam relaxes the sphincter, and exer- cises a powerful analgesic effect upon the painful tissues. Painful Defecation Q. What is the best means of relieving pain which occurs soon after moving the bowels? A. Hemorrhoids are often the cause of pain, but this pain usually occurs at the time of the bowel movement. A sharp, acute pain is gen- erally due to a fissure or fistula. In some cases, the pain is greatest in the act of defecation, in others it is most severe half an hour later. The latter is the case when the pain is the result 296 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED of fissure. Of course the proper mode of treat- ment will include radical measures or surgical interference; nevertheless, much can be done to mitigate the sufferings of the patient without a surgical operation. One of the very best means we know of is evacuation of the bowels in steam over warm water. Instruct the patient to sit over a vessel nearly full of hot water, as hot as can be borne without burning. This will so re- lax the parts as to greatly diminish the pain; and if the contents of the bowels have been soft- ened by an enema, as should always be done, the patient may get along with scarcely any pain at all. Surgery is often necessary. It is highly important in these cases that the bowels should move three times a day and the stools should be made soft by the use of sterilized bran and paraffin in some form, prefer- ably paraffin tablets. Hemorrhoids Q. Is there any remedy for hemorrhoids without an operation? A. Yes. Most cases of hemorrhoids may be so greatly helped by prolonged cold sitz baths that an operation becomes unnecessary. The wa- ter should be about three or four inches deep in the tub, with the temperature 60° F. The duration of the bath should be from twelve to A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 297 twenty minutes. The feet should be placed in not water at the same time, and a woolen blanket should be wrapped about the body to prevent chilling. Hemorrhoids may be cured by a painless electrical method. Constipation must be prevented. Internal Hemorrhoids 0. What is the cause and what should be the treatment for internal hemorrhoids? A. Internal hemorrhoids are usually due to chronic constipation. Relief may generally be obtained by keeping the bowels in an active state, so that straining and hard stools will be avoided. It is also well to introduce some anti- septic suppository after each bowel movement to prevent infection and inflammation of the in- fected part. A suppository made of cocoa but- ter and containing one or two grains of tannic acid is very serviceable for this purpose. By the use of an emulsion of parafrn oil and other laxative foods and care to move the bowels regularly two or three times a day, the incon- venience which has been suffered from hemor- rhoids will usually disappear. In extreme cases, however, in which large masses are formed and the tissues have been greatly changed by disease, an operation is advisable. The hemorrhoids may be removed by a very simple operation that in- 298 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED volves little or no pain, and no risk of life, and that is radically effective. Colitis Q. Is colitis, or catarrh of the bowels, the same as consumption of the bowels? A. No. Consumption of the bowels is a form of tuberculosis, and colitis is a disease of the mucous membrane due to the presence in excessive numbers of putrefactive organisms and their toxins. Cause of Colitis Q. What is the cause of colitis? A. According to Tissier, of Paris, colitis and enteritis would not exist but for the eating of animal foods. Meats of all foods have a tendency to produce these diseases — particularly because they contain the very germs that cause them. These germs, moreover, are known to be identical with the germs that produce the putre- faction of meats, so that with every morsel of flesh infection is taken into the system. In other words, eat enteritis and colitis and you have them ; leave them out of your dietary and you will be immune against them. Enteritis and colitis are inflammation or catarrh of the in- testines — enteritis of the small and colitis of the large intestine, and both spring directly from the A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 299 masses of undigested flesh particles which lie about in the intestines rotting because they con- tain germs whose function it is to produce decay and putrefaction. Colic Q. What will relieve the intense pain caused by gas in the stomach or abdomen? A. The best measures are the hot enema and hot fomentations. The hot full bath is some- times necessary. The most obstinate cases are those in which the ileocecal valve is incompetent. Such cases sometimes require an operation for repair of the valve. Intestinal Catarrh — Colitis Q. What is the cause of passages from the bowels of mucus and strings of what looks like the mucus lining accompanied with great tenseness and nervousness and mental and physical depression? A. The presence of opaque mucus "strings" and "flakes," masses or "casts" of mucus in the bowel passages is evidence of the existence of infection of the intestine. The colon is the part most commonly affected, and hence the name "coiitis." The cause is constipation, — the long retention of putrefying fecal matters in contact with the mucus membrane of the colon. 300 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED It is for this reason that colitis most com- monly affects the lower half of the colon. One of the consequences of colitis is a cramp- like contraction of the colon which causes an aggravated form of constipation, the so-called '"spastic constipation.*' Another serious result is intestinal toxemia, due to the ready absorption of poisons through the diseased mucous membrane. This is the ex- planation of the nervous and other symptoms which accompany this condition. Combe and others have pointed out that colitis is a meat eater's disease. That is, those who do not eat meat are little subject to this malady, which is exceedingly common in meat eaters. This is equally true of appendicitis, be- cause appendicitis is one of the consequences of colitis. Colitis is always curable if the patient is will- ing to make the necessary effort. Treatment measures must be thoroughgoing and the regimen must be very carefully regulated. For a rapid cure, all animal proteids must be ex- cluded from the diet. That is, milk, eggs, and meats of all sorts must be discarded. Losier has shown that the germs which cause colitis thrive on animal proteins and starve on vege- table foods. The bowels must be made to move three or A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 301 four times a day whenever it is possible, and the protective ferments Bacillus Bulgaricus, B. Giycobacter and B. Bifidus should be taken daily a few months. The cure is hastened very much by cleansing the colon daily and then flush- ing with suitable solutions containing the pro- tective ferments. By this means the friendly germs are planted where they are most needed. The intestinal flora must be changed, and the habitual diet must be such as to make the change permanent. Colon Pain 0. What is the cause of a dull aching pain in the left side of the body near the upper por- tion of the groin? This pain is usually due to colitis. When this is the cause, pressure over the seat of pain will reveal a tender area usually extending along the side for several inches and when the ac- cumulation of fat is not too great the colon may be outlined giving the impression of a firm tubular shape. Absorption By the Colon Q. To what extent is food absorbed by the colon? There is practically no absorption of food by the. colon. Almost the entire work of ab- 302 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED sorption is performed by the small intestine, which is also the principal organ of digestion. According to Taylor, the small intestine ab- sorbs about six quarts a day, or an average of two quarts for each meal. The amount ab- sorbed by the colon is not more than ten or twelve ounces during twenty-four hours. It has been demonstrated by the physiologists that while the colon absorbs water with considerable avidity, it absorbs no fat at all and only the most minute quantities of carbohydrates and protein, so it practically takes no part in the work of digestion. The lower half of the colon also excretes salts, fats and various metallic sub- stances, especially iron and lime. These same substances are excreted by the small intestine and through the bile to some extent, but to a much less degree. The lower half of the colon appears to be the chief organ for the excretion of lime and metallic salts. "The ileocecal valve forms a sharp line of demarcation" between the colon and the small intestine. Examination of the Colon Q. Is it possible to follow the colon from the surface of the body? A. Yes, especially when the colon is filled with hardened material and the abdominal walls are very thin, the colon can be easily marked out. It is best studied with the x-ray. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 303 Greedy Colon Q. What is meant by greedy colon? A. In chronic constipation the colon seems to acquire the faculty of destroying and ab- sorbing a considerable amount of insoluble ma- terials which are not absorbed by normal colons. The small residue of fat which maintains a plastic condition of the feces in normal con- ditions almost entirely disappears in constipa- tion. When the bowels are constipated by means of opium, the stool is dry because of the ab- sorption of water, but the dried residue is not diminished. It is probable that the disappear- ance of cellulose in the colon in constipation is due to the action of bacteria. Even bran and agar-agar often disappear in large quantities in such cases, especially if finely ground. Some authorities apply the term "greedy colon" to such cases, although the colon is not at fault. Weight of Feces Q. What is the normal weight of the feces? A. The weight of the stool on a milk diet is rarely above 50 grams, — one and two-thirds ounces. The weight of the stool on a mixed diet is 50 to 300 grams, seldom under 100 grams. The more fruit and vegetables, the greater the weight of the stool. 304 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED The daily stool in a vegetarian or fruitarian may weigh a pound or more. Normal Color of the Feces Q. What is the normal color of the feces? A. The best example of the normal feces is to be seen in the discharges of a young infant, which are yellow in color and are either odor- less or have a slight acid odor. When putre- faction is present the stool is usually black or brown in color and has a very offensive am- moniacal or putrid odor. The stools of adults generally have this appearance. In nearly all cases more or less putrefaction is present. By change of the flora the stool may be made to ac- quire an appearance closely resembling that of an infant. Examination of Feces Q. Is it possible to obtain any important information concerning the condition of the body by examination of the stools or bowel discharges? A. The examination of the feces is a most valuable means of diagnosis, especially in cases of chronic disease; it is in fact a necessary part of the thoroughgoing investigation of a case. This examination not only determines the pres- ence or absence of intestinal parasites, such as A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 305 tapeworm, hookworm, amoeba, etc., but indi- cates the kind of bacteria present, and hence gives the key to the character of the fermenta- tions taking place in the intestines, and the nature and amount of the bacterial toxins pro- duced. Repeated at intervals of a week or two, it affords an opportunity to watch the gradual change of the intestinal flora from a noxious to a friendly sort, under the influence of an antitoxic diet and the use of antitoxic ferments. The Enema Q. Do regular daily enemas have a de- bilitating effect? A. Hot and warm enemas have a relaxing tendency. Cool enemas, that is, at a temper- ature of 85° to 70° F., have a tonic effect. For Dry Stools Q. What is the best form of enema for very dry stools? A. Warm oil is best in such a case. Use from four ounces to half a pint of olive oil at a temperature of 105'° F. Take care to see that the oil is perfectly sweet. Rancid oil might do much mischief. Hot soapsuds may be used in- stead of oil. The solution of soap should not be so strong as to be irritating. 306 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED The Appendix Q. Of what practical use is the appendix in the body? A. The appendix secretes mucus which lu- bricates the alimentary bolus, which is brought to the lower end of the caecum. Appendicitis Q. Is an operation necessary in every case of appendicitis? A. A surgeon should be consulted in every case of appendicitis. Each individual case must be judged on its merits. Severe cases of ap- pendicitis require prompt surgical intervention. In cases of chronic appendicitis the danger of a fatal issue is much less than in acute appen- dicitis, but the condition is one of too much gravity to be safely ignored. At the beginning of an attack, the bowels should be moved by a large enema containing a little soap or an ounce of sulphate of mag- nesia. Apply hot hip and leg packs every three hours, with one or two ice-bags in the right groin continuously. If the patient does not improve rapidly as a result of the thorough application of the above treatment, as shown by the lower temperature, a slower pulse, and relief of pain, a thoroughly A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 307 competent surgeon should be consulted. The most desirable time for performing an oper- ation in a case of acute appendicitis is within the first twenty-four hours. Later than this, the disease is likely to be found extensively in- volving the surrounding tissues and operation is much more difficult. In such cases, if the pa- tient shows indications of recovery, the opera- tion may be postponed to some days later when the symptoms of inflammation have disappeared. But if an operation is decided upon, it should be done promptly. Delay is perhaps unwise in any case in which operation is clearly shown to be necessary. When abscess results, as shown by thickening, swelling, continued pain, and temper- ature, the abscess is usually opened and drained without attempt to remove the appendix. It must always be remembered that appendicitis is generally simply an extension of infection from the colon to the appendix. Removal of the ap- pendix will not cure the diseased colon. This must receive proper attention later. Recurring Appendicitis Q. Is an attack of appendicitis liable to make one susceptible to a second attack? A. Yes. Appendicitis doubtless begins in the colon. It is due to an extension of the infec- tion of the colon to the appendix. When a per- 308 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED son has had an attack of appendicitis, it is evi- dent that the colon is infected, and unless the colon is cured, the attack is likely to recur. There is no doubt, however, that by means of an anti- toxic diet and proper care to secure a thorough movement of the bowels two or three times daily, a person who has recovered from one attack of appendicitis need not have another unless the condition is quite unusual. Repair of Incompetent Ileocecal Valve Q. Can an incompetent ileocecal (ileocolic) valve be repaired? What is incompetency of the ileocecal valve? A. Fortunately this defect, which is now be- lieved to be responsible for many serious bodily ailments, may be completely repaired. It is also gratifying to note that the operation is safe and that the good results are likely to prove per- manent. Although the operation is comparatively re- cent, several years have elapsed since the first cases operated upon and x-ray examinations have shown that the repaired valves still per- form their functions in a perfectly normal manner. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 309 Short Circuiting of the Colon Q. What is short circuiting of the colon? A. In short circuiting of the colon, the small intestine is detached from its normal connection with the colon and is connected with the pel- vic colon, the loop of the large intestine which joins the rectum. This operation, devised by Dr. Lane of London, has been performed in many cases' for the purpose of relieving intes- tinal toxemia or chronic constipation, and in some cases with apparent benefit, but unfortu- nately the benefit has in most cases proved to be only temporary and in many instances the patient has been made much worse than before. The operation is rapidly falling into disfavor among the best surgeons. Later experience has shown that the operation is rarely necessary for the following reasons : 1. By regulation of the diet, especially by the adoption of an anti-toxic or fleshless diet and by encouraging activity of the bowels through the use of sterilized bran, agar-agar and paraffin oil, constipation and intestinal toxemia can be suc- cessfully combatted in a large proportion of the cases in which the operation of short circuiting has been thought to be necessary. This has been demonstrated in a very extensive way at the Battle Creek Sanitarium and other institutions in which the dietetic and other measures for 310 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED correcting the intestinal toxemia have been em- ployed in a thoroughgoing way. Combe has ob- tained like successful results by non-surgical means. 2. Observations by Dr. J. T. Case, roentgen- ologist of the Battle Creek Sanitarium, and clin- ical observations by the writer and his associates have clearly demonstrated that the so-called Lane's kink or adhesions of the small intestine near its point of junction with the colon is no the cause of the intestinal toxemia which Doctor Lane has considered to be an indication for the performance of the operation of short circuit- ing. It has been shown instead that the toxemia which is caused by the retention of foodstuffs in the small intestine is not due to an obstruc- tion by a kink, but to a reflux or backing up of decomposing material from the colon because of incompetency of the ileocecal valve. What these cases really need then is not short circuit- ing, but simply repair of the ileocecal valve. The correctness of this view has been established by the performance of this operation in more than two hundred cases with complete success in nearly every case. By repair of the valve the so-called "ileac stasis" is cured and the former symptoms of toxemia, headaches, loss of appetite, coated tongue, foul breath, pigmentation of the skin, and other symptoms of chronic toxemia have been made to rapidly disappear. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 311 3. The operation of short circuiting cannot succeed permanently for the reason that the new point of junction between the small intestine and the colon is not protected by the valve which is normally found at the ileocolic junction, and the consequence is, after a few months fecal mat- ters back up into the small intestine, many feet of which become distended with fecal matters, thus the patient is even worse off than before the operation. Whenever an operation for transplanting the small intestine to another part of the colon is performed, an artificial ileocecal valve should be made so that the opening may be properly guarded. Intra-Abdominal Tension Q. What is intra-abdominal tension? A. If a small opening is made in the ab- dominal wall, the intestine quickly finds its way into the opening and is forced outward. This is the cause of hernia. There is maintained more or less constantly within the abdominal cavity a tension. This is necessary to support the large blood vessels which are found in this part of the body and also to promote movement of materials along the intestine and the dis- charge of waste matters from the body. This internal tension is of very great importance. It 312 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED aids in regulating the circulation of blood and in various other functions, some of which are: 1. The tone of the intestinal wall. 2. The size of the intestinal canal. 3. Action of the intestinal muscles. 4. Pressure of the abdominal wall. 5. Pressure of the diaphragm during inspira- tion. 6. Gas distension of the intestines. Experiments have shown the great influence of variations of intra-abdominal pressure upon the rate of absorption. It aids absorption by direct pressure from behind just as increased atmospheric pressure aids the passage of a solu- tion through a filter. This is a factor of great importance. This is the reason why patients are benefited by deep breathing exercises after meals, by lying upon the face over a pillow, by lying with a weighted or inflated compress over the abdomen and by abdominal massage. A boy who has eaten too much dinner instinctively compresses his stomach by lying over the arm of a chair or a barrel or any other convenient object. Laxatives in Toxemia Q. Does clearing the bowels by laxatives lessen intestinal toxemia? A. An investigation conducted by Schulz (Berlin. Klin. Woch., June, 1900) shows that A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 313 intestinal antiseptics diminish the ability of the intestine to destroy bacteria. After a dose of castor oil and calomel, cholera germs were found abundantly in the stools of dogs to whom cul- tures of this micro-organism had been given, while before the calomel was given no bacteria were found although large quantities of cholera germs had been introduced into the intestine in such a way as to avoid action by the gastric juice. This experiment indicated that the in- testine has in some way the power to destroy bac- teria, probably, as suggested by Buchler, by means of a special ferment Calomel interferes in some way with the action of this protective process. Intestinal Autointoxication Q. What is the meaning of the term "in- testinal autointoxication" and what are its symptoms? A. Intestinal autointoxication is a grave condition of the body which results from the absorption of poisons from the intestines. The source of the poison is putrefaction of undi- gested remnants of protein foodstuffs. Things which will putrefy outside the body will also undergo decay in the body. The conditions of the intestine are, in fact, specially favorable to promote putrefaction. A piece of raw meat applied next to the skin and covered will decay 314 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED rapidly, and become extremely, offensive within a few hours. The same piece of meat lying undigested in the colon or the lower part of the small intestine, will undergo the same change. The poisons produced are absorbed into the body and produce disturbances of various sorts. Intestinal autointoxication, resulting from the combined influence of chronic intestinal inac- tivity and the free use of flesh foods, is doubt- less responsible for a great share of the chronic diseases which are daily increasing in number and fatality and threatening to destroy the very race. The following symptoms of intestinal auto- intoxication are mentioned by Combe in his ex- cellent work on this subject: "Drawn features, a sad expression, skin yellow or pale, dryness of the hair, ends of the hair split, scaly scalp, sunken eyes, whites of the eyes yellow or dingy, brown discoloration of the eyelids, cheeks, or other portions of the skin; lips red and congested, redness increased during acute attacks, some- times swollen and hot; chest emaciated, abdo- men bulging or contracted ; nails soft and brittle, transverse notches indicating acute attacks of toxemia, sometimes white patches on the skin of the neck or armpits; glands in the groin en- larged, movable but not sensitive; general per- spiration or perspiration of the hands and feet, especially during sleep. Loss of appetite, ir- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 315 regular appetite, abnormal appetite, often dis- gust for meat, desire for plaster, sand, twine, earth, ravenous appetite; feeling of tightness at the waist after meals ; colic, abdomen swol- len, veins of the abdomen dilated, especially about the ninth and "tenth ribs. In young chil- dren, liver often enlarged. Sometimes con- traction of the pylorus; often contraction of the colon. Attacks of vomiting and diarrhea, bilious attacks, attacks of jaundice, pain in the region of the liver, hardening of the liver, hem- orrhoids, abdominal dropsy, gall-stones, rapid pulse, symptoms resembling angina pectoris, pulsations throughout the body, sensations of heat, palpitation of the heart, abnormally slow pulse, subnormal temperature, swelling of the eyelids on awakening in the morning, swelling of the ankles, neurasthenic symptoms, migraine, sick headache, loss of memory, especially for proper names. Epileptoid attacks, tetany, mental disturbance, impoverished blood, perni- cious anemia, senility, premature whiteness of the hair and beard, incapacity for muscular ex- ercise, dwarfed growth; various skin diseases, especially prurigo, itching, eczema, and other eruptions, urticaria, acne, and boils. "' More recent studies of the effects of intestinal toxemia indicate that this condition is a factor in nearly all forms of chronic disease. Even dis- eases of the eye, both acute and chronic are 316 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED known to be caused by toxins or infections de- rived from the colon. Premature aging of the eye has been cured in many cases by correcting a condition of intestinal toxemia. Doctor Bulkley, of New York, has shown that many skin diseases disappear when flesh foods are discarded from the diet. Intestinal Bacteria Q. How do intestinal bacteria produce dis- ease? A. The disease-producing bacteria which de- velop in the intestine produce their injurious effects through the poisons which result from their growth. These poisons are of two classes : First, those which are produced by the bac- teria while they are alive and which may be regarded as excretory products; second, those poisons believed by many to be still more viru- lent in character and consequences, known as en- dotoxins, which are formed within the bodies of the bacteria and are set free after death. It is probable that each species of bacteria pro- duces its own special poisons, each of which pro- duces specific effects upon the body, so that in reality each different species of these bacterial parasites may produce a different or specific dis- ease. At the present time bacteriologists do not possess sufficient knowledge of bacteria or their A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 317 products to be able to distinguish or designate the different forms of disease to which these enemies of life and health give rise, except with reference to a few species. Future discoveries will doubtless throw much light upon this ques- tion. Worms Q. What is the cause and remedy for worms? A. The human alimentary canal is subject to infection by several different species of worms. Some of these inhabit the small intes- tine and others the colon. No animal parasites of any sort locate themselves in the stomach for the reason that they are not able to withstand the digestive action of the gastric juice. The tapeworm which is perhaps the most common of these unwelcome tenants of the alimentary canal lives in the small intestine and the mucous membrane to which it attaches itself, obtaining its sustenance from the digested foodstuffs with which its body is bathed. Such an arrange- ment is essential for the life of the tapeworm for the reason that it has no digestive organs of its own and hence can exist only at the expense of the digestive function of some other animal. Two varieties of tapeworm are found in the human body, one of which is derived from eat- ing infected beef, and the other from pork. The 318 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED former species was found by Doctor Liedy, of Philadelphia, to be ten times as common as the latter. Several of the parastic worms which in- fect the intestine, particularly those found in the colon, are introduced into the body through the eating of fresh vegetables which have been in- fected through fertilization by sewage, especially "night soil." When worms are present they may usually be found in the stools. Each particular species of worm requires its own remedy. When worms are found, a competent physician should be employed. Trichina Q. Is the trichina a dangerous parasite ? Is it found in other animals besides the hog? A. The trichina is usually found in pork, though it may infest the flesh of numerous other animals as well. Cases have been reported in England, in which it was found in calves. It has also been recently discovered in the hippopotamus. It exists only in the lean flesh of animals, and is found among the muscular fibres or enclosed in little sacs or capsules. When taken into the stomach by eating of flesh containing it, the worm is soon liberated from its capsular prison, and in the course of a week undergoes complete develop- ment. It speedily brings forth young in im- mense numbers, a single worm producing, it is A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 319 stated, one thousand or more young. The young worms very quickly begin to penetrate the sys- tem, either by boring their way through the in- testinal walls and thence to the muscles, their final destination, or by getting into the blood vessels and being swept along with the blood current. Which is the real method of distribution has not yet been determined. After reaching the muscles it penetrates the sheaths of the fibres, and finally becoming quiet, coils itself up and after a time becomes encap- sulated. Symptoms of Trichinae Infection Q. What are the symptoms of infection with trichinae? A. At first the symptoms resemble those of cholera morbus, dysentery, or some other serious bowel disturbance. When the young worms be- gin to penetrate the system, the symptoms be- come more general, and simulate rheumatism, cerebro-spinal meningitis, typhoid fever, and other diseases. This is the reason why the malady is often overlooked. Indeed, there is reason for believing that the largest share of the cases of this disease are not detected. Whether or not death results, depends upon the number of parasites received into the system and the vitality of the patient. Death usually oc- 320 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED curs from exhaustion, but may be caused 1 paralysis of some of the muscles involved in respiration. The United States government has several times warned the public that pork should not be eaten without being thoroughly cooked on ac- count of the great frequency with which the hog is infected with this disease. The incurable character of the malady and the extreme liability of contracting it, seem to us to be ample grounds for discarding the use of pork altogether. The hog is well qualified to act the part of a scavenger, for which he was evi- dently by nature designed; but there is plenty of food for human beings far superior in quality to swine's flesh. Tapeworm Q. What are the most prominent symp- toms of tapeworm, and by what means may the parasite be expelled? A. The most prominent symptoms of tape- worm are colicky pains in the lower part of the abdomen, especially after fasting, relieved by a full meal; ravenous hunger, distention of the bowel with gas, alternate constipation and diarrhea, itching and prickling sensations; in children, convulsions ; the passage of portions of the worm. Of the various symptoms just A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 321 named the last is the only positive sign of the presence of tapeworm. No patient should ever be treated for tapeworm unless the positive signs of the presence of the parasite are first detected. The application of measures for expelling the worm must be managed by a physician. There are various remedies, but they should be used under the supervision of a competent medical man, as is true of the use of all poisons. Origin of the Tapeworm 0. What is the origin of the tapeworm? A. The tapeworm is always due to the eat- ing of flesh which has been imperfectly cooked. The embryos of the young tapeworm are found in little sacks or cysts in the lean flesh of beef or pork. The embryos of tenia solium may he seen with the naked eye, looking like small bladders in the lean meat of pork. In beef the cysts are too small to be readily seen with the unaided eye. Flesh containing these creatures is said to be "measly." This disease is very common in Ireland, where, according to good authorities, as large a proportion as three per cent of the hogs are affected. The disease is communicated to man by eating measly flesh without sufficient cooking to kill the embryos ; hence it is most common among those who cat raw meat. Pork- 322 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED packers and cooks are said to be most frequently affected with tapeworm, which is probably due to the habit of eating raw meat when about their work. Among the Abyssinians, whose reg- ular diet is raw flesh, almost every person has a tapeworm. It was formerly supposed that the danger of acquiring this disagreeable tenant was wholly connected with the use of pork; but the re- searches of Doctor Leidy, of Philadelphia, dur- ing the last fifteen years, recently made public, have shown that the variety of the worm which is most common is that caused by the use of raw beef. The Tapeworm has, in rare instances, been the cause of death. It is a cause of weakness and general vital depreciation, and may, in this way, by lowering vital resistance, predispose to dis- eases such as tuberculosis and other maladies which may result in death, although it does not usually itself lead to a fatal result. The Kidney and Its Disorders Kidney Work Q. How is the work of the kidneys done and can it be measured? A. The work of the kidneys is done by small secreting or excreting units consisting of a minute cell or bladder-like expansion with a long micro- scopic tube connected with it. Each of these bladders contains a minutely coiled blood vessel from which it extracts the waste products which form the urine. There are three million of these urine makers, each with a tube an inch long. The combined length of these tubes in a single kidney is more than twenty-three miles. In a life time of 60 years each little urine factory makes about one-third of an ounce of urine or 350 drops, that is, one drop every two months. In old age the urine factories diminish in effi- ciency and some are destroyed. When more than two-thirds are lost, poisons accumulate in the blood and life is extinguished. By means of several delicate tests recently de- vised it is now possible to determine very ac- curately the degree to which the efficiency of the 324 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED kidneys is lessened. Persons who are constipated, smokers, drinkers, tea and coffee users, lose their kidney efficiency very early. Uric Acid Q. Is uric acid harmful? How may an excess of uric acid be gotten rid of? A. Uric acid is unquestionably a tissue poison. It may not have the connection with rheumatism which was formerly attributed to it by Haig and others, but uric acid is certainly a tissue poisOn. It not only produces gout, but is unquestionably the cause of high blood pres- sure, of disease of the kidneys and of various forms of nervous disease. Uric acid is pro- duced in the body in small quantities as a result of the activity of the tissues, especially of the glandular organs. The amount of uric acid pro- duced in the body and excreted through the kid- neys, according to Magnus-Levy, when none is taken in the food, is about four to nine grains. On an ordinary mixed diet the quantity is more than doubled and when flesh foods are freely used the amount may increase to five or six times the normal amount. Beefsteak contains fourteen grains of uric acid to the pound which is double the amount with which the body is required to deal when the diet is restricted io natural foodstuffs which do not contain uric A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 325 acid in appreciable amount. Meats of all kinds increase the uric acid in the. firing This is particularly true of such foods as sweetbreads, kidney and liver, which contain five times as much uric acid as does beefsteak. Bouillon or beef tea and meat extracts have the same effect as meat. A pint or two of beef tea doubles the amount of uric acid in the urine. It was form- erly supposed that the liver destroyed uric acid by converting it into urea, but it is now known that the human liver is not capable of doing this. In the dog and other carnivorous animals the liver destroys uric acid readily but in human beings and the higher apes the liver does not possess this function. This is certainly a very clear indication that foods containing uric acid are not naturally intended for consumption by human beings. Renal Efficiency Q. Is there any means by which the effi- ciency of the kidneys may be determined? A. Normally the kidneys are able to do more than twice as much work as is needed to main- tain life. Many persons have been able to live for years after the removal of one kidney. When the kidneys are diseased it is highly important to know if possible to what extent the disease 326 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED has destroyed the kidney. This information may be obtained by a renal efficiency test. By means of recent discoveries it is now possible to determine with very great accuracy the efficiency of the kidneys, thus making it possible to judge of the degree to which the kidneys have been disabled by disease. This examination is of very great importance not only as an aid to prognosis but especially in surgical cases as a means of determining the ability of a patient to bear the administration of an anesthetic and of selecting the anesthetic to be used. Removal of a Kidney Q. Can a person live long after one kidney has been removed? A. The removal of one kidney has been successfully accomplished in many cases. One kidney is able to eliminate the waste products which naturally escape through this outlet, at least under favorable conditions. Vitzou, after removal of one-half of one kid- ney, a month later extirpated the other kidney and found that the half kidney remaining intact sufficed to maintain the renal function and that excretion and the internal secretions remained normal. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 327 Many experiments have shown that human be- ings can exist with a single kidney, provided the organ is intact, and it has been observed that when one kidney is removed the remaining kid- ney enlarges considerably in size and its activity becomes very greatly increased. In young ani- mals there is an actual increase in the number of secreting cells and of their tubes, while in adults there is merely an increase in the size of these secreting structures without any increase in the number of them. It is thus apparent that Nature has provided a larger capacity for kidney work than is ordinarily required for the maintenance of life. This ca- pacity may be reduced by removal of the kidney, as in the experiment above referred to, by dam- age inflicted upon the kidney by over work, and by the gradual deterioration which comes with age. So long as the kidney capacity is sufficient to deal with all the work required of it, no in- convenience is experienced, though the amount of toxins taken into the body and the amount of work required may be much larger than normal. But sooner or later the kidney becomes in- capacitated by the extraordinary amount of work required of it, and then ill effects begin to make their appearance and the kidney fails prematurely. This is the fate of tobacco users. 328 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Floating Kidney Q. What treatment is best for a floating kidney? A. It generally needs only to be let alone. An abdominal bandage may be worn. Meat in Kidney Disease Q. Is a meat diet injurious in cases of kid- ney disease? A. The well-known experiments of Lehman show beyond question that the*use of flesh foods requires more work of the kidneys than a vegetable diet. When living on an exclusively animal diet he found that the amount of urea eliminated by the kidneys was two and one-half times as much as when the diet was exclusively vegetable, and one and a half times as much when he partook of both animal and vegetable food. This shows beyond question that when the diet is exclusively animal, the kidneys have more than double the amount of work to do than when it is vegetable. This excessive work must inevitably tend to the production of kidney disease, which is becoming a very common af- fection among thi English and Americans, who, as is well known, eat more animal food than any other civilized nation. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 329 Senile Kidneys Q. Do the kidneys grow old? A. "A man is as old as his arteries,'" said a famous French physician. It may be said with equal truth that a man is as old as his kidneys. Young kidneys are able to do many times the work normally required of them. As age ad- vances, the kidneys deteriorate as the result of their constant exposure to the influence of the poisons which they remove from the body. When the capacity of the kidneys is reduced to less than one-third the normal, life is soon ended through the accumulation in the blood and tissues of the poisons which it is the duty of the kidneys to remove. Urobilin Q. What is urobilin? A. Urobilin is produced by decomposition of the pigment of the bile. It is not found at all in normal urine. According to Muller the urobilin found in the intestine is largely absorbed and again excreted in the bile. It is only when the amount of urobilin is greater than the liver can thus dispose of that it is absorbed into the blood and appears in the urine. Lauder-Brunton some years ago observed that the bile from a biliary fistula lacks the bitter taste which is 330 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED characteristic of vomited bile. It appears then that there is really some truth in the old medical theory that the bile becomes thick or concen- trated and that a person whose bile is in this con- dition may be benefited by getting rid of a large amount of the bile by vomiting or purging. This perhaps explains the temporary benefit derived from the use of calomel which so long main- tained the popularity of this harmful drug. The calomel by increasing the action of the bowels carries off a considerable quantity of bile, thus getting rid of the accumulated urobilin and other poisons which the bile contains and so relieves the patient of the unpleasant effects produced by this powerful toxic substance. Bouchard showed, many years ago, that the bile pigment is one of the most poisonous substances produced in the body. Macfadyn and others have .shown that urobilin is rarely found in the small intestine, be- ing absorbed very quickly and completely after entering the intestine from the liver. Its pro- duction is confined to the large intestine by the putrefactive processes taking place there. It can readily be seen that in cases of incompetency of the ileocolic valve permitting the entrance of putrifying materials into the small intestine, the poisonous effects resulting from the/' ab- sorption of urobilin must be greatly increased. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 331 In the new born there is no putrefaction in the intestines and hence there is no urobilin found in the urine. Ammonia in the Urine Q. What is the cause of a very strong odor of ammonia in the urine? A. Ammonia is one of the products of de- composition. Decomposing urine is accom- panied by an ammoniacal odor. Decomposition taking place in the colon in constipation gives rise to the formation of ammonia, which may ap- pear in the urine. Albumin in the Urine 0. What form of kidney disorder is indi- cated by the presence of albumin in the urine? A. The temporary appearance of albumin in the urine indicates congestion of the kidneys, a very common result of constipation. When al- bumin is constantly present, it indicates chronic degeneration of the kidneys, the result, accord- ing to Professor Fisher, of an undue accum- ulation of acids in the tissues. The concentration of these acids in the kidney results in the dis- solving of the cement substance which holds to- gether the cells of the kidney. This cement sub- stance appears in the urine as albumin. 332 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Painful Urination Q. What is the cause of painful urination? A. There are many causes. The most com- mon cause perhaps is too highly concentrated urine, the result of insufficient water drinking. This condition is most likely to occur in the sum- mer time when the skin is active. The majority of persons drink too little water. The amount of liquid taken should be at least three or four pints a day. There are many other causes, as cystitis or inflammation of the bladder, inflam- mation of the urethrea, tuberculosis of the bladder, cancerous growths of the bladder, cal- culi, in men, enlargement of the prostate gland, in women displacement of the womb. When the cause is due to concentrated urine it is speedily relieved by drinking large quantities of water, hot or cold, or hot lemonade. A warm sitz bath, temperature 101 10 to 103° F. for five minutes, 98° F. for ten minutes, a fomentation over the bladder or a large warm enema will usually af- ford relief. The Liver and Gall Bladder Liver Function O. Has the liver any other function except to make bile? A. Every person is indebted to his liver for rescue from speedy death. This marvelously versatile organ has power to destroy poisons. If a person drinks water containing lead, or eats peas or pickles colored green with copper, the liver seizes upon the poisonous metal, and after discharging as much of it as possible through the bile, gathers the remainder up in its cells, thus preventing the circulation of the poison to the rest of the body. When a person is found suffering from metal poisoning, the fact is evi- dent that the liver has been seriously damaged ; otherwise other organs would not have suffered. The smoker, the user of alcohol, or the opium slave would have suffered death from the first indulgence in his poison were it not for this marvelous function of the liver. Tea and coffee, too, are active agents in causing pre- mature breakdown of this important vital ma- chine ; and the same must be said of condiments, mustard, pepper, capsicum, spices, vinegar, hot 334 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED sauces, and the use of chemical substances in bread making. All of these substances should be carefully avoided, unless one wishes to die prematurely. A brief study of the physiology of the liver and its relation to the circulation of the blood will explain the manner in which this pro- tective function of the liver is performed and emphasize the importance of not over-taxing it by the use of poison-producing foods and beverages, and irritating spices and condiments. Test for Liver Disease Q. Is there any known test for disease of the liver? A. One of the special functions of the liver is the conversion of levulose or fructose into dextrose. In organic disease of the liver this power is diminished. In applying this test the patient takes three or four ounces of levulose dissolved in water after which the urine is repeatedly examined at frequent intervals for some hours. If levulose is found in the urine, this fact is evidence that the liver is organically diseased. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 335 Destruction of Poisons by the Liver Q. Does the liver destroy poisons? A. According to Von Noorden, plant alka- loids and putrefaction products lose, without exception, one-half, and often more of their poisonous properties if they pass through the liver before their entrance into the general cir- culation. The same thing is also true of the decom- position products of protein (peptone and am- monium salts), and of the still unknown organic poisons which are found in the normal urine. This detoxication is not due to the excretion of the poisonous substances in the bile, for the bile contains only traces of alkaloids. It is, more- over, not dependent on simple storing up of the toxic substance. The liver forms new less poisonous compounds from the toxic substances by combination with carbohydrates. For this end the presenc; of glycogen in the liver is an essential factor. If the liver is made glycogen- free by hunger or experimental methods, then it loses its disintoxicating power, and vice versa, poisonous substances produce a less toxic action if the glycogen content of the liver is increased by simultaneous administration of glucose. 336 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Defensive Action of the Liver Q. Why is the liver called an organ of de- fense? A. The portal blood brings to the liver great numbers of bacteria which have been absorbed from the intestine and with these such bacterial toxins as have escaped the defensive action of the mucous membrane, particularly the salts and ammonia compounds. Some of these poisons are converted into harmless urea and uric acids through the action of the liver by the aid of the various enzymes which it provides. Indol, skatol and other aromatic bodies are combined with sulphuric acid or glycuronic acid and by this process of conjugation are rendered in- finitely less toxic. A considerable portion of these aromatic bodies are absorbed into the living substances and retained temporarily so that the amount of toxic matter which is permitted to pass into the blood at any one time is enor- mously diminished. This important action of the liver is clearly shown by an experiment which was performed by the aid of what is known as Eck's fistula. This experiment as seen done by the writer in the laboratory of Professor Pawlow of St. Petersburg consists in joining the portal vein of the ascending vena cava and afterwards ligating the portal vein between the anastomosis thus made and the liver. The portal blood is A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 337 then cut off from the liver and turned directly into the systemic circulation. In a dog upon whom this operation was performed whatever substances were absorbed from the intestine were sent directly into the general circulation instead of being first passed through the liver. An observation which has a most important bearing upon the question here under discussion has been repeatedly made upon dogs having an Eck's fistula. Such a dog fed upon bread and milk enjoys good health and apparently suffers no inconvenience from the- operation, but when placed upon a diet of meat, symptoms of pro- found toxemia quickly appear and within three days the dog is dead. This experiment clearly shows that certain toxic substances are formed in the intestine of an animal fed upon meat diet which are not formed in a non-flesh-eating animal and that the action of the liver in destroying these poisons is essential to the life of a flesh- fed animal. No more graphic evidence of the protective action of the liver against the con- sequences of intestinal putrefaction could be afforded than this. The work of the liver seems to be especially to destroy bacteria and the poisonous alkaloids and ammonia compounds which escape the ac- tion of the intestine. As long as the liver is intact and able to do its work efficiently, marked evidences of general toxemia or intestinal auto- 338 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED intoxication do not appear even though an in- tensely active putrefaction may be taking place in the intestine. Certain French writers have at- tributed intestinal autointoxication to insufficiency of the liver, so-called "hepatism." Torpid Liver — "Biliousness" Q. What is the cause of a sluggish or tor- pid liver? A. Sluggishness or congestion of the liver is never a primary cause of disease. It is doubt- ful if the liver is ever torpid. The liver may be over-worked, it may be worn out by excessive work, but it is never lazy. It is perhaps the most long suffering and abused organ in the body. The condition of torpid liver or biliousness is due to the over-eating of fats and meat or to constipation or both of these causes combined, the natural result of over-eating. Constipation is the accumulation in the colon of large quantities of putrefying material. The absorp- tion of the poisonous products of putrefaction into the blood would promptly produce fatal re- sults were it not for the fact that the blood containing these poisonous matters is all con- ducted to the liver before distribution to the rest of the body. This affords the liver an op- portunity to filter and destroy poisonous mat- ters. When the amount of these toxic materials A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 339 is greater than the liver is able to destroy they pass on into the blood and are distributed throughout the body. The result is the appear- ance of symptoms of poisoning, most prominent among which are headache, nausea, lassitude, drowsiness, loss of appetite, inability to con- centrate the mind, indecision, irritability, dull- ness and sometimes sleeplessness, coated tongue, bad complexion, dark circles around the eyes; after some years brown spots upon the hands, premature old age, hardening of the arteries, Bright's disease and other chronic maladies. The remedy for this condition is to remove the cause by adopting a natural dietary and free water drinking. The diet should consist chiefly of fruits and vegetables. Cereals should be used in moderation. The bowels should move three or four times a day ; the flora must be changed ; the circulation stimulated by exercise; the skin should be awakened to activity by electric light baths and daily cold frictions. The Bile Q. Is the bile a secretion or an excretion? A. The bile is both a secretion and an ex- cretion. The secretion of bile is continuous, persisting during starvation, increasing after eating. The amount depends somewhat upon the character of the diet. 340 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED The amount of secretion is one to two pints daily. During digestion the flow of bile is in- creased. A deficiency of bile encourages intestinal putrefaction. Such a deficiency is not due, as is often supposed, to a sluggish state of the liver but to the obstruction of the gall-ducts or to a catarrhal state of the ducts. The Use of the Bile Q. Of what use is bile? A. Bile is, as has been stated, an excretion, carrying off alkaline wastes and various poison- ous matters. Bouchard showed bile to be six times as poisonous as urine. It is also useful in the digestion of food, especially in carnivorous ani- mals. In herbivorous animals the bile is practically nothing more than an excretion. The popular idea that bile is sometimes present in excess has no scientific foundation. When bile is lost through a biliary fistula, the amount of fat in the diet should be greatly reduced. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 341 Deficiency of Bile Q. What is the cause of deficiency in the quantity of biliary secretion? A. A deficiency in the quantity of biliary secretion is frequently the result of auto- toxemia. The liver is the filter of the body. Poisons which are ingested with the food, or which are formed in the intestinal canal as the result of fermentations and putrefactions, are afterward absorbed into the portal system and must pass through the liver before they can get into the general circulation. One of the chief functions of the liver is to remove these poisons from the blood and to oxidize or burn them up. When the liver is over-taxed by having an unusually large quantity of these poisons to deal with, the result is an alteration of its function, and frequently a deficiency in biliary secretion follows. The liver is most com- monly over-taxed by errors in diet, — the use of an excess of proteids, tea, coffee, alcohol, tobacco, condiments, vinegar, and especially by fermenta- tions and putrefactions which take place in the intestines. These putrefactive processes result in the formation of powerful poisons which are absorbed into the blood, thus throwing an extra burden on the liver, reducing its functional ac- tivity. 342 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Catarrh of the Liver Q. Is there such a disease as catarrh of the liver, and what are the symptoms? A. Yes. Attacks of pain in the pit of the stomach and in the region of the right side, with chills, fever and jaundice, are symptoms of catarrh of the liver. Cirrhosis of the Liver Q. Can cirrhosis of the liver be cured? A. No, cirrhosis of the liver cannot be cured. It is just as impossible to cure cirrhosis of the liver as to restore a piece of burnt leather to its natural condition. Liver and Hyperacidity Q. Does disease of the liver cause hyper- acidity? A. In recent years many important facts have been brought to light respecting the in- fluence of disease of the gall-bladder and gall- ducts upon the stomach. Pain and distress at the pit of the stomach is now known to be in a very large proportion of cases due to disease of the gall-bladder and the gall-ducts rather than of the stomach. In these cases the pain dis- appears when the cause is removed by draining A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 343 the gall-bladder or removing gall-stones which are often present. Hyperacidity is always found present in cases of jaundice except in cases of chronic gastric catarrh in which the secreting glands of the stomach have been de- stroyed. Liver Spots Q. What are liver spots and how can they be removed? A. The brown spots which appear upon the hands and face, as well as the dark circles which are often seen about the eyes, and general brownish pigmentation of the skin, are all due to the same cause — namely, chronic autointoxi- cation. Through the putrefaction of animal mat- ters, particularly undigested particles of meat, in the colon, a highly poisonous, brownish-colored pigment is produced. This pigment is normally destroyed by the suprarenal capsules of the kid- neys when it is produced only in small quantities and so long as the suprarenal capsules remain intact. When this poisonous coloring matter is produced in great excess, the suprarenals are overworked, undergo degeneration and fail to do their duty, and so the poisonous pigment ac- cumulates in the body and is deposited in the skin as well as in other parts. These pigmented spots are nearly always to be found in aged per- sons and are an indication of the degeneration 344 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED which has taken place as a result of advancing age. Their appearance in persons who are un- der the age of sixty indicates premature senility. They are likely to be associated with a thin, parchment-like, dry, inelastic skin, a condition which always indicates senile changes. These pigmented spots may often be made to dis- appear under the influence of an antitoxic diet and increased activity of the bowels. As they are always associated with chronic constipation or chronic colitis, it is necessary that the bowels should receive special attention. The bowels should be made to move three or four times a day and the diet should be strictly antitoxic. Jaundice r j. What is the cause of jaundice? A. Obstruction of some of the bile passages. The cause of the obstruction may be either gall- stones or inflammation of the bile passages. The cause in either case is infection which gen- erally begins in the colon and works upward. In most if not all cases of jaundice as well as cases of gall-stones without jaundice there is incom- petency of the ileocecal valve. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 345 Diet in Jaundice Q. What should be the diet in jaundice? A. In cases of jaundice there is marked in- terference with the digestion of fats. No matter in what form fats are taken their absorption is greatly interfered with. Aside from this, jaun- dice appears to have very little effect upon digestion. The digestion and absorption of carbohydrates and protein are not materially im- paired. Meat and eggs should be avoided. Cause of Gall-Stones Q. What is the cause of gall-stones? A. The fact that gall-stones contain living bacteria, discovered by Gilbert now nearly twenty years ago, has completely changed the theory respecting the causation of these very trouble- some bodies. Mognot conducted a series of experiments which showed that the ordinary bacteria found in the intestine, such as the colon bacillus and also the typhoid bacillus and various other bacteria, will cause inflammation of the gall ducts. He produced gall-stones experimentally at will by injecting bacteria into the gall-bladder. Five or six months were required for the formation of typical gall-stones. The evidence seems to be complete that gall-stones are only one of the 346 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED manifestations of intestinal autointoxication. Bacteria may reach the liver and the gall-duct from the intestine, either by working their way up from the intestine through the biliary pass- ages or through the blood vessels by absorption into the portal vein. The latter method is be- lieved to be the most common. Experimental researches which have been made upon this point show that millions of bacteria are daily absorbed into the blood and circulated through the liver. The liver cells are able to deal with a certain number of bacteria and will destroy germs in great number. But it is evident that if the number of germs absorbed becomes greater than the liver is able to deal with many of them will escape destruction and thus find their way into the general circulation. This fact explains the presence of bacteria in the blood. It is evidently the best part of wisdom to take the greatest possible care of the liver. Treatment for Gail-Stones Q. What is the treatment for gall-stones? A. The only method of removing gall-stones is by means of surgery. A radical operation may be now performed with little risk, although twenty-five years ago this operation was right- fully regarded as very hazardous. An operation is not necessary, however, in every case of gall- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 347 stones, as postmortem statistics show that gall- stones are found after death in about one-tenth of all cases examined, from which it appears that the great majority of people have gall-stones without being conscious of their presence. Gall- stones are due to infection and are probably one of the many consequences of chronic consti- pation. Women suffer more from constipation than do men, and are more likely to have gall-stones. For temporary relief a hot bath and fomenta- tions over the region of the gall-bladder and a large hot enema, if necessary, are very useful measures. It is quite possible that one who has once had gall-stones and has completely recovered may,' by exercising due care, avoid recurrence. Meats of all sorts should be discarded; also tea and coffee. In other words, a thoroughly antitoxic dietary must be adopted. Thorough mastication of the food is essential, as first pointed out by Dujardin-Beaumetz nearly twenty years ago. Gall-stones are a protective measure, the purpose of their formation being to enclose the offending germs. Germs are always found in the center of gall-stones. Water drinking is an excellent means of com- bating gall-stones. Four or five pints of water should be taken daily. The best time for taking water is half an hour before meals, and be- 348 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED tween meals, beginning two hours after eating. No harm is done by taking small quantities of water with meals, half a glassful to a glassful, provided: care is taken to avoid drinking to wash down imperfectly masticated food. Great care must be taken to keep the bowels active. The bowels should move three or four times a day. A movement after each meal is the natural order. In most cases of gall-stones, the gall bladder itself is diseased. Formerly it was the custom to remove the gall-stones and drain the gall bladder. Experience has shown, however, that sooner or later the gall-stones reappear or pain from chronic inflammation of the gall-bladder so that another operation is required. On this account, it is generally considered best to remove the gall bladder with the gall-stones. The operation is not a hazardous one when done by an experi- enced surgeon. In many cases in which pain and other distresses are attributed to the stomach, the real fault is in the gall bladder and disappears when this organ is removed. Digestive Disorders Gastric Acid Q. What amount of gastric acid is pro- duced daily? A. The amount of gastric acid formed in the stomach varies with the habitual diet. If a per- son who usually takes a small amount of meat, takes a large meal of meat, the stomach will not be able to secrete enough acid to combine with all the protein. If the diet is persisted in, how- ever, after a while the stomach will adapt itself to the diet and produce more hydrochloric acid. On the other hand, if an athlete who is accus- tomed to eat a large amount of meat, eats a meal containing very little protein, the amount of acid secreted will be greatly in excess. If the meat-fed athlete changes his diet to a low protein standard, after a time the secretion of hydrochloric acid will gradually fall to the normal amount. The total secretion of hydrochloric acid for a day may vary from one-half ounce to two ounces, varying with the diet, as above indicated. In- testinal toxemia causes an excess of acid. In achylia no acid is formed. 350 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Rest and Disinfection of the Stomach Q. Does the stomach require rest? A. The stomach, like every other organ of the body, requires rest. The heart takes a rest after each beat. The total time spent in rest by the heart is in fact greater than the working time. The stomach works continually while carrying on the work of digestion. Its glands work, forming digestive fluids ; its muscles work, mixing the food with the digestive fluids, and the muscles of the stomach pass the partially digested food along to be further acted upon in the intestine. Rest is found to be especially necessary to give the stomach an opportunity to disinfect its mucous surface. The hydrochloric acid found in the gastric juice is an excellent disinfectant. When combined with the food, its power to destroy germs is lost altogether. After the stomach is empty, at the completion of the digestion of a meal, the cleansing, disinfective action of the gastric juice becomes efficient. In the feeding of children, as well as adults, the stomach must remain empty for one hour be- tween feedings, so as to allow it to become prop- erly cleansed and ready for the next meal. The fasting stomach contains two-thirds of an ounce to an ounce of acid gastric juice. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 351 Bile in the Stomach Q. What is the cause of bile in the stom- ach? A. It is possible that bile and other secretions pass into the stomach much more frequently than is generally supposed. In dogs, the pass- age of bile into the stomach occurs very fre- quently, especially when they are fed large quantities of fat. When the stomach produces an excess of acid, bile sometimes enters the stomach to neutralize the excess of acid. When the stomach is empty, the pylorus is often open; thus bile is permitted to pass into the stomach. Ulcers of the Stomach Q. Are ulcers of the stomach and duodenum curable ? A. That ulcers of the stomach and duodenum are curable is clearly shown by the fact that scars left by healed ulcers are often found in the stomach and duodenum after death. Numer- ous cases are on record also in which patients who have suffered from severe gastric ulcer have recovered permanently. Without doubt the ma- jority of cases are curable by the application of proper means. In general the measures which are of essential service are the following: 352 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 1. The patient must rest in bed or in a hori- zontal position from one to three weeks. 2. All food should be withdrawn for two or three days, sometimes even longer when severe hemorrhages have occurred. 3. If the secretion of acid continues although food is not given as shown by pain or other symptoms indicative of the presence of acid, car- bonate of soda should be given in sufficient quantity to neutralize the acid. When the acid is completely neutralized, the pain will usually cease. 4. After two or three days of abstinence small quantities of bland food are given. The amount of food is increased from day to day and as the quantity is increased the interval between feed- ings is lengthened. 5. Olive oil and perfectly fresh sterilized and unsalted butter are used in as large quantities as the patient is capable to bear as a means of preventing the formation of gastric acid. 6. Salt is excluded from the dietary. 7. Liquids are taken only in very small quantities, a few sips at a time. When a tumbler- ful or more of water is taken, the effect is to cause the stomach to pour out a quantity of acid, hence large quantities of liquids must be avoided. 8. Care must be taken to move the bowels three times a day. Bowel movements may be A THOUSAND, QUESTIONS ANSWERED 353 encouraged by the use of paraffin oil ar#d agar- agar. Later sterilized bran may be used instead of agar-agar. 9. A fomentation over the abdomen three times a day followed by a cold mitten friction is a measure of great value in promoting the com- fort of the patient. 10. The ill effects of confinement in bed may be counteracted by massage. It is also import- ant to keep the patient in the open air as large a portion of the twenty-four hours as it is possible to do. Gastro-enterostomy Q. What is the operation known as gastro- enterostomy? A. In this operation a loop of the intestine is attached to the stomach and an opening made be- tween the stomach and the intestine so that food can pass from the stomach into the small intes- tine without passing through the pylorus or duodenum. This operation is rarely indicated ex- cept in cases in which the plyorus has become obstructed by an ulcer, cancerous growth, or some other cause. The operation is sometimes performed for relief in cases of ulcer of the duodenum. 354 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Aohylia Q. What is achylia? A. Achylia denotes a condition in which the stomach glands have ceased to produce gastric juice. The gastric acid is necessary for the digestion of connective tissue and gluten. Gastric acid also regulates the closing and opening of the pylorus. When absent, the pylorus remains open and the food passes out of the stomach quickly. This is the explanation of those cases of diarrhoea in which food is passed undigested soon after it is eaten, often within an hour or two. Achylia is usually the result of long continued over-stimulation of the stomach. It is most com- mon in persons who have made free use of tea or coffee, condiments, or alcoholic beverages, or who have been large meat eaters. Achylia fol- lows chronic gastritis. There are two forms of achylia: (a) Achylia of nervous origin in which the ad- ministration of hydrochloric acid in large quant- ities is followed by a secretion of pepsin. (b) Achylia accompanying organic disease of the stomach, cancer and atrophic gastritis in which the giving of hydrochloric acid is not followed by the secretion of pepsin for the rea- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 355 son that the secreting glands have been de- stroyed. This fact may often be of use in diag- nosis. In cases in which the motor functions of the stomach are preserved, and bacterial action in the stomach is suppressed, life may be main- tained through intestinal digestion if the diet is carefully regulated. Remedy for Achylia Q. What remedy would you suggest for the condition known as achylia? A. This is an exceedingly important question. The number of persons suffering from achylia, a condition in which the stomach makes no gastric acid and often no pepsin, is becoming increasingly common. This condition often precedes cancer of the stomach, the occurrence of which is rapidly growing in frequency. A person suffering from achylia is much more likely to suffer from typhoid fever, cholera, and other infectious disorders of the alimentary canal than a person whose stom- ach provides the normal supply of acid gastric juice, for the reason that the acid of the gastric juice owes its acidity to hydrochloric acid, a substance possessed of very active disinfectant or germicidal properties. There are three important things which persons suffering from achylia may do to obviate the several dangers that are mentioned above. These 356 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED are, first, to adopt a strict anti-toxic diet, which means to exclude flesh foods of all kinds, in- cluding fish, fowl and shell-fish. In many cases it is necessary to exclude eggs from the bill-of- fare, while in not a few instances milk, if taken at all, must he used sparingly. The more ex- clusively the bill-of-fare is made up of foods de- rived from the vegetable kingdom the better. Foods capable of undergoing putrefaction should be discarded. Milk, if used at all must be taken as buttermilk. Fats must be eaten sparingly, and only in sufficient quantity to meet the actual needs of the body. The amount of hydrochloric acid required is considerable, much more than the amount ordi- narily taken. The amount of acid formed by the stomach daily is the equivalent of about one teaspoonful of ordinary hydrochloric acid, or muriatic acid. To take this amount of acid in its ordinary form, or to dilute it with water, is practically impossible, on account of its intense acid and corrosive character. It has been dis- covered that the acid may be made to enter into a loose combination with protein so that it may be swallowed into the stomach in any quantity de- sired without injuring the teeth or throat. In the stomach the loose combination is broken up, and the acid becomes active and promotes the functions for which it is required. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 357 Such a preparation, known as acidone, has been employed for a number of years and with great profit to those who have used it. Acidone is a powder, a compound of hydrochloric acid with the gluten of wheat. A dessert-spoonful is taken mixed with the food, or with porridge at the be- ginning of each meal. Persons whose gastric glands are degenerated so that achylia has become a fixed condition • should make use of acidone, or some similar preparation, at every meal, and should continue to do so indefinitely. The Functions of Hydrochloric Acid Q. Of what use is hydrochloric acid in the stomach ? A. Hydrochloric acid serves a great variety of useful purposes in the process of digestion. Laboratory experiments have shown that the acid of the stomach, — 1. Converts the protein into peptone. 2. Stimulates the secretion of the gastric fer- ments. 3. Activates the gastric ferments. 4. Opens the pylorus. 5. Closes the pylorus, after entering the duodenum. 6. Disinfects the stomach. 358 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 7. Aids the development of secretin which stimulates the activity of the pancreas and the liver. 8. Stimulates the flow of bile. In the absence of hydrochloric acid, pepsinogen is formed and may be activated by the organic acids produced by bacteria or by the acid salts of the food. 9. Activates the pancreatic juice. The various organic acids activate pepsin, but hydrochloric acid is superior to all the others as a zymo-excitor. The reason for this is not un- derstood. Heaviness of the Stomach Q. What is the best means of relieving heaviness in the stomach? A. Persons who suffer from heaviness after eating should lie down and rest for three- quarters of an hour or an hour after eating. It is a good plan to place a hot water bag over the stomach and to practice deep breathing. Abnormal Appetite Q. What is the meaning of a craving to eat abnormally at meal time and between meals? A . An abnormal condition of the sympa- thetic nervous system controlling the stomach. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 359 If care is taken to thoroughly masticate the food, this difficulty will probably disappear. Use of Stomach Tube Q. How frequently can the stomach tube be used without injury? A. In some cases the stomach tube may be used daily or even oftener, but in general the frequent use of the stomach tube should be avoided, if possible. If necessary to use the tube daily for a short time, say a week or two, the intervals should be greatly increased, until finally discontinued. Hypopepsia Q. What is the cause of hypopepsia? A. Failure of the stomach to make gastric juice may result from an impoverished state of the blood and depreciation of the general bodily forces ; or it may be the result of inflammation, or of cancer or some other form of degeneration. Hyperacidity in which there is an excessive secretion of gastric juice, is generally followed in time by hypopepsia, or apepsia through ex- haustion of the gastric glands. An overworked organ is almost certain to undergo degeneration sooner or later. 360 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Sour Stomach Q. Is soda a good thing to take for sour stomach? A. It is better to take the soda than to have the sour stomach, but the continuous use of soda is damaging. The cause of the sour stomach should be found and removed. Constipation and intestinal toxemia are practically always present in cases of this sort and are probably the leading causes. The Pancreas Q. What is the function of the pancreas? A. The pancreas is a gland, the most com- plicated gland in the body ; in fact it is a sort of double gland. It has two separate and distinct structures which are closely interwoven. One of these produces an internal secretion which aids the muscles in burning up sugar which furnishes energy for work and to maintain the body tem- perature. This is the so-called internal secretion of the pancreas. The pancreas also has an ex- ternal secretion, pancreatic juice, which contains six ferments, various important activators, and alkali in the form of bicarbonates. The alkaline secretion of the pancreas is re- ciprocal to the acid secretion of the stomach. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 361 The Pancreatic Juice Q. By what means may the pancreatic secretion be increased? A. An increase of acids in the food, increases the quantity of the pancreatic secretion. Fats are a very positive stimulant of the secretion. The quality of the pancreatic juice is also influenced by the food. On this account persons suffering from achylia should make free use of acid fruits. Peristalsis Q. What is peristalsis? A. By peristalsis is meant the movements of the intestines by which the food is moved along and reduced, and wastes discharged from the body. Gastric Juice Q. How is the gastric juice produced? A. Gastric juice is a special fluid produced by certain glands of the stomach. Each food generates its own gastric juice. Pawlow has shown that each natural food con- tains subtle elements which act upon the nerves with which they come in contact in such a way 362 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED as to cause the digestive glands to secrete fluids exactly adapted to the digestion of the particular food in question. This action is due in part to the flavoring substances of food, and in part to little-known substances that are known as pepto- gens. The gastric juice produced by different food substances varies greatly in both quality and quantity. Milk produces the least active digestive fluid. Meat produces a strongly acid digestive fluid. Bread produces during a long period a moderately acid but highly active gastric juice. Represented numerically, the digestive value of the juice produced by the substances named, according to Pawlow, stands as follows: milk, 11 ;meat, 16; bread, 44. Gastric Examination Q. How can one determine whether he has an excess of hydrochloric acid or a deficiency? A. The presence of an excess or deficiency of hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice can be determined only by taking a test meal and hav- ing an analysis made by a competent chemist. In general, however, it may be said that acidity occurring within two or three hours after a meal A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 363 is the result of an excess of acid in the gastric juice and not of fermentation. Hyperacidity Q. What are the causes of excessive acidity of the stomach? A. The immediate cause of excessive acidity of the stomach is generally an excessive for- mation of hydrochloric acid. There may be sev- eral causes for this. Probably the most common cause is an inactive state of the bowels, or chronic autointoxication. Poisons formed in the intestine and absorbed, being excreted into the stomach, over-excite the gastric glands. Another cause is hasty eating, in consequence of which food is re- tained for too long a time in the stomach, giving rise to excessive irritation of the mucous mem- brane. The free use of meat is perhaps the most im- portant of all the causes which can be mentioned. The soluble substances of the meat, which give to it its peculiar flavor, are most powerful stim- ulants of the gastric glands. Pawlow showed that the gastric juice produced by eating meat is much more acid than that produced by bread, milk and other food substances. Copious drink- ing at meals and the use of condiments may also give rise to acidity. 364 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Diet in Hyperacidity Q. Please outline a diet that will remedy this condition. A. Both liquid foods and dry foods should be avoided. Everything should be taken in the form of a puree. The food should be chewed very little. Chewing stimulates the stomach and pro- duces an excessive amount of appetite juice which is highly acid. Wholesome fats, such as sterilized butter, cream and vegetable fats should be freely used. One or two teaspoonfuls of olive oil should be taken just before each meal. The administration of liberal quantities of pure gluten one or two hours after eating is an ex- cellent remedy. The gluten absorbs the acid as effectively as does soda, and has this advantage, that it does not in any way injure the stomach. The bowels should be made to act three or four times a day, but laxatives must be avoided, as these irritate the stomach and the small intestine. Movements of the Stomach Q. What are the movements of the stom- ach? A. The cardiac portion of the stomach is not subject to regular movements during digestion. It remains quiescent, a fact which permits of the A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 365 orderly stratification of the foodstuffs, the last portions eaten entering the center of the glob- ular mass which is formed in the cul-de-sac. Peptic digestion goes on at the surface of the mass, while the salivary digestion proceeds in the center and may continue for two or three hours from the beginning of the meal. As fast as the food is liqueneo) at the center of the ali- mentary mass it goes through the pylorus where it is mixed with the pyloric secretion containing pepsin, which begins its work in the stomach and continues in the intestine. The movements of the stomach are not confined to the pylorus. Infrequent rhythmical move- ments occur in the pre-pyloric portion, but the pyloric portion contracts regularly every ten seconds during digestion, making 2500 to 3000 contractions during the digestion of a meal. The pyloric movements begin as soon as the liquefied portions of the food reach this part of the stom- ach. If peptone is introduced into the stomach, the pylorus movements begin immediately. In- troduction of meat into the stomach induces no movement. Fear and anger arrest instantly the movements of the stomach when in full activity. When the stomach is empty, rhythmical move- ments occur every two hours, lasting twenty to thirty minutes. These movements start in the stomach and extend to the entire intestine and 366 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED are accompanied by a slight secretion of gastric juice, bile, pancreatic and intestinal juices. These movements are absent during digestion and dis- appear during long fasts. The stomach is con- trolled both by the sympathetic and pneumogas- tric nerves. In the sympathetic nerves the in- hibitory fibers predominate; in the pneumogas- tric nerves the excito-motpr nerves predominate, although the inhibitory nerves are present. In fasting the excito-motor influence of the pneumo- gastric diminishes rapidly and disappears wholly at the end of three days, so that the stomach is wholly under the influence of the inhibitory functions of the sympathetic and pneumogastric nerves. This probably accounts for the fact that at the end of the first three days fasting persons experience much less inconvenience than before this time, also for the intestinal inac- tivity which is present when fasting. There are various measures by which the gas- tric movements may be excited to increased ac- tivity. Water at a temperature of 100° to 102° F. stimulates the action of the stomach. This is probably the reason that water at this temper- ature encourages vomiting. Water at a higher or lower temperature lessens gastric activity. Water at a temperature of 41° F. arrests all movements of the stomach and prevents the ac- tion of other stimulants. This is clearly a good A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 367 reason for prohibiting the use of iced drinks and frozen foods of all sorts. Faradic currents cause contraction of the gastric walls. More efficient contractions are secured by a slowly al- ternating sinusoidal current. Gastric contrac- tions are also produced by the galvanic current but these contractions occur only at the opening and closing of the circuit. The most active excitant of the movements of the stomach are the products of gastric digestion. Peptones, hydrochloric acid in solution, 1 to 5 parts in 1000, excite no movements of the fundus of the stomach while exciting the movements of the pylorus. Sometimes anti-peristaltic move- ments are set up by extreme acidity, which ex- plains the eructation of acids. According to Battelli, strychnia is entirely without effect upon the motility of the stomach. In view of this fact, it is surprising that this drug should be so extensively used as a gastric stimulant, since it exercises a most unfavorable influence upon secretion while rendering no ser- vice. An ice bag placed at the epigastrium causes gastric contractions. Lavage is also an ex- cellent means of stimulating gastric contractions, in cases of gastric inactivity. Insufficiency of the cardiac orifice gives rise to regurgitation of food- 368 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED stuffs and merycism. Pyloric insufficiency allows a reflux of bile into the stomach. Vomiting of bile only takes place when the reflux is inter- mittent. Continuous insufficiency of the pylorus gives rise to diarrhea very soon after eating. Pain in the Stomach Q. What is the best method of securing relief from acute pain in the stomach? A. Apply hot fomentations over the seat of pain. A large drink of hot water will frequently stop the pain at once. Cramp in the stomach may usually be relieved in the same way. Pain in the stomach may often be relieved by a general hot bath when other measures fail. The temper- ature of the water should be increased after the patient enters the bath, as hot as can be borne, say 110° or 112° F. In many cases it is well to drink a couple of glasses of hot water. The temperature of the water should be as hot as can be swallowed with- out inconvenience. Regurgitation of Food Q. What causes the regurgitation of food? A. Regurgitation of food is in most cases probably due to permanent or temporary ob- struction of the outlet of the stomach. The A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 369 pylorus may be permanently obstructed by can- cer or other growth, or it may be temporarily ob- structed by contraction. The last named con- dition is the most frequent cause of regurgita- tion. When the outlet of the stomach is obstructed by some organic change, such as ulcer, cancer or compression by bands due to inflammation, relief may be obtained by operation. Spasm of the pylorus is most frequently produced by hy- peracidity, which may generally be relieved by regulation of the diet. The foods should be soft, not in a liquid state; that is, in the form of pu- rees. The food should be swallowed after slight mastication only, and one or two tablespoonfuls of olive oil should be taken at each meal. Care should be taken to have the bowels move three or four times a day. The bile and pancreatic juice, alkaline fluids, normally regurgitate into the stomach and neu- tralize the gastric acid, reducing the acidity from five parts to three parts of hydrochloric acid in one thousand parts of gastric juice. The Thyroid Gland The Thyroid Gland as a Remedy Q. In what cases is the use of dried thyroid gland indicated? A. Persons whose thyroid glands are inac- tive — the condition of so-called hypothyroidism, are benefited by the use of dried thyroid gland. (Sheep's thyroid). There are numerous indi- cations of this condition, among which are dry- ness of the skin, pigmentation and atrophy of the skin, and falling of the hair with other symp- toms. It is important, however, to note that when taking dried thyroid a thoroughly anti-toxic diet must be adopted, that is, meats must be entirely discarded, while milk should be taken only in the form of buttermilk, and in some cases even but- termilk must be avoided. Eggs must also be omitted from the dietary. Fresh vegetables and especially uncooked fruits and vegetables should be freely used. Tonic baths, an outdoor life and free water drinking are other measures important in such a case. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 371 Functions of the Thyroid Gland Q. What are the functions of the thyroid gland. A. The thyroid gland is a so-called antitoxic gland. This is, its duty is to supply a secretion which aids in the destruction of poisons, especially the poisons which are absorbed from the intestines. The thyroid gland also regulates the functions of the skin and has a very important relation to nutrition in general. Mental develop- ment and growth appear to be influenced in a very important way by it. When this gland is deficient in children, cretinism appears. Measures for Stimulating the Thyroid Gland Q. How can the thyroid gland be stim- ulated? A. By cold baths, massage of the thyroid gland, applications of electricity and local light baths of chief importance, however, in the adop- tion of a diet which will tax the thyroid as little as possible. This requires a strict anti-toxic diet and highly laxative diet. The bowels should be made to move fully three or four times a day. Tuberculosis Rules for Tuberculosis Patients Q. What rules should be followed by a per- son suffering from tuberculosis? A. The following rules were formulated by a health official, who has many consumptives under his care. The tuberculous patient must consider his own welfare as well as the welfare of those about him. He should be in the fresh air as much as possible night and day. He should be cheerful, look on the bright side of life. He should eat only nourishing food. He should avoid style, dress to suit the changes in the weather, always carry an overcoat and two or three handkerchiefs. He should keep his nose, mouth and hands clean and free from infection. He should take at least nine hours of sleep at night, and if possible a nap in the afternoon. He should not mingle in large crowds of peo- ple or be where there is dust or smoke. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 373 He should not take tobacco or alcohol in any form. He should not cough needlessly!, but bnly when he feels he must expectorate. He should not work when feeling ill. He should never swallow his sputum, as it may cause tuberculosis of the bowels. He should not spit anywhere except in ves- sels for that purpose or in paper napkins, which should always be burned. He should not cough or sneeze without cover- ing mouth and nose with handkerchief. He should not kiss any person. Bovine Tuberculosis Q. Is bovine tuberculosis dangerous for human beings? A. It was discovered some years ago that tuberculosis germs from which cows suffer differ slightly from the human variety. It was at first supposed that on this account human beings would not be likely to contract disease from cat- tle, but it is now known that this is an error. Hess, a New York investigator, found among eighteen children fed on cow's milk five suffer- ing from tuberculosis. Behring has demon- strated that among young children in cities 374 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED twenty-four out of twenty-five are infected from tuberculosis in some form. Other ob- servers have found as high as twenty-five per cent of cases of tuberculosis in children due to bovine infection. It is estimated by Rosenberg that not less than 500 children die every year from bovine tuberculosis in New York City alone. Investigations made in Washington, Rochester and New Haven have shown the presence of tuberculosis germs in milk to the extent of twenty per cent of all specimens obtained. The Health Department of Boston found that twenty to twenty-five per cent of the animals furnishing milk to the city were infected with the germs of tuberculosis. Of five thousand cows that are brought to the city abattoirs for slaughter every year, fully one thousand were found to be so badly diseased as to be unfit for food/ yet these same cows a short time before they were turned over to the butcher were supplying milk to the city of Boston and surrounding towns. It has been demonstrated that tubercle germs are not only found in milk but survive in butter and cheese. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 375 The Curability of Tuberculosis Q. Can tuberculosis be cured? A. Yes. Within the last fifty years wonder- ful progress has been made in the treatment of cases of tuberculosis. It is now known that even where the disease is fairly well ad- vanced a practical cure may be accomplished in the majority of cases. In sanatoria where the best methods are em- ployed, the proportion of recoveries is reported to be about sixty per cent. It should be said in this connection, however, that only hopeful cases are received. Advanced cases are not accepted for treatment. It is of the highest importance that in every existing case of tuberculosis measures should be taken for the protection of other members of the family who are not yet infected and to give the infected person every possible chance for re- covery. In the writer's opinion advanced cases of tuberculosis and all so-called cases of open tuberculosis, that is, cases in which the sputum contains tubercle germs, should be placed under quarantine the same as persons suffering from leprosy and other infectious diseases. When the necessary isolation can be secured in the patient's own home this may be done but other- 376 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED wise the patient should be placed in a hospital where the necessary care may be received. It is quite impossible, however, to deal with this great plague by the hospital plan alone. Each year one hundred and fifty thousand people die of this disease. For each one that dies there are, according to our best authorities, eight liv- ing persons suffering from the same malady; hence there are to be found in the United States not less than one million two hundred thousand persons suffering from tuberculosis, or more than one per cent of the entire population. It is im- possible to gather all these persons into hos- pitals; they must be dealt with in their own homes. In every case in which a person suffer- ing from tuberculosis is found in a family, the entire family should be taken under care and treatment. When a father or mother is infected by the disease most of the other members of the family are likely to be infected by the disease and will sooner or later show characteristic symptoms. Early Diagnosis of Tuberculosis Q. How may tuberculosis be known at the outset? A. Since consumption is so difficult of cure in its advanced stages it is important to know A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 377 if there is any means by which the disease may be discovered in its incipiency. The physical diagnosis has been so far perfected that it is now possible for well trained experts to discover the very beginnings of tubercular disease even in the absence of cough, emaciation and other prominent symptoms which characterize the more advanced stages of this grave malady. Such experts are, however, comparatively few in num- ber, but the recent advances in the methods of x-ray examinations have made it possible for a good roentgenologist to discover the earliest be- ginnings of the disease and also to discover evi- dences of old diseased processes which have passed through their various stages and finally healed. Symptoms of Tuberculosis Q. What are the ordinary symptoms of tuberculosis which a patient may himself ob- serve ? A. Among the first symptoms are loss of flesh, loss of strength, a feeling of lassitude, a slight fever in the afternoon or evening, often perspiration at night and slight cough ; later, ex- pectoration and perhaps a hemorrhage from the 378 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED lungs. If the disease is sufficiently advanced ex- amination of the sputum by a bacteriologist shows the presence of tubercule germs. One should never wait until germs can be found in the sputum as this symptom indicates that the disease is so far advanced that ulceration or breaking down of the lungs has begun. Catarrh, Colds, Deafness Catarrh in the Head Q. Is nasal catarrh curable? A. Nasal catarrh is usually curable, but the cure is by no means an easy or simple matter. There is no such thing as a successful ''catarrh remedy." The numerous advertised nostrums are all mere "catch-penny" schemes, and some are positively harmful. In the majority of cases there are conditions in the nose which require the special attention of an expert. Bones become thickened, mucous surfaces are swollen, and drainage passages be- come obstructed, retaining infectious material. The cavities of the facial bones connected with the nasal cavity become infected, thus maintain- ing a condition of chronic infection. In every case of chronic nasal catarrh a com- petent nose specialist should be consulted. The wonderful advances made in the treatment of disorders of the nose within the last quarter of a century make it possible now to effect a cure in practically every case of chronic catarrh 380 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED in which the disease has not existed so long as to cause extensive destruction of the mucous mem- brane or other structures of the nose. Talking through the Nose Q. How can the habit of "talking through the nose" be overcome? A. Of course, no one talks through the nose. The peculiar style of talking to which this term has been applied, is due to obstruction of the nostrils, so that it is really talking without the nose instead of through the nose. It is not merely a habit ; it is generally due to disease. The rem- edy is to be found in removing the obstruction from the nose. The obstruction may consist of polypi or other growths, or a mere thickening of the mucous membrane. A good specialist should be consulted. Adenoids Q. What are adenoids and should they be removed? A. Adenoids are growths which form in the upper part of the pharynx and at the back part of the nasal cavity. They are likely to produce serious injury by obstruction of the nostrils and may lead to deafness, to deformity of the jaws, A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 381 an abnormal expression of the face, and may even produce mental and nervous disturbances of a serious character. Adenoids are usually considered an indication of mal-nutrition. They are doubtless the result of the attacks of bacteria upon the mucous mem- brane and a state of low resistance. Adenoids should be removed as soon as dis- covered. They always do more or less harm and can do no possible good. The operation is a simple one ; it is nothing more than scraping off the diseased mucous membrane with a suitable instrument. The operation should be done by a specialist in disorders of the nose or throat. The presence of adenoids is evidence of a de- pressed vital state (low resistance) and hence attention must be given to building up the gen- eral health of the child by proper diet, daily out- of-door exercise, sleeping in out-of-door air and correct diet. The open air school room is essential for such children. Meats should be dis- caided from the dietary along with condiments of all sorts. Instead of the popular breakfast foods, feed the child oatmeal, (steel-cut oats) cooked six to eight minutes only and add to the oatmeal one-third its bulk of cooked wheat bran. Have the child eat a large dessert spoonful of cooked bran at every meal together with fruits 382 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED and vegetables which should constitute the chief part of the diet. Greens of all kinds are espe- cially beneficial. Care should be taken to see that the bowels move well three or four times a day. The tongue must be kept clean and the breath sweet. Use paraffin if necessary to keep the bowels active; two or three teaspoonfuls of paraffin oil at each meal or better half a paraffin tablet. An emulsion of paraffin oil, "Paralax" is an agree- able form to which children seldom object. Buzzing or Ringing in the Ears Q. What causes buzzing in the ears and what will cure it? A. Buzzing or ringing in the ears is a very common symptom associated with nasal catarrh and most generally indicated that the disease is extending up the Eustachian tubes into the mid- dle ear. An ear specialist should be consulted. If neglected, deafness may result. Ringing in the ears is sometimes present in anemia and in cases of neurasthenia. Nose Discharge Q. What causes a discharge from the nose? A. Infection with pus-forming bacteria. When an offensive discharge is persistent, there is generally infection of some of the cavities or A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 383 sinuses connected with the nasal cavity. A nose specialist should be consulted. Avoid advertis- ing quacks. Mucus in Nose and Throat Q. What is the best way to prevent the formation of the mucus that accumulates in the back part of the nose and drops into the throat? A. Thorough treatment by a specialist will effect a cure. There is no simple remedy for this condition. One of the best home remedies is the inhalation of steam. Causes of Deafness Q. What are the causes of deafness? A. In ninety-five per cent of all cases the cause of deafness is catarrh which begins in the throat and nose, and which has been neglected until it extended up into the ears. Enlarged ton- sils, snoring, sleeping with the mouth open, are indications of the presence of catarrh. The Nasal Douche Q. Is the nasal douche a good remedy for nasal catarrh? A. The nasal douche is no longer recom- mended. It frequently does mischief by carry- ing the infectious discharges of the nose into 384 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED the ears and other cavities, and so doing great harm. As a matter of fact, it is not necessary in any case. An atomizer giving a strong, coarse spray is useful in some cases in which there is a profuse nasal discharge, and especially in those cases in which dry scabs form in the nose. A solution consisting of one teaspoonful of com- mon salt and a teaspoonful of soda in a pint of distilled water is excellent as a nasal cleansing agent when used with an atomizer giving a strong, coarse spray. Use twice daily. Nasal Discharge Q. What are the yellow plugs blown from the nose, and what can one do to get rid of them? A. These masses consist of dried or partly dried mucous containing great numbers of white blood cells and countless numbers of pus-pro- ducing bacteria. The crusts which are formed in the nose should be loosened and thoroughly removed twice daily by the application of a solu- tion made by adding to a pint of water, one dram each of common salt, bicarbonate of soda and boracic acid. An atomizer giving a strong spray should be used, so that the nasal cavity may be thoroughly flooded, and the application should be continued until the passages are quite free. Then an antiseptic solution should be ap- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 385 plied. A solution consisting of ten grains of eu- calyptol to one ounce of petroleum oil or albo- lene is very useful for the purpose. If pos- sible, consult a good nose specialist, as there may be some narrowing of the nasal passages which requires the attention of a specialist. Catarrh is Contagious Q. Is catarrh contagious, and if so how? A. Yes ; and the fingers are a common means of infecting the nose. It is surprising how often the fingers visit the nose and mouth. This is especially true of children and even adults who have missed proper training in this particular. The fingers are often moistened with saliva for various purposes. If the saliva were green or blue, the fingers would constantly show evidence of being soiled with this secretion. By this means one may infect things and persons with his saliva and may in turn infect his own mouth with germs from many sources. As Doc- tor Chapin has pointed out : "The cook spreads his saliva on the muffins and rolls, the waitress infects the glasses and spoons, the moistened fin- gers of the peddler arrange his fruit, the milk- man's thumb is in his measure, the reader moist- ens the pages of his book, the conductor, his transfer tickets, the lady, the fingers of her glove. Every one is busily engaged in this distribution 386 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED of saliva, so that the end of each day finds this secretion freely distributed on the doors, win- dow sills, furniture and playthings in the home, the straps of trolley cars, the rails and counters and desks of shops and public buildings, and in- deed upon everything that the hands of man touch." The saliva is always infectious. Best Climate for Catarrh Q. What is the best place in the United States for a person afflicted with catarrh ? A. The best state is the place where you hap- pen to be. Any place is all right. The climate is all right. The trouble is with you. Catarrh is an infection. It is true that climates that are very changeable are a little more difficult for a person with catarrh infection than one that is more equable. But, at the same time, the more equable climate is depressing when it is warm and produces a low state of vital resistance. Dry Catarrh Q. Is dry catarrh curable? A. So-called dry catarrh is a condition in which the secreting glands of the mucous mem- brane of the nose have degenerated and in part disappeared, the result of long continued in- flammation and infection. There are two kinds A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 387 of these glands, those that secrete serum, and those that form mucus. The serous glands dis- appear first. The result is that the thick mucus secretion accumulates and forms dry hard mas- ses which decompose and cause erosions of the mucous membrane and finally ulcerations and after some years even serious destruction of the nose. This condition is accompanied by a very bad odor of the breath, and often bleeding at the nose. There is an uncomfortable dryness of the nasal passages and of the throat due to the enlarged space resulting from atrophy of the mucous membrane. The complete cure of this condition is of course not possible, but much can be done to re- lieve its inconveniences. By daily cleansing and disinfection of the nose, the fetor of the breath may be largely removed. By application of a spray of vaseline, the sense of dryness may be relieved. It is sometimes wise to introduce into the widened nasal passages plugs of cot- ton to diminish the size of the inlet. Every case of this sort should be placed, for a time at least, under the care of a good nose specialist. A notable fact about nasal catarrh is that the disease is confined to house dwellers. Wild peo- ple, who live in the open, do not suffer from nasal catarrh. The same is true of civilized men and women who live in the open air. Explorers and soldiers in the field suffer little or not at all from 388 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED colds and catarrh. These are house diseases like pulmonary tuberculosis. Many years ago the writer visited the tribe of Yuma Indians living about the old Fort Yuma who at that time lived in their original primitive simplicity. The men wore the G-string and the women little bark aprons. The children were wholly nude. Catarrh was unknown. Some of the children had been gathered into a school and were clothed. These all suffered from catarrh. On inquiry, it was learned that the Indian parents attributed the catarrh to the wear- ing of clothes. Coryza- — Acute Nasal Catarrh Q. What is the best treatment for one who on taking cold suffers for a day or two with excessive running of watery mucus from the nose? A. Coryza, or cold in the head, is one of the most common of all affections. It is due to an infection of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity. Colds are catching, like diphtheria and small-pox. The treatment consists of rest, diet- etic regulation, and training of the skin. A vapor bath, sitz bath, short hot tub bath, fomen- tations to the forehead and face give relief. This treatment should be taken at night just before retiring. If taken in the daytime the patient A THOUr. vND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 389 should not go outdoors or expose himself to drafts for some hours afterward. The inhalation of steam with an electric vapor thermophore is the best means of combating the local pain and inflammation. The susceptibility to cold is best relieved by a course of treatment to harden the skin. The most efficient measure is the frequent use of cooling baths, such as a cool spray, cool sponge bath, or cold mitten friction. A cold bath is best taken immediately on rising in the morning. The popular idea that a cold is a matter of small consequence and needs little attention, as the pa- tient will recover without treatment, is an er- roneous one. Colds, when left to themselves, nearly always leave the affected parts in a more or less diseased condition. Out-of-door life and open-air sleeping are the best preventives against cold. Persons whose bowels move three times a day seldom take cold because they have high resistance. Golds Q. What should one do for a cold when first beginning? A. Take a hot bath at night; a sweating bath followed by a cold bath. Then go to bed and drink water. If it is very mportant to get over the cold as quickly as possible stay in bed and 390 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED drink water; take no food whatever, but drink, drink, drink — a glassful of water every half hour and you will rinse the cold out. Keep the room warmed and well ventilated. Another way to cure a cold is to take no bath at all or a short very cold bath, drink plenty of water, go out of doors and stay there until the cold is cured. If one lives out-of-doors entirely he will get rid of the cold in the cold air, be- cause the breathing of fresh cold air increases his body resistance. It goes without saying that the patient must keep warm during the out- door treatment, either by vigorous exercise or by being properly protected with wraps and blankets. Gold in the Head Q. What will relieve cough and cold in the head of an infant? A. Apply a cold wet hand rub daily. Keep the child out of doors constantly. Expose the skin to the sun and air for a half hour, two or three times a day. Apply to the nose the follow- ing solution with an atomizer : Menthol, 20 grs. ; camphor, 10 grs. ; thymol, 2 grs. ; alboline, 4 ozs. Every cold in the head or acute nasal catarrh should be treated promptly and thoroughly. When neglected, a cold is likely to become chronic, a condition of nasal catarrh. Nasal polypi obstruc- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 391 tions, deafness and painful affections of the cav- ities in the facial bones are natural consequences of neglected colds. Loss of Voice Q. Please indicate the cause of the loss of the voice. A. The loss of the voice may be due to an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx or to an infection of the nerves control- ling the laryngeal muscles. A loss of voice is sometimes due to hysteria. In such cases the voice may be suddenly recovered at any time. Loss of voice is sometimes the result of in- fection of the larynx with tuberculosis. Either one or both of the vocal cords may be af- fected. Syphilis is another common cause of loss of the voice. Cancer and tumors of various sorts may de- velop in the larynx so as to cause loss of power to make vocal sounds. In cases in which it has become necessary to remove the larynx by a surgical operation, it has been found possible to restore the power of vocal speech by means of the insertion of a tube con- taning an organ reed. The voice produced in this way is of course a monotone. 392 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Clergyman's Sore Throat Q. What is the cause of the pharynx be- coming dry, accompanied by a weak and easily tired voice, followed by hoarseness? A. This condition is probably due to chronic pharyngitis. Acute and chronic catarrh of the pharynx are among the most common of all the forms of catarrhal disease. What is known as "clergyman's sore throat" is a variety of pharyn- geal catarrh. Undoubtedly bad dietetic habits are an important factor in the production of this condition. The use of mustard, pepper, peppersauce, ginger, vinegar, and various other condiments, and the excessive use of salt, sugar, fats, and ani- mal food must be set down among the predispos- ing causes. The disease is especially common in persons of sedentary habits. An out-of-door life, "The simple life" in all respects is a pretty certain preventive of this disease and a good measure of treatment. The Tonsils Q. Of what use are the tonsils and should they be removed? A. The tonsils are lymphatic glands. Their function is to protect the body against the great number of microbes which collect in the mouth. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 393 They are also connected with the functions which promote the growth and development of the body. Diseased tonsils are a constant menace to the body, proving an open door for the entrance of harmful organisms. Tuberculosis germs and other disease-producing bacteria often find their way into the body through the open portal pro- vided by diseased tonsils. The tonsils harbor disease germs, such as pneumonia and diptheria, also the germ of influenza or la grippe. These germs are lying there ready to develop whenever the vital resistance is lowered by cold, exhaus- tion, indigestion, or any other depressing cause. Diseased tonsils are often a cause of rheumatism and probably other serious maladies. Tonsils which frequently become raw or in- flamed or which are constantly enlarged with pockets full of pus should be promptly removed. The question is often asked, Will not removal of the tonsils change the voice or spoil the sing- ing or speaking voice ? The operation will change the voice. It will improve it. The tonsil should not be removed unless so badly diseased that it has ceased to be of any value to the body and has become a source of injury. 394 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED * Inflammed Tonsils and Rheumatism Q. Will inflammation of the tonsils lead to rheumatism ? A. Murray in 1901 found in the mucous cov- ering the tonsil streptococci, which, when in- jected caused inflammation of the joints and the valves of the heart. Recent studies have shown that chronic in- flammation of the tonsils is very frequently the cause of rheumatism and one that should be looked for in persons suffering from acute rheu- matic troubles. Chronic Laryngitis Q. Is chronic catarrh of the larynx curable? A. In most cases this disease may be cured, even when of long standing, except in cases in which the inflammation is due to tubercular in- fection. Many of these cases are also curable if taken in time. A skilled specialist must be consulted. Sore Throat Q. What is a good remedy for sore throat? A. There are many remedies for sore throat, seme of which are harmless, being simply worth- less, — like goose-oil applied externally, — while others are quite mjurious. The best remedy is A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 395 hot water. It should be applied outside and in- side ; outside by means of fomentations for fifteen minutes or half an hour twice a day; inside by a gargle of hot water, as hot as can be borne, every fifteen minutes or half hour until relieved. Drink plenty of hot water, so as to get into a profuse perspiration. If there is fever, cool the skin with sponge-baths. Keep the feet warm. If the symptoms are severe, apply ice in a bag to the outside of the neck, and give the patient little pieces of ice to swallow. A few hours of this treatment will effect a cure in simple cases. The inhaling of steam is a most efficient means of relieving pain and combating inflammation in cases of acute inflammation of the throat. The Teeth Dentifrice Q. What is the best dentifrice? A. No dentifrice is really needed but water. Brush the teeth after each meal with pure water and see the dentist twice a year. That is all the attention the teeth need if one adheres to a sim- ple, natural bill-of-fare. Teeth Decay Q. What is the significance of dental decay? A. The significance of dental caries, which is coming to be well-nigh universal among the people of the United States, is little appreciated. Premature decay of the teeth indicates feeble- ness of constitution in the individual, and when this condition becomes so general as to be a race characteristic, it is a handwriting on the wall; pointing unmistakably to race extinction. Dentists may repair the teeth mechanically, but they cannot mend the weak constitution to which the decay is due. Strong bodies (and teeth) are made by excluding flesh meats, condi- ments, sloppy foods, cane sugar, and indigestibles A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 397 by daily outdoor exercise, the daily cold bath, and other methods of health culture. Early decay of the teeth means a short life and an increasing low vital resistance. There must be a rigid self-examination, the result of which should be a putting away of every practice which tends to weaken the vitality, and the cul- tivation of health by every known means. Care of Teeth Q. Is the tooth brush essential to the care of the teeth? A. It is important to keep the mouth clean, but whether the toothbrush is essential or even beneficial for this purpose is still a question. There are eminent authorities who condemn the toothbrush, first, because the bristles tear the gums and drive the particles of decomposing food into the narrow spaces between the teeth. Sec- ond, the toothbrush itself after being used a few times, becomes thoroughly infected and there seems to be no very simple and efficient method of disinfecting it. Certainly ordinary rinsing is not sufficient. The average tooth- brush is in a very filthy state. Dr. Head, an eminent dental authority has called the attention of the profession to the filthy condition of the toothbrush as it is ordinarily used. Prof. Miller, another dental authority, has shown that the 398 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED brushing action of the bristles upon the sur- faces of the teeth, produces an injurious effect and causes wasting about the necks of the teeth. Prof. Hutchinson reports the results of research workers who have investigated the question of the toothbrush and their conclusion is that it is a dangerous instrument. The truth seems to be that the eating of fruit, especially at the close of a meal, is the best method of cleaning the teeth. Chewing a stalk of celery, an apple, or fresh pineapple are very efficient methods of cleansing the teeth. For polishing the teeth, per- haps the best means that can be employed is the fore finger moistened and then dipped into some good tooth powder or dentifrice. The spaces between the teeth should be cleaned by floss silk. A bit of rubber may be used instead of the fore finger. The toothbrush is, of course, convenient and it will probably continue in use notwithstanding the recently disclosed facts con- cerning its disadvantages. Bridge Work Q. Is not bridge work unsanitary, since the food works under it? A. Of course, a person who has bridge work in his mouth must take very particular care to avoid harboring unsanitary conditions in his mouth. However, when sufficient pains are taken A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 399 to cleanse the mouth, there is no reason why it may not be kept in a wholesome state. Bridge work is of great value by permitting more thorough mastication. Wisdom Teeth 0. I am twenty-four years of age, but have no wisdom teeth. A. The third molars are disappearing. This is one of the evidences of general race decay. There is probably no room in your jaw for the teeth to develop. 1 low ever, it is possible that the wisdom teeth may appear quite late in life. Do Sweets Injure Teeth Q. Are sweet substances injurious to the teeth, even though the teeth are cleansed im- mediately afterward? A. Xo. The injurious effects of sugar upon the teeth are the result of indigestion. When sugar is largely used, the system is deprived of lime, and so all the bony structures of the body are damaged. Pyorrhea Q, What is the cause and the proper treat- n cnt of pyorrhea? Modern bacteriological and clinical studies ■ shown that pyorrhea, or ulceration of the 400 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED gums, is a diseased condition of much greater significance than was formerly supposed. This disease, if not checked, not only leads to loss of the teeth, but still worse effects are produced in other parts of the body than the mouth. The germs and germ poisons developed are likely to find their way into remote parts of the body and give rise to such grave conditions as disease of the joints, which may lead even to serious de- formities manifested in various forms of rheu- matic disease, neuritis, and possibly even diseases of the heart and blood vessels. The disease starts with a mechanical injury of the gums, due sometimes perhaps to improper use of the tooth brush. It is kept up by pus- forming bacteria, and as it works deeper into the tissues the bony sockets of the teeth become dis- eased. The virulent micro-organisms that are found in the pus secreted by the ulcerated areas are swallowed into the stomach and may give rise to diseased conditions of the stomach and in- testines. In view of these facts it is evident that pyorrhea, whenever it is found present, should be promptly and vigorously combated. Efficient remedies are now available. In severe cases the teeth must be pulled, but in mild cases the gums may be cured by proper local treatment combined with proper regulation of the diet and building up the general health. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 401 In all cases meats should be discarded. The bowels should be made to move three or four times a day so as to rid the body of toxins. The cure is greatly facilitated by the use of so-called endogenous vaccines, prepared from cultures made from the pus taken from the diseased areas. Every person suffering from chronic headache, autointoxication, neuritis, rheumatism, or high blood pressure, should have the mouth carefully examined by a thoroughly competent dentist, and if pyorrhea is found should use measures for the cure of the disease immediately. The mouth is the gateway through which most enemies of the body find entrance to the citadel of life. It must be carefully guarded. Every person should have the mouth and teeth thoroughly examined by a competent dentist at least once a year. Teeth of East Indians Q. Is it true that the Hindu people have re- markably sound teeth? A. Dr. Egbert, who has made a careful study of the teeth of the natives of India, in an article in the British Journal of Dental Science, states that although he has examined the teeth of hun- dreds of Hindu natives, he has never found a single case of malformation, and that the teeth of the Hindu people are remarkably free from decay. They rarely lose their teeth from 402 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED caries. He attributed this remarkable immunity from a disease which is coming to be almost universal among Americans and English people, in part to the cleanly habits of the Hindus, who carefully cleanse their teeth with a primitive but efficient brush every day, in obedience to the laws of their religion. He also calls attention to another and still more important factor, the absence of flesh food from the dietary of the Hindu. Organic Lime and Dental Decay Q. Why is organic lime essential for pre- venting decay of the teeth? A. The enamel of the teeth, which protects these bony structures, is composed of lime. When the enamel is broken the less resistant structures beneath are exposed to toxic bacteria. The nor- mal saliva contains a sufficient amount of lime to protect the teeth from the attacks of acids. Professor Rickert, of the Dental Department of the University of Michigan, has shown by labor- atory experiments that decay of the teeth is ac- companied by a diminution in the lime content of the saliva. It has also been observed in England that decay of the teeth has increased just in pro- portion to the increased use of fine flour bread which is lacking in lime. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 403 How to Combat Decay of the Teeth What are the most important means of protecting the teeth from decay? A. It is evident that the rapid advance of the American people toward a toothless con- dition can never he stopped by the tooth brush alone. The tooth brush is important and un- questionably aids in checking the progress of the decay, but it is still more important to recognize and. so far as possible, eliminate the causes of dental decay. This requires: 1. Improvement in resistance to disease by im- proving the general health in every possible way, so improving the quality of the blood and its p"\ver to resist the attacks of disease germs and to give to the fluids the various bodily secretions necessary. s« zins and alaxins, to exercise this pro- tective influence. 2. A dietary rich in calcium so as to be sure of a highly calcium content of the saliva. Such a diet must include an abundance of greens and i vegetables. Whole i;rain cereals should be substituted for such deficient foodstuffs as fine flour, hominy, corn meal, polished rice and vari- bakery products as breakfast foods prepared from these raw materials. Milk should be freely used, especially by grow- ing children. A pint of milk contains from eleven 404 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED to sixteen grains of lime, whereas a pound of white bread contains but one grain of lime or even less. 3. The teeth should be cleansed not only on arising in the morning and before retiring at night but particularly after each meal. 4. The colon must be kept in a normal condi- tion, which requires three or four bowel move- ments daily. This requires the free use of laxa- tive foodstuffs and, if necessary, bran or agar- agar and paraffin oil in some form. The unclean condition of the mouth, indicated by a coated tongue and foul breath, which results from in- testinal stasis or defective bowel action is a con- dition most conducive to dental decay. Remedies Sulphur 0. Is the use of sulphur valuable as a means of purifying the blood? A. No. The blood cannot be purified by taking drugs of any sort. The only way to purify the blood is by out door life, correct diet and care to secure frequent and thorough eva- cuations of the bowels. The Salt Glow Q. What is the value of the salt glow? A. The salt glow is an admirable means of producing circulatory reaction without thermic reaction if the temperature employed is not very much below that of the surface of the body. The salt acts as a chemical irritant to the skin, in ad- dition to the mechanical stimulus produced by the rubbing of the sharp crystals in contact with the surface of the body. The salt glow produces to an intense degree the circulatory stimulation of the brine bath, the sea-water bath, the effervescing bath, and the saline sponge. By moistening the salt with ice- cold water, it is possible, however, when desir- 406 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED able, to produce most powerful thermic effects in addition to the circulatory reaction produced by the chemical effect of the salt and the friction. It is also a tonic measure of high value, and also produces valuable derivative effects; it is especially valuable in feeble patients whose heat- making powers are small, and in whom thermic reaction does not readily occur, or, if it does, the cold bath exhausts the patient and produces loss of heat. The salt glow is valuable in cases in which the skin is very inactive, a condition com- monly found present in chronic indigestion. It may be usefully employed in cases of Bright's disease and in diabetes, conditions demanding in- crease of skin activity, but contraindicating the cold bath. Massage Q. Does massage increase metabolism? A. According to Zuntz the belief that mas- sage stimulates metabolism has no real scientific foundation. Breathing is not materially in- creased as a result of massage and the con- sumption of oxygen is not increased more than ten or fifteen per cent which is no more than would result from slight finger movements. It is evident then that massage, either manual or mechanical, can have very little effect in break- ing down tissue in obesity. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 407 Infected Wound Q. What is the best treatment for an in- fected wound? A. A freshly infected wound should never be closed up. The only safety is in keeping the wound open and keeping up active drainage. Painting the wound with tincture of iodine, or with a solution of iodine consisting of one part of tincture of iodine and three parts of alcohol, will destroy most of the germs which lie upon the surface. If some time must elapse before the wound can be dressed, the parts should be im- mersed in a salt solution prepared by adding two ounces of salt to a gallon of boiled water. The effect of the salt solution is to produce an out- flow of serum and blood cells from the wound which will exercise the most salutary effect in preventing the growth of bacteria and in pro- moting a healing process. Badly infected wounds which cannot be closed should be kept continually immersed in a salt water bath. If the part in- jured is so located that immersing is incon- venient, compresses of cheesecloth saturated with salt solution should be kept constantly applied to the parts. The compresses should be changed before they become dry. 408 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Sick Room Disinfection Q. What is the best method of disinfecting a sick room? A. The sick room may be fumigated by the use of formalin. In recent years less stress is laid upon the im- portance of fumigation by sanitary authorities. It is now believed that thorough ventilation of the sick room together with thorough scrubbing of the floors and walls with soap and water are practically the only measures necessary. A room which has been long occupied by a person suffering from chronic disease, or by a fever patient, or a case of smallpox or other contagious disease, ought to be very thoroughly cleansed before being occupied by others. The means by which this may be most efficiently done are these: 1. Take out the windows, and give the great- est possible freedom to ventilation. 2. Remove the old paper from the walls, and burn it. Wash the bare walls with a solution of copperas, and then apply whitewash to the ceiling. Cleanse the woodwork with a solution of chloride of lime, one pound to the gallon. 3. Remove the carpet from the floor, the bed- ding from the bed, and every other fabric from A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 409 the room, and thoroughly di them before :ing. Massage or Osteopathy In what way does massage differ from osteopathy? A. athy claims more and does less than massage. Radium What is radium? A, Radium is a hcaw metal derived from the rare metal uranium, h in the dark and throws off rays of vari as sorts which produce erful effects upon all living things. The called "gamma" rays of radium are believed to be similar in nature to light rays, although in- visible, moving with a vel th< usand times greater. Radium also throws off minute particles which have "an a i more than Six thousand million times that of the swiftest rifle bullet."' This rarest of metals is possessed of most ex- traordinary properties. It- activity reat that it may be well that it exists in very small William Rai that the amount of radium in the whole world is not <) pounds. Fortunately it is widely red. 410 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED ML Currie, one of the discoverers of radium, declared that he would not be willing to venture into a room which contained a pound of radium. Radium is useful as a means of curing cancer of the skin. It is capable of rendering service in other forms of disease. It must be used by an expert. Mechanotherapy Q. What is mechanotherapy? A. Certain forms of passive exercise may be administered by machinery far more effectively than by the hand. This is particularly true of vibratory exercise. The rapid, steady, and pro- longed vibratory movements which can be ad- ministered by machinery can not be even ap- proximated in efficiency by the human hand. Cer- tain kneading and percussion movements may be administered more effectively by mechanical means than by the manual method. Mechanical vibration, kneading and shaking movements, are the most effective forms of mechanotherapy. Diathermy Q. What is diathermy? A. This is a new method of applying elec- tricity in which the electrical current is converted into heat within the body. None of the ordi- nary effects of electricity are experienced; that A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 41 1 is. there is no electrical sensation, no muscular contraction ; the only sensation is that of warmth. By proper arrangement of the electrodes the heat may be concentrated in any part of the body. This invention renders it possible to apply heat to internal parts heretofore inaccessible. This method has been found of very great advantage as a means of stimulating the activity of the liver, kidneys and other internal glands when inactive. It has also proved of great ser- vice in cases of dilatation of the heart. A di- lated heart has been seen by means of the X-ray to contract under its influence. It is of great service in cases of arteriosclerosis, especially in cases in which the disease affects the vessels of the abdomen, the most common form of arterial degeneration. Diathermy is highly useful in neuralgia of all forms, in migraine and other forms of head- ache ; also in sciatica, neuritis and muscular rheumatism. It absorbs gouty deposits by raising the temperature of the blood and so rendering the uric acid deposits soluble. It is altogether one of the most useful additions which have been made to physiotherapy in recent years. 412 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED The Electrocardiograph Q. What is the electrocardiograph? A. This is one of the most remarkable and interesting instruments for diagnosis which has appeared in recent times. Its value is based upon the fact that the heart in its action gives rise to electrical currents. By means of the electrocardiograph these delicate currents may be recorded in such a manner as to produce curves the form of which indicates whether the heart is in a condition of health or not, and if it is diseased, the nature and location of the dis- order. There are certain obscure heart troubles the nature of which can be determined only by means of the electrocardiograph. High Frequency Current Q. What is the high frequency current and is it a useful method of treatment? A. The so-called high frequency electrical current is an alternating current similiar to that which is used in the so-called wireless elec- tricity. It has been employed in the treatment of certain morbid growths with a measure of success. This method employs electrical currents which were first discovered by Tesla but were first used A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 413 in application to the human bod) by d'Arsonval. Properly applied, this current produces powerful effects in relieving pain, lowering blood-pressure, and in favorably influenecing tbe various vital functions. Phototherapy Q. What is meant by phototherapy? A. The wonderful influence of the sunlight as a curative agent has been appreciated from the most ancient times. The Greeks and Romans provided most excellent arrangements for "in- solation"' or sun bathing in connection with their great public baths as well as in the palaces of the rich. Sick animals show preference for the sun. The discovery of the electric light, veritable resuscitated sunlight, has placed in our hands the means by which the powerful healing agent which permeates the body with its healing rays may be utilized at all seasons of the year. The arc light is called into service with special fre- quency in the cold months when the outdoor gymnasiums arc not in use. The electric light bath possesses all the virtues of the Turkish bath with none of its dangers and inconveniences, and adds the marvelous virtues of light. The luminous heat rays do not stop at the skin as does ordinary heat, but permeate the soft parts of the body in every direction, 414 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED searching out painful and sluggish parts and im- parting their powerful vital stimulus. Its value in the treatment of chronic maladies of all sorts can scarcely be over-estimated. Its superior efficiency as well as its luxurious attractiveness are well attested by the fact that it has been more extensively copied and imitated than any other invention of the sort. The electric light bath is without doubt the most important im- provement in bath appliances that has been made in modern times. Medicine Chest Q. What can you suggest to take the place of the old-fashioned family medicine chest? A. It is important that every home should have a sort of first-aid outfit. The following is a list of first essentials : Clinical or fever thermometer. Bath thermometer. Ice bag. Hot water bags (one large, oval, one long bag). Enema outfit. Fomentation cloths. Cheese cloth, mackintosh and flannel for com- presses and packs. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 415 Two Turkish towels. Roll of adhesive plaster. Sterilized absorbent cotton. Sterilized gauze, one package. Three or more rolls of bandages (varying width). Medicine dropper. Atomizer. A package each of bicarbonate of soda and boracic acid. A bottle of some bland sweet oil. Tube of vaseline. Two white enamelware bowls. Camphor ice. Castile soap. A good pair of scissors. Hand and nail brushes. Other useful articles may be included, but with this as a beginning one is fairly equipped for ordinary emergencies. Hot Baths Q. What is meant by a hot bath? How hot should it be? A. By the term "hot bath" we usually mean an ordinary full bath given at a temper- ature of 98° to 104° F. The bath should last from two to three minutes. It must never be 416 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED very greatly prolonged, because baths above the body temperature cause a rapid accumulation of heat and a rise of temperature. In the ad- ministration of the bath at a temperature con- siderably above that of the body, the beginning temperature should be 100° F., the temperature being gradually raised, by the addition of hot wa- ter, to the maximum desired. By this means the skin becomes gradually accustomed to the elevated temperature, and a much higher temperature will be tolerated than ii the patient enters the bath at the maximum temperature. Care should be taken that the water is not too hot. To prevent this one should have at hand a hath thermometer. Where this is not obtainable do not rely upon placing the hand in the water as a test, for the hand becomes, by usage, so obtuse to heat that water which would seem only warm to it would be painfully hot to the body of the patient. To avoid this source of error, it is only necessary to plunge the arm to the elbow into the water, by which means the real temperature will be determined. Wa- ter which causes redness of the skin is hot ; when it feels simply comfortable, with no special sen- sation of either heat or cold, it is warm. Slightly cooler than this is tepid. When it causes the appearance of goose-flesh, it may for practical purposes be called cool, a still lower degree be- ing cold. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 417 Bath Temperatures Q. What temperatures are indicated by the terms cold, hot, tepid, etc.? A. The following table gives} the temper- atures indicated by the various terms in com- mon use: Very cold 32° to 55° F. Cold 55° to 65° F. Cool 65° to 80° F. Tepid 80° to 92° F. Warm (neutral, 92° to 95°)... 92° to 98° F. Hot 98° to 104° F. Very hot 104° and above The Daily Bath Q. Is the daily bath essential to health? A. For sedentary people, yes. Persons who live active lives, especially wild tribes which live in the state of nature and wear little clothing do not need the benefits of the daily bath. The daily cold bath and frequent warm baths compensate to some degree for the lack of ex- ercise and out-of-door life. The daily bath is not prevalent among the laboring classes, yet the active out-of-door life led by persons of these classes gives them greater longevity than the so-called better class, notwithstanding their dirty skins. 418 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Bath Rules Q. What are the best bathing rules? A. 1. A cold bath should never be taken when one is tired or exhausted. 2. Applications toward which there is an in- stinctive dread should, in general, be avoided. The bodily instincts generally crave things that are good for the body, and repel things likely to do harm. 3. General cold applications should never be made when the skin is cold, when a sensation of chilliness is present, when the hands and feet are cold, or when the head is hot. In such cases the skin must be warmed by a warm bath, such as the electric light bath, or the hands and feet should be heated by placing in water, and the head cooled by the application of a towel wrung out of cold water (not ice-water). The cold bath must also be avoided when the body is much fatigued or overheated. In such a case, a very short hot bath should be taken, followed by a neutral bath (92° to 96° F.) Gold Air Bath Q. Will a cold air bath serve the same pur- pose as a cold water bath? A. For some persons the cold air bath is preferable to the cold water bath, as it leaves the A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 419 skin dry. The reaction produced is ordinarily less than from cold water, but the effect may be increased by prolonging the application and ac- companying the air bath by vigorous rubbing of the skin with a towel or with the hands, or both. The duration of the bath must depend upon the temperature of the air, the susceptibility of the patient, and the degree of activity accom- panying the air bath. Most persons may readily become accustomed to exposures of from five to ten minutes. Vigorous muscular activity should be maintained during the exposure, and the whole surface of the body should be vigorously rubbed, so as to promote reaction. The appear- ance of slight chilliness is an indication that the bath should be terminated at once. A very good plan is to take the air bath immediately on rising in the morning. If one sleeps in a cold room, as he should do, on getting out of bed in the morning the covers should be re- placed so as to retain the warmth of the bed. It is a good plan after the bath to return to bed for a few moments before dressing, so as to encourage complete reaction. The bath in this way may be repeated two or three times in succession. This is a good plan for those who are not accustomed to the air bath, and who can- not endure exposure to the cold air more than two minutes at a time. 420 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED One of the most agreeable forms of the cold bath is the swimming bath when this is available. A very good substitute is the "exercise bath," an imitation bath in the surf which is taken in a bath tub by means of a simple appliance. (See page 438.) Gold Water Shampoo Q. Does frequent washing of the head in cold water tend to cause baldness? A. No, the very opposite. Hydrotherapy Q. What is hydrotherapy? A. Hydrotherapy is the rational or scientific use of water. It differs from the old fashioned "water cure," still in vogue at mineral spring resorts and many similar places, in that the methods employed are based upon a careful study of the physiologic effects of the several procedures, so that their value and effects are known with certainty. "Water cure" meth- ods have done an untold amount of good, but they have also done harm, and should now be dis- placed by the more exact and hence safer meth- ods of hydrotherapy. There are three distinct classes of procedures in hydrotherapy which may be simply termed A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 421 I 1 i the douche method. (2) the immersion method and (3) the wet cloth method; to which may he added the combined method. The douche method comprises the various forms of jets, showers, "pours," etc., in which water in motion is employed. The immersion method comprises all sorts of procedures in which the body or a part of it is immersed in water. The ''wet-cloth" method (an awkward but appropriate name) comprises all sorts of packs, compresses, fomentations, and frictii ns in which wet or moistened cloths are employed. As commonly employed, scientific hydrothe- rapy is associated with various applications of light and heat, massage, exercise and other kindred measures. When scientifically applied, water is unques- tionably the most potent of all agents for com- bating disease. Water has been in use by the human race as a remedy from prehistoric times. It is employed by the most primitive tribes. It is even used by animals who seem to be led by instinct to resort for relief to this wonderful agent which comes nearer than any other to being a veritable universal panacea. 422 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Hydrotherapy in Tuberculosis Q. Is hydrotherapy beneficial in tuber- culosis? A. Hydrotherapy is not only a powerful ally of the open-air treatment of pulmonary tuber- culosis, acting as an adjunct to exercise, sun- light, cold or cool air, proper diet, and other hygienic conditions and physiological measures, hut it is actually indispensable in a large number of cases in which the patient is so feeble, either from loss of blood or reduction of strength or some other cause, that the advantages of the open-air method are only in a small part avail- able. In these cases hydriatic measures properly adapted to individual cases serve as a substitute for cold air and exercise, and have the advantage over both these measures in the fact that they are capable of absolute regulation and graduation, awakening within the system the same reactions, more or less ample and intense, as may be de- sired, and thus serving as a means by which the patient may be lifted from a state of utter helplessness by daily increments of energy until he becomes capable of utilizing with advantage more vigorous measures. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 423 Morning Gold Bath 0. Which is better to take after a bath — a cold mitten friction or an alcohol rub, or may one use both to good advantage? A. A warm bath should always be followed by some cooling measure, such as a cold pail pour, a cold mitten friction, a cold towel fric- tion, or an alcohol ruh, depending upon the strength of the patient. For a person in ordi- nary health, of fairly robust constitution, the cold full immersion bath may be advantageously employed as a measure of hygienic routine. If the cold immersion bath is employed, fill the tub sufficiently full of water to allow complete and instantaneous immersion of the entire body except the head. Immerse as quickly as possible after cooling the head. The duration of the bath must be very brief, not more than five to ten seconds. Rub the surface of the body vig- orously while in the bath, and after emerging rub with coarse towels until the body is warm and dry. Exercise till reaction is complete, as evidenced by a sensation of warmth and well- being. The best time for the bath is im- mediately on rising in the morning, while warm and feeling a relish for the contact of cold wa- ter. Used thus the cold bath is a powerful means of promoting vital resistance and main- taining the integrity of the body. If this meas- 424 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED ure seems too severe, a cold towel rub may be employed. The cold mitten friction is still less vigorous. Gold Mitten Friction Q. What is a cold mitten friction, and how is it given? A. The surface is rubbed with a hand covered by a mitt made of a fabric having a firm, close texture somewhat resembling haircloth, such as is used by the Turkish bath shampooers at Cairo and Constantinople. The hand covered with this mitt is dipped in water at 60° to 40° F. every few seconds while the surface is being rubbed. Each separate part, as an arm, a leg, the chest, the abdomen, the back, is rubbed until red, then dried before proceeding to another part. The Heating Compress Q. How is the "heating compress" given? A. Wring a cloth out of cold water and apply to the affected part. Cover with mackintosh and then with several thicknesses of flannel. The moist cloth will quickly become warm, and will retain the heat for a long time. It acts as a poultice, and is fully as effective as a poultice ((besides being much cleaner) in deep-seated spinal pains, in pains due to indigestion, chronic A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 425 catarrh of the bowels, and constipation. A heat- ing compress applied to the abdomen will often relieve congestion of the head and so induce sleep. The Ice Bag Q. When should the ice bag or ice compress be used? A. The ice bag is so useful that it should be found in every home. It should be filled with ice broken into small bits, preferably not larger than a lima bean. It should be filled about two- thirds full so that it will easily adapt itself to the parts to which it is applied. Here are some of the most important uses of the ice bag: Placed upon the throat or at the pit of the stomach it relieves vomiting. An ice bag back of the neck is an excellent remedy for sea sick- ness. In a case of acute inflammation, either internally or externally, one or two ice bags may be applied. Heat should be applied to the feet and legs to prevent chilling. An acute attack of appendicitis may often be avoided by an appli- cation of a couple of ice bags to the lower right side of the abdomen and over the appendix. The ice bags should be removed every hour and a hot fomentation should be apgj.ied to the feet and legs continuously. In pneumonia two or 426 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED three ice bags should be applied over the af- fected lung during the first day or two. Every thirty minutes the ice bag should be removed for forty-five minutes. A good plan is to make a short hot application in the interval. An ice bag applied over the heart is an excellent heart tonic. When the pulse is weak and rapid one or two ice bags applied over the heart will generally slow and strengthen the pulse. Care must be taken to avoid chilling by applying heat or extra wraps to the rest of the body. Several ice bags on an ice cap should be ap- plied to the head in cases of cerebral congestion. Ice bags may be applied to neck in such cases with excellent effect. The Fomentation A. What is a fomentation and how should it be applied? A. A fomentation is a moist hot application. It may be applied in various ways. The im- portant points are (1) to make the application as hot as can be borne without burning the skin ; (2) to make the application cover a large area, the larger the surface the more effective; (3) not to continue too long (15 to 20 minutes is usually the right time, to be renewed after an hour or A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 427 more if necessary, and (4) to make a short cool- ing application at the end. The simplest method of application is by means of a flannel cloth wrung out of very hot water. It is well to apply a dry flannel cloth next the skin. A flannel cloth previously wet may be heated by wrapping around a hot steam pipe or by lay- ing on the top of a stove, protected by a news- paper, or by means of a special electric heater. When continuous heat is desired, this may be secured by means of an electric thermophore placed over a moist cloth laid on the skin. A photophore may be used for heating, or in emergency a hot water bag or a sand bag may be employed. Heat kills pain. This fact explains the chief value of the fomentation. It is an efficient means of employing heat. About the only precautions necessary are to avoid fomentations over the heart for more than one or two minutes duration, and to be careful not to blister the skin when the patient is paralyzed or unconscious. Duration of Hot Application Q. For how long may a fomentaton be con- tinued without injury? A. The duration of a fomentation is not usu- ally more than five to fifteen minutes. When 428 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED continued longer than five minutes, the flannel should be reheated. Small fomentations may be kept hot by means of one or two rubber bags filled with hot water, or a heated brick or jug or bottle. A rubber bag filled with hot water and covered with a moist flannel is a conven- ient method of applying a small fomentation. A rubber or a flexible metal coil through which a current of hot water is constantly passed may be used for a continuous application of moist heat by placing under a coil a moist flannel. Even when pain is persistent, it is better not to continue the fomentation for more than fifteen to twenty minutes without exchanging it for a short cold application which may be made by dipping the hand in cold water and rubbing the parts, or by applying a towel or a cheesecloth napkin wrung out of cold water, for fifteen to twenty seconds. The cold application serves to restore the tone of the vessels, which is lost by prolonged application of heat, thus maintain- ing a more active circulation through the parts than can be secured by the fomentation alone. A fomentation should never be allowed to re- main on a part until it becomes cool, as this will produce an effect the very opposite of that de- sired. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 429 Fomentations — Reaction After Q. How may reaction after a fomentation be best secured? A. At the conclusion of the fomentation, immediately after the withdrawal of the last hot cloth, a very short cold application should be made, either by rubbing the parts with the hands dipped in cold water or by applying for fifteen or twenty seconds a towel wrung out of cold water. By this means the blood is fixed in the skin so that the effect of the fomentation is prolonged. If the fomentation has been so large or so long continued as to produce general perspir- ation, some general cold application should be made after the fomentation as a means of ton- ing the skin. A cold mitten friction, a cold towel rub, and in some cases a cold wet sheet rub may be properly used for this purpose. As a general rule, such a cold application as the half bath, cold shower and the cold douche in all forms cannot be safely used in cases of internal inflammation, or when the patient is suffering with or has just been relieved from severe neur- algic pain. 430 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Precautions Necessary in Use of Fomentations Q. Is there any danger in giving hot fomen- tations ? A. Great care must be taken to avoid injury to the skin in the application of fomentations to paralyzed parts ; also in applying fomentations to persons who are unconscious from shock, faint- ing, or other cause., as during unconsciousness the circulation of the blood is often greatly slowed so that burns may be easily made at a temperature which would not injuriously affect a person in a normal condition. How the Fomentation Relieves Pain Q. In what way does the fomentation act? A. The most important service rendered by the fomentation is perhaps in the relief of pain. Aside from opiates, there is no means by which pain may be so promptly and positively relieved as by the application of moist heat. For this purpose the fomentation should be applied as hot as possible without running the risk of in- juring the skin. The fomentation acts both by the diversion of blood from the painful part and through a sedative influence upon the nerves. The area covered by the fomentation must be A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 431 very much larger than that affected by the pain, at least three or four times as large. Taking Gold After Gold Bath Q. Why does one take cold after a cold bath? A. One does not take cold after a cold bath because the bath is cold, but in spite of this fact. Daily cold bathing is one of the best precautions a person can take against colds. If, after tak- ing a cold bath or a bath of any kind, one is not careful to thoroughly dry the skin, chill is apt to occur by the evaporation of moisture from the skin after dressing, and thus cold may be taken. Xeglect to secure good reaction, that is thorough warming of the skin, after a cold bath may produce a wretched feeling which may lead one to think he has contracted a cold when he has not, the symptoms being rheumatic in character. Very cold bathing especially in persons not ac- customed to cold baths, may produce excessive reaction, which may often be accompanied by a slight fever, and so may be mistaken for a cold. After taking a cold bath a person should rub the surface of the body very thoroughly, and then take a walk or engage in some vigorous out-of- door exercise. Persons who are not accustomed to cold bathing should begin very cautiously, employing first the method known as partial 432 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED bathing in which a small part of the body, as an arm or a leg, is first bathed then rubbed until warm. Sun Bath Q. What is the curative value of the sun bath? A. Sunlight is one of the most powerful of all hygienic and curative agents. As a hygienic measure it is of inestimable value in the de- struction of dangerous microbes, the most of which are unable to resist the action of the direct rays of the sun for more than a few minutes. Sunlight is thus the most important of all dis- infecting and sterilizing agencies. The value of sunlight in the maintenance of health is well shown in the dwarfed development and rapid de- terioration of plants deprived of its stimulating influence. In taking a sun bath, either the whole or a part of the body may be exposed to the direct influence of the solar rays, qr some protection may be afforded by a covering of white cheese- cloth. The bath may be best taken in a room properly constructed for the purpose. The room should face the south, and the windows should be sloping. The patient should lie on a cot placed before a window, the head being pro- tected from the direct rays of the sun. The length of the exposure will depend upon the in- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 433 tensity of the sun's rays and the effects sought. If the light is very intense, or the patient very feeble, the duration of the bath should not be more than five minutes if the whole body is ex- posed; in less sensitive patients, or those ac- customed to the sun bath, it may be continued from twenty minutes to half or three quarters of an hour. Indications for Sun Bath 0. In what conditions should the sun bath be used? A. The sun bath is useful in all cases of mal- nutrition, anemia, inactivity of the skin, chronic dyspepsia, most cases of neurasthenia, indigestion, chlorosis, rheumatism, diabetes, and obesity. The only class of cases in which the bath is positively contraindicated is that in which the patient has recently suffered from heat stroke, and is especially susceptible to the action of the direct ravs of the sun; but such cases are rare. Warm Bath for a Cold Q. Should or should not a warm bath be taken for a cold? A. Immediately after a cold is taken, a very hot bath is often very useful; but for relief of a chronic cold, warm baths are less useful than cold baths. 434 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED People with a tendency to take cold may "harden" themselves by cold baths. Warm Baths — Protection of the Ears Q. In taking the full warm tub bath twice a week, is it injurious to the ear or other parts to immerse the head at the same time with the body? A. It is not injurious to immerse the ears provided care is taken to thoroughly dry the whole of the external canal of the ear after the bath; but this is quite likely to be neglected, which may lead to inflammation of the ear and the permanent impairment of hearing. Water may be kept out of the ears during immersion by stopping them with a little cotton which has been dipped in melted paraffin; paraffin paper makes a good stopper. Are Daily Baths Weakening Q. Is the daily bath "weakening"? A. Hot baths are weakening or depressing, but short, cold baths are tonic and strengthening. Very short and very hot baths have a tonic ef- fect also, while long cold baths are very de- pressing. Cold bathing may easily be overdone by those not trained and "hardened" to the use of cold water. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 435 In cold weather, a cold air bath is in many cases to be recommended instead of a cold wa- ter bath. In this kind of bath the body should be ex- posed to the air for three or four minutes, the skin being vigorously rubbed in the meantime with the hands or with a towel or flesh brush. A reaction produced in this way is in every way as useful as that produced by the application of cold water, and involves no risk of taking cold or chapping of the skin which some persons find a great inconvenience in cold weather. The Hot Bath After Exercise Q. Should a cold or a hot bath be taken after exercise? A. In a case of complete exhaustion after violent exercise, a short hot hath is preferable to a cold bath. In fact, a cold bath is generally dangerous in such cases, because of the loss of the power of the body to react. In these cases the nerve centers are so exhausted that good reaction to cold can not be induced. A very short and very hot application to the skin produces tonic and stimulant effects similar to those produced by cold. After a short hot bath a very cold application may be made without danger. 436 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED The Brand Bath Q. What is the "Brand bath" and for what is it used? A. This is a cold rubbing bath used by Ger- man physicians in the treatment of typhoid fever. The bath tub containing water at a temperature of 70° to 80° F. is placed near the bed. The pa- tient is lifted from the bed into the tub as quickly as possible, the face and head having been pre- viously cooled by the application of water at 50° F. Care should be taken to immerse the patient to the neck, as exposure iDf the shoulders is likely to give rise to pulmonary complications. The head should be protected by a towel wet in ice water and wrapped about the head in such a way as to form a sort of trough leading down the back of the head. On entering the tub the patient is rubbed vigorously for two or three minutes then sits up for a few seconds while two or three gallons of water at 5$° F. are poured upon his head and allowed to run down the back of his neck. H,e then lies down again and the rubbing is repeated. At the end of five minutes the af- fusion to the head is repeated and the rubbing continued. After the bath the patient is covered well in bed. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 437 Salt Water Baths Q. Is the use of salt in a bath as a flesh reducer harmless? A. Yes, entirely so because the salt is not ab- sorbed by the body. So long as the temperature of the water is higher than that of the body, the movement is outward. There is no absorption. When the temperature of the bath is lower than that of the body in a cool bath, there is some absorption taking place. In the ordinary warm bath with salt water, the salt is practically not absorbed at all. The Neutral Bath 0. What is the correct temperature of the warm bath to cure insomnia? A. The neutral bath temperature is from 92° to 98^ F. Hot Foot-Bath Q. How should the foot-bath be taken? A. The water should be as hot as can be borne. Use 105° to 115° F. The temperature of the water can be gradually raised. The deeper the water the greater the effect. The leg-bath is still more efficient than the foot-bath, but not alwavs so convenient as the hot foot-bath, which 438 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED may be taken in bed. If necessary, a fomenta- tion may be applied to the feet, but the effect is not so good as that of the hot foot-bath. It is an excellent means of relieving severe pain in the head, also ovarian and menstrual pains. The Exercise or Rowing Bath Q. What is the best substitute for sea bath- ing? A. Swimming in the open air is without doubt one of the best of all forms of exercise. Unfortunately this form of exercise is at the present time inaccessible to the majority of peo- ple though it is hoped that the time will come when every public school will be supplied with a swimming pool so that every boy and every girl may learn to swim and may have an op- portunity to engage in this wholesome exercise at all seasons of the year. A recent invention makes it possible for every home to have the essential advantages of sea bathing or swimming by the aid of a simple appliance which may be connected with any bath tub. The following is a brief description of the "exercise bath :" The patient sits in a bath tub filled with water, and dips water over himself while at the same time executing the movements of rowing. The temperature of the water may be 100° F. at the start, but should be rapidly lowered by opening A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 439 the cold water faucet and, if necessary, letting out part of the water while the cold water is run- ning in. The rowing and dipping apparatus con- sists of a pair of handles to which is attached a dipper and a rubber cord. The bather fills the bowl as he reaches forward, then dashes the wa- ter over his body as he pulls the bowl towards his chest and bends his body back. Strokes are made at the rate of about thirty per minute. From one hundred to one hundred and fifty strokes are made. The temperature of the water grows continually colder to the close of the bath or until pipe temperature is reached. A temper- ature of 70° F. to 65° F. is easily borne, and one finishes the bath with the same delightful sen- sation of warmth and glow which one feels after a swim in the surf. The temperature of the wa- ter is, of course, under perfect control, an ad- vantage over sea bathing and the work done may be made as vigorous as one desires. This exercise bath is most excellent for persons suffering from constipation. The impact of the cold water upon the surface of the abdomen re- fiexly stimulates intestinal activity. The exercise bath is especially valuable in cases of obesity. Both the exercise and the cold water help to burn up the excessive accumulation of fat in the abdominal wall and within the abdomen. 440 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Effervescent Bath Q. What is an effervescent bath? A. The so-called effervescent bath or Nau- heim bath is a mineral bath in which carbon dioxide is produced in sufficient quantities to keep the water of the bath saturated. The most convenient method of giving the bath is to dissolve in the water of the bath a mixture of common salt, chlorid of calcium and bicarbonate of soda, then to place along the length of the tub at the bottom little blocks of fused bisulphate of soda. The bisulphate is slowly dissolved and so gives rise to the gradual formation of C0 2 and maintains a saturate so- lution of the gas for a considerable period. The following proportions have been found to be suitable : Sodium chlorid 40% Calcium chlorid 25% Sodium bicarbonate 17.5% Sodium bisulphate 17.5% A mixture of the first three ingredients weigh- ing 110 ounces, and ten blocks of bisulphate of soda weighing 2^3 ounces each are required for an immersion bath of forty gallons. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 441 Sitz Baths in Pregnancy Q. At what temperature should sitz baths be taken during pregnancy, and what should be the duration of the bath? A. 80° to 90° F. ; eight to twelve minutes. The parts immersed should be continuously rubbed to prevent chilling'. The Hot Sitz Bath Q. In what conditions is the hot sitz bath useful? A. A short very hot sitz bath (112° to 120° F.) is a most excellent means of relieving chronic pelvic pain. The duration should be from three to five minutes, and it should be instantly followed by a dash of cold water upon the hips, or rapid cold friction of the parts. This is a most ex- cellent and serviceable analgesic measure, and may be advantageously employed in chronic ovarian and uterine pains, painful affections of the rectum, and chronic inflammation of the prostate. Revulsive Bath Q. What is meant by the "revulsive sitz bath"? A. With the feet in hot water, the patient sits in water at a temperature of 102° F. and the 442 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED temperature is gradually raised to 110°, 112°, or even 115° F. or as hot as can be borne. The skin should be well rubbed. After four or five minutes, the patient rises, and cold water is dashed over him. If cold water induces pain, the temperature is gradually lowered. In this case the patient remains from five to ten minutes longer in the bath, the moist surface being rubbed. This prevents chilling after the bath, and increases the permanency of the effect pro- duced. The Continuous Bath Q. Are prolonged baths dangerous? A. The prolonged or continuous tepid bath is a most valuable remedy. It is absolutely harm- less. The lives of many persons suffering from extensive burns have been saved by the con- tinuous bath. This bath is now employed in all the leading insane asylums as a substitute for drugs and is used for putting patients to sleep. A stay in the bath from two to ten hours will cure the most desperate case of insomnia. Dr. W. Weygandt, an eminjent German physician recently reported his experience with the effect of water treatments in cases of mental and nervous diseases. The continuous tepid bath has not only a tranquil izing action, he says, but it aids in the healing of skin affections. In A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 443 the thousands of cases in which he has applied it he has rarely noted any bad effects. He asserts that in his experience the continuous tepid or neutral bath produced particularly beneficial effects on the metabolism, and that several of his patients have improved to such an extent that they could return to business, while in numerous other cases it has prolonged life for years. He found the continuous bath an impor- tant aid for neurasthenics ; the effect is more dependable than mere bed rest, as he found by personal experience during a nervous breakdown from overwork. The continuous bath must be maintained at a temperature varying little from 96° F. At this temperature, no reaction occurs and the nervous system is not excited. At the same time, the nerve ends of the skin are rendered less sensitive by imbibing water, while the nerves are tranquilized and soothed. More particular, however, the bath produces a decidedly stimulating effect. The absorption of water by the skin is sufficiently active to excite great activity of the kidneys. Very large quant- ities of urine are often produced, and by this means the blood and tissue fluids are cleared of depressing or irritating poisons. 444 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Precautions Necessary in Taking Gold Baths Q. What precautions are necessary in tak- ing a cold bath? A. Four points are especially to be borne in mind in taking the cold bath : 1. The body must be all over warm be- fore any kind of cold bath. For this reason the best time for taking the bath is immediately up- on rising, while the body is warm. If not warm the body should he warmed by taking a very short hot bath before the cold one. A cold bath to a cold body is dangerous. 2. The room in which the cold water bath is taken must be warm. 3. The body must be all over warm at the conclusion of the hath. 4. A cold bath must be of short duration — the colder the water the shorter the bath. Prompt and thorough reaction after a cold bath must always be the rule. The Abdominal Bandage Q. What is an abdominal bandage and how should it be applied? A. There are several forms of the abdominal bandage. A dry bandage worn about the ab- domen is a useful means of support to the ab- dominal organs in cases where the muscles are A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 445 weak. A simple bandage of flannel is generally used for this purpose. The moist abdominal bandage is useful in nearly all forms of in- digestion affecting the stomach and bowels. This application consists essentially of a towel wrung out of cold water as dry as possible, wrapped around the body and covered with dry flannel. The covering should be thoroughly done, so that no portion of the moist bandage should be ex- posed. The covering should be thick enough to secure a quick warming of the towel, and to keep it warm. Both bandages should be applied snugly. Vibration Q. What is the value of vibratory treat- ment? A. Vibration causes first contraction and then dilatation of the blood vessels. Strong vibration of the chest wall causes ex- pansion of the lung, — an effect of very great importance, as there is perhaps no other means by which the same results can be so quickly and efficiently obtained. The effects of vibratory applications to the chest wall are quickly manifest by the long and deep respiratory movements which continue for some time after the con- clusion of the application. Vibration applied over the precordial region 446 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED lessens the rate of pulsation and increases the force of the heart's action to a very remarkable degree. Zander observed a fall of from 130 to 90 pulsations per minute. This effect of vi- bration is so well recognized among French physicians that vibration is sometimes referred to as the gymnastic digitalis. Zander and others have shown that mechanical vibration produces contraction of smooth muscles. That strong vibratory applications will increase peristalsis the writer has frequently shown in cases in which visible peristalis was produced in patients having thin abdominal walls. This effect has also been clearly demonstrated in the effect of vibration in relieving constipation. This is one of its most pronounced and certain effects, whether the application is made by the vibration chair, or by a hand vibrator applied over the abdomen and back. The drowsiness and even sleep which follow the application of vibration to the head clearly demonstrate the sedative effect of centrifugal vibration upon the brain applied in this manner. The first sensation is that of slight giddiness, differing, however, from that which is produced by a whirling motion in not being accompanied by nausea. A similar but less pronounced effect is produced when the application is made to the A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 447 occiput or back of the neck. The application is followed by a sensation of lightness and in- creased mental activity. The Enema Q. Should the enema be administered warm or cold? A. Warm enemas are necessary in cases of colic or colitis and when the bowels are sensitive or the seat of pain. The cold water enema is an efficient means of reducing temperature which is highly useful in connection with other measures, especially when patients have a great repugnance to cold appli- cations to the skin. Two or three pints of water should be used at a temperature of 80° to 70° F. A lower temperature is likely to produce tenes- mus and too quick discharge of the water. The water should be injected slowly and retained for ten to fifteen minutes, if possible. When dis- charged, a like quantity should be introduced, this procedure being repeated until the temperature is reduced a degree or two, or until the patient shiv- ers. A hot bag at the pit of the stomach pre- vents uncomfortable chilling. In certain cases the fever seems to yield more readily to the cool enema than to any other means, although in general this is a less reliable 448 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED measure for reducing temperature than the cool- ing pack or the cool bath. The enema is indispensable as a means of mechanically emptying the bowels under various conditions. It is useful as a means of temporary relief in many cases of constipation, and the graduated enema is a useful means of treatment. When used habitually, the temperature of the water should be lower than that of the body, preferably not higher than 80° F. and sometimes lower. The enema is also highly valuable as a means of supplying water when for any reason it can- not be gotten in by the mouth. A half pint of water every hour, to be retained will supply the much needed water in these special cases. The enema is less useful as a means of intro- ducing food. Malt sugar is about the only food which can be utilized in this way. An ounce of malt sugar may be added to each pint of water introduced. Relief of Pain Pain Remedies Q. What are the best means of relieving pain? Hot-water bag. A rubber bag filled with hot water is an excellent means of relieving pain in deep-seated parts, pain of the back, chronic in- testinal pain, various neuralgias, and other pains in which inflammation or congestion is not pres- ent. Hot bags should not be employed con- tinuously on persons suffering from acute in- flammation. If a moist application is desired, a moist flan- nel may be wrapped around the water bag. Bricks, sand bags, etc., may be used in a similar way. Radiant Heat. Consists of the application of a lighted electric lamp surrounded by a suitable shade or reflector to the part affected. It is a most excellent means of relieving pain. The heat is more penetrating than that from any other source except the arc light and sunlight. It is a capital means of relieving pain of the spine, various joint pains, and all kind of neuralgic pains. 450 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Flame Heat. The heat rays which radiate from a blazing fireplace may be utilized for re- lieving a chronic pain in the back or side and non-inflammatory pain involving any large por- tion of the body. Lie on a sofa or rug before the fire with the skin exposed. Arc Light. A most effective means of reliev- ing visceral and spinal pains. The heat must be concentrated by means of a reflector of proper shape. Sunlight. Sick animals nearly always lie down in the sun, unless suffering from inflammation. There is no better remedy for general neuralgic pains than a sun bath. Hot Air. A current of heat driven into the ear is a most effective means of relieving ear- ache. A general hot-air bath removes rheumatic pains. Alternate Compress. The alternate application of hot and cold compresses is an effective means of relieving pain from internal congestion. The application is made over the painful part and affords relief by diverting the blood to the sur- face. Alternate Sponging. The application and ef- fect are the same as for the alternate compress. Very much hotter water can be employed how- ever, and when the parts may be rubbed with ice A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANGERED 451 in alternation with the hot application, most powerful revulsion may be induced. Cold Rubbing. This is an excellent means of relieving certain forms of pain. Neuralgic pains may be aggravated by this means, but pains due to congestion are usually relieved. The parts must simply be rubbed with a cloth dipped in cold water. The temperature of the water should not be lower than 60° F. It is often nec- essary to continue rubbing for a long time until the surface is thoroughly reddened. The Ice-Bag or Ice Compress. Patients with inflammation or congestion are best relieved by the application of a small ice compress or an ice bag over the painful part. Generally it is well to apply heat to some distant part in con- nection with the ice application or to make a gen- eral hot application so as to prevent chilling. Heating Compress. Wring a cloth out of cold water and apply over the painful parts. Cover with mackintosh and then with several thick- nesses of flannel. The moist cloth will quickly become warm, and will retain the heat for a long time. It acts as a poultice, and is fully as effective as a " poultice (besides being much cleaner) in deep-seated spinal pains, as found in pains due to indigestion, chronic catarrh of the bowels and constipation. A heating com- press applied to the abdomen will often relieve 452 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED congestion of the head in headache, and so in- duce sleep. Fomentations followed by the Heating Com- press. This is a most effective means of relieving pain in chronic rheumatism. The heating com- press should usually follow the fomentation, and is invaluable as a means of removing sciatic pains, lumbago, and most other deep-seated pains due to nerve trouble. It is excellent in neu- ritis. Cotton Poultice. This is similar to the heating compress. The parts are covered with cotton, covered with mackintosh, then with flannel. The heat induces perspiration, which accumulates in the cotton and moistens it so that after a time the application really becomes a moist compress. Its effects are the same as a poultice, but more cleanly and effective. The Clay Poultice. Modelers' clay mixed with equal parts of water and glycerine to the con- sistency of very thick cream, and applied hot to the painful parts, often affords relief. This is a most excellent application, far better than bread and milk poultices or any similar prepar- ation. Under the name of "Ar^tiphlogistin/' a clay paste is sold in many drug stores. Our ex- perience is that this preparation is no better than ordinary clay prepared as suggested. In making the application, the clay is spread over the affected parts, and covered with cotton. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 453 It must be warmed before using. Warming softens and facilitates the application, and at the same time the heat itself helps the effect. General Hot Bath. Severe internal pain is best relieved by a general hot bath, which, drawing the blood to the surface, often affords complete relief in severe pains due to gall-stones, gastritis, arthritis, and other painful affections. The Hot Blanket Pack. This is similar to the hot-water bath, but is not so effective. It can sometimes be more conveniently employed. It is useful in relieving the pain of menstruation and of appendicitis. The whole body is wrapped in a blanket wrung out of hot water. The Foot-Bath. The water should be as hot as can be borne. Use 105° to 120° F. The temperature of the water can be gradually raised. The deeper the water, the greater the effect. The leg-bath is still more efficient than the foot-bath, but cannot be taken in bed. If necessary, a fomentation may be applied to the feet, but the effect is not so good as that of the hot foot-bath. It is an excellent means of re- lieving severe pain in the head, also ovarian and menstrual pains. Revulsive Site. With the feet in hot water, the patient sits in water at a temperature of 102° F., and the temperature is gradually raised to 110°, 115° or even 118* F., or as hot as can be borne. The skin should be well rubbed. After 454 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED four or five minutes, the patient stands, and cold water is dashed over him. If cold water induces pain, the temperature is gradually lowered. In this case the patient remains from five to ten minutes longer in the bath, the moist surface being rubbed. This prevents chilling after the bath, and increases the permanency of the effect produced. The Hot Hip and Leg Pack with the Ice-Bag. This is especially useful for relief of pain due to pelvic inflammation in women, or appendicitis in either men or women. The hips and legs are wrapped in a blanket wrung out of hot water, and after the patient begins to feel warm, an ice-bag is slipped under the blanket and over the affected part. This is a most excellent means of combating appendicitis. By the renewal of this application for two or three hours, an at- tack of appendicitis may be sometimes checked. Ice-Bag and Fomentation. For toothache, lay an ice-bag on the side of the neck under the jaw and fomentations to the side of the face. If necessary, employ the hot foot-bath and the hot hip and leg pack. Also consult a dentist. Hot Enema. The temperature of the water should be from 102° to 106° F. A copious enema will relieve severe intestinal pain in a marvelous way, — the pain of gall-stones, renal colic, ap- pendicitis, inflammation of the bladder, and neuralgia, also. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 455 Rest, Absolute rest of the painful parts is usually necessary. Rest in bed is required for the relief of severe internal pain. In pleurisy, rest of the affected lung should be secured by fastening a tight bandage around the lower part of the chest. Position. Pain in the limbs accompanied by throbbing may generally be relieved by raising the limb one or two feet from the bed or couch upon which the patient is lying. Rest is always required when pain is present. Pain in the Ch^st Q. What is the remedy for a smarting pain in the left side of the chest? A. A hot fomentation over the stomach and the seat of pain, hot sponging of the same parts, followed by the heating compress, are means likely to give relief. The heating com- press is applied as follows : A cloth is wrung out of cold water dry enough so it will not drip ; this is laid over the affected parts and covered with oiled muslin or some other impervious cloth, and the whole is protected b) means of heavy woolen wrappings. It is quite possible that the pain may be due to intestinal autoin- toxication resulting from constipation. A laxative diet is to be recommended in such cases. I bran and paraffin. 456 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Sprains Q. What is the quickest way to relieve pain in case of sprains? A. For the pain of sprains and bruises, ad- minister very hot applications followed by cold compresses or ice bags. The fomentation may be renewed every fifteen minutes for two or three hours, the cold compress being maintained in the interval. Apply a bandage. Pelvic Pain Q. How may one relieve an almost con- tinuous pain in the pelvic region? A. Pain in the pelvic region can in many cases be relieved by the use of a hot enema. The application may be repeated several times a day. The quantity of water introduced at once should not be more than one or two pints, as the application is designed for the organs of the lower abdomen and the pelvis. The water should be retained five minutes, when it may be allowed to escape, and a fresh quantity intro- duced, this being repeated from three to six times. It is not necessary to remove the rectal tube; by detaching the tube from the fountain, and lowering the end, the water will escape into A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 457 a suitable vessel. The patient should lie on the back with the shoulders raised. Allow the water to pass in slow 1 v. Pain Below the Shoulderblades Q. What is the cause of pain just below the shoulderblades? A. This pain is usually the result of a dis- eased condition of the stomach or the stomach and gall-bladder. In case of gall-bladder dis- ease, tenderness is almost certain to be found not only under the right ribs where the gall-bladder is situated, but also at a point in the spine nearly opposite. This condition is known as reflex pain or tenderness ; it does not signify a diseased con- dition of the spinal column or of the spinal cord or nerves. It is a "referred tenderness'' and is due to sympathetic or reflex irritation. Pain-Relieving Drugs Q. Is there any drug which can be used for the relief of pain without producing injurious effects? A. No. Even such drugs as phenacetin, co- deine, and aspirin are harmful. They relieve pain momentarily but later increase pain. The cause of the pain must be removed, then it will disappear. Stimulants and Narcotics How Injurious Are Tea, Coffee, Etc.? Q. Has science really demonstrated that alcohol, tobacco, tea and coffee are as injuri- ous as they are claimed to be? A. Doctor Rivers, of Cambridge University, Professor of Experimental Psychology, has re- cently published the results of a new series of experiments made by him which furnishes most positive evidence of the harmful effects of al- cohol, tobacco, tea and coffee upon strength and endurance, both mental and muscular. Every possible precaution was taken to prevent error, so that the results are apparently incontrovertible. Some of the experiments were made with an ergograph, an instrument by means of which muscular work may be accurately measured. In order to prepare himself for his task, Doctor Rivers renounced the use of all the drugs for an entire year before he began his experiments. The effects of tea and coffee were found to be decidedly poisonous. Says Doctor Rivers: "Caffein, the active principle of coffee and tea, may be legitimately spoken of as an accelerator of fatigue." On this account Doctor Rivers con- demns tea and coffee as dangerous in cases of A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 459 prolonged exertion, and especially in neuras- thenia, in which there is a chronic "enhanced tendency to fatigue." This is especially im- portant for neurasthenics, who are decidedly prone to the use of tea and coffee on account of the temporarily agreeable effects of these drugs in obliterating the sense of fatigue, one of the chief distresses of neurasthenics. The effect of alcohol was "a decided falling off in the amount of work done." The evidence also pointed to decrease of mental work. The effect of tobacco upon muscular work was found to be "most unfavorable. " One instance is cited in which an eminent physiologist who had been addicted to the use of tobacco found a de- cided increase "in energy and power for work'' on giving up the use of the drug. Alcohol Q. What are the effects of alcohol upon the race? A. Alcohol is the plague of civilization. It is a deadly enemy of religion, morality, health, and prosperity. It is the poison which strikes deeply into the roots of personal life, home life, civic life, and national life. Alcohol is a race poison that blights the lives of unborn infants. It is a pitiless scourge, the destructive effects of which do not end with the drunkard, but are 460 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED passed on to the third and fourth generations of his posterity. It is known that alcohol is not a stimulant, but a narcotic. A pint of beer impairs intelligence and weakens the memory. The most minute doses of alcohol injure judgment and the rea- soning faculty. Alcohol lessens endurance. Ex- periments upon animals and men have shown that alcohol even in small doses lessens the power to resist disease. We fight germs with our blood corpuscles. A pint of champagne puts 20 per cent of our blood cells out of commission. The saloon is in league with the brothel in destroying our modern civil- ization. Our insane asylums are filled with the progeny of these monsters. Statistics show that 20 per cent of the inmates of our asylums owe their insanity directly to the use of alcohol. Twenty per cent are due to syphilis. 50 per cent are traceable to heredity, half of which is due to alcohol and vice. Alcohol is a monster which claims its victims not once a year, but every day and every hour. A continuous procession of men, women and children are being momentarily sucked into the maw of this demon of destruction. The annual crop of lunatics, idiots, imbeciles and epileptics due to alcohol and allied causes is growing faster than the progeny of the sane and sound. We already have an aristocracy of lunatics, idiots, embeciles, and epileptics number- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 461 irig more than a million, supported at a cost of one hundred million dollars annually, and multi- plying fast. The time has come for intelligent men and women who love humanity and who are concerned about the future welfare of the race, to rise and combat this enemy of humanity. Alcohol and Digestion Q. Does alcohol aid digestion? A. When alcohol is introduced into the stomach it produces a profuse flow of mucus the purpose of which is to protect the mucous membrane from the irritating effects of the al- cohol. Alcohol also stimulates the glands which produce hydrochloric acid. The toxic effects of alcohol are shown in a very striking way by its influence in hinder- ing the formation and accumulation of glycogen in the liver, thus lessening resistance to infec- tion. The question of the food value of alcohol has been warmly discussed. For a long time there was very great divergence in the results obtained by various experimenters, but within the last few years there has come to be a gen- eral concurrence in the opinion that alcohol can not be considered in any proper sense a normal foodstuff. The experiments of Atwater and others show clearly enough that alcohol is 462 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED oxidized or metabolized in the body, but the same is true of opium and nearly all other or- ganic substances. Anything that will burn will produce heat. Anything that will combine with oyxgen under the conditions in which oxygen is found present in the body, whether in the ali- mentary canal, the blood or the tissues, will give rise to heat; but this is not normal heat meta- bolism. The formation of heat in the body takes place in connection with cell activity. Shock — Fainting Q. Should alcohol be given in cases of shock or fainting? A. When a person faints, or is in a state of shock, the action of the heart is weak and the blood pressure is low. The common habit of administering alcohol to persons in a state of shock or collapse from hemorrhage or accident, or a person who has fainted away, has been shown by recent in- vestigations to be almost the worst thing that could be done. In case a person has suddenly fainted away, the pouring of a few drops of alcohol down the throat, or even the admin- istration of a few spoonfuls of brandy diluted with water does apparent good. The apparent beneficial results following the administration of alcohol in such cases are A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 463 caused by the irritation produced by alcohol when it first comes in contact with the mouth and stomach. Alcohol is highly irritating to the sensitive nerves of the mucous membrane, and the irritation or excitation thus produced is fol- lowed by a slight stimulating effect. But this disappears very quickly, for as soon as the al- cohol is absorbed, its narcotic or depressant ef- fects begin to make their appearance. Then the vessels dilate, the heart's energy is weakened, and the pernicious effects of the drug become mani- fest. This fact is now so well recognized that railway surgeons instruct employees to be very careful to avoid giving alcohol in cases of ser- ious accident, as the effect of the drug may be to take away from the victim of a railway smashup his one remaining chance for life. Alcohol Effects Q. What are the effects of alcohol upon the body? A. Sometime ago, a committee of fifty, con- sisting of eminent chemists, physiologists, phar- macologists, and clinicians, after three years de- voted to careful study of the alcohol question published a report which may be briefly sum- marized as follows : (1) Alcohol, even if it may be tolerated in small doses by healthy men for a considerable length of time, can not be shown to be capable 464 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED of supplying any property of special or char- acteristic value. (2) Alcohol is a poison, — a deadly poison in large doses, and a slow insidious poison in small doses. (3) Alcohol in all doses diminishes muscular vigor, nerve sensibility, and vital endurance. (4) Pure alcohol in large doses produces im- mediately and in a marked degree a retarding effect upon digestion, while in small doses its effect is such that it can not be said to be in any respect an aid to the digestive process. (5) The seeming stimulating effect mani- fested in one direction is counteracted by an equally retarding effect in another direction. Beer and wine retard digestion in all appreciable doses, producing in this respect an effect even greater than whiskey and stronger liquors. It must be evident to any thinking person that a drug which produces the effects described above upon a healthy person, could not be ex- pected to do a sick person any good. Alcohol and Disease Q. To what extent is alcohol known to be a cause of disease ? A. Statistics show that 20 per cent of cases of insanity found in our asylums may be traced directly to the use of alcohol. Idiocy and im- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 465 becility have also been placed to the same cause. This would place two hundred thousand out of the million defectives to the d ; scredit of al- cohol. Alcohol is directly the cause of a vast amount of disease, instead of being, as many suppose, a preventive. If alcohol were a preventive of disease, then those who use it ought to be the v most healthy ; but we find the contrary to be the case. The liquor-drinker, instead of liv- ing longer than the teetotaler, as he ought to do if this theory were true, lives, on an aver- age, after reaching adult age, only one-fifth as long as the abstainer, as shown by life-insur- ance statistics. The Influence of Alcohol Upon Longevity Q. Does the use of alcohol shorten life? A. At thirty years of age the temperate man may expect to live thirty-six and one-half years, while the dram-drinker will die in less than four- teen years, a loss of nearly two-thirds. A London Life Insurance Society divides its insurers into two classes, abstainers and mod- erate drinkers. It is found that during the last twelve years the mortality of abstainers has been one-fourth less than among the moderate drink- ers ; that is, only three abstainers die to four moderate drinkers. Dr. Willard Parker, of New York, showed 466 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED from statistics that for every ten temperate per- sons who die between the ages of twenty-one and thirty, fifty-one intemperate persons die. Alcohol not a Stimulant Q. Is alcohol a stimulant? A. Alcohol was formerly regarded as a val- uable stimulant. Its use was thought to be neces- sary in all cases of depression or Vital ex- haustion. It is now known to be a narcotic. It depresses, it does not stimulate. James Miller, in his work on alcohol, says: "Alcohol to the working human frame is as a pin to the work of an oil-lamp. With this, you raise the wick from time to time, and each rais- ing may be followed by a burst of brighter flame ; but, while you give neither cotton nor oil, the existing supply of both is, through such pin-work, all the more speedily consumed." Alcohol and Digestive Ferments Q. What is the effect of alcohol on the digestive ferments? A. Alcohol in so dilute a form as one part to 250 of water, or less than one-half of one per- cent, hinders the formation and the action of the gastric ferments. Wine and beer produce still more deleterious effects than dilute alcohol, A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 467 for the reason that they contain various ethers and other substances which paralyze the fer- ments as do chloroform and ether. Alcohol — Curative Agent O. Has alcohol any value as a curative agent ? A. The verdict of modern science respect- ing the use of alcohol in disease may be briefly summed up as follows : (1) Alcohol never, under any conditions, in- creases the vital energy of the body, but, on the contrary, decreases it in a marked and uniform manner, through its poisonous influence upon the living cells. (2) Alcohol is never a tonic or stimulant. It is always a narcotic, interfering with the bodily functions and lessening the nerve tone and vital energy. (3) Alcohol always diminishes, never in- creases, the energy of the heart, and hence is detrimental rather than beneficial in cases of shock, collapse, fainting, etc. (4) Alcohol increases the liability to infec- tious disease, and prevents the development of immunity. (5) Alcohol does not aid digestion, but act- ually hinders it, especially in cases in which the digestion is already weak or slow; hence its use in connection with meals is absolutely un- 468 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED scientific and irrational, as well as its use as an aid to feeble digestion. (6) Alcohol diminishes the alkalinity of the blood, and so diminishes vital resistance and increases susceptibility to disease. In view of the above facts, no apology can be offered for the use of alcohol in medical practice. So far as the writer is himself con- cerned, he is glad to be x able to say that during a practice reaching over many years' experience in the profession, and more than forty years in charge of a large medical institution, he has found no use for alcohol. In the treatment of the scores of thousands of patients who have visited this in- stitution, not a single dose of alcohol in any form has ever been administered as a curative agent. Tobacco Q. Is tobacco injurious, and in what way? A. Very few users of this noxious weed need to have a description of the effects of a moder- ate degree of poisoning with tobacco. The gid- diness, nausea, and deathly sickness following the first attempt to use it are indubitable evi- dences of the poisonous character of this drug. In severe cases of poisoning violent vomiting, purging, vertigo, deathly pallor, dilatation of pupils, disturbed heart-action, staggering gait, A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 469 difficult breathing, and in extreme cases uncon- sciousness, are commonly observed. These symptoms are produced by a very small quantity of the drug in persons not accustomed to its use. One reason why so few persons are re- puted to die of nicotine poisoning is the won- derful faculty the system possesses of accommo- dating itself to circumstances. In this way the worst poisons may by degrees be tolerated until enormous doses can be taken without immediate fatal results. In the writer's opinion, the ma- jority of tobacco users do die of tobacco poison- ing. A man who dies five or ten years sooner than he should as a. consequence of tobacco us- ing, is killed by the poison just as truly as though he died instantly from an overdose. Hereditary Effects of Tobacco Q. Are the effects transmitted to the off- spring? A. There is probably no vice or habit to which men are addicted, the results of which are more certainly transmitted to posterity than are those of tobacco using. A vigorous man may use tobacco all his life, and be able to con- vince himself all the time that he is receiving no injury; but the children of that man, who should inherit from him a vigorous constitution and high health, in most instances are robbed of their rightful patrimony, and enter upon life with a 470 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED weaker organism, with a system predisposed to disease and destined to premature decay. General Effects of Tobacco Q. What is the effect of tobacco using? A. Probably not one in a thousand of those who use tobacco has any conception of the mis- chief which is being done in his body by this baneful drug. Tobacco, like every other nar- cotic, benumbs the nerves, producing a sort of artificial felicity. The influence which relieves worry and dissipates the sense of fatigue, at the same time lessens the activity of the mind, weakens the will, slows the* heart, and impedes the movements of all the bodily machinery. John Ruskin declared tobacco to be "the worst natural curse of civilization;" adding, "It is not easy to estimate the demoralizing effect on the youth of Europe of the cigar in enabling them to pass their time happily in idleness." Tobacco using undermines the constitution, weakens the will, and blunts the conscience. It is a plague against which the voice of every friend of humanity should be raised in earnest protest. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 471 Cure for Tobacco Habit 0. What will cure the tobacco habit? A. The only cure for the tobacco habit is to stop using tobacco. Substitutes of all sorts are a snare and a delusion. There is no drug which will take away the appetite for tobacco which is not equally as bad or worse than tobacco itself. Daily swabbing the mouth with a one-half per cent solution of silver nitrate sometimes succeeds. Effects of Tobacco Upon the Heart 0. What is the effect of tobacco on the heart and vascular system? A. Tobacco paralyzes the heart, and gives rise to what is known as "tobacco heart." A man suffering from tobacco heart is short of breath. He is unfit for any exercise likely to put a strain on the heart; it is for this reason that runners and athletes in general are for- bidden the use of tobacco when preparing for a contest. The effect of tobacco on the blood- vessels is shown by the fact (stated by Professor Janeway, of New York, an eminent authority on diseases of the heart) that a single cigar will, in thirty minutes, produce a rise of blood-pres- sure amounting to twenty points. 472 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Tobacco and Blood Pressure Q. What is the effect of tobacco upon the blood pressure? A. Tobacco always raises the blood pressure. In an experiment upon a young man, an habitual smoker, it was found that the blood pres- sure raised twenty-five points in twenty minutes after the young man had smoked three cigar- ettes. An hour elapsed before the blood pres- sure returned to normal. It is thus evident that smokers who repeat the indulgence several times a day in so doing keep the blood pressure constantly above normal. "Both in frogs and mammals," says Sir Laud- er-Brunton, "nicotine produces, first convulsions and then paralysis. When applied in small doses to the frog's heart it causes the beat at first to become slow .and afterwards to become quick. If the dose be large, no primary slowing may be observed. In mammals it causes a slowing of the heart with enormous rise of blood pressure." Nicotine and Nerves Q. What is the action of nicotine on the general nervous system? A. Nicotine is particularly a heart poison. It acts also upon the blood-vessels and kidneys, giv- ing rise to high-blood pressure and hardening of the arteries. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 473 The Tobacco Habit (\ If one has chewed tobacco and smoked a great deal for a period of thirty years or more, how long does it take to eliminate the nicotine from his system? A. It does not take very long to get the nicotine out of his system. Perhaps ten days or two weeks, but it takes a long time to re- pair the damage done and often the damage never can be wholly repaired. It is just as it is with a house afire. It may not take long to put out a fire, but it may take weeks and months to repair the damage done by the fire. Athletes and Tobacco Q. Why do long-distance runners abstain from tobacco? A. Hays, the famous long-distance runner who was the winner in the Olympic games for 1908, says:— "So far as the diet and similar conditions are concerned, one thing is essential; abstinence from tobacco in any form. No long-distance runner can smoke either cigars or cigarettes and run. Smoking affects his lungs and heart, and the more he runs the less he will care for it. I suggest running as a certain cure for the to- bacco habit to any one who wishes to break himself of it." 474 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Tobacco Poison Q. Is it true that one pound of dry to- bacco leaves contains enough poison to kill three hundred men? A. One pound of market tobacco contains about 350 grains of nicotine. One-thirtieth of a grain causes toxic symptoms in man. One drop kills a dog. Nine-tenths of a grain will kill a man. One pound of tobacco, then, contains more than enough to kill three hundred men. Smoking and Eyesight Q. Does smoking injure the eyesight? A. Many persons who are accustomed to smoking, endeavor to make themselves believe they are receiving no harm therefrom. The fol- lowing simple experiment is a test that will demonstrate in a very ample manner the poison- ous effects of the drug: Say to the smoker, "Look out the window ; now shut your eyes and look over against the wall." He sees a picture of the window, but the colors are reversed. He sees the comple- mentary colors. If he is looking at blue, for ex- ample, when he shuts his eyes he will see red, or some shade of red or green. Now observe how long it takes those colors to disappear from the eye; how long it takes the picture of the win- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 475 dow that is in the eye to disappear. It ought to disappear in a few seconds, but if one has been smoking, it takes sometimes as long as fifteen minutes. The reason for this is that the smok- er's eye is paralyzed in such a way that the pic- ture remains an excessively long time. The smallest amount of tobacco is a poison. Chewing Tobacco Q. Does chewing tobacco preserve the teeth? A. No. Tobacco possesses no preservative qualities. Nicotine is not a good disinfectant. Chewing tobacco cannot be recommended as a preservative of the teeth. It is not at all likely, indeed, that any one ever used tobacco for this purpose. The claim that tobacco preserves the teeth has been presented as an apology for the use of this noxious and filthy weed. Evils of Cigarettes Q. Are the evils of cigarettes exaggerated? A. Tobacco injures men, and kills children. At one time the Chicago school board had been having a medical examination of certain pupils before allowing them to take part in certain ath- letic sports. Boys and girls were subjected to the same examination. Not one girl was found un- able to pass, while a large number of the boys, 476 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED in almost every case smokers, were found to be in a physical condition which made violent ex- ercise of any kind very dangerous. Twenty-one out of a hundred were found unfit, and all but three suffered from some form of heart trouble. Almost without exception, the unfit ones were cigarette smokers. Gubeb Cigarettes Q. Are cubeb cigarettes injurious, and if so, how? A. Yes. Cubebs are a drug, and there is cer- tainly no reason why they should be used in the form of cigarettes or otherwise. The habitual use of a drug of any kind is damaging. Smoking Q. What means should be employed to avert the uneasiness which one feels upon dis- carding smoking? A. Prolonged warm bath at 92° F., taken at night, twenty to forty minutes. Cold towel bath on rising in the morning. Moist abdominal bandage to be worn at night, and also during the day if necessary. A short sweating bath two or three times a week is also helpful. Meats should be discarded, as a flesh diet encourages the ap- petite for tobacco. Eat plenty of juicy fruits, fresh vegetables, bran and coarse breads. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 477 Tobacco Smoke Q. Is there any direct scientific proof that tobacco smoke is poisonous? A. Prof. Molisch, an eminent. German scien- tist after prolonged and careful research has demonstrated that tobacco smoke is highly injur- ious to plants. "Very young seedlings of vetch (Vicia sativa), about 1-10 inch high, were placed on a piece of tulle, which was stretched over the mouth of a jar so nearly filled with water that most of the roots were immersed, while the stem and seed leaves were above the tulle. A large vessel of more than one gallon capacity was inverted over the jar, with its mouth resting on a plate and sealed by a shallow layer of water. The op- eration of covering the jar with the beaker was conducted in front of an open window, in order to fill the vessel with pure air. The beaker was then slightly tipped and three mouth fuls of to- bacco smoke were blown into it through a bent glass tube. Another jar similarly planted and covered, but not smoked, served as an object of comparison. Both beakers with their contents were covered with zinc covers which completely excluded the light, and were kept in the green- house at a temperature of 60° to 65° F. Six days later the plants in the left-hand jar, which had been exposed to the smoke, were greatly stunted 478 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED and their thick stalks grew obliquely, horizontally or even downward, while their buds showed scarcely a trace of the red tint of anthocyan which tinge.d most of the buds of the plants which had grown in pure air. Prof. Molisch reached the very sensible con- clusion that "if the living substance of plants is so strongly affected by very small doses of tobacco smoke it is hardly credible that satura- tion of the mouth and the organs of respiration with tobacco smoke, continued many years, can be entirely free from injurious effects." Snuff Q. Is snuff taking injurious? A. The systemic effects of snuff taking are the same as those of tobacco taken in any other form. In addition the sense of smell is destroyed through the chronic catarrh induced, the sense of taste is impaired, and the sight may be seriously affected. This dirty habit is certainly much less common than in former times, and on the whole it is less injurious to the general public than either tobacco chewing or smoking, the effects being practically confined to the user. Clothing Clothes Next the Skin Q. What is the best fabric to wear next to the skin? A. Cotton is unquestionably the best fabric for contact with the skin. Wool is too highly hygroscopic. It absorbs moisture and holds it. Cotton absorbs quickly and gives off quickly. Wool worn next to the skin, not only absorbs moisture, but with the moisture dissolves im- purities. These are retained and give rise to irritation. The retained moisture also has the effect of relaxing the skin and increasing the liability to taking cold. Cotton absorbs moisture more readily and also gives it off more readily, passing it out upon the surface. Cotton is also less irritating. Woolen garments as many as may be necessary, should be worn over the thinner cotton garments next to the body. Corsets Q. Why is corset wearing injurious? A. Corset wearing is potent in breaking down the blood-circulating functions of the dia- phragm and thus increasing the congestion of the great sympathetic centers; this produces irrita- 480 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED tion, with reflex disturbances of the central ner- vous system, which shows itself in a great variety of mental and nervous symptoms — coldness of the hands and feet, tingling and numb sensations, blushing of the face and head, mental dullness, irritability, insomnia, "fidgets" and other neur- asthenic miseries. The most serious structural and organic changes later appear in the liver and stomach, spleen, kidneys and blood-vessels. Soft Collars Q. Do you think it is better from a health standpoint for a person to wear a soft collar rather than a starched collar? A. Most assuredly. A soft collar does not choke the neck. The large veins are in the sides of the neck and the least pressure on these veins will interfere with the circulation of the blood, cause congestion, headaches, confused thoughts, etc. Men and women both should wear soft loose collars. High Heeled Shoes Q. Why is the wearing of high-heeled shoes injurious? A. High, narrow heels do not afford sufficient support for the foot, so that it is easily turned to one side, often resulting in serious sprains. The chief part of the weight being thrown forward A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 481 upon the fore part of the foot, it becomes weary in walking much sooner than it otherwise would. The narrow soles which usually accompany high and narrow heels are likewise productive of in- jury, from not allowing the whole flat of the foot to sustain the weight of the body, as it should. The high heels throw the weight forward upon the toes, which further embarrasses them in their cramped condition, and greatly increases the injury arising from narrow toes and soles. Men's Clothing Q. We read much about the injurious ef- fects of women's garments; what about men's clothing? A. The clothing worn by men has generally the following faults: 1. Too much clothing, which overheats the skin and weakens the entire body. 2. Non-porous, or too little porous to air, suffocating the skin and preventing the escape of poisonous exhalations. 3. Dark color, excluding the chemical and luminous rays of the sun, which are essential to health. 4. Restriction of the movements of the shoulders and flattened chest from the wearing of suspenders. 482 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED All these evils may be easily remedied, as fol- lows: 1. Wear less clothing. Except when exposed to the rigors of winter weather, little more clothing is needed in winter than in summer, at least for people whose occupation is indoors. The average indoor temperature is at least 70° F. The temperature required inside the clothing is about 86° F. To maintain this does not require a very great amount of clothing ; certainly not more than half the ordinary amount usually worn by men in summer; and when one has become accus- tomed to light clothing in summer, much lighter clothing may be worn in winter without discom- fort. 2. Light and porous fabrics are now available for men's garments, as well as women's, and in large variety. These porous fabrics afford the necessary protection with half the weight, be- cause of the non-conducting property of the air which is entangled in the meshes of the cloth. 3. White is the ideal color for all seasons, winter as well as summer. White garments are warmer in winter and cooler in summer than colored garments, while all the time permitting the passage of the life-imparting light rays of the sun. White is a good reflector and a poor radi- ator; this is the explanation of the paradox that in winter white prevents the loss of heat, in sum- mer it affords protection from exterior heat. Exercise Walking Q. Kindly outline a system of daily exer- cise for one whose health is completely broken down. A. Walking is one of the best of all exercises. Experiments made by an eminent English phys- ician show that the average man must walk nine miles daily on a level surface, to obtain the amount of exercise necessary to maintain health. The amount of exercise must, of course, be regulated to suit the strength. For a feeble per- son half a mile or a mile may be a sufficient dis- tance at the beginning, but the distance should be gradually increased as the strength increases. In mountain climbing, each foot of ascent counts as the equivalent of thirteen feet on a horizontal level; walking a mile is equivalent to lifting the body vertically four hundred feet. Hill climbing is an excellent means of graduated exercises, steeper hills being climbed as the strength in- creases. 484 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Stair Climbing Q. Is stair climbing healthful exercise? A. For persons who are suffering from dis- ease of the heart or some other disorder which forbids heavy exercise, stair climbing is a very excellent means of obtaining a large amount of exercise in a short time. Suppose, for example, the height of the staircase to be twelve feet and the run sixteen feet. The labor of going up and down the stairs will be equivalent to walking 200 feet and twenty-six such trips will be the equivalent of walking one mile. Exercise on All Fours Q. Is there any value in taking exercise on all fours? A. An eminent French physician recommends exercising on all fours as a means of aiding the stomach to evacuate the products of digestion. The doctor proved by x-ray examinations of several subjects that the stomach empties it- self much more rapidly in the all-fours position than in the upright position. The suggestion is made that man has not made use of the upright position for a sufficient length of time to enable his internal organs to become adapted to this position, which puts them at a disadvantage as A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 485 compared with the horizontal position of our relatives, the higher apes. Breathing Exercises Q. What are the best breathng exercises? A. Breathing exercises are highly valuable for two purposes : 1. To expand and develop the lungs. 2. To aid the circulation of blood, especially to assist the movement of blood through the liver and other abdominal organs. The move- ments of the chest walls and diaphragm during inspiration create a partial vacuum in the chest which draws air into the lungs and the blood toward the heart. All sorts of bodily movements are breathing exercises because they increase respiratory ac- tivity. The lungs act best when a demand for air has been created by exercise. Walking at a rate a little faster than the usual gait is an ex- cellent means of stimulating free lung move- ment. Arm raising and other arm movements, especially the movements of swimming, expand the chest and improve breathing. Deep breathing practised with the body sup- ported on an inclined plane, the head low, is especially useful. After placing the body on an inclined table, which may consist of a folding table or an improvised table consisting of an iron- 486 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED ing board with one end resting on the floor and the other resting on a chair, bed, sofa, window- sill or some other support, take the following ex- ercises : Exercise 1 1. Breathe deeply while percussing and beat- ing the abdomen vigorously. Exercise 2 2. Deep breathing, hands grasping the sides of the table, pull with the hands while breathing out. This fixes the chest in a high position and so secures full action of the abdominal muscles. Exercise 3 3. Deep breathing, hands clasped over lower abdomen, pressing firmly during both inspiration and expiration. This strengthens the breathing muscles. Exercise 4 While breathing deep, finger tips touching, make pressure upon the abdomen with the little finger side of the hands, starting just above the pubis and working slowly upward an inch or two at each breath. The pressure should be con- tinuous during expiration and inspiration. Re- peat six or eight times. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 487 Swimming Q. Is swimming a good exercise? A. Swimming is unquestionably one of the best of all forms of exercise. It is especially valuable as a means of developing the lungs. The effect upon respiration is truly remarkable. During rest the amount of air which passes through the lungs is one to two gallons per min- ute. During vigorous exercise the quantity may be increased to four or five times this amount, but in swimming the respired air may reach the enormous quantity of twelve or thirteen gallons per minute. The consumption of oxygen in the body is increased in even greater proportion. Hence, the high value of swimming as a means of promoting those bodily changes which result in reconstruction and re- juvenation. This is the explanation of the great benefit derived from sea bathing, the value of which has been appreciated from the most an- cient times. It should be remembered, however, that there is no essential virtue in either the salt- ness of the water of the sea or the peculiar odor of the sea air. The real value of sea bathing is to be found in the exercise and the coolness of the water. These fine advantages may be found in a simple cool bath in a bathtub in every 488 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED home. The rowing bath described elsewhere is of great service in increasing the value of the bath by stimulating the action of the lungs. A Full Chest Q. How may one develop a full chest? A. By cultivating the habit of sitting straight, holding the chest well forward, by swimming and other exercises in which the movements are executed by the arms. Normal Breathing Q. What is the normal way to breathe? In normal breathing the whole chest expands simultaneously, the chief movement being in the lower part of the chest and abdomen. When the chief movement of the chest in breathing is at its upper part, the diaphragm does not descend properly, and the necessary influence of breath- ing upon the blood and circulation of the ab- dominal organs is lost. In normal breathing the diaphragm, in descending, compresses the liver, stomach, colon and other internal organs and aids each of them in the performance of its function the rhythmical movement communi- cated to them. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 489 Pure Oxygen Q. Is there any advantage to be derived from breathing pure oxygen? A. When breathing atmospheric air, the ar- terial blood takes up only 90% of the oxygen which it may absorb when shaken with atmos- pheric air. When pure oxygen is breathed the blood is able to take up an additional 10% of the oxygen, but this is of no value to the healthy body. Under exceptional circumstances, how- ever, the body is able to make use of the ad- ditional 10% which is absorbed when breathing pure oxygen. This is true, for example, in cases of asphyxiation when through weakness of the heart the breathing is embarrassed and the lips blue in consequence. In cases of dyspnea, pure oxygen gives almost instant relief. Correct Standing Position Q. How can ons know when his standing position is correct? A. In a correct standing position, a plumb line dropped from the ear should fall just back of the first joint of the great toe. Many per- sons stand with the hips placed so far forward that if a plumb line were dropped from the ear it would fall opposite the heel. In this position 490 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED the chest is flattened, the abdominal muscles are relaxed, and the lower abdomen protrudes. In a correct position, the chest is carried well for- ward, the hips are held well back. The back is quite strongly concave, and the anterior wall of the trunk is convex. The abdominal muscles are well drawn in. This position may be secured without the aid of an instructor by the follow- ing method: Standing with the back against a wall or a door, brace the heels, hips, shoulders, back of head and the little finger side of each hand firmly against the wall. Now push the shoulders forward away from the wall, by bending the head backward until the eyes look straight up to the ceiling, keeping the heels, hips and hands firmly pressed against the wall so as to fix the muscles of the trunk; then bring the head for- ward away from the wall, drawing down the chin without allowing the shoulders to move backward. Chairs Q. How should a chair be constructed to be healthful? A. Many chairs are made with hollow backs which are in the highest degree objectionable. Most chairs are constructed with reference to artistic effects rather than to meet physiologic needs. The defect of the ordinary chair may be A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 491 partially remedied by means of a cushion placed in such a position that it will support the hollow of the back. Sitting Q. Is sitting a natural attitude? A. Civilized man, when he desires to rest, sits instead of lying down, and when sitting he re- laxes his trunk muscles, thus permitting the pull of gravitation to act upon his viscera. Doctor Arbuthnot Lane of London, who has given much attention to the subject of visceral displacement, calls attention to the fact that the natural sitting position is the squatting attitude, in w r hich the re- laxed abdominal muscles are supported by the thighs. As we cannot return to the savage mode of squatting or the Oriental method of reclining, it is evident we must reform our chairs, and this process may be easily accomplished. It is only necessary to give the seat and the back of the chair a stronger inclination backward and to give to the back of the chair an anterior convexity, especially in its lower part, instead of the hollow which is usually seen, or the straight back which is nearly as bad. The defect may be remedied by means of a small cushion placed at the back. 492 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Spinal Curvature and Visceral Disease Q. What harm results from spinal cur- vature ? A. Careful investigations made in various European cities have developed the startling fact that in most schools a large proportion of the students, even at an early age, have curvature of the spine as the result of the wrong attitudes assumed in sitting while at their studies. Cur- vature of the spine is a matter of importance because of the direct relation between ex- ternal deformities of this sort and internal dis- placements of the viscera, such as prolapsed stomach, movable kidney and prolapsed liver and bowels. It is strange that, among civilized people, so little attention is given to the development of a good physique and erect carriage of the body. Among many half-civil- ized tribes, as the Arabs, for example, great attention is given to this matter. Children are taught from earliest infancy to walk, sit, and stand erect, and as the result, spinal curvature is practically unknown among the children of the desert. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 493 Walking Posture 0. What is the correct walking posture? A. It should be borne in mind that in walk- ing for health purposes the aim is not to reach a goal as soon as possible, but to get the greatest possible amount of good from the ex- ercise. The greatest benefit derived from walk- ing is probably due to the acceleration of res- piration and the direct and indirect benefits which result from this increased respiratory ac- tion to which attention has already been called. For this purpose it is necessary that the breath- ing apparatus be put into such a position as to secure the highest degree of efficiency. This is accomplished by carrying the chest high and well forward, drawing in the chin. When the chest is raised in this manner, the effect is to render tense the muscles which connect the sternum and lower ribs with the bones of the pelvis. When the diaphragm descends with inspiration, the liver, stomach and other abdominal organs are compressed against the tense abdominal wall, and are thus emptied of the blood which ac- cumulates during the period of exhalation in which the diaphragm relaxes and ascends in the chest. Thus with each complete breath the abdominal viscera are alternately compressed and relaxed, a sort of massage process which stimulates their activities by accelerating the 494 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED movement of blood through them and securing the highest degree of efficiency possible. When the body is poised in this manner, the chest well forward and the chin drawn in so that the weight of the body falls over the ball of the foot rather than over the heels, no at- tention to breathing will be required. It is bet- ter, in fact, to give no thought whatever to the breathing, but simply to walk, and to make the pace, unless the strength is too feeble to permit of so doing, about one-half faster than the or- dinary walking gait. This will require atten- tion and constant energizing of the muscles and so will considerably increase the amount of work done and the general effect of the exercise. The arms should be allowed to swing freely by the sides and thus to assist in walking. It is not possible, of course, to place the toes upon the ground before the heels as some writers have taught, but the toes should strike the ground so soon after the heels that the short interval intervening will not be noticeable. The clatter made by some persons in walking is the result of placing the heel so long in ad- vance of the toe that two distinct sounds with a considerable interval are observable which is sufficient evidence of a defective carriage of the body. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 495 Training in Walking Q. How may a boy be trained in correct walking? A. The child should have daily gymnastic practice in correct walking. He should be shown how to raise the chest and carry the chest foi ward. The practice of carrying objects upon the head is a good one; but it would not be a good plan to put two pounds of shot in the boy's cap, as this would overload his head and neck and very likely increase the difficulty. The Proper Walking Gait 0. What should be the rate of walking for healthful exercise? A. In general, chronic invalids require a con- siderable amount of exercise, but should avoid violent exercise. Walking at the rate of 2y 2 to 3 miles an hour is about the proper gait. Race Statistics Increase of Insanity Q. Is insanity increasing? A. Mental defectives have increased within the last fifty years at the rate of 900 per cent in a century. That is, at the present, rate of increase, in one hundred years from the present time, 9 per cent of the total population will be insane, idiotic or imbecile. According to Doc- tor Davenport, mental defectives now constitute 1 per cent of the total population. The recog- nition of a new class of mental defectives, the moron, gives us the key to a large number of social problems and explains the rapid increase of a certain type of criminals and the growing army of ne'er-do-wells. Of all classes of men- tal defectives this class is by far the most dan- gerous because not easily recognized except by experts, and so left to reproduce and increase without restriction. An eminent English alienist recently made the assertion that the whole human race will in time become insane. The writer does not share this pessimistic view for, notwithstanding the fact that at the rate at which mental defectives are at present increasing, the whole race would A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 497 become insane, idiotic or imbeciles within less than three centuries, so sad a calamity is not likely to befall the human family, for long be- fore the race reaches the state of universal in- competency, the impending danger will be ap- preciated, the cause sought for and eliminated, and, through eugenics and euthenics, the mental soundness of the race will be saved. Physical Superiority of Savages Q. Is it true that savages have better bodies than civilized men? A. Civilization is destroying us. The civil- ized man has almost entirely lost his sense of smell, whereas the savage has a keen smell. It is said that certain tribes of South America can scent a member of another tribe rods away. Defective eye-sight is growing more and more common among civilized people. Moreover the savage is able to hear far bet- ter than the civilized man, while his sense of taste is superior. The savage, wandering through a forest, knows as soon as he plucks a berry or other fruit and touches it to his tongue whether or not it is lit to eat. The civil- ized man sitting down to a hotel table gives little consideration as to the suitability of the food, but eat what he finds on the menu regardless of consequences. 498 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED The endurance of the savage is also incom- parably above that of civilized man. Because of their extraordinary vitality savages recover from wounds that would prove fatal to a man with habits customary with civilized people. Longevity of Brain Workers Q. Is it true that most brain workers are short-lived? A. An investigation by George M. Beard showed that the average length of life of 500 of the greatest men in history was fourteen years longer than that of the average man. Public Health Q. Is sickness increasing? A. Statistics gathered by Tredgold from various friendly societies, aggregating a mem- bership of nearly a million and a half, demon- strate that, notwithstanding the great advance in the prevention of disease through public sanitation and improvements in therapeutics, the average amount of sickness at all ages has steadily increased during the last half century. The report of actuaries, appointed in connec- tion with the National Insurance Act enacted by the British Government in 1911, shows the increase of sickness, which has occurred during A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 499 the last thirty years in several large friendly societies. This report shows a very marked increase of sickness at all ages of life, from sixteen to .sev- enty years, ranging from fourteen per cent to seventy per cent, the greatest increase being at sixteen to nineteen years and the next greatest fifty-five to sixty-nine years. Birth Rate 0. Is the birth rate decreasing? A. Professor Cattel in a recent paper, stated that if the decline of the birth rate continues during the balance of the century as rapidly as during the last few years, in the year 2,000 no babies will be born in the United States. The birth rate is rapidly declining in almost every civilized country of the globe, but espe- cially in the older parts of this country. Jews' Health 0. Is the Jewish race healthier than other races? A. Yes, and one reason is that they have followed so many of the laws of hygiene for so many generations. They have not eaten pork, for example, and they have taken care to in- vestigate carefully all animals before they eat them. As a race, the Jewish people have not been very large eaters of meat. 500 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Is Race Vitality Increasing Q. Does not an increase in the average length of human life show an improvement in the vitality of the race? A. While the average length of life has been increasing in all civilized countries within the last three centuries, the proportion of centena- rians to the total population has been diminish- ing. At the present time the most highly civil- ized nations have the smallest number of cen- tenarians, while the largest number is found among those people who still adhere most closely to the simple life. The Bulgarians, a people numbering only five millions, boast of 3,000 cen- tenarians, or one in 1,700. In Spain, the pro- portion is one to 40,000; in France, one to 190,- 000; in England, one to 200,000; in Germany, one in 700,000. We have in this country one centenarian to every 25,000 of the population, but the number is rapidly decreasing as the natural result of the increased death-rate after middle life, due to the increasing mortality from chronic disease. It is inevitable that examples of great age will grow less and less numerous so long as men and women cultivate the use of alcohol, tobacco, tea and coffee and other poison habits. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 501 Eugenics Registry Q. What is the Eugenics Registry? A. At the Race Betterment Conference, held at the Battle Creek Sanitarium of Battle Creek, Michigan, in January 1914, the sug- gestion was made that a register should be es- tablished to be known as the Eugenics Registry, which should provide for the registration of persons of superior mental and physical quali- fications, especially those descended of parents and grand parents of like character. Since the conference referred to the Registry has been or- ganized and is now being conducted under the supervision of a board consisting of the fol- lowing persons : David Starr Jordon, President Lcland Stan- ford University, Irving Fisher, Professor of economics, Yale University, C. B. Davenport, director of the Eugenics record office, Cold Spring Harbor, Luther Burbank, Santa Rosa, California, Doctor J. II. Kellogg, secretary, Bat- tle Creek, Michigan; Prof. O. C. Glaser, exec- utive secretary. Full information concerning the registry and the conditions of registration may be obtained by addressing The Eugenics Registry, Battle Creek, Michigan. 502 A THOUSAND. QUESTIONS ANSWERED Inbreeding Q. Should cousins marry? What is the effect of inbreeding? A. Whether or not inbreeding is injurious, depends upon the possession of identical defects, as such defective will be certain to appear in the children. If, on the other hand, both par- ents are sound physically and mentally, no such evil results will appear; and if both parents hap- pen to inherit from their ancestors a special gift, as a special talent for music, a genius for art or some other specially marked trait, the progeny will possess this quality in a still higher degree. Inbreeding may be beneficial. When Is a Person Old Q. At what age should one be considered old? A. "A man," said a famous French phy- siologist, "is as old as his arteries." This state- ment is literally true. Old age is the result of hardening and narrowing of the arteries, whereby the blood supply of the several organs of the body fails, the tissues shrivel, all the functions of the body lessen in efficiency, every tissue deteriorates, the body falls into decay, the flame of life burns gradually lower and lower and finally flickers out. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 503 Old age is natural death when it occurs after many years of life. The natural duration of huma^i life is probably not less than 120 to 150 years. There are cases on record in which per- sons have lived a century and a half, and there are numerous instances of life extension to 120 years. There are living in the United States at the present time about 4,000 centenarians. It is probable that in the whole world there are living at least 20,000 people who are a hundred years old or more. The average length of life in civilized lands is only about fifty years, per- haps not more than one-third the normal length of the life for human beings. Comparatively few people die of old age. Hardening of the arteries and various diseases of the heart and blood-vessels which are characteristic of very advanced years are frequently observed in comparatively young persons. An eminent French physician remarked, "A man is as old as his arteries/' This is most em- phatically true ; but it is equally true that a man is as old as his liver, as old as his kidneys, as old as his heart. When any vital organ fails, the whole body collapses. Measurements and Strength of Body Proportions of the Ideal Man Q. What are the proportions of the ideal normal man? Inches A. Height 68. Sitting Height 36. Length of Arms , 68 . Circumference of Chest 34. Circumference of Waist (46.4 per cent) . . 31 . 5 Height (length) of Sternum (9.5 per cent) 6.5 Height of Abdomen 14.9 Sternum to Umbilicus (12 per cent) 8.1 Umbilicus to Pubes (10 per cent) 6.5 Bi-iliac Diameter (16.6 per cent) 11.3 Proportions of the Ideal Woman Q. What are the proportions of the ideal normal woman? Inches A. Height 64. Sitting Height 33.? Length of Arms 64. Circumference of Chest 32. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 505 [nches Circumference of Waist (47.6 per cent) . . 30.46 Height-length of Sternum (9.5 per cent). 6.08 Height of Abdomen 15.48 Sternum to Umbilicus (13.6 per cent) .... 8.7 Umbilicus to Pubes (10.6 per cent) 6.78 Bi-iliac Diameter (16 per cent) 10.24 The Normal Waist Proportion 0. What should be the size of the waist as compared to a woman's height? A. A woman's waist measurements, accord- ing to the proportions of the famous Venus de Milo, should be 47.6 per cent of the height. A woman requires a larger waist for the reason that in women the liver, stomach, spleen, kid- neys, pancreas and colon — all the organs which lie in the waist zone — are relatively larger than in men ; that is, they are larger in proportion to the body weight. This is a necessary conse- quence of the function of motherhood. The liver, stomach and other vital organs of women are prepared to do work for two; hence their larger proportionate development. The idea that a woman's waist must be small is an absurd and most pernicious error which has been created and propagated by fashion-mongers. This idea should be most earnestly combated. A small waist is an evidence of weakness. A very small waist necessarily implies prolapsed 506 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED stomach and bowels, often a dislocated liver and a floating kidney. These displacements are a serious cause of disease. Their presence is often shown by protrusion of the lower abdomen and sinking in at the waist. The Energy Capacity of the Body Q. What is the total energy output of the human body each twenty-four hours? A. According to the most recent scientific estimate, the energy output of the human body is equivalent to one-sixth of a horse power. The energy value of a horsepower is 550 foot pounds per second, 33,000 per minute, nearly 2,000,000 foot pounds per hour, or 48,000,000 in twenty- four hours. The actual average amount of work which a horse generally does when do- ing ordinary work is 21,000 foot pounds per min- ute or about two-thirds that of the standard horsepower. A mule does 10,000 foot pounds, an ox, 12,000, a man in sowing 4,000. A man may during violent exercise such as running up a stair case, do work equal to one horsepower. Metabolism studies show that the expenditure of energy is distinctly increased by such slight exercises as are involved in the sitting position. A person who has been lying in bed, on sitting up will expend twenty per cent more energy than when lying in bed and hence will re- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 507 quire a distinct increase in food in proportion to the length of time spent in the sitting po- sition. That is, when a person who has been constantly lying in bed becomes, through con- valescence, able to sit up one-fourth of the time, it will be necessary to increase the food intake one-fifth. Required Amount of Energy Intake Q. What is the amount of energy required under different conditions of rest and work? A. According to the latest authorities (von Noorden) a man weighing 154 expends energy at the following rates under the conditions named : With hard work 3.500 calories and over With medium work 3,100 With light skilled work 2,600 " " " With rest in room 2,230 The minimal exchange 1,625 The minimal exchange after food intake 1,800 "The most muscular and best-trained indi- viduals do not show any greater formation of heat in the resting condition and during sleep than individuals possessing a feeble musculai system." 503 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Energy Expended in Mental Work Q. Does hard mental work require the ex- penditure of a large amount of energy? A. It was formerly supposed that mental work as well as muscular work involved the ex- penditure of a large amount of energy and hence made necessary the taking of considerable quantities of food. It is now known, however, that this is an error. According to Speck, mental work exercises no direct influence on metabolism. Even intense mental activity is not accompanied by any considerable consumption of energy. Also the amount of energy consumed by the viscera in carrying on their work is surprisingly small. H. Dreser estimates that the work done by the kidneys in eliminating one and a half liters of urine requires the expenditure of only J4 °f one calory. There is no artificial machine which operates with so little friction or so high a de- gree of efficiency as the animal body. Static Muscular Work Q. Is actual muscular work done when holding a weight without moving it? A. Muscular contraction without work is properly called contracture or static muscular ac- tion. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 509 When work is done, as the lifting of a weight or any movement of the limb, the action is termed dynamic. According to Beclard, static muscular contraction involves a greater expend iture of energy than dynamic contraction. Vital Capacity Q. What is meant by vital capacity? A. By this is meant the number of cubic inches of air which can be exhaled after a deep inspiration. This has been found to have a di- rect relation to the height of an individual. A person who is five feet and one inch in height has a vital capacity of 175 inches. Each in- dividual inch in height adds eight inches in vital capacity. Thus, a person measuring five feet eight inches high should have a vital capacity of 230 cubic inches. The lung capacity is meas- ured by means of a spirometer. The strength of the breathing muscles may be measured also. Lung Capacity Q. What is the normal lung capacity? A. The following table shows the lung ca- pacity in cubic inches and the strength of the chest measured in pounds lifting power: 510 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Men Women Height in Spirometer Height in Spirometer Inches (cu. in.) Inches (cu. in.) 72 287 67 204 71 273 66 196 ' 70 257 65 188 69 254 64 180 68 249 63 172 67 245 62 164 66 231 61 156 65 229 60 148 64 206 59 140 58 132 Chest Strength Lbs. - Lbs. 72 360 67 166 71 345 66 162 70 330 65 158 69 315 64 155 68 300 63 150 67 290 62 145 66 270 61 140 65 255 60 135 64 233 59 130 58 125 Body Weight Q. What is the normal weight of the hu- man body at different ages in men and women? A. The normal weight of the body varies, of course, with the height. The accompanying table shows the normal weights for men and women of different heights. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 51 1 MEN WOMEN Height Weight Surface in Height Weight Surface in in In. in Pounds Square Ft. in In. in Pounds Square Ft, 61 131 15.92 59 119 14.82 62 133 16.06 60 122 15.03 63 136 16.27 61 124 15.29 64 140 16.55 62 127 15.50 65 143 16.76 63 131 15.92 66 147 17.06 64 134 16.13 67 152 17.40 65 139 16.48 68 157 17.76 66 143 16.76 69 162 18.12 67 147 17.06 70 167 18.48 68 151 17.34 71 173 18.91 69 155 17.64 72 179 19.34 70 159 17.92 73 785 19.89 74 192 20.33 75 200 20.88 Relation of Food to Gain in Weight Q. At what rate may the body safely gain in weight? A. A very rapid gain in weight is not always desirable. The gain observed may be due to in- crease of water, fat, or muscle. Fat is increased by an excess of food of any sort, but especially by excess of carbohydrates and fats. Fats are deposited directly, substantially as eaten. For every ounce of carbohydrate retained in the body, three ounces of water are also retained. For every ounce of salt, one hundred to one hundred and twenty ounces of water will be retained. Evidently the disuse of salt is important for per- sons who desire to lose in weight. 512 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Body Temperature Q. How is the temperature of the body maintained? A. The body like all other living objects maintains its own standard of temperature. The heat generated by the body is about equal to that produced by a 16 C.P. carbon filament lamp or the amount which would be generated by the complete combustion of ten ounces of oil. The source of this heat is the oxidation of combustion of food which serves the body as fuel just as coal serves a locomotive. The normal temperature of the interior of the body is about 100°, of the mouth 98.2° F. How Body Heat Is Regulated Q, By what means is the heat production of the body regulated? A. The temperature of the interior of the body is constantly maintained at 100° F. not- withstanding the fact that constant loss is tak- ing place by the radiation of heat from the body as well as by contact of the skin with the air and other bodies of lower temperature. This heat loss is constantly taking place. The rate of heat loss depends then chiefly upon the ex- tent of the body surface. A constant loss of heat is taking place by radiation from the surface of A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 513 the body and by contact of the body with the air, but the chief loss of heat occurs through the evaporation of the insensible perspiration. The loss of heat is lessened by the clothing which maintains underneath at a temperature of about 86° F., the neutral air temperature. In an atmosphere of 86° no clothing would be needed for warmth. When heat production is increased, as by ex- ercise, the vessels of the skin dilate, the skin red- dens, more blood is brought to the surface and perspiration is increased, and thus the body is more rapidly cooled, and a rise of temperature prevented. When the surroundng air. is above 86° the heat of the body tends to accumulate and so perspiration is increased to prevent over-heat- ing. When the body is exposed to cold, the vessels of the skin contract and so heat loss is checked, if the heat loss is so great as to lower the temper- ature of the blood a chill occurs with shivering, which is nature's method of warming the body up by setting the muscles to work. Rubbing the skin prevent.-, chill by stimulating the circulation. Exercise is the most efficient means of stim- ulating heat production. All mechanical work done by the body is accompanied by the pro- duction of heat. In general, twice as much energy is expended in heat production as in the external 514 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED work done. In violent exercise the production of heat is so rapid that the temperature of the body may rise as much as two or three degrees. Strong swimmers are able to remain in ice water for one hour or more. The Strength of Men and Women Q. What is the total strength of normal men and women? A. The accompanying table shows the strength of the principal groups of muscles in the average man and average woman together with the total strength. Hand Flexors 249. \2S. .50 Hand Extensors 54. 29. .53 Forearm Supinators 143. 57. .39 Forearm Pronators 134. 57. .42 Arm Flexors 120. AS. .40 Arm Extensors 127. 53. .41 Latissimus Dorsi 185. 99. .55 Deltoid 140. 71. .50 Pectoral 209. 102. .48 Shoulder Retractors 160. 95. .59 Foot Extensors 614. 364. .59 Foot Flexors 145. 89. .61 Leg Flexors 200. 116. .58 Leg Extensors 237. 123. .51 Thigh Flexors 303. 179. .59 Thigh Extensors 330. 174. .52 Thigh Abductors 206. 135. .65 Thigh Adductors 227. 142. .62 Trunk Anterior 139. 73. .52 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 515 Trunk Posterior 380. 173. .45 Trunk Lateral— R. and L 2^7. 154. '54 Neck Anterior 35. 19 '54 Neck Posterior 75. 37. '49 Xeck Lateral— R. and L 126; 60. A7 Inspiration— Waist 172. 79. .45 Inspiration— Chest 190. 85. .44 Inspiration — Pncumatomcter .9 .4 .44 Expiration — Pneumatometer 2.6 1.4 .54 Arms Right 770. 373. .48 Left 751. 363. .48 Legs^ Right 1131. 663. .58 Left 1131. 659. .58 Trunk 1042. 516. .49 Chest 365. 166. .45 Totals Men Women Strength of Arms 1521 736 Strength of Legs 2262 1322 Strength of Trunk 1042 516 Strength of Chest 362 166 Strength of Entire Body 5197 2740 Comparative Strength of Men and Women Q. What is the comparative strength of men and women? A. The following table shows the compar- ative strength of the several groups of muscles in the average man as compared to those of the average woman. 516 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Men Neck Anterior 35 Hand Extensors 54 Neck Posterior 75 Arm Flexors 120 Neck Lateral 126 Arm Extensors ; 127 Forearm Pronators 134 Trunk Anterior 139 Deltoid 140 Forearm Supinators ^ 143 Foot Flexors T 145 Shoulder Retractors 160 Inspiration (waist) 172 Latissimus Dorsi 185 Inspiration (chest) 190 Leg Flexors 200 1 high Abductors ; 206 Pectoral 209 Thigh Adductors '. 227 Leg Extensors 237 Hand Flexors 249 Trunk Lateral 287 Thigh Flexors 303 Thigh Extensors 330 Chest 365 Trunk Posterior 380 Foot Extensors 614 Left Arm 751 Right Arm 770 Trunk 1042 Right Leg 1131 Left Leg 1131 Chest and Trunk 1407 Both Arms 1521 Both Legs 2262 Entire Body 5190 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 517 Women Muscles of Inspiration (pneumatometcr) 4 Muscles of Expiration (pneumatometer) 1.4 Neck Anterior 19 Hand Extensors 29 Neck Posterior 37 Arm Flexors 48 Arm Extensors 53 Forearm 57 Forearm Pronators 57 Neck Lateral 60 Deltoid 71 Trunk Anterior 73 Inspiration (waist) 79 Inspiration (chest) 85 Foot Flexors 89 Shoulder Retractors 95 Latissimus Dorsi 99 Pectoral 102 Leg Flexors 116 Leg Extensors 123 Hand Flexors 125 Thigh Abductors 135 Thigh Adductors 142 Trunk Lateral 154 Chest 166 Trunk Posterior 173 Thigh Extensors 174 Thigh Flexors 179 Left Arm 363 Foot Extensors 364 Right Arm 373 Trunk 516 Left Leg 659 Right Leg 663 Chest and Trunk 682 Both Arms 736 Both Legs 1322 Entire Body 2740 General Hygiene Dust Q. Of what does atmospheric dust con- sist? A. The dust of the air has many sources. In cities it consists largely of the excreta of ani- mals dried in the sun and powdered by the traffic of the street. Dust is most abundant in large cities. In London one cubic inch of air contains over two million dust particles. Even the air of the ocean, far from land, may con- tain from ten thousand to thirty thousand dust particles per cubic inch. The air of high moun- tains is the freest from dust. Even the purest mountain air observed was found to contain 1500 dust particles to the cubic inch. Scientists have discovered that all space is filled with very minute particles — cosmic dust produced by the destruction of meteorites. At a distance of fifteen miles above the earth, the atmosphere may contain quantities of volcanic dust. Street dust is highly dangerous. It should be suppressed by frequent and thorough street flushing. The accumulation of house dust should be prevented by a vacuum cleaner. The old fashioned broom and the feather duster A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 519 should be discarded as excellent dust dis- tributors. The inhalation of dust is highly in- jurious, not only because ordinary dust consists very largely oi disease germs but also because of the irritation produced bj the accumulation of dust in the lung tissues. The lungs of coal miners are nearly as black as coal. The lungs of stone cutters are full of grit. Ventilation 0. What is the best means of ventilating a room? A. Window ventilation when properly man- aged is not only highly efficient hut very satis- factory. It must be remembered that two open- ings must be supplied, an entrance and an exit for the air. This may be accomplished by a sin- gle window by lowering the window at the top and raising it at the bottom. The chief objection to this plan is that unpleasant drafts are likely to be experienced. In cold weather this may be a matter of considerable gravity. There are two very simple methods of obviating this difficulty: 1. The window board. A thin board six or eight inches wide is fastened across the bottom of the window open- ing resting on the sill and made tight at each end. Xow when the window is raised the movement of air will strike against this board and will 520 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED he deflected toward the ceiling. An incoming current after passing several feet in an upward direction will gradually mix with the air and thus draft will be obviated. 2. The window screen. This consists of a frame covered with muslin one or two feet wide fitted into the window open- ing tight against the lower sash. When the low :r sash is raised the air rapidly filters in without producing a draft. The screen has also the ad- vantage that in windy weather it will exclude dust. Window Tent Q. Is the window-tent a good thing? A. The window-tent is certainly an excellent means of securing pure, cold air during sleep in the cold months. Air Moisture Q. Is it necessary to add moisture to the air in cold weather? A. There is good evidence for believing that the addition of moisture to air which is un- usually dry is a matter of great importance to persons in health, as also to those suffering with certain forms of disease, particularly pulmonary difficulties. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 521 The air should not be saturated, but should contain sufficient moisture SO that it will not cause unpleasant dryness of the throat, eyes, ami skin. The requisite amount of moisture may be ob- tained by evaporation of moisture in open vessels upon the stove, in a pan provided for it in the furnace, by means oi moistened linen cloths or sponges placed before registers, and in a variety of other ways. Attention to this point is parti- cularly necessary in winter, when out-of-door air, on account of its low temperature, contains a much smaller proportion of moisture than at most other times. Another convenient method of moistening the air in houses which are heated by steam is to have a jet placed in the fresh air intake. The amount of moisture required in average cold winter weather is considerable. In the warm season of the year the degree of saturation of outdoor air and that within doors is about the same. In the winter season, how- ever, owing to the higher temperature of in-doors, it is very much drier unless watery vapor Is added by artificial means. This is owing to the fact that air acquires by increase of temperature a greater capacity for absorbing moisture. 522 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Fireplace Ventilation Q. Does an open fireplace afford sufficient ventilation ? A. A fireplace is a good ventilator, and will aid in supplying an abundance of fresh air, pro- vided a window is open in the room to create a current. It is important that the fireplace should have a good draft. An open coal or wood fire is in every way preferable to a gas fire. When installed in the usual way, gas grates are very un- healthful. Gas Heating Q. Is gas-heating of rooms healthful? A. A living-room sihould never be heated with gas unless care is taken to thoroughly re- move the products of combustion, so that none of them are mixed with the air of the room. The gas stove has been responsible for many deaths. The same applies to oil stoves. In any room where gas or oil stoves are burn- ing, there must be an open window. Open the window at the top, and also insert a window board under the lower sash so air can enter the room between the lower and upper sashes. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 523 Furnace Heat Q. Is furnace heat wholesome? A. Yes, if the furnace is a good one, and does not leak smoke or gas. The air may be too dry. There should be a water pan in the furnace, and this should be kept supplied with water. Care should be taken to bring fresh air to the furnace from out of doors, and not from the basement, cellar, or front ball. The House Fly O. What diseases are communicated by the common house fly? A. Modern scientific research has demon- strated that the house fly is a carrier of many different kinds of germs which are productive of disease. Among the various diseases which have been proven to be communicable through the medium of the house fly arc the following: tuberculosis, typhoid fever, scarlet fever, the dysenteries, cholera, tetanus, eye contagions, an- thrax, glanders, infantile paralysis, diphtheria, meningitis, leprosy, bubonic plague, carbui infected wounds, erysipelas, and the eggs of para- sitic worms. 524 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED The Dangerous Fly Q. How do flies distribute disease? A. The fly may distribute disease in three special ways : 1. By the germs clinging to its feet, legs, wings, and proboscis. 2. Its body, when covered with bacteria, may cause infection when crushed or drowned, if it falls upon or into anything that goes into any person's mouth. 3. By its excreta. Investigation has shown that most germs pass unharmed through a fly's body. The annoying fly specks, always the bane of the housekeeper, are known danger spots. The fly feeds on filth, and it also breeds in filth. It makes filth, it wallows in filth, and the filth clings to its feet, legs, wings, and body. It carries filth to everything it touches, and not only filth, but the germs of many deadly diseases that abound in filth. There is only one radical cure — absolute clean- ness. The number of flies indoors may be lessened by the prohibitory measure of screening the house windows and doors, and this should be done early. Keep foods of every sort and particularly milk in screened enclosures or safes. See to it that garbage cans are kept closely covered, that they are emptied daily and well scrubbed before be- ing used again, or that the collector gives clean A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 525 ones in exchange. To make assurance double sure add a tablespoonful of copperas to a pail of water and sprinkle about the place where the garbage can is kept. A sprinkling of chlorid of lime serves the same end. Do this to every moist nook and refuse pile appearing to offer a breeding place for flies. Treat vaults by a plentiful use of dry earth at all times and at least once a week to a thorough sprinkling with crude petroleum or copperas. The only sure way to insure freedom from flies, is to prevent their breeding and to hold forth no attraction for them. Mosquitoes Q. What measures are effectual in destroy- ing mosquitoes? A. The mosquito requires still, shallow water for breeding. A little kerosene, just enough to coat the surface sprayed over pools and pud- dles, ponds, rain barrels and other water fre- quented by mosquitoes is an efficient remedy. Not only is it destructive to the larvae, but the grown insect will not lay her eggs on oiled water. All breeding places should be done away with. Drain or fill in the pools, ditches and depressions where water stands. Even post holes and cow- tracks should receive attention. Wherever a cup- 526 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED ful of water can stagnate, there mosquitoes can breed. Treat with oil all standing water that can- not well be drained or screened. Sprinkle or spray the oil over the surface till all the water is covered with an unbroken film of it. An ounce of oil may thus be spread over ten or fifteen square feet of water surface. For small areas it may be poured on the water. The oil must be re- newed at least every three weeks. Rain or wind that ruffles the water surface may make a renewal necessary sooner. Standing water for house use, as the cistern, rain barrels and tanks may be pro- tected by screens. The precaution must be taken, however, to clean away weeds, grass and bushes from the margin of the water that there be no hiding places for adult insects and no harborage for wigglers, where they will be inaccessible to the fishes. The banks of brooks should be evened so as to do away with any marshy places or pockets where water can stagnate. Indoor Life Q. Why is indoor life productive of dis- ease? A. Man is naturally an out-of-door dweller. Trees, shrubs, plants of all sorts, die in the ordinary house. No plant, and few lower ani- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 527 mals, can long survive the conditions which pre- vail in the ordinary modern house. The bad air, excessive heat, varying temperature, and lack of sunlight, are deadly enemies of life. Plants droop, their leaves wither, their flowers fade, buds fail to open, seeds do not form, growth is stunted, and finally there come death and decay. Animals lose their vivacity, cease to grow, produce either no young at all or weakly, weaz- ened offspring, become puny, scrawny, rickety, often tuberculous. The modern house, the office, the counting room, the factory, the store, the schoolhouse, as well as the sweat shop and the crowded tenement, — these are all incubators, breeding- places of disease and death. Artesian Water Q. Is artesian water always certain to be pure? A. Artesian water is generally free from bacteria and its use is comparatively safe. Very deep artesian wells are practically always safe, but artesian wells which do not penetrate the rock for a considerable distance may be con- taminated by surface water. 528 A THOUSAND; QUESTIONS ANSWERED Softening Water Q. How may water be softened for domes- tic use? A. Hard water contains lime and usually magnesia, sometimes also iron. By the addi- tion of "quick lime" and soda ash in proper proportion most of these chemicals are ren- dered insoluble, and appear as a sediment. After standing a few hours the water becomes clear. The right proportions of lime and soda ash must be determined in each case by a chemical analysis of the water to be softened. Water is softened to some extent by boiling. Typhoid Germs in Water Q. Can water containing typhoid fever germs be rendered safe for drinking or culinary purposes? A. Researches conducted by the United States government and other reliable authorities have in recent years demonstrated that water infected to such a degree as to be highly dan- gerous if used for drinking purposes may be rendered safe by the addition of liquid chlorine or hypochlorite of lime or so-called chloride of lime. Chlorine destroys the dangerous elements without imparting to the water any injurious properties. Chlorine is one of the constituents A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 529 of the gastric juice and is not harmful in the quantities which are found efficient for the pu- rification of water. To be reliable, this method must be employed under the supervision of an experienced chemist. When thus used it has proven very successful and has stopped typhoid epidemics in many communities. This method should be regarded, however, only as a tempor- ary expedient to be employed only until a pure water supply can be secured. Alkali in Water Q. Is water which contains alkali injuri- ous when used for drinking and cooking pur- poses? A. Waters containing alkalis are always more or less injurious when used internally. Such water should not be used habitually. Water Testing Q. How may water be tested for purity? A. There are no simple tests for pure water for home use which can be relied upon. The water must be sent to a bacteriological labor- atory for careful examination. Chemical tests are not sufficient. Water which, as tested chem- ically, may seem perfectly pure, may be deadly because of the presence of germs which could 530 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED not be detected except by bacteriological an- alysis. Any State board of health will an- alyze water. Water Sterilization Q. How long should water boil in order to become sterilized? A. Perfect sterilization of water requires heating for half an hour at a temperature of 240° F.', but this is rarely necessary. The dan- gerous disease germs likely to be found in water, such as typhoid and cholera germs, are de- stroyed by boiling for ten or fifteen minutes. The spores of dysentery germs may survive boil- ing, however, requiring a higher temperature for their destruction. Rain Water Q. How can one make sure of collecting rainwater so it will be pure? A. Rainwater is always more or less impure as it collects dust by passing through the air. Considerably more dust and filth is collected from the roof. The quality of rainwater can be greatly improved by permitting the first water which falls to escape. Rainwater is not likely to be contaminated by any sort of roofing mater- ial in common use. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 531 Vaccination 0. Does vaccination prevent smallpox? A. Vaccination unquestionably mitigates the evils of small-pox. When proper care is taken to perform vaccination with good virus, there is very little chance, indeed, of any ill consequences arising from it. Disinfection of Clothing Q. How may infected clothing be disin- fected? A. There are many ways in which clothing may be disinfected. The best method is heating in a steam sterilizer for half an hour. Another is to boil for one hour in a saturated solution of common salt. The addition of salt will raise the temperature a few degrees above boiling point and insure thorough destruction of disease germs and germ spores. Still another very excellent method is form- alin fumigation. The articles may be placed in a small room or closet, or in a box especially prepared for the purpose, and exposed to the fumes of formalin by burning a formalin candle within the enclosure. Such candles can be ob- tained at any drug-store, and are accompanied by full directions for their use. Dietetics Oatmeal in Diabetes Q. Is a diet of oatmeal useful in diabetes? A. Experiments of Von Noorden and his as- sistants have shown that oatmeal is often util- ized better by diabetics than other forms of carbohydrates, especially as compared with bread. It is important to observe, however, that the beneficial effects of oatmeal are noticed only when the meal is prepared in the form of a por- ridge. All advantage of oatmeal disappears when it is used in baked preparations. The reason for this difference may be found in the fact that the high temperature of the oven destroys the vitamines,- which are present in raw meal and in oatmeal porridge. Meat Diet in Tuberculosis Q. Is meat diet beneficial in tuberculosis? A. Richet proposed and strongly advocated a diet of raw meat for tuberculosis patients. A few years ago a sanatorium was opened in Bel- gium for the special purpose of treating pa- tients by this method. At the end of three months the enterprise was abandoned, the pro- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 533 moters declaring that "there was no efficacy whatever in the method." The writer has had fre- quent occasion to note the pernicious effects of a long-continued flesh dietary. In one case of renal disease the arterial degeneration associated with the malady was evidently encouraged, and the pa- tient died of apoplexy after pursuing the diet for three years, although still under fifty years of age. Meat Broths and Typhoid Fever Q. Why are meat broths objectionable in typhoid fever? A. In relation to the diet of typhoid fever patients, it is interesting to note that the discov- ery that flesh foods of all sorts are objec- tionable in this disease is not by any means a modern discovery. Doctor J. B. Nichols con- tributed to the Medical Record some years ago an article in which extremely interesting histor- ical facts were compiled. It seems that in the eighteenth century flesh foods of all sorts were excluded from the dietary of fever patients, the belief being that the use of animal foods increased the fever and encouraged intestinal putrefaction. Eggs, broths, beef tea, meat ex- tracts, as well as meats, were rigidly excluded, the diet being exclusively vegetable in char- acter. Broussais regarded broths as especially harm- 534 A THOUSAND; QUESTIONS ANSWERED ful, and allowed only mucilaginous or acidulated drinks. Milk is especially objectionable in. typhoid fever on account of the danger of the forma- tion and accumulation in indigestible curds. The great deficiency of digestive secretions in this disease, and especially the lack of ability to digest proteins, favors the accumulation of undigested curds in the bowel and an increase of intestinal putrefaction in consequence. Vegetable Diet and Uric Acid Q. What foods other than flesh and tea are most likely to produce uric acid in the system? A. Asparagus, peas, beans, and lentils con- tain small amounts of uric acid, but the amount contained in these vegetable foods is very small compared with that found in meats, and it is very doubtful whether the moderate use of these articles can do any harm. Diet in Gases of Kidney or Bladder Stone Q. What is the proper diet for a person suffering from a stone in the kidney or blad- der? A. Kidney stones and most bladder stones are due to an excess of uric acid in the system. Hindhede of Copenhagen has shown that the A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 535 urine of a person living upon a diet largely composed of potatoes is capable of dissolving forty or fifty times as much uric acid as that of a person living on a mixed diet, while the urine of persons using meat frequently will dissolve no uric acid at all. This observation suggests that a person suffering from stone in the kidney or bladder should adopt a dietary consisting chiefly of fruits and vegetables, sub- stituting potatoes for bread and other cereals. Care should be taken to keep the bowels open. They should move at least three times a day. Water should be taken freely; two or three quarts daily. For radical relief a surgical op- eration is necessary. After such an operation the dietary suggested should be carefully fol- lowed to prevent a return of the calculi. Diet for Hyperacidity Q. What food is good for one who has ex- cessive acidity of the stomach? A. Cereals or fresh vegetables of all sorts may be freely eaten together with sweet fruits, such as bananas, sweet apples and pears. Olive oil and in most cases sweet cream may be used rather freely with advantage. Many persons find themselves entirely relieved of hyperacidity by the use of one or two tablespoonsful of olive oil at each meal. In cases of extreme hyper- 536 A THOUSAND; QUESTIONS ANSWERED acidity it is well to take the food in the form of a puree as much chewing increases the production of hydrochloric acid. Persons suffering from hyperacidity already have too much acid in the stomach and so must carefully avoid everything which increases acid production, and for this rea- son the use of pepper and other condiments should be avoided. It is also necessary to avoid the use of meats, broths and thin soups. Grape Cure Q. Is the grape cure beneficial? A. The so-called "grape cure" is much prac- tised in Switzerland where it has been in use for many centuries. It was recommended by Dujardin-Beaumetz and others for cases of dyspepsia, especially when accompanied by con- stipation, and in gout it is very useful. It is also valuable in chronic diarrhea of dys- enteric origin. Chronic cystitis is benefited by the alkaline carbonates developed by the vegetable acids of the fruit, but in such cases, care must be taken that the grapes are ripe. Cardiac af- fections are relieved by the laxative and diuretic action, while almost all patjents are benefited by the fresh air, exercise, and early rising which the rules of the "cure" involve. Grapes grown on volcanic soil are said to have a more markedly stimulant and diuretic action than others. As to A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 537 the amount, Dujardin-Beaumetz recommends tients to take as much as they possibly can with- out exciting disgust. The duration of the cure is from one to three months. Doctor Pecholier, ^i Montpelier, calls attention (Dietetic and Hygiene Gazette') to the diur- etic action of fresh grapes. In two cases — one a patient with cardiac disease, and the other with hepatic cirrhosis accompanied by ascites the "grape cure" was used with excellent results. In the first case five pounds of grapes were eaten daily, and the diuretic effects produced were much more satisfactory than when milk, digitalis, or iodide of potassium were used. Fruit Diet Q. Why is a fruit diet said to be antitoxic? A. More than ten years ago Kitasato and Van Ermengen demonstrated experimentally that citric acid and other fruit acids are | sessed of very active germicidal properties. The typhoid bacillus and also the bacillus of cholera were destroyed by a one-half per cent solution of citric acid. Malic acid, the acid of the ap- ple, was found equally efficient The idea of using fruit juices in cases of gastrointestinal autoinfc new. A Doctor more than a century reported cases of >ick headache successfully 538 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED treated by giving the patient a glassful of apple cider before each meal. The character of the food certainly makes a very marked dif- ference in cases of this sort. For example, in the case of a meal consisting of scraped beef prepared and cooked in the usual way bacter- iological examinations made of the stomach fluid showed twenty-five thousand bacteria per drop, although after a sterile meal no bacteria at all were found. In the same case a test meal of cheese gave seventy million colonies to the ounce of stomach fluid. These observations led the writer to adopt more than a dozen years ago in the treatment of all cases of gastrointes- tinal affection an antiseptic (Dujardin-Beau- metz), or rather an antitoxic or atoxic dietary, from which meat, eggs, and in some cases even milk, are wholly excluded. Diet During Pregnancy Q. Please suggest a diet to be observed during pregnancy? A. The diet of an expectant mother should not differ essentially from that of any other person in ordinary health except that special pains should be taken to keep the bowels mov- ing at least three times a day and so regulate the diet that the stools will not have a putrid A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 539 odor. Neglect of tins precaution has caused seri- ous and even fatal complications. An antitoxic diet is important. Diet in Bright's Disease Q. Is a low protein diet advisable in Bright's disease? A. Yon Noorden, one of the most emin- ent medical authorities, has called attention to the fact, also pointed out by Senator and other physiologists, that in cases of Bright's disease the protein in the diet should be vert greatly re- duced. The reason for this is that in all cases of Bright's disease the ability of the kid- neys to remove the protein wastes from the body is greatly diminished. A diet low in protein, as von Noorden says, "puts less strain on the diseased organs." This eminent authority adds : "I must not conclude without re- minding my readers that it is the theory of many physicians that nephritic patients should be given a diet poor in proteins (Senator, F. Hirschfield, Albu, and others). Xo doubt this is true for acute nephritis and for the acute relapses of chronic nephritis, as I have emphasized else- where. For two years I have been of the opin- ion that in acute and dangerous cases none should be given in the food. I have given nothing but sugar-water and fruit-juice for 540 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED from three to eight days at a stretch. It was my impression that this form of treatment was very useful, and that uremic symptoms were obviated, or if already present, were removed." Von Noorden adds further, "I am of the opinion that the protein intake should be re- duced to the lowest possible limit in acute neph- ritis." Such a diet requires the elimination of meats of all sorts and in most cases eggs must also be forbidden. We might also add that even a milk diet is often too rich in protein. It is highly important that when the inflammation is at the worst in the acute stages of the disease, nothing should be given but sugar-water (preferably malt sugar) to the amount of five or six ounces of sugar daily together with strained rice gruel to which a little cream or butter is added. Fever Diet Q. What is the best diet for a fever pa- tient? A. This is a most important question. The diet generally recommended is milk. In many fevers, especially typhoid fever, it would hardly be possible to make a worse selection. Meat broths, beef juice, etc., are still less wholesome, but a milk diet is without doubt in large degree responsible for the diarrhea, the coated tongue, A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 541 and many of the worst symptoms characteristic of this disease. If milk is taken at all in fever, it should be in the form of buttermilk or kumyss; but it is better to discard milk and to administer anti- toxic foods. For the first three or five days a diet of fruit juices will be amply sufficient. The patient may be allowed to take all he wants of natural fruit juices, such as apple juice, grape juice, orange juice, etc. The addition of cane sugar is objectionable. Honey and the sweet syrup obtained by stewing raisins in a small amount of water are far better and more whole- some than cane sugar for sweetening purposes. After the first day or two a rather liberal diet may be adopted, but it must consist chiefly of fruits and vegetables. Cereals may be used in moderation. The best cereals are oatmeal and cornmeal cooked not more than ten minutes. The addition of bran does no harm and aids bowel action. Fats must be used very sparingly on account of their effect upon gastric secretion. The vegetables must be given in the form of purees, and if nuts, either in the form of purees or fruit pieces. The addition of malt sugar to acid fruits, as also to fruit juices, is highly ad- vantageous. 542 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED The Antitoxic Diet Q. Please give the Antitoxic Diet List used at the Battle Creek Sanitarium. A. The following is a copy of diet lists in use at the Sanitarium: Antitoxic Dietary No. 1 Gruels Cereals Taro Dextrinized Foods Oatmeal Granola Cornmeal Browned rice Cream of Wheat Brose Toasted wheat flakes Rusk Toasted corn flakes Breakfast toast Granose biscuit Dry toast Toasted rice flakes Gluten Gruel Rice biscuit Infant food Shredded wheat biscuit Popped corn Malted Foods Granuto Malted nuts Meltose Salads Vegetable Fruit A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 543 Broths and Soups without Cream Vegetables without Cream or Milk Fresh Fruits and Fruit Juices Apples (should be mellow) Raspberry juice Bananas (should be Blackberry juice very ripe) Apple juice Melons Fruit sauces Grape juice Sterilized butter in small amount Antitoxic Dietary No. 2 The Same as No. 1 with the Addition of Yogurt Cottage cheese Leben Cream curd Buttermilk Whey Kumyss Yolks of eggs Kumyzoon Sterilized butter Kefir Articles Which Must Always Be Avoided Meats of all sorts Tea Fish, oysters, shellfish Coffee Lobsters and crabs Cocoa Eggs, except the yolks Chocolate Condiments, excepting salt in very small amount ; never mustard, pepper, or vinegar. 544 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED In very severe cases No. 1 is used, and as the patient recovers, No. 2 is added. The bacteria which produce intestinal autointoxication thrive best in the medium in which animal protein is abundant. They do not thrive well in vege- table protein. Effects of a Meat Diet Q. What are the effects of an excessive meat diet? A. Bouchard's investigations long ago demon- strated that flesh foods contain tissue-toxins in large quantities. Bouchard, Roger, Brieger, and a host of others have carefully studied these poisons, and demonstrated their toxic character. Both Voix and Metchnikoff are authority for the statement that these flesh poisons are capable of producing changes in the visceral walls, the liver, spleen, and other structures. Numerous other facts which have come to light within the past few years point in the same direction, and lead to the conclusion that the free use of flesh food in the dietary of human beings may be, in part at least> respon- sible for subtle changes in the human organism which lay the foundation for many chronic sys- temic disorders, the origin of which has been recognized as more or less obscure. The eti- ology of such maladies as chronic nephritis, he- patic sclerosis, pernicious anemia, chronic intes- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 545 tinal catarrh, various skin disorders, and a multitude of so-called nervous diseases has been by no means clear. For some time back the opinion has been gaining ground among investi- gators that these maladies are due to the influence of poisons circulating in the blood and exercis- ing a pernicious influence upon special organs because of unusual contact or special suscepti- bility. In Watson's experiments a rat fed for three weeks upon an exclusive diet of meat and water died from autointoxication with atrophy of the thyroid gland. It must be admitted that human beings who habitually subject themselves to the influence of the same subtle poisons by the free use of flesh foods must suffer deleter- ious effects therefrom. More than this, Chittenden has recently shown that the average civilized human being habitually eats at least two or three times as much pro- tein as his bodily requirements demand. The excess of protein thus absorbed is all converted into toxic substances, which must enormously overtax the liver, kidneys, and other poison- eliminating structures, besides exposing all the tissues of the body to the deteriorating influ- ence of an excess of toxic substances in the blood. Persons who make free use of meat — a very large class, including most of those who live habitually at hotels and restaurants — in- dulge in a still greater excess of protein, the 546 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED amount often rising to five or six times the normal quantity, or even more. The deterior- ating influence of such a diet is seen in nervous headaches, mental depression, insomnia, ner- vous irritability, various forms of rheumatism and gout, neuralgia, neurasthenia, and a multi- tude of complex forms of ill health difficult to classify because of the interminable mixture of symptoms pointing toward a general vital de- pression. When the amount of protein is reduced to normal limits, flesh food is almost of necessity eliminated from the dietary, for the reason that most cereal foods contain an ample proportion of the protein element, while the legumes, — peas, beans, and lentils, — supplemented if neces- sary by milk and eggs, furnish excess of pro- tein with which to balance up such foods as potatoes, rice, fruits, and other foodstuffs which are poor in proteid. Diet for the Sedentary Q. What foods are especially useful for sedentary persons? A. No one should lead a wholly sedentary life. It is unnatural and disease-producing in spite of any special dietary precautions which may be taken. It may be easily shown, however, that a flesh diet or a high protein diet, that A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 547 is, a diet consisting largely of meat or eggs, is particularly injurious in persons of sedentary habits. When the body is inactive the amount of oxygen received is less than one-fifth that which is absorbed and circulated by the blood during active exercise. A person who is largely confined indoors and has little opportunity for exercise should not only avoid meats, but should use cereals very sparingly. The diet should consist chiefly of fruits of all sorts, potatoes and other fresh vegetables, including uncooked vegetables such as celery, lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers and tomatoes. Bran should also be freely used to stimulate intestinal activity. Diet in Cancer Q. What is the best diet to combat a can- cerous tendency? A. Williams of Bristol, England, has shown that cancer is a disease of meat eating races of men and animals. Those who wish to fortify themselves against cancer should therefore discard meats of all sorts. The fleshless diet promotes purity of blood by suppressing autointoxication. An anti- toxic diet, that is, a diet which discourages the development of putrefactive poisons in the intestine, is specially to be commended as a means of combating cancer. Such a dietary 548 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED should be adopted by all persons suffering from cancer, and also by those who are so unfort- unate as -to have a cancer heredity. An antitoxic dietary excludes not only flesh foods, but tea, coffee, alcohol, tobacco, vinegar, mustard, pepper, peppersauce and other condi- ments, as well as all other toxic and irritating substances. A liberal use should be made of fresh fruits and vegetables because of the large amount of potash which they contain. Potatoes, carrots, raw cabbage, lettuce and cucumbers are espe- cially to be commended. Buttermilk, sourmilk, yogurt milk and such special ferments as yogurt should be used freely. Meatless Diet Q. In what diseases do medical authorities agree in prohibiting the use of flesh foods? A. Martinet, of Paris, enumerates the fol- lowing conditions in which the use of flesh foods is especially contraindicated : 1. A meat diet favors intestinal putrefac- tions, encouraging constipation; it is therefore absolutely contraindicated in acute and chronic gastrointestinal infections, particularly in cases of enteritis. 2. Flesh foods provoke the superabundant A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 549 formation of nitrogenous wastes, of purins in particular; hence they are to be avoided in the various forms of purinemia (gout, lithiasis, chronic rheumatism, plethora, etc.) 3. Flesh foods elevate arterial tension and overwork the heart; contraindicated therefore in cases of hypertension, in arteriosclerosis, ather- oma, aortic aneurisms, myocarditis, cardiac af- fections with broken compensation, or where the least elevation of pressure may invite a failure of compensation. 4. Flesh foods increase the quantity of he- patic toxins, of the urinary excreta, and cause congestion of the liver and kidneys. On this account they are contraindicated in hepatic and renal congestions, the cirrhoses, inflammation of the liver, acute and chronic parenchymatous or interstitial nephritis. 5. Flesh foods are undoubtedly excitants of the nervous system, in the same manner as tea, coffee, etc., on account of the extractive sub- stances contained. On this account, they are contraindicated in cases of neurasthenia, arterial hypertension, insomnia, obstinate neuralgia, — in short, in every case of abnormal excitation of the nervous system whether accompanied by pain or not. 550 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Sugar an Irritant Q. Is sugar in small quantities injurious to a weak stomach? A. Cane sugar is often a source of irritation and disturbance, especially in cases in which the patient is suffering from hyperacidity or chronic gastritis. How an Excess of Starch Is Injurious to Health Q. In what way does an excess of starchy food threaten health? A. It is almost impossible for a person to suffer injury from the use of an excess of starchy food. The evils that are attributed to an excess of starch are not really due to this cause, but to the lack of other needed elements. Starch itself is harmless and does no injury. When the diet consists exclusively of polished rice or fine flour bread, vitamines are lacking. The evil effects often attributed to a farinaceous diet, such as rheumatism, neuralgia, anemia, etc., are due to other causes, especially to lack of vitamines. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 551 Acidosis and Bulgarian Bacillus Q. Will the use of buttermilk or yogurt cause acidosis? A. There is no danger of acidosis from the use of Bacillus Bulgaricus. * The writer has made much use of this antitoxic ferment during many years and has never seen any harmful effects from its use even when taken in large quanti- ties. Wet bran is emollient. Bran acts upon the bowel by titillation. Bran is a "scouring" food. Bran Q. Is bran taken with flakes irritating to the bowels? A. No. Acidosis is the result of the imper- fect use or oxidation of fat in the body. It is like the smoking of a furnace with insufficient draft. Corn Bread Q. Is corn bread good for one who suffers with constipation? A. Corn bread is wholesome food when taken in connection with other foods, but it does not encourage intestinal activity. 552 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Chocolate Drinking Q. Will the drinking of one or two cups of cocoa daily do harm? A. Qiocolate and cocoa are altogether un- wholesome, and if freely indulged in may easily induce conditions which might readily be attri- buted to some nervous disorder. The objectionable feature of cocoa and choco- late is the theobromine which these preparations contain. Theobromine is closely related to caffeine and is essentially the same substance, causing the same evil effects in the body. It is true that the amount of the objectionable element in chocolate is much smaller than in tea and cof- fee, but the quantity is sufficient to produce very decided effects in susceptible persons. Preparations of cocoa from which the theo- bromine has been removed are obtainable. Diet for Dry Skin 0. What diet is suitable for a person suf- fering from dry skin and dry mouth? A. Diet alone will not be sufficient in such a case. An outdoor life, sun baths, and daily cold bathing with friction of the skin are other measures which should not be omitted. It is a A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 553 good thing to apply to the skin daily the fol- lowing unguent: Lanoline 2 oz. Boroglyceride 1 oz. Cold Cream 6 oz. Dryness of the skin in persons past middle life is most often due to thyroid insufficiency; that is, the thyroid gland has atrophied from over work and is not doing its full share of work. In such cases, small doses of the dried thyroid of the sheep may be taken daily with benefit in most cases. Fine Flour Bread and Appendicitis Q. Is it a fact that the use of fine white bread causes appendicitis? A. Yes, anything that encourages constipation has a tendency to produce appendicitis. Constipating Foods Q. What foods have a tendency to produce inactivity of the bowels? A. Liquid foods which contain little indiges- tible residue are anti-laxative, or constipating. Rice, fine wheat flour in bread and similar prepa- rations, cornstarch, Iceland moss, gelatin, white of egg, boiled milk, are constipating. The same 554 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED is also true of oatmeal mush when long cooked, and gruels, and similar preparations. These are highly constipating in character. Foods Which Lessen the Production of Gastric Acid Q. What foods hinder or lessen the pro- duction of gastric acid? A. Fats of all sorts have a remarkable re- straining influence upon the production of hy- drochloric acid in the stomach. This accounts for the influence of milk in diminishing gastric activity. The larger the amount of fat, the less the amount of gastric juice and gastric acid; hence, cream, butter, nuts, ripe olives, olive oil, and all oleaginous foods are useful in cases of hyperpepsia and hyperhydrochloria. Diabetic Foods Q. What foods are best for persons suf- fering from diabetes? A. The popular idea that persons suffering from diabetes should live chiefly upon meats is a serious error. Almost all the eminent auth- orities are agreed that meat, especially under- done meat, is detrimental in diabetes, and that patients do much better on a diet in which ani- mal proteins are replaced by vegetable proteins, A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 555 such as gluten bread and other gluten prepara- tions and nuts of various sorts. Von Noorden arranges the various proteins in the following order as regards their suitability for use by dia- betics: (1) Vegetable proteins, (2) eggs, (3) milk, (4) meats. The following varieties of nuts are especially wholesome. Butternuts Pignolias Brazilnuts Black walnuts Hickory nuts Pecans Filberts Almonds Walnuts Beechnuts Pistachios Cocoanuts The diabetic should make his bill of fare con- sist chiefly of fresh vegetables of which the best are the following: Lettuce Cauliflower Spinach Tomatoes Sauerkraut Rhubarb String beans Egg plant Celery Beet greens Asparagus Water cress Cucumbers Cabbage Brussels sprouts Radishes Endive Pumpkin Dandelions Kohl-rabi Swiss chard Broccoli Sea kale Vegetable marrow 556 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED The following vegetables may be used spar- ingly under the supervision of a physician: Potatoes Shell beans Baked beans Green corn Of fruits the following may be used : Ripe olives (20 per cent, fat) Straw- berries Grape fruit Blackberries Lemons Gooseberries Oranges Peaches Cranberries Pineapple Apples Plums Pears Bananas Apricots Blueberries Cherries Currants Raspberries Huckleberries Other foods which may be used under the sup- ervision of a physician are, oat meal, eggs, milk, buttermilk and rice. Diet in Anemia Q. What should be the proper diet of an anemic person? A. An anemic person should eat a great deal of fresh vegetables, especially green things like lettuce and cucumbers or those things containing a great deal of iron. He does not need to eat meat. Indeed, meat is the very last thing such A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 557 a person should eat. This condition in many cases is due to poisoning by colon germs, which are derived from meat. According to Sherman and other authorities, the iron of vegetables is much more easily assimilated than the iron of blood and meat. Diet in Catarrh Q. What is the proper diet for a person afflicted with long-standing catarrh? A. Nasal catarrh and catarrh in general are the result of low resistance. The blood and tis- sues have lost to some degree their natural power of resistance against the infection of bacteria. Intestinal autointoxication is the most common cause, and no method of cure can be successful without the adoption of an antitoxic, laxative diet, and a thorough building up of the general health by the outdoor life, and all other hygienic means. It is especially important that the bowels should be made to move three or four times a day, thoroughly, so that undigested food rem- nants shall not have time for putrefaction. Cop- ious water drinking is important. Take three to six pints of water daily. Out of door life and open air sleeping are important as well as regulation of diet. A person suffering with catarrh should live the "simple life." 558 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Meat Diet Not Necessary Q. Is a meat diet capable of maintaining the body in a state of vigorous health? A. Says Doctor Carpenter, an eminent Eng- lish physician and scientist, "A well-selected vegetable diet is capable of producing the high- est physical development." Doctor Parkes, probably the most eminent of modern writers on hygiene, says, "The well-fed vegetable eater will show, when in training, no inferiority to the meat eater." The well-known experiments of Lehman show beyond doubt that the use of flesh food requires more work of the kidneys than a vegetable diet. When living on an exclusively animal diet he found that the amount of urea eliminated by the kidneys was two and one-half times as much as when the diet was exclusively vegetable, and one and a half times as much when he par- took of both animal and vegetable food. This shows beyond question that when the diet is ex- clusively animal, the kidneys have more than double the amount of work to do than when it is vegetable in character ; and that when partly ani- mal and partly vegetable, they are required to do one-half additional and extra work. This exces- sive work must inevitably tend to the production of kidney disease, which is becoming a very com- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 559 mon affection among the English and Amer- icans, who, as is well known, eat more animal food than any other civilized nation. Observation made under the writer's super- vision showed that the work required of the kid- neys by a non-flesh low protein diet is scarcely more than a third that demanded by the ordinary mixed diet. Corn Bread in Rheumatism Q. Is corn bread a proper food in cases of chronic rheumatism? A. Yes, but not as an exclusive diet. Cer- eals as a class, with the exception of rice, contain a very considerable excess of acid salts, and hence should not compose too large a portion of the bill of fare. When cereals are used, a considerable proportion of fresh vegetables and fruits, including uncooked foods, should be taken at each meal.. Tortillas Q. Are tortillas as made by the Mexicans good food? A. As they are ordinarily made, they are rather indigestible. But if they are kept upon a hot tin until they are thoroughly dried out and toasted (the Mexicans call them "tortillas tost- ados") they are very wholesome indeed. 560 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Balanced Diet Q. What is a balanced ration? A. That diet which is carefully adapted to the individual's work, both in its proportion of the various food elements (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) and in quantity. The normal diet for a man of medium size doing sedentary work is two thousand calories, the proteins, fats and carbohydrates being in the ratio of 1 :3 :6. That is, one-tenth of the day's intake should be protein, one-third the remainder should be fats, and the rest carbohydrates. The following table shows approximately the total number of cal- ories, with the proportion of the various food elements for men and women of different heights : MEN Height Calories or Food Units in In. Proteins Fats Carbohydrates Total 61 197 591 1,182 1,970 62 200 600 1,200 2,000 63 204 . 612 1,224 2,040 64 210 630 1,260 2,100 65 215 645 1,290 2,150 66 221 663 1,326 2,210 67 228 684 1,368 2,280 68 236 708 1,416 2,360 69 243 729 1,458 2,430 70 251 753 1,506 2,510 71 260 780 1,560 2,600 72 269 807 1,614 2,690 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 561 Height Calories or Food Units in In. Proteins Fats Carbohydrates Total 73 278 834 1,668 2,780 74 288 864 1,728 2,880 75 300 900 WOMEN 1,800 3,000 59 179 537 1,074 1,790 60 183 549 1,098 1,830 61 186 558 1,116 1,860 62 191 573 1,146 1,910 63 197 591 1,182 1,970 64 201 603 1,206 2,010 65 209 627 1,254 2,090 66 215 645 1,290 2,150 67 221 663 1,326 2,210 68 227 581 1,362 2,270 69 232 696 1,392 2,320 70 239 717 1,434 2,390 One engaged in hard muscular labor should increase the above amount by one-half, increas- ing at the same time the proportion of fats and carbohydrates, particularly the latter. Where the individual's work is extremely sedentary, calling for constant sitting at a desk, the total ration will in most cases be cut down to a point indicated by the individual's appetite. The amount which this calls for varies with the sea- sons, more food being consumed during the win- ter months than in the summer. The amount of food required depends primarily upon the amount of skin surface, as food is principally needed to maintain animal heat, which is chiefly lost through the skin. A child has a much 562 A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED larger skin surface in proportion to its weight than has a larger person. For example, a child weighing ten pounds has a skin surface of three square feet, while a man weighing 180 pounds, or eighteen times as much, has a skin area of about 21 square feet, only seven times greater. The child of ten pounds requires, then, about one-seventh as much food as a man weighing 180 pounds, instead of only one-eighteenth as much. Persons who are thin in flesh and who have good digestion may be able to appropriate ten to twenty per cent more of fats or of carbohy- drates than a person in ordinary health. The total number of units should rarely exceed 2,400 food units or calories, and the amount may often be diminished with profit, under medical direction, to 1,500 or 1,200, or even less for a time. In cases of obesity the food intake is usually reduced about one-third. A two-thirds ration may be safely followed for a long time. The amount of energy required to the body varies, of course, with the season, with the weather, and with the amount and kind of work done. Hard, physical work and exposure to low temperature demand the largest food supply. It should be stated, however, that a person whose occupation is indoors in an atmosphere the temperature of which is practically the same :vs A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 563 that of average summer temperature, does not require more food in the winter than in the sum- mer season, since his loss of heat is no greater. A person who perspires very freely, however, either when at work during the hot season out of doors or in a heated room at any season, re- quires practically as much food as one doing the same amount of work in a cold atmosphere, be- cause of the large amount of heat carried off from the body by the evaporation of perspira- tion from the skin. In estimating the number of calories required by persons of different weights and skin sur- faces, the weight in pounds was multiplied by the factor 4.25, and the surface, or skin area, by 80, the sum of these two products repre- senting the number of calories required to make good the losses of energy expended in vital work through the dissipation of heat from the body by radiation, conduction, and evaporation of moisture from the skin and from the cutan- eous and respiratory surfaces. The Daily Ration Q. How may one estimate the amount of food that he is taking at each meal? A. This can be done only by carefully weigh- ing or measuring the foods and consulting a reliable table. (See the Sanitarium Diet List). 564 A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED Diet of Brain Workers Q. Do persons engaged in hard brain labor require an extra amount of food? A. The interesting and exhaustive researches that have been carried on by Benedict and others, have shown that the amount of food required by a person doing the very hardest kind of brain work is scarcely more than that required by the person who simply loafs, doing nothing at all. It appears from these experiments, and those of Rubner and other European investigators that the amount of food required depends first upon the amount of heat lost, since two-thirds to three- fourths of all the food eaten is consumed in main- taining bodily heat, and second upon the amount of muscular work performed. The actual amount of food required by a sedentary person engaged in mental work, during ten hours a day is not more than two-thirds the amount needed by a person engaged for the same length of time in vigorous muscular work. The Newly Discovered Vitamines Q. What are vitamines? A. Vitamines, the most recently discovered of food elements, are subtle substances which are absolutely essential to natural development and good nutrition. Vitamines do not actually A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 565 enter into the composition of the body, but do in some way not yet fully understood keep in efficient operation the life processes in ways which are absolutely essential to our physical well being. Recent studies of vitamines by the experts of the U. S. Public Health Service indicate that there are several different sorts of vitamines, which are found in different proportions in dif- ferent substances. The absence of certain vita- mines gives rise to beri-beri, a disease which de- stroys the lives of many thousands annually in oriental countries where polished rice is the staple food, and is not unknown in this coun- try. Beri-beri is very common among the fisher- men of Labrador and Newfoundland who live largely on fine flour bread and tea. A diet of tea and toast is an open invitation to beri-beri. Scurvy is another disease due to absence of certain special vitamines which probably are dif- ferent from those which cause beri-beri. Rick- ets in children and pellagra in adults also prob- ably belong to this same class of deficiency dis- eases. According to the best authorities, the follow- ing food substances are rich in vitamines which prevent beri-beri: — 566 A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED Foods Which Prevent Beri-beri Foods Which Cause Beri-beri. Beans Polished rice Peas Fine wheat flour Egg yolk Hominy Fresh milk Corn flour Whole grains Corn and rice flakes Rice All cereals deprived of bran Barley Corn and wheat starch Wheat Pork Rye Lard Rice bran Sterilized (boiled) milk Fresh meat sterilized meat (canned meat and Wheat bran fish) \east Canned vegetables Cabbage, turnips, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, greens and similar vegetables are poor in beri- beri preventing vitamines. It is a remarkable fact, however, that these same foods, together with fresh fruits are very rich in the vitamines which prevent scurvy. Foods Which Prevent Scurvy Fresh milk (Not boiled or pasteurized) Fresh vegetables Fresh fruits Fruit juices (Unboiled) Foods Which Are Poor in Scurvy Preventing Vita- mines Sterilized milk Canned meats Canned vegetables Dried vegetables Dried fruits Dried cereals Lard Infants and young children often suffer from deficiency diseases and hence the above facts are of utmost value and importance in relation to the feeding of children as well as adults. Studies of beri-beri in the Philippines by gov- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 567 ernment experts show that the disease is com- monly accompanied by dilatation of the right ventricle of the heart. Later observations have shown that certain vitamines are fat soluble and others water soluble. Both are needed for growth and healthy develop- ment. Children fed on pasteurized or sterilized milk should be fed daily one or two ounces of orange juice or potato soup seasoned with a little butter. It is believed that lack of vitamines may be the cause of many chronic ailment such as neu- ralgia, neuritis, rheumatism and general decline. Mould Q. Is bread or other food unfit to eat when mould appears upon the surface ? A. When mould is present on the outside of a loaf of bread, the spores are certain to be pres- ent in great numbers in the loaf itself, such food is unfit to be eaten, at least without sterilizing. Such bread, if the mold is slight, may be made wholesome by cutting into slices and toasting till hard and crisp. Mould is produced by spores which are con- stantly present in the air and which mingle more or less with all the foods we eat. The 568 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED spores of moulds are present in great quantity in such foodstuffs as bread, crackers, and other bakery products. M. Pietro, an Italian investigator, in the study of pellagra made the discovery that the common green mould, known as penicilium glaucum produces a highly toxic substance in its spore. This toxin is* active when introduced into the stomach or into the skin. Dogs, rab- bits and guinea-pigs are sensitive to its effects as well as human beings. The poison of green mould produces muscular trembling, paralysis, spasms, and other symptoms which in many re- spects resemble the symptoms of pellagra. Old cheese always contains mold. Certain varieties of cheese, such as brie and cammem- bert cheese, contain much mold. Fresh cream cheese and cottage cheese do not contain moulds. In the light of the above facts, mouldy f'od is unfit to be eaten. Persons whose stomachs make no gastric acid must especially avoid mouldy foods for the reason that the moulds may attach themselves to the stomach walls and become a permanent source, of infection of the food. The Sense of Taste Q. Where is the sense of taste located? A. The nerves of taste are distributed to the point and upper portion of the tongue, the lower portion of the soft palate not including the A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 569 uvula, the back of the soft palate, the epiglottis and even the inside of the larynx. In a child the lining membrane of the cheek, the roof of the mouth and the whole of the upper surface of the tongue are sensitive to taste. As life ad- vances, the area covered by the sense of taste gradually diminishes. In very advanced age, the sense of taste almost disappears. The primary tastes are: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, alkaline and metallic. Oily, i aromatic, pungent and astringent flavors are due to a combined stimulation of the senses of taste, smell, touch and temperature. Sweet is perceived by the upper part of the tongue, bitter by the back part. The salty taste is perceived the most quickly. The next most quickly perceived is the sweet, then the sour and slowest of all, bitter. It has been suggested that the stomach also has a sense of taste, but this is not true although the stomach possesses to some degree the sense of feeling. The sense of taste is not lessened by bodily fatigue, which greatly diminishes the acuteness of the sense of smell. The nerves of taste may be deceived. After rinsing the mouth with very dilute sulphuric acid, pure distilled water has a sweet taste. The sense of taste is intensified by contrasts. A very dilute salt solution utterly devoid of taste will increase the sweetness of a sugar solution taken afterwards. A dilute 570 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED solution of cocaine destroys the sense of taste. Ice water benumbs the nerves of taste, obliter- ating the flavor of all except sour substances. Chronic catarrh of the nose and throat dimin- ishes the sense of taste as well as the sense of smell. The acuteness of the sense of taste may be greatly increased by education. Weight of Ordinary Diet Q. What is the weight of an ordinary diet? A. The weight of the day's ration will de- pend, of course, almost entirely upon the char- acter of the food selected. For example, a pound of nuts is capable of furnishing all the energy required by a man en- gaged in active muscular pursuits. Of course, such a diet would be much too concentrated. A mixed ration of fruits, nuts and such fresh foods as lettuce, celery, etc., will weigh about two and one half to four pounds. Ptomaines Q. What are ptomaines? A. These are poisonous substances which are formed whenever animal flesh undergoes putre- faction. That ptomaines are not only present in the intestinal contents, but that they are ab- sorbed and circulated throughout the body and A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 571 thus brought in contact with all the tissues is clearly shown by the fact that they have been recovered from the urine. Numerous observers have found cadaverin, putrescin and other pto- maines in the urine of various subjects in differ- ent forms of disease. Mixed Starches Q. Is a mixture of starches healthful? A. Starch is one of the most wholesome of all food principles. Healthy persons may take as many different kinds of starch at a meal as they like. Diabetics are able to tolerate a single kind, better than mixed starches. When the food is rich in starch an abundance of fruit juices must be taken to furnish vitamines. Potatoes Q. Is a diet consisting very largely of potatoes healthful? A. Certainly, provided the other part of the diet consists of suitable, complementary food- stuffs. Potatoes contain no fat, and are an in- sufficient diet without the addition of fat. A man observed by Hinhede lived for more than a year, working at very hard labor, on a diet consisting exclusively of potatoes and fat. 572 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Digestive Enzyme of Pineapple Juice Q. Is the juice of the pineapple of any value as a digestive agent? A. In reply to a similar question, an able chemist and authority on diet said: "There is present in pineapple juice an enzyme which has some little digestive power. The pineapple is a most wholesome and useful fruit. Its value as a digestant and a cure of sore throats is greatly exaggerated. It will take about 1.7 pints of the juice to digest the white of one egg in the most favorable conditions, while one-twenty-eighth of an ounce of the pepsin which is normally present in the stomach will di- gest about six pounds of egg albumen. Beware of fads." Food Absorption Q. How may the absorption of food be en- couraged? A. Experiments have shown that the rate of absorption by the intestine depends largely upon the degree of pressure within the abdominal cavity. The effect of increased pressure upon the rate of absorption of liquids is the same as an increase of atmospheric pressure on the passage of liquids through a filter. The intra- abdominal pressure is influenced by several fac- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 573 tors, especially the tone of the intestinal walls, the weight of intestinal tract, the contraction of the intestinal muscles, the pressure of the abo- minal muscles and the diaphragm in breathing and especially in deep breathing. The last two factors, which are perhaps the most powerful of all, may be readily controlled. When the abdominal muscles are weak and the breathing shallow, absorption is necessarily slow. The strength of the muscles may be increased by gymnastic exercises and by applications of electricity. Automatic exercise of the abdominal muscles is especially useful. The diaphragm may be brought into useful action by deep breathing. For many years the writer has rec- ommended to his patients the practice of deep breathing after meals, and has found this an efficient means of relieving the sensation of heaviness or weight in the abdomen; this is probably due to accumulation of blood in the abdominal vessels and interference with absorp- tion. An excellent method of encouraging ab- sorption, is to practice deep breathing while ly- ing upon the back with a sandbag, or weighted compress, upon the abdomen. The weight of the sandbag may be ten to forty pounds, according to the strength of the patient. Lying on the face also encourages absorption. The small boy lies over a barrel when his stomach aches. 574 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Uric Acid in Foods Q. Is the amount of uric acid found in dif- ferent foods known? A. Doctor Hall of Manchester, England, de- voted a year to the study of this question. The following table shows the results of his care- fully conducted studies: Grains per Pound Fish 8.15 Mutton 6.75 Veal 8.14 Pork , 8.48 Sweetbread (thymus) 70.53 Beefsteak 14.45 Liver 19.26 Oatmeal 3.46 Peas 2.54 Beans 4.17 Potatoes 0.14 Asparagus 1.50 Tea 3.22 Coffee 4.53 Milk 0.00 Eggs 0.00 Cabbage, lettuce 0.00 Cauliflower 0.00 Rice 0.00 Wheat Bread (white) 0.00 Peas and beans are the only common vegetable foods which contain more than traces of uric acid. The amount is very small. If comparison is made of the actual dry substance, beefsteak contains A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 575 twenty-two times as much uric acid as peas and fourteen times as much as beans. By par-boil- ing, the uric acid of peas and beans may be re- moved. Laughing an Aid to Digestion Q. How does laughing aid digestion? A. The moving of the food from place to place along the alimentary canal is done chiefly by the intestine itself, but in part the work is done by the diaphragm. The stomach lies just under- neath the diaphragm, which is simply a thin mus- cular partition, with the heart on one side and the stomach on the other. In action the diaphragm moves up and down upon the stomach. As we breathe out and in the diaphragm moves the stomach up and down, so that the contents of the stomach are churned by the process. If one breathes deeply, this churning movement is quite vigorous. If one breathes very slowly and super- ficially, then the action of the diaphragm upon the stomach will be very little. This is the rea- son why, when people go to sleep directly after eating, food remains a long time in the stomach. The breathing is repressed to such a degree when we are asleep that the food remains in the stom- ach nearly twice as long as when we are awake. The effect of laughing is to increase the action of the diaphragm. A hearty laugh thus renders valuable assistance to digestion, not simply be- 576 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED cause there is a pleasant state of mind, which makes the condition favorable for all the func- tions of the body, but because of actual mechan- ical assistance. Amino Acids Q. What are amino acids? A. Modern chemical researches have shown that all proteins are made up of a considerable number of substances to which the term amino acids has been applied. These substances, some- times spoken of by writers on dietetics as "build- ing stones," differ in number and in kind in the different proteins; indeed the difference that is recognizable between proteins from different sources, animal and vegetable are due to the dif- ference in the kind, number and proportions of the amino acids of which they are composed. Every plant produces proteins peculiar to itself. The proteins of the different tissues of the body also differ. In the process of digestion protein is reduced to these amino acids, which after ab- sorption are circulated in the blood to the several tissues and are by the individual cells of the body reassembled, each class of cells or tissues making from the building stones the kind of pro- tein which is required for its growth and repair. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 577 Effect of Starvation Upon Body Cells Q. What is the effect of starvation upon the body cells? A. Although there is a constant loss of pro- tein during starvation it is now known that this does not result from the actual death or de- struction of any considerable number of cells, but rather a diminution in the size of the indi- vidual cells. The cells become thinner as their stores of energy are exhausted, but do not actually perish. Fasting Q. Is fasting beneficial? A. There are certain conditions in which fasting is necessary and to the highest degree beneficial, as for example in cases of gastric or duodenal ulcer, especially if accompanied by hemorrhage, after operations upon the stomach and sometimes in fever cases. The idea that fasting is highly beneficial as a means of free- ing the body of poisons has little scientific foun- dation. The worst poisons from which the body suffers are those which result from putrefaction in the intestine. If the intestine can be thor- oughly freed from putrefying substances and kept free the body quickly clears itself from other poisons through the cleansing power of the blood 578 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED which washes every tissue and is itself puri- fied though the action of the kidneys, lungs and depurating organs. The chief advantage ordin- arily gained by a fast is restriction of the amount of protein taken into the body. Essen- tially the same advantages may be obtained by adopting a dietary which contains little or no protein for some days. The elimination of fats is also sometimes beneficial. There is rarely any advantage in withholding carbohydrates, that is, starch and sugar. Carbohydrates are anti-toxic and render val- uable service in destroying the poison- forming bacteria. It is important, that the intestinal secre- tions and excretions should be regularly dis- charged from the body during fasting as well as at other times. Daily movements of the bowels may be secured by the taking of sub- stances which supply bulk without protein. The damage done to the body by long fasting is simply appalling. Experiments and observa- tions made upon animals and upon human be- ings who have been subjected to prolonged fasts have afforded abundant evidence of the terrible consequences to the various bodily organs, as a result of the determined effort of the body to maintain animal heat and the various bodily activities in the absence of a proper food supply. The situation of the body may be aptly com- pared to that which exists in a home during a A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 579 fuel famine. In the absence of coal or other fuel, rather than freeze to death the occupants of the house burn up the furniture, and even tear up floors and break down the partitions to keep the fire going. Of course if there had been a considerable amount of fuel on hand, the destruction of the house would naturally be post- poned until the store of fuel was exhausted. This is perfectly analogous to what occurs in the body. An extra accumulation of fat may be reduced' by a fast without particular injury, as an excess of fat represents a surplus of food which has been taken in and deposited as resid- ual tissue. The hunger cure, administered with caution and under medical supervision, is, in- deed, an excellent remedy in obesity ; but in per- sons who have no surplus fat to protect the ac- tive tissues, the destruction of the various or- gans begins at once with the commencement of a fast. Abnormal Appetite Q. What is the best means of controlling an abnormal appetite? A. Thorough mastication of the food. In such cases it is well to take a little food half an hour before the meal. This has a tendency to lessen the appetite. 580 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED It is also highly important to eat much bulky food and especially at the beginning of a meal, such foods as lettuce, spinach, turnips and bran or agar-agar. Appetite and Instinct Q. May the diet be regulated by instinct? A. Modern investigation seems to show that the nutrition of the body is protected by in- stinctive functions which, if followed, will serve as accurate guides, not only to the amount of food, but also as to the kind of foods which should be eaten. Laboratory dogs instinctively regulate and se- lect their diet. A dog taking no exercise eats less than a dog taking exercise. On warm days dogs refuse food which will be eaten on cold days. This was probably true of man before the advent of cookery. Lower animals still possess these instincts, but human beings have so long disregarded the real needs of the body that even intelligent people are often unable to interpret properly the meaning of appetite or hunger. The average man, in other words, does not stop to consider whether the inclination to take food may be prompted by an actual bodily need or whether it is simply a desire to gratify his sense of taste. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 58! Many people make a practise of taking food in as large quantities and as frequently as they find it possible to eat with a relish. An excellent illustration of this is found by Taylor in the fact that most people eat four or five times as much common salt as the body can find any use for. The Mind Affects Appetite Q. What is sitophobia? A. Sitophobia is morbid fear in relation to food, or an aversion to foods resulting from strong mental impression. Nearly every per- son has experienced the loss of relish for some well liked dish after having encountered a dis- appointment due to the blunder of a cook or an attack of indigestion following indulgence in a favorite dish. The success of the Keeley cure was based upon this princi- ple. The patient was informed that he could drink whiskey as often and as much as he pleased, but care was taken just before the whiskey was swallowed to administer an injec- tion of apomorphia, a substance which produced after a few minutes, great nausea. The pa- tient attributed the nausea to the whiskey and so acquired a mental prejudice against it which 582 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED protected him against the alcohol so long as the impression lasted. A recent writer on sitophobia gives an account of a man who lost his appetite for cat fish after having discovered the putrid carcass of a cow entangled in the river weeds of his favorite fishing place and surrounded by a school of catfish. A boy who was very fond of apple dumpling lost his appetite entirely for this toothsome dish after having suffered a fit of indigestion from eating more dumpling than his stomach was able to dispose of. The World's Future Food Supply Q. Is there danger of a nation wide or world wide shortage of food? A. We have six million farms, a billion acres, half under cultivation. That is, Uncle Sam every year plants 500,000,000 acres, almost 1,000,000 square miles, and gathers the crop. And here is the crop: Corn 184,000,000,000 lbs. Wheat 41,700,000,000 " Oats 37,500,000,000 " Rye 1,320,000,000 " Barley 5,400,000,000 " Rice 680,000,000 " A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 583 Sweet Potatoes 3,426,000,000 lbs. Potatoes 20,280,000,000 " Sugar Beets 1,586,706,000 " Apples and other fruits 13,000,000,000 " Beans 619,000,000 " Total 309,511,000,000 lbs. An annual crop of more than three billion pounds of substantial food, 3,000 pounds, a ton and a half, for each inhabitant. And yet we talk about hunger and famine ! Allowing one million calories a year (more than a full ration for an average adult) for every one of the 100,000,000 children of Uncle Sam we find that the annual crop is ample to feed them all and there will be enough left over to feed more than three times as many more. In other words, the staple vegetable foods pro- duced annually in the United States will suffice to feed amply more than 400,000,000. What becomes of this enormous crop of good foods? There are others. Besides the 100,000,000 hu- man inhabitants of the United States there are 200,000,000 others with big hungry mouths. Horses, oxen, cows, mules, sheep, pigs, all busy eating up our farm crops, besides occupying an enormous area of land that might otherwise be utilized in rearing food crops. 584 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Our 22,000,000 milch cows we need of course, and the 25,000,000 horses and mules we shall have to keep until the time when tractors have taken their places ; but the 47,000,000 steers and 48,000,000 hogs we can easily get along with- out. As the population of the world increases, man will be compelled to return to his natural, biologic diet by economic forces which he cannot possibly ignore nor set aside. China, Japan, India, other old civilizations have proven this. So, as the great Virchow once said, "The future is with the vegetarians." Why not begin now? This is an easy, sure, safe and scientific solution of the food problem which now confronts the coun- try and the world. The Danger of Famine Q. Is there danger of famine in the United States? A. If the agriculturists of the country will devote their attention to the production of the largest possible crops of cereals, beans, and po- tatoes, and will save these choice foods for hu- man consumption instead of wasting a large measure by feeding them to cattle and hogs, the food resources of the country may be enormously increased. Taking the average food productivity per acre as ten times that of meat, or 1,500,000 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 585 calories, the total product of the 300 million acres of improved farm land will reach the enormous sum of 450 trillion calories, sufficient to supply each one of our 100 million citizens with more than 12,000 calories per day or more than five times the food required. In other words, if the land at present under cultivation were devoted wholly to the raising of cereals, potatoes, beans and other foods of equal value, the land that is at present under cultivation would feed five times the present population. At the present time we are cultivating less than one-fourth of our acreage, so if we were to utilize all our land in the raising of profitable crops even by our present unscientific and inefficient methods of cultivation we should be able to produce food enough to support a population at least twenty times as large as our present population — in other words to feed two billion people. If in addition we should improve our methods of agriculture by the employment of up-to-date and intensive methods of productivity all the land could doubtless be increased at least two and a half times, probably even much more than this, so that it is not unreasonable to believe that when scientific methods become universal in the United States and all our land shall be brought into cultivation and utilized in the best manner possible, this country will be able to produce food enough to support a population of five billion 586 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED people. Certainly there is no occasion at the present time for any alarm in reference to food shortage if we will cease to waste our cereals by unprofitable feeding to hogs and cattle and to destroy it for the production of beer and distilled liquors. Food and Food Values Biologic Living Q. What is biologic living? A. The great biologic laws, under the control of which man has been developed during count- less ages, are as immutable and as unescapable as the force of gravitation. The principles which rule our physical being are the most fundamental elements of human life. Most human maladies and miseries are the natural result of our failure to recognize this profound truth. Hunger, thirst, desire for air, sunlight, and other bodily appetites are primitive in- stincts which, if followed implicitly and ra- tionally, would result in the highest degree of physical vigor and efficiency. But we pervert every instinct. We affect habits that are wholly foreign to our biologic requirements and adaptions. In- stinct calls us to live in the open. We imprison ourselves in offices, factories, and air-tight bed- rooms. The result is the great white plague, tuberculosis. Instinct calls for water to cool and cleanse the vital machinery. We guzzle beer, wine, whiskey, 588 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED tea, coffee and other intoxicants, and suffer countless miseries in consequence. Instinct and biologic law teach us to select a bill of fare identical with that of our cousins, the anthropoids — the chimpanzee, the orang and the gorilla, who with man form the family of primates, one of the most ancient and most re- markable of all animal races. But instead of contenting ourselves with the natural products of the earth — fruits, nuts, soft grains and tender shoots — we have unlawfully and unbiologically invaded the food stores of nearly every other species of animal. We eat fish with the cor- morant; wild game with the lion and the eagle; we gnaw bones with the dog and nibble cheese with the larvae of flies and other insects. We gulp down oysters and clams with the sea gull and the pelican and we eat putrescent meats (prime beef) with the carrion crow and the buz- zard, and the result is universal dyspepsia. The human digestive machine cannot deal with such a miscellaneous assortment of foodstuffs. No single stomach can properly digest the bill of fare of all creation. Our fundamental adaptations and. nutritive needs we cannot change. We must bow to the Omnipotent Forces which made us as we are, and conform our lives to the cosmic order. We must keep step with the music of the spheres to which the old Greek philosophers listened; we A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 589 must keep ourselves "in tune with the infinite." This is the key to the normal, healthy life. Fletcherism Q. What is fletcherism? A. Fletcherism is practically synonymous with thorough mastication. Mr. Horace Fletcher by experiments upon himself and others demon- strated the importance of thorough mastication of food. Mr.Fletcher proved that thorough chew- ing secured at least the following advantages : 1. A better appreciation of the food, that is, increased gustatory pleasure. 2. More thorough digestion of the food. 3. A very great economy in the amount of food required, it being found that the intake of food might be reduced one-third or even one- half without loss of weight and with actual gain in physical comfort, efficiency and endurance. 4. It was especially noted by Mr. Fletcher that a great reduction might be made in the the amount of protein required to satisfy the de- mand of the appetite and the needs of the body. Mr. Fletcher's experience and that of many of his disciples showed that thorough mastica- tion reduced the need for protein to such an ex- tent that flesh meats of all kinds might be easily and advantageously eliminated. 590 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED 5. Mr. Fletcher also noted that the applica- tion of his principle to alcoholic beverages by slow sipping and long retention of the liquid in the mouth very soon eliminated the desire for these beverages. The appetite for tobacco also in time disappeared. Of course, Mr. Fletcher did not discover chew- ing. Many old writers, especially Brillat Savarin, strongly insisted upon the importance of thor- ough mastication of the food. For more than forty years, the author has preached the gospel of thorough mastication. The purpose to encourage the eating of dry foods and thorough mastication of the foods, led to the invention of cereal flakes now the most popular of breakfast foods but usually eaten moist instead of dry, as intended by the inventor. Chilli Q. What is chilli; and is its use injurious? A. Chilli is a term sometimes used for a variety of red pepper. Its use produces the same injurious effects as pepper in other forms. The essential oil of pepper is a highly irritant substance. According to Williams, an eminent English authority on foods, the oil of cayenne is nearly as poisonous as prussic acid. The effect of the contact of this highly irritating oil with the skin and the mucous membrane of the eye is well A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 591 known. Intense congestion and irritation often followed by severe inflammation are the result of an external application of cayenne, capsicum, or chilli. The actual effect of an internal applica- tion of this poisonous substance is essentially the same as that of an external application, though not so immediate or severe, for the rea- son that the irritant is diluted, and its effects thus attenuated by the admixture of mucus and other secretions. The effect of the repeated irritations of the stomach produced by the use of chillis, pepper, capsicum, and allied sub- stances is to induce a chronic inflamma- tion which finally results in gastric catarrh and destruction of the glands of the stomach and apepsia. Boix of Paris showed that pepper pro- duces hardening of the arteries and gin liver, and that it is six times as active a poison as gin. Condiments Q. Are such spices as cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, cloves, and ginger proper foods? A. Spices and condiments of all sorts are not foodstuffs in the ordinary sense. While it is probably true that these substances may be used in extremely minute quantities for a long time without apparent injury their free use is highly objectionable. They finally irritate the stomach, damage the liver and kidneys and when freely 592 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED used produce hardening of the arteries and high blood pressure. Persons who suffer from kid- ney disease, arteriosclerosis, hyperacidity, gall- stones or urinary disorders of any sort should especially avoid the use of condiments. Of course it can hardly be claimed that extremely minute quantities of cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg which are sometimes used in flavoring beverages are productive of serious injury. Phosphates Q. What are the best sources of phos- phates? A. Phosphates are found in abundance in whole grain, especially in oat meal, cracked wheat, wheat flakes, graham bread and other whole grain preparations. Wheat bran is of course very rich in phosphates. Milk also con- tains phosphates in abundance. Pickles Q. Why are pickles considered unwhole- some? A. Pickles, being hardened by the action of acetic acid and salt, perhaps with the addition of alcohol, become almost absolutely indigestible. When taken into the stomach they resist the ac- tion of gastric juice much as would sawdust or A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 593 pebbles, and become a source of great irritation and even of inflammation and chronic disease. Green olives, brandied peaches, and other pre- serves must be put in the same Category. Fresh, crisp cucumbers are very wholesome for per- sons whose digestive organs are in a fair condi- tion. Lemon juice should be substituted for vinegar. The acid of vinegar has been shown by Boix to be twice as active as alcohol in pro- ducing "gin liver." It is quite unwholesome for well persons, and must be rigorously excluded from the bill of fare of the invalid. Benjamin Franklin a Diet Reformer Q. Was Benjamin Franklin a vegetarian? A. In his autobiography Franklin describes his diet as, at least at certain periods, strictly ex- cluding flesh meats of all sorts. He declares that on this simple fare he found himself able to do more work than his companions on their ordinary meat fare and that the expense of the food was scarcely as great. Franklin became so much engaged in politics and in the struggle of the colonies for inde- pendence that he seems to have made no serious effort to propagate his heretical dietetic views, but in his autobiography he not only mentions his experiments with a non-flesh dietary, but clearly declares his belief in its efficiency and su- periority. 594 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED Sulphuric Acid in Fruit Q. Is there any test to determine whether the dried fruits in the market contain sul- phuric acid? A. Yes. To a decoction of the fruit to be tested add a few drops of a ten-per-cent solu- tion of barium chloride. A white precipitate may result. If this still remains after the addi- tion of two or three drops of strong hydro- chloric acid, it is evidence of the presence of excess of sulphates. Alum in Baking Powder Q. Is alum injurious when used with foods in the form of baking powder? A. Alum is an astringent, an emetic, and a mild escharotic. In solution, alum condenses the tissues by coagulating their albumin. It is a poison, and produces gastrointestinal irri- tation. Baking Powder Q. Are baking powders harmful? A. The free use of baking powders, as well as the free use of common salt, is unquestionably responsible to a degree at least for the dyspepsia which has come to be almost universal at the A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 595 present time. Simplicity is the first essential to safety. The addition of chemical substances of any sort to our natural foodstuffs is un- wise and dangerous. Funk states that the alkalis of baking powders may destroy vitamines. The No-Breakfast Plan Q. When a person eats no breakfast, is it best to take a little fruit or to go without even that? A. If one has little appetite in the morning it is better to make the breakfast consist of fruit, or fruit and bran with lettuce and celery. A breakfast of this sort will furnish bulk, whereby the bowels will be stimulated to action without imposing any heavy burden upon the digestive glands since the amount of nutriment afforded by such a breakfast is so small that very little digestive fluid will be required. Diet in Gold Countries Q. Will a fleshless diet support life in a cold country like the Arctic region? A. That flesh food is not absolutely essential to sustain life in the Arctic regions is proven by the fact that the musk-ox, the reindeer, and 596 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED other vegetable eating animals flourish in those regions, although their food is of the most scanty kind. Again, it should be remembered that the albuminous elements, which are most abundant in flesh food, are not those which supply the largest amount of heat to the body. The heat- producing elements are the carbonaceous, of which vegetables contains a large proportion in the form of starch, sugar, and fat. Faintness Before Eating Q. When one feels faint before eating what is the cause? A. There is an irritated condition of the stomach and it means one should avoid eating large meals or bulky food and especially should avoid acids, mustard, pepper and condiments. Proper Reclining Position after Eating Q. On which side should one lie after eat- ing? A. Observations made with x-ray after a bis- muth meal have demonstrated that lying upon the left side immediately after eating aids the passage of food from the stomach. Persons who have dilatation of the stomach or who experi- ence a sense of weight and heaviness or pro- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 597 longed delay of food in the stomach after eat- ing often find relief in lying- upon the left side. Benzoate of Soda Q. Is food containing benzoate of soda harmful? A. Some years ago, Doctor Wiley, then at the head of the United States Pure Food De- partment, condemned benzoate of soda as a food preservative. The German government having become interested in the controversy in this country appointed a board of experts which criticised the findings of the Referee board which had reversed Doctor Wiley's decision and confirmed the position taken by Doctor Wiley. The German commission maintained that the experiments with large doses of benzoates made by the Referee Board were of too short dura- tion, and held that ill results might easily fol- low the long-continued administration of the preservative in very large doses. It also ad- vised against the use of benzoates in food on the theoretical ground that, though they were evidently innocuous in small doses, one might eat and drink in the course of the day so many things containing them that a sufficient quantity might be taken to be injurious. 598 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED Flax Seed Q. Is flax seed a good laxative? A. Flax seed used in its ordinary form is highly indigestible, and hence may act as a stim- ulant to the intestine. It has no specific laxative properties. Fruit Diet Q, What constitutes a sufficient fruit meal when the fruit diet is kept up for three or four days? A. As much as can be conveniently eaten. Time for Meals Q. What are the best hours for meals, especially for the dinner hour? A. Food is fuel. It supplies energy to the body just as coal supplies energy to a locomo- tive. The body begins to receive energy from the food almost immediately after it is taken into the stomach. The intake of energy from food increases steadily for the first three hours, then it begins to diminish. It is evident then, that a hearty meal should be taken early in the day instead of late at night. A portion of the food taken is stored up in the liver for use when needed. When a hearty meal is taken at night A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 599 the liver has to carry a heavy load for some hours before it can be unburdened, and much to its disadvantage. One Meal a Day Plan 0. Some persons have advocated the plan of eating once a day. Is this plan a good one? The number and order of meals is us- ually determined by the nature of one's work. The ideal arrangement is, breakfast at nine or ten. and dinner at three or four, with no hard work to be performed after dinner, for experi- ments have shown that digestion proceeds with difficulty during the performance of work. The more common two-meal plan, luncheon at noon and dinner at six, is good, provided special attention is paid the quick digestibility of the dinner, in order that digestion may be completed before one retires at night, digestion being- more difficult during sleep than during work. The three-meal a day plan is not necessarily disadvant- ageous if care be taken that no more food is taken with the three meals than the system really needs. Where, however, an early breakfast is eaten, with a light luncheon, a sufficient number of calories have been taken to make unnecessary a heavy, several-course dinner. When an individual's work is extremely se- dentary, calling for constant sitting at a desk, the 600 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED total ration will in most cases be cut down to a point indicated by the individual's appetite. The amount called for will vary with the seasons, more food being needed during the winter months than in the summer. The number of meals depends also upon the sort of food taken and the amount. Liquid food containing little fat, such as buttermilk, fruits and fruit juices readily passes out of the stomach. When a considerable amount of fat is taken, or after a meal consisting largely of vegetables, quite an interval must elapse before the taking of food again for the reason that fat and vege- table substances remain a long time in the stom- ach. In a case of gastric dilatation the ability of the stomach to empty itself is grtatly im- paired. It is better to take foods which quickly become liquid in the stomach and hence are easily passed from the stomach into the intes- tines. Among the articles especially to be avoided by a person suffering from gastric dila- tation are pastries of all sorts, cheese, fer- mented breads except in the form of zwieback, meats of all sort, and of course, tea, coffee, and breadstuffs prepared with alkalies or baking powders. Butter must be taken in small quantity. It generally may be advantageously replaced by yogurt cheese or cream combined with butter- milk, especially yogurt buttermilk. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 601 Yoghourt 0. Can the yoghourt germ live in the stom- ach and intestine? A. The yoghourt ferment passes out of the stomach with liquids which are present before the acidity of the gastric juice becomes suffi- ciently pronounced to injure it. The yoghourt germs are accustomed to acids. It is true, however, that the alimentary canal is not the natural home of the Bacillus Bulgaricus, and it soon dies out unless constantly reinforced by new supplies. The yoghourt ferment differs from sour milk germs in being more active and efficient in combating putrefactive bacteria. To be efficient, the yoghourt ferment must be taken in sufficiently large quantities to enable the friendly germs to completely overwhelm the pernicious bacteria. The diet must also receive at- tention. Scalded oatmeal or brose (cooked five minutes after the Scotch fashion) is highly bene- ficial. Meats must be wholly discarded. Protein in Muscular Activity Q. Is protein consumed in ordinary mus- cular work? A. It was formerly supposed that protein was the special support of muscular work. Now it is generally recognized that carbohydrates and 602 A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED fat are the fuels of the body. Protein is only useful for repair of the body cells. Muscular work is supported by starch and sugar. The machinery of the body is so well lubri- cated that the wear and tear of the machine it- self is infinitesimal, so that only small -quan- tities are required for tissue repairs. The break- ing down of protein occurs in connection with exercise only when the work is so prolonged and violent that the temperature of the body is very considerably raised. Orange Pulp Q. Should one eat the pulp of oranges? A. The pulp of the orange if well chewed may be swallowed without injury by healthy persons. One or two oranges eaten at bed time is an excellent means of encouraging bowel ac- tion. The acid of the orange stimulates peri- stalsis. The indigestible fiber of the pulp helps to furnish the bulk necessary for normal bowel action. Salad Dressings Q. Are salad dressings which contain pep- per, mustard, and vinegar wholesome? A. Mustard, pepper and vinegar are poisons. They are not foods and are beneficial in no way whatever, but on the other hand are highly in- jurious. Mustard and pepper tend to produce A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 603 arteriosclerosis and are highly injurious to the liver and kidneys. They are also a cause of hemorrhoids, bladder and. other genito-urinary troubles. Vinegar seriously interferes with the digestion of starch. A teaspoonful of vinegar is sufficient to destroy the starch digestion of an ordinary meal. Lemon juice is a wholesome substitute for vinegar. It is much more pal- atable, and is constantly coming into more gen- eral use in the best cookery. Salads With Milk Q. Should one eat salad with milk at the same meal? A. Vegetables do not ferment very easily, but milk does ferment and putrefy very quickly and when vegetables remain in the stomach and some of the milk clings to these undigested vege- tables, the combination may cause an attack of indigestion. Milk and vegetables are not the best sort of a food combination especially for a weak stomach. Milk and meat are a worse combi- nation. Beeswax Q. Is wax of ordinary honey fit for food? A. Beeswax is wholly indigestible in the human alimentary canal. It may be eaten in small amount without injury, but in quantities might prove burdensome to the digestive organs. 604 A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED Vinegar Q. Is acetic acid or vinegar harmful? A. Boix of Paris and other experimenters have made investigations with acetic acid which demonstrate that this acid is a poison and pro- duces in the liver changes identical with those produced by gin. Sir William Roberts, many years ago, showed that acetic acid interferes with digestion preventing the action of the saliva upon starch. A teaspoonful or two of vinegar was shown to be sufficient to entirely stop the action of the saliva. Oxalic acid, the acid of pieplant, acts in a similar manner,. but is still more poisonous. These acids cannot be used in the body, but are excreted, unchanged, the same as hydro- chloric acid and other mineral acids. Citric acid and malic acid are utilized the same as starch and sugar but have only one-half the nutritive value of these substances. Vinegar is also highly injurious to the liver, sometimes produ- cing cirrhosis. The "wrigglers/' or vinegar eels, which good cider vinegar nearly always contains, it has been recently claimed by eminent scientific au- thorities, often take up their abode in the in- testine, becoming parasites, like the tape worm and other parasitic organisms. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 605 Glucose Q. What is the composition of glucose syrup? A. Commercial glucose contains about 80% of solids of which one-fourth is dextrose, a little more than one-half maltose and the balance or a little more than one-third dextrine. The sweet- ness of glucose is much less than that of cane sugar. Glucose as a Food Q. Is glucose a good food? A. Glucose as now made appears to be less objectionable than was the earlier product. At the present time the process employed is simply boiling of the starch with a solution of one- tenth of one per cent of hydrochloric acid. The effect is to change part of the starch into sugar. A considerable portion remains in an artificial form of dextrine. The acid is neutralized by the addition of carbonate of soda forming chlor- ide of sodium which can hardly be considered harmful, which could not be said of the residues left by the older processes in which sulphuric acid was employed. Glucose can hardly be re- garded as being as wholesome as the natural sugars of fruits. 606 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED The Food Value of the Banana Q. What is the food value of the banana? , A Recent studies of the banana show that it is an exceedingly valuable foodstuff. Care must be taken, however, to see that the fruit is thoroughly ripened. Bananas are always picked green. Recent analyses made by A. R. Thomp- son, show that the green banana contains about 20% of starch, whereas the ripe banana contains practically no starch at all, the starch having been converted into sugar by the ripening pro- .cess. When half ripe, the banana is slightly acid. This slight acidity disappears when the fruit is fully ripened. The thoroughly ripened banana contains only 3% of insoluble material. Car- bohydrates other than starch or sugar are found in the banana in only very small amounts. Wholesomeness of Bananas Q. Are bananas as ordinarily sold in the market a perfectly wholesome food? A. Bananas are only wholesome and easily digestible when they are well matured and thoroughly ripe. Such bananas can now gen- erally be obtained in the markets in all our large cities. When purchasing, care should be taken to see that the fruit is plump and fully matured. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 607 It is immaterial whether they are ripened in the market or whether they are purchased green and taken home to be ripened in some warm, dry place. When ready for use, the skin of the fruit will be nearly black or quite so. The fruit should be mellow as a peach. In this con- dition, the banana contains a large amount of sugar and dextrin with little or no starch and is a very wholesome and easily digestible food. Great care must be taken in mastication. Every particle of the fruit should be reduced to a pulp before swallowing. A very good method of eat- ing the banana is to reduce it to a pulp by passing through a colander. The ripe banana may be crushed in a tumbler with a knife or spoon, then beaten up to a fine pulp with a fork. When taken in this way, there is no more digestible food than a ripe banana. Fruit Acids Q. Are the acids of lemons and other fruit acids wholesome for persons suffering from uric acid poisoning? A. Yes. Fruit juices of all sorts contain in addition to vegetable acid, alkaline substances which aid in the elimination of uric acid. Pure uric acid dis- solves with great difficulty but the urate of soda is quite readily soluble. Soda and potash are 608 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED present in fruits in considerable quantities in combination with other acids. When fruit is eaten the acids are utilized or burned in the body leav- ing the soda behind. It combines with the uric acid and thus aids its elimination. The popular idea that the acids of fruits are unwholesome for persons suffering from gout and other uric acid disorders is a very mischievous error. The fallacy of this teaching has been pointed out for many years by scientific writers on dietetics, but like many other popular fallacies this erroneous no- tion is very hard to eradicate. Rice, potatoes and fresh vegetables of all sorts are very excellent foods for one who needs to combat uric acid. Exclusive Fruit Diet Q. Can life be sustained upon a diet con- sisting exclusively of fruits? A. By making a proper selection of fruits it is possible to construct a dietary quite capable of sustaining life for an indefinite period. Bananas, figs, dates, raisins and prunes contain an over- abundance of nutritive material in sufficiently concentrated form to be readily available as suitable foodstuffs. The only element lacking is fats and these may be readily obtained from such fruits as the avocado or alligator pear of the tropics and by the addition of nuts to the bill of fare. Nuts are properly classed with A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 609 fruits. By a combination of fruits and nuts a very complete and luxurious bill of fare may be provided. The Germs of Fruit Skins Q. Why is it necessary to disinfect fresh fruits? A. The late Ellen H. Richards, of the Mas- sachusetts Institute of Technology, made some years ago a study of the condition of fruit found on open air fruit stands. A pint of vari- ous fruits taken at random from a stand were washed and a bacteriological examination made of the washings. 140,000,000 germs were ob- tained from this single pint of fruit. Fruit thus exposed to street dust is certain to collect a great number of germs derived from the excreta of animals and other dangerous sources, and is quite unfit for food. No fruit should ever be eaten without thorough washing and disinfection by soaking for five minutes in a solution of hy- drogen peroxide one to twenty. Seeds of Fruits Q. Is it dangerous to swallow seeds of fruits, such as grape seeds, cherry seeds, etc? A. The seeds of fruit consist chiefly of cellu- lose. Small seeds such as are found in figs, blue 610 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED berries, raspberries and most other seedy fruits are entirely harmless and are perhaps to some degree beneficial through increasing the bulk of the food. Large seeds, as those of the apple or grape and the cherry if taken in a considerable quantity might prove burdensome to the intestine and on this account ought to be discarded. It should be mentioned however, that the danger which many people apprehend from the entrance of these seeds into the appendix is wholly imaginary. Seeds are sometimes found in a dis- eased appendix but their presence is purely ac- cidental; they are not the cause of the disease but a consequence. When the appendix becomes diseased in such a way that the valve which guards its mouth no longer operates, remaining open, seeds and other foreign bodies may find their way into the appendix and possibly may thus become a source of injury and danger al- though the danger from this source must be quite remote. Grape Seeds Q. In eating fresh grapes, should one re- ject the seeds and skin? A. Yes, the skins and seeds of grapes have no nutritive value whatever and should be en- tirely discarded. In cases in which grapes are not fully ripe, it is well to discard the pulp also. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 61 1 It has little or no nutritive value, and if the di- gestion is slow, may prove an embarrassment to the stomach. Fruit Supper Q. Is a fruit supper healthful? A. There is an old adage to the effect that fruit is golden for breakfast, silver for dinner and lead for supper. The adage has no foun- dation in fact. Fruit is golden all the time. It is especially wise to make the last meal of the day almost wholly of fruit. The food principles furnished by fruit are for the most part ready for immediate absorption and require no digestion. Fruit is on this account very little burden to the stomach and may be taken at almost any time without injury. A little ripe fruit taken at bed time, as one or two apples or -oranges, is in many cases a valuable means of securing prompt evacuation of the bowels in the morning. Fruit Laxatives and Laxative Drugs Q. What is the difference between the ef- fects of laxative fruits and laxative drugs? A. Fruit stimulates the intestines to activity through the acids and sugars which they normally contain and which excite the bowel to action without irritating it, whereas laxative drugs are 612 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED without exception irritants, and when their use is long continued the common result is colitis or chronic infection of the colon. Aloes, epsom salts, cascara sagrada, Seidlitz powders and a long list of laxative drugs are all without exception more or less injurious. Lemon Juice Q. Does lemon juice aid digestion? A. Yes, all vegetable acids act as normal stimulants to the stomach and promote the fluw of gastric juice. Vegetable acids are especially valuable when the gastric juice contains no acid. In such cases, the fruit acids are able to fill the place of the gastric acid to a very marked degree. Prunes « Q. Is the free use of prunes to be recom- mended for laxative effects? A. Prunes soaked in water for twenty-four to forty-eight hours and freely eaten have a de- cided laxative effect. Prunes are much used for this purpose hy eminent German physicians. Some experiments made in the laboratory of the Battle Creek Sanitarium some years ago showed that prunes contained so large an amount of ben- zoic acid that they tend to acidify the urine. This is the only possible objection to their use. When A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 613 eaten in connection with fresh vegetables in li- beral quantities this objection would probably not hold good as the small amount of benzoic acid would be neutralized but if eaten freely in con- nection with a cereal diet, the urine might be rendered so highly acid as to be decidedly injuri- ous in some cases, especially in cases in which the bladder or kidneys are diseased. Grapefruit Q. When should grapefruit be eaten? A. At any time. At breakfast, dinner, sup- per or between meals. Whenever one feels in- clined. Such food does not require any work of the stomach. When fully ripened, the fruit is sweet enough without sugar. Much sugar added is likely to cause hyperacidity and gastric irritation. Food Value of Grapefruit Q. What is the food value of the grape- fruit? A. The grape fruit, like other citrus fruits, is chiefly valuable for the sugar and citric acid which it contains. The food value of an ordi- nary sized grapefruit is 100 calories, or about the same as four ounces of grape juice or five ounces of milk, or a large slice of bread. 614 A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED Sterilizing Uncooked Fruits Q. How may fresh, uncooked fruits be sterilized? A. An excellent method of sterilizing vege- tables and fruits is to immerse them after wash- ing in a five percent solution of peroxide of hy- drogen for five minutes. This will destroy all germs and parasites. The same solution may be used several times. Rinse in water after the per- oxide bath. Dietetic Value of Acid Fruits Q. What are the especial benefits to be de- rived from acid fruits? A. Many people have noticed the marked benefit from the use of acid fruits. The writer has not infrequently been told by persons suf- fering from dyspeptic disorders that the juice of a lemon taken soon after meals has some- times given relief. Others have been benefitted by apple juice and others by moderately acid fruits. The nature of this beneficial effect of fruit was not understood until experiments by Paw- low and others, 4 which demonstrated two things; first, that the acids of fruits stimulate the stomach to produce gastric acid, which is A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 615 absolutely essential for good digestion; and sec- ond, that the acids of fruits are able, to a con- siderable degree, to take the place of the na- tural acid of the stomach when this acid is ab- sent. These facts emphasize the importance of acid fruits, including the tomato — a vegetable-fruit — as an aid to digestion, especially in cases of per- sons suffering from hypohydrochloria, or achylia, a condition in which there is deficiency or absence of hydrochloric acid, the normal acid of the gastric juice. Let us point out that one of the important functions of the hydrochloric acid of the gastric juice is to activate the pepsin; that is, without acid the pepsin is unable to do its work, which consists in the digestion of protein. The addition of hydrochloric acid to pepsin renders it active and efficient, and the acids of fruits have been proved to be to some extent capable of replacing the hydrochloric acid in activating pepsin. It is thus evident that persons suffering from deficiency of acid or the absence of acid should take care to make acid fruit or fruit juices of some sort a part of every meal. Fruit may be taken both at the beginning of the meal and at the close of it. 616 A THOUSAND-* QUESTIONS ANSWERED Canned Fruits Without Sugar Q. Can peaches and other fruits be success- fully canned in Mason glass jars without sugar or other preservative? A. Yes. The use of sugar is not at all neces- sary to the preservation of peaches or other fruits in glass jars. It should be noted, however, that when sugar is not used, it is necessary to cook the fruit at a higher temperature and to prolong the cooking. Ten or fifteen minutes at the boil- ing temperature, however, is quite sufficient for acid fruits. Raisins for Constipation Q. Are raisins good for constipation? A. Yes. Raisins soaked for twenty-four or forty-eight hours and eaten freely at meals are an efficient aid to bowel action. They are hardly equal to purple figs prepared in the same way. Canned Fruits Q. Are canned fruits, such as canned peaches, healthful? A. Canned fruits are wholesome when put up in cans which have been properly enameled on the inside of the can so as to prevent action of the acids of the fruit upon lead used in soldering A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 617 the cans. At the present time, thanks to the op- eration of the pure food law canned fruits of all sorts may be eaten with considerable confidence that they are entirely wholesome. Green Fruit Q. Are very green apples, pears, etc., ren- dered wholesome by cooking? A. Very green fruit should not be eaten in any form. Cooking, however, to some extent takes the place of the natural process of ripen- ing. Is Common Salt Injurious? Q. Is common table salt injurious? A. Used in small quantities, there is no evi- dence that table salt is seriously injurious. How- ever, when used in large quantities, it impairs digestion, overworks the kidneys, produces var- ious disorders of nutrition. In certain forms of disease, particularly Bright's disease, cirrhosis of the liver, chronic autointoxication, epilepsy, and in all acute infectious diseases, such as ty- phoid fever, pneumonia, measles, scarlet fever, etc., chlorid of sodium, or common salt, should be wholly excluded from the dietary. In many cases of dropsy, the swelling of the limbs quickly disappears when salt is wholly excluded from the diet. The experiments made within the last 618 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED few years in France, Germany, and other coun- tries have shown most conclusively that ordi- nary vegetable food contains an ample amount of sodium chlorid to supply all the needs of the body. It is not necessary to add salt to the food. There is sufficient chlorid of sodium in the food in its natural state. It would be difficult, perhaps impossible, to show that the use of a very small quantity of salt does any material harm; but it is generally agreed by physiologists that the use of salt in the quantities in which it is ordinarily employed is extremely damaging. According to Professor Bunge, perhaps the high- est living authority on such questions, the sys- tem requires only twenty to thirty grains of salt daily. The majority of people use four or five times as much as this. A Vegetable Diet Q. Is a vegetable diet competent to sustain life? A. In his excellent Work on the Chemistry of Digestion, Taylor discusses this question as fol- lows: "Does plant protein fill the requirements of a diet as well as animal protein? So far as the physiologist is concerned, the question of vege- tarianism presents no difficulties. Upon mini- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 619 mal diets, a ration of vegetables will need to contain more protein than a mixed diet, simply because so many plant proteins are one-sided in their content of amino-acids. But the amino- acids themselves are identical in plant and ani- mal protein, and it is simply a question of all the needed amino-acids being present." Food Value of Potatoes Q. What is the food value of the potato? A. The potato is not only an easily digestible foodstuff, but possesses a much higher nutritive value than is generally supposed. According to Gautier, about one-fourth of the weight of the potato is food substance, consisting chiefly (nine elevenths) of starch. Of the remainder, three- fifths are protein, the tissue-building element, and two-fifths alkaline salts in combination with citric and malic acids, the acids of the lemon and the apple. The potato is perhaps slightly deficient in pro- tein, though this statement would be disputed by some physiologists whose experiments appear to demonstrate that the amount of protein con- tained in the potato is quite sufficient for ordi- nary bodily needs. The potato is certainly deficient in fa£s, of which it contains almost none, because of the fact that it is not, like so many of our vege- 620 A THOUSAND! QUESTIONS ANSWERED table foods, a seed, but a curiously modified and enormously fleshy stem. This deficiency in fat must always be remembered in the use of the potato, and the lack must be made up by the addition of cream, butter, or some other food- stuff rich in fat. What the potato lacks in fat and protein, how- ever, it makes up in salts, which constitute nearly 5 per cent of its dry substance and are perhaps its most characteristic quality from a dietetic standpoint and one of its chief excel- lences. These salts consist chiefly of potash, and in the ordinary form in which they are supplied, do a most important service in maintaining the alkaline condition of the blood, which is es- sential to good health and resistance to disease. The potato is lacking in lime. On this account, "greens" of various sorts, milk, or buttermilk should be used with the potato to supply the needed lime salts. Iron in Tomatoes Q. Is there any iron in tomatoes? A. The tomato has long been recognized as an excellent article ' of food. It is properly known as a vegetable fruit. The tomato is val- uable not only because of the wholesome vege- table acid which it contains, of which the chief is citric acid, but also on account of the vita- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 621 mines of which it furnishes a rich supply, and especially its iron content. The value of the to- mato as a source of organic iron has not been fully appreciated until recently. The solids of the tomato contain .023% of iron. One pound of tomato contains enough iron to supply the body needs for one day. It is evident then that the tomato is an excellent food for persons suf- fering from a deficiency of blood or blood color- ing matter. Q. Are onions harmful? A. Raw onions are objectionable on account of the acrid oil they contain. Cooked properly, this oil is largely driven off. Used thus and as a flavor for soups, the onion is harmless. The onion has also one special virtue. It contains a relatively large amount of very easily assimilable form of iron. Sauer Kraut Q. Is sauer kraut healthful? A. Sauer kraut is a preparation which has undergone lactic acid fermentation. Sauer kraut furnishes but a very small amount of nutriment, but it is a form of uncooked vegetable food which is of great value to the peasantry of Russia and other parts of northern Europe during the long winter season, where in the absence of fruit and fresh vegetables it constitutes almost the only 622 A THOUSAND 1 QUESTIONS ANSWERED source of vitamines. The use of sauer kraut could be scarcely recommended when lettuce, cucumbers, celery and other superior fresh vege- tables are obtainable ; nevertheless, when fresh and well made, is a wholesome food. Sauer kraut serves the same purpose in the dietary of the Russian peasant that the ensilage from the silo serves in the feeding of dairy cattle. Fruit and Vegetable Skins Q. Is it harmful to eat the skins of Irish or sweet potatoes or fruits? A. Skins of fruits and vegetables contain chiefly cellulose and if finely broken up may be of service as a stimulant to the intestines. Care should be taken, however, that the indigestible material is broken up into minute bits so as to avoid embarrassment to the stomach. Poisons of Vegetable Origin Q. Do vegetables ever become poisonous? A. Plants sometimes absorb poisons from the earth. Paul Bert raised radishes in water con- taining solution of strychnia. The radishes ac- cumulated so much that they killed the animals to which they were fed. Poisonous mushrooms may cause death from the muscarin which they contain. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 623 Certain moulds produce poison, particularly black and orange moulds, which cause vertigo, colic, sweating and even coma symptoms similar to those produced by the muscarin poisons of the mushroom. These poisons are destroyed, however, by oven heat. The green moulds are not poisonous. Raw Vegetables Q. Are raw vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, cabbages, etc., easily digestible? A. The digestible raw vegetables are lettuce, cucumbers, celery, -New Zealand spinach, toma- toes ; turnips, if well chewed or scraped are also wholesome in the raw state, and for many persons the same may be said of carrots. Po- tatoes and other vegetables which contain much starch should not be eaten raw. If a person de- sires to live on a raw diet his staples should consist of fruits and nuts with a good supply of easily digestible vegetables to furnish bulk. Asparagus Q. Is it true that asparagus is unwhole- some for persons suffering from rheumatism? A. There is no scientific foundation for the popular notion that asparagus must be avoided by rheumatics. Asparagus contains nothing 624 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED likely to be of any injury in rheumatism or any other disease except, possibly advanced disease of the kidneys. Horse Radish Q. Is horse radish a wholesome article of food? A. Horse radish is not food. This poisonous weed is altogether unwholesome and should never be eaten. Horse radish is highly irritating and caustic. Celery and Lettuce Q. What medicinal property in celery and lettuce causes these vegetables to be recom- mended in a diet for nervous people? A. Fresh vegetables of all kinds aid bowel action and supply useful vitamines and hormones to the body. Lettuce and celery have no speci- fic medicinal properties. Rhubarb Q. What is the objection to the use of rhubarb as food? A. Rhubarb contains oxalic acid, which is a poison and not a food. In this respect oxalic acid differs from food acids. Citric acid, malic acid and tartaric acid are the only organic acids A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 625 which can be utilized by the body as foods. These are burned in the body like starch, sugar and other foodstuffs; but oxalic acid and acetic acid are poisons. They undergo no change in the body, and interfere not only with the digestion, but with other vital processes. Tomatoes Q. Are tomatoes the cause of rheumatism or cancer? A. By no means. Tomatoes are a most wholesome vegetable-fruit. They are especially an excellent source of organic salts which are highly useful in rheumatism as a means of neu- tralizing acid wastes. The popular notion that tomatoes may be a cause of cancer has been shown to be utterly fallacious. The acid flavor of the tomato is due to citric acid. The tomato is best eaten raw. Fresh tomatoes are a valuable source of vitamines as well as of alkaline salts. Spinach Q. Does spinach contain oxalic acid? A. Yes, a little, but the amount is very small, and it has recently been shown that the oxalic acid found in such foods is rendered insoluble 626 A THOUSAND 1 QUESTIONS ANSWERED in the intestines and so is not absorbed if the amount taken is small. By parboiling, the oxalic acid in spinach may be removed. Soy Bean Q. How does the soy bean differ from the ordinary bean? A. The soy bean was introduced from China and Japan. It differs from the ordinary bean in containing one-half as much starch and more than ten times as much fat. It also contains 50 per cent more protein — nearly double the amount of protein found in many kinds of flesh meats. The following is the approximate per cent composition : Water 10 Oil 15 Protein 38 Starch and sugar 32 Cellulose 06 Minerals ... 05 Potato Skins and Sprouts Q. Is it true that the sprouts and skins of potatoes contain potato poison? • A. The potato belongs to a class of poison- producing plants. Solanin, a powerful poison A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 627 is found in considerable quantity in potato balls and a small amount is sometimes found in the skin of the potato. The amount of solanin in the skin, however, is exceedingly small, except in cases in which a portion of the surface of the potato has been exposed above ground. The skin then has a greenish color and a bitter taste and contains a considerable amount of solanin. Potato sprouts contain a considerable amount of solanum and must be carefully removed when present. Roasted Peanuts O. Which is the more easily digestible, roasted or raw peanuts? A. To be easily digested peanuts should not be eaten raw nor should they be eaten roasted. If the nuts are slightly baked they will be more easily digested than raw, but if they are roasted until they are brown and bitter, fried in their own fats as it were, they are quite indi- gestible. Why Cook Peanuts Q. Why is it necessary to cook peanuts to prepare them for digestion? A. Peanuts are more closely allied to beans than to nuts. Botanically, they are not nuts at all ; they are legumes. They contain a small amount of starch but a considerable amount of 628 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED woody matter which needs to be softened by cooking so as to render the albumin and fat accessible to the digestive fluids. Sugar Q. Is there more than one kind of sugar and does sugar require digestion? A. Sugar is a very important food principle, entering into the nutritive processes more largely than any other, for all the starch we eat must be converted into sugar before it can be utilized. Every adult human being uses daily about one pound of sugar. The chemist is acquainted with many sugars. The following are the principal ones of interest from a dietetic standpoint: — 1. Cane sugar, the ordinary sugar of com- merce. 2. Milk sugar found in milk. 3. Fruit sugar (levulose), the sugar of fruits and flowers. Honey consists of fruit sugar mixed with various flavoring substances. 4. Grape sugar (dextrose), the sugar of grapes, also found with levulose in all fruits. A sugar known as glucose, sometimes also grape sugar, is made by a chemical process from corn. This is not a natural sugar like the sugar of grapes. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 629 5. Maltose, a sugar produced in plants and animals by digestion of starch. Cane sugar, maltose and milk sugar are iden- tical in chemical composition, but in other char- acteristics they differ very much. Cane sugar is easily crystallizable, very soluble, and very sweet. Milk sugar has very little sweetness, and is much less soluble than cane sugar. Maltose is not as sweet as cane sugar, but much sweeter than milk sugar. Milk sugar is easily digested by infants, whose digestive organs produce a large quantity of lac- tase, the ferment which digests milk sugar. After the age of two years, however, this ferment is greatly diminished in quantity so that milk sugar is less well digested by adults than by infants. The milk sugar of commerce contains great num- bers of bacteria, and should never be used with- out being well sterilized by boiling the solution. Fruit sugar requires no digestion, being ready for immediate absorption and assimilation. Cane sugar is not, to any extent, digested in the mouth nor in the stomach, but only in the small intestine, where it comes in contact with the intestinal juice. Several hours elapse after taking a meal before the intestinal fluid becomes able to digest cane sugar and prepare it for ab- sorption. This is not true, however, of maltose, or malt sugar. The digestion of maltose begins at once when it reaches the intestine. The in- 630 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED testinal fluid is always prepared to digest this sugar, because it is natural to the body. Recent experiments made by the United States government chemists in the investigation of the phenomena of plant growth show that the sugar of fruits is formed from cane sugar by a process of digestion which takes place dur- ing the ripening of the fruit, essentially the same as that which occurs in the human intestine. In certain fruits, as some varieties of dates, the digestive ferment is absent, and hence cane sugar is found, the product of imperfect plant digestion. It is evident, then, that cane sugar is a crude vegetable product not well adapted to human nutrition unless prepared by plant digestion. As might be expected from its origin, the ef- fect of cane sugar is that of an irritant. The irritation thus produced by cane sugar gives rise to gastric catarrh, acidity, and var- ious forms of indigestion. Ulcer of the stom- ach and hyperacidity are doubtless in many cases due to this cause. The extensive use of candies, preserves, sweets of various sorts, as well as the free use of cane sugar with cereals, in coffee, tea, and in other ways, may be justly held to be the one cause of the indigestion which prevails throughout the civilized world. Thousands of men, women and children are A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 631 suffering from disordered conditions of the body, due to the excessive use of cane sugar without being aware of the real cause of their distresses. Not a few intelligent, observing people have dis- covered that cane sugar is productive of sour stomach and various other gastric disturbances. It is evident, then, that cane sugar is pos- sessed of properties which are not found in wholesome foodstuffs. No healthy human being suffers because he has eaten a few ounces of bread or potatoes, fruit or nuts. No one suf- fers from the use of sweet fruits or maltose, an equally natural sugar, native to the body because produced by its own natural processes. Honey Q. How does honey differ from other sweets? A. Honey consists of about equal parts of levulose and dextrine, the two sugars which are found in about the same proportion in many fruits. In collecting the honey from flowers, bees gather with it more or less of the essential oils to which the perfume of flowers is due, to- gether with pollen-dust and other extraneous matters. But the bee does not simply collect sweet substances from flowers. It works over the material which it collects, in a special di- 632 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED gestive system so that when the honey is finally deposited in the "comb" it contains in addition to the several substances mentioned a diastatic ferment resembling that of human saliva which has the power of converting starch into sugar. It also contains a special protein which is ex- creted by the bee. A recent test for distinguish- ing between natural and artificial honey makes use of the presence of these secretions of the bee. It has also been stated that honey contains small quantities of formic acid, a substance de- rived from the poison bag of the bee and which is introduced into honey to preserve it. Sugar and Athletics Q. Should an athlete eat considerable quantities of sugar? A. Sugar may be freely eaten by an athlete with benefit provided it is the right kind of sugar. Cane sugar in large quantities produces irritation and congestion. Malt sugar may be taken by athletes with great benefit and its free use is not attended by any unpleasant conse- quences, such as gastric irritation, hyperacidity, etc., symptoms which frequently appear when cane sugar is freely used. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 633 Beet Sugar Q. Is beet sugar as objectionable as cane sugar? A. Beet sugar and cane sugar are the same. Cane sugar is found not only in the sugar cane, but in the sap of the maple tree, in the sugar beet and in fact in most vegetables and in some fruits. Cane Sugar Substitute Q. Is there any substitute for cane sugar in preserving or canning fruits? A. Fruit can be preserved by canning with- out the use of cane sugar. Malt sugar or sweet fruits may be added when the fruit is served, or sweet fruit may be cooked with the sour fruit in the canning. Cane sugar does not neutralize the acid of fruits. It simply covers up the acid. It is better to combine acid with sweet fruits, or to avoid acid fruits altogether if the taste is not agreeable or the effects unpleasant. Cane Sugar and Gout Q. Does cane sugar produce gout? A. H. Kionka, having observed that gout oc- curs in birds and certain other animals as well as in man, undertook a series of experiments 634 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED upon the common barnyard fowl for the purpose of determining the influence of various sub- stances in producing gout. He made the interesting discovery that cane- sugar when freely fed to fowls also gave rise to gout. There appears, then, to be good ground for the suspicion which has long existed in the minds of many of the members of the medical profession that cane sugar may be a source of mischief in gout, rheumatism, and even in ar- teriosclerosis. There are at present many physicians who forbid the use of cane sugar in these conditions. It will be a comfort to sufferers from these mal- adies to know that there are other available forms of sugar. Malt sugar is now produced commercially and should displace cane sugar for table use. Sorghum Q. Is sorghum syrup preferable to molasses or cane sugar? A. The sugar of sorghum is cane sugar. It differs only from other cane sugars in the fact that it is associated with other substances which impart a peculiar flavor. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 635 When to Avoid Sugar Q. Who should avoid the use of cane sugar? A. In certain conditions, cane sugar acts al- most as a veritable poison. In the following cases cane sugar must either be wholly dis- carded, or used only in very minute quantities: Hyperacidity, hyperpepsia (or hyperhydro- chloria), in which an excess of acid is formed by the stomach. Cane sugar greatly aggravates this condition, usually producing pain, distress, heartburn, soreness in the mouth, and sometimes an attack of gastritis often accompanied by vom- iting and severe headache. Catarrh of the stomach, or chronic gastritis, is present in a large proportion of the cases of chronic gastric disease. Many of these cases re- sult from the free use of cane-sugar, and hence are aggravated by its use and can not be cured without discarding this article from the bill of fare. Intestinal catarrh is usually simply an exten- sion of catarrh of the stomach, and is always ag- gravated by the use of cane sugar and other ir- ritants. Chronic diarrhea is often the result of the free use of confectionery and sugar in its var- 636 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED ious forms, and can not be cured unless this irritating food substance is discarded. Dilatation of the stomach. In cases of this sort cane sugar gives rise to irritating products and often develops enormous quantities of gas, whereby the dilated stomach is still further dis- tended. Diabetes. , The diabetic patient has lost his power to oxidize or burn up sugar, hence must scrupulously avoid cane sugar, the assimilation of which is much more difficult than that of other sugars. Gout, chronic rheumatism, nervous headache, many forms of neurasthenia, eczema, and other forms of skin disease, apoplexy, and other chronic diseases require entire abstinence from the use of cane sugar or its restriction to the very smallest amount. Gastric ulcer. In this malady cane sugar gives severe pain at once and greatly aggravates the patient's sufferings. Its use must be wholly dis- carded. There can be no doubt that cane sugar, espe- cially in the form of candy, is a cause of serious disease in infants and children. Their digestive organs are naturally more sensitive to injury than those of adults. Maltose and maltose con- fectionery may be eaten freely by children. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 637 Malt Sugar and Cane Sugar Q. What advantages has maltose or malt sugar over cane sugar? A. Maltose has the following advantages over cane-sugar: 1. Maltose is a natural product prepared from cereals — natural foodstuffs for human be- ings. 2. Maltose is naturally formed in the stom- ach and bowels by digestion. 3. Malt sugar may be absorbed into the blood and assimilated without change in the alimentary canal. 4. Maltose is non-irritating. It is naturally formed in the stomach by the action of the saliva upon starch and hence the stomach is adapted to it. 5. In the process of assimilation, maltose is promptly converted into grape sugar — the sugar of fruits. It presents all the advantages of a fruit sugar with none of the disadvantages of cane sugar. 6. Experiments have shown that maltose is a most powerful antitoxic remedy. When used freely, it diminishes to an enormous extent the growth of putrefactive bacteria in the intestine, and lessens the putridity of the stools, making 638 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED it a valuable remedy in intestinal autointoxica- tion, commonly known as "biliousness." 7. Still another important advantage offered by maltose over other sugars is the fact that it contains the necessary salts and vitamines for nourishing the bones, brain, and nerves. Fats Q. Of what value are fats and how large an amount of fats should the daily diet con- tain? A. Fats are used as fuel in the body. The amount of fat daily consumed is usually quite small. Nature seems to prefer to store up the fat for use in emergency. It is deposited under the skin between the layers of muscles and serves as a padding about the various vital or- gans. The fat of the food is stored up in the body in the same form in which it is eaten; that is, it undergoes no essential change in the process of digestion. The fats of the food are in the intestine converted into soap by the ac- tion of the digestive fluids. Soap is soluble in water and in this form the fat is absorbed after the soap is decomposed and the original fat re- constructed. Thus pork fat is deposited as lard, mutton fat as mutton tallow, beef fat as suet, while such vegetable fats as olive oil and nut A THOUSAND. QUESTIONS ANSWERED 639 oils are deposited as fluid fats, especially nuts oils are the most easily digestible of all fats. The body also forms fat from starch and sugar. The fat formed in this way is different from other fats, having the special characteris- tics of human fat. From this it would appear ordinarily preferable to take fat in small quan- tities giving the body an opportunity to manu- facture its own fat. Experience shows, how- ever, that digestion and nutrition are best when at least a small quantity of fat is taken with the daily food. Utilization of Fats Q. Is fat completely utilized? A. According to Von Noorden, digestible fats, even when taken in large quantity, are al- most completely absorbed, the loss being not more than 5%. Olive oil and other vegetable fats are absorbed as readily as butter. Fats which have a high melting point, such as beef and mutton suet are not so perfectly utilized as fats with a low melting point. Fats having a melting point above 122° F. are practically not absorbed at all. Fats having a melting point be- low 109° F. are generally readily absorbed. Vari- ous oily substances such as lanoline and paraffin have some of the properties of fat, but really are not fats. These, according to Munk and Han- sen, are not absorbed. 640 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Cotton Seed Oil Q. Is cotton seed oil a wholesome sub- stitute for olive oil or butter? A. Cotton seed oil is probably a wholesome food, although the process to which it is sub- jected probably deprives it of some of the choice properties which are found in natural fats which have not been subjected to chemical or other processes capable of modifying them. Cot- ton seed oil is certainly preferable to ordinary commercial butter, which is filled with germs and contaminated with other products of bac- terial action, although it lacks vitamines. Sterilized Cream Q. Is it advisable to eat sterilized cream in- stead of butter in cases of intestinal catarrh? A. Emulsified fat is more easily digested, both in the stomach and in the intestine than clear fat. However, there are certain persons who are unable to eat cow's milk in any form without unpleasant effects. In such cases, but- ter agrees better than cream. Butter in such cases may be more readily utilized if mixed with cereals, as in the form of a gravy, pro- vided care is taken to avoid excessive heating, whereby the butter fat is decomposed and con- verted into irritating substances. A THOUSAND OUESTIONS ANSWERED 641 Sterilized Butter Q. Can sterilized butter be made from sour cream? If so, how? A. Cream should be sterilized by boiling for fifteen or twenty minutes while still sweet. It may afterwards be soured, if desired, by the ad- dition of a little sour milk or sour buttermilk to die cream, which should be allowed to stand in a moderately warm place over night. The purpose of sterilizing butter is not to prevent souring, as the germs which produce acidity do no htem, but to destroy tubercle germs, colon germs, and other injurious organisms. Butter Q. Is ordinary commercial butter a whole- some article of food? A. The conditions under which commercial butter is produced are often such as to render it exceedingly unwholesome. Commercial butter contains bacteria in great variety and in prodigi- ous numbers. It is not uncommon to find one to fifty million germs in a teaspoonful of milk. Butter, unless made from sterilized milk, con- tains germs in great quantities ; even the germs of tuberculosis and typhoid fever have been found in butter which had been made several weeks. Rancid butter is highly injurious, not 642 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED only because of the germs which it contains, but because of the unwholesome effect of butyric acid present. Pawlow has shown that this acid irritates the stomach in such a way as to cause it to produce an excess of acid. On this ac- count it is especially important that persons suf- fering from gastric hyperacidity and diabetes should avoid the use of butter which has the slightest taint. Malted Nuts Q. What is the composition of this prepar- ation? A. Mialted Nuts consists of a combination of nuts and malt digested cereals in about equal parts. It is an easily digestible foodstuff which has been prepared especially to meet the needs of persons who cannot use milk or cream with- out unpleasant effects. When diluted with water in the proportion of about one part to seven Malted Nuts constitute a food somewhat resembling that of mothers' milk. When such a mixture is added to an equal quantity of cow's milk it modifies the latter in a way which in- creases its digestibility. Malted Nuts has been found useful in the feeding of infants who do not tolerate cow's milk. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 643 The Food Value of Nuts Q. V/hat is the food value of nuts? A. Nuts are the most highly concentrated of all natural foods. For example, a pound of al- monds contains as much protein as a pound and a half of meat, as much fat as two-thirds of a pound of butter, besides some carbohydrate. With the exception of fats and oils there are no natural foodstuffs which compare in nutritive value with nuts. The Digestibility of Nuts Q. What nuts are most easily digestible? A. All nuts are easily digestible if well chewed. It is best to remove the skins and crush them by passing through a mill of some sort. A mill that divides into small bits without crushing into a paste is, however, worse than none, as die small particles cannot be easily chewed, and are likely to be swallowed without thorough masti- cation. The nuts must be reduced to a fine paste to be easily digested. 644 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Peanut Oil Q. Do you regard oil made from peanuts as wholesome? . A. Yes. Peanut oil is a wholesome food providing it is good oil. If the oil is rancid, then it is of course unwholesome. Peanut oil is a little more digestible than olive oil and is perhaps better for people who suffer from hy- popepsia than olive oil because olive oil of all substances known, lessens the activities of the stomach in producing gastric juice. Olive Oil and Other Oils as Foods for Fattening Q. Is olive oil fattening? A. Olive oil and other oils are fattening when taken in sufficient quantity. To produce fattening effects, however, it is necessary that the oil should be taken as an addition to a full diet, that is, a diet sufficient in quantity to supply the needs of the body without olive oil. When taken in this way practically all of the oil eaten will be deposited as fat and thus will produce a definite gain in weight. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 645 Nut Oils Q. Are nut oils a wholesome substitute for butter? A. Nut oils are more digestible than butter or other animal fats and have the further ad- vantage that in their use there is no danger of infection from tubercle and other disease pro- ducing germs. When prepared from fresh ma- terial, nut oils are a most wholesome source of fat. Oils which are prepared from rancid cocoa- nuts by chemical refining processes can hardly be regarded as wholesome food. Freshly prepared nut oils resemble butter more closely in chemical composition than do other fats. The oils also have the further advantage that, like butter, they are rich in vitamines. The refined fats which are now much used for but- ter substitutes are wholly lacking in vitamines, the great importance of which has been demon- strated by recent experiments. The average diet is already so deficient in vitamines it is im- portant to avoid adding to the bill of fare any other substances which fail to provide this im- portant food element. 646 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Cotton Seed Oil Q. Can you recommend the use of cotton- seed oil? A. It may be wholesome, but we have never thought it best to recommend it, as there are plenty of good fats concerning which no ques- tion could be raised. Olive Oil Not Laxative Q. Is olive oil a wholesome laxative, and is it better than white Russian oil? A. Olive oil is a wholesome food, when taken in moderate quantity. In a few cases, a table- spoonful of olive oil taken before each meal acts as a laxative, though generally the amount of olive oil which can be safely taken is not suf- ficient to produce definite laxative effects. When taken in large quantities, olive oil, like other fats, promotes intestinal putrefaction, though olive oil is less objectionable than animal fats. Specially refined white Russian paraffin oil pro- duces an excellent laxative effect, in quantities of one or two tablespoonsful taken fifteen to thirty minutes before each meal. Olive oil is digested and absorbed, and it is for this reason that it does not produce marked laxative ef- fects. Paraffin oil is not a fat and is not di- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 647 gested and hence is not absorbed. Its action is purely mechanical, its effect being that of a lubricant. Fat and Biliousness Q. If the use of fats makes a person bilious would the exclusion of fats from the diet be harmful ? A. Fat should not be entirely excluded from the dietary. A certain amount of fat is neces- sary for good nutrition; at least one ounce a day. Many persons who cannot use fat in the form of cream are able to take sterilized but- ter or olive oil without inconvenience. Tropical Fats Q. Where do the natives of the tropics get their fat? A. The natives of the tropics find an abun- dance of oil in the cocoanut, the olive, palm seeds, and various other tropical fruits. Fat Ration Q. How many ounces of butter fat should one eat daily, provided no other fats are taken? A. The average person may consume two and a half to three ounces of butter fat daily, providing no other fat is taken. Persons who 648 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED suffer distress from acid formation in the stom- ach may often use more fat with advantage. Persons whose stomachs do not produce a suf- ficient amount of hydrochloric acid should avoid the excessive use of fat. In such cases two ounces of fat a day may be as much as can be digested. A larger amount may give rise to so- called biliousness. Brose Q. What is brose? A. The Scotch Highlanders prepare a dish which they call "brose" by pouring boiling water upon oatmeal and stirring it for a mo- ment. This half-cooked cereal is a staple article of diet with the Scotch. Through its laxative and anti-toxic properties it is highly promotive of the good health which Scotch Highlanders proverbially enjoy. In this country the name "Brose" is used to designate a commercial prod- uct consisting of a mixture of oatmeal, cornmeal and sterilized bran. Rice (Brown) Q. What is brown rice? A. Brown rice is whole rice, that is, rice from which the bran or outer covering has not been removed. It is what is generally, though incorrectly, designated as unpolished rice. Un- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 649 polished rice is rice from which the bran has been removed, but which has not been pol- ished by treatment with glucose and talc. An exclusive diet of polished rice will in time pro- duce a disease known as beri-beri. This may be prevented by the use of brown rice, which con- tains the newly discovered vitamines, the ab- sence of which is a cause of beri-beri. Food Value of Rice Q. What is the value of rice as a food? A. Rice is one of the most digestible of all foods. Boiled rice digests in one hour, whereas white bread requires three and one-half hours for digestion. Rice is highly nutritious. It is however, lacking in cellulose and in vitamines. When employed in connection with milk and other foods, however, especially beans or peas or other legumes, it is a very valuable food. Half of the world's population, among them its most hardy toilers, subsist mainly on rice. The Chinese coolie, living by the most arduous manual labor, is fed on rice. The burly porters of Smyrna and Constantinople, men who carry incredible loads, work on a diet of figs, sour milk, and rice. Those picturesque jinrikisha boys trotting along the streets and roads of Japan, 650 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED pulling their queer vehicles at the rate of six miles per hour, get their energy from this same grain. Rice Diet Q. Can one thrive on an exclusive rice diet after being accustomed to an ordinary Ameri- can diet? A. A person cannot maintain health for any considerable length of time on a diet consisting exclusively of ordinary rice. The natives of India have fresh vegetables as well as rice and some fats along with it. They make large use of a kind of legume which is equivalent to our peas or beans. Peas, beans, fresh vegetables and rice go well with fruit. One can live well on a diet of fruit and rice, with the addition of a little fat. Polished Rice Q. How can one determine whether or not rice is polished? A. By its appearance. It is not the polish- ing that does the harm, however. The injury results from the removal of the bran. Rice with the bran unremoved is known as "brown rice ;" it is darker in color than polished rice and lacks its polished appearance. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 651 Browned Rice Q. Is browned rice preferable for a weak stomach ? A. The browning of rice unquestionably in- creases its digestibility and wholesomeness. The custom of browning or parching rice as well as other cereals is common among the Mexican Indians, the natives of India, and other rice- eating people. Is Rice Constipating Q. Is rice a constipating food? A. An exclusive diet of rice will likely pro- duce an inactive state of the bowels, as rice is so entirely digestible that practically no residue will be left to act as a mechanical stimulus to intestinal activity. When rice is used largely, lettuce or some other bulky food should be used in connection with it. Wild Rice Q. What is wild rice? A. Wild rice is a variety of rice which grows in the shallow lakes of Minnesota and Wisconsin and Southern Canada. It is a species of the zizania aquatica, and is one of the most nour- ishing cereals which this country produces. Un- 652 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED fortunately it is exceedingly difficult to propa- gate and all attempts thus far to enlarge its pro- duction have failed. The small supply obtain- able is gathered by the Indians, certain tribes of which formerly depended very largely upon the wild rice for their sustenance. Cornmeal Pancakes Q. Are cornmeal pancakes healthful? A. Yes, if well done and cooked on a soap- stone griddle so as to avoid contamination with burnt fat. The batter should be made without soda or baking powder. Recent observations by Funk, the discoverer of vitamines, show that these very necessary elements are destroyed by soda. Wheat Q. After cooking wheat for some time there appears a gluey substance in the water. Should this substance be poured off and new water poured on? A. No, indeed. The soluble matters of the wheat kernel consist of albumen, sugar and dex- trine, and are highly nourishing. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 653 Rye Bread Q. Is rye bread wholesome? A. Rye bread is most certainly a wholesome article of food. It is to most people less palatable than wheat bread, but it contains essentially the same elements as wheat bread and because of the large amount of cellulose which it contains produces a useful laxative effect. Bread Without Yeast Q. By what process can bread be raised without the use of yeast? .-/. Most primitive people make bread with- out yeast. The introduction of the use of yeast in bread making has doubtless been a great in- jury to the human family. There are several methods of making excellent bread without yeast. Brief!}" stated, the following are a few. (1) The Mexican Indians make a ver> toothsome bread which they call tortillas, by first hulling corn by soaking it in hot limewater, and then grinding the moist corn into a paste, finally making the paste into cakes resembling griddle cakes by compression between the hands. The cakes are baked on tins placed over hot coals. When well baked, tortillas are crisp, sweet and wholesome. (2) The Arabs make bread of flour 654 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED by a simple process of grinding the whole wheat after washing and drying in the sun, then mak- ing into a stiff dough with water and baking in thin cakes on a hot tin or flat stone. (3) The people of the South make beaten biscuit by making a stiff dough with flour and water and a little salt, then beating for a long time with hammer or mallet and baking in small thick cakes. (4) A very toothsome bread can be made by beating flour and water together to a batter a little thicker than pancake batter and baking in cast-iron gem pans. The pans should be very hot before the batter is put in. A quick oven and some practice are required for good results. A variation of this method which gives most excellent results is to add white of egg to the batter, stirring it in quickly just before 'put- ting in the pans. Why Not Use White Bread Q. Authorities state that the protein in whole wheat bread is only .2 per cent more than in white bread, and that it contairis 3.4 per cent less carbohydrates than white bread. Is not fine flour bread then preferable? A. Neither the amount of protein nor the amount of carbohydrates in a flour, is a true measure of its value as a food. -Qie of the most important elements of cereal foods are the A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 655 salts that this class of foods contain, which are of great value to the body in maintaining the strength and vitality of the bones. These salts, of which lime constitutes the largest share, are for the most part combined with phosphoric acid. They are also highly necessary for the nutrition of the body. The whole wheat con- tains four grains of lime, besides the accompany- ing phosphoric acid, to the pound, whereas white bread contains only one grain to the pound. In addition, it should be remembered that the cellulose contained in the whole wheat (or rather the whole meal, for "whole wheat" flour does not really represent the whole wheat) is also of great value as an aid to normal in- testinal activity. It should be remembered that whole wheat bread does not represent the entire grain. The term whole wheat as commercially used designates a flour from which the coarse bran has been removed, or rather a mixture of flours which contain a certain proportion of middlings. The above remarks apply to graham flour as well as whole wheat. Whole Wheat Q. Does whole wheat, the whole grain, soaked and boiled until perfectly tender, con- tain everything the human system requires? A. No. The wheat grain does not supply 656 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED the needed elements in proper proportion, as it contains a smaller proportion of fat than is re- quired by an ideal ration. Mushes Q. Why are mushes prepared from cereals injurious? A. Cooked cereals and mushes are not to be altogether condemned. The chief objection is that being soft they are likely to be swallowed without proper mastication. This objection may be removed, however, by taking care to chew the food thoroughly or at least to retain it in the mouth long enough to secure proper mixture of saliva. In the case of persons who suffer from hyperacidity chewing may be omitted with ad- vantage. Another objection to the use of mushes as ordinarily prepared is that long cooking ren- ders the starch so easily digestible that it is all completely digested and absorbed in the small intestine so that only a portion reaches the colon. This encourages putrefaction in the colon and leads to constipation. The old Scotch method of preparing oat meal is interesting. Hot water was poured upon the meal, which was stirred until thickened and then served at once. An excellent plan is to stir meal, either oat meal or corn meal into boiling water until the mix- ture "sets." A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 657 The mush is then ready to serve immediately. Cereals are made more wholesome by the ad- dition of one-third or one-fourth their bulk of bran. Barley Q. Is coarse barley inferior to pearl bar- ley? A. No. The whole barley grain, like the whole wheat grain, is much more nutritious than any preparation which removes a part of the kernel. Toasted Bread Q. Is toasted bread more wholesome than untoasted? A. Toasted bread contains no more nutrient material than untoasted bread, but the toasting completes the cooking, which in case of ordinary baker's bread is far from complete, and so facilitates the digestive process. Dry toast or zwieback is preferable to ordi- nary bread because it is hard and dry so it re- quires more thorough mastication, which not only aids digestion of the bread, but encourages the secretion of gastric juice and so aids in di- gestion of other foodstuffs. 658 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Home Prepared Bran Q. Can bran suitable for use be prepared at home? A. Bran may be as easily prepared at home as any other part of the grain. It may be cooked by itself as a mush or combined with cereals or with sweet fruits. Equal parts of bran, corn meal and oat meal make a good combination. Bran may be advantageously added to any breakfast cereal in proportion of one or two tablespoons- ful for each serving. Laxative Quality of Bran Q. Why is bran laxative? A. Bran is unquestionably the best of all lax- atives which can be used for an indefinite time without injury. Bran is laxative for the fol- lowing reasons: 1. It contains a suitable proportion of cellu- lose, a substance which the human stomach and intestines cannot digest. The result of this fact is that when bran is freely used it very greatly increases the residue left after digestion and the absorption of the digested products. Such food- stuffs as white bread, milk, meat, sugar, syrup, lard, butter, soups and broths are practically all digested and absorbed, leaving behind no residue. But the bowel requires a considerable amount of residue to stimulate it to activity. There must A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 659 be sufficient bulk to stretch the intestine, other- wise it will not be stimulated to a normal degree of activity. The intestine is not highly endowed with sensibility like the skin. Its walls are chiefly made up of muscle fibers. It possesses the muscle sense in a high degree and this is stimulated only by the stretching of the muscle, hence the bulk of the intestinal contents must be sufficient to actually distend the gut to such a degree that the muscle is slightly stretched, and this will stimulate the muscle to contract. It is for this reason that gas accumulations in the intestine produce colic. It is not the dis- tention of the intestine that causes the pain, but the strong contraction of the bowel which the distention provokes. This is the reason for the griping pains which accompany colic. The gripe is simply a strong contraction wave passing along the intestine. The amount of bran required to cause the bowel to act will depend upon the de- gree to which the intestine has become diseased by abuse. The amount of cellulose found in ordinary natural foodstuffs from which nothing has been removed by the mechanical processes of the mill or the kitchen, is sufficient to furnish the neces- sary amount of bulk for producing normal in- testinal activity. When the bowel has been long abused, how- ever, it is more difficult to stimulate it to activity 660 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED and a larger amount of bulk is required. It is necessary in most cases of chronic constipation to add to the ordinary bill of fare a considerable amount of bran, as much in some cases as two well-rounded dessert spoonfuls, and this must be taken at every meal to insure good results. 2. The mere contact of flakes of bran with the mucous membrane of the intestine has a stimu- lating effect. The bran does not irritate, it merely titilates or tickles. When bran is taken into the mouth, even dry bran, it does not give rise to irritation, that is, it does not wound the tongue or the gums or cause them to bleed, but involuntarily the tongue and cheek muscles keep up a constant activity until every particle of bran has been removed. These movements are quite involuntary. They go on automatically without the exercise of volition. The same thing occurs in the stomach and in- testines. The mucous membrane will not toler- ate the presence even of minute foreign bodies. Everything must be moved along. The intestinal tract must be clear. Nothing must be left lying about by the wayside. The intestine acts inces- santly until every minute particle of its contents has been passed on into the colon. The same thing happens in the colon. Contact of solid material or semi-solid material keeps the intes- tine busy in an effort to move it along. When the bulk is sufficient to distend the A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 661 bowel, vigorous peristaltic waves are set up which sweep the bowel contents along so swiftly that the movement cannot be followed by the eye in observations made with the x-ray. But no irritation is produced; that is, the mucous sur- face is not lacerated or abraided by contact with the particles of bran. The idea that bran is irri- tating originated with the millers. This theory was hatched and has been vigorously promul- gated in the interest of the manufacturers of fine bolted flour. Bran in its ordinary dried con- dition might well be imagined capable of pro- ducing irritation but bran in this condition is never found in the alimentary canal. Before it enters the stomach, even before it enters the mouth, bran is moistened and is usually mixed with other moist foodstuffs. Wet bran is no more capable of producing irritation than wet paper, in fact there is no better emollient than a bran poultice. 3. Pawlow showed in his wonderful experi- ments upon dogs that bulk, that is, distention of the intestine, is necessary to excite the intes- tine to produce secretion. This important fact has generally been overlooked in connection with the recommendation of bran. The distention of the intestine by the bulky cellulose causes it to pour the mucus and other fluids necessary to keep it moist and to lubricate it in its passage along the bowel. 662 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 4. Some experimental evidence has been of- fered which seems to show that bran contains a. substance, probably a hormone, which stimulates the intestine to activity. It is probable that no other substance known possesses so many and so valuable laxative properties as does bran. If every citizen in the United States could be in- duced to take at each meal one large tablespoon- ful of bran it is probable that half the doctors and most of the patent medicine vendors would in less than three months' time be looking for some other more profitable occupation. The Continued Use of Bran Q. Can one use sterilized bran indefinitely without any harm? A. Sterilized or cooked bran may be used for an indefinite time without injury; in fact most people could with great benefit add one or two tablespoonfuls of bran to each daily meal with great profit. Bran supplies elements which are needed to complete the ordinary bill-of-fare and should be found on every table at every meal. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 663 Popcorn Q. What is the food value and digestibility of popcorn? A. Popcorn is readily digestible if not sat- urated with fat of some sort, especially if thor- oughly masticated. Its nutritive value is about one hundred calories to the ounce. Cereal Diet Q. I have read that cereals may be injuri- ous. Would you advise one to discontinue the use of graham gems, bran, and zwieback? A. The use of breads and other cereals can- not be regarded as an unwholesome practice un- less these articles are made the principal part of the bill-of-fare. When one uses cereals a lib- eral supply of fruits and of fresh vegetables should also be used to neutralize the ex- cess of acids in the cereals. Cereals may con- stitute part of the dietary to advantage, but should not be the principal part. Beverages Cocoa Q. Is cocoa a healthy beverage? A. John Phillips Street, chemist of the Con- necticut Agricultural Experiment Station, at New Haven, has the following to say in The Modern Hospital respecting the various widely advertised brands of cocoa. "Cocoa is not commonly adulterated at the present time, and it is unfortunate that many manufacturers still feel that they must resort to exaggeration and misrepresentation in order to sell their product. Without mentioning the specific brands, the following false claims were found on the labels of certain cocoas listed in our tables; the purchaser who believes all he reads on the average cocoa label is foolish in- deed: " 'Owing to the removal of oil, it is certainly the most nutritious and wholesome cocoa now manufactured in the world/ As a matter of fact, this brand contained more oil than most of the cocoas analyzed, and it is by no means the 'most nutritious/ " 'Triple the strength of cocoa as usually prepared. Preserving in their entirety the nutri- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 665 tive properties of the natural bean.' Both state- ments are obviously untrue. " 'Acknowledged by the leading authorities to be absolutely the purest cocoa made.' This is untrue, as it contains a large excess of added alkali. " 'Soluble and digestible.' Both statements are incorrect. " 'Cocoa is- stronger and more economical than chocolate,' the reverse of which is, of course, true. " 'Soluble,' 'most of the cocoa-butter has been eliminated,' 'free from alkali.' This cocoa is not soluble, it contains more cocoa-butter than most brands, and it contains free alkali, show- ing that all three claims are false. " 'Milk cocoa.' The Reichert-Meissl number indicates the presence of no milk fat. " 'Instantly soluble in hot water,' 'perfectly digestible,' 'unrivaled as a brain and nerve- food.' These statements are all false and mis leading." All cocoa contains theobromin, a nerve poison. Soda-Fountain Drinks Q. Are soda-fountain drinks harmful? A. Some of them are very harmful and particularly coca-cola and other similar prepara- tions. If they do not contain kola, they contain 666 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED caffein, which is worse. The mixtures of ice cream with various syrups now in fashion are anything but wholesome. Water in Dropsy Q. Why is water drinking sometimes for- bidden in dropsy? A. The curious fact was demonstrated by Oertel that in certain cases the withholding of water in dropsy has the effect to enormously in- crease the production of urine. This is not by any means always the case, however, and drop- sical persons should never abstain from drinking water as freely as they may desire except under the direction of a competent physician. Grape Juice Q. What are the special virtues of grape juice? A. Grape juice possesses the same valuable properties as all fruit juices. Fruit juices stim- ulate appetite, aid digestion, encourage bowel ac- tion and furnish the body with very precious food elements, the so-called vitamines, which are of great value in promoting healthy nutri- tion. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 667 Fruit Juices Combat Germs Q. Will fruit juices destroy germs? A. Careful experiments have been made with various fruit juices for the purpose of de- termining their ability to destroy disease germs, especially the germs of typhoid fever and chol- era. Kitasato and Van Ennengen have shown that citric acid in from one-third to one-half of one per cent, that is, one part to two hundred, is capable of killing cholera germs in one-half hour; one to two hundred kills typhoid fever germs, after several hours' exposure. Malic acid — the acid of apples and many other fruits — has been shown to be equally as active as citric acid in destroying germs. It must be added, however, that it is not safe to trust to a few drops of fruit juice to render bad water safe. Such water must be boiled. Unfermented Grape Juice Q. How is grape juice prepared? A. The Farmers' Bulletin, No. 176, issued by the United States Department of Agricul- ture, gives the following method for putting up unfermented grape juice, a supply of which should be kept in every household: — "Use only clean, sound, well-ripened, but not overripe grapes. The grapes may be crushed 668 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED and pressed in a portable cider or wine mill or by hand. These can be put in a cleanly washed cloth sack and hung up, or the sack can be twisted by hand until the juice is expressed. The juice should be gradually heated in a double boiler or a large stone jar in a pan of hot water, so that it does not come in direct contact with the fire, at a temperature of 108° to 200° F. If there is no thermometer at hand, heat the "juice until it steams, but do not allow it to boil. Put it in a glass or enameled vessel to settle for twenty-four hours; carefully drain the juice from the sediment and run it through several thicknesses of clean flannel; or a conic filter made from woolen cloth or felt may be used. This filter is fixed to a hoop which can be sus- pended whenever necessary. Fill into perfectly clean bottles (leaving a little space at the top for the liquid to expand when heated). Fit a thin board over the bottom of an ordinary wash boiler, set the filled, bottles (ordinary fruit jars of glass are just as good) in it, fill with water around the bottles to within about an inch of the tops, and gradually heat until it is about to sim- mer. Then take the bottles out and cork or seal immediately. Grape juice prepared in this way will keep perfectly fresh for an indefinite length of time, and will always be ready for immediate use." A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 669 Tea, Coffee, Beer Q. Which is the most injurious — tea, coffee, or beer and what is their food value? A. The three substances named are about equally harmful. Tea, coffee and beer have practically no food value whatever. Water at Meals Q. Is it injurious to drink freely at meals? A. To drink or not to drink with meals is a question which has been discussed pro and con for many years. Rovighi has submitted the question to the test of careful laboratory experi- ments, and has shown conclusively that the free use of liquids with meals increases to a very great extent the putrefaction of the albumins in the intestine, and consequently tends to pro- duce autointoxication, since putrefaction is ac- companied by the development of various poisons which are absorbed from the intestine and cir- culated in the blood to the detriment of the liver, kidneys, and every other vital organ. Rovighi showed that after a meal taken with a large amount of liquid the urine contained four times as much putrefaction products as before, whereas when the meal was eaten dry the amount of poisons was less than half as much. Schumann, another physiologist, has repeated 670 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED these experiments and with similar results. Combe, one of the foremost of European special- ists in gastric disorders, confirms these results and requires his patients to eat their food dry, taking considerable liquid two or three hours after breakfast and after the mid-day meal, and just before retiring. The above highly important facts seem not to be known to some recent investigators who recommend water drinking because it increases the production of gastric juice. This is not new. Pawlow showed the same twenty years ago. Water should be taken sparingly at meals, but need not be wholly excluded. Water Drinking Washes the Blood Q. Should one drink when not thirsty? A. It is not true that water dilutes the blood, at least to any extent. x\bsorption of fluid from the alimentary canal and elimination through the kidneys take place simultaneously. The water is eliminated practically as fast as it is absorbed, so that the effect of water drinking is not to dilute the blood, but simply to wash it. In per- sons who do not drink a sufficient amount, and especially in those who make large use of flesh foods, the blood becomes viscid. The viscid blood passes with more difficulty through the small arteries so that the work of the heart is A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 671 increased and the pressure in the arteries rises. Water drinking washes out of the blood the sub- stances which increase its viscidity, and thus lessens the work of the heart and lowers blood pressure. This fact is of special importance to persons who are suffering from high blood pres- sure. Daily Water Allowance Q. How much water is required daily? A. The amount of liquid required by the body daily is sufficient to balance the loss through the skin, kidneys, lungs and other excretory organs. This has been shown to be about 2y 2 to 4^4 quarts, the amount depending much upon the temperature of the air and the amount of work done and perspiration lost. Part of this water is derived from the food. Distilled Water Q. In what diseases is it best to use dis- tilled water? A. Distilled water is not really necessary for any disease. Water which is only slightly hard is entirely wholesome so long as it is pure. 672 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED When to Drink Water Q. How soon after a meal may one drink water? A. One may drink water in small quantities whenever he is thirsty. A little at a time is sufficient. Hot and Gold Water Drinking Q. Should one drink hot or cold water be- fore breakfast? A. That depends upon whether the gastric juice is too acid or not sufficiently acid. If the stomach makes too little gastric acid, one should drink a little cold water because this will stim- ulate the gastric glands. If too much acid is present take a glassful of hot water half an hour before eating. Gold Water at Meals Q. Is ice water healthful at meals or other times ? A. Ice water, providing the water and ice are both free from contamination is entirely wholesome if properly taken. It is only neces- sary to sip the water slowly so that it will be warmed to near the temperature of the body by the time it reaches the stomach. There is no ob- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 673 jection whatever to taking ice water, provided it is taken in this way, but great harm may come from swallowing large quantities of ice water, not warmed in the mouth, especially with the body heated or in connection with meals. When taken in quantity, ice water stops the process of digestion. The delay, according to Dr. Beaumont, who studied St. Martin's stomach, may amount to an hour or two. Evidently the habitual use of ice water at meals in large amounts may prove highly detrimental. Most persons may take a tumblerful of cold water at a meal with no injury provided care is taken to sip it very slowly and in small quantities at intervals. To swallow a half pint of ice water at a single gulp is always harmful. To sip cold water slowly is a rule which may be followed at all times with advantage. This plan eliminates the objections to the use of ice water and enables one to enjoy the superior refreshing effect of the cool liquid upon the mucus surfaces of the mouth and throat. The cold liquid seems to quicken and renew the acuteness of taste and the zest for food. Sedentary Persons Need Water Q. Should a person drink when not thirsty? A. Yes. Sedentary persons who generally perspire little ought to take care to drink freely, 674 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED even though they are not thirsty. Exercise not only tends to promote more complete burning up of the waste substances of the body, but at the same time causes perspiration, which pro- duces a desire for water, the drinking of which facilitates the washing away of the tissue wastes. Sedentary persons, however, not only suf- fer from imperfect oxidafion of waste sub- stances, but the lack of perspiration limits the amount of water taken, and so the imperfectly burned wastes are left to accumulate in the tis- sues. This is the source of some of the greatest evils which arise from a sedentary life. A per- son whose employment is sedentary, who does not perspire freely should constantly encourage himself to drink to the extent of three or four pints of water daily whether he has a desire for it or not. Juice of Dried Fruits Q. How can the juice of dried fruits, as of prunes or apricots, be obtained? A. By soaking the raw fruit in just suffi- cient water to cover the fruit so that all will be absorbed. After soaking for twenty- four hours, squeeze out the juice in the usual way. Juice thus prepared is much better than the juice of A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 675 cooked fruits, but not so good as the juice of fresh fruit, freshly extracted. The drying of fruits injures or destroys the valuable vitamines which abound in fresh foods. Coffee and Fatigue Q. Is it true that coffee cures fatigue? A. It is often claimed that caffein, either in the form of coffee or some of the so-called cola soda fountain drinks remedies fatigue. This of course is not true for nothing but rest can really cure fatigue. Experiments show that coffee has in fact the very opposite effect, — increasing fatigue. The action of caffein is double. At first it diminishes the sense of fatigue, and causes- a transitory stimulation; this is followed by pro- nounced reaction characterized by marked in- crease of fatigue. Coffee Poisons Q. What is the element in coffee which is considered injurious to health? A. Caffein, which is a narcotic poison, and tannic acid, which interferes with the action of the gastric juice. 676 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Roasted coffee contains pyramidine, a smoke poison produced by the roasting process. Besides the above mentioned poisons, the coffee berry contains other poisons which produce highly injurious effects, such as arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries with high blood pressure, Bright's disease and apoplexy. Gaffein a Poison Q. What are the dangers that result from the use of caffein? A. Caffein is a poison. It is shown, not only by the ordinary effects produced by it, but by the fact that a slight overdose may produce fatal effects. Caffeine is eliminated by the kidneys, and can be found in the urine from ten to fifteen days after discontinuing its use. Under its influence one apparently is able to get through more work with less fatigue than he can without caffein. The effects, however, are merely apparent ; all the caffein has done is to cover up the effect of the poisons which accom- pany fatigue. The effects of caffein on the nerves is espe- cially serious, tea in time producing wakefulness, nervousness, excitability, and unsteadiness and A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 677 twitching of the muscles. Also, the digestive dis- orders, due to its tannic acid, are much more pro- nounced when tea is freely used than are its stim- ulating effects. Flatulence, gastric distress, con- stipation, often irregularity of bowel action, and sleeplessness are the predominant symptoms re- sulting from tea-drinking. Caffein as Medicine Q. Since caffein is used by the medical profession as a remedial agent in certain ail- ments, what proportion may be taken, and how often, without injury? A. Caffein is sometimes useful as a medicine, but no medicine is wholesome food. If used habitually it loses its effects so that it can no longer be used as a medicine. Caffein is pre- scribed by physicians to raise the blood pressure in cases of shock. It is one of the most reliable drugs known for raising the blood pressure. Two grains of caffein is the usual medicinal dose. An ordinary cup of cheap coffee contains two grains of caffein to the cup ; "good" coffee contains four grains or two medicinal doses. 678 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED When to Drink Hot or Gold Water Q. Under what circumstances should hot and cold water be drunk? A. When there is pain or distress of the stomach it is generally well to drink very hot water. Hot water is also better in cases of hyperacidity. Cold water may be taken with ad- vantage in cases of fever. In certain cases of ulcer of the stomach, it is better to take cold water, and also to take food cold rather than hot. Sweet Cider Q. Is sweet cider wholesome? A. Unfermented apple juice is exceedingly wholesome. The agreeable acid flavor is due to malic acid, which is an excellent antiseptic or disinfectant for the stomach and bowels. It is a very highly valuable remedy in gastric and intestinal catarrh, so-called biliousness, jaundice, constipation, and in all cases in which the kidneys and the liver are disordered; in emaciation, loss of appetite, and general malnu- trition. It can be taken in quantities of one quart daily with advantage. The best times for taking are one-half hour before each meal and just before retiring at night. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 679 Beer Drinking Q. What are the cumulative effects of beer-drinking? A. Gastric catarrh and indigestion, cirrhosis of the liver, abdominal dropsy, Bright's disease, general dropsy, diabetes, a bloated body, deter- iorated blood, a red nose, blear eyes, poverty, domestic misery, a wrecked body, a ruined life, a miserable death. Beer Does Not Strengthen Q. Does beer increase strength? A. The use of beer increases the weight, but there is no increase in strength, rather the oppo- site. Meat Poisons of Animal Tissues Q. Do animal tissues always contain poi- sons? A. The tissues of all animals contain poison- ous wastes, the products of the vital activities which are constantly taking place in all living beings. The activities of every tissue result in the formation of special poisons, fatigue poisons and toxic residues which are more or less im- perfectly removed from the tissues by the blood during life and carried to the kidneys and other excretory organs to be discharged from the body. The formation of these poisons is in life so rapid that it is only necessary that their elimination should be suspended for a short time for fatal results to develop. At the death of an animal, as soon as the heart ceases to beat the removal of these toxins from the tissues ceases but the development of toxic matters continues for some- time after, until the final moment of actual tissue death when rigor mortis occurs, It is con- sequently evident that the amount of these toxins found present in the tissues of a dead animal is much greater than that which is found during life. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 681 The character of these poisons is to a con- siderable degree well known. Many of them have long been familiar through the examination of the urine, which is properly termed an ex- tract of the tissues. Substitutes for Meat and Eggs Q. When eggs and meat are discarded what vegetable foods should be taken in their place? A. As a matter of fact no substitutes for meat and eggs are needed. When freely eaten eggs and meat generally introduce into the diet a surplus of protein which can be dispensed with not only without injury but with very great profit.- Ordinary vegetable foodstuffs contain all the protein which the body requires. A diet of peas and beans contains a larger proportion of protein than is required. The same is true of most cereals. Nuts, with the exception of the pecan, are very rich in protein. Pine nuts and almonds contain protein in larger percentage than does meat itself. As a matter of fact, a pound of pine nuts or almonds contains as much protein as a pound and one-half of the best steak. It is very evident then, that one need have no apprehension of suffering from the lack of pro- tein because meat and eggs are discarded from the dietary. The sense of loss when these ar- 682 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED tides are discarded may be easily overcome by increasing the amount of butter or olive oil taken at each meal, and if anything more is needed an ounce or two of almonds, or other nuts may be eaten. Protose and other vegetable meats are rich in protein. Is Man Carnivorous Q. Have human beings a natural appetite for flesh? A. Man is a flesh-eater because he has acquired the taste for flesh. Starting out a fruit-and nut-eater, the vicissitudes of terrestrial read- justments and climatic change brought him to the verge of starvation, made him eat flesh and become a cannibal, and reduced him to savagery. Civilization has lifted him up, but the germs of ancestral appetites still linger in him and are easily kindled into activity. In other words, al- though civilized man wears a garb of culture, if we probe him deep enough we find a savage. Is Animal Flesh Necessary Q. Do scientific authorities admit that ani- mal flesh is not a necessary part of the hu- man dietary? A. All modern physiologists admit that flesh A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 683 food is not an essential part of the dietary of human beings. Von Noorden, one of the most eminent of living physiologists and physicians, in his great work on metabolism says : — "The old question as to whether the protein of vegetable origin is in respect of value as a food-stuff equal to that of animal origin — whether omnivorous man, like the herbivora, could with impunity draw his entire supply of protein from the vegetable kingdom alone, is in principle one which is already decided for us through the practice of those people who live exclusively on vegetable foods. Physiological investigation can therefore only supply the evi- dence that it is indeed true that the vegetable- albuminous substances as they occur in nature are equal in nutritive value to an equivalent quantity of protein of animal origin." Effect of Meat Diet on Kidneys Q. Does flesh diet injure the kidneys? A. The use of a flesh diet imposes upon the kidneys a large amount of extra work which must lessen their efficiency and gradually lead to de- generative processes which make their presence known by albumin and other evidences of kidney disease. 684 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Do Laborers Require Meat Q. Why do laboring men eat so much meat if a large amount of protein is not required to support muscular activity? Is it not true that laborers universally require a large amount of meat? A. The Arabs who built the Suez Canal lived upon wheat and dates and De Lesseps, the great engineer, who projected and successfully com- pleted this remarkable work was so impressed by observing the great superiority of the wheat fed Arabs over the beef fed Englishmen en- gaged in the same work that he became a flesh abstainer and an earnest advocate of the low protein regimen and continued so until his death many years later. Italian laborers, Irish laborers, and in fact, the peasantry of all countries including those of the populous region of In- dia, Japan, Siam and Central Africa, are prac- tically vegetarians. The reason why American working men when engaged in hard labor use a considerable amount of meat is that meat is a part of the ordinary diet. When the laboring man has hard work to do his appetite increases and he naturally increases the quantity he eats, not simply as regards the meat but with refer- ence to all the foodstuffs which make up his bill of fare. He simply eats more of everything which he ordinarily eats not knowing that his A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 685 increased energy output calls for an increase of carbohydrates and fats rather than an increase of protein. When the scientific facts relating to human nutrition are made as familiar to the average school boy as are the rules of arithmetic, then the workman will be better advised and when hard work is required of him, will increase his consumption of bread, potatoes and fats, in- stead of increasing his protein intake. Science has clearly shown that protein is a far less economical source of energy than fat and car- bohydrates. Waste of Food in the Fattening of Animals Q. Is it true that there is an actual waste in the feeding of animals to fatten them for food purposes? A. According to careful experiments by Pro- fessor Henry, Dean of the Agricultural Depart- ment of the University of Wisconsin, an enor- mous amount of food is wasted in the feeding of steers, sheep and hogs. For example, Pro- fessor Henry has shown that for one hundred pounds of food fed to a milch cow, eighteen pounds of solids are reproduced in the milk. For a hundred pounds of food fed to fowls, only five or six pounds can be recovered in the form of poultry and eggs. In the fattening of steers the loss is still greater; for each hundred 686 A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED pounds of food fed to the animal, only 2.8 pounds are recovered in the form of edible flesh. In other words, the fattening of cattle and sheep requires thirty-five to forty pounds of vegetable food to produce one pound of actual food in the form of beef and mutton. More than half of all the corn raised in the United States is fed to domestic animals, involving a loss of food suf- ficient to feed all the people of the United States. Poultry Q. Is the flesh of fowls preferable to beef and mutton? A. It was formerly thought the flesh of fowls, particularly the white meat, contained less uric acid and on this account was preferable but according to Taylor, and other physiologists, the flesh of fowls contains more uric acid than beef or mutton. The same is true of veal. Is Meat Fattening Q. Is a meat diet fattening? A. Lean meat is not only a poor fuel but is also the worst diet that could be chosen, when it is desired to secure a gain in flesh. Says Taylor: "It would be difficult to select another diet that would lay on as little flesh and fat as a pure meat diet. Entirely apart from A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 687 the consideration of the dynamogenetic aspect of the diet, the enormous labor imposed on the catabolism of protein and the elimination of the end products renders the diet highly undesirable. Even in the pure carnivora, the experience of breeders and trainers of dogs is unanimous to the effect that a pure meat diet is unadapted to the best functionation of these animals, as well as to their best growth and work. A dog will work on a pure meat diet and labor hard if forced. But coursing trainers have long had the experience that "meat gives no wind;" in other words, the maintenance, of work is accom- plished even in carnivora in the most effective manner on a diet composed of a moderate ration of protein and a large input of carbohydrate. "A rich protein diet is not a ration that makes flesh. A pure meat diet forms very little flesh." Meat Diet in Gold Climates Q. Is a meat diet necessary in cold cli- mates? A. The prevalent notion that meat diet is essential in cold climate seems to be contraindi- cated by well known scientific facts. Gautier, in his authoritative work on "Alimen- tation," presents the results of exhaustive study of the question whether or not an increase of 688 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED proteid or albuminous foodstuffs is required dur- ing cold weather. With the temperature de- creased nearly to the freezing point, the amount of nitrogen found in the urine was only 4.2, or practically the same amount. The author states that there is no sensible increase in the loss of proteid. substances as a result of the exposure of the body to cold. The demand for increased heat is met by the addition to the daily ration of car- bonaceous foodstuffs, such as fats or carbo- hydrates. Entirely in harmony with these ideas is the fact noted by Lieutenant Shackleton and other travelers in the Arctic regions that exposure to extreme cold develops a very great craving for farinaceous foodstuffs. Excessive Meat Diet Q. Is an excessive meat diet injurious to animals? A. Dr. Watson of Edinburgh in experiments upon rats made under the supervision of Prof. Schaefer showed that when fed upon an ex- clusive meat diet there were very marked evi- dences of degeneracy, affecting especially the re- productive system. The number of young was A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 689 greatly diminished and there was atrophy of the mammary glands. Japanese Diet Q. What is the Japanese diet standard? A. Some years ago, when the question of the deficiency of protein in the Japanese dietary was raised by Mori, a special investigation was un- dertaken by a Japanese physiologist, Kumagawa, for the purpose of settling this question. He found that with the ordinary diet of Japanese foods only 54 grams of protein were taken in, less than half the amount required by Voit, and still less than Atwater's standard. He found that this diet furnishes the body a larger amount of protein than it actually required and reached the conclusion that a larger amount of protein than this is quite necessary; that only a very small amount of protein is needed, the only im- portant point being that the body shall be fur- nished with a sufficient: amount of fat and carbo- hydrates to maintain the supply of energy re- quired by the tissues. He found also that an in- crease in the protein intake did not increase the amount of protein in the blood but only increased the amount of protein found in the excretions. 690 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED The Endurance of the Japanese Q. Are the Japanese short of stature be- cause they do not eat meat? A. According to the London Lancet (1904), the Japanese attribute their remarkable endur- ance for which they have become world famous to their simple non-flesh dietary. The fact that they are smaller than some of the other nations in stature having been attributed to their non- flesh diet, the Japanese government determined to make an investigation of the matter. Ac- cording to the Lancet: — "In 1899 a commission was appointed to con- sider whether by a meat diet or by other means the stature df the race could be raised; but the conclusion arrived at was that seeing that their feats of strength and enduring powers were superior to races much taller than themselves, the lowness of their stature did not matter. Al- though during the period of their ascendency the Samurai kept the secret that their great physical superiority was due in a large measure to the internal and external use of water, the belief that if used liberally and intelligently, water is an infallible weapon against disease, is now generally held. By those who go in for jiu-jitsu, an average of one gallon a day is drunk. . . . All that is really required by the A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 691 people is that the water shall be pure. By the copious ingestion of water the action of the bowels and kidneys is stimulated, and it is note- worthy that rheumatism is almost unknown in Japan; it is probable that the absence of meat from the diet, combined with the use of plenty of water, accounts for this immunity. Bathing is indulged in frequently even by the poorest. The water in the bath is heated to a temper- ature which would be impossible for an Eng- lishman to endure, — generally by a stove under- neath the bath. These hot baths are taken to cleanse and stimulate the skin, but cold baths also are taken to invigorate and harden. "Vegetables and fruits are grown in abun- dance, and their value as a regular part of the diet is realized far more than in this country. Indeed, a laborer is content to work a whole day on a dinner of tomatoes, cucumbers, and salad. Salad is eaten cooked, as a cure for sleepless- ness. Milk is scarce because it does not pay to keep cattle to produce milk ak>ne, and the meat is not eaten." The fact that within a single generation the Japanese have made more progress in civili- zation than any other nation has made in two hundred years, very clearly shows that not- withstanding their diet practically excludes flesh foods, they are in no way inferior in in- 692 A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED trinsic intellectual power to the people of other countries in which flesh food is largely used. The intellectual activity, the progressiveness and the remarkable strength and endurance of the Japanese on a non-flesh dietary is a com- plete answer to the argument based upon the fact that the many millions of flesh-abstaining East Indians are ruled by a handful of flesh-eat- ing Englishmen. The absurdity of this argument is further shown by the fact that there are in India, besides the 200,000,000 flesh abstainers, not fewer than 100,000,000 Mahometans, who are flesh-eaters. Beef Tea Q. Is beef tea of any value as a food? A. Beef tea is made up of excretory products such as go to form the urine. The urine is not formed by the kidneys but consists of waste sub- stances resulting from tissue work and is washed out of the tissues by the blood, then later filtered out of the blood by the kidneys; so urine is simply an extract of the tissues. Beef tea, is also an extract of the tissues. One extract of the tissues is made by the kidneys, the other by the cook. Examination by chemists show that the two extracts are practically identical ; in other words the composition of beef tea and of the urine are essentially the same. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 693 Bouillon — Beef Extract — Animal Broths Q. What is the value of bouillon or extract of beef as food? A. Bouillon and meat extracts of all sorts are valueless as foods; in fact they are worse than nothing at all. A dog fed on extract of beef dies sooner than if fed nothing at all. The popular idea that these meat extracts represent concentrated food value is the very opposite of the truth. The amount of nutriment contained in a pint of beef tea is less than that found in a thimbleful of wheat flour or corn meal. The chief constituents of bouillon and meat extracts are waste substances of the same character as those which are found in the urine. Practically the only way that a chemist can tell the difference is by the sense of smell, as the chemical analysis is essentially the same. The late Dr. Austin Flint, the great New York physician, called at- tention to this fact more than forty years ago and insisted that thousands of people had been starved to death on a diet of meat broths. Soups Q. Are soups, especially those containing meat, good for one whose digestion is weak? A. Soups properly made are wholesome, but soups made from meats are unwholesome under 694 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED all circumstances. Such preparations contain a large proportion of uric acid which, as shown by Dr. Haig and others, is very damaging. In tak- ing soups, one should remember that liquids, as well as solids, require mastication. Each spoonful should be held in the mouth while movements of the tongue and the jaws are made as in mastication, until it is so far diluted by the addition of saliva that the taste has largely dis- appeared. When they are taken in this way, soups are among the most digestible of all food prepar- ations. Fish Q. Are fish preferable to other forms of flesh? A. The popular idea that fish are more easily digested and more wholesome than red meats is entirely an error. According to Professor J. Rozor, fish are more liable to disease than other animals. Roger gives a long list of poisonous fish. Brieger, as well as others, who have made a careful study of this subject, have isolated nu- merous ptomaines which are found in the flesh of fish. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 695 Meat Poisoning Q. What is so-called meat poisoning? ' A. Dr. H. E. Durham, F. R. C. Si, stated in the British Medical Journal: "It is clear that the flesh of cows and calves has been accountable for many deaths." The disease has been traced to the use of pork and other flesh and in some in- stances to the use of milk. Dr. Durham re- ported 256 cases of illness from this cause, of whom nine died. It is important that these facts should be made widely known, as the symptoms of meat poison- ing, headache, nausea, diarrhea and abdominal pain are likely to be attributed to the use of fruit rather than to the real cause. It is more than likely that by far the majority of cases of meat poisoning are overlooked. It is not sur- prising that meat so often gives rise to intestinal disturbances when the fact is known that flesh foods of all sorts, including salted and dried fish, are swarming with bacteria, and to an ex- tent far greater than in any other food which is eaten. Even milk in its worst stage does not compare with fresh butcher's meat in the num- ber of bacteria contained in a given weight. It is true that these bacteria are generally the or- dinary bacteria of putrefaction, that is, such bacteria as are found in a dead rat or in a de- 6% A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED cayed carcass anywhere. But these, even though in general capable of producing in a healthy adult the symptoms which follow the use of meat in- fected with the bacillus enteritidis, in feeble per- sons and especially in children may produce a serious attack of acute intestinal infection, and when habitually used will certainly in time give rise to intestinal catarrh and autointoxication with its variety of far-reaching consequences. The following table shows the number of bacteria found in different samples of meat freshly obtained and examined in the clinical laboratory of the Battle Creek Sanitarium. Putrefactive Bacteria per Ounce Specimen When After 20 Hours Purchased at Room Temp. 1. Large sausage 12,600,000,000 14,700,000,000 2. Small sausage 19,800,000,000 19,200,000,000 3. Round steak 16,800,000,000 25,200,000,000 4. Roast beef 16,800,000,000 22,500,000,000 5. Smoked ham 1,293,600,000 22,500,000,000 6. Hamburger steak .... 3,870,000,000 21,000,000,000 7. Pork 3,781,000,000 31,080,000,000 8. Porterhouse steak.... 900,000,000 21,000,000,000 9. Sirloin steak 11,340,000,000 10. Tenderloin (well done) 756,000,000 11. Tenderloin (rare).... 5,040,000,000 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 697 Germs in Meat Q. How soon do bacteria affect flesh food? A. Professor Tissier of the Pasteur Institute found it impossible even when using the great- est care, to obtain flesh from a slaughtered ani- mal which was not contaminated with putrefac- tive bacteria. Gold Storage Meats Q. Are cold storage meats safe? A. Modern research has shown that cold stor- age does not prevent the growth of bacteria. The putrefactive organisms with which all slaughtered animals become infected continue to grow not- withstanding the low temperature to which the dressed carcasses may be subjected in cold stor- age. It has been found that a special class of these putrefactive organisms are able to thrive at a low temperature. These organisms differ from those which grow in higher temperature in the fact that they do not produce aromatic sub- stances and hence do not reveal their presence by any taint or change of odor. The flesh smells as sweet as though perfectly fresh, notwith- standing the fact that myriads of bacteria are swarming all through it. It is well known that flesh of any sort which has been kept in cold storage for some time undergoes decomposition 698 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED very rapidly when removed to a higher temper- ature. The reason for this is now plain. The development of putrefactive organisms has been going on in the flesh, notwithstanding the low temperature at which it has been kept, so when exposed to a higher temperature a prodigous de- velopment occurs within a very short time. If flesh is eaten at all it should be eaten as soon as the animal is killed, if possible even before rigor mortis or death takes place. But the use of flesh food is wholly unnecessary. Oyster Juice Q. Is oyster juice a wholesome food for sick people? A. Oyster juice has essentially the same prop- erties as urine. Oyster juice appears in fact to be the result of action of the kidneys and in- testine of the oyster. An analysis made of oys- ter juice in the laboratory of the Battle Creek Sanitarium showed its composition to be essen- tially the same as that of urine. It contains a large amount of urea and other substances which are found in urine. As is well known, these molilusks are the scavengers of the sea. They subsist upon the decomposing organic matters which they find in solution in the water in which they live. For greater convenience in marketing, extensive beds A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 699 of oysters and clams are planted near large cities; and it not infrequently happens that they feed and fatten on the filth from sewers which empty into the sea in the vicinity of the beds, or which is brought to them by the tide. Numerous observations made in different parts of the world have shown that epidemics of ty- phoid fever may not infrequently be traced to the use of oysters. Typhoid fever germs are fre- quently found in the stomachs of these bivalves. In France and Belgium, oysters are made, if possible still more unwholesome by keeping them for several months in stagnant water until they become bloated and green when they are served up to tickle the depraved palates of French gourmands. Milk Cow's Milk Q. What is the composition of cow's milk and does it differ from human milk? A. The difference between cow's milk and human milk is clearly shown in the accompany- ing table : Cow's Milk Water Per Cent Protein Fat Carbohydrate Ash Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent 87.17 3.55 3.64 4.88 .71 Human Milk Water Per Cent Protein Fat Carbohydrate Ash Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent 87.41 2.99 3.78 6.21 .31 From the above, it will be seen that mother's milk contains about one-half more sugar than does cow's milk and only two-fifths as much lime salts. It also contains less protein. The protein also differs in character. The casein of cow's milk forms hard, tough curds, that of mother's milk soft curds. The digestibility of cow's milk is increased by adding water. For A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 701 a young child, an equal quantity of water is added, and an ounce of malt sugar to each quart. Milk With Fruit Q. Is it unwholesome to combine cream or buttermilk with stewed or fresh fruits? A. The popular notion that milk and acid fruits are an unwholesome combination is an error. The first step in the digestion of milk is its conversion into curds. It is evident that if milk is curded before it is eaten no harm is done. The milk has simply advanced one step along the process of digestion. The addition of cream to fruit is advantageous. With persons who have a tendency to formation of an excessive amount of gastric acid, the tendency of acid fruit to in- crease the secretion of acid by the stomach may be checked by the addition of cream since it has been shown by Pawlow that fats tend to diminish acid secretion. Sour Milk Q. Would milk, also cream, soured be a wholesome and beneficial drink? A. Sour milk is more digestible, and prob- ably on the whole more wholesome, than ordi- nary fresh milk. 702 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Buttermilk Q. Is fresh creamery buttermilk injurious? A. Buttermilk is preferable to milk in the ordinary form. There are some persons with whom milk in any form disagrees, producing gas in the stomach, headache, coated tongue, and other unpleasant symptoms. The fact must be borne in mind that some per- sons are sensitized to milk. Buttermilk With Fruits Q. Should buttermilk be used with sweet fruits? A. There is no objection to the use of butter- milk with sweet fruits or fruits of any sort, pro- vided careful attention is given to mastication of the fruit. Milk Germs Q. Are milk germs dangerous? A. Few people are aware of the amount of dirt and dirt of the filthiest kind, which is con- sumed in the use of ordinary milk. It was re- cently estimated that more than twenty tons of cow manure are consumed as food disguised in milk by the inhabitants of the city of Berlin every year. If this is true of Berlin, the amount con- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 703 sumed by an equal population in the United States must be much greater; for far less atten- tion is given to sanitary supervision of such mat- ters in this country than in Germany. We are, in fact, just beginning to wake up to the im- portance of keeping the drugstore and the barn- yard out of our victuals. In a few states laws are now in force estab- lished a standard of purity of milk, or rather, we should say, a standard of impurity, for the standard is so low that milk which wholly con- forms to it can not be considered as in any wise clean. For example, in Michigan, where the standard is higher than in some States, the law demands that commercial milk shall not contain more than 200,000 microbes per cubic centimeter. A cubic centimeter is about one-fifth of a tea- spoonful, so the actual meaning of the law is that a teaspoonful of commercial milk shall not contain more than one million germs, but of course it is impossible for inspectors to examine every specimen of milk offered for sale ; con- sequently it is not an uncommon thing to find milk being distributed from door to door to be consumed by delicate invalids and feeble infants as well as by robust persons which contains as many as ten and twenty millions or even fifty millions, of germs to the teaspoonful. 704 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Goat's Milk Q. Is it true that goat's milk is more di- gestible than cow's milk? A. The milk of the goat contains more casein than does that of the cow. It is also richer in fat. It forms a harder curd and is on this ac- count less digestible than cow's milk. The idea advanced a few years ago that goat's milk is possessed of special curative virtues for persons suffering from tuberculosis of the lungs has been proven to be erroneous. The goat is less subject to tuberculosis than the cow only so long as it lives out of doors. When confined in a stable as cows are usually kept the goat becomes tu- berculous. Raw Milk Q. Is raw milk laxative? A. Raw milk when eaten freely is somewhat laxative. The milk sugar which it contains is slowly absorbed and on this account is generally in some part changed by fermentation to lactic acids which like all other acids act as a stimu- lant to the intestine and so encourage bowel action. This is especially true when the quantity of milk taken is large enough to prevent com- plete absorption of the milk sugar in the small intestine. When some portion of the sugar finds A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 705 its way into the colon and there undergoes fermentation a decided laxative effect is often produced. An exclusive diet of milk if sufficient in quantity is often accompanied by decided looseness of the bowels. Milk Poisoning Q. What are the symptoms of milk poison- ing or how may one know that milk disagrees with him? A. Many persons are sensitized to the protein of milk and cannot take milk even in moderate quantities without suffering various unpleasant symptoms. The most common symptoms of milk poisoning are coated tongue, headache, consti- pation, lack of appetite and bad breath. It is probable that an explanation of the symptoms is to be found in the fact that undigested curds find their way into the colon and undergoing putrefaction there give rise to intestinal toxemia. Person who suffer from colitis are very likely to show symptoms of milk poisoning because of the more rapid absorption through a diseased mucous membrane. Some persons observe that they suf- fer less when using milk very freely than when taking it in small quantities. This seeming paradox is easily explained. When milk is taken in small quantity all the sugar is absorbed in the small intestine so there is none left to feed 706 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED the acid forming germs which may be present in the colon and so putrefaction occurs instead of fermentation. When a large amount of milk is taken a considerable amount of sugar escapes absorption in the small intestine and passing on into the colon feeds the acid forming germs, which by fermentation produce lactic acid and other acids and so prevent putrefaction and encourage bowel action. The writer has demonstrated in many cases that persons who could not take milk in very small quantities without suffering un- pleasant symptoms when given five or six quarts of milk a day in submitting to the milk regimen suffered no inconvenience whatever and were greatly benefited by the change of "flora" thus secured. Viscid Milk Q. What is the cause of thready or viscid milk? A. More than a dozen different germs have been described which produce a thready or viscid condition of the milk. It is a singular fact that this condition of the milk is promoted as the basis of the process employed in the manufacture of Edam cheese. Conserves of thready milk are also made in Norway, where pains are taken to produce a viscid condition of the milk in the manufacture of a peculiar kind of preserved milk. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 707 The Milk Diet Q. Is an exclusive milk diet to be recom- mended? A. Cow's milk is rarely indicated as an ex- clusive diet for adult persons. Cow's milk is ex- actly adapted to the nourishment of calves but is by no means adapted to human requirements. Many persons have been sensitized to the protein of milk. Many persons who cannot take milk without injury are able to take the milk regimen with benefit. In the milk regimen fruit is taken twice daily and considerable quantities of agar- agar and other laxative substances are taken to insure free bowel action. If the bowels do not act freely the patient is likely to be injured rather than benefited. The bowels should move four or more times daily. If the bowels do not move freely the half digested curds accumulate in the colon in large quantities and undergoing putre- faction produce a highly toxic condition. Buddized Milk Q. May milk be sterilized without boiling? A. Yes. By a process known as Buddizing, commercial milk may be rendered practically free from germs and apparently without in any 708 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED way injuring the milk. The sterilizing agent is peroxide of hydrogen, which is added to the milk in the proportion of about a teaspoonful to the pint of milk. The milk must be kept for a certain time at a temperature which permits the peroxide to act most efficiently. Buddized milk will keep several days with or- dinary care. This method has long been in use in Denmark. It is also in use in one of the large hospitals of Chicago. Eggs Why Are Eggs Poisonous Q. Why do eggs sometimes produce poison- ous effects? A. Recent studies which have been made of eggs, especially by a French physiologist, have shown that all eggs contain small quantities of albuminous compounds which behave like toxal- bumins. Some people are very susceptible to these toxins, and on this account are unable to eat eggs of any sort without suffering decided symptoms of poison such as urticaria, frequently nausea and vomiting and diarrhea with great prostration. Certain persons are sensitized to egg albumen. By the application of a newly devised test, it may be determined in a few hours whether or not a person is sensitized to milk or any other food. Egg Protein Q. How many eggs per day should one eat to secure the proper amount of protein? A. The daily ration of the average individual should contain a calorie of protein for every pound of his weight. That is, the average man 710 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED weighing 140 pounds net, requires 140 calories of protein daily. This amount of food is fur- nished by five eggs. A pound loaf of bread, how- ever, will furnish more than this amount of pro- tein. In fact, one needs to take pains to avoid protein, for the universal dietetic error is the use of too much of this food element. Thus it appears difficult to find place for even one egg a day in the dietary without risking an excess of protein. Eggs in Toxemia Q. Do eggs encourage intestinal putre- faction? A. Von Noorden, and several other European investigators have been studying the effects of eggs upon intestinal putrefaction. Their verdict is that eggs, particularly the white of egg, when eaten in excess, is capable of increasing intes- tinal putrefaction to a very marked degree. This is true even when the eggs are taken very fresh, and especially when hard cooked. When eggs are slightly stale the ill effects are greatly in- creased because of the germs which are already •contained in the eggs, and which rapidly develop putrefaction if the eggs are taken into the stom- ach. The use of eggs, and particularly the white of egg, is found to be especially injurious in cases of Bright's disease. Eggs encourage the growth A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 71 1 in the colon of the germs of putrefaction, which have been proved to be the cause of membranous colitis and of appendicitis. Cottage Cheese Q. Is cottage cheese, or cheese made from sour milk, constipating? A. There are some people who appear to be- come constipated whenever milk is used in any form. Constipation is often due to the fact that the casein is not well digested, hence is not ab- sorbed, but finds its way into the colon and there undergoes putrefaction, producing an alkaline state of the bowel contents which tends to consti- pation. Yogurt Cheese Q. What is the difference between yogurt cheese and ordinary cottage cheese? A. Yogurt cheese is a true cheese. It is pre- pared by a process similar to that employed in making Camembert cheese without the green mould as is done in making Camembert cheese. The milk is sterilized so as to destroy moulds and germs which are found in ordinary cheese, then a protective ferment, Bacillus Bulgaricus, is added. 712 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Cheese Poisoning Q. To what is cheese poisoning due? A. More than twenty years ago Dr. V. C. Vaughn of Ann Arbor, discovered in cheese which had caused symptoms of poisoning, a special poison to which he gave the name "tyro- toxicon." It is probable that all cheese contains at least a small amount of this poison along with other poisons which are produced by the growth of germs. In some cases however, the amount of poison present is so great that within a few hours after eating cheese vomiting and violent pains in the stomach, purging with great prostra- tion and other symptoms make their appearance, the result of the action of the cheese poison. The process of cheese making is due to the action of moulds or various germs which produce flavors characteristic of cheese by decomposing the casein, fat and sugar found in milk. If the milk is sterilized, cheese cannot be made from it since the whole cheese-making process depends upon the growth of germs. Every eater of cheese ought to be informed of the fact that ripe cheese always contains poison- ous substances, produced by the action of germs. These are not ordinarily present in sufficient quantity to render their presence apparent by seriously toxic symptoms; but the fact that the A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED >13 cheese-eater may at any time swallow unawares a fatal dose of cheese poison, or a dose of suf- ficient size to imperil" his life and entail great suffering, is evidenced by the frequency with which cases of cheese poisoning are reported. The symptoms are vomiting and great pain in the stomach, violent purging, lasting from twelve to forty-eight hours, great prostration, and in some cases syncope. Drs. Schaeffer and Bondzynski showed many years ago that cheese made from cooked milk does not mature. Adametz has shown that the ad- dition of thymol and other germicides to milk in making cheese prevents the maturing of the cheese. Protein Ration Q. Why is the so-called high protein ra-i tion injurious? A. One of the greatest of all dietetic errors is the excessive use of protein. In this class are included meats of all sorts, and eggs. The experi- ments of Chittenden and others have shown that the chief and only necessary function of protein in the body is the repair of tissues, and for this purpose a very much smaller amount is required than has formerly been supposed. Chittenden has, in fact, by his experiments, reduced the pro- tein standard to one-half or one-third the amount 714 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED regarded as necessary by Voit, Pettenkoffer and other older authorities. The excessive use of pro- tein is regarded by Chitterlden, and many others who have given this subject careful study, as chiefly responsible for the various disorders and degeneracies which have heretofore been ascribed to uric acid. When taken in quantities beyond the needs of the body, proteins encourage,, to an enormous ex- tent, the intestinal putrefactions which Combe, MietchnikofI and others have shown to lie at the foundation of a large proportion of the chronic disorders, both functional and organic, to which human beings are subject. Chittenden's standard reduces the requirement of protein to so low a point that the use of flesh foods becomes practically impossible within physiologic limits. Even the potato contains a sufficient amount of protein to meet the body needs. Bread contains quite an excess, while milk supplies a very much larger proportion of protein than is required by adult human beings. Nuts and legumes are so rich in protein that care must be exercised in their use to avoid excess. Hence it is practically impossible to add meat to the ordinary bill of fare without getting an ex- cess of protein and incurring the risk of resulting intestinal autointoxication. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 715 Sources of Protein Q. Can one get enough protein to supply the needs of the body without eating eggs or milk? A. Ordinary foodstuffs contain all the pro- tein that the body requires. The ox gets an ample supply of protein from grass. The power- ful gorilla gets an abundant supply of protein from fruits, nuts and tender shoots which it finds in the forest. Nuts contain a large excess of protein. The same thing is true of peas and beans. Oat meal is rich in protein. Does Protein Develop Muscular Strength Q. Will not the free use of protein en- courage the development of the muscles? A. This question has been much studied by trainers and physiologists and it has been scientifically proven that even though the size of the muscles may be somewhat increased by flesh eating, the muscular strength is not at all increased in this way. It is only by exercise that real muscular development and increase of strength can be secured. 716 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Safety of the Low Protein Diet Q. Is a low protein diet safe for all per- sons? If not what are the exceptions? A. Protein is required only for tissue repair. The condition under which the most protein is needed is when the body is growing. If any per- son needed a high protein diet, it would be the human infant, but Nature supplies the infant with a low-protein diet. An infant fed on moth- er's milk gets a very small amount of protein. The amount is less than one calorie a day per pound, which is less than one-third the amount usually eaten by adults. In other words, the in- fant is supplied by Nature with a very low-pro- tein dietary. This fact clearly shows that human beings are not adapted to a high-protein diet, but the reverse. Physiologists tell us that a high- protein diet does not increase the formation of flesh but has the opposite effect, that the carbo- hydrates are the real flesh formers. They pro- mote the formation of flesh by preventing the destruction of protein and so encourage tissue increase. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 717 Summer Diet Q. Does one require less food in summer than in winter and is less protein needed? A. The amount of food required for any sea- son of the year depends more upon the amount of work done than upon the season. One engaged in very hard work in a hot field in mid-summer may require much more food, twice as much perhaps as a person living a sedentary life in the coldest winter weather. The largest amount of food is required by a person engaged in very active work while exposed to a low temperature. Arctic travelers consume enormous quantities of food, mostly fat. Composition of Food Q. What is the composition of the various foodstuffs? A. The following table shows the number of food units contained in various foodstuffs, both per ounce and as ordinarily served at the table: Fruits, vegetables, nuts, cereals and dairy pro- ducts : Calories per Serving Oz. per Carbo- Serving Protein Fat hydrate Total Y A Almonds 4 35 5 44 Sy 2 Apples 2 7 88 97 6 Apple juice 102 102 3 Apricots 4 45 49 718 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Oz. per Serving Protein Zy 2 Bananas 5 3 Beet Greens 7 3 Blackberries 3 6 Blackberry juice 2Y A Blueberries 2 6 Blueberry juice Ay 2 Blueberry Sauce 4 y 2 Brazil nuts 9 y 2 Butter 1 6 Buttermilk 21 6y 2 Cantaloup 4 1 Celery 1 2^4 Cherries 2 3 Cherry sauce 3 Y A Corn Flakes 8 1 Crackers, oatmeal 13 2*4 Cream 6 2 Cucumbers 2 3 Currants, red 5 1 Currant jelly 1 3 Dandelions 8 V/4 Dates 4 y 2 English Walnuts 10 2 Figs 1 y 2 Filberts .' 9 Zy A Grapefruit 3 6 Grape juice 5 Grapes 2 Ay 2 Hominy Grits 8 \y 2 Honey 1 \y A Lettuce 1 iy 4 Maple Syrup 1 Maple Sugar Calories per Serving Carbo- i Fat hydrate Total 5 87 97 27 11 45 6 36 45 102 102 3 42 47 102 102 6 62 72 87 3 99 108 109 7 32 60 69 73 3 4 5 42 49 1 72 76 1 68 77 28 79 120 106 11 123 1 7 10 43 48 102 103 7 . 36 51 13 156 173 82 7 99 16 159 176 83 7 100 2 44 44 143 143 6 102 110 2 65 75 138 139 1 4 6 101 101 94 94 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 719 Calories per Serving Oz. per Serving Protein 6 l / 2 Milk, skimmed 25 6 Milk, whole 22 Yz Nut butter 29 Vz Olive Oil \ l A Olives, ripe 2 5 Orange 4 4 Peaches, fresh 3 Y A Peanuts 22 4 Pears, cooked 1 4 Pears 2 y 2 Pecans 6 y 2 Pine Nuts 20 4 Pineapple, fresh 1 2> l / 2 Pineapple sauce 1 4 Plums 4 2^4 Plum sauce 3 3^4 Prune sauce 1 3H Quince sauce 1 1 Radishes 1 1 Raisins 3 3 Raisin sauce 6 4 Raspberries, black 7 3^4 Raspberries, red 4 3>]4 Raspberry sauce, black 5 3^4 Raspberry sauce, red... 4 1 Rice Biscuit 4 4 Strawberries 4 3y 2 Strawberry sauce 2 1-5 Sugar (granulated) ... 4 Tomatoes 4 8 Watermelon 3 ^2 Whipped Cream 1 Carbo- Fat hydrate Total 4 37 66 61 34 117 .04 17 150 85 85 92 7 101 3 66 73 1 42 46 74 21 117 3 82 86 5 64 71 91 7 104 65 4 89 3 44 48 6 145 152 91 95 99 102 1 95 97 3 91 95 7 8 8 87 9S 18 176 200 10 57 85 54 58 7 89 101 71 75 1 48 53 6 34 44 5 95 102 23 23 4 16 24 4 76 83 23 2 26 720 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED MEAT AND FISH Calories per Serving Oz. per. Serving Protein 2y 2 Beef, roasted 63 2%, Beef, round 70 6 Bouillon 15 3% Chicken, broilers 79 3Y A Clams 37 5 Codfish 94 2$4 Goose 51 3 Halibut (steak) 63 2 Lamb Chops 49 3y 2 Lamb Leg (roast) ... .78 3 Liver (veal) 65 2 Lobsters 41 2y 2 Mutton (leg, boiled) .47 3 l / 2 Oysters 35 1 Pork (bacon) 15 2Y A Pork (boiled ham) ..51 3 Pork (chops) 45 2y A Salmon 45 2y A Shad 24 W A Trout 36 iy 4 Turkey 23 2y 2 Veal 52 Diet and Working Ability Q. Is working ability increased by the con- sumption of large quantities of food? A. The amount of heat produced by a fur- nace is nearly in proportion to the amount of fuel introduced but this is not true with the body. Carbo- Fat hydrate Total 183 246 44 114 1 1 17 20 99 9 8 54 5 6 105 257 308 40 103 153 202 114 192 40 105 5 1 47 66 113 21 15 71 91 106 129 190 199 244 102 147 27 51 45 81 58 81 37 89 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 721 The body does not necessarily consume the food fuel as fast as it is supplied. It is a self regulat- ing mechanism and uses only so much energy material as is needed to make good its neces- sary losses and expenditures. The Colon Needs Starch Q. Since it is difficult to get sugar or starch into the colon before it is absorbed, would it not be of benefit to eat vegetables such as fresh corn and peas, slightly underdone? A. Yes. Green corn is much more digestible uncooked than cooked, and is also more palat- able. Grains in the milk stage are more nearly adapted to the human digestive apparatus than either dried or cooked grains. Besides, the green corn contains vitamines, which are beneficial. The general practice of cooking oatmeal for a long time is productive of constipation. Oatmeal, cracked wheat and some other cereals should be cooked not more than five to ten minutes. Many persons relish these preparations when cooked four to six minutes, or even less time. When eaten in this form, some of the starch finds its way into the colon and there feeds the acid forming bacteria. The greatest benefit is derived from the use of these partially cooked foods when eaten in connection with the bacillus Bul- garicus and glycobacteria, the friendly germs 722 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED which assist in the preservation of a normal con- dition in the intestine and combat putrefaction. Brain Food Q. What foods are best for promoting brain development and supporting brain work? A. There is no such thing as brain food; that is, there is no sort of food which especially nourishes the brain. The foods which promote brain action are those which encourage free ac- tion of the bowels and maintain the highest de- gree of blood purity. The proper diet is one which will diminish putrefaction in the intestines and secure three bowel movements daily. Blood Making Foods Q. What are blood making foods? A. For the making of pure blood the first essential is pure food, and not blood or blood- containing food. If the blood has been greatly reduced in quantity, it is important to take food rich in proteids. These are furnished in abun- dance by many of the natural foods. Among the choicest of these are nuts, especially almonds, peanuts, Turkish hazelnuts, or filberts, pecans, and all nuts from which the outer shells and skins can be readily removed. A pound of nuts con- tains more blood-forming material than a pound A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 723 and a half of beefsteak. Peas, beans, and len- tils are also splendid blood-formers, containing more than one-fourth their weight of blood-mak- ing material, and each pound equal in food value to three pounds of beef. Whole-wheat bread and gluten preparations of all sorts are also good blood-making foods. All foods which hinder digestion, and which give rise to fermentation or other disturbances, must be carefully avoided, as the acids formed by the souring of the food serve to lessen the al- kalinity of the blood, and thus to deteriorate its quality. This is not true of the acids found in fruits. These are food substances, and unless taken in very great excess are highly beneficial. Acid fruits encourage the action of the kidneys, and thus aid in the removal of the poisons, while they at the same time disinfect the stomach and intestines, and thus prevent the formation of poisons by fermentative and putrefactive pro- cesses. Fresh vegetables must not be overlooked. The valuable vitamines which they contain render the body the greatest service. Lettuce, celery, to- matoes, cucumbers, all fresh foods are most ex- cellent blood purifiers. 724 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Fat Containing Foods Q. What foods contain the most fat? A. Butter is nearly all fat. Nuts contain a very large amount of fat, 40% to 60%. Cream is about 25% fat. The avocado or alligator pear contains twenty per cent fat, more than the ripe olive, which is also rich in fat. Laxative Properties of Foodstuffs Q. Why are some foods more laxative than others? A. The properties of foodstuffs which have a laxative influence may be briefly enumerated as follows: 1. Qualities to which flavor or taste are due. 2. Bulk, due to the presence of cellulose, which forms an indigestible residue. 3. Moisture; that is, a necessary amount of liquid taken at meals or between meals, and espe- cially in connection with the indigestible cellu- lose capable of absorbing and holding moisture in the intestine. 4. Chemical properties that result from the presence of sugars and organic acids in the food, including the sugars formed by the digestion of starch, and the lactic acids formed by the fer- A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 725 mentation of sugar in the intestine. Fats are also somewhat laxative. 5. Uncooked vegetable foods are laxative be- cause they furnish to the colon some undigested starch which feeds the friendly germs which in turn produce acids by which the colon is stimu- lated to action. Laxative Effects of Meals Q. Why do the bowels move more fre- quently after meals? A. Food is the natural laxative; for a healthy colon, a healthy alimentary canal, it is all the lax- ative that is required. Whenever food is taken into the stomach, peristaltic activity is immedi- ately set up, a peristaltic wave traveling from one end of the alimentary canal to the other. This explains why there is a natural desire for bowel movement directly after each meal — some of the movements that are set up are trans- mitted to the intestine and travel its entire length. Observations made by the x-ray show, for example, that during the hour of the eating of a meal, and immediately afterward, the ma- terial in the intestine moves forward more than it does in the five or six hours previous. 726 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED How Long Does It Take Food to Digest Q. How long time is required for food to make the transit of the digestive tube? A. The normal time is probably 12 to 16 hours. Normally, the food leaves the stomach in four hours. Most of the breakfast is still in the small intestine when dinner is eaten. The vigorous peristaltic waves set up by the dinner carry the breakfast over into the colon where it is slowly worked along toward the lower end. Supper gives the food procession another push which carries the dinner into the first part of the colon and ought to push the breakfast residue out by means of a bowel movement occurring after supper or before bedtime. The next morning the dinner residue should be dismissed before breakfast and the supper residue after breakfast or not later than after dinner. This is the writer's opinion of the normal ali- mentary cycle, but it is by no means always real- ized in actual experience. The colon of the average man is in the condition of a congested railway system. The right of way is choked and if bowel movements occur they are belated, two or three days in arrears. The residues of A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 727 half a dozen or more meals are packed away in the colon undergoing putrefaction and poisoning the body. Oxalic Acid in Foods Q. Do the tomato and other common foods contain oxalic acids in injurious amounts? A. Tomatoes do not contain any considerable amount of oxalic acid, — less than one two-hun- dredth of one per cent; rhubarb contains one- fourth of one per cent or fifty times as much. That is, one pound of tomatoes contains one- third of one grain of oxalic acid while a pound of rhubarb contains seventeen grains of this poison. The acid of tomatoes is citric acid. Most vegetables contain a minute amount of ox- alic acid. The following list comprises those vegetables which contain this acid in any consid- erable quantity. Sorrel .0.274 to 0.363 per cent Spinach 0.191 to 0.317 " " Rhubarb 0.247 " " It should be remembered that by parboiling, the oxalic acid may be practically all removed as it is a very soluble substance. For this rea- son spinach and other foods which contain oxalic acid in considerable amount should always 728 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED be parboiled in preparation for the table. Rhu- barb should be wholly excluded from the human bill of fare. Canned Foods Q. May the use of canned goods, such as corn, peas, fruit, etc., be harmful in any way? Should the water be poured off the peas and beans before they are used? A. Canned goods may contain a sufficient amount of tin to produce harmful effects. If the liquid portion of canned vegetables is thrown away considerable valuable nutrient material is lost, especially highly valuable salts. Only reli- able brands of canned goods should be used. Canned foodstuffs are also lacking in vitamines and on this account should never be made a staple article of diet. Vitamines are now known to be highly essential for good nutrition. Though present in foodstuffs in very small amounts, when destroyed by cooking or removed by mill- ing processes the result is development of such grave diseases as beri-beri, scurvy and possibly also pellagra. Ordinary cooking does not al- together destroy vitamines in vegetables, but the high temperature employed in the canning in- dustry easily destroys vitamines present in the foods. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 729 Peptogenic Foods Q. What foods encourage the flow of gas- tric juice? A. Agreeable foods and those which stimulate the appetite cause the formation of highly active appetite juice. This is not, of course, a recom- mendation for condiments, such as mustard, pep- per, and other irritating substances; for while these possibly stimulate the flow of juice into the stomach, they at the same time create an ir- ritation which leads to gastric catarrh, and finally to destruction of the secreting glands. The for- mation of gastric acid is encouraged by concen- trated sweets, such as malt honey, raisins, prunes, and concentrated fruit juices. Food Acids Q. Do acids and starches disagree? A. Many people labor under the impression that acid fruits should not be eaten in connection with starchy foodstuffs. It is true that in cases of extreme hyperacidity fruit acids sometimes increase the amount of acid formed and in such cases the great excess of acid in the stomach may interfere with the digestion of starch in the stomach. In such cases, however, it is only necessary to take care to take starchy foods in the form of puree and to swallow with little or 730 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED no mastication, adding at each meal one or two dessert spoonfuls of olive oil. By this means an excessive formation of gastric acid may be checked. Predigested Foods Q. Do predigested foods weaken the stom- ach? A. No. It should be added, however, that a certain proportion of the food each day at each meal should consist of foods in a natural state which have not been subjected to any artificial process. Foods of this kind contain vitamines and per- haps other important elements which are lacking in foods which have been processed. Least Putresoible Foods Q. What foods are least likely to undergo putrefaction in the intestine? A. Foods which are rich in starch do not putrefy either in the body or out of it for the reason that the abundance of starch encourages the growth of germs which produce acids and thereby prevent the development of germs which cause putrefaction. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 731 Length of Life without Food Q. How long can a person live without food? A. Physiologists tell us that fifty days is the longest fast scientifically recorded and it is not regarded as probable that any human being can live more than fifty days without food. The length of time a person can fast depends pri- marily on the amount of fat and flesh possessed at the beginning. Flowers as Food Q. Are flowers ever used as food? A. While fruits unquestionably occupy the first place in the natural bill of fare for human beings, other parts of plants, including even flowers are also to be found in the great list of vegetable substances which may be made to con- tribute to human nutrition. A recent consular report from India tells of the use of the flowers of the mahua tree which are regularly used by more than a million people in the central provinces of India. "The cream-colored flowers appear from February to April and arrive at maturity about the end of March. Each morning about sunrise the succulent corrolla-tubes fall in great showers 732 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED to the ground, which has been cleared to re- ceive them. The fall from a single tree con- tinues for from seven to ten days. The flowers are spread out in the sun to dry, their color changing to reddish brown, and their peculiar sweet odor becoming more apparent. Though eaten fresh to a considerable extent, the majority of the crop is dried and cooked with rice or other grains. Mahua is extremely sweet, and not easily digested by persons unaccustomed to eat- ing it. Sugar and molasses are made from it." Calories, or Food Units Q. What is a calory or a food unit? A. Foods, like all other organic substances, when burned, produce heat. The amount of heat produced by a given quantity of food differs ac- cording to the nature of the material and also according to the amount of water and other ele- ments incapable of producing heat which it may contain. When taken into the body, digested, as- similated, and used, foodstuffs produce the same amount of heat and other forms of energy as if burned outside of the body; hence the number of calories represented in a given foodstuff may be taken as a measure of its food value. Before a definite value can be placed upon any- thing there must be a standard or measure for it. When we buy dry goods, we buy them by A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 733 the yard, the yard being the standard of measure for this kind of goods. When we buy milk, we buy it by the pint, another standard of meas- ure. Thus for all commodities or substances on which are to be placed definite values, there must also be definite standards of value. Ac- cordingly, if the quantities of heat produced by various foods are to be compared, there must be a definite measure for heat ; but since we can- not measure heat by length nor by weight, nor by any other of our common standards of meas- ure, it becomes necessary for us to measure it by what it can do. So the standard adopted is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water 4° F. This unit we call a calory. Food Portion Q. What is a food portion? A. The term food portion was devised by Prof. Irving Fisher of the Yale University and indicates such an amount of food as will furnish one hundred calories. The bulk of food required for a portion dif- fers greatly. 100 calories will be furnished by half an ounce of almonds, one of the most nour- ishing of foods, whereas 33 ounces or sixty-six times as much bouillon, more than a quart, is re- quired to furnish the same amount of actual nu- tritive material. Practically, 100 calories are fur- 734 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED nished by one ounce of each of the following articles : Rice biscuit, shredded wheat biscuit, buns, corn cake, graham, oatmeal and whole wheat crackers, jelly, dates, figs, wheat flakes, honey, ripe olives, raisins, rice flakes, puffed rice, cheese sandwich, egg sandwich, fig sandwich, zwieback. Roughage in Foods Q. Why is roughage or bulky indigestible material necessary for health? A. Magnus-Levy states that herbivorous ani- mals, like the rabbit, die when fed on food which leaves no residue. Adult human beings are not so constructed that they can exist on a diet which leaves no residue, or even so little residue as pure milk does; it is only during their child- hood that they can live on nothing but milk for long periods. On residue-free diets the peri- stalsis is sluggish, and this causes disturbances that are only subjective at first but later cause objective upset of the digestion. The importance of these food residues is emphasized in the term "intestinal scourers" that has been given them. The carnivora, too, do not dispense with them willingly; just as they devour bones, so do the graminivorous birds swallow sand, feathers, and the like. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 735 The dried fecal residue is 13 to 28 grams on an animal diet; 30 to 40 grams on a mixed diet or rice diet; and 74 to 115 grams on a free vegetable diet. Iron in Food Q. Is iron essential for the maintenance of life? A. The amount of iron found in the body is very small. It is estimated that the amount of iron in the entire body of a man of average size is about 46 grains. About one-sixth of a grain of iron is discharged from the body through the excretions daily. Hence, a constant supply is necessary. The iron which is found in the body is found exclusively in organic combination. The foods richest in iron are yolk of egg and green vege- tables, such as spinach, cabbage and fresh let- tuce. Chemical compounds of iron cannot be classed as foods. The following table shows the amount in pounds of each of the foods named which is re- quired to furnish the body with the average daily requirement of iron : — 736 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Pounds Almonds 1.2 Apples 8.0 Asparagus 2.5 Bananas 3.6 Pearl barley 1.8 Whole barley 6 Beans, dried 3 Lima beans, dried 3 Lima beans, fresh 1.0 String beans 1.6 Beets 4.0 Whole wheat bread 2.6 White bread 1.6 Egg white 24.4 Egg yolk 3 Figs, fresh 3.0 Figs, dried 8 Fish, cod 6.0 Halibut 8.0 Grape fruit 6.0 Grapes 1.8 Hazelnuts 6 Honey 2.4 Huckleberries 2.2 Lemons 4.0 Lentils 3 Lettuce 2.4 Meat, lean beef 6 Milk, cow's... 10.0 Muskmelons 8.0 Oatmeal 7 Olives 8 Cabbage 2.0 Carrots 3.0 Celery 5.0 Pounds Cherries 5.0 Chestnuts 2.5 Corn, sweet, dried 8 Corn, sweet, fresh 3.0 Cornmeal 2.0 Cranberries 4.0 Cream 12.0 Currants 5.0 Dandelion greens 9 Dates 8 Onions 5.0 Oranges 8.0 Peaches 8.0 Peanuts 1.2 Pears 8.0 Peas dried 4 Peas, fresh 1.6 Pineapple 5.0 Plums 5.0 Potatoes 2.0 Sweet potatoes 5.0 Prunes, dried 8 Radishes 4.0 Raisins 5 Rice 2.5 Rye 6 Spinach 7 Squash 3.0 Strawberries 2.7 Tomatoes 6.0 Turnips 5.0 Walnuts 1.1 Wheat, whole grain' 5 Wheat flour 1.7 Wheat bran 3 Satisfying Food Q. What foods produce satiety? A. The sense of satiety, or satisfaction, ex- perienced after eating depends more upon the bulk taken than upon the quality of the food. However, it is noticeable that fats have a very decided influence in producing a sense of satiety. Digestion The Saliva Q. What is the action of the saliva upon foods eaten? A. The saliva is one of the most interesting of the several digestive fluids. It contains two ferments, one of which liquifies starch while the other converts starch into the form of sugar known as maltase. Maltase is also produced by the action of the diastase of malt upon starch. Human saliva always contains a certain amount of ferment although the amount differs at dif- ferent times of the day. The digestion of starch in the mouth begins immediately when the saliva comes in contact with it. The action of the saliva continues in the stomach for one to two hours after the food has been swallowed during which time the greater portion of the food mass remains in the distended left portion of the stom- ach. As food is taken into the stomach it is ar- ranged in layers, each additional portion enter- ing the center of the mass and so spreading it out and causing a thinning of the outer layers. This arrangement of food in concentric layers or strata facilitates digestion as it affords longer opportunity for the action of saliva, for that part 738 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED of the food mass lying upon the outside comes in contact with the hydrochloric acid which neu- tralizes the saliva. After the food passes into the small intestine, however, the saliva is re- activated by contact with the bile and other in- testinal fluids so that the action of the salivary ferments is thus continued in the small intestine. One of the objections to the free use of fluids at meals is the fact that it interferes with the stratification of foods above described and thus lessens the efficiency of the salivary digestion. The observation of Pawlow may also be men- tioned in this connection. This physiologist ob- served that a considerable amount of fluid in the stomach had the effect to increase the amount of hydrochloric acid so the use of fluid at meals interferes with salivary digestion, both by preventing proper stratification and by stim- ulating the flow of gastric acid. The Saliva Protects the Teeth Q. Does the saliva protect the mouth from the action of germs? A. Bergman regards the saliva as the best remedy for disordered conditions of the mouth, it being much superior to any sort of gargle that can be employed. He undertakes to increase the flow of saliva by means of various chewing tablets. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 739 In hyperhydrochloria, the production and swallowing of a large amount of saliva is said to achieve remarkably excellent results in a curative way. It is known that wounds in the mouth gener- elly heal quite readily. Clairmont of Vienna has shown that salivary secretion possesses val- uable properties as a cleansing agent, although it has no direct bactericidal action upon such pathogenic organisms as the bacilli of typhoid fever and tetanus, the colon bacillus or pus- producing organisms. A few bacteria were de- stroyed by contact with the saliva. Clairmont's observations led him to believe that the saliva maintains in the mouth conditions unfavorable for the growth of micro-organisms and that this protective influence may be increased by promot- ing the flow of saliva and thus washing away micro-organisms which might otherwise fix them- selves upon the teeth and gums and set up pro- cesses of decay or ulceration. Recent experiments by Rickert and others show that when the saliva becomes deficient in lime, decay of the teeth begins. This is especially seen in cases of pregnancy. The probable cause is a deficiency of lime in the food. 740 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED The Flow of Saliva Q. How is the amount of saliva production regulated? A. The amount of saliva formed depends upon the character of the food. Dry and highly flavored foods cause the salivary glands to pour out an abundance of saliva, whereas moist and liquid foods excite the activity of the salivary glands very slightly or not at all. To insure an abundant outflow of saliva, it is, then, highly important that food containing starch shall be eaten dry, and that it shall be thoroughly chewed, being retained in the mouth for a sufficient length of time to secure the se- cretion and the admixture of a sufficient amount of saliva to do the work required of this im- portant digestive fluid. If the mastication con- tinues long enough, some portion of the starch is converted into sugar while it is still in the mouth. Exercise and Digestion Q. Does violent exercise interfere with the digestion and the absorption of food? A. Experiments made many years ago seemed to show that vigorous exercise interferes seriously with digestion and absorption, but more recently conducted experiments made by Grandeau and A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 74 1 Leclerc, Wolff, and S. Rosenberg, upon animals, show that the organic matter of the food is turned to just as good account during strenuous work as it is during complete and continuous repose. It may perhaps be otherwise when un- trained men suddenly take to violent physical ex- ercise, but even the most strenuous exertions do not impair the utilization of the food taken by persons who are in training. Food Absorption Q. Is food absorbed by the stomach? If not, in what part of the alimentary canal does absorption occur? A. Moritz showed that during seven hours only the minutest quantities of animal proteins were absorbed from the stomachs of dogs, and practically none of the proteins of milk. The principal duty of the stomach appears to be to act as a reservoir from which the food may be doled out to the intestine. Even liquids are ab- sorbed from the stomach only in small amounts. Absorption takes place chiefly from the small in- testine which absorbs between five and six quarts daily. The colon absorbs only a few ounces. 742 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED The Digestion of Fat Q. Does the stomach digest fat? A. Modern researches in digestion have demonstrated that the stomach does only the pre- liminary work of digestion, leaving the principal part of the work to be done in the small intes- tine. The carbohydrates are quickly liquified in the stomach by the saliva, then allowed to pass out into the intestine. Protein is held back and doled out a little at a time as the intestine is able to deal with it. The same is true of fats. The experiments made by Pawlow's students serve to show that the closing of the pylorus, with the consequent cutting off of the flow of the fat to the intestine, follows the direct contact of fat with the mucous membrane of the small in- testine. Metabolism Q. What is metabolism? A. Metabolism is a general term applied to indicate the various forms of tissue change and chemical activity of the body. These changes consist chiefly in reparative processes by which the integrity of the body cells and tissues is maintained, and in the consumption of material in the production of heat to maintain the body temperature, and to supply the energy for body work. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 743 Is the Stomach Essential to Life Q. Is it possible for a person to live with- out the stomach? A. The human stomach has been successfully removed in a few instances and the patient has survived in two cases for several years. In numerous cases so large a part of the stom- ach has been removed that the small remainder was wholly inactive as a digestive organ so it is known that life can be maintained without the stomach. It is important, however, to know that persons whose stomachs have been removed or whose stomachs are crippled by disease so that they no longer secrete hydrochloric acid can con- tinue in health only by careful regulation of the dietary. The stomach is the only organ which is able to digest connective tissue. This is ac- complished through the action of hydrochloric acid and pepsin. When the stomach ceases to make hydrochloric acid or in case the stomach is rendered inactive by a surgical operation, it is manifestly necessary that the patient should strictly abstain from the use of meats. If meat is taken under such conditions, connective tis- sue being undigested, collects in the colon where it undergoes decomposition, producing highly putrid stools and hence autointoxication in con- sequence. All persons who suffer from hypo- pepsia, that is, whose stomachs do not make hy- 744 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED droehloric acid, should on this account carefully exclude flesh foods of all sorts from their di- etary. Sour Stomach Q. What is the cause of sour stomach? A. Too much acid formed in the stomach. It is not fermentation, but too much hydro- chloric acid. Colon Function Q. Does digestion take place in the colon? A. Modern physiologic research shows that the chief function of the colon is to receive waste and indigestible substances and remove them from the body. The first part of the colon is quite active in the absorption of water. Di- gestion and absorption of protein and fat are practically confined to the small intestine. Mag- nus-Levy states that the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates and other food principles is carried out completely in the small intestine. Sleep and Digestion Q. What is the effect of sleep, upon di- gestion? A. The influence of sleep upon digestion has been studied by Schule. Two healthy persons were given test meals. One was allowed to go A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 745 to sleep directly after the meal, the other kept awake. By means of a stomach tube the contents of the stomach were with- drawn and examined. Next the experiment was reversed, as regards the two subjects, and re- peated many times. Schule found that the ef- fect of sleep during digestion is to increase the acidity of the gastric juice and to decrease the motility, or muscular activity of the stomach. The increased acidity of the gastric juice was believed by the investigator to be due to irri- tation resulting from the prolonged retention of the food in the stomach. Schule observed that resting in a horizontal position after eating en- couraged digestion without an increase of acidity, but it was necessary that the patient should remain awake, as otherwise the stomach, became less active than normally, food was too long retained in the stomach, an excess of acid was formed, and the stomach was irritated and thereby damaged. This interesting observation explains the fre- quency of catarrh of the stomach among those who eat hearty meals late at night. Eating the heartiest meal of the day at half-past six or seven o'clock, or even later, is unquestionably damaging to digestion, and a prolific cause of chronic gastritis and other digestive disorders. No food should be taken within three or four hours of retiring. This allows the stomach an 746 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED opportunity to complete its work and empty its contents into the intestine. Sleep does not in- terfere with intestinal digestion. Chief Cause of Indigestion Q. What is the chief factor in disorders of digestion? A. The disturbed action of the digestive juice or of the movements (motility) of the stomach and intestines. Physicians formerly concerned themselves chiefly with the so-called chemical digestive work of the stomach and intestines. In recent years, however, methods of investigation have been de- vised by which it has been possible to make a very exact study of the movements of the stom- ach and intestines, or so-called motility of the alimentary tract. These studies, many of which have been con- ducted by Doctor Case of the X-ray Department of the Battle Creek Sanitarium, have shown that much more disease arises from disorders of mo- tility of the alimentary tract than from disturbed chemical action of digestion. There are several ways in which the chemical work of digestion may be done, that is, there are duplicate plants, but there is only one motility. A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 747 Appetite Juice Q. What is appetite juice? A. By many varied experiments Pawlow demonstrated most conclusively that the stim- ulation of the gustatory nerve by contact with agreeable foodstuffs gave rise to an abundant se- cretion of highly active gastric juice while the food is still in the mouth. This action begins within five minutes after food first comes in con- tact with the gastric mucous membrane. Gastric juice produced in this way by contact by food- stuffs with the mouth surfaces is called by Paw- low, appetite juice, because it is produced only when the substances eaten are of agreeable flavor and when there is a relish for them. The effect is evidently brought about through certain nerve centers in the brain, by connection with which the gustatory nerves reflexly excite the gastric secretion. Pawlow and others have observed that fear, anger, disgust, stop the secretion instantly, while sight and smell of agreeable foodstuffs in the presence of hunger, as well as by actual con- tact of food with the mouth, may give rise to an abundant flow of appetite juice. 748 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED Digestibility of Raw Starch Q. Is raw starch digestible? A. The saliva acts upon raw starch very slowly. The action of saliva and the pancreatic juice upon cooked starch is very rapid. This is not the case, however, with raw starch. In the raw state starch granules are sur- rounded by an envelope of cellulose. The saliva penetrates this envelope very slowly, hence the action of the saliva upon raw starch is corres- pondingly slow. The pancreatic juice is somewhat more ener- getic in acting upon raw starch, but digests it slowly; consequently the digestibility of starch very largely depends upon the cooking. Imper- fectly cooked or imperfectly chewed starch foods may pass undigested into the feces (whole or broken rice, beans or oats). This may be true of improperly made bread. Some undigested and unabsorbed starch in the colon is an aid to bowel action and combats putrefaction in the colon. Glycogen Q. What is glycogen? A. Glycogen is animal starch. When starch, sugar and like substances are digested in the in- testine, they are after absorption taken to the liver A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 749 where, to prevent the immediate entrance into the blood of a great excess of these materials which are chiefly useful for fuel, the sugar is trans- formed into a substance closely resembling in composition a vegetable product, starch. Glycogen like starch is insoluble. Hence, it may be stored in the liver in considerable quantities until needed for use. Glycogen is also stored in the muscles. The liver and the muscles are the two great de- positories of glycogen in the body, although every living cell contains a small amount of gly- cogen. When fuel is needed, the glycogen is again transformed into sugar, dextrose, which constitutes the fuel of the body. By the burn- ing of glycogen the body is kept warm. Mus- cular work is supported by the energy set free by the burning of sugar just as the work of a steam engine is performed through the energy obtained from coal. It is evident that glycogen is a highly important substance. When it be- comes exhausted the bodily forces fail. The heart consumes glycogen with every beat. With- out glycogen the heart could not beat and no muscle in the body could contract. According to Schoendorff, the body contains about four per cent of glycogen. The natural source of glyco- gen is starch or sugar. It is on this account that our natural foodstuffs contain so large a proportion of these substances. When no starch or sugar are eaten, the body 750 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED makes glycogen by splitting the protein molecule. By this means, about half the weight of protein may be converted into glycogen. The other half of the protein is converted first into ammonia then into urea. The fuel value of protein is then only half its face value, and the body is taxed in the disposal of the large amount of poisonous waste. It is evident, then, that protein is a very poor fuel. Index Abdominal bandage, the 444 Abdominal tension 281 Acetone, cause of 163 Acidosis, nature of 162 Achylia, nature of 354 remedy for 355 Adenoids 348 Age 497 Air, density of 156 Air swallowing, habit of 164 Animal heat, source of 206 Animation, suspended 154 Appendicitis, operation for 306 recurring 307 Appendix, purpose of 306 Appetite, abnormal 358 Apoplexy, cause of 236 Arteriosclerosis 237 early signs of 239 cause of 240 Artificial feeding schedule 11 Artificial light 16 Eye disease 161 Artificial respiration 159 Asthma, cause of 160 Aspirin . . 219 Autointoxication, intestinal 313 Banana ' 606 Bath, cold 423, 431 hot bath, general 453 hot blanket pack 453 foot 453 revulsive sitz 453 hot hip and leg pack with ice bag 454 ice bag fomentation 454 enema 447, 454 752 INDEX taking cold after cold bath 402 sun bath 432 indication for sun bath 433 warm bath for colds 433 protection of ears 434 hot bath weakening. 434 hot bath after exercise 435 brand bath 436 continuous 442 precaution in cold bath 413 hot bath 415, 453 temperatures 417 daily bath 417 rules for 418 cold air bath 418 cold water shampoo 420 morning cold bath 423 cold mitten friction 424 sponging 450 insane 120 salt water 437 neutral 437 hot foot 437 exercise, or rowing 438 effervescent 440 sitz bath in pregnancy 441, 453 hot sitz 441 revulsive 441, 453 cold, for children 24 Bed wetting 31 Beverages — cocoa . . . ^ 664 soda fountain drinks 665 water in dropsy 666 grape fruit 666 fruit juice 667 unfermented grape juice 667 tea — coffee — beer 668 water at meals 669 water drinking washes the blood 670 daily allowance . . , 671 distilled 671 when to drink 672 INDEX 753 hot and cold 672 cold water at meals 672 water for sedentary persons 673 juices of dried fruits 674 coffee and fatigue '. 674 coffee poisons 675 caffein as medicine 675 chocolate 676 when to drink hot or cold 678 caffein as a poison 677 caffein a poison 678 cider 679 beer 679 Bile 339, 341, 342 Birth rate 499 Bismuth meal 271 Black heads 66 Blood- poor circulation 226 fruits and 227 normal blood count 227 cells 226, 232 pressure of 228 climate for 229 pressure reducing drugs 230 fainting , 231 sugar in 230 thick 231 Blushing, cause of 236 Body, consumption, in starvation 152 cells, reproduction of 153 weights 510 temperature 512 how heat is regulated 512 Bone, grafting of 146 Boils, cause of 63 treatment 64 Bowel disorders — tight spincter 289 fat fermentation 290 ferment of intestinal juice 290 754 INDEX chronic toxemia . 291 extent of intestinal putrefaction i . . .292 ulcer of the duodenum 281 ulceration of rectum. 281 rectal dilators 272 dilatation of Colon 272 rhythm 266, 268 pain in 210 mucus stools 274 function of small intestine 274 flora of intestine 292 gas 276 bad breath .- 277 coated tongue 277 anti-toxin glands 278 flatulence : 280 prolapsed colon 281 laxatives 266 intestinal gas 267 soreness inside .268 in summer 268 hemorrhage of 270 bismuth meal 271 Breast, hardening of 133, 159 Bronchitis 165 Bruises 68 Brain workers, longevity of 498 Burns, treatment of 166 Cancer, nature of 137 curability 138 increasing 138 less in vegetarians 139 how to prevent 140 of stomach 141 Car sickness, prevention of 169 Cascara 223 Castor oil 221 Catarrh, adenoids 380 in the head 379 talking through nose 380 buzzing or ringing in ears 382 INDEX 755 nose discharge 382 mucus in nose and throat 383 cause of deafness 383 nasal douche 383 intestinal catarrh 269, 299 Catarrh — nasal discharge 384 catarrh is contagious 385 best climate for 386 dry catarrh 386 Centipede, bite of 147 Charcoal, in toxic conditions 252 Chairs, construction of 490 Chest, a full 488 normal breathing 488 pain in the 455 Cheese — cottage 711 yoghourt 711 poisoning by 712 Chilblains, best remedy for 43 Chills, malarial 188 Children, how much should a child eat 18 diet for child of two years 19 shall children eat meat 21 cold baths for 24 effects of parents' ill health 29 hiccough in 30 left-handedness in 30 bed wetting in 31 worms in 33 nervousness in 34 neurasthenia in 35 cleft palate 36 chicken pox 37 school age of 38 increasing height in 37 colic 38 enlarged neck glands 39 fruit for 16 Cigarettes, evils of 475 cubeb .' 476 smoking 476 756 INDEX tobacco smoke 478 snuff 478 Circulation and diaphragm 235 Cleft palate '. 36 Clergyman's sore throat, cause of 360 Clothing, disinfection of 531 next skin 479 corsets .479 soft collars 480 high heeled shoes 480 | men's 481 Cod liver oil - 222 Colic 299 Cold feet, cause of 44 Colds, remedy for 389 in head 390 Cold baths for children 24 Colitis . . . 298 Colon, pain. 301 short circuiting the 309 absorption by the 301 examination of the 302 greedy 303 Complexion, dingy 49 Constipation, causes of 284 flesh eating and 285 hyperacidity and 287 colds and 288 incompetency of the ileocecal valve 288 Cramped legs 143 Creaking joints, cause of 144 Coryza — acute nasal catarrh 388 Decay of the teeth, how to combat 403 Diabetes, cause of 170 curability 170 diet schedule 171 Diaphragm, circulation of 235 Diarrhea 283 Diathermy, nature of 410 Dietetics — oatmeal in diabetes 532 INDEX 757 meat diet in tuberculosis 532 meat broths and typhoid fever 533 a egetable diet and uric acid 534 diet in cases of kidney and bladder 534 diet for hyperacidity 535 grape cure 536 fruit cure 537 diet during pregnancy 538 in Bright's disease 539 in fever 540 antitoxic diet 542 antitoxic dietary, No. 1 542 antitoxic dietary, No. 2 543 articles which must be avoided 543 effects of meat diet 544 acidosis and Bulgarian bacillus 551 bran 551 corn bread 551 chocolate drinking 552 diet for dry skin 552 fine flour bread and appendicitis 553 constipating foods 553 diet for the sedentary 546 in cancer 547 meatless 549 sugar an irritant 550 excess of starch 550 foods which lessen gastric acid 554 diabetic foods 554 diet in anemia 556 diet in catarrh 557 meat diet not necessary 558 corn bread in rheumatism 559 tortillas 559 balanced diet 560 table for men 560 table for women 561 daily ration 563 diet for brain workers newly discovered vitamines foods which prevent beri-beri foods which prevent scurvy 566 mould 567 758 INDEX sense of taste 568 ptomaines 570 mixed starches 571 potatoes 571 digestive enzyme of pineapple juice 572 food absorption 572 uric acid in foods 574 laughing aid to digestion 575 amino acids 576 effect of starvation on body cells 577 fasting 577 abnormal appetite 579 appetite and instinct 580 mood affects appetite 581 flesh building 208 working ability 720 colon needs starch 721 brain food 722 blood making foods 722 fat containing foods 724 laxative properties of foodstuffs 724 laxative effect of meals 725 how long to digest food 726 for child of two years 19 for nursing mother 23 for teething child 16 Digestion, disorders of 349 gastric acid 349 rest and disinfection of stomach 350 bile in the stomach 351 ulcers in 351 sleep and 744 cause of indigestion 746 appetite juice 747 digestibility of raw starch 748 glycogen 749 saliva 736 does saliva protect teeth 738 flow of saliva 740 exercise and 740 food absorption 741 digestion of fat 742 metabolism — — 742 INDEX 759 Disinfection of sick room 408 Diphtheria, carriers 213 Disease, the mind and 112 Dropsy, water drinking in 214 Dry mouth, cause of 172 white patches in 172 foul breath 173 Dust 518 Eggs, protein content 707 in toxemia 710 Enema 447 for dry stools 275 Enlarged neck glands 39 Energy, intake 507 amount of 507 expended in mental work 508 capacity of the body 506 Epilepsy, cause of 157 Electricity, muscular 199 Electric shock, resuscitation after 185 Electrocardiograph 412 Eugenics registry 501 Exercise, walking 483 stair climbing 484 exercise on all fours 484 breathing 485 swimming 487 Eyes, lotion for 162 Face, fattening 147 flushed 96 Fatigue, what is 89 poisons 90 neurasthenic 90 heat and 94 neuritis 94 neurasthenia, inheritability 100 headache, cause of 101 Feces — normal weight of 303 normal color of 304 examination of 304 760 INDEX Feeding of infants 11 schedule 11 bottle 13 lime water 14 Feeding of children — fruit for 16 Feet— ^ best means for preventing soreness of 40 flat foot 40 corns or callouses on 41 care of feet in winter 42 hot feet 42 sweating feet 43 bunions — best treatment for 45 weak ankle, best treatment for 46 ingrowing toenails 46 cold 44 chilblains 43 Fever — cause of 176 diet in 176 Fish 694 Finger joints — enlarged, cause "of 173 numb 174 Flat foot 41 Flesh building diet 208 Fomentation 426 how applied 426 duration 427 reaction after 429 precaution necessary 430 how relieves pain 430 Food supply, the world's future 582 Food and food values — biologic living 587 fletcherism 589 chilli 590 condiments 591 phosphates 592 pickles 592 Benjamin Franklin, diet reformer 593 sulphuric acid in fruit 594 INDEX 761 danger of famine 584, 585 baking powder 594 no-breakfast plan 595 diet in cold countries 595 faintness before eating 596 position after eating 596 benzoate of soda 597 flax seed 598 fruit diet 598 meal plans 598 yoghourt 601 protein in muscular activity 601 orange pulp 602 salad dressing 602 salads with milk 603 beeswax 603 vinegar 604 glucose 605 wholesomeness of bananas 606 fruit acids 607 exclusive fruit diet 608 germ of fruit skins 609 seeds of fruits 609,610 fruit supper 611 salt 617 vegetable diet 618 potatoes 619 iron and tomatoes 620 onions 621 sauer-kraut 621 fruit and vegetable skins 622 poisons of vegetable origin 622 raw vegetables 623 asparagus 623 horse radish 624 celery and lettuce 624 rhubarb — tomatoes — spinach 624 soy bean 626 potato skins and sprouts 626 roasted peanuts 627 why cook peanuts 627 sugar 628 honey 631 762 INDEX sugar and athletics 632 beet sugar 633, 634 cane sugar 633 sorghum 634 malt sugar and cane 637 fats 638 utilization of fats 639 food absorption 293 bananas 606 cottonseed oil 640 sterilized cream 640 sterilized butter 640 butter 641 malted nuts 641 food value nuts 642 digestibility of nuts 643 peanut oil 643 olive oil fattening 644 nut oils 644 cotton seed oil 645 olive oil— not laxative 646 fat and biliousness , 646 tropical fats 647 fat ration 647 brose 647 rice 648, 649, 650, 651 wild rice 651 corn-meal pancakes 65 1 wheat 652 rye bread 652 bread without yeast 653 white bread 653 whole wheat 654 mushes 655 barley — toasted bread 656 home prepared bran 657 bran 658, 660, 661 use of bran 662 popcorn 663 cereal diet 663 when to vary infant's diet 182 gain in weight 506 measurement by calories 732 INDEX 763 portion 733 roughage 734 iron in 735 table 736 satisfying 736 oxalic acid in 727 canned 728 peptogenic 729 acids 729 predigested 730 least putrescible 730 length of life without 731 flowers as 731 Foreign bodies swallowed 175 Frostbites, best treatment for 43 Flushed face — cause of 96 remedy for 96 Fruit — laxatives and laxative drugs 611 lemon juice 612 prunes 612 grape fruit 613 food value of 613 sterilizing uncooked fruits 614 dietetic value of acid 614 canned fruits without sugar 616 raisins for constipation 616 canned fruits 616 green fruit 617 for children 16 Gall stones, cause of 345 treatment for 346 Gastroenterostomy 353 Gastric juice, how produced 361 Gastric examination 362 Goiter, cause of 178 Gout, best diet for 178 Gum chewing habit 142 Hands, chapped — cause of 48 Hard water 215 764 INDEX Hay fever, cause of 179 remedy for 179 prevention of 181 Headache — nervous 101 migraine 101 bilious 101 Health, traveling for * 144 Heat, effects of 144 Heating compress 424 Heart failure — symptoms of 242 blue lips 244 athletic heart 245 work of heart 246 Heart disease, increase of i 240 organic 241 cause of 241 Hernia 208 Hemorrhoids, remedy for 296 internal 297 Hemorrhage — how controlled 247 Hodgkin's disease — nature and symptoms of 182 Hot baths 387 House pets 149 Hookworm 184 Hiccough 31, 183 High frequency current 412 Hip disease — proper treatment 38 Hydrochloric acid, functions of 357 Hydrotherapy 420 Hygiene, furnace heat 523 house fly, the 523 dangerous fly, the 523 mosquitos 523 indoor life 526 dust 518 ventilation 519 window tent 520 air moisture 520 fireplace ventilation 522 gas heating 522 INDEX 765 Hyperacidity — causes and symptoms of 363 diet for 364 Ice bag 425 Ileocecal valve, repair of incompetent 308 Inbreeding 502 Infants — feeding of 11 feeding schedule 11 bottle feed 13 lime water 14 artificial feeding 11 stool 14 weaning 18 when to vary food 18 first _ food 19 vomiting in 22 pacifier for 25 in hot weather 27 thumb sucking 27 outdoor sleeping for 26 earache in 33 eczema in % rash — cause of 67 Infected wound 407 Instincts 145 Intestinal bacteria — how produce disease 316 Intestinal gas 267 Intestine — food absorption 30 1 putrefaction in starvation 294 catarrh of 299 Intestinal flora, what is meant by 292 Insanity, increase in 497 Insomnia 74, 77, 78 Insane, baths for 120 Intra-abdominal tension 311 Jaundice — cause of 344 diet in 345 Jews' health 499 Joints, creaking 170 766 INDEX Kidney disorders 323 uric acid 324 renal efficiency 325 removal of a kidney 326 floating kidney 328 meat in 328 Kidneys, senile 329 Lanolin cream 48 Laryngitis, chronic 394 is it curable 394 sore throat, remedy for , 394 Laxatives, how to avoid 266 Legs, cramped 169 Life in detached tissues 155 Lithia water 214 Lightning stroke, what to do in case of 185 Liver, function of 333 test for liver diseases 334 destruction of poisons by the 335 defensive action of the 336 torpid liver 338 biliousness 338 bile, the 339 catarrh of 342 cirrhosis of the 342 and hyperacidity 342 spots 343 Locomotor ataxia — cause of 121 remedy for 122 Longevity of brain workers 498 Loss of voice 391 Lung capacity 509 Lupus 53 Lymph glands, enlarged 187 Malarial chills 188 Massage or osteopathy — how differ 380 Measurements of body 504 proportions of ideal man 504 proportions of ideal woman 504 INDEX 767 Meat- do laborers require 684 poultry 686 is meat fattening 686 diet in cold climates 687 excessive meat diet 688 Japanese diet 689 endurance of Japanese 690 beef tea 692 bouillon soup 680 poisons of animal tissues 692 substitute for meat and eggs 695 is man carnivorous 671 is animal flesh necessary 682 effect of meat on kidneys 682 poisoning by meat 695 germs in 697 cold storage 697 oyster juice 698 shall children eat 21 Mechanotherapy 410 Medicine chest 414 Men and women, comparative strength of 505 Migraine, treatment of 104 Milk, lime water in 14 buttermilk with fruits 702 germs 702 goats 704 raw 704 poisoning 705 viscid 706 diet 707 buddized 707 cows' 700 human 700 fruit with 701 buttermilk 702 creamery buttermilk 702 sour 701 lime water in 14 Mineral waters — why harmful 216 Mineral elements of plants 148 Mind blindness, what is meant by 122 768 INDEX Mouth breathing, correction of 164, 189 Morning depression, what is good for 123 Mothers— mark 30 Muscle tone • 124 Muscular co-ordination 125 Nerves — in children 34 sympathetic 86 neuron 86 nerve energy 87 hot flashes ; 96 neurasthenic gait 97 is neurasthenia a disease. . . ; 97 neurasthenia, cause of 98 sedentary persons, neurasthenia of 99 tic doloureux, treatment of 546 prickling sensation, cause of '. 109 shingles, herpes zoster 109 sciatica, treatment of Ill exhaustion — worry — cause of 114 mental healing ' 114 worry, how to cure 115 night noise 1 16 fear 117 prolapsed stomach and bowels 118 narcotic habit, treatment of 119 Neuralgia 106 Neuritis 95 Neurasthenia — can one inherit 100 in children 35 tea and coffee 127 Normal waist proportion 505 Nursing mother, diet for 23 Obesity — when is a person obese 250 cause of 250 is it curable 254 dangers ■. 256 reducing fat abdomen 260 buttermilk cure for 261 fasting to relieve 261 INDEX 769 fruit regimen for 262 obesity pills — anti-fat remedies 264 massage — not efficient remedy for 265 Oiling the skin 95 Old age 502 Opium habit, the 222 Organic lime and dental decay 402 Osteopathy 204 Outdoor sleeping for a baby 26 Oxygen 489 Ozone 156 Pacifier, the 25 Pain- absolute rest 433 position of limbs 433 in the chest 455 sprains 456 pelvic 456 below shoulderblades 457 relieving — drugs 457 cold rubbing 451 ice bag or ice compress 451 heating compress 451 fomentations followed by heating compress 452 cotton poultice 452 clay poultice 452 radiant heat 449 flame 450 arc light 450 sunlight 450 hot air 450 alternate compress 450 alternate sponging 450 relief of 449 Pancreas, function of 360 juice of 361 Parents' ill health — effect on children 29 Patent medicines 222 Pellagra and a meat diet 194 Pelvic pain 456 Peristalsis 361 770 INDEX Perspiration, excessive 522 Phototherapy . .413 Physical superiority of savages 497 Plants, mineral elements of 441 Pneumonia, how to prevent 192 Position, correct standing 489 Prostate gland — enlargement and cause of 195 Protoplasm 143 Prolapsed stomach and bowels 118 Protein ration 713 sources of protein 715 does protein develop muscular strength 715 safety of low protein diet. . , 716 summer diet 717 composition of food 717, 718, 719, 720 Public health — is sickness increasing 498 Pulmotor, the 190 Pure oxygen 489 Pyorrhea 399 Quinine 197 Race statistics — increase of insanity 497 Race vitality 500 Radium, what is 409 Rational remedies 405 sulphur 405 salt glow 405 massage 406, 409 osteopathy 409 Rectal pain — what will relieve 295 painful defecation 295 Rheumatism, cause of 129 stiff joints 131 acute 132 Rigor mortis 149 Round shoulders — best method of correction 200 Savages, physical superiority of 497 Sciatica Ill Seasickness — cause of — how to avoid 201 INDEX 771 Sedentary persons — need of water 606 Shivering, cause of 247 Sitting 491 Skin — heat rash, cause of 68 bruise, treatment for 68 pigmentation, cause of 62 freckles, to remove 62 senile 56 brown patches on 56 pimples 57 prickly heat 58 salt rheum — eczema 59 spots under 60 ringworm, cause of 60 ridges and white spots on nails 60 "winter itch" 61 ulcers 66 black heads 66 beri-beri 67 lupus 53 men's growth of 53 removal of wens 54 warts 54 leucoderma — Peibald skin 54 enlarged pores 55 dry skin 47 lanolin cream 48 dingy complexion 49 sensitive skin 51 oily skin 51 excessive perspiration 52 Sleep, disturbed 82 proper position in 82 sleeping after meals 83 after dinner naps 84 dreams 85 hours required 71 drowsiness 72 morning drowsiness 73 insomnia 73, 74, 77 food at bedtime 75 772 INDEX wakefulness 76 sleep-walking, cause of 78 nightmare, cause of 79 sleeping with mouth open 79 Sleeping in open air 80 best arrangements for 80 Sprains 456 Smoke 151 Snake bite, remedy for 202 Sore throat, clergyman's ; . , 392 Soreness in side 268 Sore feet 40 Spinal curvature and venereal disease 492 Sprue 181 Suspended animation 154 Starvation — body — consumption 152 putrefaction in 294 Stimulants and narcotics 458 how dangerous are tea and coffee 458 alcohol, effects of 459 alcohol and digestion 461 shock — fainting 462 alcohol effects 463 alcohol and disease 464 influence of alcohol upon longevity 465 alcohol not a stimulant 466 alcohol and digestive ferments 466 alcohol, curative agent 467 Standing position, correct <. 489 Static muscular work 508 Stomach, is it essential to life 743 sour 744 warmer 224 foreign bodies swallowed 149 function of hydrochloric acid 327 movements of the 364 pain in 368 regurgitation of food 368 best means of relieving heaviness 358 abnormal appetite 358 use of stomach tube 359 hypopepsia 359 INDEX 773 sour stomach 744 heaviness of the 358 Strength of men and women 514 Strychnia 220 Sty — eye strain, cause of 202 Tapeworm — symptom of 320 origin of 321 Tea tasters' disorder, symptoms of 126 Teeth 396 dentifrice 396 decay, significance of 396 care of 397 bridge work 398 wisdom teeth 399 do sweets injure teeth 399 Rigg's disease 399 of East Indians 401 pyorrhea 399 Teething — diet in 16 digestive 17 Tent, sleeping in 82 Thyroid gland — as a remedy — functions of stimula- tion of 370, 371 Thirst cure 206 Tic doloureux 108 Tobacco 468 hereditary effects of 469 general effects of 470 cure for 471 effects upon the heart 471 effects upon blood pressure 472 nicotine and nerves 472 tobacco habit 473 poison 474 smoking and eyesight 474 chewing 475 athletes and 473 Tonics 220 774 INDEX Tonsils — of what use 392 inflamed, and rheumatism 394 Toxemia, laxatives in 312 Thyroid gland 370 as a remedy 370 measures for stimulating the 371 functions of 371 Trichina — symptoms of infection 319 Tuberculosis 372 rules for patients 372 bovine tuberculosis 373 curability of 375 early diagnosis 376 symptoms of 377 hydrotherapy in 422 Twins 150 Typhoid fever — will water drinking cure 209 typhoid carrier 210 precautions against 212 vaccination against 212 Typhus fever, cause of 180 Urine — ammonia in the 331 albumin in the 331 painful urination 332 Ulcers 351 Urobilin, what is . 329 Varicocele — curable by operation 214 Veronal 221 Vertigo, cause of 233 Vibration 445 Vital capacity 509 Violet rays 202 Vaccination 531 Voice, loss of 391 Waist, normal 505 Walking posture 493, 495 INDEX . 775 Warts and moles, how removed 55 Wasserman test, nature of 217 Water, artesian 527 softening 528 typhoid germs in 528 alkali in 529 testing 529 sterilization 530 rain water 530 Weaning, at what age 18 Wens 53 Whooping cough, cause of 34 Worms — in children 33 cause and remedy 317 Yawning, cause of 145 7 Af-