New York Clipper (Oct 1915)

Oetoi«r 9 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 41 THE CLIPPER'S HEALTH DEPAKlMENT ■T Dm. HAX THORBK. Okli 8aTgMn>tn-Chlef American Hospital: Oonanltlnx Snrgaon Cook Comity Hospital: Cononltiiis Surgeon Bharldan Park Hospital, Chicago; Bnrgeon Whlta Bats and Acton I^ind, etOi, etc Tbei* artlelea ar* written ezeloalTelr for Ui« HKW YORK OliIPPEBi ttaeiUoa* pertalnlBg to lisaltb, dlavase, tLjflm; ■•!■<- fireler▼atlOI^ proTentton or dliaaira and matMn or gonvrml lnt«rat t Iiealtli will be SB*wer«d In tlita eolutm. Xj>] JDKKSS ALOi IIVaCUUBS TO DB4 MAX TUORBK, AJHBKICAN UOBPITAXi, CHICAGO, ILX.S. Whare spM* wlU Botpamlt or tlia sabjeet U not •nltabU tax an opan anawer, latter* will ba lant t» tb* appUeant _ panonally.' Dr. Tborek abonld not ba azpoctad to dlaanoaa or Fraaerlba In tba— colnmn a tax IndlTldnal dlaaaM*. WHAT DRIVES PEOPLE TO DRIM? A drunkard Is not neceaaarllj a beaat or a criminal. Of late, InTestisatlons In psycblatry and allied field tend to condaalve proof that a drunk- ard iB mentally abnormal. Tliat moat, If not all of them, take to drink aa a resnlt of some mental aberration. Inherited or acquired, that sooner or later leads to unavoidable mln. In Chlcaso we have a psychopathic laboratot; under the dlreo- Uon of Dr. W. J. Hlckson. A neat deal of splen- did work Is done in that institution—work that will throw a great deal of light on many ob.scure problems. The psychic tests practiced In that in- stitution on feeble-minded children and adults and on the mentally defective as a result of druss and liquor are as unique as they are Instructive. One of the tests Is ki.own as the "visual test" It Is practiced as follows: A picture or flgnre Is shown to the peiBon to be tested, at which he Is permitted to gaze for ten seconds. He Is theji reqnested to reproduce the figure from memory. A normal Individual will r^roduce the figure from memory more or less correctly. A drunkard can- not possibly do It He will draw bizarre forme, displaying a desire to follow the general outline of the picture, but Incoherently akin to the 2lg-zag walk of the "soused." Mr. Gary, In The Iltuttrated World (Chicago^ quotes Dr. Hlckson, saying on the subject: "This man was sent for examination by the Court of Domestic Belatlons." (By the way, this court has been created largely through -the efforts of the Hon. Cbas. N. Goodnow, much admired by stage folk all over the country for his efforts In aiding the creation of the Theatrical Hospital for "down and out" performers.) "He Is of German parentage, forty-five years old. He was trained as a cabinet maker In i.le old country, but be Is a metal polisher by trade. He Is a man who passes anion;; 'als acquaintances ad one of fair Intelligence. He has worked in thr same place for twenty-two years. In that period Ills wife had him arrested six times for getting ho di'unfc that he was dangerous to ber and the cbll- dxen. He has beaten her nmd threatened her )if<> repeatedly. Look at I1I3 'vlaual memory' te£t and see what It shows." The sheet which Dr. Hlckson held out showed a Orawlng done In tremulous lines which bore little resemblance to the figure which the man tried to icproducc. "Ton will notice," he contlnned, 'rThat the draw- ing displays the tremor of the alcoholic. But the Bl^ilflcant thing is the fantasy the putting Into the drawing things which 0x3 not In the ongliial he was trying to reproduce Fantasy of that aort means dementia preoor, a disease of the mind) : That man's wife thinks that he is a little 'queer.' but she doesn't mind that All she objects to la his drinking and the things he does when he Is drunk. Her complaint of him as a falser and h us b a nd Is simply that he periodically gets drunk. She doesn't dream that he Is actually tnaane. and tliat hds debauches are merely one of the results of bis Insanity. "'Hie Immediate problem of tlie court Is to find some way of dealing with this maii which won't Kiake tblDgs worse than they are now. If he is discharged and allowed to go back to his family, he will most certainly get drunk again, and he may kl:i his wife wheu ae does. If he Is sent tc the Bridewell for six months, his fsmlly wUl be robbed of his support for tnat length of time, And ho wlB come out In worse sihape than when he went In. He wUl not be able to get a drink In the Bridewell, and that will be good for his body. Hut the conditions of Ilfd there ai« most on- favorable to dementia jnecoa so that ceoflnemenc will be bad for bis mind—and It Is his mind that Is making the tionble. A six months' sentence will BOi him less ablo to do without alcohol thau he Is now. . No amount of physical care and no amount of will power on hit part will enable him to eacape alcohol as long as his dementia precox endures. What he needs Is light work on a farm and the society of other men. His case is probably too lor gone to be cared, but the social contact will do him good. But what are you going to do with a man m the condition of this ctrmenTla pre- cox case? He has no money and Illinois has not yet provided a public Institution that isn't likely to do him more harm than good. Men of well-to- do families are not so mu\:h better off when they become chronic alcoholicai They are more likely to be sent to a. private 'cure' than hailed into court by their relatives. But splend<dly managed as they may be the best private 'cures' do not cure. Occasionally they inay do something of ]>crmanait advantage to the patient. Usually they can do nothing more than stmlghtea him out physically and send him back to b«gln over again a fight he Is bound to lose. "Physical treatment and care will prolong the life of a chronic alci^oUc. sometimes Indefinitely. But all the physical treatment in the world will not cure a psychic defect, and it Is psychic defects that lie at the root of alcoholism nine times out of ten. perhaps ninety-nine times out of a hun- dred." * • • Chief Justice Olson, commenting, says: "It Is Important that the underlying basis be recognized, for until that is removed there is no hope for curing the alcohoUam wlilcb our daily ex- perience, carried on for years, of failure In the treatment of these cases attests. •The psychic tests are too few to have been ci- tenslTcly used, as yet, In. determining how far moderate drinking and drunkenness are similar In their canses. • • • The man who drinks beer instead of water or buttermilk, when he is hot and dusty, may be a fool, but he Is not necessarily suf- fering from mental disease. The connoisseur of wines who rolls a minute quantity of vintage on his tongue in order to get Its full savor, may be the victim of a perverted taste which wUl Injure both his health and his pocketbook, but he is not neces- snrUy suffering from dementia precox. EWen the man who is able to enjoy a dinner party or a chance meeting with a frloid—If his oarrlers of reserve are broken down with cocktails—may be mentally normal. These varieties of drinking are unfortunate, so unfortunate In their effects that mankind is gradoally learning to do without them. But they are not such a rea flag of danger as is the presence of the desire to get drunk. The man who wants to get drunk, who feels that he Is driven to drlnlc, will do well to search out the nearest nenrologlat The probability is that thn desire Is bom of some hidden osycmc effect. Koimal men do not desire alcohol In excess. It Is only the abnormal wlio ore driven to drink." Th« profound study Judge Olson has evidently 'given tnis matter Is, for a layman, short of mar- velous. His conclnalons, with which I cordially agree, are FOlendld. truthful and worth while pondering over by all who have the welfare of man- Kind at heart ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. BROWN SPOTS. J. S., Boston, Mnss., writes: Deab Doctob: I am a performer and have t>een Afflicted with brown spots on the front of my chest and back. They scale a little and itch occaslon- allv. Have tried many tblngs without avalL They tell me they are liver spots. Please let me know, through Tee Clutkr., what I can do to get rid of them. In my act I have to bare my cheat and hack, and unless I cover the spots up tbey an> conspicuous end unsightly. An early reply will be appreciated. HBPLT. Tour liver and your spots have nothing in com- mon with each other. Because they are brown some one "christened them liver spots." Get a bottle (four ounces) of green, soap (in any drug store). Get Into a bath ttib and give yourself a thorough "scrub bath" with the soap and plenty of water. Continue this for tm minutes. Get out of the tub and dry yourself. Apply an oint- ment of equal parts of ammonlated mercury and cold cream.. Laive It on until the next day and repeat the same procedure for -five consecntlve ■evenings. Change the nnderwear at each treat- ment By the end of a week-your spots will. In all probability, have dlsaorieBred. CliNlfOT SLEEP. F. D. McW., San Francisco, Cal. DsAB Db. TaciBzs.: I am with a dancing act and work qnlte hard. I cannot sleep at night I fuss around and walk about, and it is usually "milkmen's" time wbcn I doze off for an hour or so, to bo disturbed again. The next day I am all In. Of late I cannot do justice to mv work. I havn taken all Idnda of dope, but It does me no good. Besides, I do not want toget into tbe babit of "doping" myHclf to sleep. What shall I do? I will look for an answer In Tea Clifpeb. REPLY, If yon will follow the following directions you will sleep. Get plenty of exercise (I suppose you get enough of tnat while dandng). As soon ai yon feel drowsy go to bed. The room must be quiet Let your thoughts be pleasant. If you slightly raise the head of the bed It will be to your advantage. Be sure that you are not annoyed while yon sleep. Take a vrarm bath before ro- tlrlnir. If your neighbors' cats also suffer from Insomnia, throw them a few Jackson crackers.- If this fails, a shotgun Is known to be a sure remedy. Eiat anpiier at least two boors before retiring. Let the supper be light and easily digestible. Do not worry. Do not think "that yon can't sleep." Do not take dope. If yon don't get to sleep right away, do not "fuaa around." Bemember that even lying In bed awake is very restfaL POST-NASAI. SBCRBTIOV. L. S., Cincinnati, O^ writer ^ DEAR Doctob * For over a year I have been twthered with a secretion coming from my nose and going Into my throat, thus Billng my thmit when I begin sln^ng. About eight months ago 1 liad an adenoid removed, and since that time nave been spraying my noae with a Uquld prv«cnbed by my doctor. I seem to be no better, and writs to ask what course you would advise me to pni- sue. Cy>uld the tonsUa be the cause of a secre- tion coming from the nose? If so, would the re- moval of the tonsils affect the voice In any wayT Thanks, etc. UEPLY. You have a post-nasal catarrh due, perhaps, to a recurrence of adenoids. Have tne nose examined, l( the adenolda have rccurrad. have theoi tho- roughly removed; if only a catarrhal condition exists, get some Dobell's solution end spray the nose thoroughly a few times dally. The tonsUs are not responsible for the poat-nasal secretion. Their rcnnoval for this reason Is entirely uncalled for. While In a largo majority of Instance* no rhanges of the voice take place, after removal of tonaUs, In rare Instancej .nome -rllgbt modifica- tion In the quality of the voice Is noted. RUFERRED PAIR OF APPENDIX. MBS, F. D, C, Seattle, Wash., writes: DBAS Doctob: I have had attacks of pain in my stomach for the past nine months. They are high np. My dljsestlon la very good. I do not vomit and the bowels act regularly. I had five attacks in that time. During an attack the pain is high up, but when I press the stomach it Is not tender. My family physician examined me and said It was appendicitis. I cannot see. If It is appendicitis, why the pain Is not on the right side, as I understood It sbonld be, but in the pit of the stomach. During my third attack I had another physician, who also pronounced It dis- eased appendix. One of the leading surgeons here corroborated their diagnoses. Before undergoing an operation I want your opinion in Thx Clipfxk. Many thanks. HEPLY. Occasionally a diseased appendix makes Itself known by pain in the stomacn, hiffh up, instead of tbe "appendix point," on the ngbt side of the lower portion of the abdomen. I>nrlng an attack the physician wlU find, however, that the appendix region Is tender. The pain In the stomach I1 spoken of as rejerrei paint. They are akin to the pain in the ear when tbe tonsils are diseased; to the pain under the armpit when a felon affects a finger: to a pain In the back of the head when tbe e.ves are In trouble, and so on. Zonr physicians are right. BLACKHEADS. MISS E. McN., Now York. N. Y., writes: DB.VB Doctor: I have bem troubled macb with blackheads. I am a choms girl In one of tbe lead- ing productions at present In New York, and have tried quite a few things recommended to me, with- out results. Win you please let me know through TUE CLiprEB whAt I can do to relieve myself of the annoyance? REPLY. Press large blackheads out WaA face with sulphur soap. Apply the following lotion: Chloride of mercury 2 grains Besordn 1 drachm Itose water to make 4 ounces The above should be applied often enough to cause a little scaling of the akin. This must be slight and no irritation of the skin permitted. As soon as a tendency to irritation Is shown the lotm must be discontinued. LINIHBXT. MR. P. O'C, Philadelphia. I'n., writes: Deas Doctob : I am eubje:t to a soreness of the back as soon as I get <:hlU«d, Wben I apply a good llnlinrat It relieves mc. I would like t! you would give me a formula for n good liniment In TUK CuppEB. I wlH apfireclate It much. REPLY. Llnlmenta are not as much In use now as they have oecn formerly. Howevor. they are In certain ccndltlons excellent application, "rhe following Is Kuehl's fcrmuls, which has given me excellent re- sults In properly Indicated cases. Manthol 16 grains Spirits of Chloroform 2)6 drachms Spirits Camphor..., 1 o^nce Oil Ganlthcria ta drachm Oil of henbane, siifDclent to make 4 ounces. Apply by vigorous rubbing. MAURICE CAHILL, Barre, W,. JACK DDN- DASO, care of Hlngllng Bros., Ceniervlllc, I«.; H. B. K., Sapnlpa, Okla.: Have sent personal letters: ARTHUR BELL: Have sent mall to address of your wife In Pittsburgh: W. A. CHAGN'ON: Look for nail at Orphetim Theatre, Birmingham, AU.: FLORA MOORE: Have directed your mall to Menio Moore, twelfth floor. Majestic Balldkie, Chicago; J. P. C, Bonham, Tex., and MSB. BLAICE, Iowa City, la.: Immediate answers were sent to addresses given : D. S., New York: You arc foolish to worry. There Is nothing to worry about. It Is Just a condition of your mind and If you permit It to prey upon you it will get the best of you: FRANK and E1RNE>ST: You handed me a good laugh when you suggested keeping It for six months: DISTRACTED: Where there Is a bathtub, a drug store and a good doctor, the condition can be cured. No use in going to Hot SSJilSSLi.^i^CK WIIjSON: Write me at once: FREDBKICA: Your hosband Is right; H. U L.: A good dose of castor oil Is all you need: Y. Y. Y.: Have not received sample yet If you do send It, put a lew drops of chlorororm or formalin In bottle; JACKIE: Nothlnt: doing. You will never Bet mv sanction to spend j-our monej- on fakefi; T. McL.: Have wired von. Why no ren>oniie? 1« everything all right? Wire sent prepaid. Do not worry about little things.