iae cyyt,-5) cpr e t BE 'WEALTHY ON YOUR INCOME • OCTOBER 1972 0 FTEN the only difference between the man who gets ahead and the one who does not is in the way they each see failure. One man who loses sees failure as the end; another sees it as a godsend. By learning how to handle failure mentally and emo- tionally you can greatly in- crease your chances for suc- cess. In fact, once you know how to put every setback in its right perspective, all you will ever experience from then on will be success. Once you see the advantage in ad- versity, it is no longer adver- sity. Here are seven ways by which you can profit from any failure that may come your way. Study them. Ap- ply them the next time you fail in any particular venture. They will make you "success oriented." And the more "success orient- ed" you become, the more success you will achieve. 1. See failure as growth and progress. Some people see failure as retrogression. This is a mistake. If you re- gard every upset or setback as moving backward, then you are likely to become "failure oriented." And the chances are that you will not even recognize success when it does come your way. Let us say you did not win an election. You lost by a landslide. But take a look at all the fronts on which you grew. You gained the experi- ence of running for office. You developed your public- speaking ability. You made important contacts. Your prestige increased. You learned campaign techniques. Your self-confidence and self-esteem increased. Even if you lose the next ten elections, see yourself as making progress rather than failing. An important contact gained might constitute even greater success than winning the office itself. "Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success," wrote John Keats, the great English poet. 2. Let failure help revamp your goals. After any failure take time to evaluate the goal you were trying to attain. Ask yourself, "Was my goal a realistic one? Was I aiming for too much too soon? Was the goal my own, or someone else's imposed on me?" One of my most important tasks as a counsellor is to help clients, mostly teen-agers and young adults, establish real- istic goals. I do not talk them out of aiming for the moon. I talk them into a series of pro- gressively attainable goals, appropriate to their ability, experiences and ambition. 3. Accept failure as a chal- lenge. Even with a realistic goal, success does not come without its "blood, sweat, and tears," to use the words of Winston Churchill. From time to time you will ex- perience reversals. David Sarnoff, former chairman of the board of the Radio Corporation of Amer- ica, once wrote me, "Maybe we have to relearn the mean- ing of ambition and of struggle. When has anything worthwhile been attained ex- cept by overcoming obsta- cles? And the thrill, believe me, is as much in the battle as in the victory. . . . In one's To page 31 seven constructive ways to handle failures RUSSEL I FORNWALT 2 � HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST PUBLI- CATION issued monthly by the ORIENTAL WATCHMAN PUBLISHING HOUSE, P. 0. Bps 35, Poona 1, India. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: 1 yr. Rs. 12.75; 2 yrs. Rs. 24.85; 3 yrs. Rs. 36.45; 5 yrs. Rs. 60.65; Foreign postage, Rs. 4.20 ver year. Foreign: Malaysia, $16.00, Sri Lanka Ra. 15.40 SUBSCRIPTION PAYMENTS: Our representatives are authorized to receive cash or cheques and to issue official receipts for same. For orders sent to publishers, make cheque or money order payable to Oriental Watchman Publishing House, Salisbury Park, Poona 1. REGIONAL OFFICES: Goa, Kerala, My- sore, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu-13 Cunning- ham Road, Bangalore 52; Andhra, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Orissa-16 Club Road, Bom- bay 8; Bihar, Jammu es Kashmir, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal-11 Hailey Road, New Delhi; Assam and adjacent states—Nongthymmai, Shillong; Bangladesh-130/C Dhanmandi Road, Dacca; Sri Lanka-7 Alfred House Gardens, Col- petty, Colombo 3; Pakistan—Oriental Watchman Publishing House, 57 Multan Road, Lahore; Burma—Book ea Bible House, 68 U Wisara Road, Rangoon. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Send new address with wrapper from magazine, or reference number on wrapper to indicate old address. NON-RECEIPT OF MAGAZINE: In- quire at local post-office before informing us. If possible, send magazine wrapper when writing regarding non-receipt. EXPIRY NOTICE: X on wrapper of magazine indicates subscription has expired. Owned by the Oriental Watchman Publish- ing House, P. 0. Box 35, Poona 1, and printed and published by V. Raju at and for the Oriental Watchman Publishing House, Post Box 35, Poona 1. 1870-72 PICTURE CREDITS Cover: Colour transparency by V. K. Rajamani. 7, 13, 15, 19, 22, 26, 33, 36—V. S. Powar; 9, � 17, J. S. Moses; 11—Signs. Jess t briefly... HOW TO REDUCE CORONARY RISK health ARTICLES Seven Ways to Handle Failures � Russell Fornwalt 2 Be Wealthy on Your Income � Helen Brown 6 How to Feed A Patient at Home � . Clifford R. Anderson, M.D. 8 Why We Grow Old � Francesco Mario Antonini 11 Iron Out that Difference � Paul E. Davies 14 Age and Your Arteries � John E. Eichenlaub, M.D. 16 Self-Control � Dr. Kenneth Leese 18 Blood in the Urine � Richard L. Potts, M.D. 22 Interest That Pays High Dividends �Shirley M. Dev.er 25 The Blind and the Deaf Need Love � Mary Pierce 26 Natural Remedies � 36 October 1974 Vol. 49, No. 10 EDITOR : John M. Fowler, M.A., M.S. MEDICAL CONSULTANTS: Elizabeth J. Hiscox, M.D. R. M. Meher-Homji, B.D.S. I. R. Bazliel, Ex-Maj., I.M.S. G. T. Werner, M.D. K. A. P. Yesudian, M.R.C.P., D.C.H. FEATURES HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 Just Briefly, � 3 Clippings and Comments � 6 The Doctor Advises � 28 Medicine Today � 35 Admittedly, much still has to be learned until coronary prevention programmes are ripe for integration in individual and public health pro- grammes. Nevertheless, at each stage of the progress of research, every- body must have the right to receive informed advice, even if further re- sults may modify it. The advice in reducing coronary risk is simple: • stop cigarette smoking; • stop eating too much; • reduce the amount of saturated fats in the diet. This is achieved by Viewpoint � 5 Your Radio Doctor � 8 For Juniors � 32 For Better Life � 36 cutting down fat meats and fat meat products (sausages, salami etc.), dairy fat and hardened margarine; • avoid egg yolk; chicken is healthier than eggs; • use grain, fruit, vegetables, fish salad and cooking oils, and new soft margarines; • have your blood pressure check- ed at least once every five years; if it is too high, stick to the treatment prescribed. —World Health 3 '11111f tie gift tat Seeps ongiving... Of all the gifts that you can give to your friepd, none is greater than a way to help him live well—and live long. Here's where Herald of Health, Asia's lead- ing journal on health apd home, comes in. Why not give your friend a gift that will keep on giving? Give him Herald of Health today! Subscription rates: 1 year—Rs. 12.75; 2 yrs.—Rs. 24.85, 3 yrs.—Rs. 36.45. Foreign postage: Rs. 4.20 per year. Editor Oriental Watchman Publishing House Post Box 35 Poona 1 Sir: Lighten your home and the homes of your friends and loved ones with Herald of Health, the magazine that keeps on giving. Each month it brings vital information on child care, happiness in marriage, personality problems, mental and moral health, common diseases, home treatments and numerous other subjects of concern. CUT OUT THIS COUPON AND MAIL TODAY. Please send a gift subscription of HERALD OF HEALTH for 1/2/3 year(s) to the following address so as to reach him/her by this date � 1972 Name � Address � I am sending a money order/cheque for Rs. 12.75 Rs. 24.85/36.45. Please sign the gift as from me. My name and address follows: ...... CANCER: EE ON GUARD Cancer is a formidable disease. At least five lakhs of people fall prey to this killer each year in India. And yet fifty per cent of all cancer cases could be cured if the disease is diagnosed and treated in its early stages. This is particularly so in cancers affecting mouth and cervix—the two most common types of cancer found in India. But surveys reveal that only five per cent of the patients avail them- selves of early diagnosis and treatment. The other ninety-five percent eventually die of cancer. Doesn't this show that it pays to be on guard? How could one be on the lookout for the disease? It is easy, if we remember certain facts and danger signals involved in cancer. The facts are: 1. Cancer is not hereditary in the strict sense of the word. Certain types of cancer, however, seem to occur more frequently in some families than in others. In cancer of the breast, for example, the in- heritance factor is noted not only in the tendency to develop cancer, but also the age at which it occurs, particularly, in identical twins. This means a person, who has had ancestors with cancer his- tory, should be on the alert. Periodic examinations are most important, 'especially after the age of forty. 2. Cancer is not contagious. 3. Chronic irritation, repeated injury, and constant exposure to harmful substances may con- tribute to the development of cancer. Smoking, especially, pipe smoking, irritates the lip and is the chief cause of cancer of the lower lip. Inhaled cigarette smoking is long known as the leading cause of lung cancer. Jogged teeth and ill-fitting dental plates may contribute to cancer of tongue or cheek. A gall bladder full of stones may cause cancer in that organ. Chewing tobacco and betel nuts, especially the storing of the chew in the mouth, is found to be a causative factor in mouth cancer. 4. Experiments on laboratory animals have shown that certain hormones, especially, estrogenic hormones of the ovary, can favour cancerous growth. Most cancers come without any warning and are therefore overlooked until well established. The insidious nature of the disease is what makes it dangerous. Pain is rarely present at the early state. There are, however, some danger signals that should receive prompt attention. Authorities on cancer list the following as the major signals of possible cancer: HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 1. A lump in the breast. Women should feel their breasts occasionally and if a lump is found, report it to a doctor, 2. A vaginal discharge, especially, bleeding between periods or after the menopause. 3. Any abnormal digestive symptoms which persist, especially associated with the loss of weight or change in bowel habits. 4. Any sore on the lips or tongue or skin that does not heal readily. 5. Rectal pain, bleeding or obstinate constipa- tion. These may, be only symptoms of haemorrhoids but they should be investigated, nevertheless. 6. Any change in a mole, wart, or birth-mark. 7. A persistent hoarseness or cough. 8. Unusual or unexplained loss of weight or anaemia. 9. Presence of blood in the urine. In diagnosing and treating cancer, time is the most important factor. Every day of delay lessens the chance of cure. In cancer, procrastination is as much a killer as the disease. —J.M.F. 5 CLIPPINGS AND COMMENTS A long time ago, an old man told me, "Wealth cannot be counted by the amount of money a person has, but by what he does with his money." It seemed an out-of-date theory. He was old, and I was young, and it was many years before I realized the truth of his statement. Recently, when I was in a group of more than a dozen peo- ple, a woman said, "Wouldn't it be marvellous to have lots of money—to � be � gorgeously wealthy?" And an aggressive young man asked, "why would it be so marvellous?" The group immediately and unanimously defended the idea. "Of course it would be marvellous. You could buy anything you wanted if you were wealthy." Then the young man asked, "But what do you want most?" After much talk and many jokes, we all agreed we wanted happiness most. "O.K. Try to buy happiness with your gorgeous wealth," scoffed the young man. He was right. Happiness is an intangible commodity which can- not be bought. It is a state of mind which can be cultivated so that it will grow and enrich your life, and contentment is one of its main ingredients. However, there is a definite connection between money and happiness because money plays a major part in our lives, and our attitude towards money can make or destroy our happiness. So you should endeav- our to bring your mind and your income into partnership where they can work together for your happiness. Spend Wisely; Relax Tensions Since you can spend your money only once, avoid impulsive spending. Decide what you want and be willing to forego the lesser things in order to have money for the things you place first in im- portance. Think about your commitments, your needs and your wants, and remember your "needs" and your "wants" are seldom the same. Your wants can keep you perpetu- ally short of money, especially if they centre around status symbols and the paraphernalia necessary to keep up with the Joneses. You HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 Over twenty million people in the United States are victims of chronic headache problems. Americans spend $450,000, 000 on tons of aspirin and other headache remedies, and continue to suffer with recurring headaches. Though chronic headache is not a potential killer, it is a serious na- tional health problem. It has been reported that food for astronauts costs between $150 and $300 per man per day. A major portion of the cost is attri- buted to the high costs of docu- mentation, research, and bacter- iological requirements. Mushrooms have been found to contain one or more antibio- tics, one of which is effective against tuberculosis and germs which cause boils, reports Columbia University. Mushrooms have long been a food favourite. They are rich in vitamins, and low in calories—in seven average-sized mushrooms there are only twelve calories. Since it takes Mercury eighty- eight Earth days to orbit the sun, but fifty-nine Earth days for the planet to make a complete revolu- tion on its axis, it can be said that a Mercury year is only one and a half times as long as a Mercury day. It is reported that fat people on the average spend sixty-five minutes more in bed than the nonfat, and 21.7 per cent of the time on their feet, while the non- fat spend thirty-six per cent more time on the move. It is further suggested that decreased activity is often linked with depression and may be a main cause for obesity. 6 Be Wealthy On Your Income by HELEN BROWN Wealth is not so much what you have, but how you spend what you have. may even be buying several things on instalment payment, and this could be causing constant strain. Consequently you cannot be the relaxed, contented person you would like to be. The Joneses and the Social Ladder Let's take a quick look at the Joneses. The "Middle Income" Joneses are on the ladder just one step ahead of you; then by some improbable stroke of fortune you catch up with them. But they do rot notice you. These Joneses are too busy gazing enviously at the shoulder blades of the "Upper. Middle-Income" Joneses who are one rung above you both, so that's HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 where YOUR hope now aspires— just one more step up. In turn, the "U p p e r-M iddl e-Income" Joneses are concentrating on the rear view of the "Lower-High-In- come" Joneses. On this ladder no one has time to notice an individual as such. It's position that counts. Social climbing is an exhaust- ing activity; and it can dominate and -waste your whole life. It is an insidious thing, and many peo- ple don't realize they are being pressured into sacrificing their personalities. They don't know what is causing their discontent arid their tensions. What could be more frustrating than to look back in old age, and find that all your life you have done the things everyone else was doing, bought all the things every- one else was buying but have missed out on all the things you, yourself, wanted? Avoid this pathetic situation. Get out of the groove and be an individual. Work Out A Budget Give a lot of thought to how you want to spend your income. You might decide to work out a budget as a guide to systematic spending. If so, review it periodi- cally and discipline yourself to keep to it. You will have to be extremely strong-minded to with- stand the pressures of today's per- suasive advertising techniques and salesmen. The modern business world is geared to keep you spend- ing, to keep you poor. Avoid the insidious temptation to buy because everyone else is buying. Before you buy, ask yourself, "Do I really need it? Would I have thought of getting it if friend (or sister-in-law, or neighbour) hadn't bought one first?" Be honest with yourself and if the answer to these two questions is "No," rest assured you will live quite well without it. The large number of times the answer is "No" might surprise you. if you decide against a pur- chase, dismiss the matter and NEVER say enviously to anyone, "I can't afford it." Get it firmly fixed in your mind that you chose not to buy because you didn't need it, and this is the truth. Few of us are so poor that we can't afford the necessities, but we have allowed our necessities to become too luxurious and our luxuries to become entirely too necessary. Now, secure in the knowledge that you are master of your spend- ing—that YOU make the choice —you gradually become more sure To page 31 7 Sao HOW TO FEED A PATIENT AT HOME by CLIFFORD R. ANDERSON, M.D. W hen Ravi Pandit went down with a severe heart attack, life was pretty dismal for the whole family,. The future seemed so uncertain, especially during that long period when his life was hanging in the balance. As the hours lengthened into days and weeks, the hopes of all began to grow. The whole family willingly co-operated in helping him to recover, and in the end their efforts were well rewarded. His journey back to health was slow, with occasional setbacks, but at last he was gaining strength, thanks largely to the excellent nursing given him at home. Because they lived a long way from the nearest good medical centre it was impossible to move the patient to hospital. In this emergency Mrs. Pandit and her daughter rose to the occasion and created a remarkably good hospital atmosphere at home, and here he was cared for until he was well and strong again. As home nurses, these ladies learned many lessons of real value in self-reliance and good common sense. And they, thoroughly enjoyed their work. They took their responsibilities seriously, and under the guidance of the doctor they set about finding ways to help their patient back to health. Although they, had never thought much about it before, they now discovered that food is a very important item in helping a patient to get well and strong again. They also realized that their know- ledge was rather limited, but they learned rapidly 8 as they went along. In fact, the whole family tried to think up ways of making the patient more com- fortable during his long convalescence. How to Improvise a Table for the Bed One of the boys found a way of making a light table that would stand across the bed to support the patient's tray during meals. He took a large cardboard box about three feet long and two feet wide and, cut away one side completely as in the diagram shown. Then he left the opposite side intact, cutting away parts of the smaller sides, but leaving the corners as legs. This improvised table was light and strong and quite durable, and of course it cost nothing. This cardboard table was used con- stantly until the patient was able to get up and care for himself. Whenever visitors came in they always remarked about the way the Pandit family was able to provide for the needs of their patient without having to go out and buy a lot of expen- sive equipment. It was the same with the patient's meals. Noth- ing too elaborate was purchased. Just the simple foods of the family were used, but they were pre- pared in a most attractive way under the explicit directions of the doctor. Mrs. Pandit saw to it that her husband was provided with nourishing meals HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 that could be readily digested and absorbed. At the time he was so gravely ill, he was given a liquid diet. Everything he ate had to be prepared in liquid form. He could take only very small quantities at a time, so he was fed frequently. This kept up his strength and helped to repair the damage caused by the disease. When his heart failed his body was no longer able to eliminate the poisons that were piling up in his blood stream. His whole system became sluggish and sick, and he began to run a fever. This placed some extra strain upon his damaged heart. So the doctor advised that he be given plenty of fluids to keep his blood flowing freely through all parts of his body. Liquid Diet Important in Treating Fever Whenever a patient has a high fever he loses large quantities of water in the form of perspiration. This tends to make the blood thicker and adds an unnecessary strain on the heart. That is why doctors today are strongly advising that all patients with fever be given plenty of fluids to make up for this- loss of water. Mrs. Pandit gave her patient lots of fruit juices, particularly, orange juice. The doctor was pleased about this, because orange juice and other fruit and vegetable juices are very rich -in Vitamin C. This is the great healing vitamin that is so badly needed by the body during any serious illness. Mrs. Pandit also gave her patient frequent small feedings of milk. She was always very careful that the milk was brought to the boil, to be sure there were no germs to cause trouble. As Mr. Pandit began to gain strength, she gave him clear vegetable broth, from which glie had strained all the solid materials. This was important at first, but later on he could take cream soups and richer vegetable soups without having to have them strained. The sick man's diet included as wide a variety of foods as possible, for the doctor had ex. plained that no single food contains all the minerals, vitamins and proteins needed by the human body. For this reason a wide variety of foods will always help a patient to recover more rapidly. As long as he was on this liquid diet, all the foods had to be specially prepared in liquid form so that he could swallow them easily while he was lying flat in bed. For this purpose the doctor suggested that the nurses let the patient draw up these liquid foods through a glass tube or a paper straw. This way of supplying his foods worked very well while he was so weak and unable to sit up and help himself. Every day the doctor not only listened to the patient's heart and checked his general condition, but also looked carefully over the list of foods he had received. He was very, satisfied with what the home nurses were doing for their patient. After a few days the doctor ordered soft diet. This included all the liquids and juices already mentioned, and also such other easily digested foods as mashed potato, mashed ripe banana, a little bread, and various kinds of cooked vegetables. Custards and simple desserts were also included in this soft diet, and the patient was now able to eat a little more at each meal. His nurses saw to it that he was well supplied with good food, whenever he needed it. A Nourishing Light General Diet As soon as he was able to sit up he was given a light general diet. His digestion improved rapidly and his heart became stronger from day to day. Soon he was able to take a well balanced meal three times a day. Here is a typical day's menu as recommended by his doctor during the latter part of his convalescence: ; 1 1 Early Morning A small glass of fruit juice. Breakfast Small quantity of cereal. Buttered toast and jelly. Small glass of milk. Mid-Morning A cardboard box may be used as a handy bed table. Small glass of fruit juice or, Fruit salad. 9 Lunch Cream soup. Small portion of green vegetables. Small baked potato with a little butter if desired. A light custard dessert. Mid-Afternoon A glass of milk or fruit juice. Supper Poached egg on toast. Fresh, green, garden salad. A light dessert. Before Retiring A small glass of milk. One day the patient was troubled with some, gas and indigestion, so the doctor put him back on the soft diet. When his digestive system had quieted down again, he returned once more to the light general diet. Eventually he was given a full diet, and it was a great day when he was able to sit down at the table with his family once again. Patient's Tray Should Look Attractive The doctor was surprised at how well the patient's meals were served. Mrs. Pandit was a cultured lady who enjoyed doing things well. As a home nurse she had a fine opportunity to demonstrate her artis- tic abilities in a very practical way. She realized that a sick person is most susceptible to appearances, and that he needs to have his foods served in a very attractive manner. And because he can eat only small quantities of food at any one time, he naturally becomes hungry just that much more quickly. So she decided it was best to prepare his meals at different times from when the rest of the family ate their meals. This was a wise decision, for it left her free to take care of her own needs more fully. It also gave her a little more time for rest and relaxa- tion. Later when her husband could help himself and could eat more food, he was given the same meals as the rest of the family at the same time. But in the more critical stages of his illness it was found best to feed him at a different time. Many other home nurses have also found this to be true. It was very interesting to see how Mrs. Pandit prepared the trays for her patient. She used small dishes, and arranged the foods in most artistic pat- terns, The colours of the foods were blended together 10 in groups, using the small fresh green leaves of salads, and such bright colours as yellows and reds in tomatoes in such a way as to delight the eyes of the patient. Everything was spotlessly, clean, and was served with the dainty touch of one who is really enjoying the prospect of nursing her husband back to health. The rest of the family also added their little bit of cheer whenever possible, doing their best to provide a bright and cheerful at- mosphere in the sickroom at all times. One of the younger girls went out and brought in a fresh flower and put it on her father's tray each morning. This little act of kindness meant so much to the patient who was not able to go out and look on the beauties of nature for himself. When Mrs. Pandit served the midday meal, she usually added some little poem or picture that her husband admired, or perhaps some lovely thought for the day. In the evening one of the boys brought him an interesting news paper clipping or some other item of general interest or importance in the business world. And so the patient came to think of mealtimes as particularly happy occasions to which he could look forward during the long hours when he was suffering from pain and weakness. By little acts of love the whole family helped to win him back again to health and happier living. The Pandit family found out that they were not nearly as helpless as they had thought at first. When the need arose they were ready to do their part, and they all learned much of real practical value in their experience. This is often the most valuable thing that can happen to any family. A serious illness is often, a blessing in disguise, espe- cially when the patient makes a complete recovery. In helping some loved one who is afflicted, we learn lessons of patience and endurance, of courage and hope. Instead of going to pieces in the crisis we find there is so much we can do to help that loved one to recover. Good common sense, aided by a little in- struction, can make us all much more useful in al- leviating the sufferings of our fellow men. Whatever emergency, may arise, we need not feel utterly helpless. There is so much we can all do for others. I know of nothing that will take our minds off our own petty complaints more quickly than to set about helping someone else who is in need. There are always neighbours all around us who are sick and in trouble. A real friend is one who is able and willing to give practical help when it is needed most. Such acts of kindness will do so much, not only for one in need, but also for all who give of their time, their patience, and their strength in winning another back to health and happiness. � *** HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 why we grow old When can the ageing process be said to begin? Biologically speaking, at birth. But the human organism is a com- plex of functions, not a simple cell, and I would therefore say that in humans ageing begins at the end of the growth period. The opinion is held that the longer the growth period the later will ageing begin and, consequently, the longer the life span will be. Conversely, this means that all the factors that stimulate development tend equal- ly to hasten ageing, and those that retard growth also delay the onset of old age. The ageing process affects both the cell and the connective tissues that support the cellular structures. It may be more evident in the latter. effect of ageing on vision. Loss of vision and of the eye's power of accommodation is a continuous process directly related to the pas- sage of the years. However, people become aware of it only at inter- vals. They are perfectly happy with their glasses for two or three years, then suddenly they cannot see properly, and must have a new pair, just as if their sight had deteriorated from one day to the next. What has happened, of course, is that the gradual loss of sight passed unnoticed as long as the organism was able to compen- sate for it. but no longer. Ageing affects the whole organ- ism and makes ever greater de- mands on the compensation mechanisms that maintain the complex equilibrium—homeostasis —necessary for life to continue. But a point is always reached When further compensatiOn be- comes impossible. Sickness and perhaps death then ensue. The foregoing is important to help understand why older people have a reduced resistance to dis- ease, which in turn sets up a num- ber of vicious circles affecting their health. If you wish to try, out -an auto- mobile, a few short trips at low speed will not tell you much, and the weak points will probably emerge only during a long journey that includes stretches at high speed and hill climbing. Similarly, if an ageing organism is observed at rest, it may, seem sound and, in many respects, function as if it were young. The many weaknesses appear only when a strenuous ef- fort is required or when circum- stances impose a sudden stress. There is 'an old Tuscan saying How can ageing best be understood? A very good example is the HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 � 1 1 An interview with Professor Francesco Mario Antonini, Director of the Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, University of Florence, Italy. "Sesei vecchio e non lo sai, sali l'erta e to vedrai," which may be rendered "If you think you are not growing old, climb a hill and see." The comparison with an auto- mobile may serve to illustrate another idea. A car may be out of action because one single part— battery or distributor for instance —is defective or because all the essential parts of the engine have become worn out more or less at the same time. In the one case, changing the defective part will make the car as good as new, while in the other, even if the whole engine is replaced, it will not be long before the brakes, the suspension and all the rest break down in their turn. Why do many mammals have a shorter life than man? Childhood certainly lasts much longer in man than in any other animals. Similarly, sexual maturity comes later and a longer time is needed for the individual to ac- quire a degree of independence enabling him to fend for himself. Other mammals are already com- plete individuals at the age of a few months, when human children are totally without defence and unable to provide for themselves. The latter are dependent on their mothers and their families until six or seven years of age, do not reach sexual maturity until fifteen, and continue growing, at least in certain respects, until between twenty-three and twenty-five years of age. The brain of a monkey at birth has already attained seventy per cent of its maximum develop- ment, expressed as weight, which is fully reached after six to twelve months of life. The human brain has only reached about twenty- three per cent of its weight at birth and is not completely developed 12 before about twenty-five years of age. One advantage that man draws from these differences between him and animals and the slow suc- cession of the various stages of his development is a greater facil- ity in adopting to his environment. These circumstances may also ex- plain his longer life span. Have attempts been made to pro- long the life of certain mammals? Such attempts have been made, and one of the few effective methods appears to be a starvation diet. Certain experiments, first made long ago by McCay and frequently repeated since, have given consistent results. One group of rats is given a normal diet while another, from the same stock, is given a balanced diet but low- calorie diet for 1,000 days. Sub- sequently, both groups are given identical, normal diets, and it is found that those subjected to the starvation diet live almost twice as long as the others. No really satisfactory explana- tion has been found for these re- results, but the low-calorie diet certainly has the effect of slowing down the development of the rats subjected to it, and must have some connection with the prolong- ation of their lives. In your opinion, can ageing be avoided? The nucleus of the cell contains the genetic memory, and all the information that make it possible for life to continue. The nucleus directs the synthesis of the essential substances, the proteins, which are typical for each animal species and for each individual. The informa- tion that serves for the synthesis of the proteins is coded in the very long molecules of nucleic acid, DNA. This DNA molecule is twisted in the form of a double helix and is composed of a long sequence of simpler molecules, called bases, that may be compared to the let- ters of an alphabet and form series of "words." The information con- tained in the DNA is transcribed onto another nucleic acid, RNA, which, in the cytoplasm of the cell, is translated , � into molecules of proteins which will be different according to the different se- quences of RNA. It seems ap- parent that a small disturbance in this chain of events could cause errors in transcription and trans- lation, by a process comparable to the effect of background noise in making a radio broadcast unintel- ligible. Similarly, a random dis- turbance in the translation into protein of the information con- tained in the DNA molecule may produce a wrong protein that may have no function or may even have a harmful effect. Thus mutations due to ageing, radiation, and abnormal bonds between the DNA bases may in- crease the background noise to a point where the message becomes nonsense. An ever-greater number of mistakes thus occur within the cell and lead to functional changes, disease and finally death. Can biological science perhaps find an answer? Recent developments in biologi- cal science do seem to point to the possibility of modifying, to some extent, the background noise and limiting the errors of trans- mission that may be held to pro- duce the most serious effect on the organism. It might thus be possible not only to protect this complex and highly important DNA mole- cule against interference, but also to learn more about its structure, to synthesize it and even to modify or, better still, control its function by a process of induction through stimulating the formation of en- zymes and other protein com- pounds. Such compounds are of HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 The maximum life spans of certain animals: tortoise-150 years; dog-34 years; cat-21 years; elephant-57 years; duck-19 years; raven-69 years; mouse-3 years. These life spans are extremes which are only exceptionally reached. The average life of a dog, for instance, is between 13 and 17 years. The development of animals is different from that of man. For example, a monkey is born with a brain weighing seventy per cent of the maximum and its com- plete growth is achieved within a year. At birth, man's brain represents ap- proximately twenty-three per cent of its final weight, which is attained around the age of twenty-five. great significance in the economy of the organism and their absence is now known to be a factor in cer- tain diseases and also in ageing. The phenomenon of induction has been studied for some time, and a number of substances and even some viruses have already been identified as having the property of selectively inducing the, formation of certain organic molecules with specific functions. Are any tangible results to be expectekl from such work? On the basis of the results al- ready, obtained, it can be said that this is the most promising field for research in gerontology. How- ever, we are still far from any practical applications, The transplantation, of organs offers other possibilities but en- tails biological difficulties that have still to be overcome. Great advances have already been made in the substitution of whole organs or of parts made of synthetic materials, and still greater things may be expected, even though these brilliant and futuristic tedh- niques can be practised on only a small number of individuals, cir- cumstances being what they are. The prevention of ageing im- plies, primarily, the prevention of certain functional disturbances. If the function of an organ is to be maintained at a. satisfactory rhy- thm, it must be stimulated. The first rule for growing old wisely is to keep physically active and men- tally, alert, and to maintain one's normal place in the structure of the group and of society. Excesses and. too strenuous efforts are, of course, to be avoided, but even more dangerous is the cessation of all activity. The temptation simply to give up should be fought at all costs. Some degree of deterioration, whether physiological or pathologi- cal, is, however, inevitable, and certain modern tedhniques are available to help various organs to continue functioning effectively. For instance, you can give a new lease of life to a patient with poor sight simply by providing him with a pair of glasses 'enabling him to go out and about as he wishes. Other prosthetic devices bring similar benefits. Today there are artificial kidneys, electrically, work. ed pace-setters for cardiac patients, and many other devices that are more than just methods of treat- ment, since they also serve to pre. vent other diseases and complica- tions. Courtesy of W. H. 0. 13 HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 Iron Out Mot Difference by PAUL E. DAVIES T HERE is nothing new under the sun. Yet no one who claims to be interested in the prevention of unnecessary ill-health carL.,ignore the problem of iron deficiency. Its very persistence poses a challenge. Women are primarily exposed and during their reproductive years a shortage of iron may sap their' efficiency to an alarming degree. Not all women are satisfied with their lot. Limp and languid, unable to cope effec- tively with housework and shopping, some turn envious eyes on their energetic sisters who appear to have real zest for living. A woman with the tag "nervous debility" may well be an unsuspecting victim of iron de- ficiency. When iron reserves in her body be- come exhausted, she becomes exhausted, too. Dry, brittle, ridged finger-nails may have a clue to the underlying fundamental upset. Over the past ten years, about a dozen British surveys disclosed that over twenty per cent of girls and young women between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five were suf- fering from anaemia, the common-or-garden type due to lack of iron. During their men- strual lifespan, as many as twenty-five per cent of women in various parts of the country were found to be anaemic. In one general practice in Glasgow, nearly one-third of women over forty years of age were short of iron and, significantly, this disorder often occurred in a latent form without anmia. These findings can hardly be accepted with equanimity. They certainly give cre- 14 dence to the view that iron deficiency, both latent and patent, is widespread even in a supposedly well-fed country like Britain. Then, what about the situation in our own land? Clearly, too many women live in a "twilight zone of ill-health." They suffer from chronic fatigue, the classical symptom of iron lack, with the tacit assumption that not much can be done for them. But iron-deficiency does lend itself to preventive measures and "at risk" groups in society can be identified before they fall ill. Adolescents form one such vulnerable group. During this phase of rapid growth, coupled with the onset of menstruation in girls, the body's demand for iron may easily outstrip the supply. Dietary Habits A sharp perusal of adolescents' dietary habits uncovers a liking for sweet, stodgy, starchy foods. These can lead to the devel- opment of iron deficiency by crowding out nourishing foods. Take white sugar, for ex- ample, an unnatural food in no way condu- cive to good health yet a favourite with the girls. Their tastes are so refined! But there's no mistaking that enhanced vitality when diets are corrected and supplements provided as necessary. The four to five grammes of iron in the body of a normal adult is kept at a fairly constant level by a balance between the iron absorbed from the food and the iron loss. HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 Iron deficiency may sap a woman's efficiency to an alarm- ing degree. food-stuffs rich in iron. And, also, to find the means of ensuring the maximum absorp- tion of that iron. Suitable Diet The average man need only absorb one milli- gramme of iron a day which is comfortably achieved on an intake of fifteen milligrammes daily. Women of child-bearing age, however, need to absorb at least double this amount daily to compensate for menstrual losses. To lighten this burden thus imposed plus the increased requirements of pregnancy and lac- tation, they want to cultivate a taste for HERALD OF HEALTH, AUGUST 1972 Eggs, dried and fresh fruit, plus green leafy vegetables form a useful nucleus of a suitable diet for them—with a special mention reserved for apricots, prunes, broccoli, pars- ley, and wheat germ. To get the best results, however, the absorption of iron merits further onsideration. Only between five to ten per cent of diet- ary iron is normally absorbed. In a deficiency state the amount increases, though to a vari- able degree, with different foodstuffs, the highest levels being obtained with apri- cots. In fact forty per cent of the iron in apri- cots is actually utilized. Food iron in its trivalent ferric state has to be altered and reduced to its bivalent ferrous form prior to absorption from the gut. This process is con- siderably facilitated by giving ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) simultaneously. In the presence of established iron defi- ciency, diet alone is unlikely to normalize a negative balance and maintain it thereafter. So meals should be augmented by daily sup- plements such as iron formula tablets which combine both effectiveness and safety. Curiously, women are sometimes forget- ful about taking iron tablets, but they always remember to take proprietary products con- taining aspirin for nearly every trivial To page 34 15 I deas now being checked in, the laboratory may one day let you hit your prime at one hundred years old. When fully developed, these ideas many control a whole group of deadly diseases that now kill one person out of every seven. They may make old age as we know it, exceedingly rare and long delayed. The big griefs that come with age—stroke, heart trouble, loss of mental keenness may be largely warded off. This is the news from the laboratory and bed- side: The main form of hardening of the arteries, which causes all this misery, is not the result of old age, but the biggest cause of old age. Atherosclerosis is a disease, not a natural wearing out of the body's most vital pipes. The scales it lays down on the inside of your blood-vessels need not be allowed to form. Once formed, they can be carried away again, leaving the arteries soft and open. The ways of doing this are in the experimental stage so far, but have gone far enough to show that the job can be done safely. Atherosclerosis is not exclusive to the aged. Newborn babies have been proved to have it in an early form. In the thirties, untimely, heart attacks are tragically common. These are due to change in the arteries that feed the heart muscles. Even in the teens and twenties, atherosclerosis takes a toll. Study of Scars The first clues to the fact that atherosclerosis was not the result of old age or wear and tear came from its absence in certain groups of people in cer- tain countries. Chinese records go back 1,100 years. They show that people who steer clear of animal fat for religious reasons live longer and keep their health and faculties better than those who eat animal fats freely. At the time. this line of thought was being traced through by modern scientists, another front was opened against athero clerosis. In the laboratory a big shift in viewpoint revealed new horizons. The study of disease has always been the study of the scars left by disease in ravaged victims. It is like writing the history of a battle by visiting the area after it is over. The corpses of defenders tell of hotly contested spots, but the places that go without much struggle give little evidence that anything important has happened. In the past few years atomic medicine and other new methods have let doctors study, the scene while the fight is still going on. In the case of your arteries, their findings are amazing. Your arteries are not inert pipes. They carry on life processes as actively as most other parts of your body—one fifth as actively as the liver, which is the seat of your fuel system. They get the nourishment to do this work from the blood they are carrying. Chemicals are always filtering out of the blood through the artery walls. Dr. Irvine H. Page, who is head of the cardio- vascular research laboratory at Crile Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio (U.S.A.), blames this infiltration for the scales of atherosclerosis. These scales form beneath the loosely woven inner lining of the artery but out- side the more closely knit middle layer. Dr. Page's idea is that fat floats through the loose inner lining on rafts of protein. Some of these rafts are too big to go through the smaller spaces of the next layer. They get stuck long enough to lose their load. Some of the fats are carried away, some are stalled long enough to react chemically and turn into cholesterol. This chemical is much harder than fat for the body to dissolve. When more cholesterol is laid down than the body can dispose of, the scale plaques of atherosclerosis pile up. They are what later hardens. Age and Your Arteries by JOHN E. EICHENLAUB, M.D. Dr. Page points to the protein raft and to the thin wall that separates the inner from the middle layer of your arteries. Proteins must be big enough to be snared. The spaces through which they have to go must be small enough to snare them. Granting that the burden of fat your body handles also affects the situation, Dr. Page thinks that dietary, control is only part of the picture. He advises you to keep your weight down to the normal range, to avoid fatty, foods as much as is practical, and depend on medical research now in progress to find an answer. Diet and Weight The most promising medicine now being checked for atherosclerosis treatment is heparin. This makes your body form a so-called plasma- clearing factor, which in turn breaks the big, un- wieldy, protein rafts into small, manageable ones. Before we go out on the wards, let us take a look at the laboratory cages. Work on animals has brought about many of the new ideas about athero- sclerosis. Most of the findings that make prevention and cure seem so likely are still in the laboratory stage. Animals do not get atherosclerosis This fact is one of the clues that first made doctors think this was a disease instead of an ageing process. The other, less common, forms of hardening of the arteries (which are almost harmless) are seen in animals. Atherosclerosis is not. The groundwork for laboratory advance against this disease was laid in 1908 when Drs. Ignatowski and Saltyknow fed rabbits a high-cholesterol diet. The lining of the animal's arteries showed the same kind of change seen in human atherosclerosis. In 1913, Dr. Antischkow proved that cholesterol rather than protein was at fault. For many years the work of these doctors was ignored. Today, in the laboratory, rats, rabbits, and cockerels are made old through these methods. Having given animals this scourge experi- mentally, the next problem was to cure them of it. At least four different groups have performed this key experiment, all with the same results. The scales of atherosclerosis disappear if the cause is removed in the first stage. They shrink away, to insignificant scars if the cause is removed after they have reached full size. Animal experiments have proved beyond doubt that atherosclerosis can heal itself. This finding touched off an autopsy study of certain old people. Because of some other condition, these people had eaten little or no fat for several months before they passed away. Definite healing was found in the lining of their arteries, showing that in man atherosclerosis can be reversed. Proof of Healing Proof that atherosclerosis can heal has given new vigour to the search for a way to make it do so. This search also is being made mainly with animals. Six months mean more to rabbits than years mean to human beings. You can measure results by actually looking at the arteries. Animal studies are going on right now on many ideas. The most pro- mising ones involve the use of hormones, iodides, plant sterols, detergents, and heparin. Women live longer than men. They have only one tenth as many early coronary heart attacks, which proves that they, have less atherosclerosis. Female sex hormone has definite effect on the scales in atherosclerotic artery walls. This effect can make the arteries of female animals heal when other animals receiving the same diet are getting steadily worse. So far, the products used on men have proved to have sex-hormone action and artery- To page 29 17 1 111.111M � 11.11 1 � 1• 1 � .111 � 1 k 1 SELF - CONTROL by Dr. KENNETH LEESE Temperance is not a word which slips easily from the lips of those involved in the medical disciplines, but its meaning as a com- prehensive term describing the self-control which is derived from the 'disciplined life, re- acting to the moral demands made upon it, is increasingly recognized as being most com- patible with the scientific requirements for good health. This is not to suggest that a majority of the medical profession would inevitably agree with such a comment, for it would be too much to expect the doctor, often all too human and therefore fallible, to be the devotee of a modern scientific understanding of self-control strong enough to overcome the ever_ present pull of the comfortable libertinism of ignor- ance and self-indulgent practice. Yet it is surely ironic that in an area of modern medical concern, that of cancer of the lung and re- spiratory and circulatory disorders, doctors, them- selves have been submitted to prolonged scientific scrutiny and have been as examples to propound the virtues of such temperance. Scientific Logic It surely does not stretch scientific logic too far to suggest that a principle derived from the particular may have a more universal application. It was Francis Bacon Who said: "We cannot control nature, except by obeying her"; and man, down the years, in his constantly repeated attempts to confound such a basic concept, has provided ample evidence of truth. In the dawn of the art of medicine, man was held to contain within himself all the essential ele- ments of the disease process, and the cure of illness 18 lay in the physician's ability to identify and then eradicate or modify that process. Only relatively recently, has there been a develop- ing understanding of the environmental and socio- economic factors which play such an important part in the cause of illness, until today it is universally acknowledged there is a need for a trans-disciplinary involvement in constructing a true hypothesis of man's disorders. Indeed, the growing recognition of this complex- ity is causing the physician to relax his traditionally all-but-total hold on the area of man's ill-health, and admit the need for a concerted onslaught by experts in all fields to achieve his traditional aim—none other than the restoration of the wholesomeness of the human personality and the consequent re-establishment of an equilibrium of all the forces concerned in pro- moting man's happiness.. Cardinal principle Therefore the history of the past seventy to a hundred years of medical practice can be summa- rized by saying that it has consisted in the slow and painstaking investigation of the complex factors in- volved in the disease processes that afflict the human body. The cardinal principle the doctor has to learn is that the human organism is subject to controls which may be broadly described as "the laws of nature." Any interference of these laws will disturb that balance which is necessary for the maintenance of personal welfare. Such interference will be pro- ductive of consequences, foreseen or not, which will cross the traditionally understood boundaries of body, mind, and spirit, so that, for example, changes in body chemistry will erupt into distortions of relation- HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 deflect any consideration of the truth which the doctor is attempting to establish. The healing processes have been understood in this way for a long time. It is therefore rather odd that the disease-provoking processes have been thought of as immediate and spontaneous. In these senses "moderation" which is popularly claimed to be the meaning of temperance, is really seen to be anti- pathetic to "self-control," for the moderate involve- ment with agents which modify self-control is but the preliminary to a progressive loss of self-control. , For many people the "hang-over," however de- bilitating, may be a socially acceptable sequence to moderate drinking; bur never let it be claimed that moderate drinking has no physiological consequences. In this respect human memory, is extraordinarily fickle in its capacity to recall actuality, to overlay truth with imagination and rationalization, and to forget the painful. Again, one of the major heresies of modern be- life about human biopsychology is that ideally man needs to be allowed to exercise his instinctually, na- tural responses in order to "discover" himself, with. out regard to the environmental, psychological, and moral controls which make him essentially so dif- ferent from and so superior to the animal nature to which he is biologically related. Inhibitions Usually, it is conveniently forgotten that inhibi- tions are an essential part of the maturely developed personality, and signal the full adaptation of the in- dividual to the collective elements of a society which is the true unit of human experience. Even the world of industry accepts this concept. "In the early days of capitalist development the principle of 'as ye sow, so shall ye reap' prevailed within the factory boundaries, and any nuisance caused outside those boundaries was considered 'ex- ternal' in terms of the firm's financial operations. If and when the external effect attained proportions large enough to cause damage to a third person or the public as a whole, legal action of one kind or an- other was taken. "With the advent of modern technology and the tremendously increased operations of even a single factory, coupled with urban development, ex- ternal effects have acquired a new dimension and it is quite clear that the old principle of 'as ye sow, so ye reap' can no longer be encompassed within the narrow cost-accounting of an individual firm. 'In other words, the social character of the production process has become so, important that the freedom of private enterprise can no longer remain unqualified."' 19 ships, and conversely,, disturbances of emotional balance will be conducive of metabolic disorders. Perhaps more especially at the moment, medi. cine is increasingly conscious of the significance of the newly understood dimension of TIME. Disease is seen, more clearly than ever, to have a dynamic rather than a static quality, and it is a commentary on his ignorance for anyone to claim that any par. ticular attitude or action or ingested chemical agent will have no ultimate effect upon the individual. The medical practitioner does not recognize a state of human physiology which in the one instant is completely unaffected by impinging influences, and in the next is totally involved—a kind of black and white situation some theorists would find very convenient for their moralistic equations; alive or dead; sober or drunk; free from "the influence" or under "the influence." Exaggerated Stance Though this may sound to be a somewhat exag- gerated stance, the doctor has to face it almost every day. For instance, with the patient who when asked if he smokes, informs the doctor that he doesn't; the real truth being that he probably stopped the previous day, and with such an answer is really attempting to HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 It is within this same modern concept of man, the individual, being but an essential part in the welfare of the whole community that medicine has perhaps made its greatest contribution to social wel- fare and has conferred near-miraculous results upon the world. Prevention to be Preferred to Cure The present study of epidemiology, which is con- cerned with the eradication of disease by the elimina- tion of its transmission, has led to much more than an understanding of germs and their control; it has produced a new realization of the infectivity of ideas and practices and explains, at least in part, the growth of specific forms of culture and sub-culture. Ignacy Sachs, speaking recently in the context of the pollution theme, said: "Prevention of evil should always be preferred to therapeutic action on ethical grounds." These ethical grounds must always be based upon the search for men's highest good, and his statement can easily and legitimately be adapted to Prevention of evil should always be pre- ferred to therapeutic action on ethical grounds. the context of medicine, with in any case is inti- mately concerned in his original subject: "the pre- vention of disorder in the human body is always to be preferred to therapeutic action towards established disorder." At the recent scientific meeting in England, Pro_ fessor Colin T. Dollery of the Hammersmith Hos- pital, speaking about the treatment of high blood prc.;sure said: "The message is absolutely clear. You have to recognize accelerating hypertension before renal damage occurs. If you can catch them with a reasonable blood urea, then their chances are better." Now with such principles in mind, let us examine a few of the areas of medical care that are confluent with the more traditionally expressed concerns of the temperance advocates. In these fields it could be claimed, one supposes with some justification, that the role of the Puritan has been taken over by the practitioner of modern scientific medicine. For he, of all people, realizes most clearly that, while many of the consequences that have been feared in the past for the person failing to exercise control have been scientifically eliminated by the application of biochemical screens and bar- 20 Obesity raises the question not only of in- dividual overweight and its dangers but also the disproportionate spread of the world's dietary resources. riers, it is a lack of control that has prevented the effective application of those very measures and has produced results similar to, if not more disastrous than, before. The advent of penicillin was stated to exclude the fear of venereal disease from illicit intercourse. Yet the doctor is alarmed today at the irrefutable evidence society is presenting to him of a near pande- mic of venereal disease among an increasingly pro- miscuous and shallow thinking youth culture- The opponents of the "Temperance" position have forgotten that the factors which control the in- dulgence in promiscuous sex are far more deeply complex than the fear of the responsibility of infection. While contraceptive devices are increasingly available, why is it that premarital intercourse has not been protected, as it was said it would be, from the risks of unwanted pregnancies, but the abortion rate is rising alarmingly, year by year? The continuance of the debate about abortion at all levels of understanding is indicative of a deep- seated concern at the psychological devastation caused by this form of a lack of self-control, and the answer is to be found in the fact that emotion is not responsive to premeditated avoiding action and indeed is often enough excited by the risks involved in exposure to danger. Responsible People All responsible people will admit that self-control is not only the safe way to avoid ultimate psychological disaster (doctors are having to deal with an increas- ing volume of pernicious neuroticism, among teen- age youth, that springs from such permissive attitudes —a social state as vet ill-recognized and never pub- licized). They will also admit that it is the only known way of conserving for any length of time of that very sexuality which as a quality of living it is our legitimate privilege to enjoy. Or consider the very important question of obe- sity. Not only are doctors concerned with the effects of over-weight on the individual—and these are dire enough, but also with the disproportionate spread of the world's dietary resources to which all men have a right. Obesity is so dangerous to health that it is HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 recognized by life insurances offices throughout the world that the death rate is directly related to the degree of obesity and that for every two pounds lost by the stout man he will add one year to his life span. Equally important is that we all have a respons- ibility for the sixty per cent of the world population that eats less than an adequate diet. With these simply stated facts in mind we ought logically to recognize the urgent need for self -control. It might be cogently argued that in the illustra- tions already, presented it is the abuse of sex and food that is being talked about and that self-control must express itself in the right use of such gifts. This is because, in themselves, they have a quality of moral neutrality which makes our attitude to them the fac- tor of potential culpability. Traditional Concern In the areas of traditional temperance concern, modern medicine nowadays irrefutably admits to the culpability of the agents themselves. Tobacco, like alcohol and other misused drugs, is seen to be not morally neutral. The first contact it has with the hu- man body initiates a deleterious response which be- comes progressively more serious the greater the indulgence. Medical research, tempered as it is by the "art of the possible" in. its persuasion of the human per- sonality, is concentrating with increasing alarm upon the dire consequences of the use of these agents. Dr. Robert Kemp, writing about patients and cigarettes, says: "There are bound to be failures in a campaign against smoking just as there would be in one against all drinking. . . . If we are to help the man who has cigarette-linked illness, we have to aim All responsible people will admit that self-control i., not only the se.''e way to avoid ultimate psychological disaster but also the only known way of conserving the finest qualities of life. at nothing less than producing a permanent non- smoker. One cannot cure the smoking habit. All the so-called cures are a waste of time; they merely allow the patient to play with the doctor. The patient has to accept for himself that he must give it up."4 In the social context, recent research in the New- castle Medical School in, England has produced ir- refutable evidence that the non-smoker is a safer car driver. The World Health Organization has authorized HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 the publication of a booklet on an international basis, which recommends that— !. The advertising and promotion of cigarettes should be reduced with a view of its eventual elimina- tion. 2. Health workers should themselves set an ex. ample by not smoking, and thus encourage patients and their families to stop smoking. 3. Young people be discouraged from starting to smoke. 4. Health authorities and organizations be in- vited to support such actions. 5 In a perceptive article, Dr. Mellor of the De- partment of Psychiatry, Manchester University, com- ments: "Beneficial effects of alcohol are now rarely reported in medical literature. . . If a sufficient quan- tity of alcohol is taken over a long enough period of time, it will produce damage." e And Professor Cohen of that same department, conclusively proved some years ago, in what is now regarded as a classic experiment, that the ingestion of the smallest amount of alcohol has significant ill effects upon the individual's private and social be- haviour. The Medical Council on Alcoholism in Britain, in its annual report last year, expressed its alarm at what it believes to be signs of the potential teenage drinking problem, when in recent surveys it was found that children took their first drink at an average age of twelve, and that in the under fourteens there was already a minority who were beginning to develop a problem pattern of drinking. So much for the legal barriers which are gen_ erally accepted as being necessary to safeguard our youth. Of course, with all these illustrations the mul- tifactorial causation is well organized, and only the necessity for brevity has required such a relatively unbalanced presentation. But if control of a rapidly deteriorating personal and social scene .is to be achieved, then in the opinion of this medical writer, it must be, and indeed can only quickly be, by the application of the socially pervasive influence of a discipline and self-control which is what is truly meant by temperance. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Shigeto Tsuru "Kogai" UNESCO Courier July 71. 2. Ignacy Sachs "Industrialisation Without Pollution" UNESCO Courier, July 71. 3. Professor Colin T. Dollery B.M.A. Scientific Meeting reported in Medical News Tribune, 6-8-71. 4. Dr. Robert Kemp, M.D., "Patients and Cigarettes." The Practi- tioner, August 71, page 215, et seq. 5. World Health Organization, Smoking and Health, Jan. 71. 6. Dr. C. S. Mellor, M. D., Ph.D. , "Long Term Effects of Alcohol." Update—The Journal of Postgraduate General Practice, July 71, page 891, et. seq. 21 Even a drop of blood in the urine may be a danger signal. by RICHARD L. POTTS, M.D. W HY be concerned over a little blood in the urine? Because blood in the urine in any, amount is a danger signal. It should mean cancer until the doc- tor has a chance to prove it other- wise. Hxmaturia, another name for blood in the urine, is always seri- ous. The urine may have a tell- tale colour so that there is no doubt as to what it is. It may ap- pear cloudy and only slightly, darkened, making the problem of self-detection more difficult. It may be clear at the beginning of the act of urinating and streaked with blood at the end. It may be clear and without any, sign of blood to the naked eye but be swarming with microscopic red blood cells. Blood in the urine may escape the trained eye of a lab- oratory technician until he finds it after spinning it down in a centri- fuge to concentrate the cells, and even then it may escape notice 22 and leave the final decision to a chemical test whereby a few red blood cells are able to make a solu- tion or a strip of special paper change colour and thus prove its presence. No physician likes to tell a pa- tient he has -cancer, yet all physi- cians are obligated to be on a con- stant lookout for disease and to contribute their findings in estab- lishing a diagnosis. As with many other diseases, cancer often re- sponds to treatment when the treatment is begun early. When you bring a symptom or a clue to the attention of your physician, he is able to pursue the problem and, chances are, save your life. Un- fortunately, not all clues are as obvious as bright red blood in the urine. Routine Examinations Modern science has developed many ways to help you help your- self. It recommends routine ex- aminations and Pap smears for women to determine whether they have cancer of the womb. It re- commends routine chest X ray examinations to detect tuberculosis and lung cancer. It recommends that all physicians routinely screen their patients for diabetes and syphilis. It provides physicians with modern office aids for diag- nosing many severe diseases. Among these aids are specially prepared paper strips for dipping into a tube of urine to determine whether there is blood, bile, sugar, or protein in it. No one can force you to con- sult a physician. Many people wait until they have clear and definite signs of disease before they decide to see their doctor. In the case of hxmaturia, or blood in the urine, some people are fortunate enough to see a tiny blood clot or streaks of red. Unfortunately,, we are not equipped with microscopic eyes that can see only a few red blood HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 Most physicians are honest men who know their limitations and immediately refer a patient to a specialist when the need arises. They are aware of the problem of accurately, diagnosing the patient with urinary-tract disease and giving him the best possible treat- ment. In the case of hxmaturia, a heart specialist knows that the final word should rest with the urologist, because it is a urologic problem. The orthopaedist knows that he is ill prepared to evaluate a person with hxmaturia. A general prac- titioner knows that he is capable of making a good diagnosis, but because of a few years' difference in schooling he must have his diag- nosis confirmed by a colleague who limits his practice to the genito-urinary tract. Although the urologist well knows the proper treatment for his cases, he realizes that the problem is not so much what to do as doing it in time. HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 ce'ls. For that we need to spin the urine down in a machine and ex- amine it under a microscope. Even then-our eyes may deceive us and miss the telltale cells. Fortunately, the chemical tests are accurate, and doctors are able to screen many, people every day. Regardless of how blood in the urine is detected, the physician must find its source and see to it that the patient receives the best treatment available. This situation brings up a delicate question. Should a nonspecialist make the diagnosis and treat the disease? Or should he refer his patient to a specialist in urology? The nonspecialist may procrasti- nate because of lack of diagnostic and therapeutic equipment. Hxma- turia is not a disease but a sign, a clue, to a disease. Any, time lost could take time from the pa- tient's life. Diagnosed early, the disease often can be treated with good results. A Clue to Disease There are causes other than can- cer for blood in the urine. In women one of the most frequent causes is menstrual flow. In men or women bleeding may come from a tiny kidney stone lodged some- where • in the urinary tract. Oc- casionally it comes from a benign tumour in the bladder, but more often it comes from a' malignant tumour in the bladder. Sometimes the bleeding is caused by an in- fection such as tuberculosis or gonorrhoea. Sometimes it comes from a disease called glomerulone-, phritis, a rheumatic, fever-like dis- ease of the kidneys. Whatever the cause, hwmaturia is a serious find- ing—serious because if it is diag- nosed early it may be treated ef- fectively. In young adults blood in the urine most often comes from tuberculosis. In older people it most often, comes from cancer. Cancer of the Kidneys Adenocarcinoma (hyperneph- roma) is the most common malig- nant tumour of the kidneys. It oc- curs more often in men than in women. It sends off metastasis, or satellite tumours, to the lungs, liver, and long bones of the body. It kills. The most common symp- tom in renal (kidney,) cancer is bloody urine—blood from an eroded blood vessel in a tumorous kidney. Fever is another frequent symp- tom in, this highly malignant dis- ease. Sometimes an unexplained fever, hwmaturia, and general alterations in ordinary blood counts are the only clues. Sometimes a mass can be felt by the physician. Sometimes a Papanicolaou smear of the urine sediment helps con- firm the diagnosis. Sometimes radioactive isotopes, X rays, kid- ney function tests, and other tests are necessary to make the diag- nosis. Once the diagnosis is made, the patient must be evaluated for treatment. By, choice, the treat- ment is surgical removal of the kidney. The results depend on the stage of the disease and whether it has sent off satellite tumours to distant organs. Blood in the urine often is the only sign that can make the physician suspect the presence of the dreaded disease. Bladder Cancer The most common and con- sistent symptom in cancer of the' bladder is blood in the urine. About seventy-five per cent of such tumours occur in men over age fifty. Metastasis may occur in • nearby lymph nodes, bones, lungs, and liver. Other symptoms indica- tive of bladder trouble include frequency, urgency, and pain of urination. Complications may re- sult from a tumour blocking one of the openings from the ureters or the urethra. As in kidney can- cer, a Pap smear of the urine is often helpful. The bladder is more accessible for direct examination than the kidneys are. A special instrument called a cystoscope or panendo- / 23 THE URINE scope enables the surgeon to see directly into the bladder through the urethra and to snip off for examination a piece of the tissue suspected to be cancerous. The same instrument may en- able the surgeon to remove the tumour without having to put the patient under a general anzesthetic for surgery. The specialists know which method to use to get the best results, but as in renal (kid- ney) cancer, the earlier they are able to make the diagnosis the better the results are likely to be. Urinary Stones Stones may form as a result of gout, urinary-tract infection, or un_ known causes. Symptoms vary from person to person, according to the location and extent of in- fected tissue. Kidney stones may or may not show symptoms. When a stone is lodged in one of the major outlets of the kidney leading to the ureter and causes an ob- struction, the patient may notice dull pain in his side. Sometimes the pain reaches waves of sharp- ness. Blood in the urine and symp- toms of accompanying infection may, appear. At times nausea and vomiting are part of the picture. Treatment depends on the cause of the underlying disease. Whether surgery becomes necessary depends on the size and location, of the stone. Sometimes stones break up and pass out through the urinary tract. Sometimes nothing more than an antispasmodic (muscle relaxing) medication is necessary to help their passage. Sometimes surgery is the only way to remove the stone and relieve the symptoms accompanying it. Ureteral stones, or stones in the canal that connects the kidney to the bladder, block the passage so that urine is unable to pass in its natural course. The pain caused by such a stone usually is intense. Treatment is dependent on the person's response to medical management. Just as kidney stones may do, ureteral stones may, pass down and out with antispasmodics, or they may require surgery. Hxmaturia usually is noted in ureteral stone disease. Bladder stones (vesical stones) often cause bladder symptoms that include pain and frequency and urgency in urination. If X rays fail to show stones, direct examina- tion with a cystoscope usually con- firms the diagnosis. Chances are a surgeon will attempt to extract a stone small enough to pass through the instrument. If his attempt fails, he ordinarily, resorts to ab- dominal surgery and opens the bladder. Other Causes of Hcematuria Tuberculosis of the kidneys re- sults from a lung infection in which the tubercle bacilli have passed into the general circulation and have found their way to the kidneys, where they multiply, and destroy kidney tissue as they de- stroyed lung tissue. Often blood is found in the urine. When the patient is a young adult suspected of being tubercular, the physician should find out whether kidney tuberculosis is present. Treatment is essentially medical—aimed at elimination of the microbes. Oc- casionally surgery along with the medical programme becomes nec- essary. On occasion acute gonorrhoea may cause bleeding, with result- ing hxmaturia. As with other bac- terial infections, active gonorrhoea responds to adequate antibiotic therapy. Sometimes hxmatunia comes as a result of a broken varicose vein inside the bladder. When the sur- geon confirms the diagnosis by cystoscopic examination he prob- ably stops the bleeding during the procedure, coagulating the broken vessel with either an electric needle or liquid nitrogen (crymo- therapy). Detecting Blood in the Urine Blood in the urine may be de- tected by several different labora- tory methods. In a doctor's office without the facilities of a clinical laboratory, there are aids in which specially, prepared strips of paper or tablets are readily available to help the busy practitioner. A drop of urine changes the paper or tablet colour, indicating that blood is present. In spite of the availability of these aids, most physicians recommend a full urinalysis, in which the technician checks for many, other factors be- sides blood. Even with all the availiable methods of detecting blood in the urine, people still are prone to ignore routine screening proce- dures. I strongly urge you to ask your physician to check your urine for blood the next time you visit him. A thirty-second test per- formed by the nurse might save your life. What about cases in which a person thinks he is voiding blood but is not? It is possible that urine can become tinged with red after the person has eaten beets or has taken a particular laxative. Be- fore running off to your physician for an emergency, consultation, recall whether such a material coloured the urine. Under no conditions should bloody urine be ignored. Remem- ber, bloody urine, visible or in- visible to the naked eye, is not a poison being eliminated by your body. It is not the result of high blood pressure. It is not due to too much blood circulating in your body. It is a danger signal, a signal not to be ignored. � *** 24 � HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 Interest that Pays High Dividends How do you go about let- ting another person know you are interested in him? Even if you don't have a "green thumb" for friendships, here are ten ways you can cultivate them : Remember that a person's name is all-important to him. Make a special effort to re- member people's names, and use a person's name when next you meet. If your memory isn't the keenest, you may have to work at this. Congratulate persons who have just married, had a new baby, passed from high school or college, et cetera. Remem- ber birthdays and anniversa- ries when you can. Extend sympathy in bereavement. Listen to peo- ple's disappointments. Lend a helping hand when it is needed. Deflate your human ego as much as possible. If you are inclined to be an introvert, ego-killing will do wonders in making you outgoing. Re- member to put other peo- by SHIRLEY M. DEVER ple's problems and wants and needs ahead of your own. Like people—habitually. To do this, accentuate their virtues, minimize their faults. Each human being has desira- ble traits. It's up to you to find them. Be friendly and outgoing by practising selflessness. If you don't have a winning smile, at least come up with a ready smile. Everybody loves somebody who is warm! Think of yourself as a comfortable old shoe. Then work at being so natural and relaxed that people will want to warm up to you. Develop an interesting per- sonality by reading, observing, and living an active life. In this way you'll not only find others interesting; they'll find you fascinating too. Practise the golden rule. Treat others the way you want them to treat you. Although this dates back to Biblical times, it works just as effectively now. Live with God in your mind. Learn what it is to have a deep spiritual life. Then try to share your inner power and strength with others. After you learn for yourself all about the kind of interest that pays high dividends, you'll discover you are much happier than you were before. You'll know that rather than shying away from people who are in trouble, this is the pre- cise time you must make the scene. When your inner radar tells you someone needs you, you'll rush in where a fool would fear to tread. Some times you can do no more than lend a listening ear, but often this is all that is neces- sary to take the pressure off a person in dire circumstances. Norman Vincent Peale put it so well: "Give strength to people, and they will give af- fection to you." Talk about a high dividend for your efforts! Casual acquaintances need your interest. Friends need more—they need support and strength as well. �*** HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 � 25 f The Blind and the Deaf Need love by MARY PIERCE 111111111•11111111111111•111111111Milim � Alb It is time to do away with distorted ideas about people with sight and hearing loss. 26 i he blind arc cheerful and the deaf are depressed, people say, as if being blind or deaf is not annoy- ing enough without the added burden of having to fit such a tag. The blind and the deaf command a full set of moods and emotions. They are in no way sub- human, although insensitive and thoughtless people sometimes regard them so. Because of the nature of the loss of both of these senses, the blind tend to evoke compassion and the deaf to evoke ire. Handicapped or not, all human beings tend to respond according to the way they are treated. A deep, objective look at the problem of be- ing trapped in silence or in darkness may lead us to more understanding of our blind and deaf friends. People resent having to repeat what they have said. Some people become angry when their words are misunderstood or distorted. Adrenaline flow actually is increased when you have to shout. Your muscles tense up, your mouth goes dry, and the pupils of your eyes dilate. Even if you are not angry at the beginning of the con- versation, continued shouting makes you appear to be SO. No matter how kindly you may be speaking, the deaf person sees your face redden, your eyes narrow, and the veins begin to swell in your neck. Is it any wonder he feels depressed? Imagine having to be shouted at all the time. The Charm of the Blind The blind have the charm of giving everyone around them a come-as-you-are sort of feeling. What a comfort to be with someone who does not know that you need a haircut or are wearing shabby clothing! HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 The blind give the impression that they are listening carefully to your every word. How much nicer than to be talking to someone who is constantly glancing 'down at his wrist watch or watching some- one pass by. You can see that it is easy to have com- passion for such an apparently kind and considerate person, can't you? "The trouble is," says Flora, who suffered hearing loss, "most people think that because we have lost one of our senses we have lost them all." "People think we who are blind are idiots," added Linda bluntly. Linda is a schoolteacher who became blind as a result of diabetes. She admits that she is one of the fortunate ones, because her husband, who loves her, does not let her miss much. His eyes serve them both. Thanks to him, she can move about freely and live quite normally without fear of falling down the stairs, biting into a wormy apricot, or wearing mismatched blouse and skirt. More important, he never allows his blind wife to feel alone in the dark or frightened, or unloved. Visitors to their spotlessly clean home are not likely to think of her as being handicapped., Of course Linda is not without problems. One complaint she has is that many people no longer talk to her but talk about her, as if she were totally senseless. She fmds this fact especially true in the matter of money. It annoys her that after she has carefully counted out the necessary, number of rupee notes to pay for the items she has selected in a store, she hears the clerk asking her shopping companion to whom he should return the change. "Does she want me to give her the change?" he may ask. "It makes me wonder whether I have suddenly become invisible," 'Linda says. "If you had been deaf instead of blind," Flora tells her, "the clerk probably would have become angry because you failed to respond. Perhaps he would have thought you were being stubborn, haughty, or intent on, giving him a difficult time. He may even have thrown the change down and turned away in a huff." to hear the alarm if the house or building you live in catches fire. Such fears can be erased only by the assurance that someone who is trustworthy, loves you and will protect you. Flora admits that there are advantages to be- ing deaf. A deaf person is able to move about in a quiet world, where horns, screams, and explosions are muffled to a pleasant hum. The horror is that silence sometimes closes in on him and makes him feel intensely alone. Conversations narrow down to only what is absolutely necessary,. Even when the deaf person is among people who love him he may feel friendless and alone. "Oh, he can hear. He hears what he wants to," is the rude statement most often made about the deaf. This accusation usually is not true. The deaf want desperately to hear what is going on. To the deaf certain tones may, come in louder and clearer than others. Some voices carry better than others. Words caught in a strong draught of air may drift his way. For these reasons he sometimes hears and sometimes does not hear. Such variable conduction is also the reason that hearing aids are not always satisfactory. Static and amplified sounds may, come in as a painful blast. Deafness causes confusion, as in the story about three little ladies on a bus tour: "So this is Wembley," says the first. "No, it is Thursday," says the second. "So am I," declares the third. "Let's all get off and have a drink." But to the deaf, deafness is not funny. It is a person's senses that tune him in to the universe and to reality. To lose any one of them is to become aware that they are treasures of inestimable value. Yet there is special wisdom that come to compen- sate a person for such loss—wisdom that comes under no other circumstance and adds strength and depth of understanding to the character. Modern science in its concern for the deaf and the blind is developing marvellous cures. Flora her- self has been snatched from lonely silence by an ear- drum graft, a rather simple operation made possible by an extremely powerful microscope. If you want to help people who are blind or deaf, see for them what they cannot see, tell them what they cannot hear, and keen them in touch with a specialist so that they, will not be deprived of advanced methods of treatment. Let them know that you care about them and wish them well. � *** 27 Disadvantages of Being Deaf There are many disadvantages in being deaf. There is the nagging fear that peril may sneak up on you—an onrushing car, a vicious dog, or a purse snatcher. You may wonder whether you will be able HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 The Doctor Advises Tonsils and Adenoids How important are the tonsils and adenoids? They • are often removed, and apparently people get along with- out them. The tonsils ard adenoids are an important part of the defence mechanism of the body, and they should not be removed indiscriminately. They belong to the lymphatic system, a system of lymphoid tissue that includes the lymph nodes. Tonsils and adenoids are important factors in the fight against infection caused by germs and viruses. Strategically located, the tonsils—one on each side of the throat at the base of the tongue—,and the adenoids —behind the soft palate in the upper part of the pharynx— serve as a testing laboratory for the food, water, and air that are taken into the body. When germs or viruses enter the cells of the crypts (lodging places) of the tonsils and adenoids, these protective organs react by producing anti- bodies against the germs or viruses. The antibodies are taken up by the lymphatic system and the blood stream and circulated through the body to protect against the invading germ or virus or at least to lessen its adtivity What wonderful provision this control is for protection of the body! It is important that we co-operate with the all-wise Creator by keeping this mechanism intact when- ever possible. There are valid reasons for removing the tonsils for improving the health. Enlarged, diseased tonsils and ade- noids are often present at the same time, especially in childhood. Because enlarged tonsils and adenoids may obstruct the child's breathing and limit intake of oxygen, his nutrition, growth, and mental activity may be slowed. Hearing may be interfered with. Poor hearing often is the cause of seeming inattention and mental slowness. It is not long after the tonsils and adenoids have been removed that beneficial results often are seen. The child's eating and sleeping habits improve. He breathes normally, and he begins to make progress in school. If his growth has been stunted, it is soon noted that his height begins to increase at the normal rate. Removal of the tonsils and adenoids should not be taker, lightly in any case, because their absence reduces resistance to viral infections. This fact was emphasized in a special study in which was measured the secretory polio- 28 myelitis virus antibody levels in the nasal pharynx of forty children aged three to eleven who had been im- munized with polio vaccine. Later, when the tonsils and adenoids of these children were removed for valid reasons the poliomyelitis virus antibody levels were measured again, and they showed a marked decrease. Obviously, when a decision is to be made for or against removal of the tonsils and adenoids it should be arrived at only after competent counsel and careful consideration. Obstruction. of the auditory (ear) canal by enlarged adenoids may cause repeated attacks of ear ache and even acute middle ear infection. The tonsils may harbour pockets of low-grade infection, causing frequent attacks of fever, sore throat, and swollen neck glands. A chronic focus of infection may be in these pockets causing arthritis and neuritis. If the tonsils and adenoids become so diseased by repeated infection that they no longer defend the body against germs and viruses, instead become centres of in- fection and a menace to the body, they should be re- moved. But if the tonsils and adenoids become healthy again after a viral or bacterial infection has left the body, their removal is not indicated. Controlling Weight How much weight does an expectant mother nor- mally gdin during her period of pregnancy? How can she regulate the amount of weight she gains? The answer to your first question is a little different now from what it would have been twenty years ago. I am influenced in saying this by the recommendation pub- lished in 1970 of a group of nutritionists associated with the Harvard Medical School, the Harvard University School of Public Health, and the Maternal and Infant Care Centre in Boston. It is still recognized that weight must be controlled during pregnancy, but no longer is limitation to a gain of less than twenty pounds considered ideal. There are few cases of rickets among women of the present generation, and this fact means that most present- day expectant mothers have a normal bone structure about HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 the birth canal. Therefore, most are capable of deliver- ing with reasonable ease a child of favourable birth weight. In most cases, this ability removes the necessity of having to starve and stunt the unborn child so that he can be born through an abnormally small birth canal. In the normal course of events an expectant mother can gain twenty to twenty-five pounds during her preg- nancy without becoming fatter. This amount of weight is accounted for by the weight of the child, of the amniotic fluid and fcetal membranes (which are expended at the time of childbiith), the increase in, size of the uterus and the breasts, and the increase in volume of body fluids, including blood. The Boston group proposes that the expectant mother may be allowed to gain up to twenty- five pounds during the nine months of pregnancy. The answer to your second question is that the woman who is pregnant needs some professional help from either her doctor or a nutritionist whom her doctor recommends for modifying her diet so as to provide the right number or calories and include the extra quota of essential nutrients so important for normal growth and develop- ment of the child. Such supervision is essentially impor- tant for those who are in danger of becoming over- weight at the beginning of pregnancy. Nephrites What is nephrites? How long does it take to heal and what diet -do you suggest? Nephrites is infection of the kidney. The treatment of this disease is not easy and it is important to point out that the disease will take a very long time to heal. It might take months. It is essential to avoid an excess of salt in the diet (normal amount of salt may be taken). I would suggest that you add a little more protein (milk, eggs, nuts, dhal and bananas) to your normal balanced diet. The modern trend is to give the patient some amount of these proteins, although not in excess. If you continue this course faithfully, you need not worry about the future. AGE AND YOUR ARTERIES From page 17 softening action linked together. Several groupS are looking into the possibility that new chemicals can be found to have more of one effect and less of the other. To give a rat atherosclerosis, you have to knock out part of his thyroid gland. In other animals, a little thyroid hormone protects the arteries against hardening when high cholesterol diets are given. The amount of thyroid hormone involved would make a person with normal glands feel jumpy and HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 would do- more harm than good. A great many people fail to make enough thyroid hormone for themselves, • though. Bringing these people up to thyroid par may help them fight off hardening of the arteries, as well as make them more comfor- table. Iodine salts have been used for hardening of the arteries for many years, as have other medi- cines. Tests on animals show that iodides have some value in protecting against new deposits, they give the body, a chance to carry away some of the old. The gains are not big, but they are steady. At least one practical medicine now in use has some worth. The others tested, included much-used cholin'e, came out badly. Plant Sterols The use of plant sterols is a promising idea. They are harmless chemicals compared to their cousin cholesterol, and they use the same channels into the body,. Since those channels are limited in size, any major use of them by another chemical cuts down the amount of cholesterol that can pass. About three-quarters of the cholesterol in the body is made there instead of being soaked up from food. The top quarter is the straw that breaks the camel's back. Researchers point to the exchange of cholesterol between the inside of the intestines and the body fluids. Cholesterol goes into the intestine with the bile and into other areas. If scientists can keep this chemical from getting back through the intestinal wall it ultimately will leave the body,. In animals this works very well. The amount of cholesterol in the blood can be kept down even though food is given that should make it soar. Atherosclerosis can be warded off while a diet that usually causes it is eaten. Tests on nine men and women proved that these sterols do not irritate the stomach or have other unpleasant side effects. Although the subjects ate as usual, the chemical effects on their blood were the same as those found in people on a fat-free diet. The study was too brief and too small to prove what effects sterols will have on arteries. Further long-term studies are being started. In the sink, soap is out. Miracle detergents pull grease into the water and keep it there. "Why not put these same detergents to work inside the bloodstream?" a group of researchers said to them- selves. Perhaps the fats, cholesterol, and other chemicals that will not dissolve may be pulled up into the water by detergents. At least two such products have been tried. The best is called Tween 80. Its action on cho- 29 lesterol and fat levels in the bloodstream is very good. Actual leaching of the scales from between the layers of the arteries seems to occur. Instead of passing in on big, clumsy protein rafts, the fats are pulled through artery walls by, little chemical rockets. Tween 80 can be given either by mouth or injection. Unfortunately, side effects may keep it from the bedside. Other similar chemicals can be made by the dozens in the laboratory, and there is an excellent chance that one of them will prove safe, pleasant and effective. Use of Hepaein To date the only way of treating atherosclerosis that is being tried on a big scale is by the use of heparin. This medicine has been in use for years because of its action on blood clotting. Almost by, accident, Dr. P. F. Hahn found out that this medi- cine keeps fat droplets from forming in the blood- stream after a heavy meal. The blood plasma usually gets milky from half-homogenized fats be- fore digestion goes on to the next phase. When heparin is in the system no milkiness develops. Further tests showed that the nature of the chemical change was exactly what is most likely to keep scales from forming in the arteries. Shrinkage of the protein, rafts occurred rapidly and continued long after the actual heparin was out of the blood- stream. If our chemical yardstick means anything, heparin is getting results in actual use. The medicine has dangers, though. Its effect on blood clotting has to be kept in constant check to prevent internal bleeding. The patient has to be watched closely, and his blood has to be tested frequently. Even so, there is some risk, and doctors do not want to run that risk except on an experi- mental basis until results can be measured in lives saved instead of chemical concentrations. These risks and high costs are due to the action of the medicine on blood clotting. Since the effect of heparin on your body's protein rafts was first found, another discovery, has been made. Heparin itself does not cause this action directly. It gets the body to create a new chemical, which then causes the desired effect. This chemical does not seem to affect blood clotting. If scientists can purify and manufacture it they expect that it will have the same good action as heparin without so much danger. Even though a -perfect cure has not been found, the fight against atherosclerosis has made great strides. For centuries this enemy was not even en- gaged in battle. Doctors shrugged their shoulders 30 while millions died. Why fight the inevitable? Every- body gets old. Today we know that atherosclerosis is not in- evitable. We know that it can be prevented and controlled. For present, practical use we have pre- vention through low-fat diet (in which we must compromise with the habits of a life time, but need not surrender altogether). We have thyroid and sex hormones for patients who need them. We have iodides that have proved helpful, although not dra- matic. Already being tried at the bedside we have heparin. If this medicine lives up to its laboratory pro- mise (and tests show that it probably will), it may mark the greatest advance in medical history. In the laboratory, safer arid more practical approaches to atherosclerosis are being tracked down. At least one of these—the plasma-clearing factor, or protein-raft shrinker, made in response to heparin—seems charted for safe, practical cure. At least one—plant sterols to block cholesterol's entrance through the bowel wall—may prove a practical, simple means of prevention. Is one hundred years too long to live. Free from old age miseries, it should not be. If athero- sclerosis yields, you may well find out. �*** The Publishers of this magazine insure their motor cars and property with NATIONAL EMPLOYERS' MUTUAL GENERAL INSURANCE ASSOCIATION LIMITED (INCORPORATED IN ENGLAND) Head Office for India: 32 Nicol Road, Ballard Estate, Bombay 1. Telephone 26-2823/24 Telegrams: "EMPLOMUTUA" Also branches at New Delhi, Calcutta and Madras, and representatives and agents at all other impor- tant towns i,n India- They transact all kinds of fire, motor and miscellaneous insurances. HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 AILURV.S From page 2 personal life, as in world affairs, appeasement can be the shortest road to defeat." Fail you may, but do not give up. Accept the challenge. Struggle all the harder. Suc- cess may be closer than you think. 4. Failure exposes weak- nesses. Just as success high- lights your assets and strengths, so failure focuses the spotlight on your liabili- ties and weaknesses. "He that is good for mak- ing excuses is seldom good for anything else," said Benja- min Franklin. Self-examination � rather than excuse is the construc- tive way to handle any failure. It is painful, but it is profitable too. By watching films of lost games, particu- larly, football players and coaches can see for them- selves just what went wrong. If you are failing to meet sales quotas, get a job, or make friends, there are ob- viously some weaknesses somewhere along the line. Perhaps there are defects in your presentation, your pitch, your personality, your poise, or your appearance. What- ever they are, do not be afraid to face them. Have others help you ferret them out if you cannot do the job alone. 5. Failure may reveal lack of will to win. You may have what it takes to win in terms of talent and training. But do you really want to win? Failure after failure after failure may reveal that you do not. "You have to play to win," says the manager of a profes- sional baseball team, that would not be beaten, could not be beaten. "I have come to the conclusion that taking the field with a positive and winning attitude goes a long way in making a true cham- pion. This will to win seems to be the difference between what we know as a second- division player and one who is felt to be of championship variety." 6. See failure as a "need." For some people failure is a virtual necessity. One man may need a good jolt to help him overcome his conceit, cockiness, or overconfidence. Another may need a severe setback to show him that un- fair, rough, or unethical prac- tices do not pay off. 7. See failure as oppor- tunity. Seeing it thus is per- haps the sum and substance of the other six constructive ways of handling it. Never view failure as pun- ishment, opposition, or op- pression. It is none of those. If you continually think so, you will become failure, rather than success-oriented. See reversal as revealing a need for change in your at- titudes, work habits, personal approaches, or study techni- ques. Look at an upset as setting you straight. See a setback as a challenge for a comeback. The way to great- er success is in knowing how to handle failure construc- tively. Failure to win promotions induces many employees to go to night school or take correspondence courses. Fail- ure to obtain a job may indi- cate a definite need for new approaches or attitudes. *** BE WEALTHY ON YOUR INCOME From page 7 of yourself. This, in turn, gen. erates a serenity which makes you a more comfortable person and nicer to know. Once you have dropped out of the rat race, you will be able to view status symbols from a dif- ferent angle. You will see that they are a set of false values, a complete sham and a horrible waste of money. If a person can afford status symbols,, he is past needing the boost status symbols would give, and if he is struggling to meet the instalments on his status symbols, the veneer is too thin to impress anyone. Status symbols accelerate the rat race and nurture the character-destroying traits of greed, envy and jealousy. After you have broken free from the rat race, stand apart and watch the dizzy, neurotic people with strained, discontented faces exhaust themselves on the social-climbing treadmill—and be thankful for your freedom. Choose your friends from among the sincere, friendly people —those with characteristics you value. With your focus shifted from possessions to people, a more congenial personality, will develop fast. � *** HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 � 31 FOR JUNIORS The Loose Wheel by ELLEN E. MORRISON S PORTS Day at school was something all the boys looked forward to, and Chellapa was no exception. This year, however, something new had been added, and his interest was more keen than ever. This new something was a cycle race, and Chellapa was especially happy, because he felt he had a good chance of winning. His cycle was only a month old, newer than any of the others known to have entered in the race. Chellapa felt that he had the best chance of winning—until Biswas came to school one day, a week before the race, and told every- one that he had just received a new cycle for his birthday. Biswas was the envy of all the boys as they clustered about him during re- cess, admiring his new possession. Chellapa was in the group, but his thoughts were not happy ones. Here was serious competition for next week's race. "I'll just have to practise riding my bike for speed every afternoon between now and the race," he thought as he walked home from school that day. "I can't depend on merely having a new bike to win the race. I guess that was a crazy idea to begin with. It isn't so much how new the bike is. How I ride it is what's going to count most." And Chellapa did practise, evey afternoon. He was sure he 32 could notice great improvement in his speed. Yet he knew that Biswas must be practising just as much as he was on his own new cycle, and all the other boys were preparing for the race with their older bikes. It was sure to be a close race. When the big day came, the boys entered in the cycle race gathered together in one cor- ner of the school playfield, giving their cycles a last-minute inspection. Perhaps Biswas was confident that his own bike was in excellent condition, being so new, because he was not looking it over carefully. Chellapa, on the other hand, was taking np chances. It was only a half hour before time for their race, and he was looking his own bike over for anything that could pos- sibly cause trouble. Biswas' cycle was right next to Chellapa's. "What are you checking so closely for?" Bis- was queried. "Your bike is almost as new as mine. There's nothing wrong with it." "Maybe not," Chellapa answered, stoop- ing down to look at the back wheel, "but it never hurts to be sure." "You're just wasting your time," Biswas laughed, leaving his cycle to go to the tap for a drink. Chellapa smiled to himself at how confi- HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 dent Biswas was, just as if he had the first prize ribbon in his hands already. He might do better to be looking over his cycle the way the rest of the boys were doing. Chellapa leaned over to look at the front wheel of his own bike. It was all right, and he was finished checking. Before he rose, however, his eyes glanced through the wheel of Biswas cycle. There was something wrong, Chellapa was sure. He looked more closely, and saw that the nut holding the axle in place was almost off. It needed tightening badly. Chellapa gloated over the idea that some- thing was really wrong with Biswas brand new bike after all. "Just as I thought," Chel- lapa mumbled to himself. "He shouldn't be too sure. It will serve him right if that wheel comes loose in the race and then he won't have any chance of winning." Chellapa stood up and walked over to the tap. Biswas was just leaving to return to his bike.. Chellapa heard him boasting to one of the other boys. "I'm not worried," he was saying. "My bike's new and really running smooth." Chellapa could not help smiling wisely as he leaned down to get a drink. Bis- was surely had a surprise coming! The other events preceding the race were almost over. Chellapa had not mentioned the loose nut on Biswas' bike. It would serve Biswas right for not being more careful. Also Biswas was Chellapa's most serious competi- tor for first prize. Why should he warn him of his danger? Biswas probably would not do as much for him if things were the other way around. The two boys were side by side now, getting in line for the race. Biswas rolled his bicycle into place, . and Chellapa noticed a slight wobble in the front wheel. Suddenly he real- ized that he couldn't let even his worst com- petitor enter a race with his bike in that con- dition, not when he could warn him ahead of time. Chellapa did not want to win the race if he had to win it that way. "Biswas," he blurted out, "that front wheel of yours is wobbling." "Really?" Biswas said, as if he thought Chellapa were joking. But he did push the bike back and forth to check. "Say, it really is, isn't it?" he said, surprised. "Yes," Chellapa said, "Hadn't you better tighten it before the race?" "There isn't much time," Biswas said, "only about three minutes." Biswas looked dismally at the wobbly wheel. "I shouldn't Soon the home stretch and the finish ribbon were in view. have been so sure that everything was all right. I'll never win with a wheel like this." Chellapa dug a hand into his pants pocket. "Here," he said, holding a wrench out to Biswas, "hurry up, and you'll have time to tighten it before the race." "Thanks!" Biswas exclaimed, almost grab- bing the wrench from Chellapa's hand in his eagerness. He tightened the nut on the wheel quickly and handed the wrench back to Chel- lapa. "You're really a pal, Chellapa," he said sincerely. "I don't think many fellows would tell somebody else that something was wrong with his bike—especially when we have the two newest bikes in the race." "Well," Chellapa smiled back, "I'm going to try just as hard as anybody to win this race. And if I get in ahead of you, I don't want it to be just because of a loose front wheel on your bike." Biswas returned Chellapa's smile. "I see what you mean. I wouldn't want to win that way, either." The warning call had been given, and the boys lined up beside each other. "Good luck, Chellapa!" Biswas said sincerely. "Same to you, Biswas," Chellapa answered. Then the starting whistle sounded and the race was on. It was close all the way. Chellapa was out in front some of the time, then Biswas was. Many times the leader was Mohan Kanaga- raj, on an older bike with plenty of speed. The race seemed to be among these three, who soon led the field. Chellapa was in the centre, and could see first Biswas and then Mohan out of the corners of his eyes. He was glad he had practised so much every after- noon after school. He needed every bit of speed he could muster now. Soon the home stretch and the finish ribbon were in view. Chellapa now was trailing slightly behind. Perhaps, with one final burst of speed, he could still win. He bent low over his handlebars and pedalled with all his strength. Slowly he inched past Biswas, then past Mohan. Mohan closed in on him slightly at the finish, and Chellapa was not quite sure which of them had broken the ribbon First. Chellapa was overjoyed when the judges announced his own name as first-prize win- ner, then Mohan as second, and Biswas as third. Chellapa pinned the prize ribbon proudly to his sweater and looked up into Biswas' eyes. "Congratulations!" Biswas said sincerely. "You really deserve first prize, Chellapa!" A look of understanding passed between the two boys, and Chellapa knew that Biswas really meant what he had said. *** IRON OUT THAT DIFFERENCE From page 15 ailment. This bad habit, in accordance with the custom of our medicated age, may cause very insidious bleeding from tiny erosions in the stomach, inexorably leading to anaemia. Such a cause of iron shortage is easily over- looked. Yet another vulnerable group are the older generation. In both men and women over the age of sixty, iron reserves may be drained by hmorrhage from bleeding "piles" or bleeding peptic ulcer for example. Elderly folk are not usually receptive to innovations which run counter to their lifelong habits, though persuasive tactics by relatives may win them over to iron supplements. The prevailing climate of medical opin- ion recognizes the importance of lack of iron as a source of chronic ill-health, especially among women. Much of this could be eradi- cated by establishing some form of iron dis- cipline. This means arousing active interest among the ladies to help themselves. Eating wisely, girls and women can face the future with renewed optimism. They can rid them- selves of that "washed-out" feeling. No longer need they envy their sprightly sisters —the difference between them will have been neatly ironed out! � *** 34 � HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 Does Caffeine Speed Ageing? Damage to chromosomes can be caused by caffeine, the meat preservative sodium nitrite (which combats botulism) and radiation from many sources. Such dam- agc—or chromosome breakage—may cause the body to degenerate or "grow older," according to a new theory of ageing developed by two American scientists. The body normally repairs some chromosome damage, but ageing occurs when the balance of deterioration tips too far, say Professor Henry Eyring and Dr. Betsy Stover of the University of Utah. Asked how dangerous caffeine was, chemistry pro- fessor Eyring said, "It's obviously bad for you, but how bad compared to other chemicals and radiation is not yet clear." The researchers say there are some sub- stances which might help the body repair chromosome damage—amino acids containing sulphur, and other compounds containing sulphur or selenium. Why aren't they being used? "Because," says Professor Eyring, "they generally taste and smell terrible, and because science has learned only recently of their potential value." —Today's Health Off—On Vasectomies Clinical trials have begun on a reversible vasectomy device that could make it possible for a man's fertility to be turned off or on through a simple operation in a doctor's office. The device is a tiny valve made of gold and stainless steel. When placed in the sperm duct, the valve may be turned on or off like a faucet by the doctor. The device was designed and built by Dr. Joseph E. Davis, a urologist at.the New York Medical College, and Joseph Bucalo, en engineer. Dr. Davis estimates that the device, called the Bionyx Control, could be ready for widespread distribution—if all tests go well—within two to three years. —Today's Health 35 Filters--How Good? Two chemists say they have identified a potent can- cer-causing agent in tobacco smoke and are conducting tests to see whether cigarette filters remove it. The chemists, John W. Rhoades and Dr. Donald E. Johnson of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas, (U.S.A.), say they "positively identified" minute amounts of nitrosamines in condensate from smoke of a popular nonfilter cigarette. Rhoades and Johnson say the nitrosamines were formed in the burning process. Nitrosamines are formed chemically from the in- teraction of nitrates or oxides of nitrogen and secondary amines. Rhoades and Johnson say the amount found in smoke condensate corresponded roughly to the nitrogen content of the soil in which the tobacco was grown. Nitrogens is used to fertilize tobacco soil. —Listen Marijuana Linked to Brain Damage Marijuana has recently been linked with cerebral atrophy, a shrinking of the brain tissue that causes permanent brain damage. Using a special X ray technique, four British doctors found the condition in all ten chronic marijuana smokers they examined. A control group of thirteen who did not smoke marijuana showed no such damage. The researchers, reporting in Lancet, a pres- tigious British medical journal, point out that they did not conclusively prove marijuana itself to be the cause of the brain damage. All the subjects, whose average age was twenty-two, had smoked marijuana regularly for three to eleven years. They exhibited the typical changes in behaviour associated with cerebral atrophy, which include loss of memory, diminished clarity of thought and a lessened capacity for work. —Today's Health HERALD OF HEALTH, OCTOBER 1972 Natural Remedies for life better Pure air, sunlight, rest, exercise, proper diet, the use of water, trust in divine power— these are the true remedies. Every person should have a knowledge of nature's remedial agencies and how to apply them. It is essential both to understand the principles involved in the treatment of the sick and to have a practical training that will enable one rightly to use this knowledge. The use of natural remedies requires an amount of care and effort that many are not willing to give. Nature's process of healing and upbuilding is gradual, and to the im- patient it seems slow. The surrender of hurtful indulgences requires sacrifice. But in the end it will be found that nature, untrammeled, does her work wisely and well. Those who persevere in obedience to her laws will reap the reward in health of body and health of mind. Too little attention is generally given to the preservation of health. It is far better to prevent disease than to know how to treat it when it is contracted. It is the duty of every ,person, for his own sake and for the sake of humanity, to inform himself in regard to the laws of life and conscientiously to obey them. We cannot be too often reminded that health does not depend on chance. It is a result of obedience to law. This truth is recognized by contestants in athletic games and trials of strength. These men make the most careful preparation. They submit to thorough train- ing and strict discipline. Every physical habit is carefully regulated. They know that any neglect, excess, or carelessness which weakens or cripples any organ or function of the body would mean certain defeat. � *** Registered No. MH-40.