HOME HEALTH GUIDE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 38, 16 October 1946, Page 8

HOME HEALTH GUIDE

GENERAL DEBILITY

(By the Department of Health)

There are a lot of people who just manage their daily life, and have no feeling of fitness. They may see their doctor who may diagnose general debility. This finding will not be justified unless certain things have been searched for and eliminated. For example, the blood examined for anaemia; the chest searched by X-rays for tuberculosis or other trouble; the heart tested and blood pressure taken; the kidneys tested; and cancerous growths searched for. All these things—anaemia, tuberculosis, cancers, heart, blood vessel or kidney diseases can cause general debility. So can smaller troubles, varicose veins, piles, chronic skin troubles and so forth, contribute to debility. Hence the first thing is a physical overhaul of very thorough kind, before the general debility label is accepted. The next step is finding the causation of a general debility is to see whether the mental health is sound. Any anxiety state, over-emotional or hysterical state, or depressions or obsessions, can interfere with health and cause debility. A frank discussion with an interested doctor, or with a psychological expert in more marked cases, may bring relief. There is nothing like mental strain to tire the body out and cause debility. There are still another lot of causes of debility. These have to do with everyday routine. Maybe it is a matter of food—poor, unbalanced diets that promote anaemia and other troubles. Or a poor personal hygiene routine—no daily bath, closed windows day and night, insufficient exercise and recreation, short sleep. Or trouble in the home between husband-wife, or at work with fellow work-people—all these sortof things can be debilitating. Then there are those few who have nothing organically or mentally wrong, but have always been constitutionally frail. And last, but not least, there is mother looking after a busy household, who gets run down and debilitated, and needs a spell and a good holiday away from the daily cares. So if a bottle of tonic is recommended for a diagnosis of debility, do not rely on'that, unless all these things have first been thought of and eliminated by proper treatment.