HOW TO AVOID SUDDEN DEATH.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 492, 18 February 1880, Page 3

HOW TO AVOID SUDDEN DEATH.

A corresi’okdknt of the Belfast Kern Letter says—“ Permit me, pro bono publico , to state that very few sudden deaths, which are said t<> arise from disease of tile heart, do really arise from that cause. To ascertain the real origin of sudden deaths, tiie experiment lias been tried in Europe, and reported to a scientific congress held at Strasburg. Sixty-six cases of sudden dearth were, made the subject of a thorough postmortem examination ; in these cases only two were found who had died from disease of the heart. June out of the sixty-six had died from apoplexy, while there were fifty-five cases of congestion of the lungs—that is the lungs were so full of hlood that they could not work, there not being room enough for a sufficient quantity of air to enter to support life. The causes that ptodnee congestion of the lungs are—cold feet, tight clothing, co.siive bowels, sitting still until chilled after being warmed with labour or a rapid walk, going too suddenly from a close, heated room into the cold air, especially after speaking, and sudden, depressing news operating on the blood. These causes of sudden death being known, an avoidence, of them may serve to lengthen many valuable lives, which would otherwise be lost under the verdict of heart complaint. That disease is supposed to be inevitable and incurable ; hence many may not take the pains they would to avoid sudden death if they new it lay in their power.”