Health in the Home.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 493, 2 January 1920, Page 4

Health in the Home.

—-♦ i OVER-EATING AS A CAUSE OE j " APPENDICITIS. 'H doctor advances the theory that a considerable number of cases of appendicitis are caused by over-eating. As ft result of over-distension of the stomach, the vessels lying immediately behind the appendix may be subjected to compression, which produces a decided interference with the intestinal circulation. The first effect of such a circulatory disturbance is the excitation of more or less violent activity in the intestine, thus explaining the pain Usually felt at the onset of an attack of appendicitis. Another effect, direct or indirect, of. this disturbance of circulation is exerted upon tho appendix, the resistance of watch is diminished to such an extent that it often falls a prey to the action of tha ever-present intestinal organism?!. A more or leas severe atta k of inflammation of the appendix is thus precipitated. TO BELUTII'Y THE TEETH. Unless one knows of what they are made, tooth powders must be used with caution. Precipitated chalk i.« good, and it may be perfumed as on« chooses. There are several excellent tooth powders on the market, and chftlk, variously "doctored," is ithe basis of some of them. It is admira 1* for the teeth. Persons who ha?« trouble with softness of the teeth ere often advised to wash the mouth out night and morning with milk of magnesia. It is said to have a very good effect upon the teeth and gums. Washing the mouth with gj. week solution of salt and water is also-excellent. A sweet breath is a joy, a foetid breath an unmitigated nuisance. The woman ,or man who possesses it should be tabooed society. If such an affliction remains after everything possible has been done for the teeth, it probably springs from the digestion, and a phvsician should be consulted. Often ; breath may be sweetened a..'

teeth helped by washing the mouth two or three times a day in water to which has been added a tablespoonful of limfc water. Tartar can occasionally lie removed from the teeth by rubbing them with a stick dipped in lemon juice, and a stick dampened and dipped in powdered pumice is for taking spots from the teeth. /THE BIGHT KIND OF A COLD RATH. The cold mitten friction is an extremely useful measure for the neurasthenic in the morning. Dining the night the vital processes have run low and the body is dogged with poison. The application of cold to the skin is the best thing in the world for getting out of that state. It not only arouses the nerve centre by tho reflex action of the skin, but it increases the circulation of the blood, raises blood pressure, and so rai.ios the whole tide of life, and ; cs the patient a new start. This mitten [i ■ *ie»i■ is particularly approp' iate for iivhlo people not able to take a stronger hath. Stronger persons may wring a towel out of cold water and rub it across the skin, bathing the whole body in this way; then with a Turkish sheet rub the skin until it is red, eNpM.se it to the air for a few minutes and then give it a further rubbing. When we <lo not get more than two or three hours' sleep at night, a cold bath makes us ready for business, and we find it a wonderful rejuvenator. It is one of the best means of fighting off old age. It doesn't mean to get down into a tiibful of cold water and stay there and shiver yourself half to death; it means simply momentary contact of cold water with the skin. It is not for cleanliness, it is-fbr the purpose of stimulating tha internal nerve centres, waking up every nerve-centre of the spinal cord.

ECZEMA

Simply means something expelled from the blood, and in the public estimation any skin eruption may be classified as eczema, for all eruptions emanate from the blood in some degree. It is remarkable how on the one hand this fallacy should exist, whilst on the other the public is quite horrified at the suggestion that they are the victims of eczema. They evidently consider that there is some odium attached to the diesaso which they consider to lie a serious, if not indeed a loathsome, disorder of a highly contagious character. Now eczema is probably the simplest of all skin diseases, ami in its acuta condition the most curable. It is simply an inflammation of the skin, requiring soothing treatment, nsmlly by a powder lotion or ointment containing zinc and lead in some form. For a simple case nothing much better could be imagined than Oxide of Zinc and prepared Calamine, two drachms. Dilute Solution of tho Sv.ba etale of Lead, four ounces. When an ointment is required, Renzoated (Wide of Zinc spr.-ad on thin st ips of lin< 'i or lint is most suitable. \\ lien the condition is chronic this oi'itmeut is often most suitable: White Precipitate Ointment, two drachms, Acetate of Lead Ointment, two drachms. Oxide of Zinc Ointment, four drachms. Sometimes a drachm of Liom'd Tar Oint'aorit may be added | with ad.anta.AO. N'o one should at- ■ tempt to use any of these medicaments until they are quite certain of i tb iialire and sta/e of their disease, otheru se tood results cannot he exacted.

Make "the best of every thing; Hi ink the best of everybody ; hope the best for yourself. By bo doing you will be lifting yourself and those about you to a | lusher plane of living. | " No ends are worth living for today I which, will not be equally worth living for fifty years hf-nce. Only true am. bilions ran stand the tost, of time. We tend to become what we think we are; ;i.ioreovci, the world is very apt to take us at our own valuation.