"IT IS MERELY MY LIVER."

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 112, 22 November 1879, Page 2

"IT IS MERELY MY LIVER."

" Serve you right." This is a most painful verdict to have to listen to. It throws one buck from all buiunu sympathy; lauds one entirely on his own resources, fcr the time being, perhaps the poorest landing-stage that could be imagined. " Serve you right, you have sinned, and now you are suffering for it." And this, too just as you were stating your tyuiptouis in the hope of reueving pity and advice. No, the liver is an organ which will not bear trilling with. " You can t do withuut me," the liver seems to say, " so 1 mean to be ti tutted fairly, or one of these days I'll go ou strike, and then where will yon be (" Now any medical man will tell you that the liver is very often unjustly accused of causing discomfort to iu owner. One half the trilling ailments from which men suffer are put down to slight liver derangement ; and indi-cd when, for instance a man of business comes to his physician of a morning, looking somewhat pale, somewhat worried, and withal a trifle frightened about himself, and says, with a miserable attempt at a smile,'"! feel a bit out of s.>rts this morning doctor: I wish you'd tike a look at my lo gie,* and the doctor replies, •' Yes, ye*, l see it all: liver a bit out of order; soon put that to rights "--then, 1 say, the physician has rendered his patient a happy man of husiuess. For the patient says to himself," If'in 1 only my liver; well ! that's good news anyhow.'' Only his liver! But little does our friend know, and little do thousands know, the vast impertanee of this organ to the animal economy ; and it.is really more iu the hope of preventing disease, of saving lives and liven, than of curing thosj actually sick, that I write the present paper. Would you have me treat of all the diseases this organ is subject to, their symptoms and their mode of treatment ? Nay, then, my readers must endeavour to induce our editor to eot me aside an extra Midsummer Number, all to myself, and then I should feel cramped for space. But a terrible array of diseases connected with the liver comes up bofore ray mind's vw as I write and most of ilieso ailments may be produced from tho same oausos, and foremost among thcie is thoughtless and irregular living. To say, then, nothing of tho many different kinds of tumours that may form in the liver, wc have, heading the roll of disoases the organ is subjoct to inflaination, with its racking pains, its sickness and difficulty of breathing high fever and delirium, nnd which sometimes, oven when most skilfully treated, runs on to abscess, emaciation utter prostration, nnd death. The liver at times gets onlargcd ; this inav lead to conscquuue.es -J the most sori"ous nature. Fatty degeneration of the liver, causing sovoro dyspepsia, claycoloured countenance, constipation and diavrho'n, perhaps even dropsy nnd death, is. another disorder to which frne-and easy living may give rise. Wnxy degeneration is stil) onolhor, and more lorriblo because, although death is not by any moans Immediate, tho disease, after inflicting months of illhealth and trouble and gloom, leads surely and steadfastly on to tho hittor end. Tho liver is also subject to many trouble* .Miinrctcd with its blood-ves-sels ami its gall bidder, in which romelimM calculi, form, as th"V do iu

tho urinary bladder;, and ttajse- calculi i small though they may be, often, in | their passage along the Miliary duct to- | wards the intestine, produce th* jtflost in- '• tense agony and sickness. j4'4i Atrophy of the liver is a away ' of the organ, and deserves a wowor two en passant. It is a disease which, in my humble opinion, is more often brouglu on by excesses of various kinds, coupled probably with worry and anxiety, than by any 'other cause, whioh surely proves that it is a dangerous thing for jjeopli-, when trouble comes upon them, as now and then it does on all, to try to drown their cares by using stimulants. Its iirtt symptoms would he a general feeling of ailing, with headache, thirst depression of spirits, and feveri'shness. There is another preliminary symptom whioh always tells of something wrong, and the merest, tyio cannot mistake it, if I describe it as a feeling of drowsiness without the power to sleep. But these symptoms may he entirely absent, and the very first sign of the" mischief may be jaundice. Or" course this latter is always present iu ilia confirmed stage, because tho bile is suppressed. Willi tho jaundice there is naturally extreme depression of spirit*, great pain and vomiting of mucus and blood (like coffee grounds); muttering delirium; coma and death soon step in to case the patient's sufferings, and this may take plaoe in from tweuty-four'houra to a week. Cure there is none. I mentioned the word " temperance " above, but let none of my leaders suppose that I refer to temperance as regards alcohol in any form mily. Temperance to my mind has a far more extended signification. We ought to be temperate iu eating as well as iu drinking—if so the stomach will not suffer ; temperate in speech and language —thus shall tliu brain come to no evil; temperate in our passions, and our nerves will remain healthy ; temperate in all things, lor temperance is the key, yea, eve-u the high road to health—health to happiness ; happiness of that quiet, calm nature that admits not of flurry or hurry, and seldom of anger; which gives the soul time for contemplation ; which gives long life, and causes the life we have seem longer, and whioh opens the door to true religion—the religion of love and hope. . The liver is not only the largfEt and most intricately formed, but it is one of the most important organs of the body, probably next to the heart tho most important. It is intimately connected with all the other organs of the body ; indeed if the liver is out of order, every tissue of our frame sutlers, and with there tint mind. Its function is to secrete the bile. Now the suppression of this impurtaul fluid, or tho obstruction to the now of it towards the intestine, injure-* the system in tno ways—first, if retained iu the blood or reabsorbs" I into the circulation, it becomes a poison, and jaundice is lbs result; and secondly, when not poured into the intestine the proper chyiilieatiou is prevented, and thus two gieat evils result. Having then endeavoured to prove to you, and I trust not altogether, unsueceslully, the importance of this much be ied and much-despised part of our anatomy, 1 shall say oue or two words about soma of the every day ailments in connection therewith. First and commonest on the list is whst is usually known as a bilious attack or, in its more mitigated form simply " biliousness." The patient hail gone to bed all right us he thought, after probably a hearty supper, if anything probably too nuioli lobster salad ;the wine could do no harm—oh! dear, no}. For the first part of the night his slumbers, were heavy, then he hud begun to toss about moan, feel uneasy, have interviews with nightmares of different kinds to suit his fancy. And this was his condition iu the uioruing ; a decided disinclination to get up: "let business do as it liKes for one day." More or hes headucuce, » tongue like calico and tasting ot brass; eyes iike boiled onions, uaiHca at the stomach and an inclination to vomit. Feels if he could vomit bt> would be all right. Does,and he is not. Tries again and perhaps reaching comes on, ouding iu the ejection of bile and sometimes ovon blood, which shocks him very much ami causes the doctor to be scut for. And the wise man probably enjoins rost in bed, administers a draught, such as the following—of'.splutiou of muriate of morphia ten drops, of carbonate of so. la ten grains of diluto liydrocyanio acid four drops, dissolved in a little sodawater, lee may bo used, and a mustard poultit'o may be placed on the pit of the stomach, and the foilowing left to be taken at bml-tiruc—only very little food having been taken during the day : Three grains of extract of hyoscyamus, a quarter of a grain of podophyllin, ami live grains of extract dandelion. And now I come to mention a complaint of a more dangerous nature. I refor to olironic congestion of the liver. It may bo occasioned by high living or by violent exerci.se, or by anything that interferes with tho due excretion of tho bile. Here we shall find a feel" ing of weight and tightness iu the right shoulder, slight or severe unuK'-a. want of appetite, giddiness, und sometimes distressing flatulence. Norooussoss, too, in some dtigioa will seldom be absent. There are other signs patent only to the profession. On the first symptoms of anything liko congestion, the sufferer will dowell to obtain the following mixture ind take an oigth part of it every morniug before breakfast: Of Epsom salts oue aud a quarter ounco, of Glauber salt;* half an ounce, of tiuoluru of lavunder I'ouc drums, of peppnrmint water leu

ounces; Later on, while- still usingwild aperient*, tonic must be added the following, for instance, is a nice worm tonic su» ounce of which may be taken now and then as occasion require*:—Take two and a half ounces of the compound tincture of gentian, one and a half ounce of the tincture of rhubarb, five drams eaoh of spirits of ether and sal and add peppermint water to make it up to ten ounces. Remember, however, that while medicines may oure congestion, you must give them fair piny, by well' regulating the diet and attedingto all the rules ol health and hygiene. It is with the earlier symptoms we have to do here, for unfortunately in its advanced stago the disorder is quite incurable. The first thing that may attract the patient's notice will be simply s.mie slight derangement of the functions of the liver. Then there will be pain in the right side, not severe, a dry skin, with a patty appearance of the face, flatulence, constipation, and difficulty uf digestion, loss of flesh, and general discomfort. Now these symptoms may not he considered quite diagnostic, but they are. or ought to be, sufficient to awaken the patient to a sense of impending danger. Jjet him then, now or never, rouse himself to action ; and no good cau bo done without regulation of diet. This must be nourishing, but plain; and highly spiced or seasoned dishes must be completely given up, as well as spirituous liquors iu any shape or form whatever. Violent exercise must not be taken but exercise in moderation and cheerful society are beneficial. Aperients too will be required, and the sufferer cannot do butter than use the mixture ot Balls, and thu poduphyUin pill already given in this paper. Here 1 append a simple electuary, uf which a tua.->pootiful may be taken now and thon, some time before breakfast, it is merely : the extract of dandelion, confection of senna and cream of tartar, equal parts of eaoh, well mixed. Friction over the seat of the liver with 6ume stimulating ointment or liniment may help to cure. To those who cau afford to travel, the mineral wells of various well-knoivn places will do g>od. —Cassell's Family Magazine.