Show Daily Health Service Inflammation of Joints join t Needs Prompt pt Treatment en t I By r DR DIt MORRIS Editor Journal of or the American Medical Medi l cal Asso Association aton and of ot the Health Magazine Ia azine In a survey o of the significance oi oh chronic inflammation of the joints a aan as asan asan an economic problem Dr Robert B B. Osgood points out that in a state of ol four and nd a half m million people there arc are approximately cases of ol cancer cases of or active tuberculosis tuber tuberS cases eases of or diseases of the heart and blood vessels and cases of so called rheumatism Patients with any of the first three types of diseases es either cither recover or ordie ordie ordie die fairly quickly Persons with chronic rheumatism however neith neither er recover quickly nor die quickly This condition has affected animals and ana man for at least a million years The fossil remains of the oldest known knO dinosaur said Dr Osgood make it certain that he suffered from cricks in his back before he became a fossil Rheumatic diseases arc are responsible for a terrific loss of or time and thereby of oC mane money In England they caused one and a half hlll million weeks of idleness idleness idle idle- ness in m one year and cost the relief agency Far too often chronic chronie inflammation of or the joints is looked upon as an incurable condition and one which is impossible to control con can There seems to be reason for forbel bel believing evin however that attention given early and adequately to this condition will wm brin bring about success in its treatment In order that treatment treatment treatment treat treat- ment may be given adequately it is necessary that it l be recognized in its earliest stages The physician who makes his diagnosis does so on the basis of definite changes that take place in the tissues including particularly particularly par- par the surface of what arc are called the membranes and of the The Th I bones involved in l the joints lal membranes are arc the tissues I which enable the joints to move freely free freely reely ree- ree I ly and which act as lubricating sur SOl faces In the national hospital for arthritis in Sweden it is found that approximately approximately CO GO per cent of the patients properly treated early have cither either permanently recovered or after three years ears become enabled to take care of themselves The whole purpose of this discussion I of the subject is lS to urge people who have pains in the joints who suffer w with th inflammation of the joints or who have the slightest notion that they suffer with such infections to get prompt and complete medical attention attention attention at at- before the condition produces produces' permanent damage and crippling |