| Show t- t You and Your Health By MORRIS FISHBEIN Editor r. r Journal of the iha American Medical Association Allocution fend ad d of pf Ih he j I 1 j Health Magazine 1 What do you do when someone suddenly faints taints or becomes unconscious cious Most people do the tho wrong thing hing Fainting or unconsciousness may be due to weakened action of the heart or to blood supply to the brain Sometimes people people peo pea plo become unconscious following a ablow blow on the head sometimes a lI small blood vessel in the brain will burst and the pressure on the brain from th the bl blOod Od clot will bring on unconsciousness unconsciousness unconsciousness sometimes people lose consciousness because they have havo Inhaled inhaled inhaled in in- haled a a poisonous gas or an an anesthetic anesthetic anes anes- such as opium ether or chloroform In other cases people become unconscious because there isto is to too much uch blood in the brain Finally there are people who become dizzy because because- of some disturbance of the balance sense in the body These people also aso may fall unconscious a. a Obviously it is of ot the greatest importance im Im- im- im to know why the person has lost consciousness and to take the tho emergency steps that may be necessary to save savo life after the cause is properly determined Tho The doctor attending nn en unconscious unconscious unconscious person will first determine the tho rate and strength of ot the pulse to see how the condition is affecting the tho circulation of oC the blood If It the pulse rate is between 76 and 90 and strong he realizes that there tHero is no immediate immediato danger of death from failure of the circulation He will however also listen to the heart to determine whether its sounds are correct He will vill study the color of ot the face If It there is great pallor blueness or a purple color he will realize that there is something wrong with the blood In carbon monoxide poisoning a purple color coor is present In asphyxiation the skin is blue In unconsciousness due to shock the face may be very pale The doctor will see If the skin Is hot or cold and determine the presence presence presence pres pres- ence or absence of perspiration He will look at the eyes to see if it the pupils are equal or unequal in size and if it they are dilated or contracted contract contract- ed Poisonous drugs have varying effects on the size of or the thc eye pupils Unequal size of ot the pupils Is a sign of injury to the brain such as brain hemorrhage The Tho doctor will wm examine the surface surface surface sur sur- face of ot the scalp to see sec whether the skull has been injured A fracture of the skull or a crushing injury beneath beneath be be- beneath neath the skin will of course cause unconsciousness In very hot weather or in the case of people who work in foundries kitchens or laundries sunstroke and heatstroke may be responsible for unconsciousness Copyright 1936 for The Telegram |
