| OCR Text |
Show I HEAHT-DISEASE. It is Eafo to say that n far greater amount of misery Is caused by supposed suppos-ed heart troublo than by nctual dlseaso of that organ. This Is duo In tho flrat placo to tho fact that supposed heart troublos, functional troubles, as thoy aro called, aro much more numerous than tho real, tho organic dlseasca; and In the second placo to tho fact that true heart dlseaso shows Itself with comparative infrcquency, by symptoms which tho patient hlmsolf can discover, whereas tho palpitations, the thumping In tho chest, and tho sound of surging blood In tho ears, or the nolso of tho labored pumping, aro tho common expressions of a nervous or functional disturbance of tho hoart's action. Tho most common causes of heart disease aro dyspepsia, norvous prostration prostra-tion and excessive smoking. It Is often difficult to pcrsuado tho supposed Btifforer from heart dlseaso that tho stomach la the offending organ. or-gan. Thero may bo no other dyspop-tlc dyspop-tlc symptoms, and It seems absurd, to argue that one organ can be diseased without any symptoms, while another presents symptoms without being diseased. dis-eased. Furthermore, some pcoplo feel a little consolatory pride In having a heart affection, nnd do not like their diagnosis to bo brushed aside and their trouble referred to tho unromantic stomach. Such an unboltevcr should credit his doctor with good Intentions, at least, and give his treatment n fair trial, when he will probably find that "his faith has made him whole," and his heart disease will disappear as his digestion di-gestion Improves. Ono fairly distinctive difference bo-tweon bo-tweon functional nnd organic heart-dlseaso heart-dlseaso ISjthat the symptoms tho pal-pltatlonktho'lrregnlar pal-pltatlonktho'lrregnlar pulso, and tho consclousnesB of tho heart's action aro persistent in cases at .organic dlseaso, dls-easo, but uncertain and ot varying Intensity in cases otfunctlonal difficulty. A regularly Irregular pulso, for example, ex-ample, Is more apt to belong to roat dlseasd of tho heart; yet this is pot an infallible rule, for tho causo of tho functional disturbance excesslvo smoking, for instance may bo so constantly con-stantly active that tho functional disturbance dis-turbance Is allowed no recess. The anxiety aroused by tho supposed presenco of heart disease and tho consequent con-sequent foreboding ot sudden death bavo a vory natural tendency also to Intensify and make permanent tho disquieting dis-quieting symptoms, Tho safest and wisest course for ono who thinks ho has heart dlseaso is to seek tho opinion and abide by the ad' vlco of a skilful physician. ' Solf-dlag-noslB and consequent worry aro worso than useless. |
