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Show I TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH By Dr. Jas. W. Barton (Released by Western Newspaper Union.) SNORING The unfair part about snoring is that the individual doing the snoring enjoys sleep while he annoys others by preventing seep. Snoring is caused by some-"wssSST'J some-"wssSST'J thing interfering r with the passage of . air to and from the I lungs; the obstruc- f S"? 4JJ.S tion can ce at vari-I vari-I Jf ous points between I A, lungs and outside of I I mouth and nose. To I find out just what part nose' throat k sv,.3 or bronchial tubes i""-"""" is being partly ob-Dr. ob-Dr. Barton structed requires careful observation by physician, nurse, or some member mem-ber of the household. The commonest causes of obstruction obstruc-tion are: (1) Falling backward of the tongue when the individual is lying on his back. j (2) An accumulation of mucous, large or small, in the nose or throat. ) (3) The muscles of the soft palate , become so relaxed in sleep that the soft palate falls against the roof of the hard palate. This interferes with the passage of air through the nose when the individual is lying on his back. (4) The muscles controlling the vocal cords during deep sleep become be-come greatly relaxed so that the throat becomes partially closed and air has less space to pass through this part of the throat going in and ' coming out of the lungs. Thus when 'one is awake and lets his throat hang "loose," as it were, thus closing clos-ing the passage, the breathing in and out causes snoring. Preventive Methods. Now that some of the causes of snoring are known, what can be done about it? There are cases where the obstruction obstruc-tion is on one side of the nose. By lying ly-ing on that side, the outer side or wing of the nose drops away from the division membrane (septem) thus giving a wide opening or passage pass-age for air. When the cause of snoring is an accumulation of mucous in the nose and throat, vigorous blowing of the nose first through one nostril and then the other before going to sleep may prevent snoring. Tying a handkerchief or band around top of head and under chin keeps mouth from hanging open. Experience shows that if snoring individual lying on his back is disturbed dis-turbed and turns and lies on either side or on his abdomen, he stops snoring. If, then, he can be prevented pre-vented from lying on his back by mechanical means, snoring may be prevented. Prevention of Mental Disorders Just a few years ago tuberculosis consumption was considered a fatal disease; the patient might last for months or even a year or two, but the disease would surely carry him off. Similarly with diabetes and pernicious anemia. Today, tuberculosis tubercu-losis stands well down the list of the causes of death and to have tuberculosis is no longer a death warrant. Similarly with diabetes and pernicious per-nicious anemia. As long as diabetics diabet-ics take their insulin regularly they are safe, and patients with pernicious perni-cious anemia have but to use liver or liver extract to keep alive. What appears to be an even harder problem is the prevention and cure of mental ailments, yet Dr. Frederic H. Leavitt, Philadelphia, as guest editor of the Medical World, states this should be tackled just as tuberculosis tuber-culosis was tackled and overcome. Tuberculosis, the great white plague, was captain of the legions of death. Through a campaign of education in acquainting the general public with knowledge of the cause, prevention and treatment, tuberculosis, in many places, has dropped from first to fifth place as a cause of death. That the same results may be obtained ob-tained in the prevention of mental ailments is the belief of the medical medi-cal profession. It can be accomplished accom-plished by a campaign of educating the general public as to the cause, prevention and treatment Dr. Leavitt points out the excellent excel-lent results by educating the public about mental ailments obtained in the treatment of that "great destroyer" destroy-er" of the minds of young men and women dementia praecox or persistent per-sistent dream state particularly by the treatment with insulin and metrazol shock. QUESTION BOX Q. Is it necessary to wear a belt ror a fallen kidney night and day? A. Belt holds kidney up in place when you are sitting or standing. It should not be needed at night. A belt is next best to operation. Q. Please give me directions and dosage concerning amphetamine sulphate-benzedrine sulphate as used to reduce excess weight A. Amphetamine sulphate ben- Iiedrine sulphate should be prescribed pre-scribed by a physician. |