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Show Abuse of the Focal Infection Idea In a previous issue we talked about arthritis." We endeavored to emphasize em-phasize the rneaninglcss-ncss of the term in a diagnostic way, and the importance of determining in each case what is the matter with the ioint or joints involved. The septic focus was dwelt on. But this focal infection idea has been ruthlessly overworked by a good many doctors who ought to know better. They have seized upon the idea in an empirical way and applied ap-plied it, not with scientific accuracy, nor even with common sense, but mindly and unrcasoningly, to the sorrow sor-row of many a confiding-patient. There arc hundreds of women and men who nave had to sacrifice perfectly good teeth, often against the judgment of the good dentist, whose advice is thrust aside by the ponderous dignity of the busy doctor and the result is just regret, for the removal of the teeth fails to bring the anticipated relief re-lief to the affected joints. Tin's is a great misfortune, for it tends to condemn the whole theory of focal infection. Yet the eradication of septic foci does bring relief and cure to thousands of sufferers, in spite of the bungling work of the too popular pop-ular practitioner. The men who worked out the focal infection theory proceeded scientifically, scientifical-ly, not ruthlessly. They did not assume as-sume that the arthritis patient must sacrifice his or her teeth on a mere gamble. They determined, by co-operation with a good dentist and perhaps per-haps with the aid of X-ray negatives interpreted by the good dentist, whether wheth-er any teeth were infected. The dentist then had the final say as to the proper treatment of such teeth and he should have the final say, for that is his specialty, and a doctor's opinion in the circumstances is of secondary sec-ondary weight. But more, they studied the patient generally, not to overlook more likely loci, such as a low grade chronic cth- Dr. Brady will answer aTl sipned Teti writers arc never printed. Only inquiries column; but all inquiries icill be answer envelope is enclosed. Requests for diagnos be considered. Address Dr. William Bradi moid or antral infection in the nasal cavity, or a long quiescent pelvic infection, in-fection, for instance. If any such possible pos-sible sources of poisoning were found, they proceeded cautiously about the extraction of teeth. When teeth were extracted, or any other focus attacked, cultures were made to determino which specific species of germ might be present. Then, from lymphnodes in the vicinity of tho involved joints fnodes into which drainage from the joint occurs), cultures were made. If the same strain of streptococci, let us say, appeared in both series of cultures, cul-tures, then it was reasonable and scientific to assume that the septic focus had really been discovered. Perhaps Per-haps vaccine prepared from the cultured cul-tured strains of bacteria would be of considerable help in the treatment. QUESTIONS AND' ANSWERS. The Trained Nurse. I always look forward engcrlr to yonr dally article, becnuao' I tdIuo your opinion eo hlchly. Will you kindly toll rae what yon tnlnk of the trained nurse In n country horafc? I haTo ltred In the country where lorjnc hands ministered to the Bleb and oufforlng- ones and not professional. I will greatly npprcclato your opinion. (M. T. 'ANSWER, Loving hands are all right In minor lllnoca, and such hands arc applied ap-plied with cood Intentions, yet If I were III In th country or anywhere clso, . I should profor the professional oaro of the trained nurse to tho efforts of tho lovlng-st lovlng-st of hands. It Is exactly like a doctor trying to treat hln own loved ones when they aro seriously 111 ho can't do It nearly as well as an outsider can. And the Other Kind. I am GO years old, have Buffered for years from what physicians have called rhouznatlc cout, which Is Eteadlly erowlnff worso I habltuolly use feather pillows, and In cold weather feather beds. The Hoft bed not only gives warmth, but comforts com-forts tho Joints. But now comes a trained nurec And tells mo that feathers, because of their relation to electricity, are harmful to peoplo with rheumatism. Is that true? (Mrs. M. B) ANSWER. Get all tho comfort you can out of tho feather beds. They are absolutely abso-lutely hyclenlc. ters pcrtalnlnp to health. The names of of general interest aro answered in this ed by mail if a stamped aclf-addrcssed is or treatment of individual cases cannot I, care of this newspaper. |