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Show Tuberculosis May Follow Flu By DR. JAMES W. BARTON Bell Syndicate. WNU Service. WHEN a flu epidemic passes by we are all naturally grateful that, notwithstanding not-withstanding the great number num-ber of cases, there have not been as many deaths as in some previous epidemics, the one of 1918-1919 being particularly partic-ularly in our minds. And yet just what the flu leaves in the way of general ill-health, gen- eral fatigue, chronic L"' V'l cases of heart dis-f dis-f ' ' ease, chronic in- t flammation of the I 3 sinuses and other I "f fj- ailments cannot be f 'L t estimated. I , , 5 For instance, in- - L i fluenza may be fol- 1 ' lowed by pneumonia , """. I or pleurisy. "One- , ' fourth of the total U non-fatal cases of Dr. Barton tuberculosis date the onset of the disease during the year following an attack of influenza and more than one-half of the cases are thus associated with either influenza, pneumonia or pleurisy." Thus the flu, by weakening the individual's in-dividual's resistance, may be considered con-sidered a forerunner of tuberculosis and patients should take real care of themselves for some time after recovering from flu. Watch for These Signs. In fact any infection or ailment that causes a run-down condition, or if the individual is not careful about watching sleep, exercise, food and fresh air, he becomes predisposed predis-posed to tuberculosis. "A patient is likely to acquire, or having acquired, at least may develop devel-op an active tuberculosis when he is anemic (thin blood) ; when he is underweight; when he has a tendency tend-ency to recurrent or frequent colds, especially recurrent bronchitis; when he does not quickly recover from any simple acute infection, whether it is flu, measles, or whooping whoop-ing cough; when he does not recover recov-er quickly from pneumonia or pleurisy. "A child is considered predisposed predis-posed to tuberculosis if he is pale, has a tendency to eczema, or has enlarged tonsils or adenoids, and especially es-pecially if he has enlarged glands in the neck." To Increase Weight. "There is likely something wrong with the health of one who is either too thin or too fat. What we call normal weight is associated with a store of fat sufficient to give the body that symmetry which we associate asso-ciate with a sense of well-being. Graceful contour can only exist when there is sufficient padding of fat beneath the skin to eradicate depressions de-pressions and irregularities of surface. sur-face. The fat around the kidneys helps to support them, and a normal nor-mal fat deposit in the mesentery (the connective and fat tissue that holds the abdominal organs suspended sus-pended from the spinal column) helps to keep the stomach and intestines in-testines in their proper position. A normal fat reserve is a great protection pro-tection against cold. It is one evidence evi-dence of a state of good nutrition." When one reads the above statements state-ments from one of the foremost nutrition nu-trition experts, Prof. E. V. McCol-lum, McCol-lum, Johns Hopkins university, it would appear that fat, which is the bugbear of so many men and women wom-en today, is really something that we should all try to accumulate. However, just as too much fat is a menace to health, so also is a lack of "sufficient" quantity to supply sup-ply the actual needs of the body from the standpoint of health and appearance. While decreasing the food intake will definitely decrease weight in every case which may be dangerous danger-ous to life if food is cut down too much the increasing of food will not definitely increase weight in a great many cases. This means then that in trying to increase weight other factors besides increasing food must be considered. Many underweights are worriers, anxious about everything, afraid to eat certain foods, afraid of constipation con-stipation and so unduly purge themselves. them-selves. "They are the restless, active ac-tive and overconscicntious people who habitually work beyond their capacity because their strength is so limited." It has long been known that rest is as good as food in building up weight, just as too much rest will put on weight in those who are trying try-ing to reduce weight by reducing the food only. But in addition to physical rest, mental rest is necessary also in building up weight and so these thin individuals must learn to attain calmness of spirit also. This is why a holiday often increases weight in thin individuals, as they, for the time being, "leave their cares behind." be-hind." The thin individual in addition to making sure of mental and physical rest, should be examined by physician physi-cian and dentist to make sure that there are no infected teeth or tonsils ton-sils which may be sapping strength and preventing the normal increase in weight. |