Читать книгу Old Age Deferred. The causes of old age and its postponement by hygienic and therapeutic measures онлайн

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It is to the present terrible war, raging and destroying so many lives, that we owe the observation made by many of the military doctors that a goodly number of young soldiers present symptoms of arteriosclerosis, many of them having never suffered from syphilis. Often it is but a slight elevation of the blood-pressure, but which, if persistent, may indicate a beginning arteriosclerosis.

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Apoplexy is the consequence of a condition, which may be considered as the highest degree of a scale whose lowest step is often a slight elevation of the blood-pressure, when in a younger person. Thus, if before the 45-70 year period the blood-pressure is somewhat elevated and remains so for a certain length of time, we must, if there are no special reasons for this elevation, for instance, kidney trouble, be suspicious of arteriosclerosis. It is true, that there are cases of this disease without a high blood-pressure, but if we find, besides considerably elevated blood-pressure, traces of albumin in the urine and also renal elements, a swelled liver and an accentuated second sound at the aorta, there cannot be much doubt that we have probably to do with arteriosclerosis. A high blood-pressure can most frequently be caused through difficulties in the circulation of the kidneys; therefore in each such case the urine must carefully be examined. By improving the circulation through the kidneys we can also influence favorably the blood-pressure. Certain drugs producing a great flow of urine have indeed given good results in high blood-pressure, like, for instance, diuretin in some cases. I am, however, averse to the use of drugs if there are more natural remedies, and so I would advise the use of a quite harmless one like the juice of lemons. It is very diuretic and, as I have observed, there are also cases of chronic inflammatory conditions of the kidneys which are very favorably influenced through a treatment by lemons, in the same way as also gout and the uric acid ailments in general. I have found that with lemon-juice given in mineral water we obtain still better results if a little glycerin is added. Besides lemon-juice the juice of certain other fruits like grape-fruit, oranges, and grapes can also give good results. Besides a good diuresis, a thorough cleaning of the intestines is desirable, high blood-pressure often being caused by habitual constipation with stagnation of the intestinal contents and subsequent flatulence. I must repeat with emphasis again that daily bowel movements do not prove at all a clean intestine following a good evacuation, and I am sure that the good results obtained in the treatment of arteriosclerosis in certain spas, like Carlsbad, Marienbad, and Kissingen, are not so much due to the action of these waters upon arteriosclerosis, but simply to their eminently purging action. Neither of these springs has a direct effect upon arteriosclerosis, but besides the dietetic advantages of the installation of these spas, the waters from their springs evacuate thoroughly the intestines, ridding them of toxic products most deleterious to the arteries, and at the same time facilitating in a powerful way the circulation of the blood through the abdomen with its most wholesome repercussion upon the whole general circulation. A thorough intestinal evacuation can relieve a high blood-pressure nearly the same way as an extensive venesection. A good perspiration can also give good effects; however, to produce it there would be necessary to take hot-water or air bath, which may prove most deleterious. There are means, however, to avoid this for, as I know it from my own experiences, it is possible to have a profuse perspiration without the sensation of great heat and a red head through application of electric light bath with blue light. In this blue light bath, studying its action, I have myself obtained, after about twenty minutes’ time, the desired effect without the depressive feeling afterward as so often is the case with the usual steam bath. These baths are the more indicated in cases of a nervous heart.