UNDERWEIGHT—Underweight is often due to irregular habits of eating and sleeping and lack of regular exercise. Have a thorough examination at intervals by a competent physician, or in a dispensary or clinic, to determine whether or not any serious disease exists (especially hook-worm or tuberculosis).

OVERWEIGHT—Secure as much regular exercise as possible. Be thoroughly examined for evidence of disease. Extreme overweight, especially at middle life, produces as high a death rate as heart disease. Cut down the fat-forming foods, such as bread, butter, cereals, sugars, fats, and substitute more green vegetables and fruits.

HERNIA OR RUPTURE—Operation is often advisable. Consult your family physician or go to a good hospital for advice and treatment.

PILES, HEMORRHOIDS—These are often caused by constipation and lack of exercise. Do not make a habit of using drugs or purgatives. Plenty of bulky food, bran bread or biscuits, fruits, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, brussels sprouts, carrots, turnips, celery, tomatoes, salsify, onions, parsnips, and oyster plant will tend to correct constipation.

If piles are severe, operation will help, but the original cause should be removed by proper diet.

VARICOSE VEINS—This condition may be relieved by the use of woven elastic bandages or stockings. At times one may consider removal by operation. (Great caution is necessary; consult your family physician.)

BLADDER, KIDNEY, URINARY TROUBLES—Go to your physician or to a dispensary or hospital and place yourself under careful medical supervision. Regulation of your diet, work, and activities may be all that is necessary, but your condition should be watched from time to time. Albumin in the urine may be temporary, but should always be followed up and examination made at intervals. Give the benefit of the doubt to your kidneys, and live a temperate and healthful life, avoiding alcoholic stimulants, excess of meat, and overeating generally. Be examined periodically. Sugar in the urine calls for careful medical supervision and regulation of diet and periodic examination by a physician.

DISCHARGE FROM EAR, EAR TROUBLE—See an ear specialist or go to an ear clinic. Do not neglect such a condition, which may infect other parts of your body.

HEART MURMURS, HEART AFFECTIONS—A person with an imperfect heart may not be fit for hard physical labor, but with proper regulation of diet, exercise, work, and rest his heart may carry him to old age. If you have heart trouble avoid stimulants and tobacco, be very temperate in the use of tea and coffee, avoid excesses of all kinds; eat moderately; avoid heavy meals at night; get plenty of fresh air; exercise daily in the open, but be careful not to over fatigue your heart or circulation; walking and gentle hill-climbing are good, but never when they cause pain in the chest or shortness of breath. Avoid dissipation and undue excitement. If there is breathlessness, dropsy, or dizziness, careful medical supervision is necessary. All damaged hearts should be examined at least once a year by a physician and the condition noted. Irregular action of heart in some cases is of little importance; in others it is serious, and medical observation is important to settle this.

Jason Ladock

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