Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 October 1900 — Brings On Heart Disease. [ARTICLE]

Brings On Heart Disease.

It has been known for many years that the most fertile cause of heart disease is rheumatism. Only recently has it been realized, however, that many cases of rheumatism which give rise to heart complications really run so mild a course that they are not suspected of being serious and are neglected. This is especially true In cases which attack the very young. In children rheumatism often masquerade* under the name of “growing pains.” In Infants it often fails completely of recognition. It has become the custom to a lamentable degree to give for it the coaltar derivatives, the various anti-pyretic drugs—antipyrine, phenacetine and' the like—besides various derivatives of salicylic acid. Tliese drugs alleviate the rheumatic pain by benumbing the nerves; they also lessen fever. The result of their use is that patients are enabled to move about much sooner' than they otherwise -would, and thisthrows extra work on the'heart an® leads to postrheumatic heart complications which may cripple the organ for life. The recent increase' in the number of refusals of risks by life insurance companies is thought to be due to this cause. Doctors here from many parts of the world deprecate the present excessive use of these dirugs. Pain Is nature’s demand for rest. To allay It without reaching its cause is to drug the sentinel who watches over the citadel of health because his footsteps disturb our sleep.—New York Post.