MEDICAL.
Unfortunate One.—Tainted breath may be due to a great host of conditions, and as it is a common affection, and is often exceedingly distressing, we will devote a little time to its consideration. The breath may be tainted from the mouth—bad teeth, deposits of tartar round the teeth, spongy gums, sores in the mouth, such as the little white ulcers so commonly due to dyspepsia, sores on the tongue or lips, etc. Enlarged tonsils are an exceedingly common cause of foul breath. Some forms of chronic catarrh of the nose and throat are also connected with bad breath. Then again, the breath may acquire a bad smell from disease of the lungs. The stomach also may cause the breath to smell bad; as a symptom of indigestion, bad breath is not uncommon. Lastly, poisons circulating in the blood will taint the breath. A mild form of this taint of the breath due to substances circulating in the blood is the unpleasant smell of persons who have eaten onions or garlic. The treatment for this symptom varies with the cause. Bad teeth should be stopped or removed. Tartar should be removed by scaling the teeth. Spongy gums, etc., should be treated with appropriate measures. Tonsils which render the breath fetid should be removed, for they are dangerous centres from which serious diseases may start. For the bad breath arising from troubles in the mouth or throat, a mouthwash of boracic acid and lavender water, or dilute carbolic acid, or of permanganate of potash is very useful. Orris root, eucalyptus lozenges, etc., are also very valuable. When the smell is derived from the nose, local measures are alone of any service. For other forms of tainted breath, musk, benzoin, and orris root are of value. It is often said that these aromatics should not be used for the purpose, because they only mask the smell and do nothing to remove the cause of the evil. Quite so! But when the cause cannot be removed, we must treat the symptom. For the bad breath due to stomach trouble, attention to the digestion and an aperient will be required. The other conditions and troubles causing bad breath cannot here be dealt with.
Curiosity.—1. Apollinaris, Rosbach, and Johannis waters are for table purposes, and possess no special medicinal action. Hunyadi, Janos, and Apenta waters are both saline aperients. Both these latter springs are in Hungary. Apenta is the more serviceable of the two.—2. Aix-la-Chapelle supplies two mineral waters; that commonly called Aix-la-Chapelle water is from a sulphurous spring. The other water is Kaiser Brunnun, an ordinary gaseous table water.
Glasgow.—We will give you our opinion; but, mind you, as in all cases of this kind, we will not take the sole responsibility, and you must get the opinion of another medical man upon the matter before deciding for good. The family history of the man you intend to marry is bad. His mother and his brother died of consumption. Your questions are these:—Has the man got consumption? will he get consumption? If he marries, will his wife get consumption, or will his children get consumption? As regards the first question—you say he expectorates a good deal, he has a “catching in the throat,” he is very tall and very pale. He may have the disease. We cannot go further than this without examining his chest. The answer to the second question must be equally indefinite. For the third question—his wife will not get consumption from him unless he himself develops the disease. His children, however, may develop the disease without their father being personally attacked. Of course, all may go well, and neither the man, nor his wife, nor his children may ever develop consumption; but with the history that you give us, we fear that such a happy result is very doubtful. If the man has got the disease at present, marriage is out of the question.
Puzzled Reader.—You should eat well, keep warm, and take plenty of exercise. How to do these is the question. A mixed diet should always be taken. If your digestion is good, oatmeal and other coarse farinaceous food will help to keep you warm. If your digestion is faulty, bread and milk is better. Fat does help to keep you warm, and fat foods in moderation are by no means indigestible. Indeed, fat bacon is one of the most digestible of meats. Dress in warm but loose clothes. Your boots especially should be loose, but perfectly watertight and well lined. Wear warm loose woollen underclothing. Avoid any constrictions anywhere, such as tight garters, corsets, or collars. Take as much exercise as you can manage.