Natator.—There have been many explanations of the cause of cramp while bathing, and it is not yet definitely settled which, if any, of these is correct. The most probable theory is that cramp is due to over-distention and paralysis of the heart. According to this hypothesis, the contact of the skin with the cold water causes all the blood-vessels of the skin to contract and so force the blood which was contained in them into the internal vessels. As more blood than usual will be thus thrown into those vessels which are deeply situated, the blood pressure will rise greatly. The heart has to overcome this pressure before it can drive the blood through the body. But if the pressure is exceedingly high, the heart may be unable to overcome it—a condition which means instantaneous death. But there are two conditions in which cramp occurs whilst bathing. In the first way, the instant the bather enters the water she is struck down by cramp, and if help is not instantly forthcoming she dies in a few seconds. In the second case, the bather is all right till she has been in the water perhaps half an hour; she is then gradually seized with cramp. Let us see if we can reconcile both these conditions to our heart theory? The first is obvious from the above. In the second case we must presume that although the blood pressure is raised, still the heart, being healthy and strong, can overcome it. But after half an hour’s violent exercise the heart begins to tire, and is now no longer capable of working against the great resistance. This form of cramp is therefore more gradual than the first; but both forms are necessarily fatal unless timely help is at hand. Most of the other theories of cramp refer the condition to temporary derangements of the nervous system, but Broadbent, the greatest authority on the heart, is much in favour of the theory we have just enunciated.
Terror.—A bunion is an inflammation of the joint of the great toe. It is almost always due to the pressure of an ill-fitting boot. In the normal foot the great toe stands away from the other toes, and so, if boots were made to resemble the foot, the inner border would be either perfectly straight or slightly curved towards the middle line of the body. But cobblers have improved on Nature, and they make boots in which the inner border meets the outer border in a point. In consequence of this absurdity, the great toe is forced towards the other toes; its chief joint is partially dislocated and the ball of the toe forms a projection on the inner side. This ball is part of the joint, and so the side of the boot actually presses upon the joint itself. This the joint is unable to stand. A “bursa”—that is, a sort of water-cushion—is developed above the ball of the toe, and so protects the joint from pressure. This is Nature’s method of preserving the human foot from the ignorance and stupidity of its owner. But although Nature is very cute in her way, she is unable to cope with the owner of the foot, whose stupidity gets the better of the struggle, though her foot comes off very badly indeed. Nature has provided the above-mentioned water-cushion, but the boots are still tight and misshapen. The “water-cushion” now becomes inflamed, its edges get thickened, the joint underneath the water-cushion shares in the inflammation and becomes destroyed. This is a bunion. So, after all, Nature does get the better of it. She says she will not have joints distorted and pressed upon, and she has got her way, only she has had to destroy the joint altogether. The treatment of a bunion depends upon the stage of the disease. In the early stages merely wearing properly-shaped boots will undo the mischief. At a later date, a special boot with a special compartment for the great toe must be worn. In the last stages, nothing but a surgical operation—no less than cutting away the joint—will give relief. We cannot too strongly impress upon you the necessity of wearing rightly-shaped boots which do not distort the great toe. For a bunion is really a serious disease, and, moreover, if its cause is not removed, it is a progressive disease, and will leave you in the end either a cripple for life or with the necessity of having to submit to a surgical operation of moderate severity.
Curious.—Pepsin is obtained by scraping the stomach of a pig or calf. It is the chief digestive agent secreted by the gastric juice. Papain is a vegetable production, having much the same action as pepsin, but is not so likely to do harm when taken for indigestion. Peptone is the name given to the product of albumin (proteid) when completely digested. You will find an account of the digestion in any book on physiology.
“One of the Old Girls.”—We fear that we cannot answer your questions, for we never have given and never will give the address of any chemist, physician or herbalist, or of any professional or tradesmen whatsoever, in this column. As we know of no depilatory which is useful without being injurious, we could not answer your question under any circumstances. As a well-known physician once tersely put it, “There is no depilator which is not a delapidator.”
STUDY AND STUDIO.
Grace Darling.—1. If the friend whose verses you enclose is “only sixteen and has had a poor education,” her attempt does her credit. There are many defects in composition; for instance, in verse 5 the second person singular (thy) is interchanged with the plural (you). The emphasis on the second syllable of “cannot” (verse 1, line 2), is quite inadmissible, and we think a word must be omitted after “usual,” as that is not a substantive.—2. Your writing strikes us as very good; clear and legible, and likely, as you are only fifteen, to become more “formed” with practice.
Green-belle.—We cannot say that you should encourage your “little friend.” The verses you enclose are sentimental, and do not show poetic ability in any way. If she is, as your letter suggests, quite young, she should choose a different sort of theme when she wishes to attempt metrical composition.
S. M.—Life is long, and we cannot decree that you would never write well enough for publication; yet it would be unkind on our part to encourage you in any hope that we should be likely to publish your efforts. The little story in rhyme you enclose is pathetic, but many of the lines are halting. “And who” (line 23) is an ungrammatical expression where it stands. The composition of poetry that will find acceptance is no easy task, so you must not feel hurt by our criticism.
Faith (Western Australia).—1. Dr. Brewer informs us that the “Siamese Twins” were two youths, Eng and Chang, born of Chinese parents at Bang Mecklong. Their bodies were united by a band of flesh stretching from breast-bone to breast-bone.—2. Your quotation—