INFECTIVE DISEASES: POLIOMYELITIS OR INFANTILE PARALYSISFor many years infantile paralysis has been the most feared of all the crippling diseases that affect mankind. The year 1955 marked the turning point toward elimination of infantile paralysis as a threat, just as typhoid fever and smallpox have been eliminated. This has resulted from the work of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, which began raising funds for research on this disease in 1937. Up to that time the suspicion prevailed that this disease was caused by a virus, but the virus was not isolated. Today the viruses – there are several of them – have been isolated and grown in pure form outside the human body. For this work Enders and his associates received the Nobel Prize. When the virus could be grown outside the human body on monkey kidneys in pure form, the preparation of a vaccine was attempted by Dr. Jonas Salk and early experimentation indicated that the inoculation of a mixture of killed viruses would produce in a child resistance against infection with this disease. After pilot experiments a vast experiment was undertaken under the auspices of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis in which great numbers of children were inoculated and compared with a similar number who did not receive the inoculation. Once this effective experiment was reported on April 12, 1955, at Ann Arbor, Michigan, the vaccine was made available by various manufacturers throughout the United States. Subsequently the research of Dr. Albert Sabin resulted in the development of a vaccine made of living attenuated viruses of infantile paralysis. Both the Salk and Sabin vaccines are now available for protection. The number of cases of poliomyelitis in the United States decreased from a high of over 57,879 cases in 1952 to less than a thousand in 1962.For many years, mild, non-paralytic cases of infantile paralysis have been cared for suitably in the home. Unquestionably, however, the patient who has paralysis is far better off in the hospital than at home. In the hospital modern methods of treatment with hot packs, control of distortion due to weakened muscles, encouragement of recovery after paralysis and, particularly, the use of the respirator are made available. These may mean the difference between life and death.Not much seems to be gained by isolating every patient with infantile paralysis. Such patients can be cared for in general hospitals as well as in hospitals devoted exclusively to infectious diseases.Since the virus of infantile paralysis seems to be spread by excretions from the bowel, the excretions of patients should be considered infectious and should be disposed of with precautions that they do not spread contamination. Little seems to be gained by adding antiseptic substances to the excretions but disposal of the material in a suitable toilet and thorough cleansing of vessels, such as bedpans, are important.Because infantile paralysis is so widespread, particularly in the non-paralytic form, any disease with fever occurring in children and young adults in the summertime must be regarded with suspicion, particularly in times of epidemic. A competent doctor can diagnose the disease, and suitable care during the early stages is significant. Far too often patients in the early stages are submitted to pulling, manipulation, rubbing, and all sorts of energetic treatments which are likely to do more harm than good.As soon as there is a question that the patient may have poliomyelitis, bed-rest is important. The patient without paralysis must be confined to bed for at least three or four days after the temperature has returned to normal.Most orthopedic specialists recommend the firm, hard bed from the beginning. The muscle tightness and paralysis can be helped by a suitable bed. The bed should be fitted with a foot-board which is placed several inches beyond the mattress and allows room for pressure by the heels or toes of the patient when the patient lies on the back or on the stomach. This foot-board also protects the legs from the pressure of bed clothing and gives opportunity to avoid muscle weakness by such use as can be made of the limbs. If the legs are weak, the knees are usually supported in a slightly relaxed position.Since poliomyelitis is such a frightening disease, the doctor must do everything that he can to prevent fear and terror on the part of the infected child or of the parents. Early in the disease the whole family must be adjusted to the fact that there is a medical problem. Such attention given early in the condition is likely to avoid nervous and psychotic disturbances at a later date.In the early stages, infantile paralysis is treated exactly as one would treat other infectious diseases, like measles, scarlet fever, or whooping cough. The treatment is usually rest in bed with a light diet but particularly with good nursing care.During the early stages of inflammation, the patient must be provided with relief from pain. The use of moist heat is now considered most effective, including the application of hot baths for small children or for older ones, and the hot packs applied for thirty-minute periods every four to six hours. The extreme ritual developed by recent techniques is not absolutely necessary. If patients revolt against hot packs, they should be discontinued.*19/318/5*

THE OTHER SIDE OF SLEEP: DIVERGENT VIEWS ON THE ROLE OF DREAMING IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURYIn the nineteenth century, philosophers held widely divergent views on the role of dreaming. Some decried dreams as pointless and irritating, describing them as psychological activity that is “transported from the brain of a reasonable man into that of a fool”; others looked on them as nothing more than a degradation of the intellectual and rational capacity of the mind. Immanuel Kant ascribed an important biological role to dreams, believing them responsible for stimulating and regulating the function of “vital organs” such as the digestive system. (Conversely, Dickens’s Scrooge attributes the appearance of Marley’s ghost to a “fragment of an underdone potato” or an “undigested bit of beef”—”There’s more of gravy than of grave about you whatever you are,” he chuckles.) Nietzsche believed passionately that dreams were an integral part of our psychological makeup, exclaiming that “nothing contains more of your own work than your dreams! Nothing belongs to you so much!”*284\226\8*

ASTHMA CASE: DOROTHY, THE ‘MILD’ ASTHMATICDorothy, a 25-year-old secretary, was a busy woman — her work days were never dull. One particular Thursday her workload was heavier than usual. The hectic pace did not stop all day and by mid-afternoon Dorothy was beginning to feel the pressure. She noticed that she was becoming a little breathless even when sitting at her desk.’You are only a mild asthmatic,’ she had been told by her doctor. ‘Take a few puffs of Ventolin when you need it and you will be all right.’ During the many years she suffered from asthma, Dorothy had to be hospitalised for a severe attack only twice, the last time being five years before. She was prescribed cortisone at the time, but after a while she stopped taking it. The nature of her asthma was quite capricious. More of a nuisance really, most of the time, with only an occasional day when she felt a degree of respiratory distress. This was more likely to happen if she engaged in strenuous physical activities or spent some time in a polluted environment.Dust was her enemy. Every time she used a vacuum cleaner or found herself anywhere with a lot of dust in the air, she needed to use Ventolin. Smoke-filled bars, discos and parties were also a problem. Still, she liked to have fun and when she contemplated any of those activities she started to use her puffer even before venturing out of her flat. Naturally, things would get worse at certain times of the year. Spring, in particular, always gave her respiratory problems and she needed Ventolin several times daily then.Since her mother was coming to stay, Dorothy decided to give her flat a thorough spring cleaning. Rushing home from work on Thursday and Friday nights, she did just that. The carpet got vacuumed, the curtains cleaned, the bed well made and all the clothes put neatly away. Even the bath got a much-needed scrubbing.Her breathing was giving Dorothy trouble. She bought a new puffer, just in case, and used Ventolin several times during the day on Friday.After the last of the house-cleaning was done, Dorothy was exhausted. She went to bed after taking several puffs of Ventolin.At the airport where she went to meet her mother next morning, the air was even more foul-smelling than usual. Jet fuel fumes, she thought, and took another puff. By the time her mother arrived, Dorothy was beginning to have serious difficulties with her breathing. Fighting to get air out of her lungs so she could breathe again, she was getting so tired from the effort she felt she needed even more Ventolin. But this time it didn’t seem to work as well as usual. She felt a sense of panic rising to her throat. Her heart started to race uncontrollably and tears were streaming down her face. Her mother called an ambulance and Dorothy was rushed to hospital. By the time she arrived there she was blue-grey and barely conscious. The medical staff at the intensive care unit went to work with their usual efficient alacrity and saved her life. Dorothy came very close to joining the nearly ten thousand people who died from asthma that year.Why the near tragedy?Dorothy’s case, terrible as it may sound, is by no means unusual. Far too many people have actually died under similar circumstances, and unnecessarily so. The situation can be avoided.*18\145\2*

Some people still consider whooping cough to be a minor ailment, giving little thought to the distressing, hacking cough. It is, how­ever, very important to give special attention to whooping cough, since it can cause serious complications if it is not treated properly, and may lead to permanent damage. There are a number of herbal and homoeopathic remedies for whooping cough and parents should not fail to make use of these natural treatments. Although no specific medicine exists that arrests and cures the illness com­pletely in a given time, these remedies can reduce the intensity and duration of the attacks. First, the toxins of the pathogenic organ­isms have to be eliminated, as in all infectious diseases. It is also useful to do something about the patient’s physical weakness so as not to encourage other infections. Whooping cough is usually followed by another illness, which is why it is important to build up the patient’s general state of health as a prevention. In milder cases, the spasms will disappear after a few days.
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This is another frequent but usually harmless childhood disease. The commonest site of trouble is in the parotid glands, but in the case of boys, the testicles and epididymis may also be affected. Serious complications can ensue when the disease is contracted by an adult male and the essential tissue of the testicles is destroyed, resulting in sterility.

An internal remedy for mumps is Mercurius solubilis 10x; 2-3 drops or one tablet should be taken every 2-3 hours. Aconitum 4x and Belladonna 4x should be taken in alternation every half hour (also 2-3 drops). Compresses with whey concentrate (Molko-san) applied to the calves are very helpful, but only when the feet are kept warm. Hip baths (sitz baths), the temperature of which should be gradually increased from 36 °C to 44 °C (97 °F to 110°F), are also excellent; after the bath the patient should be wrapped in warm blankets. If the child’s bowels are not working properly, Arabic plant essence (Arabiaforce) is very good, but in more stubborn cases it may be necessary to give an enema. To ease the pain, apply warm compresses to the affected areas, adding a few drops of arnica or calendula (marigold) extract to the water. Make sure to let the child gargle with a weak solution of Molkosan. Another remedy which has proved itself over and over again is hot St John’s wort oil. Saturate a cloth with the hot oil, or better still, mix potter’s clay with St. John’s wort oil, then apply to the inflamed area and cover with a very hot water bottle. This will soothe and heal. To complete the cure, give one tablet of Silicea 12x (silica) three times a day.
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Cause

Molluscum contagiosum is a common viral skin infection. It is most common amongst children, but can also affect adolescents and adults. It is spread via direct skin contact with an infected person. The incubation period can be up to 2 months.

Clinical features

Molluscum contagiosum is characterised by clusters of small pinkish lumps with pits in the centre, which contain a hard, cheesy substance. They vary in size, but can reach up to 5 mm in diameter. They are usually found on the face, neck or buttocks.

This infection usually clears up naturally after a year or two but, because of its contagious nature, it is wise to discuss treatment with your doctor. The simplest procedure is freezing the lumps with liquid nitrogen, or simply piercing the centre with a sterile needle and squeezing out the contents. The latter should be done by your doctor. The use of benzoyl peroxide solution can help to prevent spread.

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Grandparents play an important role in a child’s life. They provide the child with love, and may have more time to spend with him than parents, who are often both working. In turn, a grandchild can provide grandparents with much happiness and fulfilment. Elderly people, who may be retired, and especially those who are ill or lonely, may find that the child fills a void for them and adds meaning to their lives.

The benefits to the child of spending time with his grandparents are enormous. He may learn values and priorities from them that he cannot learn from his parents. They may encourage him to be aware of certain important cultural and family traditions, broadening his outlook, and providing him with a sense of his place in history. Besides all this, grandchildren and grandparents can simply have a lot of fun together!

Sometimes disagreements can occur between parents and grandparents about various aspects of the child’s upbringing. It is best if these issues are resolved early on in order to avoid ongoing tension.

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Go to a well-stocked bookstore and select two hardcover books. Pure fiction only. No “how to do its.” Buy two different color markers and underline interesting parts of the first of the books you read. If you don’t have time to read, you are too stressed and must make more time before you make more love. Make time to talk about the books and the sections that are underlined. Notice your partner’s underlines when you exchange books. Wonder why he or she underlined a given section, how he or she might have felt when reading that particular part.

One husband said, “I noticed at every hotel we stayed at that the women would be reading books more than the men. Just taking time to read nonfiction was a major step, but to read my novel and hers and discuss the same books was a first for us. I got so I felt I was reading along with her when I read the book she underlined.”

“I found it that way, too,” responded his wife. “The worst part was finding time to read. We had to struggle with that, but as you said, that was part of the sig, to use the reading requirements as a test of whether we would make the time for each other.”

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