ANEURISM. 97 



form in which you take your iron. You might lead off with the pills we have 

 great faith in those pills and then go on to Prs. 2, 3, 6, and 7. 



Mineral waters containing iron undoubtedly do good in anaemia, especially when 

 you drink them at the source. Very likely the change of scene and the difference 

 in living have something to do with the improvement, for the quantity of mineral in 

 any of these waters is very small. You find " ferruginous " or " chalybeate " waters, 

 as they are called by people who like long names, at Pyrmont, Spa, Schwalback, 

 Tunbridge "Wells, Harrogate, and many other places. The waters of Sand Rock, 

 Isle of Wight, contain sulphate of iron, the salt of which those pills are made. 



And is it a fact that some people really can't take iron ? Well, we suppose it is 

 in fact, there can be no doubt about it. What does it do to them ? It upsets their 

 stomachs, and produces pain and fulness in the head. Do we know of anything that 

 will do them any good 1 Yes, but nothing which at all equals iron. They should try 

 the quinine or quinine and iron mixtures (Prs. 9 and 11). They often prove of great 

 benefit to the pale badly-fed inhabitants of large populous towns. Then there is the 

 hypophosphite of lime, of which we have spoken favourably. It usually does more good 

 in young than in old people. Phosphate of lime is useful in the anaemia of boys and 

 girls who have outgrown their strength. It is also of service in the case of women 

 weakened by rapid child-bearing, prolonged suckling, or excessive menstruation. 

 Sometimes small doses of arsenic (Pr. 40) will do good, especially when the anaemia 

 has arisen from an excessive discharge of some kind, and when it is accompanied by 

 shortness of the breath and excessive languor. Pulsatilla is indicated when the 

 periods are scanty or absent, when there is loss of appetite or taste, and when there 

 is a tendency to relaxed bowels. These remedies may, and probably will, do good, 

 but none of them are equal to iron, or will act with equal quickness and certainty. 



And is this all that there is to be done 1 ? Very nearly. There are certain 

 accessory measures, such as the morning tub, sea bathing, a good gallop across the 

 downs, and so on, but these would so obviously prove beneficial that we need not 

 refer to them at greater length. What about the headache and noises in the ears ? 

 These will take their departure as soon as you get rid of the anaemia. As we have 

 already said, the headache you suffer from before breakfast is due to faintness. Take 

 a cup of tea and a piece of toast, or a glass of rum and milk before getting out of 

 bed, and that will generally ward off the headache. When you get tired of plain rum 

 and milk try this : Dissolve in a little hot water over the fire a pinch of the best 

 isinglass, let it cool, and mix a dessert-spoonful of rum with it in a tumbler, and fill 

 up the glass with new milk. This gives a pleasant variety. 



ANEURISM. 



An aneurism is a tumour containing blood, either formed by the dilatation of an 

 artery, or communicating with an artery. It may occur on any artery in the body 

 but is more commonly found in the chest in connection with the aorta, the large 

 vessel which carries the blood from the heart. An aortic aneurism may vary much 

 in size, and it may at first be quite small and subsequently increase till it is half as 

 big as the fist. At first it is contained quite in the chest, so that nothing can be 

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