WEDNESDAY. APRIL 17. 1S63
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. OREGON
The Medical Roundup
Changing of the Guard, Walk In Subway Among Experiences
Emeritus Consultant In Medlctn
mayo Clinic
Emeritus Professur of Meduine
Mayo Clinic
(Register and Trlbuna syndicate.
(Ml)
Bleeping Plllt
When people write to ask
mc If they should take a
sleeping medicine when they
much need
one, I answer,
"Yes." If a
person has
any good
sense at all,
he will never
get a habit,
and If he
should get to
taking several
pills a night,
quit taking
vares
can easily
he
them
In all my 57 years of prac
tice, I have seen only a few
persons who wound up taking
overdoses of barbituates. And,
for every person I have seen
taking big doses of barbitu
ates, there arc hundreds who
should be taking a sleeping
medicine, but are too afraid
to take it.
Because of this reluctance
to take a sleeping pill many
people unwisely wait until
one or two o'clock in the
morning, and then take either
too strong a barbltuatc or
one with a long action. As
result, when the alarm goes
off at seven, the person has
a hangover.
When I get back to my
hotel after having given an
address before a large audi
ence, I am so kpyed up that
without the help of a seda
tive I would be unable to
sleep until perhaps 2 a.m. I
take a sleeping capsule right
away - perhaps at 10 o'clock.
Then, when 1 wake at 7, I
have no hangover.
If I were to take the favor
ite barbiturate of most people
- phcnobarbltal - I might feel
some dullness in the morning,
because this is one of the
longest - acting of all the
several barbiturates. There
arc others with much shorter
action.
Sometimes, if I tike a
short-acting drug, and wake
fully rested and wide-awake
at 3 a.m., then I will have to
take cither another short-
acting drug or a half-dose of
the drug I took to got to
sleep. Often, at 3 a.m. 1 must
take another capsule if I am
to sleep until seven.
Under Heavy Strain
Recently, 1 saw a very able
man who for a long time has
been under such heavy busi
ness strain that he has lost
all power of sleeping, and lies
awake nearly all night. His
wife said to mc, "If he docs
over to a phychiatrist who
would have put him for a few
weeks into a sanatorium
where the nurses would have
seen to it that he did get his
sleep, the fellow would not
have "gone over the edge,"
and would not then have had
to spend months in a mental
hospital.
Some of my doctor friends
brag that they have never
given a patient a sleep-maker,
and some say that barbitur
ates are as bad as morphine.
but I am sure they arc wrong.
Rarely in my long life have
I seen a bad addiction to bar
biturates, and then it was not
at all like an addiction to
morphine or heroin. When I
asked the person to quit tak
ing the barbiturate, he did so
easily, but asked, "How am
I going to sleep?"
The important thing many
of us physicians fail to note
is that when we find a person
taking half a dozen capsules
of some sleeping medicine
every night, the person is
very often a heavy drinker,
or has very little self-disci
pline; often he is also a chain
smoker or a chain coffee
I drinker and the sort of man
who never cares to go to bed
until 2 a.m.
Explaini Much
If you ask such a person
how many martinis he has to
take in order to get feeling
merry, he may say, "six or
seven." Tills explains much:
just as alchohol has lost its
effect on him, so have barbit
urates and other medicines.
To get to sleep lie has to take
a half-dozen capsules.
In the worst cases of this
tyrio, the action of barbitu
rates is reversed so that they
stimulate the brain instead
of quieting it. Then the per
son may have to be hospital
ized and given paraldehyde
or chloral or possibly one of
the antihistamine drugs that
make some persons sleepy.
Many drug-resistant peo
ple, and especially old peo
ple, will go to sleep on a
quart or two of beer, or a big
glass of port wine.
(Editor's Note: Charles
(Chuck) A. Moore, Jr.. son of
Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Moore,
1239 Watson dr.. Grants
Pais, it in London, Eng
land, in connection with
the Experiment in Interna
tional Living and Lewis
and Clark college. Port
land. This is another in
a series of dispatches from
Moore while he is in Eng
land and Europe.)
By CHARLES A. MOORE
Feb. 17: London- Well, so
far England is perfect. It is
just as cold as the experiment
promised, and the people do
all they can to remind mc of
that fact.
After breakfast the Seldons
and I climbed in the little ma
roon car. Some of the streets
are so narrow, cars choose
to zoom right down the mid
dle. We called for Douglas, and
then sped into town over the
Westminster bridge in full
view of the Parliament build
ings. Somewhere near Trafal
gar Square the car stopped
and all got out (back into the
cold with wind added this
time).
To ComirJtlee Meeting
Miss Scldon went to a com-
M
Your Money's
Worth
By SYLVIA PORTER
Copyright, Hell Syndicate, Inc.
Over the course of perhaps
several years, many middle
aged or elderly persons are
pulled down and aged by lit
tle dizzy or woozy spells,
Each of these "little strokes,"
as these spells are called, is
due to (he plugging-up of a
small artery In the brain. You
may obtain a copy of Dr.
Alvarez' booklet on "Little
Strokes" by sending 25 cents
not soon get some sleep, I and a stamped, self-addressed
fear for his reason." And she
was right.
I was Imprsscd, after study
ing the autobiographies of
many persons who had" crack
ed up nervously, (autobio
graphies which I wrote up in
my recently published book,
"Minds That Came Back"),
by the fact that in several of
those cases the mental upset
came utter six months or
more of severe insomnia. If,
during this period of sleep
lessness, the person could
only have gotten his doctor
to see tthe possible danger In
volved, and it the doctor had
been strongly apposed to giv
ing h Bleep-maker, or if the
doctor had turned the man
envelope with your request
to Dr. Walter C. Alvarez,
Dept, MMT, Box 957, Des
Moines 4, Iowa.
Animals Also Have
Individual Traits
Washington - IUPI) - Individ
uality is not exclusively a hu
man trait, reports the Phar
maceutical Manufacturers as
sociation. One proof: Texas scientists
found teetotalers, occasional
Imbibers and fulllinic drunks
among chickens offered beer.
Also found: gluttons, finnicky
eaters, athletic types and lazy
softies among rats In similar
tests.
NEW SI BILL
The SI bill in your pocket will be redesigned in its first
major overhaul in more than a quarter-century if this Con
gress passes legislation to cut the link between silver and
our paper currency and insiders believe the prospects for
the law are bright since the House Banking Committee
voted 18 to 1 for the move early this month.
Only twice in this century have there been significant
changes In our currency: in 1029, when the size of our paper
currency was reduced and in 1935 when the SI bill was
redesigned to carry the eye-topped pyramid on the reverse
side of the Great Seal along with Latin inscriptions from
Virgil's Aeneid. (The addition of "In God We Trust" to the
$1 bill in 1957 was a minor thing.)
Now would come the third important changea switch
from $1 silver certificates to gold-backed Federal Reserve
notes. Here's the story and the background for it.
First, take out a $1 bill from your pocket, look at the
inscription "silver certificate'' at the top, the words "one
dollar in .silver payable to the bearer on demand" at the
bottom. These words means you can redeem your bill at
the Treasury for silver and today over SI. 5 billion of our
outstanding $1 bills are silver certificates.
Under the proposed law, these notations would be
struck from all SI bills and other "distinguishing features"
to identify the new notes would be added. The portrait
of George Washington would not be changed nor would
the size, shape or color of the SI bill. But there would be
a new design the Treasury has prepared four hand-tooled
models to give Treasury Secretary Dillon a choice and
over the next 10 years, all the SI bills now in circulation
would be retired and replaced with the new Federal Re
serve notes.
Why this switch? The answer is that the Treasury's sup
ply of silver has been shrinking at a fast rate, as it has
needed increasing amounts of the metal to make coins
dimes, quarters, half-dollars and an acute shortage of silver
is on the horizon. The Treasury has on hand today less than
$1.6 billion of silver to back the SI. 5 billion of SI bill silver
certificates in circulation enough for now but not for later.
At the same time, the market price of silver has been
soaring, has gone above SI. 27 an ounce under pressure of
mounting demands. If the silver price rose above the
established monetary price of S1.29 an ounce less than 2
cents over the current market price it actually might be
come profitable to melt down coins for their silver content.
"We simply cannot allow such a situation to develop,"
Dillon warned the House Banking Committee before it voted
to permit the Treasury to switch from silver certificates to
Federal Reserve notes. "Obviously the public must have an
adequate supply of dollar bills which is not subject to being
constantly diminished as bills arc turned in for their silver
value. And it must have a supply of subsidiary coins which
are not apt constantly to be melted down for their silver
value."
Already, coins are in seriously short supply in several
areas, according to a recent survey for the Treasury by
Boston's Arthur D. Little Co. The shortage at Christmas
shopping lime was widespread and it is re-occurring be
cause businessmon are hoarding coins to protect themselves
against shortage, suburband shopping enters are slowing
down the rapid circulation of coins, vending machines tie
up large quantities for long periods, coin collectors these
days are collecting rolls, not just individual coins.
To cover these shortages, the mint must hike production
from 3.5 billion coins last year to 4.1 billion this year and
eventually to 9.6 billion by 1980, according to the A.D.
Little survey. And to get the silver for the dimes, quarters,
half-dollars, says Dilliun, il is "vitally important" that the
mint be able to use the metal now required to back the
silver certificates. This silver would supply the mint's needs
for about 15 years.
The odds arc excellent that the legislation will go through
and that means a ncwly-dcsigncd, gold-backed SI bill in
your pocket.
miltec meeting. The rest of
us proceeded to walk through
Trafalgar Square to St. James
Palace to view the changing
of the guard.
This ancient and honorable
ritual of the protectors of the
throne has undergone little
change since the days of the
ancients. There is one thing
that has changed. For in
stance, in the days of old the
guard protected the throne
and changed ceremoniously at
Buckingham Palace only
when the Royalty were in
residence. Today the Royal
ty are half way around the
world while their guard
changed here at St. James
Palace.
The ceremony is interesting
and impressive. I hope to see
it later in the spring at Buck
ingham when the guards are
not wearing their long, dark
coats.
One more note on the
' guards. Doug has lived in
London 15 years but had
never before seen the ceremony.
Warmer in Subway
Freezing in the wind, we
yielded to the sign, "It's
warmer in the subway," and
BR
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ment this week!
UCE BAUER LUMBER COMPANY
descended. Subways, of
course, are for walking. La
tor we reached the under
ground (subway for riding.)
The tube took us to New
Gate Station( which is just
at the bottom of Jcrmingham
road, and the bottom is no fig
ure of speech. This hill is
high.
When evening arrived, I
gladly received two warm
hotwater bottles (to which I
will later become addicted)
and two warm goodnights as
I ascended the stairs.
Feb. 18: Jcrmingham road,
as I discovered yesterday, as
cends a fairly steel hill. All
houses on the road are of a
three floor, Victorian style.
Those on the lower half are
separated with two houses to
a building. The upper half
contains more housing.
The row houses are identi
cal except for small items
such as the color or trimming
around doors. Thank World
War II for one thing. A bomb
dropped in next door and lev
eled several houses. This
caused modern flats, large
apartment style buildings, to
be built next door to my new
house. So, to find my house.
all I have to do is walk up, up
up until the identical row
housing is interrupted by
flats.
Flight of Stairs
The main entrance is up a
short flight of stairs and
through a door whose top half
is stained glass. We even have
stained windows of courtiers
in the dining room door. The
main entrance is not used due
to the rearrangement of the
house. We enter into the
kitchen on the ground floor.
No door knobs are found on
most outside doors here. Turn
the key, push the door open
and you are in.
There are three rooms and
a hall on the first floor. Ac
cording to their present uses
they are kitchen, breakfast
room, and dining room. The
hall parallels the stairs. My
bedroom on the second floor
is immense. It was originally
the drawing room. From the
third floor we have a ter
rific view of London.
Normally the Seldons heal
two rooms, dining and break
fast rooms. Kitchen and bath
receive some heat considera
tion. I have been told that
the average room is 60 de-
New Tube Tester Has
Built-in Conscience
I grccs. As a result, it is not I Louisvme, r.y. - 'im - -i
uncommon to find whole fam- j $400,000 tube tester built here
ilies huddled about the fire
place. Front Yard Landscapped
The front garden yard, is
very small but well landscap
ed with shrubs and flowers.
The back garden plot, 20 feet
by 90 feet, is in lawn with
flower beds bordering on
three sides. Right now the en
tire garden is covered with
snow.
About the Seldons: They
arc middle-aged, but young in
outlook. They are being sweet
to me and trying to make me
feel at home. One of Miss Sel
don's best traits is that she
evidently hates tins but likes
to cook. Did someone say the
English food is bad? It is
great. You'll hear no com
plaints from me.
Mr. Seldon, her brother,
comes home about 5:30 from
his work at the office of Delta
Motel. We have our evening
meal at that time. After the
meal comes the ritual of
washing up. Three is the mag-
for a Connecticut electronics
plant has a built-in conscience.
When the unit, built by
Votator division of Chcme
tron corporation, short - cir
cuits its 30,000-volt power sup
ply to avoid damaging costly
high - frequency tubes beinfj
tested, a special device pre
vents power surges from both
ering the neighbors' electrici
ty by clearing the fault
quicked than an eye-blink.
ENROLLMENT UP
Monmouth -JUPD- Spring en
rollment at Oregon College of
Education totaled 1,224. Regis
trar Jack D. Morton announc
ed today. The figure is a 12.2
per cent increase over spring
term a year ago.
REE-delicious j
Skhaut recipess
farm . , Mi. 8
number for this endeavor.
One urachnc , , r, trt rirvt and -
three puts away.
Dept. M S
P.O. Bw 2589, Portland 3, Ore.
Live Better Electrically
With PP's New Reduced
Rates!
""'''"jj
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by adding that new electric range, quick-recovery water heater or other electric
appliances you've been wanting.
The new rates, which went into effect March 22, include a block of 540 kilowatt
hours at just H per KWH. This is of particular benefit to water heating customers,
although equally available for any use you may wish.
Now is the time to see your electric appliance dealer. As always, dependable elec
tric service from Pacific Power & Light is your biggest value for better living.
,-r
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II:
765 South Riverside
Medford, Oregon