Theoretically cats and dogs are not supposed to need Vitamin C in their diets as humans do, because, like most animals, they manufacture the vitamin in their own livers.

However, when a dog or cat is not well you often see them biting the tender tops of grass — showing that they do need fresh vitamin-rich greens.- Their natural instinct is right.

Many dog and cat owners have found that their pets improve in health and vigour and their coats grow glossy when some Vitamin C rich product like the baby’s rose hip syrup is added to their diet.

The treatment of colds, distemper and kidney disease is improved by doses of C several times a day — about 100 to

250 mg at a time.

Here is another instance where experience pays better

than mere theory.

The term ‘peptic ulcer’ is given to an ulcer on the wall of the stomach or in the next part of the digestive tract, the duodenum. The latter is far more common than the form­er, but both are due to the pepsin in the acid gastric juice digesting away a surface area in the protein lining of the stomach and forming an ulcer. Free acid juice in the stomach irritates the ulcer and causes pain.

The presence of food of an non-irritating nature ab­sorbs the acid and pain is relieved.

This is a simple explanation of how the pain of an ulcer is caused and why it comes on some time after a meal when the food is practically all digested, leaving the juice in con­tact with the stomach wall; or the highly acid partially di­gested contents of the stomach are squirted through the pyloric valve onto the wall of the duodenum.

The aim of the old classical diets was to provide antacid powder or liquid with frequent small soft non-irritating meals every hour or two so that the stomach was never empty. The Sippy and Lenhartz diets of milk, eggs and cream and a little blanc mange, and others consisting largely of soft starchy foods had no Vitamin C and no healing properties at all.

On these diets ulcers would persist for years. A few ounces of orange or tomato juice were given daily in some diets, but I have heard patients complain that they could not take such ‘acid’ fruits as they increased the pain.

Although many medical papers pointed out that ulcer patients should receive adequate amounts of Vitamin C — its healing properties were ignored by doctors and hospitals advising day to day diets.

Nowadays doctors usually tell their patients to eat what they like in a normal diet, avoiding only foods too tough or highly spiced, and taking antacid and other acid-absorbing preparations after meals. There are, however, several ex­cellent preparations on the market designed to protect the ulcerated area.

But still the urgent need for ample C, the healing vitamin, is virtually ignored.

It is very important that ulcer patients receive ample Vitamin C not only for its healing properties, but also to prevent haemorrhage, as one of the first symptoms of the sub-scurvy state is a breakdown in capillary walls through which blood can ooze.

Vitamin C will also prevent the bleeding ulcers caused by such drugs as aspirin, cortisone and the anti­inflammatory drugs; while healing after gastric surgery is hastened by ample Vitamin C.

The great trouble in giving Vitamin C — ascorbic acid — to ulcer patients is its acidity. Many ulcer patients find even the partly buffered ascorbic acid tablets accentuate pain and indigestion . Protein coated tablets 500 mg which dissolve slowly in the stomach and gastro intestinal tract are now available, and do not cause irritation. There are also flavored crystals which are only faintly acid, 1 teaspoon dissolved in a small glass of water provides 1000 mg of Vitamin C.

The best way for the ulcer patient to take his Vitamin C, however, is as the neutralized salt of ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate. This is now available from many chemists as a white powder with a slightly alkaline taste. It is soluble in water and can be taken in any beverage. One rounded teaspoon equals three grams.

Suggested doses are half to one teaspoon dissolved in milk taken before each meal — that is 4Vz to 9 grams a day. Half a teaspoon dissolved in 56 ml of water is said to relieve the pain that so often distresses the ulcer patient when the stomach is empty.
*29/21/7*
No prescription pharmacy, Viagra, Cialis and Levitra

Vitamin C is used in modern treatment of schizophrenia and similar mental disturbances.

The most effective treatment of schizophrenia of all types was introduced by Drs Abram Hoffer and Humphrey Osmond in Saskatchewan, Canada, in 1945. It has proved successful in at least 75 per cent of cases and is now widely used in U.S.A. and other countries.

Schizophrenia — the commonest of all mental diseases — has been shown to be largely due to a special need for

Vitamin B3 (used as niacin, nicatinic acid or nicatinamide) and a relative deficiency of this vitamin. Amounts needed by these individuals cannot be obtained by diet alone.

The best results are obtained when an equal amount of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is given with the B3 — usually at least 3000 mg a day in divided doses. Each patient has individual needs and 6 to 8 grams and higher may have to be given until there is a spill over of ascorbic acid in the urine, before the symptoms subside.

Dr D. Hawkins, Director of one of the largest mental institutions in U.S.A., found that by adding this mega-vitamin treatment he doubled the recovery rate, halved the re-hospitalization rate and virtually eliminated self-destruction in dealing with schizophrenics, who have a suicide rate 22 times that of the general population.

The ascorbic acid appears to enhance the action of the B3 and the two vitamins are always given together, however long the course of the treatment — whether in institutions or at home.

In 1974 it was estimated that at least 1500 doctors and psychiatrists in U.S.A. were using these large doses of vitamins — especially B3 and C in the treatment of mental disease.

Dr Linus Pauling suggested at a London International Conference on Social Psychiatry in London in 1969 that an optimal intake of ascorbic acid could mean a 10 per cent improvement in physical and mental health.

‘What would be the consequences for the world’, he speculated, ‘if the national leaders and the people as a whole were to think just 10 per cent more clearly’.
*28/21/7*
Pharmacy information, compare service

Cradle cap appears as a crusty or scaly, oily covering on areas of the scalp, which looks unsightly, but does not seem to bother the baby at all. It begins soon after birth, and may last for several months if not treated appropriately.

Cause

The exact cause of cradle cap is not known, but it is thought to be related to the influence of the mother’s hormones, which still circulate in the baby’s bloodstream after birth.

Clinical features

Most often cradle cap appears as a pale yellow scale or crust (which has an oily texture) at the back or on the top of the head. It is difficult to peel off. The baby is not irritated by the rash, and it is not itchy or sore.

Treatment

Applying olive oil can help to soften the crusts, and this may be all that is needed. Make sure you wash the oil off after an hour or else it may aggravate the cradle cap. In addition, you may try using an antidandruff shampoo for several days, massaging the scalp firmly for 5 minutes. Try using a soft brush to gently lift out some of the scale. There are special preparations for cradle cap that you can buy across the counter from the chemist. When used as directed, they will clear up most cases of cradle cap in a short period of time.

When to see your doctor

• if the cradle cap does not improve after 2 weeks, despite these simple measures;

• if the rash is red or sore, or your baby is scratching at it;

• if the rash seems to be spreading;

• if you are in any doubt that the rash your baby has is cradle cap.

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In Australia 10% of toddlers receive medical attention for poisoning before their fourth birthday. One to 4 year olds have a very high risk of accidental poisoning, due to their inquisitive natures coupled with their lack of understanding of danger. The severity of the effects of poisoning depends on many factors, not just on the type of poison taken. The age, weight and health of the child, as well as the amount and strength of the poison, are all important factors.

There are many substances around the house which can be poisonous. These include medicines, household cleaners, alcoholic drinks, insecticides and plants. Australia also has more than its fair share of poisonous creatures which can inflict dangerous bites and stings.

Poisons can enter the body via various routes. They can be swallowed, breathed in, splashed in the eyes or on the skin, or transmitted via bites of venomous creatures. There are basic first aid measures for each of these circumstances It is well worth your while to read them now, so that you are prepared for any emergency.

The list given below of things to do will greatly reduce the likelihood of poisoning occurring. Read it now.

• Store medicines in their original containers and away from household products. Never store medicines in food or drink containers. If medicines need to be kept in the fridge, make sure you place them on the top shelf at the back. Seal them inside a separate container.

• Do not put several different medications into the same container.

• Check the label carefully on the product before using it so that you do not confuse one substance for another. Check expiry dates and dosages on medicines.

• Always use substances that have child resistant packaging.

• Do not take medicines in front of children — children tend to copy adults.

• Call medicines by their real name — they are not cute little lollies.

• Keep all handbags out of reach of children — they often contain medications.

• Do not let your child take someone else’s medications. Even one tablet may cause serious side effects.

• Clean out your medicine cabinet every three months, and take old medications to a pharmacy for disposal, or flush them properly down the toilet. Do not dispose of old medications in a rubbish bin.

• Never mix cleaning products together. Dangerous chemical reactions can occur.

• Rinse empty containers before discarding them.

• Make sure areas are well ventilated when using sprays, paints or volatile chemicals. Wear protective clothing, a mask and gloves.

• Keep all alcoholic drinks in a locked cabinet.

Always contact your doctor or Poisons Information Centre if you have any questions or concerns.

*6\90\8*

At those times when we are running cold, feeling defeated, inadequate, and passive, our sexual response reflects this life-style. We all run hot and cold at different times, and when we are cold, we

xperience a “learned helplessness,” a feeling that there is little hope, that the world does not live up to our expectations and that our efforts to do much about it are ineffective.

The neuroendocrine system reflects this life orientation and influences sexual response. Here is a list of the cold sexual problems, and remember, the person is not cold, but his or her life-style at this particular time is.

MALE

Diminished pre-ejaculatory fluid

Abbreviated orgasmic contractions

Absence of orgasmic contractions

Diminished F- and/or R-area sensitivity

Prolonged contemplation

Decreased arousal

Absence of psychasms

Diminished sexual interest

Lengthening of refractory period

FEMALE

Diminished lubrication

Abbreviated orgasmic contractions

Absence of orgasmic contractions

Diminished G- and/or C-area sensitivity

Prolonged contemplation

Decreased arousal

Absence of psychasms

Diminished sexual interest

Lengthening of refractory period

Talk with your spouse about the problems you are having or might like to avoid. Remember that you are trying to provide a working diagnosis, not a verdict. Talk as much about how you are living as how you are loving, for they are really one and the same.

*165\97\8*

Couples in the clinic were asked to become reacquainted with each other, to meet as if they were meeting for the first time. Using the Marital Intimacy Quotient, as a guide, try the following activity.

Meet as a whole family, kids included. An attention span of ten minutes is all that is required. Sit down once every other day for a week for eleven periods and discuss each of the eleven items. The entire family should know that Mom and Dad are beginning a program for strengthening their marriage and that everyone’s help is required, that everyone is an important part of the marital system.

The meetings are an excellent first step on the way to super marital sex and toward meaningful sex education for you children. Tape-record these brief sessions and listen to them at the end of this book. You may want to rescore yourself then, and you may be surprised to see the changes.

The couple you met at the beginning of this chapter was one of the thousand couples who went through the entire super marital sex program in my clinic. I met them again recently, and you will meet them again at the end of this book. I was visiting a patient on the cardiology unit and saw them standing hand in hand outside one of the hospital rooms.

“How have you been?” I asked.

“We’ve been just fine,” answered the husband. “We were visiting my uncle downstairs. We came up here to look at the sp0 where we got our second chance.”

I hope you won’t wait until the type of crisis this couple experienced before you take a second chance to pay attention to óîur marriage and begin to enhance the intimacy of your own relation ship.

*25\97\8*

The fully expanded lung is covered by a thin membrane called the pleura.

The inside of the chest wall is also covered with the same membrane and, between the two layers of pleura is a thin film of liquid which enables the two surfaces to glide smoothly over each other as the person breathes.

Pleurisy is inflammation of these pleural membranes.

In pneumothorax, air enters this potential cavity between the two pleural layers and air pressure causes the underlying lung to collapse.

In the past, an artificial pneumothorax was created in some cases of tuberculosis so as to collapse and rest the lung.

A pneumothorax may occur from a penetrating wound of the chest or it may arise spontaneously, usually as the result of rupture of a small bleb, or blister-like projection, on the lung surface.

This bulla or bleb is usually a small congenital abnormality. Rupture usually occurs in the teens or early twenties, and men suffer from it five times as commonly as women.

*533/71/1*

These bypass channels can be used on one or all three arteries.

There is no doubt that this type of operation can produce substantial benefits for the patient and can improve the quality of his life. Although results seem to indicate that this procedure can prolong life in those with coronary artery disease, there has not been sufficient time to prove it.

The main reason for surgery is severe angina that interferes with the reasonable quality of life and stops him from carrying out normal daily activities.

Operation is also considered in unstable angina. There are several states, coronary insufficiency, crescendo angina and Prinzmetal angina, where the condition appears to worsen over several days and may end in a complete block of the artery. Urgent operation is considered to prevent this catastrophe.

As a result of myocardial infarction, several structural complications may develop within the heart and affect the valves, the dividing septum or the wall of the chambers of the heart. Operation may be necessary to repair this damage and it may be opportune to carry out bypass surgery at the same time.

*277/71/1*