Fashion Health Dictionary

An out-of-date description for a symptom (or symptoms) with no obvious organic cause, which is an unconscious reaction and from which the person may bene?t. It is now recognised as a dissociative disorder: such disorders – AMNESIA, FUGUE, multiple personality states and trancelike conditions – are powerful defence mechanisms against severe stress when a patient is unable to cope with a particular problem or problems. Symptoms can also mimic physical conditions: for example, apparent paralysis or inability to speak (mutism). Mass hysteria is a phenomenon characterised by extreme suggestibility in a group of often emotionally charged people.

The name originates from the ancient idea that hysteria – a Greek-based word for ‘UTERUS’

– was in some way associated with the womb. Hence the old-fashioned association of hysteria with women, and with supposed sexual disturbances. Doctors should make sure there is not a physical disease present to explain the symptoms before diagnosing a dissociative disorder. Most subside spontaneously, but if not, the individual needs psychiatric advice. Treatment is di?cult. Reasons for stress should be explored and, if possible, resolved. Hypnosis (see HYPNOTISM) to help the person to relive stressful episodes – known as ABREACTION – may be of value.... hysteria

The general term used to refer to a malignant TUMOUR, irrespective of the tissue of origin. ‘Malignancy’ indicates that (i) the tumour is capable of progressive growth, unrestrained by the capsule of the parent organ, and/or (ii) that it is capable of distant spread via lymphatics or the bloodstream, resulting in development of secondary deposits of tumour known as ‘metastases’. Microscopically, cancer cells appear different from the equivalent normal cells in the affected tissue. In particular they may show a lesser degree of di?erentiation (i.e. they are more ‘primitive’), features indicative of a faster proliferative rate and disorganised alignment in relationship to other cells or blood vessels. The diagnosis of cancer usually depends upon the observation of these microscopic features in biopsies, i.e. tissue removed surgically for such examination.

Cancers are classi?ed according to the type of cell from which they are derived as well as the organ of origin. Hence cancers arising within the bronchi, often collectively referred to as ‘lung cancer’, include both adenocarcinomas, derived from epithelium (surface tissue), and carcinomas from glandular tissue. Sarcomas are cancers of connective tissue, including bone and cartilage. The behaviour of cancers and their response to therapy vary widely depending on this classi?cation as well as on numerous other factors such as how large the cancer is, how fast the cells grow and how well de?ned they are. It is entirely wrong to see cancer as a single disease entity with a universally poor prognosis. For example, fewer than one-half of women in whom breast cancer (see BREASTS, DISEASES OF) is discovered will die from the disease, and 75 per cent of children with lymphoblastic LEUKAEMIA can be cured.

Incidence In most western countries, cancer is the second most important cause of death after heart disease and accounts for 20–25 per cent of all deaths. In the United Kingdom in 2003, more than 154,000 people died of malignant disease. There is wide international variation in the most frequently encountered types of cancer, re?ecting the importance of environmental factors in the development of cancer. In the UK as well as the US, carcinoma of the BRONCHUS is the most common. Since it is usually inoperable at the time of diagnosis, it is even more strikingly the leading cause of cancer deaths. In women, breast cancer was for a long time the most common malignant disease, accounting for a quarter of all cancers, but ?gures for the late 1990s show that lung cancer now heads the incidence list – presumably the consequence of a rising incidence of smoking among young women. Other common sites are as follows: males – colon and rectum, prostate and bladder; females – colon and rectum, uterus, ovary and pancreas.

In 2003, of the more than 154,000 people in the UK who died of cancer, over 33,000 had the disease in their respiratory system, nearly 13,000 in the breast, over 5,800 in the stomach and more than 2,000 in the uterus or cervix, while over 4,000 people had leukaemia. The incidence of cancer varies with age; the older a person is, the more likely it is that he or she will develop the disease. The over-85s have an incidence about nine times greater than those in the 25–44 age group. There are also di?erences in incidence between sexes: for example, more men than women develop lung cancer, though the incidence in women is rising as the effects of smoking work through. The death rate from cancer is falling in people under 75 in the UK, a trend largely determined by the cancers which cause the most deaths: lung, breast, colorectal, stomach and prostate.

Causes In most cases the causes of cancer remain unknown, though a family history of cancer may be relevant. Rapid advances have, however, been made in the past two decades in understanding the di?erences between cancer cells and normal cells at the genetic level. It is now widely accepted that cancer results from acquired changes in the genetic make-up of a particular cell or group of cells which ultimately lead to a failure of the normal mechanisms regulating their growth. It appears that in most cases a cascade of changes is required for cells to behave in a truly malignant fashion; the critical changes affect speci?c key GENES, known as oncogenes, which are involved in growth regulation. (See APOPTOSIS.)

Since small genetic errors occur within cells at all times – most but not all of which are repaired – it follows that some cancers may develop as a result of an accumulation of random changes which cannot be attributed to environmental or other causes. The environmental factors known to cause cancer, such as radiation and chemicals (including tar from tobacco, asbestos, etc.), do so by increasing the overall rate of acquired genetic damage. Certain viral infections can induce speci?c cancers (e.g. HEPATITIS B VIRUS and HEPATOMA, EPSTEIN BARR VIRUS and LYMPHOMA) probably by inducing alterations in speci?c genes. HORMONES may also be a factor in the development of certain cancers such as those of the prostate and breast. Where there is a particular family tendency to certain types of cancer, it now appears that one or more of the critical genetic abnormalities required for development of that cancer may have been inherited. Where environmental factors such as tobacco smoking or asbestos are known to cause cancer, then health education and preventive measures can reduce the incidence of the relevant cancer. Cancer can also affect the white cells in the blood and is called LEUKAEMIA.

Treatment Many cancers can be cured by surgical removal if they are detected early, before there has been spread of signi?cant numbers of tumour cells to distant sites. Important within this group are breast, colon and skin cancer (melanoma). The probability of early detection of certain cancers can be increased by screening programmes in which (ideally) all people at particular risk of development of such cancers are examined at regular intervals. Routine screening for CERVICAL CANCER and breast cancer (see BREASTS, DISEASES OF) is currently practised in the UK. The e?ectiveness of screening people for cancer is, however, controversial. Apart from questions surrounding the reliability of screening tests, they undoubtedly create anxieties among the subjects being screened.

If complete surgical removal of the tumour is not possible because of its location or because spread from the primary site has occurred, an operation may nevertheless be helpful to relieve symptoms (e.g. pain) and to reduce the bulk of the tumour remaining to be dealt with by alternative means such as RADIOTHERAPY or CHEMOTHERAPY. In some cases radiotherapy is preferable to surgery and may be curative, for example, in the management of tumours of the larynx or of the uterine cervix. Certain tumours are highly sensitive to chemotherapy and may be cured by the use of chemotherapeutic drugs alone. These include testicular tumours, LEUKAEMIA, LYMPHOMA and a variety of tumours occurring in childhood. These tend to be rapidly growing tumours composed of primitive cells which are much more vulnerable to the toxic effects of the chemotherapeutic agents than the normal cells within the body.

Unfortunately neither radiotherapy nor currently available chemotherapy provides a curative option for the majority of common cancers if surgical excision is not feasible. New e?ective treatments in these conditions are urgently needed. Nevertheless the rapidly increasing knowledge of cancer biology will almost certainly lead to novel therapeutic approaches – including probably genetic techniques utilising the recent discoveries of oncogenes (genes that can cause cancer). Where cure is not possible, there often remains much that can be done for the cancer-sufferer in terms of control of unpleasant symptoms such as pain. Many of the most important recent advances in cancer care relate to such ‘palliative’ treatment, and include the establishment in the UK of palliative care hospices.

Families and patients can obtain valuable help and advice from Marie Curie Cancer Care, Cancer Relief Macmillan Fund, or the British Association of Cancer United Patients.

www.cancerbacup.org.uk

www.mariecurie.org.uk... cancer

The surgical excision of the bladder (see URINARY BLADDER). When this is done – usually to treat cancer of the bladder – an alternative means of collecting urine from the KIDNEYS must be arranged. The URETERS of the kidney can be transplanted into a loop of bowel which is brought to the surface of the abdomen to form a STOMA that exits into an externally worn pouch. The latest surgical technique is to fashion a substitute bladder from a section of intestine and to implant the ureters into it, thus allowing the patient to void urine through the urethra as normal.... cystectomy

(American) An old-fashioned woman

Edrinah, Edryna, Edrynah, Edreena, Edreenah... edrina

An extract of an herb that is made according to official (and unofficial) pharmaceutical practice, with a strength of 1:1. That means each ounce of the fluidextract has the solutes found in an ounce of the dried herb. Advantageous for some herbs (such as Arctium or Taraxacum), where the active constituents retain the same proportions as in the plant, even though reduced to a very small volume of menstruum, it is deadly for others (such as Hydrastis or Lobelia), whose constituents may have wildly varying solubility, and whose fluidextract will contain only the most soluble constituents and lack others completely. The gradual disappearance of herbal preparations in Standard Medicine in the 1930s can partly be attributed to the almost complete reliance on fluidextracts. Some manufacturers (notably Lilly and SK&F) sold Tinctures (1:5 strength and meant to, at the least, contain EVERYTHING in the plant) that were made from diluted fluidextracts. Some fluidextracts were even made from dilutions of what were termed Solid Extracts....heat-evaporated tars, easy to store, easy to make in huge labor-minimal batches, where 100 pounds of Blue Cohosh could be reduced to 25 pounds of solid extract. This convenience pitch, with many constituents oxidized by heat, others never even extracted, could be diluted four times to sell as a fluidextract, TWENTY time to market as a tincture. These practices by American pharmaceutical manufacturers, with eyes perhaps on the larger drug trade (the use of crude drugs being a diminished part of their commerce, yet needing MANY different preparations...and being labor-intensive and profit-minimal...and sort of old-fashioned) ended up supplying terminally impaired products. Their value being reduced, physicians relied more and more on mainstream pharmaceuticals...and the medical use of whole plant preparations died.... fluidextract

A group of disorders of the eye characterised by the intraocular pressure being so high as to damage the nerve ?bres in the retina and the optic nerve (see EYE) as it leaves the eye en route to the brain. The affected person suffers limitation of the ?eld of vision and on examination the optic disc can be seen to be cupped. The clinical signs depend on the rate and extent of rise in pressure.

Individuals most at risk have a family history of GLAUCOMA (especially among siblings), are myopic (short-sighted), or have diabetic or thyroid eye disease. People with a strong family history of the disease should have regular eye checks, including tonometry, from the age of 35 years.

Glaucoma is usually classi?ed as being either open-angle glaucoma or narrow-angle glaucoma.

Open-angle glaucoma is a chronic, slowly progressive, usually bilateral disorder. It occurs in one in 200 of people over 40 and accounts for 20 per cent of those registered blind in Great Britain. Symptoms are virtually non-existent until well into the disease, when the patient may experience visual problems. It is not painful. The characteristic ?ndings are that the intraocular pressure is raised (normal pressure is up to 21 mm Hg) causing cupping of the optic disc and a glaucomatous visual-?eld loss. The angle between the iris and the cornea remains open. Treatment is aimed at decreasing the intraocular pressure initially by drops, tablets and intravenous drug administration. Surgery may be required later. A trabeculectomy is an operation to create a channel through which ?uid can drain from the eye in a controlled fashion in order to bring the pressure down.

Narrow-angle glaucoma affects one in 1,000 people over 40 years of age and is more common in women. Symptoms may start with coloured haloes around street lights at night. These may then be followed by rapid onset of severe pain in and around the eye accompanied by a rapid fall in vision. One eye is usually affected ?rst; this alerts the surgeon so that action can be taken to prevent a similar attack in the other eye. Treatment must be started as an emergency with a topical beta blocker (see BETA-ADRENOCEPTOR-BLOCKING DRUGS) in eye drops with other drugs such as ADRENALINE or pilocarpine added as necessary. Dorzolamide, a topical anhydrase inhibitor, can also be used. ACETAZOLAMIDE, also an anhydrase inhibitor, can be given by mouth. In an emergency before surgery, MANNITOL can be given through an intravenous infusion; this is followed by surgery to prevent recurrence. Acute narrow-angle glaucoma occurs because the peripheral iris is pushed against the back of the cornea. This closes o? the angle between iris and cornea through which aqueous humour drains out of the eye. Since the aqueous humour cannot drain away, it builds up inside the eye causing a rapid increase in pressure.

Various types of LASER treatment – trabeculoplasty (‘burning’ the trabecular network); iridotomy (cutting holes to relieve pressure); and ciliary-body ablation by ‘burning’ – are sometimes used in preference to surgery.... glaucoma

(Ugli fruit)

Nutritional Profile Energy value (calories per serving): Low Protein: Low Fat: Low Saturated fat: Low Cholesterol: None Carbohydrates: High Fiber: Moderate Sodium: Low Major vitamin contribution: Vitamin A, vitamin C Major mineral contribution: Potassium

About the Nutrients in This Food Grapefruit and ugli fruit (a cross between the grapefruit and the tangerine) have moderate amounts of dietary fiber and, like all citrus fruits, are most prized for their vitamin C. Pink or red grapefruits have moderate amounts of vitamin A. One-half medium (four-inch diameter) pink grapefruit has 1.4 g dietary fiber, 1,187 IU vitamin A (51 percent of the R DA for a woman, 40 percent of the R DA for a man), and 44 mg vitamin C (59 percent of the R DA for a woman, 49 percent of the R DA for a man). One half medium (3.75-inch diameter) white grapefruit has 1.3 g dietary fiber, 39 IU vitamin A (2 percent of the R DA for a woman, 1 percent of the R DA for a man), and 39 mg vitamin C (52 percent of the R DA for a woman, 43 percent of the R DA for a man). Pink and red grapefruits also contain lycopene, a red carotenoid (plant pigment), a strong antioxidant that appears to lower the risk of cancer of the prostate. The richest source of lycopene is cooked tom atoes.

The Most Nutritious Way to Serve This Food Fresh fruit or fresh-squeezed juice.

Buying This Food Look for: Firm fruit that is heavy for its size, which means that it will be juicy. The skin should be thin, smooth, and fine-grained. Most grapefruit have yellow skin that, depending on the variety, may be tinged with red or green. In fact, a slight greenish tint may mean that the grapefruit is high in sugar. Ugli fruit, which looks like misshapen, splotched grapefruit, is yellow with green patches and bumpy skin. Avoid: Grapefruit or ugli fruit with puff y skin or those that feel light for their size; the flesh inside is probably dry and juiceless.

Storing This Food Store grapefruit either at room temperature (for a few days) or in the refrigerator. Refrigerate grapefruit juice in a tightly closed glass bottle with very little air space at the top. As you use up the juice, transfer it to a smaller bottle, again with very little air space at the top. The aim is to prevent the juice from coming into contact with oxygen, which destroys vitamin C. (Most plastic juice bottles are oxygen-permeable.) Properly stored and protected from oxygen, fresh grapefruit juice can hold its vitamin C for several weeks.

Preparing This Food Grapefruit are most flavorful at room temperature, which liberates the aromatic molecules that give them their characteristic scent and taste. Before cutting into the grapefruit, rinse it under cool running water to flush debris off the peel. To section grapefruit, cut a slice from the top, then cut off the peel in strips—starting at the top and going down—or peel it in a spiral fashion. You can remove the bitter white membrane, but some of the vitamin C will go with it. Finally, slice the sections apart. Or you can simply cut the grapefruit in half and scoop out the sections with a curved, serrated grapefruit knife.

What Happens When You Cook This Food Broiling a half grapefruit or poaching grapefruit sections reduces the fruit’s supply of vitamin C, which is heat-sensitive.

How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food Commercially prepared juices. How well a commercially prepared juice retains its vitamin C depends on how it is prepared, stored, and packaged. Commercial flash-freezing preserves as much as 95 percent of the vitamin C in fresh grapefruit juices. Canned juice stored in the refrigerator may lose only 2 percent of its vitamin C in three months. Prepared, pasteurized “fresh” juices lose vitamin C because they are sold in plastic bottles or waxed-paper cartons that let oxygen in. Commercially prepared juices are pasteurized to stop the natural enzyme action that would otherwise turn sugars to alcohols. Pasteurization also protects juices from potentially harmful bacterial and mold contamination. Following several deaths attributed to unpas- teurized apple juices containing E. coli O157:H7, the FDA ruled that all fruit and vegetable juices must carry a warning label telling you whether the juice has been pasteurized. Around the year 2000, all juices must be processed to remove or inactivate harmful bacteria.

Medical Uses and/or Benefits Antiscorbutic. All citrus fruits are superb sources of vitamin C, the vitamin that prevents or cures scurvy, the vitamin C-deficiency disease. Increased absorption of supplemental or dietary iron. If you eat foods rich in vitamin C along with iron supplements or foods rich in iron, the vitamin C will enhance your body’s ability to absorb the iron. Wound healing. Your body needs vitamin C in order to convert the amino acid proline into hydroxyproline, an essential ingredient in collagen, the protein needed to form skin, ten- dons, and bones. As a result people with scurvy do not heal quickly, a condition that can be remedied with vitamin C, which cures the scurvy and speeds healing. Whether taking extra vitamin C speeds healing in healthy people remains to be proved. Possible inhibition of virus that causes chronic hepatitis C infection. In Januar y 2008, research- ers at Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Engineering in Medicine (Boston) published a report in the medical journal Hepatology detailing the effect of naringenin, a compound in grapefruit, on the behavior of hepatitis viruses in liver cells. In laborator y studies, naringenin appeared to inhibit the ability of the virus to multiply and/or pass out from the liver cells. To date, there are no studies detailing the effect of naringenin in human beings with hepatitis C.

Adverse Effects Associated with This Food Contact dermatitis. The essential oils in the peel of citrus fruits may cause skin irritation in sensitive people.

Food/Drug Interactions Aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen and others. Taking aspirin or NSAIDs with acidic foods such as grapefruit may intensif y the drug’s ability to irritate your stomach and cause gastric bleeding. Antihistamines, anticoagulants, benzodiazepines (tranquilizers or sleep medications), calcium channel blockers (blood pressure medication), cyclosporine (immunosuppressant drug used in organ transplants), theophylline (asthma drug). Drinking grapefruit juice with a wide variety of drugs ranging from antihistamines to blood pressure medication appears to reduce the amount of the drug your body metabolizes and eliminates. The “grapefruit effect” was first identified among people taking the antihypertensive drugs felodipine (Plendil) and nifedip- ine (Adalat, Procardia). It is not yet known for certain exactly what the active substance in the juice is. One possibility, however, is bergamottin, a naturally occurring chemical in grapefruit juice known to inactivate cytochrome P450 3A4, a digestive enzyme needed to convert many drugs to water-soluble substances you can flush out of your body. Without an effective supply of cytochrome P450 3A4, the amount of a drug circulating in your body may rise to dangerous levels. Reported side effects include lower blood pressure, increased heart rate, headache, flushing, and lightheadedness. Some Drugs Known to Interact with Grapefruit Juice* Drug Class  Generic (Brand name) Antianxiety drug  Diazepam ( Valium) Antiarrhythmics  Amiodarone (Cordarone) Blood-pressure drugs  Felodipine (Plendil), nicardipine (Cardene), nimodipine (Nimotop), nisoldipine (Sular), verapamil ( Verelan) Cholesterol-lowering drugs  Atorvastatin (Lipitor), lovastatin (Mevacor), simvastatin (Zocor), simvastatin/ezetimibe ( Vytorin) Immune Suppressants  Cyclosporine (Neoral), tacrolimus (Prograf ) Impotence Drug  Sildenafil ( Viagra) Pain Medication Methadone (Dolophine, Methadose) * This list may grow as new research appears.... grapefruit

(Spanish) A fashionable woman Presciliann, Prescilianne... prescilian

A gene in a cell that regulates cell growth and development in an orderly fashion. If a protooncogene mutates, it can give rise to cancer by causing growth without the normal controls. The proto-oncogene is then called an oncogene.... proto-oncogene

Spasm of the pyloric portion of the STOMACH. This interferes with the passage of food in a normal, gentle fashion into the intestine, causing the pain that comes on from half an hour to three hours after meals; it is associated with severe disorders of digestion. It is often produced by an ulcer of the stomach or duodenum.... pylorospasm

A plant compound containing one or more alcohols or sugars and a biologically active compound. The sugar part is called a glycone, the other stuff is called an aglycone. The important things to remember about some glycosides is that they may pass through much of the intestinal tract, with the hydrolysis of the molecule only occurring in the brush borders of the small intestine. The result is that the bioactive part, the aglycone, is absorbed directly into the bloodstream, and is often not floating around the intestinal tract contents at all. Quinones are irritating and even toxic when ingested, but when taken as glycosides, they are absorbed directly into the bloodstream, where they are not dangerous (in moderation), and get excreted in the urine, where they inhibit infections. Plants like Madrone, Uva Ursi, and Manzanita work in this fashion. Some plant-derived heart medicines are only safe in proper doses because they, too, are glycosides, and they can be carried safely bound to proteins in the bloodstream, whereas if the aglycone were in the free form in the gut it might be either toxic or be digested directly into an inactive form.... glycoside

Humulus lupulus. N.O. Urticaceae.

Habitat: Extensively farmed for the brewing industry, and is found growing wild in hedges and open woods.

Features ? Stem rough, very long, will twist round any adjacent support. Leaves in pairs, stalked, rough, serrate, cordate, three- or five-lobed. Flowers or catkins (more correctly called strobiles) consist of membranous scales, yellowish-green, roundish, reticulate-veined, nearly half-inch long, curving over each other. These are the fertile flowers which are used medicinally and industrially.

Action: Tonic, diuretic.

As a tonic in prescriptions for debility, nervous dyspepsia, and general atony. Although usually given in combination with other herbs, the ounce

to pint infusion of hops taken thrice daily makes quite a good tonic medicine for those feeling "run-down." Lying on a pillow stuffed with hops is an old-fashioned way of dealing with insomnia.... hops

The suppression of monoamine oxydase (flavin-containing amine oxydase). MAO is critical in modifying nerve-ending storage of certain mono­amines (in this case, epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine...another type of MAO works on histamines), and MAO inhibitor drugs were, along with tricyclics, the first wave of anti-depressants. The problem was that if you ate brie cheese or chopped chicken livers while taking the drugs you could get a nosebleed or cerebral aneurysm...a double adrenergic whammy, since some foods are also strongly MAO-inhibiting (at least functionally). Although most current manuals (Merck’s and Harrison’s among others) consider these first generation drugs as safer and preferable to the recent Prozac and such, fashion am fashion, with docs as much as patients. Most of the patients a doctor sees are People That See Doctors (most Americans have infrequent medical contact). Some come with clippings in hand, a few find out about new stuff before their doctor does (they only have ONE patient..themselves) and the pressure for gilt-edged newness is hard to resist all around. The only herb I know of with any consequential MAO inhibition is Hypericum, and its effect, although not to be ignored, is less than French semi-soft cheeses.... mao inhibition

One of a variety of procedures for collecting and diverting URINE from its customary channel of excretion following surgical removal of the bladder for disease, usually cancer. The ureters (see URETER) may be implanted in the large bowel, or a reservoir or small pouch may be fashioned using a section of small or large INTESTINE. In the latter method the pouch is emptied through a small STOMA using a catheter (see CATHETERS), thus dispensing with the need for a urinary drainage bag.... urinary diversion

(American) An old-fashioned woman Yodell, Yodel, Yodele, Yodella, Yodela, Yodette, Yodete, Yodet, Yodetta, Yodeta, Yode, Yodey, Yody, Yodie, Yodi, Yodee, Yodea, Yodeah... yodelle

n. the treatment of disease by bathing, usually in the mineral-containing waters of hot springs. The once fashionable ‘water cures’, taken at spas, certainly had a more psychological than physical effect. Today, specialized remedial treatment in baths, under the supervision of physiotherapists, is used to alleviate pain and improve blood circulation and limb mobility in arthritis and in nerve and muscle disorders.... balneotherapy

a symptom of *conversion disorder in which an apparently grave physical affliction or disability (which has no physical cause) is accepted in a smiling and calm fashion. It can also be a sign of dementia or psychosis.... belle indifference

n. systematic deviation of results from the truth. The many different types of bias include selection bias (failing to select a sample that is representative of the wider population), nonresponse bias (respondents differing from nonrespondents in statistical surveys), social desirability bias (respondents giving false answers they believe to be more socially acceptable than the truth), and systematic measurement errors (all measurements deviate from the truth in the same systematic fashion).... bias

Shepherd’s Purse tea is made from a medicinal plant used traditionally in easing menstrual symptoms, treating water retention, dysentery and eye afflictions. It has the property of enhancing coagulation and constricting blood vessels. The plant has small white flowers, pointed, arrow-shaped leaves and gets its name from the resemblance of its heart-shaped seed-pouches with an old-fashioned leather purse. Shepherd’s Purse Tea Brewing In order to brew Shepherd’s Purse tea, you must bring 300 ml of water to a boil, add 10 grams of the herb and let it steep for 30 minutes, then drain it. Shepherd’s Purse Tea Health Benefits Shepherd’s Purse tea is reputed for its ability to stop internal and external bleeding. In Europe, people have been using the beverage to stop stomach haemorrhage and to treat urinary tract bleeding. Midwives used it to prevent post-partum bleeding. Shepherd’s Purse tea has anti-inflammatory properties which may account for its traditional use in the treatment of haemorrhoids and wounds. Shepherd’s Purse tea is also an effective natural remedy for blood pressure problems or irregular heartbeat. It can be applied externally on wounds and burns. Shepherd’s Purse Tea Side Effects There are no reported side effects ofShepherd’s Purse tea consumption, but it is advisable to ask the opinion of a specialist before drinking it, especially if you are taking any medications. Excessive intake of this beverage may interfere with blood pressure and thyroid drugs. Pregnant women are not advised to consume Shepherd’s Purse tea, because it can cause uterine contractions and miscarriage. People suffering from kidney or liver diseases should also avoid Shepherd’s Purse tea.... shepherd`s purse tea

This has been a cult, or fashion, since the earliest days of history. Apart from the mixed motives for its use, it has a therapeutic use in matching the colour of skin grafts (see GRAFT). It is performed by implanting particles of col-our pigment into the deeper layer of the skin known as the corium (see SKIN). This is done by means of a needle or needles. The main medical hazard of tattooing is infection, particularly HEPATITIS. The tattooed person may also become allergic to one of the pigments used, particularly cinnabar. Removal, which should be done by a plastic surgeon, always leaves a residual scar, and often needs to be followed by a skin graft. Removal is not allowed under the National Health Service unless there is some medical reason: for example, allergic reactions to it. Other methods of removal are by CRYOSURGERY, DERMABRASION and laser surgery. These, too, must only be carried out under skilled medical supervision.

In order to reduce the health hazards, tattooists – along with acupuncturists, cosmetic skinpiercers and hair electrolysers – are required by UK legislation to register their premises with health and local authorities before starting business. The practitioners have to satisfy the authorities that adequate precautions have been taken to prevent the transmission of infections.... tattooing

Roxb.

Family: Combretaceae.

Habitat: Throughout deciduous forests of India.

English: Belleric Myrobalan, Bastard Myrobalan.

Ayurvedic: Bibhitaka, Vibhitaka, Bibhitaki, Bibhita, Baibhita, Aksha, Akshaka, Kaamaghna, Kalidru Kali, Karshaphala.

Unani: Balelaa, Baheraa.

Siddha/Tamil: Thaanrikkaai, Thandri.

Action: Fruit—purgative when half ripe, astringent when ripe; antipyretic; used in prescriptions for diarrhoea, dyspepsia, biliousness; cough, bronchitis and upper respiratory tract infections, tropical pulmonary eosinophilia and allergic eruptions.

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia recommends the drug in powder form in emesis and worm infestation, in addition to other therapeutic applications.

The fruits contain beta-sitosterol, gallic and ellagic acids, ethyl gallate, galloyl glucose, chebulagic acid and a cardiac glycoside, bellaricanin.

The fruits produce hepato-protec- tive effect in CCl4-induced liver injury in mice. Alcoholic extract of the fruit exerted a negative chrono-and inotrop- ic and hypotensive effect of varying magnitude in a dose dependent fashion on isolated rat and frog atria and rabbit heart.

The fruit contains all components of Chebulic myrobalan (T. chebula) except corilagin and chebulic acid.

The fleshy fruit pulp contains 21.4% tannin, both condensed and hydrolys- able types.

The flower showed spermicidal activity.

Dosage: Fruit—3-6 g powder. (API, Vol. I.)... terminalia bellirica

n. an old-fashioned term for an *enema.... clyster

(epiploon) n. a double layer of *peritoneum attached to the stomach and linking it with other abdominal organs, such as the liver, spleen, and intestine. The greater omentum is a highly folded portion of the omentum, rich in fatty tissue, that covers the intestines in an apron-like fashion. It acts as a heat insulator and prevents friction between abdominal organs. The lesser omentum links the stomach with the liver. —omental adj.... omentum

n. an extremely rare focal *keratosis occurring especially on the palms and soles. It occurs early in life and is inherited in an autosomal *dominant fashion. It is associated with oral leukokeratosis and with oesophageal cancer.... tylosis

Cordyline terminalis

Description: The ti has unbranched stems with straplike leaves often clustered at the tip of the stem. The leaves vary in color and may be green or reddish. The flowers grow at the plant’s top in large, plumelike clusters. The ti may grow up to 4.5 meters tall.

Habitat and Distribution: Look for this plant at the margins of forests or near homesites in tropical areas. It is native to the Far East but is now widely planted in tropical areas worldwide.

Edible Parts: The roots and very tender young leaves are good survival food. Boil or bake the short, stout roots found at the base of the plant. They are a valuable source of starch. Boil the very young leaves to eat. You can use the leaves to wrap other food to cook over coals or to steam.

Other Uses: Use the leaves to cover shelters or to make a rain cloak. Cut the leaves into liners for shoes; this works especially well if you have a blister. Fashion temporary sandals from the ti leaves. The terminal leaf, if not completely unfurled, can be used as a sterile bandage. Cut the leaves into strips, then braid the strips into rope.... ti

Though the Black Death is supposed to have passed into medical history, occasional cases are recorded which give rise to the question: “Could it really come again?”

In an atomic age the collapse of medical services provided by governments is not far removed from the bounds of possibility. Wars come and go, medical fashions change, what is regarded as scientific today, may be neglected to tomorrow’s superstition. It is possible this book may be consulted long after 20th century medicine has had its day.

The preventative remedy of history is Garlic. It was given to workers on the Great Pyramid of Cheops as a known antiseptic and prophylactic against infection. A riot ensued when supplies ran out. During the Great Plague under Charles II a colony of people escaped death, living to reveal their secret – all were in the habit of eating Garlic. It was later confirmed that the plague was not found in houses in which Garlic had been consumed.

The disease is spread by fleas from the black rat by the organism: bacillus pestis. Incubation period is two to five days, followed by severe headache, shivering, dizziness, fever and rapid pulse. Before delirium, the patient may have the ‘staggers’ and confused speech.

Glands of the body enlarge and may suppurate. Suppuration is a welcome sign indicating speedy elimination of pus. Haemorrhagic spots break out on the skin.

The most dangerous type is that which affects the lungs, known as ‘pneumonic’ and which is highly infectious; characterised by cyanosis (blueness of the face).

Occasionally there are human cases of Bubonic Plague in California and the West but today they seldom prove fatal. Public health officials point out that the incidence of the disease in China and Vietnam is lower than for centuries because of vaccine therapy. Wild animals still spread sporadic cases of the Plague.

Treatment: Health Authorities to be notified immediately and patient isolated. All bedding and personal effects to be destroyed or disinfected. Specialised nursing necessary. If hospital care is not available, the patient should receive treatment for collapse (Capsicum, Ginger or other circulatory stimulants).

In the absence of streptomycin and tetracycline, to which the organism yersinia is sensitive, powerful alternatives may assist: Echinacea, Wild Indigo, Poke root, Queen’s Delight, Sarsaparilla, Yellow Parilla, Goldenseal, Prickly Ash.

Topical. Poultice of Slippery Elm, Marshmallow, or both combined to promote suppuration. History records pulped fresh Plantain leaves.

To be treated by general medical practitioner or Infectious Diseases consultant. ... bubonic plague

An acute infectious disease caused by Gram positive Corynebacterium diphtheria by droplet infection. Incubation: 2-4 days. Isolation.

Symptoms: low grade fever, malaise, sore throat, massive swelling of cervical lymph glands, thick white exudate from tonsils, false membrane forms from soft palate to larynx with brassy cough and difficult breathing leading to cyanosis and coma. Toxaemia, prostration, thin rapid pulse. Throat swabs taken for laboratory examination. See: NOTIFIABLE DISEASES.

Treatment. Bedrest. Encourage sweating.

Recommendations are for those parts of the world where medical help is not readily available and may save lives. Alternatives:–

1. Combine: Tincture Echinacea 3; Tincture Goldenseal 2; Tincture Myrrh 1. Dose: 30-60 drops in water, two-hourly.

2. Combine equal parts: Tincture Lobelia; Tincture Echinacea. Dose: 30-60 drops in water, two-hourly.

3. Combine Tincture Poke root 2; Tincture Echinacea 3. Dose: 30-60 drops in water, two hourly.

4. G.L.B. Rounseville, MD, Ill., USA. I have treated diphtheria since 1883. I have treated diphtheria until I am sure the number of cases treated run into four digits. I have never given a hypodermic of antitoxin on my own initiative, nor have I ever lost a case early enough to inhibit conditions. I have depended upon Echinacea not only prophylactic but also as an antiseptic . . . In the line of medication the remedies are: Aconite, Belladonna, Poke root and Cactus grand, according to indications. But remember, if you are to have success, Echinacea must be given internally, externally and eternally! Do not fear any case of diphtheria with properly selected remedies as the symptoms occur. Echinacea will also be your stimulant, diaphoretic, diuretic, sialogogue, cathartic and antipyretic. (Ellingwood’s Physiomedicalist, Vol 13, No 6, June, 1919, 202)

5. Alexander M. Stern MD, Palatka, Florida, USA. Combine: tinctures Echinacea 1oz, Belladonna 10 drops, Aconite 10 drops. Water to 4oz. 1 teaspoon 2-hourly.

6. F.H. Williams, MD, Bristol, Conn., USA. I took a case which had been given up to die with tracheal diphtheritic croup. I gave him old-fashioned Lobelia (2) seed and Capsicum (1) internally and externally and secured expulsion of a perfect cast of the trachea without a tracheotomy.

7. Gargle, and frequent drink. To loosen false membrane. Raw lemon juice 1, water 2. Pineapple juice. Teas: Red Sage, fresh Poke root. Cold packs – saturated with Echinacea (Tincture, Liquid Extract or decoction) to throat.

Note: Capsicum and Lobelia open up the surface blood flow of the body thus releasing congestion on the inner mucous membranes.

Diet. Complete lemon-juice and herb tea fast with no solid foods as long as crisis lasts.

To be treated by a general medical practitioner or hospital specialist. ... diphtheria

An operation to correct a heart valve defect or to remove a diseased or damaged valve. A heart valve may have to be repaired, widened, or replaced because it is either incompetent (leaky) or stenotic (narrowed). Widening of a valve may involve valvotomy or valvuloplasty. A damaged valve can be replaced by a mechanical one (fashioned from metal and plastic), a valve constructed from human tissue, a pig valve, or a valve taken from a human donor after death. A heart–lung machine is used during replacement.After heart-valve surgery, symptoms such as breathlessness may take weeks to improve and require medication to be continued. Some people need longterm treatment with anticoagulant drugs to prevent the formation of blood clots around the new valve.... heart-valve surgery

n. surgical removal of the larynx in the treatment of laryngeal carcinoma. Postoperatively the patient breathes through a *tracheostomy. Speech is lost following the operation but can be restored by teaching the patient to swallow air and then belch it in a controlled fashion. Alternatively, a battery-powered vibrating device can be held in the mouth or underneath the chin to produce speech (see electrolarynx). Speech can also be facilitated by a one-way valve surgically implanted between the tracheostomy and the upper oesophagus, allowing the patient to divert air into the throat. Partial laryngectomy conserves part of the larynx and allows patients to breathe and speak normally. However, it is only suitable for a few patients with small tumours.... laryngectomy

n. a benign tumour arising from the fibrous coverings of the brain and spinal cord (*meninges). It is usually slow-growing and produces symptoms by pressure on the underlying nervous tissue. In the brain the tumour may cause focal *epilepsy and gradually progressive neurological disability. In the spinal cord it may cause paraplegia and the *Brown-Séquard syndrome. Rarely, meningiomas may behave in a malignant fashion and can invade neighbouring tissues. Treatment of the majority of cases is by surgical removal if the tumour is accessible. The histological classification of malignancy is controversial, but some tumours may also require additional radiotherapy. Some patients have been known to have symptoms for as long as 30 years before the tumour has been discovered.... meningioma

(NIV) mechanical assistance with breathing that does not require the insertion of an endotracheal tube (see intubation). In noninvasive intermittent positive-pressure ventilation (NIPPV) air is blown into the lungs through a close-fitting mask: designs range from helmet-like devices to nasal cushions and full-face or nasal masks (see also Nippy). A ventilator then applies positive pressure to the mask in a cyclical fashion. The technique simplifies the process of ventilation in respiratory failure and reduces or eliminates the need for paralysis and anaesthesia, which are required for endotracheal intubation. See also BiPAP; continuous positive airways pressure.

Negative-pressure ventilation involves the use of devices that draw air into and out of the lungs noninvasively by applying negative pressure in a cyclical way (see ventilator).... noninvasive ventilation

Bursera glabrifolia

FAMILY: Burseraceae

SYNONYMS: B. delpechiana, Mexican linaloe, ‘copallimon’.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: A tall, bushy tropical shrub or tree, with a smooth bark and bearing fleshy fruit. The wood is only used for distillation purposes when the tree is twenty or thirty years old. The oil is partially a pathological product since its production is stimulated by lacerating the trunk – which apparently must be wounded on the night of the full moon for the tree to produce any oil!

DISTRIBUTION: Native to Central and South America, especially Mexico. It is cultivated in the Far East particularly in India (Mysore). The wood oil is mainly produced in Mexico, the seed (and husk) oil in India.

OTHER SPECIES: There are several species which are all known simply as linaloe: see Botanical Classification section. West Indian elemi (B. simaruba) is a close relative, as are myrrh and frankincense.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: The seed oil is known in India as ‘Indian lavender oil’ and used chiefly as a local perfume ingredient and in soaps by the cosmetics industry of Mysore state. It is not much found outside India. In Mexico the wood oil is used in a similar fashion to rosewood, which contains similar constituents.

ACTIONS: Anticonvulsant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, bactericidal, deodorant, gentle tonic.

EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam distillation from the 1. Wood, and 2. Seed and husk. (An essential oil is also occasionally produced from the leaves and twigs.)

CHARACTERISTICS: 1. A pale yellow liquid with a sweet-woody, floral scent, similar to rosewood. It blends well with rose, sandalwood, cedarwood, rosewood, frankincense, floral and woody fragrances. 2. A colourless liquid with a terpene-like odour, harsher than the wood oil.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: 1. Mainly linalol, some linalyl acetate. 2. Mainly linalyl acetate, some linalol.

SAFETY DATA: Non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE

Skin care: Acne, cuts, dermatitis, wounds, etc., all skin types.

Nervous system: Nervous tension and stressrelated conditions.

OTHER USES: The wood oil is used in soaps, toiletries and perfumes. It is also used for the production of natural linalol, although this is increasingly being replaced by synthetic linalol.... linaloe