Most recent international health newscast in addition to examination from our health explore band.

It is possible for the average person to take steps to protect himself from the chemical environment. Although the cases of chemical susceptibility described in this book are, naturally, the most extreme examples, it should be emphasized that this problem can eventually affect a great many people who are presently without any strong or obvious symptoms. It is therefore wise for everyone to take steps to avoid developing chemical susceptibility before it reaches the clinical stage.

Eliminating all potentially troublesome chemicals, plastics, and synthetic materials from one’s life may seem like a hopeless task. Some people who seem to agree with the point of view expressed in this book still argue that controlling these chemicals is impossible, since one must “live in the twentieth century.”

There are several fallacies in this fatalistic argument.

First of all, the unbridled use of petrochemicals is part of a particular historical phase and has not been a constant in human history, by any means. In fact, with the much publicized energy shortage, it seems likely that the throwaway use of petrochemical products will have to be curtailed for economic reasons. The need to find more efficient, and also more healthy, forms of energy and basic materials has become a matter of survival in many countries. Thus the trend is with, not against, environmentalism in the long run.

Second, the degree to which harmful products are allowed into the environment is subject, to some extent, to political pressure and control. Countries, states, and even cities vary greatly in their regulations on health and pollution. In the 1920s, for instance, New York and other cities banned the use of leaded gasoline within their borders. Later, leaded gasoline was deregulated, largely because of pressure from the automobile and gasoline interests. But it was phased out once more in the 1960s and 1970s, largely as the result of political pressure. Toxic and cancer-causing substances have been somewhat restricted by federal law through the 1958 Delaney Amendment, banning carcinogens from food, and the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act. These measures would never have been enacted without a groundswell of public opinion in their favor. As public awareness of the danger of the unbridled use of petrochemicals grows and as more and more chronically ill people trace their problems to the “safe” chemical environment, we can expect to see increasing political action to control this danger as well. Thus, on a national and international level, there is no reason for pessimism, provided that people become aware of the danger and take effective action.

On a more personal level, it is advisable for each individual to restrict and eliminate harmful chemical exposures in the home, the workplace, and the general environment. If a person has cause to suspect chemical susceptibility, or only wishes to prevent it from occurring, there are a number of effective changes which can be made.

The following ten suggestions are not all-inclusive. As one learns more about ecologic illness and individual responses to chemicals, it will be possible to augment or modify this list. The basic idea behind these ten proposals, however, is to cut down on exposure to unsuspected causes of chronic illness.

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Comments (0) Apr 28 2009

Menthol-containing ointment (such as Ben-Gay or Vicks) that is rubbed on skin to relieve muscular or arthritic pain must never be used with a heating pad, the manufacturers warn. Modern Medicine (55#10:137) tells the sad story of a man who disregarded this advice and ended up in a hospital for one year. After applying the ointment to his aching thighs and forearms, he held a heating pad over each treated area for 15-20 minutes.

Next day, the treated skin appeared inflamed and was covered with large blisters, a reaction that did not respond to cortisone. Over the next few days he became feverish and lost all of the skin, fat, and underlying connective tissues down to the muscles (which became fully exposed) at all of the treated sites. His kidneys were permanently injured, too. During his year-long hospital stay, he needed repeated surgery to clean the “burned” sites and repair them with full thickness skin grafts.

The moral of this story: Read the labeling of all medicines and follow the instructions carefully.

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Comments (0) Apr 28 2009

Signs and symptoms

Head lice cause itching of the scalp and sometimes a red, scaly rash on the back of the neck at the hairline. Scratching may cause sores on the scalp. The lymph glands at the base of the skull may be enlarged.

Unless hundreds are present, it is difficult to see lice in a child’s hair. Look for the small but easily visible nits attached to the shafts of the hairs. Though nits are about the same color and size as flakes of dandruff, they can be easily distinguished from dandruff. Flakes of dandruff can be blown or brushed away; nits can be removed with the fingernails only with difficulty.

Home care

Apply two tablespoonfuls of a 1-percent gamma benzene hexachloride shampoo (which your doctor will prescribe) to your child’s dry hair. Work it into lather, and leave it on four minutes. Then rinse well with water. Be very careful not to get this shampoo into the child’s eyes or mouth. After rinsing, fine-comb your child’s hair to remove the nits. If necessary, use a vinegar rinse to loosen the nits before combing. Repeat the shampoo and combing only once, four to seven days later. This procedure kills both the lice and the eggs. Clean combs and hairbrushes with the gamma benzene hexachloride shampoo. To kill stray lice, clean hats and pillowcases by washing and ironing or by dry cleaning.

Lice can also be killed by applying a 25-percent benzyl benzoate lotion (available over the counter) to the hair and scalp; shampoo after 12 to 24 hours. Repeat the procedure in four to seven days.

Precautions

• Gamma benzene hexachloride is lindane, a white powder used chiefly as an insecticide. It is poisonous if swallowed or absorbed through the skin. It can also harm the eyes. Do not let it come in contact with the eyes or mouth. Do not leave it within your child’s reach. Do not apply it more than twice.

• If one person has head lice, all family members except infants and pregnant women should be treated once with the shampoo.

• If the lice are accompanied by infected sores on the scalp or enlarged tender glands at the base of the skull, consult your doctor.

Medical treatment

Your doctor will ordinarily treat head lice as you would at home. If there are infected sores and infected lymph glands, your doctor may culture the sores and will usually prescribe an oral antibiotic for five to ten days.

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Comments (0) Apr 28 2009