Your Health Matters

What ever happened to oldfashioned medicine and oldfashioned doctors and old-fashioned ailments? Admittedly, we can be grateful for the outstanding progress that has been made over the years in medicine, but there are times when we wish for some of the old ways! Just out of nursing school in the late 50's and early 60's, I worked with a country doctor in a rural suburb of Atlanta. Our closest hospital was about an hour away- no 911, no such thing as a real ambulance or EMTs- just worn-out hearses. We made house calls and hardly anyone had insurance. We treated all ages, delivered babies and attended to all maladies and injuries.

This doctor had an exceptional talent as a diagnostician- with hardly any of the fancy machines (technology) and lab analysis of today! All and all, working with him was a wonderful educational experience for which I will always be grateful and shall never forget. (A side note: This was when nurses made $1.60 (before taxes) an hour and the sanitation workers (garbage men) made $1.75 an hour- they went on strike and got $2.10 and nurses continued for several more years making $1.60 or less!)

So much has taken place and so much has come around again and again over the years. I wish he were still with us to see all the changes, and appreciate his predictions, especially in the medical community- he has probably turned over in his grave- he worked up until his death in the late 70's.

While watching some of the medical segments in morning and afternoon TV shows, I'm amazed when they start talking about conditions/diseases/ treatments like it is something brand new! So often it will be a treatment of 50 to 100 years ago (probably longer) and practiced by our old time doctors- who are few and far between today! One condition that comes to mind that I've seen recently on several shows is saline nasal irrigation for sinusitis and allergies. Pharmacy and health food stores now actually have nasal irrigation sets for sale.

Years ago most folks were more willing to treat themselves with simple methods and with common substances- like vinegar, baking soda, salt and water. They didn't hesitate to do hot soaks or put ice on an injury. They did not like to run to the drugstore for pills- however, they did like their tonics, which more than likely had 6- 12 percent alcohol! Do you remember Hadacol and some other concoctions that the doctor put together for the druggist to fill? Hadacol was a patent medicine marketed as a vitamin supplement. Its principal attraction, however, was that it contained 12 percent alcohol (listed on the tonic bottle label as a "preservative"), which made it quite popular in the dry counties of the southern United States.

We had very few antibiotics sulfa drug, penicillin (with caution), and then streptomycin. As the doctors became more confident that these medications would work- more and more were used! And more and more patients wanted them- for everything! The more they were used the more they were needed! New ones were invented! More used! Now, we are in a mess! Too much use and too many on the market has put all of us at risk!

I recall in the late 50's one of the new antibiotics, which came on the market, was Chlormycetin (chloramphenicol). It was considered the latest and a true wonder drug- it killed every bug! However, it had a bad side effect of really messing up your intestinal tract- for weeks. My doctor would automatically order the patients to get themselves some live yogurt (which wasn't always easy to find) or he would write a prescription for the "Good Bacteria" that is in your intestinal tract- these would be in capsule or powder or granule form and had to be kept in the refrigerator- usually Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium.

The new name for today is Probiotic- which are live microorganisms (in most cases, bacteria) that are similar to beneficial microorganisms found in the human gut. They are also called "friendly or good bacteria." Probiotics are available to consumers mainly in the form of dietary supplements and foods. We are seeing and hearing a lot about the yogurts- such as Activia® which may or may not work miracles with your gut! Just try it and see!

In the weeks to follow I plan to write more about probiotics- prebiotics- synbiotic and general gut problems. Don't let your ailments drag on and on- consult your family doctor!

Claudia Parks, RN, is a former doctor's office and emergency room nurse and retired as an educator from Fulton County Schools. She writes Your Health Matters as a public service; the information here is designed to help you make informed choices about your health. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of your physician. Claudia and her husband make their home in the beautiful north Georgia Mountains. Claudia can be reached at yhm@windstream. net.