A small sac containing fluid which protects part of the body from injury. It is usually found over some prominent bone which it cushions. If a bursa becomes inflamed it is known as bursitis. This most commonly occurs in the feet, Elbows and knees. There jis a small bursa at the base of each of the big toes on the inner side. This commonly becomes inflamed through wearing too tight shoes and is often known as a BUNION.

If protected from pressure by wearing loose shoes or slippers, it will often subside. A small pad round the bunion mayo help. Where symptoms ascribed to bunions are in fact due to rigidity of the toe points (hallux rigid us) foot exercises such as picking up marbles or bean bags with the toes may help.

In a true bunion the bursa may become infected and discharge ps. The treatment is rest, heat and antibiotics. An operation may be the best way of preventing further trouble. Final results are usually good although a long convalescence with several weeks hobbling on crutches will have to be endured.

Bunions are agony; worse than toothache and those who wear tight shoes will probably pay a painful pricw. Every child should be allowed enough room for the foot to grow within the shoe. Parents must keep a watchful eye to see that the toes do not become cramped.
In the knee there is a bursa over the knee-cap which may become inflamed if much kneeling is fone (housemaids). This subsides with rest, and it may be necessary to aoid kneeling. Exercising the parts, but not to the extendt of agony, can help to dissipate adhesions and prevent recurrence.

A knwee or elbow arthro-pad worn for ad day or two (not regularly because of weakening effect on muscles) may help. This should be obtainable at good chemists.

Injury caused by excessive heat to part of the body so as to damage jor kills the tissues. It may be due to a flame, a hot object, excessive sunlight, or boiling water when the condition is called a SCALD. There is no pratical difference between a burn and scald. Burns may also be caused by chemicals. In mild cases there may be only reddening of the skin (first degree).

In second degree there is blistering, and in third degree, the whole skin thickness is destroyed, and the area appears charred. There are tow chief dangers. First is shock, a severe form of collapse which follows extensive burns. Second is infection. When the tissues are killed or injured they cannot defend against invasion by germs, so that burns easily become infected and “fester”.

The immediate home treatment of burns (dry or wet) is to cool in cold running water; damage and pain can thus be reduced. Continue cooling until there is no further pain (up to thirty minutes if necessary). If the burn is severe odor large (e.g. a blistered area more than 1″(25 mm) across in a child or 3″ (75 mm) in an adult) shock should be treated by wrapping unburned areas with extra clotting or a blanket and giving a warm. Sugared drink if patient is conscious.

Urgent medical treatment is required for large burns but initial cooling is always necessary. Smaller burns can be covered by a freshly laundered handkerchief. Later they can be dressed with cariole cream or beta dines spray and covered with a no-stick million dressing. Do not apply creams. If “festering” occurs, consult your doctor who may give antibiotics.

Bronchoscopy
A procedure whereby the specialist uses an illuminated tube to look down the large breathing tubes and by which he can detect certain illnesses and take samples for testing.

Brucellosis
Infection caught by contact with infected cattle or their milk and characterized by intermittent fever, aches and pains. As symptoms are vague it is difficult to diagnose and should be considered whenever here is unexplained, persistent fever. People in rural areas should avoid drinking unpasteurised milk. Frequent veterinary inspection and testing of cattle is important for the prevention of this distressing disease.

Bruises
Caused by violence which does not break the skin, but injures the tissues. Colour hanges are due to bleeding into the damaged tissues. The only treatment is time, which brings a return to normal. If painful cold compress lint wrung out in ice-cold water- helps. A black eye is one variety of bruise. The proverbial beef steak is no use. In children a loving cuddle is often the bedst medicine. Bunion. (See BURSA.)

A severe infection of the smallest breathing tubes in babies. Any baby with breathing difficulty needs urgent medical attention. A humid warm atmosphere helps temporarily. (See CROUP)

A chronic lung infection due to weakness and distortion of the smaller breathing tubes or bronchi. It can sometimes be helped by an operation to remove the affected part of the lung. If can be an after-effect of whooping cough and is one good reason for having infants immunized in the first year of life.

This technique of transferring blood from a healthy donor to a patient saves many lives. Operations, once impossible, can be performed with relative safety, and accident cases, perhaps bleeding after childbirth, have a better chance of recovery, as have some kinds of anemia; “Blood banks” are kept to be readily available in emergency, and giving blood for transfusions safe, and simple. Everyone who is healthy and not in a risk group for A.I.D.S. should volunteer. (See BLOOD GROUPS and A.I.D.S.) Blue Baby.

Person born with heart defects hindering the blood being pumped efficiently to the lungs. This results in blood lacking oxygen being sent to the rest of the body so that the patient looks blue or dusky. Good results are now obtained by surgery and one of my patients with this history has had her own normal baby after an uncomplicated pregnancy and birth.

The heart is a specially adapted muscle which pumps blood through blood vessels around the body. This results in the blood being under pressure, and since the vessels become hardened with age, and have less “give”, the blood pressure tends to rise. It is thus normal to have a rather higher blood presume at sixty than at twenty. At an earlier age in certain conditions, kidney disease, gland disease, and sometimes for no apparent reason, the pressure may rise to dangerous levels. The chief rises are that the heart may be unable to cope or a blood vessel may burst in some organ such as the brain (see STROKE).

Even in normal persons the pressure varies greatly and there is a wide margin of increased pressure varies greatly and there is a wide margin of increased pressure that the heart and vessels can deal with without great danger. Lay people tend to e frightened of hypertension, but those widths a moderate rise in the pressure may live for years. I have known sufferers who reached great age, and died from something unconnected. Be advised by your doctor. He will probably arrange tests to see if there is a curable cause and check for any sign of adverse effect on heart or kidneys. He will suggest a reducing diet if you are overweight, abstention from smoking and reduction of animal fats if these are indicated. He may perhaps prescribe tablets to reduce the pressure.

There are usually no symptoms of loud pressure; it is often found during a routine medical insurance examination. Occasionally, headaches and giddiness are found to be caused by raise blood pressure. Once you are known to have raised blood pressure you will need the pressure checked occasionally, (be guided by your own doctor). As treatment-mint may need to be adjusted. You should continue accustomed activities but if you have taken no exercise for years do not suddenly take up vigor’s exercise such as squash; start gradually with short walks and build up. Blood Tests. Many conditions can be checked on by blood tests, Anemia and other blood diseases can be detected as can kidney and liver disorders and some venereal diseases. Too much cholesterol ( a fatty substance associated with heart and artery disease) may be found and many chronic illnesses, glandular diseases and forms of arthritis can be confined by blood tests. The blood levels of alcohol, drugs and poisons may be measured (it is sometimes useful to know if the patient is taking his tablets!). One value of tests is that, if negative, they reassure the patient who may fear the worst. (See BLOOD GROUPS.)

Blood can be divided into four main groups- A, B, O and AB. These depend on the presence or absence of antibodies which will attack and break down the red cells of a deferens group, e.g. if blood group A is given to a patient of group O-the antibodies of the patient destroy the transfused red cells causing severe illness with shaking and fever.

The A, B, O groups can be further sub-divided into rhesus positive and rhesus negative (see RHESUS FACTOR).All patients must receive the correct ABO and rhesus group blood for successful transfusion.

Patients often wish to know their blood group. The best way to find out is to enroll as blood donor. You will be tested immediately. In disputed paternity, blood groups can sometimes be used to prove that a man is not the father; they can never prove that he is.

Small black spots in the skin due to a collection of debris in the openings of the hair follicles. The general treatment for ACNE and blackheads is the same, and the two conditions are commonly found together.