johnmill@mmintl.UUCP (John Miller) (10/13/86)
Been reading over this newsgroup while my damaged disk heals itself, and though I'd throw in my two cent's worth on a thing or three: APC's: Vets from the beginning of WWII, and probably a lot earlier, are all too familiar with these little pills. Most GI's thought APC stood for "All Purpose Capsule", since they were dispensed for anything from a cold to a broken leg ... there is a very famous Mauldin cartoon from WWII showing a wounded GI at the aid station saying, "Just gimme a Purple Heart an'a APC an' lemme get back to the front," or something close to that. As a medic in the late fifties I dispensed hundreds of APC's. I think they were as good in general as any of the over-the-counter analgesic tablets, but somebody found out that the "P" part causes kidney damage after prolonged use, and I think the APC is no longer a part of Army life. Rx: In the discussion on epilepsy and Dilantin, a poster mentioned that it is impossible for physicians to keep completely up-to- date on things, and that he has often had to bring things con- cerning Dilantin to the attention of his neurologist/internist/etc. Friends -- If you are an intelligent, literate person, ALWAYS insist on the insert that comes with every prescription drug. READ it. Discuss it with the pharmicist. Tell him about any other drugs you are using. This may save your life. If your doctor won't discuss your concerns about a prescription drug, or fails to inform you about potential hazards -- get another doctor. [Long personal anecdotes supporting this suggestion deleted in the interests of sanity. Suffice it to say that THREE of my family members might not be alive today if I hadn't followed this advice myself.] Ingrown Toenails: I had a problem with these for years. In my case the nails are excessively thickened. Not being one to throw away good money (a GRAND, did someone say?) I've experimented a bit and found the following works with me: I grind the center part of nail, from the base to the tip, down very nearly to the quick, leaving a paper-thin portion between a quarter and a third the width of the nail. This is a bit tricky, but I have the advantage over a podiatrist that I can FEEL what I am doing. Anyway, I keep the area clean and hope the nail doesn't split -- which sometimes happens; a little bleeding results, but it doesn't seem any worse than the treatments described in the net lately. Anyway, usually the thin area wrinkles up, assuming a corrugated appearance and taking the outward pressure off the sides. The ingrown-toenail pain is usually gone within hours and the "treatment" lasts for months. After doing this several times, the last time I didn't wait so long but did my thing before there were any new symptoms; I have had no recurrence now for a couple of years. DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a doctor and do not recommend the above treatment; I am merely reporting how I personally solved the problem. I have my asbestos suit on. --johnmill