A. HYGIENE

Of all treatment for broken compensation or dilated heart, nothing equals rest in bed. Sometimes it is the only treatment that is needed. The rigidness of this rest, the length of time that it should endure, and the period at which relaxation of such rest should be allowed depend entirely on the individual patient; no rule can be established. Most of the symptoms must disappear before exercise is allowed. Perhaps a not infrequent exception to the rule is when cardiac weakness, generally a inyocarditis, develops in a patient after 50. It is not always wise to keep such a patient in bed; he may be rested and his exercise greatly restricted, but sometimes it is difficult to get him out of bed if he is kept there any length of time.