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17
change of life in women, many different forms of rheumatism
may first manifest themselves; some are serious,
others fortunately cause only temporary disability.
Innumerable rheumatic ' cures' are offered to the
public. Drugs, vaccines, diets, special forms of
physical treatment and manipulations all have a place
in the treatment of the rheumatic person, but if treatment
is to be successful and rapid, it is necessary to
know from what form of rheumatism the patient is
suffering and to apply that type of treatment which
is appropriate for his form of rheumatism. In order
to make a proper diagnosis, facilities for laboratory
and X-ray investigations must be available.
When a patient comes to the Norbiton Clinic he is
examined, and, when indicated, such investigations
must be carried out before the correct diagnosis can
be made and the appropriate physical and drug treatment
prescribed. Already we have treated many
types of rheumatism and revealed other more serious
conditions such as severe ansemia and new growths
which have worn the mask of ' rheumatism ' and for
months had failed to respond to the treatment given
by the doctors, and once recognised, were returned to
their doctors and responded rapidly to the correct
treatment.
The muscular rheumatism of the shoulder caused
by the strain of carrying parcels will respond to a few
treatments with heat and massage, the swollen knees
and wrists of ' infective ' arthritis may only clear up
with prolonged hospital treatment. The aim of the
Clinic is to prevent certain forms of rheumatism from
becoming serious by treating them in their early
stages, to treat the simple forms of rheumatism rapidly
and efficiently so that the individual may remain at
work, and to relieve—if only temporarily—the painful
and swollen joints of some of the elderly rheumatic
people who come for help."