Tuesday April 8th / 2008

12:10: The Health Roundup with Jay McQueen.

12:12: The sun is shining brightly outside and it’s shining even brighter over at Shalom Village.
Guest: Pat Morden Chief Executive Cheerleader, Shalom Village. 905.577.5190

12:20: The Canadian Liver Foundation is pushing for expanded drug coverage for hepatitis B patients and for fair access to the best available treatments to prevent complications.
Guest: Dr. Morris Sherman, Chairman, Canadian Liver Foundation Medical Advisory Committee.

12:35: An Ontario doctors’ group is calling on the medical community to prepare for a variety of health problems directly caused by climate change.
Guest: Jan Kasperski, CEO, Ontario College of Family Physicians. 905-632-7336.


12:45: Rexall Radio Health Matters segment.
Guest: Hilton

Petroleum Jelly !
Robert Peary took it to the North Pole ! To help prevent frostbite!

Where did Vaseline come from anyway?
The raw material for petroleum jelly was discovered in 1859 in Titusville, Pennsylvania, where it was stuck to some of the first oil rigs. The workers disliked the paraffin-like material because it caused the rigs to seize up, but they did use it in cuts and burns because it accelerated the healing process. Robert Cheesbrough a young chemist, whose previous work of distilling fuel from the oil of sperm whales had been rendered obsolete by petroleum, went to Titusville to see what new materials had commercial potential. Cheesbrough took the unrefined black “rod wax” back to his laboratory to refine and explore potential uses. It took him 10 years to make the colorless, odorless gel we’re accustomed to today. He used himself as a test subject by stabbing, burning and applying his wonder-salve for treating his wounds. The first Vaseline factory opened in 1872. Petrolatum is a flammable, semi-solid mixture of hydrocarbons, having a melting-point usually ranging at about 37. C. It is colorless, translucent and devoid of taste and smell. It does not oxidize on exposure on exposure to the air and it is not readily acted on by chemical regents. It is soluble in water. Cheesbrough originally promoted Vaseline primarily as an ointment for scrapes, burns and cuts. Vaseline’s effectiveness in accelerating wound healing stems from sealing effect in cuts and burns, which inhibits germs from getting into the wound and keeps the injured area supple by preventing the skins moisture from evaporating. However after becoming a medicine chest staple, consumes began using Vaseline for myriad ailments and cosmetic uses, including; chapped hands or lips, toenail fungus, nosebleeds, diaper rash, chest colds and even to remove makeup or stains from furniture. Pet owners use Vaseline on aquatic turtle’s shells from developing fungi. Most petroleum jelly today is consumed as an ingredient in lotions and cosmetics.

Dangerous uses to avoid:
• Fresh Burns of any kind, including sunburn. Will keep heat trapped inside, however it can serve as a dressing for minor burns to soothe later pain.
• Nasal congestion or dryness, as if inhaled from the nose they may deposit in the lungs and lead to a condition called lipoid pneumonia.
• Latex condoms, as it interferes with the structure of latex.


Nadine Janacek
Blog Reporter Rexall #0202