Four Sample Essays for Essay #4 (in-class)
(NOTE: American students should aim for about 500-600 words; international students should aim for about 400-500 words.)
Bunions
The tendency to develop bunions (hallux valgus) is at least partly hereditary, but the degree to which the malformation progresses depends on the kind of stress the foot undergoes while standing and walking. Appropriate footwear can slow the development of bunions, just as inappropriate footwear can hasten it.
When the big toe (hallux) takes a "valgus" position (a deformity in which the body part is turned away from the midline of the body to an abnormal degree), the outer joint (metatarsalphalangeal joint) of the big toe is dislocated, forcing the first metatarsal bone--one of the bones that form the arch of the foot--out of alignment. A bunion looks like a big lump on the side of the foot, at the joint of the big toe. The big toe itself turns inward toward the other toes, instead of pointing straight ahead as it should. The joint often becomes painfully inflamed, and in severe cases, the misalignment of the big toe can even push the other toes completely out of alignment, so that they pile up on top of each other.
Women suffer from bunions more often than men, and the bunions on women’s feet are often far more severe than those that men get. The reason for this disparity is that women's shoes often emphasize style over comfort. Narrow toes, high heels, and inadequate arch support, all of which are typical of women's shoes, are major factors in the rapid development and ultimate severity of bunions. Even shoes that are not particularly stylish are likely to promote damage if they don't provide room for the toes or adequate arch support.
Bunions are a malformation, so treatment that simply reduces pain cannot correct the problem. In less severe cases, the sufferer can use massage therapy, hot or cold compresses, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen, to relieve pain and inflammation, but in more severe cases, surgery is likely to be needed.
Simply selecting appropriate footwear can help to relieve symptoms. Shoes should be boxy at the toe, to provide ample room and to avoid further aggravating an already swollen and painful joint. Good arch support is also important, because the bones of the arch are vulnerable to malformation as the bunion develops. Low heels, which are always better for the feet, are essential in treating bunions, because high heels put the entire weight of the body on the balls of the feet, the very part of the foot that must not be stressed if bunions are to be avoided or treated.
It is also possible to purchase over-the-counter toe pads to wear inside the shoe for temporary realignment of the big toe, while padded insoles can enhance the shoe's arch support.
If the bunion is severe enough, and such measures do not provide relief or prevent the condition from progressing, it may be necessary to consider surgery, especially as secondary conditions may result from the untreated bunion. One such condition is inflammation, sometimes quite severe, that occurs under and around the callus that inevitably forms between the foot and the part of the shoe not completely filled by the foot because of the malformation caused by the bunion. Bunion surgery is performed on an out-patient basis. One approach is simply to remove a portion of the protruding bone, but that does not correct the underlying structural flaw. Another technique is to fracture and reposition the misaligned bone, fixing it in place with metal screws and wires. In older patients, an arthritic joint may even need to be replaced with a plastic one.
After surgery, a special walking cast or half-shoe is worn to permit walking, but it will be weeks, or even months, before the foot is completely healed. Obviously the best course is to prevent the need for such drastic measures by choosing only comfortable, wide-toed shoes with good arch support in the first place, but until someone has already developed a painful bunion, he or, more often, she, is more likely to respond to the dictates of fashion than to the advice of podiatrists. (681)
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Ferrets
Two types of ferrets are found in North America, the domesticated ferret (Mustela putorius) and an indigenous wild ferret (Mustela nigripes). Both are members of the weasel family (Mustelidae).
The wild ferret indigenous to North America is the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes), which is classified as an endangered species. Although it once occupied a wide range in the western United States and Canada, coextensive with that of prairie dogs, its primary food, today it is restricted to only a few colonies. The dwindling of black-footed ferret populations has resulted from human destruction of prairie-dog populations and habitat.
The black-footed ferret has a yellowish buff coat, which becomes brown on the top of the head and along the back. The feet and legs and the last quarter of the tail are black, as is the racoon-like facial mask. Males are bigger than females, but even the males seldom exceed 2 pounds (1 kg) in weight and 22 inches (56 cm) in length. The tail takes up about 5.5 inches (14.5 cm) of the total body length.
The black-footed ferret is largely nocturnal, and its diet consists almost exclusively of prairie dogs. The ferrets move into a prairie-dog colony, using the burrows as shelter and the prairie dogs for food. When the prairie-dog colony has been depleted, the ferrets move to another colony.
The domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) has been domesticated for at least a thousand years, and perhaps even longer. The species has been domesticated for so long that it is no longer suited to habitation in the wild, and seldom survives in the wild for more than a few days. Originally the ferret was used to kill rats and to drive rabbits from their burrows, but now most domestic ferrets are kept as pets, although some are used as laboratory animals, and some are used to produce vaccines for farm-raised mink.
The domestic ferret is probably descended from the European polecat, which it closely resembles. Although ferrets now come in a wide variety of coat colors and patterns, one of its two most common colors, unchanged by selective breeding, is virtually identical to that of the European polecat. The other most common color found in the domestic ferret is albino, with yellowish-white fur, pink eyes, and pink nose and claws. The wide range of coat colors and patterns now found in the domestic ferret has been achieved by breeders who have carefully combined these two common types of coat.
Usually slightly smaller than the polecat, the domestic ferret is on average about 19 inches (48 cm) long, including the 5-inch (13 cm) tail. Females usually weigh 1-2 pounds, while males usually weigh 2.5-4 pounds.
The domestic ferret is polygamous, and produces one, sometimes two, litters of six or seven young per year, after a 42-day gestation period.
The wild black-footed ferret is not suited to domestication, but the domestic ferret is a very popular pet, noted for its sociability, playfulness, and intelligence, as well as for its boldness, which is particularly striking in an animal of such diminutive proportions. (511)
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Celiac Disease
A common autoimmune disorder that affects genetically predisposed people, celiac disease usually starts in childhood, after about six months of age, but it has been known to appear in adults—or even to reappear in adults who suffered from the disease in childhood, but who have been free of symptoms for years. Estimates of the prevalence of celiac disease in the United States range from one 1 in 105 to 1 in 1,750, and the disease is more prevalent in women than in men.
Celiac disease is often misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), because many of the symptoms overlap; therefore, before a final diagnosis is made screening for celiac disease is now recommended for patients presenting with symptoms of IBS. The symptoms of celiac disease are similar in both children and adults: victims suffer painful abdominal bloating, and their stools are usually pale, bulky, and foul-smelling. Sufferers also tend to experience chronic fatigue because of nutritional deficiencies caused by the dietary limitations the condition makes necessary.
Caused by the body's inability to tolerate gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains, celiac disease is one of several conditions classified under the general label of malabsorption syndromes. All malabsorption syndromes interfere with the body's ability to absorb nutrients from the intestinal wall, and anyone suffering from a malabsorption disease will also be likely to suffer from nutritional deficiencies.
The gluten intolerance that characterizes celiac disease causes abnormal changes in the lining of the small intestine, interfering with the absorption of nutrients. The changes in the bowel make it less able to absorb nutrients, minerals, and the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Fatigue and weight loss result from the inability to absorb carbohydrates; iron deficiency anemia may develop from iron malabsorption, and folic acid and vitamin B12 anemia malabsorption may cause megaloblastic anemia, while malabsorption of calcium and vitamin D may cause osteoporosis and fraglity fractures. Among the long-term consequences of untreated celiac disease are increased risk of both adenocarcinoma (small intestine cancer) and lymphoma of the small bowel, although adherence to a strict gluten-free diet returns the individual’s risk to baseline.
The treatment of celiac disease requires the elimination of gluten from the diet. Not only wheat, but also barley, rye, and such wheat subspecies such as spelt, semolina, and durum also trigger symptoms of celiac disease. Diets including other cereals such as corn, millet, sorghum, teff, amaranth, rice, and wild rice and non cereals like buckwheat and quinoa are safe, as are other non cereal foods high in carbohydrates, like potatoes and bananas.
Unfortunately, getting rid of all dietary gluten is harder than it sounds, because so many common foods and ingestible products contain (often undisclosed) gluten. For example, few patients would think to avoid beer or communion wafers, although both would trigger symptoms in a person with celiac disease. Parents of a child with celiac disease may find it difficult to control their child’s diet, because children with celiac disease often feel frustrated, even persecuted, when they are denied so many of the foods their peers so obviously enjoy. Even adults are bound to feel deprived by such limited food choices in a world where gluten-laden treats beckon from all sides.
Because serious nutritional deficiencies can result from celiac disease—not just as a result of the effects of malabsorption, but also because so many nutritious foods must be avoided—a celiac sufferer requires careful nutritional supplementation to replace lost nutrients such as zinc, iron, fat soluble vitamins, and B vitamins. (586)
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The Brown Recluse Spider
The brown recluse spider (Losceles reclusa) is one of only a few poisonous species of spiders found in the United States. Its range covers the area from eastern Texas to western Georgia. Originally its range was more limited, but that range has been extended by the spider's ability to hitch rides in packing crates and suitcases and to go for long periods without food or water.
A medium-sized brown spider, the brown recluse is immediately recognizable because of the dark fiddle-shaped band on its back, right behind its eyes. Unlike most spiders, which have eight eyes in two rows of four, the brown recluse has only six eyes, in two clusters of three, although few casual observers care to get close enough to count them. It uses its venom to paralyze its insect prey, which may then live for days, until the spider is ready to eat.
The brown recluse is found outdoors in dark hiding places--under rocks or fallen tree limbs, for example. Indoors, it hides in areas that are seldom disturbed, such as attics, the backs of closets, or boxes of packed away clothing. In fact, because of its reclusive habits, this spider seldom comes in contact with people, and bites usually occur when someone is cleaning out closets, unpacking old boxes, or donning clothes that have been packed away and not worn for some time.
Either a few minutes or a few hours after a bite, the skin around the area will become red and swollen, but the degree of reaction can range anywhere from negligible to severe. In all but the mildest reactions, the bite of a brown reclusive causes significant pain. The wound may take months to heal, and much of the tissue around the bite dies, leaving a depressed scar about an inch across. Plastic surgery may be required to restore the area to a normal appearance.
Although the bite is rarely fatal, deaths do occasionally occur. Usually these are either the result of an allergic reaction or the consequence of secondary infections, because the venom of the brown recluse compromises the normal functioning of the immune system.
Fortunately, the brown recluse is a shy spider, and people seldom encounter it. In areas where the brown recluse is commonly found, people are kept informed of how to avoid the spider and how to recognize it if by chance they should come across one. (404)
