Part 17

CHOLERA INFANTUM, Symptoms.--Usually begins with a diarrhea, which is often so mild as to attract but little attention, but should be a warning. If a weakly baby has a diarrhea which persists, or is foul smelling and especially if there is a marked loss of flesh and dullness of mind, there is ground for worry. If a bright child loses interest in things and has diarrhea something is wrong. The two essential features are vomiting and diarrhea, and the vomiting is persistent. First it vomits food, then the mucus and bile. The thirst is great, but anything taken to relieve it is instantly thrown up. The stools are frequent, large and watery. They may be painless and involuntary. They may look like dirty water, but later they loose all color. They are sometimes so thin and copious as to soak through the napkin and saturate the bed. They may be without odor, and again the odor is almost over-powering. The prostration is great and rapid. The fontannelles, openings in the head, are depressed, the face becomes pale and pinched, and the eyes are sunken. It occurs usually during the summer months, oftener in babies under eighteen months and still more under a year old.

Cautions.--This book will probably find its way into homes many miles from a drug store and possibly a long distance from a physician. Should a child in that home show symptoms of cholera infantum it would be imperative for that mother to begin at once home treatments. We, therefore, give below a number of remedies which a mother can either prepare in her home or can take the precaution to have filled at some convenient time and keep constantly at hand, properly labeled so she can turn to them at any moment. On the other hand, should you have to wait even three or four hours for a physician begin one of the treatments below until he comes; you may save the child's life by doing so. Cholera infantum and pneumonia claim so many of our little ones each year, and in many cases snatch them away within a few hours of the first noticeable symptoms that we must advise you to call a physician as soon as you suspect it is serious. Cases vary and only a trained eye can detect the little symptoms and changes that may weigh in the balance the life of baby.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES for Cholera Infantum.--l. Castor oil and warm applications for.--"Give the child one teaspoonful of castor oil, then wring woolen cloths out of warm whisky and apply to the abdomen. This will most always give relief, especially after the castor oil has acted upon the bowels."

2. Cholera Infantum, First Thing to Do.--"The first thing to do is to give a teaspoonful of castor oil, so as to thoroughly clean out the bowels. Then add one tablespoonful of turpentine to one quart of hot water and wring cloths out of this and apply to the bowels to relieve the pain that is always present in this disease. The turpentine is especially good for the bowels when they are bloated and have much gas in them."

3. Cholera Infantum, White of Egg and Cathartic for.--"One teaspoonful castor oil every two hours, until the movements are natural. Give no food except albumen water, which is composed of the white of one egg (slightly beaten) and a small pinch of salt in a glass of cold water which has been previously boiled. Feed this by spoonfuls."

4. Cholera Infantum, Olive or Sweet Oil for.--"One teaspoonful sweet or olive oil three times a day and an injection of one tablespoonful of the oil at night, to be retained in the bowels. If continued this will completely cure."

5. Cholera Infantum, Spice and Whisky Poultice for.--"Take all kinds of ground spices, make a poultice. Heat whisky and wet the poultice. Apply to the stomach and bowels."

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6. Cholera Infantum, Cabbage Leaf Poultice for.--"Take a cabbage leaf, hold it over the stove until warm as can be stood on back of hand; lay it across the child's abdomen. Repeat if necessary."

7. Cholera Infantum, Herb Remedy for.--"Strawberry root, blackberry root and raspberry root, equal parts, steeped together. I have used this remedy and found it good, but it should be used in time." Make a tea of these roots and take one teaspoonful every hour until relieved. This is a mild astringent.

8. Cholera Infantum, Tomatoes Will Relieve.--"Make a syrup of peeled tomatoes well sweetened with white sugar. Give one teaspoonful every half hour." This syrup is very soothing and the tomatoes are especially good if there is some ulcerated condition of the bowels. This preparation should always be strained before using.

9. Cholera Infantum, Injection for.--"For infant one year old inject into the bowels one pint of thin starch, in which is mixed from three to five drops of laudanum; cool, repeat night and morning. Plenty of water or cold barley water may be given and the food for a time may consist of egg albumen with a few drops of brandy. When the symptoms first appear apply a spice plaster or hot application over the abdomen; and keep child as quiet as possible." This is a remedy recommended and used by a number of physicians and has cured many severe cases.

Diets and Drinks.--Stop ordinary feeding at once. A little cream and water, or barley water and cream may do. If the breast milk excites the stomach and the bowels, stop it for a few hours. You can give a few drops of raw beef juice or a little brandy and water. To satisfy the thirst, wrap up a small bit of ice in a linen cloth and let the baby mouth it. Dilute the milk or stop entirely and give only water, or lime water and milk, barley water. Give all the water the child can drink boiled and cooled.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Cholera Infantum.--1. Washing out of the bowel frequently by injection controls the diarrhea. Use water of a temperature of 107. Elevate the tube about two feet above the bed, use one-half pint at one time. As the half pint flows in disconnect the funnel attached to the tube and the contents of the bowel are allowed to escape. Then allow another one-half pint to flow in. Some may escape and this is not an unfavorable sign. Keep on until a quart is given. This treatment is to wash and clean out the gut and stimulate the heart. The salt solution should be used, if necessary. Give only two daily.

2. For Vomiting.--Wash out the stomach through a tube or by giving a great deal of water.

3. Subcarbonate of bismuth for the vomiting and straining; two or three grains in powder every two or three hours. If there is much colicky pain, add one-half grain of salol to the bismuth powder.

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 115]

4. Castor oil; one teaspoonful may be needed if the bowels have any fecal matter in them.

5. Mustard poultice or spice poultice on the belly is useful.

Vomiting.--This is simply a symptom; many diseases cause it, as scarlet fever, tuberculosis, meningitis, acute dyspepsia, biliousness, chronic dyspepsia, indigestion, neuralgia of the bowels, appendicitis, ulcer and cancer of the stomach, pregnancy, etc. Many persons with dyspepsia vomit their food.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES for Vomiting.--1. Spice Poultice to Stop.--"Make a poultice of one-half cup of flour and one teaspoonful of each kind of ground spice, wet with alcohol or whisky. Apply over the stomach." This acts as a counter irritant and has the same action on the system as a mustard plaster, only not so severe and can be left on for hours, as there need be no fear of blistering. This kind of a poultice should always be used when it is necessary to leave one on any length of time.

2. Vomiting, Mustard Plaster to Stop.--"Plaster of mustard on pit of stomach." Be very careful not to allow the plaster to remain on too long, as it will blister, and this would be worse to contend with than the vomiting.

3. Vomiting, Parched Corn Drink to Stop.--"Take field corn and parch it as brown as you can get it without burning. When parched throw in boiling water and drink the water as often as necessary until vomiting is stopped."

4. Vomiting, Peppermint Leaves Application for.--"Bruise peppermint leaves and apply to the stomach." This can be found in any drug store in a powder form, and is easily prepared by crushing the leaves and applying to the stomach. If you have the essence of peppermint in the house, that will answer about the same purpose taken internally and rubbed over abdomen.

5. Vomiting, to Produce, Mustard and Water for.--"To produce vomiting take two tablespoonfuls dry mustard, throw luke warm water over it and let stand a minute, then drink." This is an old, tried remedy that we all know about.

6. Vomiting, to Produce, Warm Water for.--"Drink a quart of warm water and you will easily find relief at once." The warm water remedy is very good as the water helps the patient by removing all decomposed food.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Vomiting.--The only way to treat it is to treat the disease that causes it. Here I may mention a very simple remedy; a tea made from wood soot is frequently helpful. It is the creosote in the wood soot that gives it its medical virtue.

2. For nervous vomiting; two to five drops of garlic juice is good. Dose of syrup for a child [is] one teaspoonful. Dose of syrup for an adult is four teaspoonfuls.

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3. A little brandy on cracked ice is often good.

4. Oil of cloves, one-half to one drop, helps in some cases.

5. Lime water added to milk is good in babies.

6. Vinegar fumes, saturate a cloth and inhale the fumes.

7. Seidlitz powder often settles the stomach, soda also.

8. Mustard plaster over the stomach is good in all cases.

9. One-tenth of a drop of ipecac is good for nausea and vomiting.

10. One-half of a drop of Fowler's solution every two hours is useful in nausea following a spree. So also one drop dose of nux vomica every half hour.

APPENDICITIS.--Inflammation of the vermiform appendix is the most important of acute bowel troubles. Sometimes the appendix may contain a mould of feces, which can be squeezed out readily. Sometimes foreign bodies like pins are found there; in about seven per cent of cases foreign bodies are found.

It is a disease of young persons. Fifty per cent occur before the twentieth year. It is most common in males. Persons who do heavy lifting are quite subject to the disease. Some cases follow falls or blows. Indiscretions of diet are very apt to bring on an attack, particularly in those who have had it before. Pain in the appendix in such persons, frequently follows the eating of food hard to digest. Gorging with peanuts is also a cause.

Symptoms.--In a large proportion of cases the following symptoms are present:--Sudden pain in the abdomen, usually referred to the right groin region. Fever often of moderate form or grade. Disturbances of the stomach and bowels, such as nausea, vomiting and frequently constipation. Tenderness or pain in the appendix region. The pain in fully one-half of the cases is localized in right lower part of the abdomen, but it may be in the central portion, scattered, or in any part of the abdomen. Even when the pain is not in the region of the appendix at first, it is usually felt there within thirty-six or forty-eight hours. It is sometimes very sharp and colic-like; sometimes it is dull. The fever follows rapidly upon the pain. It may range from 100 to 102 and higher. The tongue is coated and moist usually,--seldom dry. Nausea and vomiting are commonly present. It rarely persists longer than the second day in favorable cases. Constipation is the rule, but the attack may start with diarrhea.

Local Signs.--Tenderness of the rectus muscle (to the right of the centre of the abdomen) and tenderness or pain on deep pressure. The muscle may be so rigid that a satisfactory examination cannot be made. Sometimes there is a hardness or swelling in the appendix region. Tenderness, rigidity and actual pain on deep pressure; with the majority of cases, a lump or swelling in the region of the appendix.

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 117]

Recovery.--Recovery is the rule. It frequently returns. General peritonitis may be caused by direct perforation of the appendix and death in appendicitis is usually due to peritonitis.

Surgeons have declared that sudden pain in the region of the appendix, with fever and localized tenderness, with or without a lump almost without exception means appendix disease. Rest in bed, take measures to allay the pain; ice bag applied to the part is very effective.

Operation.--Dr. Osler, of Oxford, England, says.--"Operation is indicated in all cases of acute inflammatory trouble in this region, whether the lump is present or not, when the general symptoms are severe, and when by the third day the features of the case points to a progressive (condition) lesion. An operation after an acute attack has disappeared is not fraught with much danger."

Diet.--All food should be withheld for a few days if possible. Liquids, such as egg albumen, weak tea, thin broth, barley or rice water, or milk diluted with lime water may be given in small quantities if necessary. When the acute symptoms have subsided, milk may be taken undiluted, and eggs may be added to the broth. When the pain and fever have disappeared entirely, gruels made of rice or barley, soft-boiled egg, scraped beef, stewed chicken, toast, and crackers may be added to the list; still later, mashed potatoes and vegetables, finely divided and strained, may be allowed and, finally, when well, usual diet resumed.

APPENDICITIS, Mothers' Remedies.--Home Treatment Found Good for.--"To allay the pain and stop the formation of pus in appendicitis it is recommended that a flannel cloth be saturated with hot water, wrung out, drop ten to fifteen drops of turpentine on it and apply to the affected parts as hot as the patient can bear. Repeat until relief is obtained. Then cover the bowels with a thin cotton cloth, upon which place another cloth wrung out of kerosene oil. This sustains the relief and conduces to rest and eventual cure. It is an essential part of the absorbent cure for appendicitis, and since its adoption doctors do not resort to a surgical operation half so often." The above is a standard remedy and will most always give relief.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Appendicitis.--The bowels should at first be moved by an enema, The patient should be perfectly quiet in bed. The ice-bag should be applied to the part, but wrapped in flannel and flannel also on the skin, It must not be allowed to make the flesh too cool. This coolness relieves the inflammation of the part. Small doses, from one-tenth to one drop, of aconite can be given for the fever and inflammation the first twenty-four hours. Dose every one to three hours. But little medicine is now given in appendicitis.

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Caution.--Keep the bowels regular, especially if you have ever had appendicitis before, also be careful of your eating. This disease will attack high livers, hearty eaters and those with constipated bowels more quickly than others.

INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS. Mothers' Remedies.--1.--Inflammation of the Bowels, Excellent Remedy for.--"First bathe the abdomen with warm salt water, then lay over the navel a piece of lard the size of black walnut. Hold the hand over this until it softens; then rub well into the bowels. This often relieves when pills and powders fail." The massaging brings about action of the bowels without a cathartic usually. Sweet oil or olive oil instead of lard, will do as well.

2. Inflammation of the Bowels, Red Beet Poultice for.--"Take red beets; chop up, put in bag, warm a little and put across the stomach. This will draw out the inflammation quickly and makes a very good poultice."

3. Inflammation of the Bowels, Hop Poultice for.--"Take hops, strain them and put in a sack. Lay across the stomach and bowels."

4. Inflammation of the Bowels, Griddle Cake Poultice for.--"Apply hot griddle cakes on bowels. This acts as a poultice, and should be replaced as soon as cold." This remedy saved my life when I was seventeen years of age. Am now fifty. This remedy will be found very good, but care should be taken not to burn the patient.

5. Cold or Pain in the Bowels, Spice Poultice for Child or Adult.--"Take a cloth sack large enough to cover abdomen; take all kinds of ground spices, put in the bag and tie up, sprinkle bag lightly with alcohol, just enough to dampen spices; lay this on abdomen." This serves as a poultice and is an excellent remedy for this trouble. This may be used for a child as well as an adult.

6. Inflammation of the Bowels, Simple Remedy Always at Hand for.--"Apply hot woolen cloths to abdomen as hot as can be wrung out, change every few minutes. My life was saved twice when I was several hundred miles from a doctor by this treatment." This simple but never failing remedy is easily prepared and, as we all know, heat is the most essential thing for this trouble, especially moist heat.

7. Inflammation of the Bowels, a Rather Unique Remedy for.--"Cut the head off of a hen, cut open down the breast, take out the inwards, pound flat and roll with rolling pin and apply to the bowels. This will draw out all inflammation, but must be done in as little time as possible." The above remedy can do no harm. Many people use it. Perhaps other poultices would be easier to prepare, just as effective and save the hen.

8. Inflammation of the Bowels, Marshmallow Leaves, a Canadian Remedy for.--"Green marshmallow leaves (dry will do). Wet flannel and apply hot." Make a strong tea of the marshmallow leaves and while hot dip flannels and apply to abdomen.

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 119]

9. Inflammation of the Bowels, Syrup of Rhubarb for.--"Add to three pints of simple syrup one and three-fourths ounces of crushed rhubarb, one-fourth ounce each of crushed cloves and cinnamon, one dram of bruised nutmeg, one pint of diluted alcohol, evaporate liquid by a gentle heat to one-half pint. Excellent in bowel complaint in one-half dram (one-half teaspoonful) doses every hour until it operates." The rhubarb moves the bowels and casts out all irritating matter. The oil of cloves stimulates the membranes of the bowels and the cinnamon and nutmeg are astringents.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES for Toothache, Dry Salt and Alum for.--1. "Equal parts. Take common salt and alum. Mix and pulverize these together, wet a small piece of cotton and cause the mixture to adhere to it and place in the hollow tooth. At first a sensation of coldness will be produced, which will gradually disappear, as will the toothache. This is an excellent remedy and should be given a trial by any person suffering with this trouble."

2. Toothache, Oil of Cloves Quick Relief for.--"If the tooth has a cavity take a small piece of cotton and saturate with oil of cloves and place in tooth, or you may rub the gum with oil of sassafras." These are both good remedies, and will often give relief almost instantly.

3. Toothache, Home-Made Poultice for.--"Make a poultice of a slice of toast, saturate in alcohol and sprinkle with pepper and apply externally. This will give almost instant relief."

4. Toothache, Clove Oil and Chloroform for.--"Clove oil and chloroform, each one teaspoonful. Saturate cotton and apply locally."

5. Toothache, Sure Cure for.--

"Peppermint water 1/2 ounce Nitre 1/4 ounce Chloroform 1 dram Ether 1 dram Oil of mustard 10 drops

Remark: This remedy will give relief where all others fail. Not only for toothache, but for neuralgia pains in any part of the body, apply with cloth moistened and lay on the parts affected. Continue until relieved."

6. Toothache, Salt and Alum Water for.--"Fill a bottle of any size half full of equal parts of pulverized alum and salt, then fill up the bottle with sweet spirits of nitre. Shake and apply it to the tooth and gums. Apply it freely, as there is nothing to hurt or injure you."

7. Toothache, Oil of Cinnamon for.--"A drop of oil of cinnamon will frequently relieve very serious cases of toothache. Apply to the tooth with a little cotton. This will at least give temporary relief until you can see your dentist and have the tooth treated."

8. Toothache, Reliable Remedy for.--"Chloroform, clove oil, alcohol, one half ounce of each. Mix together and saturate a piece of cotton and place it in the tooth. This is sure to give relief."

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9. Toothache, From Decayed Teeth.--"If the tooth is decayed take a small piece of raw cotton, saturate with chloroform and place in cavity."

MOTHERS' TOOTH POWDERS.--1. "The ashes of burnt branches of the common grape vine make a very superior tooth powder. It will clean the blackest of teeth, if continued for a few mornings, to that of pure white."

2. Tooth Powder.--"Precipitated chalk four ounces, powdered orris root eight ounces, powdered camphor one ounce; reduce camphor to fine powder moistening with very little alcohol, add other ingredients. Mix thoroughly and sift through fine bolting cloth." Have used this with great success.

3. Tooth Powder.--"All tooth powders, or anything that has a grit will, with the friction of the brush, scour loose from the enamel of the teeth; and this is far superior to any of them in every respect.

Soap tree bark 1 pound Turpentine 2 ounces Powdered orris root 2 ounces Alkanet root 1/2 ounce

Diluted alcohol, half water, sufficient to make the whole into one gallon. Let it stand in an earthen jar to macerate for fourteen days; stir occasionally, then strain and filter through filtering paper. The alcohol will have no injurious effect. This is an excellent tooth remedy."

4.--Tooth Wash.--"One teaspoonful of boracic acid in a pint of boiling water.

Tincture Myrrh 1/2 teaspoonful Spirits of Camphor 1/2 teaspoonful Essence of Peppermint 1/2 teaspoonful

Use in the water in which you brush your teeth. Let boracic acid water cool, then add last three ingredients."

5. Tooth Powder.--"Precipitated chalk four ounces, pulverized sugar two ounces, powdered myrrh one ounce, pulverized orris root one ounce. Mix and sift through fine bolting cloth. This is fine."

6. Tooth Powder, Commonly Used.--

"Precipitated Chalk 12 drams Rose Pink 2 drams Carbonate of Magnesia 1 dram Oil of Rose 5 drops

Mix all well together and after using it you will find the following mouth-wash fine for rinsing out the mouth."

Antiseptic Mouth Wash.--

"Boric Acid 10 grains Resorcin 4 grains Salol 2 grains Thymol 1/2 dram Glycerin 1/2 dram Pure water 1 ounce

This sweetens and cleanses the mouth."

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 121]

7. Tooth Powder, Simple and Unsurpassed.--

Cream of Tartar, powdered 3 ounces Cochineal 1 dram Alum, powdered 4 drams Myrrh 1 dram Cinnamon 1 ounce Sugar 1 ounce

Mix and pass through a sieve. This is a preparation that has no superior for cleaning, preserving and whitening the teeth.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Toothache.--1. Chloretone dissolved in oil of cloves and applied on a cotton wad is very good for toothache.

2. Creosote.--Put on a piece of cotton and put this in the hollow tooth.

3. Toothache in an ulcerated or hollow tooth, caused from wet feet, etc. Take a hot foot bath and drink a hot lemonade, hot ginger, or hot pennyroyal tea, and go to bed and take a good sweat. Aching tooth needs the care of a dentist. It pays to retain your natural teeth in good shape.

INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION.--Causes.--This may be caused by strangulation, telescope (intussusception) of the bowels, twists and knots, strictures and tumors, abnormal contents.