The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mother's Remedies, by T. J. Ritter
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Title: Mother's Remedies
Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remidies from Mothers
of the United States and Canada
Author: T. J. Ritter
Release Date: January 1, 2006 [EBook #17439]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTHER'S REMEDIES ***
Produced by Don Kostuch
[Transcriber's Notes]
Some of the suggestions in this book may be helpful or at least have a
placebo effect. Beware of the many recipes that include kerosene (coal
oil), turpentine, ammonium chloride, lead, lye (sodium hydroxide),
strychnine, arsenic, mercury, creosote, sodium phosphate, opium, cocaine
and other illegal, poisonous or corrosive items. Many recipes do not
specify if it is to be taken internally or topically (on the skin). There
is an extreme preoccupation with poultices (applied to the skin, 324
references) and "keeping the bowels open" (1498 references, including
related terms).
I view this material as a window into the terror endured by mothers and
family members when a child or adult took ill. The doctors available (if
you could afford one) could offer little more than this book. The guilt of
failing to cure the child was probably easier to endure than the
helplessness of doing nothing.
There are many recipes for foods I fondly remember eating as a child.
Note the many recipes for a single serving that involve lengthy and
labor-intensive preparation. Refrigeration was uncommon and the
temperature of iceboxes was well above freezing, so food had to be
consumed quickly.
Many recipes use uncooked meat and eggs that can lead to several diseases.
Obvious typographical errors have been corrected but contemporary spelling
and usage are unchanged. Page headers are retained, but are moved to the
beginning of the paragraph where the text is interrupted. Page numbers are
shown in brackets [ ].
The author claims the material is directed toward non-medical "family"
members, but many passages are obviously copied from medical textbooks.
The following glossary of unfamiliar (to me) terms is quite lengthy and
does not include incomprehensible (to me) medical terms and many words and
names I could not find in several reference books. The book's own 16 page
dictionary is on page 893.
I recommend the article on "hydrophobia" (page 241) as an interesting
history of the Pasture treatment.
Don Kostuch
Transcriber's Dictionary
These entries are absent or brief in the original dictionary on page 893.
A short cooking dictionary is on page 831. Check there for items not found
here.
acetanilide (also acetanilid)
White crystalline compound, C6H5NH(COCH3), formerly used to relieve pain
and reduce fever. It has been replaced because of toxicity.
Aconite
Various, usually poisonous perennial herbs of the genus Aconitum, having
tuberous roots, palmately lobed leaves, blue or white flowers with large
hoodlike upper sepals, and an aggregate of follicles. The dried leaves
and roots of these plants yield a poisonous alkaloid that was formerly
used medicinally. Also called monkshood, wolfsbane.
actinomycosis (lumpy jaw)
Inflammatory disease of cattle, hogs, and sometimes humans, caused by
actinomyces; causes lumpy tumors of the mouth, neck, chest, and abdomen.
Addison's disease
Caused by partial or total failure of adrenocortical function;
characterized by a bronze-like skin color and mucous membranes, anemia,
weakness, and low blood pressure.
ad libitum
At the discretion of the performer. Giving license to alter or omit a
part.
affusion
Pouring on of liquid, as in baptism.
ague
Alternating periods of chills, fever, and sweating. Used in reference to
the fevers associated with malaria.
aletris farinosa (Colicroot, star grass, blackroot,
blazing star, and unicorn root )
Bitter American herb of the Bloodwort family, with small yellow or white
flowers in a long spike (Aletris farinosa and A. aurea).
algid
Cold; chilly.
alkanet
European perennial herb (Alkanna tinctoria) having cymes of blue flowers
and red roots. The red dye extracted from the root. Plants of the
Eurasian genus Anchusa, having blue or violet flowers grouped on
elongated cymes.
allyl
Univalent, unsaturated organic radical C3H5.
aloin
Bitter, yellow crystalline compound from aloe, used as a laxative.
alum
Double sulfates of a trivalent metal such as aluminum, chromium, or iron
and a univalent metal such as potassium or sodium, especially aluminum
potassium sulfate, AlK(SO4)2 12H2O, widely used in industry as
clarifiers, hardeners, and purifiers and medicinally as topical
astringents and styptics.
anemonin
Acrid poisonous compound containing two lactone groups; obtained from
plants of the genus Anemone and genus Ranunculus, containing the
buttercups.
aneurysm (aneurism)
Localized, blood-filled dilatation of a blood vessel caused by disease
or weakening of the vessel wall.
animadversion
Strong criticism. Critical or censorious remark:
anise
Aromatic Mediterranean herb (Pimpinella anisum) in the parsley family,
cultivated for its seed-like fruits and the oil; used to flavor foods,
liqueurs, and candies.
anodyne
Relieves pain.
antipyrine (antipyrin, phenazone)
Analgesic and antipyretic (reduces fever) C11H12N2O formerly used, but
now largely replaced by less toxic drugs such as aspirin.
antrum
Cavity or chamber, especially in a bone. Sinus in the bones of the upper
jaw, opening into the nasal cavity.
apomorphine
Poisonous white crystalline alkaloid, C17H17NO2, derived from morphine
and used to induce vomiting.
arnica
Perennial herbs of the genus Arnica. Tincture of the dried flower heads
of the European species A. montana, applied externally to relieve the
pain and inflammation of bruises and sprains.
articular
Relating to joints: the articular surfaces of bones.
asafetida (asafoetida)
Fetid (offensive odor) gum resin of Asian plants of the genus Ferula
(especially F. assafoetida, F. foetida, or F. narthex). It has a strong
odor and taste, and was formerly used as an antispasmodic and a general
prophylactic against disease.
atresia
Absence or closure of a normal body orifice or tubular passage such as
the anus, intestine, or external ear canal. Degeneration and resorption
of one or more ovarian follicles before a state of maturity has been
reached.
atropine
Poisonous, bitter, crystalline alkaloid, C17H23NO3, obtained from
belladonna and related plants. Used to dilate the pupils of the eyes and
as an antispasmodic.
bainmarie
Large pan of hot water in which smaller pans may be placed to cook food
slowly or to keep food warm.
barberry
Shrubs of the genus Berberis having small yellow flowers, and red,
orange, or blackish berries.
baryta
A barium compounds, such as barium sulfate.
baste
Sew loosely with large running stitches to hold together temporarily.
batiste
Fine, plain-woven fabric made from various fibers and used especially
for clothing.
bedizen
Ornament or dress in a showy or gaudy manner.
belladonna (deadly nightshade)
Poisonous Eurasian perennial herb (Atropa belladonna) with solitary,
nodding, purplish-brown, bell-shaped flowers and glossy black berries.
An alkaloidal extract of this plant used in medicine.
benne (sesame)
Tropical Asian plant (Sesamum indicum) bearing small flat seeds used as
food and as a source of oil.
benzoin
Balsamic resin obtained from certain tropical Asian trees of the genus
Styrax and used in perfumery and medicine. Also called benjamin, gum
benjamin, gum benzoin. A white or yellowish crystalline compound, C14
H12 O2, derived from benzaldehyde.
berberine
Bitter-tasting yellow alkaloid, C20H19NO5, from several plants such as
goldenseal. Used medically as an antipyretic and antibacterial agent.
bergamot
Small tree (Citrus aurantium subsp. bergamia) grown in southern Italy
for its sour citrus fruits. The rinds yield an aromatic oil (bergamot
oil) used in perfume.
beri-beri
Deficiency of thiamine, endemic in eastern and southern Asia and
characterized by neurological symptoms, cardiovascular abnormalities,
and edema.
Berserker
Ancient Norse warriors legendary for working themselves into a frenzy
before a battle and fighting with reckless savagery and insane fury.
bijouterie
Collection of trinkets or jewelry; decorations.
bilious
Relating to bile. Excess secretion of bile. Gastric distress caused by a
disorder of the liver or gallbladder. Resembling bile, especially in
color: a bilious green. Peevish disposition; ill-humored.
bistort
Eurasian perennial herb (Polygonum bistorta) with cylindrical spikes of
pink flowers and a rhizome used as an astringent in folk medicine.
blue flag
Several irises with blue or blue-violet flowers, especially Iris
versicolor of eastern North America.
blue stone (blue vitriol, blue copperas, chalcanthite)
Hydrated blue crystalline form of copper sulfate.
bobbinet
Machine-woven net fabric with hexagonal meshes.
boil
Painful, circumscribed pus-filled inflammation of the skin and
subcutaneous tissue usually caused by a local staphylococcal infection.
Also called furuncle.
bolster
Long narrow pillow or cushion.
bombazine
Fine twilled fabric of silk and worsted or cotton, often dyed black for
mourning clothes.
boracic acid (boric acid)
Water-soluble white or colorless crystalline compound, H3BO3, used as an
antiseptic and preservative.
boutonniere
Flower or small bunch of flowers worn in a buttonhole.
bryonia
Small genus of perennial old world tendril-bearing vines (family
Cucurbitaceae) having large leaves, small flowers, and red or black
fruit; Dried root of a bryony (Bryonia alba or B. dioica) used as a
cathartic.
bubo (buboes)
An inflamed, tender swelling of a lymph node, especially in the area of
the armpit or groin, that is characteristic of bubonic plague and
syphilis.
bubonic plague (black death)
Contagious, often fatal epidemic disease caused by the bacterium
Yersinia (syn. Pasteurella) pestis, transmitted from person to person or
by the bite of fleas from an infected rodent, especially a rat; produces
chills, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and the formation of buboes.
buchu
South African shrubs of the genus Agathosma, especially A. betulina and
A. crenulata; the leaves are used as a mild diuretic and provide an
aromatic oil used for flavoring.
burdock
Weedy, chiefly biennial plants of the genus Arctium.
cachexia
Weight loss, wasting of muscle, loss of appetite, and general debility
during a chronic disease.
cajeput (paperbark)
Australian and southeast Asian tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia, M.
leucadendron) of the myrtle family (Myrtaceae); yields a pungent
medicinal oil; grown in Florida.
calamine
White or colorless mineral, essentially Zn4Si2O7(OH)2.H2O
(hemimorphite). Pink, odorless, tasteless powder of zinc oxide with a
small amount of ferric oxide, dissolved in mineral oils and used in skin
lotions.
calcareous
Composed of calcium carbonate, calcium, or limestone; chalky.
cale
Variety of cabbage in which the leaves do not form a head, being nearly
the wild form of the species; also called kail.
calomel
Colorless, white or brown tasteless compound, Hg2Cl2, used as a
purgative and insecticide. Mercurous chloride.
cambric
Finely woven white linen or cotton fabric.
cantharis (pl. cantharides) (also called Spanish fly)
Brilliant green blister beetle (Lytta vesicatoria or Cantharis
vesicatoria) of central and southern Europe. Toxic preparation of the
crushed, dried bodies of this beetle, formerly used as a
counter-irritant for skin blisters and as an aphrodisiac.
capsicum
Topical American pepper plants, genus Capsicum, especially C. annuum and
C. frutescens.
capsid (mirid bug, mirid)
Variety of leaf bug.
carbolic acid (phenol)
Caustic, poisonous, white crystalline compound, C6H5OH, derived from
benzene and used in resins, plastics, and pharmaceuticals and in dilute
form as a disinfectant and antiseptic.
carbuncle
A painful localized bacterial infection of the skin that usually has
several openings discharging pus.
cardamom
Rhizomatous (horizontal, usually underground stem) Indian herb
(Elettaria cardamomum) having capsular fruits with aromatic seeds used
as a spice or condiment. Plants of the related genus Amomum, used as a
substitute for cardamom.
carminative
Inducing the expulsion of gas from the stomach and intestines.
cascara (See Rhamnus purshiana)
A buckthorn native to northwest North America; the bark yields cascara
sagrada.
cassia
Tropical or subtropical trees, shrubs, or herbs of the genus Cassia in
the pea family, having yellow flowers, and long, flat or cylindrical
pods. Tropical Asian evergreen tree (Cinnamomum cassia) having aromatic
bark used as a substitute for cinnamon.
Castile soap
Fine, hard, white, odorless soap made of olive oil and sodium hydroxide.
castor oil
Colorless or pale yellowish oil extracted from the seeds of the
castor-oil plant, used as a laxative and skin softener.
catarrh
Inflammation of mucous membranes, especially in the nose and throat.
catechu (cutch, Acacia catechu, betel palm)
Spiny Asian tree with yellow flowers, and dark heartwood. A raw material
obtained from the heartwood of this plant, used in the preparation of
tannins and brown dyes.
caudal
Near the tail or hind parts; posterior. Similar to a tail in form or
function.
caustic potash (potassium hydroxide)
Caustic white solid, KOH, used as a bleach and in the manufacture of
soaps, dyes, alkaline batteries.
cerate
Hard, unctuous, fat or wax-based solid, sometimes medicated, formerly
applied to the skin directly or on dressings.
chambray
Fine lightweight fabric woven with white threads across a colored warp.
chancel
Space around the altar of a church for the clergy and sometimes the
choir, often enclosed by a lattice or railing.
chary
Cautious; wary; not giving or expending freely; sparing.
chelidnium
Herbs of the poppy family (Papaveraceae) with brittle stems, yellowish
acrid juice, pinnately divided leaves, and small yellow flowers that
includes the celandine. Preparation of celandine (Chelidonium majus)
used formerly as a diuretic.
Cheviot
Breed of sheep with short thick wool, originally raised in the Cheviot
Hills. Fabric of coarse twill weave, used for suits and overcoats,
originally made of Cheviot wool.
chicken pox
Caused by the varicella-zoster virus; indicated by skin eruptions,
slight fever, and malaise. Also called varicella.
chilblain
Inflammation and itchy irritation of the hands, feet, or ears, caused by
moist cold.
chloral hydrate
Colorless crystalline compound, CCl3CH(OH)2, used as a sedative and
hypnotic.
chlorosis
Iron-deficiency anemia, primarily of young women, indicated by
greenish-yellow skin color.
cholera infantum
Acute non-contagious intestinal disturbance of infants formerly common
in congested areas with high humidity and temperature.
cholera morbus
Acute gastroenteritis occurring in summer and autumn exhibiting severe
cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting. No longer in scientific use.
chorea
Nervous disorders marked by involuntary, jerky movements, especially of
the arms, legs, and face.
Chrysarobin
Bitter, yellow substance in Goa powder (from the wood of a Brazilian
tree Vataireopsis araroba), and yielding chrysophanic acid; formerly
called chrysphanic acid.
cinchona (Jesuit's bark, Peruvian bark)
Trees and shrubs of the genus Cinchona, native chiefly to the Andes and
cultivated for bark that yields the medicinal alkaloids quinine and
quinidine, which are used to treat malaria. Dried bark of these plants.
Cinnamyl
Hypothetical radical, (C6H5.C2H2)2C, of cinnamic compounds. Formerly,
cinnamule.
clonic
The nature of clonus--contraction and relaxation of muscle.
cocculus
Poisonous bean-shaped berry of a woody vine (Anamirta cocculus) of the
East Indies that yields picrotoxin.
cochineal
Red dye made of the dried and pulverized bodies of female cochineal
insects.
coddle
Cook in water below the boiling point: coddle eggs. Treat indulgently;
baby; pamper.
codling (codlin)
Greenish elongated English apple used for cooking. Small unripe apple.
Cohosh (baneberry, herb Christopher)
Plant of the genus Actaea having acrid poisonous berries; especially
blue cohosh, black cohosh.
colchicum
Various bulbous plants of the genus Colchicum, such as the autumn
crocus. The dried ripe seeds or corms (short thick solid food-storing
underground stem) of the autumn crocus which yield colchicine.
collodion
Highly flammable, colorless or yellowish syrupy solution of pyroxylin,
ether, and alcohol, used as an adhesive to close small wounds and hold
surgical dressings, in topical medications, and for making photographic
plates.
colocynth (bitter apple)
Old World vine (Citrullus colocynthis) bearing yellowish, green-mottled
fruits the size of small lemons. The pulp of the fruit is a strong
laxative.
colombo (calumba)
Root of an African plant (Jatrorrhiza palmata, family Menispermaceae)
containing columbin; it is used as a tonic called calumba root or
colombo root.
colostrum (foremilk)
Thin yellowish fluid secreted by the mammary glands at birth, rich in
antibodies and minerals. It precedes the production of true milk.
coltsfoot (galax)
Eurasian herb (Tussilago farfara), naturalized in parts of North America
with dandelion-like flower heads. Dried leaves or flower heads of this
plant have been long used in herbal medicine to treat coughs.
consomme
Clear soup or bouillion boiled down so as to be very rich.
contretemps
Unforeseen disruption of the normal course of things; inopportune
occurrence.
copaiba
Transparent, often yellowish, viscous oleoresin from South American
trees of the genus Copaifera in the pea family, used in varnishes and as
a fixative in perfume.
copperas (ferrous sulfate)
Greenish crystalline compound, FeSO4.7H2O, used as a pigment,
fertilizer, and feed additive, in sewage and water treatment, and in the
treatment of iron deficiency.
corrosive sublimate
Mercuric chloride.
costal
Relating to or near a rib.
costive
Constipated
cranesbill (geranium, storksbill)
Plants of the genus Geranium, with pink or purplish flowers. Various
plants of the genus Pelargonium, native chiefly to southern Africa and
widely cultivated for their rounded and showy clusters of red, pink, or
white flowers.
cream of tartar
Potassium bitartrate. White, acid, crystalline solid or powder,
KHC4H4O6, used in baking powder, in the tinning of metals, and as a
laxative.
Creasote (creosote)
Colorless to yellowish oily liquid containing phenols and creosols,
obtained by the destructive distillation of wood tar, especially from
beech, and formerly used as an expectorant in treating chronic
bronchitis. Also used as a wood preservative and disinfectant. May cause
severe neurological disturbances if inhaled.
crepe de Chine
Silk crepe used for dresses and blouses.
cretonne
Heavy unglazed cotton, linen, or rayon fabric, colorfully printed and
used for draperies and slipcovers.
croton oil
Brownish-yellow, foul-smelling oil from the seeds of a tropical Asian
shrub or small tree (Croton tiglium); formerly used as a drastic
purgative and counterirritant. Its use was discontinued because of its
toxicity.
croup
Condition of the larynx, especially in infants and children, causing
respiratory difficulty and a hoarse, brassy cough.
Culver's root
Perennial herb (Veronicastrum virginicum) native to eastern North
America; the root was formerly used as a cathartic and an emetic.
cupping
Therapeutic procedure, no longer in use; an evacuated glass cup is
applied to the skin to draw blood to the surface.
Cuprum
Copper.
Curacao
Flavored with sour orange peel. Popular island resort in the Netherlands
Antilles.
cystitis
Inflammation of the urinary bladder.
damask
Rich patterned fabric of cotton, linen, silk, or wool. Fine, twilled
table linen.
deadly night-shade (bittersweet, bittersweet nightshade, climbing
nightshade, poisonous nightshade, woody nightshade, Solanum dulcamara)
Perennial Eurasian herb with reddish bell-shaped flowers and shining
black berries; extensively grown in United States; roots and leaves
yield atropine (belladonna, Atropa belladonna).
decollete
Cut low at the neckline. Wearing a garment that is low-cut or strapless.
demi-monde
Class of women kept by wealthy lovers or protectors; prostitutes; group
whose respectability is dubious or whose success is marginal.
demulcent
Soothing, usually mucilaginous or oily substance, such as glycerin or
lanolin, used to relieve pain of irritated mucous membranes.
diathesis
Hereditary predisposition to disease, allergy, or other disorder.
digitalis
Plant of the genus Digitalis, including foxgloves. Drug prepared from
the seeds and dried leaves used as a cardiac stimulant.
dilatory
Delay or postpone.
discomfit
Make uneasy or perplexed; disconcert; embarrass; thwart the plans of;
frustrate.
dry cupping
See cupping.
dysmenorrhea
Painful menstruation.
effusion
Seeping of serous, purulent, or bloody fluid into a body cavity or
tissue. The effused fluid.
eiderdown (eider down)
Down of the eider duck, used to stuff quilts and pillows. Quilt stuffed
with the down of the eider duck.
empyema
Pus in a body cavity, especially the pleural cavity.
ennui
Listlessness, dissatisfaction, lack of interest; boredom:
Epsom salts
Hydrated magnesium sulfate, MgSO4.7H2O, used as a cathartic and to
reduce inflammation.
ergot
Fungus (Claviceps purpurea) infecting cereal plants; forms compact black
masses of branching filaments that replace many of the grains of the
host plant. Disease caused by such a fungus. The dried sclerotia of
ergot obtained from rye is a source of several medicinal alkaloids and
lysergic acid.
erigeron
Genus of composite herbs having flower heads resembling asters. Formerly
used as a diuretic and as a hemostatic in uterine hemorrhage
erysipelas
Acute skin disease caused by hemolytic streptococcus; marked by
localized inflammation and fever. Also called Saint Anthony's fire.
eschar
Dry scab or slough formed on the skin caused by a burn or by the action
of a corrosive or caustic substance.
eucaine
A crystalline substance, C15H21NO2, used as a local anesthetic,
substituting for cocaine, in veterinary medicine.
eucalyptol (cineole)
Colorless oily liquid, C10H18O, from eucalyptus; used in
pharmaceuticals, flavoring, and perfumery.
eucalyptus
Trees of the genus Eucalyptus, native to Australia; they have aromatic
leaves that yield an oil used medicinally.
farcy (see glanders)
Chronic form of glanders that affects the skin and superficial lymph
vessels.
febrile
ferverish
felon
Painful purulent infection at the end of a finger or toe in the area
surrounding the nail. Also called whitlow.
ferrocyanate
Salt of ferrocyanic acid; a ferrocyanide.
fistula
An abnormal duct or passage resulting from injury, disease, or other
disorder that connects an abscess, cavity, or hollow organ to the body
surface or to another hollow organ.
flounce
Strip of decorative, gathered or pleated material attached by one edge,
as on a garment or curtain.
fondant
Sweet creamy sugar paste used in candies and icings. Candy containing
this paste.
fontanelles
The soft membranous gaps between the incompletely formed cranial bones
of a fetus or an infant. Also called soft spot.
formaldehyde
Colorless gaseous compound, HCHO, used to manufacture resins,
fertilizers, dyes, and embalming fluids and in aqueous solution as a
preservative and disinfectant.
formalin
Aqueous solution of formaldehyde that is 37 percent by weight.
fossa
A small depression, as in a bone.
foulard
Lightweight twill or plain-woven fabric of silk or silk and cotton,
often having a small printed design. Necktie or scarf, made of this
fabric.
Fowler's solution
Solution of arsenite of potassium in water; named for Fowler, an English
physician who brought it into use.
frock coat
Man's dress coat or suit coat with knee-length skirts.
fuller's earth
Highly adsorbent (attaches to other substances without any chemical
action) clay-like substance consisting of hydrated aluminum silicates;
used in talcum powders.
fly blister
Blister caused by the vesicating (blistering) body fluid of certain
beetles.
fusiform
Tapered at each end; spindle-shaped.
galatea
Durable, often striped cotton fabric used in making clothing.
galax (beetleweed, coltsfoot, wandflower)
Stemless evergreen perennial plant (Galax urceolata) of the eastern US,
with a rosette of glossy, heart-shaped leaves and small white flowers in
spike-like clusters.
gallic acid
Colorless crystalline compound, C7H6O5, derived from tannin used as a
tanning agent, ink dye, in photography, and paper manufacturing.
gamboge
Brownish or orange resin from trees of the genus Garcinia of
south-central Asia and yielding a golden-yellow pigment.
gaucherie
Awkward or tactless act, manner, or expression.
gelsemium
Genus of climbing plants. The yellow (false) jasmine (Gelsemium
sempervirens) is a native of the Southern United States; the root is
used for malarial fevers.
gentian
Plants of the genus Gentiana, having showy, variously colored flowers.
The dried rhizome and roots of a yellow-flowered European gentian, G.
lutea, used as a tonic.
germander
Aromatic plants of the genus Teucrium, with purplish or reddish flowers.
gingham
Yarn-dyed cotton fabric woven in stripes, checks, plaids, or solid
colors.
glace
Smooth, glazed or glossy surface, such as certain silks or leathers.
Coated with a sugar glaze; candied.
glairy
Slimy consistency, like egg white; cough producing glairy sputum.
glanders
Contagious, usually fatal disease of horses, caused by the bacterium
Pseudomonas mallei; causes swollen lymph nodes, nasal discharge, and
ulcers of the respiratory tract and skin. Communicable to other mammals,
including humans.
glaubers salts
(Na2SO4.10H2O); colorless salt used as a cathartic.
gleet
Inflammation of the urethra caused by chronic gonorrhea with a discharge
of mucus and pus; the discharge that is characteristic of this
inflammation.
Glonoin
Dilute solution of nitroglycerin used as a neurotic.
glycerite
Preparation made by mixing or dissolving a substance in glycerin.
glycyrrhiza
Widely distributed perennial herbs of the family Leguminosae that
include licorice. Dried root of a licorice of the genus Glycyrrhiza (G.
glabra); used to mask unpleasant flavors in drugs or to give a pleasant
taste to confections called licorice.
goiter (goitre)
Enlargement of the thyroid gland; often results from insufficient intake
of iodine.
golden seal
See hydrastis.
groats
Hulled, usually crushed grain, especially oats.
grosgrain
Closely woven silk or rayon fabric with narrow horizontal ribs. Ribbon
made of this fabric.
gruel
Thin porridge (usually oatmeal or cornmeal). See page 574.
guaiacum (guaiac )
Tree of the genus Guaiacum; a lignum vitae. Greenish-brown resin from
this tree, used medicinally and in varnishes.
gustatory
Concerning the sense of taste.
haematuria
Blood in the urine.
hamamelis
Genus of shrubs or small trees (family Hamamelidaceae), including the
witch hazels. Dried leaves of a witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) of
the eastern U.S. used formerly as a tonic and sedative.
hartshorn
Antler of a hart, formerly used as a source of ammonia and in smelling
salts. Ammonium carbonate.
hellebore
Plants of the genus Helleborus, native to Eurasia, most of which are
poisonous. Plants of the genus Veratrum, especially V. viride of North
America, yielding a toxic alkaloid used medicinally.
henbane (black henbane, insane root)
Poisonous Eurasian plant (Hyoscyamus niger) having an unpleasant odor,
sticky leaves, and funnel-shaped greenish-yellow flowers. It is a source
hyoscyamus, hyoscamine and scopolamine.
henna
Tree or shrub (Lawsonia inermis) of the Middle East, having fragrant
white or reddish flowers. Reddish-orange dyestuff prepared from the
dried and ground leaves of this plant, used as a cosmetic dye and for
coloring leather and fabrics. To dye (hair, for example) with henna.
Hepar
Liver of sulphur; a substance of a liver-brown color, sometimes used in
medicine. Fformed by fusing sulphur with carbonates of the alkalies
(esp. potassium), and consists essentially of alkaline sulphides. Called
also hepar sulphuris. A substance resembling hepar; in homeopathy,
calcium sulphide, called also hepar sulphuris calcareum.
hepatica (liverleaf)
Woodland plants of the genus Hepatica, especially H. americana of
eastern North America, having three-lobed leaves and white or lavender
flowers.
Herpes Zoster
Varicella-zoster virus: A herpesvirus that causes chickenpox and
shingles. Causes an acute viral infection--inflammation of the sensory
ganglia of spinal or cranial nerves and the eruption of vesicles along
the affected nerve path. It usually strikes only one side of the body
and is often accompanied by severe neuralgia.
Honduras Bark
Dried bark of a tropical American tree (Picramnia antidesma) formerly
used in the treatment of syphilis and skin diseases.
Hunyadi (Hunyady )
Hungarian noble family, partly of Romanian origin. The first recorded
member of the family was Serbe, who settled in Hunyad county in
Transylvania from Wallachia.
hydrastis
Genus of herbs (family Ranunculaceae) with palmately lobed leaves and
small greenish flowers and including the goldenseal (H. canadensis). The
dried rhizome and roots of the goldenseal formerly used in pharmacy as a
bitter tonic and antiseptic called also goldenseal.
hydragogue
Cathartics that aid in the removal of edematous fluids and promote the
discharge of fluid from the bowels.
hydrophobia (rabies)
Viral disease of the nervous system of warm-blooded animals. Transmitted
by a rhabdovirus (genus Lyssavirus) in infected saliva of a rabid
animal. Causes increased salivation, abnormal behavior, and paralysis
and death when untreated
hypophosphite
Salt of hypophosphorous acid.
hyoscine (scopolamine)
An alkaloid, C17H21NO4, from plants such as henbane; used as a mydriatic
(dilatate the pupils) and sedative, and to treat nausea and motion
sickness.
hyoscyamus
Poisonous Eurasian herbs of the family Solanaceae that have simple
leaves, irregular flowers, and include the henbane (H. niger). Dried
leaves of the henbane containing the alkaloids hyoscyamine and
scopolamine, used as an antispasmodic and sedative.
ichthyol
Oily substance prepared by the dry distillation of a bituminous mineral
containing fossil fishes. Used as a remedy for some skin diseases.
ignatia
Dried ripe seeds of the Saint-Ignatius's-bean used like nux vomica.
impetigo
Contagious bacterial skin infection, usually of children, indicated by
the eruption of superficial pustules with thick yellow crusts, commonly
on the face.
incommode
Cause inconvenience; disturb.
inspissate
Undergo thickening or cause to thicken, as by boiling or evaporation;
condense.
intercostal
Relating to or near a rib.
iodoform
Yellowish crystalline compound, CHI3, used as an antiseptic.
ipecac
Tropical American shrub (Cephaelis ipecacuanha) that yields emetine.
Medicinal preparation made from this shrub used to induce vomiting.
Iris Florentina (Florentine iris, orris, Iris germanica
florentina, Iris florentina)
German iris having large white flowers and a fragrant rhizome.
Irish moss (carrageen)
Edible North Atlantic seaweed (Chondrus crispus) that yields a
mucilaginous substance used medicinally and in preparing jellies.
iritis
Inflammation of the iris of the eye.
jalap
Eastern Mexican vine (Ipomoea purga) with tuberous roots that are dried,
powdered, and used as a cathartic.
jocose
Given to joking; merry; humorous.
kamala
Asian tree (Mallotus philippinensis) that bears a hairy capsular fruit;
vermifugal powder is obtained from the capsules of this tree.
kino
Reddish resin from several Old World trees of the genera Eucalyptus,
Pterocarpus, and Butea and from tropical American trees of the genera
Coccoloba and Dipteryx.
kumiss (koumiss)
Fermented milk of a mare or camel, used as a beverage in western and
central Asia.
La Grippe
Influenza.
lancinating
Sensation of cutting, piercing, or stabbing.
lard
White solid or semisolid rendered fat of a hog.
laudanum
Tincture of opium, formerly used as a drug.
leukemia (leucemia, leukaemia, leucaemia)
Disease in humans and other warm-blooded animals involving the
blood-forming organs; causes an abnormal increase in the number of white
blood cells in the tissues with or without a corresponding increase in
the circulating blood.
lime (calcium oxide)
White, caustic, lumpy powder, CaO, used as a refractory, as a flux, in
manufacturing steel and paper, in glassmaking, in waste treatment, in
insecticides, and as an industrial alkali.
Slaked lime is calcium hydroxide, a soft white powder, Ca(OH)2, used in
making mortar, cements, calcium salts, paints, hard rubber products, and
petrochemicals.
litmus
Coloring material from lichens that turns red in acid solutions and blue
in alkaline solutions.
Liveforever (orpine, orpin, livelong, Sedum telephium)
Perennial northern temperate plant with toothed leaves and heads of
small purplish-white flowers.
lobelia
See Herb Department, page 428.
lochia
Normal uterine discharge of blood, tissue, and mucus from the vagina
after childbirth.
lupus
Systemic lupus erythematosus. Chronic skin conditions characterized by
ulcerative lesions that spread over the body. No longer in scientific
use.
lupulin
Minute yellowish-brown hairs in the strobili of the hop plant, formerly
used in medicine as a sedative.
lycopodium
Plant of the genus Lycopodium, including club mosses. The yellowish
powdery spores of certain club mosses, especially Lycopodium clavatum,
are used in fireworks and as a coating for pills.
madras
Cotton or silk cloth of fine texture, usually with a plaid, striped, or
checked pattern. Large handkerchief of madras cloth.
malines
Thin, stiff net woven in a hexagonal pattern, used in dressmaking.
mandrake (may-apple)
Southern European plant (Mandragora officinarum) having greenish-yellow
flowers and a branched root. This plant was once believed to have
magical powers because its root resembles the human body. The root
contains the poisonous alkaloid hyoscyamine. Also called mandragora. See
podophyllin.
marseille
Heavy cotton fabric with a raised pattern of stripes or figures.
meatus
Body opening or passage, such as the opening of the ear or the urethra.
menorrhagia
Unusually heavy or extended menstrual flow.
menstruum
Solvent used to extract compounds from plant and animal tissues and
preparing drugs.
messaline
Lightweight, soft, shiny silk cloth with a twilled or satin weave.
mezereon
Poisonous Eurasian ornamental shrub (Daphne mezereum) with fragrant
lilac-purple flowers and small scarlet fruit. The dried bark of this
plant was used externally as a vesicant (blistering agent) and
internally for arthritis.
miliary
Appearance of millet seeds. Small skin lesions with the appearance of
millet seeds.
mullein
Eurasian plants of the genus Verbascum, especially V. thapsus. Also
called flannel leaf, velvet plant.
muriate
Chloride; compound of chlorine with another element or radical;
especially, a salt or ester of hydrochloric acid called.
myrrh
Aromatic gum resin from trees and shrubs of the genus Commiphora of
India, Arabia, and eastern Africa, used in perfume and incense.
methyl salicylate
Liquid ester C8H8O3 obtained from the leaves of wintergreen (Gaultheria
procumbens) or the bark of a birch (Betula lenta); now made
synthetically, and used as a flavoring and a counterirritant.
motherwort
Eurasian plants of the genus Leonurus, especially L. cardiaca, a weed
having clusters of small purple or pink flowers.
mugwort
Aromatic plants of the genus Artemisia, especially A. vulgaris, native
to Eurasia; used as a condiment.
mustard plaster (sinapism)
Medicinal plaster made with a paste-like mixture of powdered black
mustard, flour, and water, used as a counterirritant.
nephritis
Various acute or chronic inflammations of the kidneys, such as Bright's
disease.
naphthalene (naphthaline, tar camphor)
White crystalline compound, C10H8, derived from coal tar or petroleum
and used in manufacturing dyes, moth repellents, and explosives and as a
solvent.
nebulize
To convert a liquid to a fine spray; atomize.
To treat with a medicated spray.
nainsook
Soft lightweight muslin used for babies.
Neroli
An essential oil made by distilling the flowers of the orange; it is
used in perfume.
nitre (niter, saltpeter)
Potassium nitrate, KNO3, used in making gunpowder.
nux vomica
Tree (Strychnos nux-vomica) native to southeast Asia, having poisonous
seeds that are the source of the medicinal alkaloids strychnine and
brucine.
ocher (ochre)
Yellow, brown, or red mineral oxides of iron used as pigments.
oil of vitriol
Sulfuric acid; highly corrosive, dense, oily liquid, H2SO4, colorless to
dark brown depending on its purity and used to manufacture a wide
variety of chemicals and materials including fertilizers, paints,
detergents, and explosives.
omentum
Folds of the peritoneum (membrane lining the abdominal cavity) that
connect the stomach with other abdominal organs.
ophthalmia neonatorum (infantile purulent conjunctivitis)
Various forms of conjunctivitis in newborns, usually contracted during
birth from passage through the infected birth canal of the mother.
orchitis
Inflammation of the testes, often the result of mumps or other
infection, trauma, or metastasis.
organdy (organdie)
Stiff transparent fabric of cotton or silk, used for trim, curtains, and
light apparel.
Origanum
Marjoram. Genus of mint-like plants (Origanum). The sweet marjoram (O.
Majorana) is aromatic and fragrant, and used in cooking. The wild
marjoram of Europe and America (O. vulgare) is less fragrant.
orris
Several species of iris with a fragrant rootstock, especially Iris
germanica, used in perfumes and cosmetics.
panada
Paste or gruel of bread crumbs, toast, or flour combined with milk,
stock, or water; used for soups or thickening sauces.
Paralysis Agitans (Parkinson's disease, shaking palsy)
Progressive nervous disease causing destruction of brain cells that
produce dopamine, muscular tremor, slowing of movement, partial facial
paralysis, peculiarity of gait and posture, and weakness.
paregoric
A camphorated tincture of opium, taken internally for the relief of
diarrhea and intestinal pain
Paris green
Poisonous emerald-green powder, C4H6As6Cu4O16, used as a pigment,
insecticide, and wood preservative.
pedicle (pedicel)
Small stalk or stalk-like structure, especially one supporting or
connecting an organ or other body part. Slender foot-like part, as at
the base of a tumor.
pell mell
Jumbled, confused manner; helter-skelter; frantic disorderly haste;
headlong:
pemphigus
Several acute or chronic skin diseases characterized by groups of
itching blisters.
pennyroyal
Eurasian mint (Mentha pulegium) with small lilac-blue flowers that yield
an aromatic oil. Aromatic plant (Hedeoma pulegioides) of eastern North
America, having purple-blue flowers that yields an oil used as an insect
repellent
peptonize
Convert protein into a peptone (water-soluble protein derivative
produced by partial hydrolysis of a protein by an acid or enzyme ).
Dissolve (food) by means of a proteolytic enzyme.
pernicious anemia (Addison's anemia, malignant anemia.)
Severe anemia in older adults, caused by failure absorb vitamin B12;
causes abnormally large red blood cells, gastrointestinal disturbances,
and lesions of the spinal cord.
pharyngitis
Inflammation of the pharynx.
phenacetine (phenacetin)
White, crystalline compound, C10H13O2N, used as an antipyretic.
phlox
North American plants of the genus Phlox, having opposite leaves and
flowers.
phytolacca decandra (Scoke, Poke, Pokeweed)
Tall coarse perennial American herb with small white flowers followed by
blackish-red berries on long drooping racemes; young fleshy stems are
edible; berries and root are poisonous.
picric acid
Poisonous, yellow crystalline solid, C6H2(NO2)3OH, used in explosives,
dyes, and antiseptics.
piece de resistance
Outstanding accomplishment. Principal dish of a meal.
pilocarpus
Small tropical American shrubs (family Rutaceae) with small greenish
flowers.
pilocarpine muriate
3-ethyl-4-[(3-methylimidazol-4-yl)methyl]oxolan-2-one hydrochloride
C11H17ClN2O2
pique
Vexation caused by a perceived slight or indignity; feeling of wounded
pride.
pleurodynia
Paroxysmal pain and soreness of the muscles between the ribs. Epidemic
disease caused by a coxsackievirus, causing pain in the lower chest and
fever, headache, and malaise.
podophyllin
Bitter-tasting resin from the dried root of the may apple; used as a
cathartic.
pokeweed (pokeberry, pokeroot.)
Tall North American plant (Phytolacca americana) with small white
flowers, blackish-red berries, and a poisonous root.
prickly ash
Deciduous or evergreen shrubs or trees of the genus Zanthoxylum.
probang
Long, slender, flexible rod with a tuft or sponge at the end; used to
remove objects from or apply medication to the larynx or esophagus.
proteid (obsolete term)
Protein.
proud flesh
Swollen flesh that surrounds a healing wound, caused by excessive
granulation (Small, fleshy, bead-like protuberances--new capillaries--on
the surface of a wound that is healing).
pruritus
Severe itching, often of undamaged skin.
Prunus Virginiana (Chokecherry)
Astringent fruit of a species of wild cherry; the bush or tree which
bears such fruit.
pterygium
Abnormal mass of tissue on the conjunctiva of the inner corner of the
eye that obstructs vision by covering the cornea.
pulsatilla
Dried medicinal herb from a pasqueflower (especially Anemone pulsatilla)
formerly used to treat amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea.
punctilio
Fine point of etiquette. Precise observance of formalities.
purpura
Hemorrhages in the skin and mucous membranes having the appearance of
purplish spots or patches.
pyemia
Septicemia (blood poisoning) caused by pyogenic (producing pus)
microorganisms in the blood, often resulting in the formation of
multiple abscesses.
pyrogallic Acid
White, toxic crystalline phenol, C6H3(OH)3, used as a photographic
developer and to treat certain skin diseases.
quassia
Tropical American shrub (Quassia amara) with bright scarlet flowers. A
bitter substance from its wood is used in medicine and as an
insecticide.
Queen of the meadow (Meadowsweet)
European herbaceous plant (Spiraea Ulmaria). North American shrubs
(Spiraea alba or S. latifolia) having umbel-shaped clusters of white
flowers. Perennial herbs of the genus Filipendula in the rose family.
quinine
Bitter, colorless, powder or crystalline alkaloid, C20H24N2O2-3H2O,
derived from cinchona barks and used to treat malaria.
quince
Western Asian shrub or tree (Cydonia oblonga) with white flowers and
hard apple-like fruit.
quinsy
Acute inflammation of the tonsils and surrounding tissue, often leading
to an abscess.
rabies
see hydrophobia
ranunculus bulbosus
Perennial Old World buttercup with yellow flowers in late spring to
early summer.
red precipitate
Mercuric oxide (HgO) a heavy red crystalline powder formed by heating
mercuric nitrate, or by heating mercury in the air.
repousse
Ornamented with patterns in relief made by pressing or hammering on the
reverse side;
resorcinol (resorcin)
White crystalline compound, C6H4(OH)2, used to treat certain skin
diseases and in dyes, resin adhesives, and pharmaceuticals.
Rhamnus Purshiana (Cascara buckthorn )
Buckthorn of the Pacific coast of the United States, which yields
cascara sagrada.
rhatany
Dried root of South American shrubs (Krameria lappacea or K. argentea)
used as an astringent and in toothpaste and mouthwash.
rheumatic fever
Acute inflammatory disease occurring after an infection from group A
streptococci, marked by fever and joint pain. Associated with
polyarthritis, Sydenham's chorea, and endocarditis; frequently causes
scarring of the heart valves.
rheumatism
Painful disorder of the joints or muscles or connective tissues. Chronic
auto-immune disease with inflammation of the joints and marked
deformities.
rhus
Genus of vines and shrubs including poison ivy, poison oak, and poison
sumac.
rickets (rachitis)
Childhood disease caused by a lack of vitamin D or calcium and from
insufficient exposure to sunlight, characterized by defective bone
growth.
Rochelle salts
Potassium sodium tartrate; colorless efflorescent crystalline compound,
KNaC4H4O6.4H2O, used in making mirrors, in electronics, and as a
laxative
ruche
Ruffle or pleat of lace, muslin, or other fine fabric used to trim
women's garments.
rumex Crispus (chrysophanic acid)
Yellow crystalline substance found in the root of yellow dock (Rumex
crispus).
rush
Stiff marsh plants of the genus Juncus, having pliant hollow or pithy
stems and small flowers with scale-like perianths (outer envelope of a
flower,).
sago
Powdery starch from the trunks of sago palms; used in Asia as a food
thickener and textile stiffener.
sal-ammoniac
ammonium chloride; white crystalline volatile salt NH4Cl, used in dry
cells and as an expectorant called.
saleratus
Sodium or potassium bicarbonate used as a leavening agent; baking soda.
salicylate
Salt or ester of salicylic acid.
salicylic acid
White crystalline acid, C6H4(OH)(COOH), used to make aspirin and to
treat skin conditions such as eczema.
salol
White crystalline powder, C13H10O3, derived from salicylic acid and used
in plastics, suntan oils, analgesics and antipyretics. Was a trademark.
saltpetre (potassium nitrate, saltpeter, niter, nitre)
(KNO3) used especially as a fertilizer, explosive and a diuretic.
salt rheum
Popular name in the United States, for skin eruptions, such as eczema.
Eczema; inflammatory skin disease, indicated by redness and itching,
eruption of small vesicles, and discharge of a watery exudation, which
often dries up, leaving the skin covered with crusts;--called also
tetter, and milk crust.
sanguinaria
Rhizome (horizontal, underground stem) and roots of the bloodroot
(Sanguinaria canadensis) used formerly as an expectorant and emetic.
sedulous
Persevering and constant in effort or application; assiduous.
senna
Plants of the genus Cassia, having showy, nearly regular, usually yellow
flowers. Dried leaves of Cassia angustifolia or C. acutifolia, used as a
cathartic.
santonin
Colorless crystalline compound, C15H18O3, wormwood, especially
santonica; used to expel or destroy parasitic intestinal worms.
sarsaparilla
Tropical American plants, genus Smilax, with fragrant roots used as a
flavoring. Dried roots of any of these plants. Sweet soft drink flavored
with these roots.
savin
Evergreen Eurasian shrub (Juniperus sabina) with brownish-blue
seed-bearing cones and young shoots that yield an oil formerly used
medicinally.
scrofula (struma)
A form of tuberculosis affecting the lymph nodes, especially of the
neck. Common in children. Spread by unpasteurized milk from infected
cows.
scurf
Scaly or shredded dry skin, such as dandruff.
scurvy
Disease caused by deficiency of vitamin C (citrus fruit; oranges,
limes,..); causes spongy and bleeding gums, bleeding under the skin, and
extreme weakness.
Seidlitz
A village in Bohemia (also Sedlitz). Seidlitz powders, effervescing
salts, consisting of forty grains of sodium bicarbonate, two drachms of
Rochell salt (tartrate of potassium and sodium) and thirty-five grains
of tartaric acid. The powders are mixed in water, and drunk while
effervescing, as a mild cathartic; the result resembles the natural
water of Seidlitz. Also Rochelle powders.
senega
Dried root of seneca snakeroot containing an irritating saponin and was
formerly used as an expectorant
sesquioxide
Oxide containing three atoms of oxygen with two atoms (or radicals) of
some other substance; thus, alumina, Al2O3 is a sesquioxide.
shirr
Cook (unshelled eggs) by baking until set.
sinapism.
See mustard plaster.
sitz bath
Bathtub shaped like a chair, used to bathe only the hips and buttocks.
slaked lime
See lime
sling
Drink consisting of brandy, whiskey, or gin, sweetened and usually
lemon-flavored.
smallpox
Contagious febrile (feverish) disease characterized by skin eruption
with pustules, sloughing, and scar formation. It is caused by a poxvirus
(genus Orthopoxvirus) that is believed to exist now only in lab
cultures.
smilax (catbrier, greenbrier)
Slender vine (Asparagus asparagoides) with glossy foliage, greenish
flowers, heart-shaped leaves, and bluish to black berries; popular as a
floral decoration.
Socotrine
Pertaining to Socotra, an island in the Indian Ocean, on the east coast
of Africa.
sordes
Dark brown or blackish crust-like deposits on the lips, teeth, and gums
of a person with dehydration resulting from a chronic debilitating
disease.
spermaceti
White, waxy substance from the head of the sperm whale used for making
candles, ointments, and cosmetics.
spematorrhea (spermatorrhoea)
Involuntary discharge of semen without orgasm
spigelia (pinkroot )
Genus of American herbs (family Loganiaceae) related to the nux vomica
and used as anthelmintics (expel or destroy parasitic intestinal worms).
sprue
Chronic, chiefly tropical disease characterized by diarrhea, emaciation,
and anemia, caused by defective absorption of nutrients from the
intestinal tract.
squill (sea onion)
Bulbous Eurasian and African plants of the genus Scilla, having narrow
leaves and bell-shaped blue, white, or pink flowers. The dried inner
scales of the bulbs used as rat poison and formerly as a cardiac
stimulant, expectorant, and diuretic.
stephanotis
Woody climbing plants of the genus Stephanotis, especially S. floribunda
of Madagascar, cultivated for its showy fragrant white flowers.
staphisagria (stavesacre)
Eurasian plant of the genus Delphinium (D. staphisagria). Ripe seeds of
the stavesacre contain delphinine, are violently emetic and carthartic,
and have been used to kill head lice called also staphisagria
steppage
Peculiar gait seen in neuritis of the peroneal nerve and in tabes
dorsalis; high stepping to allow the drooping foot and toes to clear the
ground.
stertorous
Harsh snoring or gasping sound.
stevia
Plant of the genus Stevia or Piqueria, having white or purplish
flowers.
stiletto
Small dagger with a slender, tapering blade. Small, sharp-pointed
instrument used for making eyelet holes in needlework.
stillingia
Genus of widely distributed herbs and shrubs (family Euphorbiaceae). The
dried root of a plant of the genus Stillingia (S. sylvatica) was
formerly used as a diuretic, and laxative.
stomachic
Relating to the stomach; gastric. Beneficial to digestion. An agent that
strengthens the stomach.
strychnine
Extremely poisonous white crystalline alkaloid, C21H22O2N2, derived from
nux vomica and related plants, used to poison rodents and topically in
medicine as a stimulant for the central nervous system.
stupe
Hot, wet, medicated cloth used as a compress.
St. Vitus' Dance
See chorea
stye (hordeolum)
Inflamed swelling of a sebaceous gland at the margin of an eyelid.
suety
Consisting of, or resembling, suet (hard fatty tissues around the
kidneys of cattle and sheep, used in cooking and for making tallow.)
sugar of lead
lead acetate, a poisonous white crystalline compound, Pb(C2H3O2)2.3H2O,
used in hair dyes, waterproofing compounds, and varnishes.
sumbul
Root of a plant of the genus Ferula (F. sumbul); formerly a tonic and
antispasmodic.
Summer complaint (summer diarrhea)
Diarrhea of children that in hot weather; often caused by ingestion of
food contaminated by microorganisms.
Sulphonal
Produced by combining mercaptan and acetone; employed as a hypnotic.
sulphuric ether
Ethyl ether; formerly called Naphtha vitrioli (naphtha of vitriol).
sumac (sumach)
Shrubs or small trees of the genus Rhus, having compound leaves,
clusters of small greenish flowers, and usually red, hairy fruit. Some
species, such as the poison ivy and poison oak, cause an acute itching
rash on contact.
suppuration
Formation or discharge of pus. Also called pyesis, pyopoiesis, pyosis.
suprarenal
Located above the kidney; a suprarenal part, especially an adrenal
gland.
sweet william
Annual, biennial, or perennial herb (Dianthus barbatus), native to
Eurasia, widely cultivated as an ornamental for its flat-topped dense
clusters of varicolored flowers.
synechia
Adhesions between the iris and the lens or cornea caused by trauma or
eye surgery or as a complication of glaucoma or cataracts; may cause
blindness
terebenthene
Oil of turpentine.
terebinth
Mediterranean tree (Pistacia terebinthus), a source of tanning material
and turpentine.
tetter
Skin diseases (eczema, psoriasis, herpes) that cause eruptions and
itching.
thrall
Slave or serf, who is held in bondage. One intellectually or morally
enslaved.
thrush
A contagious childhood disease caused by a fungus, Candida albicans.
Causes small whitish eruptions on the mouth, throat, and tongue, and
usually accompanied by fever, colic, and diarrhea.
thuja (arborvitae)
A North American or east Asian evergreen tree or shrub of the genus
Thuja, having flattened branchlets with opposite, scale-like leaves and
small cones; used as ornamentals and timber. A similar plant of the
genus Platycladus or Thujopsis.
thymol
White, crystalline, aromatic compound, C10H14O, derived from thyme oil
and other oils or made synthetically and used as an antiseptic, a
fungicide, and a preservative.
tolu (balsam of tolu, tolu balsam)
Aromatic yellowish brown balsam from the tolu balsam tree used in cough
syrups.
tormentil (Potentilla erecta)
Plant of northern Europe found in clearings and meadows. The root has
been used to stop bleeding, for food in times of need and to dye leather
red.
torpid
Lacking the power of motion or feeling.
tragacanth
Thorny shrubs of the genus Astragalus, especially A. gummifer, of the
Middle East, yielding a gum used in pharmacy, adhesives, and textile
printing.
trephine
Surgical instrument with circular edges, used to cut out disks of bone
from the skull.
trillium (birthroot, wake-robin)
Plants of genus Trillium, of North America, the Himalaya Mountains, and
eastern Asia, having a cluster of three leaves and a variously colored,
three-petaled flower.
trional
Contains three ethyls. Similar to sulphonal, used as a hypnotic.
turbinated
Shaped like a top. A small curved bone in the lateral wall of the nasal
passage.
tulle
Fine, starched net of silk, rayon, or nylon, used for veils, tutus, or
gowns.
turmeric (tumeric)
East Indian perennial herb (Curcuma longa) of the ginger family
(Zingiberaceae) used as a coloring agent, a condiment, or a stimulant.
Yellow to reddish brown dyestuff obtained from turmeric.
typhus (prison fever, ship fever, typhus fever.)
Infectious diseases caused by rickettsia bacteria, especially those
transmitted by fleas, lice, or mites. Symptoms are severe headache,
sustained high fever, depression, delirium, and the eruption of red
rashes on the skin.
ulster
Loose, long overcoat made of rugged fabric.
umbrage
Offense; resentment. Affording shade. Vague or indistinct indication; a
hint.
Uva Ursi
Common bearberry; a procumbent (trailing along the ground but not
rooting) evergreen shrub 10-30 cm high with red berries.
Valerianate (Valerianic)
One of three metameric acids; the typical one (called also inactive
valeric acid), C4H9CO2H, is from valerian root and other sources; it is
a corrosive, oily liquid, with a strong acid taste, and the odor of old
cheese.
valvular
Resembling or functioning as a valve. Relating to a valve, especially of
the heart.
varioloid
Mild form of smallpox occurring in people previously vaccinated or who
previously had the disease.
vegetable marrow
Squash plants with elongated fruit and smooth dark green skin and
whitish flesh.
veratrum
Poisonous alkaloid from the root hellebore (Veratrum) and from sabadilla
seeds. Used externally to treat neuralgia and rheumatism.
verdigris
Blue or green powder, basic cupric acetate used as a paint pigment and
fungicide. A green patina of copper sulfate or copper chloride on
copper, brass, and bronze exposed to air or seawater.
vermifuge
Medicine that expels intestinal worms.
vervain (verbena)
New World plants of the genus Verbena, especially those with showy
spikes of variously colored flowers.
Vichy water
Sparkling mineral water from springs at Vichy, France or water similar
to it.
vis-a-vis
One that is face to face with or opposite to another.
vitiate
Reduce the value; impair the quality; corrupt morally; debase; make
ineffective; invalidate.
voile
Light, plain-weave, sheer fabric of cotton, rayon, silk, or wool used
for dresses and curtains.
wahoo
Shrubby North American tree of the genus Euonymus (E. atropurpureus)
having a root bark with cathartic properties.
Waldorf salad
Diced raw apples, celery, and walnuts mixed with mayonnaise.
wen
Harmless cyst, usually on the scalp or face, containing the fatty
secretion of a sebaceous gland.
whortleberry
Two deciduous shrubs, Vaccinium myrtillus, of Eurasia, or V. corymbosum,
of eastern North America, having edible blackish berries.
wontedness
Being accustomed.
yarrow
Plants of the genus Achillea, especially A. millefolium, native to
Eurasia. Also called achillea, milfoil.
yellow fever (yellow jack)
Infectious tropical disease caused by an arbovirus transmitted by
mosquitoes of the genera Aedes, especially A. aegypti, and Haemagogus;
it causes high fever, jaundice, and gastrointestinal hemorrhaging.
yerba reuma
A low California undershrub (Frankenia grandifolia).
Zingiber
Tropical Asiatic and Polynesian perennial plants: ginger.
zwieback
Sweetened bread baked as a loaf and then sliced and toasted.
The following table is copied from page 636.
20 grains equal 1 scruple
3 scruples " 1 dram
8 drams " 1 ounce
12 ounces " 1 pound
The pound is the same as the pound Troy. Medicines are bought and sold in
quantities by Avoirdupois Weight.
1 grain equals 1 drop or 1 minim
60 grains or drops " 1 teaspoonful
1 teaspoonful " 1 fluid dram
8 drams (or 8 teaspoonfuls) make " 1 fluid ounce
2 tablespoonfuls make " 1 fluid ounce
1/2 fluid ounce is a " tablespoonful
2 fluid ounces is a " wineglassful
4 fluid ounces is a " teacupful
6 fluid ounces is a " coffee cup
16 ounces (dry or solid) is a " pound
20 fluid ounces is a " pint
The remaining tables are copied from contemporary (circa 2005) sources
Measurement Unit Conversion
From Multiply by To get
inches 25.4 millimeters
inches 2.54 centimeters
feet 30.48 centimeters
yards 0.91 meters
miles 1.61 kilometers
teaspoons 4.93 milliliters
tablespoons 14.79 milliliters
fluid ounces 29.57 milliliters
cups 0.24 liters
pints 0.47 liters
quarts 0.95 liters
gallons 3.79 liters
cubic feet 0.028 cubic meters
cubic yards 0.76 cubic meters
ounces 28.35 grams
pounds 0.45 kilograms
short tons (2,000 lbs) 0.91 metric tons
square inches 6.45 square centimeters
square feet 0.09 square meters
square yards 0.84 square meters
square miles 2.60 square kilometers
acres 0.40 hectacres
millimeters 0.04 inches
centimeters 0.39 inches
meters 3.28 feet
meters 1.09 yards
kilometers 0.62 miles
milliliters 0.20 teaspoons
milliliters 0.06 tablespoons
milliliters 0.03 fluid ounces
liters 1.06 quarts
liters 0.26 gallons
liters 4.23 cups
liters 2.12 pints
cubic meters 35.32 cubic feet
cubic meters 1.35 cubic yards
grams 0.035 ounces
kilograms 2.21 pounds
metric ton (1,000 kg) 1.10 short ton
square centimeters 0.16 square inches
square meters 1.20 square yards
square kilometers 0.39 square miles
hectacres 2.47 acres
Temperature Conversion Between Celsius and Fahrenheit
C = (F - 32) / 1.8
F = (C x 1.8) + 32
Condition Fahrenheit Celsius
Boiling point of water 212 100
A very hot day 104 40
Normal body temperature 98.6 37
A warm day 86 30
A mild day 68 20
A cool day 50 10
Freezing point of water 32 0
Lowest temperature
by mixing salt and ice 0 -17.8
U.S. Length
Unit Equal to Metric Equivalent
inch 1/12 foot 2.54 centimeters
foot 12 inches or 1/3 yard 0.3048 meter
yard 36 inches or 3 feet 0.9144 meter
rod 16 1/2 feet or 5 1/2 yards 5.0292 meters
furlong 220 yards or 1/8 mile 0.2012 kilometer
mile (statute) 5,280 feet or 1,760 yards 1.6093 kilometers
mile (nautical) 2,025 yards 1.852 kilometers
U.S. Liquid Volume or Capacity
Unit Equal to Metric Equivalent
minim 1/60 of a fluid dram 0.0616 milliliters
ounce 1/16 pint 29.574 milliliters
wineglassful 2 ounces .0591 liter
gill 4 ounces 0.1183 liter
pint 16 ounces 0.4732 liter
quart 2 pints or 1/4 gallon 0.9463 liter
gallon 128 ounces or 8 pints 3.7853 liters
barrel
(wine) 31 1/2 gallons 119.24 liters
(beer) 36 gallons 136.27 liters
(oil) 42 gallons 158.98 liters
U.S. Dry Volume or Capacity
Unit Equal to Metric Equivalent
pint 1/2 quart 0.5506 liter
quart 2 pints 1.1012 liters
peck 8 quarts or 1/4 bushel 8.8098 liters
bucket 2 pecks 17.620 liters
bushel 2 buckets or 4 pecks 35.239 liters
U.S. Weight
Unit Equal to Metric Equivalent
grain 1/7000 pound 64.799 milligrams
dram 1/16 ounce 1.7718 grams
ounce 16 drams 28.350 grams
pound 16 ounces 453.6 grams
ton (short) 2,000 pounds 907.18 kilograms
ton (long) 2,240 pounds 1,016.0 kilograms
U.S. Geographic Area
Unit Equal to Metric Equivalent
acre 4,840 square yards 4,047 square meters
Cooking Measures
Unit Equal to Metric Units
drop 1/76 teaspoon 0.0649 milliliter
teaspoon 76 drops or 1/3 tablespoon 4.9288 milliliters
tablespoon 3 teaspoons 14.786 milliliters
cup 16 tablespoons or 1/2 pint 0.2366 liter
pint 2 cups 0.4732
quart 4 cups or 2 pints 0.9463
British Liquid Volume or Capacity
Unit British Units U.S. Units Metric Units
minim 1/20 of a scruple 0.0592 milliliters
pint 1/2 quart 1.201 pints 0.5683 liter
quart 2 pints or 1/4 gallon 1.201 quarts 1.137 liters
gallon 8 pints or 4 quarts 1.201 gallons 4.546 liters
British Dry Volume or Capacity
Unit British Units U.S. Units Metric Units
peck 1/4 bushel 1.0314 pecks 9.087 liters
bushel 4 pecks 1.0320 bushels 36.369 liters
Apothecary Weights
Unit Apothecary Units U.S. Units Metric Units
grain 160 dram or 1/5760 pound 1 grain 64.799 milligrams
dram 60 grains or 1/8 ounce 2.1943 drams 3.8879 grams
ounce 8 drams 1.0971 ounces 31.1035 grams
pound 12 ounces or 96 drams 0.8232 pound 373.242 grams
[End Transcriber's Notes]
MOTHER'S' REMEDIES
Over One Thousand
Tried and Tested Remedies from Mothers of
the United States and Canada.
Also
Symptoms, Causes, Prevention, Diet, Nursing,
Treatments, Etc., of Every Known Disease.
Poisons, Accidents, Medicinal Herbs and
Special Departments on Women, Children and
Infants,
by
DR. T. J. RITTER
Formerly connected with Medical Faculty of
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Mich.
REVISED with INTRODUCTION
by
DR. W. E. ZIEGENFUSS
PUBLISHED BY
G.H. FOOTE PUB. CO.
DETROIT
MICH
1921
Copyright, 1910
by
G. H. FOOTE PUBLISHING CO.
All rights reserved
Copyright, 1915
by
G. H. FOOTE PUBLISHING CO.
All rights reserved
RIVERSIDE PRINTING COMPANY
PORT HURON
MICHIGAN
PREFACE. [iii]
Medicine is not an exact science, and it is reasonable to presume that
even Time, with all its qualifying influences, will fail in its effects on
this one branch of science. As the millions of faces seem each to present
some differentiating feature, so each human system seems to require
special study of its individual temperament.
So physicians find it necessary to have more than one remedy for a given
ill; they still find truth in the old adage, "What is one man's meat is
another's poison." But Mother finds a variety of remedies necessary for
another reason. Her medicine-chest is usually lacking the full quota of
drugs required to meet the many emergencies, and she must turn to the
"remedy at hand."
Necessity has again proved its influence and with the years thousands of
simple home concoctions have found their way to the relief of the daily
demands on Mother's ingenuity. These mothers' remedies have become a
valuable asset to the raising of a family, and have become a recognized
essential in a Mother's general equipment for home-making.
For fifteen years the Publisher has handled so-called home medical works;
during that time he has had occasion to examine practically all the home
medical works published. He has been impressed with the utter uselessness
of many, perhaps most, of these books because the simple home remedies
were lacking.
A few years ago he conceived the idea of gathering together the "Mothers'
Remedies" of the world. This one feature of this book he claims as
distinctly his own. Letters were sent by him to Mothers in every state and
territory of the United States, and to Canada and other countries, asking
for tried and tested "Mothers' Remedies." The appeal was met with prompt
replies, and between one thousand and two thousand valuable remedies were
collected in this way.
Through courtesy to these Mothers who helped to make this book possible,
the book was named "MOTHERS' REMEDIES."
Dr. T. J. Ritter, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, a graduate of the regular School
of Medicine at the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, and later one of
the medical staff of the University, consented to furnish the necessary
material to complete the Medical Department. Dr. Ritter, in over thirty
years of actual practice, has met with all the exigencies of both city and
country practice which have brought to him the ripe experience of what
would be called a "physician's life-time." His success has been, in part,
due to his honesty, kindliness and conscientiousness, as well as to his
thorough training and natural adaptability to the profession.
Besides writing the Causes, Symptoms, Preventives, Nursing, Diet,
Physicians' Treatment, etc., he has examined each and every one of the
Mothers' Remedies and added, when possible, the reason why that remedy is
valuable. In short, he supplied in his remarks following each Mother's
Remedy the Medical virtue or active principle of the ingredients. This
lifts each Mother's Remedy into the realm of science,--in fact, to the
level of a Doctor's Prescription.
In writing his part, Dr. Ritter consulted, personally or through their
works, considerably over one hundred of the acknowledged Medical
Specialists of the world. Thus he has brought to you the latest
discoveries of modern science,--the Medical knowledge of the world's great
specialists.
Dr. Ritter, therefore, wishes to acknowledge his indebtedness to the
following: On the subject of Theory and Practice, to Dr. Wm. Osler, Oxford
University, England; Dr. James M. Andres, Ph. D., Medico-Chirurgical
College, Philadelphia, Pa.; Dr. Hughes Dayton, Vanderbilt Clinic-College
of Physicians and Surgeons; Dr. Hobart A. Hare, Jefferson Medical College,
Philadelphia, Pa.; Dr. Temple S. Hoyne, Hahnemann Medical College,
Chicago, Ill.; Dr. A. E. Small, Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago, Ill.;
Dr. C. G. Raue, Hahnemann Medical College, Philadelphia, Pa.; Dr. John
King, Eclectic Medical Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio. On the subject of
Materia Medica to Dr. John Shoemaker, Medico-Chirurgical College,
Philadelphia, Pa.; Dr. Hobart A. Hare; Drs. Hemple and Arndt, Homeopathic,
and others. On the subject of Obstetrics, to Dr. W. P. Manton, Detroit
Medical College, and others. On the subject of Surgery, to the American
Text Book on Surgery, edited by Drs. Keen and White, of Philadelphia, and
many contributors. On the subject of Nervous Diseases, to Dr. Joseph D.
Nagel and others. On the subject of the Eye, to Dr. Arthur N. Alling, of
Yale University. On the subject of the Ear, to Dr. Albert H. Buck, College
of Physicians and Surgeons, New York City; Dr. O. A. Griffin, University
of Michigan and others. On the Nose and Throat, to Dr. James B. Ball,
London, England. On the Skin, to Dr. James N. Hyde, Rush Medical College,
Chicago, Ill.; Dr. Alfred Schalek, Rush Medical College, Chicago, Ill. On
the Rectum and Anus, to Dr. Samuel G. Gant, Ph. D., Post-graduate College,
New York City. On the Diseases of Children, to Dr. L. Emmett Holt, College
of Physicians and Surgeons, New York City; Dr. Koplik, New York City; Dr.
Charles Douglas, Detroit College of Medicine; Dr. Henry E. Tuley,
University of Kentucky; Dr. Tooker, Chicago. On the subject of Nursing, to
Isabel Hampton Robb, and on Dietetics, to Dr. Julius Friedenwald, College
Physicians and Surgeons, Baltimore, Md. On the Baby to Drs. Holt, Douglas,
Tooker, Koplik and Coolidge. On Insanity, to Dr. Selden Talcott, formerly
superintendent of the Middleton State Hospital for the Insane, New York
State. Besides the above a great many other physicians and their works
might be mentioned, and to all appreciation is gratefully acknowledged.
Mrs. Elizabeth Johnstone, who writes the department on "Manners and Social
Customs," is the only daughter of the late Francis Gardiner, one of the
early settlers of Washtenaw County, Michigan. She was educated at the
State Normal School, now the Normal College at Ypsilanti, and taught for
several years after graduation. In 1880 she married the late Robert
Ferguson Johnstone, editor of the Michigan Farmer, and after his death
became editor of the Household Department of that paper. In 1895, the
Farmer having passed into other ownership, she became a member of the
Editorial Staff of the Detroit Free Press, where,--continuing to write
under the pseudonym of "Beatrix" she has become widely known through the
vast circulation of that paper.
Years of experience have enabled her to write on topics of interest to
women with comprehension of their needs, and to answer social inquiries
with exactness.
Miss Edna Gertrude Thompson, who supplies the chapter on Domestic Science,
is a graduate of the Northern State Normal of Michigan. She was for a time
a teacher in the Public Schools of Michigan and New York State. Miss
Thompson later graduated from and is now the director of the Domestic
Science Department of the Thomas Normal Training School of Detroit,
Michigan.
Miss Thompson has won an enviable reputation in Domestic Science work. She
has avoided all of the quackery, self-exploitation and money schemes,
which have proved a temptation to many in the work, and which have tended
to brand the science as an advertising scheme, and confined herself to
study, teaching and the legitimate development of the science. Her work in
the Normal and in giving lectures on Domestic Science brings her in touch
with large numbers of intelligent and practical women who realize that
housekeeping and cookery must be reduced to a science. Luxuries of fifty
years ago are necessities today. The increase in the cost of living
without a corresponding advance in wages has made it imperative that
method and system he installed in the home.
Domestic Science is still in the embryo, but let us hope it will, in a
measure at least, prove a panacea for modern domestic ills and receive the
encouragement and speedy endorsement that it deserves.
TABLE OF CONTENTS [vii]
Beginning on Page
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT 1
Mother's Diagnosis 1
Respiratory Diseases 6
Animal Parasites, Diseases Caused by 44
Skin, Diseases of 52
Digestive Organs, Diseases of 97
Kidney and Bladder, Diseases of 152
Infectious Diseases 166
Blood and Ductless Glands, Diseases of 249
Nervous System, Diseases of 261
Constitutional Diseases 314
Circulatory System, Diseases of 337
Eye and Ear, Diseases of 346
Deformities 369
Intoxicants and Sunstrokes 371
Accidents, Emergencies and Poisons 376
Herb Department 408
Homeopathy 448
Patent Medicines and Secret Formula, 465
Woman's Department
Diseases of Women 489
Obstetrics or Midwifery 515
All About Baby 544
Nursing Department 623
Schools of Medicine, Leading 669
Operations 662
Hot Springs of Arkansas 666
Common Household Articles, Medical Uses of 668
Mothers' Remedies, Unclassified 674
MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 683
BEAUTY AND THE TOILET 790
NURSERY HINTS AND FIRESIDE GEMS 800
DOMESTIC SCIENCE DEPARTMENT 817
CANNING, PICKLING, PRESERVING, ETC 831
CANDY DEPARTMENT 848
MISCELLANEOUS, GENERAL 856
DICTIONARY, MEDICAL 893
INDEX
Medical 909
Manners and Social Customs 944
Miscellaneous 946
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS [viii]
ADENOIDS Opposite Page 8
APPENDIX, VERMIFORM (Showing Different Types) 116
APPENDIX, VERMIFORM (When Affected by Inflammation
and Gangrene, Necessitating an Operation) 116
ARDIS (Baby Photo) 544
BANDAGING, HOSPITAL METHOD 384
BRONCHIAL TUBES AND LUNGS Opposite Page 6
CIRCULATORY SYSTEM Opposite Page 337
DIPHTHERIA Opposite Page 184
DROWNING (Schaefer Method of Resuscitating) Opposite Page 399
EYE BANDAGE, PLAN OF BORSCH'S Page 386
HAND ARTERIES Opposite Page 392
HAND NERVES Opposite Page 292
HEART, STOMACH AND APPENDIX Opposite Page 97
HERB PLATES:
Bearberry Opposite Page 411
Blood Root Opposite Page 413
Boneset Opposite Page 414
Canada Fleabane Opposite Page 430
Chamomile, True Opposite Page 417
Elder Flowers Opposite Page 422
Elecampane Opposite Page 446
Ginseng Opposite Page 424
Indian Tobacco or Lobelia Opposite Page 417
Mandrake or May-apple Opposite Page 429
Marigold, Marsh Opposite Page 430
Mustard Opposite Page 432
Partridge Berry Opposite Page 432
Pleurisy Root Opposite Page 434
Rock Rose Opposite Page 431
St. John's Wort Opposite Page 443
Scouring Rush Opposite Page 414
Seneca Snake Root Opposite Page 438
Snake Head Opposite Page 408
Tansy Opposite Page 437
Wahoo Opposite Page 445
Wormsted, American Opposite Page 446
Wormwood Opposite Page 443
KIDNEYS, URETERS AND BLADDER Page 153
MUSCULAR SYSTEM Opposite Page 323
NERVOUS SYSTEM Page 262
OBLIQUE BANDAGE OF THE JAW 380
RITTER, DR. T. J. (Photo) Opposite Title Page
SCIATIC NERVE Opposite Page 266
SKELETON Opposite Page 369
SKIAGRAPH (X-RAY PHOTOGRAPH) OF THE HAND 316
SPIRAL BANDAGE OF THE FINGER 384
SPIRAL BANDAGE OF THE FOOT 384
SPIRAL REVERSED BANDAGE OF THE JAW 386
TASTE BUDS 308
THYROID GLAND (Goitre) Opposite Page 258
PHYSICIAN'S INTRODUCTION [x]
"Of the things which man can do or make here below, by far the most
momentous, wonderful, and worthy, are the things we call Books."
--CARLYLE.
"A good book may be among the best of friends. It is the most patient and
cheerful of companions. It does not turn its back upon us in times of
adversity or distress. It always receives us with the same kindness."
--S. SMILES.
Of making books there seems no end. Some are good, some bad, and many just
an encumbrance upon the book-shelves, neither of much use nor particularly
harmful. Some books are to be read for cheer and amusement; some for
reproof and correction; others to be studied for useful information and
profit.
The Ideal Book.
There is a wide felt need for a worthy book of sound hygienic and medical
facts for the non-medical people. The Ideal Book for this mission should
be compact in form, but large enough to give the salient facts, and give
these in understandable language; it must not be "loaded" with obsolete
and useless junk of odds and ends which have long ceased to be even
interesting; it must carry with it the stamp of genuine reliability; it
should treat all the ordinary and most common forms of ailments and
accidents; it must be safe in its teachings; it needs to be free from
objectionable language and illustrations, so that all of any family may
study and use it with profit; it must frequently warn of dangers ahead and
urge the summoning of professional skill promptly, for there are many
cases requiring the services of experienced physicians and surgeons in
their treatment; it should advise remedies readily obtainable, as well as
those for which long journeys to a drug store are required; and finally
the book should be reasonable in price that those who most need it can
afford to own it.
Need of Brevity.
The facts of hygiene and therapeutic measures are widely scattered through
medical literature, and extend over hundreds of years of time. Many
volumes have been written on diseases of the eye, the heart, liver, and
stomach, brain and other organs, to understand which requires special
technical education. It would be the height of folly to present these
discussions to the laity in their original form, hence the necessity for
condensation and presentation of the needful facts in the language of the
people in whose interests the book is printed. In a book of fiction there
may be need for useless verbiage for the sake of "making pages," but facts
of vital importance and usefulness in our daily welfare need to be well
boiled down and put into shape for ready reference. This has been done in
"Mothers' Remedies" and I think it quite fulfills the ideal I have
outlined above.
The title is rather odd upon first seeing it, but the most plausible when
you become acquainted with its import. It surely becomes the best friend
of the whole family. "It does not turn its back upon us in times of
adversity," but cheerfully answers a thousand and one questions of vital
importance to the household. In the hour of distress, when illness or
accident befalls the dear ones, you may turn again and again to its pages
without meeting disappointment.
Its Value. [x]
There are many books on household medicines, but in my opinion
this is the most useful of them all, a very present help in time of need.
You can go to it for helpful information without failing to find it. Is
there serious illness in the house? It will tell you about it concisely
and plainly, describing its symptoms, nature and course, and advise you to
consult the family physician if of a serious nature before it is too late.
In the chapters on accidents, emergencies and poisons, it tells you what
to do at once while awaiting the doctor's arrival. He will be much pleased
to see that you have made the proper effort to treat the case. Prompt
treatment makes for prompt recovery.
The real value of any book, or what is sometimes called its intrinsic
value, or utility, consists in what it avails to gratify some desire or
want of our nature. It depends, then, wholly upon its qualities in
relation to our desires. That which contributes in ever so small degree to
the wellbeing of humanity is of greater value than silver or gold. This
book contains hundreds of prescriptions, anyone of which will repay the
small cost in money that it requires to possess it. In fact, the financial
investment is so small when compared with the benefit derived from its
pages that this feature need not be considered.
Examples.
In the stillness and loneliness of the night, away from medical help,
there comes the hoarse barking cough of the child, perhaps, and a case of
croup is upon the responsibility of the parents. The struggles and terror
of the little patient throws the household into consternation, and all is
excitement in a moment. If the mother ever knew what to do in such a case
she is likely not able to recall the exact remedy at this time, the doctor
is miles away, and the case is urgent.
A reference to the medical index of "Mothers' Remedies" under croup shows
that on pages 27, 28 and 29, is a full description of the attack, and
there are fifteen (15) home remedies given, many of which can be found in
the house, and the spasm may be stopped by the use of one of them.
This is only one example of the use of this book. There are innumerable
times when cases come up in the home, or accidents befall a dear one and a
ready remedy is required; the book most likely contains it, and is willing
to tell you if you consult it carefully.
Tuberculosis.
The article on tuberculosis is full of valuable rules on diet and hygiene
for every person, whether he has the disease or not. A knowledge of the
dangers and mode of spreading the disease is the best safeguard against
having it. Where one person in every seven (7) dies of consumption it
becomes imperative that full knowledge of the disease and its prevention
should become widespread.
Accidents and Poisons. [xii]
Another department that illustrates the value of the book is that on
Accidents and Poisons, where quick action is needed to prevent great
suffering and danger and the salvation of life itself. One cannot always
get the doctor in time. A quick reference to this part of the book will
give the proper course of action to follow. The indicated mother's remedy
or the physician's treatment as given here applied in the "nick of time"
will save many a life in cases of burns, or accidental poisoning, or
hemorrhage. I have been called in such cases where a simple drink of warm
mustard water promptly used would have saved a life in carbolic acid
poisoning. It is in the emergencies where a ready knowledge of the ways
and means necessary to conserve life is most valuable; and it is in just
such emergencies that one is most apt to forget what is best to do that a
copy of Mothers' Remedies becomes a priceless boon of helpfulness.
All About Baby.
The Woman's Department, and the chapter on "All About Baby," alone contain
priceless information for the guidance of the women of the home. It is
like having a good doctor right in the house who is ready and able to
answer more than 500 questions of vital interest about Baby. The book is
thoroughly reliable, free from exaggerated statements and written in the
plainest language possible so as to make it useful to every member of the
home. The Herb Department gives a brief description of the more common and
most useful plants and roots, with the time for gathering them, and the
dose and therapeutic indication for their use. The botanical illustrations
are correct and worthy of careful study.
THE INDEX.
Mothers' Remedies is unique in arrangement, and full of detail, but so
well indexed that any portion of it, or any disease and remedy, can be
readily found, and when found you will have a choice of home remedies
ready at hand. This is one of the features of the book that distinguishes
Mothers' Remedies from the usual home medical books heretofore sold.
This feature of the book cannot be too strongly impressed. Its value
becomes apparent as soon as one consults its pages. Long chapters of
descriptive reading filled with high sounding, technical terms may look
very learned because the average reader does not understand it fully. But
it is what one can obtain from a book that is usable that makes it
valuable. In Mothers' Remedies this idea has been excellently carried out.
The Home Remedies.
If there was any question regarding the success of the book in this
homelike arrangement, the utilization of the home remedies, in addition to
the strictly medical and drug-store ingredients; it was promptly dispelled
when the book was printed and presented to the people interested. It has
proved to be the most wonderful seller on the market--the most usable and
useful book ever offered the non-medical reader; because never before has
a medical book contained the hundreds of simple home remedies from
mothers. Because a physician tells you why the remedies are useful--the
reason why the things used are efficacious.
Medical Terms. [xiii]
Frequently one comes across technical terms in the secular papers which,
unless understood, obscure the sense of the reading. There is a dictionary
of medical terms as a separate department which adds much to the
usefulness of the work; the spelling, pronunciation and definition being
concisely given in English.
Other Departments.
There are other departments, such as chapters on Manners and Social
Customs, by an expert. Nursery Hints, Candy Making, Domestic Science, and
Miscellaneous departments which interest every member of any average
family in health as well as in sickness. The Candy Department provides
many an evening's enjoyment for the young people.
In addition, the book gives under each disease the physician's remedies,
the symptoms, causes, preventives wherever important, the diet, nursing,
necessity for operations, and much other needful information for the
sick-room. A complete chapter on Nursing and a detailed account of the
Baby and its care is perhaps the most useful portion of the book to the
mothers who desire to learn all about the baby. Many home medical books
are of doubtful value by reason of exaggerated statements or vague and
unusable directions regarding treatments. Mothers' Remedies stands
squarely upon the foundation of utility and practical every-day
usefulness. No matter how many other home medical books one may have, this
is also needful because there's none other on the market like it. One of
the missions of Mothers' Remedies in the home is the prevention of disease
through its sound sanitary teachings. It was written exclusively for home
use, and its instructions can be followed by anyone who can understand
plain English, and the home remedies are extensively explained and
recommended so that in emergencies one can always find something of value
to use while awaiting the surgeon's arrival. It is a well-spring of
usefulness in any home, and it gives me genuine pleasure to call attention
to it in these few lines, and to bespeak for it the continued enthusiastic
reception with which it has met heretofore.
(Signed) WM. ELLWOOD ZIEGENFUSS, M.D.
Detroit, July 2, 1914.
The National Narcotic law makes it practically impossible for the laity to
have prescriptions filled which contain opiates or cocaine.
We therefore have substituted other remedies quite as good whenever this
was possible and still retain the efficiency of the prescription.
DR. W. E. ZIEGENFUSS.
August, 1918.
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT [1]
MOTHERS' DIAGNOSIS
STRIKING, CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS
of Many Diseases for Quick Reference and Comparison
WHEN IN DOUBT
BEFORE CALLING THE DOCTOR.
APPENDICITIS.--Loss of appetite. There may be nausea and vomiting; there
is usually a sudden onset of pain, often sharp and severe in the whole or
part of the abdomen. Later the pain settles in the right groin. Patient
lies on his back with his right knee drawn up. The muscles become rigid on
the right side and later a lump appears in the right groin (iliac fossa).
ANEMIA.--This disease is a diminution of the total quantity of the blood
of its red cells, or red corpuscles or of their Haemoglobin, the coloring
matter of the red corpuscles. Some difficulty of breathing. Palpitation
on least exertion, tendency to faint, headache, tired, irritable, poor or
changeable appetite, digestive disturbances, constipation, cold hands and
feet, difficult and painful menstruation (dysmenorrhea), irregular
menstruation, leucorrhea. And when the skin is pale, yellowish green
tinge, with perhaps flushed cheeks, it might properly be called chlorosis
or "green sickness."
ADDISON'S DISEASE.--Great weakness, stomach and bowel disorders, weak
heart and dark coloring (pigmentation) of the skin.
BRIGHT'S DISEASE.--Albumin and casts in the urine. The onset is usually
gradual. There is paleness and puffiness of the eyelids, ankles or hands
in the morning. Later increased dropsy of face and the extremities, pasty
yellow complexion, dyspepsia, constipation and heart symptom.
[2 MOTHERS' DIAGNOSIS]
BRONCHITIS, ACUTE. (Cold on the Chest.)--There is a feeling of
tightness under the breastbone, with a dry hard cough and headache. This
cough may make the chest feel raw and sore, especially in front.
CHOLERA MORBUS.--The onset is usually sudden with nausea, vomiting, and
cramp-like bowel pains; vomits at first the stomach contents. Purging
follows; vomiting and purging with severe cramps in abdomen and legs.
CROUP.--Child wakes up suddenly, perhaps at midnight, with a harsh barking
cough, with difficulty of breathing, and it looks as if it could not get
another breath. Then there is an easy spell and soon the spasm recurs.
CANCER OF THE STOMACH.--There is anemia and a gradual loss of weight. A
peculiar color of the skin (cachexia), irregular vomiting, some bleeding
of "coffee-ground" color. Progressive loss of weight. Dragging or burning
in the region of the stomach.
CHICKEN POX.--Slight fever, chilly feelings. In twenty-four hours the
eruption appears upon the body, face and forehead often only a few
separate red pimples which soon become rounded vesicles; however, there
may be few or many.
DIABETES.--The onset is gradual, glucose (sugar) is persistently in the
urine. Great quantity of urine passed; six to forty pints in twenty-four
hours. Thirst is great. Large quantities of water is taken. Loss of
strength and weight, mouth is dry, tongue is red and glazed, skin is dry
and wrinkled.
DIPHTHERIA.--This disease begins gradually, as a rule, with chilly
feelings, pain in the back and limbs, pulse is faster, with a general
redness of the throat before the formation of the membrane; with such
symptoms there are great weakness, paleness, and a bad smelling breath.
Soon a spot or spots may be seen on the tonsils, uvula or soft palate, but
in a day or two a dirty white patch is seen on the tonsils and this may
spread, and with it there is increased weakness, pallor, loss of appetite
and fever. When the membrane is taken off of the tonsils there is left a
raw surface, and the membrane rapidly reforms.
DYSENTERY.--The onset may be marked by diarrhea, followed by a severe,
cramp-like bowel pain, with frequent small stools containing blood and
mucus and accompanied by much straining (tenesmus).
DYSPEPSIA, ACUTE. (Acute Gastritis, Acute Indigestion).--Distress in the
stomach, headache, thirst, nausea, vomiting, tongue heavily coated, foul
breath, distaste for food, tender stomach.
[3 MOTHERS' DIAGNOSIS]
ERYSIPELAS.--The onset is sudden, high fever, and a local redness with a
sharply defined margin between it and a healthy skin. It frequently
appears upon the nose and spreads over one cheek or both. It may show only
a smooth raised skin, or there may be vesicles.
EARACHE.--This is very common in children. It comes frequently as an
extension through the eustachian canal of a cold. The ache is only an
evidence of congestion or inflammation in the ear. The child bursts out
crying violently and nothing seems to make it stop. It may cry for some
time then stop. When it is very young it is restless, and wants to move
constantly, and refuses to be comforted by the soothing embraces of its
mother. It is quiet only a few moments at a time and again renews its
cries and restlessness. The cries are moaning and seem like hopeless
cries. A child or infant that cries that way and will not be quieted,
should be suspected of having earache, and hot applications of dry or wet
heat should be applied to the ear. If such symptoms are neglected, in a
few days you are likely to have a discharge running from the external
canal (meatus) and perhaps permanent injury may be done to the drum
membrane by ulceration. Warm water poured in the ear frequently relieves
common earache.
GALL STONES.--Sudden agonizing pain in the right upper abdomen in the
region of the liver, with vomiting, prostration, tenderness in that
region. Pain generally comes at intervals in paroxysms. There may be pains
in the stomach during the weeks when the attack is absent and the patient
may think the stomach is the seat of the trouble.
IRITIS.--Pain is severe and worse at night, the iris looks cloudy, muddy,
the pupil is small. There is congestion around the iris (ciliary
congestion).
KIDNEY STONES.--Pain goes from the kidneys down through the ureter into
the bladder and into the scrotum. There may be sand in the urine that
makes it look like blood.
LA GRIPPE--The onset is usually sudden, with a chill, and all of the
symptoms of an active fever, headache, bone-ache, a general ache all over.
A feeling of extreme weakness; feels miserable and sick.
LOCK-JAW (Tetanus).--History of a wound. The muscles of the jaw may be
stiff and set. When there are spasms the muscles remain stiff and hard for
some time.
MALARIAL FEVER.--Chill, fever, and sweat, or one stage may be absent.
There may be only a slight chilly feeling with fever almost all day and
then remission.
[4 MOTHERS' DIAGNOSIS]
MUMPS.--The swelling is in front and below and behind the ear. Hard to eat
and the swallowing of vinegar is almost impossible.
MEASLES.--Comes on gradually. There is a feeling of tiredness and languor,
headache followed shortly by sneezing, cold symptoms, running at the eyes,
dry throat, cough, much like an ordinary cold in the head, but with a
persistent, hard racking cough. The eruption appears first in the sides of
the mouth, in the inner surface of the cheeks, lips, gums and soft palate,
in size from that of a pin-head to that of a split pea. It appears then
about the eyes and then on the face, chest and extremities. It is first in
red spots and then gets blotchy. This is usually three to six days after
the appearance of the cold (catarrh) symptoms.
MEASLES (German).--Chilliness, slight fever, pain in the back and legs,
coryza. The eruption appears on the first or second day, on the face, then
on the chest and in twenty-four hours over the whole body. The glands
under the jaw enlarge.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM. (Inflammation of Eyes at Birth).--A severe
conjunctivitis in the newly-born baby, swelling and redness usually of
both eyes, occurring on the second or third day after birth; very soon
there is a discharge and shortly it becomes creamy pus which runs from the
eyes when the lids are parted.
PLEURISY.--The onset may be sudden or gradual. Sudden with a chill, fever,
a severe sharp pain, stitch in the side, made worse by respiration,
coughing or moving. The cough is dry. The pain is near the breast and
sometimes it extends to the back.
PNEUMONIA.--It begins with a chill, fever, pain in the lungs,
expectoration with cough, and the material spit up may be mixed with blood
(rusty sputa). Then also rapid rise of temperature, "grunting" breathing,
the nostrils dilate, and the cheeks are flushed.
RHEUMATIC FEVER OR INFLAMMATORY RHEUMATISM.--A number of joints become
involved. It spreads from one joint to another, very painful joints;
profuse sweating.
SMALLPOX.--The onset is sudden and ushered in by a chill, nausea and
vomiting, headache, and severe pains in the back and legs, without grip
symptoms. There is a rapid rise of temperature. Usually on the fourth day
after the onset small red pimples appear on the forehead, along the line
of the hair and on the wrists. The temperature falls with the appearance
of the eruption.
SPOTTED FEVER.--Marked loss of appetite, chill, projectile vomiting,
severe headache, pain and stiffness of the back and neck. Later head is
drawn back, often the back is rigid. The muscles of the neck and back are
very tender.
[5 MOTHERS' DIAGNOSIS]
SCARLET FEVER. (Scarlatina).--Comes on suddenly with loss of appetite,
headache, sick stomach, perhaps vomiting, high fever, sore throat,
vomiting may persist. The tongue is coated, edges are red; later it is red
and rough; the so-called strawberry tongue. Usually within twenty-four
hours an eruption appears, first upon the neck and chest which spreads
rapidly over the face and the rest of the body. The eruption consists of
red pimply elevations about the size of a pin-head, very close together,
so that the body seems to be covered with a scarlet flush. If you look
closely you can see these little pimply elevations.
TUBERCULOSIS OF THE LUNGS.--Irregular temperatures, respiration is more
frequent than normal, pulse is rapid, cough, expectoration, night sweats,
perhaps, and general failure of strength.
TONSILITIS. (Smooth and Follicular).--Commences with a chill, rapid rise
of temperature, general aching in the back, and legs especially. The
tonsils are large and red and spots may appear on them in a few hours.
There may be no spots but a smooth; red, swollen tonsil, sometimes swollen
to an enormous size. The spot and membrane, if any exists, are easily
rubbed off and when this is done a glistening surface is seen, but not
raw, as in diphtheria.
TYPHOID FEVER--There is a feeling of illness for a week or two and the
patient is not able to work much, does not sleep well, dreams, has a dull
headache, back of the neck may be stiff, nosebleed sometimes, with a
feeling as if there was some fever, increasing feeling of weakness, and
sick feeling. Finally the fever, etc., becomes more prominent with
constipation and diarrhea.
ULCER OF THE CORNEA.--Light hurts the eyes very much, tears run freely and
there is a feeling of something in the eye. The eyeball shows a rim of
pink congestion about the cornea. The ulcer can be seen.
ULCER OF THE STOMACH.--Pain, local tenderness, bleeding. Distress after
eating and vomiting of a very acid fluid. Pain in the region of the
stomach and usually sharp pain in the back is the most constant symptom.
It is increased by food at once and relieved by vomiting. The tenderness
upon pressure is usually marked and is localized.
WHOOPING-COUGH.--Begins with symptoms of a cold in the eyes, nose, and the
chest. The cough gradually becomes worse, usually in from seven to ten
days; it comes in paroxysms (spells) and then the whoop.
RESPIRATORY DISEASES [6]
Including CROUP, COLDS, SORE-THROAT, HOARSENESS,
BRONCHITIS, ASTHMA, HAY-FEVER, PLEURISY,
ADENOIDS, PNEUMONIA, ETC.
With Definition, Cause, Symptoms, Preventives,
Mothers' Remedies, Physicians' Treatment;
also Diet, Nursing and Sanitary Care; all for Home
Use and Reference.
THE ANATOMY OF THE NOSE.--The nose is divided by a middle partition
(septum) into two cavities (nasal chambers or fossae) each being a
wedge-shaped cavity, distinct by itself and extending from the nostril or
anterior nares in front to the posterior openings behind and from the base
of the skull to the hard palate below. Where the posterior opening or
nares ends is called the nose-pharynx, The pharynx joins there with the
cavities and hence called nose-pharynx. The partition (septum) is thin,
one-tenth to one-eighth of an inch in thickness and is composed in front
of cartilage (gristle) and behind of bone. In its normal state this
partition (septum) should be perfectly straight, thin and in the middle
line, The cartilaginous (gristle) portion is seldom found in this
condition as, owing to its prominent location and frequent exposure to
injury, blows and falling on the nose, the partition (septum) is often
bent or turned to one side or the other so far in some cases as to close
the nostril. The posterior part is composed of bone, and being well
protected, is seldom found out of position or displaced, even when the
cartilaginous portion is often badly deformed, The floor of the nose is
formed by the upper jaw bone (maxillary) and the palate bone. The outer
wall of the nose or nose cavity is the most complicated, for it presents
three prominences, the turbinated bones, which extend from before
backwards and partially divide the nose cavity into incomplete spaces
called meatus passages. The turbinated bones are three in number, the
inferior, middle and superior. They vary in size and shape, and owing to
the relations they hear to the surrounding parts, and to the influence
they exert on the general condition of the nose and throat, are of great
importance. The inferior or lower turbinate bone is the largest and in a
way is the only independent bone. The middle and superior are small. They
are all concave in shape and extend from before backwards, and beneath the
concave surface of each one of the corresponding passages or openings
(meatus) is formed. The inferior or lower (meatus) opening or passage is
that part of the nasal (nose) passage which lies beneath the inferior
turbinate bone and extends from the nostrils in front to the passage
behind the nose (post-nasal) (posterior nares) toward the pharynx. The
middle opening (meatus) lies above the inferior turbinate bone and below
the middle turbinate bone. The superior opening (meatus) is situated above
the middle turbinate bone.
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 7]
[Illustration: Bronchial Tubes and Lungs.]
The mucous membrane lining the nasal passages is similar to other mucous
membranes. It is here called the Schneiderian membrane after the name of a
German anatomist named Schneider. It is continuous through the ducts with
the mucous membrane of all the various accessory cavities of the nose. It
is quite thin, in the upper part over the superior turbinate bone and
partition (septum) while it is quite thick over the lower turbinate bone,
the floor of the nose cavity and the lower part of the partition. It is
well supplied with blood vessels, veins, and glands for producing the
necessary secretion.
The nose is an organ of breathing (respiration) and it warms and moistens
the air we breathe and arrests particles of dust in the air before they
enter the lungs. If the air we breathe is of an uneven temperature, or of
marked degree of dryness, or if it is saturated with impurities, it always
acts as a source of irritation to the mucous membrane of the upper
respiratory tract, like the larynx. By the time the air reaches the
pharynx, through the nose, it has become almost as warm as the blood, and
also is well saturated with moisture. The mucous membrane that lines the
nose cavity and especially that part over the lower turbinate bone,
secretes from sixteen to twenty ounces of fluid daily. This fluid cleanses
and lubricates the nose and moistens the air we breathe. Conditions may
arise which interfere with this natural secretion. This may be due to the
fact that some of the glands have shrunk or wasted (atrophied) and the
secretion has become thick. This collects in the nose, decomposes and
forms scabs and crusts in the nostrils. In this condition there will be
dropping of mucus into the throat. This condition is usually only a
collection of secretions from the nose,--which are too thick to flow
away,--collect in the space behind the nose, and when some have
accumulated, drop into the pharynx.
[8 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
In order to be in good health it is necessary to breath through the nose,
and to do this there must be nothing in the nose or upper part of the
pharynx to interfere with the free circulation of the air through these
cavities. The cavities of the nose may be partly closed by polpi (tumors)
on the upper and middle turbinate bone, a spur on the (septum) partition,
deviation of the partition or enlarged turbinate bones, or adenoids in the
upper part of the pharynx. These troubles almost close up the nose
sometimes and the person is compelled to breathe through his mouth. He not
only looks foolish, talks thick, but is laying up for himself future
trouble. By correcting the trouble in the nose and removing the adenoids
in the upper part of the pharynx the patient can breathe through the nasal
passages. If you take a tube you can pass it straight back through the
lower channel (meatus) into the pharynx. It will touch the upper back wall
of the pharynx. If the tube has a downward bend you can see it behind the
soft palate and by attaching a string to that end you can draw it back out
through the nostrils. In that way we plug the posterior openings (nares).
The upper part of the pharynx reaches higher up behind than a line drawn
horizontally above the tip of the nose to the pharynx. It reaches forward
above the soft palate on its front surface. Its front surface is almost
directly on a vertical line with tonsil, above the soft palate. On its
upper part and on the side near the nose cavity is the opening of the
eustachian tube.
The name naso-pharynx means the junction of the nose and pharynx.
Sometimes the upper posterior wall of the pharynx, called the vault of the
pharynx, especially the part behind each eustachian tube, is filled almost
full with adenoids. These are overgrowths or thickenings of the glandular
tissue in the upper posterior wall of the pharynx (vault of the pharynx).
ADENOIDS. (Pharyngeal Tonsil, Lursehkas Tonsil, Adenoid Vegetation, Post-
nasal Growth.)--Adenoids are overgrowths or thickenings of the glandular
tissue in the vault (top) of the pharynx. They are on the upper posterior
wall of the pharynx, often filling the whole space, especially the part
behind the ear-tube--eustachian tube.
They are a soft pliable mass, well supplied with blood vessels, especially
in children. Some are firmer and these are the kind seen in adults. The
color varies from pale pink to dark red. The structure is similar to
enlarged tonsils.
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 9]
[Illustration: Adenoids]
Symptoms.--Children breathe chiefly or wholly through the mouth. They are
apt to breathe noisily, especially when they eat and drink. They sleep
with their mouth open, breathe hard and snore. They have attacks of slight
suffocation sometimes, especially seen in young children. There may be
difficulty in nursing in infants; they sleep poorly, toss about in bed,
moan, talk, and night terrors are common. They may also sweat very much
during sleep. A constant hacking or barking cough is a common symptom and
this cough is often troublesome for some hours before going to bed.
Troubles with the larynx and pharynx are common and spasmodic laryngitis
appears to be often dependent upon adenoids. Bronchial asthma and sneezing
in paroxysms are sometimes connected with them. The chest becomes
deformed. The prolonged mouth-breathing imparts to adenoid patients a
characteristic look in the face. The lower jaw is dropped and the lips are
kept constantly apart. In many cases the upper lip is short, showing some
part of the upper teeth. The dropping of the jaw draws upon the soft parts
and tends to obliterate the natural folds of the face about the nose,
lips, and cheeks. The face has an elongated appearance and the expression
is vacant, listless, or even stupid. The nose is narrow and pinched, from
long continued inaction of the wings of the nose (alae nasi). The root of
the nose may be flat and broad. When the disease sets in during early
childhood, the palate may become high arched. If the disease continues
beyond second teething, the arch of the palate becomes higher and the top
of the arch more pointed. The upper jaw elongates and this often causes
the front teeth to project far beyond the corresponding teeth in the lower
jaw. The high arched palate is often observed to be associated with a
deflected partition (septum) in the nose.
The speech is affected in a characteristic way; it acquires a dead
character. There is inability to pronounce the nasal consonant sounds; m,
n, and ng and the l, r, and th sounds are changed. Some backwardness in
learning to articulate is often noticed.
Deafness is frequently present, varying in degree, transient and
persistent. Attacks of earache are common and also running of the ears.
The ear troubles often arise from the extension of catarrh from the
nose-pharynx through the eustachian tubes to the middle ear. Sometimes the
adenoids block the entrance to the tubes. The ventilation of the middle
ear may be impeded. Dr. Ball, of London, England, says: "Ear troubles in
children are undoubtedly, in the vast majority of cases, dependent upon
the presence of adenoid vegetation" (growths).
Children with adenoids are very liable to colds in the head, which
aggravate all the symptoms, and in the slighter forms of the disease the
symptoms may hardly be noticeable, except when the child is suffering from
a cold.
[10 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Chronic catarrh is often caused by adenoids. A chronic pus discharge often
develops, especially in children. There is often a half-pus discharge
trickling over the posterior wall of the pharynx from the nose-pharynx.
And yet some children with adenoids never have any discharge from the
nose. There may be more or less dribbling of saliva from the mouth,
especially in young children, and this is usually worse during sleep.
Headache is not uncommon when these growths persist into adult life: they
continue to give rise to most of the symptoms just described, although
these symptoms may be less marked because of the relatively larger size of
the nose-pharynx. The older patients seek relief, usually, from nasal
catarrh symptoms. They complain of a dry throat on waking and they hawk
and cough, In order to clear the sticky secretion from the throat. The
adenoids have often undergone a considerable amount of shrinking, but they
frequently give rise to a troublesome inflammation of the nose and
pharynx. Rounded or irregular red elevations will often be seen on the
posterior wall of the pharynx, outgrowths of adenoid tissue in this
region. Similar elevations are sometimes seen on the posterior pillars of
the fauces. The tonsils are often enlarged. A good deal of thick discharge
will sometimes be seen in the posterior wall of the pharynx proceeding
from the nose-pharynx.
Although adenoids, like the normal tonsil, usually tend to diminish and
disappear with the approach of youth, they constitute during childhood a
constant source of danger and trouble and not infrequently inflict
permanent mischief. Also children afflicted with adenoids are less able to
cope with diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles, whooping-cough, etc.
Deafness, mouth-breathing habit, and imperfect resonance of the voice, as
well as the characteristic expression of the face, will often remain as
permanent effects of the impairment of function due to these growths in
childhood, even though they have more or less completely disappeared. The
collapsed state of the wings of the nose, and wasted condition of their
muscles, resulting from long disease, often contributes to the
perpetuation of the mouth-breathing habit. On the other hand the rapid
improvement, after a timely removal of the growths, is usually very
striking.
Treatment.--The only thing to do is to remove them soon, no matter how
young the patient may be. An anaesthetic is usually given to children. The
operation does not take long and the patient soon recovers from its
effects. The result of an operation, especially in young children, is
usually very satisfactory. Breathing through the nose is re-established,
the face expression is changed for the better. The symptoms as before
described disappear to a great extent.
COLDS. (Coryza. Acute Nasal Catarrh. Acute Rhinitis).--This is an
inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the nose.
Causes.--Exposure to cold or wet when the body is overheated; sudden or
extreme changes in the atmosphere; inhaling irritating fumes or dust.
Symptoms.--A chilly feeling, limbs ache, tendency to sneeze, severe
headache above the nose, eyes are dry, stopped-up feeling in the nostrils.
Then there is a thin watery discharge, usually of an irritating character,
very thin at first, but it soon becomes thicker; sometimes the ears ring
(tinnitus). The nose and lining is red and swollen.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Colds. Borax for Cold Settled in Throat. "For a
cold in the throat, dissolve a piece of borax, the size of a pea, in the
mouth and don't talk. It will work like a charm." This is an old and well
tried remedy and is very good for colds or sore throat. It acts by
contracting the tissues and in that way there is less congestion in the
parts.
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 11]
2. Colds, Valuable Caution and Treatment for.--Mrs. Maxwell, of Cleveland,
writes in the Cleveland Press as follows: "If you intend to treat the cold
yourself, take it up at the outset. Don't wait for it to develop. To break
it up, nothing is better than the full hot bath at bed time, or the foot
bath with mustard, followed by a hot drink. It is old-fashioned, but
scientific, for nine colds out of ten are due to clogged pores. Benjamin
Franklin said a hundred years ago that all colds come from impure air,
lack of exercise, and over-eating, and nobody has ever bettered his
conclusion. Even contagious colds will not be taken if the bodily
resistance is kept at par. More fresh air, less grip. Avoid people who
have colds, and keep out of badly ventilated rooms. Stuffy street cars are
responsible for half the hard colds, not because people get chilled, but
because the air is foul. And when you have a cold keep away from the baby.
If the baby takes a cold, let it have medical attention at once. Don't
experiment upon it with remedies intended for grown-ups."
3. Colds, Molasses-Vinegar Syrup for.--"One-half cup of molasses, butter
the size of a hickory nut, one tablespoon vinegar, boil together. Dose:
One teaspoonful or less as the case requires. Take often until relieved."
This is an old remedy and a good one.
4. Colds, Quinine and Ginger for.--"Give plenty of quinine and drink hot
water with ginger in it." Quinine, as we all know, is an old remedy for
colds and therefore we all know how it acts. The ginger warms up the
system and produces sweating. Care should be taken when using this remedy
not to take cold, as the pores are all opened by the quinine.
5. Colds, Boneset for.--"Boneset tea steeped and drank cold cures a
cold." Boneset simply acts by causing a better circulation in the system
and in that way sweating is produced and we all know that a good sweat
will usually cure a cold if taken in time.
6. Severe Cold or Threatened Consumption.--"One pint of molasses; one pint
of vinegar; three tablespoonfuls of white pine tar; let this boil not
quite half down; remove from the stove and let stand until next day; then
take and skim tar off from the top, throwing tar away. Jar up and take as
often as necessary. Spoonful every half to two hours."
7. Colds, Rock Candy Syrup for.--"Ten cents worth of rock candy; one pint
of whisky; one pint of water; fifteen cents worth of glycerine; mix all
together; this will syrup itself." Take one teaspoonful as often as
necessary. This is excellent.
8. Colds, Skunk's Oil for.--"Skunk's oil has cured colds quickly by
rubbing on chest and throat." The oil penetrates quickly and relieves the
congestion. This remedy can always be relied upon.
[12 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
9. Colds, Lemons and Mustard for.--"A hot lemonade taken on going to bed
and put the feet in a hot mustard bath; taken in time will break up a
cold." The idea of the foot bath is to equalize the circulation, as so
many of our colds begin in the head and by drawing the blood from the head
the congested parts of the head are relieved.
10. Colds and Cough, Hops or Catnip Poultice for.--"Hops or catnip put in
little bags and steamed until hot, then placed on lungs and throat." This
is a very good remedy, as the hot bags act as a poultice and draw the
congestion from the diseased parts. It produces not only local, but
general perspiration.
11. Colds, Honey for.--"Eat honey. I have tried this many times and it is
very good." The honey is very soothing, but if a little hoarhound or lemon
is added it would make it much more effective. This is a good remedy for
children, as they most all like honey.
12. Colds, to Break Up at the Outset.--"To break up a cold soak the feet
in hot water and drink all the cold water you can." This has been known to
cure many severe colds if taken at the beginning.
13. Cold in the Chest, Mutton Tallow and Red Pepper for.--"If cold is in
the chest, render enough mutton tallow for one cupful and add one
teaspoonful of red pepper and rub on chest and apply a flannel to keep out
the cold. This is an old-time remedy and a good one."
14. Colds, Lard and Turpentine for.--"Melt a half cupful of lard and add
one and one-half teaspoonfuls of turpentine, rub on chest and apply
flannel cloth."
15. Cold, Milk and Cayenne as a Preventive.--"Drink a glass of milk with a
pinch of cayenne in it. This will warm the stomach and prevent headache."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Colds.--Preventive. Avoid the known causes of
the trouble. A daily cold bath, if well borne, is held to be an effectual
prevention against taking cold. Have the adenoids removed if your
physician so recommends it. If seen early it can frequently be aborted.
Bathe the feet in hot mustard water, a small handful of mustard to a pail
half full of hot water. At the same time, drink hot teas, like hoarhound,
ginger, lemonade, etc. Then put the patient to bed and place hot water
fruit jars around him. This treatment will produce a good sweat. After the
sweating has continued for some time and the patient feels uncomfortable
because of the sweat, bathe him with a towel dipped in warm water, and dry
the parts as you go along. Of course, all of this is done under cover.
After you have bathed and dried the patient, put on a clean and well-aired
night shirt and clean sheets, also well aired. This simple treatment will
abort most colds. The patient should keep in bed for at least twelve hours
after such a sweating. Plenty of cold water and lemonade can be given,
especially after the patient has become cooler. Plenty of water is good
for any cold; hot outside and cool for the inside. The bowels should be
opened with salts. A Dover's powder (ten grains) will produce sweating,
but why use it when sweating can be produced by the means first mentioned.
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 13]
1. Camphor and Vaseline Mixed, or Camphor and Cream, rubbed in the nose is
good to stop the cold and soreness.
2. A few drops (two or three) of camphor taken internally every three
hours will abort some colds, especially if the nose is all the time
pouring out drops of water.
3. Aconite in small doses, one-tenth of a drop, every two hours is a
splendid remedy at the beginning. My experience has shown me that aconite
does better work in these small doses. Put one drop in ten teaspoonfuls of
water and give one teaspoonful at a dose.
4. The following is good for a thick discharge: in oil spray.
Menthol 6 grains
Chloroform 5 drops
Camphor 5 grains
Liquid Alboline 2 ounces
Mix and make into a solution. Use in an atomizer, every two hours.
To cleanse the nostrils wash out each nostril gently with a solution made
of one teaspoonful of listerine, or glyco-thymoline, or borolyptol, or
one-quarter teaspoonful of common salt in a half glass of warm water.
You can use a vaporizer and this solution:
Menthol 5 grains
Camphor 5 grains
Compound tincture benzoin 1 dram
Liquid Alboline 1 ounce
Mix and make solution and use frequently in a nebulizer.
Never snuff a solution into the nose, and do not blow the nose hard after
using. Some of the solution or nasal discharge may be forced into the
eustachian tube.
5. Lard or camphorated oil rubbed on the nose and throat twice a day is
good.
6. To Restore the Loss of the Voice.--
Oil of wintergreen 2 drams
Lanolin or vaseline 1 ounce
Mix and rub on the throat at night and put on flannel until morning. This
will relieve the loss of voice very promptly.
7. Put a quart of boiling water in a pitcher; add from two to four drams
of the compound tincture of benzoin and inhale the hot vapor. Wrap both
head and pitcher in a towel. This is very good for sore throat also.
8. Herb Teas for.--Ginger tea, catnip, hoarhound, pennyroyal, etc.; hot,
are all good to produce sweating and thus relieve cold.
9. From Dr. Ball, a London, England, Specialist.--
Menthol 30 grains
Eucalyptol 30 drops
Carbolic acid 2 drams
Rectified spirits of wine 1 dram
Mix thoroughly; a teaspoonful to be put into a pint (or less) of hot water
and the steam to be inhaled through the nose for four or five minutes.
This is useful in acute colds, especially in the later stages, and in
chronic catarrh, etc.
[14 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
10. When the stage is rather marked or prolonged spray or syringe out the
nose with tepid solution once or twice a day using the following:
Bicarbonate of soda 3 to 5 grains
Borax 3 to 5 grains
Tepid water 1 ounce
Use a spray, douche, or gargle in chronic catarrh and chronic pharyngitis.
When you wish to use a large quantity, mix an equal quantity each of soda
and borax and put a couple teaspoonfuls to each pint of warm water and
use.
CATARRH. (Chronic Inflammation of the Nose, Chronic Rhinitis). Causes.--
Frequent attacks of colds, irritating gases and dust, adenoids, enlarged
tonsils, spurs on the septum (partition bone) or foreign bodies in the
nose, like corn, beans, stone, etc.
Symptoms and Course.--There are alterations of the secretions: the amount
varies in the same case at different times. Sometimes it is thin and
watery, or thick, sticky mucus or this may alternate with more watery
discharges. It may be mucus and pus or entirely pus. Frequently the
secretions discharge into the throat and cause efforts to clear it by
hawking and spitting. The secretion sometimes dries and forms crusts in
the fore part of the turbinated bones and partition. Patients frequently
pick the nose for this crust and ulceration may result at that point from
its doing. Bleeding often occurs from picking the scales from the ulcers,
and perforation of the partition may take place from extension of the
ulceration. There is a feeling of stuffiness. There is some obstruction to
breathing. If there is much thickness of the structures, nasal obstruction
is a persistent symptom. Changed voice, mouth-breathing, etc., are
noticed. A sensation of pain or weight across the bridge of the nose is
sometimes complained of and this symptom is especially found associated
with enlargement of the middle turbinated body on one or both sides, etc.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Catarrh, Successful remedy for.--- "Dissolve in
one-half ounce olive oil as much camphor gum as it will take up. Moisten a
little finger with the oil, rub into the nostrils and snuff well up into
the head." The olive oil is very soothing to the diseased parts and the
camphor contracts the swollen mucous membranes, thereby relieving the
catarrh. This is an excellent remedy.
2. Catarrh, Cleansing Antiseptic Remedy for.--"Snuff about one teaspoonful
of salt in cup of warm water every morning in nostrils. I have found this
remedy simple but fine for catarrh and also having sleeping room well
ventilated summer and winter will help in curing disease." This remedy
will be found very effective in catarrh because it loosens up the
secretions and cleanses the nose of the foul secretions and also has an
antiseptic action. This can be used twice daily. Snuffing should be done
very gently so as not to draw the water too far back.
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 15]
3. Catarrh, Witch-Hazel for.--"Pond's extract applied with nose spray."
Pond's extract is simply witch-hazel water and everyone knows that
witch-hazel water is healing and soothing to the membranes of the nose.
This may be used regularly twice a day.
4. Catarrh, Cure for.--
Menthol 10 grains
Camphor Gum 10 grains
Chloroform 10 drops
Fluid Alboline 8 ounces
Mix. Apply in the nasal cavities with alboline atomizer.
5. Catarrh of head, Mullein Leaves. Treatment, etc., for.--"Smoke dried
mullein leaves and blow the smoke through the nose, and in addition to
this, put a heaping tablespoonful of powdered borax in a quart of soft
water; syringe this up in the nose, and in addition to both of the above,
frequently inhale a mixture of two drams of spirits of ammonia, half a
dram tincture of iodine and fifteen drops of carbolic acid; smoke the
mullein, syringe the borax water and inhale the last mixture all as
frequently as convenient and it frequently will cure if kept up
faithfully."
6. Catarrh, Milk and Salt Wash for.--"Mix together one teaspoonful common
salt, a teacupful milk, and half pint of warm water. Inject this into the
nostrils three times a day. You may use the same quantity of borax in
place of the salt, if you choose to do so."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Catarrh.--If the patient is run down, give
tonics, plenty of fresh air and sunshine in the sleeping room, change of
climate to a dry, unchangeable climate is sometimes necessary.
Local.--Attend to any disturbing cause, such as adenoids, spurs on the
partition, turbinate bone, etc. It is first necessary to render the parts
clean, through the use of some mild antiseptic solution, such as
glyco-thymoline, listerine, borolyptol, salt, etc. Salt should not be used
stronger than one-quarter teaspoonful in a glass half full of water. The
others can be used in one to two teaspoonfuls, to same amount of warm
water. The solution should always be mild and warm. To use any solution
pour it gently through the nose, tilting the head backward, with the mouth
open; then as the solution flows through the head should be put forward
and downward. The solution flows out of the mouth, and also out of the
other nostril. A nasal douche cup made purposely should be used if
possible.
1. Spray for.--After cleansing the nostrils with the solution the
following soothing mild spray will be found of great benefit.
Menthol 5 grains
Camphor 5 grains
Liquid Alboline 2 ounces
Mix and make a solution. Use in an atomizer or nebulizer.
[16 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
2. Powders for.--Antiseptic powders are also very useful in some cases,
such as, compound stearate of zinc and boric acid, or compound stearate of
zinc and alum or compound stearate of zinc and menthol. One or two drams
is enough to buy at once as it is very light; always use it in a powder in
the following way:
First take a long breath and while holding the breath, puff some of the
powder into each nostril; then gently puff the breath out through each
nostril. Do not snuff powder up the nose or use the powder-blower while
breathing. If this is done, some will get into the pharynx and larynx and
cause annoying coughing.
3. Solution for.--
Bicarbonate of soda 1/2 ounce
Borax 1/2 ounce
Salt 1/2 ounce
White sugar 1 ounce
Mix all. Half a teaspoonful to be dissolved in one-half tumbler of warm
water; used with spray producer or a syringe.
4. Spray, for.--
Bicarbonate of soda 1-1/2 drams
Listerine 6 drams
Water 1 ounce
Use as a spray.
OZENA.--(Foul odor from nose, not breath, due to catarrh of the nose). The
membrane is dry and shrunken. It is a very offensive odor, thus called
"ozena."
Causes.--It is usually seen in people who are very much debilitated, in
young factory girls, and sometimes in healthy boys. Retained secretions in
the nose, usually cause the odor. These decompose and ferment. The nose is
large and roomy, the nostrils are filled with scabby secretions; hard
masses are formed which sometimes fill the nostril.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--The first few weeks, cleansing the nose with
peroxide of hydrogen will stop the odor. First, remove the scabs with
forceps and then wash and cleanse the nose with the peroxide solution. It
can be used from one-quarter strength to full strength, but warm. This
will leave the nose in a foamy, soapy condition and this can be cleansed
with a mild solution of glyco-thymoline or salt water.
HOME TREATMENT.--This is very important. The patient should use a douche
three or four times a day. In the solution glyco-thymoline or borolyptol
one or two teaspoonfuls to one-half cup of warm water, and follow by a
nebulizer or atomizer in which the following solution can be used:
1. Lysol 10 drops
Oil of Pine 15 drops
Liquid Alboline 2 ounces
Mix and make a solution, spray into the nose after douching.
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 17]
2. The following ointment can be used if there is no atomizer or nebulizer
at hand:
Iodol 5 grains
Boric Acid 10 grains
Cold cream 2 ounces
Mix and make into an ointment, and rub a little into each nostril before
retiring.
3. Dr. Ferguson of New York uses the following: A new antiseptic enzymol.
This is used as follows.--Use one part of enzymol, three parts of warm
water. Rub and cleanse the nose thoroughly with the solution, saturate a
piece of absorbent cotton with this solution, place it in the nostril and
leave it there fifteen to twenty minutes.
HAY FEVER. (Rose Cold, June Cold or Hay Asthma).--This inflammation of the
nose occurs in August and September. It is really a nervous affection of
the nose membrane.
Causes.--A predisposition: A peculiar sensitive area in the mucous
membrane of the nose. An exciting cause circulating in the air, the dust
or pollen of certain plants, such as rag-weed, hay and barley; the odor of
certain flowers, such as roses and golden rod; dust of some drugs as
ipecac and benzoic acid; the odor of some animals. It usually comes about
the same date each year, growing worse each year and, in time, affects the
bronchial tubes.
Symptoms.--The earliest symptoms are, usually, an itching sensation in the
roof of the mouth and the palate, or itching and burning at the inner
corner of the eyes. Irritation within the nose is also experienced and
very soon spells of sneezing set in. The nose soon feels stuffy and
obstructed, and there is a clear water discharge from the nose, which is
especially copious after sneezing. The eyes look red and watery and the
eyeballs pain and there is also pain in the forehead above the nose. It
may take several days to develop these symptoms. They are usually worse in
the morning. After some days these symptoms become more persistent and
severe. The nostrils are completely closed, and the patient must breathe
through the mouth, and the spells of sneezing are very violent. The
conjunctiva becomes congested and red, a profuse watery discharge runs
from the eyes and the lids are swollen. In severe cases the face looks red
and swollen. The mucous membrane of the mouth, pharynx and tonsils is more
or less reddened and irritated, smell and taste are impaired and sometimes
the patient is slightly deaf. The patient feels tired, weak, and it is
hard to study or do manual labor. Slight feelings of chillness are common.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Hay fever, Quick Relief from.--"For hay fever and
other slight forms of diseases which produce sneezing, there is no remedy
more quickly effective, and often curative, than a vapor of heated salt
and alcohol. Heat it very hot and breathe the vapor for ten minutes at a
time, four or five times a day."
2. Hay fever, Remedy Worth Trying for.--"A mixture composed of ten grains
of sulphate of zinc, half teaspoonful of borax, and about four ounces of
rose water. This is very good to inject into the nostrils if there is much
irritation of eyes and nostrils."
[18 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
3. Hay fever, Our Canadian Remedy for.--"Inhale smoke from ground coffee
(sprinkle over coals). This relieved a case for me of five years
standing."
4. Hay Fever, Medicine That Helps.--"Use phenol sodique as directed on the
bottles. This was recommended to me by Mrs. Levi Weller, who said her
husband had found more relief from this remedy than any other he had
tried."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Hay Fever.--1. The following gives relief from
the distressing symptoms. (But first the nose should be examined, for
often there is local trouble there.). Then give suprarenal extract
tablets, each five grains. Take one every four or five hours.
2. Pill Blennostasin.--Each pill contains five grains. Take one every four
hours.
3. The following solution gives temporary relief:--
Dionin 10 grains
Adrenalin (1 to 1000) 5 drams
Water 2 ounces
Mix solution and spray into the nose every two hours.
4. After using the above spray which will shrink the mucous membrane apply
the following oil spray:--
Thymol 5 grains
Menthol 5 grains
Camphor 5 grains
Liquid Alboline 1 ounce
Mix and make a solution and spray into the nose three or four times a day.
5. In some cases a drying powder does well, such as compound stearate of
zinc and alum one dram; puff it into the nose with a powder-blower every
hour.
6. Dr. Ball of London, England, gives the following.--A spray of a four
per cent of cocaine, or direct application of cotton-wool soaked in a
stronger solution will be found to afford immediate relief. But the after
effect is likely to be bad. Hence menthol is a better application.
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 19]
7. Another from Dr. Ball.--A one to five per cent solution of menthol in
liquid paraffin may be painted or sprayed on the mucous membrane, or a
little cotton-wool soaked in an oily solution may be inserted in the
nostrils. We must confess our weakness as physicians, when we treat this
disease. There are local measures, such as give relief for the time being,
but they must be carefully used. Diseases of the nose, tumors or "spurs"
frequently cause in the first place; bad tonsils, and adenoids are likely
to aggravate the trouble. A change of climate is the only real help. Tone
the general health. If the patient is very nervous fifteen grains of
bromide of sodium three or four time a day gives relief. People subjected
to hay fever should be treated between the attacks to make them strong and
to remove any local nose trouble and just before the time of year arrives
for the attack it is well to take five grains three times a day of the
suprarenal tablets or blennostasin the same way, and also spray the nose
twice daily with a mild adrenalin solution as the following:-
Adrenalin (1 to 1000) 1 dram
Water 2 ounces
Change of climate is frequently quite beneficial. Some are relieved in the
dry mountain air, while others are more benefited by the seashore or an
ocean trip.
TUMOR OF THE NOSE. (Nasal Polypus).--This tumor consists of a soft jelly-
like whitish growth, usually found in the upper front part of the nostril.
It may extend to the bottom (floor) of the nose, is quite soft and
moveable, being easy to push aside with a probe. The air passing through
the nostril will move it backward and forward. There may be one or several
and they may completely fill the nostril. They sometimes grow from the
back end of the middle turbinate bone, and gradually extend backward
filling up the back part of the nostril and even extending into the space
behind the nose and, if large, they may be seen below the soft palate.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--The only thing to do is to remove them. This is
usually done by a wire placed around the polypus and by the thumb-screw in
the instrument, tighten the wire until it has cut through the base.
DEVIATION OF THE SEPTUM (Partition).--Deviation is the bending or curving
of the partition (septum) to one side or the other, leaving one nostril
very large and roomy and closing the other nostril wholly or partly.
Causes.--Blows, falls, etc., high-arch palate. It is seldom seen under
seven years of age.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--The treatment is to replace if possible, the part
in the proper position. This requires an operation.
NOSEBLEED. Mothers' Remedies.--1. Nosebleed; remedy sent us by a Public
School Teacher.--"Make a compress of paper soaked in cold water; put it
under the upper lip and have the patient press the lip with the fingers.
Remarks.--Tried with success in many cases by a school teacher." By
putting under the lip and pressing on it, you press on an artery and stop
bleeding. Be careful to use nothing but white paper, as ink or colors
would come out when wet.
2. Nosebleed, Alum as a cure for.--"Apply cold water to face and back of
neck; snuff powdered alum." The powdered alum contracts the blood vessels,
thereby shutting off the supply of blood. The cold water applied to the
back of the neck affects the nervous system in such a manner that the
blood vessels are contracted and so the blood supply is diminished.
[20 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
3. Nosebleed; Remedy that succeeded in a severe case.--"Put pieces of ice
in cloth. Lay a piece each side of the nose and on the back of the neck.
Remarks.--My neighbor's daughter had nosebleed which refused to stop until
they were much frightened but this treatment soon stopped it, after which
she rested quietly for a time,"
4. Nosebleed, Simple Remedy for.--"Place the finger on the side of the
nose tight for ten or fifteen minutes. My mother has stopped her nose from
bleeding when other remedies failed." This shuts off the circulation and
helps to form a clot.
5. Nosebleed, Another Home Remedy for.--"Hold the head back as far as
possible, press up the end of the nose with the end of the finger." Best
to lie on the side so blood will not run down the throat and choke the
patient.
6. Nosebleed, Puff-Ball for.--"Find an old brown puff-ball from the
ground, pick out the soft inside part and put it in nose and let remain
for some time."
7. Nosebleed, Vinegar and Water for.--"Wet a cloth in very cold water or
strong cold water and vinegar and apply to back of neck, renewing as it
gets warm. Have seen this tried and know it to be good."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Nosebleed.--Place the patient on his side half
lying, head and shoulders raised and apply a cold compress to the
forehead, nose, and to the back of the neck. Press the end of the nose
firmly against the partition between the nostrils, for some minutes. This
presses directly upon the bleeding point, as a rule. Also, when lying in
this position, the blood does not flow into the throat so readily. Raise
the arms above the head, apply cold to the spine or to the scrotum of men
and breasts of women. Mustard foot baths are good, injection of cold
water, or the injection of hot water, 120 F., into the nostril will often
help: Cold water, Or salt water, can be gently snuffed. Alum solution on a
cloth put in the nostril often helps. A piece of bacon cut to bits and
placed in the nostril often stops it. Vinegar injected into the nostril is
good, or you can use a cloth saturated with vinegar and placed in the
nostril. White oak bark tea, strong, is effective; juice of lemon applied
same way or injected is helpful.
How to plug the nostrils; (front or anterior nares).--Do this with narrow
strips of sterilized gauze, by placing the first piece as far back as
possible, then with a narrow pair of forceps pushing in a little at a time
until the nostril is filled. The gauze should be only one-half inch wide.
If the bleeding still continues the posterior opening (nares) should be
plugged. This can be known by seeing the blood flowing down the throat
(pharynx).
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 21]
How this is done? Pass a soft rubber catheter, along the floor (bottom) of
the nose until its end is seen passing down behind the soft palate into
the throat. Grasp this with a pair of forceps and pull it forward into the
mouth. Tie a stout string to the end of the catheter (about 1-1/2 feet
long) and tie the other end of the string around the centre of a plug of
lint or gauze, 1-1/2 inches long and three-quarters of an inch wide. Then
pull the catheter back through the nostril, very gently. This will pull
the plug into the posterior opening of the nose, and plug it. . Hold this
same end firmly and with a pair of forceps fill the anterior nostril with
strips (1/2 inch wide) of gauze, pushing them back to the posterior plug.
The end of the string in the mouth may be fastened to a tooth or to the
side of the cheek (if long enough) with a piece of adhesive plaster. The
plug should not be left in position more than forty-eight hours, and it
should be thoroughly softened with oil or vaselin before it is removed.
Remove the anterior part first, gently and carefully and then with cocaine
(if necessary) and more oil, the posterior plug is softened and removed by
pulling the end of the string which is in the mouth gently and slowly.
SORE THROAT (Acute Pharyngitis--Acute Pharyngeal Catarrh--- Inflammation
of the Pharynx--Simple Angina).--This is a common complaint especially
among some adults. A predisposition to it is often due to chronic
pharyngitis, chronic enlargement of the tonsils and adenoids of the wall
of the pharynx as well as chronic nasal obstruction. Rheumatic persons are
especially subject to it and acute articular rheumatism is often observed
to be preceded by an attack of pharyngitis. Tonsilitis is said to have the
same influence also.
Symptoms.--The throat is dry and feels stiff. There may be tenderness at
the angle of the jaw and outside of the neck. Pains some to swallow. In a
day or two there is a mucous secretion, making the patient inclined to
clear the throat by hawking or coughing. The throat looks red and in the
early stage this is more noticeable on the anterior pillars of the fauces,
the soft palate and uvula. On the back wall you see bright red spots, the
inflamed lymph follicles. It usually gets well in two to seven days. It
may become chronic after repeated acute attacks.
Chronic.--This is very common in persons who smoke or drink to excess,
also people who use their voice in public speaking as preachers do, or in
calling loudly as hucksters, railroad brakemen, stationmen, etc.
Prevention of chronic kind.--Ascertain the cause and remove it. Too hot
food or too much spiced food cause the chronic kind. Rest the voice.
Remove any existing catarrh.
Prevention of acute kind.--Avoid undue exposure to cold and wet, wear warm
comfortable flannel underwear. Bath the neck and chest daily with cold
water. This is good cold preventive. The wearing of handkerchiefs,
mufflers, around the neck is injurious unless you are driving. Accustom
your neck to the cold from the beginning in the fall and winter months.
Wearing a full beard is said to be a good preventive.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Sore throat, Used for Years Successfully.--"Salt
pork dipped in hot water then covered thick with black pepper. Heat in the
oven and lay or bind on the throat or lungs. This has been a favorite
remedy with us for years." Sew the pork to a piece of cotton cloth and
bind over the sore parts after you have sprinkled the pork with salt and
pepper. Leave this on as long as the patient can endure it. When the pork
is removed, rub the affected parts with cold cream or vaselin and put a
clean muslin cloth on to keep person from taking cold.
[22 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
2. Sore throat, Splendid Liniment for.--
"Olive oil 1/2 pint
Ammonia 1/2 pint
Turpentine 1/2 pint
One egg.
Shake till it forms emulsion. This can be used as a blister."
This is a very effective remedy, but you must watch the throat very
carefully as this will blister quickly. After removing the liniment,
grease the parts with oil or cold cream.
3. Sore throat, Simple Gargle for.--
"Soda 1 teaspoonful
Salt 1 teaspoonful
Borax 1 teaspoonful
Dissolve in pint of warm water; use as a gargle frequently."
This is a very good gargle. It contracts the parts and acts as an
antiseptic and thoroughly cleanses the parts.
4. Sore throat, Home Made salve for.-
"Beeswax 1 ounce
Rosin 1 ounce
Camphor gum 1 ounce
Lard about the size of an egg."
Mix the above ingredients together and apply to the outside of the throat.
This causes the skin to become red thus drawing the inflammation out of
the throat and relieving the trouble.
5. Sore Throat, Cold Packs, Sure Cure for.--"Put cold packs on the throat.
Remarks: Was in Washington once and my little girl had a very sore throat.
I put cold packs on the throat the first half of the night and the next
day she was out seeing the sights as well as ever." Gargle with very hot
water and a little soda. This makes it very effective.
6. Sore Throat, Ointment for.--
"Oil Turpentine 1/2 ounce
Oil of Hemlock 1/2 ounce
Oil of Peppermint 1/2 ounce
Oil of Encaliptus 1/2 ounce
Mix with one cup warm lard, apply warm to the throat."
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 23]
7. Sore Throat, Remedy from a mother in Johnson City, Tenn.--"Fat meat
stewed in vinegar and bound to the neck. Kind friends:--After waiting so
long I will help you what I can, and where is the mother that won't want
the book? I am truly glad you have such an interest in the welfare of
suffering humanity. I hope this book will soon be out on its good mission.
Kind friends, I think it a wonderful kindness to the rich as well as the
poor to have a friend in time of need. I think a good honest book of home
remedies tried by our good mothers and grandmothers will be accepted and
looked to by all mothers, for we all think mother knows best. I certainly
want this book completed and in my home."
8. Sore Throat, Gargle and Local Application for.--
"Common salt 2 tablespoonfuls
Strained honey 2 tablespoonfuls
Vinegar 3 tablespoonfuls
Camphor 1/2 teaspoonful"
Use as a gargle. External applications, wring a cloth out of salt and cold
water and keep it quite wet, bind tightly about the neck and cover with a
dry cloth. It is best to use this at night."
9. Mild Sore Throat, Vinegar Gargle for.--"Gargle with vinegar and hot
water. This will help to sooth the irritation and in a mild sore throat is
a sure cure."
10. Sore Throat, Alum and Vinegar for.--"One glass of warm water; one
tablespoonful of vinegar; one teaspoonful of sugar; one-half teaspoonful
of alum; dissolve well and gargle throat several times daily."
11. Sore Throat, Kerosene for.--"Dip a flannel cloth in coal oil,
(kerosene) and bind on the throat. I have tried this; in fact it is what I
always use. It is almost sure to cure."
12. Sore Throat and Cough, Remedy always at hand.--"Equal parts of alcohol
and glycerin make a good gargle, or use three tablespoonfuls of vinegar
and one of salt to a tumbler of water. Or simply hot water and salt when
nothing else is to be had. The hot water alone is very good."
13. Tickling in Throat, Simple Remedy for.--"Take bread crumbs and swallow
them."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Sore Throat.--1. Inhalation of steam either with
or without medicine is good. (See treatment of tonsilitis-Inhaling steam)
I treated a man once who had a terrific pharyngitis, All the parts were so
terribly swollen, that he was unable to swallow or talk. I induced him to
inhale steam from a teakettle. He was able to put his mouth over the spout
of the kettle and he was relived in a few minutes. I think it saved his
life. I put no medicine in the water for that case. Very few persons can
inhale the steam directly from the kettle. Other method is given under
tonsilitis. A dose of salts at first is good. Remain in the house for a
few days.
2. Sulphur and Cream for.--Mix some sulphur with cream and put some of it
on the sore membrane.
3. Good Old Mother's Remedy.--"Steep a medium sized red pepper in one-half
pint of water, strain and add one-fourth pint of good vinegar and a
heaping teaspoonful each of salt and powdered alum and gargle with it as
often as needed. This is a very good remedy."
[24 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
1. Physicians' Local Treatment.--A wet compress on the neck is useful at
the onset. Sucking ice or gargling with ice or cold water, or applying an
ice bag to the throat will be found useful.
Later on, warm gargles and steam inhalation are more grateful. If there is
great pain in swallowing, cocaine painted on the throat or sucking a
cocaine lozenge before taking food will be found very useful.
2. When the attack is mild medicine may not be needed. When there is fever
and the throat is real sore, you can use one drop doses of tincture of
aconite every hour. This will frequently check it.
3. I like the following at the beginning. Give tincture of aconite and
mercury biniodide, called the pink tablet, alternately. Put ten drops of
the aconite in one-half glass of water and give from one-half to two
teaspoonfuls everyone or two hours, alternating with one or two tablets of
one-hundred grain tablet of mercury biniodide. After the first twenty-four
hours stop the acoite and give the mercury biniodide every three hours.
4. For Chronic Catarrh remaining after, lozenges containing rhatany or
tannin are useful.
5. Other gargles.--
Menthol 3 to 5 grains
Camphor 2 to 4 grains
Liquid paraffine 1 ounce
For irritable and catarrhal conditions of nasal membrane use a spray.
8. Snuff.-
Hydrochloride of Cocaine 1 grains
Menthol 1 grain
Sugar of Milk 2 drams
Mix very thoroughly.
When using the Menthol preparation do not use the preparation very hot.
HOARSENESS. Inflammation of the Larynx. (Acute Laryngitis) Causes.--Due to
taking cold or over using the voice; hot liquids, poisons. It may occur in
influenza and measles; from irritating gases; some are subject to it.
Symptoms.--Tickling in the larynx; cold air irritates, and breathing may
cause some pain; dry cough; the voice may be altered. At first it may be
only husky. In children breathing may be very difficult, after a day or
two there may be a light expectoration and finally there may be a loose
cough and a slight fever. The trouble is in the region of "Adam's Apple."
There is little or no danger in these attacks if proper care is taken. The
attack generally lasts two to four days.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. Hoarseness, Borax for.--"For hoarseness dissolve a
piece of borax the size of a pea in the mouth and don't talk. It will work
like a charm." The borax does away with the inflammation of the inflamed
parts and gives relief very quickly.
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 25]
2. Hoarseness, Egg and Lemon for.--"Beaten white of one egg, juice of one
lemon, with sugar enough to thicken, then add one teaspoonful olive oil."
Take one teaspoonful every hour until relieved.
3. Hoarseness, Horseradish for.--"Horseradish root; eat plenty of it. This
has been tried and proved successful."
4. Hoarseness, Successful Remedy for Adults.--"Take two ounces of fresh
scraped horseradish root, infuse in a close vessel in one-half pint of
cold water for two or three hours; then add four ounces of acid tincture
of lobelia and one-half pound of honey. Boil altogether for one-half hour,
strain and take a teaspoonful four times a day. This is a very good
remedy, especially for adults."
5. Hoarseness, Lemon and Sugar for Children.--"Take the juice of one lemon
and saturate with sugar, take a teaspoonful several times a day. It is
sure to give relief. This is very pleasant to give to children, as they
most all like it."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Hoarseness.--1. Rest of the voice and if the
case is severe keep in bed in a room with an even temperature and the air
saturated with moisture from a steaming teakettle, etc.
2. An ice bag on the throat or cold water cloths to the front of the
throat often give relief.
3. Tincture of Aconite.--This is given in the beginning when there is
fever. The dose depends upon the age, and the amount of fever. You can
give it to a child by putting one drop of aconite in twelve teaspoonfuls
of water and then give one teaspoonful every one to three hours according
to the case. For an adult you can put ten drops of aconite in ten
teaspoonfuls of water and give one teaspoonful every hour or two.
4. Citrate of Potash is given every four to five hours in adults.
5. Full dose of five grains of Dover's powders at night for the irritating
cough.
6. For a cough, for a child one year old you can give one-half
teaspoonful, every two hours, of the following:--
Syrup of Dover's powder 1 fluid dram
Tincture of Aconite 10 drops
Simple syrup Enough to make two ounces
Shake before using.
TICKLING IN THROAT. Mothers' Remedies. Mullein Leaf Smoke Beneficial
for.--"Smoke dried mullein leaves, just a few puffs are needed, and should
be drawn into the throat. Myron H. Grinnel of Albion, Mich., says his
grandmother always gathers mullein leaves for this purpose and finds them
an excellent remedy. Too much would cause dizziness." Mullein leaves are
good for inflamed membranes like the ear and throat. If a person does not
wish to gather the leaves themselves they may buy them at a drug store.
2. Tickling in Throat, Good Northern Canada Remedy for.--"Chew some of the
bark of slippery elm and gargle the throat with saliva. This stops
tickling in a few minutes."
[26 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
3. Tickling in Throat, Tested Gargle for.--"Gargle from four to six times
daily with following:--
Strong Sage Tea 1 pint
Salt 2 tablespoonfuls
Cayenne Pepper 2 tablespoonfuls
Vinegar 2 tablespoonfuls
Honey 2 tablespoonfuls
Mix thoroughly and bottle for use."
The above ingredients are all excellent for sore throat and it is an old
tried remedy and can easily be obtained. If it is too strong dilute with
warm water to the desired strength.
SWELLING OF THE GLOTTIS. (Oedematous Laryngitis. Oedma of the
Glottis).--Swelling or oedma of the glottis or more correctly of the
structure which forms the glottis, is a very serious affection. It may
follow acute laryngitis or may be met with in chronic diseases of the
larynx and from other diseases. It is dangerous.
Symptoms.--Difficulty of breathing which increases in intensity so that
the condition becomes very serious in a short time. There is whistling
breathing, the voice is husky and disappears.
Acute Laryngitis.--Inhalations and sprays.
Menthol 10 grains
Oil of pine 1 dram
Tincture of benzion 1 dram
Liquid alboline 2 ounces
Make a solution. Use one teaspoonful in a pint of boiling water; inhale
with a cone placed over the dish or put a shawl over the head and dish and
inhale the steam. Or this one to inhale same way:
Tincture of benzoin 1 dram
Oil of tar 1 drain
Liquid alboline 2 ounces
Make a solution and use one teaspoonful to a pint of boiling water as
above.
It may be necessary in order to save life, to have a physician make an
opening by incision into the windpipe for the admission of air into the
lungs. This process is called Tracheotomy.
Diet in Laryngitis.--Hard and dry toasts should be avoided, for they give
pain on being swallowed, same reason applies to highly seasoned foods.
Milk, custards, eggs, scraped beef may be taken. Difficulty in swallowing
may be overcome by allowing the patient to lie flat on the bed, etc., with
his face over the edge. Food can be sucked through the tube from a vessel
placed below; or the patient can lean forward while eating.
"CHILD CROWING" (Spasm of the Glottis.)--This is usually peculiar to
children.
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 27]
Cause.--It is purely a nervous affection and it occurs between six months
and three years, and is most commonly seen in children with rickets.
Symptoms.--It may come in the night or day; or when the child awakes. The
breathing is arrested, the child struggles for breath, the face is
flushed, and then with a sudden relaxation of the spasm, the air is drawn
into the lungs with a high pitched crowing sound. Convulsions may occur.
Death rarely occurs. There may be many attacks during the day.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT of Child Crowing. Preventive.--The gums should be
carefully examined and if they are swollen and hot they should be lanced.
The bowels should be carefully regulated, and as these children are
usually of a delicate nature and afflicted with rickets, nourishing food
and the treatment in diet and medicine should be given for rickets. Cod
liver oil is a good general remedy. (See rickets).
Cold Sponging.--In severe cases, the child should be placed in a warm bath
tub and the back and chest thoroughly sponged for a minute or two with
cold water. This plan may be used even when a child is in a paroxysm,
though the attack is severe and the child looks blue, it is much better
than to dash cold water in the face. Sometimes the attack can be stopped
by introducing the finger far back into the throat.
CROUP, Spasmodic.--This disease gives the parents a terrible shock if they
have never seen any attacks of the kind. The symptoms which attend the
attack are out of all proportion to the real danger. It is generally the
result of exposure to cold or to the cold wind. Irritating, undigested
food, often causes it.
Symptoms.--Usually the child goes to bed perfectly well, or has a slight
cold and wakes up an hour or two later, coughing and gasping for breath,
due to a spasm in the wind pipe. The cough is shrill, more like a bark;
the cough is repeated at intervals and soon the patient breathes quickly
and laboriously. It must sit up for it can breathe easier sitting. The
voice is oftentimes nearly or quite lost, or at least only a hoarse
whisper; the face is bluish or perspiring. The spasm lasts for a variable
period, but rarely exceeds one-half hour, sometimes only a few minutes.
The croupy cough and oppressed breathing may last longer than this, but
these too subside after a time, after which the child drops to sleep and
usually rests quietly for the rest of the night. There is a tendency to
recurrence on succeeding night unless obviated by treatment.
Treatment. Preventive.--Guard against such children's exposure to cold
winds and dampness, dress them warmly. The living and sleeping rooms
should not be too warm. Do not give them food hard to digest at any time,
especially before bedtime. Foods hard to digest frequently cause the
attack.
[28 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. Croup, Cold Application for.--"Apply to throat a
flannel wrung out of cold water, lay a dry cloth over it." This is an
excellent remedy for a mother to try in case of an emergency when no other
medicine can be obtained. This very often will relieve a child until other
remedies can be secured and has been known to save many children's lives:
The cold water helps to draw the blood away from the larynx and air
passages and also dilates the tubes and gives relief. Take great care not
to wet the child, as this will cause it to take more cold and may prove
fatal.
2. Croup, Sure Cure for.--"Give child anything that will make it vomit,
soak feet in hot water, apply onion drafts to bottom of feet, roast onions
and put on the chest, keep warm. My mother has cured me at least one
hundred times with the above remedy. She generally gave me pig's foot oil,
or oil from the feet of a chicken, sometimes melted lard. Croup has to be
attended to at once or it is fatal with the child." This is a very good
remedy.
3. Croup, Immediate Relief from Steaming.--"Put a small shawl over the
child's head to retain steam, then put a small chunk of unslaked lime in a
bowl of water under shawl. The steam affords immediate relief, usually, if
child inhales it." This is very good; shawl should cover the child's head
and bowl in which lime is dissolved.
4. Croup, for Baby or Older Child.--"Take a teaspoonful alum, pulverize it
and sprinkle it on the whites of two fresh eggs in a cup or glass, let it
stand for a few minutes, until the combination has turned to water, or
water is produced; then give one-half teaspoonful to a child six months
old or less and increase the dose to one teaspoonful for older children,
and repeat the dose in fifteen or thirty minutes as the case may require.
Remarks: From personal experience in my own and neighbors' families, I
have never known a case where it did not bring relief and cure. The dose
must produce vomiting."
5. Croup, Remedy that Never Fails.--"Two tablespoonfuls of liquor or
brandy and one-quarter teaspoonful of glycerin, one teaspoonful of sugar,
one tablespoonful of water; stir up well and give one teaspoonful every
hour or oftener if necessary. Then at same time take a flannel and soak
well in cold water, wring it gently and put around neck with a heavy, dry
flannel over the damp one. If damp flannel becomes hot take it off, dampen
it in more cold water and apply again, and so on until relieved. Do not
allow the patient to get chilled. Better results are obtained if patient
will go to bed. Remarks: I have used this in my family, and have always
found it to be the best croup cure I have ever seen, and it will be found
to give immediate relief. The external application is extremely good."
6. Croup, Coal Oil (kerosene) and Sugar for.--"Coal oil and sugar; put a
few drops on a teaspoonful of sugar." The coal oil produces vomiting,
relieving the trouble. If the first dose does not have this effect upon
the child, repeat it.
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 29]
7. Croup, Pork and Onion Poultice for.--"Put pork and onions on the
throat. Drink plenty of hot water." Bind the pork and onions on the
throat, acting as a poultice. The virtue of this can be increased by
cooking the onions and pork together. Onion syrup may be given internally
to produce vomiting, even in very small babies.
8. Croup, Bloodroot for.--"One teaspoonful powdered bloodroot mixed with
molasses or sugar. Have taken this myself and it relieved at once. If one
dose does not seem enough it may be repeated." This is a very effective
remedy, but is very weakening. Care should be taken not to repeat dose any
oftener than absolutely necessary.
9. Croup, Time Honored Remedy for.--"Pulverized alum and sugar or honey or
molasses; mix together and give half teaspoonful doses or less. For
infants use only in emergency cases." This is one of the good
old-fashioned remedies that nearly every mother has used. It acts simply
by producing vomiting and causing the air tubes to relax. Repeat in five
to twenty minutes until it causes vomiting.
10. Croup, Ipecac for.--"One-third teaspoonful of powdered ipecac
dissolved in one teaspoonful of water, one tablespoonful of sugar; pour on
one teacupful of boiling water and let boil down to a half cup, Dose: One
teaspoonful for adults; children in proportion every two hours; or, if
needed to vomit children give again in ten or fifteen minutes." If you
cannot secure the powdered ipecac, the syrup can be bought at any drug
store, and is already prepared, Dose: Ten to fifteen drops as the case may
need.
11. Croup, Vaselin for.--"Vaselin rubbed on the chest, cover with a hot
flannel, and take 1/4 teaspoonful of vaselin internally occasionally."
Dissolve vaselin and repeat dose if necessary to produce vomiting.
12. Croup, Ice Application for.--"Ice applied to the throat is almost
instant relief." It is best to break the ice up fine and sprinkle salt on
same, putting it in a cheese cloth bag, binding on the throat with a
flannel, and change as soon as it shows signs of wetting.
13. Croup, Salt for.--"Parched salt put on the throat hot." The parched
salt acts the same as mustard plaster, by producing a redness on the
throat. Salt is something that we can always have on hand and by using
this remedy we are always prepared for an emergency in case of croup.
14. Croup, Castor Oil Breaks up.--"Castor oil, given before bedtime, is
good. Dose.--From one-half to one teaspoonful. I have taken this when I
was small." Castor oil is good when the bowels are constipated or the
stomach is full.
15. Croup, Coal Oil, Turpentine and Snuff, a Canadian Remedy for.--"A
little coal oil and a few drops of turpentine soaked up by snuff, and used
as plaster. Makes the child sneeze after a few minutes. The poultice
loosens the phlegm and the sneezing throws it off."
[30 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Croup.--Active. 1. Dr. Douglas says wring cloths
out of cold water and apply very freely to the throat, and recommends the
following syrup:
Syrup of Ipecac 3 fluid drams
Hive Syrup 4 fluid drams
Water 1-1/2 ounces
Mix, and give one teaspoonful every half hour until the child vomits, then
repeat the dose every two hours as needed.
2. Place the child in a hot bath, wrap hot or cold cloths about the throat
and put one teaspoonful of common soda in a glass of water and give one
teaspoonful every fifteen minutes until relieved.
3. Dr. Holt of New York, says.--The room should be very warm, hot cloths
or poultices should be applied over the throat (Adam's apple and below)
and either a croup kettle or ordinary teakettle kept boiling in the room.
This is more efficacious if the child is placed in a tent made by a raised
umbrella or some like method with a sheet thrown over it, and the steam
introduced beneath the tent. If the symptoms' are urgent ten drops of the
syrup of ipecac should be given every fifteen minutes until free vomiting
occurs.
Whenever the symptoms reach a point where the breathing becomes difficult,
a doctor should be summoned without delay. It might be some other disease.
4. Home Treatment.--One-half teaspoonful of alum mixed with molasses or
honey will produce vomiting and help. This is very good when the croup is
due to indigestion. At the same time, fry onions in lard and put them on
the neck in front, or hot wet cloths may do. The alum can be given once or
twice if necessary, half an hour apart, about in one-fourth or one-half
the first dose.
5. Goose grease, or lard dissolved, and enough given to produce vomiting
will do good. This idea is not only to cause vomiting but to cause a sick
feeling after and at that time, which will cause the spasms to relax. A
very good thing to do in addition is to put the child's feet in hot water,
while local applications are put on the throat. These things tend to relax
the muscles and this relieves the spasm.
6. Steam is Very Useful. It relaxes the spasm by local contact and by
producing general sweating. Cover the child's head and a pitcher with a
shawl and inhale the steam from the boiling water in pitcher. You can put
in the pitcher one teaspoonful of oil of tar or one to two teaspoonfuls of
tincture of benzoin. This can be kept up for some time.
COLD IN THE CHEST. (Acute Bronchitis. Inflammation of Bronchial Tubes).--
This is an acute inflammation of the larger and medium sized bronchial
tubes.
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 31]
Causes.--Youth and old age are more predisposed to it. Lack of fresh air
and exercise, dusty work, poor general health, dampness and changeable
weather in winter and early spring. It may be secondary to cold,
pharyngitis, measles, typhoid fever, malaria, asthma, and heart disease.
Symptoms.--There is a feeling of oppression with chilliness and pain in
the back, a dry, tight feeling beneath the breastbone with a dry harsh
cough. This may cause headache and pain, and a raw feeling in the chest,
chiefly in front. There may be a temperature of one hundred or one hundred
three or less. After a few days there is a thick, sticky secretion; it is
profuse. The other symptoms, except the cough, subside. This generally
stops in ten days in a favorable case, or it may become chronic. In
infants or old people it may extend to the smaller tubes causing
broncho-pneumonia. There is more danger in infants than in older people.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. Bronchitis, Camphor and Lard for.--1. "Grease a cloth
well with lard to which has been added some camphor gum, then sprinkle on
some dry baking soda and lay it on the chest. The camphor and lard should
be made into a salve, then put on the soda. The lard and camphor gum
penetrates the affected parts, relieving the inflammation and tightness in
the chest. It is well in children to put a layer of cotton cloth over the
chest keeping them warm and getting better results from the remedy."
2. Bronchitis, Grandmother's Remedy for.--
"Hoarhound 5 cents worth
Hops 5 cents worth
Wild cherry bark 5 cents worth
Licorice root 5 cents worth
"Boil and simmer altogether in two quarts of water long enough to get the
strength out of the ingredients, strain, add three cups sugar, then add
enough good whisky to keep from souring, say a half pint." This
combination is not only good for bronchitis, but for the cough left from
the effects of bronchitis. The hoarhound, wild cherry bark and licorice
root have a very soothing effect on the bronchial tubes, and the hops
quiets the nervous system. This is also good for a common cough.
[32 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
3. Bronchitis, Antiphlogistine Plaster for.--"Antiphlogistine is fine for
bronchitis, where there is any inflammation, pleurisy, any kind of a
scratch, especially rusty nails; pneumonia, Set can in water long enough
to heat, but not hot, spread on with case knife as thick as a silver
dollar, spread cotton batting over it, keep on twenty-four hours, before
changing. This is a very useful remedy to keep on hand." Antiphlogistine
is very good to apply to the body wherever inflammation is present, as it
withdraws the blood from the organ or part of the body that is affected.
It does this by drawing the blood into the external circulation. It has
the same effect upon the diseased parts as the old-fashioned mustard, but
does not blister. In using the mustard plaster you are in fear of
blistering, and then having the outward blister and inward inflammation to
contend with. The antiphlogistine can be purchased at drug stores. Set the
can in warm water until it is warm, then spread on a piece of cotton cloth
and apply to the affected parts, where it may remain for twenty-four
hours, then repeat if necessary. Should always be put on warm, but not
hot. It usually drops off when dry and no longer effective.
4. Bronchial, or any Severe Cough. One of the best Home Remedies.--
"Hoarhound (herb form) 1 ounce
Irish moss 1 ounce
Flax Seed (the seed not pulverized) 1 ounce
Boneset 1 ounce
Licorice Root (cut up fine) 1 ounce
Place the above in some suitable pan or dish for such purpose in a gallon
of cold water, and put it on the back of the stove, so that it will simmer
slowly until reduced to one-half gallon, which may require one day or
more, then strain and place in a bottle, or bottles. Dose.--One
wineglassful three times a day. Add a little sugar if desired." This is a
very fine cough remedy, as the hoarhound loosens the cough, the flax seed
soothes the membrane, and the boneset by its general action on the system
produces sweating. The Irish moss is a sort of food for the whole system
and helps to build a person up.
5. Bronchitis, Camphorated Oil and Steaming for.--"Bathe the chest and
throat up around the head with camphorated oil; drink water and steam the
throat and mouth over hot water. Have tried this recipe and found it
effectual. Have a bronchial cough now and am treating it myself." The
camphorated oil seems to have a very soothing effect upon the chest, in
fact it acts about the same as camphor and lard, only is more pleasant to
use, and can be bought already prepared. Drinking plenty of water cleanses
the system by acting upon the stomach, bowels and kidneys, carrying off
the impurities. The breathing of steam is very soothing and healing to the
throat and air passages.
6. Bronchitis, General Relief for.--"Dose of castor oil every night; one
teaspoonful for child. Grease well with camphorated oil or any good oil."
The castor oil is very good for carrying off the phlegm from the stomach
and bowels that children always swallow instead of coughing up like an
older person. It is well in addition to the above remedy to give a little
licorice or onion syrup to relieve the bronchial cough.
7. Bronchitis, Lard Poultice for.--"Take a piece of cotton batting large
enough to cover chest and fit up close to the neck; wring out of melted
lard as hot as the patient can stand it, and apply. Change as often as it
gets cold. Also give dose of castor oil."
8. Bronchitis, Mustard Plaster for.--"Mustard plasters are very good."
This acts as a counter-irritant, as it draws the blood to the surface and
relieves the inflamed bronchial tubes.
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 33]
9. Bronchitis, Well-Known Remedy for.--
"Cod Liver Oil 2 ounces
Ginger Syrup 2 ounces
Mucilage of Gum Arabic 2 ounces
Oil of Cloves 6 drops
Dose :-Teaspoonful before meals and at bedtime."
This is a very good remedy, as the cod liver oil by its general action
tones up the whole system. The ginger tones and stimulates the stomach and
takes away the sickening effect of the cod liver oil.
10. Bronchitis Remedy and General Tonic.--"Take small doses of glycerin
and one teaspoonful three times a day of codfish oil." This remedy, though
simple, is very effective. The glycerin and codfish oil are both soothing
to the affected parts, and the codfish oil is a very good tonic to tone up
the general system.
1. PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Bronchitis. Sweating Remedy for.--Take a hot
bath and then go to bed, and take hot drinks after. See that the bowels
are open. Nourishment is especially important in infants and old age. You
can sweat them as directed under la grippe. Drink hot drinks, such as
hoarhound, ginger, flaxseed, hot lemonade or slippery elm. These will
produce sweating and will give much relief. An onion poultice applied over
the breastbone where the pain and tightness are, will do good.
2. Steaming Remedy.--Inhaling steam from plain boiling water is good, or
you can add one to two teaspoonfuls of compound tincture of benzoin or
turpentine. The steaming will be more effective if you make a tent, by
fastening four sticks to the cradle or bed and cover with a sheet,
introducing the steam underneath this at the foot of the bed, etc. A
rubber tube can be fastened to the kettle. In this same way you can
produce, if you wish, sweating by putting the end of the tube under the
clothes elevated a little above the patient. Be careful not to scald the
patient.
3. Steaming With Pitcher.--If the soreness of the bronchial tubes is not
relieved by this means, inhalations of steam arising from boiling water
may be practiced, either through a cone, one end of which covers the top
of a pitcher, and the other end of which covers the mouth and nose of the
patient, or by covering the head and pitcher with a towel. The usefulness
of this method may be much increased by the addition of from two
teaspoonfuls to one tablespoonful of compound tincture of benzoin to each
pint of water in a pitcher. This latter method can also be used in
tonsilitis, pharyngitis and quinsy.
4. Rub the chest with a camphor liniment and give the following:
Tincture of Aconite 10 drops
Sweet Spirits of Nitre 2 drams
Distilled water to make 4 ounces
Mix--One-half teaspoonful to a child, or dessert spoonful to an adult in
water every hour.
[34 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
5. For Adults.--Compound licorice mixture one to two drams every three to
four hours; or five grains of Dover's powders every three to four hours.
Diet in Bronchitis (similar to Laryngitis).--Drinks are useful in the
dryer forms, such as hot flaxseed tea sweetened and flavored with lemon
juice. It should be taken in large quantities. Hot milk and lemonade are
also useful.
CHRONIC BRONCHITIS. Causes.--People over middle age are more liable to it.
It comes chiefly in winter, in changeable, cold and damp climates. It may
follow repeated acute attacks.
Symptoms.--These are variable and are present chiefly in winter and damp
weather. The cough is worse at night, and in the morning, expectoration is
usually great. There may be slight fever at times. Often the patients are
entirely free from the trouble during the summer.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Chronic Bronchitis. Preventive.--Warm equable
climate, such as southern California, Florida, or the south of France,
especially in the colder months; warm clothing, avoid exposure and
fatigue.
1. First you can take three grains of ammonium chloride three to four
times a day.
2. Ammonium Chloride 2 drams
Fluid Extract of Licorice 2 drams
Distilled water brought to 3 ounces
Mix and take one teaspoonful every three hours.
3. If the cough is troublesome the following is good:
Ammonium Chloride 2 drams
Hive Syrup 4 drams
Fluid Extract Licorice 1 ounce
Paregoric 6 drams
Distilled water enough to make 2 ounces
Mix. Teaspoonful every three to four hours.
COUGHS. Causes.--There are many causes; inflammation of the larynx,
bronchial tubes, lungs, also stomach and liver; and a nervous cough is
present in our day. Remove the cause when possible. There are many good
cough medicines now put up, and they can be bought at any drug-store.
Cough lozenges of all kinds are plenty, and a sure cure is claimed by
each.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. Dry Cough and Tickling.--l. "Raspberry Tincture. Take
one-half pound of honey, one cup water; let these boil; take off scum;
pour boiling hot upon one-half ounce lobelia herb and one-half ounce
cloves; mix well, then strain and add one gill of raspberry vinegar. Take
from one teaspoonful to a dessertspoonful four times a day. Pleasant to
take,"
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 35]
2. Cough, Honey and Vinegar for.--"Honey and vinegar." This is an old and
tried remedy and a good one. The vinegar cuts the phlegm in the throat and
bronchial tubes, and the honey is very soothing.
3. Cough of Long Standing, Excellent Syrup for.--
"Carbonate Ammonia 40 grains
Syrup Senega 6 drams
Paregoric 4 drams
Syrup Wild Cherry 6 drams
Syrup Tolu 4 ounces"
This is a very good syrup, and is especially good for chronic cough or
chronic bronchitis. Dose.--One teaspoonful every three hours.
4. Cough, Reliable Mixture in Severe Cases.--
"Oil of Anise 1/2 ounce
Syrup of Balsam of Tolu 1/2 ounce
Black Stick Licorice 1/2 ounce
Best Rye Whisky 1 pint
Shake well before using. Dose:--One teaspoonful at intervals of one hour
or oftener; if cough is very bad."
5. Cough, Mullein Leaf Tea for--"Mullein leaves steeped with loaf sugar
cures a cough." Take four ounces of mullein leaves and boil for ten
minutes in water: then add the loaf sugar. This is very soothing to the
sore parts and also helps to loosen up the secretion so it can be raised
easily.
6. Cough, Lemon Juice and Sugar for.--"Lemon juice and sugar is a good
remedy for coughs." It is surprising to see how quickly the lemon juice
will cut the phlegm in throat, and sugar is always good for cold.
7. Cough, Standard Remedy for.--
"Hoarhound Five cents worth
Hops Five cents worth
Wild cherry bark Five cents worth
Licorice root Five cents worth
Boil or simmer altogether in two quarts of water long enough to get the
strength out of the ingredients; strain, add three cups sugar. Add enough
good whiskey to keep from souring, say one-half pint. This will cure a
stubborn cough."
8. Cough, Ipecac Syrup for.--"One-third teaspoonful of ipecac dissolved in
one teaspoonful of water; one tablespoonful of sugar; pour on one
teacupful of boiling water and let it boil down to half cup. Dose.--One
teaspoonful for adults, and children in proportion, every two hours, or,
if needed to vomit children give again in ten or fifteen minutes."
[36 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
9. Cough Remedy for Adults (not for children).--
"Laudanum Three cents worth
Anise Three cents worth
Essence of Peppermint Three cents worth
Licorice (liquid) Three cents worth
Brown Sugar 1 cup
Molasses 1 cup
Boiling water 2 cups
Let this come to a little more than a boil. Take a teaspoonful of it as
often as necessary." This is for adults. Do not use for children.
10. Coughs, Very Simple Remedy for.--"Take one-half tablespoonful hogs'
lard or salt pork grease, heat it hot, fill spoon with coal oil and
swallow while hot. Have used this, will stop and cure the worst cough."
Not to be given to children.
11. Coughs, Glycerin, Brandy and Paregoric with Lemon, Good
for.--"Glycerin, one ounce; brandy, one ounce; paregoric, one ounce; lemon
juice, one ounce. Mix well; one teaspoonful every hour." This makes a very
effective cough syrup. The glycerin and brandy cut the phlegm, and the
paregoric is soothing and quieting. The lemon juice is healing to the
membranes of the throat.
PHYSICIANS'TREATMENT. For Coughs.--
1. Flaxseed (unground) 3 teaspoonfuls
Extract of Licorice 30 grains
Boiling water 10 ounces
"Allow the mixture to stand one to four hours in a warm place. Then add a
little lemon juice and sugar and place one to two teaspoonfuls of gum
arabic in the pitcher containing the mixture." A little paregoric (ten
drops to the dose for adults) can be taken with it if the cough is very
bad. Dose.--Drink freely every two to three hours.
2. A good combination is the following:
Chloride of Ammonia 2 drams
Fluid Extract of Licorice 2 drams
Distilled water 20 ounces
Mix. Teaspoonful every two hours or longer.
3. Ammonium Carbonate 1/2 dram
Syrup Senega 4 drams
Wine of Ipecac 3 drams
Syrup Totu 1 ounce
Spirits of Chloroform 3 drams
Syrup of Wild Cherry enough to make 4 ounces
Mix. Take one to two teaspoonfuls every hour or two until better.
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 37]
4. Ammonia Chloride 2 drams
Hive Syrup 5 drams
Paregoric 6 drams
Syrup of Wild Cherry 4 ounces
Mix. Teaspoonful every three hours until cough is better.
5. Many other combinations could be given. Hoarhound tea. Sugar enough to
sweeten makes a good cough remedy.
6. Onion syrup is good for children. The bowels should always be kept
open.
BRONCHIAL ASTHMA. (Spasmodic Asthma.) Causes.--It occurs in all ages, but
usually begins in the young, particularly males. It often follows
whooping-cough. It may come from diseases of the mouth such as adenoids,
polypi. Exciting causes are change of climate and residence, dust, smoke,
odors, errors in diet, emotion, and cold.
Symptoms.--The onset is often sudden, often during the night. Difficulty
of breathing is intense. The patient cannot lie down, but often sits at an
open window, resting the elbows on a table. The face is pale and the
expression is anxious. There is a feeling of great oppression in the chest
and often dread of suffocation. Respiration (breathing) though labored, is
not unusually frequent, as expiration (out breathing) is much prolonged.
In severe or prolonged attacks there are blueness, sweating, coldness of
the extremities, with small and frequent pulse and great drowsiness. The
attack lasts a few minutes to many hours, and may pass off suddenly,
perhaps to recur soon, or on several successive nights, with slight cough
and difficulty in breathing in the intervals. The cough is nearly dry at
first and the sputum is very tenacious.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Asthma, Raspberry Tincture for Adults.--"Take a half
pound of honey, one cup water; let these boil, take off the scum; pour
boiling hot upon one-half ounce lobelia herb and one-half ounce cloves;
mix well, then strain and add one gill of raspberry vinegar. Take from one
teaspoonful to a dessertspoonful four times a day. Pleasant to take." The
above remedy is very effective, as the honey has a soothing effect upon
the inflamed parts, and the lobelia causes the bronchial tubes to dilate,
relieving the patient. The raspberry tincture makes it more pleasant to
take. In severe cases it will be necessary to give enough of the above
remedy to cause vomiting which relieves the phlegm.
2. Asthma, Simple but Effective Remedy for.--"Take pieces of ordinary
blotting paper and saturate it with a strong solution of saltpetre, then
dry the paper. When a paroxysm is felt ignite a piece of the paper and
inhale the smoke. This remedy is very good and acts quickly, doing away
almost entirely with the distressing symptoms and shortens the paroxysm."
[38 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
3. Asthma, Lobelia Tea for.--"There is no medicine that is half so
effective as lobelia in removing the tough, hard ropy phlegm from the
asthmatic persons." This remedy is very good, but care should be taken not
to give it to consumptives, because it is too weakening. To obtain the
best results, enough of the remedy should be given to produce relaxation
of the bronchial tubes. Dose.--For adults should be from fifteen to sixty
drops according to the strength of the patient. This will cause a little
sickness of the stomach and vomiting, thus relaxing the muscles and
relieving the asthma.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Asthma.--1. Inhale chloroform, or break a pearl
of amyl nitrite in a handkerchief and inhale the fumes; or smoke saltpetre
paper; or cigarettes containing stramonium (thornapple). Sometimes hot
coffee fumes are good.
To Prevent Recurrence.--Take five to twenty grains of iodide of potash
three times a day. Do not eat much at night. Do not eat foods that cause
gas or that are hard to digest. A change of climate is often good. Hot
foot baths and hot drinks are helpful. Tincture of lobelia can be given in
severe cases, fifteen drops repeated every half hour until the patient
feels sick at the stomach.
2. Vapo-Cresolene burned in a room is very good. This can be bought in
twenty-five cent bottles in any drug store, with directions around the
bottle.
3. Tartar Emetic in one-hundredth grain, two given every half hour until
there is a little sickening is a very good remedy. These can be bought at
a drug store or from a homeopathic doctor or pharmacist.
BLEEDING FROM THE WIND-PIPE AND LUNGS. (Haemoptysis).--This is a spitting
of blood. It may come from the small bronchial tubes and less frequently
from the blood vessels in the lung cavities or their walls.
Symptoms.--In incipient consumption of the lungs, bleeding develops
suddenly as a rule, a warm salty taste, lasting but a few moments,
generally preceded by the spitting up of blood. The blood is coughed up
and the bleeding may last only a few minutes or it may continue for days,
the sputum being apt to remain blood-stained for a longer time. The
immediate effect of the bleeding is to alarm the patient and family, no
matter how slight it may be, inducing heart palpitation and other nervous
symptoms. A small bleeding is not attended with any bad result, but large
ones give rise to the symptoms of shock (sometimes immediate death)
combined with anemia following the loss of blood. When the bleeding is
large, blood by the mouthful may be ejected with each cough, and in these
instances of such profuse bleeding is shown by dizziness, faintness, cold
extremities, excessive pallor, sweating and rapid, small feeble pulse.
This is followed, if the attack does not prove speedily fatal, by
restlessness, and later by mild delirium and some fever. In few cases does
the patient have a single bleeding; more frequently there are several at
shorter or longer intervals. Large or small bleedings may precede by
weeks, months, or even years any rational symptoms of consumption.
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 39]
Quantity.--This varies greatly. There may be less than an ounce or it
might amount to a pint or more before the bleeding stops. In advanced
cases, in which large cavities have formed, large blood vessels may be
eaten through and this followed by copious and alarming bleeding.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Bleeding from the Lungs. Salt Water for.--"Give the
patient half a teaspoonful of common salt every hour or two until
hemorrhage abates."
2. Bleeding from the Lungs. Herb Tea for.--"Two ounces each of bistory
root, tormentil root, oak bark, and comfrey root, boil in three quarts of
water down to one pint, strain and add one tablespoonful of ground ginger.
Give a wine glass full every half hour until relieved. Place the feet in
hot mustard water, keep the bowels open with a little senna and ginger tea
and if necessary give a vapor bath,"
3. Bleeding from the Lungs, Effective Remedy for.--
"Powdered Sugar 3 ounces
Powdered Rosin 3 ounces
Mix. Dose one teaspoonful three times a day."
4. Bleeding from the Lungs, Tannin and Sugar for.-
"Tannin 30 grains
Powdered Sugar 1 dram
Mix. Make ten powders and give one every ten minutes until relieved."
Either one of the above remedies is excellent for this trouble, as the
tannin and rosin contract the arteries and acts as an astringent.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Bleeding of the Wind-pipe and Lungs.--In many
cases the bleeding is slight and no more need be done than to keep the
patient quiet and absolute rest. If the bleeding is free, the patient
should be placed in bed, not allowed to speak above a whisper nor to
change his position.
1. First Thing to Do.--Eating ice, and using ice drinks are useful
measures. The drinking of a little salt water at a time with one
tablespoonful of salt in a glassful of water is good. In most cases more
can be done by assuring the patient he will not die and keeping him quiet
and at rest. Medicines should be given to satisfy the patient and family.
The most cases stop of themselves.
2. If Caused by Coughing.--If cough causes the bleeding one-half grain of
opium should be given to control it, hypodermically, or even morphine
one-eighth grain.
3. Alum for.--Alum solution six grains to three ounces of water in fine
spray is good. This goes right to the wind-pipe and contracts the vessels;
use a vaporizer.
4. White Oak Bark Tea can be used as a spray in a vaporizer. If these
produce coughing, they should be discontinued.
[40 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
5. Hot Water and Salt for.--A teaspoonful of salt in a pint of hot water
is good also, used as a spray, or to inhale. But the patient must lie
down.
6. Other Easily Obtained Remedies.--Ergot in dose of one-half to one
teaspoonful is very good; this contracts the vessels. Bromide of potash in
a dose of five to fifteen grains; or chloral hydrate in dose of five to
seven grains, if there is not heart trouble. If there is, chloral hydrate
cannot be used. These quiet the nervous system and do much good. Strong
hop tea will do the same thing if taken freely. Witch-hazel water thirty
drops at a dose is good.
Cautions.--Quiet the patient; keep quiet yourself. If the bleeding is bad
the extremities should be bandaged, beginning at the toes and fingers.
Thirst.--Give small quantities at a time of ice-water.
Diet.--Peptonized or plain milk, liquid beef peptonoids, fresh beef juice,
bouillon, should be given in small quantities, two or three ounces every
two or three hours. If there is a tendency to constipation give rectal
enemata. Return to the regular diet as soon as possible. Alcohol in any
form is best avoided. If given as a stimulant it should be given in small
quantities.
BRONCHO-PNEUMONIA. (Acute Inflammation of the Smaller Tubes and Lungs).--
Causes.--Most common under two years and in old people. Taking cold,
whooping cough and measles.
Symptoms.--A primary case begins suddenly with a convulsion or chill,
vomiting and rapid rise of temperature. Breathing is frequent and brain
symptoms are marked.
Secondary Cases.--After an ordinary case of whooping-cough, measles,
bronchitis, etc., there is more fever. The pulse is more frequent, and
also the respiration, difficulty in breathing and severe and often painful
cough. Temperature rises to 102 to 104; respirations are very fast, up to
60 to 80; the breathing (inspiration) is hard, labored, while the wings of
the nose dilate; expiration may be grunting. Face looks anxious and
bluish. This color may increase, other symptoms decreasing as suffocation
deepens, rattling in chest and death from heart weakness.
Prevention.--Avoid exposure to sudden changes of temperature. For the
attack, jacket of oil silk or flannel to prevent sudden exposure, keep the
temperature warmed up to 68 to 70 degrees night and day; the air must be
fresh and pure and changed regularly.
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 41]
Children should be given ample room and not hampered by extra clothing, as
they like change of position, to get relief. The hot bath must be used
often to redden the skin and relieve the pressure on the lungs, till they
can be given relief. If you wish to use a poultice the following is a nice
way to make it. Take a piece of muslin or linen, or cheese-cloth, wide
enough when doubled to reach from the lower margin of the ribs to well up
under the arm pits, and long enough to go a little more than around the
chest, open the double fold and spread the hot mass of poultice on
one-half of the cloth and fold the other over it. It should be applied as
hot as it can be comfortably borne and covered with oil silk or paraffin
paper, so as to the longer retain the heat and moisture. The poultice
should be renewed as often as it gets cold, and a fresh poultice should be
all ready to put on when the old one is taken off. Place the end of the
poultice uppermost, so that the contents will not fall out.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Pneumonia, Herb Tea and Poultice for.--"Congestion
of the lungs. One ounce of each of the following, slippery elm bark,
crushed thyme, coltsfoot flowers, hyssop or marshmallow. Simmer in two
quarts of water down to three pints; strain and add one teaspoonful of
cayenne. Dose:--Wineglassful every half hour. Apply hot bran poultices or
chamomile scalded in vinegar, changing often until the violence of the
symptoms abate. If the bowels are confined, give an injection of half pint
of hot water in which one-half teaspoonful each of gum myrrh, turkey
rhubarb and ginger powder have been well mixed. If possible give vapor
bath. Apply hot stones or bottles to the feet."
2. Pneumonia, Home Remedy for.--"This can easily be relieved by the use of
cayenne and vapor bath. This promotes the circulation in every part of the
body, diminishing the pressure upon the lungs. These baths produce a
regular circulation throughout the whole body, thus relieving the pressure
upon the lungs by decreasing the amount of blood in the lungs. These baths
should be taken but once a day, as they are weakening."
3. Pneumonia, Hot Vinegar Applications for.--Congestion of Lungs.--"Over
the lungs lay cloths wet in clear hot vinegar. They should be five or six
inches square and several thicknesses. Over the cloths lay a hot plate or
hot water bottle; change as often as necessary to keep them hot. This
treatment will soon give relief, after which rub as much oil into the
lungs as possible."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Pneumonia.--A doctor must be called. For high
fever, one to one and a half drops of aconite, for adults every hour; for
children, about one-twelfth to one-eighth of a drop. For cough, chloride
of ammonium, one to two grain doses. For pain, hot applications.
Diet.--Milk, broth and egg albumen and plenty of water to drink. (See
laryngitis for diet.)
ACUTE PLEURISY (Inflammation of the Pleura).--The pleura covers the wall
of the chest cavity and infolds or surrounds the lungs. Pleurisy means the
inflammation of this pleura or covering.
[42 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Causes.--Exposure to cold, etc. Onset may be gradual or sudden, with
chills fever and sharp stitches in the side near the arm pit or breast.
The patient lies on the affected side during the attack, the pain is made
worse by breathing, coughing or motion. The cough is dry and painful, with
difficult breathing. The temperature 102 to 103. Sometimes there is fluid
accumulated in the cavity. In about seven to ten days the fever and other
symptoms disappear. The fluid is absorbed quickly if it is scanty, often
very slowly if abundant. This fluid is contained in the cavity of the
pleura. The pleura covers the lungs. Its outer layer is attached to the
ribs and costal cartilages in front and ribs behind, goes around the foot
of the lungs underneath, then turns around under the side of the lungs and
comes in front, making a sac. The two layers in health touch each other,
but are separated when there is fluid in the cavity. The inner layer
covers the lungs and drops into the grooves of the lungs. You can thus
readily understand how easy it is for the pleura to be attacked. Also when
the lung is inflamed we have what we call pleura-pneumonia. Pleurisy is a
very painful disease. It hurts to move, breathe, or cough. The patient
holds his chest when he coughs. The fluid that forms is poured out from
the inflamed membrane, sometimes it is so great in quantity it must be
drawn off,--tapped; we then call this hydrothorax,--water in the chest.
Diet and Nursing--The patient should be kept quiet and in the easiest
position.
Milk diet is the best to use. There should not be much liquid diet, except
milk. The milk may be diluted with lime water if necessary. Malted milk,
Mellin's food, imperial granum, can be used when the milk cannot be taken.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Pleurisy.--1. Home Remedy.--The patient must go
to bed and remain there. It is a good thing to get the patient in a sweat.
For this purpose you can use the corn sweat described under treatment of
la grippe. This will ease the patient and may shorten the attack.
I have great faith in this remedy in most inflammatory diseases. I had a
patient sick with pleurisy; she did not get along fast enough to suit me,
her color was a yellow-green. I advised the corn sweat and she improved
fast from that time. Her night dress was green in color after the sweat. I
have saved pneumonia cases in the same way. Of course, some cases may be
too weak to stand it.
[RESPIRATORY DISEASES 43]
2. Other Home Remedies.--Another way to produce sweating is by placing
fruit cans filled with hot water about the patient. This will stop the
chilly cold feeling and also will relieve the pain. If you have a rubber
water bottle, put hot water in that and place it near the sorest spot. It
may hurt the patient by its weight; if so, use less water, at the same
time you can give hot drinks freely. Almost any kind will do. If the
stomach feels bad, ginger or peppermint is best. Hoarhound tea is
especially good for chest trouble.
3. Fomentations.--Of hops or wormwood or smartweed, or catnip applied
frequently and hot to the affected side often bring relief. They must
always be hot, and you must be careful not to get the night robes or
covers wet.
4. Camphorated Oil for.--Rub the side with camphorated oil and cover over
with a cotton jacket. This is good unless it makes the patient too warm.
5. Adhesive Plaster Zinc Oxide.--Use a roll two or two and one-half inches
wide. Commence at the backbone and cross directly over the ribs to the
further side of the breastbone. The first strip should be at the lower
part of the chest. In putting on the succeeding strips make them lap
one-half inch over the next lower. Bandage almost up to the arm-pit. It
may take eight strips for an adult. After you have the strips on, place a
piece at each end, part on the flesh and part on the plasters, to keep
them from giving any. The patient should have his arms over his head when
you are putting on the strips. This strapping will hold that side of the
chest quieter. The breathing will be less full and consequently less
motion and pain.
6. Tincture of aconite in doses of one-tenth to one drop can be given
everyone to three hours at the beginning, if there is much fever, dry hot
skin, and full bounding pulse. Dover's powder can be given at night.
7. A hypodermic of morphine is frequently given when the pain is intense.
ABSCESS OF THE LUNGS. Causes.--Lobular pneumonia from abscesses in pyemia,
from septic pleurisy, etc.
Symptoms.--Fever, pain, difficult breathing, cough, and expectoration
containing or consisting of pus of offensive odor, etc.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT of Abscess of the Lungs.--Incision and drainage. You
must depend entirely upon your physician.
EMPHYSEMA.--A condition in which there is air or gas in tissues that
normally have none, or an excess of air in tissues that normally contain a
certain quantity of it. A condition of the lungs characterized by a
permanent dilation of the air cells of the lung with dwindling of the air
cell walls and the blood vessels, resulting in a loss of the normal
elasticity of the lung tissue.
Causes.--Heredity; it occurs in glass blowers, in musicians using wind
instruments. It occurs also after whooping-cough, asthma, etc.
HYDROTHORAX.--This is an exudation (liquid) in the pleural cavity.
Causes.--Comes from disease causing dropsy, kidney disease, lung trouble,
pleurisy, etc.
[44 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--Treat disease that causes it. An operation to
remove the fluid may be necessary. A trusted physician must advise you.
NIGHT SWEATS.--These are common in "consumption" and constitute one of the
most distressing features of the disease. They usually occur when the
fever drops in the early morning hours, or at any time of the day when the
patient is sleeping. They may come on early in the disease, but are more
persistent and frequent after cavities have formed in the lungs; some of
the patients escape it altogether.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.-l. Night Sweats, Salt Bath for.--"Bathe the body in
salt water every other day. Just before retiring take a cup of sage tea,
and eat nourishing food," The salt acts as an astringent as it slightly
closes up the pores, and the sage establishes a better circulation and at
the same time helps the sweating. This is a very simple and effective
remedy.
2. Night Sweats, Cold Sage for.--"Drink cold sage tea, before retiring."
This cold sage tea is only to be used when the patient has a fever and
needs a cold drink. In case of this kind it would be effective.
PHYSICIAN'S TREATMENT for Night Sweats.--l. Atropine in doses of 1-120 to
1-60 grain is good to stop the sweating. It must be used carefully, three
doses in twenty-four hours are enough.
2. Tonics to keep up the appetite like gentian, nux vomica or quinine may
be given. The patient should wear flannel night-dresses, as the cotton
night-shirt, when soaked with perspiration, has a cold, clammy feeling.
Bathe the patient in the morning with tepid water and afterwards rub
gently with alcohol diluted one-half with water. Night sweating occurs in
rickets but mainly around the head. They also occur when one is run down,
but they are not so debilitating and constant. In such cases, building up
treatment is needed. Proper diet, bathing, out-door life, bitter tonics,
etc.
[ANIMAL PARASITES 45]
ANIMAL PARASITES, DISEASES CAUSED BY.
ROUND WORM.--(Ascariasis Lumbricoides).--The round worm resembles the
angle worm in form; is the most common human parasite and is found chiefly
in children. The female is seven to twelve inches long, the male four to
eight inches. It is pointed at both ends. The parasite occupies the upper
part of the small bowel and there is usually only one or two present, but
sometimes they occur in enormous numbers. They migrate in a peculiar
manner. They may pass into the stomach, whence they may be thrown out by
vomiting, or they may crawl up the gullet, and enter the pharynx and cause
serious trouble. They may go up the eustachian tube and appear at the
external meatus (opening of ear). The serious migration is into the
bile-duct. There is a specimen in the Wister-Horner Museum of the
University of Pennsylvania in which not only the common bile-duct, but
also the main branches throughout the liver, are enormously distended, and
packed with numerous round worms. The bowel may be blocked or in rare
instances an ulcer may be perforated; even the healthy bowel may be
perforated.
Symptoms.--Picking of the nose, grinding of the teeth, a whitish paleness
around the mouth, restless sleep; sometimes convulsions, or presence of
worms in the stool. Bad health, cross, peevish, irritable and dumpy, when
the child is naturally the opposite.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--l. Round or Pin Worms, Sage Tea for.--"Sage tea is a
fine remedy for children troubled with worms, taken before breakfast or on
going to bed." Sage tea may help; I have known other mothers to have faith
in it. Its virtue may consist in being a laxative and an antiseptic which
in themselves would add to the general health of the child.
2. Round and Pin Worms, Tansy remedy for.--"Tansy leaves may be crushed
and put in whisky or dried and crushed with sugar. This is the best
vermifuge I ever used." A tea made of tansy leaves must be used carefully
as it is strong and never given to pregnant women.
3. Round and Pin Worms, Peach Leaf Tea for.--"Half an ounce of dried peach
leaves may be infused in a pint of boiling water and a tablespoonful given
for a dose three times a day." They are laxative and exert a sedative
influence over the nervous system. They have been frequently used for
worms with reported success. An infusion is highly recommended in
irritability of the bladder, in sick stomach and in whooping cough.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--l. Dr. Osler, of Oxford, England, recommends as
follows: Santonin in doses of two or three grains for an adult; one or two
a day for three or four days, followed by salts or calomel; one-half to
one grain for children in the same way. This seems to me to be
unnecessarily large.
[46 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
2. Dr. Ritter's Santonin Remedy.--
I always give it thus:
Santonin 1/10 grain
Calomel 1/10 grain
Give four a day for two days, then miss two days, then give again for two
days and stop. Salts can be given after this. I then follow this treatment
by giving one drop doses of tincture of cina (Homeopathic preparation)
four times a day for one or two weeks. Before giving any of these remedies
it is well to move the bowels freely and also after the medicine has been
stopped.
3. Dr. Douglass of Detroit, Michigan, recommends the following for a child
five to ten years old:
Santonin 12 grains
Calomel 3 grains
Divide into six powders, and give one night and morning while fasting.
4. The following is from Professor Stille:
Spigelia 1/2 ounce
Senna 2 drams
Fennel seed 2 drams
Manna 1 ounce
Boiling water 1 pint
Mix and make into an infusion (tea). Dose for a child, one or two
teaspoonfuls. For an adult, one or two wineglassfuls.
THREAD WORM OR PIN WORM.--(Oxyuris Vermicularis.)--This common worm
occupies the rectum and colon. They produce great irritation and itching,
particularly at night, symptoms which become intensely aggravated by the
nightly migration (traveling) of the parasite. They sometimes in their
travels enter the vagina. Occasionally abscesses are formed around the
bowel (rectum) containing numbers of worms. The patient becomes extremely
restless and irritable, for the sleep is very often disturbed, and there
may be loss of appetite and also anemia. These worms are most common in
children, but they can occur in all ages. The worms can easily be seen in
the feces. The infection takes place through the drinking of water and
possibly through salads, such as lettuce and cresses, and various other
means. A person who is the subject of worms passes ova (eggs) in large
numbers in the feces, and the possibility of reinfection must be guarded
against very scrupulously.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Pin worms, Aloes treatment for.--"Pin worms or seat
worms are usually found in children and sometime cause a great deal of
annoyance to the child. They are usually very restless at night and pull
at the rectum both day and night. This condition may be relieved by an
injection, of powdered aloes,--five grains; hot water one-half pint." This
is sufficient for two injections and should be used at about blood heat.
[ANIMAL PARASITES 47]
2. Pin worms, Pink Root for.--"Take one ounce pink root, and one pint of
water. Make a decoction of this by boiling the above to half a pint. Give
a teaspoonful three times a day for two days, following this up by a good
dose of castor oil or cream of tartar to thoroughly cleanse the system."
3. Pin worms, Quassia chips for.--"I knew of a child who had not slept
three hours a night for several months, and several doctors had been
called and none of them seemed to get down to the real trouble. Finally
the mother tried an injection made by steeping quassia chips for two or
three hours slowly, then straining it and injecting about one pint (luke
warm) once a day. This gave the child immediate relief and improvement
could be seen within a week."
4. Pin worms, Lime-water injection for.--"A very simple remedy is an
injection of a teacupful of lime water once a day, preferably in the
morning, as the worms are usually lodged in the rectum and this injection
will bring them away, giving the child relief at once."
5. Worms-Stomach, Salt Remedy for.--"Encourage the child to eat as much
salt as possible and give an injection of salt and water, about one
teaspoonful of salt to two quarts of water, once a day."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--1. Santonin in small doses and mild purgatives
like rhubarb. Santonin in doses of one-tenth of a grain can be given for
two days, three or four times a day, preceded by spiced syrup of rhubarb,
one dram dose, and also followed by the rhubarb. In children the cold
injections of strong salt and water is effective. They should be repeated
for ten days. The hips should be well elevated so that the injection can
be retained for some time.
2. Quassia chips 1 ounce
Common salt 1/2 ounce
Water 1 pint
Soak over night and inject slowly all the bowels will hold. Repeat once
each week till all are removed.
3. Dr. Tooker of Chicago, Illinois, recommends the following:--Give an
injection of an infusion of fresh garlic for two or three nights in
succession, using, to make the infusion, a small bunch of garlic in a pint
of water, steeped down to one-quarter pint.
4. Dr. Tooker gives another method which is often successful. Anoint the
anus for several nights in succession with sweet oil, using the little
finger to insert the oil as far into the rectum as the fingers will reach.
5. Another Remedy. Inject cod-liver oil (pure) into the bowel or make into
an emulsion with the yolk of an egg and then inject.
[48 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
6. Spearmint Remedy.--Make an infusion of the common spearmint and inject
some in the bowel every night for one week. Some can be taken internally
at the same time.
Oil of Wormseed 1/2 ounce
Oil of Turpentine 1-1/2 dram
Castor Oil 2 ounces
Fluid extract of Pink Root 3 drams
Hydrastin 10 grains
Syrup of Peppermint 4 drams
One teaspoonful three times a day one hour before meals to a child ten
years old. If it physics to much give less often. Good for both kinds of
worms.
8. Tincture of Cina; to accompany any injection.--I give the Tincture of
Cina (Homeopathic preparation) in from one-quarter to two or three drop
doses, three or four times a day, always after I have given the other worm
remedies. It can be given for weeks without producing bad effects. The
dose can be made less for weakly children; or greater in grown people. It
is good to give in small doses in pin worms when injections are used. It
seems to prevent their formation. It is also a good remedy for the worms
puppies are troubled with. I have saved the lives of a good many little
fellows with this remedy.
TAPE WORM, PORK.-(Taenia Solium). It is six to twelve feet long, but it is
not a common form in this country. The head is small, round, not so large
as the head of a pin and provided with four sucking ducts and a double row
of hooklets. By these hooklets and disks, the parasite attaches itself to
the mucous membrane of the small intestine in man. Below the head is a
constricted neck, which is followed by a large number of segments,
increasing in size from the neck onward. Each segment contains the
generative organs of both sexes. The parasite (worm) becomes fully grown
in three to three and one-half months. Segments then continually break off
and are discharged at stool. Each ovum (egg) contains a single embryo,
armed with six hooklets and contained in a thick shell. When swallowed by
a pig or man these shells are digested and the embryos migrate (travel) to
various parts of the body, where they change to Cysticerci or "Measles."
Each contains a scolex or tape-worm. When meat, improperly cooked and
containing "measles," is eaten, the cyst is dissolved in the human stomach
and the free scolex or head attaches itself to the intestinal mucous
membrane and grows into a tapeworm.
TAPE WORM, BEEF.--(Taenia Saginata). This is a larger and longer parasite
than the Pork Tape Worm. It is the common form found in this country. It
may grow fifteen to twenty feet or more and possesses a large head in
comparison with the Taenia Solium. It is square shaped and has four large
sucking disks, but no hooklets. The ripe segments are larger and they are
passed as in the Taemia Solium, and are eaten by cattle, in the flesh or
organs of which the eggs develop into the Cysticerci.
[ANIMAL PARASITES 49]
Symptoms.--These worms (parasites) are found at all ages. They are not
uncommon in children, and may be found in nursing children. They may cause
excessive appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain or
sometimes anemia. The knowledge of the presence of this worm may cause
great nervousness or depression. The presence of the segment in the stools
proves their presence in the bowels.
Treatment, preventive.--This is most important. Careful attention should
be given to three points: First, all tapeworm segments should be burned.
They should never be thrown into the water-closet or outside; secondly,
special inspection of all meat; and, thirdly, cooking the meat
sufficiently to kill the parasites.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Tape Worms, Pumpkin Seed Tea for.--"One pint
pumpkin seeds skinned and steeped. Add water enough to make three
tumblers. Take one tumbler every half hour, then a good dose of castor
oil. The worm will come with oil. My mother helped prepare the seeds and
saw the tapeworm which came from a woman as a result of this dose."
2. Tape Worms, Another good Remedy for.--
"Powdered Kamala 3 drams
Syrup simple 3 ounces
Two doses of this mixture hardly ever fails to bring the worm. Give oil
and turpentine two hours after the last dose." Of the oil and turpentine
an average dose would be a half ounce of castor oil and fifteen drops of
turpentine.
3. Tape Worm, Ontario Mother's Remedy for.--"Don't eat until very hungry
(extremely so), then eat one-half pint of pumpkin seeds. This is good and
will remove the worm every time." This remedy is different from the above
in that you eat the seeds instead of making a tea.
4. Tape Worm, Successful Remedy for Children or Adult.--
"Turpentine 15 drops
Castor Oil 1 teaspoonful
Milk 1 teacupful
Mix and for adult take at one dose. If not successful repeat the next day.
For child under ten years, one-half the quantity."
[50 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--Preparing the Patient; Giving the Remedy, and
Receiving the Worm.--Whenever a round or tape worm is to be attacked, the
patient must be starved for at least twelve to twenty-four hours, in order
that no food in the intestinal (bowel) tract may protect the worm from the
action of the drug. During this time a little milk can be given, and after
a night of fasting, before breakfast, the worm medicine (anthelmintic)
must be swallowed. In addition, nearly all the drugs must be followed by
purges in order to dislodge the intruder while he is paralyzed and has
lost his hold; and in many it is well to have a basin of salt and water
ready so that when a passage occurs a rectal injection may be given to
wash out the segments of the worm which remain in the rectum. I am giving
many remedies and the different ways of administering them. Not every one
can be cured with the same remedy. One will act better in some people than
in others. So I give a variety and they are all good.
1. For two days prior to the administration of the remedies the patient
should take a very light, diet and have the bowels moved by a saline
(salts) cathartic. As a rule the male fern acts promptly and well. The
etheral extract of male fern in two dram doses may be given; fast, and
follow in the course of a couple of hours by a brisk purgative; that is,
calomel followed by salts.
Fasting means this: Light diet for a day or two and a cathartic at night,
no supper except a glass of milk before the worm medicine is given. Then
at bed-time take two to three grains of calomel with ten grains of
bicarbonate of sodium; rochelle salts, one-half to one ounce, upon
awakening. As soon as the bowels have moved give oleorisin of aspidium,
one dram in capsules. A saline cathartic should be given one-half to one
hour later. Never give castor oil or any oil after this remedy, When
calomel is given it should be given about one hour after taking the worm
medicine and followed in one or one and one-half hours by a half to one
ounce of salts.
2. Pelletierine Remedy for.--This comes in bottles of the proper dose. It
is dear, but effective. It must be taken lying down, and followed by some
cathartic or a dose of epsom salts in two hours after taking.
3. Infusion and Emulsion for.--An infusion of
Pomegranate root 1/2 ounce
Pumpkin seeds 1 ounce
Powdered ergot 1 dram
Boiling water 10 ounces
To an emulsion of the male fern (a dram of the ethereal extract) made with
acacia powders, two drops of croton oil are added. The patient should have
had a low diet on the previous day and have taken a dose of salts in the
evening.
The emulsion and infusion are mixed and taken at nine in the morning. If
the bowels do not move in two hours, salts should be taken.
4. An Old Remedy.--Chew freely of slippery elm bark. This, it is stated,
is very effective and as it is cheap and will not injure, it is worth a
thorough trial. I am often surprised at the value of the seemingly simple
remedies.
[ANIMAL PARASITES 51]
TRICHINIASIS (Trichinosis).--The disease is caused by the trichina
spiratis, a parasite introduced into the body by eating imperfectly cooked
flesh of infected hogs. The "embryos" pass from the bowel and reach the
voluntary muscles, where they finally become "encapsulated
larvae,"--muscle trichinae. It is in the migration of these embryos that
the group of symptoms known as trichiniasis is produced.
When the flesh containing the trichinae is eaten by man or by any animal
in which the development can take place, the capsules are digested and the
trichinae are set free. They pass into the small intestine and about the
third day attain their full growth and become sexually mature. The young
produced by each female trichina have been estimated at several hundred.
The time from the eating of the flesh containing the muscle trichinae to
the development of the brood of embryos in the intestines (bowels) is from
seven to nine days. The female worm penetrates the intestinal wall and the
embryos are probably discharged into the lymph spaces, thence into the
venous system, and by the blood stream to the muscles, which constitutes
their seat of election. After a preliminary migration in the
inter-muscular connective tissue, they penetrate the primitive muscle-
fibres and in about two weeks develop into the full grown muscle form. In
this process interstitial inflammation of the muscle is excited, and
gradually an ovoid capsule develops about the parasite. Two, and
occasionally three or four, worms may be seen within a single capsule.
This process of encapsulation has been estimated to take about six weeks.
Within the muscles the parasites do not undergo further development.
Gradually the capsule becomes thicker and ultimately lime salts are
deposited within it. This change may take place in man within four or five
months. The trichinae may live within the muscles for an indefinite
period. They have been found alive and capable of developing as late as
twenty or twenty-five years after their entrance into the system. These
calcified capsules appear as white specks in the muscles. In many
instances however these worms are completely calcified. In the hog the
trichinae cause few if any symptoms. An animal, the muscles of which are
swarming with living trichinae, may be well nourished and healthy looking.
An important point also is the fact that in the hog the capsule does not
readily become calcified, so that the parasites are not visible as in the
human muscles.
Modes of Infection.--The danger of infection depends entirely upon the
mode of preparation of the flesh. Thorough cooking, so that all parts of
the meat reach the boiling point, destroys the parasites; but, in larger
joints, the central portions are not often raised to this temperature. The
frequency of the disease in different countries depends largely upon the
habits of the people in the preparation of pork. In North Germany, where
raw ham and wurst are freely eaten, the greatest number of instances have
occurred. In South Germany, France, and England cases are rare. Salting
and smoking the flesh are not always sufficient, and the Havre experiments
showed that animals are readily infected when fed with portions of the
pickled or the smoked meat as prepared in this country.
[52 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Symptoms.--The eating of trichinous flesh is not always followed by this
disease.
In the course of a few days after eating the infected meat there are signs
of disturbance of the stomach and bowels, and pain in the abdomen, loss of
appetite, vomiting and sometimes diarrhea; and yet, these preliminary
symptoms do not always occur, for in some of the large epidemics cases
have been observed in which they have been absent. Pain in different parts
of the body, general debility and weakness have been noted in some of the
epidemics. In some instances the stomach and bowel disturbances have been
so marked from the outset that the attack resembled our cholera. The
invasion symptoms develop between the seventh and tenth day. Sometimes not
until the end of the second week, and they are marked by fever, a chill in
some cases and pain and swelling and tenderness along the muscles
involved. The migration of the parasites into the muscles excites a more
or less intense inflammation of these muscles, which is characterized by
pain on pressure and movement, and by swelling and tension of the muscles,
over which the skin may be swollen. The limbs are placed in some position
in which these muscles are more at rest. Difficulty in chewing and
swallowing is caused by the involvement of the muscles controlling these
acts. In severe cases the involvement of the diaphragm and intercostal
muscles may lead to difficult breathing (Dyspnoea) which sometimes proves
fatal. Watery swelling, a feature of great importance, may be seen early
in the face, particularly about the, eyes. Later it develops in the
extremities when the swelling and stiffness of the muscles are at their
height. Profuse sweats, tingling and itching of the skin and in some
instances hives (Urticaria) have been described.
There are emaciation and anemia. In the severe cases the appearance may be
like that in the third week of typhoid fever. In mild cases the fever and
muscular symptoms subside in ten to fourteen days, in others only after
two or three months. The mortality, from one to thirty per cent, seems to
depend upon the virulence and number of parasites.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--If discovered within twenty-four to thirty-six
hours, thoroughly empty the bowel with purgatives. Rhubarb and senna, or
an occasional dose of calomel may be given. Relieve the pains afterwards
and support the strength.
[SKIN DISEASES 53]
DISEASES OF THE SKIN.
The skin is divided into three layers. Beginning with the outer one and
naming inward, they are named as follows: The outer layer is called the
epidermis or cuticle (near or upon the skin). The second layer is called
the corium, derma cutis vera, or true skin. The third layer is called the
sub-cutaneous (under the skin) (fatty or connective) tissue. This last
layer contains the sweat glands, the lower end of the deep-seated hair
follicles, (little sacs containing the roots of the hair) and larger
branches of the lymphatics, blood vessels and nerves, and serves in
general as a bed for the true skin to rest upon, and by which the true
skin is connected with the deeper parts, muscles, etc. The appendages of
the skin are the hair, nails, sebaceous and sweat-glands. The discharge
from the sweat-glands form a little or larger tumor. The contents of a wen
are from sebaceous glands--fat secretions--fat tumor. The following names
are frequently mentioned in the skin diseases:
Macule. (Spots, patches). Skin is altered in color, but the skin is not
raised or depressed; freckle, etc.
Papule. (Pimple). Elevated piece of skin, varying in size from a pin-head
to a coffee bean.
Tubercle. (Node-lump). A solid elevation of the skin, varying in size from
a pea to a cherry.
Tumors. These are soft or firm elevations of the skin, like a wen or hard
lump. They are always deep-seated.
Wheel. A round flat, white or pink elevation of the skin; such as hives,
mosquito bites, etc.
Vesicle. This is a pin-head or pea-sized elevation of the outer layer
(epidermis) filled with a watery fluid.
Bleb. (Bulla). A circumscribed elevation of the skin and contains a watery
fluid, such as a burn, etc.
Pustule. A rounded elevation of the outer layer (epidermis) of varying
size, containing pus (matter).
A vesicle, bleb, and pustule are hollow; macule, papule, and tubercle are
solid.
Scale. (Squama). This is a dry attached or unattached thin piece from the
skin as a result of disease of the skin.
Crust. This is a dried mass as a result of fluid oozing from a diseased
skin.
Excoriation. Like a scratch mark.
Fissures. This is a crack, like that found on chapped hands.
Ulcer. (Sore). Eating away of the parts.
Scar. Ulcer healed leaving a mark, like from a healed cut.
Pigmentation. Discoloration.
ACNE. (Simple Acne).--This is an inflammation of the sebaceous (fatty,
cheesy) glands. It forms these pimples or pustules and these are
intermingled with black-heads (comedones), flesh-worms. They vary from a
pin-head to a split-pea in size, and are of a bright or dark red color.
They occur for the most part on the face; also on the back, neck and
chest.
Condition.--An over secretion, or alteration and retention of the fatty
(sebaceous) matter, and this is followed by inflammation involving the
glands, ducts of the glands, and hair follicles. Pus often forms and
tissue may be destroyed.
[54 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Causes.--These skin glands are active at the time of puberty. The active
cause may be the stomach troubles, constipation, womb disorders, and poor
general nutrition.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Acne.--All stomach troubles, constipation, and
womb troubles should be looked into and remedied. The diet and hygiene
must be regulated. Food that stimulates and is hard to digest should be
prohibited. When there is dyspepsia and constipation, bitter tonics, like
compound tincture of gentian, one dram before meals, or pepsin (five
grains) and loosening medicines like salts should be given.
Tincture of Nux Vomica is a good stomach and bowel tonic given in doses of
one to two drops before meals.
Calomel, one-half grain at night for a few nights, followed in the morning
by epsom salts or some mineral water like Abilena or Hunjadi is useful.
The following is a good combination by Dr. Schalek:
Tincture of Nux Vomica 2 drams
Dilute Nitro Muriatic Acid 4 drams
Sherry Wine enough for 3 ounces
Mix and take one teaspoonful three times a day.
Diet.--See diet for dyspepsia and constipation. All fatty, greasy, rich
foods are prohibited.
Local Treatment.--If the skin is quite red and tender, mild soothing
applications should be used. Most cases require vigorous treatment. First
wash the parts with warm water and the best soap, rinse with hot water and
then dry carefully. Remove the black-heads by careful pressure of the
fingers, or with black-head extractor; the pimples and pustules should be
freely cut, to allow the matter to escape and all the matter taken out.
External Medication, Ointment and Lotions.--Lotions are to be preferred in
cases of oily discharge. If the skin becomes rough and chapped, soap
should not be used in washing, and a soothing ointment should be applied.
Drugs used are for stimulating the skin and healing the lesions.
1. Soothing Ointment.--
Precipitated Sulphur 1 dram
Benzoinated Lard 1/2 ounce
Lanolin 1/2 ounce
For local use but not in oily cases. (Dr. Schalek.)
2. The following used as a soothing lotion:
Washed Sulphur 2-1/2 drams
Spirits of Camphor 3 drams
Biborate of Sodium 2 drams
Glycerin 6 drams
Distilled water enough for 4 ounces
Mix and shake well and apply freely so as to leave a film on the face.
(Dr. Schalek.)
[SKIN DISEASES 55]
3. Dr. Duhring's Lotion, following:
Precipitated Sulphur 2 drams
Glycerin 2 drams
Alcohol 1 ounce
Lime water 1 ounce
Rose water 2 ounces
Mix and shake before using and apply.
4. Kummerfield's Lotion. "Oriental Lotion."
Precipitated Sulphur 4 drams
Powdered Camphor 10 grains
Powdered Tragacanth 20 grains
Lime water 2 ounces
Rose water 2 ounces
Mix; shake well and apply every few hours.
5. Stimulating preparations.
Corrosive sublimate 1/2 to 2 grains
Emulsion bitter almonds 4 ounces
Mix thoroughly and use to stimulate the skin.
6. Ointment of white precipitate (five to fifteen per cent strength) can
be used in place of one above.
7. The Following Hebra Lotion (I give as written).
Hydrarg. Bichlor 1 dram
Aqua Distill 4 drams
Ov. Albuminis 3 drams
Succi Citri 3 drams
Sacchari 1 ounce
Mix and apply as directed.
Caution.--Sulphur and mercury preparations should not be used at the same
time, nor immediately succeeding each other, as they will stain the skin.
BALDNESS. (Alopecia). Causes.--Hereditary and diseases. Congenital and
senile (old age) baldness is incurable. Congenital (born without hair)
baldness is rare.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Baldness, Well Recommended for.--"A first class hair
restorative is made of sage tea and whisky in equal parts with a dash of
quinine in the bottle."
2. Baldness, Vaselin and Quinine for.--
"Vaselin 1 ounce
Quinine 1/2 ounce"
Mix together and apply to the scalp.
3. Baldness, Good Canadian Remedy for.--"Strong sage tea. Rub the scalp
frequently. I have used this with great success."
[56 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Baldness.--Persons who have an hereditary
tendency to baldness should pay close attention to the hygiene of the
scalp, as this is very important. The hair should be shampooed two or
three times a week, to remove sebaceous accumulations and other foreign
materials. After the scalp has been thoroughly rinsed with clean water and
dried, some oil or (tube) vaselin should be rubbed in, Fine-toothed combs
should never be used, The daily wetting of the hair is injurious, Rats
should be light and well aired, When the hair begins to fall, stimulating
applications should be used, in the form of ointments or lotions. The
following are among the best with the author's name given but in English
instead of Latin.
Dr. Schalek. 1.
Bichloride of Mercury 3 grains
Tinct. of Cantharides 1/2 ounce
Oil of Sweet Almonds 1 dram
Spirits of Rosemary 1 ounce
Rectified Spirits of Wine 2 ounces
Distilled water enough to make 6 ounces
Mix; shake bottle well; rub thoroughly into the scalp every morning.
2. Carbolic add 15 grains
Glycerin 2 drams
Cologne water 1 ounce
Mix, and apply to the scalp once daily.
3. Precipitated Sulphur 1 dram
Lanolin 2-1/2 drams
Glycerin 2-1/2 drams
Rose water enough to make 1 ounce
Mix well. Part the hair in different places and rub ointment into the
scalp.
4. Ihle's Mixture.--
Resorcin 1-1/2 drams
Castor Oil 1-1/2 ounces
Spirits of Wine 5 ounces
Balsam Peru 10 drops
Mix. Rub into the scalp daily with a piece of flannel.
5. Bulkley's Lotion.--
Tincture Cantharides 1/2 ounce
Tincture Capsicum 1/2 ounce
Castor Oil 1 dram
Cologne Water 1 ounce
Mix and apply daily to the scalp.
6. Lassar's Ointment.--
Pilocarpine Muriate 30 grains
Vaseline 5 drams
Lanolin 2 ounces
Oil of Lavender 20 drops
Mix and apply to the scalp.
BALD PATCHES. (Alopecia Areata).--These appear rather suddenly. They are
circular bald patches which may appear on any hairy part of the body, but
more frequently on the scalp. It is considered a chronic trouble, but
tends to final recovery.
[SKIN DISEASES 57]
Cause.--Occurs usually between the ages of ten and forty. It may be from a
parasite.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--Cod-liver oil, elixir quinine, iron and strychnine
one dram three times daily. Arsenic, Fowler's solution, four drops three
times daily.
Local Treatment.--Stimulating remedies, like sulphur, tar, tincture of
cantharides, capsicum, in various strength in combination such as given
for baldness. In old persons it may become permanent.
ANIDROSIS. (Lessened Sweat Secretion).--This means a diminution of the
sweat secretion. The patient does not sweat enough, especially in certain
skin diseases like psoriasis, etc.
Treatment.--Hot water, vapor baths, friction, massage, etc., should be
used to increase the sweat secretion. Treat the accompanying skin disease.
FOUL SWEATING. (Bromidrosis). Symptoms.--The odor may be very
disagreeable, or resemble the odor of certain flavors or fruits. It is
generally found in the arm-pit and genital organs.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Offensive Sweating, Alum Water for.--"A wash made
with a teaspoonful of alum and a quart of water will prevent offensive
sweating. We all know how disagreeable it is to sit near a person in a
street car or any crowded place, who has an odor of perspiration about
them, How easy it would be to use this wash and rid yourself of this
difficulty,"
2. Sweaty Feet, Borax and Alcohol for.--"Dissolve a tablespoonful of
powdered borax in half a pint of diluted alcohol (half alcohol, half
water) and rub the feet at night, You will find this a splendid remedy."
I
3. Sweating, Simple Home Remedy to Produce.--"Place a rubber sheet or
blanket under the patient. Have a simple blanket soaking in hot water and
when all is ready, wring blanket as dry as possible and wrap about the
patient up to the neck. After this a dry blanket is wrapped around the
patient. Care should be taken not to have the blanket hot enough to burn
the patient, but not too cool. After a few minutes the patient is taken
out, rubbed dry gently and left to rest and sleep." This treatment will be
found very beneficial and inexpensive.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Foul Sweating.--Frequent bathing, dressing
powders of boric and salicylic acids, etc.
1. Salicylic Acid 1/2 ounce
Powdered Starch 1/2 ounce
Mix and dust on the parts.
2. Boric acid powdered may also be used.
3. Powdered Boric Acid and Salicylic Acid; Equal parts.
To be used as a dusting powder on the sweating parts.
[58 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
3. One per cent solution of potassium permanganate or permanganate of
potash is good applied to the parts.
CALLOSITY or Callositas.--This is circumscribed yellowish-white,
thickened and horny patches of one of the layers of the cuticle
(epidermis).
Causes--They come as the result of the occupation or pressure, and
sometimes without any seeming cause.
Symptoms.--They occur mostly on the hands and feet and are usually
sensitive.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT, for Callosity or Callositas.--Remove the cause of
the horny masses. The latter is done by soaking them with prolonged hot
water baths and scraping off the mass afterwards. This should be continued
and done frequently.
Salicylic Acid 30 grains
Collodion 4 ounce
Mix and apply with a camel's hair pencil.
CORNS. (Calvus).--A small, flat, deep-seated, horny growth, mostly on or
between the toes.
Cause.--Usually the result of too tight or too loose shoes. Due to
pressure and rubbing.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--Corns, one of the Surest Remedies.--"Take salicylic
acid, make a thick paste with flour, put on absorbent cotton and apply,
leaving same on several days; soak well and corn will come out." This is a
thoroughly tried remedy and a good one. This is about as good a cure as
there is for corns. After this paste has been on the corn for three days,
it should be removed and the feet soaked well, and the corn scraped off.
2. Corns, Turpentine and Kerosene for.--"A very simple remedy is to apply
turpentine or kerosene oil to the affected part on going to bed." It is
always a good plan to soak the feet well before treating the corn, as the
turpentine will penetrate more quickly.
3. Corns, to Remove Without Pain.--
"Alcohol 1/2 ounce
Muriatic Acid 1 dram
Nitric Acid 1 dram
Oil of Rosemary 1 dram
Chloroform 2 drams
Tincture Iron 2 drams
Mix the above, and apply freely to the corn with little brush or feather
until it can be removed with thumb lance. It may require several
applications."
4. Corns, Onion a Cure for.--"Soak a small onion in vinegar four hours,
then cut in two and bind on the corn at night. In the morning (if the
onion has remained over the corn) the soreness will be gone and you can
pick out the core. If not cured in first application repeat."
[SKIN DISEASES 59]
5. Corns, Castile Soap an Effective Remedy for.--"Rub the corn night and
morning with castile soap, as often as possible shave it, being careful
not to cut deep enough to make it bleed." Be faithful in soaping it
thoroughly night and morning for several days until it disappears. This is
a very simple but effective remedy.
6. Hard Corns, Iodine a Successful Remedy for.--"Paint the corns with
iodine every night for three nights, stop three nights, then apply three
nights again, and so on for two weeks." Have tried this and know it to be
very successful, especially good for hard corns.
7. Corns, Castor Oil for.--"Apply castor oil; rub it thoroughly, then soak
feet. It will soften and remove corns."
8. Corns, Vinegar and Bread for.--"Take bread and soak in vinegar for
twenty-four hours, put a plaster on for three or four nights. If not cured
on first application, repeat."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Corns.--Remove the cause; soften them by
prolonged soaking in hot water, and then gently scrape off the softened
particles, continue this for several days; then put a narrow strip of
rubber or salicylated plaster (adhesive plaster) over to protect them from
pressure. The following is good to soften them:
1. Salicylic Acid 1-1/2 dram
Extract of Cannabis indica 10 grains
Collodion 1 ounce
Mix and paint on the corn for several days and after soaking corn scrape
it off with a sharp knife.
2. A Good but Weaker Remedy:-
Salicylic Acid 30 grains
Extract of Cannabis indica 5 to 10 grains
Collodion 1/2 ounce
Both of these prescriptions are good, the first being stronger with
salicylic acid.
3. When the corns are soft with inflammation, wash and dry the foot and
apply a solution of nitrate of silver, sixty to one hundred and twenty
grains to the ounce of water, to every part every four or five days.
Ulcerating Corns.--Cauterize with nitrate of silver in stick form.
CARBUNCLE. (Anthrax).--A carbuncle is an acute circumscribed inflammation
of the skin and tissues beneath, of the size of an egg, orange, or larger.
It is a hard mass and ends in local death of some of the tissue and
formation of pus, which empties upon the surface through several
sieve-like openings.
[60 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Symptoms.--There is a feeling of general sickness, chilliness and some
fever. The skin over the sore part is hot and painful. The several dead
parts may run together until the entire mass separates in a slough. In
favorable cases it proceeds to heal kindly, but in severe cases it may
spread to the surrounding tissues and end fatally, sometimes by the
absorption of putrid materials, or by the resulting weakness. It runs
usually from two to five weeks.
Causes.--It comes in middle or advanced life, usually oftener in men than
in women. It occurs frequently in patients suffering from diabetes, in
whom it is usually fatal.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. Carbuncles, Poppy Leaves to Draw and Ripen.--"A
poultice of poppy leaves is very efficacious to draw or ripen a
carbuncle." A poultice made from these leaves is very quieting and
soothing, and at the same time will cause the carbuncle to ripen.
2. Carbuncle, Slippery Elm and Sassafras Root for.--"Sassafras root and
slippery elm bark boiled together and the decoction thickened with
cornmeal." This should be changed as often as it becomes cool.
3. Carbuncle, Sheep Sorrel Poultice for.--"Gather a bunch of sheep sorrel
leaves, wrap them in a cabbage leaf and roast in the oven. Apply to the
carbuncle, and it will soon ripen and break."
4. Carbuncle, Bread and Milk Poultice for.--"Keep warm bread and milk
poultice on until the core comes out, then put on salve or vaselin and
keep covered until all healed."
5. Carbuncle, the Common Scabious for.--"Take scabious, the green herb and
bruise it. Apply this to the affected part. This has been found a very
effectual remedy." The common field scabious have many hairy, soft,
whitish green leaves, some of which are very small and rough on the edges,
others have hairy green leaves deeply and finely divided and branched a
little. Flowers size of small walnut and composed of many little ones.
Sometimes called "Morning Bride," "Devil's Bit," etc.
6. Carbuncle, Snap Bean Poultice for.--"Apply snap bean leaves beat up
fine. Bruise the leaves until they are real fine, then apply as a
poultice."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Carbuncles.--Keep up the strength by a
nourishing diet and in some cases, stimulants.
[SKIN DISEASES 61]
Local.--Cut it open thoroughly by a cross (crucial) cut, like this (x).
The cut must reach through the mass to sound tissue beneath and beyond it.
Then scrape out all the dead tissue. Dress with iodoform or sterile gauze.
An antiseptic like listerine, glyco-thymoline, etc., can be used to wet
the gauze, put on as a dressing afterwards and then more dry gauze above,
strapped with adhesive plaster. Water and instruments must be boiled,
hands must be absolutely clean. Everything around it must be clean.
Sometimes it is necessary to go slowly and take out at each dressing only
what can be easily removed, It is not always possible to get the whole
mass away at once. Opening the carbuncle and giving free drainage afford
great relief from the fever and often general symptoms. When the part
feels as if it needed redressing, it should be done, for it then gives
much relief. The dressings frequently become hard and do not absorb all of
the material ready to be discharged. It is usually proper and prudent to
dress a carbuncle two or three times a day. There is no danger if the one
who dresses it is clean with the instruments, hands and gauze or cotton.
LIVER SPOTS, Moth Patch, Chloasma, etc.--This is a discoloration of the
skin of a yellowish to a blackish tint of varying size and shape.
Causes.--It may be due to external agencies, such as rubbing, scratching,
heat (tanning and sunburn) blistering; or due to diseases such as
tuberculosis, cancer, malaria, Addison's disease, disease of the womb,
pregnancy.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Liver Spots.--Remove all causes if possible.
Local.--This must be carefully used, find out first how sensitive the skin
is. Dr. Bulkley recommends this lotion:
Corrosive Sublimate 5 grains
Dilute Acetic Acid 2 drams
Borax 40 grains
Rose water enough for 4 ounces
Shake bottle, mix and apply to the part night and morning. If the skin
becomes too scaly, a mild soothing ointment should be substituted for the
above. White suggests the following:
Hydrarg. Ammon. Chlar 2 drams
Subnitrate Bismuth 2 drams
Starch 1/20 ounce
Glycerin 1/2 ounce
Mix and apply twice daily.
The application of peroxide of hydrogen has only a temporary effect.
BLACK-HEADS. Flesh Worms, Comedones, Pimples, etc.--This is a disorder of
the sebaceous glands in which the sebaceous (fatty, cheesy) secretions
become thickened; the excreting ducts, appearing on the surface, as
yellowish or blackish points. They appear chiefly on the face, neck,
chest, and back and are very unsightly.
Symptoms.--They are easily pressed out, and appear then as thread-like,
whitish masses which contain fatty material. The black point may be due to
pigment or to dirt from without. Comedones may exist with acne and
seborrhoea and excessive secretion of sebum.
Causes.--Want of tone to the skin, which performs its functions
sluggishly. Stomach-bowel disorders, menstrual disturbances and anemia are
other causes and assist in making them worse. Improper care of the skin
and dusty air may be other assistant causes.
[62 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. For Pimples and Black-heads.--l. Pimples on the face,
effective yet harmless remedy for:
Camphor 10 grains
Acacia (pulverized) 20 grains
Sulphur (precipitated) 2 drams
Lime water 2 ounces
Rose water 2 ounces
Apply on the face with a soft cloth at bedtime. Allow to dry and brush off
the excess of the powder.
Anyone suffering from these eruptions is usually willing to try every
known remedy. The above is excellent and very effective and is harmless.
2. Pimples, Alum Water for.--"Take a teaspoonful of alum to a quart of
water and use as a wash, say three times a day. This will cure ordinary
pimples on the face."
3. Skin Blotches, Cream of Tartar and Sulphur for.--"Two ounces cream
tartar and one ounce of powdered sulphur (from the lump). Mix.
Dose:--Teaspoonful in a little water three times a day will cure."
4. Rough Skin, Healing Cream for.--"One-fourth cup tallow melted, one
teaspoonful glycerin, small lump camphor, dissolved. Mix all together by
warming sufficiently." Rub in thoroughly as you do any face cream.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Pimples.--Remove the cause if possible. The diet
should be like that given under dyspepsia and constipation. Menstrual
disorders should be remedied.
Local.--Remove the plugs (of sebum) and stimulate the skin glands. For
this purpose prolonged (ten minutes at a time) bathing of the face with
hot water and soap; tincture of green soap in the more indolent, sluggish
cases, should precede the pressing out of the blackheads: Lateral pressure
with the fingers or with the comedone extractor, especially contrived for
this purpose, will express the black-heads. After they are out, the skin
dried and cleaned, various stimulating remedies can be applied in
ointments and lotions such as following:
1. "Precipitated Sulphur 1 dram
Ointment of Rose water 1 ounce
Mix and rub on at night."
2. Beta-Naphthol 1/2 dram
Resorcin 1/2 dram
Lanolin 1 ounce
Mix and apply locally.
INFLAMMATION of the Skin. (Dermatitis).--This is due to many causes. It
can come from injuries, for instance the rubbing or pressure of
ill-fitting clothes, bandages, bites of insects and from scratching.
Varieties.--Dermatitis ambustionis, (burning). This is due to excessive
heat upon the skin.
[SKIN DISEASES 63]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Inflammation of the Skin.--Relieve the pain;
protect the parts; exclude the air. Paint the burned part with a one to
five per cent solution of cocaine, according to the severity of
inflammation. Then apply soothing lotions of equal parts of lime-water and
olive or linseed oil; cover the whole with absorbent cotton. Dusting
powder of soda bicarbonate may also be used, or common soda. In burns with
vesicles, etc., open them and then cover with carbolized oil, gauze and
adhesive to hold the dressing. The parts can be washed with a solution of
boric acid, one teaspoonful to a cup of water; then dust upon the parts
sugar of lead once or twice a day. Some use it in solution; I like the
powder better. Infusion of lobelia, one ounce to pint of hot water, is
good. Also lead and laudanum wash.
ECZEMA. (Humid Tetter-Salt Rheum-Dry Tetter). Definition.--Eczema is an
inflammatory disease of the skin, characterized at its commencement by
redness, pimples, vesicles, pustules and their combinations, with itching
and burning. It terminates in a watery or pus-like discharge with the
formation of crusts or scaling.
Varieties.--There are many varieties, red, scaly, fissured, watery looking
and hard skin.
Symptoms.--Itching is almost always a symptom of this disease. There is
more or less pouring out of liquid (serum). The dry, scaly type, and the
weeping type, may alternate with each other. There are six cardinal
symptoms; inflammation, itching, moisture, crusting, infiltration (liquid
filling of the tissues), fissuring or cracking. Dr. Fox says that nearly
one-third of all skin diseases are eczema in some of its stages or
varieties. In one kind there is red spot (macule). The skin is dry, of a
bright or dull red color, with intense itching or burning, more or less
watery swelling in the acute stage. In the chronic stage, the skin becomes
thick and covered with fine dry scales, usually in the face (Eczema
Erythematosum).
Eczema Vesiculosum. (Vesicular Eczema).--This is preceded by a feeling of
heat and irritation about the part. In a short time pinhead sized vesicles
appear. These frequently run together and form patches. They rupture
rapidly; the liquid is poured out, dries up and forms crusts. The
discharge stiffens linen, a characteristic of this variety.
Eczema Pustulosum. (Pustules). Pustular Kind.--This is nearly like the
preceding. The vesicles have pus in them from the start or develop from
the vesicles. When the pustules rupture, their contents dry up to the
thick greenish-yellow crusts. The scalp and face, in children especially,
are the favored spots for this kind. It occurs in poorly nourished
children.
[64 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Eczema Papulosum. (Papular Variety).--This is characterized by flat or
sharp pointed reddish pimples (papules), varying in size from a small to a
large pin-head. They are usually numerous, run or crowd together and form
large patches. The itching is usually very intense. This causes much
scratching, rawness and crusts. The pimples may continue as such, or
change into vesicles. In chronic cases they run together, and finally form
thick scaly patches, and may run into a scaly eczema.
Eczema Rubrum (red).--The skin looks red, raw, and "weeps." It is most
commonly found about the face and scalp in children, and the lower parts
of the legs in the old.
Eczema Squamosis. (Scaling).--This may follow any of the other varieties,
but usually follows the red and pimple (papule) variety. They are various
sized and shaped reddish patches, which are dry and more or less scaly.
Thickening is always present, also a tendency to cracking of the skin,
especially if it affects the joints. There are other varieties but these
are the most important.
RECOVERY.--Eczema has a tendency to persist and rarely disappears
spontaneously.
Causes.--Gout, diabetes, rheumatism, Bright's disease, dyspepsia,
constipation, nervous trouble, heat, cold, strong soaps, acids, alkalies,
rubbing, scratching, etc.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Eczema, Lemon or Vinegar for.--"Rub the spots with
sliced lemon. This will sometimes relieve the itching. Bathing with
vinegar water is better for some as it destroys the germs." The bowels
should be kept open, and then constitutional faults removed as the
eruption of the skin is but a local manifestation of a functional fault.
2. Eczema, Olive Oil and Powder for.--"Bathe with olive oil and sift over
the skin a powder composed of equal parts of fine laundry starch and oxide
of zinc powder." Do not bathe with water until healed.
3. Eczema, Herb Tea for.--"A good wash for eczema is made of an ounce of
bruised blood-root and yellow dock, steeped well in a pint of alcohol, and
half pint of vinegar." Apply gently to the affected parts.
4. Eczema, Potato and Camphor for.--"Make a poultice of a cold potato with
a small quantity of camphor. This is very good and relieves the trouble
very soon."
5. Eczema, Sulphur and Lard for.--"An excellent eczema cure is made by
applying a paste made of sulphur and lard to the affected parts." This is
very easily prepared, and has been known to cure many cases.
[SKIN DISEASES 65]
6. Skin Diseases, Burdock Tea a Standard Remedy for.--"Take a handful of
the freshly bruised burdock root to two quarts of water and boil down
one-half; drink from a half to one pint a day." This is considered one of
the best home remedies for skin diseases that is known and is perfectly
harmless.
7. Skin Disease, Blood Purifier for.--
"Iodide Potash 192 grains
Fluid Extract Stillingia 1 ounce
Fluid Extract Prickly Ash Bark 1/2 ounce
Fluid Extract Yellow Dock 1 ounce
Compound Syrup Sarsaparilla to make 8 ounces
Mix."
8. Tetter, Reliable Remedy for.--"Turpentine 1 ounce, red precipitate 3
drams, vaselin 4 ounces. Mix, rub on the affected parts several times a
day." This is a splendid ointment for a severe case of tetter.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Eczema.--Water is likely to make acute cases
worse. In order to cleanse the parts use water softened by starch or bran.
Use oily preparations to soften the crusts and then they can be removed
with water and good soap.
In Chronic Sluggish Cases.--Water and strong soaps may be used. Cloths
wrung from hot water and applied, will frequently relieve the itching. Use
lotions in moist and salves in dry eczema. For the acute kind the remedy
should be soothing, and more or less stimulating for the chronic forms.
Local Treatment for the acute and sub-acute (between acute and chronic)
eczema.
In acute cases, with much pouring out of liquid (serum), lotions have a
cooling effect. They should be frequently renewed.
1. Black Wash.
Calomel 1 dram
Mucilage Tragacanth 1 dram
Lime water 10 ounces
Mix. Can be used full strength or diluted. Bathe the affected parts
several times daily for fifteen or twenty minutes with this lotion and
apply oxide of zinc ointment afterwards.
2. Lead and Laudanum wash.--When the parts discharge moisture with burning
feeling, and are very sensitive the following is good:
Laudanum 1/2 ounce
Solution of Sugar of lea 7-1/2 ounces
Mix and apply externally with gauze saturated with it.
3. A solution of boric acid is also a good remedy.
4. Apply the following soothing application frequently, allowing the
sediment to remain on the skin:
Powdered Calamine 1 dram
Oxide of Zinc 1 dram
Glycerin 1 dram
Lime water 6 ounces
[66 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
5. Dusting powders.--Corn, potato or rice starch powders. Mennen's baby
powder is also good. Borated kind is the best for this.
6. Oxide of Zinc ointment alone, applied night and morning, is valuable in
many cases.
The Black wash should be used twice a day just before the oxide of zinc
ointment is applied. In other cases powdered oxide of zinc is dusted over
the part if the discharge is watery or profuse.
7. McCall Anderson's Ointment.--
Oxide of Bismuth 1 ounce
Pure Oleic Acid 8 ounces
White Wax 3 ounces
Vaselin 9 ounces
Oil of Rose 5 drops
Make an ointment and apply. The proportions of each ingredient call be
reduced one-half, for smaller amount.
8. Pastes are often borne better than ointment. The following is a good
one. Lassar's paste:
Starch 2 drams
Oxide of Zinc 2 drams
Vaselin 4 drams
Mix and make a paste, apply to the part and cover with soft gauze.
9. For the Itching.--
Powdered Oxide of Zinc 1/2 ounce
Powdered Camphor 1-1/2 dram
Powdered Starch 1 ounce
Mix and dust on as needed.
When the disease is not so acute (sub-acute) applications of a mildly
stimulating character are needed. For this purpose, resorcinal in the
proportion of two to thirty grains to the ounce of lard, according to the
severity and amount of hardness existing. Apply to the part. Stimulant and
soothing.
External Treatment of Chronic Eczema.--Applications for chronic and
lasting sluggish eczema.
1. Tincture of green soap used with hot water until the skin is bared and
then dress with oxide of zinc ointment.
2. Tar in the form of the pure Official tar ointment.
3. Salicylic acid thirty to sixty grains to an ounce of lard and applied
for stimulating purposes.
4. Dr. Schalek uses the same remedies in part and the following for a
fixed dressing, especially on the eyes. They do not need to be changed
often.
[SKIN DISEASES 67]
Glycogelatin Dressing.--
Gelatin 10 drops
Oxide of Zinc 10 drops
Glycerin 40 drops
Water 40 drops
Mix and apply to the part.
The above may be made in any quantities,--using drops, spoonfuls, etc.
Dress the parts in a thin gauze bandage, over which the melted preparation
is painted. I have given many different prescriptions, but those who treat
skin diseases know that a great many are needed, for they act differently
upon different persons.
Special Varieties of Eczema and what to do for them.--
Eczema of Children.--This is generally acute of the vesicular (watery) or
vesicular pustular (pus forming) variety. The parts commonly affected are
the scalp and the face.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Eczema.--Remove the causes, watch the feeding.
Keep the folds of the skin dry and free from friction. To prevent
scratching, masks must be applied to the scalp and face, or the hands must
be tied in bad cases. The local treatment is the same as above except the
strength of the drugs used must be reduced in proper proportion.
Eczema of the Scalp, Milk Crust.--Remove the crusts by soaking the scalp
with some bland oil for twelve hours, followed by a shampoo, (the hair
should be cut in children) then the lotions and thin ointment (see above)
should be applied.
Eczema of the Face.--A mask of soft linen with holes cut out for the eyes,
mouth and nostrils may be used.
Eczema of the Scrotum.--A well fitting suspensory should be worn, sponge
the parts with very hot water and follow with the anti-itching lotion and
dusting powders for the itching.
Eczema of the Hands in Adults.--Keep the hands out of water as much as
possible. Dry them thoroughly and then anoint. Greatly thickened patches
may be softened by soap plasters or bathe the parts in ten or twenty per
cent solutions of caustic potash and followed by a salve application. The
internal treatment must be given for the cause.
Diet in Eczema.--Avoid salty foods, such as salted fish or pork and corned
beef; greasy foods such as bacon and fried dishes; pastry and cheese.
[68 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
MOTHERS' REMEDIES for Salt Rheum. 1. Alum Wash and Cathartic for.--"Use
an astringent wash as alum, tablespoonful in pint of water, and keep
bowels opened by cooling medicines, as cream tartar, rochelle salts,
etc." The alum solution will be found very cooling and by keeping the
bowels open you will carry off all the impurities thus cleansing the
blood, which is one of the essential things to do in salt rheum.
2. Salt Rheum, Ammonia and Camphor for.--"Apply ammonia and camphor to the
cracks. Have used this successfully when everything else failed." Care
should be taken not to have the ammonia too strong, as it may irritate the
skin more. If used properly, it is a good remedy.
3. Salt Rheum, Cactus Leaf Cure for.--"From one large cactus leaf take out
the thorns, add one tablespoon of salt, three tablespoons lard, stew out
slowly, and grease with this at night. Remarks:--This cured my hand that
had been in an awful condition for years."
4. Salt Rheum, Pine Tar for.--"Apply pine tar as a paste." This is an
excellent remedy but care should be taken in using it, as pine tar is very
irritating to some people, and should be used very cautiously.
BOIL. (Furunculus, Furuncle). Causes.--Boils may appear in a healthy
person, but they are often the result of a low condition of the system;
they are frequently seen in persons suffering from sugar diabetes.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Boil, My Mother's Poultice for.--"Poppy leaves
pounded up and bound on are good. My mother has used this recipe and found
it to be good." This remedy not only makes a good poultice, but is very
soothing, as poppies contain opium. The leaves may be purchased at any
drug store.
2. Boil, Soap and Sugar Poultice for.--"Poultice made of yellow or soft
soap and brown sugar, equal parts. Spread on cloth and apply faithfully."
This makes a good strong poultice, and has great drawing powers and would
be apt to create a good deal of pain, but would draw the boil to a head.
The above remedy was sent in by a number of mothers, all of whom said they
had tried it with success when other remedies failed.
3. Boil, Vinegar or Camphor for.--"May be cured by bathing in strong
vinegar frequently when they first start. When it stops smarting from the
vinegar cover with vaseline or oil." Bathing the boil in vinegar seems to
check the growth and does not allow them to become as large as they would
ordinarily. If you do not have vinegar in the house, camphor will answer
the same purpose.
4. Boil, Bean Leaf Poultice for.--"Apply snap bean leaves, beat up fine."
Bruise the leaves so that they are real fine, and apply to the boil. This
acts the same as a poultice.
5. Boil, Another Vinegar Remedy for.--"If taken at first a boil can be
cured by dipping the finger in strong vinegar and holding on the boil
until it stops smarting. Repeat three or four times then apply a little
oil to the head of boil."
[SKIN DISEASES 69]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Boils.--Tonics such as iron, quinine, and
strychnine are good. Elixir, iron, quinine and strychnine from a half to
one teaspoonful three times a day is a good tonic for an adult. Sulphide
of calcium one-tenth grain four times a day is good. Paint the inflamed
spot when it first begins, with a solution of gun cotton (collodion) and
renew it every hour until a heavy contractile coating is formed.
Poultices, if used, should contain sweet oil and laudanum. Alcohol and
camphor applied over the skin in the early stages is recommended by
Ringer. This I know is good. Another, wipe the skin and use camphorated
oil. When boils occur in the external ear, the canal should be washed out
with hot water. If it is ripe it should be opened. The following is good
for the pain of a boil:
Iodoform 4 grains
Menthol 2 grains
Vaselin 1 dram
Mix and smear a cotton plug and insert in the ear two or three times a
day.
ABSCESS.--An accumulation of pus (matter) in any part of the body.
External Abscess.--Boil the knife, wash your hands in clean, hot, soapy
water. Wash the abscess and surrounding parts in hot water and good soap,
and rinse off with alcohol, a salt solution, or listerine, etc. Then make
a good deep clean cut and scrape out if necessary. Dress with a clean
linen gauze or absorbent cotton, Poultices may be used if you are careful.
Such an abscess should be dressed twice a day. The inner dressing should
be soft and thick enough to absorb all the secretion given out between
dressings.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Abscess, Beech Bark Poultice for.--"Poultice made of
red beech bark and wheat bran," A poultice made of the bark will cause a
drawing feeling, and the wheat bran will retain the heat. The proportions
for making the poultice should be about half and half.
2. Abscess, Milk and Salt Poultice for.--"Make a poultice of one cup of
hot milk and common salt three teaspoonfuls; salt added gradually so it
will not curdle. Cook until smooth and creamy, then add enough flour so it
will spread but not be dry. Divide this into four poultices and apply in
succession every half hour. This will remove the soreness and it should be
kept oiled until healed."
3. Abscess, More Good Poultices for.--"Take equal parts of rosin and
sugar, mix well and apply for several days until the abscess is broken. If
this does not cause the abscess to break, poultice hourly with flaxseed
meal."
[70 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
FELON. (Whitlow).--An inflammation of the deeper structures and frequently
it is under the covering of the bone, (periosteum). If under the latter it
must be opened soon or the resulting pus will burrow and destroy bone,
joints, etc. The pain is intense, and after the patient has passed one
sleepless night walking the floor and holding his finger it should be
opened.
How? Place the hand with the fingers extended with the palm up (it is
usually under the finger or in the palm of the hand) upon the table; stand
by the side of the arm. Attract the patient to something else; have a
curved two-edge knife ready and put the point, one-half inch, toward the
palm, away from the felon part, press hard and the patient will jerk his
hand and the cut will be made down to the bone, the membrane and tissues
all opened freely, a vent given for the pus and in ten minutes very little
pain. Dress as for an abscess. If opened this way, it need not be
reopened.
If in the Palm.--This needs a doctor, and must be opened with care. There
are too many blood vessels to be careless there and one who understands it
must do it. Open a true felon early before it has time to destroy the
bone.
SUPERFICIAL FELONS. Mothers' Remedies. 1. A Cure if Taken in Time.--"If
taken in time a felon may be cured without lancing, but if poultice or
liniment is used it is important that they should be bound on tightly as
the mechanical compression is more essential than the application. A good
remedy is finely pulverized salt, wet with spirits of turpentine bound
tightly and left two or three days, wetting with the turpentine when dry
without removing the cloth."
2. Felon, Treatment until time to Lance.--"If the felon has succeeded in
getting a good start and pains considerably, it is well to paint it with
iodine; in a few days it will become very painful, the pain being so
intense that you cannot sleep. See a physician at once then, and have it
lanced as the sac of pus on the bone must be opened. Then apply flaxseed
poultices. Care should be taken not to have it lanced too early, as this
is dangerous.
3. Felon, Strong Remedy for.--"Turpentine, yellow of egg and salt, equal
parts, bind on." This is very strong and should only be allowed to remain
on the finger a short time.
4. Felon, Lemon to draw inflammation from.--"Take a lemon, make a little
hole, put finger in it and hold there a number of hours." Lemons have a
great many healing qualities in them, and seem to be very good for felons.
The acid in the lemon seems to help draw out the inflammation and serves
as a poultice.
5. Felon, Hot Water Cure for.--"When you first feel it coming put the
finger in a cup of hot water, just so it does not blister, keep adding
more hot water as it cools for one hour. This has been tried several times
and it has always stopped them."
6. Felon, Soap and Cornmeal Poultice for.--"Poultice with soft soap and
cornmeal. This never fails if taken in time."
[SKIN DISEASES 71]
7. Felon, Smartweed Poultice for.--"Apply the bruised leaves of smartweed
and bind on tight as can be borne." This makes a very good poultice
applied in this way.
8. Felon, Hot Application for.--"When a felon first starts, soak the
finger in equal parts of alcohol and hot water; keep it as hot as the
finger will bear it."
9. Felon, an Old, Tried Remedy for.--"Put wood ashes, covered with warm
water in a dish on the stove, hold the affected part in this, allowing it
to get as hot as can be borne."
10. Felon, Turpentine Cure for.--"Soak the finger for one hour in
turpentine. This has been known to cure a great many cases of felon."
11. Felon, Weak Lye Application for.--"Stick your finger in weak lye (can
lye). Have water just as hot as you can stand your finger in. Hold it in
as long as possible."
12. Felon, Rock Salt and Turpentine for.--"Rock salt dry and pounded fine.
Mix equal portions with turpentine. When dry change. This cured a felon on
my father." As much of our Canadian salt is rock salt, it is the most
common salt to use.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Superficial Felons.--Such may be averted
perhaps. I have heard of that but have never seen it done. They are not
the genuine, true blue, terrible felons, but even these can give much
pain. They do not need such a deep opening, and they are not so dangerous
to the structures. They are superficial and abscesses, perhaps, might be
the better term. For these many applications have been made.
1. Some hold the finger in hot lye. That is a good poultice.
2. Yolk of an egg and salt (equal parts) make a salve as a drawer.
3. The membrane within the shell of an egg is another good drawing remedy.
Dr. Chase gives this definition of a felon in his first edition: "This is
on one of the fingers, thumb or hand and is very painful. It is often
situated at the root of the nail." The latter is the kind, and also that
of the structures above the covering of the bone that are eased by local
treatment. Especially the superficial, about the nail, etc. Steaming with
herbs will do such good, or any hot poultice will do good. Dr. Chase says
in another place, "Whitlow resembles a felon, but it is not so deeply
seated. It is often found around the nail. Immerse the finger in strong
lye as long and as hot as can be borne several times a day." Such felons
are curable by local treatment. I prefer the salt and yolk of the egg to
the lye. If you cannot stand this all the time, steam in the intervals
with strong herbs or use hot poultices, and then open when it points.
[72 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
ULCERS. An Eating Away of the Parts, Causes.--Diseases like syphilis,
tuberculosis, leprosy. Disturbances of nutrition, constitutional ulcers,
local conditions. Ulcers are acute and chronic. An acute ulcer is a
spreading ulcer, in and about which acute destructive inflammation exists.
Treatment.--Keep them thoroughly clean (aseptic) and use soothing
applications, mild lotions and salve.
Chronic Ulcer.--This is one which does not tend to heal, or heals very
slowly. Sometimes such ulcers need to be stimulated like the application
of nitrate of silver and then healing applications. Carbolated oxide of
zinc ointment is a good healing ointment.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Sores and Ulcers, the Potato Lotion for.--"Take the
water you boil potatoes in and in one quart of it boil one ounce of
foxglove leaves for ten minutes, then add one ounce tincture of myrrh to
the lotion, bathe the affected parts with the lotion warm, then keep a
cloth wet with it on the sore, if possible, until cured."
2. Sores and Ulcers, Chickweed Ointment for.--"Chop chickweed and boil in
lard, strain and bottle for use." This makes a fine green cooling
ointment, It is surprising to see the relief obtained by this simple
ointment.
3. Old Sores and Wounds, Healing Ointment for.--
"Honey 4 ounces
Spirits of Turpentine 1/2 ounce
Beeswax 4 ounces
Oil of Wintergreen 1/2 ounce
Tincture of Opium 1 ounce
Fluid Extract Lobelia 1/4 ounce
Lard 3/4 pound
Mix by the aid of gentle heat, stirring well at the same time. This is a
very useful ointment for healing wounds and old sores."
4. Sores and Ulcers, Excellent Salve for.--"One tablespoon of melted
mutton or even beef tallow while warm; add some spirits of turpentine and
one teaspoonful of laudanum, stir well."
5. Ill-Conditioned Sores, an Old German Remedy for.--"Wash or syringe the
sore with weak saleratus water, and while wet fill with common black
pepper. Remarks:--This is a highly recommended German remedy, and has
been tried by my mother with good, results."
6. Sores, Cuts, Antiseptic Wash for; Also Tooth Wash.--"Peroxide of
hydrogen. Should always be kept in the house." If you are cut by anything
that might cause infection or if scratched by a cat, in fact wherever
there is chance for infection and blood poison, peroxide of hydrogen may
be used by moistening well the wound with it as soon as you can. As a
mouth wash put a little in a glass of water. Directions usually on the
bottle.
[SKIN DISEASES 73]
7. Indolent Ulcers and Boils, Chickweed and Wood Sage Poultice
for.--"Equal parts of chickweed and wood sage pounded together make a good
poultice for all kinds of indolent ulcers and boils."
8. Ulcers, Proud Flesh, Venereal Sores and all Fungus Swellings, Blood
Root and Sweet Nitre for.--"Two ounces pulverized blood root; one pint of
sweet nitre; macerate for ten days, shake once or twice a day."
9. Rosin 1 ounce
Beeswax 1 ounce
Mutton Tallow 4 ounces
Verdigris 1 dram
Melt the rosin, tallow and wax together, then add the verdigris. Stir
until cool and apply.
Add a few drops of carbolic acid to the above and you will have the
carbolated salve which is quite expensive when bought prepared and under
the manufacturer's label.
10. Sores and Chapped Hands, Sour Cream Salve for.--"Tie thick sour cream
in a cloth and bury in the ground over night. In the morning it will be a
nice salve. Excellent for chapped hands or anything that requires a soft
salve."
11. Old Sores, A Four-Ingredient Remedy for.--"Soften one-half pound of
vaselin, stir into it one-half ounce each of wormwood, spearmint and
smartweed. This is good for old and new sores. My people near Woodstock,
Canada, used this and found it very good."
12. Ulcers and Sores, Carrots will heal.--"Boil carrots until soft and
mash them to a pulp, add lard or sweet oil sufficient to keep it from
getting hard. Spread and apply; excellent for offensive sores. Onion
poultice made the same way is good for slow boils and indolent sores."
This makes a very soothing poultice and has great healing properties.
13. Ulcers and Sores, a Remedy that Cures.--"To one-fourth pound of tallow
add one-fourth pound each of turpentine and bayberry and two ounces of
olive oil. Good application for scrofulous sores and ulcers." This makes a
good ointment, but should not be continued too long at a time as the
turpentine might have a bad action on the kidneys.
14. Ulcers and Old Sores, Bread and Indian meal for.--"Take bread and milk
or Indian meal, make to consistency of poultice with water, stir in
one-half cup of pulverized charcoal. Good to clean ulcers and foul sores."
The bread and Indian meal make a good poultice while the charcoal is
purifying and a good antiseptic.
[74 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Ulcers.--Keep them thoroughly cleaned. A mild,
weak, hot solution of salt water is good in chronic, slow healing,
indolent ulcers. Carbolated salve applied afterwards is healing. Sometimes
a stimulating poultice is necessary, like salt pork followed by soothing
salves. If an ulcer looks red and angry, it needs soothing. If there is
any "proud flesh" powdered burnt alum applied directly upon it and left on
for an hour or two is good. Then soothing salves.
Balsam of Peru is good for chronic ulcers. It stimulates them to a little
activity.
A salve made by boiling the inner bark of the common elder, the strained
juice mixed with cream or vaselin is a good healing application for
ulcers.
Poultice an irritable, tender, painful ulcer with slippery elm bark.
Repeat when necessary.
Indolent Sluggish Ulcer.--This kind needs stimulating, salt solution, or
salt pork applied.
Poultice made of sweet clover is well recommended for ulcers. As before
stated, the active kind should have soothing treatment. The chronic
indolent kind, should be stimulated occasionally and then soothing
applications applied.
SHINGLES (Herpes Zoster). Definition.--This is an acute inflammatory
disease of the skin, characterized by groups of vesicles upon the inflamed
base, distributed along the course of one or more cutaneous (skin) nerves.
Symptoms.--The eruption is preceded by a great deal of neuralgic pain and
is almost always one-sided. They first appear as red patches and upon
these patches vesicles soon develop (skin elevations with liquid in them);
these are separate, size of a pin-head to a coffee bean, swollen with a
clear fluid, and clustered in groups of two to a dozen. They may dry up in
this stage, or they may fill with pus or run together, forming larger
patches; new crops may appear, while the others fade. The vesicles rarely
rupture of themselves, but dry into brownish crusts, which drop off
leaving a temporary colored skin. It follows the course of a nerve. The
most common seat of this disease is over one or more intercostal (between
the rib) nerves, extending from the backbone to the breastbone. It also
occurs along the side of the face and temple.
Causes.--It is a self-limited disease, runs its course in a few weeks, of
nervous origin and may be produced by exposure to weather changes, blows
and certain poisons.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. Shingles, Herb Remedy for.--1. "Make a solution of
yerba rheuma, one ounce to a pint of boiling water, and apply freely to
the part several times a day." The yerba rheuma has an astringent action
and contracts the tissues, relieving the inflammation of the skin. It also
relieves the itching.
[SKIN DISEASES. 75]
2. Shingles, Mercury Ointment for.--"Apply night and morning an ointment
from the oleate of mercury." This preparation will be found effective, but
care should be taken not to use too much of it, as oleate of mercury is
very powerful. It relieves the burning and itching.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Shingles.--Protect the vesicles from rupture or
irritation and relieve the pain. Paint the surface with a solution of gun
cotton (collodion). Tonics to keep up the strength.
EXCESSIVE SWEATING. (Hyperidrosis).--This is a disorder of the sweat
glands in which sweat is thrown out in excessive quantities.
Symptoms.--It may be great only in the armpit where it stains the
clothing. When it comes on the hands and feet they may be wet, clammy and
have an offensive odor. They may be soaked, inflamed and painful.
Causes.--The local forms may be due to a nervous condition; it is often
the result of general debility.
Treatment.--General tonics are needed and those given under anemia, which
see. Applications for the local treatment.--Solution of alum applied to
the part will act as an astringent.
White oak bark tea is good as anything. It should not be used so strong as
to stop sweating entirely. Then follow it with dusting powders of starch
or boric acid, containing salicylic acid (two to five per cent). When it
occurs upon the feet use the Diachylon ointment. It must be made up fresh
in a drug store. This is applied on strips of lint or muslin after the
parts have been thoroughly washed and dried; it should be renewed twice
daily, the parts being dried with soft towels and then covered with
dusting powder, followed by the ointment.
FRECKLES. (Lentigo).--Freckles are an excessive deposit of pigment in the
skin.
Causes.--Exposure to the sun's rays aggravates this condition.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES for Freckles. 1. Freckles, Buttermilk for.--"Buttermilk
on the face every night." This is a very simple remedy, and as buttermilk
is very easily obtained, anyone troubled with freckles can try this remedy
without very much expense. This simple remedy has been known to cure many
cases.
2. Freckles, to Remove.--"Nitrate of potash applied to the face night and
morning is very good, and the freckles will soon disappear."
3. Freckles, Alcohol and Lemon Juice for.--"Use alcohol and lemon juice
freely at night." Lemon juice is very good for the skin if applied
frequently.
[76 MOTHERS' REMEDIES.]
4. Freckles, Excellent Lotion for.--
"Rose Water 4 ounces
Alcohol 1/2 ounce
Hydrochloric Acid 1/2 dram
Mix and apply with sponge or cloth three times daily.
5. Freckles, Borax Water for.--"Rain water eight ounces, borax one-half
ounce. Mix and dissolve; wash parts twice daily."
6. Freckles, Canadian Remedy for.--"Glycerin, lemon juice, rosewater,
equal parts. Apply at night with a soft cloth,"
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Freckles.--They are apt to return on exposure to
the sun. The following ointment may be of service. Care should be taken
not to blister:
Ammoniated Mercury 1 dram
Subnitrate of Bismuth 1 dram
Glycerin Ointment 1 ounce
Mix and apply every other night.
PRICKLY HEAT RASH.--An acute inflammatory disease of the sweat glands;
minute pimples and vesicles develop.
Symptoms.--It occurs upon the body and consists of many pinhead sized
bright red pimples and vesicles which are very close together. It appears
suddenly, and is usually accompanied by much sweating and subsides in a
short time with slight scaling following. There is itching, tingling and
burning usually present.
Cause.--Excessive heat in summer in children and weak people.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Prickly Heat, Soda Water for.--"Bathe with saleratus
(baking soda) water, dry carefully and apply good talcum powder freely."
2. Prickly Heat, Relief from pain of.--
"Borax Powder 6 drams
Menthol 10 grains
Rose Water 6 ounces
Bathe the parts and between applications dust on lycopodium powder."
The borax powder will be found good to cover the parts and muriate of
morphia relieves the pain. The rose water is simply put in to dissolve the
other ingredients.
3. Prickly Heat, a Hamilton, Ontario, Mother Found Burnt Cornstarch good
for.--"Dust with browned cornstarch. This acts like talcum powder and is
not so expensive."
[SKIN DISEASES. 77]
4. Rash, Soothing Ointment for. l.--"Make an ointment of one dram of boric
acid powder to one ounce of vaseline. First wash the affected parts with a
strong solution of saleratus, then apply the ointment and dust talcum
powder over this." The washing with saleratus is very important as this is
a good antiseptic and thoroughly cleanses the parts.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Prickly Heat.--It disappears usually in a few
days. Tonics for the weak, light clothing, a light nourishing diet and
frequent cold bathing. Alcoholic drinks are prohibited. White oak bark tea
as a wash for the sweating, followed by dusting powders of starch,
oatmeal, and zinc oxide, etc.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Chafing, Fuller's Earth Eases.--"Wash parts well
with boracic acid water, then dust with fuller's earth," The boracic water
is cleansing and fuller's earth is very healing. This is a very simple but
effective remedy.
2. Chafing, Good Home Remedy for.--"Usually all that is required is
washing the parts well with castile soap and cold water, and anointing
with plain vaselin," This remedy is always at hand, and is one to be
relied upon. Vaselin, as we all know, is very healing.
3. Chafing, Borax and Zinc Stops.--"Wash parts frequently with cold water
and use the following solution:
Pure Water 2 gills
Powdered Borax 1 teaspoonful
Sulphate of Zinc 1/2 teaspoonful
Apply by means of a soft rag several times daily. After drying the parts
well, dust with wheat flour, corn starch or powdered magnesia;"
The above combination is excellent as the water cleanses the parts and the
borax and zinc are very soothing and healing.
4. Chafing, Common Flour good to stop.--"Burn common wheat flour until
brown. Tie in rag and dust chafed parts."
MOLE. (Naevus).--Mole is a congenital condition of the skin where there is
too much pigment in a circumscribed place. It varies in size from a
pin-head to a pea or larger. The face, neck and back are their usual
abiding place.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Moles.--They should be removed by knife or by
electricity. The last is the best, especially for the hairy variety.
Causes.--If they are subject to too much irritation they develop into
malignant growth.
ENLARGED NAIL. (Onychauxis).--The nail may become too long, thick or wide.
Treatment.--Remove the cause. Trim away the excessive nail tissue with a
knife or scissors. In paronychia, inflammation around the nail, pieces of
lint or cotton should be inserted between the edge of the nail and the
inflamed parts, and wet solution of antiseptics, like listerine or salt
water, applied with cloths.
[78 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
INFLAMMATION OF THE NAIL. (Onychia). Treatment.--Cut into the back part if
it needs it. That will relieve the tension and pain. Sometimes the nail
must be removed. The inflammation is at the base (matrix) of the nail.
LOUSE, Disease of the Skin Produced by.--This is a disease of the skin
produced by an animal parasite, the pediculus or louse. There are the head
louse, pediculus capitis; the body louse, pediculus corporis; the pubis,
(about the genitals) pediculus pubis. The color of lice is white or gray.
They multiply very fast, the young being hatched out in about six days and
within eighteen days are capable of propagating their same species. The
nits are glued to the hair with a substance which is secreted by the
female louse.
HEAD LOUSE or Pediculus Capitis. Treatment.--The symptoms are very
apparent. Apply pure kerosene, rub it into the hair thoroughly. It can be
mixed with an equal part of balsam of peru. It should be left on the scalp
for twelve to twenty-four hours and then removed by a shampoo. Other
remedies that can be used are, tincture of staphisagria (stavesacre), this
can be made into an ointment; or ointment of ammoniated mercury. The dead
nits are removed from the hair by dilute acetic acid or vinegar. Cutting
the hair is not usually required. An infusion of quassia is good as a
wash.
Body Louse or Clothes Louse (Pediculus Corporis).--This parasite lives in
the clothes. It is apt to be found in the folds or seams, especially where
the clothes come in close contact with the skin, as about the neck,
shoulders and waist. This creature visits the body for its meal. They may
produce different kinds of skin troubles like eczema, boils, etc.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Lice.--Destroy the lice and their eggs (ova) by
thoroughly baking or boiling the clothing. The irritated skin can be
healed by soothing applications like vaselin, and oxide of zinc.
(Pediculus Pubis).--Lice on the hair of the pubis or about the genitals.
This is the smallest parasite of the three varieties, and it attaches
itself firmly to the hair with its head buried in the follicular openings,
and it is removed with great difficulty.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Lice.--1. Ointment of mercury, blue ointment.
This is to be used frequently. It is rather unclean and may create a
severe inflammation so be careful of it.
2. Solution of corrosive sublimate, from one to four grains to one ounce
of water. This is good and can be used once or twice a day; rub thoroughly
into the parts. It will cause redness and inflammation may follow if too
much is used. It is very effective. Kerosene with an equal quantity of
balsam of peru is a good remedy.
[SKIN DISEASES 79]
BLISTER DISEASE, (Pemphigus).--This is an acute or chronic skin disease in
which there are blisters of various sizes and shapes, and these usually
occur in crops.
Symptoms.--The disease may attack any part of the body. The blisters range
from the size of a pea to a large egg. They contain at first a clear
fluid, which soon becomes cloudy and looks more or less like pus. They
last several days and then dry up. They do not rupture of themselves very
often. It is not catching.
Causes.--These are obscure and not understood. A low state of the system
is usually found.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Blister Disease.--General treatment should be
given. Arsenic is the best remedy and can be given in the form of Fowler's
solution, five drops after meals at the beginning far an adult. This
should be increased until some poisonous symptoms, such as bloating in
the face is produced.
Elixir Quinine, Iron and Strychnine is good as a tonic, one teaspoonful
after meals. Regulate the diet, give nourishing and easily digested food.
Local Treatment.--Puncture the blisters. Then put on a mild ointment like
vaselin; bran and starch baths can be given in some cases. The length of
the time of the disease is uncertain.
THE ITCH DISEASE. (Psoriasis) (not Common Itch). Definition.--This is a
chronic inflammatory disease of the skin, in which there appear upon the
skin thick, adherent, overlapping, scales of a shiny, whitish color, and
these are situated upon a reddish, slightly raised and sharply outlined
(defined) base.
Symptoms.--They begin as small reddish spots, sharply defined against the
healthy skin. They may be elevated slightly and soon became covered with
whitish pearl colored scales. If the scales are picked off, there is left
a smooth red surface, and from this, small drops of blood ooze out. No
watery or pus-like discharge escapes at any period of this disease. These
spots extend at the circumference (periphery), reaching the size of the
drops, or of the coins, or they may run together and form ring-shaped, or
crooked wavy lines of patches, with a center that is healing up. A few
scattered spots may be present, or large areas may be involved. In rare
cases the whole skin is affected. These spots or patches may occur an any
part of the body, but involve the extending part of the limbs, especially
the elbows and knees. There may be slight itching present at times.
Course of the Disease.--It is chronic; patches may continue indefinitely
or they may disappear in one place, while new crops appear elsewhere. This
disease usually appears far the first time between the ages of ten and
fifteen; it may then return at various intervals during a lifetime. It is
usually worse during the winter.
[80 MOTHERS' REMEDIES.]
Causes.--Are usually unknown, it may occur in all classes and kinds of
people.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Itch Disease.--Remedies for the general symptoms
are demanded. The general health must be looked after. Stimulating foods
and drinks and the use of tobacco are forbidden.
Arsenic in the form of Fowler's solution from three to ten drops three
times a day; or the arsenious acid in pills of 1/50 of a grain three times
a day. This medicine must not be used in the acute form, but only in
chronic cases.
Local Treatment.--1. Remove the scales first and follow this by
stimulating applications unless there is much inflammation. In such cases
soothing lotions should be applied. Dr. Schalek of New York, recommends
the following:
2. Remove the scales thoroughly with hot water and soap and then apply:
Chrysarobin 1 dram
Ether, Alcohol Equal parts of each and enough
to dissolve the first remedy
Collodion 1 ounce
Mix and apply with a brush to the parts affected.
This solution may cause inflammation and great swelling, and on that
account it should not be used on the face, it stains the skin. Dr. Hare
recommends a bath only before the application. In that way some scales
remain and there is not so much inflammation and swelling resulting. The
stain can be removed with a weak solution of chlorinated lime.
3. Tar Remedy.--Tar is also a good remedy in ointment forms. The skin
should be closely watched to find out how sensitive it is to the tar's
action, not only in this but in all skin diseases. Drugs should be changed
occasionally, for they lose their efficiency.
4. Tar and Sulphur Remedy for.--Never use tar on the face, it stains.
Ointment of Tar 1 ounce
Ointment of Sulphur 1 ounce
Mix thoroughly and apply at night.
5. Precipitated Sulphur 6 drams
Tar 6 drams
Green Soap 2 ounces
Lard 2 ounces
Powdered Chalk 4 drams
Apply frequently.
If necessary more lard can be used, especially if the skin is very tender.
[SKIN DISEASES 81]
6. Another good local application. It is composed of the following
ingredients:
Resorcinol 1 dram
Zinc Oxide 1 dram
Rose Water Ointment 10 drams
Apply twice a day to the part affected.
After mixing the ointment heat it until the resorcinol crystals melt to
prevent any irritation of the skin from them.
Ichthyol 2-1/2 drams
Salicylic Acid 2-1/2 drams
Pyrogallic Acid 2-1/2 drams
Olive Oil 1 ounce
Lanoline 1 ounce
Mix thoroughly and apply.
The result of the disease is always favorable as to life and general
health. It yields to treatment, but it has a tendency to recur.
ITCH. Common Itch (Scabies).--Itch is a contagious disease, due to the
presence of an animal parasite. There is intense itching in this disease.
The parasite seeks the thin, tender regions of the skin, the spaces
between the fingers, wrists and forearms, the folds in the arm-pit, the
genitals in men and the breasts in women.
Cause.--It is always transmitted by contagion. An intimate and long
contact is usually needed. A person occupying the same bed with one who
has it is liable to take it. The female parasite lives from six to eight
weeks, during which time she lays fifty eggs, which, when hatched out,
become impregnated in their turn.
MOTHERS' TREATMENT for Common Itch. 1. Mustard Ointment for.--"Make an
ointment of cup of fresh lard (without salt) and a tablespoonful of dry
mustard, work to cream and apply." This is very soothing.
2. Itch, Grandmother's Cure for.--"Sulphur and lard mixed; rub on at
night, then take a good bath, using plenty of soap, every day." The above
ingredients are always easily obtained and anyone suffering with this
disease will find relief from the itching by using this remedy. It is very
soothing.
3. Itch, Herb Ointment for.--"Mix the juice of scabious with fresh lard
and apply as an ointment. A decoction made from the same herb might be
taken at the same time to purify the blood. It is always well to take some
blood tonic together with any outward application you may use." Some who
read the above may know scabious by other names as the "morning bride" or
"sweet scabious" or "devil's bit," etc.
4. Itch, Elecampane Root Ointment for.--"Boil elecampane root in vinegar,
mix with fresh lard, beating thoroughly." This is an excellent remedy for
itch, having a very soothing effect and relieving the itching.
[82 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
5. Itch, Oatmeal for.--"A poultice of oatmeal and oil of bays; cures the
itch and hard swellings." Oatmeal poultices are more stimulating and draw
more rapidly than those made of linseed meal.
6. Itch, a Mother at Parma, Michigan, Sends the Following.--"Make a salve
of sulphur and lard and each night apply it to the whole body; also one
tablespoonful internally for three mornings, then skip three and so on.
This is the only thing I know of that will cure itch. I have tried it with
success."
7. Itch, Kerosene for.--"Apply kerosene oil, undiluted, to the parts
several times a day. Apply nitrate of mercury ointment to the body."
8. Itch, Splendid Ointment for Common Itch.--
"Lac-Sulphur 160 grains
Napthaline 10 grains
Oil Bergamot 4 drops
Cosmoline 1 ounce
Rub lac-sulphur into fine powder. Sift it into the melted cosmoline and
stir until nearly cool, then add napthaline and oil bergamot. Stir until
cool."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Itch.--If the skin is much inflamed or
irritable, soothing baths and ointments should be used at first. There are
three indications to be met in the treatment; first, to destroy the cause,
the parasite; second, to cure the result of their work; third, to prevent
a return or transmission to others.
First Thing to Do.--Soak the body thoroughly with soap (green soap if you
have it) and water, this softens the outer layer (epidermis). This layer
covers the female parasite which burrows under it. The male does not
burrow and it is therefore easier to kill. Rub the skin thoroughly with a
rough towel after the soaking. This rubbing will remove the outer skin
scales and with it some of the parasites. The towel should be boiled at
once to prevent it from conveying the parasite to others. Then apply the
ointment, which, if thoroughly applied, relieves the patient at once. The
skin should be well softened and rubbed in order to open every track
(burrow) of the parasite. Allow the ointment to remain on all night and
use it for three or four nights successively.
Ointments.--1. Simple sulphur ointment alone.
2. Oil of Cale (from Juniper) 1 dram
Sulphur Ointment 2 drams
Lanolin 5 drams
3. Flowers of Sulphur 6 ounces
Oil of Fagi 6 ounces
White Chalk 4 ounces
Green Soap 16 ounces
Lard 16 ounces
Apply at night. This is not so strong.
[SKIN DISEASES 83]
4. For children the following can be used:
Sulphur 1 dram
Balsam Peru 1 dram
Lard 1 ounce
Apply as usual.
5. The following for adults:
Precipitated Sulphur 2 drams
Carbonate of Potash 1 dram
Lard Ointment 1-1/2 ounces
Rub well into the skin.
Second:--Heal the resultant sores with soothing applications like vaselin
and a little camphor in it.
Third:--Boil and disinfect all underwear and bedding or any article liable
to give an abiding place to the parasite. It is easily cured with proper
treatment.
DANDRUFF (Seborrhoea).--The scurfs or scales (dandruff) upon the scalp are
formed from seborrhoea.
Definition.--The word seborrboea means to flow suet or fatty fluids.
Seborrhoea is a functional disorder of the sebaceous gland (fatty, suet
matter) and this secretion is somewhat altered in character.
Varieties.--There are three varieties. These depend upon the character of
the material excreted.
1. Oily seborrhoea (seborrhoea oleosa).
2. Dry seborrhoea (seborrhoea sicca).
3. Mixed type of both.
Oily seborrhoea.--Symptoms.--This appears most frequently upon the nose
and forehead and sometimes upon the scalp. The skin looks oily,
glistening, with the appearance of dust adhering to it. Small drops of oil
are seen to ooze out of the follicles and when wiped off it reforms at
once. The ducts of the follicles appear gaping or they are plugged with
black-heads (comedones). The hair is rendered unusually oily, when it
appears on the scalp, and it is especially noticeable on bald heads. It is
very common in the negro, almost natural or physiological.
Dry Seborrhoea.--This is a more common form and occurs upon the hairy or
non-hairy parts, but chiefly upon the scalp (dandruff). The affected
parts are covered with grayish, greasy scales, which are easily dislodged,
the skin underneath is oily and slate gray in color. This type of the
disease forms one type of dandruff. When it is of long standing the hair
becomes dry and falls out.
[84 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Mixed type.--This type is common upon the scalp. The surface is covered,
more or less, with scales and crusts. If the disease continues long the
hair becomes dry, lusterless and falls out. Permanent baldness may result.
Causes.--These may be constitutional and local. "Green sickness"
(chlorosis), disorders of the stomach and bowels are often the cause.
Local.--Uncleanness, lack of care of the scalp, heavy and airtight hats
may cause it. Some writers claim parasites are the cause.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Dandruff, Home Preparation from New York State
Mother.--"Into one pint of water drop a lump of fresh quick-lime, the size
of a walnut; let it stand all night, pour off the clear liquid, strain,
and add one gill of the best vinegar, wash the roots of the hair with the
preparation. It is a good remedy and harmless."
2. Dandruff, a Barber's Shampoo for.--"Shampoo with the following:
Sassafras 5 cents worth
Salts of Tartar 10 cents worth
Ether 10 cents worth
Castile Soap 5 cents worth
Dissolve the above in one gallon of soft water. Rinse the hair thoroughly
and repeat as often as necessary. This recipe was given me by a barber and
I find it very good,"
3. Dandruff, Lemon Juice for.--"Cut a lemon in two, loosen the hair and
rub the lemon into the scalp. Do this in the evening before retiring, for
about a week, then stop for a few nights, then use for another week, and
so on until cured."
4. Falling Hair, a Brook, Ontario, Lady Prevents.--"Garden sage, make a
quart sage tea, add equal parts (a teaspoonful) of salt, borax and
rosewater, and one-half pint of bay rum. Wet the head with this every
night."
5. Hair Restoratives, Simple and Harmless.--"A simple and harmless
"invigorator" is as follows:
Cologne Water 2 ounces
Tincture of Cantharides 2 drams
Oil of Lavender 10 drops
Oil of Rosemary 10 drops
Use twice daily. If it makes the scalp a tittle sore, discontinue for a
short time."
6. Dandruff, Talcum Powder an Excellent Remedy for.--"Take talcum powder
and sprinkle in the hair thoroughly, then brush," This is a very good
remedy.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Dandruff.--If there are general diseases, they
should be treated.
[SKIN DISEASES 85]
Local--In mild cases, shampooing with hot water and a good soap may be
sufficient when the scales and crusts are thick and abundant; first soften
them with olive oil and then remove them with hot water and green soap.
After the scalp has been cleaned, the remedies should be applied. The
remedies should be thoroughly rubbed in and applied in the form of
ointments or lotions and used once daily. Cutting the hair may be
necessary. The odor of sulphur may be overcome by the use of perfume. If
the scalp becomes too dry after shampooing some oil should first be
applied, whatever application is used afterwards.
Remedies.--Resorcin, sulphur, salicylic acid, in combination with other
ingredients. Some favorite prescriptions are now given:
1. Resorcin 1 to 2 drams
Pure Castor Oil 1 dram
Alcohol 2 ounces
Mix and rub well into the scalp.
2. Precipitated Sulphur 1 dram
Salicylic Acid 15 grains
Ointment Petrolatum 1 ounce
3. Washed Sulphur 4 drams
Castor Oil 10 drams
Oil of Cocoa 1 ounces
Balsam of Peru 1/2 ounce
Apply twice daily.
4. Carbolic Acid 20 drops to 1 dram
Oil of Almonds 4 drams
Oil of Lemon 1 dram
Distilled Water, enough to make 2 ounces
Apply after washing.
The oily type is best treated with lotions and powders. The disease is
very obstinate, but generally gets well.
WEN (Sebaceous Cyst. Steatoma).--A wen varies in size from a millet seed
to an egg, and it is due to the distention of a sebaceous gland by its
retained secretions. They occur most commonly on the scalp, face and back.
They cause no pain, grow slowly, and after they have grown to a certain
size remain stationary for an indefinite time. Sometimes they become
inflamed and ulcerate.
Treatment.--Make a free cut and take the mass out. Its covering (capsule)
or sac must be removed at the same time, for if any of this membrane
(capsule) is left it will fill up again. Equal parts of fine salt and the
yolk of an egg beaten together and applied continuously will eat the skin
open and the mass can then be taken out. This is quite painful and takes
several days, while with the knife there is little pain if cocaine is
injected and it will all be over in a few minutes.
[86 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
RINGWORM (Tinea Trichophytina).--Ringworm is a contagious disease of the
skin, produced by the presence of a vegetable parasite. The disease
affects the hair follicles of the scalp and the beard, and also of the
portions of the body that, seemingly at least, have no hair.
Varieties.--Ringworm affecting the body called Tinea Circinata. Ringworm
affecting the scalp called Tinea Tonsurans. Ringworm affecting the beard,
etc., Tinea Barbae (barbers' itch).
Ringworm of the Body.--This type of ringworm usually begins as one or
several round, somewhat raised and very small, defined congested spots and
these are covered with a few branny scales. The disease extends from the
circumference and, while healing in the center, assumes a shape like a
ring and these rings may become as large as a silver dollar and remain the
same size for months or years, or they may go together (coalesce) to form
circle (gyrate) patches. Vesicle and pimples frequently crop out at the
circumference.
Mothers' Remedies for Ringworm.--1. Gunpowder and Vinegar for.--"Make a
paste of gunpowder and vinegar and apply. Sometimes one application will
be sufficient; if not, repeat."
2. Ringworm, Cigar Ashes for.--"Wet the sore and cover with cigar ashes.
Repeat frequently. This will cure if taken in time." This is a very simple
and effective remedy. Cigar ashes are always easy to obtain and if applied
to the ringworm at the very beginning, the nicotine in the tobacco will
draw out the soreness and relieve the inflammation.
3. Ringworm, Kerosene for.--"Apply kerosene with the finger or a cloth
several times a day."
4. Ringworm, Ontario Mother Cured Boy of.--"Wash head with vinegar and
paint with iodine to kill germ. Cured a neighbor's boy."
5. Ringworm, Another from a Mother at Valdosta, Georgia.--"Burdock root
and vinegar." Take the dock root and steep it the same as any ordinary
herb tea, then add your vinegar, making the proportions about half and
half. Apply this to the affected part.
6. Ringworm, Egg Skin Remedy for.--"Take the inner skin of an egg and wrap
around it, and cover with a piece of cloth."
7. Ringworm, from a Mother at Owosso. Michigan.--"Take gunpowder and wet
it and put it on the sores," This remedy has been tried a great many times
and always gives relief when taken right at the beginning. So many people
will wait, thinking the ringworm will disappear of its own accord, instead
of giving some simple home remedy like the above a trial.
[SKIN DISEASES 87]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Ringworm.--1. For infants and children simpler
remedies should be used at first. Scrub each patch with tincture of green
soap, or merely good soap and water may be employed. Then apply tincture
of iodine to the patches, once or twice a day, enough to irritate the
patches. Dilute acetic acid, or dilute carbolic acid will do the same
work. A ten per cent solution of sodium hyposulphite is a good remedy
also.
2. Corrosive sublimate, one to four grains to the ounce of water, is very
good to put on the patches. For children the strength should be about
one-half grain to the ounce.
3. Ammoniated mercury is also very good to put on. Sometimes a combination
of remedies will do better, as follows:
Milk of Sulphur 2-1/2 drams
Spirits of Green Soap 6 drams
Tincture of Lavender 6 drams
Glycerin 1/2 dram
4. Pure Iodine 2 ounces
Oil of Tar 1 ounce
Mix with care gradually.
5. Creasote 20 drops
Oil of Cadini 3 drams
Precipitated Sulphur 3 drams
Bicarbonate Potash 1 dram
Lard 1 ounce
Mix, to be used in obstinate cases in adults.
Ringworm of the Scalp.--Cautions and Treatment.--Be careful that others do
not catch it from you. Separate the child affected. Cleanse the diseased
parts from time to time by shampooing with a strong soap. The hair over
the whole scalp should be clipped short and the affected parts shaved, or
if allowed, the hairs in the affected parts pulled out. The remedies are
then applied if possible in the shape of ointments, which are thoroughly
rubbed in. Vaselin and lanolin are better as a base for the medicine, as
they penetrate deeper. Following remedies are the most valuable:
1. Carbolic acid, one to two drams to glycerin one ounce.
2. Oleate of mercury, strength ten to twenty per cent.
3. Sulphur Ointment, ten to twenty per cent strength.
4. Tincture of Iodine.
This variety lasts longer than the ringworms on the body, months sometimes
are required to cure it.
BARBER'S ITCH (Ringworm of the Beard).--Mother's Remedies. 1. Standard
Remedy for.--"Plain vaselin two ounces, venice turpentine one-half ounce,
red precipitate one-half ounce. Apply locally. Great care should be taken
not to expose affected parts to cold and draughts while ointment is in
use, especially if affected surface is large." The above is a standard
remedy and will be found very effective in all cases of barber's itch. The
vaselin will assist in healing the sores and softening up the scabs.
[88 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
2. Barber's Itch, Healing Ointment for.--"Plain vaselin four ounces,
sulphur two ounces, sal-ammoniac powder two drams. Mix and apply daily
after cleansing the parts thoroughly with castile soap and soda water.
This is also an almost infallible cure for common itch." The vaselin is
very good and healing, while the sulphur has a soothing effect and is a
good antiseptic.
3. Barber's Itch, Reliable Remedy for.--"Citrine ointment one dram,
vaselin or cosmolin one ounce. Mix thoroughly. Wash the affected parts
clean and apply this ointment on a soft rag three times a day." This is a
standard remedy and one to be relied upon. It is very soothing and has
great healing properties.
4. Barber's Itch, Sulphur and Lard for.--"Sulphur and lard mixed together
and applied three or four times a day. Have found this to be the best of
anything ever used for barber's itch." This remedy will be found very good
if the case is not very severe. If the face is covered with sores, filled
with pus and of long standing a stronger treatment should be used. See
other Mothers' Remedies, also Doctors' Treatment.
5. Barber's Itch, Cuticura Ointment for.--"Apply cuticura ointment to the
sores, and as it draws out the water press a clean cloth against the sore
to absorb the water. This will generally draw the water out in three or
four days."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Barber's Itch.--Pulling out the hairs or close
shaving every day. Keep the affected parts soaking with olive oil for two
successive days. The evening of the third day the shampoo is employed, the
skin is washed free from crusts and scales, shave cleanly. After shaving
bathe the parts for ten minutes with borated water, as hot as can be
borne; while this is being done, all pustules or points where there is a
mucous fluid coming out to the surface are opened with a clean needle.
Sponge freely over the affected surface with a strong solution of
hyposulphite of sodium for several minutes and not allow it to dry; this
solution may contain one dram and perhaps more to the ounce. After a
thorough and final washing with hot water, the tender skin is carefully
dried and gently smeared with a sulphur ointment containing one to two
drams of sulphur to the ounce of vaselin, often with the addition of from
one-quarter to one-half grain of mercuric sulphide. In the morning wash
the ointment off with soap and water, the sodium solution is reapplied and
a borated or salicylated powder is thoroughly dusted and kept over the
parts during the day and apply ointment at night. The shaving must be
repeated at least the next day. As soon as there are no pustules (lumps),
or they have diminished in size, the ointment at night is superseded by
the use of the dusting powder. The washing with very hot water and with
the solution hyposulphite is continued nightly, when the inflammation
excited by the parasite is limited to the follicles that are invaded.
Continue the dusting powder after the ointment is discontinued.
[SKIN DISEASES 89]
WART (Verucca). Mothers' Remedies.--1. An Application for, also Good for
Cuts and Lacerations.--"Make a lotion of ten drops tincture of marigold to
two ounces of water and apply." This is also good for severe cuts and
lacerations. It may be applied by cloths or bandages if the case requires.
2. Warts, Match and Turpentine Wash.--"Dissolve matches in turpentine and
apply to wart three or four times," This preparation helps to eat them
away and if kept on too long is apt to produce a sore; care should
therefore be taken in using this remedy.
3. Warts, Muriate of Ammonia for.--"Take a piece of muriate of ammonia,
moisten and rub on the wart night and morning; after a week's treatment
the wart, if not extra large, will disappear."
4. Warts, Turpentine for.--"Rub frequently with turpentine for a few days
and they will disappear. This is a very simple remedy, but a good one, and
worth trying if you are afflicted with warts."
5. Warts, to Remove.--"The juice of the marigold frequently applied is
effectual in removing them. Or wash them with tincture of myrrh."
6. Warts, Milkweed Removes.--"Let a drop of the common milkweed soak into
the wart occasionally, the wart will loosen and fall out. This can be
applied as often as convenient; here in Canada we do not have to go far to
get a plant."
7. The following is a good application:
Salicylic Acid 1/2 dram
Cannabis Indicia 5 grains
Collodion 1 ounce
Mix and apply to the wart.
Tincture of thuja is very good in some cases when applied daily.
HIVES, Nettle Rash (Urticaria). Causes.--Foods such as shell fish,
strawberries, cheese, pickles, pork and sausages.
Medicines that may cause it.--Quinine, copaiba, salicylic acid, etc.
Disorders of the stomach and bowels. Insects, like mosquito, bedbug, etc.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Hives or Nettle Rash, Slippery Elm.--"Slippery elm
used as a wash and taken as a drink." Slippery elm is especially good for
any skin disease, as it is very soothing to the parts and relieves the
itching. If taken as a drink it acts on the kidneys and bowels, throwing
off all the impurities.
2. Hives or Nettle Rash, External and Internal Home Medicine for.--"Bathe
with weak solution of vinegar. Internal remedy; sweet syrup of rhubarb
with small lump of saleratus (size of a pea) dissolved in it. This dose
was given to a two-year-old child." The rhubarb helps to rid the stomach
and bowels of its impurities, relieving the disease, as hives are usually
due to some disorder of the kidneys and bowels.
[90 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
3. Hives or Nettle Rash, Tea and Powder for.--"Rub with buckwheat flour;
this will relieve the itching almost immediately. Sassafras tea is a good
internal remedy."
4. Hives or Nettle Rash, Catnip Tea for.--"Boil catnip leaves to make a
tea, slightly sweeten and give about six or eight teaspoonfuls at bed time
and keep patient out of draughts." The tea can be taken throughout the day
also. If taken hot on going to bed it causes sweating and care should be
taken not to catch cold while the pores are opened.
5. Hives or Nettle Rash, Mother from Buckhorn, Florida, says following is
a sure Cure for.--"Grease with poplar bud stewed down until strong; take
out buds, add one teaspoonful lard, stew all the water out. Grease and
wrap up in wool blanket."
6. Hives or Nettle Rash, from a Mother at New Milford, Pennsylvania.--"One
tablespoonful castor oil first. Then put one tablespoonful salts and cream
tartar in glass of water; take one spoonful before eating. Have used this
and found it excellent." The castor oil acts on the bowels and the cream
of tartar on the blood.
7. Hives or Nettle Rash, Buttermilk for.--"Buttermilk applied two or three
times a day. Found this to be good for nettle rash." Buttermilk is very
soothing and will relieve the itching. This is an old tried remedy.
8. Hives or Nettle Rash, Baking Soda Wash for.--"Make a strong solution of
common baking soda, about three teaspoonfuls to pint of water. Sponge or
bathe body thoroughly." Any mother who has a child in the house knows how
valuable baking soda is in case of burns, on account of its cooling
properties. For this same reason it will be found excellent for above
disease, as it will relieve the itching and is very soothing. Good for
children if used not quite as strong.
9. Hives or Nettle Rash, Canada Blue Clay for.--"Mix up blue clay and
water to make a paste. Leave until dry and then wash off."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Hives or Nettle Rash.--Remove causes. Bowels and
kidneys should act freely. Abstain from eating for a day or two if
necessary.
For the Itching.--Diluted vinegar, applied is effective. Also camphor.
Cream of Tartar 2 ounces
Epsom Salts 2 ounces
Take three or four teaspoonfuls to move the bowels, or one teaspoonful
every three hours if the bowels are regular enough. For a child one year
old, give one teaspoonful in water every three hours until the bowels move
freely.
SUNBURN.--When severe, sunburn may present the symptoms of inflammation of
the skin. Then there will be redness, swelling and pain followed by deep
discoloration of the skin.
[SKIN DISEASES 91]
MOTHERS' REMEDIES for Sunburn.--1. Lemon Juice and Vinegar for.--"An
application of the juice of a lemon or vinegar."
2. Sunburn, Ammonia Water for.--"Ammonia will remove sunburn in one
night." Care should be taken in using this remedy. The ammonia should be
diluted half with water and not used too often.
3. Sunburn, Relief from Pain and Smarting of.--"Benzoated zinc ointment or
vaselin applied to the affected parts is sure to give relief and avoid
much pain and smarting."
4. Sunburn, Preparation for.--"I have found nothing better than
mentholatum." Mentholatum is simply a mixture of vaselin or cosmolin and
menthol. They are both very healing, and will be found beneficial.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Sunburn.--Soothing ointments and dusting powders
are generally sufficient for sunburn. Talcum powder (Mennen's borated),
rice powder, oatmeal powders are good and healing. The following are good:
1. Oxide of Zinc Powder 1/2 ounce
Powdered Camphor 1-1/2 dram
Powdered Starch 1 ounce
Mix. Dust on the parts.
2. Powdered Starch 1 ounce
Powdered Camphor 1 dram
Well mixed and applied is soothing to the parts.
3. The following is a good combination:
Carbonate of Lead 1 dram
Powdered Starch 1 dram
Ointment of Rose Water 1 ounce
Olive Oil 2 drams
Mix and apply to the inflamed skin.
GANGRENE.--This is the death of a part of the body in mass. There are two
forms, moist and dry.
Dry Gangrene.--This is a combination produced by a loss of water from the
tissues. The skin becomes dark and wrinkled and is often hard, like
leather. Senile or old age gangrene, and really due to the arterial
sclerosis, usually occurs in the lower extremities, involving the toes. A
slight injury may first start up the trouble. The pain in this variety is
not usually great.
[92 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Gangrene, Remedy from New York that cured a
Gangrenous Case.--"A man aged 74 years had a sore below the knee for
fifteen years; at last gangrene appeared in his foot and three physicians
pronounced his case hopeless on account of his age. I was called as a
neighbor and found the foot swollen to twice its natural size, and the man
in pain from head to foot. I ordered cabbage leaves steamed until wilted,
then put them over the limb from knee to foot and covered with a cloth. In
about fifteen minutes they were black, so we removed them and put on fresh
ones, repeating the change until the leaves did not turn black. Then the
sore was thoroughly cleansed with a weak solution of saleratus and while
wet was thickly covered with common black pepper and wrapped up. The
saleratus water and pepper was changed night and morning until the sore
was entirely healed. After the third day this man had no pain, and in four
weeks was entirely healed. A year later he said he had never had any
trouble with it or with rheumatism which he had had for years before."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Gangrene.--The skin should be treated. Poultices
sometimes may be good, or bottles of hot water around the parts. A general
tonic should be given.
Moist Gangrene. Causes.--Wounds, fractures, injuries, pressure from lying
in bed and frost bite.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Moist Gangrene.--Remove the cause if possible.
This kind is more dangerous, and a physician should be called as the best
treatment that can be given is none too good.
BLISTER.--This is a watery elevation of the outer skin. It is caused by
rubbing, for instance of a shoe, friction from anything, or from burns. It
frequently appears on the hands after working for some time at manual
labor, when the hands are not accustomed to work. It is the common blister
which hardly needs much describing.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES for Blister.--1. Linseed Oil for.--"Linseed oil used
freely." This is a very good remedy because it is soothing. Any good
soothing lotion or salve that will draw out the soreness and pain is
helpful.
2. Blister. A Method of Raising a Blister.--"If a blister is needed take
an ordinary thick tumbler, rub alcohol inside and around the rim, then
invert over a piece of cotton, saturated with alcohol and ignited; after a
few minutes the glass may be removed and clapped on the surface of the
body. As the glass contains rarified air the flesh will be drawn up into
it and a blister formed."
IVY POISONING.--The parts usually affected are the hands, face, the
genitals, the arms, the thighs and neck.
Symptoms.--These usually appear soon. Red patches, with scanty or profuse
watery pimples, with a watery discharge after bursting. There is swelling,
intense burning and itching. The parts sometimes swell very much and look
watery. The person can hardly keep from scratching.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Ivy Poisoning, Buttermilk and Copperas for.--"Wash
in copperas and buttermilk three or four times a day. Have seen this used
and it helped." The copperas and buttermilk is very good when applied to
the parts immediately after the poison is discovered. The copperas acts
very much like sugar of lead and in some cases is very much more
effective.
[SKIN DISEASES 93]
2. Ivy Poisoning, Cure for.--
"Bromine 10 to 20 drops
Olive Oil 1 ounce
Mix. Rub the mixture gently into the affected parts three or four times a
day. The bromine being volatile the solution should be freshly made."
This remedy is frequently used by physicians, and is very effective.
CHAPPED HANDS AND FACE. Mothers' Remedies.--1. Chapped Hands, Quince Seed
Cream for.--"Soak one teaspoonful of quince seeds in one cup warm water
over night. Strain through a cloth and add one ounce glycerin, five cents'
worth bay rum, and perfume if you choose."
2. Chapped Hands, Soothing Lotion for.--"Bathe them in soft water using
ivory soap and Indian meal; when dry bathe in vinegar. Have tried this
treatment and my hands feel soft and easy after treatment." It would be
best to dilute the vinegar with water one-half.
3. Chapped Hands, Glycerin for.--"Use glycerin freely." Glycerin is very
irritating to some people, then again it works like a charm. You can tell
only by trying it.
4. Chapped Hands, Carbolic Salve for.--"We always use a good carbolic
salve for these, as we have found nothing better for sores of any kind." A
few drops of carbolic acid added to any good salve will give you the
above.
5. Chapped Hands, Glycerin and Lemon Juice for.--"Two-thirds glycerin,
one-third lemon juice, mix well together; apply nights."
6. Chapped Hands, Camphor Ice for.--"Camphor ice." Apply frequently after
thoroughly washing and drying the hands.
7. Chapped Hands, Remedy from a New York Lady.--
Glycerin 4 ounces
Cologne 2 ounces
Benzoin 1/2 ounce
Rain water 1 pint
Mix thoroughly and apply to the hands after washing.
This remedy has also been used for years by a friend, and we have proved
it good. If applied frequently during the winter the hands will not chap."
8. Chapped Hands, Rose Cream for.--"Get ten cents' worth of rose water,
five cents' worth of glycerin and the juice of one lemon. Mix and rub on
the affected parts,"
9. Chapped Hands, Preventive for.--"A little diluted honey or almond oil
will restore softness and prevent chapping."
[94 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
10. Chapped Hands or Face, from a Twin Falls Idaho, Mother.--"One-fourth
ounce gum tragacanth dissolved in one and half pints of soft water; then
add ounce each of alcohol, glycerin and witch-hazel, also a little
perfume. I find this one of the best remedies I ever used for sore or
chapped hands."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Chapped Hands.--
1. Subnitrate of Bismuth 3 drams
Oleate of Zinc 3 drams
Lycopodium 2 drams
Mix. Apply to the parts three times daily.
2. Powdered camphor mixed with vaselin is healing.
3. Ointment of water of roses (cold cream) is a soothing application. It
can be improved by adding a little glycerin and benzoic acid--this keeps
it sweet in warm weather.
4. Powdered zinc oxide, or starch as a dusting powder.
FACE CREAMS, Mothers' Preparations.--l. Cream of Pond Lilies.--"This
agrees especially well with oily skins; will keep indefinitely.
Orange Flower Water, triple 6 ounces
Deodorized Alcohol 1-1/2 ounces
Bitter Almonds, blanched
and beaten in a mortar 1 ounce
White Wax 1 dram
Spermaceti 1 dram
Oil of Benne 1 dram
Shaving Cream 1 dram
Oil of Bergamot 12 drops
Oil of Cloves 6 drops
Oil of Neroli Bigrade 6 drops
Borax 1/5 ounce
Dissolve the borax in the orange flower water, slightly warmed. Mix the
wax, spermaceti, oil of benne and shaving cream in a bainmaire, at gentle
heat. Then stir in the perfumed water and almonds. Strain through a clean
muslin strainer, place in a mortar and while stirring gradually work in
the alcohol in which the oils have been previously dissolved."
2. Face Cream, When Facing our North Winds, in Canada, I Use
this.--"Honey, almond meal, and olive oil to form paste. Use after getting
skin cleaned. I used it myself and find it good when going out driving."
3. Face Cream, Lanolin Cream.--
Lanolin 1 ounce
Sweet Almond Oil 1/2 ounce
Boric Acid 40 drops
Tincture of Benzoin 10 drops
This is a good skin food to be rubbed into the skin with the tips of the
fingers."
4. Face Cream, Cucumber Lotion.--
"Expressed Juice of cucumbers 1/2 pint
Deodorized Alcohol 1-1/2 ounces
Oil of Benne 3-1/4 ounces
Shaving Cream 1 dram
Blanched Almonds 1-3/4 drams
[SKIN DISEASES 95]
The preparation of this is the same as for almond lotion. It is an
excellent cosmetic to use in massaging the face and throat, as it not only
tones any relaxed tissues, but also may be used to cleanse the skin during
the day. A complexion brush is an excellent investment; one should be
chosen that has fine camel's hair bristle's. It should be used in
connection with good soap."
5. Face Cream, Almond Lotion to Whiten and Soften the Skin.--
"Bitter Almonds, blanched and beaten 4 ounces
Orange Flower Water 12 ounces
Curd Soap (or any fine toilet soap) 1/2 ounce
Oil of Bergamot 50 drops
Oil of Cannelle 10 drops
Oil of Almonds 20 drops
Alcohol (65% solution) 4 ounces
Powder or break up the soap; dissolve in the orange flower water by
heating in a bain-maire, gradually work almonds into the soap and water.
Strain and finish as directed above. This is a bland lotion, very
cleansing, whitening and softening."
6. Face Cream. the Cold Ontario Wind Harmless When Using this.--"Wash in
warm water, rub face dry with corn-meal. This takes place of bottle
cream."
FROST BITES.--Keep the patient in a cold atmosphere, or put into a cold
bath and the frozen part rubbed with snow or ice until sensation is felt
and color returns; then discontinue the rubbing and apply ice water
compresses. Stimulants such as brandy, coffee and hot drinks are given,
but external heat is only gradually permitted, for the circulation returns
very slowly to the frost-bitten parts, and in trying to hasten it, we run
the risk of producing or, at least, increasing the tendency to gangrene of
the frozen parts.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--l. Frost Bites. Remedy from Northern New York.--"Soak
the parts affected in kerosene oil; this will soon draw out the frost."
2. Frost Bites, Roasted Turnips for.--"Roasted turnips bound to the parts
frosted." This is a very soothing application, but should not be put on
warm. Cold applications are what are needed in frost bites.
[Transcriber's Note: From the Mayo Clinic (2005): 1. Get out of the cold.
2. Warm hands by tucking them into your armpits. If your nose, ears or
face is frostbitten, warm the area by covering it with dry, gloved hands.
3. Don't rub the affected area, especially with snow. 4. If there's any
chance of refreezing, don't thaw out the affected areas. If they're
already thawed out, wrap them up so they don't refreeze. 5. Get emergency
medical help if numbness remains during warming. If you can't get help
immediately, warm severely frostbitten hands or feet in warm--not
hot--water.]
BUNIONS.--This is a lump over a joint usually of the big toe, usually due
to pressure and a wrong position of the surfaces of the joint.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Bunions, Remedy from Your Flower Garden.--"Peel
the outside skin from the leaf of 'Live Forever' and apply as a poultice.
Repeat until cured. This is a very good remedy and one that should be
tried if you are troubled with bunions or corns."
[96 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
2. Bunions, A Cure for.--
"Tincture of Iodine 2 drams
Tincture of Belladonna 2 drams
Apply twice a day with camel's hair brush."
This mixture when applied will have a drawing effect, and care should be
taken not to leave it on too long, as it will irritate the parts and make
it very sore.
3. Bunions, Iodine for.--"Apply tincture of iodine to the bunion night and
morning. This will reduce size; if used at first will entirely remove."
4. Bunions, Tested Remedy for.--"Take about one teaspoonful salicylic acid
in two tablespoons of lard, and apply night and morning. Before doing this
apply adhesive plasters to the affected parts." This is a standard remedy.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Bunions.--Rest of the part, cold applications
and liniments.
CHILBLAINS. (Erythema Pernio).--This occurs usually in people with a
feeble circulation or scrofulous constitution, usually seen in the young
or very old. The redness shows most, as a rule, on the hands and feet.
The redness may be either a light or dusky shade. It itches and burns
especially when near artificial heat. The redness disappears on pressure,
and the parts are cool rather than hot. It is an inflammation that follows
freezing or a frost-bite. It may return for years at the return of cold
weather.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Chilblains, a Cure for.--"Equal parts of extract of
rosemary and turpentine. Apply night and morning until cured." The
rosemary is very soothing, and the turpentine creates a drawing sensation.
It has cured many cases of chilblains.
2. Chilblains, Witch-hazel for.--"Bathe feet in lukewarm water and soda
and apply carbolized witch-hazel." This remedy is very soothing, and
always give relief.
3. Broken Chilblains, Ointment for.--
"Sweet Oil 1/2 pint
Venice Turpentine 1-1/2 ounce
Fresh Lard 1/4 pound
Beeswax 1-1/2 ounce
Simmer gently together in a pan water bath until the beeswax is melted,
stirring until cool. When it is ready for use apply on going to bed on a
soft rag."
4. Chilblains, Vinegar Cure.--"Soak the feet in a weak solution of
vinegar, then rub good with vaselin or oil."
5. Chilblains, Home-made Salve for.--
Fresh Lard 2 ounces
Venice Turpentine 1/2 ounce
Gum Camphor 1/2 ounce
Melt together, stirring briskly. When cold it is ready for use.
6. Chilblains, Common Glue for.--"Put a little common (dissolved) glue in
hot water and soak the feet in it. Repeat if necessary." This is very good
and gives relief.
[Illustration: Hearth, Stomach and Appendix]
[SKIN DISEASES 97]
7. Chilblains, the Onion Cure for.--"Raw onion rubbed on chilblains every
night and morning." The onion seems to have a very soothing effect upon
the chilblains, and this remedy has been known to cure many stubborn
cases. It is always well to soak the feet well before applying this
treatment, as the juice from the onion will penetrate more quickly.
8. Chilblains, the Hemlock Remedy for.--"Hemlock twigs mixed with lard and
pounded until it is green, then bound on."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Chilblains.--Thick woolen stockings, mittens and
ear protections should be worn. Daily cold baths, especially of such
parts, should be taken. Alcohol applied to the parts, full strength, will
harden the tissues. Camphor also is good.
Internal.--Iron should be given to establish a better circulation and give
strength. Tincture of iron, five drops three times a day, is good.
External.--1. Alum as a wash applied to the parts.
2. Ointment of ichthyol, one-half strength, is very good in some cases.
3. Rosin made in an ointment is also good to relieve some cases.
4. Lard and iodine ointment is excellent for some.
5. The following is also good:
Prepared Chalk 1 ounce
Powdered Camphor 10 grains
Linseed Oil 2 ounces
Balsam of Peru 20 drops
Mix and apply.
DIGESTIVE ORGANS, DISEASES OF.
CANKER SORE MOUTH. (Aphthous Stomatitis.)--This is a variety of
inflammation of the mouth where there are one or more vesicles (cankers)
upon the edges of the tongue, the cheek or the lips.
Causes.--They are most common in children between two and six years of
age; but are not rare in adults. Predisposing causes are spring and
autumn, tuberculosis, teething, poor nutrition, stomach and bowel
disorders.
Symptoms.--The vesicles soon rupture and leave the ulcer (canker). There
may be a few or many, pin-head or split pea in size, along the edges of
the tongue, inside the cheeks. They are very tender.
[98 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Canker Sore Mouth, Raspberry Leaf for.--"Infuse a
handful of raspberry leaves in a half pint of boiling water for fifteen
minutes; when cold strain and add two ounces tinc. of myrrh, rinse the
mouth with a little of it two or three times a day, swallow a little each
time until relieved. This is also good for spongy gums, loose teeth, bad
breath and for gently correcting and cleansing the stomach."
2. Canker Sore Mouth, Oak Bark Tea for.--"Red Oak bark, a little salt and
pepper." The bark should be boiled down to make a good strong tea,
according to age of person. The salt has an astringent effect upon the
mouth and is also a good antiseptic. The pepper should not be used when
the parts are very red and inflamed. It should be used only when they are
rather sluggish.
3. Canker Sore Mouth, Boracic acid for.--"Rinse the mouth with a solution
of boracic acid and put some of the dry powder on the canker," This is a
very good remedy as the boracic acid is a good antiseptic and is
especially good for children and mild cases of canker sore mouth.
4. Canker Sore Mouth, Canker Weed Tea for.--"Apply canker weed found in
the woods. A small plant with dark green leaves spotted with white." Make
a tea of the canker weed by steeping it, then strain and apply to the
affected parts. This is a very good remedy.
5. Canker Sore Mouth, Honey and Borax for.--"Honey and borax used as a
mouth wash or swabbing is excellent." The honey is very soothing and the
borax is a good antiseptic.
6. Canker Sore Mouth, Wild Turnip for.--"Dried wild turnip grated fine and
put in mouth. I know this is excellent."
7. Canker Sore Mouth, Alum for.--"Take a piece of alum, rub on the canker
often."
8. Canker Sore Mouth, Borax Water for.--"Rinse the mouth well with a weak
solution of borax water, then put a little dry borax on the canker. They
will generally heal after one or two applications."
9. Sore Mouth, Common and Effective Remedy for.--"Make an infusion of
sumach bobs (not the poison ones, of course). Good for sore throat when
used as a gargle and a little swallowed frequently." This is a very
effective remedy and is also good for sore mouth.
10. Sore Mouth, Shoemaker Root and Borax good for.--"Take the inside bark
of shoemaker root and steep it; strain, add a little borax; have known it
to take off canker where doctors failed." If the above cannot be secured
make a tea from common strawberry leaves. You can use this for a baby by
swabbing the mouth, and I have known some mothers to throw in a small
piece of alum making it stronger for an older person.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 99]
1. PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Canker Sore Mouth.--If from the diseases
mentioned treat them. In the meantime to relieve the local conditions keep
the mouth clean and use as a mouth wash boric acid, one teaspoonful to a
cup of warm water.
2. Burnt alum applied directly to the part is good.
3. Nitrate of silver pencil applied directly to the canker until it turns
whitish, cures in a few applications. Use twice a day.
4. A wash of sage tea is good also, but it must be strong.
5. The juice of a ripe tomato is good applied locally. Sore mouth should
be kept absolutely clean. Thrush frequently comes from uncleanness.
GANGRENOUS STOMATITIS.--This is a rapidly spreading gangrenous affection
of the cheeks and forms a rare occurrence and ending fatally in most
cases. The trouble may extend to the jaws and lips.
Causes.--It is more common in girls and boys and usually appears between
the ages of two and five years. It is worse in the low countries like
Holland, but it is not contagious. It is more likely to attack the sickly
children suffering from the effects of overcrowding. It may follow
diseases like scarlet fever, typhoid fever, smallpox, etc.
Symptoms.--It usually affects first the mucous membrane of one cheek, near
the corner of the mouth, as a dark, ragged, sloughing ulcer and spreads
for two or three days before the substance of the cheek is infected. If
you grasp the cheek between the thumb and finger you can then feel a hard
and sensitive lump. The cheek may be eaten through by the third day,
though a week generally passes before this happens. There is a burning
watery discharge from the unhealthy wound. The breath smells terribly and
it is almost unbearable. The gangrene may spread over one half of the face
of the side affected.
TREATMENT.--The death rate is eighty to ninety per cent. This is a very
dangerous disease and a doctor must be in attendance. Cut, away all the
dead tissue by using burning caustics, such as fuming nitric acid, solid
zinc chloride, nitrate of silver, carbolic acid on the actual canker.
Sometimes mild applications like sub nitrate of bismuth, chloride of
potash or the following do well:--
Sulphate of copper 2 drams
Powdered cinchona 1/2 ounce
Water enough to make 4 ounces
Mix and apply. Peroxide of hydrogen is good as a disinfectant or boric
acid solution, etc., may be used. Keep up the patient's strength.
Fortunately this disease is rare. I have never seen a case in practice.
Salivation.--Stop the mercury, keep the bowels open and use the same
antiseptic washes as directed for sore mouth.
[100 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Chlorate of Potash Solution, Soda Solutions, Boracic Acid
Solutions.--Brush the ulcers with nitrate of silver sticks. Keep the mouth
clean with hot water washes and some of the antiseptics put in the water
as boric acid, soda, glycothymotine, listerine, etc.
ACUTE DYSPEPSIA.--(Acute Indigestion, Acute Gastritis). "Gaster" is the
Greek for stomach; "itis" means inflammation,--thus acute inflammation of
the stomach. It may be acute or chronic. When acute it may be called acute
gastritis, acute gastric catarrh, acute dyspepsia or acute indigestion.
When chronic it may be called chronic gastritis, chronic catarrh of the
stomach, chronic dyspepsia or chronic indigestion.
Causes.--This is a very common complaint and is usually caused by eating
foods that are hard to digest, which either themselves irritate the
stomach, or remain undigested, decompose, and so excite an acute
dyspepsia, or indigestion, or it may be caused by eating or taking in more
than the stomach can digest. A frequent cause is eating decomposing food,
particularly in hot weather. Alcohol is another great cause.
Symptoms.--In mild cases. Distress in the stomach, headache, weary
feeling, thirst, nausea, belching of wind, sour food, and vomiting; the
tongue is heavily coated and the saliva increased. In children there are
loose bowels and colicky pains. It lasts rarely more than twenty-four
hours. Vomiting usually relieves the patient.
Severe cases.--These may set in with a chill; fever 102 or 103. The
tongue is much coated, breath foul and frequent vomiting, loss of
appetite, great thirst, tenderness in region of the stomach; repeated
vomiting of food at first, then of bile stained fluid with mucus;
constipation or diarrhea. Attacks last one to five days.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Mustard and Molasses
for.--"Mustard is an excellent household remedy kept in every home. A
tablespoonful of white mustard mingled with two ounces of molasses and
then taken once a day will act gently on the bowels and is a beneficial
remedy in dyspepsia." By acting upon the bowels it relieves the stomach of
any food that may have caused a disturbance and relieves the dyspepsia.
2. Flatulent Dyspepsia, Wormwood tea for.--"Wormwood, one to two
teaspoonfuls, water one pint. Make a tea and take from one to four
teaspoonfuls daily." This is an old tried remedy and one that should be
given a trial if affected with dyspepsia.
3. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Dry salt for.--"One-half teaspoon dry salt
taken before each meal. Knew a gentleman who was nearly worn out with this
trouble and entirely cured himself with this simple remedy." It is always
well to give these simple remedies a fair trial, before resorting to
strong drugs. Salt is a good stimulant.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 101]
4. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Chicken Gizzard Skin for.--"Four ounces good
brandy, one-fourth pound of loaf sugar, one tablespoonful pulverized
chicken gizzard skin, one teaspoonful Turkish rhubarb dried on paper
stirring constantly; this prevents griping; the chicken gizzard skin is
the lining of the gizzard which should be thoroughly cleaned and dried
then pulverized. To prepare put brandy and sugar together (crush the
sugar), light a paper and set fire to the brandy; let burn until sugar is
dissolved, then add the gizzard skin and rhubarb, stir together and if too
thick add a little water and boil up. Dose :--Infant, one-half teaspoonful
every four hours; child, one teaspoonful every four hours; adult, one
tablespoonful every four hours. Have used this remedy for a great many
years and given it to a great many people who have worn out all other
remedies."
5. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, an Excellent Tonic for.--
"Tincture Gentian Compound 2 ounces
Tincture Rhubarb 2 ounces
Tincture Ginger 1/2 ounce
Essence Peppermint 2 ounces
Bicarbonate Soda 1/2 ounce
Water to make 8 ounces
Mix.
For acute cases of indigestion where the stomach and bowels are full and
distended, or sour stomach, spitting up of food. This will often relieve
at once and with continued use relieves entirely."
6. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Fruit Diet Cure for.--"Persons afflicted with
this disease would find great relief if they would confine themselves to a
diet of fruit only for several days." This gives the stomach an
opportunity to rest up and get back to its natural state.
7. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Hickory Ashes for.--"Take a swallow of
hickory limb ashes and water three times a day."
8. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Salt and water for.--"Drink sal and water
before eating breakfast."
9. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Slippery Elm for.--"Chew slippery elm; it
aids digestion."
10. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Cold Water for.--"A glass of cold water half
hour before eating."
11. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Hot Water for.--"Sip a cup of boiling hot
water before eating anything."
12. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Yolk of Egg and Salt for.--"A very simple
but good remedy is the yolk of one egg, with a small quantity of common
salt before breakfast. This treatment has been tried and known to cure in
many cases."
13. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Lemon Remedy for.--"Drink a half glass of
water into which has been put the juice of a lemon (no sugar) morning and
evening. This is a fine remedy."
[102 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
14. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Hops Excellent for.--"Pour one quart of
boiling water over one-half ounce of hops, cover this over and allow the
infusion to stand for fifteen minutes; the tea must then be strained off
into another jug. A small cupful may be drank in the morning, which will
create an appetite and also strengthen the digestive powers. It is an
excellent medicinal drink." Hops does its work by the soothing and
quieting action on the whole system, and should be taken regularly for
some time.
15. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Tested Remedy for.--"A good digestive is
made as follows:
Tincture of Leptandrin 1 ounce
Tincture of Hydrastis 1 ounce
Tincture of Colombo 1 ounce
Wine of Pepsin 1 ounce
Mix. Dose, two teaspoonfuls after each meal."
The leptandrin acts on the liver, the colombo is a bitter tonic and
hydrastis is a good tonic for the stomach.
16. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Chamomile Tonic for Aged Persons also for
Children.--"Put about one-half ounce chamomile flowers into a jug, pour a
pint of boiling water upon them, cover up the tea, and when it has stood
about ten minutes pour it off from the flowers into another jug; sweeten
with sugar or honey. A cupful in the morning will strengthen the digestive
organs, a teacupful in which is stirred a large dessert spoonful of moist
sugar and a little grated ginger is an excellent thing to give to aged
persons a couple of hours before dinner," It is remarkable to see how this
treatment aids the digestion, especially in chronic cases. It may also be
given to fretful children in small doses.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT in mild cases of acute Dyspepsia.--These recover by
themselves by giving the stomach rest, and taking a dose of castor oil.
Hot water is good to help to clean out the stomach.
Treatment in severe forms.--Promote vomiting by drinking large amount of
warm water. This cleans the stomach of the sour, foul, decomposing food.
If warm water does not cause vomiting, give any simple emetic you may have
at your hand, such as mustard, etc., one teaspoonful. If the stomach
tastes very sour, take some baking soda; subnitrate of bismuth (ten
grains) is good, if you have it. If the bowels are constipated you should
take an enema (injection) or salts. Soda water can be drank freely. Rest
the stomach for a day from food. For the thirst cracked ice is relished.
As the patient is usually very thirsty the mouth should be rinsed
frequently with cool water and some can be swallowed. As stated before for
nausea and sour belching, baking soda or bismuth subnitrate can be used
when there is much gas, sour belchings; crust coffee is very good. Burn
the toast and make a hot coffee of it.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 103]
DIET.--Given us by the Lady Superior of one of the largest Catholic
Hospitals in Ohio.
May take--
Soups--Clear thin soups of beef, mutton or oysters.
Fish--Oysters raw, shad, cod, perch, bass, fresh mackerel.
Meats--Beef, mutton, chicken, lamb, tripe, tongue, calf's head, broiled
chopped meat, sweetbread, game, tender steak.
Eggs--Boiled, poached, raw.
Farinaceous--Cracked wheat, hominy, rolled oats, rice, sago, tapioca,
crackers, dry toast, stale bread, corn bread, whole wheat bread, graham
bread, rice cakes.
Vegetables--Spinach, string beans, green peas, lettuce, cresses, celery,
chicory, asparagus.
Desserts--Rice, tapioca or farina pudding, junket, custards, baked apples,
apple snow, apple tapioca, ripe fruits--raw or stewed.
Drinks--One cup of milk and hot water equal parts, or one glass of pure
cool water, sipped after eating, Panopepton or cracked ice.
Must Not Take--Rich soups or chowders, veal, pork, hashes, stews, turkey,
potatoes, gravies, fried foods, liver, kidney; pickled, potted, corned or
cured meats; salted, smoked or preserved fish; goose, duck, sausage,
crabs, lobster, salmon, pies, pastry, candies, ice cream, cheese, nuts,
ice water, malt or spirituous liquors.
CHRONIC DYSPEPSIA (Chronic Indigestion--Chronic Gastritis--Stomach
Trouble).--A chronic digestive disorder characterized by increased
secretion of mucus, changes in the gastric juice, weakening of the stomach
muscles and diseased changes in the mucous membrane.
Causes.--The use of unsuitable and improperly prepared food, too much fat,
starchy foods, New England pie, and hot meals, biscuits, cakes, etc.,
greasy gravies, too strong tea or coffee, and too much alcohol. Eating too
much food, eating too fast, and eating between meals. Drinking of ice and
cold water during or after meals. Chewing, especially, and smoking
tobacco.
[104 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Symptoms.--Almost every bad feeling can be put under this head, both
physical and mental. It has been coming on gradually for some time and the
warnings have not been heeded; The appetite is variable, sometimes good
and often poor. Among the early symptoms are feelings of distress or
oppression after eating, and they may amount to actual pain; great or
small. Sometimes feels sick at the stomach, belching of gas and bitter
liquids and vomiting of food immediately after eating or some hours later.
Stomach tender and painful to the touch. Stomach and abdomen are
distended, especially after meals, with costive bowels or diarrhea. Feels
weary, blue, tired, discouraged, poor sleep, bad dreams, bitter taste in
the mouth, tongue coated especially on the back part, craves different
things, much wind on the stomach, acid stomach, heavy feeling in the
stomach, sometimes as if a stone lay there. Stomach feels weak, it is
hard to sit up. Frequently must lie down after meals. Urine may have sand
in it, Stomach feels full after eating only a little, must open up the
clothes across the stomach. Persons are cross, irritable, discouraged,
gloomy, nervous, generally look thin, haggard and sallow. The dreams are
of horrid things, nightmare.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES, Stomach Trouble, Spice Poultice for,--1. "Take all
kinds of ground spices and make a poultice. Heat whisky and wet the
poultice with it, then apply to the stomach and bowels." This will always
give relief. Wetting the poultice with whisky will be found very
beneficial as it will retain the heat longer.
2. Stomach Trouble, Oil of Hemlock for,--"The Oil of Hemlock is a superior
remedy in gastric irritation of the stomach. Dose:--One to two drops in
sweetened water every ten or twenty minutes until relief is afforded, for
an adult."
3. Cramps in Stomach, Ginger and Soda for.--"One teaspoonful of ginger
stirred in half glass of hot water in which a half teaspoonful of baking
soda has been dissolved." The ginger is very beneficial, as it warms up
the stomach and thereby relieves the cramps, and the baking soda relieves
any gas in the stomach that may be causing the trouble.
4. Cramps in Stomach, Oil of Peppermint for.--"Put a few drops of
peppermint in a glass of warm water. Take a teaspoonful every few minutes
until relieved." This is an old time-tried remedy our grandmothers used to
use and can be relied upon.
5. Cramps in Stomach, Mustard Poultice and Eggs for.--"Make a mustard
poultice with whites of eggs instead of water, and apply same to bowels.
Give a teaspoonful of blackberry tea every fifteen or twenty minutes until
relieved." The poultice acts as a counter irritant and will almost always
relieve the cramps without further medicines.
6. Pains in Stomach, Hot Plate for.--"Hot plate laid on stomach. Use the
heavy English made plates, common to us in Canada, as they will hold heat
longer."
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 105]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Chronic Gastritis.--Most cases can be cured if
the patient is willing to do the proper thing in eating and drinking and
regulating the habits. It takes time to cure such cases, and plenty of
grit and courage and "stick" on the patient's part. Remember it has been a
long time coming, longer than it will be going if the patient does right.
Diet and habits must be corrected. You cannot help the trouble if you put
into the stomach what has caused it. We eat too much fat and too much
improper and improperly cooked foods, our bread, etc., is half baked.
Gravies are rich and greasy, everything is highly seasoned, very much like
the life we lead.
Diet.--A regular time for eating and no eating between meals. Do not eat
too much or too fast, or anything that you know disagrees with you. Fried
foods are generally harmful, pies, cakes, hot breads, strong tea and
coffee and alcohol, gravy and highly spiced foods; vinegar pickles,
preserves, etc., are generally bad. If there is acid belching gas on
stomach, the starch foods should be restricted, particularly potatoes and
the coarser vegetables. Potatoes fried in lard or butter are always bad
unless you are a hard physical worker. Dr. Osler, England, says breads,
pancakes, pies, and tarts, with heavy pastry and fried articles of all
sorts, should be strictly prohibited. As a rule, white bread toasted is
more readily digested than bread made from the whole meal. Sometimes
graham bread is better. Sugar and very sweet articles of food should be
used in great moderation or avoided altogether. Ice cream frequently
aggravates it. Soda water is a great dyspepsia producer. Fats, except a
little good butter, very fat meats, and thick greasy soups and gravies
should be avoided.
Ripe fruits are good in some cases. Bananas generally are not digested.
Berries are frequently harmful. Milk is splendid diet for some people.
Cautions.--The bowels must be kept "moving" every day, try to do it by
dieting, rubbing the abdomen and exercise. Bathing the abdomen in cool
water is good. Go to the closet at a regular time every day and try to
have a passage, as this helps. Never put off going to stool when nature
calls. Dyspepsia is frequently made worse by constipation. Seek good
cheerful company. Do not worry over your condition. By care and diet you
will soon be all right.
Home Treatment.--1. Drink a glass of cold water an hour before breakfast,
or hot water if it agrees better with you.
2. Do not eat much meat.
3. If the stomach wants tone, bitter tonics, like quassia, gentian,
cardanum are good, even if drank as teas. When the tongue is coated with a
white thick fur, golden seal is good. Medicines are not as essential as
care and diet.
4. Charcoal in small doses is good for' a "gassy" stomach.
5. If a bitter tonic is needed the following is good:
Bicarbonate of Soda 1 dram
Tincture of Nux Vomica l to 2 drams
Compound tincture of Gentian, enough for 3 ounces
Mix and take one teaspoonful to a dessert spoonful before meals.
[106 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
NERVOUS DYSPEPSIA.--This is acquired from over work, worry, excitement,
hurried or irregular meals, or inherited. It shows itself in all sorts of
symptoms and they must be met as they come. Diet the same as for general
dyspepsia, never eat when you are tired, rest after eating.
ULCER OF THE STOMACH AND DUODENUM (Upper part of bowel).--Round or
perforating ulcer. The stomach ulcer is most common in women of twenty or
thirty; servant girls, shoemakers, and tailors are frequently attacked.
Ulcer of the duodenum is usually in males and may follow large superficial
burns. The ulcer in the stomach is usually situated near the pylorus (small
end) and in the first portion of the duodenum.
Symptoms.--Pain, local tenderness, vomiting and bleeding. These may not
show until perforation or bleeding occurs. Distress after eating, often
nausea and vomiting of very acid fluid, loss of weight and lack of blood.
Pain in the region of the stomach and the back is the most constant
symptom. It is usually sharp, increased at once by food, relieved by
vomiting. The tender spot can be located. Bleeding occurs in about
one-half the cases and is usually profuse, bright red and fluid; if
retained in the stomach the blood becomes clotted and brown. Tar-like
stools when there is blood in the bowels. They usually recover under
treatment, but may recur.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT FOR ULCER OF THE STOMACH.--1. Rest in bed most of
the time for several months.
2. Feed by the rectum at first in severe cases, then peptonized or plain
milk or buttermilk (three to four ounces) every two hours, some adding
eggs, chicken, scraped beef and farinaceous food, made of: rice, flour,
corn, potatoes, etc.
CANCER OF THE STOMACH.--Usually occurs after the age of forty.
Symptoms.--Indigestion for a few months; lack of blood and loss of weight.
Well marked case shows the following symptoms:--Distaste for food, nausea,
irregular vomiting, especially in cases where it is located near the
pylorus--the opening between the stomach and the small intestine--usually
one hour or more after eating; bleeding rarely profuse, usually of
"coffee-ground type," dragging, gnawing or burning pain in the region of
the stomach, back, loins or shoulders, usually increased by food;
progressive loss of weight and strength; peculiar sallow look, skin pale
or yellowish.
Course.--The person usually dies in twelve to eighteen months, sometimes
in three to four months.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 107]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT of Cancer of the Stomach and Bowels.--There is no
cure for this trouble except by an operation. This must be done early;
even this may not cure but it, at least, prolongs life and makes the
patient more comfortable while life does last. In the line of medicine the
only thing to do is to give only such remedies as will ease the symptoms.
Diet.--Attend to this also and you will save pain and distress. Every case
should be treated as it needs and no special directions can be given here.
BLEEDING FROM THE STOMACH.--(Haematemesis).
Causes.--Cancer and ulcer of the stomach are main causes of excessive
bleeding; poisons also cause it; injuries also.
Symptoms.--The vomited blood may be fluid or clotted; it is usually of
dark color. The longer it remains in the stomach the darker it becomes.
There may be great weakness and faint feeling on attempting to rise before
a vomiting of blood. The contents of the bowels when passed look "tarry."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Bleeding of the Stomach.--Absolute rest in bed
is necessary. The bowels should be moved by an enema and it can be
repeated carefully as often as necessary. Cracked ice in bag over the
stomach. If the patient vomits much medicine is useless. They generally
recover with rest. The extremities can be bandaged if there is great
weakness and also external heat can be applied if there is a tendency to
faintness.
Caution.--A person so afflicted, if he has ulcer, must be careful of his
diet for months after an attack. He should be careful not to lift, over
work, over eat or worry.
NEURALGIA OF THE STOMACH (Cardialgia, Gastralgia, Gastrodynia).--
This is a severe pain in paroxysms in the region of the stomach.
Causes.--The patients are of a nervous type. They may have anemia,
exhaustion from sickness and bleedings, the menstruation be at fault.
Grief, worry and anxiety.
Symptoms.--The attack comes suddenly as a rule. The pains are agonizing in
the stomach region, they may dart to the back or pass around the lower
ribs. The attack lasts from a few minutes to an hour or two. It does not
depend upon the food taken.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Neuralgia of the Stomach.--The causes should be
understood and especial treatment given for them. The patients are usually
run down and a tonic treatment is needed. Constipation and menstrual
troubles should be cured, worry, trouble and anxiety, if possible, be
removed. The following is good for nervous patients:--
Valerianate of zinc 18 grains
Valerianate of quinine 18 grains
Iron Arsenate 2 grains
Mix and make into eighteen pills and take one after meals.
[108 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Bitter tonics can be taken such as gentian, columbo, quassia. Change of
air and scene may be needed. Sometimes morphine must be given for the
attack. A physician should do this. If there is much gas, soda and
peppermint are good.
DIARRHEA:--Causes.
(a) Improper or excessive food, including green or over-ripe fruit.
(b) Poison substances; such as decomposed milk or meat either fresh or
canned: or caused by arsenic, mercury or colchicum.
(d) Exposure to cold, wet or draughts.
(c) Stomach disorder, preventing thorough digestion.
(e) Extension of inflammation from other organs.
Symptoms.--Sudden colicky pain in the bowels, moving about with rumbling
noises. The pain is not constant and is followed at intervals with a
sudden extreme desire to empty the bowels. The stools may be four to
twenty a day, watery or gruel-like in appearance and they sometimes
contain mucus or undigested food. The stools usually relieve the pain for
the time. It usually lasts two or three days or longer.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--Diarrhea.--1. "Wild Sage Tea." Wild sage tea is a
very good remedy for bowel trouble because of its astringent virtues.
Before the sage is used, however, the bowels should be thoroughly cleansed
with castor oil or salts.
2. Diarrhea, Egg and Nutmeg for.--"Beat up an egg, grate in half a nutmeg
and sweeten to taste. Repeat two or three times during the day. Remarks:
Has been known to help in chronic cases when doctors' medicine failed."
3. Diarrhea, Scorched Flour and Sugar for.--"Scorched flour in boiled milk
or scorched flour and sugar eaten dry is very good. This is a simple but a
never failing remedy if taken right at the beginning of the trouble."
4. Diarrhea, Excellent Compound for.--
"Paregoric 1 ounce
Tincture of Camphor 1/2 ounce
Tincture of Ginger 1/2 ounce
Tincture of Red Pepper 1/2 ounce
Essence of Peppermint 1/2 ounce
Ether 1/2 ounce
Mix.--Dose for adult, one teaspoonful to four of water every two hours
if necessary. This is an excellent remedy."
5. Diarrhea, Spice Poultice for.--"Make a poultice of all kinds of ground
spices, heat whisky and wet the poultice, apply to the stomach and
bowels."
6. Diarrhea, Blackberry Root Tea for.--"One-half ounce blackberry root
boiled in one pint water fifteen minutes, strain. Dose.--One teaspoonful
every hour or two until relieved."
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 109]
7. Diarrhea, Hot Milk, for.--"A glass of sweet milk that has been boiled
well. Drink hot; use several times daily until checked."
8. Diarrhea, Castor Oil for.--"Castor oil. Dose.--One to four teaspoonfuls
according to age. Wrap warm flannel around abdomen."
9. Summer Complaint, Former Canadian's Remedy for.--"Eat one blossom of
the May weed every hour or two until relieved. This remedy came from Port
Huron and has been used by my father with success."
10. Summer Complaint, a Goderich Lady Found this Good for.--"Powdered
rhubarb, cinnamon, baking soda (one tablespoonful of each), dissolve in
one pint of boiling water, add one tablespoonful of peppermint; take every
hour one teaspoonful in water."
11. Summer Complaint, Inexpensive Remedy for.--
"Paregoric 2 ounces
Brandy 1 ounce
Jamaica Ginger 1 ounce
Have used this and found it excellent." Dose: 1/2 dram every 3 hours.
12. Summer Complaint, Fern Root Good to Relieve.--"A decoction is made
with two ounces of the sweet fern root boiled in one and one-half pints
water to one pint. Dose.--A tablespoonful several times a day as the case
requires. Most useful in diarrhea," This may be purchased at any drug
store and will be found a very good treatment for diarrhea.
13. Summer Complaint, Milk and Pepper a Common Remedy for.--"Sweet milk
and black pepper once or twice a day. Dose.--Three or four swallows.
Mother used to use this for us children." The milk should be warmed, for
in this way it relieves the diarrhea while the pepper is stimulating.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Diarrhea.--1. Rest in bed is the best. Abstain
from food, especially at first, and then only give a little milk and
boiled water or milk and lime water every two hours for two days. Cracked
ice is good for the thirst.
2. A dose of one-half to an ounce of castor oil to an adult is of great
benefit, as it removes all the irritating matter from the bowels. This
often cures a light diarrhea. Follow by a blackberry wine or blackberry
cordial if it is more severe.
3. For children.--An infusion of path weed is an excellent remedy for this
trouble in children; after castor oil in one to two teaspoonful doses has
been given. If castor oil is too bad to take, you can use what is called
"spiced syrup of rhubarb," one to two teaspoonfuls to a child one to two
years old, and then follow with blackberry wine.
4. For infants.--An infusion of chamomile is good for the green diarrhea
of teething babies.
[110 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
5. Another for infants.--For infantile diarrhea the root of geranium
maculation or cranesbill, boiled in milk in the proportion of one or two
roots to the pint, will be found of great service and is tasteless.
6. Ginger tea is frequently of good service, especially when the stomach
needs "toning."
7. Infants of six months.--Chalk and bismuth mixture by Dr. Douglass, of
Detroit.
"Subnitrate of Bismuth 2 drams
Paregoric 2 fluid drams
Chalk mixture 2 fluid drams
Mix and shake bottle. Give one-half to one teaspoonful for loose
bowels in a child six months old, every two to four hours as needed."
DIET IN DIARRHEA.--From the Head Nurse of a Large Hospital.
May Take--
Soups.--Milk soup well boiled, clam juice, beef tea.
Meats.--Scraped fresh beef or mutton well broiled, sweetbread, beef juice
from freshly broiled steak (all sparingly).
Eggs.--Lightly boiled or poached on dry toast.
Farinaceous.--Rice, sago, macaroni, tapioca, arrowroot, dry toast, milk
toast, toasted crackers.
Desserts.--Milk puddings, plain, with sago, rice, tapioca or arrowroot (no
sugar).
Drinks.--Tea, toast water, boiled peptonized milk, Panopepton.
Must Not Take--
Oatmeal, wheaten grits, fresh breads, rich soups, vegetables, fried foods,
fish, salt meats, lamb, veal, pork, brown or graham bread, fruits, nuts,
pies, pastry, ice cream, ice water, sugars, sweets, custards, malt
liquors, sweet wines.
Infants.--Bottle-fed infants should stop milk and use egg albumen, etc.
This is prepared by gently stirring (not to a froth) the white of one egg
in a cup of cold water and one-fourth teaspoonful of brandy and a little
salt mixed with it. Feed this cold.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 111]
If it causes foul or green stools it must be stopped. Dr. Koplik, of New
York, recommends stopping the feeding of breast and bottle-fed infants in
severe diarrhea or cholera infantum and to use the following:--Albumin
water, acorn cocoa, or beef juice expressed and diluted with barley water.
The white of one egg is equal in nourishing value to three ounces of milk
and is well borne by infants. The albumin water can be used alternately
with the solution of acorn cocoa or beef juice or barley water. Liebig's
soup mixture is better liked by older children. Meat juice is made from
lean beef, slightly broiled, then cutting it in squares and squeezing
these in a lemon press. Rice or barley water can be added to this if the
meat juice causes vomiting. Add only one or two teaspoonfuls of barley or
rice water and increase, if it agrees well, in a day or two.
CHOLERA MORBUS (Acute Inflammation of Stomach and Upper Bowel).--This is
most common in young people in late summer, after indiscretion in eating.
Symptoms.--Sometimes the patient feels tired, then nausea, etc. The attack
though is usually sudden, with nausea, vomiting, and cramp-like pains in
the abdomen. The contents of the stomach are vomited. The bowel discharge
at first is diarrhea and later like rice water. Repeated vomiting and
purging, with severe cramps. It looks like true cholera.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES, Cholera Morbus.--Castor Oil for.--"Castor oil one
tablespoonful for an adult, one-half tablespoonful for children." This is
an old, tried remedy and very good.
2. Cholera Morbus, Blackberry Root and Boiled Milk for.--"Steep the root
of the long blackberry, give in one-half teaspoonful doses; alternate with
teaspoonfuls of well boiled sweet milk, one-half hour apart."
3. Cholera Morbus, Blackberry Cordial for.--"Take a quantity of
blackberries, strain out all of the juice. To each pint of juice add a
pint of sugar. Then put in a little bag or cloth one-half ounce of
cinnamon, one-fourth ounce of mace, two teaspoonfuls of cloves. Place this
little bag with spices in the berry juice and boil for about two minutes,
after which remove bag of spices and add one large cup of brandy or whisky
to each pint of juice."
4. Cholera Morbus, Tincture Cayenne Pepper for.--"Tincture cayenne pepper,
five to ten drop doses in a little hot water. Before giving this medicine
it is well to drink a quantity of tepid water and produce vomiting. This
can be made more effective by adding five or ten drops of camphor."
5. Cholera Morbus, Nutmeg and Jamaica Ginger for.--"Grate one teaspoonful
nutmeg, put few drops Jamaica ginger in three or four tablespoonfuls of
brandy, add little water." The writer says this is one of the finest
remedies she has ever known for summer complaint.
6. Cholera Morbus, Home Remedy for.--"To a pint of water, sweetened with
sugar, add chalk one-half dram, anise, two drams, cayenne pepper, ten
grains; boil this down to one-half pint. Give a teaspoonful every hour or
two until relieved. Kerosene may be applied to the abdomen with cloths.
This is a very good remedy and easily prepared."
[112 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
7. Cholera Morbus, Old Reliable Remedy for.--
Tincture Rhubarh 4 ounces
Spirits Camphor 2 ounces
Paregoric (Tinct. opii camph.) 3 ounces
Spirits Ammonia 4 ounce
Essence Peppermint 1 dram
Take a half teaspoonful every two hours. This is a tested recipe; have
known of its being used the last fifty years."
The camphor and paregoric will relieve the pain, while the rhubarb and
pepper are stimulating and laxative.
8. Cholera Morbus, Common Remedy for.--"To check vomiting and purging, the
following mixture is excellent:
Essence of Peppermint 1 ounce
Water 1 ounce
Carbonate of Potash 20 grains
Paregoric 1 teaspoonful
White Sugar or Honey 2 teaspoonfuls
Mix and shake well. Dose.--One teaspoonful every ten or twenty minutes
until the patient becomes quiet. If necessary keep up bodily heat by means
of hot flannels or bricks to extremities. Keep the patient quiet."
This is an excellent remedy for this trouble and may be used by anyone.
The above mixture is for an adult.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Cholera Morbus.--l. Heat to the bowels and to
the extremities. Give plenty of hot water to aid vomiting and to wash the
stomach. It is always well to keep on drinking hot water and frequently
the vomiting stops. If not, the camphor, laudanum and water can be given.
2. Morphine by hypodermic method. A doctor must give this.
3. Tincture of Camphor 15 drops
Laudanum 15 drops
Mix in one-third of a cup of hot water. This is a good remedy. Mustard
poultice to the stomach and bowels benefits.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 113]
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."
[114 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
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.
[116 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
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.
[Illustration: Vermiform Appendix.
When Affected by Inflamation and Gangrene
Necessitating an Operation.]
[Illustration: Vermiform Appendix.
Showing Different Types.]
[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.
[118 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
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."
[120 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
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.
1. Strangulation is the most frequent cause; this is caused by adhesions
and bands from former peritonitis, or following operations. The
strangulation may be recent and due to adhesion of the bowels to the
abdominal cut or wound, or a coil of the bowel may be caught between the
pedicle of a tumor and the wall of the pelvis. These cases are rather
common after some operations.
2. Intussusception.--This means that one portion of the bowel slips into
an adjacent portion. These two portions make a cylindrical lump varying in
length from one-half inch to a foot or more. Irregular worm-like motion of
the bowel is a cause of intussusception.
3. Twists and knots.--Most frequent between thirty and forty. (There is an
unusually long mesentery.)
4. Strictures and tumors.--These are not very important causes.
5. Abnormal contents.--Fruit stones, coins, pins, needles, false teeth,
round worms rolled in a mass. Coins rarely cause inconvenience.
[122 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Symptoms of Acute Obstruction.--Constipation, pain in the bowels, and
vomiting are the three most important symptoms. Pain sets in early, and
may come on abruptly when walking or more commonly when working. It is at
first colicky, but soon becomes continuous and very intense, vomiting soon
follows and is constant and very distressing. First the stomach contents
are vomited, and the greenish bile-stained material, and soon the material
vomited is a brownish-black liquid, with a bowel odor. This peculiar
vomiting is a very characteristic symptom. Constipation may be absolute,
without the discharge of either feces or gas. Very often the contents of
the bowel below the obstruction are discharged. The abdomen is usually
distended and when the large bowel is involved this is extreme. If it is
high up in the small intestine, it may be very slight. At first, the
abdomen is not tender, but later it becomes very sensitive and tender. The
face is pale and anxious and finally collapse symptoms intervene. The eyes
are sunken, the features look pinched and a cold, clammy sweat covers the
skin. The pulse becomes rapid and weak. There may be no fever, and it may
go below normal. The tongue is dry, parched, and the thirst is incessant.
Recovery.--The case terminates as a rule in death in three to six days,
if aid is not given.
Treatment.--Purgatives should not be given. For the pain, hypodermics of
morphine are needed. Wash out the stomach for distressing vomiting. This
can be done three to four times a day. Thorough washing out of the large
bowel with injections should be practised, the warm water being allowed to
flow in from a fountain syringe and the amount carefully estimated.
Hutchinson recommends that the patient be placed under an anesthetic, the
abdomen kneaded, and a copious enema given with the hips placed high or
patient in inverted position. Then the patient should be thoroughly
shaken, first with the abdomen held downward and subsequently in the
inverted position. If this and similar measures do not succeed by the
third day surgical measures must be resorted to.
For bloating, turpentine cloths should be used, and other hot, moist
applications.
Diet.--Should be very light, if any, for a day or so.
RUPTURE (Hernia).--Hernia means a protrusion of an organ from its natural
cavity, through normal or artificial openings in the surrounding
structures. But by the term hernia, used alone, we mean the protrusion of
a portion of the abdominal contents through the walls, and that is known
by the popular term of "rupture."
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 123]
The most common forms of rupture protrude through one of the natural
openings or weak spots in the abdominal walls, as for instance, the
inguinal (groin) and femoral canals. The femoral canal is located at the
upper and inner part of the thigh, and this place is a seat of rupture,
especially in women. Rupture may also occur at the navel, when it is
called umbilical hernia or rupture. The contents of a hernia are bowel and
omentum (a covering of the bowel) separately or together. The bowel
involved in a rupture is usually the lower portion of the small bowel, but
the large bowel is sometimes affected. A sac covers the bowel or omentum
in a rupture. This sac consists of the protruded portion of peritoneum,
which has been gradually pushed through one of the canals (inguinal or
femoral) or of the process of peritoneum, which has been carried down by
the testicle in its descent, and the connection of which with the
peritoneum of the abdomen still continues, not having been obliterated, as
it usually is before birth. The former is called an acquired rupture sac;
the latter is a congenital rupture sac, and it is found only in groin
(inguinal rupture).
Causes.--Rupture is more common in men than in women. It may occur at any
time of life. The majority of cases occur before middle age, and the
largest number during the first ten years of life, owing to the want of
closure of the peritoneum which is carried down by the testicles before
birth. Rupture is most frequently strangulated between the ages of forty
and fifty.
Location.--The great majority of cases of rupture are groin or inguinal
rupture.
Symptoms.--A fullness or a swelling is first noticed in the groin, which
is made worse in standing, coughing and lifting. This disappears on lying
down and reappears on rising in many cases, even at first; coughing makes
the lump or swelling harder. It may come on both sides, when it is called
double rupture or hernia.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--Rupture, Poultice for.--"Take equal parts of lobelia
and stramonium leaves; make a poultice and apply to the parts. Renew as
often as necessary. This combination makes a very effective poultice and
is sure to give relief."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--A person should wear a truss (support) that fits
perfectly, and this should not cause any pain or discomfort. The truss
should be worn all day, taken off at night after going to bed and put on
before rising, when still lying down. If it is put on after rising a
little of the gut may be in the canal and pressed down by the support.
There are many kinds of supports.
Operations now performed for rupture are very successful if the patient
takes good care for months afterwards until the parts are thoroughly
healed. The operation simply closes a too large opening. The testicles
descending through the groin canal from the abdominal cavity before birth
and in congenital rupture, left too big an opening. In acquired rupture,
these natural openings were enlarged by lifting, falls, etc. The round
ligament of the womb goes down through this canal and sometimes there is
too large an opening left or acquired by accident.
Irreducible Rupture.--This is when the rupture cannot be returned into
the abdominal cavity, and it is without any symptoms of strangulation.
They are of long standing and of a large size. This condition is often due
to carelessness of a patient in not keeping in a reducible rupture with a
proper support. Adhesions form, holding the rupture. Even if it is small,
it gives rise to much discomfort and the patient is always in danger of
strangulation of the rupture.
Operation for radical cure is generally a success.
[124 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Strangulation Hernia or Rupture.--This means the rupture is so tightly
constricted that it cannot be returned into the abdominal cavity, and its
circulation is interfered with; then there is not only obstruction to the
passage of the feces, but also an arrest of circulation in the protruded
portion of bowel which, if not relieved, results in gangrene and death.
This occurs more often in old than in recent ruptures and more often in
congenital than in acquired rupture.
Symptoms.--Sudden and complete constipation with persistent vomiting. The
lump may be tense, hard and irreducible. Then there is faintness,
collapse; severe abdominal pain, complete constipation, with no gas
passing, then vomiting, at first of food, then of the bile-stained fluid
and finally of fluid with a bowel odor. All these symptoms increase and
the patient gradually sinks from exhaustion in eight or nine days, though
in very acute cases the patient may die within forty-eight hours.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--Strangulated Hernia, Hop Poultice for.--"A large warm
poultice of hops over the abdomen will be found one of the best known
means of relieving strangulated hernia."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--It must be reduced or an operation must be
performed and soon.
To reduce.--The patient is put under an anesthetic and placed on his back
with the hips (pelvis) raised and the thigh of the affected side flexed,
bent up and rotated inward if the rupture be inguinal or femoral. This
motion relaxes the parts. The neck of the sac is then seized with the
thumb and fingers of one hand, and thus fixed, while with the other hand,
the operator endeavors to return the strangulated gut by gentle pressure
in the proper direction. In femoral rupture, this is at first downward, to
bring the gut opposite the opening then backward and then upward. In groin
(inguinal) rupture it is usually slightly upward and outward. It must be
coaxed, kneaded and squeezed carefully. Care must be taken. If it cannot
be returned in from five to ten minutes no further time should be wasted,
but an operation should be performed immediately. This consists in cutting
down to the constriction and through it, thus allowing the rupture to be
reduced.
The patient should be kept in bed and treated the same way as for other
abdominal operations.
Caution.--Persons with rupture must be very careful not to lift or fall.
If a support is worn it must fit perfectly and be worn with comfort.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 125]
INTESTINAL COLIC. (Enteralgia).--Causes.--Predisposing; poor general
condition, worry, over-work, nervous disposition. Exciting causes;
exposure, gas in the bowels, mass of feces, undigested or irritating food,
cold drinks, green fruit, ice cream when a person is very warm.
Symptoms.--Intermittent pain usually in the umbilical (navel) region,
moving from place to place, dull or sharp pain, relieved by pressure or
bending forward. Abdomen is distended or drawn back. It lasts a few
minutes or many hours, ending gradually or suddenly, after a passage of
gas or movement of the bowels.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--1. Remove cause first if possible. Mild cases; put
heat to the abdomen by hot water bag, wring cloths out of hot water and
put in them ten drops of turpentine and place over the bowels hot. Give
dose of peppermint water or ginger tea.
2. Severe case.--Morphine hypodermically, if necessary, in a severe case;
mustard poultice is good, also a spice poultice.
3. Tincture of Colocynth (bitter cucumber) is an excellent remedy for this
trouble. I have often used it with great success. Put five drops of it in
a glass half full of water and give two teaspoonfuls every fifteen minutes
until relieved. A few doses generally relieve the patient.
THE LIVER.--The liver is the largest gland in the body, and is situated in
the upper and right part of the abdominal cavity. The lower border of the
liver corresponds to the lower border of the ribs in front and to the
right side. It weighs fifty to sixty ounces in the male; in the female,
forty to fifty ounces. It is about eight to nine inches in its transverse
measurement; vertically near its right surface it is six to seven inches,
while it is four to five inches thick at its thickest part. Opposite the
backbone from behind forward it measures about three inches. The left
lobe, the smallest and thinnest, extends to the left, over what is called
the pit of the stomach.
BILIOUSNESS.--This condition presents different symptoms in different
cases, but it always includes languor, headache or dizziness, perhaps some
yellow color of the skin and conjunctiva, and a general sense of want of
tone, depression of spirits and discomfort.
Causes.--The liver does not perform its function well, or there is a
retention of bile in the bile ducts. Most of the symptoms do not depend
directly upon the changes in the bile, but upon failure of proper
digestion in the stomach and intestines. Certain poorly prepared foods or
improper food for stomach digestion, quickly cause the development of
active fermentation and its results irritate the stomach mucous membrane
bringing about a faulty stomach secretion of mucus, which causes further
trouble. It may end in a sick headache.
TREATMENT. Prevention.--Normal, easily digested food, open bowels. Active
exercise, horseback riding, massage of the liver region. Stooping over and
bending from side to side and bending back with feet close together are
good aids.
[126 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Diet.--Do not over-eat. Avoid alcohol in any form. Stimulating foods such
as spices, mustard salads, concentrated meat extracts and meat broths,
pepper, horseradish are not to be used. Do not use too much salt; strong
coffee and tea are harmful. In severe cases milk either diluted with water
or lime water or peptonized should alone be used.
Gruels, albumen water, kumiss, buttermilk and oyster broth may be allowed.
Orange juice as well as lemonade may generally be given. Fasting is good
in biliousness. No one will starve in a few days of fasting.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Biliousness, Lemons for.--"One lemon squeezed in a
glass of water with a very little sugar, repeat for several days." Lemon
is a very good medicine, and it is surprising to know how few people
realize what medical properties the lemon contains. This is a good,
simple, but very effective remedy.
2. Biliousness, Salt and Water for.--"Take a teaspoonful of salt to a cup
of water and drink before breakfast for a few mornings." It is a
well-known fact that a little salt in warm water before breakfast is
laxative and also cleanses the system and bowels on account of its
purifying action.
3. Biliousness, (chronic) Dandelion Tea for.--"Dandelion root is highly
recommended for this." The root should be collected in July, August or
September. Dose:--A strong tea may be taken freely two or three times a
day, or the fluid extract may be purchased at any drug store.
4. Biliousness, a cheap and very safe plan.--"Drink plenty of cold water
and exercise freely in the open air." Following the above advice is often
better than medicines and spring tonics, also unless doing hard physical
labor, cut down on the meat eating. In fact, eat less generally for a
time.
5. Biliousness, Salt Lemonade for.--"Hot salt lemonade night and morning.
Juice of one lemon and teaspoonful salt to as much hot water as you can
drink."
6. Biliousness, Boneset Tea for.--"Pour hot water on boneset and let stand
until it is cold. Take a swallow occasionally." This is very good.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT. Medicines.--1. Nitro-hydrochloric acid three drops
three times a day in half a tumblerful of water is valuable.
2. Twenty drops of fluid extract of Queen's root three times a day.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 127]
3. The following combination forms a good pill to be taken every night:
Extract of Chirata 40 grains
Podophyllin 4 grains
Wahoo 8 grains
Culver's root 8 grains
Creosote 10 grains
Mix and make into twenty pills. Take one every night.
4. For the Attack.--Take calomel one-sixth grain tablets; one every
fifteen minutes until six are taken, and then follow with two to four
teaspoonfuls of epsom salts.
JAUNDICE (Icterus).--A symptom consisting in discoloration by bile pigment
of the skin, whites of the eyes, other mucous membranes and secretions.
Causes.--Obstruction of the gall ducts, from gall stones, inflammation,
tumor, strictures, from pressure by tumors, and other enlarged abdominal
organs.
Symptoms.--The skin and the conjunctiva (red membrane of the eyes) are
colored from a pale lemon yellow to a dark olive or greenish black. The
itching may be intense, especially in a chronic case. The sweat may be
yellow. The stools are a pale slate color, from the lack of bile, and are
often pasty and offensive. The pulse is slow. Recovery depends upon the
cause. Plain, simple jaundice cases recover in a few days or weeks.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Jaundice, Sweet Cider Sure Cure for.--"New cider
before it ferments at all. Drink all you can." This is a very simple
remedy, but a sure one if taken in the early stages of jaundice. It causes
the bowels to move freely and carries off any impurities in the system.
2. Jaundice, Lemon Juice for.--"Take a tablespoonful of lemon juice
several times a day." This disease is produced by congestion of the liver,
and as lemon is excellent as a liver tonic it is known to be an excellent
remedy for jaundice.
3. Jaundice, Peach Tree Bark for.--"Take the inner bark of a peach tree,
and make a strong tea, and give a teaspoonful before each meal for five
days, then stop five days, and if the patient's indications do not warrant
a reasonable expectation that a cure is effected repeat the medicine as
above. I never knew of a case in which the above medicine failed to cure.
Keep the bowels open with sweet oil."
MOTHERS' REMEDIES for Liver Complaint. Mandrake Root for.--1. "Dry and
powder the mandrake root (often called may-apple) and take about one
teaspoonful." This dose may be repeated two or three times a day,
according to the requirements of the case. This is a stimulant, a tonic
and a laxative, and is especially good when the liver is in a torpid and
inactive condition.
[128 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
2. Liver Trouble, Dandelion Root Tea for.--"Steep dandelion root, make a
good strong tea of it; take a half glass three times a day." This is a
very good remedy as it not only acts on the liver, but the bowels as well.
This will always cure slight attacks of liver trouble.
3. Torpid Liver, Boneset Tea for.--"Drink boneset tea at any time during
the day and at night. It is also good for cleansing the blood." This is a
very good remedy, especially for people who live in a low damp region.
4. Liver Trouble, Mandrake Leaves for.--"A very good remedy to use
regularly, for several weeks, is to use from one to three grains of
may-apple (mandrake) seed, night and morning, followed occasionally by a
light purgative, as seidlitz powder or rochelle salts." This is sure to
give relief if kept up thoroughly.
5. Liver Trouble, Mullein Leaf Tea for.--"Mullein leaves steeped, and
sweetened. Drink freely." This acts very nicely upon the liver.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Liver Trouble.--1. For the itching, hot alkaline
baths with baking soda in water, or dust on the following:--
Starch 1 ounce
Camphor, powdered l-1/2 drams
Oxide of Zinc 1/2 ounce
Mix and use as a powder, or use carbolic vaselin locally. Move the bowels
with salts and do not give much food for a few days. Use nothing but milk.
2. The following is good to move the bowels when the stool is yellow and
costive in a child one year old:
Sulphate of Magnesia 2 ounces
Cream of tartar 2 ounces
Mix and give one-half teaspoonful in water every three hours until the
bowels move freely. Phosphate of soda in one dram doses every three hours
is good.
3. Severe Type and Epidemic Form.--Give one to two drops of tincture
myrica cerifera (barberry) every two hours for an adult. This I know to be
very good.
4. The common simple kind of jaundice will get well readily by moving the
bowels freely and keeping the patient on light food.
CATARRHAL JAUNDICE. (Acute catarrhal angiocholitis).--Jaundice caused by
obstruction of the terminal portion of the common duct, by swelling of the
mucous membrane.
Causes.--This occurs mostly in young people. It follows inflammation of
the stomach or bowels, also from emotion, exposure, chronic heart disease.
It may be epidemic.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 129]
Symptoms.--Slight jaundice preceded by stomach and bowel trouble. Epidemic
cases may begin with chill, headache and vomiting. There may be slight
pain in the abdomen, the skin is light or bright yellow, whites of the
eyes are yellowish, pain in the back and legs, tired feeling, nausea, clay
colored stools. Pulse is rather slow, liver may be a little enlarged. It
may last from one week to one to three months.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Catarrhal Jaundice.--1. Restrict the diet if the
stomach and bowels are diseased. Sodium phosphate may be given one
teaspoonful every three hours to keep the bowels open. Drink large
quantities of water and with it some baking soda one-half to one
teaspoonful in the water.
2. If you have calomel you may take one-tenth of a grain every hour for
four hours, and then follow with the sodium phosphate in one-half
teaspoonful doses every two to three hours, until the bowels have fully
moved, or epsom salts, two to four teaspoonfuls. Keep in bed if there is a
fever or a very slow pulse say of forty to fifty.
GALL STONES. (Biliary Calculi, Cholelithiasis).--Cases of gall stones are
rare under the age of twenty-five years. They are very common after
forty-five, and three-fourths of the cases occur in women. Many people
never know they have them. Sedentary habits of life, excessive eating and
constipation tend to cause them. They may number a few, several, or a
thousand, or only one.
Symptoms.--There are usually none while the stones are in the gall
bladder, but when they pass from the gall bladder down through the
(channel) duct into the bowel they often cause terrific pain, especially
when the stone is large. Chill, fever, profuse sweating and vomiting,
which comes in paroxysms or is continuous. The pain may be constant or
only come on at intervals. The region of the liver may be tender, the gall
bladder may be enlarged, especially in chronic cases and very tender. In
some cases the pain comes every few weeks and then may be scattered,
sometimes seeming to be in the stomach, and then in the bowels, or in the
region of the liver. When a person has such pains and locates them in the
stomach or bowels, and they come periodically, every week or two or more,
he ought to be suspicious about it being gall stones, especially if the
symptoms do not show any stomach trouble. If the stone is large and closes
the common duct, jaundice occurs; the stools are light colored; the urine
contains bile. The attacks of pain may cease suddenly after a few hours,
or they may last several days or recur at intervals until the stone is
passed. The stones may be found in the bowel discharges after an attack.
Death may occur from collapse during an attack.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Gall Stones, Sweet Oil for.--"Massaging the part
over the region of the liver lightly night and morning is very good,
following by drinking a wineglassful of sweet oil at bedtime." The patient
should take some good cathartic the next morning, such as a seidlitz
powder or cream of tartar. Teaspoonful in glass of water each morning.
This treatment should be continued for several weeks and is very
effective.
[130 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
2. Gall Stones, Tried and Approved Remedy for.--"Drink about a wineglass
of olive oil at bedtime followed in the morning by a cathartic, as
seidlitz powder, or cream of tartar and phosphate of soda; teaspoonful
each morning in wineglass of water. This treatment to be pursued several
weeks. Massage the part over the liver lightly night and morning. If the
suffering is intense use an injection of thirty drops of laudanum to two
quarts of water." In many cases the cathartic may not be needed as the
olive oil will move the bowels freely. Massaging the parts over the liver
will cause it to work better and has proven successful in many cases.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Gall Stones.--1. For the pain. Morphine must be
used and by the hypodermic method; one-fourth grain dose and repeated, if
necessary, and chloroform given before if the pain is intense, until the
morphine can act. Fomentations can be used over the liver.
2. Soda.--The bowels must be kept open by laxatives, Sodium Phosphate or
Sodium Sulphate, (Glauber's) salt.
3. Olive Oil.--Olive oil is used very extensively. I do not know whether
it does any good; some people think it does. From two to ten ounces daily,
if possible. The phosphate or sulphate of sodium should be taken daily in
one to two teaspoonfuls doses each day. Some claim these salts prevent
formation of gall stones.
4. Powder for the Itching.--For the intolerable itching you may use the
following powder, dust some of it over the skin:
Starch 1 ounce
Zinc Oxide 1/2 ounce
Camphor 1-1/2 drams
Mix into a powder.
Diet.--This must be thoroughly regulated. The patient should avoid the
starchy and sugar foods as much as possible. He or she should also take
regular exercise. If a person afflicted with gall stones keeps the stomach
and bowels in good condition, they will be better. Pure air, sunshine,
exercise, and diet are big factors in the treatment of chronic diseases. A
woman so afflicted should not wear anything tight around the stomach and
liver, corsets are an abomination in this disease; olive oil if taken must
be continued for months.
Surgery.--The operation is indicated when the patient is suffering most of
the time from pain in the liver region or when the person is failing in
health, or during an acute attack. When there are symptoms of obstruction
or when there is fever, sweating shows that there is pus in the gall
bladder. Also an operation is then necessary, and in most cases it results
satisfactorily.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 131]
CANCER OF THE GALL BLADDER, AND BILE DUCTS. Causes.--It usually occurs
between forty and seventy years of age. The cases that originate here show
no percentage in either sex; but those that appear here as secondary
cancers are three times as frequent in women as in men. Chronic irritation
by gall stones is an important cause. They are hard to diagnose and, of
course, fatal in the secondary kind. For the primary kind early complete
removal may cure if you can get at them.
CIRCULATORY DISTURBANCES OF THE LIVER. (Acute Hyperemia or
Congestion).--This occurs normally after meals, and in acute infections,
diseases, etc.
CHRONIC CONGESTION OR NUTMEG LIVER.--This is due to an obstruction of the
blood circulation in the liver by chronic valvular heart disease with
failure of heart action. Lung obstruction in the trouble called Emphysema,
Chronic Pneumonia, etc., may cause it. The cut section of a liver shows an
appearance like a nutmeg, due to a deeply congested central vein and
capillaries. In a later stage the liver is contracted, central liver cells
are shrunk and the connective tissue is increased.
ACUTE YELLOW ATROPHY. (Malignant Jaundice).--This is fortunately a rare
disease. There is rapid progress, and it is fatal in nearly all cases. The
liver is very small and flabby. The symptoms are many and are hard to
differentiate. You must depend upon your physician. The only thing for him
to do is to meet the symptoms and relieve them if possible.
CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER. (Sclerosis of the Liver, Hobnail Liver, Gin
Drinkers Liver, Hard Liver).--This occurs most often in men from forty to
sixty years old. It is not uncommon in children.
Cause.--It is usually due to drinking of alcohol to excess, especially
whisky, brandy, rum or gin. The liver is small and thin; hard, granular,
white bands run through it and press on the liver cells and destroy them.
Symptoms.--These are few as long as proper circulation in the heart is
maintained. Fatty cirrhosis is often found in post-mortems. The first
symptoms are the same as those accompanying chronic gastritis, dyspepsia,
They are:--Appetite is poor, nausea, retching and vomiting, especially in
the morning; distress in the region of the stomach, constipation or
diarrhea. These increase and vomiting of blood from the stomach may occur
early and late. Bleeding from the stomach and bowels, etc., cause the
stools to look like tar. Nosebleed and piles are common and profuse;
bleeding may cause severe lack of blood. The epigastric and mammary veins
are enlarged. Ascites (dropsy in the abdomen) usually occurs sooner or
later and may be very marked, and it recurs soon after each tapping. The
feet and genital organs may be oedematous (watery swelling), jaundice is
slight and does not occur until late. During the late stage the patient is
much shrunken, face is hollow, the blood vessels of the nose and cheeks
are dilated, abdomen is greatly distended. Delirium, stupor, coma or
convulsions may occur at any time.
[132 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Cirrhosis of the Liver.--It is usually fatal;
sometimes even after temporary improvements. No coffee or alcohol; simple
diet, bitter tonics, keep bowels open, A physician must handle such a
case.
ABSCESS OF THE LIVER. Hepatic Abscess: Suppurative Hepatitis.--This is a
circumscribed collection of pus in the liver tissue. If there is only one
abscess it is in the larger lobe in seventy per cent of the cases. The
amount of fluid contained in such an abscess may be two or three quarts
and its color varies from a grayish white to a creamy reddish-brown; when
the abscess is caused by a type (amebic) of dysentery, there is generally
only one abscess, occurring more often in the right lobe, whereas other
forms due to septic infection give rise to many abscesses.
Causes.--This disease is rare even in tropical climates. When it is
excited by gall stones, it is invariably septic in character and the
infecting material reaches the interior through the liver vessels or bile
passages. Stomach ulcers, typhoid fever, appendicitis, may bring on such
an abscess. Pus wounds of the head are sometimes followed by a liver
abscess. The most common method of infection is through the portal vein.
Other causes that may be mentioned are foreign bodies traveling up the
ducts, as round-worms and parasites.
Symptoms.--Hectic temperature, pain, tenderness, and an enlarged liver,
and often slight jaundice. In acute cases the fever rises rapidly,
reaching 103 or 104 in twenty-four hours. It is irregular and
intermittent, and it may be hectic, that is, like the fever of
consumption. Shakings or decided chills frequently are present with the
rise of fever and when the fever declines there may be profuse sweating.
The skin is pale and shows a slight jaundice, the conjunctiva being
yellowish. Progressive loss of strength with disturbance of the stomach
and bowels is present. The bowels are variable and constipated and loose.
Dropsy of the abdomen (Ascites) may develop, on account of pressure on the
big vein, inferior vena-cava. Lung symptoms, severe cough, reddish-brown
expectoration are often present.
THE ABSCESS.--May break into the pleural cavity, bronchial tubes, lungs
and stomach, bowels, peritoneum or through the abdominal wall.
Recovery.--The result is unfavorable as it generally goes on to a rapid
termination. The abscess should be opened and evacuated when its location
can be detected. The death rates ranges from fifty to sixty per cent.
Treatment.--Open it if you can, Sponge liver region with cool water. For
the pain, mustard poultices, turpentine stupe or hot fomentations prove
beneficial. Keep up strength by stimulation and quinine.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 133]
Diet in Liver Troubles sent us from Providence Hospital (Catholic),
Sandusky, Ohio:
May Take--
Soups--Vegetable soups with a little bread or cracker, light broths.
Fish--Boiled fresh cod, bass, sole or whiting, raw oysters.
Meats--Tender lean mutton, lamb, chicken, game, (all sparingly).
Farinaceous--Oatmeal, hominy, tapioca, sago, arrowroot (well cooked),
whole wheat bread, graham bread, dry toast, crackers.
Vegetables--Mashed potato, almost all fresh vegetables (well boiled),
plain salad of lettuce, water-cress, dandelions.
Desserts--Plain milk pudding of tapioca, sago, arrowroot or stewed fresh
fruit (all without sugar or cream), raw ripe fruits.
Drinks--Weak tea or coffee (without sugar or cream), hot water, pure,
plain or aerated water.
Must Not Take--
Strong soups, rich made dishes of any kind, hot bread or biscuits,
preserved fish or meats, curries, red meats, eggs, fats, butter, sugar,
herrings, eels, salmon, mackerel, sweets, creams, cheese, dried fruits,
nuts, pies, pastry, cakes, malt liquors, sweet wines, champagne.
ACUTE GENERAL PERITONITIS. (Inflammation of the Peritoneum, Lining of the
Abdominal Cavity).--Causes. Primary; Occurs without any known preceding
disease, and is rare. Secondary; Occurs from injuries, extension from
inflamed nearby organs, such as appendicitis or infection from bacteria,
without any apparent lesion (disease of the bowel). Perforation causes
most of the attacks of peritonitis. Peritonitis may accompany acute
infections or accompany chronic nephritis, rheumatism, pleurisy,
tuberculosis and septicemia. Peritonitis occurs from perforation of the
bowel in typhoid fever also, and it frequently occurs after appendicitis
and sometimes after confinement.
Symptoms.--This is often the history of one of the causes mentioned above,
followed in cases with perforation or septic disease by a chill or chilly
feeling and pain, varying at first, with the place where the inflammation
begins. The patient lies on his back, with the knees drawn up, and the
body bent so as to relax the muscles of the abdomen, which are often
rigidly contracted,--stiff at first on the side where the pain starts. The
pain may be absent. The abdomen becomes distended, tympanitic (caused by
gas). An early symptom is vomiting and it is often repeated. There is
constipation; occasionally diarrhea occurs. The temperature may rise
rapidly to 104 or 105 and then become lower; it is sometimes normal. The
pulse is frequent, small, wiry and beats 100 to 150 per minute; the
breathing is frequent and shallow. The tongue becomes red and dry and
cracked. Passing the urine frequently causes pain; sometimes there is
retention of urine. The face looks pinched, the eyes are sunken, the
expression is anxious, and the skin of the face is lead colored or livid.
Hiccoughs, muttering, delirium or stupor may be present.
[134 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Recovery, Prognosis, etc.--The action of the heart becomes weak and
irregular, respiration is shallow, the temperature taken in the rectum is
high, the skin is cold, pale and livid, death occurs sometimes suddenly,
usually in three to five days; less often thirty-six to forty-eight hours;
or even after ten days. The results depend mainly upon the cause of the
inflammation, and the nature of the infection, infectious disease that
produces it, being usually very bad after puerperal sepsis (after
confinement), induced abortion, perforation of the bowel or stomach, or
rupture of an abscess.
LOCAL PERITONITIS.--This may come from local injury, but it is usually
secondary to empyema, tuberculosis, or cancer, abscess, perforation of the
stomach or bowel, ulcer, etc.
Symptoms.--Onset is usually sudden. There is sudden local pain, increased
by any movements; tenderness, and vomiting; then chills, irregular fever,
sweating, difficult breathing, emaciation.
TREATMENT OF THE ACUTE PERITONITIS.--There must be absolute rest, morphine
by hypodermic method, one-fourth to one-half grain to relieve the pain.
Ice cold and hot fomentations with some herb remedy like hops, smartweed,
etc.; or cloths wrung out of hot water with five to ten drops of
turpentine sprinkled on them. This is very good when there is much
bloating from gas.
The turpentine should be stopped when the skin shows red from it. The
cloths should not be heavy or they will cause pain by their weight. Ice
water can be used when cold cloths are needed.
For vomiting.--Stop all food and drink for the time and give cracked ice.
Diet.--Should be hot or cold milk with lime water or peptonized milk if
necessary. If the feeding causes vomiting, you must give food by the
rectum. For the severe bloating enemas containing turpentine should be
given, one to two to six ounces of water used with ten to thirty drops of
turpentine in it; sometimes it is necessary to resort to surgery.
TUBERCULAR PERITONITIS.--This may occur as a primary trouble or secondary
to tuberculosis of the bowels, lungs, and Fallopian tube. It is most
frequent in males between twenty and forty.
[ DIGESTIVE ORGANS 135]
Symptoms.--These are variable. It may occur like acute peritonitis with
sudden onset of high fever, pain, tenderness, bloating, vomiting and
constipation; these symptoms passing into those of chronic peritonitis.
Often there are gradual loss of strength and flesh, low and irregular
fever; frequently the temperature goes below normal with a little ascites
tympanites, constipation, diarrhea and masses in the abdomen which consist
of the omentum (apron covering the bowels) rolled up and matted into a
sausage-shaped tumor in the upper part of the abdomen, or of thickened or
adherent coils of the bowel, enlarged mesentric lymph nodes, etc.
Spontaneous recovery may occur, or the course of the disease may resemble
that of a malignant tumor.
Treatment.--If there is effusion and few adhesions, cutting in and
removing the fluid may help. In other cases good nourishing diet with cod
liver oil is best.
ASCITES. (Hydroperitoneum. Abdominal Dropsy).--This is an accumulation of
serous fluid in the peritoneal cavity. It is but a symptom of disease.
Local Causes.--Chronic peritonitis, obstruction of the portal (vein)
circulation as in cirrhosis of the liver, cancer or other liver disease,
from heart disease, tumors, as of the ovaries or enlarged spleen. All
these mentioned may produce this dropsy.
General Cause.--Heart disease, chronic nephritis, chronic malaria, cancer,
syphilis, etc.
Symptoms.--Gradual increasing distention of the abdomen, causing sometimes
a sense of weight, then difficulty of breathing from pressure. The abdomen
is distended, flattened at the sides unless it is very full. The skin may
be stretched tense, superficial veins are distended. The navel may be flat
or even protrude and around it the vessels may be greatly enlarged. There
is fluctuation when you tap sharply at one side, while holding your hand
on the other side you feel a wavy feeling.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Ascites.--First treat the disease causing it.
Sometimes it is necessary in order to prolong life to repeatedly tap the
patient as in cirrhosis of the liver. When it is caused by the heart or
kidneys, give cathartics that carry away much liquid, hydragogue
cathartics. One dram of jalap at night followed by a big dose of salts
before breakfast. Cream of tartar and salts are good, equal parts. Or
cream of tartar alone, one to two drams, with lemon juice in water in
repeated doses. Digitalis and squill, of each one grain to cause great
flow of urine. Infusion of digitalis is also good to increase flow of
urine, when the heart is the real cause of the ascites. These treatments
take the liquids away through the proper channels, the bowels and kidneys.
[136 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Ascites caused by an Ovarian Tumor.--The tumor must be removed. I am not
in favor of indiscriminate operating, but operations often save lives. I
remember one case in which I very strongly urged the lady to have an
operation performed. It was a case of ascites, caused, as I was sure, by a
tumor of the ovary. The lady, as almost all people do,--and I do not blame
them for it,--dreaded even the thought of an operation, but she was
finally compelled to have an operation or die. She filled so full that it
was almost impossible for her to breathe. She went away from home in
terrible shape, almost out of breath, and returned home a well woman and
has remained so. Such cases formerly died. But not all cases of ascites
can be cured by an operation, it depends upon the cause. In many cases all
one can do is to doctor the cause, if that cannot be removed, make the
patient's remaining days as comfortable as possible.
DISEASES OF THE RECTUM AND ANUS.--The lower part of the alimentary canal
is called the rectum, originally meaning straight. It is not straight in
the human animal. It is six to eight inches long. The anus is the lower
opening of the rectum. In health it is closed by the external Sphincter
(closing muscle). Disease may wear this muscle out and then the anus
remains open, causing the contents of the bowel to move involuntary.
CONSTIPATION. Causes.--1. Mechanical obstruction.
2. Defective motion of the bowels.
3. Deficient bowel secretions.
4. Other causes. Mechanical obstruction.--Anything that will hinder the
free and easy passage of the feces (bowel contents). Too tight external
sphincter (rectum) muscle, stricture, tumors, etc. Bending of the womb on
the bowel.
Defective Worm-like Bowel Movement.--Irregular habits of living head the
list causing this defective action. Everyone should promptly attend to
Nature's call. Some people wait until the desire for stool has all gone,
and in that way the "habit" of the bowels is gradually lost. Everyone
should go to stool at a certain regular time each day, and at any other
time when Nature calls. If a person heeds this call of Nature, the call
will come regularly at the proper time, say every morning after breakfast.
If these sensations (Nature's calls) are ignored day after day, the mucous
membrane soon loses its sensitiveness and the muscular coat its tonicity,
and as a result, large quantities of fecal matter may accumulate in the
sigmoid (part of the bowel) or in the rectum without exciting the least
desire to empty the bowels. Again, irregular time for eating and improper
diet are liable to diminish this action also. Foods that contain very
little liquid and those that do not leave much residue are liable to
accumulate in the bowel and at the same time press upon the rectum hard
enough to produce a partial paralysis.
Deficiency of the Secretions.--Many of the causes that hinder worm-like
motion are also likely to lessen the normal secretions of the bowel. Some
kinds of liver diseases tend to lessen the secretions of the bowel,
because the amount of bile emptied into the bowel is lessened. Sometimes
the glands of the intestine are rendered less active by disease and other
causes.
Sundry Causes.--Diabetes, melancholy, insanity, old age, paralysis, lead
poisoning and some troubles of local origin, like fissure of the rectum,
ulceration, stricture and polypus.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 137]
Symptoms.--Headache, inattention to business, loss of memory, melancholy,
sallow complexion, indigestion, loss of appetite, nervous symptoms.
Spasmodic muscular contraction of the external sphincter. The bowel
contents press upon it; spasm of this sphincter muscle is frequently
brought on by the presence of a crack in the mucous membrane, caused by
injury inflicted during expulsion of hardened feces. Instead of aiding a
bowel movement, the muscles now present an obstruction beyond control of
the will and aggravate the condition. The most frequent cause of disease
of the rectum is constipation and anyone of the following local diseases
of the rectum and anus may be a symptom of constipation. (1) Fissure or
crack of the anus. (2) Ulceration. (3) Hemorrhoids (piles). (4) Prolapse
(falling). (5) Neuralgia. (6) Proctitis and periproctitis.
Fissure of the anus is a common local symptom of constipation. The feces
accumulate when the bowels do not move for a few days, the watery portion
is absorbed; they become dry, hard, lumpy, and very difficult to expel,
frequently making a rent (tear) in the mucous membrane and resulting
eventually in an irritable fissure. Ulceration of the rectum and the
sigmoid (part of the bowel) is a symptom of persistent constipation,
because the pressure exerted upon the nourishing blood vessels by the
fecal mass causes local death of the tissues.
Hemorrhoids (Piles) may be produced by constipation in several ways; first
by obstruction to the return of the venous (dark) blood. Second, by venous
engorgement (filling up) of the hemorrhoidal veins during violent and
prolonged straining at stool. Third, as a result of the general looseness
of the tissues in those suffering from constipation.
Prolapse (Falling of the Bowel).--This falling of the rectum may be
partial or complete, and may be caused by straining or by the downward
pressure exerted by the fecal mass during the emptying movement of the
bowel. It may also be the result of a partial paralysis of the bowel
caused by pressure of the feces upon the nerves.
Proctitis and Peri-Proctitis.--Inflammation of the rectum and surrounding
tissue that may or may not terminate in an abscess and fistula, sometimes
follows injury to the very sensitive mucous membrane by the hardened
feces.
Neuralgia of the Rectum.--This may sometimes result from the pressure of
the fecal mass upon the nearby nerves causing pain in the sacrum coccyx
(bones).
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Constipation, a Good Substitute for Pills and
Drugs.--"Two ounces each of figs, dates, raisins, and prunes (without
pits) one-half ounce senna leaves. Grind through meat chopper, and mix
thoroughly by kneading. Break off pieces (about a level teaspoonful) and
form into tablets. Wrap each in a wax paper and keep in covered glass
jars, in a cool place. Dose.--One at night to keep the bowels regular.
Very pleasant to take."
[138 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
2. Constipation, Substitute for Castor Oil.--"Take good clean figs, and
stew them very slowly in olive oil until plump and tender, then add a
little honey and a little lemon juice, and allow the syrup to boil thick.
Remarks.--Keep this in a covered glass jar and when a dose of castor oil
seems necessary, a single fig will answer every purpose. Not unpleasant to
take."
3. Constipation, Hot Water for.--"A cup of hot water, as hot as one can
drink it, a half an hour before breakfast." The hot water thoroughly
rinses the stomach and helps the bowels to carry off all the impurities.
4. Constipation. Excellent Nourishment for Old People.--"A tablespoonful
of olive oil three times a day internally for weak or very old people: it
can be injected,--used as an enema." Olive oil will be found very
beneficial for young people as well as old. It acts as a food for the
whole system and is very nourishing.
5. Constipation, Salt and Water for.--"A pinch of salt in a glass of water
taken before breakfast every morning. I have found it a very good remedy."
This is a remedy easily obtained in any home and will be found very
helpful. Few people seem to realize how valuable salt is as a medicine. It
acts as a stimulant and loosens the bowels.
6. Constipation, Water Cure for.--"Drink a quantity of water on retiring
and during the day." This simple home remedy has been known to cure
stubborn cases of constipation if kept up faithfully.
7. Constipation, Tonic and Standard Remedy for.--"Calomel one ounce, wild
cherry bark one ounce, Peruvian bark one ounce, Turkish rhubarb ground one
ounce, make this into one quart with water, then put in sufficient alcohol
to keep it." Dose:--Take a small teaspoonful each morning when the bowels
need regulating, or you need a stimulating tonic.
8. Constipation, Glycerin and Witch-Hazel Remedy Where Castor Oil Failed--
"Equal parts of glycerin and witch-hazel." Dose :--One teaspoonful every
night at bedtime. In severe cases where you have been unable to get a
movement of the bowels by the use of other cathartics, take a teaspoonful
every two hours until the bowels move freely. This remedy has been known
to cure when castor oil and other remedies have failed.
9. Constipation, Well-known Remedy for.--
"Fluid Extract Cascara Sagrada 1 ounce
Syrup Rhubarb 1 ounce
Simple Syrup 2 ounces
Mix."
One teaspoonful at night or fifteen drops four times a day for an adult.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 139]
10. Constipation, Effective Remedy, in the most Stubborn Cases of.--
"Fluid Extract Cascara Sagrada 1 ounce
Fluid Extract Wahoo 1 ounce
Neutralizing Cordial 2 ounces
Mix."
Adults may take a teaspoonful of this mixture before retiring, this will
be found very effective in the most stubborn cases of constipation.
11. Constipation, Remedy from a Mother at Lee, Massachusetts.--
"Senna Leaves 1/2 pound
English Currants 1/2 pound
Figs 1/4 pound
Brown Sugar 1 large cup
Chop all together fine. Dose:--One-fourth to one-half teaspoonful every
night. Do not cook. The best remedy I know."
12. Constipation, Fruit and Hot Water Cure for.--"Drink a pint of hot
water in the morning before eating. Eat fruit, plenty of apples, eat
apples in the evening, and they will loosen the bowels. Chew them fine,
mix with saliva."
13. Constipation, Herb Tea for.--"One ounce senna leaves steeped in
one-half pint of hot water, with a teaspoonful of ginger powdered; strain.
This is a most certain and effective purge, and mild in its action upon
the bowels. Dose:--A cupful at bedtime. This is far superior to salts."
14. Constipation, Purshiana Bark Tea Without an Equal for.--"An infusion
of one ounce of purshiana bark to one pint of boiling water; infuse for
one hour and strain. It stands without an equal in the treatment of
constipation in all its varied forms. Dose:--One teaspoonful, morning and
evening according to symptoms or until the bowels are thoroughly
regulated." This is fine for constipation, especially if of long standing.
It may be used in connection with cascara. This will give relief when
other remedies fail.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Constipation.--Too much reliance has been placed
upon medicine in the treatment of this disease and too little attention
given to diet, and the establishment of regular habits in eating,
exercising, sleeping and attending to the calls of Nature. Also, local
disease of the rectum has been overlooked until of late years. Remedies of
a laxative and cathartic nature soon lose their power and the dose must be
repeated or a new remedy must be given. This method of treatment is well
recommended and is very good.
1--Stretching of the sphincter.
2--Frequent rectal and abdominal massage.
3--Copious injection of warm water (in the beginning only).
4--Application of electricity over the abdomen and in the rectum.
[140 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
In addition to this treatment which must be carried out by a physician the
patient must observe the following rules: Go to stool daily, and as near
the same time as is convenient, correct errors of diet. Drink an abundance
of water and eat sufficient fruit. Take plenty of outdoor exercise; take a
cold bath every morning followed by a thorough rubbing. Dress warmly in
winter and cool in summer. Change of temperature or climate if the case
demands it. Be temperate in all things affecting the general health.
Stretching the sphincter must be done carefully, but in a thorough manner.
It can only be done properly by an experienced person. Stretching of the
sphincter closes the opening so that the feces are not passed at all
times. It is circular in shape. Sometimes this grows larger, stiffer, or
it acts spasmodically. The opening is often so tight in some people that
it is difficult to introduce even a finger, and it frequently produces a
spasm of pain in the bowels, stomach and head to do so. This kind will
produce constipation or make it worse. In such cases it should be
stretched thoroughly but carefully so that the muscle will be able to
close the opening and the bowel contents will not pass at any time
unhindered. There are two methods of stretching the muscle--forcible or
gradual. The forcible method is generally done by inserting the two thumbs
into the anus and stretching the muscle thoroughly in every direction
until there is no resistance. (Dilators are made for this purpose, but
unless they are very carefully used they will tear the muscle). The
forcible method should be done under an anesthetic. Gradual stretching is
done when an anesthetic cannot be used. It is better to do too little than
to do too much at the first sitting. The muscle is very stubborn
sometimes, and it requires careful handling or the irritability will be
increased. An instrument in the hands of a careful man is all right. They
can be stretched by the fingers or the Wales' bougie, thus: Patients
should come to the office two or three times a week, the instrument
(bougies) are introduced and allowed to remain within the bowel until the
muscle resistance is overcome, and many times their withdrawal will soon
be followed by a copious stool. Forcible stretching is seldom required
more than once, if a large sized instrument is used from time to time
afterward, just as in gradual stretching; when thorough dilatation has
been accomplished, the muscle instead of acting as an impassable barrier
to the discharge of the feces, now offers only passive resistance, but
sufficiently strong, however, to prevent any unpleasant accidents, yet not
strong enough to resist the power of the expulsory muscles when the latter
are brought into full play during stool. Large quantities of feces do not
now accumulate; consequently the pressure upon the mucous membrane and
neighboring nerves is eliminated, and the bowel regains its normal
sensibility and strength. There are now sold dilators in sets for self use
in almost every drug store. These when used continuously do good and
successful work.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 141]
Abdominal Massage. (Kneading, Rubbing, etc.).--This is an essential
feature in the treatment. It was practiced by Hippocrates hundreds of
years ago. Place the patient in the recumbent position upon a table which
can be so manipulated that the head may be raised or lowered, the body
rolled from side to side. Gentle but firm pressure is then made with the
palm of the hand and the ball of the thumb over the large intestine
beginning in the lower right groin region. Then go up to the ribs on the
right side, then over the body to the same place on the left side and down
to the left lower side and center, accompanying the pressure by kneading
the parts thoroughly with the fingers. Repeat this several times for about
ten to twelve minutes. At first this should be practised every day; later
twice a week. Special treatment should be given the small intestines and
liver when the bile and intestinal secretion are lessened. In children
gentle rubbing of the abdomen with circular movements from right to left
with a little oil for ten minutes daily will help to increase the action
of the bowels and often bring on a normal movement.
Copious Warm Water Injections.--This is good at the beginning of the
treatment when the feces become packed. They soften the mass and aid its
discharge. The water must go above the rectum into the colon. To do this a
colon tube from eighteen to twenty-four inches long, a good syringe (the
Davidson bulb) hard rubber piston or a fountain syringe, the nozzle of
which can be inserted into the tube, are required. The patient is placed
in the lying down position on the left side with knees drawn up, with the
hips elevated. Oil the tube and pass it gently and slowly up the bowel for
a few inches until it meets with a slight obstruction. A few ounces of
water are then forced through the tube and at the same time pressure is
made upward with the tube; by these means the obstruction will be lifted
out of the way each time the tube meets with resistance; the procedure
must be repeated until the tube is well within the colon. Attach the
syringe to the tube and allow the water to run until the colon is
distended. A quart to a gallon of warm water can be used depending upon
the age and amount of feces present. The water should be retained as long
as possible.
The injections should be continued daily until all the feces has been
removed. They should not be used for weeks as has been recommended. If
soap suds are used in the enema, green or soft soap should be used, not
the hard soap.
Electricity.--One pole may be placed over the spinal column and the other
moved about over the course of the colon, or one over the spine and the
other over the rectum.
Again constipation is caused by the womb lying upon the rectum. Change
this condition. (See diseases of women).
[142 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Rules.--Patients should go to stool daily at the same hour, usually after
the morning meal. You can educate the bowel to act daily at the same hour
or after breakfast; or on the other hand not more than once in two or
three days in those who are careless in their habits. Some patients need
to have two or three movements daily in order to feel well. It may take
time to educate the bowels to do this, but it can be done in many cases
and many persons become constipated because they put off attending to the
educated bowel's call, and often produce constipation by carelessness. It
is surprising how many educated people put off this duty; Nature
neglected, soon ceases to call. If constipated persons will persevere in
going to the closet at or near the same time every day and devote their
entire time while there to the expulsion of the fecal contents, and not
make it a reading room, they will bring about the desired result. Patients
are apt to become discouraged at first; they should be informed that the
final result of the treatment is not influenced by the failure of the
bowel to act regularly during the first few days. Do not strain to expel
the stool.
Corrections of Errors in Diet.--This is one of the necessary features in
the treatment. All kinds of foods known to disagree should be discarded.
The foods should be easily digested. In children the diet should be rich
in fats, albuminoids and sugar, but poor in starches. A reasonable amount
of fruits such as apples, oranges, and figs should be allowed. Meals
should be at regular hours. Foods that can be used:
May Take--
Soups.--Meat broths, oyster soup.
Fish.--Boiled fish of all kinds, raw oysters.
Meats.--Almost any fresh tender meat, poultry, game, not fried.
Farinaceous.--Oatmeal, wheaten grits, mush, hominy, whole wheat bread,
corn bread, graham bread, rye bread.
Vegetables.--Boiled onions, brussels sprouts, spinach, cauliflower,
potatoes, asparagus, green corn, green peas, string beans, salads with
oil.
Desserts.--Stewed prunes, figs, baked apples with cream, ripe peaches,
pears, oranges, apples, melons, grapes, cherries, raisins, honey, plain
puddings, fig puddings, apple charlotte.
Drinks.--Plenty of pure water, cold or hot, new cider, buttermilk, orange
juice, unfermented grape juice.
Must Not Take--
Salt, smoked, potted or preserved fish or meats, pork, liver, eggs, new
bread, puddings of rice or sago, pastry, milk, sweets, tea, nuts, cheese,
pineapple, spirituous liquors.
Foods classed as laxatives are honey, cider, molasses, and acid fruits,
such as apples, pears, peaches, cherries, and oranges. Berries are
effective laxatives on account of the acids and seeds they contain.
(Huckleberries are constipating). Prunes, dates and figs are good and
effective, also fruit juices.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 143]
Drinks.--There are few laxatives better than a glass of cold water or
preferably hot water, taken upon an empty stomach before breakfast; water
prevents the feces from becoming dry and massed, and stimulates the
intestinal movements. A pinch of salt added to the water increases its
effectiveness.
Out-door Exercise.--This should be taken regularly and freely.
Bathing.--The best time is before breakfast, and in as cold water as
possible. The bath should be followed by a thorough rubbing of the skin
with a Turkish towel.
Clothing.--Warm clothing in winter; cool clothing in summer. Cold weather
induces constipation, and warm weather diarrhea. Moderate manner of living
is everything.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Constipation. 1. One year to three years.--For
infants one teaspoonful or less of black molasses or store syrup, or of
olive oil; and Mellin's food eaten dry, is good for babies a year and
older.
2. Small Children.--Increase cream in the milk, give oatmeal or barley
water. Castile soap suppository, enema, massage, castor oil, or citrate of
magnesia if drugs are needed.
3. Older Children.--In older children, fruit, oatmeal, etc. Black molasses
is good for children, one to two teaspoonfuls.
4. Fluid Extract of Cascara Sagrada.--Dose: ten to sixty drops at night.
This is good for a great many cases and sometimes it cures the trouble,
but on the other hand it seems to injure some people.
5. The Aromatic Cascara is also good; doses are larger and pleasant to
take. This is more agreeable for children.
6. The Compound Licorice Powder is a mild, simple laxative and effective.
It is composed of senna eighteen parts, licorice root powder sixteen
parts, fennel eight parts, washed sulphur eight parts, sugar fifty parts.
Dose:--One to two teaspoonfuls.
7. For one dose, or one capsule, the proportions would be:
ONE AMOUNT FOR
CAPSULE ONE DOZEN
Aloin 1/4 grain 3 grains
Extract of Belladonna 1/8 grain 10 grains
Extract Nux Vomica 1/4 grain 3 grains
Powdered Gentian 3 grains 36 grains
Mix and put up in twelve capsules and take one at night.
There are many tablets and pills made that can be bought at any drug
store. No doubt some of them are first class, though perhaps not attaining
to that high degree of virtue claimed in their advertising columns.
[144 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
ITCHING OF THE ANUS. (Itching Piles) (Pruritus ani).Causes.--An inherited
or an acquired nervous constitution. Disease of the colon, rectum or anus.
Improper diet. Skin affections in that region. Operations about the rectum
and anus with resulting discharge sometimes. Diseases in the neighboring
organs. Disease of the general system. Diarrhea, discharge of mucus and
pus, fissure, etc. Irregular habits and dissipation. Over-seasoned foods
such as lobster, salmon, shell-fish and foods containing much grease or
starch are especially conducive to it; the same is true of tea, coffee,
cocoa, strong alcoholic drinks. Skin diseases, lice, pin worms often cause
it.
After Operations.--Some part has not healed, and there is left an
irritating discharge.
Symptoms.--There is intense itching at the anus, increased by warmth, and
contact of the buttocks. The itching grows worse after the patient becomes
warm in bed. It may spread and extend to the scrotum, down the limbs and
sometimes over the lower back.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT FOR ITCHING OF ANUS. Preventive and Palliative.
DIET.--May Take.--Strong drink must be prohibited; tea, coffee, cocoa, if
used at all should be sparingly used. A light diet such as bread, milk,
eggs, nourishing soups, kumiss and a little fresh fish, broiled steak,
etc., may be used.
May Not Take--Hot cakes, pastry, parsnips, cheese, pickles, beans,
cucumbers, cabbage, oatmeal, pork, shell-fish, salmon, lobster, salt fish,
confectionery and starchy or highly seasoned foods are to be prohibited.
Regular meals, no lunches between meals, and the patient must not over-eat
at any time. Long course dinners and over-indulgence in highly seasoned
foods and wines aggravate it.
Remedies for Bath.--The bowels should move daily and the parts should be
kept clean. The parts should be bathed with hot water or weak solutions of
carbolic acid, alcohol or listerine, the heat being especially soothing.
Bathing the parts with bran, oatmeal, flaxseed, salt, rice, slippery elm
teas, or tar water adds much comfort to these parts. Do not wash much with
soapy water.
1. Separate the Buttocks with Gauze, a thin layer of cotton or a piece of
soft cloth. This eases the soreness, pain and itching by absorbing the
secretions and preventing irritations while walking. The patient should
not scratch the parts. Direct pressure over the itching parts with a soft
cloth, or by drawing a well oiled cloth across the sore parts several
times gives relief.
2. Dr. Allingham Recommends the introduction of a bony or ivory
nipple-shaped plug into the anus before going to bed. It is self
retaining, about two inches in length, and as thick as the end of the
index finger. He claims it prevents the night itching by pressing upon the
many veins and terminal nerve fibres of the parts. When the rawness is
extensive and the parts are highly inflamed, the patient should be kept to
bed and kept on his back with the limbs separated until the irritation is
allayed.
3. Local Applications.--Soothing remedies: These can be used when the
parts are inflamed and raw. Lead and opium wash, or boric acid, or linseed
oil, or starch, or cocaine, and zinc stearate with boric acid. This form
of zinc adheres to the parts when rubbed on, and is thus more valuable.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 145]
4. The following is good to dust in the parts:--
Boric Acid 2 drams
Stearate of Zinc 2 drams
Talcum 1 dram
Apply as a dusting powder.
5. The following is good for the raw parts:--
Carbolic Acid 1 scruple
Menthol 10 grains
Camphor 10 grains
Suet enough to make 1 ounce
Mix. Apply freely two or three times daily after cleansing the parts.
Melt the suet and when partially cold, add the other ingredients.
6. The following is good for the itching and to heal the raw surfaces:--
Carbolic acid 1 dram
Zinc oxide 1 dram
Glycerin 3 drams
Lime water 8 ounces
Mix and apply once or twice daily to relieve the itching.
7. Carbolic acid 1 dram
Calamin prep 2 drams
Zinc oxide 4 drams
Glycerin 6 drams
Lime water 1 ounce
Rose water enough to make 8 ounces
Mix. Keep in contact with the itching area by means of gauze or cotton
while the itching is intense.
8. For injections into the rectum for rawness of the mucous membrane, the
following is well recommended. Use three drams of this at one time.
Fluid extract Witch Hazel 2 ounces
Fluid extract Ergot 2 drams
Fluid extract Golden Seal 2 drams
Compound tincture Benzoin 2 drams
Carbolized Olive or Linseed Oil 1 ounce
Carbolic acid 5 per cent
Mix and shake well before using.
9. For the same purpose:--
Ichthyol 1 dram
Olive oil 1 ounce
Mix and apply in the rectum on a piece of cotton.
[146 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PILES. (Hemorrhoids).--Hemorrhoid is derived from two Greek words, meaning
blood and flowing with blood. "Pile" is from a Greek word meaning a ball
or globe. Hemorrhoids, or piles, are varicose tumors involving the veins,
capillaries of the mucous membranes and tissue directly underneath the
mucous membrane of the lower rectum, characterized by a tendency to bleed
and protrude. They were known in the time of Moses.
Varieties.--There are the external (covered by the skin) and the internal
(covered by mucous membrane).
Causes.--Heredity. More frequent in males. Women sometimes suffer from
them during pregnancy. Usually occurs between the ages of twenty-five and
fifty. Sedentary life, irregular habits, high-grade wines and liquors, hot
and highly seasoned and stimulating foods. Heavy lifting. Those who must
remain on their feet long or sit on hard unventilated seats for several
hours at a time. Railway employees, because they take their meals any time
and cannot go to stool when Nature calls, causing constipation. Purgatives
and enemata used often and for a long time. Constipation is perhaps the
most frequent cause: when a movement of the bowels is put off for a
considerable time the feces accumulate and become hard and lumpy and
difficult to expel. If this hard mass is retained in the rectum, it
presses upon the blood vessels interfering with their circulation and by
bruising the vessels may induce an inflammation of the veins when the
hardened feces are expelled; straining is intense, the mass closes the
vessels above by pressure and forces the blood downward into the veins,
producing dilatation when the force is sufficient. One or more of the
small veins near the anus may rupture and cause a bloody (vascular) tumor
beneath the mucous membrane or skin.
External Piles.--Two kinds, venous piles and skin or simple enlarged tags
of skin. Venous piles usually occur in robust persons. They come on
suddenly and are caused by the rupture of one or more small veins during
the expulsion of hardened feces. There may be one or more, and may be
located just at the union of the mucous membrane and the skin. Their size
is from a millet-seed to a cherry, livid or dark blue in color, and appear
like bullets or small shots under the skin. At first they cause a feeling
of swelling at the margin of the anus; but as the clot becomes larger and
harder, there is a feeling of the presence of a foreign body in the lower
part of the anal canal (or canal of the anus). The sphincter muscle
resents this and occasionally contracts, spasmodically at first, producing
a drawing feeling; later these contractions become longer and more
frequent, and there is intense suffering caused by the pile being
squeezed, and this suffering may be so great that sleep is impossible
without an opiate. Because of the straining, irritation of the rectum and
pain in the sphincter, the piles soon become highly inflamed and very
sensitive. The clot may be absorbed without any treatment. Occasionally it
becomes ulcerated from the irritation, infection takes place and an
abscess forms around the margin of the anus terminating in a fistula.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 147]
Skin Piles. (Cutaneous).--These are enlarged tags of the skin. They
frequently follow the absorption of the clot in the venous piles where the
skin is bruised and stretched. There may be one or many and usually have
the skin color. These cause less suffering than the venous variety, and
sometimes they exist for years, without any trouble, providing care is
taken; but when bruised from any cause, such as a kick or fall, sitting on
a hard seat, stretching of the parts during stool, or when they become
irritated by discharges from the rectum or vagina, they become inflamed
and cause much annoyance and pain. When they are acutely inflamed they
swell greatly, are highly colored, swollen, painful, and extremely
sensitive to the touch and cause frequent spasmodic contractions of the
sphincter muscle and may finally result in an abscess. The pain is usually
confined to the region of the anus, but may go up the back, down the limbs
or to the privates.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES FOR PILES. Sulphur and Glycerin for.--"Equal parts of
sulphur and pure glycerin. Grease parts." This preparation is very
healing, and will often give relief even in severe cases.
2. Piles, Strongly Recommended Remedy for.--
Extract Belladonna 15 grains
Acetate lead 1/2 dram
Chloretone 1 dram
Gallic acid 15 grains
Sulphur 20 grains
Vaseline 1 ounce
Mix.
In protruding, itching and blind piles, this ointment will give you almost
instant relief. If kept up several days it will promote a cure."
3. Piles, Good Salve for.--"Red precipitate two and one-half drams, oxide
of zinc one dram, best cosmoline three ounces, white wax one ounce,
camphor gum one dram." It is much better to have this salve made by a
druggist, as it is difficult to mix at home. This it a splendid salve and
very good for inflammation.
4. Piles, Smartweed Salve for.--"Boil together two ounces of fresh lard
and half an ounce smartweed root. Apply this to the piles three or four
times a day." This is very healing, and has been known to cure in many
cases when taken in the early stages.
5. Piles, the Cold Water Cure for.--"Take about a half pint of cold water
and use as an injection every morning before trying to have a movement of
the bowels." This simple treatment has cured many cases where the stronger
medicines did not help.
6. Piles, Simple Application and Relief from.--"Mix together one
tablespoonful plain vaselin and one dram flower of sulphur. Apply three
times daily and you will get relief."
7. Piles, Steaming with Chamomile Tea for.--"A tea made of chamomile
blossoms and used as a sitz bath is excellent; after using the sitz bath
use vaselin or cold cream and press rectum back gently."
[148 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Piles.--What to do first.--The palliative
treatment of both varieties of external piles is the same. In all cases
the patient should lie flat on his back in bed and remain there for a few
days. Highly seasoned foods and stimulants, tea, coffee, whisky, wine,
etc., must be discarded. Secure a daily half liquid stool by the use of
small doses of salts, Hunyadi or Abilena water. Cleansing the parts with
weak castile soap water is essential to allay the pain, reduce the
inflammation and soothe the sphincter muscle; cold, or if it is more
agreeable, hot applications may be kept constantly on the parts. Hot
fomentations of hops, smartweed, wormwood, or poultice of flaxseed, or
slippery elm, or bread and milk give almost instant relief in many cases;
while in others soothing lotions, and ointments or suppositories are
needed.
The lead and laudanum wash is always reliable.
Lead and Laudanum Wash.--
Solution of Subacetate of Lead 4 drams
Laudanum 20 drams
Distilled water enough to make 4 ounces
Mix thoroughly and apply constantly ice cold on cotton to the sore parts.
The following ointments, lotions, and suppositories to be used freely
within the bowels and to the piles, are effective in relieving the pain,
reducing inflammation and diminishing pain and spasm in the sphincter.
1. Ointment of Stramomium 1-1/2 drams
Ointment of Belladonna 2-1/2 drams
Ointment of Tannic Acid 1/2 ounce
Mix thoroughly and apply inside and outside the anus.
2. Camphor Gum 1 dram
Calomel 12 grains
Vaselin 1 ounce
This must be thoroughly mixed. Apply freely within the anus and to the
piles. Good for the pain.
3. For External Piles cleanse them well with a sponge dipped in cold
water, and then bathe them with distilled extract of witch hazel.
4. If there is much itching with the piles use the following salve:--
Menthol 20 grains
Calomel 30 grains
Vaselin 1 ounce
Mix and apply to the piles.
5. I use quite frequently the following for sore external piles:
Chloroform and Sweet oil in equal parts
Apply freely with cotton or on to the piles. Ten cents will buy enough to
use.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 149]
Operation for Piles.--When these measures do not relieve the pains or the
piles become inflamed from slight causes and often, it is best to operate.
This can be done in a few minutes with a local anesthetic and the patient
frequently goes to sleep afterward, almost free from pain. Inject a three
per cent solution of eucaine, or six per cent solution of cocaine.
Thoroughly cleanse the part and hold the buttocks apart, pierce the pile
at its base with a thin sharp-pointed curved knife, laying it open from
side to side. Remove the clot with a curette, cauterize the vessel and
pack the cavity with gauze to prevent bleeding and to secure drainage.
Cutaneous (skin) piles are operated upon as follows.--Each one is grasped
in turn with a pair of strong forceps and snipped off with the scissors,
or removed with a knife. Close the wound with sutures, if necessary, and
dress it with gauze. Small ones need no sutures. Be careful not to remove
too much tissue. Much after-pain can be prevented by placing in the rectum
a suppository containing one-half grain of opium or cocaine before either
of the above operations are performed. The after treatment is quite
simple. Keep the patient quiet, cleanse the parts frequently, and secure a
soft daily stool. Cleanse with tepid boiled water with clean sterilized
gauze and give salts in small doses, one to two drams to produce a stool.
INTERNAL PILES. Symptoms.--The two prominent symptoms are bleeding and
pain. The bleeding is usually dark. It may be slight and appear as streaks
upon the feces or toilet paper; it may be moderate and ooze from the anus
for some time after a stool, or it may be so profuse as to cause the
patient to faint from loss of blood while the "bowels are moving." Death
may follow in such a case unless the bleeding is stopped. The blood may
look fresh and fluid or if retained for some time, it looks like coffee
grounds, sometimes mixed with mucus and pus. Patients who bleed profusely
become pale and bloodless, and are very nervous and gloomy and they
believe they are suffering from cancer or some other incurable trouble.
The first the patient notices he has internal piles is when a small lump
appears at the end of the bowel during a stool and returns spontaneously;
afterwards the lump again protrudes after the stool and others may appear.
They become larger and larger, come down oftener and no longer return
spontaneously, but must be replaced after each stool. As a result of this
handling, they grow sensitive, swollen, inflamed and ulcerated, and the
sphincter muscle becomes irritable. Later on one or more of the piles are
caught in the grasp of the sphincter muscle and rapidly increases in size.
It is then hard to relieve them, and when returned they act as foreign
bodies, excite irritation and they are almost constantly expelled and the
same procedure goes on at each stool. The sphincter muscle contracts so
tightly around them as to cause strangulation and unless properly treated
they become gangrenous and slough off.
[150 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Recovery, Pain, etc.--The pain is not great in the early stages, but when
the muscle grasps and contracts the pile or piles it becomes terrible and
constant. Piles rarely end fatally. Palliative treatment does not afford a
permanent cure. They frequently return, but by care and diet many can be
kept from returning so frequently. They should be treated upon their first
appearance when the chances of a permanent cure without an operation are
much better.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Internal Piles.--What to do first. The cause
should be removed. Restore a displaced womb. Regulate the bowels, liver,
diet, and habits. Much can be accomplished by these measures if properly
used, in allaying inflammation diminishing pain and reducing the size of
the piles. These measures will not cure them if they are large, overgrown
and protruding. When the piles are inflamed, strangulated or ulcerated,
the patient should remain in bed in a recumbent position and hot
fomentations of hops, etc., and hot poultices, of flaxseed, slippery elm,
bread and milk, the ice bag, or soothing applications and astringent
remedies, should be applied to the parts. In some cases cold applications
are the best. The cold or astringent applications give the best results
where the piles are simply inflamed and the sphincter muscle does not act
spasmodically, jerkily. But when the piles are strangulated, "choked
tight" by the sphincter muscle, hot fomentations, poultices and soothing
remedies give the most relief, because they reduce spasmodic contractions
of the muscle and allay the pain. Instead of the poultices and
fomentations, the "sitz" bath can be used. Put in the steaming water,
hops, catnip, tansy, pennyroyal, etc., and the steam arising will
frequently give great relief. This can be given frequently; ten to twenty
drops of laudanum can be added to the poultices when the piles are very
painful.
1. For inflamed piles, the following combinations may be used:--
Gum Camphor 1 dram
Calomel 12 grains
Vaselin 1 ounce
Mix thoroughly and apply freely around the anus and in the rectum on the
piles.
The external parts should always be bathed with hot water, thoroughly,
before using.
2. Gum Camphor 2 drams
Chloretone 1 dram
Menthol 20 grains
Ointment of Zinc Oxide 1 ounce
Mix and apply directly to the piles.
3. When there is a slight bleeding, water of witch-hazel extract, one to
two ounces to be injected into the rectum. This witch-hazel water freely
used is good for external piles also. This is good and well recommended.
[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 151]
4. If the protruded pile is inflamed and hard to push back, the following
is good and recommended highly:--
Chloretone 1 dram
Iodoform 1 dram
Gum Camphor 1 dram
Petrolatum 1 ounce
Mix and use as a salve.
5. An ointment composed of equal parts of fine-cut tobacco and raisins,
seedless, chopped fine and mixed with enough lard, makes a good ointment
to apply on both external and internal piles.
6. Tea of white oak bark, boiled down so as to be strong, and mixed with
lard and applied frequently, is good as an astringent, but not for the
very painful kind. It will take down the swelling.
7. Take a rectal injection of cold water before the regular daily stool.
This will soften the feces and decrease the congestion.
Preventive Treatment.--This is very important and includes habits and
diet and other diseases. If the patient is thin and pale give tonics.
Correct any disease of any neighboring organ. Attend to any disease that
may be present.
For Constipation.--Take a small dose of salts or hunyadi water so as to
have one semi-solid stool daily. If necessary remove any feces that may
even then be retained, by injections of soap suds or warm water containing
oil. Discontinue injections as soon as a daily full stool can be had
without it.
Habits.--Full-blooded people should not use upholstered chairs as the heat
of the body relaxes the tissues of the rectum. A cane seated chair is best
or an air cushion with a hollow center. It is best to rest in bed, if
possible, after stool for the rest relieves the congestion and soreness.
An abundance of out-door exercise, when the piles are not present, or bad,
consisting of walking or simple gymnastics may usually be indulged in;
violent gymnastics and horseback riding must be avoided. A daily stool
must be secured.
Diet.--Such patients should avoid alcoholic beverages, spiced foods,
strong coffee, and tea, cheese, cabbage, and old beans.
Foods Allowed.--Potatoes, carrots, spinach, asparagus, and even salads,
since they stimulate intestinal action and thus aid in keeping the stool
soft. Stewed fruits, including grapes, oranges, pears, and apples. Water
is the best to drink. Meats: tender broiled, boiled or baked beef--do not
eat the inside part to any great amount. Other meats, but no pork or ham,
fresh fish, chicken. The foods should not be too highly seasoned; vinegar
is not to be used to any extent and this excludes pickles, etc.
PERIPROCTITIS. Abscess Around the Anus and Rectum. (Ano-rectal) (Ischio-
rectal Abscess).--This is an inflammation of the tissues around the rectum
which usually terminates in the above named abscess. It occurs mostly in
middle-aged people. Men are affected more often than women.
[152 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Causes.--Sitting in cold, damp hard seats; horseback riding, foreign
bodies in the rectum such as pins, fish-hooks, etc., blows on the part,
kicks, tubercular constitution, etc.
Symptoms.--Inflammation of the skin, like that of a big boil, some fever,
throbbing pain, swelling of the part, heat and fullness in the rectum,
these symptoms increase until the pus finds an outlet into the rectum.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Periproctitis.--Little can be done in a
palliative way. It generally terminates in an abscess. Make the patient as
comfortable as possible, by applying cold or hot things to the part, rest
in bed, mild laxatives to keep the bowels open. Cut it open as soon as
possible, and it should be laid wide open, so that every part is broken
up. Then it should be thoroughly washed and scraped out. Sometimes it is
necessary to use pure carbolic acid to burn out the interior. The dressing
should be as usual for such wounds and removed when soiled and the wound
washed out with boiled water and then gauze loosely placed in the bottom
and in every corner of the wound. The dressing should be continued until
all has been healed from inside out. Be sure to leave no cotton in to heal
over it. Such patients should be built up with nourishing foods, and
should remain quietly in bed. Cod liver oil is good for some patients.
Iron, etc., for others. Keep the bowels regular. Outdoor life and
exercise. If treated right it should not return.
FISTULA IN ANUS.--This usually follows the abscess. It has two openings,
one upon the surface of the body near the anus, and the other in the
rectum. There are a great many varieties of fistula, but it is unnecessary
to name them. What can be done for them?
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--If the general health is good an operation is the
best thing to do, but patients in the last stage of consumption,
nephritis, diabetes, or organic heart disease, are not apt to receive much
benefit from an operation. The patient in poor condition should be given
the treatment suitable to his condition, according to the advice of a
trusted physician.
[KIDNEY AND BLADDER 153]
DISEASES OF THE KIDNEYS AND BLADDER.
KIDNEYS.--The kidneys are deeply placed and cannot be felt or distinctly
identified when normal. They are most accessible to pressure just below
the last rib, behind. The right kidney usually lies lower than does the
left, but even then, the lower part of this kidney is an inch above the
upper part of the hip bone, or an inch above a line drawn around the body
parallel with the navel. The kidney is about four inches long. The long
axis of the kidneys corresponds to that of the twelfth rib; on an average
the left kidney lies one-half inch higher than the right.
[Illustration: Kidneys, Ureters and Bladder.]
As stated before, each kidney is four inches long, two to two and one-half
in breadth, and more than one inch thick. The left is somewhat longer,
though narrower, than the right. The kidney is covered with what is called
a capsule. This can be easily stripped off. The structure of the kidney is
quite intricate. At the inner border of each kidney there is an opening
called the pelvis of the kidney, and leading from this, small tubes
penetrate the structure of the kidney in all directions. These tubes are
lined with special cells. Through these tubes go the excretions (urine)
from the body of the kidneys, to the pelvis, and from the pelvis through
the ureters, sixteen inches long, to the bladder.
[154 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
KIDNEY TROUBLE. MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Kidney Trouble and Inflammation of
the Bladder, Cornsilk for.--"Get cornsilk and make a good strong tea of it
by steeping slowly, and take one ounce three or four times a day. This
acts well on the kidneys, and is a harmless remedy to use."
2. Kidney Trouble, Flaxseed and Lemons for.--"Make a tea by placing the
flaxseed in a muslin or linen bag, and suspend it in a dish of water, in
the proportion of about four teaspoonfuls for each quart of water. After
allowing the seeds to soak for several hours remove the same and tea will
be ready for use. The addition of a little lemon juice will improve the
flavor. Give in quantities as may be found necessary."
3. Kidney Trouble, Temporary Relief for.--"Rub witchhazel on stomach and
back; use freely." This is an old-time remedy, and can be relied upon to
at least give temporary relief. The witch hazel has a very soothing effect
upon the parts affected.
4. Kidney and Bladder Trouble, Buchu Leaves for.--"Get five cents' worth
of buchu leaves at any drug store, and make a good strong tea of it by
steeping. This acts nicely on the kidneys. This remedy is easily prepared,
and is not expensive."
5. Kidney Trouble, Common Rush Root for.--"Take a handful of the root of
common rush in one and one-half pints of water, boil down to one pint.
Dose:--One tablespoonful every two or three hours. For a child ten years,
give one teaspoonful four times a day. For a child of four to six years,
one-half teaspoonful four times a day."
6. Kidney Trouble, Effective and Easy Cure for.--
"Fluid Extract of Cascara Sagrada 1 ounce
Fluid Extract of Buchu 2 ounces
Fluid Extract of Uva Ursi 2 ounces
Tincture Gentian Comp 1 ounce
Simple Syrup 1 pint
Mix the above ingredients and give a teaspoonful four times a day. This is
a very good remedy, as the cascara sagrada acts on the bowels and the
buchu and uva ursi acts on the kidneys, carrying off all the impurities
that would otherwise be retained in the system and cause trouble."
7. Kidney Trouble, Sheep-Sorrel Excellent for.--"Make a decoction of sheep
sorrel, one ounce to pint of water; boil, strain and cool. Give
wineglassful, three or four times a day. If necessary apply the spinal ice
bag to kidneys." The sheep sorrel is a good kidney remedy, and the ice bag
by continuous application will relieve the congestion.
[KIDNEY AND BLADDER 155]
MOVABLE KIDNEY. (Floating Kidney. Nephroptosis).--Causes.--This condition
is usually acquired. It is more common in women than in men, possibly due
to lacing and the relaxations of the muscles of the abdomen from
pregnancy. It may come from wounds, lifting too heavy articles,
emaciation.
Symptoms.--They are often absent. There may be pain or dragging sensation
in the loins, or intercostal neuralgia; hysteria, nervousness, nervous
dyspepsia and constipation are common. The kidney can be felt. A dull pain
is caused by firm pressure. Sometimes there are attacks of severe
abdominal pain, with chill, fever, nausea, vomiting and collapse. The
kidney becomes large and tender. The urine shows a reddish deposit and
sometimes there is blood and pus in the urine.
Treatment.--If the symptoms are not present, it is best for the patient
not to know the true condition, as nervous troubles frequently follow a
knowledge of its presence. If the symptoms are present, replace the kidney
while the patient is lying down and retain it by a suitable belt. Also
treat the nervous condition. If the symptoms are of the severe kind an
operation may be needed to fasten the kidney in its proper condition. This
is quite generally successful, and does away with much suffering and pain.
The pain may be so severe at times as to require morphine. Sometimes the
pain is due to uric acid or oxalates in the urine. For this regulate the
diet.
Diet for Movable Kidney.--The diet should be such as to produce fat. Milk
is excellent where it is well borne; if not well borne give easily
digested meats, such as chicken, roast beef, broiled steak and lamb chop;
fish of various kinds and vegetables, such as spinach, carrots, asparagus
and cauliflower; of fats, butter, cream, and chocolate; for constipation,
cider, buttermilk, grape-juice, fruits and honey.
ACUTE CONGESTION OR HYPEREMIA OF THE KIDNEYS.--This occurs at the
beginning of acute nephritis; in acute infectious diseases, after taking
turpentine, chlorate of potash, cantharides, carbolic acid, alcohol, etc.;
after one kidney has been removed.
Kidney.--The kidney is enlarged, dark red, while the covering is very
tight (tense). The urine is scanty, and there is increased specific
gravity (normal is 1015 to 1020) and contains albumin and a few casts.
Treatment.--The cause should always be removed if possible. Rest in bed,
and as a diet use only milk; if the congestion is bad, use dry cupping
over the kidneys and inject large quantities of hot normal salt solution
in the bowels. Hot fomentations of wormwood or smartweed are of benefit.
If you can get the patient into a sweat the congestion will be somewhat
relieved by it.
[156 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CHRONIC CONGESTION OF THE KIDNEYS. Causes.--Diseases of other organs and
obstruction to the return of the circulation in the veins. Cirrhosis of
the liver causes it. The kidney is enlarged dark red, the urine is
diminished, with albumin and casts and sometimes blood.
Treatment.--Remove the cause if possible. Fluid diet, like milk, broths,
etc. Dry cupping or sweating materials can be used. Rest in bed if
possible. The bowels should be kept open, and the kidneys should rest.
BLOOD IN THE URINE. (Haematuria). Causes.--The congestion of the kidneys,
pernicious malaria, etc., nephritis, tuberculosis, kidney stones. The
urine looks smoky and dark, or bright red.
Treatment.--This depends upon the cause. The patient must rest in bed and
the kidneys should not be stimulated. Cold applications to the loins. Hot
applications would injure.
URAEMIC TOXAEMIA.--This means poison in the blood occurring in acute and
chronic nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys). The cause is unknown. The
disease is acute and chronic.
ACUTE URAEMIA. Symptoms.--The onset may be sudden or gradual. The headache
is severe, usually on the back top of head (occipital) and extending to
the neck; there is persistent vomiting with nausea and diarrhea attending
it. This may be due to inflammation of the colon. Difficulty in breathing,
which may be constant or comes in spells. This is worse at night, when it
may resemble asthma; fever if persistent, is usually slight until just
before death. General convulsions may occur. There may be some twitching
of the muscles of the face and of other muscles. The convulsions may occur
frequently. The patient becomes abnormally sleepy, before the attack, and
remains so. One-sided paralysis may occur. Sudden temporary blindness
occurs sometimes. There may be noisy delirium or suicidal mania. Coma
(deep sleep) may develop either with or without convulsions or delirium,
and is usually soon followed by them; sometimes by chronic uraemia or
recovery.
CHRONIC URAEMIA.--This develops most often in cases of Arterio-sclerosis
or chronic interstitial nephritis, (one kind of Bright's disease). The
symptoms are less severe than those of acute uraemia, but similar, and of
gradual onset, sometimes with symptoms of the acute attack. There is often
constant headache and difficult breathing; the tongue is brown and dry,
sometimes there is nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sleeplessness, cramps of
the legs and much itching may be present. It may last for years. Death may
occur when the patient is in coma (deep sleep). There may have been mania,
muscular twitchings or convulsions before death.
Treatment.--Found under "Chronic Interstitial Nephritis."
[KIDNEY AND BLADDER 157]
ACUTE BRIGHT'S DISEASE. (Acute Inflammation of the Kidneys. Acute
Nephritis).--This occurs chiefly in young people and among grown men.
Exciting causes are exposure to cold, wet, burns, extensive skin tears
(lesions), scarlet fever, diphtheria, typhoid fever, measles and acute
tuberculosis, poisons; and pregnancy is one cause when it occurs in women.
Symptoms.--After exposure or scarlet fever the onset may be sudden,
sometimes with chills or chilliness, variable fever, pain in the loins,
watery swelling of the face and extremities, then of other portions of the
body like the abdomen, then general dropsy. Sometimes there is nausea,
vomiting, headache, delirium, or very deep sleep. The urine is scanty,
dark colored, of increased "specific gravity" and contains albumin, cells
and casts. Anemia is marked. After some fever disease, the onset is
gradual with anemia, swelling of the eyelids, face and extremities; scanty
thickish urine containing casts, then headache, nausea, vomiting, little
or no fever, dry skin. In these cases there may be gradual recovery,
attack of uraemia, or they may end in chronic nephritis.
Diagnosis.--Examine the urine often in pregnancy, scarlet fever, etc., and
especially when watery swelling is noticed.
Recovery.--The result in your children when it comes with scarlet fever is
not so good. It may run into chronic nephritis. In adults when it is due
to exposure the rule is recovery.
Treatment.--The patient must be kept in bed until there is complete
recovery. He should be clothed in flannel.
Diet and Nursing.--This must be of milk, water or mineral water in large
quantities; milk or buttermilk should be the main article of food. You can
give gruels made of arrowroot or oatmeal, barley water, beef tea and
chicken broth. But it is better to stick strictly to milk. As the patient
gets better, bread and butter, lettuce, watercress, grapes, oranges, and
other fruits may be given. The return to a meat diet should be gradual.
The patient should drink freely of mineral waters, ordinary water or
lemonade, these keep the kidneys flushed and wash out the "debris" from
the tubes. One dram of cream of tartar in a pint of boiling water, add the
juice of half a lemon and a little sugar; this when taken cold is a
pleasant satisfactory diluting drink. Cream of tartar one dram, juice of
lemon, sugar sufficient, water one pint, may be given whenever desired.
There should be hot water baths daily or oftener; or you can produce
sweating by placing hot water jars around the patient, and watch to see
whether it is too weakening. It can also be done by introducing steam
underneath the bedding, that is then lifted a little, so that the steam
vapor can circulate about the patient. Be careful not to burn the patient
with the hot steam. This, of course, is done through a hose attached to a
steaming kettle. Also see treatment of dropsy under "scarlet fever."
Bowels, Attention to.--They should be moved every morning by a saline
(salt) cathartic, if necessary, especially if the dropsy continues. This
produces watery stool. Cream of tartar and epsom salts, equal parts, is
good remedy; one-half teaspoonful every three hours for a child one year
old until the bowels move freely; one-half to one ounce can be given to an
adult.
[158 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CHRONIC BRIGHT'S DISEASE. (Chronic Parenchymatous Nephritis. Chronic
Diffuse Desquamative or Tubal Nephritis. Chronic Diffuse Nephritis with
Exudation). Causes.--Young adult life and most common in males. It may
come from acute inflammation of the kidneys that was due to exposure,
pregnancy, or scarlet fever, or follow excessive use of alcohol, etc. In
children it usually follows acute inflammation of the kidneys or scarlet
fever.
Condition.--The kidneys may be enlarged, with thin capsule, white surface,
cortex thickened and yellowish, or whitish (large white kidney). The
epithelium of the tubules is granular, or fatty or the tubules are
distended and contain casts. Cells of the "Glomeruli" and their capsules
are swollen. There is moderate increase of interstitial tissue. In other
cases, the "small white kidney," the kidney is small and pale either at
first or as a later stage of the large white kidney. The surface is pale,
rough and granular; the capsule is thickened and partially adherent; the
surface is thin with white and yellowish areas of fatty degenerations. The
interstitial tissue is much increased; epithelial degeneration in the
tubules extensive. There is also the large red kidney, and with any of
these types the left heart may be enlarged and the arteries thickened.
Symptoms.--If it occurs after acute nephritis the symptoms of acute
nephritis subside, but anemia and the changes in the urine persist.
Usually there is a gradual onset with paleness and puffiness of the
eyelids, ankles or hands in the morning. Later there is difficult
breathing, increased watery swelling of the face, extremities and
dependent portions of the body; worse in the morning. There is a pasty
yellowish pallor, afterwards dropsy of the abdominal and chest cavities.
The urine is diminished, high colored, specific gravity usually 1020 to
1025 with much albumin. Many casts which are named hyaline, granular,
epithelial and fatty. The action of the heart is bad. There may be trouble
with the stomach and bowels, constipated, etc. The digestion is poor and
the patient frequently suffers with much gas. Recovery is rare after it
has lasted one year.
Treatment. Diet.--Milk or buttermilk should be the main article of food.
You can give gruels made of arrowroot or oatmeal, barley water, beef tea,
and chicken broth, but it is better to keep strictly to milk. As the
patient gets better, bread and butter, lettuce, watercress, grapes,
oranges and other fruits may be given. The return to the meat diet should
be gradual. The patient should drink freely of mineral water, ordinary
water, or lemonade. These keep the kidneys flushed and wash out the
"debris" from the tubes. One dram (teaspoonful) of cream of tartar in a
pint of boiling water, add the juice of a half a lemon and a little sugar.
This when taken cold is a pleasant, satisfactory drink. Medical treatment
is not satisfactory. The only thing to do is to give medicines to meet the
indications; fifteen to twenty grain doses of lactate of strontium.
Diuretin also is used. Basham's mixture for anemia is of help in some
cases. It can be bought at any drug store.
[KIDNEY AND BLADDER 159]
CHRONIC INTERSTITIAL NEPHRITIS. (Sclerosis or Cirrhosis of the Kidneys.
Granular, Contracted or Gouty Kidney).--This is met with, (a) as a
sequence of the large white kidneys forming the so-called pale granular or
secondary contracted kidney; (b) as an independent primary affection; as a
sequence of arterio-sclerosis.
Causes.--The primary form is chronic from the onset, and is a slow
creeping degeneration of the kidney substance, and in many respects an
anticipation of the gradual changes which take place in the organ in
extreme old age. Families in which the arteries tend to degenerate early
are more prone to this disease. Doctor Osler says: "Among the better
classes in this country Bright's disease is very common and is caused more
frequently by over-eating than by excesses in alcohol."
Arterio-Sclerotic Form.--This is the most common form in this country, and
is secondary to arterio-sclerosis. The kidneys are not much, if at all,
contracted; very hard, red and show patches of surface atrophy. It is seen
in men over forty who have worked hard, eaten freely, and taken alcohol to
excess. They are conspicuous victims of the "strenuous life," the
incessant tension of which is felt first in the arteries. After forty, in
men of this class, nothing is more salutary than to experience the shock
brought on by the knowledge of albumin and cast tubes in the urine.
Symptoms.--Perhaps a majority of the cases are latent (hidden) and are not
recognized until the occurrence of one of the serious and fatal
complications. There may have been no symptoms to suggest to the patient
the existence of a dangerous malady. In other cases the general health is
disturbed. The patient is tired, sleepless; he must get up two or three
times at night to pass urine; the digestion is disordered, the tongue is
coated; the patient complains of a headache, failing sight, and gets out
of breath by exercising. There may be vomiting, headache, neuralgia, and
increase of the quantity of urine is common. This is light in color, of
low specific gravity, 1005 to 1012; frequently there is a trace of albumin
and a few casts of the hyaline and granular kind. In the late stages the
albumin may be increased with high specific gravity and a less quantity of
urine. The disease often lasts for a year.
In the arterio-sclerotic variety the urine may be normal or diminished in
quantity, specific gravity normal or increased, the casts are more
numerous, and the albumin is usually more abundant. There is an
enlargement of the heart; the pulse is increased in tension; the wall of
the artery is thickened. The skin is usually dry, with eczema common, but
dropsy is rare, except when it is due to heart failure. There may be
bronchial and lung troubles; attacks of uraemia, or hard breathing caused
by the heart, frequently occurs. There may be hemorrhage of the brain or
hemorrhage of the membranes, and these are often fatal.
[160 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Recovery.--Chances are unfavorable, but life may be prolonged for years,
especially with care and especially if it is discovered early.
Treatment.--A quiet life without mental worry, with gentle but not
excessive exercise, and residence in a climate that is not changeable
should be recommended. A business man must give up his worry; his rush;
his hurried eating, and rest. The bowels should be kept regular; there
should be a tepid water bath daily, and the kidneys should be kept acting
freely by drinking daily a definite amount of either distilled water or
some pleasant mineral water. Alcohol, tobacco, excessive eating and
improper food must not be allowed. Weak tea and coffee may be allowed. The
diet should be light and nourishing. Meat should not be taken more than
once a day. If it is possible, the patient should be urged to move to a
warm equable climate during the winter months, from November to April,
like that of southern California. Medicines must be given to meet the
indications. No special directions can be given. The heart, stomach, and
bowels must be watched.
DIET as Allowed by a Prominent Hospital.--
May Take:--
Soups.--Broths with rice or barley, vegetable or fish soup.
Fish.--Boiled or broiled fresh fish, raw oysters, raw clams.
Meats.--Chicken, game, fat bacon, fat ham (sparingly).
Farinaceous.--Hominy, oatmeal, wheaten grits, rice, stale bread, whole
wheat bread, toast, milk toast, biscuits, maccaroni.
Vegetables.--Cabbage, spinach, celery, water-cresses, lettuce, mushrooms,
mashed potatoes, cauliflower, onions.
Desserts.--Rice and milk puddings, stewed fruits, raw ripe fruits.
Must Not Take:--
Fried fish, pork, corned beef, veal, heavy bread, hashes, stews,
battercakes, lamb, beef, mutton, gravies, peas, beans, pastry, ice cream,
cakes, coffee, tobacco, malt or spirituous liquors.
[KIDNEY AND BLADDER 161]
PYELITIS.--This is an inflammation of the pelvis of the kidney and may be
caused by bacteria from the blood, or by ascending pus, infection or
tuberculous infection from the lower tracts like the ureter, bladder and
urethra.
Symptoms.--There is pain in the back, with tenderness and pressure,
cloudy-looking urine, either acid or alkaline, containing pus, mucus, and
sometimes red blood cells; chills, high fever, and sweating occur. This
may become chronic and then it becomes quite serious. Anemia and
emaciation are then marked. Mild cases usually recover; pus cases may end
in other diseases or death from exhaustion.
Treatment. Diet.--In mild cases fluids should be taken freely,
particularly the alkaline mineral water to which citrate of potash can be
added. Tonics should be given when called for, and milk diet and
buttermilk may be taken freely. When a tumor has formed, and even before,
it is perceptible, if the symptoms are serious and severe, an operation
may be necessary.
KIDNEY STONE. (Renal Calculus. Nephro-Leithiasis).--Forming of a stone or
gravel in the kidney or its pelvis may occur in intra uterine, (before the
child is born), in the womb, or at any age. A family tendency, sedentary
life, excesses in eating and drinking and very acid urine predispose. They
vary in size from that of fine sand to that of a bean.
Symptoms.--Patients may pass gravel for years without having an attack of
renal (kidney) colic, and a stone may never lodge in the ureter. A person
may pass an enormous number of calculi. Dr. Osler speaks of having had a
patient who had passed several hundred kidney stones (calculi) with
repeated attacks of kidney colic. His collection filled an ounce bottle. A
patient may pass a single stone and may never be troubled again. A stone
remaining in the kidney may cause dull aching pain in the affected kidney,
or the pain may be referred to the other side and sometimes there may be
blood or pus in the urine, with chill and fever due to pyelitis. Kidney
(renal) colic comes on when a stone enters the ureter, if it is at all
large. At attack may set in abruptly, without any apparent reason, or it
may follow a strain in lifting. The pain may be agonizing in character,
which starts in the flank of the affected side, passes down along the
course of the ureter and is felt in the testicle and along the inner side
of the thighs. The testicle is drawn back. The pain may also go through
the abdomen and chest, and be very severe in the back. In severe attacks
nausea and vomiting are present and the patient is collapsed; sweating
breaks out in his face and the pulse is feeble and weak. The pain lasts
from an hour to several days, until the stone reaches the bladder, partial
suppression of the urine during the attack occurs, but a large quantity of
urine is usually passed after it and a feeling of soreness may, be present
for several days. The stone may again cause pain in passing through the
urethra, or it may remain in the bladder as a nucleus for a bladder
calculus (stone). Dr. Osler gives Montaigne's description as follows;
"Thou art seen to sweat with pain, to look pale and red, to tremble, to
vomit well nigh to blood, to suffer strange contortions and convulsions,
by starts to let tears drop from thine eyes, to urine thick, black and
frightful water, or to have it suppressed by some sharp and craggy stone
that cruelly pricks and tears thee."
[162 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Treatment.--Great relief is experienced in the attacks by the hot baths or
fomentations which sometimes are able to cause the spasm to relax. If the
pain is very severe morphine should be given by the hypodermic method and
inhalations of chloroform given until morphine has had time to act. Local
applications are sometimes grateful,--hot poultices or cloths wrung out of
hot water may be helpful. Cloths wrung out of steaming hop, wormwood, or
smartweed teas, are of benefit sometimes. Change of position often gives
relief; when the stone is large an operation may be needed. The patient
should drink freely of hot lemonade, soda water, barley water. When the
patient is free from the attack, he should live a quiet life and avoid
sudden exertion of all kinds. There should be a free passage of urine
always. The patient should drink daily a large but definite quantity of
mineral, or distilled water which is just as satisfactory. You may take
the citrate or bicarbonate of potash. Mineral springs are good to visit,
such as Saratoga, Hot Springs, Arkansas, etc. Abstain from alcohol and eat
moderately. Live an open-air life with plenty of exercise and regular
hours. The skin should be kept active; a cold friction bath in the morning
is good, if one is strong; but if he is weak and debilitated the evening
warm bath should be substituted. The patient should dress warmly, avoid
rapid alterations in temperature, and be careful not to allow the skin to
become suddenly chilled.
Diet.--Most persons over forty eat too much. One should take plenty of
time to eat, and not too much meat should be eaten.
"Queen of the Meadow."--The Indians used this medicine quite frequently in
the treatment of kidney and bladder troubles. A lady, whom I know well,
told me that she had a cousin who was affected with the kidney stone
colic. At one time, when he was suffering from an attack, an Indian
happened in their home and saw him suffering. He went into the meadow and
dug some of this remedy and made a tea of it. It seemed to do the work,
for while he gave it, the pain was eased and he never had any more
attacks. I give this for what it is worth. The remedy will certainly do no
harm for it is a good diuretic.
INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER. (Cystitis). Causes.--It may occur from injury
from passing a catheter, etc., from the use of drugs like cantharides,
from the presence of a stone, from stricture of the urethra and from
gonorrhea or cold.
Symptoms.--The urine is passed more frequently, sometimes the desire to
pass the urine is almost constant. The distress is relieved for only a few
minutes by passing the urine; sometimes only a few drops are passed, and
it gives no relief from the desire for passing urine. The straining is
extremely severe. Sometimes the patient will lean over the vessel
quivering with the muscular effort to pass urine. The bowels often move at
the same time from the straining. The urine becomes thick with much mucus,
then scanty, and then tinged with blood.
[KIDNEY AND BLADDER 163]
BLADDER TROUBLE. Mothers' Remedies. 1. English Oil of Sandal Wood
for.--"Get one ounce of the pure English oil of sandal wood, take four
drops three times a day in a little water. As you urinate more freely
reduce the dose. This is a splendid remedy."
2. Bladder Trouble, Effective Herb Teas for.--"Make a tea of half ounce of
buchu leaves, half ounce of uva ursi leaves (barberry leaves), one pint of
boiling water. Dose: Two or three tablespoonfuls three times a day, or may
drink quite freely." A tea made of cornsilk is a common and standard
remedy.
Treatment.--Remove cause if possible. Fomentations of hops, smartweed,
wormwood are good, even hot water over the bladder. Hot hip bath is good,
and also the warm foot bath. The bowels should be kept open with saline
laxatives. Buchu tea is very good. Use about one-half ounce of the leaves
to a pint of warm water and let it steep, not boil. Drink freely of this.
Pumpkin seed tea or watermelon seed tea is good, also flaxseed tea. Dr.
Hare recommends the following at the beginning if there is fever:
Tincture of Aconite 3 drams
Sweet Spirits of Nitre 1 ounce
Solution of Citrate of Potash enough to make 6 ounces
Mix.
Give a dessertspoonful every four hours until all fever ceases and the
pulse is quiet. The patient should be kept quiet.
Diet.--Should be milk only.
CHRONIC INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER.--Causes.--It follows repeated
attacks; partial retention of urine in the bladder, decomposing there;
Bright's disease, inflammation of the urethra, injury, etc.
Treatment.--Wash out the bladder with pure warm water or water containing
about one to two teaspoonfuls of boric acid to the pint of warm water.
This should be given once or twice a day; or enough permanganate of potash
can be put into the water to give the water a tinge of the color. An
injection of golden seal, one teaspoonful to the pint of warm water, is
good if there is much mucus. The best way to give the irrigation is to
attach a small funnel to a soft rubber catheter and fill the bladder by
raising the funnel when full of water above the patient's belly; or you
can attach the rubber tube of a fountain syringe to a catheter at one end
and to a funnel at the other and raise the funnel to the desired height;
or you can attach a catheter to the rubber tube of a fountain syringe
(clean one) and raise syringe high enough to allow the water to run into
the bladder gently. The patient will stand just about so much water. The
rubber can then be detached from the catheter and the water allowed to run
out.
[164 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
DISEASE OF THE PROSTATE GLAND. The prostate, which both in structure and
in function is rather a muscle than a gland, is situated at the neck of
the bladder and around the first inch of the urethra. It is divided into
two lateral (side) lobes (parts) by a deep notch behind and a furrow at
the upper and lower surfaces. The so-called middle or third lobe is the
portion which is between the two side lobes at the under and posterior
part of the gland, just beneath the neck of the bladder. The urethra (the
channel for the urine to pass through from the bladder out through the
penis) usually passes through the gland at about the junction of its upper
and middle third.
HYPERTROPHY OF THE PROSTATE.--This is a general enlargement of the gland
in all directions. All the three lobes may enlarge and in about one-third
of the men who have passed middle life some enlargement takes place, and
in about one-tenth of all men over fifty-five this enlargement becomes of
importance in regard to the size. The middle lobe may enlarge so much that
it may extend up into the bladder and block the opening into the urethra;
the side lobes may compress the urethra into a mere slit, or may lengthen
it so that the prostatic portion measures three or four inches, or may
twist and distort it so that the most flexible instrument can only be made
to pass through it with difficulty.
Symptoms.--The earliest symptom may be increased frequency in passing
urine, especially at night. Soon some urine is retained in the bladder,
and this may increase so much that only an ounce or two can be passed
spontaneously, although the bladder contains one pint or more. The stream
of urine is feeble, and will drop perpendicularly towards the feet of the
patient. In some cases an inflammation of the prostate and bladder is set
up, and then the symptoms felt are very distressing. There is an almost
constant desire to pass urine; there is much pain and straining with it; a
slight bleeding may follow and night rest is broken; the general strength
fails from the continual suffering; the urine becomes foul, smells like
ammonia, and is reduced in quantity; inflammation of the kidneys develops
also; general poisoning occurs; and the patient dies of uraemia and in a
"coma" condition.
Treatment. Preventive.--The patient should avoid taking cold in this
disease. Light and easily digested diet is necessary. The bowels must be
kept regular. Alcohol of any kind should not be used. The bladder should
be emptied at regular intervals. Some patients keep a catheter and "draw"
their own urine. Unless the patient takes great care, the bladder and
urethra will be irritated and perhaps infected through neglect of
cleanliness. Medicines are not very useful in severe cases. Operation is
the only reliable cure especially when some urine is always retained.
URINARY PASSAGE. Mother's Remedy.--1. Dandelion Root Will Clean.--"A
decoction made of the sliced root of dandelion in white wine is very
effectual for cleansing and healing inward ulcers in the urinary passage.
If the fresh root cannot be obtained, buy extract of dandelion and give
two teaspoonfuls in water once in two or three hours as the case requires.
It also acts on the liver, gall and spleen."
[KIDNEY AND BLADDER 165]
DROPSY.--Dropsy should be regarded as a symptom, which may arise from many
causes, such as heart disease, lung disease or kidney disease, or it may
depend upon obstruction to the normal flow of blood and lymph through the
vessels and tissues.
From Heart Disease.--In heart disease dropsy is due to a weak heart. The
heart is unable to supply the arteries with enough blood to maintain the
normal pressure, or to damming up of blood in the venous system as the
result of imperfect emptying of the heart cavities. In kidney trouble the
dropsy depends more on the lack of proper nourishing processes in the
capillary walls and upon changes in the blood and blood pressure. If the
kidneys are diseased, they may not be able to eliminate the proper amount
of liquids which accumulate and finally escape into the tissues. Liver
troubles cause dropsy by producing pressure upon the large blood-vessels
going to the liver, and consequently the fluid is generally confined to
the lower limbs and abdomen.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. Dropsy, 1. Juniper Berries Fresh or Dry for.--"The
berries of the juniper tree are regarded as excellent home remedies in
dropsy. They may be eaten fresh or dry, or make a decoction and drink. Two
teaspoonfuls of the berries two or three times a day is considered a dose.
It is well to bruise them thoroughly by breaking the seeds with a hammer
before taking." The decoction is more effective. This helps the dropsy by
acting on the kidneys.
2. Dropsy, Wild Milkweed for.--"Steep the root of the wild milkweek and
drink the tea in doses of a wineglass three times a day. This is a sure
cure if taken in early stages."
3. Dropsy, White Bay Buds for.--"White bay buds steeped in water." The
white bay buds can be secured at any drug store, and are easily prepared.
Make a tea of these the same as you would make green tea for the table,
only stronger. Take several times a day. This is an excellent remedy.
4. Dropsy, Canada Thistle for.--"Steep dwarf elder root, or Canada thistle
root, and drink the tea." This is an old tried remedy that our
grandmothers used to use, and can be depended upon. We all know that in
olden times mothers had to use these herb remedies, as doctors could not
be secured as easily as they can in these days.
5. Dropsy, Very Effective Remedy for.--"Make a decoction of fresh
dandelion root slices, one ounce to one pint of water boiled down to
one-half pint, strain, adding two drams of cream of tartar. Dose: A wine
glassful two or three times a day."
6. Dropsy, Common Herb Remedy for.--"One gallon white beech bark, after
the rough bark is removed, good big handful of blackberry root, cut fine,
and also of sassafras root. Cover with cold water and steep to get the
strength; then strain. When cool, not cold, add one pint bakers' yeast and
one cup of sugar. Let it stand twenty-four hours in a warm place. Then
strain and set in a cool place. Take a wineglassful three times a day
before meals. This has been highly recommended to me by a friend in
Kalkaska, Michigan."
[166 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
7. Dropsy, "Queen of the Meadow" for.--"Is a symptom of morbid conditions
existing in the system, therefore nutritious diet, alkaline baths and a
general hygienic regulation of the daily habits are of the greatest
importance. Take one teaspoonful of powder of "Queen of the Meadow" in a
cupful of water three or four times a day as the case may require. Either
use tea or powder."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Dropsy.--Treat the disease that causes it.
Remedies should be given that will cause an outpouring of the liquids.
Salines, such as epsom salts in large doses. Cream of tartar and epsom
salts (equal parts) taken freely is effective. If the kidneys are inactive
owing to heart trouble, the following may be used: An infusion of
digitalis in one to four teaspoonful doses every three to four hours. This
pill is good.
Powdered Digitalis 20 grains
Powdered Squills 20 grains
Mix into twenty pills and take one every five hours.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
INFECTION AND CONTAGION.--These words are often used in such a way that a
wrong impression is made. A disease may be infectious but not contagious.
Malaria is an instance. Infection means an ability to enter the body from
any source, wind, water, food or other persons and produce a
characteristic disease. The agency doing this is known as a germ.
Contagion is properly a poisoning of one individual from contact with a
diseased individual in some way known or unknown. It may be conveyed
indirectly through clothes, etc., or other person; but always comes from
some person sick with the same disease. Diseases may be both infectious
and contagious. Nearly all the epidemic diseases of infancy are both
infectious and contagious and accompanied by fever. In nursing children,
suffering from infectious diseases the mother or nurse should avoid their
breath and handle them as little as possible. All secretion from bowels
and kidneys should fall in a vessel containing a disinfecting solution of
Copperas, bichloride of mercury, etc., and should be emptied into the
sewer or buried. Following are the solutions as made. Copperas:--Put a
lump as big as a walnut in the chamber with one-half pint of water, to
receive feces, urine, sputum and vomited matter from infectious and
contagious patients.
2. Solution of chlorinated soda, four fluid ounces; water ten ounces,
useful for hands and dishes, not silverware. Dissolve eight corrosive
sublimate tablets, also called bichloride, in a gallon of water. This is
used to disinfect floors, woodwork, rubber, and leather, but not metal
parts. Great care must be taken to have the hands washed after handling
such a patient, so as not to infect the food, eyes, mouth, or any small
skin sores.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 167]
Diet in Infectious Diseases.--Foods that can be used: Milk, milk-water,
milk and lime-water, Mellin's food, malted milk, imperial granum, albumin
water, rice water, oatmeal water, barley water, egg (white part), and
barley water, arrowroot water, whey, whey and cream mixture, cream and
rice mixture, beef tea, beef extract, mutton broth, beef juice. Chewing
broiled steak and only swallowing the juice, dry toast and soft boiled
eggs, milk toast, dried beef broth, soups, rice, cornstarch, tapioca, etc.
The diet must not consist of solid food in any severe case of fever. Small
quantities of cold drinks can be given, frequently repeated if there is no
vomiting. Frequent washing with tepid water or cool water lessens the
fever and produces sleep. The bowels should be kept open at least once a
day, and castor oil or salts usually can be given. (See Nursing and
Dietetics department.)
Table of Infectious Diseases.
Date of
characteristic Whole
Incubation lasts symptom. duration.
Mumps 7 to 20 days 1st day 7 days or less
Whooping Cough 2 to 7 days 7 to 14 days 2 months
Diphtheria 1 to 12 days 1 to 2 days 1 week to 1 month
Erysipelas 2 to 8 days 1 to 2 days 1 week to 3 weeks
Varioloid 10 to 13 days 1 day 1 week to 3 weeks
Chicken Pox 12 to 17 days 1 day 4 to 7 days
German Measles 1 to 3 weeks 1 day 3 to 4 days
Measles 12 to 14 days 4 days 7 to 9 days
Scarlet Fever 1 to 7 days 1 to 2 days 7 to 12 days
Typhoid Fever 1 to 14 days 7 to 8 days 3 to 5 weeks
Smallpox 10 to 14 days 3 to 4 days 2 to 4 weeks
SCARLET FEVER. Definition.--Scarlet fever is an acute infectious disease,
with a characteristic eruption.
Modes of Conveying.--The nearer a person is to a patient the more likely
one is to take or convey the disease. Clothing, bedding, etc., may retain
the poison for months. Scales from the skin of a patient, dried
secretions, the urine if inflammation of the kidneys (nephritis) exists,
the discharges (feces) from the bowels, are all means of infection. The
longer a person remains near the patient the more likely he is to convey
the disease. Foods handled by those sick of the disease, or by those who
may have been near patients may convey the disease. This is especially
true of milk. Epidemics of scarlet fever have been started by dairy-men
who had scarlet fever in their family. I once attended a family where the
only known cause for it in that family was a long-haired dog of a neighbor
who had scarlet fever in the family. The dog was in the room with the sick
ones, and visited the neighbor's family and played with the children who
afterwards came down with the fever. Discharges from the ear, caused by
scarlet fever, are said to be capable of giving it.
[168 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Remains in the Room, how long?--It may remain for months in a room, and
extend over two years as recorded by Murchison. We do not yet know how the
poison obtains entrance to the body. Hence, the need for thorough
disinfection.
Age, Occurrence, Susceptibility.--All children exposed to the disease do
not contract the disease. It is less contagious than measles. A person who
is exposed once, and does not take it, may take it at a future exposure.
It occurs at any age and in all countries. It occurs oftener in autumn
(September) and winter (February). Isolated cases occur, and then it is
called sporadic. This disease attacks nursing children less frequently
than older children. It is not often seen during the first year of life.
How Often?--As a rule, it attacks a person only once; yet there are
recorded cases of well observed second and third attacks, but fortunately
these are very rare. I once attended a family where they had it and
claimed to have had it before, but very lightly.
Incubation.--The vast majority of cases develop within three to five days
after exposure. If eleven days elapse without the appearance of symptoms
we may reasonably expect that the danger is past, at least in the great
majority of cases exposed.
Contagiousness.--There is danger of catching the disease during the stages
of incubation, eruption and scaling. It is most contagious in the last two
stages.
Onset.--Sometimes the onset is sudden; there may be a convulsion, preceded
by a sharp rise in the temperature. An examination in such cases may
reveal a marked sore throat or a membranous deposit on the tonsils
preceding the eruption, and nothing more. A chill followed by fever and
vomiting ushers in a large number of cases. These may be mild or severe.
The severity of these symptoms usually indicates the gravity of the
attack.
Rash.--The rash or eruption appears from twelve to thirty-six hours after
the onset, usually on the second day, and looks like a very severe heat
rash, but is finer and thicker. It consists of a very finely pointed
rose-colored rash. In mild cases it is hardly noticeable. Usually it first
appears on the upper part of the chest around the collar bones, spreads
over the chest and around upon the back. Also it is now seen on the neck,
beneath the jaw, behind the ears and on the temples, thence spreads over
the body. There is a paleness about the mouth and wings of the nose, while
the cheeks are flushed with a flame-like redness. There is much itching if
the rash is severe. It attains the full development at the end of two or
three days, and then gradually declines. In some cases the rash is seen
only twenty-four hours.
Fever.--The fever rises rapidly in the first few hours to 104 or 105-8/10
degrees. It remains high except in the morning, until the eruption reaches
its full development and falls with the fading eruption, and in
uncomplicated and typical cases, within six days becomes normal.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 169]
Sore Throat.--This we find on the pillars of the fauces, uvula, tonsils,
and pharynx, reddened and inflamed. Sometimes it is very severe, and a
membrane comes on one or both tonsils and pillars of the fauces. There is,
generally a severe sore throat, and this makes swallowing difficult.
Tongue.--The tongue is covered with a coating at the onset, and may
present a slightly reddened appearance at the borders and tip. The
papillae are prominent and covered and look like a strawberry sometimes,
or like the tongue of a cat. In fatal poisonous cases it becomes dry and
cracked.
Scaling.--As the disease subsides the outer layer of the skin dries and
peels off. The extent of this depends upon the severity of the attack. In
some cases the scaling is hardly perceptible, and sometimes it appears
only on certain parts, such as on the toes and inner parts of the thighs.
There is always some scaling. This is called "desquamation." Generally
speaking, scaling begins where the eruption first appeared on the upper
part of the chest and neck. The scales may be fine and branny or as is
most common, the skin peels in large particles. Some scaling is always
present. The length of the scaling time is variable. It usually lasts from
three to four weeks, but often longer. This stage is considered by many as
the most contagious, as the fine scales fly in the air.
Complications. Nose.--The nose is affected at the same time if the "sore
throat" is very severe. A membrane may also form in the nose.
Ear.--This may be affected in as high as one-fifth of the cases and needs
careful watching and attention. Both ears may be diseased and deafness
frequently results from it. Ten per cent of those who suffer from
"deaf-mutism" can trace their affliction to scarlet fever. The ears
usually become afflicted in the third week. The fever rises and there is
pain in the ears or ear. The onset may not appear alarming and not be
suspected until the discharge makes its appearance This is unfortunate;
these complications are serious, as meningitis and abscess of the brain
may result. The ear trouble (otitis) usually occurs during the scaling.
The patient may be up and around. There is a rise of the temperature to
103 or 104 degrees, the patient begins to vomit food and has a headache.
At night the child starts from its crib and cries as if in pain. They do
not always locate the pain in the ear. The face and hands may twitch. The
fever may fall to normal and rise sharply again. Such symptoms should call
for a thorough examination.
Eye.--Inflammation of the (conjunctiva) red membrane of the eyes, often
occurs.
[170 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Kidneys.--There may be a mild form of inflammation in the earlier stages.
The severe form comes, if at all, usually in the third week. It occurs in
five to seven per cent of the cases. It may occur in the mildest case, as
such cases are not so closely watched. The first symptom is a slight
bloating of the eyes and face and spreads over the whole body. Sometimes
the swelling is very slight; at other times it is extreme. The urine
diminishes early and sometimes is wholly suppressed. It may be light
colored, smoky or straw colored. This trouble usually runs for weeks. The
patient may get uremia and result fatally.
Heart.--This also may be affected as the valves may become diseased.
Joints.--Rheumatism also may occur, and other complications.
Chorea.--Follows scarlet fever also, especially in girls from twelve to
fifteen years.
Diagnosis.--In most cases it is easy to distinguish from other diseases.
Dermatitis, inflammation of the skin ("Itis" always means inflammation).
In dermatitis the throat symptoms and strawberry tongue are absent.
From Measles.--By the rapid onset, absence of cold symptoms of the nose,
eyes, and bronchial tubes, blotchy eruptions that occur in measles. There
is no strawberry tongue in measles and no coughing at beginning.
Recovery.--The prognosis is favorable in uncomplicated cases. It also
depends upon the character of the epidemic type of the disease. In England
it varies from thirteen to fourteen per cent. In this country it is
sometimes as low as two to four per cent. The kidney trouble is always
feared for it may result in uremia and death, or the acute may be followed
by chronic nephritis or Bright's disease, which will ultimately prove
fatal.
Sanitary Care of Room and Patient.--If you are exposed to this disease
what can you do? If a child, it must be put in a room by itself. If
several children have been exposed they should be put in separate rooms.
These rooms should have no carpet, curtains, rugs, etc., or any
unnecessary furniture, for everything must be disinfected afterward, and
sometimes destroyed. The clothes worn just before the sickness should be
sterilized in steam or boiled and then aired in the sun. Anyone suffering
from sore throat who has been about the patient should not be allowed to
be near the healthy. All the children must be kept from school. It is well
for them to spray their throats with a simple cleansing solution morning
and night, with a full teaspoonful of boric acid to a glass full of warm
water; or you can use common salt, but not strong enough to irritate the
throat, about one teaspoonful to a glass of water. If you have listerine
or glyco-thymoline or any such disinfectant use them, one teaspoonful to
sixteen spoonfuls of water. Hot water itself is a very good gargle, very
healing and cleansing. Anyone who enters the sick room and comes out again
should wear a sheet all over him. On coming out, he or she should leave
this sheet outside the window of another room. If the person has a beard
he should wash his face with a 1 to 2000 solution of corrosive sublimate,
and the hands also, before leaving the sick room. The one who waits upon
the sick one should remain there, but everyone can not do so. They must
stay away from the healthy if possible.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 171]
City and State Supervision.--If you live in the city your physician should
notify the health board who will probably send someone to instruct you
regarding cautions and some cities have private rules, laws, etc., for
them to follow while under quarantine. A copy is usually furnished also to
your close neighbors. Also some of the state departments of health have
made up pamphlets which are circulated free on request dealing with the
sanitary science of infectious and contagious diseases. Some colleges use
these same pamphlets in their study of sanitary science. Much valuable
information is contained in them. Comparatively few people learn of these
pamphlets. For the benefit of those who have not read or seen them we
quote from their scarlet fever subjects as follows:
HOW TO AVOID AND PREVENT SCARLET FEVER.
Do not let a child go near a case of scarlet fever. This is especially
important to be observed.
Children are in much greater danger of death from scarlet fever than are
adults; but adult persons often get and spread the disease, and sometimes
die from it. Mild cases in adults may cause fatal cases among children.
Unless your services are needed keep away from the disease yourself. If
you do visit a case, bathe yourself and change and disinfect your clothing
and hair, beard, if any, and hands before you go where there is a child.
Do not permit any person or thing or a dog or cat, or other animal to come
from a case of scarlet fever to a child. No cat or dog should be permitted
to enter the sick room.
Do not permit a child to wear or handle clothing worn by a person during
sickness or convalescence from scarlet fever.
Beware of any person who has sore throat. Do not kiss or come near to such
a person. Do not drink from the same cup, blow the same whistle, or put
his pen or pencil in your mouth. Whenever a child has sore throat and
fever, and especially when this is accompanied by a rash on the body, the
child and attendant should immediately be isolated until the physician has
seen it and determined whether it has scarlet fever. Strict quarantine
should be established and maintained throughout the course of the disease.
Exposed persons should be isolated until such time has elapsed as may
prove that they are not infected. The period of incubation, that is the
interval of time between exposure to the contagion of scarlet fever and
the first sign of the disease in the person so exposed, varies. In many
cases it appears in seven days, in some cases in fourteen days, and in
some cases twenty-one days; the average period is about nine days.
Quarantine of persons exposed should not be raised under four weeks.
[172 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Children believed to be uninfected may be sent away from the house in
which there is scarlet fever to families in which there are no persons
liable to the disease, or to previously disinfected convalescent wards in
hospitals; but in either case they should be isolated from the public
until the expiration of the period of incubation. This time may vary, but
for full protection to the public isolation should be observed for four
weeks.
Persons who are attending upon children or other persons suffering from
scarlet fever, and also the members of the patient's family, should not
mingle with other people nor permit the entrance of children into their
house.
SANITARY CARE OF INFECTED AND SICK PERSONS AND ROOMS.
All persons known to be sick with this disease (even those but mildly
sick) should be promptly and thoroughly isolated from the public and
family. In ordering the isolation of infected persons, the health officer
means that their communication with well persons and the movement of any
article from the infected room or premises shall be absolutely cut off.
Except it be disinfected, no letter or paper should be sent through the
mail from an infected place. That this is of more importance than in the
case of smallpox is indicated by the fact of the much greater number of
cases of sickness and of deaths from scarlet fever,--a disease for which
no such preventive as vaccination is yet known.
The room in which one sick with this disease is to be placed should
previously be cleared of all needless clothing, drapery and other
materials likely to harbor the germs of the disease; and except after
thorough disinfection nothing already exposed to the contagion of the
disease should be moved from the room. The sick room should have only such
articles as are indispensable to the well-being of the patient, and should
have no carpet, or only pieces which can afterwards be destroyed.
Provision should be made for the introduction of a liberal supply of fresh
air and the continual change of the air in the room without sensible
currents or drafts.
Soiled clothing, towels, bed linen, etc., on removal from the patient
should not be carried about while dry; but should be placed in a pail or
tub covered with a five per cent solution of carbolic acid, six and
three-fourths ounces of carbolic acid to one gallon water. Soiled clothing
should in all cases be disinfected before sending away to the laundry,
either by boiling for at least half an hour or by soaking in the five per
cent solution of carbolic acid.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 173]
The discharges from the throat, nose, mouth, and from the kidneys and
bowels of the patient should be received into vessels containing an equal
volume of a five per cent solution of carbolic acid, and in cities where
sewers are used, thrown into the water closet; elsewhere the same should
be buried at least one hundred feet distant from any well, and should not
by any means be thrown into a running stream, nor into a cesspool or
privy, except after having been thoroughly disinfected. Discharges from
the bladder and bowels may be received on old cloths, which should be
immediately burned. All vessels should be kept scrupulously clean and
disinfected. Discharges from the nose, ears, etc., may be received on soft
rags or pieces of cloth and which should be immediately burned.
All cups, glasses, spoons, etc., used in the sick room, should at once on
removal from the room, be washed in the five per cent solution of carbolic
acid and afterwards in hot water, before being used by any other person.
Food and drink that have been in the sick room should be disinfected and
buried. It should not be put in the swill barrel.
Perfect cleanliness of nurses and attendants should be enjoined and
secured. As the hands of the nurses of necessity become frequently
contaminated by the contagion of the disease, a good supply of towels and
basins, one containing a two per cent solution of carbolic acid (two and
three-fifths ounces of carbolic acid to a gallon of water) and another for
plain soap and water should always be at hand and freely used.
Persons recovering from scarlet fever, so long as any scaling or peeling
of the skin, soreness of the eyes or air passages or symptoms of dropsy
remain, should be considered dangerous, and, therefore, should not attend
school, church or any public assembly or use any public conveyance. In a
house infected with scarlet fever, a temporary disinfection after apparent
recovery may be made, so as to release from isolation the members of the
household who have not had the disease.
Diet and Nursing.--Food should be given every two to four hours. Only
water can be given as long as there is nausea and vomiting, and sometimes
not even that. After they have stopped you can give milk and water and
then milk. You should give it to a child every two to three hours, about
one-fourth of a glass full and warm if possible. A child can take at least
one quart in twenty-four hours. Watch the stomach and bowels for bad
symptoms; if necessary you can put in one teaspoonful of lime water after
the milk has been heated. If the child will not take milk, use one of the
prepared foods. Mellins' malted milk, Borden's malted milk, peptonized
milk, Imperial Granum, and follow the directions on the bottle. The
different food waters mentioned above are to use when milk and other food
preparations cannot be given. Albumen (white of an egg and water, not
whipped) can be given and always cold. Cold milk also tastes better.
[174 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
During the Sickness, etc.--The linen, bedding, etc., of the patient should
be put into a one to five-thousand solution of corrosive sublimate (you
can buy that strength tablet) before being boiled, dried and aired in the
sun. The sick room must be kept well ventilated, but no drafts should be
allowed to go over the patient. The temperature is better at 68 degrees F.
The patient should be kept in bed during all the feverish stage and during
the scaling stage also.
Care must be taken lest the patient take cold. During this time there is a
great danger of ear and kidney trouble. It would be safer to keep the
patient in bed until the peeling is done. Children are naturally lively,
risky, and a little careless. To keep the scales from flying you can
grease the patient with cold cream, vaselin, lard, etc. This will also
help to ease the itching. The peeling is aided by bathing the patient
every day with warm, soapy water.
Special Treatment.--In ordinary cases little treatment is needed except to
keep the throat and nose free from excessive secretions. The urine should
be examined daily, and the bowels should move once or twice a day. Cold
water should be given frequently after the nausea has passed away. Milk is
the usual food, but must not be given during the vomiting stage. Equal
parts of milk and water can be given after the vomiting stage, if the
patient will not take pure milk.
During the vomiting stage very little water even can be given. The
greatest danger in scarlet fever comes from the throat complications and
the high fever.
When the fever is high the patient suffers from delirium. A temperature of
105 is dangerous and such patients must be bathed well in water,
commencing at 90 degrees and rubbed well all over while in the water,
allowing the temperature of the bath to fall to 85 or 80 degrees while so
doing; bath to last five to fifteen minutes. Bathe the head with water, at
the temperature of 50 degrees, all the time the temperature is at 103
degrees or higher. Always use the thermometer to determine the temperature
of the water. Weakly children often do not stand the bath well, so you
must exercise discretion in giving it often. The temperature must be kept
down to 102 to 103-1/2, and baths must be used often to do so. Where baths
cannot be used, frequent washing with water at 60 to 70 degrees must be
adopted without drying the child afterwards. A mother should always
remember that a feverish, restless child needs a bath or a good washing
with cool soap and water. If the bowels and kidneys do not act freely
enough give the following:
Epsom Salts 2 ounces
Cream of Tartar 2 ounces
Mix and give one-half teaspoonful in water every three hours until the
bowels move freely.
This is the dose for a child one year old.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 175]
Dropsy in Scarlet Fever.--In this case you must have a doctor. A simple
way to make a dropsy patient sweat is to place the patient upon a cane
seated chair, pin a blanket around the neck, covering the whole body.
Under the chair place a wooden pail half full of cool water and into this
put a brick baked as hot as possible; or you can introduce steam under the
blanket while the patient is sitting on a chair, or lying in bed, taking
care not to scald the patient. This will cause sweating, and relieve the
dropsy and also congested kidneys.
How Soon May a Scarlet Fever Patient Associate with the Healthy?--It is
best to wait a few weeks after scaling ends. Give the patient a bath in a
one to 10,000 corrosive sublimate solution first.
Caution.--An ordinary case of scarlet fever does not need much medicine.
Nursing and care are essential. Even the slightest case should be watched.
There is always danger of the eyes, ears and kidneys becoming affected. If
the child complains of pain in the head the ear must be examined. If the
urine passed is small in quantity, or if there are any signs of dropsy,
treatment must be given at once. You have heard very much lately about the
sting of the honey bee for rheumatism. I often use a preparation of this
for the kidney troubles in scarlet fever. The name is Apis Mel. I use the
second or third homeopathic attenuation in tablet form and give one to two
about every two hours. I have found this effective in such cases where the
urine is small in quantity, and there is some dropsy. The lightest cases
can have dropsy, especially if special care is not taken when scaling goes
on.
I was once attending three children for scarlet fever. The one that had it
in a mild form became affected with dropsy. For this I steamed her. In her
case I placed her in a cane-seated chair, pinned a blanket tightly around
her so as to thoroughly cover her, put a pail of cool water under her
chair and dropped into the pail a hot baked brick. The hot brick caused
steam to rise from the water and enveloped the child, producing sweating.
This was done frequently, and the child considered it a joke, but it
relieved her of the bloat. It was in the country and these crude means
produced the desired result. By attaching a rubber tube to a steaming
kettle and introducing the steam under the covering the same result can be
produced. Sometimes you may not have all things you wish, then you must
make use of what is handy. You would be surprised perhaps to know how much
can be done to relieve sickness by what can be found in every house. (For
disinfectants see chapter on nursing.)
[176 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
MEASLES.--Measles is an acute infectious disease, distinguished by a
characteristic eruption on the mucous membranes and skin. It is very
contagious and spreads through the atmosphere. Almost everyone is
susceptible to measles and suffers at least one attack. The disease is not
frequent during the first year of life. It prevails in all countries.
Incubation.--This varies from thirteen to fifteen days. In calculating
this period we include the time from exposure to the appearance of the
eruption. One attack generally protects the person from another attack.
The period of the greatest danger of taking it extends through the period
of the eruption. It diminishes as the eruption fades. From this we learn
that the infection in measles takes place generally in the incubation
stage.
Symptoms and Description of Ordinary Type.--The first symptoms may be only
a headache or a slight disturbance of the stomach. There may be some fever
in the evening. There is now a redness and watery condition of the eyes,
and general feeling of weariness. The cold symptoms (coryza) are not yet
marked, but if we look in the mouth we may see a few spots on the mucous
membrane of the cheek. Then follow the sneezing, running at the nose, sore
and red eyes; running water, sensitiveness to the light, cough and fever.
The eruption now appears, and is first noticed on the side of the head and
the wings of the nose, as a red spotted eruption, which soon looks like a
pimple, and then "blotchy." Older people feel quite sick. The aching all
over, and headache are sometimes almost unbearable, especially when there
is much coughing. The face, eyes and scalp are soon covered by the red
rose irregularly shaped pimples, which next appear rapidly on the back of
the hands, fore-arms, front of the trunk, on the back and lower
extremities. This order is not always maintained. Sometimes it first
appears on the back.
The eruptive stage generally lasts three or four days, during which time
the symptoms are all aggravated, especially by any strong light, on
account of the sore eyes for the measles are also in them. We have active
cold symptoms like sneezing, running at the nose, snorting, snuffling,
hawking. The cough is terribly severe, annoying, making the lungs and
stomach very sore. The head feels as if it would split. The patient holds
his chest and "stomach" while coughing. Symptoms of acute bronchitis
develop. Sometimes there is much diarrhea. Pneumonia often develops
through carelessness. The fever reaches its height when the eruption is
fully developed. The eruption fades after it has been out for three or
four days, and then all the symptoms decrease, the fever lessens and
becomes normal by gradual morning remissions. Scaling begins when the
pinkish hue of the rash has disappeared and continues until the last
vestige of reddish spots has disappeared. As a rule it is completed in two
to four weeks after the first eruption has appeared. Sometimes the scaling
is difficult to see, but it is never absent in measles: It is best seen on
the front part of the chest, shoulders, and the inner surface of the
thighs. The temperature may reach 104 to 105-8/10 without complications.
This description gives a picture of a typical case. The eruption that
appears in the mucous membrane of the mouth appears three to four days
before the skin rash. It is accompanied by redness of the pharynx and of
the front and back pillars of the fauces. The soft palate is studded with
irregular shaped, rose colored spots or streaks and the hard palate
presents small whitish vesicles. They are also found on the colored mucous
membrane of the cheeks and on that opposite the gums of the upper and
lower teeth. The rash of measles is a characteristic eruption of rose
colored or purple colored papules (pimples). As a rule the whole face is
covered with the eruption and is swollen. Diphtheria may complicate
measles. Bronchitis and brancho-pneumonia also may occur, especially if
the patient is careless and takes cold. Diarrhea is frequently present.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 177]
Eyes.--Following severe cases fear of light, spasm of the orbicularis
muscle, inflammation of the lachrymal duct, conjunctivitis, ulceration of
the cornea and amaurosis (general blindness) may result. Hence the
necessity of careful attention to the eyes. Never read anything during the
attack of the measles. The ear may also become afflicted. There are other
complications, but these mentioned are the important ones.
Mortality in Measles.--The mortality in childhood and infancy is about
eight per cent. Mortality is greatest for number of cases during the first
year. Six per cent between fifth and eighth years.
Diagnosis.--Presents few difficulties in a typical case. The mode of onset
is cold symptoms of the nose and eye, cough; appearance of the mouth,
throat and the blotchy eruptions are very characteristic.
Treatment. Prevention.--As soon as you know it to be the measles, separate
the case and put the patient in a well-aired room where you can have air
without a draft and where the room can be made and kept dark. Those
persons who must go in the room should put over them a linen robe, and
hang it outside of the sick room. It should thoroughly cover them. When
not in use hang it in the open air. An attendant who wears a beard should
disinfect his beard, face, head and hands before mingling with the well.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Measles, Lemon Remedy from a Canadian
Mother.--"Give child all cold lemonade it can drink and keep in warm room.
This acts just as well as if the drinks are hot. We tried both on our
children and cured both ways." Don't give so much of the cold as to chill.
The cold drink makes child sweat, just as hot does. Also helps to carry
off impurities by flushing bowels, just as clear water would.
2. Measles, Elder Blossom Tea to Drive Out.--"Elder blossom tea is good
for a cold or fever. Gather the blossoms, and make a tea. Pleasant to
take. Sweeten if desired. This is also good to drive out the measles."
This remedy should be taken warm and is especially good to bring out the
rash in children. Take a teaspoonful every hour.
[178 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
General Treatment.--An ordinary case of measles does not need much
treatment. If the patient has a high fever and is very hot and restless,
bathe with tepid or cool water every two or three hours, till the patient
becomes quite restful. Sometimes they have too much covering and that
makes them hot and restless. Remove a little at a time. Bathing will not
hurt the rash, for it can be done under the clothes and without any danger
to the patient.
Cold Drinks.--These are refreshing and beneficial, if not given too
freely. One-third of a glass of water is enough at one time, but it can be
given often, if it does not chill the patient. After the feverish days
have passed, diluted milk or plain milk can be given in greater amount.
Cough in Measles.--It is likely to be severe, straining and barking and
hard to relieve. If it is too severe you can give, for a child one year
old:
Acetanelid 1/2 dram
Dover's Powder 1/2 dram
Mix and make into thirty powders.
Give one-half powder every two hours when awake or restless.
2. For a child two years old:
Paregoric 2 to 5 drops
Syrup Ipecac 3 drops
Mix.
Give every three hours, according to age, one to three hours for a child
two years old.
3. For Irritation of the Skin.--Sponge once a day with water at 100
degrees F. containing a little alcohol or a pinch of sodium bicarbonate or
soda.
4. For Scaling.--Use ointment of benzoinated lard, combined with five per
cent of boric acid.
Diet.--The food should be light; milk, broths, and when the fever is gone
chicken and soft boiled eggs, jelly, toasted bread, crackers, cereals,
with cocoa for drink. Orange juice or lemon juice may be given in
moderation. Milk, one pint per day for every fifty pounds in weight of the
patient, during a fever sickness, is a safe and liberal allowance. Smaller
children in proportion. Mothers will be apt to give too much and it may
then prevent rest and steep. When the fever subsides you can give more
milk and some of the above foods. Water, as before stated, can be given
for the thirst quite frequently.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 179]
Teas.--The laity gives lots of these to bring out the rash. It seems to me
before the rash is out the patient is feverish and chilly and the skin is
dry, and a small amount of tea given every hour or two might do good
unless the patient is made warmer. There are many varieties given. Elder
blossom seems to have the call. For some time after the patient is well he
may be bothered with a cough; it better be looked after if it continues,
for there might be bronchitis or some lung trouble left and unknown.
Caution.--A person who has had the measles or German measles, should be
very careful about taking cold, for if they do they are liable to have
serious trouble, especially in the chest. It is very easy to take
bronchitis or pneumonia during and after an attack of measles. The mucous
membrane of these parts is left somewhat swollen and it remains
susceptible to disease for some time. "An ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure." Remain in the house three or four days longer than may
seem necessary and you will be paid for so doing by having good bronchial
tubes and lungs,--as good as before if you were careful during the attack.
GERMAN MEASLES.--This is an acute self-limited disease and contagious. It
has a mild fever, watery eyes, cough, sore throat and enlargement of the
glands of the neck, not seen in the common measles. It has an eruption
that may come the first day to the fourth.
Incubation Period Runs.--From fifteen to twenty days.
Rash.--Just before the rash appears there is a headache, nausea and
irritation of the bronchial tubes. The eruption is so similar to that of
measles at the outset that it is hard to differentiate between them. The
eruption in the mouth, however, is not so characteristic. Before the
appearance of the eruption, the glands on the back of the neck and angles
of the jaw may be enlarged. At the time of its appearance the glands in
the armpits and groin become enlarged to the size of a bean and bigger,
and they remain enlarged for weeks after the eruption has disappeared.
Treatment.--Similar to the measles if any is needed.
CHICKEN POX (Varicella).--This is an acute infectious disease,
characterized by a peculiar eruption. Children are the ones usually
attacked. It generally occurs before the tenth year. It is transmitted
through the atmosphere. The period of coming on is usually fourteen days,
but it may extend to nineteen days. It is perhaps the simplest and mildest
disease of childhood. It occurs but once, is contagious, is very common,
and resembles varioloid. It has a mild light fever and large vesicles
almost the size of a split pea, scattered over the body. There may be few
and there may be hundreds. They are reddish gray and appear first on the
head and face, then on the body, one crop following another on the body.
They are filled at first with a clear liquid, which soon turns yellowish,
then breaks and dries up. They leave no scar unless they are scratched or
are very large. The patient is usually well in a week, but the scars last
longer.
MOTHER'S REMEDY.--1. Chicken Pox, Catnip Tea and Soda Water for.--"Put
the patient to bed and give catnip tea. A daily bath of saleratus water is
good and the bowels should be kept open." One of the most essential things
is to keep the patient warm.
[180 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT FOR CHICKEN POX.--Exclude other children. The child
should be lightly fed and on ordinary food. Large vesicles on the face,
when yellow, should be pricked with a needle that has been boiled, then
wash them with a disinfecting lotion twice daily.
The following is a good lotion:
Boric Acid 1/2 ounce (4 teaspoonfuls)
Boiled Water 1 pint
Mix thoroughly and use twice a day on the eruption.
The child should not pick the sores on his face, as this may cause delay
in healing and leave a mark.
MUMPS (Parotitis).--This is an acute infectious disease of one or both of
the parotid glands, located at the angle of the jaw, and extending up to
the ear, and, also, to other salivary glands. It appears only once. One
attack gives immunity. It may come at any age; but appears mostly before
the age of fifteen. It comes on one side first and may pass over to the
other side in a few days, as it usually does, and gives the face a broad
appearance, under the ears, or ear, and makes chewing and swallowing
almost impossible. There is no soreness of the throat in mumps. In
well-marked cases there is considerable fever and pain. It may last from a
few days to a week. The usual length of time the disease lasts is one
week. There is no tendency to form pus, even when the face is very hard
and swollen and tender. It will occasionally leave the face and appear in
the breasts and ovaries in the females or in the testicles of the males,
and in both places it causes much pain.
Treatment.--The patient should be kept in the house and isolated in bed as
long as the symptoms last. When there is much pain, laudanum diluted
one-third with water may be applied continually with a soft warm cloth.
Oil of hyoscyamus applied twice daily to the sore parts is good if
laudanum is not used. When the swelling goes down I know of nothing as
good as a hot bean poultice, which must be changed often so as to keep
hot. Bean poultice.--Simply boil the beans in water until they are soft
and thick enough to use as a poultice. The bowels should be kept open with
salts. The food must be liquid, such as milk, soups and gruels. If there
is not much fever, soft boiled eggs and milk toast from the beginning. Do
not use vinegar, acids or astringents.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 181]
WHOOPING-COUGH (Pertussis).--Whooping cough is an acute specific
infectious, disease caused by a micro-organism. It is characterized in a
majority of cases by a spasmodic cough, accompanied by a so-called whoop.
It is not only infectious, but very contagious. It is propagated through
the atmosphere in schools and public places; the air of which is
contaminated with the specific agent of the disease. This agent is thought
to reside in the sputum and the secretions of the nose and air passages of
the patient. It is very contagious at the height of the attack. The sputum
of the first or catarrhal stage is thought to be highly contagious. The
sputum in the stage of decline is also thought to be capable of carrying
the disease. It prevails in all countries and climates. During the winter
and spring months it is most frequent. At times it prevails as an
epidemic. It occurs most frequently in infancy and childhood, but a person
can take it at any age. Second attacks are rare. It is most frequent
between the first and second year; next most frequent between the sixth
and twelfth month. After the fifth year the frequency diminishes up to the
tenth year, after which the disease is very infrequent. Not everyone who
is exposed contracts the disease. It seems that whooping-cough, measles,
and influenza frequently follow one another in epidemic form. This is one
of the diseases much dreaded by parents. It is very tedious and endangers
the life of weak and young children by exhaustion. It is a terrible thing
to watch one with this disease, day in and day out. It can be known by the
impetuous, continuous and frequent coughing spells, following each other
rapidly until the patient is out of breath, with a tendency to end in
vomiting. When it comes in the fall or winter months there will likely be
spasmodic coughing until summer through the usual colds contracted. Summer
is the best time to have it.
Symptoms.--There is an incubation stage, but it is hard to determine its
length. After the appearance of the symptoms there are three stages; the
catarrhal, the spasmodic, and the stage of decline.
The First Stage.--This is characterized by a cough which is more
troublesome at night. One can be suspicious, when instead of getting
better in a few days, it gets worse and more frequent, without any seeming
cause. After four or five days the cough may be accompanied by vomiting,
especially if the cough occurs after eating. There may be some bronchitis,
and if so there will be one or more degrees of fever. Fever is present as
a rule, only during the first few days, unless there is bronchitis. As the
case passes into the spasmodic or second stage, the paroxysms of coughing
last longer, the child becomes red in the face and spits up a larger
amount of mucus than in ordinary bronchitis. This period of the cough
without a whoop, may last from five to twelve days. In some cases there is
never a whoop. The child has a severe spasmodic cough, followed by
vomiting. Usually at the close of this stage the incessant cough causes
slight puffiness of the eyelids and slight bloating of the face.
[182 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Spasmodic or Second Stage.--The peculiar whoop is now present. The cough
is spasmodic. The child has distinct paroxysms of coughing which begin
with an inspiration (in-breathing) followed by several expulsive,
explosive coughs, after which there is a deep, long-drawn inspiration
which is characterized by a loud crowing called the "whoop." This paroxysm
may be followed by a number of similar ones. When the paroxysm is coming
on the face assumes an anxious expression, and the child runs to the
nearest person or to some article of furniture and grasps him or it with
both hands. It is so severe sometimes that the child will fall or claw the
air, convulsively. In the severest and most dangerous types, a convulsion
may come on in a moderate degree, the face is red or livid, the eyes bulge
and when the paroxysm ends a quantity of sticky tenacious mucus is spit
up. In other cases there is vomiting at the end of the paroxysm. There is
frequently nose-bleed. In the intervals the face is pale or bluish,
eyelids are puffy and face swollen. There is little bronchitis at this
period in the majority of cases. In some cases the number of paroxysms may
be few. There are generally quite a number during the twenty-four hours.
Stage of the Decline.--In this stage the number and severity or the
paroxysms lessen. They may subside suddenly or gradually after four to
twelve weeks. The whoop may reappear at times. The cough may persist, more
or less, for weeks after the whoop is entirely gone.
Complications.--Bronchitis is common, it may be mild or severe. It may run
into capillary bronchitis and this is dangerous.
Diagnosis.--Continued cough, getting worse and spasmodic, worse at night,
livid face when coughing, causes great suspicion as to its being
whooping-cough. The whoop will confirm it.
Mortality is quoted as twenty-five per cent during the first year. Between
first and fifth year about five per cent, from fifth to tenth year about
one per cent. Rickets, or wasting disease (marasmus) and poor hygienic
surroundings makes the outlook less favorable.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Whooping-Cough, Chestnut Leaves for.--"Steep
chestnut leaves, strain, add sugar according to amount of juice and boil
down to a syrup; give plenty of this. A friend of mine gave this to her
children. She said they recovered rapidly and the cough was not severe."
They are not the horse-chestnut leaves.
2. Whooping-Cough, Chestnut Leaves and Cream for.--"Make an infusion of
dry chestnut leaves, not too strong, season with cream and sugar, if
desired. The leaves can be purchased at a drug store in five cent
packages."
3. Whooping-Cough, Mrs. Warren's Remedy for.--
"Powdered Alum 1/2 dram
Mucilage Acacia 1 ounce
Syrup Squills 1/2 ounce
Syrup Simple, q. s 4 ounces
Mix this.
This is one of the best remedies known to use for whooping cough. It has
been used for many years, and some of our best doctors use it in their
practice. I do not hesitate to recommend it as a splendid remedy."
4. Whooping-Cough, Raspberry Tincture for.--"Take one-half pound honey,
one cup water; let these boil, take off scum; pour boiling hot upon
one-half ounce lobelia herb and one-half ounce cloves; mix well, then
strain and add one gill raspberry vinegar. Take from one teaspoonful to a
dessertspoonful four times a day. Pleasant to take."
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 183]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Whooping-Cough.--The patient should be isolated
and sleep in a large, well ventilated room. In spring and summer weather,
the child is better in the open air all day. In the winter the child
should be warmly clothed. Pine wood and a fairly high altitude are
probably the best. The greatest care should be taken in all seasons to
keep from taking cold, or bad bronchitis or pneumonia may result. All
complications are serious, especially in nursing children. There should be
no appreciable fever, and when the paroxysm of cough is over the child
should sleep or play quite well, until the next one returns. So if there
is much fever the case needs watching.
Medical Treatment.--Medicines have little effect in controlling the
disease. The severity can be lessened. If the child is much disturbed at
night, the following is good:
1. Acetanelid 1/2 dram
Dover's Powder 1/2 dram
Mix thoroughly and make up into thirty powders; for one year old one-half
a powder every two hours while awake or restless.
2. Syrup of Dover's Powder 1 fluid dram
Tincture of Aconite 10 drops
Simple Syrup enough to make two ounces.
Mix and give one-half teaspoonful every two hours for a child one year
old. Shake bottle.
3. But the best treatment I know is the following: Go to any good drug
store and get a fifty-cent bottle of vapo-cresolene. Burn this, according
to the directions given on the bottle in the evening. Use a small granite
cup, put about one-third of an inch of the medicine in this, set cup on a
wire frame above a lamp, (can buy a regular lamp with the medicine) close
windows and let the child inhale the fumes. This will give the patient a
good night's sleep. I have used this for years, and know it is good and
effective. A tea made of chestnut leaves is said to be good, and is often
used as a home remedy. The leaves of the chestnut that we eat, not the
horse-chestnut.
Diet.--This is an extremely important part of the treatment. As the child
vomits frequently, especially after eating, the food is generally vomited,
so there should be frequent feeding in small quantities. The food should
be digestible and nourishing. Milk is a good food for older children. In
nursing infants they should be nursed oftener, especially if they vomit
soon after nursing. In older children, you must not feed too heavy and
hearty foods; meat and potatoes should not be given to young children
having the disease. When vomiting is severe the food should be fluid and
given often. The child must be nourished. If this disease occurs in the
winter the person attacked, after he is seemingly well, must be careful
not to take cold. The condition of the mucous membrane of the air tube
after an attack of this disease, makes it very easy for the person to
contract inflammation of that part and have in consequence laryngitis,
bronchitis, or pneumonia. Thc cough in very many cases will last all
winter without any additional cold being added.
[184 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
DIPHTHERIA.--Diphtheria is an acute disease and always infectious. There
is a peculiar membrane which forms on the tonsils, uvula, soft palate and
throat and sometimes in the larynx and nose. It may form in other places
such as in the vagina, bowels, on wounds or sores of the skin. I once cut
off the fingers for a child under the care of another doctor. The child
came down with diphtheria, and the membrane formed on the fingers. Also it
is often epidemic in the cold autumn months. Its severity varies with
different epidemics. Children from two to fifteen years old are most
frequently attacked with it. Catarrhal inflammations of the respiratory
mucous membrane predisposes to it.
Cause.--The exciting cause is a bacillus called after the
discoverers--Klebs-Loeffler--and this may be communicated directly to
another person from the membrane or discharges from the nose and mouth,
secretions of convalescents, or from the throat of normal persons. The
local condition (lesion) may be a simple catarrhal inflammation, or a
greenish or gray exudate, involving chiefly the tonsils, pharynx, soft
palate, nose, larynx and trachea, less often the conjunctiva and
alimentary tract. It is firmly adherent at first and leaves a bleeding
surface when detached; later it is soft and can be removed.
Symptoms.--Incubation period usually lasts from two to seven days after
exposure, usually two, generally there is chilliness, sometimes
convulsions in young children, pain in the back and extremities and a
fever of 102-1/2 to 104 degrees.
PHARYNGEAL DIPHTHERIA.--In typical cases this begins with slight
difficulty in swallowing, and reddened throat (pharynx), then there is a
general congestion of these parts, and membrane is seen on the tonsils. It
is grayish white, then dull or yellowish; adherent and when removed it
leaves a bleeding surface upon which a fresh membrane quickly forms. If
the disease runs on, in a few days the membrane covers the tonsils and
pillars of the fauces, often the uvula. The glands around the neck often
enlarge. Temperature 102 to 103 degrees. Pulse 100 to 120. The
constitutional symptoms are usually in proportion to the local condition,
but not always. The membrane frequently extends into the nostrils and
frequently there is a burning discharge. In malignant cases all the
symptoms are severe and rapidly progressive ending in stupor and death in
three to five days. Death may occur from sudden heart failure or
complications.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 185]
[Illustration: Diphtheria (view of infected throat)]
LARYNGEAL DIPHTHERIA, Formerly Called Membranous Croup.--Diphtheria in
the larynx may occur alone or with the pharyngeal kind, and was formerly
called "Membranous Croup." After several days of hoarseness and coughing
the breathing suddenly becomes hard, generally at night, and it is at
first in paroxysms, but later it is constant. The space above the breast
bone (sternum) is depressed and there is a drawing in of the spaces
between the ribs during inspiration accompanied with a husky voice and
blue look. The fever is slight. If the obstruction in the larynx is severe
the cyanosis,--blueness,--and difficulty of breathing increase, and
gradual suffocation leads to (coma) deep sleep and death.
Diagnosis.--Diagnosis can only be made certain by proper chemical tests.
The presence of membrane on a tonsil and a small patch streak, or speck of
membrane, on the adjacent surface of the uvula or tip of the uvula; a
patch of membrane on the tonsil and an accompanying patch on the posterior
wall of the pharynx; the presence of a croupy cough and harsh breathing
with small patches of membrane on the tonsil or epiglottis. These symptoms
are very suspicious and warrant separation of the patient. If such
conditions are seen in any one, it will be the part of prudence to send
for your doctor immediately. You give the patient a better chance by
sending early, protect yourselves and also your neighbors.
Recovery.--Chances in mild cases are good. Antitoxin has brought the death
rate down from forty to twelve per cent. Death may occur from sudden heart
failure, obstruction in the pharynx, severe infection, complications or
paralysis.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--Diphtheria is such a dangerous disease and so rapidly
fatal that the family physician should be promptly called. Until he
arrives the following may be used to give some relief:
2. Diphtheria, Kerosene Good for.--"Kerosene oil applied to the throat of
child or adult is very good."
3. Diphtheria, Hops and Hot Water Relieves.--"Make two flannel bags and
fill with hops which have been moistened with hot water; place bags in a
steamer and heat. Keep one bag hot and the other around the throat. Change
often, relief in short time." Mrs. Shaw has tried this in a case of
diphtheria and other throat trouble and recommends it as an excellent
remedy.
[186 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Diphtheria. Prevention.--The patient should be
isolated as soon as the spots or membrane are seen. Other children who
have been with the sick one should at once be given "immunizing" doses of
antitoxin, and the furniture of the sick room such as hangings, carpets.
rugs, etc., should be removed and disinfected, only the necessary articles
being kept in the room. The room should be kept well ventilated, but no
draught should get to the patient. The one nursing the patient should not
come near the other members of the family. All articles of clothing worn
by the patient should be dipped in a 1 to 2000 solution of corrosive
sublimate before they are removed from the sick room. (Other solutions may
be used; see Nursing Department). Dishes, etc., should be treated in the
same way and foods left over should be put in a vessel containing an
antiseptic solution, and then burned. Everyone going into the sick room
should cover their head with a cap and wear a robe-covering over their
clothes, and on leaving the room should gargle or rinse their mouth with a
solution of boric acid, about one or two teaspoonfuls to a glass of water,
The infant should not be nursed at the breast lest the breast become
infected; the milk should be pumped out and fed to the infant with a
bottle. If the infant has diarrhea milk must be stopped, the bowels
irrigated, and no milk given until all danger from this source is past.
The nurse must be careful of the discharges from the nose, mouth and
bowels. Discharges from the bowels and the urine must be received in a
vessel with an antiseptic solution in it like copperas, lime, etc. Cloths
used to receive the discharge from the nose and mouth should be thrown in
a vessel containing a solution of 1 to 2000 of corrosive sublimate and
then burned. The nurse should wear a gauze protection over her nose and
mouth when she is near the patient, and glasses, so that no sputum or
discharge from the patient can enter these organs. When the nurse leaves
the sick room for a rest or walk, she should change her clothes in an
unused room and put them where they can air, wash her hands, face and hair
in an antiseptic solution. Great care must be taken by the nurse, or she
will carry the disease. The doctor also must take the same care.
PHYSICIANS' MEDICAL TREATMENT.--Antitoxin is the best. 1/100 grain of
corrosive sublimate or more according to age is frequently given in the
severe cases and is beneficial.
Local Treatment.--In older persons, inhaling steam may benefit. Gargling
the throat or spraying the nose and throat is cleansing and helpful; but
in children it is sometimes hard to do this, for they may struggle and
thus injure and weaken themselves more than they can be benefited by the
spraying or gargling. Swab the throat if you can with solution of
corrosive sublimate, 1 to 1000. Peroxide of hydrogen, one-sixth to one-
half to full strength, is good in many cases, used as a gargle and a swab.
Wash out the nose with a normal salt solution. One dram to a pint of
water. The persons doing this must take great care or the patient will
cough and the discharge will go over them.
When in the Larynx.--Steam inhalations without or with medicine in them
and the application of cold or hot to the neck are good. Compound tincture
of benzoin is good to use in the water for steaming; one-half to one
tablespoonful to a quart of water. A tent can be made by putting a sheet
over the four posts of the bed and steam vapor introduced under this
covering.
Diet.--The main food is milk, albumin water, broths, eggs given every two
hours. Some doctors give stimulants with the food.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 187]
Cautions.--Members of the family have no idea how much they can aid the
physician in this terrible disease. Pay particular attention to the
directions the doctor gives you, if you are doing the nursing, watch so
that you may detect any bad symptom, and immediately inform the physician.
A harsh cough with increased difficulty in breathing may mean that the
disease has extended to the larynx. If such symptoms are first noticed in
the physician's absence, he should be sent for at once so he can treat it
properly at the start. If the kidneys do not act properly he should be
informed. One may take nephritis in diphtheria also. I was called one
morning at 3 a. m., to see a case I was attending; she seemed to the
parents to be worse; she was, but today she is living, and I believe her
life was really saved by her parents. I would rather a loving mother and
father nurse a case any time than a selfish, lazy professional nurse. Good
nurses are a blessing; selfish ones are a curse; I have met both kinds.
After an attack of this disease the patient is left "weak" in many organs.
He should be careful, not only of taking cold, but of over-doing. The
heart and nervous system in some cases have been terribly wrecked. Take
life easy for some time, for you may be thankful that you are alive.
ACUTE TONSILITIS. (Follicular Inflammation of the Tonsils). Causes.--
Authors regard this as an infectious disease. It is met with more
frequently in the young; infants may take it. Some authors state it can be
communicated either through the secretions or by direct contact, as in the
act of kissing (Koplik). It is frequent in children from the second to the
fourth year, but it is more common after than before the fourth year. Sex
has no influence. In this country it is more common in the spring. The
predisposing causes are exposure to wet and cold and bad hygienic
surroundings. One attack renders a person more susceptible. It spreads
through a family in such a way that it must be regarded as contagious. The
small openings (Lacunae) of the tonsils become filled with products which
form cheesy-looking masses, projecting from the openings of the (Crypts)
hidden sacs. These frequently join together, the intervening tissue is
usually swollen, deep red in color and sometimes a membrane forms on it in
which case it may look like diphtheria.
[188 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Symptoms.--Chilly feelings or even a chill and aching pains in the back
and limbs may precede the onset. The fever rises rapidly and in the young
child may reach 105 degrees in the evening of the first day. The infant is
restless, peevish and wakeful at night; it breathes rapidly, and there is
high fever and great weakness. Nursing is difficult, not only on account
of the pain in swallowing, but because in the majority of cases there is
more or less inflammation of the nose. The bowels are disturbed as a
result of swallowing infectious secretions from the mouth with the food.
The tonsils are enlarged and studded with whitish or yellowish white
points. The glands at the angle of the jaws may be enlarged. In older
children the tonsils are enlarged and the crypts plugged with a creamy
deposit. The surface is covered with a deposit and the pillars of the
fauces, uvula and pharynx may all be inflamed. The tongue is coated, the
breath is bad, the urine high colored, swallowing is painful; the pain
frequently runs to the ear and the voice sounds nasal, as if one had mush
in his mouth when talking. In severe cases the symptoms all increase, and
the parts become very much swollen. Then the inflammation gradually
subsides, and in a week, as a rule, the fever is gone and the local
conditions have greatly improved. The tonsils, though, remain somewhat
swollen. The weakness and general symptoms are often greater than one
would suppose. The trouble may also extend to the middle ear through the
eustachian tubes.
Diagnosis Between Acute Tonsilitis and Diphtheria.--Follicular form. "In
this form the individual, yellowish, gray masses, separated by the reddish
tonsilar tissue are very characteristic, whereas in diphtheria the
membrane is of ashy gray and uniform, not patch."--Osler. A point of the
greatest importance in diphtheria is that the membrane is not limited to
the tonsils, but creeps up the pillars of the fauces or appears on the
uvula. The diphtheric membrane when removed leaves a raw, bleeding, eroded
surface; whereas, the membrane of follicular tonsilitis is easily
separated as there is no raw surface beneath it.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Tonsilitis, Raw Onion and Pork for.--"Take a raw
onion and some salt pork, chop together, make a poultice on which put a
little turpentine and wrap around the throat." This is a very good remedy
and should be used for some time. Change as often as necessary.
2. Tonsilitis, Peppermint Oil Good for.--"Apply peppermint oil thoroughly
on the outside of the throat from well up behind the ear nearly to the
chin, also just in front of the ear. This will soon penetrate through to
the tonsils; apply freely if the case is severe and later apply hot cloths
if relief does not follow without."
3. Tonsilitis, Borax Water for.--"One-fourth teaspoonful borax in one cup
of hot water, gargle frequently." This may be used for ordinary sore
throat not quite so strong.
4. Tonsilitis, Salt and Pepper Will Relieve.--"Apply salt pork well
covered with pepper to the swollen parts; will often give relief."
5. Tonsilitis, Peroxide of Hydrogen Will Cure.--"Tonsilitis and contagious
sore throats are just now extremely popular. Persons having a tendency to
them will seldom be sick if they gargle daily with a solution of peroxide
of hydrogen and water in equal parts for adults. Peroxide diluted with
five parts of water and used as a head spray will prevent catarrhal
colds." Children, are often sent to school immediately after an attack of
tonsilitis, when they should be at home taking a tonic and building up by
a week of outdoor play.
6. Tonsilitis, a Remedy Effective for.--"Rub the outside of the throat
well with oil of anise and turpentine, and keep the bowels open." Care
should be taken not to take cold. The anise is very soothing and the
turpentine will help to draw out the soreness. This would be a good remedy
for children.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 189]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Tonsilitis. 1. First Home Treatment.--Put the
patient to bed alone in a pleasant room, comfortably warm; for this
disease is recorded as contagious in this form. Cold applied externally
around the sore spot is good. Use an ice bag if you have it; or wring
cloths out of cold water and put just under the jaw and a flannel over
that, bound around the neck. It must be changed often to keep cold.
2. Smartweed.--Cloths wrung out of smartweed tea are very good when
applied under the jaw.
3. Salt Pork.--Salt pork, well salted and peppered, sewn to a cloth and
applied on both sides, if both are diseased, directly to the lumps is very
good. These can be kept on indefinitely. I have used them.
4. Liniment.--A strong blistering liniment applied externally where the
lumps are is also good. These applications tend to withdraw some of the
blood from the sore tonsils, and of course, that relieves them. There are
many such that can be used. Poultices should not be applied for this form
as they tend to hasten formation of pus.
5. Internally.--Dip your clean moistened finger tip into dry bicarbonate
of soda (baking soda), rub this gently on the sore tonsil and repeat it
every hour. You can also put one teaspoonful of it in one-half glass of
very hot water and gargle if you do not use it locally.
6. Hot Water.--Gargling frequently with very hot water is splendid. If you
wish you can use one teaspoonful of some antiseptic, like listerine, in
it.
7. Thyme.--You can make a tea of the common garden thyme and gargle or
rinse your mouth and throat with it every half to one hour. This is not
only healing and soothing, but it is also antiseptic. This is a
constituent of many of the antiseptic preparations.
8. Steaming With Compound Tincture of Benzoin.--Tincture of benzoin is
splendid. Put one tablespoonful in a quart of hot water and inhale the
steam. Put a sheet over your head and pitcher; or put it in a kettle, and
roll white writing paper into a funnel, tie one part over the spout and
put the other end in your mouth if possible; or you can inhale simple
steam in the same way. I know this is excellent and often recommended;
everyone has it, and it costs literally nothing, except to heat the water.
9. For the Pain.--Dissolve two drams of chloral hydrate in an ounce of
water, use a camel's hair pencil if you have it, or a soft piece of cloth
tied on a smooth stick, and apply directly to the diseased parts. This is
for older persons, relieves the pain very much. There are many other
simple remedies that can be used in this way.
[190 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
10. MEDICINES. Parke, Davis & Co., Anti-Tonsilitis Tablet No. 645 is very
good. This can be bought at any drug store. For a child give one-half a
tablet every two hours for four doses, then every three hours. An adult
can take one to two every one to three hours according to the severity of
the case.
11. Aspirin.--Aspirin is another good remedy; five grains every four hours
for an adult; but used only under doctor's directions.
12. Dr. Hare of Philadelphia, uses 1/200 grain mercurius biniodide (pink
powder) every four to six hours to abort tonsilitis. I would recommend the
following:--Give one-tenth drop dose of a good tincture of aconite and
1/200 grain of the mercury biniodide (one to two tablets a dose) every
hour, alternately, one of them one hour and the next, etc. If there is
much deposit I would put ten tablets of mercury protoiodide (one-tenth of
a grain in a tablet) in one-half glass of water and give two teaspoonfuls
every hour until the bowels move freely, then every three to four hours.
The aconite can be used if there is much fever, with hot, dry skin,
alternately everyone-half hour. I prefer the pink powder when there is no
deposit or membrane. These I have used for years, and know them to be
excellent. For children the dose is about one-half. After twelve hours the
remedies should be given only every three to four hours.
QUINSY. (Suppurative Tonsilitis).--In from two to four days the enlarged
gland becomes softer and finally may break, sometimes in the pharynx; the
breaking gives the patient great relief. Suffocation has sometimes
followed the rupture of a large abscess and the entrance of the pus into
the larynx. This form of tonsilitis was formerly called quinsy. By this
term now is meant an abscess around the tonsils, (Peri-tonsilar abscess).
The structures are very much swollen.
Causes are somewhat similar to what has produced the regular tonsilitis.
It may follow exposure to cold and wet, and is very liable to recur. It is
most common between fourteen and twenty-five years. The inflammation here
is more deeply seated. It involves the main tissue of the tonsil and tends
to go on to suppuration.
Symptoms.--The general disturbance is very great. The fever goes to 104 or
105 degrees; the pulse 110 to 120. Delirium at night is not uncommon. The
weakness may be extreme. The throat is dry and sore, hurts terribly to
swallow, this being the first thing of which the patient complains. Both
tonsils may be involved. They become large, firm to the touch, dusky red
and swollen, and the surrounding parts are also much swollen. The swelling
may be so great that the tonsils may touch each other or one tonsil may
push the uvula aside and almost touch the other tonsil. There is much
saliva. The glands of the neck enlarge, the lower jaw is almost immovable
and sometimes it is almost impossible to open the mouth at all.
QUINSY. Mothers' Remedies. 1. Willow Gargle for.--"Steep pussy willow and
gargle throat with it. This remedy if taken in time, will cure quinsy and
it will not return."
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 191]
2. Quinsy, Liveforever Root Good Poultice for.--"Get the root of
liveforever, pound it up and bind on throat as you would a poultice." We
have tried this, and it has always given relief, if done in time.
3. Quinsy, Plaster of Lard and Salt for.--"Take one tablespoonful lard and
stir into as much table salt as possible making it about like mortar.
Spread on a cloth and apply." Splendid for sore throat and quinsy.
4. Quinsy, Oil of Anise Effective for.--"Rub inside of throat with oil of
anise."
5. Quinsy, Quick Remedy for.--"In severe cases of quinsy where the tonsils
are inflamed and almost meet, a third of a grain of mercury and chalk, or
"gray powder," acts very quickly. Cold compresses used nightly to harden
the throat is very good. At night use a gargle made of a teaspoonful
tincture of cayenne pepper to half pint of water." This remedy is very
good and is sure to give relief.
6. Quinsy, Pleasant Peppermint Application for.--"There is nothing better
for this disease than oil of peppermint applied externally to the neck and
throat." This is an excellent remedy.
7. Quinsy, Kerosene Good for.--"A cloth wet with kerosene oil applied to
the throat is very good; also gargling with kerosene oil." Repeat the
application of the wet cloths every two or three hours.
8. Quinsy, Raw Beef Has Cured.--"Bind raw beefsteak over the tonsils on
one or both sides of the throat as required." The beefsteak acts as a
poultice and counter-irritant, drawing the inflammation out in a short
time. This is very good, and is easily prepared.
9. Quinsy, Easy and Simple Remedy for.--"Strong sulphur water. Broke up
two cases I know."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Quinsy.--The external applications used should
now be hot. Hot water; hot poultices, cloths wrung out of smartweed hot,
and thyme tea or golden seal teas. The same steaming process and hot water
gargles can be used as given under follicular tonsilitis. But if it
continues the tonsils or tonsil must be opened to save pain and life. Just
as soon as there is suppuration they should be opened. It will feel softer
to the finger touch when ready for opening.
Prevention of Attacks.--By taking care a good many attacks of tonsilitis
can be avoided. A person subject to this trouble must be careful about
taking cold. He should not sit down with wet clothes, or feet, or shoes
that are wet. Girls should wear rubbers and keep dry feet and skirts.
Sleeping in damp unused beds is bad. Putting on underwear that has not
been dried thoroughly and aired, and the use of bedding, pillows, etc., in
the same condition should not be tolerated. Sleeping on the first floor is
generally unhealthy for such persons, for it is generally damp.
[192 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Do not get chilled; wear sufficient clothing. Drying clothes in a kitchen
is an abomination and terrible to one subject to this disease or
rheumatism. You can keep from having it so often by proper care. It is
likely to return, and repeated attacks will cause permanently enlarged
tonsils and they will become so diseased that they, will not only be
annoying, but dangerous to health and life. You will go around with your
mouth open, "talk through your nose." The tonsil must then be removed,
also the adenoids in the throat, to enjoy proper mental and physical
health. Enlarged tonsils with pus in them are a menace to anyone. A person
who has had these troubles should be careful not to expose himself to the
danger of taking cold after an attack.
The parts are still tender and in danger of a return upon the least error
in your daily life. I once had a friend who had a return of tonsilitis
brought on through going out too soon, and the second attack was worse
than the first, a genuine "hummer."
What to do with enlarged tonsils.--Moderate enlargement of the tonsils
giving rise to no symptoms or inconvenience need not be interfered with.
When, however, the enlargement is great, or when with moderate sized
tonsils there are resulting troubles, such as liability to inflammatory
rheumatism attacks, active local treatment will be called for; especially
is this true when the tonsils contain pus and interfere with the
breathing. They should be removed. An anaesthetic is not usually
necessary, as the pain is not severe.
INFLUENZA (La Grippe).--La Grippe is an acute infectious disease caused by
a germ. It may be epidemic, attacking a large number of persons at one
time, or it may continue in the same region for some time and is then
called endemic. It is caused by a germ, discovered by a man named
Pfeiffer.
The Onset.--The onset may be from one to four days and is usually sudden
with a chill and all the symptoms of an active fever due to a general
infection, varying according to the location. If in the organs of
respiration it begins like a severe cold; active fever, severe pains in
the eyes, back, arms, legs, and in the bones; "aches all over" and great
prostration. After the fever subsides there is usually a general sore
feeling. Symptoms of bronchitis, pleurisy or pneumonia may develop. Then
there is the nervous type, generally with a bad headache, neuralgia, pains
in the head, backache, legs and arms ache and prostration. May also have
inflammation of nerves. Then again the stomach and bowels may be the main
seat, for La Grippe has no respect for any organ. We have then symptoms of
acute indigestion with fever, nausea, vomiting, stomach pains or acute
bowel trouble with fever, colicky pain in the abdomen; diarrhea; or we may
have the febrile (fever) type. This may be the only symptom. The fever may
be continuous or remittent, and last several days or several weeks and
often with pains accompanying it.
In all forms convalescence is often gradual on account of the bodily and
mental prostration with general soreness for several days. Many persons
never fully regain their health, especially if they are careless during
the attack, and almost any disease like bronchitis, kidney disease,
pleurisy, pneumonia, etc., may follow.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 193]
LA GRIPPE, Mothers' Remedies.--1. Pepper, Red or Cayenne for.--"Make a tea
of red pepper or cayenne, and take a tablespoonful in a cup of hot water,
drink slowly, before each meal and on retiring. Larger doses in proportion
to the intensity of the disease." Sponging the face, temples and neck with
water as hot as can be borne relieves the headache of la grippe, which is
often very painful and annoying.
2. La Grippe, Easy Remedy for.--"Plenty of good physic with hot teas of
any kind has helped my own family."
3. La Grippe, Pleasant and Effective Remedy for.--"Use the oil of
peppermint freely; rubbing it on the forehead, in front and back of the
ears and each side of the nose. Inhale through each nostril separately. If
the throat is affected pour two or three drops in small dish of hot water.
Invert a funnel over the dish with the small end in the mouth and draw
long breaths. Soak the feet in hot water at bedtime and take a good sweat,
if possible."
4. La Grippe, To Allay Fever in.--"To produce sweating and to act on the
kidneys and to allay restlessness in fever use the following: Lemon juice
and water equal parts, enough to make four ounces; bicarbonate of
potassium, one dram; water, three ounces. Make and keep in separate
solutions to be used in tablespoonful doses several times daily and taken
while effervescing, that is, foaming and bubbling up."
5. La Grippe. Poor Man's Herb Vapor Bath for.--"Give a Turkish or vapor
bath every other day. A pail of hot water, with a hot brick thrown into it
and placed under a cane-seated chair is the poor man's vapor bath. The
patient should be covered. Then take the following herb tea:
Yarrow 2 ounces
Vervain 2 ounces
Mullein 2 ounces
Boneset 1 ounce
Red Sage 2 ounces
Add two quarts of water and boil down to three pints; strain, and then add
one ounce fluid extract of ginger; sweeten with honey or syrup; take a
wine glassful three times a day, hot. Keep the bowels open and let the
diet be light."
6. La Grippe, Red Pepper Treatment From Canada for.--"Take a bottle of
alcohol and put enough red peppers in it so that when four drops of this
liquid are put in a half cup of water it tastes strong. This is what I
always break up my grippe with." Peppers thus prepared stimulates and
warms up the stomach and bowels, and increases the circulation.
[194 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for La Grippe.--All discharges from the nose, throat
and lungs should be disinfected, for the disease is contagious. Go to bed
and stay there. You have no business to be around if you value your
health. I am not writing of common cold. A great many people say they have
had this disease when they have not had it. One who has had this disease
is sick enough to go to bed, and there is where he should be. For the
chill a sweat should be produced by putting hot water in fruit jars,
wrapping them and placing them around the patient's feet, legs and body.
Hot tea drinks can be given; hot lemonade, teas made from hoarhound,
ginger, hops and catnip are good.
Corn Sweat.--The corn sweat can be used. Put from ten to twenty-five ears
of corn in a boiler, boil thoroughly until the boiled corn smell appears,
then put the corn ears into five packs, putting from two to five ears in a
pack, according to the age of the patient. Use cloths or towels, but do
not put the ears in contact, wrap the cloth between them. Put one pack to
the feet and one at each side of the hips, and in each armpit. This will
soon cause sweating and restore the external (capillary) circulation. It
will generally produce a grateful sweat. Keep the clothes on the patient.
After the patient has perspired enough you can remove one pack at a time.
Have fresh aired sheets and night dress ready, and after bathing the
patient slowly and carefully under the clothes with tepid water and drying
all of the body put on the new night-dress and sheets. This remedy is also
good for colds and inflammatory diseases of all kinds and when used
carefully and thoroughly is always good. Of course, if there is great
weakness it cannot be used, for it weakens a patient somewhat. I have
saved lives with this sweat, and I know I have cut short many colds and
inflammatory diseases. After the sweat the patient should have enough
covering to keep comfortably warm and care must be taken to keep from the
cold.
Fever.--If the disease goes on and there is high fever, so that the
patient suffers from it, it is better to reduce it by cool sponging than
by the coal tar products like antipyrin, acetanilid, etc. They are
weakening and this is a weakening, prostrating disease. Good, careful cool
sponging generally relieves the excessive fever and restlessness. The
fever does not continue so long in this disease and it is not, therefore,
so harmful. Delirium is present in some cases when the fever is not high.
Irritating Cough.--This can frequently he controlled by steam inhalations
as directed under tonsilitis. You can also put in the steaming water one
teaspoonful to one tablespoonful of compound tincture of benzoin for this
disease. Hoarhound tea can be put in the water and the steam inhaled. If
such measures do not stop the cough, medicine will be needed.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 195]
Sore Throat.--Spraying the throat with a solution of boric acid, one dram
to one pint of hot water, is good. Listerine is good in the same way and
dose.
Bowels.--They should be kept open from the first. Salts are usually handy
and good.
Medicines.--Ten grains Dover's powder at night is good; unless there is
much weakness. Some give quinine, some salol. Quinine, one to two grains,
is given one to three hours. Salol, five grains, every three hours,
especially for the backache.
Aspirin in five-grain doses for an adult every four hours is given very
much now. The bowels should be kept open with salts.
Diet.--Children should take milk if there is no vomiting or diarrhea. If
there is vomiting and diarrhea, give only water or diluted milk, or
nothing if they continue. Water can generally be given.
For adults a good, nourishing diet when convalescence commences is
necessary. During the sickness, milk, eggs,--raw and soft boiled, broths,
soups, milk toast, can be given. A person must be very careful after an
attack of the grip. He should remain in the house for some time, a week
after he is well and thinks he can go out.
TYPHOID FEVER.--Typhoid fever is an acute infectious disease caused by a
(Bacillus) germ, named after the discoverer (Eberth). This germ enters
into the system, as stated below, locates itself in different organs,
especially in the small intestine. It does its worst work in Peyer's
glands, situated in the small intestines. They enlarge, ulcerate, break
down and their structure is cast off into the bowel. This eating goes so
far, in some cases, that it eats through the tissue to the blood vessels
and other bleeding follows. Sometimes it goes through all the coats, the
peritoneal being the last one. If this occurs we have what is called
perforation of the bowel and the peritoneum around this perforation
inflames and there is the dread complication of peritonitis. This is very
fatal, as the patient is weakened from the inroads of weeks of fever and
from the effects of the poison germ. Typhoid fever is also characterized
by its slow (insidious), slyly, creeping onset, peculiar temperature,
bloating of the abdomen, diarrhea, swelling of the spleen, rose-colored
spots and a liability to complications, such as bleeding from the bowels,
peritonitis, bronchitis and pneumonia. Its average duration is three to
four weeks, often longer. In order to take this disease there must first
be the poison germ and then this enters into the system, generally through
water that contains the germ, milk, oysters and other foods, etc.
Cause.--The typhoid bacillus (typhoid). This enters into the alimentary
canal usually through contaminated water or with milk directly infected by
the milk or by water used in washing cans. Also through food to which the
germs are carried from the excreta (discharges) by flies, occasionally
through oysters by freshening.
Filth, improper drainage and poor ventilation favor the preservation of
the bacillus germ and lower the power of resistance in those exposed.
[196 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Time.--It occurs most frequently between August and November and in those
of from fifteen to twenty years of age. The Peyer's patches and solitary
glands of the bowel enlarge, become reddish and are somewhat raised. These
go on and ulcerate until the blood vessels may be eaten into and bleeding
sometimes results, it eats through the bowel, then there is perforation
and peritonitis. The spleen is enlarged, the liver shows changes, the
kidney functions are also deranged.
Symptoms.--The symptoms are variable. The following gives the symptoms in
a typical case:
Incubation.--The period of incubation lasts from eight to fourteen and
sometimes to twenty-three days. During the period the patient feels weak,
is almost unable to work, has chilly feelings, headache and tiring dreams,
does not know what is the matter with him, constipation or diarrhea, has
no appetite, may have some pain in the abdomen which is occasionally
localized in the right lower side. Soreness on deep pressure is often
found there. In some cases there is nosebleed.
First Week.--After the patient is obliged to take to his bed: During the
first week there is in some cases a steady rise in the fever each evening
showing a degree or degree and one-half higher than the preceding evening,
reaching 103 to 104, and each morning showing higher fever than the
preceding morning. The pulse is characteristically low in proportion to
the temperature, being about 100 to 110, full of low tension, often having
double beat. The tongue is coated; there is constipation or diarrhea; the
abdomen is somewhat distended and a little tender to the touch in the
lower right portion. There may be some mental confusion at night.
Bronchitis is often present. The spleen becomes enlarged between the
seventh and tenth day and the eruption usually appears during this period
on the stomach and abdomen.
Second week.--All the symptoms are intensified in the second week, the
fever is always high and the weakening type; the pulse is more frequent;
the headache is replaced by dullness; the bowel symptoms increase and we
have the "pea soup" discharge if there is diarrhea; there is a listless,
dull expression on the face; the tongue is coated in the center, red along
the edges and the tip, becomes dry and sometimes cracked and almost
useless. It is hard to put it out of the mouth, it sticks to the teeth or
lips and curls there, and sometimes the patient allows it to remain partly
out of the mouth. There may be bleeding from the bowels and perforation of
the bowel, producing peritonitis.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 197]
Third week.--The temperature is lower in the morning with a gradual fall;
the emaciation and weakness are marked. Perforation of the bowel or
bleeding may occur. Unfavorable symptoms now include low muttering,
delirium, shakings of the muscles, twitching of the tendons, grasping at
imaginary things, lung complications and heart weakness.
Fourth week.--In a favorable case: The fever gradually falls to normal,
the other symptoms disappear. Death may occur at any time after the second
week from the disease or complications. The convalescence is very gradual
and the appetite is very great.
Special symptoms and variations.--It may come on with a chill sometimes it
is observed by nervous symptoms only.
Walking type.--In this type the patient is able to be around and can walk.
The temperature is as high, but some of the other symptoms are not so
violent. This is a dangerous kind because the patient is able to walk and
thinks it foolish to remain quiet in bed. Walking and being around are
likely to injure the bowels, and there is then more danger of bleeding
from the bowels. A typhoid fever patient should always go to bed and
remain there until he has fully recovered.
Digestive Symptoms.--The tongue is coated, white and moist at first, and
in the second week it becomes red at the tip, and at the edges. Later it
is dry, brown and cracked. The teeth and lips are covered with a brown
material, called sordes.
Diarrhea.--In some cases constipation is prominent, in others diarrhea is
a prominent symptom. Bloating is frequent, and an unfavorable symptom,
when it is excessive. Bleeding from the bowel occurs usually between the
end of the second and the beginning of the fourth week. A sudden feeling
of collapse, and rapid fall of the temperature mark it. It is not always
fatal.
Perforation of the bowel is usually shown by a sudden sharp pain coming in
paroxysms generally localized in the right lower side. The death rate
varies very much; in hospitals it is seven to eight per cent. Unfavorable
symptoms are continued high fever, delirium and hemorrhage. Persons who
are hard drinkers do badly and very many of them die.
TREATMENT. Prevention. Sanitary Care.--Do away with the causes. Keep your
cellars clean; do not have them damp, filthy, and filled with decaying
matter, as these all tend to weaken the system and make you more
susceptible to the poison. In the country, no drainings should come near
the wells or springs. Not all water that looks clear and nice is pure. The
"out-houses" must be kept clean, and emptied at least twice each year. In
the small cities, especially, the water should be boiled during the months
when the supply is limited and the wells are low. If more attention was
paid to our water supply to make certain that it was not contaminated, and
to our foods, especially milk, and to keeping our cellars and drains in a
good clean and dry condition, we would have little typhoid fever.
Carelessness is the real cause of this terrible disease. The milk should
be boiled as well as the water when there is an epidemic of typhoid.
[198 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Sanitary Care of the Household Articles.--Dishes must be isolated, washed,
dried separately and boiled daily. Thermometers must be isolated, kept in
a corrosive sublimate solution one to one thousand, which must be removed
daily. Linen when soiled must be soaked in carbolic acid, one cup of
carbolic acid to twenty of water, for two hours before being sent to the
laundry. Stools must be thoroughly mixed with an equal amount of milk of
lime and allowed to stand for one hour. Urine must be mixed with an equal
amount of carbolic acid, one to twenty, and allowed to stand one hour. Bed
pans, urinals, must be isolated and scalded after each time of using.
Syringes and rectal tubes must be isolated, and the latter boiled after
using. (See Nursing Department). Tubs should be scrubbed daily, canvasses
changed daily and soaked in carbolic acid as the linen is. Hands must be
scrubbed and disinfected after giving tubs or rubbing over typhoid fever
patients. Blankets, mattresses, and pillows must be sterilized after use
in steam sterilizer. I know some people have not all the necessary
conveniences, especially in the country, but the greatest care must be
taken. A professional nurse was once taking care of a very severe case of
typhoid for me. I was continually cautioning her to be more careful of
herself. She did not heed it, and finally took the disease and battled
eight long weeks with it, before there was much improvement. Careful
nursing and a well regulated diet are the essentials in a majority of
cases. Put the patient in a well ventilated room, and confine him to the
bed from the beginning, and have him remain there until well. The woven
wire bed with soft hair mattress, upon which there are two folds of
blanket, combines the two great qualities of a sick bed, smoothness and
elasticity. A rubber cloth should be placed under the sheet. An
intelligent nurse should be in charge; when this is impossible, the
attending physician should write out special instructions, regarding diet,
treatment of the discharges and of the bed linen.
Much of the above on typhoid is from the world-wide authority, Dr. Osler,
and should be-followed in all cases if possible.
Diet and Nursing in Typhoid Fever.--Milk is the most suitable food. Three
pints every twenty-four hours may be given when used alone, diluted with
water or lime-water.
The stools will show if the milk is digested. Peptonized milk, if not
distasteful, may be used. Curds are seen in the stools if too much milk is
given and is undigested. Mutton or chicken broth or beef juice can be
used; fresh vegetable juices can be added to these, instead of milk. The
animal broths are not so good when diarrhea is present. Some patients will
take whey, buttermilk, kumiss, when ordinary milk is distasteful. Thin
barley gruel well strained is an excellent food for this disease. Eggs may
be given, either beaten up in milk or better still, in the form of albumin
water, This is prepared by straining the whites of eggs through a cloth
and mixing them with an equal quantity of water, which may be flavored
with lemon. Water can be given freely; iced tea, barley water, or lemonade
may be used, and there is no objection to weak coffee or cocoa in moderate
quantities. Feed the patient at stated intervals. In mild cases it is well
not to arouse the patient at night. When there is stupor, the patient
should be aroused for food at the regular intervals night and day. Do not
give too much food. I once had a case in which I did not give more than
one quart of liquid food in four weeks, as it distressed her. She made a
good recovery on plenty of water.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 199]
Cold Sponging.--The water may be warm, cool, or ice cold, according to the
height of the fever. A thorough sponge bath should take from fifteen to
twenty minutes. The ice cold sponging is quite as formidable as the full
cold bath, for which there is an unsuperable objection in private
practice.
The Bath.--This should be given under the doctor's directions, and I will
not describe it.
Medical Treatment.--Little medicine is used in hospital practice. Nursing
is the important essential in typhoid fever.
Management of the Convalescent.--An authority writes, My custom has been
not to allow solid food until the temperature has been normal for ten
days. This is, I think, a safe rule, leaning perhaps to the side of
extreme caution; but after all with eggs, milk toast, milk puddings, and
jellies, the patient can take a fairly varied diet. You cannot wait too
long before you give solid foods, particularly meats, They are especially
dangerous. The patient may be allowed to sit up for a short time about the
end of the first week of convalescence, and the period may be prolonged
with a gradual return of strength. He should move about slowly, and when
the weather is favorable should be in the open air as much as possible.
Keep from all excitement. Constipation now should be treated with an
enema. A noticeable diarrhea should restrict the diet to milk and the
patient be confined to the bed. There are many who cannot have a
professional nurse. Good nursing is necessary in typhoid fever. Any
sensible person who is willing to follow directions can do well. But she
must do as the doctor directs.
These are some things you need to do: Look out for bad symptoms; twitching
of the tendons, grasping at imaginary things are bad symptoms. Inform the
doctor and soon. Never allow the patient to sit up in bed. The stool must
be passed lying flat and you must place the bed pan without the patient's
aid. Bleeding may be started by the least exertion. I knew of one woman
who lost her life through necessity of getting up and passing the stool
sitting on a chamber. Bleeding came on suddenly, and before the doctor
could get there she was nearly gone. Cough and sudden pain in the lungs
need prompt attention. I dismissed a boy on one Wednesday as convalescent.
That night it became suddenly cold and he became chilled. The mother sent
for me the next day, and we pulled him through pneumonia. Suppose she had
waited another day? She was not that kind of a mother. Your greatest trial
will come in convalescence, when the patient is so hungry. Be careful or
you will kill the patient by kindness. A minister I knew killed himself by
going against the doctor's orders and eating a hearty dinner. The doctor
was rather profane, and when he went to see the preacher, after the
relapse caused by the dinner, he relieved his mind in no gentle manner.
Again allow no visitors in the sick room or one adjacent. They are an
abomination. Many people are killed by well-intentioned ignoramuses. Do
not whisper; the Lord save the patient who has a whisperer for a nurse. I
cannot urge too strongly proper nursing in this disease. It is an absolute
necessity. A nurse to be successful must have good sense and also must
obey all directions. A diet is a necessity in this disease. The patient
must not move any more than is absolutely necessary for his comfort. He
must never try to help move himself. The muscles of the abdomen must
remain lax and quiet. The danger, I think, is in the bowels. The mucous
covering in the interior is inflamed and ulcerated, and there is always
some danger of the ulceration eating through the coating into the blood
vessels, causing more or less bleeding and even eating the bowel enough to
cause an opening (perforation) and the escape of the bowel contents into
the abdominal cavity causing inflammation of the peritoneum (peritonitis)
and almost certain death. Walking typhoid is dangerous for that reason.
The food must be of such nature that it is all digested. It must not leave
lumps to press upon the sore places in the bowels causing more trouble
there and more diarrhea.
[200 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
TYPHUS FEVER, (Filth Disease).--Typhus fever is an acute, infectious
disease, characterized by a sudden onset, marked nervous symptoms, and
spotted rash and fever ending quickly after two weeks. Also called jail,
camp, hospital, or ship fever. Filth has a great deal to do with its
production. There is no real characteristic symptom except the eruption.
Symptoms.--It generally lasts two weeks. Incubation period of twelve days
or less, marked at times by slight weary feeling. The onset is usually
sudden, by one chill or several, with high fever, headache, pain in back
and legs, prostration, vomiting, and mild and active delirium. Pulse does
not have the double beat, often there is bronchitis.
Eruption.--"This appears on the third to fifth day; the fever remaining
high. During the second week all the symptoms increase and are weakening
with marked delirium and coma vigil" (unconscious, delirious, but with the
eyes open). When death occurs it usually comes at the end of the second
week from exhaustion. Favorable cases terminate at this time by crisis;
the prostration is extreme; but convalescence is rapid.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 201]
Fever.--Sudden onset to even 104 to 105 degrees; steady rise for four or
five days with slight morning remissions; terminating by crisis on the
twelfth to fourteenth day, falling in some cases below normal; in fatal
cases there is a rapid rise to 108 or 109 degrees. The eruption appears on
the abdomen on the third to fifth day.
Treatment like Typhoid.--Mortality, twelve to twenty per cent.
SMALLPOX or Variola.--Smallpox is an acute infectious disease. It has a
sudden onset with a severe period of invasion which is followed by a
falling of the fever, and then the eruption comes out. This eruption
begins as a pimple, then a watery pimple (vesicle) which runs into the pus
pimple (pustule) and then the crust or scab forms. The mucous membrane in
contact with the air may also be affected. Almost all persons exposed, if
not vaccinated, are almost invariably attacked. It is very contagious. It
attacks all ages, but it is particularly fatal to young children.
Cause.--An unknown poison in the contents of the pustules or crusts in
secretion and excretion, apparently, and in the exhalations of the lungs
and skin; one attack does not always confer immunity for life. It is
contagious from an early period. Direct contact does not seem to be
necessary, for it can be carried by one who does not have it.
Symptoms.--Incubation lasts from ten to fourteen days, and is usually
without symptoms. Invasion comes suddenly with one or more chills in
adults, or convulsions in children, with terrible headache, very severe
pain in the back and extremities, vomiting, the temperature rising rapidly
to 103 or 104 degrees.
Eruptions.--This usually appears on the fourth day as small red papules on
the forehead, along the line of the hair and on the wrists, spreading
within twenty-four hours over the face, extremities, trunk and mucous
membrane.
Symptoms of fever diminish with the appearance of the rash, which is most
marked on the face and ripens first there. The papules become hollowed
vesicles and a clear fluid fills them on the fifth or sixth day. They fill
with pus about the eighth day, and their summits become globular, while
the surrounding skin is red, swollen and painful. The general bodily
symptoms again return and the temperature rises for about twenty-four
hours. Drying of the eruption begins the tenth or eleventh day. The
pustules dry, forming crusts, while the swelling of the skin disappears
and the temperature gradually falls. The crusts fall off, leaving scars
only where the true skin has been destroyed.
Confluent form.--All the symptoms are more severe. The eruption runs
together and all the skin is covered.
Varioloid.--This is smallpox modified by vaccination. The invasion may be
sudden and severe. It is usually mild and gradual, but with severe pain in
the back and head. A scanty eruption of papules, often only on the face
and hands, appears on the third or fourth day, with disappearance of
constitutional symptoms.
[202 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Treatment.--Vaccinate the children the second or third month, and all
persons about every six years, and always after exposure to the disease or
during epidemics. Put the patient in a room cleared of all furniture,
carpets, curtains, rugs, etc.; keep the patient thoroughly clean, and the
linen should be frequently changed. The bed clothing should be light.
Disinfect and sterilize everything thoroughly that has been in contact
with the patient. Get a good experienced nurse, and one who has been
around the disease.
Diet.--Give the supporting diet early. During the first stage give milk,
broths of different kinds, albumin water. Relieve the intense thirst by
water and lemonade. When the first (initial) fever subsides and the
patient feels improved, give milk, eggs, chops, steak, or rare roast meat,
bread or toast; vegetables, such as potato, spinach, celery, asparagus
tips, cauliflower tops. When the second fever returns go back to the
liquid diet again, and give regularly and as much as possible every two or
three hours during the day, and every three or four hours during the
night. Milk, plain or peptonized; milk punch, raw eggs, broths, beef
juice. If swallowing is difficult, give food cold and oftener, and in less
quantity. Increase the diet rapidly during convalescence.
Cold drinks should be freely given. Barley water and oatmeal water are
nutritious and palatable. Milk broths, and articles that give no trouble
to digest.
Nursing.--Nursing is the main thing. The bowels should be kept open with
salts. There is no special medicine we can claim will do good. Aconite may
be used for the fever at first, in drop doses every hour for twenty-four
hours. But the least medicine that is given the better it will generally
be.
There is, I believe, something in protecting the ripening papules from the
light. The constant application on the face and hands of lint soaked in
cold water, to which antiseptics such as carbolic acid or bichloride may
be added, is perhaps the most suitable treatment. It is very pleasant for
the patient at least, and for the face it is well to make a mask of lint
which can be covered with oiled silk. When the crusts begin to form, the
chief point is to keep them thoroughly moist, which may be done with oil
or glycerin; vaselin is particularly useful, and at this stage can be
freely used upon the face. It frequently relieves the itching also. For
the odor, which is sometimes so characteristic and disagreeable, the
diluted carbolic acid solutions are probably the best. If the eruption is
abundant on the scalp the hair should be cut short. During, convalescence
frequent bathing is advisable. It should be done daily, using carbolic
soap freely in order to get rid of the crusts and scabs. There is danger
to others as long as the skin is not smooth and clean, and not free from
any trace of scabs. As you must have a physician, I give but little
medical treatment. Nursing is the main thing in this disease.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 203]
General Rules for Disinfection.--The walls, woodwork, and ceiling may be
cleaned by washing with one to one thousand solution of corrosive
sublimate solution, or a five per cent carbolic acid solution, Or by
rubbing with bread if solutions would injure. All dust must be removed.
Plastered walls and ceilings may be white-washed. Woodwork must then be
scrubbed with soap and thoroughly wiped. Then fumigate, at least three
pounds of sulphur should be burned in the room for each 1,000 cubic feet
of space. Placing it in a pan supported in another containing water to
guard against fire. After scrubbing or fumigating, the room and its
contents should be freely aired for several days, admitting sunlight if
possible. All useless articles and badly soiled bedding should be burned.
Such pieces of clothing as will not be injured may be boiled or soaked in
a one to one thousand formaldehyde solution (one ounce of twelve per cent
solution in one gallon of water), or two per cent carbolic acid solution.
Clothing, bedding, etc., may be disinfected in the steam sterilizer.
Hands, Body, etc.--Special outer garments may be worn while in the sick
room and removed, and clothing aired before leaving. Hands of the
attendant should be washed in one to one thousand corrosive sublimate
solution.
Vaccination and Re-vaccination and its Prevention of Smallpox. We quote in
part from an article prepared by the State of Michigan. It is well known
that smallpox can be prevented or modified by vaccination; and a
widespread epidemic of the disease can be attributed only to an equally
widespread ignorance or willfulness concerning smallpox and its prevention
by vaccination and re-vaccination.
A Good Time to be Vaccinated.--Smallpox is usually most prevalent in the
winter and spring months, reaching the highest point in May. The rarity of
smallpox in Michigan for several years led to a feeling of security and to
neglect vaccination, resulting in an increased proportion of inhabitants
not protected by recent vaccination. This made possible a widespread
epidemic. The proper preventive of such an epidemic is general vaccination
and re-vaccination of all persons not recently thus protected. There is no
better settled fact than that vaccination does protect against smallpox.
But after a time the protection is weakened, therefore after a lapse of
five years there should be re-vaccination.
[204 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Why Vaccinate.--Because vaccination is a preventive of all forms of
smallpox, and because by traveling, or by travelers, by articles received
in the mail or from the stores or shops, or other various ways anyone at
any time, may, without knowing it, be exposed to smallpox, it becomes
important so far as possible without injury to health to render every
person incapable of taking the disease. This may be done so perfectly by
vaccination and re-vaccination with genuine bovine vaccine virus that no
question of ordinary expense or trouble should be allowed for a day to
prevent the careful vaccination of every man, woman and child in Michigan,
and the re-vaccination of every one who has not been vaccinated within
five years. It is well established that those who have been properly
vaccinated are far less likely to take smallpox if exposed to it, and that
the very few who have been properly vaccinated and have smallpox have it
in a much milder form and are much less disfigured by it than those who
have not been thus vaccinated. The value of vaccination is illustrated by
the following facts: On March the 13th, 1859, Dr. E. M. Snow, of
Providence, R. 1., found in a cluster of seven houses twenty-five
families, and in these families ten cases of smallpox, all apparently at
about the same stage of the disease. In the same families there were
twenty-one children, who had never been vaccinated. The ten cases and the
remaining members of the families, including the twenty-one children, were
quarantined at home, and the children were all vaccinated and compelled to
remain with the sick. Several other cases of smallpox occurred in the
persons previously exposed, but not one of the twenty-one children
referred to had the slightest touch of the disease.
In Sweden, the average number of deaths in each year from smallpox per
million inhabitants was:
Before the introduction of vaccination (1774-1801), 1,973;
During the period of optional vaccination (1802-1816), 479;
And during the period of obligatory vaccination (1817-1877), 189.
Vaccination was introduced in England near the beginning of the nineteenth
century, and since 1853 compulsory vaccination has been attempted. In
England the number of deaths in each year from smallpox per one million
inhabitants was:
At the close of the eighteenth century, 3,000.
From 1841 to 1853 (average), 304.
From 1854 to 1863 (average), 171.
Smallpox entirely prevented by re-vaccination.--In the Bavarian army re-
vaccination has been compulsory since 1843. From that date till 1857, not
even a single case of unmodified smallpox occurred, nor a single death
from smallpox. During the year of duty, Dr. Marson, physician of the
London Smallpox Hospital, has never observed a single case of smallpox in
the officers and employees of the hospital, who are re-vaccinated when
they enter the service, and who are constantly exposed to the infection.
"Out of more than 10,000 children vaccinated at Brussels with animal
lymph, from 1865 to 1870, and who went through the terrible epidemic of
smallpox, which in 1870 and 1871 frightened the world, not a single one
was to my knowledge reported as being attacked by the disease. The same
immunity was shared by those, a much larger number, whom I had
re-vaccinated and who at the same time were living in epidemic
centers."--Dr. Warlemont, of Brussels.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 205]
Who should be Vaccinated.--Everybody, old and young, for his own interest,
and that he may not become a breeding place for the distribution of
smallpox to others, should seek that protection from smallpox which is
afforded by vaccination alone. It is believed that all persons except
those mentioned in the following paragraph may, if the operation is
properly performed, at the proper time, and with pure bovine virus, be
vaccinated with perfect safety to themselves. Even those who have had
smallpox should be vaccinated, for otherwise they may take the disease;
and it seems to be proved that a larger proportion, of those who have
smallpox a second time, die than of those who have the disease after
vaccination.
Who should not be Vaccinated.--Unless exposure to smallpox is believed to
have taken place or likely to take place, teething children, pregnant
women, persons suffering from measles, scarlet fever, erysipelas, or
susceptible to and recently exposed to one of these diseases, persons
suffering with skin diseases or eruption, and in general feeble persons
not in good health, should not be vaccinated. In all cases in which there
is any doubt as to the propriety of vaccinating or postponing vaccination
the judgment of a good physician should be taken. The restriction, as to
vaccinating teething children makes it important that children should be
vaccinated before the teething process has begun, because smallpox is very
much more dangerous than vaccination. Smallpox is exceedingly dangerous to
pregnant women.
When should a person be Vaccinated.--The sooner the better as a rule, and
especially whenever there is much liability of exposure to smallpox.
Children should be vaccinated before they are four months old; those who
have never been vaccinated, should, except teething children, be
vaccinated at once. Because the vaccination often loses its protective
power after a time, those who have been vaccinated but once or twice
should, in order to test and to increase the protective power of the
former vaccination, be vaccinated again, and as often as the vaccination
can be made to work. In general, to insure full protection from smallpox,
one should be vaccinated as often as every five years. It has been found
that of those who have smallpox the proportion of deaths is very much less
among those who have three or four good vaccination scars than among those
who have but one scar.
Vaccination after exposure to Smallpox.--Vaccination as late as the second
day after known exposure to smallpox is believed to have prevented the
smallpox; vaccination the third day after exposure has rendered the
disease much milder than usual, and in a case in Iowa, vaccination on the
seventh or eighth day after exposure to smallpox ran a partial course and
was believed to have modified the attack of smallpox, which, however, it
did not wholly prevent. A recent case in Michigan was vaccinated three
days after exposure, as were also the wife, mother, and two children, both
under five years of age; all vaccinated again six days after the exposure.
The health officer reported as follows: "The results were gratifying.
During the first week of the eruption it was evidently aborting and
without doubt as the result of vaccination eight days before the eruption.
A complete and fine recovery. Certainly an aborted course, with scarcely a
mark left, and not another case in the above family, whom necessity
compelled to occupy the same house, the same rooms, continual contact with
the contagion, scores one more big credit mark for vaccination."
[206 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
With what should one be Vaccinated.--Because the potency of virus depends
largely upon its being fresh, and it is so easy to obtain pure and fresh
bovine virus, and because such bovine virus is efficient it is better in
all cases to use only the pure and fresh bovine virus.
Where should Vaccination be Performed.--In a room or place free from
persons suffering from disease, and from dust which may convey to the
scratched surface germs of any communicable disease; certainly not in or
near a room where there is erysipelas or consumption, nor in the presence
of one who has just come from a person sick with erysipelas, diphtheria,
or scarlet fever.
By whom should one be Vaccinated.--The operation of vaccination should be
performed always by a competent and responsible physician. To try to
vaccinate one's self or one's family is poor economy, for it often results
not only in a waste of money and of time, but in a false and dangerous
feeling of security. To trust to vaccination by nurses and midwives is
equally foolish. A well-educated and experienced physician has the skill,
and the special knowledge necessary to the best judgment on all of the
questions involved, without which the operation may be a failure or worse
than a failure. In work of this kind the best is the cheapest, whatever it
costs.
After Vaccination.--Let the vaccinated place alone. Do not scratch it or
otherwise transfer the virus where it is not wanted. Protect it by a
bandage, or cloth which has been boiled and ironed with a hot iron. Try to
keep the pustule unbroken, as a protection against germs of diseases and
against unnecessary discomfort. A bad sore arm may not be and probably is
not true vaccination, but may be due to lack of care during and after
vaccination to keep out septic germs.
Common appearances after Vaccination.--For a day or two nothing unusual
should appear. A few days after that, if it succeeds regularly, the skin
will become red, then a pimple will form, and on the pimple a little
vesicle or blister which may be plainly seen on the fifth or sixth day. On
the eighth day the blister (vesicle) is, or should be, plump, round,
translucent, pearly white, with a clearly marked edge and a depression in
the center; the skin around it for about half an inch is red and swollen.
This vesicle and the red, inflamed circle about it (called the areola) are
the two points which prove the vaccination to be successful. A rash, and
even a vesicular eruption, sometimes comes on the child's body about the
eighth day, and lasts about a week; he may be feverish, or may remain
quite well. The arm may be red and swollen down as far as the elbow, and
in the adult there will usually be a tender or swollen gland in the
arm-pit, and some disturbance of sleep for several nights. The vesicle
dries up in a few days more, and a crust forms which becomes of a brownish
mahogany color, and falls off from the twentieth to the twenty-fifth day.
In some cases the several appearances described above may be delayed a day
or two. The crust or scab will leave a well-marked, permanent scar.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 207]
What to do during and after Vaccination.--Do nothing to irritate the
eruption, do not pull the scab off, when it drops off throw it in the
fire. When the eruption is at its height show it to the doctor who
performed the vaccination. If it is satisfactory, ask him for a
certificate stating when and by whom you were vaccinated, whether with
bovine or humanized lymph, in how many places and with what result at each
place. When the arm is healed, if the vaccination did not work well, be
vaccinated again as soon as possible, and in the best manner possible.
This will be a test to the protection secured by the former vaccination,
and will itself afford increased protection. Do not be satisfied with less
than four genuine vaccine scars, or with four if it is possible to secure
more than four. This vaccination a second or third time in close
succession is believed to be hardly less important than vaccination the
first time, and hardly less valuable as a protection against smallpox.
Without doubt many persons are living in a false sense of security from
smallpox because at some time in their lives they have had a little sore
on their arm caused by a supposed or real vaccination, or because an
imperfect vaccination failed to work, or because they were successfully
vaccinated, or had the varioloid, or the unmodified smallpox many years
ago. Until smallpox is stamped out throughout the world so that exposure
of the disease shall be practically impossible, the only personal safety
is in such perfect vaccination that one need not fear an exposure to
smallpox through the recklessness of the foolish.
Make a record of your Vaccination.--Do not fail to procure and preserve
the certificate mentioned in the preceding paragraph, and also to make a
personal record of the facts with regard to any vaccination of yourself or
in your family. From it you may sometime learn that it is ten years since
you or some member of your family was vaccinated, when you thought it only
five.
Lives saved from smallpox in Michigan.--Since the State Board of Health
was established, many thousands of people in Michigan have been vaccinated
because of its recommendations; and the statistics of deaths, published by
the Secretary of State, show that at the close of the year 1906, the death
rate from smallpox in Michigan had been so much less than before the board
was established as to indicate that over three thousand lives had been
saved from that loathsome disease. The average death rate per year, for
the five years, 1869-1873, before the board was established, was 8.5 per
100,000 inhabitants, and since the board was established, for the
thirty-three years, 1874-1907, it was only 1.5. Since 1896 an uncommon
mild type of the disease has prevailed very extensively, but the death
rate has been exceedingly low, being for the eleven years, 1897-1907,
slightly less than one death for each 100,000 inhabitants. The great
saving of life from smallpox in civilized countries has been mainly
because of vaccination and revaccination.
[208 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
VACCINATION, Symptoms.--At first a slight irritation at the place of
vaccination. The eruption appears on the third or fourth day as a reddish
pimple surrounded by a reddened surface. On the fifth or sixth day this
pimple becomes a vesicle with a depressed center and filled with clear
contents. It reaches its greatest size on the eighth day. By the tenth day
the contents are pus-like and the surrounding skin is more inflamed and
often quite painful. These symptoms diminish, and by the end of the second
week the pustule has dried to a brownish scab, which falls off between the
twenty-first and twenty-fifth days, and leaves a depressed scar. Fever and
mild constitutional symptoms usually go with the eruption and may last
until about the eighth day.
Reliable lymph points should always be used. Clean the skin near the
insertion of the deltoid muscle on the arm, and with a clean (sterile)
knife or ivory point, a few scratches are made, deep enough to allow a
slight flow of liquid, but no bleeding. The vaccine virus moistened, if
dried on a point, is rubbed into the wound and allowed to dry. A piece of
sterile gauze, or a "shield," is used as a dressing. This shield can be
bought at any drug store. One vaccination may give immunity for ten to
twelve years, but it is better to be vaccinated every six years at least.
DENGUE. Break-bone Fever, Dandy Fever.--This is an acute infectious
disease characterized by pains in the joints and muscles, fever, an
initial reddish swollen eruption and a terminal eruption of variable type.
It occurs in the tropical regions and the warmer portions of the temperate
zone. The disease appears in epidemics, rapidly attacking many persons.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 209]
Symptoms.--Incubation lasts from three to five days without any special
symptoms. The onset is marked with chilly feelings, an active fever with
temperature gradually rising. There is severe pain in the muscles and in
the joints which become red and swollen. There is intense pain in the
eyeballs, head, back and extremities. Face looks flushed, eyes are sunken,
the skin looks flushed and mucous membrane looks red. This is the
beginning rash. The high fever falls quickly after three or four days,
sometimes with sweating, diarrhea or nose bleed. The patient feels stiff
and sore then, but comparatively well. A slight fever returns after two to
four days, although this sometimes remains absent. Pains and eruptions,
like scarlet fever or hives, appear. An attack usually lasts seven to
eight days. Convalescence is often long and slow, with stiffness and pain
in the joints and muscles and great weakness. A relapse may return within
two weeks.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Dengue.--An anti-plague serum is sometimes used,
though with doubtful results. The pain is controlled by doses of morphine
of one-eighth to one-fourth of a grain every four or five hours. Hyoscin,
one hundredth of a grain, is also given for the pain. The high temperature
can be relieved by cold and tepid sponging. Tonics are given during the
convalescence and continued for some time.
CEREBRO-SPINAL MENINGITIS.--This is an acute infectious disease. It comes
in epidemics, when there are many cases, or appears here and there as a
separate case (sporadic). It is caused by a specific organism (germ) and
the disease attacks the membranes of the brain and spinal cord.
Of late years great progress has been made by patient investigation, and a
serum is now prepared for the treatment of this disease. The results of
this treatment are better than the treatments formerly used, and there is
good reason to believe that in a few years this treatment will be as
effective in this disease as antitoxin is in diphtheria.
Cause.--Young adults and children are affected most often. Bad
surroundings and over-exertion are predisposing factors.
Conditions.--There is congestion of the membranes of the brain and spinal
cord which are covered with an exudate confined on the brain, chiefly to
the base.
Symptoms. Ordinary Form.--Incubation is of unknown length and occasionally
marked by want of appetite, headache, and pain in the back. The invasion
is usually sudden, chill, projectile vomiting, throwing forward, severe
headache, pain and rigidity of the back of the neck, pain in various parts
of the body, skin over-sensitive, irritable, and temperature about 102
degrees, with all symptoms of an active fever. Later, pains are very
severe, especially in the head, neck and back; the head is drawn back;
often the back is rigid; the muscles of the neck and back are tender and
attempts to stretch them cause intense pain. The vomiting now is less
prominent. Temperature is extremely irregular, 99 to 105 degrees or more.
Pulse is slow, often 50 to 60, and full and strong at first. The delirium
is of a severe and variable type in common, alternating with partial or
complete coma, the latter predominating toward the close of fatal attacks.
Stimulation of nerve centers causes cross-eyed look, drooping of upper
eyelid, movement of eyeballs unequal, contracted, dilated, or sluggish
pupils; acute and painful hearing, spasmodic contractions of the muscles
followed by paralysis of the face muscles, etc. The disease may last
several hours or several months. Many die within five days. In fatal cases
the patient passes into seemingly deep sleep with symptoms of a very
prostrating and weakening fever, and often retention of urine. Mild cases
occur with only a little fever, headache, stiff muscles of the neck,
discomfort in back and extremities. The malignant type occurs epidemically
or sporadically.
[210 MOTHERS' REMEDIEs]
Malignant type.--Sudden invasion with severe chills, slight rise in
temperature, pain in the back of the neck, headaches, stupor, muscular
spasms, a slow pulse, often purple bleeding, eruption, coma and death
within hours, rather than days. This is a terrible disease, and a
physician is needed from the first. The death rate varies from twenty to
seventy-live per cent. Treatment must be given by a physician. Spinal
meningitis is inflammation of the membrane of the spinal cord along with
the accompanying back and extremity symptoms, while the head remains clear
and free from complications.
MENINGITIS.--This is an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain
alone, and generally commences with fever and severe headaches, with
avoidance of light and noise as these are painful. In some cases we have
delirium, stupor and coma.
Treatment.--Treatment must be given by a physician, but cold applications
to the head and back are generally good. The bowels also must be kept
open.
MENINGITIS. Tubercular, (Basilar Meningitis).--This affection which is
also known as acute hydrocephalus (meaning water on the brain), is
essentially an acute tuberculosis in which the membranes of the brain,
sometimes of the cord bear the brunt of the attack. It is more common in
children than in adults. It is more frequent between the second and fifth
years, than in the first year. It is caused by the tubercular infection,
and follows the usual course of this disease. Ordinary meningitis is rapid
and well defined in its course, with "high fever," severe pains in the
head, intense nervousness, avoidance of light and sound, loss of appetite
and constipation. These symptoms are easily understood and are generally
clearly read by those around the patient. Unfortunately in tubercular
meningitis the clearly defined symptoms are absent in the beginning, and
when the physician is called the condition is dangerous. Usually the
patient complains but little. There is a slight headache, low fever, no
heat in the head, patient is pale most of the time, has little appetite,
vomits occasionally and desires to sleep. He is nervous, stupid and lies
on his side curled up with eyes away from the light. This disease appears
mostly in delicate children, who are poor eaters and fond of books;
usually in those inheriting poor constitutions. The mortality is very
high. Parents who have thin, pale sallow children with dainty appetites,
who frequently complain of headaches and are fond of books, should be
afraid of infection from tuberculosis and make the little ones live in the
open air and keep away from school. But earlier in the lives of these
children care must be taken. A child with that pale, thin, sallow,
delicate face and poor body should be fed with the best of food and live
in the open air. I once had a family who lost their only two babies
through this disease. After the first one died I instructed them carefully
how to treat the second child. However, they loved their child foolishly
and not wisely and fed it everything it wanted, and you know the children
take an advantage of their parents. Give plenty of good, wholesome
digestible food. Dress them comfortably and warm and keep them out in the
open air. No cakes, candy, peanuts or any food that is not nourishing and
easy to digest.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 211]
TUBERCULOSIS. (CONSUMPTION).--Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused
by the bacillus, tuberculosis, and characterized by the formation of
nodules or diffuse masses of new tissue. Man, fowls and cows are chiefly
affected.
Indians, negroes and Irish are very susceptible. The disease is less
common at great altitudes. Dark, poorly ventilated rooms, such as
tenements and factories and the crowding of cities favors infection, as do
in-door life and occupations in which dust must be inhaled. Certain
infections such as measles, whooping-cough, chronic heart, kidney and
liver diseases and inflammation of the air tract are predisposing factors.
Inhalation is the chief mode of transmission. Hereditary transmission is
rare.
Forms. The Lungs.--Consumption. This is caused by a germ. Some have the
form called galloping consumption. This person is attacked suddenly,
wastes away and dies, in a very short time. There is rapid loss of
strength and weight, high fever, night sweats, fast breathing, pains in
the chest, cough and profuse expectoration, and rapid loss of strength.
Ordinary Consumption.--Begins slowly and the patient is not aware of the
danger. He may have loss of appetite, dyspepsia, diarrhea and distress
after meals. He looks pale, is weak and loses flesh. Soon he has a hacking
cough, worse in the morning, with a scanty, glairy sputum. His weight
continues to decrease, his heart is weak and beats faster. He has pain in
his chest below the shoulder blades. He may have a slight bleeding from
the lungs. His cough becomes worse, the expectoration gets thicker and
more profuse, with night sweats, high fever, and shortness of breath. The
eyes are bright; the cheeks are pale or flushed. Chronic looseness of the
bowels may be present. Bleeding from the lungs may occur at any time, but
it is most frequent and profuse during the last stages. The patient
becomes very weak, thin and pale, emaciated. The brain action remains
good, and he remains hopeful almost until the last. Tuberculosis may exist
in almost every part of the body and we have many forms. It is not
necessary to discuss all. It would tend to confusion. I will name the most
of them:
1. Acute Miliary Tuberculosis.
(A.) Acute General Miliary Tuberculosis.
(B.) Pulmonary (lung) type.
(C.) Tubercular Meningitis.
2. Tuberculosis of the lymph nodes (glands). This was formerly called
Scrofula. This is more curable and will be treated more fully elsewhere.
3. Tuberculous Pleurisy.
4. Tuberculous Pericarditis.
5. Tuberculous Peritonitis. (Of this there are a good many cases.)
6. Tuberculosis of the Larynx.
7. Acute Pneumonia (Pulmonary Tuberculosis) or "Galloping Consumption."
8. Chronic Ulcerative Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
9. Chronic Miliary Tuberculosis.
10. Tuberculosis of the Alimentary Canal.
11. Tuberculosis of the Brain.
12. Tuberculosis of the liver, kidneys, bladder, etc.
13. Tuberculosis of joints, this will be treated more fully elsewhere.
[212 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CERVICAL, TUBERCULOSIS (Scrofula).--This is common in children that are
not well nourished, living in badly ventilated and crowded houses, and in
the negroes. Chronic catarrh of the nose and throat and tonsilitis
predispose to it. The glands under the lower jaw are usually the first
involved. They are enlarged, smooth, firm and often become matted
together. Later the skin may adhere to them and suppuration occurs, that
is, pus forms. An abscess results that breaks through the skin and leaves
a nasty looking sore or scar. The glands in the back of the neck may
enlarge also; or in the arm pit or under the collar bone and also the
bronchial glands. There is usually secondary anemia. A long course and
spontaneous recovery are common. Lung or general miliary tuberculosis may
occur.
Mesenteric Kind.--Symptoms are loss of flesh and strength, anemia,
distended abdomen (pot-belly) and bloated, with offensive diarrhea.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Consumption, Simple Home Method to Break up.--"A
cloth saturated with kerosene oil, bound around the chest at night and
frequently repeated, will remove lung soreness, and it may be taken
inwardly with advantages, eight to ten drops three or four times a day in
sarsaparilla. It has been tried efficaciously as a cure for consumption."
2. Consumption, Physicians' Remedy for.--
Arsenic Acid 1 part
Carbonate of Potash 2 parts
Cinnamyllic Acid 3 parts
Heat this until a perfect solution is obtained, then add twenty-five parts
cognac and three parts of watery extract of opium which has been dissolved
in twenty-five parts of water filtered. Dose:--At first take six drops
after dinner and supper, gradually increasing to twenty-two drops. Mild
cases are cured in two months, but the severe cases may require a year or
two. This treatment should be given under the care of a physician, as it
is poisonous and needs close watching.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 213]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Consumption.--Tuberculous peritonitis is often
present. General better hygienic measures; fresh air, nourishing food;
cod-liver oil. The glands are now often cut.
Sanitary Care. Prevention of Tuberculosis.--The sputum of consumptives
should be carefully collected and destroyed. Patients should be urged not
to spit about carelessly, but always use a spit cup and never swallow the
sputum. The destruction of the sputum of consumptives should be a routine
measure in both hospitals and private practice. Thorough boiling or
putting in the fire is sufficient. It should be explained to the patient
that the only risk, practically is from this source.
The chances of infection are greatest in young children. The nursing and
care of consumptives involves very slight risks indeed, if proper
precautions are taken.
Second.--A second important measure, relates to the inspection of dairies
and slaughter houses. The possibility of the transmission of tuberculosis
by infected milk has been fully demonstrated, and in the interest of
health, the state should take measures to stamp out tuberculosis in
cattle.
Individual Prevention.--A mother with pulmonary tuberculosis should not
nurse her child. An infant born of tuberculosis parents or of a family in
which consumption prevails, should be brought up with the greatest care
and guarded most particularly against catarrhal affections of all kinds.
Special attention should be given to the throat and nose, and on the first
indication of mouth breathing or any affection of the nose, a careful
examination should be made for adenoids. The child should be clothed in
flannel, and live in the open air as much as possible, avoiding close
rooms. It is a good practice to sponge the throat and chest night and
morning with cold water. Special attention should be paid to the diet and
to the mode of feeding. The meals should be given at regular hours, and
the food plain and substantial. From the onset the child should be
encouraged to drink freely of milk. Unfortunately in these cases there
seems to be an uncontrollable aversion to fats of all kinds. As the child
grows older, systematically regulated exercise or a course of pulmonary
(lung) gymnastics may be taken. In the choice of an occupation, preference
should be given to an out of door life. Families with a predisposition to
tuberculosis should, if possible, reside in an equable climate. It would
be best for a young person belonging to such a family to remove to
Colorado or Southern California, or to some other suitable climate before
trouble begins. The trifling ailments of children should be carefully
watched. In convalescence from fevers, which so frequently prove
dangerous, the greatest care should be exercised to prevent from catching
cold. Cod-liver oil, the syrup of iodide of iron and arsenic may be given.
Enlarged tonsils should be removed. "The spontaneous healing of local
tuberculosis is an every-day affair. Many cases of adenitis (inflammation
of the glands) and disease of the bone or joints terminate favorably. The
healing of pulmonary (lung) tuberculosis is shown clinically by the
recovery of patients in whose sputa elastic tissue and bacilli have been
found."
[214 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
General Measures.--The cure of tuberculosis is a question of nutrition;
digestion and assimilation control the situation; make a patient grow fat,
and the local disease may be left to take care of itself. There are three
indications:
First, to place the patient in surroundings most favorable for the
greatest degree of nutrition; second, to take such measures as in a local
and general way influence the tuberculosis process; third, to alleviate
the symptoms. This is effected by the open air treatment with the
necessary feeding and nursing.
At Home.--In the majority of cases patients must be treated at home. In
the city it has many disadvantages. The patient's bed should be in a room
where he can have plenty of sunshine and air. Two things are
essential--plenty of fresh air and sunshine. While there is fever he
should be at rest in bed. For the greater part of each day, unless the
weather is blustering and raining, the windows should be open. On the
bright days he can sit out-doors on a balcony or porch, in a reclining
chair. He must be in the open air all that is possible to be. A great many
patients spend most of the time out in the open air now. In the country
places this can be easily carried out. In the summer he should be out of
doors from eleven to twelve hours; in the winter six to eight at least. At
night the room should be cool and thoroughly ventilated. "In the early
stages of the disease with much fever, it may require several months of
this rest treatment to the open air before the temperature falls to
normal." The sputum is dangerous when it becomes dry. As long as sputum is
moist the germs are held in the sputum; but when it is dry they are
released and roam at will in the atmosphere and are inhaled. They are then
ready to lodge themselves in suitable soil. Always keep the sputum
(expectoration) moist, and then there is no danger.
Diet. Treatment.--The outlook in this disease depends upon the digestion.
Nausea and loss of appetite are serious obstacles. Many patients loathe
foods of all kinds. A change of air or a sea voyage may promptly restore
the appetite. When this is not possible, rest the patient, keep in the
open air nearly all day and feed regularly with small quantities either of
buttermilk, milk, or kumiss, alternating if necessary with meat juice and
egg albumin. Some cases which are disturbed by eggs and milk do well on
kumiss. Raw eggs are very suitable for feeding, and may be taken between
meals, beginning with one three times a day, and can be increased to two
and three at a time. It is hard to give a regular diet. The patient should
be under the care of a physician who will regulate the kind of diet,
amount and change. When the digestion is good there is less trouble in
feeding. Then the patient can eat meat, poultry, game, oysters, fish,
animal broths, eggs. Nothing should be fried. Avoid pork, veal, hot bread,
cakes, pies, sweet meats, rich gravies, crabs, lobsters.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 215]
Diet in Tuberculosis furnished us by a Hospital.--
May Take.--Soups.--Turtle or oyster soup, mutton, clam, or chicken broth,
puree of barley, rice, peas, beans, cream of celery or tomatoes, whole
beef tea; peptonized milk, gruel.
Fish.--All kinds of fresh fish boiled or broiled, oysters or clams, raw,
roasted or broiled.
Meats.--Rare roast beef or mutton, lamb chops, ham, fat bacon.
sweetbreads, poultry, game, tender steaks, hamburger steak rare.
Eggs.--Every way except fried.
Farinaceous.--Oatmeal, wheaten grits, mush, hominy, rice, whole wheat
bread, corn bread, milk toast, biscuits, muffins, gems.
Vegetables.--Potatoes baked, boiled, or creamed, string beans, spinach,
onions, asparagus, tomatoes, green peas, all well cooked, cresses,
lettuce, plain or with oil dressing, celery.
Desserts.--Farina, sago, tapioca, apple or milk pudding, floating island,
custards, baked or stewed apples with fresh cream, cooked fruits, rice
with fresh cream.
Drinks.--Fresh milk, cool, warm, or peptonized, cocoa, chocolate,
buttermilk, pure water, tea, coffee, panopepton.
Must Not Take.--Fried foods, salt fish, hashes, gravies, veal, pork,
carrots, parsnips, cabbage, beets, turnips, cucumbers, macaroni,
spaghetti, sweets, pies, pastry, sweet wines.
WHAT EVERY PERSON SHOULD KNOW ABOUT TUBERCULOSIS,
WHETHER HE HAS THE DISEASE OR NOT.
Tuberculosis is caused by a germ.
Tuberculosis is communicable and preventable.
Consumption of the lungs is the most common form of tuberculosis.
Consumption of the bowels is the next most common form.
The germ causing tuberculosis leaves the body of the person who has the
disease by means of the discharges; by the sputum coughed up from the
lungs, by nasal discharge, by bowel excrement, by urine, by abscesses.
If the sputum of the consumptive is allowed to dry, its infected dust
floats in the air, and is breathed into the lungs.
[216 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Any person breathing such air is in danger of contracting tuberculosis. It
is best not to stand near a person suffering with tuberculosis who is
coughing, because in this act finely divided droplets of saliva are thrown
from the mouth, and may be carried for a distance of three feet. These may
contain large numbers of the bacilli. They are also sometimes thrown out
in forcible speaking. The ordinary breath of a consumptive does not
contain them.
If the bowels or other discharges from the tuberculous person are not
disinfected, but are thrown into a sewer, privy, river or buried they are
a source of danger, and may pollute a source of drinking water.
Impure milk, that is, milk from a tuberculous cow or milk exposed to
infected dust is a common source of tuberculosis. Milk from suspected
sources should be boiled. The all-important thing to do to prevent
tuberculosis from spreading from one person to another, and from one part
of the body to another, is immediately to destroy all discharges from the
body of a person who has tuberculosis.
Destroy by fire or by disinfectant all sputum, all nasal discharges, all
bowel excrement, all urine as soon as discharged. For such a purpose use a
five per cent solution of carbolic acid (six and three-fourths ounces of
carbolic acid to one gallon of water).
No person, well or sick, should spit in public places or where the sputum
cannot be collected and destroyed.
Flies carry sputum and its infection to food, to your hands, your face,
clothes, the baby's bottle, from which the germs are taken into the mouth,
and thus gain access to the stomach or lungs.
Spitting on the sidewalk, on the floor, on the wall, on the grass, in the
gutter, or even into a cuspidor containing no disinfectant is a very
dangerous practice for a consumptive to indulge.
The person infected with tuberculosis should protect himself, his family,
his associates and the public by not spitting in public places, and by
promptly destroying all discharges.
The well person should defend himself by insisting that the tuberculous
person shall destroy all discharges.
Well persons should set the example of restraint and themselves refrain
from spitting promiscuously. A person may appear quite healthy and yet be
developing tuberculosis without knowing it.
Such a person, if he spits where he pleases, may be depositing infected
sputum where it can endanger the health and lives of other persons.
Do not sleep with a person who has tuberculosis, nor in the room occupied
by a tuberculous person, until that room has been thoroughly disinfected.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 217]
Any person is liable to contract tuberculosis, whether he is well or not.
Sickly persons, or those having bad colds, influenza bronchitis or
pneumonia or any general weakness are much more liable to contract
tuberculosis than a perfectly well or robust person. If you have a cough
that hangs on consult at once a reliable physician who has ability to
diagnose tuberculosis.
Prevention is possible; it is cheaper and easier than cure.
Any person having tuberculosis can recover from the disease if he takes
the proper course in time.
Advanced cases of tuberculosis, that is, those cases where the disease is
well developed, are the most dangerous to the public and the most
difficult to cure.
Every advanced case of tuberculosis should be in a sanatorium.
Sanatoria offers the best chance, usually the only chance, of cure to an
advanced case.
They also protect well citizens from danger of infection from advanced
stages of tuberculosis. There are fewer deaths from tuberculosis in those
localities where sanatoria are established for the care of tuberculous
persons.
One person out of every seven who die, dies from tuberculosis.
One child out of every ten dies from tuberculosis.
Homes and school-houses greatly need more fresh air supplied to their
occupants.
Day camps are city parks, vacant lots or abandoned farms where the
tuberculous persons of a community may go and spend the entire day in
rest, receiving instructions in proper hygiene and skillful treatment.
Such camps are supplied with tents, hammocks, reclining chairs, one or
more nurses, milk, eggs and other nourishment.
Dispensaries are centers of sanitary and medical instruction for local
tuberculous persons.
Every locality should establish and maintain a dispensary for the benefit
of tuberculous persons; for their instruction how to prevent the disease
from spreading, and how to conduct themselves to insure relief and cure.
Householders are required by law to report a case within their households
to the local health officers. The local health officer has certain duties
to perform under the law, and co-operation with him by the householder and
tuberculous person, works for the suppression of this disease.
Do not consider a tuberculous person an outcast, or one fit for the
pesthouse. Your crusade is against tuberculosis, not against the person
suffering from the disease.
Give the freedom of a well person to the tuberculous who is instructed and
conscientious in the observance of necessary precautions. Be very much
afraid of the tuberculous person who is ignorant or careless in the
observance of necessary precautions.
[218 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PNEUMONIA (Lobar) Lung Fever.--Inflammation of the lungs. This is an acute
infectious disease characterized by an exudative inflammation of one or
more lobes of the lungs, with constitutional symptoms due to the
absorption of toxins (poison), the fever terminating by crisis (suddenly).
In speaking of pneumonia you frequently hear the expression "the lungs are
filling up." This is the real condition. The structures surrounding the
air cells are inflamed and from the inflamed tissues a secretion exudate
is poured out into the cells. This is expectorated, thrown out, by
coughing; but it is poured out into the cells faster than it can be spit
up and consequently it remains in some of the cells and fills them up.
The air does not get into such cells and they fill, with many others, and
make that section solid. When the patient is improving he keeps on
spitting this up, until all is out and the air cells resume their normal
work. Sometimes they remain so and we have chronic pneumonia.
Causes of Pneumonia.--Pneumonia occurs frequently as a complication of
other diseases, such as typhoid fever and measles. Yet the majority of
cases occur spontaneously. Many times the disease seems to be induced by
exposure to the cold, and there can be no doubt that such exposure does at
least promote the development of this affection. It seems, however,
probable that there is some special cause behind it without which the
exposure to cold is not sufficient to induce this disease. Pneumonia may
occur at any period of life, and is more common among males than females.
It occurs over the entire United States, oftener in the southern and
middle, than in the Northern States; it is more frequently met with during
the winter and spring months than at other times in the year.
Symptoms.--The onset is usually abrupt with a severe chill and chills
lasting from fifteen minutes to an hour, with the temperature suddenly
rising and an active fever. There is usually intense pain in a few hours,
generally in the lower part of the front of the chest, made worse by
breathing and coughing. The patient lies on the affected side so as to
give all chance for the other lung to work, cheeks are flushed, with
anxious expression; the wings of the nostrils move in and out with each
breath. The cough is short, dry and painful. Rapid, shallow, jerky
breathing, increasing to difficult breathing. On the first day the
characteristic expectoration mixed with blood appears (called rusty).
Pulse runs from 100 to 116, full bounding, but may be feeble and small in
serious cases. After three or four days the pain disappears, the
temperature keeps to 104 or 105, but falls quickly the seventh, fifth,
eighth, sixth and ninth day in this order of frequency. In a few hours,
usually twelve, the temperature falls to normal or below, usually with
profuse sweating and with quick relief to all symptoms. This relief from
distressing symptoms is, of course, a time of rejoicing to both patient
and friends and the patient and nurse may feel inclined to relax a little
from the strict observance of rules followed up to this time. Do not,
under any circumstances, yield to such folly. Keep patient properly
covered, as he is weak from the strain and the pores are open.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 219]
Convalescence is usually rapid. A prolonged rise of temperature after the
crisis may be regarded as a relapse. Death may occur at any time after the
third day from sudden heart failure, or from complications such as
pleurisy, nephritis, meningitis, pericarditis, endocarditis, gangrene of
the lungs.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Lungs, Salt Pork for Inflammation of.--"Salt pork
dipped in hot water, then covered thick with black pepper. Heat in the
oven and lay or bind on the throat and lungs."
2. Lungs, Raspberry Tincture for Inflammation of.--"Take one-half pound of
honey, one cup water; let these boil; take off the scum; pour boiling hot
upon one-half ounce lobelia herb and one-half ounce cloves; mix well, then
strain and add one gill of raspberry vinegar. Take from one teaspoonful to
a dessertspoonful four times a day. Pleasant to take."
3. Lungs, Herb Ointment for Congestion of.--
"Oil of Turpentine 1/2 ounce
Oil of Hemlock 1/2 ounce
Oil of Peppermint 1/2 ounce
Oil of Feverweed 1/2 ounce
Mix this with one cup warm lard."
Rub this ointment on throat or lungs and apply a flannel over it. Heat it
through thoroughly with hot cloths. If used thoroughly and the cold is
taken in time will prevent pneumonia.
4. Lungs, Mullein for Congestion.--"The mullein leaves may be purchased at
any drug store or gathered in the fields. Make a tea of the leaves by
steeping them. Add enough water to one tablespoon mullein to make a pint,
which will be three doses, taken three times a day." This is a very good
remedy.
5. Lungs, Salve for Weak.--
"Bees Wax 1 ounce
Rosin 1 ounce
Camphor Gum 1 ounce
Lard about the size of an egg."
The beeswax forms sort of a coating and may remain on for several hours.
This is very good.
[220 MOTHERS' REMEDIES ]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT FOR LUNGS.--The home treatment should be to put the
patient to bed and try to produce sweating. This will cause the blood to
leave the congested lung and return to the full regular circulation. By
doing this, you not only relieve the congested lung, but also the pain. If
the patient is stout and strong, give him the "corn sweat" under La Grippe
(see index); or you can put bottles of hot water about the patient. Use
fruit jars, wrap cloths around them so that you will not burn the patient.
Always put one to the feet. If you have a rubber water bag, fill that and
put it to his affected side over the pain. After you get him into a sweat
you can remove a little, of the sweating remedy at a time and when all are
removed give him a tepid water sponging. By this time the physician will
be at hand. If you give medicine you can put fifteen drops of the Tincture
of Aconite in a glass one-half full of water and give two teaspoonfuls of
this every fifteen minutes for four doses. Then give it every one-half
hour. Water can be given often, but in small quantities; plain milk alone,
or diluted, or beaten with eggs will make a good diet and keep up the
strength.
Fomentations.--Cloths wrung out of hot hop tea are often applied to the
affected part with good effect. Be careful about wetting the patient.
Flaxseed poultices are used.
If used they must be moist and hot. Some doctors are opposed to them. An
antiphlogistine poultice is good. Apply it hot. For children you can
grease the whole side of the chest, back and front, with camphor and lard
and put over that an absorbent cotton jacket. In the early life of the
country, home treatment was necessary. Men and women were posted on herbs,
etc. Teas made of them were freely and successfully used. A great mistake
made was the indiscriminate use of lobelia in too large doses. We have
learned that the hot herb drinks in proper doses are of help. Teas made of
boneset, hoarhound, pennyroyal, ginger, catnip, hops, slippery elm, etc.,
were good and are now. They produced the desired result--sweating--and
relieved the congestion of the internal organs and re-established the
external or (peripheral) circulation. So in the home treatment of
pneumonia, etc., if you are so situated that you cannot get a physician
use teas internally for sweating, fomentations upon the painful part and
if done properly and not too excessively, they will accomplish the desired
result. With the corn sweat, I have saved many lives.
ERYSIPELAS.--Erysipelas is an infectious disease, and it is usually caused
by a germ which we call "streptococcus pyogenes." The disease shows itself
by its local symptoms, pain, swelling, etc., and also by general or
constitutional symptoms such as fever, headache, etc., as hereafter given.
Causes.--It is a disease that occurs at any time, and is sometimes
epidemic, that is, attacks many persons at a time, like La Grippe. It
occurs more often in the spring; it is contagious, and can be carried by a
third person or in bedding, etc.
Symptoms.--The type that appears upon the face is the most common. The
incubation lasts from three to seven days and it usually comes suddenly
with a chill, followed by an active fever and with the local inflammation.
In some cases the local condition appears first. There is at first
redness, usually of the bridge of the nose and it rapidly spreads to the
cheeks, eyes, ears, etc. It is red, shiny hot, drawing, but with a
distinct margin at its edges, showing how much skin is inflamed. It may
take the form of vesicles. The eyelids may be so swollen as to close, the
face and scalp greatly swollen with watery swelling of the eyelids, lips,
eyes, ears, etc. The glands under the jaw may become enlarged. The general
or constitutional symptoms may be severe. The fever may rise to 104 to 106
and terminates suddenly. The parts that were first affected become pale
and more normal, as other parts are involved. It occurs also on other
parts of the body. A sting of an insect sometimes looks like it at first;
but it does not spread like erysipelas. It seems to me to be more
dangerous around the head.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 221]
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Erysipelas, Slippery Elm Bark for.--"Slippery elm
used as a wash and taken as a drink." Slippery elm is a very good remedy
for this on account of its soothing effect to the affected parts. It is
very good to take internally, as it cleanses the system by acting on the
bowels and kidneys.
2. Erysipelas, Bean Poultices for.--"White navy beans boiled soft and
applied as a poultice to the affected parts and renewed frequently is a
sure cure for erysipelas if taken in time." This is a very good and
effective poultice, but care should be taken not to use it too long, as
the parts will become too soft and might slough.
3. Erysipelas, Soda Wash for.--"Put about a tablespoonful of baking soda
in one pint of water and bathe parts several times a day," This is an
extremely simple remedy for such a serious disease, but has been known to
do good in many cases. The baking soda is soothing.
4. Erysipelas, Easy Remedy for.--"Keep parts well bathed with
witch-hazel." A good preparation should be bought. By applying this freely
to the affected parts it will be found to have a very soothing effect.
5. Erysipelas, Copperas Liniment for.--"A few cents' worth of common
copperas. Make a solution and keep applying it. This kills the poison as
it comes on and relieves the pain. I knew of a very bad case to be cured
by this treatment."
6. Erysipelas, Cranberry Poultice for.--"Take cranberries and stew them
and make a poultice of them." This is a remedy that cannot be beaten for
this disease. It gives relief in a very short time and saves the patient a
great deal of suffering. If the whisky is used to wet the poultice it is
much better, as it keeps the poultice moist longer. All that is necessary
is simply to put on more whiskey and it will not be necessary to change
the poultice so often.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Erysipelas.--It is best to separate the patient
from the others in the family. Some people very easily take this disease.
I know one who cannot be in the room where such a patient is for even five
minutes without contracting it.
Local Treatment.--1. Wash the parts with a solution of boric acid,
one-half teaspoonful to eight teaspoonfuls of tepid water, put this on the
inflamed parts. Then apply a poultice of bruised cranberries. Wash the
face each time with the solution before applying the cranberry poultice
afresh.
[222 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
2. Paint thoroughly with tincture of iodine outside of the margin of the
disease where the skin shows no sign of the trouble. This is very
effective. If done freely it produces a slight inflammation. The stain
made by it remains for some time and that is the objection to it on the
face, but do not hesitate on that account if the other remedies do not
work well or are not at hand.
3. The following is a splendid local application.--Cleanse thoroughly the
inflamed part with pure castile soap and water, and then wash this off
with one to one thousand corrosive sublimate solution. Dry the skin with a
soft towel and apply a thick coating of equal parts of Ichthyol and
vaselin, and over this place antiseptic gauze or sterilized absorbent
cotton. Keep this in place with adhesive straps. If the diseased surface
is small it may not be necessary to use the gauze, etc.
4. Tincture Chloride of Iron in dose of ten to twenty drops and more if
necessary four times a day, well diluted with water. This is very hard on
the teeth and should be taken through a glass tube.
Diet.--Milk, broths, etc., liquid diet or foods. (See Nursing Dept. under
liquid diet.)
Nursing.--When you nurse any infectious patient, you must be not only
careful of your patient, but of yourself. It is not necessary in order to
do good nursing to endanger yourself; and a nurse who does not know how to
care for herself, cannot successfully nurse the sick. In erysipelas I
always watch the eruption closely. Sometimes it recedes, and the patient,
of course, is worse. Then there are some people who believe in "pow-
wowing." They have that done and then do not take care of themselves. I
have attended such cases. One case was especially striking. The "pow-wow"
person did his work and then the patient thought himself well and
proceeded to enjoy himself and caught cold. The result was the "going in"
of the eruption and a beautiful cough. I succeeded in my efforts and the
next day he had the erysipelas going along nicely, but no cough. I write
this so you will take proper care of yourself and shun conjurers and their
"pow-wow."
TOXEMIA, SEPTICEMIA; PYEJMIA.--Toxemia refers to the group of symptoms and
lesions caused by the presence in the blood of toxins (poison) usually
resulting from bacterial growths.
Septicemia refers to the condition caused by the presence in the blood of
bacteria (microbes) as well as toxin.
Pyemia refers to the same condition as septicemia with the development of
fresh places of suppuration.
Sapremia is a septic intoxication, the result of the absorption of toxins.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 223]
SEPTICEMIA.--The presence of bacteria in the blood, introduced from a
local lesion (wound, injury, etc.) or with no obvious local infection.
Symptom.--If there is a local infection, symptoms of this precede the
septicemia. The invasion may be sudden or gradual, with chill or chilly
feelings, followed by symptoms of active fever and later of an asthenic
(absence of strength and feeling) fever, with dry tongue and dullness or
delirium. Death may occur in one to seven days.
PYEMIA.--This means the presence in the blood of bacteria with resultant
foci (places) of suppuration.
Symptoms.--They are local at first where the lesion is. The invasion of
the general infection is marked by a severe chill, then high fever and
sweating, repeated daily or at irregular intervals.
Fever is variable with sudden falls. In some cases the fever assumes very
weakening type and the patient looks like a case of typhoid fever in the
third week, and death soon occurs.
In other cases the chills, fever and sweating are repeated at irregular
intervals. The patients are emaciated and the skin has a sallow color.
Death usually occurs eventually from exhaustion in a few days or months.
Local Treatment.--This should be attended to from the beginning. If you
injure your finger or any part and it soon looks red, and feels sore, open
it up thoroughly with a clean instrument and cover it with a clean gauze
or cotton. It must not be covered too tightly so that the discharge, if
any, can leave the wound. Enough dressing must be put on to absorb that.
Then keep the wound clean, and so it can "run" if necessary. If you
neglect this or do it carelessly and admit dirt you will make it worse.
See treatment of wounds, etc.
General Treatment.--Keep the strength up in every way. The strength should
be kept up by giving nourishing diet that will suit that special case and
medicine that will produce a tonic effect, such as quinine and strychnine.
ASIATIC CHOLERA.--This is an acute infectious disease caused by a specific
organism and characterized by profuse watery discharges from the bowels
and great prostration.
Causes.--Some inherit a weakness, making them more susceptible than others
to this disease. Other causes are intemperance, general debility,
unhygienic surroundings, exciting causes. The spirillum (cholera
asiaticus) found in the stools, watery discharges and intestines of
affected cases and its transmission by infected food and water.
[224 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Symptoms.--After an incubation period of about one to five days, the
invasion is marked either by simple diarrhea with some general ill-feeling
and prostration, or by abdominal pains, vomiting and diarrhea. Mild cases
may recover at this time. In the stage of collapse, there are frequent
watery movements resembling rice water, with vomiting, great thirst,
abdominal pains and eruptions on the legs. There is sudden collapse and
temperature that is below normal; nearly all secretions are greatly
diminished. In the so-called cases of cholera sicca (dry) death occurs
before the diarrhea begins, although a rice water fluid is found in the
intestines after death. After two to twenty-four hours those who have not
died may recover or pass into the stage of reaction in which the signs of
collapse and purging disappear. After improvement, with slight rise of
temperature at times, there may be a relapse or the patient may have
inflammation of some of the viscera (cavity organs) and suppression of the
urine with delirium, coma and death.
The prognosis is worse in infancy, old age and debilitated persons, and in
cases of rapid collapse, low temperature and great blueness. Death rate
from thirty to eighty per cent.
Treatment.--Isolate the patient and disinfect all discharges and clothing.
Use boiled water during an epidemic.
For pain, morphine hypodermically, and apply hot applications to the
abdomen.
For vomiting.--Wash out the stomach and give cocaine, ice, coffee, brandy
or water by the mouth. Intestines may be irrigated with a two per cent
solution of tannic acid.
During collapse.--Hypodermic of camphor, hot applications to the body.
Good nursing and careful diet.
YELLOW FEVER.--Yellow fever is an acute infectious disease characterized
by jaundice, hemorrhages, albuminuria (albumin in the urine).
Cause.--It is common in the West Indies and epidemic in nearby countries.
It is most common in crowded, dirty, poorly drained portions of sea coast
cities. It is probably caused by a specific organism which is conveyed
from one person to another by mosquitoes and not in clothing, as formerly
believed. One attack usually confers immunity.
Symptoms.--Incubation is about three to four days. There may be a
fore-warning period, but the attack is usually sudden, with chills,
headache, backache, rise in fever, and general feverish symptoms,
vomiting, and constipation. Early in this disease the face is flushed,
while the conjunctiva and the mucous membrane lining the eyelids is
congested and slightly jaundiced. Fever is 102 or 103 degrees, and falls
gradually after one to three days. Pulse is slow, and while the
temperature rises, it again falls. The stage of calm follows the fall of
the temperature with increased jaundice and vomiting of dark altered
blood, the "black vomit." Hemorrhages may also occur into the skin or
mucous membranes. Brain symptoms are sometimes severe. Convalescence is
usually gradual. The disease varies from great mildness to extreme
malignancy. Mortality from fifteen to eighty-five per cent.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 225]
Treatment.--Prevent spread of the infectious mosquitoes; use screens and
netting in infected districts. Careful nursing, food by rectum while
vomiting is frequent. For the hemorrhage opium is given; frequent bathing
will keep down the fever; and for the vomiting cocaine is given and
cracked ice.
PLAGUE (BUBONIC PLAGUE).--Plague is an infectious disease characterized by
inflammation and suppuration of the lymph nodes and cutaneous (skin)
hemorrhages. It has long been known as the Plague or "Black Death," on
account of its "flea-bite looking eruptions." This disease is becoming a
serious matter on our western coast, especially in and around San
Francisco. The disease exists in India all the time, and there is now
danger of it becoming epidemic (existing all the time) in San Francisco,
according to today's, Jan. 10th, Detroit Free Press. Mr. Merriam, chief of
the U. S. Bureau of Biological Survey, recently appeared before congress
and asked for more money to investigate this and other conditions, and how
to stamp out the carriers of this dreadful disease. European wharf rats,
introduced about San Francisco, have spread the plague to the ground
squirrels, and the gophers, rabbits, field mice, and other rodents are now
being infected. In India, fleas on the native squirrel, perpetuate the
plague. The way to stop the plague is to kill the carriers.
Causes.--The bacillus pestis (pests) is transmitted through insects, small
animals, like rats, through the air, or in clothing, bedding, and is
contained in the feces and urine. The poor in unhygienic districts are
most often attacked.
Bubonic Type.--In this type the lymph nodes, particularly in the arm-pit,
and groins show inflammatory lesions with marked overgrowth of new tissue.
Sometimes there is suppuration, hemorrhage and local death of the part.
The bacilli are formed in great numbers in the affected nodes and
secondary lesions.
Septicemic Type.--In this type all lymph nodes and nodules show signs of
toxemia and the bacilli are formed in the primary (first) lesions and in
the blood.
Pneumonic Type.--In this type there are areas of broncho-pneumania, with
lesions of the bronchial lymph nodes. The bacilli occur in these
situations and in the sputa.
[226 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Symptoms.--In the bubonic plague (the usual form) the invasion is marked
by headache, depression, pain in the back, stiffness of the extremities
and fever. This rises for three or four days, then falls several degrees
and is followed by a more severe secondary fever of the prostrating type.
At about the third to the fifth day the lymph nodes usually become
enlarged most often in the inguinal (groin) region. This is followed by a
resolution (getting better) suppuration forming pus or necrosis (local
death of the part). "A flea bite looking eruption and hemorrhages from the
mucous membrane often occur. The mild cases, which often occur at the
beginning of an epidemic, and at its close, are marked only by slight
fever and glandular swelling, which may terminate in the forming of pus in
the part. In these cases the symptoms are slight and last only a few
days."
Septicemic Plague.--This is characterized by symptoms of severe general
infection, with hemorrhages, rapid course, and death in three or four
days, without the development of swelling of the lymph nodes. Cultures
from the blood show bacteria.
Pneumonic Plague.--The symptoms are those of a severe "lobular" pneumonia,
with bloody sputum containing many bacilli. It is usually rapidly fatal.
Death rate may reach ninety per cent.
Treatment. Prevention.--Prolonged isolation, disinfection of the
discharges, cremation of plague victims, destruction of rats, and
preventive inoculation of healthy persons with sterilized cultures of the
bacillus pestis.
Immunity following this procedure is said to last from one to eighteen
months.
For pain, morphine; for weakness, stimulation; for fever, bathing; for
buboes, application of ice, injection of bichloride and excision have been
advised.
DYSENTERY.--A group of inflammatory intestinal affections, either acute or
chronic, and of infectious origin, characterized by frequent painful
passages, (containing mucus and blood) or by loose movements.
Acute Catarrhal Dysentery.--This is the most common form in the temperate
climate The colon is congested and swollen with a covering of blood-tinged
mucus on its mucous membrane.
Symptoms.--The invasion: This is usually marked by diarrhea, then
cramp-like general pain in the abdomen and frequent mucous, bloody stools,
accompanied by hard straining at stool. The temperature may reach 102 to
103 degrees. After one or two days the stools consist entirely of bloody
mucus and are very frequent. The thirst is great. In about one week the
stools may become normal.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Dysentery, Sweet Cream for.--"One or two
teaspoonfuls of thick cream every hour. Three doses is usually sufficient.
(This remedy proved successful with my baby when all others failed)."
2. Dysentery, One Ounce Dewberry Root for.--"Boil in one quart of water
one ounce of dewberry root. This should be boiled down to one-half pint
and a half wineglassful given to patient two or three times a day, or in
severe cases, a half wineglassful every two or three hours until discharge
diminishes."
INFECTIOUS DISEASES 227
3. Dysentery, "Colt Tail" Remedy for.--"The herb called "Colt Tail," steep
and drink the tea. It's a tall weed and grows in damp places. It is one of
the best herbs for this." This is especially good when the discharge from
the bowels is bloody or contains mucus.
4. Dysentery, Sugar and Brandy for.--"Two tablespoonfuls brandy poured
into a saucer. Set fire to the brandy and hold in flame lump of sugar on
fork. This is a very good remedy, and has cured cases when doctors'
remedies failed. This sugar will melt and form a syrup. Dose:--One-half
teaspoonful every two hours or oftener if necessary."
5. Dysentery, Herb Remedy for.--"Take four ounces poplar bark, four ounces
bayberry bark and three ounces tormentil root, simmer gently in four
quarts of water, down to three, strain and add two pounds granulated
sugar; let it come to boiling point, skim and add one-half pound
blackberry or peach jelly and one-half pint best brandy. Keep in a cool
place, take one-half wineglassful three or four times a day or more often
if required."
6. Dysentery, New Method to Cure.--"A hot hip bath will often relieve
distressing sensations of dysentery or itching piles." This is a very
simple remedy and will have a very soothing effect upon the whole system,
relieving any nervousness that may be present and usually is with this
disease.
7. Dysentery, Starch Injection for.--"Use injection of one cup thin boiled
starch, and one-half teaspoonful laudanum. Repeat every 3 to 4 hours."
8. Dysentery, To Cure Bloody.--"Put a teaspoonful of salt into a quart of
warm water and inject into the bowels to wash them out thoroughly."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Dysentery.--Remain in bed on fluid diet, and
give a free saline cathartic or castor on, one-half ounce, followed by
salol five grains in capsules every three hours.
2. Bismuth subnitrate, one-half to one dram every two to three hours.
3. Irrigation of the colon with normal salt solution or weak solution of
silver nitrate at about one hundred degrees with a long rectual tube. Dr.
Hare, of Philadelphia, recommends one two-hundredth grain of bichloride of
mercury every hour or two (in adults), if the stools are slimy and bloody
and if much blood is present, and high rectal injections of witch-hazel
water and water, half and half. I know this last is good, and also the
following; Oil of fireweed, five drops on sugar every two to three hours.
4. Ipecac.--In acute dysentery ipecac is one of the best remedies, Dr.
Hare says; "When the passages are large and bloody and the disease is
malignant as it occurs in the tropics, ipecac should be given in the
following manner: The powdered ipecac is to be administered on an empty
stomach in the dose of thirty grains with thirty drops of the tincture of
deodorized opium, which is used to decrease the tendency to vomit.
Absolute rest is essential for its success. Finally a profuse gray, mushy
stool is passed." This is a favorable sign.
[228 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Nursing and Diet.--The patient should always remain in bed and use
bed-pan. He must be given a bland, unirritating diet, composed of milk,
with lime-water, beef peptonoids, broth, egg albumin, etc., in acute
cases.
MALARIA FEVER.--Malarial fever is a group of diseases characterized by
intermittent, quotidian (daily), tertian (every other day) or quartan
(every fourth day) fever or remittent fever; there are also several
pernicious types of this disease and chronic malarial condition of the
system with enlargement of the spleen.
Causes.--It occurs most frequently in low lands, along sea coasts, and
swamps, particularly in the tropics and warmer portion of the temperate
zone. The exciting cause it what is called the plasmodous malarial, a
parasite developing in the body of all species of anopheles, a common form
of mosquito and transmitted to man, its intermediate host, by the bite of
the infected mosquitoes.
INTERMITTENT MALARIAL FEVER. (a) Tertian. (b) Quartan. (c) Quotidian.
Symptoms.--The symptoms of all these are the same, except that in tertian
fever, the paroxysms occur every third day; in quartan they occur every
fourth day. Quotidian occurs daily.
The incubation time is unknown. It consists usually of three stages, cold,
hot, and sweating, and they usually occur in the morning. "The cold stage
is ushered in by yawning, lassitude and headache, and rapid rise of
temperature; sometimes nausea and vomiting followed by shivering and
rather violent shaking with chattering of the teeth." It may last from ten
minutes to two hours. The internal temperature may rise to 104 to 106
degrees, while the surface is blue and cold, with severe headache, often
nausea and vomiting. Hot stage: this may last from one-half to five hours;
the temperature may increase somewhat, the face is flushed, the skin is
red and hot, great thirst, throbbing headache and full bounding pulse.
Sweating stage lasts two to four hours, and entire body may be covered;
fever and other symptoms abate and sleep usually follows. The patient
feels nearly well between attacks.
REMITTENT OR CONTINUOUS MALARIAL FEVER (Aestivo-Autumnal Fever).--This
form occurs in the temperate zone regions, especially in the summer and
autumn. The symptoms vary greatly. The fever may be irregularly
intermittent, but at longer intervals than the Tertian variety. The cold
stage is often absent, and in the hot the temperature falls gradually. The
appearance is often like typhoid for there may be then hardly any
remission of fever.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 229]
PERNICIOUS MALARIAL FEVER.--This is a very dangerous disease. The chief
forms are the comatose, algid and hemorrhagic.
(a) Comatose form is characterized by delirium or sudden coma (deep sleep)
with light temperature.
(b) The algid or asthenic form begins with vomiting and great prostration.
The temperature is normal or below normal. There may be diarrhea and
suppression of the urine.
(c) The hemorrhagic form includes malarial hemoglobinuria, hemoglobin in
the urine. Haemoglobin is the coloring matter of the red corpuscles.
Treatment. Prevention.--Destroy mosquitoes and protect from them by
screens. Small preventive doses of quinine for persons in malarious
regions, three grains three times a day. Five grains three times a day
will nearly always cure tertian and quartan cases, especially if the
patient is kept in bed until the time for one or two paroxysms has passed.
Attacks often stop spontaneously for a time when the patient is kept in
bed, even without the administration of quinine.
In Remittent Fever larger doses are necessary. For pernicious forms:
Hydrochlorate of quinine and urea ten to twenty grains, given
hypodermically, every three or four hours until improvement occurs, when
the sulphate of quinine by the mouth may be substituted.
AGUE. (See Malarial Fever.)--By ague is meant the cold chills and fever;
or dumb ague where there is little chill, mostly chilly and fever. These
attacks may come on every day, every other day, or every third day.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Ague and Fever, Dogwood Good for.--"Take one ounce
of dogwood root and one quart of water. Make an infusion by boiling down
to one-half pint. Strain and give one-half wineglassful every two or three
hours."
2. Ague in Face, Menthol and Alcohol Effective Remedy for.--"After making
a solution of teaspoonful of menthol crystals, dissolved in two ounces of
alcohol, apply several times a day to the face. Care should be taken that
this solution does not enter the eyes, as it would be injurious,"
3. Ague, Simple Remedy for.--"Give purgative and follow with quinine. Give
large 4 grain capsule every four hours.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Chills and Fever, Peruvian Bark and Rhubarb for.--
"Pure Rye Whisky 4 ounces
Pulverized Peruvian Bark 1 dram
Pulverized Rhubarb 1 ounce
Mix.
Put in bottles. Dose for adults:--One tablespoonful three times a day.
This is an excellent remedy."
[230 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
2. Chills and Fever, Horse-radish for.--"Take fresh green horseradish
leaves, bruise and mash them to the consistency of a poultice and bind on
the bottom of the feet. This will tend to reduce the fever and is a
reliable remedy. I have often used this with great satisfaction."
3. Chills and Fever, Dogwood Known to be Good for.--"Make a decoction of
one ounce of dogwood root, boiled in one quart of water down to one pint;
strain, and give half wineglassful every two or three hours." This remedy
has been used by our grandmothers for many years, and is one to be
depended upon. The dogwood root can be purchased at any drug store.
Treatment.--For acute cases quinine in various doses. I usually prescribe
two grains every two hours until the ears ring, and then take only enough
to keep them in that condition.
It is well always to see that the bowels and liver are active before
taking quinine. The medicine acts better when the patient remains quiet in
bed. If the chill and fever comes on every day, the quinine should be
taken every hour between the paroxysms.
MALTA FEVER.--This occurs in the Mediterranean countries, India, China,
the Philippines and Porto Rico. The fever is irregular or marked by
intervals of "no fever" for two or more days with febrile relapses lasting
one to three weeks. Constipation, anemia (scarcity of blood), joint
symptoms and debility exist. Ordinary cases may last three months to two
years. Mortality two per cent.
Treatment.--Like that for typhoid. Change climate, if possible.
BERI-BERI.--Beri-beri is a disease rarely occurring in the United States.
It is usually found in the warmer climates and peculiar to certain regions
such as India, and Japan.
It is characterized by paralysis and fatal effusion, also neuritis, which
is an inflammation of the nerves. It seems to be undecided among the
medical profession as to whether the disease is infectious or not. Some
claim it is brought on by the eating of bad rice or certain raw fish.
Young men in those climates seem to be most susceptible to beri-beri.
Treatment.--There is very little known about this disease. Fortunately it
does not often occur here. It is necessary to keep up the strength by food
and tonics and relieve the pain.
ANTHRAX. (Charbon, Wool Sorters' Disease, Splenic Fever).--This is "an
acute infectious disease of animals, transmitted to man by inoculation
into the wounds, or by inhalation of, or swallowing the germs." Butchers,
tanners and shepherds are most liable to it. The exciting cause is the
bacillus anthracis (anthrax bacillus). The local skin condition is a
pustule containing the bacilli, which may also invade the general
circulation. If the germs are inhaled, there is broncho-pneumonia; if
swallowed, areas of inflammation and local death occur in the intestines.
The spleen and lymph nodes are enlarged.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 231]
Symptoms. 1. External anthrax, malignant pustule. This begins in a papule
(pimple) at the point of inoculation turning into a vesicle and then a
pustule, (blister-like pimple) surrounded by an inflammatory area (space)
with marked watery swelling. The nearby glands are enlarged and tender. At
first the temperature rapidly rises; later it may be below normal. The
fever symptoms may be severe. Recovery takes place slowly. Death occurs in
three to five days.
MALIGNANT ANTHRAX (swelling).--In this lesion is a pustule, with very
marked swelling. It most frequently occurs on the eyelid and face and the
swelling may terminate in fatal gangrene.
2. Internal anthrax.--(a) Internal anthrax is caused by the introduction
of the bacteria into the alimentary canal in infected meat, milk, etc. The
invasion is marked by a chill, followed by moderate fever, vomiting,
diarrhea, pain in the back and legs and restlessness. Sometimes
convulsions occur and hemorrhages into the skin from the mucous membranes.
The spleen is swollen. Prostration is extreme and it often ends in death.
(b) Charbon or Wool Sorter's disease occurs among those employed in
picking over wool or hair of infected animals--the germs being inhaled or
swallowed. The onset is sudden with a chill, then fever, pain in the back
and legs, and severe prostration. There may be difficulty of breathing and
signs of bronchitis, or vomiting and diarrhea. Death is a common
termination, sometimes within a day. Death rate is from five to twenty-six
per cent. Greatest when the swelling is near the head.
Treatment.--The wound or swelling should be cauterized and a solution of
carbolic acid or bichloride of mercury injected around it and applied to
its surface. Stimulants and feeding are important.
LOCKJAW. (Tetanus).--Tetanus or lockjaw, as it is commonly called, is an
infectious disease and is characterized by painful and violent
contractions of the voluntary muscles; it may be of the jaw alone or of a
considerable part of the body.
Causes.--The intelligence and mental faculties are not impaired. In most
cases it follows a wound or injury, although in others there seems to be
no exciting causes. Fourth of July celebrations furnish a great many of
our lockjaw cases. Ten to fifteen days usually elapse after the wound
before lockjaw really sets in.
[232 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Symptoms.--It comes on occasionally with a chill or chilly feelings;
usually by rigidity (stiffness) of the neck, jaw and face. On arising in
the morning there is sometimes a stiffness of the muscles at the back of
the head. It is not unusual on taking a slight cold to have a stiff neck
and often the patient's attention is not attracted by this symptom.
Sometimes this stiffness begins or soon extends to the muscles of the
lower jaw; the throat becomes dry and is painful and gradually the
stiffness increases to a continuous contraction, spasm, and extends to the
muscles of the trunk and extremities. The body becomes rigid in a straight
line or bent backward, forward or sidewise. This spasm occurs after any
slight irritation and is extremely painful. Temperature is usually low.
During the first spasms the patient may attempt to open his mouth as he
may naturally be suspicious of the trouble that is coming; he succeeds
with difficulty and even finds it hard to swallow; soon the jaws may be
firmly closed, and it is from this feature of the disease that it gained
the name of lockjaw. The contractions in some cases do not extend beyond
the neck and face muscles. During the contractions the face may be drawn
into frightful contortions. Food can be given only through such spaces as
may exist between the teeth, as often the patient cannot open his mouth
himself, nor can it be pried open by any force that would be allowable.
When the muscles of the trunk are affected the abdomen may be drawn
inward, become very hard and stiff, chest movements are affected, making
it difficult to breathe, sometimes almost to suffocation. Sometimes the
body becomes bent like a bow, as in some cases of spinal meningitis, so
that only the head and heels support the weight of the body. The body may
become so rigid that it can be lifted by a single limb as you would a
statue. It is fortunate that there are few cases, comparatively, of
lockjaw as the distorted face and general contractions of the body are
painful to witness.
Recovery.--The mortality in lockjaw cases runs about eight per cent.
Sometimes death is caused by exhaustion from the muscular exertions; the
patient is seldom able to sleep and sometimes wears out in a few days.
Sometimes suffocation brings a sudden end to his sufferings and usually
one or two days to ten or twelve days is the limit. Among the lower
classes where sanitary science is seldom observed, and even among the
better classes, lockjaw has been known to occur in infants. It usually
comes on, in ten to fifteen days after birth, and the child seldom lives
more than a few days, It is hard to account for such cases which may come
on suddenly from the slightest excitement such as sudden noises, etc.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--l. Lockjaw, Successful Remedy for.--"A very good and
successful remedy for this disease, is to apply a warm poultice of
flaxseed meal, saturated with laudanum and sugar of lead water, to the
jaws and neck."
2. Lockjaw, Smoke as a Cure for.--"Smoke the wound for twenty minutes in
the smoke of burnt woolen cloths. This is considered a never failing
remedy."
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 233]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--If from a wound cut open and use antiseptics.
Isolate the patient and have absolute quiet. Antitoxin is used with
success in some cases of lockjaw, but this and other remedies or measures
must be handled by a physician, Opium is sometimes given and stimulants
such as brandy, whisky, etc. As it is a case of life or death in a very
short time, we cannot advise depending upon home treatment. A preventive
caution that must always be observed is the use of antiseptics and the
strictest care of all injuries and wounds that might result in lockjaw.
This is a disease where an ounce of prevention is worth a thousand pounds
of cure, because by the time the disease is recognized as lockjaw and has
really made an appearance, it may be too late for medical skill. While you
are waiting for the doctor you may apply cold cloths or even an ice bag to
the spine. If the spasms are severe let the patient inhale chloroform to
kill the pain and quiet him. In the meantime secure the best physician
within your reach, and follow his directions carefully, be calm and self-
possessed when in the presence of the patient, for you must remember that
he has full possession of his mental faculties and will notice every
evidence of fear or worry in the faces of those who are nursing him. This
will only add to his sufferings, affect his nervous system and undermine
his general vitality. Read carefully the nursing department in this book
and you will gain some valuable hints and knowledge regarding the sick
room.
GLANDERS.--This is an acute disease of the horse and occasionally of man.
It is called "glanders" when the affection appears in the nostrils, and is
called "farcy" when in the skin.
Causes.--The bacilli is usually introduced from infected horses through
the nose, mouth and cheek, mucous membranes or skin abrasions (rubbing off
of the skin). There are large or small lumps in the skin, mucous membrane
of the nose and mouth.
Symptoms. Acute Glanders.--1. Incubation lasts from three to four days.
There are signs of inflammation at the site of infection and general
symptoms. In two or three days, small lumps appear on the mucous membrane
of the nose, and ulcerate, with a discharge of mucus and pus. Sometimes
these nodules die locally, and their discharge is then foul. The glands
around the neck are enlarged. An eruption appears over the face and
joints. Inflammation of the lungs may occur. Death may take place in eight
to ten days.
2. Chronic Glanders.--This may last for months. It acts like chronic cold
with ulcer in the nose. Some recover.
3. Acute Farcy.--The local and general signs are those of an infection,
with necrosis (local death) at the site (in the skin) of inoculation;
nodules, (lumps) known as "farcy buds" form along the lymphatics (glands)
and form pus. There may be pus collections in the joints and muscles.
Death often occurs in one to five days.
Chronic Farcy.--Tumors in the skin of the extremities, containing pus. The
process is local, the inflammatory symptoms light, and the duration may be
months or years.
[234 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Treatment of Glanders.--This disease does not often occur in man; it is an
awful affliction. All infected horses must be killed, it is dangerous for
man to be around one. If seen early, the wound should be cut out or burned
out with caustics, and afterwards dressed like any wound. The "farcy buds"
should be opened early. There is very little hope in acute cases of
glanders. In chronic cases recovery is possible, but it will be after a
long tedious time. There must be proper nourishing food and tonic
medicines. Each case should be treated according to the indications. It is
safe to say the parts should be thoroughly cut or scraped out and then
treated with antiseptics and the general system built up, by tonics and
stimulating remedies, if needed. As stated before, acute glanders and
acute farcy are almost always fatal.
BIG-JAW OR LUMP-JAW. (Actinomycosis).--This is an infectious disease of
cattle, less frequently of man, and it is caused by what is called the
"ray fungus." This grows in the tissues and develops a mass with a
secondary chronic inflammation.
This disease is widespread among cattle, and also occurs in the pig. In
the ox it is called the "big jaw." The infection may be taken in with the
food, and it locates itself often in the mouth or surroundings. Oats,
barley, and rye may carry the germ to the animals. The fungus may be found
even in decayed teeth.
Alimentary Canal Type.--The jaw has been affected in man. One side of the
face is swollen or there may be a chronic enlargement of the jaw, which
may look like a sarcoma (tumor). The tongue also is sometimes affected and
shows small growths. It may also occur in the intestines and liver. There
is at first a tumor (lump), and this finally suppurates.
In the Lungs.--They also can be affected. It is chronic here and there is
cough, fever, wasting and an expectoration of mucus and pus, sometimes of
a very bad odor (fetid). It sometimes acts like miliary tuberculosis of
the lungs, and this is quite frequent in oxen. Other diseases of the lungs
and bronchial affections occur and abscesses and cavities are formed that
may be diagnosed during life.
Symptoms.--If in the jaw there may be toothache, difficulty of swallowing
and of opening the jaw. The adjacent muscles may be hardened (indurated).
A swelling appears at the angle of the jaw and this quickly passes into
suppuration; later it opens first outside, then inside--into the mouth and
discharges pus containing little yellow masses. It will extend down even
into the bowels unless it is properly treated. Then there will be stomach
disturbances and diarrhea. It may ulcerate through the bowels and cause
peritonitis. The liver, spleen and ovaries may also become affected.
The Skin.--There may be chronic suppurating ulcers of the skin and the
"ray fungus" can be found in them.
Diagnosis.--The "ray fungus" can be found. There is a wooden hardness of
the tissues beyond the borders of the ulcers; there are the little yellow
granules in the pus. The course is chronic. Mild cases recover in six to
nine months or earlier, the mouth form being the most favorable.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 235]
Treatment.--Surgical. Remove the parts involved. Internally, iodide of
potash in large doses is recommended. The food should be plenty and
nourishing. In this case we must recommend you to a physician instead of
the home treatments.
GONORRHEA (Urethritis).--This can be called an infectious inflammation of
the urethra, caused by the gonococcus, a microbe or germ, causing a
specific inflammation of the mucous membrane of the urethra or vagina.
Incubation.--The time that elapses between the exposure and development of
the symptoms in the urethra is variable, extending from a few hours to
twelve or fourteen days. In the great majority of cases, however, the
disease appears during the first week. The patient notices a drop of
milk-like fluid at the opening of the urethra, which is slight, red and
puffed or turned out; a tickling sensation is often felt in this locality,
and the next time urine is passed it is attended with a feeling of warmth
at the end of the canal, or with actual scalding. After this the symptoms
increase rapidly in number and severity, so that within forty-eight hours,
or even sooner, the disease may be described as having passed its first or
increasing stage, the characteristic phenomena of which are as follows:
Changes in the meatus (opening). There are redness, eversion (turning
out), ulceration and eating away and often erosion of the lips of the
opening of urethra. Sometimes, but rarely, so much swelling that the
person can hardly pass the urine, which drops away. The other symptoms are
too well-known by those who have had this disease to need a description.
Prognosis.--It is now considered more than a cold, and it is the cause of
terrible sickness in both sexes, among the innocent as well as the guilty.
Treatment.--It may be cured perhaps in a short time, and yet no one can be
certain of its absolute cure. This disease is better understood now, and
the treatment is entirely different from formerly. The strong injections
are now considered not only useless but dangerous to the future health of
the patient. The best treatment is mild antiseptic injections, irrigation
carefully done by an expert person; remaining quietly in bed, being
careful to use food and drink that are not stimulating, keeping the bowels
open by proper diet and mild laxatives and the urine mild by soothing
diuretic remedies. Unfortunately those affected want quick work and they
get it, frequently to their future sorrow. The following are good
injections. Before each injection the urine should be passed and an
injection of an antiseptic like listerine, etc., one dram to an ounce of
boiled water, to cleanse the canal. You can use twice a day the following:
Fluid Extract Hydrastis (colored) 1 dram
Water 1 ounce
Use one dram of this for each injection. It stains the clothes so you must
be careful. This is good and healing.
[236 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
GONORRHEAL ARTHITIS. (Gonorrheal Rheumatism, Inflammation of the
Joints).--This is more common in men than women. Occurring during, and at
the end of or after inflammation of the urethra. It usually involves many
joints, such as the temporal, maxillary and collar bone. The effusion in
the joints is usually serious.
Symptoms.--Variable joint pains may be the only one. The attack may
resemble an acute articular rheumatism of one joint, or a subacute
rheumatism of one or more.
Sometimes there is a chronic one-jointed inflammation usually of the knee.
The tendon sheaths and bursae may be involved alone, or with the joints.
Gonorrheal septicemia may result from arthritis. This is protracted.
Iritis is a most frequent complication. The urethra source of the
infection must be cured.
Treatment.--Keep the joint quiet and you can use an ice cap for the pain.
Tonic treatment with quinine, iron, and arsenic in chronic cases is
needed. The joints should be kept at rest in acute cases. In chronic cases
massage and slight motion. The tonics must be chosen for each individual
case. One afflicted with this must be under treatment for a long time.
HIP JOINT DISEASE. (Morbus Coxarius).--This is more common in children
than in adults.
Cause.--It is usually tubercular.
Symptoms. First stage.--It may be overlooked; slight lameness, a little
stiffness is noticed at times. The muscles begin to dwindle.
Second stage.--Child limps very perceptibly, dwindling is more apparent.
Pain appears.
Treatment.--Absolute rest. Lying down treatment if begun early arrests
this disease often. Build up the system. Splints and brace are needed
sometimes.
KNEE JOINT DISEASE. (White Swelling).--This is simply a tuberculous knee.
Treatment.--Rest. Stop motion of the joint by some form of splint or
plaster of Paris cast. Get a good physician at the beginning in these
cases and you will save lots of after worry and blame for yourself. It
does not pay to wait. These joint diseases will progress, and often
treatment is begun months after trouble is seated. It ought to be criminal
negligence and dealt with accordingly to neglect such diseases. Parents
should never forget that they have endowed their children with such a
constitution, and they should be glad and willing to correct it as far as
they can.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 237]
LEPROSY. Definition.--Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease, caused by
what is called the "Bacillus Leprae," and is characterized by the presence
of tubercular nodules in the skin and mucous membranes (tubercular
leprosy), or by changes in the nerves (anaesthetic leprosy). These forms
are separate at first, but ultimately they are combined and there are
disturbances of sensation in the characteristic tubercular form.
History.--Leprosy is supposed to have originated in the Orient, and to be
as old as the records of history. It appears to have prevailed in Egypt
even so far back as three or four thousand years before Christ. The Hebrew
writers make many references to it, and it is no doubt described in
Leviticus. The affection was also known both in India and China many
centuries before the Christian era. The old Greek and Roman physicians
were familiar with its manifestations, ancient Peruvian pottery represent
on their pieces deformities suggestive of this disease. The disease
prevailed extensively in Europe throughout the middle ages and the number
of leper asylums has been estimated at, at least, 20,000. Its prevalence
is now restricted in the lands where it still occurs while once it was
prominent in the list of scourges of the old world.
It is now found in Norway and to a less extent in Sweden, in Bulgaria,
Greece, Russia, Austro-Hungary and Italy, with much reduced percentage in
middle Europe; it is the rarest of diseases in England where once it
existed. In India, Java, and China, in Egypt, Algiers, and Southern
Africa, in Australia and in both North and South America, including
particularly Central America, Cuba, and the Antilles, it exists to a less
extent. It has been recognized in the United States chiefly in New
Orleans, San Francisco, (predominantly among the Chinese population of
that city). The disease has steadily decreased among the latter colonists
in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. Isolated cases have been recognized in
almost every state, and leprous cases are presented at the public
charities of New York, Philadelphia, Boston, etc. The estimated number of
lepers a few years ago in the United States varied between two hundred and
five hundred. It is represented as diminishing in frequency in the
Hawaiian Islands, Porto Rico and the Philippines. In the Hawaiian Islands
it spread rapidly after 1860, and strenuous attempts have been made to
stamp it out by segregating all lepers on the island of Molokai. There
were 1,152 lepers in that settlement in 1894. In British India, according
to the leprosy commission, there were 100,000 lepers in 1900.
Cause.--The bacillus, discovered by Hansen, of Bergen, in 1874, is
universally recognized as the cause of leprosy. It has many points of
resemblance to the tubercle bacillus. These bacilli have been found in the
dwellings and clothing of lepers as well as in the dust of apartments
occupied by the victims.
[238 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The usual vehicle by which the disease is transmitted is the secretions of
a leprous patient containing bacilli or spores. The question of
inheritance of leprosy is regarded now as standing in the same position as
that relating to the inheritance of tuberculosis; no foetus, no new-born
living child, has been known to exhibit the symptoms of either disease.
Several cases have been cited where infants but a few weeks old exhibited
symptoms of leprosy. It affects men more than women. Infection is more
common after the second decade, though children are occasionally among its
victims. When it occurs in countries where it had not previously existed,
its appearance is invariably due to the infection of sound individuals by
lepers first exhibiting symptoms where the disease is prevalent.
Neisser states this: "The number of lepers in any country bears an inverse
ratio to the laws executed for the care and isolation of infected persons.
The disease appears to spread more rapidly in damp and cold, or warm and
moist, climates than in temperate countries. It is not now regarded as
contagious. The leprosy of the book of Leviticus not only includes lepra,
as that term is understood today, but also psoriasis, scabies and other
skin affections," The leper, in the eye of the Mosaic law, was
ceremoniously unclean, and capable of communicating a ceremonial
uncleanness. Several of the narratives contained in the Bible bear witness
to the fact that the Oriental leper was seen occasionally doing service in
the courts of kings, and even in personal communication and contact with
officers of high rank.
Symptoms.--Previous symptoms: Want of appetite, headache, chills,
alternating with mild or severe feverish attacks, depression, nosebleed,
stomach and bowel disturbances, sleeplessness. The durations of these
symptoms is variable. Some patients will remember that these symptoms
preceded for years the earliest outbreak of lepra (leprosy). In other
cases only a few weeks elapsed. These earlier skin lesions are tubercular,
macular (patches), or bullous elevations of the horny layer of the skin.
It may then be divided into three varieties tuberculous, macular and
anaesthetic.
LEPRA TUBEROSA. (Tuberculated, Nodulated or Tegumentary (skin) Leprosy).--
This nodular type comprises from ten to fifty per cent of cases. After the
occurring of the symptoms just mentioned spotted lesions appear, which are
bean to tomato in size, reddish brown or bronze-hued patches, roundish,
oval or irregular in contour, well defined, and they occur upon the face,
trunk and extremities. The skin covering them is either smooth and
shining, as if oiled, or is infiltrated, nodulated and elevated. The
surface of the reddened spots is often oversensitive.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 239]
After a period ranging from weeks to years, tubercles rise from the spots
described, varying in size from a pea to that of a nut, and they may be as
large as a tomato. They are in color, yellowish, reddish-brown, or
bronzed, often shining as if varnished or oiled, are covered with a soft,
natural, or slightly scaling outer skin, roundish or irregular in shape
and are isolated or grouped numbers of very small and ill-determined
nodules may often be seen by careful examination of the skin in the
vicinity of those that are developed. They may run together and cause
broad infiltrations and from this surface new nodules spring. They may be
in the skin or under the skin and feel soft or firm. The eruption of these
tubercles is usually preceded at the onset by fever, as well as by puffy
swelling of the involved region, eyelids, ears, etc. These leprous
tubercles choose the face as their favored site. They mass here in great
numbers, and thus produce the characteristic deformity of the countenance
that has given to the disease one of its names, Leontiasis (lion face).
In such faces the tubercles arrange themselves in parallel series above
the brows down to the nose, over the cheeks, lips and chin, and as a
result of the infiltration and development of the conditions the brows
deeply over-hang; the globes of the eyes, and the ears, are so studded
with tubercular masses as to stand out from the side of the head. The
trunk and extremities, including the palms of the hands and soles of the
feet, are then usually involved to a less degree. The arm-pit, genital and
mammary regions, and more rarely the neck and the palms of the hands and
soles of the feet, may be invaded. In occasional cases when the
development of tubercles upon the face and ears is extensive, there may
not be more than from five to fifty upon the rest of the body, and these
either widely scattered and isolated or agglomerated in a single hard,
flat, elevated plaque of infiltration upon the elbow or thigh. When the
tubercles run together (become confluent) large plaques of infiltration
may form, which are elevated and brownish or blackish in color.
The soft palate and larynx are often involved when the skin lesions are
present. The voice may sound gruff and hoarse, and the tongue, the larynx
and soft palate have been found studded with small sized, ashen-hued
tubercles. These tumors or tubercles may degenerate and form into
irregularly outlined, sharply cut, glazed ulcers, with a bloody or
sloughing floor, or they may disappear and leave behind pigmented,
shrunken depressions, or they lose their shapes from partial resorption. A
large plaque may flatten in the center until an annular disk is left to
show its former location. Coincident symptoms are disturbance in the
functions of the sweat and sebaceous secretion, thinning and loss of hair
in the regions involved, especially the eyebrows, and disorders of
sensibility. Later results, are a nasal catarrh, atrophy of the sexual
organs in both sexes, with impairment or loss of procreative power,
hopeless blindness. However the course of the disease is very slow, and
years may elapse before these several changes are accomplished. Often the
disease appears quiescent for months at a time, after which fever occurs
and with it acute or sub-acute manifestations appear, including gland
disease, orchitis, ulcerative processes, slow or rapid, followed by
gangrene and a relatively rapid progress is made toward a fatal
conclusion.
Toward the last the mutilations effected by the disease may result. Parts
of the fingers or toes, whole fingers or toes, and entire hand or foot may
become wholly or partially detached by the ulcerative and other
degenerations. This stage of this type of the disease may extend through
ten or more years. After it has fully developed the dejected countenance
of the leper, with his leonine expression and general appearance is highly
characteristic.
[240 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
LEPRA MACULOSA.--This form is more common in tropical countries and is
distinguished chiefly by its macular (spotty) lesions. In size they vary
from a small coin to areas as large as a platter. They are diffused or
circumscribed, roundish or shaped irregularly, yellowish, brownish or
bronzed in color, often shiny or glazed. They may be infiltrated and may
be elevated, or on a level with the adjacent tissues. The patches are
usually at first very sensitive, but they finally become insensitive, so
that a knife can be thrust deeply into them without being felt. The
regions chiefly affected by this type are the back, exposed parts, the
backs of the hands and wrists, the forehead, the cheeks, ears, back of the
feet, and ankles. The eruptions may be scanty or general; conspicuous or
insignificant. The eruptive symptoms are associated commonly, early or
late, with the serious phenomena described below.
LEPRA ANAESTHETICA. (Nerve Leprosy. Atrophic Leprosy. Lepra
Trophoneurotica).--Before the development of this form of leprosy there
may be one or two years of ill-health. Usually the skin at this time
becomes in localized patches over-sensitive, sometimes there is
over-sensitiveness and special nerves, because of their enlargement,
become accessible to the touch. Those named later become tender, and the
seat of lancinating or shooting pains. This clinical variety may be
commingled in its symptoms with each of the other types. With or without
such commingling, however, there commonly is noted, after exposure to cold
or after being subject to chills first an eruption, red (erythematous)
patches, or of "bullae," size of a bean on cheeks, ears, back of the feet,
and ankles. The eruption may be outer skin covering (epidermis) and filled
with a clear tinted or blood-mixed serum, and usually occurring upon the
extremities. The scars that follow are shrunken (atrophic) patches, each
often greater in extent than the base of the original trouble, color
whitish, shiny, glazed, or better described as a tint suggesting the hue
of mica; their outline is circular and form also the dumb-bell figure by
running (coalescing) together, or juxtaposition. These scars are always
without sensitiveness (anaesthetic), and they may exist together with
spotted and non-sensitive patches upon the trunk or other parts such as
the face, hands, feet, ankles, thighs, but rarely on the palms and soles.
Neither those of the one class nor of the other, however, are disposed
over the surface of the body in lines, bands or curves, corresponding with
the distribution of the skin (cutaneous) nerves. Sometimes the ulnar and
other nerves (median, posterior tibial, peroneal, facial and radial) that
are accessible to the touch are swollen, tender, insensitive or as rigid
as hardened cords. Reddish-gray swellings may be recognized by the eye
along the nerve tract. General shrinking skin symptoms follow. The skin
becomes dry and harsh; there is little or no sebaceous product and the
skin of the face seems tightly drawn over the bones. As a consequence of
deforming shrinking (atrophy) of the eyelids, a persistent overflow of
tears, consequent eye changes follow, and a constant flow of saliva
escapes from the parted lips. The fingers are half drawn into the palm of
the hands; the nails are distorted and ulceration occurs later. These
ulcers are irregular, oval, roundish or linear in form covered with thin
blackish, flattened, tenacious crusts with soft bases, and their floors
covered with a soft debris mixed with blood, the whole insensitive to
every foreign body, and external application. At last the symptoms of
mutilating lepra (leprosy) may occur, digits or portions of the wrist,
part of hand (meta carpus) or corresponding portions of the foot may be
detached from the body. Death may occur at any time during the course of
the disease. In this form it is said to last from eighteen to twenty years
and is thus not so rapidly fatal as the tubercular variety.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 241]
Treatment.--The main treatment is the isolation and segregation of all
lepers from contact with the well; wholesome laws are enforced in some
countries where leprosy prevails, and provision is made not only for the
isolation and segregation, but also for their care. On account of its
relative variety America has not yet awakened and legislation only forbids
the entry of infected persons. At Molokai, in the Hawaiian Islands,
provision is made for the care of lepers. Many of the public hospitals for
the care of the sick poor refuse to receive lepers. The child of a leprous
woman should be removed from the mother after birth and not nursed by
another woman. No medicines are known to have any curative effect. An
immediate change of residence and climate should be made if the patient
happens to live in a district where the disease prevails. A highly
nutritious diet should be taken.
The outlook.--The future is in general dark for the leper. It is often of
a malignant character, and a fatal result is the rule. A change of climate
and conditions may help. Scandinavian lepers who have removed to the
United States have been greatly benefited by the change, but there is no
known cure. The isolation should be as effective as that for tuberculosis.
It is not contagious but infectious.
HYDROPHOBIA.--Rabies and hydrophobia are two different terms, meaning the
same disease, the former meaning to rage or become mad. This term applies
more especially to the disease as it exists in the maniacal form in the
lower animals, while hydrophobia comes from the Greek, meaning "dread of
water." As we occasionally find this dread of water only in the human
subject, the term is properly used in such a case. The lower animals
frequently attempt to drink water even though the act brings on a
spasmodic contraction of the swallowing (deglutitory) muscles. Hydrophobia
is an acute infectious disease communicated to man by the bite of an
animal suffering from rabies. It is due to a definite specific virus which
is transmitted through the saliva by the bite of a rabid animal. Its
natural habitat (location) is the nervous system, and it does not retain
its virulence when introduced into any other system of organs. It is
essentially a nervous disease and transmitted by the saliva of rabid
animals. When inoculated into a wound this virus must come in contact with
a broken nerve trunk in order to survive and reproduce itself. If by
accident it attacks the end of the broken nerve trunk, it slowly and
gradually extends to the higher nerve centers and eventually produces the
disease.
[242 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The incubation, or the time it takes for the disease to develop, varies,
but usually is from three to six months. There is a recorded case where
the person began to show symptoms of the disease thirteen days after
having received a severe wound on the head. The incubation period is
seldom longer than six months. The symptoms of the disease in the human
being vary within narrow limits. There are three classic symptoms usually
encountered, and these are fear, apprehension or excitement, together with
deglutitory (swallowing) spasms, terminating in general paralysis. The
patient remains conscious of his agony to the end, but the period of
illness is of short duration, lasting from one to three days.
The bites of rabid dogs cause ninety per cent of the cases in man and
animals. The cat is the next important factor in spreading the disease and
about six per cent of the cases are caused by this animal. For other cases
four per cent come from bites of horses, wolves, foxes, etc. The wolf in
Russia, or other animals like it, may be the chief cause there; but dogs
cause ninety per cent, taking all the cases found. Man, dog, cat, horse,
cattle, sheep, goat, hog, deer, etc., are subject to the disease either
naturally or experimentally. The disease is confined commonly to dogs,
because the dog naturally attacks animals of his own species and thus
keeps the disease limited mainly to his own kind. Naturally the dog
follows this rule, but on the other hand, in the latter stages of the
disease he usually goes to the other extreme and even attacks his own
master, etc. The dogs that are the most dangerous and do the greatest
damage are of the vicious breeds.
The rabbit or guinea pig is used for demonstration in the laboratory.
Guinea pigs respond to the virus more rapidly than do other animals and
therefore they are especially useful in diagnostic work. Rabbits, however,
on account of the convenient size and ease with which they are operated
upon, are usually the choice in the production of material used in
treating patients.
The director of one Pasteur Institute says, "We have two classes of
patients to deal with in the Pasteur institute. The larger class, of
course, are those inoculated by the bite of rabid animals, but we also
have a few who are infected by the rabid saliva accidentally coming in
contact with wounds already produced. In these accidental eases the
disease is almost as likely to result as in those to whom the virus is
directly communicated by the bite." The wounds considered most dangerous
are the recent fresh wounds. The possibility of infection decreases with
the formation of the new connective tissue which protects the ends of the
broken nerve fibres. One must remember, however, that wounds over joints,
especially on the hands, are likely to remain open for some time. A dog
ill of this disease can give the disease to man through licking a wound.
Such a case has been recorded. This dog licked the child's hands before it
was known to be mad. The child died from the disease. As stated before
ninety per cent of the cases are inoculated by the bites of rabid animals.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 243]
The wounds are considered according to their severity and location.
Lacerating, tearing wounds upon uncovered surfaces, especially the head,
are the most dangerous. This is due to the fact of the closeness of the
brain and the large amount of infection in such a wound, and for this
reason treatment should be immediately given. But smaller wounds should
also be treated for the smallness of the wound furnishes no sure criterion
as to the future outcome of the disease. All possible infections should be
regarded as dangerous when considering the advisability of taking the
Pasteur Treatment. The small wound has usually a longer period of
incubation, because of the small amount of infection, still it may cause a
fatal termination. A dog never develops rabies from a lack of water or
from being confined or overheated during the summer months. A spontaneous
case of rabies has never been known. It must be transmitted from animal to
animal and the history of the case will point to a previous infection by a
diseased animal.
Where rigid quarantine rules exist the disease does not occur. In
Australia they quarantine every dog, that comes to that country, for six
months, and in consequence they have never had a case of rabies. In Russia
they have had many cases. In Constantinople the disease frequently "runs
riot." France has lost as many as 2,500 dogs in one year. Before the
Pasteur Treatment was instituted (in 1885) there was an average of sixty
deaths in human beings in the Paris hospitals.
Belgium and Austria average one thousand dogs annually. There was a yearly
average in Germany of four hundred dogs, dying of rabies, until the law
requiring the muzzling of dogs was strictly enforced and since that time
the disease is practically unknown. We do not have strict quarantine laws
against dogs, and the result is death from hydrophobia in many states
annually. It was formerly believed that rabies was a hot weather disease.
The number of cases during the winter months of late years has disproved
that belief, for the records of the institute for treatment of hydrophobia
at Ann Arbor have shown a decrease of cases during the summer months. This
was before 1908. This shows that rabies is not a hot weather disease.
[244 MOTHERS' REMEDIES ]
Ordinarily cases of rabies occur here and there (sporadic), but if the
conditions are favorable epidemics break out. One dog may bite several
dogs and these dogs bite others and thus spread the disease to many. Not
every animal bitten by a mad dog develops the disease. The disease does
not always follow the bite. Only about forty per cent of all animals
bitten by a mad dog contract the disease. This is given by a noted
authority. Statistics also show that in man the disease develops in only
about twenty per cent of the cases in those who have been bitten by rabid
dogs. But in dealing with those who have been bitten such measures should
be taken as would be if they were certain of developing the disease; one
cannot tell how much poison enters the system in such cases and preventive
procedures should be taken. There are reasons why everyone who is bitten
does not contract the disease.
The location and character of the bite must be considered. Bites on the
head, neck and hands have been recognized as more dangerous, from early
times, and such bites produce fatal results quicker than do bites on other
parts of the body, and the reason is largely due to the fact that the
other parts of the body are more or less protected by the clothing, and
this clothing prevents the entrance of so much poison into the system.
Bites on the head give a high mortality rate and are rapidly fatal. The
close proximity to the brain is one reason.
The part the clothing plays in protection is clearly shown by the
following quotation from an eminent authority: "In India where the natives
dress very scantily, the mortality was exceedingly high up to a few years
ago, at which time the British introduced the Pasteur laboratories. The
clothing protects the body and it holds back the saliva and can be looked
upon as a means of filtering the saliva of the rabid animal, most of the
saliva is held back as the teeth pierce the clothing, so that upon
entering the flesh the teeth are practically dry, and only a portion of
the virus is introduced. Upon entering the wound this small amount of
virus is further diluted by the tissue juices to the non-infectious point.
We know from actual experimental work in the laboratory that the higher
dilution will not kill."
If a portion of the brain of an animal dead from street virus is taken and
made up in a dilution of one to five hundred, and this is injected, we
find that it does not produce death. But a dilution of one to three
hundred will invariably kill. This is practically what very often happens
when one is bitten through the clothing. The saliva may be filtered and
held back so that a small amount is introduced; perhaps a dilution of one
to five hundred of the virus may get into the wound, but this is usually
not enough to cause the disease. There is no possible way of estimating
the amount of the inoculation. In such cases one's chances of never
contracting the disease are only decreased; that is all we can say.
The treating of individuals, bitten by rabid animals, in the Pasteur
Institutes, is simply the practical application of results obtained by
Pasteur from his original work on rabies virus. Pasteur was a French
chemist living in Paris, and he began his search for the cause and cure of
rabies in 1880. He hoped to find a sure method of preventing the
development of the dread disease, even if he could not find a cure for it
after it had developed. While he was pursuing this research Pasteur had
access to the cases of rabies in the Paris hospitals, and these numbered
sixty each year. He had practically an unlimited supply, for France could
furnish him with twenty-five hundred more mad dogs, and a large number of
other animals each year.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 245]
Pasteur devoted the remainder of his life to the study of this subject. He
collected some saliva from the mouth of a child, on December 11, 1880, who
had died at the Hospital Trousseau four hours before. This saliva he
diluted with distilled water, and this mixture he injected into rabbits,
and they all died, and the saliva taken from these rabbits when injected
into other rabbits caused their death with rabies. He found also that
saliva from rabid dogs almost always caused the disease. The incubation
period varied within wide limits, and very often the animals lived. He
then used the blood of rabid dogs for inoculation, but these blood
inoculations always failed to produce the disease. Pasteur was convinced
after careful study of rabid animals during the many months necessary to
complete his experiments, that rabies was a disease of the nervous system,
and that the poison (virus) was transmitted from the wound to the brain by
the way of the nerve trunks. Then to prove his theory Pasteur removed a
portion of the brain of a dog that had died of rabies. A part of this was
rubbed up in sterile water and used to inoculate other animals; and
subcutaneous inoculations with this material almost always produced death.
After this Pasteur tried a new method and injected directly into the
nervous system, either into the nerve trunk or directly into the brain,
after trephining, and all such injections produced rabies in the injected
animal and death. He also found that rabbits inoculated in the brain
always died in the same length of time. When he injected into the nerve
trunk the inoculation period was longer, depending upon the distance from
the brain. Two problems now remained for Pasteur to solve, and these were,
how could he obtain the definite virulence and how could he reduce the
virulence regularly and gradually, so that it could be used by inoculation
safely as a vaccine to produce immunity to rabies in healthy animals, and
also to prevent the development of rabies in animals bitten by rabid
animals. He first tried successive inoculations. These inoculations were
made, after trephining, directly to the brain, and he used a portion of
the brain as a virus each time. He inoculated rabbit number one with a
portion of brain taken from a rabid dog, and this rabbit died on the
fifteenth day. He then inoculated rabbit number two with a portion of the
brain of rabbit number one; from the brain of rabbit number two the virus
was supplied for inoculating rabbit number three, and thus the brain of
each inoculated rabbit was taken, after its death, for material to
inoculate the next rabbit in the series. This experimentation showed him
that each rabbit in the series died a little sooner, showing that the
virus was becoming more virulent, till no increase in activity of the
poison was shown after the fiftieth successive inoculation. "Rabbits
inoculated with a brain suspension of rabbit number fifty all died in
seven days." This caused Pasteur to name the virus of number fifty "virus
fixe," a virus of definite length. He now had obtained a virus of definite
strength and the next question was, how could the virulence be gradually
and definitely reduced.
[246 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
This he accomplished after many experiments. He proved that pieces of the
"medulla oblongata" suspended in sterile tubes which contained fragments
of caustic potash, steadily and gradually reduced their virulence as they
dried, till the fourteenth day, when they were practically inert. New
specimens were prepared each day and cords which had dried in one day
Pasteur called "one-day virus;" cords which had dried in two days, "two
day's virus," and so on up to the fourteenth day. With this graduated
virus he now experimented on dogs, and the injection he used on the first
day consisted of an emulsion of fourteen-day virus; for the second day,
the thirteen-day virus, thus using a stronger virus each day, until on the
fourteenth day he used the full strength virus. This treatment produced
what is called immunity in the dog, and even the direct inoculation into
the brain of the strong virus would not produce death.
After Pasteur had thoroughly satisfied himself by repeated trials, he
announced his wonderful discovery, and it was in 1886 that Pasteur
considered the preventive inoculation in human beings as resting upon a
satisfactory experimental basis. During these five years this eminent man
proved that it was possible to protect or immunize the lower animals,
rabbits and dogs, against inoculation with the virulent virus.
The efficiency of this immunity was given trials by different methods of
inoculation. It was found that sixty per cent of dogs inoculated under the
"dura" (a membrane of the brain) were saved if treatment was given the
second day. This test is more severe than is required to meet the ordinary
infection of rabies. Pasteur, after a series of these final tests were so
convincing, prescribed the preventive inoculations in human beings and on
July 6th, 1886, the first human patient received the first treatment of
his series of inoculations.
The method of obtaining the attenuated virus used in the treatment is as
follows: A rabbit is inoculated by the brain method before described, each
day, with suspension of the fresh, fixed virus. These rabbits die in six
days after the inoculation. In this way a rabbit dies each day; the spinal
cord is removed, divided into sections, and suspended in a flask
containing potassium hydrate. The action of potassium hydrate is drying
(desiccating). A series of these cords, which have been hung on fourteen
successive days, are always kept in stock for the treatment of patients.
The virus becomes less active with each successive day of exposure to
drying (desiccation) and finally the virulence is altogether lost.
When the patient comes for treatment the fourteenth and thirteenth-day
cords are used for the first inoculation, and on each successive day the
patient receives inoculation, the strength of which has been regulated by
the number of days the cord has been hanging. During the first four days
patients receive injections of six cubic centimeters of emulsions made
from cords aging from fourteen to seven days, and from the fifth day until
the completion of the course of treatment patients receive emulsions from
cords of higher immunizing properties, but no cords desiccated for less
than four days are used.
[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 247]
Death rate from 1878-1883 before Pasteur treatment was instituted taken
from documents in the department of the Seine:
1878 143 bitten. 24 deaths.
1879 76 " 12 "
1880 68 " 5 "
1881 156 " 22 "
1882 67 " 11 "
1883 45 " 6 "
Average of one death to every six bitten, or seventeen per cent mortality.
Incubation period from eleven days to thirteen months, average one hundred
and twenty days, depending upon location of bite. Pasteur Institute
records during the years 1886-1887 and first half of 1888, show that
Pasteur had under his supervision 5,374 persons bitten by animals either
proven or thought to have been mad. Mortality for 1886 was 1-34 per cent,
during 1887 it was 1-12 per cent, during 1888 it was 77/100 per cent. With
the later treatment the mortality has decreased to 3-10 per cent in 1908.
The Pasteur method of treatment is a process of immunization which must be
completed before the development of the disease. It is of no value after
the symptoms have appeared.
Those who have not been affected can be immunized the same as those who
have been bitten. The individual who has been bitten by a mad dog realizes
when and how severely he has been bitten, and were it not for the
so-called period of latent development of the virus, it would not be
possible to carry out the Pasteur treatment. The patient may, if he will,
take advantage of this fact and be immunized by treatment before the
disease has developed. Deep and severe bites are most dangerous, but the
disease may develop simply from a rabid dog licking a scratch of the skin.
As before stated bites on exposed or uncovered surfaces, are more
dangerous than those through clothing. There is a very easy access of the
saliva to the wound in the unprotected part, while in the protected parts
the teeth in passing through the protection, clothing, are freed of their
saliva at least partially. The virus is conveyed from the bitten part or
inoculation to the central nervous system through the nerve trunk, and the
rapidity of extension depends upon the resistant powers of the patient,
the virulence and the amount of virus deposited in the bitten part at the
time the person was bitten. This disease develops only in nerve tissues.
Virus can be found in the nerves of the side bitten, while the
corresponding nerves on the opposite side are free from it. It can be
ascertained that the virus is present in the medulla oblongata before the
lower portion of the cord.
[248 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Comparative danger.--A wound of the hand after a delay of three weeks is
as dangerous as a bite on the head exposed only a few days. There is
always a possibility of an accumulative action and extension of the virus
along the nerve trunk to the central nervous system during the interval of
exposure, and this should be always borne in mind. It is stated by
authority that the virus is not transmitted by the bite of a rabid animal
until two days previous to the appearance of the first symptoms. It is
with some difficulty that a decision is reached in advising patients who
are bitten to take treatment early in the course of the disease. The
symptoms are often so very obscure and slight that they are not
recognized. If a dog which is not naturally vicious suddenly bites without
any cause it should be tied securely and watched for seven days; and
should it develop symptoms of the disease during this period the bite
should be considered dangerous.
Immediate treatment of the wound.--A temporary measure is the
cauterization of the wound; do not neglect this because a few hours have
passed since the person was bitten, for wounds may be cauterized with
advantage even after two or three days have elapsed. Of course the earlier
it is done the better. If they are thoroughly laid open and scrubbed it is
more effective. Nitric acid used freely is the best method to use. Wash
the wound freely with boiled water after the acid has been applied;
ninety-five per cent carbolic acid may be used if nitric acid cannot be
obtained.
If carbolic acid is used it is necessary that it be washed from the wound
by the free use of absolute alcohol, followed by boiled water and a
dressing of bichloride of 1-7000. This prevents the ulceration of the
wound by the carbolic acid. Cauterization thoroughly done destroys a part
of the inoculated virus. Thorough cauterization is especially necessary
with large wounds in which large quantities of the virus is inoculated.
When to send patients to an Institute.--Send them immediately, if there is
good reason to believe the animal had rabies. It is not wise to wait until
the animal dies; it is very important that treatment is begun as soon as
possible, especially in severe bites.
What to send for examination.--The entire head may be sent by express, or
better, the health officer should bring it in person. This saves time and
relieves anxiety; or a portion of the brain may be removed under
thoroughly clean conditions and placed in a sterilized twenty per cent
solution of glycerin and water. In this way the virus retains its
virulence and putrefaction is diminished. The first method is the best,
taking the head directly. The head after it reaches the laboratory is
examined microscopically for "negri bodies," and if there is no
contamination the microscopic findings are verified by animal
inoculations. The presence of negri bodies in a specimen is of great value
owing to the rapidity with which a diagnosis can be made. In one case a
positive diagnosis was reported within twenty minutes after the specimen
entered the laboratory and within the next hour and a half the patient
bitten by the dog the same day had begun her course of protective
injections and was saved.
[BLOOD AND DUCTLESS GLANDS 249]
Protection.--To stamp out this disease city authorities, etc., can enact
laws. All ownerless dogs should be killed, and the keeping of useless dogs
should be discouraged by taxation. All dogs should be thoroughly muzzled
where the disease prevails. This article is made up from an article
written by an acknowledged authority on this disease, a man in charge of a
Pasteur Institute.
Cities where Pasteur Institutes are located:
Ann Arbor, Michigan. Baltimore, Maryland.
Chicago, Illinois. Austin, Texas.
Minnesota. Toronto, Ont.
New York City.
DISEASES OF THE BLOOD AND DUCTLESS GLANDS.
Anaemia, or Anemia.--This may be defined as a reduction of the amount of
blood as a whole or of its corpuscles, or of certain of its more important
constituents, such as albumin and haemoglobin. Primary or essential anemia
includes chlorosis and pernicious anemia; secondary anemia results from
hemorrhages, poor nourishment or intoxications, poisons. Chlorosis, a
primary anemia chiefly of young girls, characterized by marked relative
decrease of haemoglobin.
Causes.--It usually occurs in blondes of from twelve to twenty years of
age and most often from fourteen to seventeen years of age, when the
menstrual function is being established and during which time they are
rushed with their school work. There may be a family history of chlorosis
or tuberculosis. Poor food, hard, unhealthy work, confinement in close
unventilated rooms are other causes.
Symptoms.--Rounded fleshy appearance may continue. There is some
difficulty of breathing, palpitation of the heart on slight exertion, from
a fright or from excitement, tendency to faint feeling or even fainting,
headache, a tired feeling, hard to stir or do anything, irritable temper,
poor or changeable appetite, the digestion is disturbed, there is
constipation, coldness of the hands and feet, difficult menstruation,
irregular menstruation, leucorrhea, amenorrhea, and sometimes there is a
slight fever. The color is often of a yellowish-green tinge, and this is
more noticeable in the brunette type, though the cheeks may be flushed;
the whites of the eyes bluish white in color. The heart sounds are not
right. The blood is pale in color. The red cells are diminished, but
usually are not below eighty per cent of the normal; the haemoglobin is
greatly reduced, sometimes to thirty-five or forty per cent. The age,
greenish tint of pallor, bluish whites of the eyes, poor nutrition, etc.,
aid in making the diagnosis.
[250 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Treatment.--Fresh air, good food, care of the bowels and rest if the
symptoms are severe. When it is not so severe, plenty of outdoor exercise
is necessary and beneficial. That takes them away from their cramped
sedentary life and gives the sunshine, good pure air, and change of the
scene. Horseback riding is a very good form of exercise, but it should be
slow riding. "Tending" the horse is also good, and sleeping in the open
air is excellent. Automobile riding is too straining and should not be
indulged in.
1. Blaud's pills are very much used. The formula follows:
Dried Sulphate of Iron 2 drams
Carbonate of Potash 2 drams
Syrup Sufficient
Mix thoroughly, and make forty-eight pills. Take one to three pills, three
times a day after meals.
2. Fowler's solution of arsenic is also very good remedy; three to four
drops three times a day. It must be watched for bad symptoms and should
only be taken under a physician's supervision.
Diet.--This should be good and varied to suit the special taste, and as
the stomach and bowels are usually disordered such food should be chosen
as will best agree. Diet plays a very important part.
PERNICIOUS ANAEMIA.--This is characterized by great decrease of the red
cells of the blood with a relatively high color index and the presence of
large number of germs. The causes are unknown.
Condition.--The body is not emaciated. A lemon color of the skin is
usually present. The muscles are a dark red, but all the other organs are
pale and fatty. The heart is large and fatty. The liver and spleen are
normal in size, or only slightly enlarged with an excess of iron in the
pigment. The red cells may fall to one-fifth or less of the normal number.
The rich properties of the blood are fearfully decreased.
Symptoms.--Stomach and bowels, dyspepsia, nausea and vomiting, or
constipation, may precede other symptoms or they may last throughout the
case. The onset is gradual and unknown, with gradually increasing weary
feeling, paleness and some difficulty in breathing and palpitation of the
heart on exertion. There is paleness of the skin and the mucous membranes,
the lips look pale, no color. The paleness becomes extreme, the skin often
having a lemon yellow tint. The muscles are flabby; the ankles are
swollen, you can see the arteries beat. Hemorrhages may occur into the
skin, mucous membrane and retina of the eye. Nervous symptoms are not
common. The pallor and weakness become extreme, sometimes with intervals
of improvement and death usually occurs. The following is Addison's
description given by Dr. Osler:
[BLOOD AND DUCTLESS GLANDS 251]
It makes its approach in so slow and insidious a manner that the patient
can hardly fix a date to the earliest feeling of that languor which is
shortly to become extreme. The countenance gets pale, and white of the
eyes become pearly, the general frame flabby rather than wasted. The pulse
perhaps larger, but remarkably soft and compressible, and occasionally
with a slight jerk, especially under the slightest excitement. There is an
increasing indisposition to exertion, with an uncomfortable feeling of
faintness or breathlessness in attempting it; the heart is readily made to
palpitate; the whole surface of the body presents a blanched, smooth and
waxy appearance; the lips, gums and tongue seem bloodless, the flabbiness
of the solid increases, the appetite fails, extreme languor and faintness
supervene, breathlessness and palpitation are produced by the most
trifling exertion, or emotion; some slight oedema (swelling) is probably
perceived about the ankles; the debility becomes extreme. The patient can
no longer rise from the bed; the mind occasionally wanders; he falls into
a prostrate and half torpid state and at length expires; nevertheless, to
the very last, and after a sickness of several months' duration, the
bulkiness of the general frame and the obesity (fat) often present a most
striking contrast to the failure and exhaustion observable in every other
respect. The disease is usually fatal.
Treatment.--The patient should remain in bed and should use a light
nourishing diet, taking food in small amounts and at stated intervals.
Rest in bed is essential. Dr. Osler treated a case in the following way: I
usually begin with three minims (drops) of Fowler's solution of arsenic
three times a day and increase the dose to five drops at the end of the
first week; to ten at the end of the second week; to fifteen at the end of
the third week, and if necessary go up to twenty or twenty-five. Symptoms
of an overdose are rare; vomiting and diarrhea occur. Then the medicine
must be discontinued for a few days.
SECONDARY ANEMIA. Causes.--Hemorrhage form (bleeding). (a) Rapid bleeding
from the rupture of an aneurism, from a blow, or eating into the blood
vessels by an ulcer. (b) Slow bleeding as from nose-bleed, flow from the
womb, piles or in "bleeders" people who bleed readily.
2. Inanition form.--Not nourished because of interference in taking food
or assimilating food, from cancer of the gullet, or disease of the
stomach.
3. Toxic poison cases; from acute and chronic diseases, such as typhoid
fever, tuberculosis, rheumatism, syphilis, malaria, nephritis; or chronic
lead poisoning, mercury, arsenic, and copper poisoning.
Symptoms.--There is pallor, dizziness, headache, palpitation and dyspnoea,
difficult breathing on exertion; there is weakness, tendency to fainting,
poor appetite, dyspepsia and constipation. The red blood cells are
diminished, also the haemoglobin. Death may occur from a single
hemorrhage.
[252 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Treatment.--Remove the cause and rest. Good fresh air, good easily
digested food. The bowels must be kept regular. Iron and arsenic are good
remedies if necessary. It is not possible to give special directions. A
person in this condition needs a good physician. There is no time to
waste. Iron and arsenic are good remedies, but they must be used
intelligently and in proper doses. Blaud's pill is good in some cases. It
contains iron. Also Fowler's solution of arsenic.
LEUKAEMIA.--An affection characterized by persistent increase in the white
blood corpuscles, associated with changes, either alone or together, in
the spleen, lymphatic glands and bone-marrow.
1. Spleen and Bone-Marrow, (Spleen-Medullary) type.--The changes are
especially localized in the spleen and in the bone-marrow while the blood
shows a great increase in elements which are derived especially from the
latter tissue.
2. Lymphatic Type.--The changes in this type are chiefly localized in the
lymphatic apparatus, the blood showing an especial increase in those
elements derived from the lymph glands.
Causes--Unknown. It is most common before middle age.
Symptoms.--Either type may be acute or chronic. The invasion may be
gradual, sometimes with disturbance of the stomach and bowels, or
nose-bleed. (a) The first type is the common one. The spleen generally
becomes enlarged; it is sometimes tender and painful, it may occupy over
half of the abdominal cavity and varies in size after a hemorrhage,
diarrhea or after a meal. There may be paleness of the face, etc., early
and late nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and dysentery are common, as is also
ascites (dropsy in the abdomen). The pulse is rapid, full and soft. Fever
is usual. Hemorrhages occur in the skin, retina, pleura, peritoneum, etc.
Headache, dizziness, short breathing, and fainting may occur from the
anemia. The liver may be enlarged. The blood shows a great increase in the
white cells. Sometimes they are more numerous than the red blood cells.
(b) Lymphatic type is rare, various groups of the lymph glands are
enlarged, usually separate, but sometimes matted together; others, such as
the tonsils may become large. The blood shows an increase of the white
cells, but less than in the other form. The spleen is usually somewhat
enlarged. Recovery is rare; the lymphatic cases may last only six or eight
weeks. The course is usually progressive for two or three years.
Treatment.--The same as for Pernicious Anaemia.
FALSE LEUKAEMIA. (Pseudo-Leukaemia).--Also called Hodgkin's disease,
malignant lymphoma, and general lymphadenoma. This is a progressive anemia
and enlargement of the lymph glands and the skin, with secondary lymphoid
growth in the liver, spleen and other organs.
Causes.--Males are more affected than females, and usually young persons.
Continual local irritation causes a local enlargement of the gland, but
the actual cause is unknown.
[BLOOD AND DUCTLESS GLANDS 253]
Symptoms.--The lymph glands of the neck, arm-pit or groin are enlarged and
without any pain, followed by anemia, loss of strength and slight fever.
The glands enlarge slowly or rapidly, forming large masses, while the
growth extends to other regions. The spleen may be felt; the skin may be
bronzed. In cases with involvement of deep seated nodes the first symptoms
may be those of pressure on blood vessels, nerves, trachea, bronchial
tubes or other structures.
Treatment.--Cut them out if they are small and localized. Arsenic,
quinine, cod-liver oil are good medicines.
PURPURA.--This is not strictly a disease, but a symptom. This includes a
group of affections characterized by hemorrhages into the skin.
Symptoms.--There are hemorrhages into the skin, and this takes the form of
small blood spots underneath the skin, (petechia) and spots like the
bursting of a blood vessel shows vibices or ecchymoses. The first are in
small minute points and appear, as a rule, in the hair follicles and
unlike the erythemas (redness) do not disappear upon pressure. Another
kind occurs as streaks, while the ecchymoses are larger, but similar in
nature to the first kind. They may be larger than a split pea, and they
range from a deep red to a livid bluish tint. They assume a yellowish
brown, then a yellow color, as they fade away and finally disappear. This
eruption appears in a series of crops and the legs are the usual seat.
1. Symptomatic Purpura. (a) Infectious. Occurs in typhus fever,
endocarditis, cerebro-spinal meningitis, typhoid fever, etc. (b) Toxic;
from snake bites, iodide of potash, quinine, copaiba, bella donna, ergot,
etc., and with jaundice. (c) Cachectic; with cancer, tuberculosis,
leukaemia, false leukaemia, scurvy, etc. (d) Neurotic; with hysteria,
neuralgia, and some organic disease. (e) Mechanical; due to violent effort
and poor venous circulation.
2. Type arthritic purpura. (a) Simple Purpura. A mild form usually
occurring in children, sometimes with pains in the joints, rarely any
fever. There is anemia, disturbance of the stomach and purpuric spots on
the legs, often on the arms and trunks. (b) Rheumatic purpura; this
usually occurs in men from twenty to forty years old. There is usually
pain and swelling of several joints, temperature 101 to 103 degrees,
purpuric eruption chiefly on the legs and about the affected joints, often
with hives and digestive disturbances: (c) Henoch's purpura; usually in
children and is sometimes fatal. There are recurrent joint pains and
swelling, disturbances of the stomach and bowels, skin troubles resembling
it, and hemorrhage from mucous membrane.
[254 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PURPURA HAEMORRHAGIC.--This is a severe form, usually seen in delicate
girls. The cause is unknown.
Symptoms.--Weakness, extensive purpuric spots (small blood spots in the
skin), eruption, hemorrhages from the mucous membranes which may cause
secondary anemia, slight fever, slow clotting of the blood. The duration
is from ten to fourteen days. Death may occur within a day in cases marked
by profuse bleedings into the skin and prostration.
Treatment.--Remove the causes. Fresh air, food and tonics, etc. This
disease is serious and needs careful treatment from a physician.
HAEMOPHILIA. "Bleeders."--This is a hereditary disorder characterized by a
tendency to persistent bleeding, spontaneously or even after a slight
injury.
Causes.--Usually hereditary through many generations. It is transmitted
through daughters, themselves usually not "bleeders," to their male
children. It is found most often in the Anglo-German races.
Condition.--The blood vessel walls are thin; the skin is delicate,
clotting of the blood is usually retarded.
Symptoms.--It comes spontaneously or after only slight wounds; the person
is extremely delicate. The bleedings occur from the skin, or mucous
membrane, or from wounds, but rarely during menstruation or confinement.
They vary from small spots to bleeding which may end fatally, or in
recovery with marked anemia. There may be pain and swelling of the joints,
etc., and this may leave deformities resembling deformed arthritis. The
result is worse the earlier the disease shows itself. They may live to old
age.
Treatment.--Avoid, as much as possible, wounds and operations in
"bleeding" families. Marriage of the women should be discouraged. For
bleeding: rest, ice, tannic or gallic acid or adrenalin locally if the
bleeding points can be reached. Plug the nostrils for nose-bleed both
behind and in front.
SCURVY. (Scorbutus).--A constitutional disease characterized by weakness,
anemia, sponginess of the gums and tendencies to bleeding.
Causes.--This disease has been called "The calamity of sailors." It has
been known from the earliest times, and has prevailed particularly in
armies in the field and among sailors on long voyages. It has become a
very rare disease in the United States.
Predisposing Causes.--Overcrowding; dark unhealthy rooms; prolonged
fatigue; mental depression.
Exciting Cause.--The lack of fresh vegetables, poisoning from slightly
tainted food, or an infection. The gums are swollen, sometimes ulcerated,
skin is spotted, bluish, etc,
[BLOOD AND DUCTLESS GLANDS 255]
Symptoms.--It comes on gradually (insidiously). There is loss of weight,
progressively developing weakness and pallor, very soon the gums are
swollen and look spongy and bleed easily. The teeth may become loose and
fall out. The breath is very foul. The tongue is swollen, but it may be
red and not coated. The skin becomes dry and rough and (ecchymoses) dark
spots soon appear, first on the legs, and then on the arm and trunk and
particularly about the hair follicles. These are spontaneous or follow a
slight injury. In severe cases hemorrhages under the periosteum (the
covering of the bones) may cause irregular swelling, especially in the
legs, and these may break down and form ulcers. The slightest bruise or
injury causes hemorrhages into the injured part. Extravasion under the
skin, especially in the lower extremities may be followed by permanent
hardness (induration) and stiffness due to connective tissue infiltration
(scurvy sclerosis). There may be pains in the joints and often watery
swelling (oedema) of the ankles. Bleeding from internal mucous membranes
is less common than from the skin. The appetite is poor, palpitation of
the heart and feebleness and irregularity of the pulse are prominent
symptoms. Owing to the sore gums the patient is unable to chew the food.
The urine often contains albumin and is scanty and concentrated. There are
weariness, depression, headache and finally delirium or coma, or symptoms
due to hemorrhages within the brain; or day and night blindness may be
present.
Recovery.--The patient will recover if the cause can be removed, unless it
is far advanced. Death may result from complications.
Treatment. Preventive.--Fresh or canned vegetables or fruit must be eaten.
Treatment for the attack.--Dr. Osler, of England, says: "I think the juice
of two or three lemons daily and a diet of plenty of meat and fresh
vegetables will cure all cases unless they are far advanced. For the
stomach small quantities of scraped meat and milk should be given at short
intervals, and the lemon juice in gradually increasing quantities. As the
patient gains in strength you can give a more liberal diet, and he may eat
freely of potatoes, cabbage, water cresses, and lettuce. A bitter tonic
may be given. Permanganate of potash or dilute carbolic acid forms the
best mouth-wash. Penciling the swollen gums with a tolerably strong
solution of nitrate of silver is very useful. Relieve the constipation by
enemas."
ADDISON'S DISEASE. Diseases of the Suprarenal (above Kidneys) Bodies.--A
constitutional disease characterized by great weakness, stomach and bowel
symptoms, heart weakness, and dark coloring of the skin.
Causes.--It usually occurs in men from twenty to forty years old. The skin
and mucous membrane and sometimes the serous, like the pleura, etc.,
membranes are pigmented (darkened).
Symptoms.--There is a gradual onset of weakness, changeable symptoms in
the stomach and bowels and darkening of the skin. There is great feeling
of fatigue and feeble irregular action of the heart; nausea and vomiting
and often absence of appetite and some diarrhea. The abdomen may be
painful and drawn back in the course of the disease. The pigmentation
(coloring of the skin) varies from the light yellow to dark brown, olive
or black. It usually begins on the skin or regions naturally pigmented; or
where pressure is exerted by the clothing. The mucous membranes are also
pigmented. Death may occur from fainting, extreme weakness, convulsions or
delirium or through tuberculosis. Usually death occurs within one year,
though this may occur in a few weeks to two years, sometimes after
intervals of improvement.
[256 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Treatment.--This must be to meet the indications as they arise. It is a
serious disease and should be under the supervision of a competent
physician.
DISEASES OF THE SPLEEN. 1. Rupture of the spleen.--This may occur
spontaneously from no apparent cause, or from hurts received in cases of
typhoid or malaria.
Symptoms.--Severe pain, and signs of intestinal hemorrhages.
2. Acute inflammation of the spleen (splenitis).--This occurs in acute
infections after injuries.
Symptoms.--They are pain, tenderness, and enlargement of the spleen.
Treatment.--Treat the cause and relieve the pain. As this is a serious and
painful affection a physician should be called. The pain is often relieved
by a mustard poultice or hot fomentations. The patient should remain in
bed for acute inflammation of the spleen no matter what the cause.
3. Chronic Splenitis. Causes.--It comes from malaria, syphilis or
leukaemia, etc.
Symptoms.--There is the feeling of weight and symptoms of pressure on the
lungs or bowel.
Treatment.--Remove the cause. If it comes from malaria, attend to that,
etc.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Blood Purifier, Molasses and Sulphur as a.--"Take a
pint of molasses to five cents' worth of sulphur, and mix well." A
teaspoonful four times a day in the spring will do wonders towards
purifying the blood.
2. Blood Purifier, Sassafras Tea, Known all over as.--"Sassafras tea made
from the root and boiled to extract the strength." Drink freely of this
for a few days in the spring. It thins the blood, and is a good tonic.
3. Blood Purifier, Herb Tea Used as.--
Burdock Root 2 ounces
Yellow Dock 2 ounces
Slippery Elm Bark 1 ounce
Mezeron Root 1 ounce
Licorice Juice 1 ounce
Simmer gently in three pints of water down to one quart; when cold, strain
and add one-fourth ounce of iodine potassium." A wineglassful may be
taken three times a day. This preparation is a fine blood purifier and can
be relied upon.
[BLOOD AND DUCTLESS GLANDS 257]
4. Blood Purifier, Sweet Fern for.--"Make a tea of this and drink freely.
This is very good to take in the spring of the year, as it thoroughly
cleanses the system."
5. Blood Purifier, Doctor Recommends Senna and Salts for:--"Five cents'
worth of senna leaves, one tablespoonful of epsom salts in one quart of
cold water; cover and let stand over night, then strain and put in
bottles. Take a wine-glass full every morning until you feel well." This
is from Mrs. Jonathan Shaw, she has used it with good results in her
family. A physician in England told her if people would use this the year
round they would seldom need a doctor.
6. Blood Purifier, Remedy Easy to Make for.--"We always use one
teaspoonful of cream of tartar, two spoonfuls of sulphur, and mix with
syrup. Any size spoon will do. Take a teaspoonful at a dose." This is an
excellent remedy, and should be taken before retiring; about three times a
week would be sufficient.
7. Blood Purifier, Beech Bark and Blackberry Root a Good.--"One gallon
white beech bark (after the rough bark is removed), good big handful of
blackberry root (cut fine), and also of sassafras root. Cover with cold
water and steep to get the strength, then strain. When cool (not cold) add
one pint baker's yeast and one cup sugar. Let it stand twenty-four hours
in a warm place. Then strain and set in a cool place. Take a wineglassful
three times a day before meals. This has been highly recommended to me by
a friend from Kalkaska, Michigan."
8. Blood Purifier, from a Madison, Connecticut, Mother.--"Take blackberry
root, black cherry bark, spruce boughs, wintergreens: sarsaparilla roots;
steep in a large vessel, till all the goodness is out; strain and when
lukewarm put in a cup of yeast, let work and bottle up."
9. Blood Purifier, How to make, Celery Compound for a.--
"Celery Compound 2 ounces
Chamomile Flower 1 ounce
Sassafras Root 1 ounce
Senna Leaves 1 ounce
Mandrake 1 ounce
Wintergreen Essence 1 ounce
Whisky 1 gill
White Sugar 1 pound
Hops 2 handfuls
Steep three hours in four quarts of water, strain, add sugar, when cold
add wintergreen and whisky. Dose:--One teaspoonful before meals and at
bedtime."
10. Blood Purifier, Another Effective Herb Remedy.--"Pour boiling hot
water on four ounces of gentian root with two ounces of dried orange peel,
a sufficient amount of water should be used to exhaust the strength in the
root and orange peel; then boil in a porcelain pot until there is left
one-half pint of the concentrated infusion to every ounce of gentian root
used. Then to every one-half pint add one half ounce alcohol. The effect
of the alcohol is to coagulate it from a quantity of jelly looking
substance which must be separated by straining. This is one of the best
strengtheners of the human system. Dose:--One teaspoonful in an ounce of
water."
[258 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
11. Blood Purifier, Burdock for.--"The root is the part employed
eliminating very rapidly the specific poison from the blood. Best
administered in decoction by boiling two ounces of the root in three pints
of water, to two pints. Dose:--One tablespoonful four times a day."
Burdock is a splendid blood purifier and is not expensive. It can be
purchased at any drug store for a reasonable amount.
DISEASES OF THE THYROID GLAND.--Inflammation of the thyroid gland,
(Thyroiditis),--Acute inflammation of the gland, simple or suppurative. It
may develop in a patient with goitre, or acute infectious diseases, or
from other parts, or from wounds. The gland is enlarged and soft and may
contain abscesses.
Symptoms.--Pain, tenderness, and enlargement of the part or of all the
gland. Fever may be present even in cases without signs of pus forming
(suppuration). If there is great enlargement, there may be symptoms of
compression of vessel, nerves or the windpipe.
Treatment.--If there is pus it must be carefully opened. The patient must
remain quiet in bed. Sometimes cold applications relieve. Do not use warm
applications. This disease is not frequent and the patient needs care and
watching more than medicine.
GOITRE (BRONCHIAL). Causes.--No satisfactory explanation can be given for
this disease. It seems to be more prevalent where lime-stone water is
used. Heredity plays a part. This is an enlargement of the thyroid gland.
Chronic enlargement of the thyroid is sporadic. Cases are scattered and
endemic in certain mountainous regions. It affects young women most often.
A great excess in lime drinking water may be the cause. It is very
prevalent about the eastern shore of Lake Ontario and in parts of
Michigan. It is a common complaint in this country.
Symptoms.--There is a gradual painless enlargement of the whole gland or
one lobe, etc. It may press on the windpipe, and cause difficult
breathing, also on the blood vessels and nerves.
Recovery.--This is usually favorable as to life, but not so favorable as a
cure. It becomes chronic. A sudden fatal ending may come.
GOITRE, MOTHERS' REMEDIES,--1. Three Ingredient Remedy for.--"The
following treatment is excellent, but must be continued for several months:
Extract of Belladonna 1/2 dram
Compound Ointment Iodine 1/2 dram
Vaselin 1/2 ounce
Apply this to the affected parts several times a day."
If this treatment is kept up faithfully it is sure to help.
[Illustration: Thyroid Gland.]
[BLOOD AND DUCTLESS GLANDS 259]
2. Goitre, Simple Remedy for.--"Wring a cloth from cold water and bind it
around the neck every night when retiring. This is a sure cure if
continued for some time."
3. Goitre, Inexpensive Remedy for--"Apply the following several times a
day: Extract of belladonna one-half dram, compound ointment of iodine two
drams; this treatment must be kept up several months." The above treatment
will be found very beneficial and is not an expensive one.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Goitre.--1. Locally tincture of iodine; paint
some on the gland once or twice a day until it gets a little sore and keep
it so for weeks, or use cosmoline and put in it about one-quarter as much
iodine and rub on. Lard will do instead of cosmoline. The parts should be
kept red and a little sore. Use also iodide of potash, five grains, three
times a day internally, while you are using external applications.
2. Use the compound of tincture of iodine the same way, externally. This
is not so strong and can be used longer with, I think, better results. At
the same time you may use this same medicine internally. Take one to two
drops internally three times a day; or you may take five grains of iodide
of potash three times a day instead. Externally: These applications must
produce a little redness and be continued for some time.
3. An Ointment. The red iodide of mercury is also good to rub on the part.
This may be used if the others fail.
4. Other medical remedies are used, but they must be closely watched and
must be used under the supervision of a doctor. The thymus or thyroid
extracts are thus used and with good results in many cases.
5. Colorless Iodine: This does not stain, but I have no faith in it. It is
used very much now and can be used freely. It is simply, druggists tell
me, iodide of potash made in solution, dissolved, and put on the part. A
great many cases of large goitres are now being operated upon with quite
good success. It is not done until other measures have failed, unless the
goitre is interfering with breathing and the blood supply.
6. This is very good, both for internal and external use.
Iodide of Potash 20 drams
Iodine 1 dram
Water enough for 3 ounces
Mix thoroughly and shake bottle before using.
Put some in two bottles; one for internal and other for external use. Take
internally five to ten drops in a little water before meals. Externally,
put on the enlarged neck, night and morning, unless it feels too sore,
when you can use it once a day or less.
[260 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
EXOPHTHALMIC GOITRE. (Parry's, Graves or Basedows Disease).--It is
characterized by exophthalmos (bulging of the eyes), Goitre, fast beating
of the heart, trembling and nervousness.
Causes.--It is most common in women from twenty to thirty. Several cases
may occur in the same family. The exact cause is unknown.
Symptoms.--Acute cases. Sudden onset, vomiting, diarrhea, the heart beats
fast with throbbing arteries, bulging of the eyes, enlarged thyroid gland.
Death may occur in a few days.
Chronic Cases.--There is usually a gradual onset of tachy cardia,--fast
beating of the heart,--pulse being 100 to 180 or more, if excited. Later
there are throbbing of the arteries and of the thyroid glands.
Bulging of the eyeball is sometimes extreme. There may be fever and
usually is anemia, emaciation, weakness, nervousness, perspiration,
difficult breathing, dark color of the skin. It usually lasts several
years. Spontaneous recovery may occur in six months to a year and is not
common. Recovery is rare in advanced cases.
Treatment.--Prolonged rest in bed, with an ice bag constantly over the
heart, or better over the lower part of the neck and upper breast bone.
Avoid all worry and excitement. Drugs are uncertain. Surgery is sometimes
resorted to. The thyroid extract has been used.
MYXOEDEMA.--This is a constitutional disease due to atrophy (wasting away)
of the thyroid gland and characterized by swollen condition of the tissue
under the skin, wasting of the thyroid and mental failures. Three forms
exist, myxoedema proper, cretinism and operative myxoedcma.
Causes of Cretinism.--This may exist at birth (congenital) or it may
develop at puberty, and is due to the absence or loss of function of the
thyroid gland. Sporadic (here and there) cretinism may follow an acute
infectious disease or it may be congenital. Myxoedema may be hereditary
and is most common in women.
Symptoms, (a) Cretinism.--Mental and bodily development is slow. There is
extraordinary disproportion between the different parts of the body. The
condition is sometimes not recognized until the child is six or seven
years old, then the slow development is noticed. The tongue looks large
and hangs out of the mouth. The hair may be thin, the skin very dry.
Usually by the end of the first year and during the second year the signs
of the cretinism become very marked and should be recognized. The face
looks large, looks bloated, the eyelids are puffy and swollen, the nose is
flat and depressed and thick. Teething is late, and the teeth that do
appear decay. The fontanelles are open. The abdomen is swollen, the legs
are short and thick, the hands and feet are not developed and look pudgy.
The face is pale and has a waxy, sallow tint. The muscles are weak and the
child cannot support itself. Above the collar bone there are pads of fat.
The child does not develop mentally and there may be one of the grades of
idiocy and imbecility (feeble-minded).
[BLOOD AND DUCTLESS GLANDS 261]
(b) Myxoedema, proper--The skin is infiltrated, causing loss of the lines
of the facial expression, skin is dry and harsh, much thickened,
especially in the region above the collar bone. The face is broad, with
coarse features, the nose is broad and thick, the mouth is large, lips
thick, hair scanty and coarse, slowness of motion and thought, weak
memory, irritability, headache, suspiciousness, followed sometimes by
hallucinations, delusion and dementia (insane). The disease may progress
for ten or fifteen years. Death may occur early.
Operative type.--This rarely develops except the thyroid glands have been
entirely removed and then only if no extra glands are present.
Symptoms.--Are the same as that of cretinism.
Treatment.--An even, warm climate. Thyroid extract, to be given by a
physician, is the remedy. After the recovery occasional small doses still
may be necessary for some, or in cretinism for life.
DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM.
NEURALGIA.--Pain occurring in the course of the nerves and in their area
of distribution. The pain has remission and intermissions, and is due to
some morbid affection of the nerves of sensation or their spinal or
(brain) centers.
Causes.--The affection may depend upon some functional disturbance alone;
or it may be due to some organic disease of the nerve or to some disease
or diseased state outside of the nervous system. It occurs more frequently
in women past the middle-age, in those of a nervous tendency. As stated,
it affects women more than men. Debility is a frequent cause. Neuralgia is
frequently associated with the various forms of anemia. It may occur at
the onset of acute diseases like typhoid fever. Exposure to cold causes it
in susceptible persons. Decayed teeth may cause neuralgia of the fifth
nerve. It also occurs in rheumatism, gout, lead poisoning, and diabetes.
Persistent neuralgia may be a feature of hidden Bright's disease.
Symptoms.--Pain is the chief and characteristic symptom. It may develop
suddenly and without warning, or soreness or stiffness in the tissues
surrounding may precede it. There is a burning or violent sensation in the
course of the affected nerve, increased on exertion in acute cases. In
other cases the pain comes intermittently or in paroxysms, and is of a
darting, stabbing character, or accompanied by tingling sensations. There
may be a want of sensation of the skin in the affected region or
over-sensitiveness over the entire nerve-trunk with certain painful
points. The attacks of pain may come only at long intervals of time, but
usually they occur every few minutes and last for some hours. Pain may be
continued for hours or days in severe cases. In rare cases it may persist
for months or years, being worse at a certain time each day, especially in
cases where malaria exists. There is paleness or congestion of the part
affected, various eruptions, and changes in the color of the hair occur
and, in advanced chronic cases, symptoms of interference with the general
nutrition also occur. Spasms of the adjacent muscles may accompany the
severe paroxysms.
[262 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
[Illustration: The Nervous System.]
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 263]
Varieties.--Neuralgia may be classified according to its causes, as
neurotic, toxic, rheumatic, etc.; or according to its location as
trifacial, intercostal, sciatic, and so on, Exposure to cold, mechanical
irritations, tumors, pressure on the nerves, and wounds may lead to
neuralgia. It is more frequent in cold and damp climates than in dry and
warm locations; everyone should remember the causes.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. Neuralgia.--1. Lemon Juice as Liniment for.--"Cut a
lemon in two and squeeze juice on parts afflicted and rub in, then place
hot cloths over it. I know this will cure the pain." This is very good.
2. Neuralgia, Salt and Vinegar Will Relieve.--"A small sack of hot salt
applied to the pain, or steam with vinegar." The heat from the salt is
very effective and the moisture of the vinegar is also very good. This
simply produces a counter irritation.
3. Neuralgia, Quinine Will Cure.--"Use quinine three times a day." It is
well in taking quinine to take two grains three times a day for two days,
then take some good cathartic, so as not allow the quinine to remain in
the system. This is very beneficial, especially when neuralgia is due to
malarial conditions.
4. Neuralgia, Four Ingredient Remedy for.--
"Oil of Peppermint 1 ounce
Oil of Mustard (strong) 1/4 ounce
Vinegar 1 pint
White of one egg.
Beat egg and stir all together."
5. Neuralgia, Good Liniment for.--
"Essential Oil of Mustard 1 dram
Tincture Aconite 1 dram
Glycerin 1 ounce
Alcohol 4 ounces
Mix and shake well before using."
This remedy is a valuable external preparation for all nervous and
neuralgia pains, rub twice a day until relieved.
6. Neuralgia, Menthol Liniment for.--"One dram of menthol liniment, two
ounces of alcohol. This makes a very excellent liniment for many purposes.
For rheumatism, neuralgia, headache, etc." This liniment will be found
very beneficial as the menthol is soothing and quieting, and we all know
that alcohol is very good to be applied for any of the above mentioned
diseases.
7. Neuralgia, Belladonna Plaster for.--"Melt three ounces of rosin plaster
and add one-half ounce of extract of belladonna. An excellent application
in neuralgia and rheumatism."
[264 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PHYSICIANS' GENERAL TREATMENT for Neuralgia.--Remove the cause if
possible. If from anemia, give tonics for that and try to cure that
disease. Tonics with good nourishing food, and proper surroundings are
needed for anemia. In malaria, syphilitic or gouty patients,
constitutional treatment must be given for those diseases before the
neuralgia will be better. The systematic use of galvanic electricity,
properly used, is the most valuable means at the physician's disposal,
especially in the descending current, beginning with the mild current and
gradually increasing in strength. Internally: Arsenic, bromine, ergotinc,
aconite, gelsemium, valerian, ether, cannabis indica and quinine are
recommended. Opium may be used in the very severe forms, but it must be
used with caution, or you will make your patient a drug fiend, and his
latter state will be worse than the first condition. Wet compresses, vapor
baths, cold affusions, wet cloths, are highly recommended.
1. For the Cure of an Attack--
Antipyrine 30 grains
Citrate of Caffeine 20 grains
Make into ten powders. Take one everyone-half hour until 3 doses are
taken. Three (3) doses at least should relieve the neuralgia.
2. Antipyrine 30 to 60 grams
Bromide of Potash 3 drams
Mix: and make into ten powders; one every thirty minutes until relieved or
until six doses have been taken; this is better than the first
prescription when there is much nervousness with the neuralgia or
neuralgic headaches.
3. If caffeine in first prescription causes nervousness, give this one:
Antipyrine 30 to 60 grains
Citrate of Caffeine 10 grains
Bromide of Potash 3 drams
Mix and make ten powders. Take one every half hour until relieved or until
six doses have been used.
These are very effective prescriptions, but if a person has any heart
trouble I would not advise their use except under a physician's care.
(Sometimes a patient with neuralgia gets desperate, and he will even
resort to morphine). Antipyrine is one of the simplest coal tar remedies,
and most persons can safely take it. Persons who are subject to neuralgia
or headaches need to take good care of themselves. Get plenty of rest and
sleep. Neuralgia at first can be cured, but when it once becomes chronic,
especially neuralgia of the face, it is hard to cure and frequently makes
life a constant misery. Plenty of outdoor life is essential. In that way
the system will be built up, and when the body is strong the disease can
be thrown off much easier. A great many people depend too much upon strong
medicines. Medicines are all right in their place, but all the medicine in
the world cannot cure a person unless that person does his or her part.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 265]
SPECIAL DISEASES. Facial Neuralgia. (Neuralgia of the fifth pair of
Cranial Nerves. Also known as Trifacial Neuralgia. Neuralgia of the
Trigeminus. Tic doloureux, etc.).--This form is more frequent than all
other forms combined, this nerve being peculiarly susceptible to
functional and organic disorders. All three branches are very rarely
affected together, the ophthalmic (eye) branch being most often involved.
The symptoms depend upon the branch involved.
1. Ophthalmic Neuralgia Pain, (eye neuralgia pain).--This pain is above
the eye, or frontal kind, with a special painful point at the supraorbital
(above the eye) notch. Sometimes the pain is very severe in the eye-ball.
2. Supramaxillary Neuralgia.--In this the pain is along the infraorbital
(nerve beneath the eye) nerve, and there is a marked tender point at the
opening in the bone (infraorbital foramen) beneath the eye. A
toothache-like pain in the upper teeth is common in this variety.
3. Inframaxillary (lower maxillary) Neuralgia.--This is characterized by a
scattered (diffused) pain along the inferior dental (teeth) branch, and
extends from the temporal (side forehead) region over the side of the face
to the chin, with pain in the lower teeth and side of the tongue. The pain
in this nerve may come on without any special cause, or it may come after
excitement of a physical or mental nature. Disorders of nutrition occur.
The circulation is interfered with and the face, at first pale, becomes
red. Eruptions may appear along the course of the nerve, while salivation
and "running" (lachrymation) of the eyes are often prominent symptoms.
Spasms of muscles of the face (tic doloureux) may accompany the paroxysms
and this is the most terrible form of nerve pain. The attacks may be mild
or very severe and sometimes sudden. This is a terrible disease,
especially when it has existed for some time. A person with severe pain in
the face should always attend to it immediately, before it becomes
chronic.
Treatment.--It is directed towards removing the cause, if possible.
Chronic cases are difficult to cure. The patient should be careful not to
take cold, keep strong and healthy by regular hours for sleep, good
sufficient clothing. The general health must be improved. These directions
apply to all kinds of neuralgia.
INTERCOSTAL NEURALGIA.--A neuralgia of one or more of the intercostal
nerves. These nerves run in a groove in the lower edge of the ribs.
Causes.--It may develop without any special cause. It comes in anemia,
after exposure to cold, from affection of the vertebrae, ribs, spinal
cord, or from the pressure of tumors, or aneurism of the aorta. This is
next in importance to neuralgia of the fifth nerve, and occurs more often
in women and very common in those who have hysteria. It is more common on
the left side and mostly in the nerves situated from the fifth to the
ninth intercostal space. If it is located in the nerves distributed to the
mammary glands it gives rise to neuralgia of the mammary gland. The flying
darts of pain in the chest (pleurodynia) are to be regarded as neuralgic
in character.
[266 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Symptoms.--The pain is usually very severe, especially on movement of the
intercostal (between the ribs) muscles. With this pain, as a rule, an
eruption (herpes) appears along the course of the affected nerve and this
is supposed to be due to the extension of the inflammation from the
nerve-ends to the skin. Pain, when pressed upon, is most marked near the
spinal vertebral, the breastbone (sternal) end and the middle part of the
nerve. The trouble may continue a long time after the eruption (herpes)
has disappeared, for it is very obstinate.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Intercostal Neuralgia.--This consists in using
remedies that will cause counter-irritation. Electricity and pain
destroying (anodynes) remedies are indicated in chronic cases. Apply heat
for pain in the "breasts." For the eruption an ointment like oxide of zinc
can be used.
Local Treatment.--A mustard plaster is frequently good to use. It produces
the counter-irritation desired. Application of dry heat from hot cloths; a
hot sand bag may help in some cases. A rubber bag containing hot water can
also be used. Fomentations of hops, etc., applied hot and frequently
changed to keep them hot are beneficial in some cases. I have found in
some cases that an adhesive plaster put over the sore parts relieves the
severe pain. Porous plasters are also good. Tincture of ranunculus
bulbosus (buttercup) is a good remedy. Put ten drops in a glass half full
of water, and take two teaspoonfuls every hour.
[Illustration: Sciatic Nerve.]
SCIATICA.--This is as a rule a neuritis of the sciatic nerve or of its
cords of origin. It is characterized by pain chiefly along the course of
the sciatic nerve.
Causes.--It occurs most commonly in adult males. The person may have a
history of rheumatism or gout in many cases. Exposure to cold after heavy
muscular work or exertion, or a severe wetting are common causes. The
nerves in the pelvis may be compressed by large tumors of the ovaries or
womb, by other tumors, or by the child's head during confinement.
Occasionally hip joint disease causes it. The nerve, as a rule, is
swollen, reddened, and in a condition of "interstitial neuritis." The pain
may be most severe where the nerves emerge from the hip bone, behind, or
in the inner back, and middle part of the thigh.
NERVOUS SYSTEM 267
Symptoms.--Pain is the most constant and troublesome. It is sometimes very
severe. The onset is usually gradual, and for a time there is only a
slight pain in the back of the thigh; soon the pain becomes more intense,
extends down the thighs, and leg and reaches to different parts of the
foot. The very sensitive spots can often be pointed out by the patient,
and on pressure these spots are very painful. It is gnawing and burning
in character, usually constant, but sometimes it comes in paroxysms, and
is often worse at night. Walking usually causes great pain. The knee is
bent and the patient treads on his toes. As a rule it is an obstinate
trouble, and it may last for months, or even with slight remissions for
years. In the severer forms the patient must remain in bed and such cases
are very trying for both patient and doctor.
(See Mothers' Remedies under Neuralgia above).
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT. Cautions for Sciatica.--Remove all causes if you
can. Rheumatism and gout, if the patient have them, should be treated. The
patient should not overwork or expose himself to wet, damp weather. Keep
every part dry. Rest in bed with the whole leg fixed is a valuable mode of
treatment in many cases. Hot water bags from the hip to the knee placed
along the painful nerve, sometimes gives great relief. Mud baths are
beneficial. Hot Springs baths relieve many cases. Fly blisters placed
along the track of the nerve relieve the pain in many cases. Fomentations
of smartweed and hops are good, but they must be changed often so as to be
hot. Wet or dry cupping is a help in many cases. It draws the blood from
the inflamed nerve. Morphine given hypodermically will relieve the pain,
but it is a dangerous medicine to use in a chronic case. The patient will
be very likely to form the habit, and that is worse than the sciatica. By
care and treatment most cases can be greatly helped and cured. Rhus tox
(poison ivy) is very good in minute doses in cases where it is impossible
to remain in one position for any length of time. Ten drops of the
tincture in a glass two-thirds full of water and two teaspoonfuls given
every hour. I have helped many cases with this remedy. The hot iron along
the track of the nerve is helpful. Electricity is better in a chronic case
where there is wasting of the legs, and it should be combined with
massage. The galvanic current should be used.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. Nervousness. 1. Catnip Tea for.--"A tea made of catnip
will quiet the nerves. This is good for women when they are apt to be
nervous."
2. Nervousness, Hops Will Stop.--"Purchase a small package of hops at any
drug store, and make a tea of it, drinking frequently in tablespoonful
doses." It is a harmless remedy, and should be used more freely by nervous
people. The hops are very soothing. Nervous mothers should never be
without this. It is surprising to see how few people know the value of
some of these simple home remedies.
3. Nervousness, Effective Remedy for.--
"Spirits of Camphor 1/2 ounce
Comp. Spirits of Lavender 1/2 ounce
Tincture of Valerian 1 ounce
Sulphuric Ether 1/2 ounce
Mix. Dose, one or two teaspoonfuls every three hours."
[268 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The foregoing remedy is very effective, as spirits of camphor and the
tincture valerian quiet the nerves. The sulphuric ether also has a
soothing effect. This combination makes a fine tonic, but should not be
taken too long, as it is quite strong.
4. Nervousness, Five Ingredient Remedy That Relieves.--"In extreme nervous
debility with tendency to fainting fits, use the following:
Spirits of Camphor 1/2 ounce
Aromatic Spirits of Ammonia 1/2 ounce
Spirits of Lavender Compound 1 ounce
Tincture Valerian 1 ounce
Tincture Castor 1 ounce
Mix. Dose.--From one to three teaspoonfuls at intervals of from fifteen
minutes to three hours, according to urgency of symptoms. This mixture
should be kept on hand by all persons subject to fainting fits."
Spirits of camphor and aromatic spirits of ammonia stimulates the heart,
while the tincture of valerian quiets the nervous system.
5. Nervousness, "Lady's Slippers" Breaks up.--"A decoction is made with
two ounces of the root, sliced, to two pints of water, boiled to one and
one-half pints. Dose: One tablespoonful four times a day. Has been used
with marked success in epilepsy and in other various nervous diseases."
This is used very extensively for nervous people, and has proven very
successful.
HEADACHE.--This term means a pain in the head, all over the head, or at
one particular spot. It may be only a symptom of a general constitutional
derangement, some disease of some other organ, a temporary inability of
some organ like the stomach, liver, bowels, etc., to do work, or it may be
due to some local affection depending upon some trouble with the skull and
its contents. It is frequently but a symptom of some other trouble. It
occurs in fevers, infectious diseases, brain disease, etc. There are
different varieties depending upon the causes.
Sick Headache.
Nervous Headache.
Catarrhal Headache.
Congestive Headache.
Neuralgic or Gastric (stomach) Headache.
Bilious Headache.
"Bowel" Headache.
"Womb" Headache.
Rheumatic Headache.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 269]
CATARRHAL HEADACHE and RHEUMATIC HEADACHE may be treated together. This is
due to exposure to a draught of air, walking against the sharp and keen
wind, by getting the feet or other parts of the body wet, sudden
suppression of perspiration about the head, or by some other exposure such
as might result from cold, influenza or attack of rheumatism. There may be
aching pains and a feeling of heavy weight in the forehead; tearing,
stitching pains above the eyes, in the cheek bones; sometimes the skull
feels as if it would fall to pieces. In the rheumatic variety the scalp is
sore and tender, tearing throbbing pains or hard aching pains. There is
some fever, dry skin, the pulse is faster.
Treatment.--Get into a sweat by hot drinks of lemonade and hot foot baths.
Apply cold or warmth to the head, lie down and keep quiet.
Medicine.--Aconite in doses of one-tenth of a drop to an adult every hour
will frequently abort it: open the bowels with salts. Remain in bed.
NERVOUS HEADACHE.--This may occur as a sick headache or be simply a
nervous headache: This occurs oftenest in a nervous person, or in persons
who are run down by different causes, such as diseases, overwork, worry,
trouble, etc. It is not periodic, and has no fixed type, but breaks out at
indefinite intervals, and is excited by almost any special cause such as
motions, mental exertions, menses, excitement, overdoing, over-visiting,
want of sleep. It is often due to eye strain in persons who have poorly
fitted, or who do not wear glasses. It appears in any part of the head,
usually one-sided, or it may be all over the head, which feels enlarged
and sometimes as if a band was around it. The least mental effort makes it
worse. Sometimes there is a feeling as if a nail was being driven into the
head; head is too big; eyes feel heavy and the lids droop; sees double;
hard to keep eyes open. This kind of headache, or sick-headache, can be
brought on suddenly by womb trouble, especially if the womb has fallen
from a jar, fall, etc. The patient often moans and cries, laments and
simply cannot stand thc pain. In some cases the menses cause it, and it
appears at every menstrual period.
Treatment.--The patient should be quiet and remain in bed in a darkish
room. Womb troubles and other diseases that cause it such as protruding
piles, etc., should be attended to. Tincture gelsemium is a good remedy.
Put ten drops in a glass half full of water, and take two teaspoonfuls
every half hour until better. A tea made from lady's slipper is also
effective in some cases, used freely. Bromide of potash in ten-grain doses
one-half hour apart, for three doses, if necessary, is quieting in many
attacks. Mustard plaster to back of the neck.
CONGESTIVE HEADACHE.--In this kind there is or seems to be too much blood
in the head. The patient may be stupid, with a flushed face. If conscious,
the brain feels as if it was rising or falling, especially upon the motion
of the head. The top of the head sometimes feels as if it would fly off.
The head throbs and beats violently. The hands and feet may be cold, the
face flushed or pale, the eyes bright, the pulse is generally heavy, full
and fast, or it may be feeble, slow and intermittent.
[270 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Treatment.--1. The patient should remain in bed in a dark room, with the
head usually high. Cold should be applied to the head and heat to the
hands and feet. Move the bowels with salts and, if necessary, give an
enema also. It is well to give the foot-bath before going to bed. If
these things do not relieve the headache a doctor should be called, for it
may mean something serious. A hot mustard foot-bath and a mustard plaster
applied to the nape of the neck are of great value. In severe cases an ice
bag or very cold water, applied to the forehead and temples will very
often give great relief.
2. Spirits of Camphor 1 ounce
Spirits of Lavender 2 ounces
Alcohol 2 ounces
Wet the top of the head with it.
3. Camphor 1 dram
Oil of Peppermint 1 dram
Chloroform 1-1/2 ounces
Alcohol enough for 3 ounces
Shake the bottle and apply a little of the liquid to the place. Horseback
riding and walking are good for nervous girls and women.
NEURALGIC HEADACHE.--This commonly comes periodically, usually, one-
sided. It may occur at the same hour for several days in succession. The
pains are of all kinds. It may start in the morning or at any time. It
involves more especially the eyes, side of the head, face, and goes into
the teeth and neck. It comes in persons subject to neuritis in other parts
or neuralgia.
Treatment.--Build up the system with tonics in the interval. Lead a quiet
restful life. Acetanilid in five-grain doses frequently relieves it. This
is a dangerous medicine to use, except under a doctor's supervision.
Spigelia in doses of one-twelfth of a drop of the tincture is good for
left-sided attacks; two doses are enough, one-half hour apart.
STOMACH OR GASTRIC HEADACHE.--This, as the name indicates, is due to some
acute or chronic trouble with the stomach. It is caused by over-loading
the stomach, or eating food that does not agree, such as fat meat,
gravies, starchy food, warm bread, pastry, etc., or it may be due to
dyspepsia. The tongue is generally coated, the mouth tastes bitter. If it
is acute and the stomach is full, take a common emetic like warm water,
salt water or mustard water. If it is due to decomposed food, drink lots
of warm water and take an enema and also a dose of salts. If there is much
gas in the stomach, take some baking soda in a glass of warm water; one
drop doses of tincture of nux vomica every half hour for three hours often
relieves.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 271]
HEADACHE FROM CONSTIPATION.--This is frequent. There is generally a dull,
heavy feeling in the forehead, the head feels full and sometimes dizzy,
the patient feels blue and morose, the tongue is coated on its back part,
mouth tastes bitter, patient is drowsy and stupid and work goes hard. A
free passage from the bowels relieves the headache.
Treatment.--Cure the constipation as directed in another part of the book.
Take a good full enema of warm soap suds and water, and one drop of
tincture of nux vomica every hour for six hours during the attack.
BILIOUS HEADACHE.--This is so-called because the bilious symptoms are the
most prominent. It may be caused by violent anger, disputes, excessive
eating causing congestion of the liver; abuse of spirits; some persons are
of a bilious constitution and the least error in diet and habit produces
such an attack. The pain may be violent or dull, the head may throb
terribly; the whites of the eyes have a yellowish look, and the face may
be of a dark brown hue, the patient may vomit bile. The vomiting causes
more brain distress. The mouth is bitter, the tongue coated yellowish, the
breath smells badly. Bowels may be irregular.
Treatment.--A free movement of the bowels often relieves. First take an
enema and then one-half ounce of epsom salts. Do not eat anything but
drink all the water you may wish. A tea made of blue flag is often of
benefit. The diet should be regulated so as not to overload the stomach
and liver and the bowels should move freely daily.
WOMB HEADACHE.--Women who suffer from womb troubles such as leucorrhea,
torn cervix, falling womb displacements and diseases of the inner womb,
ovaries and tubes, suffer from all kinds of headache. The pain may be in
the nape of the neck, the back part of the head and on the top behind
(occiput). It may come on suddenly when the womb is displaced by a sudden
fall or over-lifting, etc. The woman should then go to bed and lie down
with her arms crossed over her chest, with the knees drawn up and weight
resting upon them and chest with the buttocks elevated, (knee-chest-
position). This replaces the womb. The other troubles should be corrected
or these headaches will keep on. The womb and its appendages are the cause
of many kinds of headaches, neuralgias, dyspepsia, and constipation;
correct the troubles and the headache will disappear.
MENSTRUAL HEADACHES.--These are very common. They may be regular every
month, and they are then caused by some trouble with the womb or ovaries,
or may be due to a run-down condition or heredity. It comes sometimes from
suppression of the menses as a consequence of some violent emotion,
fright, anger, grief, or by exposure to wet, draughts of air, privations,
over-fatigue, etc. It may last for several days. The headache may be mild
or severe.
Treatment.--A foot bath or sitz bath is very good, with free drinking of
pennyroyal tea after the bath, and when in bed. Place warmth to the feet,
moist heat over the abdomen, such as a hot water bag or fomentations.
Remain quietly in bed. If constipated, take an enema. Frequently a free
bowel movement gives much relief in this trouble. During the interval
doctor the patient for the trouble causing the headache for which see
another part of this book, "Diseases of Women."
[272 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
MOTHERS' REMEDIES, 1. Headache, Paregoric and Soda for.--"A teaspoonful of
paregoric, with one-half teaspoonful of baking soda in a tumbler of water,
May be taken all at once or sipped slowly."
2. Headache, Hops Good for.--"Make a strong decoction of hop tea, and take
a wineglassful every half hour until relieved." This is an old tried
remedy and a good one.
3. Headache, Mustard Excellent for.--"Place a mustard plaster on the back
of the head, also bathe the feet in mustard water and stay in a darkened
room, and avoid all excitement and noise." The one essential thing is to
get the nerves quieted; take as little food as possible for twenty-four
hours, giving the stomach an opportunity to rest, as most of the headaches
come from a disordered stomach.
4. Headache, Peppermint Beneficial for,--"Bathe the head in strong
peppermint. Then apply cloths wrung from water as hot as can be endured."
Hot or cold applications are known to be very beneficial. After the cloths
are taken off, the soothing effect can be further enhanced by gentle
rubbing of the forehead.
5. Headache, Cold Application in Case of.--"Apply cold applications on the
forehead and over the eyes." These cold applications have been known to
give relief in a very few minutes to many people suffering with severe
headaches. It is well to continue the treatment; even after relief has
been obtained, for at least a half hour. Gentle rubbing of the head is
very good, also.
6. Headache, Castor Oil Will Relieve.--"One tablespoonful of castor oil.
Have used this and found relief." This remedy gives relief as the castor
oil carries off the food that is distressing the stomach. It is well to
take two tablespoonfuls of lime-water in a glass of milk three times a day
for about a week after the castor oil has operated.
SICK HEADACHE. (Migraine. Hemicrania).--Migraine is a peculiar form of
severe paroxysms of unilateral (one side) headache often associated with
disorders of sight.
Causes.--It is frequently hereditary, and it has occurred through several
generations. Women and members of nervous families are usually attacked.
Many of the headaches from eye-strain are of this type, It is often
inherited, and may last from puberty to the menopause. Some authors claim
that decay of the teeth without toothache will cause it. Adenoid growths
in the pharynx and particularly abnormal conditions of the nose will cause
it. Many of the attacks of severe headaches in children are of this
nature, and the eyes, nose and throat should be examined when children or
older persons suffer from this complaint. Mental emotion, physical or
mental fatigue, disorders of the female genital organs, eye-strain, etc.,
loud noises, toothache, act as predisposing causes. Some think it a
poisonous condition due to the absorption of poisons from the stomach and
intestines, and others regard it as a nervous condition due to anemia and
all conditions which weaken the resistance of the nervous system.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 273]
Symptoms.--The premonitory symptoms, which may last a few hours or a day
or more, are sleepy feelings of discomfort, uneasiness, weariness, chills,
vertigo (dizziness), disturbance of the sight or disturbances of the
senses. The real attack may follow quickly, beginning with the
characteristic headache, at first one sided, located in one spot in the
temple, eye or back of the head, but spreading, as it increases in
severity, until it involves all of one side of the head and occasionally
both sides. The pain is usually constant and of great severity and it is
increased by motion, noises, light, or mental strain. The skin over the
painful part is very sensitive. There are loss of appetite, nausea and
vomiting. If the stomach has a great deal of food in it, vomiting relieves
the pain sometimes. In the spasmodic form the affected side is painful,
the skin is cool, the pupil is dilated, and the flow of saliva is
increased. In the paralytic form the affected side is flushed, hot, the
vessels are dilated and the pupils are contracted. There is great
weakness, prostration and depression. The urine may be abundant or
suppressed, temporarily. The results of treatment in this disease are
uncertain, as the attacks are likely to occur in spite of treatment. They
usually cease in old age, and in women they may stop after the menopause.
The attacks in women are likely to occur at or near the menstrual periods.
First Thing to do in Sick Headache.--It is well to remain in a darkened
room away from noise, etc. If the head throbs and beats very hard, either
a cold ice bag or hot applications often bring relief. A mustard plaster
at the base of the brain with a hot foot-bath often helps. Some people by
stroking the forehead and temples have the power to ease the pain,
producing quiet and sleep. If the bowels are costive, salts should be
taken to move them, or they can be moved by an enema, if salts are not at
hand. If the stomach is full, or tastes sour, drink a lot of warm water
and vomit, or produce vomiting by tickling your throat with your finger,
after having taken a large quantity of warm water for sometimes warm water
thus taken fails to cause vomiting. If there is no food in the stomach,
but there is sour and bilious vomiting, the warm water will frequently
help. For a sour stomach or when it is full of gas, a teaspoonful of
baking soda in some hot water will often feel very pleasant and grateful.
The patient should keep absolutely quiet after these are done, and often
they fall into a refreshing sleep.
[274 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
EMERGENCY MEDICINES.--If anemia is the cause, give tonics such as iron and
arsenic. If the patient feels faint and nauseated, a small cup of strong
hot coffee gives relief, sometimes. Antipyrin, given early in doses of two
and one-half grains often relieves. Take another dose in one-half hour if
necessary. But such remedies are hard on the heart.
TREATMENT. Preventive in Sick Headache.--The patient is often aware of the
causes that bring on an attack. Such causes should be avoided. A great
many people who are afflicted with this trouble are not only careless in
their eating, eating anything and everything and at all times--at meal
time and between meals--but also careless in their habits of life.
Patients should avoid excitement, like card parties, etc., staying up
late, or reading exciting books. The meals should be regular, no food
taken that is hard to digest. Pies, cakes, puddings, gravies, ham, pork,
sausage, and fried foods must be avoided. Rich, greasy foods will not do
for such persons to eat. Strong tea and coffee are bad. Plenty of water
should be taken between meals. At meals it is better to take no water
unless it is hot water. Every morning on arising it is well to drink a
large quantity of either cold or hot water. This washes out the stomach,
bowels and kidneys, and stimulates them to better perform their functions.
The bowels must be kept regular, one or more passages a day and at a
regular hour. Sometimes, especially in younger persons, the eyes are at
fault and may need glasses. Frequently it is caused by overwork in school
in young girls, especially during their menstrual periods. Social duties
cause them in many women, and then strong tea or coffee, or headache
powders, or tablets, are taken to keep up or to stop the pain, making the
patient more liable to the attacks in the future; and then still more tea,
coffee, and headache remedies are taken until the patient is a slave to
the remedies taken to help her. A great many of these headaches can be
helped by simple measures, and the time between the attacks, in about all
cases, made longer if the patient will but work with the physician, not
only at the time of the attack, but in the interval. The clothing should
be comfortable. The feet should always be kept dry. This applies
especially to neuralgia. In fact the above measures of prevention and care
apply to all kinds of headaches and neuralgias. Prevention is worth more
than the cure.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Sick Headache, Hop Tea Will Relieve.--"Hop tea is
very good if a good strong decoction is made. A wineglassful may be taken
every half hour or hour until relieved." This is very easily prepared, as
the hops may be purchased at any drug store.
2. Sick Headache, a Favorite Remedy for.--"Aconite liniment or aconite
rubbed on the forehead will relieve the pain in the head almost instantly.
One drop of the tincture of nux vomica in a teaspoonful of water every
five or ten minutes will quickly relieve." Nux vomica is good only when
the headache comes from constipation and stomach trouble and too high
living.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 275]
3. Sick Headache, Aromatic Spirits of Ammonia for.--"For a nervous
headache there is nothing better for immediate relief than fifteen or
twenty drops of the aromatic spirits of ammonia." This relieves the pain
and quiets the nerves and stimulates the heart.
4. Sick Headache, Camphor Application for.--"A very simple but effective
remedy is a cloth wet with spirits of camphor and sprinkled with black
pepper applied to the head gives almost instant relief."
5. Headache, Soda and Peppermint for.--"One teaspoonful (level) of soda in
two-thirds glass of hot water, add five or eight drops of oil of
peppermint and a little sugar. Drink quite warm. This has been often tried
and proven to be a success." The soda will relieve any gas in the stomach
and the peppermint aids digestion and relieves sickness of the stomach.
6. Sick Headache, Lemon Good for.--"One lemon before breakfast will help
to keep off sick headache. Have never found a remedy to cure sick
headaches. A sack of hot salt will always help the pain." The lemon will
help to tone up the stomach and the salt applied to the head will help the
pain by relieving the congestion. It is always well to take a good
cathartic after a spell of sick headache.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Sick Headache.--
1. Antipyrine 25 grains
Citrate of Caffeine 10 grains
Bromide of Potash 25 grains
Mix and make into five powders. One powder as needed. (You might take
second one in three hours.) This is not good when it is bilious sick
headache. In fact, it would make it worse. It is good for sick headache
and neuralgia due to eye or nerve strain, but then the first remedy,
antipyrine, can be left out. It is not needed. I would then put twice as
much of the bromide of potash, fifty grains, and take a powder every two
hours until better.
2. Citrate of Caffeine 1/2 dram (30 grains)
Phenacetine 60 grains
Bicarbonate of soda 60 grains
Aromatic powder 12 grains
Mix and make twelve powders. Take one every three hours. This is good.
Sometimes it is depressing on the heart for some people, due to the
phenacetine. Acetanilid can be substituted in same dose.
(The homeopathic treatment is very successful in relieving spells of sick
headache. See chapter on Homeopathy.)
3. Sodium Phosphate, taken every morning, about one-half to one
teaspoonful in hot water. It is good for the bowels and liver.
4. Prescription for the Liver and Bowels in Sick Headache.--
Sulphate of soda 30 grains
Salicylate of soda 10 grains
Sulphate of Magnesia 1 grain
Benzoate of Lithia 5 grains
Tincture of Nux Vomica 3 minims
Distilled water 4 ounces
This mixture should be made up in large quantity and placed in a siphon by
one of the concerns which charge soda water, and from one-quarter to
one-half a glass of this water, at ordinary temperature, is to be taken
every morning at least one-half an hour before breakfast; enough being
taken to insure an adequate bowel movement during the forenoon. This ought
to be a good combination to use regularly.
[276 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
5. Dr. Hare gives the following recommendations. Probably no single source
of pain compares in its frequency to headache, chiefly because it is
essentially a symptom of diseases or functional disturbances.
It may come from constipation or eye strain, from brain disease, anemia,
uremia, too much blood in the head, etc. In many cases a mild laxative to
thoroughly empty the bowels is necessary. Sometimes the urine will be
deficient in solids and liquids, so that the effete and poisonous material
are retained in the blood, which produce headache. For such cases if the
urine is acid, the frequent use of Vichy water, to which is added a little
bicarbonate of potassium, about five grains to a drink, as a diuretic will
prove of great service. If the urine is alkaline (and this you can tell by
using a red litmus paper which will turn blue if it is alkaline) ten grain
doses of benzoate of ammonium three (3) times a day are often useful.
NERVE TUMORS (Neuroma).--A morbid increase in the tissue-elements of the
peripheral (the external surface) nerves.
Varieties. True and False Nerve Tumors.--True nerve tumors (neuromata) are
composed of nerve-fibres provided with a medullary (marrow) sheath or of
nerve tissue; false nerve tumors are composed of other structure than
nerve tissue, are usually of secondary origin, extending to the nerve from
nearby structures.
Symptoms.--The true nerve tumors may be hereditary or due to wounds or
blows and amputation. They may give rise to no symptoms, or may cause
intermittent pain. Pressure increases this pain, when the condition of the
nerve fibre is interfered with. Loss of local sensation and power may
develop. It is sometimes possible to feel the little nodular growths, and
they can be seen when they are superficial. They may give no pain, or they
may become very sensitive. They may become chronic and they are very
liable to do so. Some of them may disappear.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Nerve Tumor.--The severe forms should be cut
out; others can be let alone.
NEURITIS (Inflammation of the Nerves. Neura-Nerves; Itis-Inflammation.
Inflammation of the Bundles of Nerve Fibres).--Nagel describes it as "an
inflammation of the nerves of an acute or chronic nature, associated with
more or less degeneration, change in the nerve fibrils of the affected
nerves."
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 277]
Causes.--An injury to the nerves, frequent muscular strains, exposure to
cold. Inflammation can extend to the nerve from adjacent inflamed
structures. Pressure can cause it. Fractures of bones cause it by
compression and it is also caused by infectious diseases, such as
rheumatism, typhoid fever, syphilis, etc. In some cases it simply appears
without apparent cause.
When the disease process involves the nerve sheaths and connective tissue
structures in particular, an interstitial neuritis results; when the
disease locates itself in the nerve fibrils it gives rise to
"parenchymatous neuritis" (main part of the nerve is inflamed).
Simple Neuritis.--This means that a single nerve of a group of adjacent
nerve trunks is affected. If a number of nerves are affected at the same
time it is called Multiple Neuritis or Polyneuritis.
Causes.--(a) Exposure to cold. This is a very frequent cause, as for
example, in the facial (face) nerve. (b) Traumatism,--that is, wounds,
blows, injuries caused by fractures and dislocations; pressure from
tumors, sleeping with the head resting on the arms. Pressure from
crutches, "crutch paralysis." (c) Diseases involving the nerves due to
extension of inflammation from nearby structures, as in neuritis of the
facial nerve due to decay of the temporal bone.
Symptoms.--The constitutional or general symptoms are usually slight. The
pain is the most important symptom, being of a boring in the parts to
which it is distributed. This pain may be very distressing, or of a
stabbing character, and is usually felt in the course of the nerve; or it
may cause little inconvenience. Sometimes the skin is red and swollen over
the affected parts. There is impaired nerve function and as a result of
this the muscles supplied by these nerves become weak, and occasionally
paralyzed. In severe cases they may become atrophied and an eruption often
appears along the course of the nerve. Sometimes the hair and nails are
not properly nourished, causing falling out or grayness of the hair and
loss of the nails. This neuritis may extend from the peripheral (external)
nerves and involve the larger nerve trunks or even reach the spinal cord.
This rarely occurs in neuritis from cold, or in that which follows fevers;
but it occurs most frequently in neuritis caused by blows, wounds, etc.,
(traumatic).
Duration.--This varies from a few days to weeks or months. If the primary
cause can be remedied it usually ends in full recovery. Sometimes it is
followed by the chronic form.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Neuritis.--The first thing to do is to try to
remove the cause. Then absolute and continued rest of the affected part.
If one has a sore hand it will be rested, if possible; so it must be with
the sore and inflamed nerve.
For the Attack.--After having placed the part in absolute rest, moist heat
applied to it frequently brings great relief. Sometimes a mustard plaster
applied along the sore part does good. This produces a counter irritation
and thus draws some of the congestion from the congested, inflamed nerve.
Ice is more effective in some cases than heat. The bowels should be kept
open daily with salts. Build up the general health with tonics; no alcohol
can be used. If it shows a tendency to become chronic, use massage,
electricity or change of climate. Atrophy (shrinking) of the muscles is
likely to follow if the disease continues long and for this massage and
electricity must be given.
[278 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Treatment. Preventive.--A person who has once had neuritis must exercise
all care to keep from taking cold or exposing themselves to severe cold
winds and storms. Wet clothing will be apt to cause its return. Damp
houses are bad. The climate should be dry and not changeable. There should
be enough and proper kind of clothing to keep the body heat at the normal
point. Plenty of rest and sleep are required. These cautions also apply to
rheumatism and neuralgias.
Multiple Neuritis.--Other names: Polyneuritis, Disseminated Neuritis,
Peripheral Neuritis. Meaning--Multiple neuritis is an inflammatory disease
of the peripheral (toward the end of the nerves or external nerves)
nervous system. It varies much in extent and intensity and affects
symmetrical parts of the body.
Varieties.--These arise from differences in the nature, causes, severity
and location of the disease process.
Causes.--They are many. (1.) The poison that comes from infectious
diseases such as typhoid fever, diphtheria, smallpox, leprosy, la grippe,
etc. (2) From poisons such as alcohol, lead, arsenic; phosphorus, mercury,
coal gas, etc. (3) From anemia, cancer, tuberculosis, syphilis,
septicemia, diabetes. (4) From cold, over-exertion, etc.
Symptoms.--Acute febrile multiple neuritis. A typical case: This comes on
from exposure to cold, over-exertion, or in some cases spontaneously.
There are chills, headaches, pains in the back, limbs and joints, and the
case may be called rheumatism. Loss of appetite, coated tongue,
constipation, and other symptoms of stomach and bowel trouble. The
temperature rises rapidly, and may go to 103 to 104 degrees. The limbs and
back ache, but intense pain in the nerves are not always constant. The
pain is usually sharp, severe, and located in the limbs, and is worse from
moving and pressure. There are tingling feelings in the hands, feet and
body, and a feeling as if ants or insects were crawling over them, and
there is also increased sensitiveness of the nerve trunks or entire limb.
There is loss of muscular power, first marked, perhaps, in the legs, and
it extends upwards and reaches the arms. Sometimes it first begins in the
arms. In typical cases the extending muscles of the wrist and ankles drop.
(Wristdrop and foot-drop). In severe cases there is a general loss of
muscular power, producing a flabby paralysis. This may extend to the
muscles that control speaking, swallowing and hearing resulting in
impairment of these functions. The muscles soften and waste away rapidly.
Disorders of nutrition are frequent, like watery swelling (oedema), glossy
looking skin, sweating, hives, etc.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 279]
Recovery.--The course of the disease varies considerably. In mild cases
the symptoms disappear very soon. In the worst form the patient may die in
a week or ten days. As a rule, in moderately severe cases after persisting
for five or six weeks, the condition remains about the same for a few
months, and then improvement slowly begins and recovery takes place in six
to twelve months. In neuritis from alcohol drinking there is a rapid onset
as a rule, with delirium and delusions. The result is usually favorable
and after persisting for weeks or months improvement gradually begins, the
muscles regain their power, and even in the most desperate cases recovery
may follow. The mental symptoms are very severe in alcoholic cases.
Delirium is common. It takes much longer for such cases to regain what
they call their normal condition.
Neuritis following diphtheria and other infectious diseases. The outlook
in cases from these diseases is usually favorable, and except in
diphtheria, fatal cases are uncommon. It is most common from diphtheria.
Recovery, in neuritis from diphtheria, takes place in about three months,
but some cases are fatal.
Neuritis from lead.--The first symptoms are those of intestinal colic,
lead line on the gums, "dropped-wrist." The recovery is quite gradual and
the poison may be cast out in three to four months.
In Neuritis from Arsenic.--We have disturbance of the stomach and bowels
first, then the legs and arms are about equally affected, weakened; may
recover in two to six months.
Treatment for acute kind.--The first thing to do is to rest in bed and
control the pain and acute symptoms. Hot applications help to relieve the
suffering. Patient must be kept comfortably and constantly warm and quiet.
Hot applications of lead water and laudanum.
Medicines.--It may be necessary to use morphine to control the pain.
Remedies such as antipyrine or aspirin are often used. A physician must be
called. When the disease is caused by arsenic and lead and alcohol, of
course you must remove the cause before you can hope for any improvement.
Caution.--Any one can readily understand from reading this description
that the thing to do is to be careful not to needlessly expose yourself to
taking cold. One subject to rheumatism or neuritis, even in small degree,
should take care not only not to take cold but not to overdo in laboring;
cold, wet and over-exertion cause the majority of the acute attacks. But
some are caused by diseases, such as diphtheria, typhoid fever, etc., and
a great many cases of neuritis following these and other infectious
diseases can be avoided if proper care is taken during and after these
diseases. Such care can easily be taken. Keep your rooms warm and
comfortable, and the patient in bed or in a comfortable room until all
danger is past. How often I have heard a doctor blamed for such results
when in most cases it is the patient's or nurse's fault. Certain results
will follow certain diseases and only proper care can keep such results
from following. Dropsy frequently follows even a light case of scarlet
fever. Why? Simply because, on account of being a light case, the child is
left to roam at will about the rooms and catches cold, takes la grippe. If
people would only take care of themselves this disease would not leave so
many lifelong victims. I have seen men and women who have just recovered
from this disease stand on the street corners on a cold, damp day, and
talk an hour, and the next day they wondered how they could possibly have
taken cold. We cannot disobey the laws of nature safely. Persons who are
subject to neuritis or rheumatism should be especially careful on cold,
damp, wet days and of over-exertion.
[280 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
GENERAL AND FUNCTIONAL BRAIN DISEASES. NERVOUS
PROSTRATION. NERVOUS EXHAUSTION.
NEURASTHENIA.
NERVOUS PROSTRATION.--Is a condition of weakness or exhaustion of the
nervous system, giving rise to various forms of mental and bodily
inefficiency.
Causes. 1. Hereditary causes.--Some children are born of parents who are
weak themselves, and who have led fast lives through business or pleasure
and these parents have given their offspring a weakened body, and the
children are handicapped with a nervous predisposition and furnish a
considerable proportion of "nervous" patients.
2. Acquired.--It is acquired by continual worry and overwork, sexual
indiscretion, excesses, irregular living and indiscretion in diet. A great
many business men, teachers and journalists become "neurasthenics." It may
follow infectious diseases, particularly influenza, typhoid fever and
syphilis. It also follows operations sometimes. Alcohol, tobacco, morphine
may produce a high grade of the disease, if their use is abused.
Symptoms.--These are varied. The most prominent symptom is fatigue. The
patient feels so tired and complains of being unable to do any mental
labor. It is almost impossible to put the mind on one subject for any
length of time. There are headache, dizziness, want of sleep, and there is
great depression of spirits; patient is gloomy, irritable in temper with
manifestations of hysteria. Sometimes there are marked symptoms of spinal
trouble. Pain along the spine with spots or areas of tenderness. Pains
simulating rheumatism are present. There is frequently great muscular
weakness, great prostration after the least exertion, and a feeling of
numbness, tingling, and neuralgic pains. In spinal symptoms, there is an
aching pain in the back, or in the back of the neck, which is a quite
constant complaint. Then there are the anxiety symptoms in many cases.
There may be only a fear of impending insanity or of approaching death, or
of apoplexy, in simple cases. More frequently the anxious feeling is
localized somewhere in the body, in the heart region, in the head, in the
abdomen, in the thorax (chest, etc.). In some cases the anxiety becomes
intense. They are so restless they do not know what to do with themselves.
They throw themselves on the bed, complain, and cry, etc. Sometimes the
patients become so desperate they commit suicide. Some patients do not
wish to see anyone. Some patients cannot read, reading wearies them so
much, or they get confused and dizzy and must stop. Some are very
irritable. They complain of everything. Remember they cannot help it,
usually. Some are easily insulted and claim they are misunderstood. The
circulation may be disturbed in some cases. Then there is palpitation of
the heart, irregular and very rapid pulse, pains, and feeling of
oppression around the heart, cold hands, and feet. The heart's action may
be increased by the least excitement and with the fast pulse and
palpitation there are feelings of dizziness and anxiety and such patients
are sure they have organic disease of the heart. No wonder. Flashes of
heat, especially in the head, and transient congestion of the skin are
distressing symptoms. Profuse sweating may occur. In women, especially,
and sometimes in men, the hands and feet are cold, the nose is red or
blue, and the face feels "pinched." Nervous dyspepsia is present in many
cases. The digestion is poor and slow and constipation accompanies it.
Sometimes there is neuralgia of the stomach. The sexual organs are
seemingly affected, many men are "almost scared to death" and they use all
sorts of quack remedies to restore their sexual vigor. Spermatorrhea is
their bugbear. They usually get well if they stop worrying. In women there
is the tender ovary and the menstruation may be painful or irregular. The
condition of the urine in these patients is important. Many cases are
complicated with lithaemia (sand-stone in the urine). It is sometimes also
increased in quantity.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 281]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Nervous Prostration.--The patient must be
assured and made to believe that the disease is curable, but that it will
take time and earnest help on the part of the patient. Much medicine is
not needed, only enough to keep the system working well. Encouragement is
what is needed from attendants. Remove the patient from the causes that
produce the trouble, whether it be business, worry, over-study, too much
social duties, or excesses of any kind. The patient must have confidence
in the physician, and he must be attentive to the complaints of the
patient. It is the height of foolishness and absurdity for a physician to
tell such a patient before he has thoroughly examined him or her that the
troubles are imaginary. I believe that is not prudent in the majority of
cases. I have heard physicians talk that way to such patients. I thought,
what fools! The patient needs proper sympathy and sensible encouragement.
You must make them believe they are going to get well. If you do not wish
to do this, refuse such cases, or you will fail with them. If there are
any patients that need encouragement and kindly, sympathetic, judicious
"cheering up," these patients are the ones, and they generally are
"laughed at and made fun of" by people who should know better. Remember
their troubles are real to them, and are due to exhaustion or prostration
of the nervous system and this condition, as before described, produces
horrid feelings and sensations of almost every part of the body. The
patient must be made to believe that he may expect to get well; and he
must be told that much depends upon himself, and that he must make a
vigorous effort to overcome certain of his tendencies, and that all his
power of will will be needed to further the progress of the cure.
[282 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
First, then, is rest.--Both mental and physical diversions, nutritious
though easily digested food, and removal of baneful influences as far as
possible. Physical exercise for the lazy. Rest for the anemic and weak.
For business or professional men the treatment is to get away and far off,
if possible, from business. It will often be found best to make out a
daily programme for those that must remain at home, something to keep the
mind busy without tiring, and then times of rest. The patient, if it is
possible, should be away from home if home influences and surroundings are
not agreeable. Dr. S. Weir Mitchell, of Philadelphia, has devised and
elaborated a cure, called a rest cure, for the relief of this class of
patients, and it is wonderfully successful especially in thin people. "Be
the symptoms what they may, as long as they are dependent upon nerve
strain, this 'cure' is to be resorted to, and if properly carried out is
often attended with surprising results." "A bright, airy, easily cleaned,
and comfortable room, is to be selected, and adjoining it, if possible,
should be a smaller one for an attendant or nurse. The patient is put to
bed and kept there from three to six weeks, or longer as may be necessary,
and during this time is allowed to see no one except the nurse and doctor,
since the presence of friends requires conversation and mental effort. The
patient in severe cases must be fed by the nurse in order to avoid
expenditure of the force required in the movement of the arms. No sitting
up in bed is allowed and if any reading is done it must be done by the
nurse who can read aloud for an hour a day (I have seen cases where even
that could not be done). In the case of women, the hair should be dressed
by the nurse to avoid any physical effort on the part of the patient. To
take the place of ordinary exercise, two measures are employed, the first
of which is massage or rubbing; the second, electricity. By the kneading
and rubbing of the muscles and skin the liquids in the tissues are
absorbed and poured into the lymph spaces, and a healthy blush is brought
to the skin. This passive exercise is performed in the morning or
afternoon, and should last from one-half to an hour, every part of the
body being kneaded, even the face and scalp. In the afternoon or morning
the various muscles should be passively exercised by electricity, each
muscle being made to contact by the application of the poles of the
battery to its motor points, the slowly interrupted current being used.
Neither of these forms of exercise call for any expenditure of nerve
force; they keep up the general nutrition. The following programme for a
day's existence is an example of what the physician should order:
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 283]
7:30 a. m.--Glass of hot or cold milk, predigested, boiled or raw as the
case requires.
8:00 a. m.--The nurse is to sponge the patient with tepid water or with
cold and hot water alternately to stimulate the skin and circulation, the
body being well wrapped in a blanket, except the portion which is being
bathed. After this the nurse should dry the part last wetted, with a rough
towel, using some friction to stimulate the skin.
8:30 a. m.--Breakfast. Boiled, poached or scrambled eggs, milk toast,
water toast, or a finely cut piece of mutton chop or chicken.
10:00 a. m.--Massage.
11:00 a. m.--A glass of milk, or a milk punch, or egg-nog.
12:00 m.--Reading for an hour.
1:00 p. m.--Dinner. Small piece of steak, rare roast beef, consomme soup,
mutton broth, and any one of the easily digested vegetables, well cooked.
3:00 p. m.--Electricity.
4:30 p. m.--A glass of milk, a milk punch or egg-nog.
6:30 p. m.--Supper. This should be very plain, no tea or coffee, but toast
and butter, milk, curds and whey, or a plain custard.
9 :30 p. m.--A glass of milk or milk punch.
In this way the day is well filled, and the time does not drag so heavily
as would be thought. If the stomach rebels at over feeding, the amount of
food must be cut down, but when all the effort of the body is concentrated
on respiration, circulation, and digestion a large amount of nourishment
can be assimilated by the exhausted body, which before this treatment is
undertaken may have had its resources so shattered as to be unable to
carry out any physiological act perfectly. For the treatment to be
successful the rules laid down should be rigidly followed, and the cure
should last from three to six weeks or longer."
HYSTERIA.--A state in which ideas control the body and produce morbid
changes in its functions.
Causes.--It occurs mostly in women, and usually appears first about the
time of puberty, but the manifestations may continue until the menopause
or even until old age. It occurs in all races. Children under twelve years
are not very often affected. A physician writes: One of the saddest
chapters in the history of human deception, that of the Salem witches,
might be headed, "Hysteria in Children," since the tragedy resulted
directly from the hysterical pranks of girls under twelve years of age.
During late years it has been quite frequent among men and boys. It seems
to occur oftener in the warm and mild climates than in the cold. There are
two predisposing causes that are very important--heredity and education.
Heredity acts by endowing the child with a movable (mobile) abnormally
sensitive nervous organization. Cases are seen most frequently in families
with marked nervous disease tendencies, whose members have suffered from
various sorts of nervous diseases.
[284 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Education.--The proper home education is neglected. Some parents allow
their girls to grow up accustomed to have every whim gratified, abundant
sympathy lavished on every woe, however trifling, and the girl reaches
womanhood with a moral organization unfitted to withstand the cares and
worries of every-day life. And between the ages of twelve and sixteen, the
most important in her life, when the vital energies are absorbed in the
rapid development of the body, the girl is often "cramming" for
examinations and cooped in close schoolrooms for six or eight hours daily;
not only that, but at home she is often practicing and taking lessons on
the piano in connection with the full school work. The result too often is
an active bright mind in an enfeebled body, ill-adapted to subserve the
functions for which it was framed, easily disordered, and prone to act
abnormally to the ordinary stimuli of life.
Direct Influences.--Those influences that directly bring on the attack are
fright, anxiety, grief, love affairs, and domestic worries, especially in
those of a nervous nature. Diseases of the generative organs and organic
diseases in general, and of the nervous system especially, may be causes
of hysteria.
Symptoms.--These may be divided into two classes: 1. Interparoxysmal or
time between the paroxysms (spells). 2. Paroxysmal. During the time of the
attack. First variety--The will power seems defective. In bad cases
self-control is lost. The patient is irritable, and easily annoyed by the
slightest trifle; is very excitable and easily moved to laughter or tears
without any apparent cause for either. Easily discouraged and despondent.
She wants lots of sympathy. Second--Loss of sensation is frequently
present, and it is most commonly one-sided; it may involve certain parts,
as one or two limbs, the trunk escaping, or part of one limb. Various
spots of want of sensation (feeling) may exist. The skin of the affected
side is frequently pale and cool and a pin prick may not cause bleeding.
In some cases they feel the touch of the hand, but there is no feeling
from heat. There may also be oversensitiveness to pain and of the skin. It
may be one-sided or both, or only in spots. The left ovarian region is a
common sensitive point; also over the breasts, lower positions of the
ribs, on top of the head and over many portions of the backbone. Pain in
the head is a very common and distressing symptom, and is usually on the
top. Pain in the back is common. Abdominal pains may be very severe and
the abdomen may be so tender as to be mistaken for peritonitis. Various
parts of the body may have neuralgic pains. There may be intense pain
around the heart. There may be complete blindness, the taste and smell may
be disturbed or complete loss of hearing. Third--Paralysis is frequently
present. It may be one-sided or only of the lower extremities, or only one
limb. The face is usually not involved when it is on one side. The leg is
more affected than the arm. Sensation is lessened or lost on the affected
side. Paralysis of the lower extremities is more frequent than one-sided
paralysis. The power in the limbs hardly ever is entirely lost; the legs
may usually be moved, but the legs give way if the patient tries to stand.
The affected muscles do not waste. The feet are usually extended and turn
inward. Sudden loss of voice occurs in many cases. The paralysis is
generally paroxysmal, and is frequently associated with contractures,
shortening of the muscle. The contractures may come on suddenly or slowly,
and may last minutes, hours, or months, and some cases even years.
Movements of the hands, arms, etc., like the motions in chorea are often
seen in the young. A trembling (tremor) is sometimes seen in these
patients. It most commonly involves the hands and arms, more rarely the
head and legs. These movements are small and quick. Fourth--Swallowing may
be difficult on account of spasms of the muscles of the pharynx. The
larynx may be involved and interfere with respiration. Indigestion in some
form is often present. The stomach and bowels may be very much bloated
with gas. There may be a "phantom tumor" in the intestine (bowel).
Constipation may be very obstinate, vomiting may be present and persistent
and hiccough present. The action of the heart may be irregular, and rapid
heart action is common. The least motion may cause difficult breathing and
false Angina Pectoris (heart pang); the urine is retained not infrequently
in female patients.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 285]
Symptoms of the Paroxysms.--Convulsive seizures are common manifestations
of hysteria, and frequently present a great similarity to epilepsy. The
prodromal (fore-running) symptoms are frequently present and may begin
several days before the convulsion occurs. In milder forms, in which the
cause may be due to a temporary physical exhaustion, or emotional shock,
the fore-running symptoms are of short duration. The patient may become
very nervous, irritable, impatient, have fits of laughing and crying,
alternately, or have a feeling of a chill rising in the throat. The
convulsion follows these symptoms. The patient generally falls in a
comfortable place; consciousness is only apparently lost, for she
frequently remembers what has taken place; the tongue is rarely bitten, In
the milder forms the movements are apt to be disorderly. In the severe
forms the movements are apt to be a lasting contraction of the muscles and
the patient may have the head and feet drawn back and the abdomen drawn
front. There then may follow a condition of ecstacy, sleepiness,
catalepsy, trance, or the patient may show symptoms of a delirium with the
most extraordinary sights of unreal things. These convulsions may last for
several hours or days. Firm pressure over the ovaries may bring on a
convulsion, or if made during a convulsion may arrest it. The disease is
rarely dangerous to life, yet death has followed exhaustion induced by
repeated convulsions or prolonged fasting. The duration of hysteria is
very uncertain.
[286 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
DURING A CONVULSION. The first thing to do is not to be frightened. A
patient in a convulsion from hysteria very seldom injures herself during
the convulsions. If you are sure it is hysteria, give a nasty tasting
medicine, asafoetida is a splendid remedy, but not in pill form, for there
is no taste or smell to them. Sometimes a convulsion may be arrested by
the sudden use of ice to the backbone or abdomen or by dashing cold water
in the face and chest, or by pressing upon the ovaries. When the hysteria
is of a mild form it is sometimes a good plan, when the convulsion comes
on, to place the patient in a comfortable position and then leave her, and
when the patient comes to and finds herself alone and without sympathy,
the attacks are less likely to be repeated. Sometimes if you watch a
patient closely when she is seemingly unconscious, you will see, if you
look at her very guardedly, that one eyelid is not entirely closed, and
that the patient really sees much that is occurring around her. I am
writing of real genuine hysteria, in which the patient is not quite right,
not only physically but mentally,--especially the latter,--during the
attack at least. For that and other reasons such patients should not be
treated cruelly.
Preventive Treatment of Hysteria.--In order to be successful in this line
of treatment the cause must be found and treated. An English physician
writes: "It is pitiable to think of the misery that has been inflicted on
these unhappy victims of the harsh and unjust treatment which has resulted
from false views of the nature of the trouble; on the other hand, worry
and ill-health, often the wrecking of the mind, body and estate, are
entailed upon the near relatives in the nursing of a protracted case of
hysteria. The minor manifestations, attacks of the vapors, the crying and
weeping spells are not of much moment, and rarely require treatment. The
physical condition should be carefully looked into and the mode of life
regulated, so as to insure system and order in everything. A congenial
occupation offers the best remedy for many of these manifestations. Any
functional disturbance should be attended to and a course of tonics
prescribed. Special attention should be paid to the action of the bowels.
The best preventive treatment is the one that is given early, when the
girl is growing from childhood to girlhood. It should be begun even
earlier. A weakly baby should be built up by proper food and outdoor life.
Dainties should not be given to such a child. When the child is old
enough, as some mothers think, to go to kindergarten school, keep the
little one at home. It is plenty early enough to send such a child to
school when she is seven years old. This early school work rushes the
child, makes it nervous. If you should happen to listen to the heart of
many young school children you would find it pounding away at a furious
rate. Do not hurry a weakly child. Do not hurry or rush a young girl even
though she is strong, from the ages of twelve to sixteen years. Our school
system does just that. Instead of taking life easy when she is nearing the
crisis (puberty) or is in that period, she is hurried and rushed and
crammed with her school work; the girl frequently goes to school during
this period, even when she is unwell and sits there for an hour or more
with wet skirts and sometimes wet shoes and stockings. Every day I see
girls of all ages go past my office here in this cultured city of Ann
Arbor, without rubbers, treading through the slush and water. Is it any
wonder they become sickly, become victims of hysteria and suffer from
menstrual disorders? Dysmenorrhea must follow such carelessness, and the
parents are to blame in many cases. Be careful of your children,
especially girls at this age, care less for their intellectual growth, and
pay more attention to their body development, even if it should happen to
be at the expense of their intellectual development. A healthy body is
better than all the knowledge that can be obtained, if it goes, as it too
often does, with a body that is weak and sick. Outdoor life is necessary.
Horseback riding is splendid; walking is also good exercise at a regular
time each day."
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 287]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Hysteria.--If there is any womb trouble, it must
be attended to. There is frequently trouble with the menses in cases of
hysteria. It sometimes comes from anemia or simply comes without any
special reason. Tonics like arsenic, iron, strychnine and cod-liver oil
are needed for anemia. Iron valerate is good, in one grain doses, three
times a day, in this disease, when the patient is not fleshy.
1. The following is recommended by Dr. Goodell:
Of each one scruple (20 grains).
Quinine Valerate
Iron Valerate
Ammonia Valerate
Make into twenty pills. Take one or two pills three times a day.
(This is a good tonic in such cases.)
2. Fowler's Solution of Arsenic in three to five drops doses is frequently
used (three times a day) and is a good lasting tonic in cases where the
patient has a very pale white looking skin.
3. Asafoetida in three to five-grain pills is a splendid tonic in such
cases, and in that form is pleasant to take. Take three during the day,
before meals.
4. Sumbul or musk root is a good remedy. Tincture in one-half dram doses
three times a day. This is good when the patient is very nervous.
5. The following is good when anemia is prominent:
Dried Sulphate of Iron 20 grains
Alcoholic extract of Sumbul 20 grains
Asafoetida 10 grains
Arsenious acid 1/2 grain
Mix thoroughly and make twenty pills, one after each meal.
[288 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
6. Tincture of hops in doses of one-half to two teaspoonfuls is good for
nervousness and sleeplessness, taken at bedtime. It can also be taken
regularly four times a day in from one-half to one teaspoonful doses.
7. General Cautions.--Proper, easily digested foods must be taken. Keep
the bowels open daily. Let trash and dainties alone. Pies, cakes, and rich
foods are an abomination for such patients. Candy is not to be eaten. Let
novels alone. Go to bed at nine and sleep until six or seven. Bathe five
or ten minutes every morning or evening in tepid water or cool water. The
patient should be warmly clothed. Sleep in a pleasant, sunshiny and airy
room. In severe forms of the disease the "Rest Cure" and feeding described
under Nervous Prostration should be used.
EPILEPSY. (Falling Sickness).--This is an affection of the nervous system,
characterized by attacks of unconsciousness, with or without convulsion.
Causes.--In a large proportion of cases the disease begins before puberty.
It rarely begins after twenty-five. It is more liable to attack females
than males. Heredity is thought by some to play a big role. Dr. Osler
says: "In our figures it appears to play a minor role." Another doctor
says: "Heredity plays an important role in the production of the disease.
Besides epilepsy, insanity, migraine, alcoholism, near relationship of
parents (consanguinity) and hysteria are among the more common ancestral
taints observed." All factors which impair the health and exhaust the
nervous system are predisposing causes. Injury to the head often causes
it. Teething, worms, adherent foreskin and clitoris, closing of the
internal opening of the womb, delayed menstruation, are sometimes the
cause.
Symptoms.--There are two distinct types. The major attacks--or "grand
mal"--in which there are severe convulsions with complete loss of
consciousness, etc.; and the minor attacks or "petit mal," in which the
convulsive movements are slight and may be absent, and in which the loss
of consciousness is often but momentary or practically absent. In some the
attacks occur during the day; in others during the night, and they may not
be noticed for a long time.
Characteristic paroxysm of the Major attacks.--This may be ushered in by a
localized sensation, known as the Aura, in some part of the body; but it
may come without any warning and suddenly. The convulsions begin suddenly
and at first are tonic, that is, it does not change but holds on. Thc
patient falls unconscious regardless of the surroundings, and the
unconsciousness may be preceded by an involuntary piercing cry. The head
is drawn back and often turned to the right. The jaws are fixed (tonic
spasm). The fingers are clenched over the thumb and the extremities are
stiff. The breathing is affected and the face looks blue. The urine and
bowel contents may escape; but this occurs oftener in the next stage. This
tonic spasm usually lasts from a few seconds to a half minute when it is
succeeded by the clonic spasm stage.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 289]
Clonic spasm stage.--In this the contraction of the muscles is
intermittent. (Tonic spasm is the opposite condition.) At first there is
trembling, but it gradually becomes more rapid and the limbs are jerked
and patient tosses violently about. The muscles of the face are in
intermittent motion, the eyes roll, the eyelids are opened and closed
convulsively. The jaws move forcibly and strongly, and the tongue is apt
to be caught between the teeth and bitten. The blue look now gradually
decreases. A frothy saliva, which may be bloodstained from the bitten
tongue, escapes from the mouth. The urine and bowel contents may escape
involuntarily. The length of time of this stage is variable. It may last
two minutes. The contraction becomes less violent and the patient
gradually sinks into the condition of deep sleep, when the breathing is
noisy and stertorous, the face looks red and swollen, but no longer
bluish. The limbs loose their stiffness and unconsciousness is profound.
The patient, if left alone, will sleep for some hours and then awakes and
complains only of a dull headache. His mind is apt to be confused. He
remembers nothing or little of what has occurred. Afterwards the patient
may be irrational for some time and even dangerous.
The minor attack or "petit mal."--There is a convulsion; a short period of
unconsciousness, and this may come at any time, and may be accompanied by
a feeling of faintness or vertigo. Suddenly, for example, at dinner time
the person stops talking and eating, the eyes are fixed and staring and
the face is slightly pale. The patient usually drops anything he may be
holding. The consciousness returns in a moment or two and the patient
resumes conversation as if nothing had happened. In other instances there
is a slight incoherency or the patient performs some almost automatic
action. He may begin to undress himself, and on returning to consciousness
find that he has partially disrobed. He may rub his beard or face, or may
spit about in a careless way. An eminent physician states: "One of my
patients, after an attack, was in the habit of tearing anything he could
lay his hands on, particularly books; violent actions have been committed
and assaults made, frequently giving rise to questions which come before
court. In the majority of cases of "petit mal" (light attacks) convulsions
finally occur, at first slight, but ultimately the grand mal (major
attacks) becomes well developed, and the attacks may then alternate."
Recovery.--The authority above goes on to say: "This may be given today in
the words of Hippocrates: 'The prognosis in epilepsy is unfavorable when
the disease is congenital (that is, existing at birth), when it endures to
manhood, and when it occurs in a grown person without any previous cause.
The cure may be attempted in young persons but not in old.' '' Death
rarely occurs during the fit, but it may happen if the patient is eating.
If the attacks are frequent and the patient has marked mental disturbance
the conditions are unfavorable. Males have a better outlook than females.
[290 MOTHERS' REMEDIES ]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--What to do during the Attack of Epilepsy.--Keep
the patient from injuring himself, loosen the clothing, take off the
collar or anything tight about the neck. Place a cork or spool or
tooth-brush handle between the teeth to keep the patient from biting his
tongue, but attach a stout cord to the object and hold it in that way.
Preventive and general treatment.--In the case of children the parents
should be made to understand that in the great majority of cases epilepsy
is incurable. The patients need firm but kind treatment. It does not
render a person incapable of following some occupations. "Julius Caesar
and Napoleon were subjects of epilepsy." The disease causes gradual
impairment of the mind, and if such patients become extremely irritable or
show signs of violence, they should be placed under supervision in an
asylum. A person with this disease should not marry.
Diet.--Give the patient a light diet at regular hours, and the stomach
should never be overloaded. There are cases in which meat is injurious,
and it should not be eaten more than once a day and at noon time. A
vegetable diet seems best. The patient should not go to sleep until the
digestion is completed in the stomach.
Causes.--Should be removed if possible. Circumcision should be done,
especially in the young. In case of a female child the "hood of the
clitoris" should be kept free. Undue mental and physical excitement should
be avoided. Systematic exercise should be taken. Baths in cold water in
the morning, if possible, as the skin should be in good working condition.
Medicines.--The bromides are the best, and should always be given under
proper supervision of a physician or nurse.
Caution.--I wish to add that parents should always attend to the seemingly
harmless "fits" in their young children. It will not do to say they are
due to teething or worms. If they are, the worms at least can be treated
and that cause removed. They may be due to too tight opening in the penis.
If that opening is small, or if the foreskin is tight it will make the
child irritable and cause restless sleep. Attend to that immediately. The
same advice applies to female children. The "cover" of the "clitoris" may
be tight, making the little one nervous; loosen it. If your child keeps
its fingers rubbing its private organs there is reason for you to have the
parts examined and the cause removed as masturbation often starts in that
way. The parts itch and the child tries to stop the itching. These little
things often cause "big things" and I am sure "fits" can be stopped very
often by looking after the private organs in both sexes.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 291]
SHAKING PALSY. (Paralysis Agitans).--This is a chronic affection of the
nervous system, characterized by muscular weakness, trembling and
rigidity.
Causes.--It usually occurs after the fortieth year, and is more common in
men than in women. The exciting causes are exposure to cold and wet,
business worries, anxieties, violent emotional excitement and specific
fevers.
Symptoms.--The four prominent symptoms are trembling, weakness, rigidity,
and a peculiar attitude. It generally develops gradually, usually in one
or the other hand. There is at first a fine trembling, beginning in the
hands or feet, gradually extending to the arms, the legs and sometimes the
whole body. The head is not involved so frequently. This trembling
(tremor) consists of rapid, uniform "shakings." At first it may come in
spells, but as the disease advances it is continuous. Any excitement makes
it worse. It is very marked in the hands. The trembling generally ceases
during sleep. The muscles become rigid and shortened; the head is bent and
the body is bent forward; the arms are flexed (bent) and the thumbs are
turned into the palms and grasped by the fingers; the legs are bent,
movement soon becomes impaired and the extremities show some stiffness in
motion. There is great weakness of the muscles and it is most marked,
where the trembling is most developed. There is no expression on the face,
and the person has a slow and measured speech. The walk is very peculiar,
and in attempting to walk the steps are short and hurried. The steps
gradually become faster and faster, while the body is bent forward and the
patient must keep on going faster to keep from falling. It is difficult to
go around in a short circle. The patient cannot change his position in bed
easily. The mind is rarely affected.
Recovery.--It is an incurable disease. It may run on for twenty years or
more. There may be times of improvement, but the tendency is to grow,
gradually worse.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Shaking Palsy.--This is simply to make the
patient as comfortable as possible. Regulate the diet. The patient should
not worry or have much exercise. Frequent warm baths are sometimes
beneficial with gentle massage of the muscles.
APHASIA.--A partial or total inability to express thoughts in words or to
interpret perceptions.
Varieties.--Motor and sensory aphasia.
Causes.--Softening of the brain, tumors of the brain, lesions in syphilis
especially, hemorrhage in the brain, blows on the head, and inflammation
of the brain and its covering.
Symptoms of Motor Aphasia.--The patient cannot make the muscles of the
larynx, tongue, palate and lips perform their functions and produce
speech. The patient knows what he wishes to say, but cannot pronounce it.
This may be complete or partial. Complete, when the patient can only utter
separate sounds. Partial, when the words are only slightly mispronounced
and when some certain words cannot be pronounced at all. In some cases,
nouns only or verbs cannot be pronounced. Agraphia, means inability to
write down the thoughts. Sensory aphasia: word deafness. This is an
inability to interpret spoken language. The sound of the word is not
recognized and cannot be recalled; but sounds such as that of an engine
whistle, or an alarm clock, are heard and recognized. Word-blindness: the
person cannot interpret written language. Pharaphrasia: cannot use the
right word in continued speech; the patient uses words but misplaces them.
[292 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Recovery depends a great deal upon the cause.
Treatment.--Treat the cause. If from syphilis, iodide of potash and
mercury. If from an injury or tumors, operate if possible. Teach the
patient how to speak, read and write. The result of this often gives you a
pleasant surprise.
[Illustration: Hand Nerves.]
WRITERS' CRAMP. Causes.--This occurs much oftener in men than in women,
and usually between the ages of twenty-five and forty. The predisposing
causes are a nervous constitution, heredity, alcoholism, worry, etc. The
chief exciting cause,--excessive writing, especially when it is done
under a strain.
Symptoms.--It usually begins with fatigue, weight, or actual pain in the
affected muscles. In the spasm form the fingers are seized with a constant
or intermittent spasm whenever the person grasps the pen. The neuralgic
form is similar in symptoms but severe pain and fatigue comes with
writing. The tremulous form: In this the hand when used becomes the seat
of the decided tremor. The paralytic form: The chief symptoms are
excessive weakness and fatigue of the part and these disappear when the
pen is laid aside.
Recovery.--If taken in time and if the hand is allowed perfect rest, the
condition may improve rapidly. There is, however, a tendency to recur.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Writers' Cramps.--There must be absolute rest of
the hand. General tonics, such as iron, strychnine, arsenic, and cod-liver
oil may be needed to tone up the system.
APOPLEXY. (Cerebral Hemorrhage). (Brain Hemorrhage). Causes.--Bleeding
(hemorrhage) into the brain substance is almost always due to an affection
of the walls of the large or small arteries of the brain, producing
rupture and subsequent bleeding. Persons of fifty or over are more subject
to it, and it is more common in men than in women. Any disease that will
cause degeneration of the arteries, helps to cause it, such as nephritis,
rheumatism, syphilis, gout and alcoholism. Nephritis is one of the most
certain causes, because arterio-sclerosis (hardening and decaying of the
walls of the arteries) and hypertrophy of the heart are associated with
nephritis, etc.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 293]
Direct Causes.--Straining at stool, heavy lifting, anger, rage, fright,
etc.; paroxysm of whooping-cough or convulsions may cause it in children.
Symptoms.--Sometimes the patient experiences headache, dizziness, paleness
or flushing of the face, fullness in the head, ringing in the ears, etc.,
temporary attacks of numbness or peculiar tingling in one-half of the
body. When the bleeding takes place there is usually loss of
consciousness. In the attack:--If the bleeding is extensive the patient
falls suddenly into coma, and this may soon prove fatal. If the bleeding
is slight at first and gradually increases, the patient is delirious at
first, then one arm, then one side, and finally the whole body may become
paralyzed, and unconsciousness, and even death may come from the paralysis
of the heart and breathing nerve centers. In many cases the patient falls
unconscious without previous warning. The face is red, the eyes injected,
the lips are blue, the pulse is full and slow, and the breathing is slow
and deep. The head and eyes may be strongly turned to the injured side.
The pupils may be unequal. The paralysis may not be noticed while the
patient is unconscious and is quiet. The urine and the bowels contents may
pass involuntarily or the urine may be retained. Sometimes when the case
is very grave the patient does not awake from his deep sleep (coma); the
pulse becomes very feeble, respiration becomes changed, mucus collects in
the throat, and death may occur in a few hours or days. In other cases the
clot in the brain is gradually absorbed, and the patient slowly returns to
consciousness. Sometimes relapses occur. In mild cases instead of deep
coma, there may be only headache, faintness, nausea and vomiting.
Subsequent Symptoms.--When the patient improves, consciousness returns,
but there remains a half-side paralysis, hemiplegia, on the side and
opposite to that of the seat of the injury in the brain. It may not take
in the whole side, only a part. The gait is peculiar. In walking the
patient supports the paralyzed arm. In many cases the paralyzed parts
gradually regain their functions in a few weeks, but not always complete.
The leg improves more than the arm. There is danger of other attacks. When
the sleep (coma) is very deep, the breathing is embarrassed, with vomiting
and prolonged half-consciousness and extension and complete paralysis,
the danger to life is great.
What can I do at once? Loosen the clothing around the neck and waist.
Raise the head and shoulders and put cold to the head (ice bag if you have
it) and warmth to the feet, legs and hands. Watch the bladder closely. The
urine must be drawn frequently in this disease, especially if there is
much paralysis. It may dribble away, but that is not enough. Look out for
bed sores, especially if the sickness is a long one.
[294 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
APOPLEXY. 1. Mothers' Remedies, Simple yet Effective Remedy for.--"Place
the feet of the patient in hot water and mustard," This is a very simple
treatment for such a serious disease, but very often will relieve as the
hot bath will cause a reaction, take the pressure of blood from the brain
and by this means has been known to save many lives.
2. Apoplexy, Simple Injection for.-"Place dry salt on the tongue and give
an injection as follows:
Warm water 1 quart
Common salt 2 teaspoonfuls
Brandy 1/2 ounce
This injection is recommended for any kind of a shock which affects
the circulation."
The injection of the bowels will relieve the congestion by drawing the
blood away from the brain.
Medical treatment must be to regulate the diet, bowels, kidneys, and
stomach. Restore the general health.
Caution.--A person who has had an attack of this kind may have another.
The mode of life must be changed in most cases. The patient must take
things easy. The bowels, kidneys, stomach, and liver must work naturally
and the stomach must not be overloaded. Too much meat must not be eaten;
alcohol must be let alone; rich foods are prohibited. Hurry, worry, anger,
fright, excitement, etc., are bad. Be lazy, take life easy, do not get
over-heated, and sleep, sleep, SLEEP,--in a room where there is plenty of
good air. Do not lift or strain to have a passage of the bowels. Stooping
is injurious. The blood must be kept from the head. Take proper care and
you are likely to live years longer. And now you may wonder why I give
such cautions. Apoplexy is directly due to a breaking of the wall of a
blood vessel, large or small; due to a weakening, or decay, or
degeneration of the wall. This lets the blood into the substance of the
brain and presses upon the nerve centers, causing the trouble and
paralysis. Any wrong action tends to fill the blood vessels very full and
the weakened wall bursts.
PALSY. Paralysis.--A loss of movement, entire or partial, in the voluntary
muscles of the body. When this loss of power is complete it is called
paralysis; when it is not complete, paresis.
Causes.--Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, tumors in these parts,
accidents and injuries, poisons, apoplexy, etc.
Symptoms.--The patient cannot make all the usual motions of the part. The
affected muscles may waste after a time.
Different Varieties.--
(a) Paralysis of the ocular (eye) muscles.--The vision becomes double, the
eyelids do not act normally, may droop. The eye may not move in every
direction as it should.
(b) Paralysis of the muscles of mastication (eating). Symptoms.--If
paralysis is only on one side, it is difficult to chew; if on both sides,
chewing is impossible. The jaw hangs down.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 295]
(c) Paralysis of the facial (face) muscle.--This is a rather common
occurrence, and is due to exposure to wet, and cold, diseases of the
middle ear, tumors, etc. Symptoms:--The eyelids do not close tightly, and
tears are continually trickling over the cheek; the corner of the mouth
droops and the saliva runs out, etc. The mild cases last two or three
weeks; the severe form from four to six weeks; the worst cases usually
recover in a long time.
(d) Paralysis of the muscles of the upper extremity.--There are various
and many symptoms, but with all there is the same loss of the usual
motion. That particular muscle does not do its special work; for instance,
if the paralysis is of the deltoid muscle of the arm and shoulder, it is
not possible to raise the arm, usually pain in the shoulder. The muscle
soon wastes and the head of the arm bone (humerus) falls away from the
shoulder, etc.
(e) Paralysis of the muscles of the lower extremities.--Paralysis of the
"Gluteus Maximus and Minimus." (Hip muscles). Lifting up of the thigh is
difficult and so is walking up hill or rising from sitting position. The
toes are turned out. The other muscles may be paralyzed and simply cannot
do their usual duty.
(f) Toxic (poison) paralysis. Lead paralysis.--It is hard to extend the
fingers. The lead line is shown on the gums.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Palsy.--Remove the cause. Give salts and iodide
of potash. Paralysis from arsenic, mercury, zinc or copper:--The symptoms
are those of neuritis and are greatly similar in each kind. The spongy
gums show mercury; the puffy face and diarrhea show arsenic poison. Remove
the cause.
CONGESTION OF THE BRAIN. (Diseases of the Cerebral (Brain) Circulation).
(Hyperaemia).--The brain is too full of blood.
Causes. For Active Congestion.--Over-exertion in study, etc.; chronic
pletbora (too much blood in the blood vessels); from constant use of
alcohol, tobacco, amyl nitrite, and from the stomach.
For passive congestion.--Local obstruction to the return of blood from the
brain. Prolonged mental and physical exertion with excesses and irregular
living may cause it.
Symptoms of active kind.--Head feels warm, face is red, the arteries in
the neck beat hard, violent headache, ears ringing, very restless and does
not sleep well.
Symptoms of the passive form.--The headache is not so great; there may be
stupor, drowsiness and dull intellect and very sleepy.
Recovery.--Favorable if the cause is removed.
Treatment for active congestion.--Keep the patient absolutely quiet in a
dark, well aired room, with the head and shoulders raised, an ice bag or
cold cloths to the head and warm applications to the hands and feet. A
warm foot bath will aid in drawing the blood away from the head. Give
salts (salines) to move the bowels. These take away a great deal of water
from the blood and aid in relieving the congestion of the head.
[296 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Treatment for passive congestion.--Remove the cause if possible. Give a
light nutritious diet; prohibit alcohol in any form; keep the bowels
regular.
CEREBRAL ANEMIA. (Too little blood in the brain). Causes.--Heart disease,
general anemia, and mental excitement.
Symptoms.--"Fainting spells," dizziness, the ears ring and there are spots
before the eyes; nausea and vomiting may go ahead of the fainting spells.
The face is pale, the pupils are dilated, the pulse is small and feeble,
and there may be cold sweating on the body. If you can remove the cause
the result is favorable.
Treatment.--For the fainting fits:--Place the patient in the "lying down"
position and this frequently restores consciousness; loosen any tight
clothes, corset, waist, collar, etc. Give plenty of fresh air and do not
crowd. Keep quiet yourself; do not get excited. In mild cases, mild
stimulants may be necessary. Let the patient smell of camphor, put a cloth
with camphor or ammonia near the nose. In other cases amylnitrite and
strychnine may be necessary. Small doses of whisky or brandy frequently
help. Remove the cause. Give tonics for general anemia.
TUMORS OF THE BRAIN AND INFLAMMATION, Abscess, etc. Abscess.
Causes.--This is always secondary and comes from some other part of the
body. It comes often in young and middle life and is more common in males
than in females. The most frequent cause is inflammation of the ear and
the next is from fracture of the skull bones. It may be large or small.
Symptoms.--May come slowly or quickly. After an injury to the head the
symptoms may come on suddenly such as intense headache, delirium,
vomiting, chills, high fever, and sometimes convulsions, and a very deep
seeming sleep (coma). In chronic cases the symptoms are not so severe.
Treatment.--An operation if the abscess can be reached. If not, an ice bag
should be applied to the head; quiet the distress with narcotics.
TUMORS OF THE BRAIN.--Varieties in order of their frequency. Gumma,
tuberculous tumors, glioma, sarcoma, cancer, etc.
Causes. Predisposing.--Men are about twice as often affected as women
until fifty and then it is about equal. It is more frequent in early adult
life. The exciting causes are blows and severe emotional shock.
Gumma (in third stage of Syphilis) appear as a round, yellow, cheesy mass,
usually beginning in the membranes and are usually seen between thirty and
fifty. They come from syphilis.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 297]
Tuberculous tumors. These appear as hard masses and vary in size. They may
be single or many, and are situated in any part of the brain. More than
half of the tumors appearing in children are of this variety.
Glioma. "Glue-tumor." They come from tissue forming the basis of the
supporting framework of the nervous tissue. This kind occurs often in the
young.
Sarcoma and Cancer are rare.
Symptoms.--The most of the growths start in the membranes of the brain,
and by compressing a certain part of the brain they produce their special
symptoms such as headache, vomiting, inflammation of the nerves of the
eye, double vision, blindness, the memory impaired, dullness and apathy,
an irritable temper, and sometimes become demented. There is often vertigo
or a sense of giddiness. There may be convulsions, and paralysis of some
muscles. A general tuberculosis tendency or history of syphilis will help
to make the diagnosis. In children it is more likely to be tuberculous.
The result is more favorable in tuberculous growths in children and
syphilitic tumors in adults. It may last from a few months to three years
in a bad case.
Treatment.--For gumma, caused by syphilis, iodide of potash and mercury
should be given. In both kinds, syphilitic and tuberculous, a nutritious
diet and general tonic treatment, such as cod-liver oil, iron, arsenic,
and quinine should be given. The bowels must be kept open and special
attention given to the digestion.
For headache.--Ice bags, cold to the head, mustard to the nape of the
neck.
For Vomiting.--Mustard over the stomach. Surgery is necessary for some
tumors that can be reached. You will naturally depend upon your attending
physician for advice and treatment.
SYPHILIS OF THE BRAIN. Causes.--The symptoms of syphilis of the brain,
belong to the third stage of the disease, and are rarely ever observed
until at least one year or longer from the time of the first lesion
(chancre). It may be from ten to twenty years coming on. Both sexes are
equally liable, and it may come at any age. Syphilis may produce a
circumscribed tumor, a disease of the arteries or a general hardened
infiltration of the brain. The tumors are small, yellowish, and cheesy in
the center. They originate in the "Dura Mater" (covering) and spread to
the brain structure proper. The disease of the arteries causes a
thickening of these vessels, a narrowing of the blood channel in them,
thus producing a clot.
Symptoms.--Of gumma (syphilis tumors) at the base of the brain, are
persistent headache, worse at night; sleeplessness, depression of the
mind, memory impaired, vertigo, sometimes vomiting and paralysis of some
of the nerves (third and sixth pairs). Violent convulsions, like epilepsy,
appear in some cases.
[298 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Symptoms when arteries are diseased.--Temporary loss of speech, numbness
or weakness in one limb, the sight is disturbed, or vertigo; and, when the
clot (thrombus) appears, symptoms of apoplexy, This is a common variety of
syphilis of the brain.
How to tell what the disease is.--The history of the patient will help. An
apoplexy in a young person would suggest syphilis.
Recovery.--The chances are better when the disease forms gumma (tumors)
than when the blood vessels are diseased.
Treatment.--Should be begun and properly carried on when the person has
the primary sore (chancre), and then these after troubles may not follow.
This is one of the diseases where the victim reaps a big harvest on
account of the sexual sin, and in order to escape the bad results for
himself, etc. he should go through a regular course of treatment when he
first contracts the disease, perhaps for a year or more, This treatment
should last as a rule for some years. It is late to begin when the brain
symptoms show brain involvement. For this there must be radical and
careful treatment with mercury and iodide of potash; with tonics and
general building up treatment, and then even if the patient lives he may
be a nuisance to himself and others.
GENERAL PARESIS. (Paretic dementia. General Paralysis of the Insane.
Softening of the Brain).--This belongs under diseases of the mind, but
there are so many cases that a description of this disease may be
instructive and interesting. One author says: "General paresis is a
chronic, progressive, diffuse, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain),
resulting in structural changes in the cerebral (brain) tissue, with
involvement of the cortical, and meningeal, (covering) blood and lymph
vessels, presenting characteristic symptoms, with progressive course and
fatal termination usually within three years." There are three stages:--1.
The period of incubation (the prodromal stage). 2. A stage of pronounced
mono-maniac activity with symptoms of paralysis. 3. Stage of extreme
enfeeblement with diminution and final loss of power. These stages run
into each other. First stage in a typical case:--There are tremblings and
slight trouble in speech and expression of the face. The mind has exalted
and excited spells, etc.
Symptoms.--The patient is irritable. The mental and moral character is
unstable. His affairs are in confusion. He uses bad language, neglects his
family, goes with drunkards and bad women, makes indecent proposals to
respectable women of his acquaintance without realizing that it is
improper. He cannot keep his mind on one thing. Speech is a little thick,
indistinct and hesitating. Syllables are dropped or repeated, speech
finally becomes undistinguishable. He is very excited; he thinks he is
persecuted. He is a big fellow generally. He is a king, he is rich and
mighty. This is the usual run. As the disease progresses he becomes
feeble-minded more and more so continually. Persistent insomnia comes on
early and frequently recurring, one-sided headache often goes with it.
Sometimes there is an uncontrollable desire to sleep. Loss of
consciousness is an early symptom. After severe attacks there may be
one-sided paralysis (hemiplegia) which usually disappears in a few hours
or days. Convulsions like epilepsy may appear early, but usually occur in
the later stages. The pupils are mostly dilated, rarely contracted, and
they are often unequal and react slowly to light. When the tongue is
protruded it trembles and is put out in a jerky manner. The hands tremble,
in the advanced stage. The speech is jerky and slow. Syllables are dropped
and repeated. One early symptom is retention of the urine. There is
another annoying symptom--a constant grinding of the teeth. The walk is
very spasmodic, but in advanced stages it becomes slouching or dragging.
The skin may be red or blue. When the feeble-mindedness is fully developed
the mind does not perceive anything accurately. He sees imaginary things,
and things that he does see do not appear to him as they are. Finally he
has no mind.
Treatment.--The end is sure. You can relieve the distress partly. Personal
attention by a physician is needed.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 299]
INSOMNIA.--Insomnia is not a disease, but a symptom of disease. It may,
however, become so active, prominent, and important a symptom as to
constitute a condition which merits individual management and treatment.
Definition.--Insomnia is the term employed to denote actual or absolute
sleeplessness, and also lack of fully restful sleep, which might be termed
relative sleeplessness.
Causes.--Organic causes. Disease of the brain and spinal cord. Toxic
causes due to poison circulating in the blood which by irritation of the
brain and cord (axis) and especially of the brain, cause such diseases as
nephritis (chronic), jaundice, typhoid fever and consumption.
Primary causes. Depend upon insanity.
Nervous or simplest causes.--These are present in nervous persons and
comprise the two conditions of congestion and anemia of the brain. The
brain congestion is typified by the nerve-tire of the student; over-study
and anxiety bring too much blood to the brain and necessarily too much
activity and then insomnia. Anemia of the brain acts in the opposite
manner. The brain cells are not properly nourished and hence irritated,
and sleeplessness follows.
SLEEPLESSNESS. Mothers' Remedies. 1. Hop Pillow Stops.--"People affected
in this way will be very much benefited by the use of a pillow composed of
hops, or cup of warm hop tea on retiring. The hops have a very soothing
effect upon the nerves."
2. Sleeplessness, Easy and Simple Remedy for.--"On going to bed, take some
sound, as a clock-tick or the breathing of some one within hearing, and
breathe long breaths, keeping time to the sound. In a very short time you
will fall asleep, without any of the painful anxieties attending
insomnia."
[300 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
3. Sleeplessness, Ginger at Bedtime for.--"Ginger tea taken at bedtime
soothes one to sleep," This is a very good remedy when the stomach is at
fault. It stimulates this organ and produces a greater circulation,
thereby drawing the blood from the head. This will make the patient feel
easier and sleep will soon follow.
4. Sleeplessness, Milk Will Stop.--"Sip a glass of hot milk just before
retiring. This is very soothing to the nerves, and a good stimulant for
the stomach,"
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--Remove the cause and be careful in using drugs. In
the organic kind the treatment is not very successful. In the toxic kind
drugs must be given to correct other diseases and also tonics given. For
brain congestion and anemia kind other means must be used first, and the
drugs as the last resort. Treatment of the congestive insomnia.--1. Hot or
warm general body-baths are very advantageous to stimulate the circulation
and restore its balance alike in congestion and anemic cases. After such
baths the patient must go to bed at once and not get chilled in cold rooms
or by drafts. They must be properly covered and kept warm.
2. Cold spongings, cold shower baths, or cold plunge baths are given when
the hot or warm bath does not produce the correct result. If this does not
depress it is better than the warm bath. The person should be rubbed with
warm rough towels until the skin is aglow. If he feels rested and quieted,
the reaction is proper; if depressed, the treatment is too vigorous and
not suitable.
3. The patient should stand ankle deep in a tub of hot water and a "drip
sheet," from water at 75 to 80 degrees temperature, thrown over him. Then
rub the patient's back and abdomen hard and a general brisk rub-down
immediately after leaving the tub. This treatment should quiet, not excite
or depress.
4. The cold abdominal pack is valuable. Flannel is wrung out in water, 75
to 80 degrees temperature and laid in several thicknesses upon the
abdomen; place a dry towel over this, cover all with oiled silk,
overlapping widely in order to protect the bed. Tie or bandage all this
firmly. The effect of this work is first that of a cold then of a warm
poultice.
5. Exercise. This should be in the open air when possible. A fast walk,
horseback ride or ride on bicycle for a half hour before bedtime, followed
by a rub-down will frequently give a good sleep. Dumb-bell, Indian club
exercise, chest weight, are good in some cases.
Diet.--A light easily digested supper is often better than a heavy meal.
Sometimes a little eaten before bed-time will give sleep. A piece of
toast, for instance. It draws the blood from the brain and more to the
stomach.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 301]
Medicines. If you must use them.--The bromides are the best. Sodium and
strontium bromide are first choice. Twenty to thirty grains in water
one-half hour before retiring. Chloral hydrate should not be used often.
Sulphonal, trional, etc., should always be given with a little food-never
alone. Sometimes bread pills do just as well.
ANEMIC CONGESTION. Diet.--A light supper before retiring, like hot milk,
broths, milk punch, etc., will very frequently promote sleep by removing
the cause and quickening the circulation. Give nutritious, easy food to
digest. The baths are not so valuable for this kind of insomnia. A cold
sponge bath or plunge may be of service.
Medicines.--Tonics are needed here as in regular anemia. The patient must
be carefully treated, and very many of these cases can be cured. The
patient must render all the aid he can give, and the physician should gain
his confidence. If he does he will not need to give much medicine to put
the patient to sleep, and if he does give it he can frequently use a
Placebo with the same effect. Mind has an influence over mind. By
"Placebo" is meant any harmless substance, as bread-pills, given to soothe
the patient's anxiety rather than as a remedy.
SLEEP WALKING.--There is a tendency to sleep walking in some families,
often more than one child will do this to a greater or less extent. It is
very extreme in some cases, and the next morning they do not know anything
about it. The person is very seldom hurt and he can do some dizzy things.
Many persons walk about in their sleeping room or simply get out of bed.
Fatigue, worry, poor sleep, restlessness, nervousness, a hearty late
dinner are aggravating causes. As age advances and the person becomes
stronger, the patient will do less of it.
Treatment.--Avoid over-eating, worry, over-study. The evening should be
spent quietly. Such persons had better drop parties, late hours or
anything that tends to cause worry, fatigue or nervousness.
STAMMERING.--This may be inherited to some extent; excitement,
nervousness, bodily fatigue, want of rest, etc., make it worse.
MOTHER'S REMEDY. 1. Stammering, Easy Cure for.--"Read aloud in a room an
hour each day. Repeat each word slowly and distinctly."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--The person should be taught early to talk slowly,
and to do everything to control himself and not get nervous. There are
schools for this trouble, and they seem to do good work. They teach the
patients how to speak slowly, distinctly and to keep their minds off of
themselves.
HICCOUGH.--This is caused by intermittent, sudden contraction of the
diaphragm; obstinate hiccough is a very distressing symptom and sometimes
it is hard to control.
302 MOTHERS' REMEDIES
Causes.--Inflammatory causes. It is seen in gastritis, peritonitis,
hernia, appendicitis, and in severe forms of typhoid fever. Irritative
causes. Swallowing hot substances, local disease of the gullet near the
diaphragm, and in many cases of stomach trouble and bowel disorder,
especially when associated with gas (flatus). Specific causes: Gout,
diabetes or chronic Bright's disease. Nervous (Neurotic) causes. Hysteria,
epilepsy, shock, or brain tumors.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Hiccough. Vinegar for.--"One teaspoonful vinegar
sipped carefully (so it will not strangle the patient) will stop them
almost instantly."
2. Hiccough, Sugar and Vinegar Stops.--"A few drops of strong vinegar
dropped on a lump of sugar and held in the mouth until dissolved, will
stop most cases of hiccoughs."
3. Hiccough, Sugar Will Relieve Patient of.--"Place a little dry sugar on
the end of the tongue and hold the breath. I have tried this remedy after
others have failed and obtained instant relief."
4. Hiccough, Simple Remedy for.--"Have patient hold both ears closed with
the fingers, then give them three swallows cold water while they hold
their breath."
5. Hiccough, Home Remedy to Stop.--"Take nine swallows of cold water while
holding the breath."
6. Hiccough. Vinegar Stops.--"One teaspoonful of vinegar thickened with
sugar and eaten slowly."
7. Hiccough, Cinchona Bark in Peppermint Stops.--"Put about one-fourth
teaspoonful of cinchona bark, powdered in two ounces of peppermint water,
and give one teaspoonful every five or ten minutes until relieved, or
three drops of camphor and aqua ammonia in wineglassful of water," These
remedies are very good when the stomach is at fault, as they have a
stimulating effect.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--Sudden start may check it in the light forms. Ice,
a teaspoonful of salt and lemon juice may be tried. Inhalations of
chloroform often relieve. Strong retraction of the tongue may give
immediate relief. Spirits of camphor, one teaspoonful. Tincture of cayenne
pepper one to two drops in water. Ten grains of musk by the rectum.
Hoffman's anodyne one teaspoonful in ice water is very good.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 303]
INJURIES TO THE HEAD. Concussion or Laceration of the Brain.--The brain
may be injured by a blow on the head, or indirectly by falling fully upon
the feet or sitting down hard upon the buttocks.
Symptoms.--The person who is injured may lose his balance and fall, become
pale, confused, and giddy, may have nausea and vomiting and recover. If
the injury is more severe and there is a tear of the membranes of the
brain or the brain itself, the patient will fall and lie quietly with a
feeble and fluttering heart, cold, clammy skin, and apparent
unconsciousness; he can be roused by shouting but will not reply
intelligently. He will be able to move his limbs. The urine and contents
of the bowels will be passed involuntarily. As he gets better he may
vomit. He may soon return to entire consciousness, but still suffer from
some headache, feel wearied, and tired, and not feel like exerting
himself. This may continue for some time. Occasionally the results are
more serious even after a long time has passed, and an abscess of the
brain should be watched for, sometimes epilepsy or insanity follows. If
the patient grows worse instead of recovering, either deep seeming sleep
sets in or symptoms of inflammation of the covering (meninges) or the
brain itself follows. Such injuries must be carefully watched, for you can
not tell at first how severe they may prove to be.
TREATMENT. What to do First.--Put the patient to bed without any pillow,
and put around his body hot water bottles or bags, suitably covered. He
should be kept quiet and free from excitement, and sleep should be
encouraged. Hot water or ice water, when awake, as is most agreeable to
the patient, may be given. Aromatic spirit of ammonia, during the shock is
better for the patient to take than alcohol, for alcohol excites the
brain; dose, one-half to two drams; the former can be given every ten
minutes in a little water for about three doses. Surgical treatment may be
necessary at any time.
INJURIES OF THE SPINAL CORD. Concussion of the Spine.--A severe jarring of
the body followed by a group of spinal symptoms supposed to be due to some
minute changes in the cord, of an unknown nature.
Causes.--Severe concussion may result from railway accidents or violent
bending of the body, fall from a house, blow on the back, jumping, etc.
Symptoms.--May come on suddenly, when it is due to a jar of the brain as
well as the cord. Loss of consciousness, complete paralysis, small pulse,
collapse, and within a few hours death may follow. In other cases
improvement, though very slow, follows. Walking is difficult and the upper
extremities are weak in these cases. There are pain and tenderness along
the spine. Brain symptoms, such as headache, dizziness and fainting, may
be present or absent.
Treatment.--Absolute rest from the beginning, stimulants if necessary,
electricity is useful.
TRAUMATISM OF THE CORD. (Blows, etc.).--(Fractures and dislocations,
gunshot and stab wounds, etc.).
Symptoms.--They differ according to the place where the cord is injured.
The motion and feeling power may be disturbed. There may be sudden
complete paralysis of the upper and lower extremities depending on how
severely the cord is injured, and how high up the injury is. The bladder
and rectum may not act properly. The contents may be retained or
"run-away." Death follows sooner or later if the injury is extensive. In
some cases the symptoms are slight in the beginning, but increase in a few
days, or they may suddenly increase a few months afterwards. In other
cases, bad symptoms at first may gradually abate which is due to the blood
clot having been absorbed.
[304 MOTHERS' REMEDIES ]
Recovery depends upon the extent of the injury and the constitution of the
patient. It is always well to be careful about expressing an opinion about
this injury.
Treatment. Immediate.--Surgical treatment is necessary. Absolute rest is a
necessity, and must be had for weeks according to the severity of the
case. It may seem long and become tedious, but the case must have rest for
a long time.
ORGANIC DISEASES OF THE SPINAL CORD. Caisson Disease; Divers' Paralysis.
Causes.--This affection occurs in divers, bridge builders, and others who
are subject to increased atmospheric pressure. The symptoms develop on
coming suddenly to the surface when the atmospheric pressure is greatly
lessened.
Symptoms.--They usually occur on the return to the surface of the water,
or after a few hours have passed. There are pains in the ears and joints
and nose-bleed. The pulse is slow and strong. Neuralgia of the stomach and
vomiting often occur. Paralysis of one side, or of the lower extremities
may occur. Brain symptoms may develop and death may follow in a few hours.
In most cases recovery takes place in a few days or weeks.
Treatment.--Persons who are engaged in such work should change very
gradually from a great depth to the surface, and should not go into the
outer air suddenly.
MYELITIS.--Myelitis is an inflammation of the spinal cord.
Causes.--It may occur at any age, and is more common in male than in
female. The exciting causes are prolonged exposure to severe colds, too
great mental and physical exertion, sexual excess, blows, bleeding into
the cord, alcoholic excess, acute infectious diseases, syphilis, etc.
Symptoms.--These depend upon the location of the inflammation and the
severity. The onset may be sudden or gradual--when it is sudden, there may
be a chill followed by a fever of 101 to 103 degrees--general feeling of
illness, loss of appetite, with coated tongue and constipation. There may
be over-sensitiveness to pain and touch. Pain may radiate from the back
into the limbs, with numbing and tingling of the limbs. The urine may be
retained or may dribble away. Usually there is obstinate constipation.
There is frequently the feeling of a band around the body. Paralysis may
follow in the lower extremities and higher up, sometimes, depending upon
how high up in the cord the inflammation exists. This paralysis may cause
no motion of the limbs or produce an exaggerated contracting of the
affected muscles, the knees being drawn up on the abdomen and the heels
touching the buttocks.
[NERVOUS DISEASES 305]
Recovery.--Chances for recovery depend upon the cause. Most cases are
chronic and may last for years.
Treatment.--Treatment depends also upon the cause. Rest in bed;
counter-irritation, wet cupping, with care on account of bed sores. A
water-bed from the first may prevent bed-sores. The urine must be drawn if
it is retained. The medical treatment must be carefully given and a
physician of experience should be obtained.
LOCOMOTOR ATAXIA. Tabes dorsalis. Posterior Spinal Sclerosis).--A
hardening (sclerosis) affecting the posterior parts of the spinal cord and
characterized by incoordination, which means a condition where a person is
unable to produce voluntary muscular movements; for instance, of the legs,
etc., loss of deep reflexes to bend them back; disturbances of nutrition
and sensation, and various affections of sight.
Causes.--This is a disease of adult life, persons under twenty-five being
rarely affected, and is more common in men than women (ten to one).
Sometimes children suffering from hereditary syphilis have it. The chief
predisposing cause is syphilis which precedes it in from seventy to
eighty-five of the cases according to various authorities. Exposure to
cold and wet, sexual and alcoholic excesses, mineral poisoning, and great
physical exertion also exciting causes.
Symptoms.--These are numerous. They appear in succession and with the same
regularity.
Stages.--Stages of pain; the stage of ataxia, peculiar gait; and the state
of paralysis.
1. Prodromal or forerunning; the stage of pain.--This consists of
lightning-like pains in the lower extremities, numbness, formication
(feeling of ants, etc., crawling), sensation of dead extremities; pins and
needles in the soles of the feet and fingers, coldness, itching of arms
and scrotum or other parts, a sensation of constriction around the chest,
headache, pain in the small of the back and loins of an aching character
may occur. These symptoms may constitute the only evidence of locomotor
ataxia and last for years; but sooner or later there are added absence of
knee cap bone reflex (knee jerk), and immobility of the pupil. The loss of
the knee jerk is always observed in time. The pupil fails to respond to
light while it still accommodates for distance, called Argyll Roberston
pupil. There may be imperfect control of the bladder with slow, dripping
or hasty urination. Later the control is not imperfect, but it may be
painful. Inflammation of the bladder may occur which is dangerous. There
is usually obstinate constipation and loss of sexual power. These symptoms
may last for several months and years, and then the second stage symptoms
appear.
[306 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
2. Stage of Ataxia (Disturbance of motion).--The disturbance of motion
(ataxia) is very marked, especially in the lower extremities; the walking
becomes difficult and uncertain; there is difficulty in rising or rapid
turning; the legs are wide apart; feet lifted too high and come down too
forcibly; the length of the steps is irregular, and the body is
imperfectly balanced. If the patient stands with his feet together and
eyes closed he begins to sway, (Romberg's symptom), which is due to a
defect in controlling the muscles from impairment of sensation. There may
be imperfect use of the hands in dressing, writing, etc.; lancinating
pains are marked in all cases and come on in paroxysms. The pains are
mostly in the legs, but also occur in the arms, head, loins, back, and
trunk. Then the sense of touch is partially lost. The prick of a pin may
not be felt until a few seconds after being applied. This stage may last
for years and remain at a "standstill;" but it is usually progressive, and
advances to the third stage.
3. The stage of paralysis is marked by a gradual change to the worse, and
the patient must remain in bed, because he cannot get out. The lower and
sometimes the upper extremities have lost a great deal of their power of
sensation: The joints, mostly the knee and hip joints show on both sides
of the body a painless swelling, owing to the great quantities of watery
liquid there. Dislocations and fractures occur simultaneously. Bed-sores
and peculiar ulcers on the sole of the foot also occur. The urine dribbles
away constantly, for all control of the bladder is lost. Death occurs from
exhaustion; bedsores, inflammation of the bladder, or pneumonia coming on
as a complication.
Treatment;--The only thing to do when the patient has this disease is to
make him comfortable and arrest the progress of it, if possible. It is
incurable, but treatment sometimes arrests the progress and at least
lessens the suffering and prolongs life as long as it is worth living to
them. I have given a longer description than was necessary, for I wanted
men who live such fast lives to understand what it brings them for most
cases are caused by syphilis. The description could have been made longer
and other symptoms and complications put in. I think enough has been given
and perhaps this description may deter some one from going the same road.
The Diagnosis is made at first by the fatigue, peculiar pains, loss of the
knee jerk, the peculiar pupil and history of syphilis. Later it is made
from the ataxia; the peculiar walk, etc., and the bladder disturbances.
HEREDITARY ATAXIA. Friedrich's Disease.--This peculiar disease is due to a
degenerative disease of the posterior and lateral columns (parts) of the
spinal cord, occurring in childhood, and often in several children of the
same family.
Causes.--More in boys than in girls and oftener in the country districts.
Heredity is frequently a cause and it is traced to syphilis, epilepsy,
alcoholism, and insanity in the ancestors. Several children of the same
family may have it.
Symptoms.--In very young children it is noticed that they are slow in
learning to walk; the child staggers in trying to stand or to walk; it
uses its hands clumsily, and has difficulty in speaking. The movements of
the hands are peculiar, the hands move like in chorea, the speech is slow
and drawling.
Recovery.--Very doubtful, but they may last for years.
[NERVOUS DISEASES 307]
INFANTILE PARALYSIS. (Acute Anterior Polio Myelitis).--This is an acute
disease occurring almost exclusively in young children with paralysis,
followed by rapid dwindling of the muscles of the parts affected by the
paralysis.
Causes.--Found in children under three years old. It is more common in
summer than in winter. It often follows scarlet fever, measles, and
diphtheria.
Symptoms.--The onset is usually sudden; often the child is put to bed at
night seemingly well and in the morning is found paralyzed in one or more
limbs. High fever or chills, general feeling of illness, pain all over the
body, decided brain symptoms, like delirium or convulsions and
intermittent contractions of the muscles may usher in the disease. These
forerunning symptoms may last a short time or for several weeks, after
which the paralysis is noticed, being extensive as a rule, and affecting
one, two, or all of the extremities and sometimes the muscles of the
trunk. This general paralysis soon disappears being left permanently in
only one extremity, chiefly in one leg. The other symptoms disappear. The
paralyzed part atrophies (wastes) rapidly. The disease is very rare in
adults. If the paralysis does not show a decided change within the first
few months, full recovery is doubtful.
Treatment.--During the acute stage there must be absolute quiet and rest
with a diet that is not stimulating, one that is easily digested; ice to
the head or cold cloths, counter-irritation to the spine; electricity
should be used after a few weeks. There is quite a good deal of this
paralysis, and the case should receive careful attention from the start.
TASTE.--Taste-Buds.--There are three kinds of papillae or eminences on the
human tongue,--the circumvallate, the fungiform and the filiform. The
circumvallate are from seven to twelve in number and lie near the root of
the tongue, arranged in the form of a V, with its open angle turned
forward. Each one is an elevation of the mucous membrane, covered by
epithelium and surrounded by a trench. On the sides of the papillae,
embedded in the epithelium, are small oval bodies called taste-buds. These
taste-buds consist of a sheath of flattened, fusiform cells, enclosing a
number of spindle-like cells whose tapering ends are prolonged into a
hair-like process. As the filaments of the gustatory nerves terminate
between these rod-like cells, it is probable that they are the true
sensory cells of taste.
[308 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
In the human tongue taste-buds are also found in the fungiform papillae,
often seem as red dots scattered over its surface; and to an area just in
front of the anterior pillar of the fauces. It is also possible that
single taste-cells are scattered over the tongue, as the sense of taste
exists where no taste-buds can be found.
[Illustration: Taste Buds.]
Many so-called tastes are really smells. This is easily proved by
compressing the nostrils and attempting to distinguish by taste different
articles of food.
The taste sensation is greatest when the exciting substance is at the
temperature of the body. There is no perceptible sweetness to sugar when
the tongue has been dipped for a half-minute in water either at the
freezing temperature or warmed to 50 degrees C. Neither is there any sense
of taste until the substance is dissolved by the natural fluids of the
mouth, as will be seen by wiping the tongue dry and placing sugar upon it.
The four primary taste-sensations are bitter, sweet, sour and salt. These
probably have separate centers and nerve fibers. Sweet and sour tastes are
chiefly recognized at the front and bitter and alkaline tastes at the back
of the tongue. The same substance will often excite a different sensation,
according as it is placed at the front or back of the tongue.
There are also laws of contrast in taste sensations. Certain substances
will enhance the flavor of another and others will destroy it. Again,
certain tastes may disguise others without destroying them, as when an
acid is covered with a sweet.
INSANITY. History.--The earliest reference to insanity is found in the
book of Deuteronomy. Another reference is in Samuel where it speaks
concerning David's cunning and successful feigning of insanity. "And he
changed his behavior before them and feigned himself mad in their hands,
and scrabbled on the door-posts of the gate, and let his spittle fall down
upon his beard," Feigning insanity under distressing circumstances has
been one of man's achievements throughout the centuries. It is spoken of
in Ecclesiastes. Jeremiah says in regard to the wine cup: "And they shall
drink and be moved and be mad." Nations also were poisoned by the wine
cup, for Jeremiah says, "Babylon has been a golden cup in the Lord's
hands, that made all the earth drunken. The nations have drunken of her
wine, therefore the nations are mad." Greek writers speak of cases of
mental unsoundness as occurring with some frequency in Greece. The
inhabitants of the Roman Empire were afflicted with mental unsoundness and
Nero was considered crazy. In ancient Egypt there were temples and priests
for the care of the insane.
[NERVOUS DISEASES 309]
Hippocrates, who lived four hundred years before Christ, was the first
physician who seemed to have any true conception of the real nature of
insanity. For many centuries later the masses believed that madness was
simply a visitation of the devil. The insane, in the time of Christ, were
permitted to wander at large among the woods and caves of Palestine. The
monks built the first hospital or asylum for the insane six centuries
after Christ.
A hospital for the insane was established at Valencia in Spain in 1409. In
1547 the hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem was established near London and
was known as "Bedlam" for a long time.
The first asylum to be run upon reform principles was St. Luke's of
London, founded in 1751. About 1791 Samuel Hahnemann established an asylum
for the insane at Georgenthal, near Gotha, and the law of kindness was the
unvarying rule in the institution. Hahnemann says in his Lesser Writings:
"I never allow any insane persons to be punished by blows or other
corporeal inflictions." Pineli struck the chains from the incarcerated
insane at the Bicetre, near Paris in 1792 or 1793.
There has been a gradual tendency during the last century toward better
things in the behalf of the insane. A hundred years ago they were treated
with prison surroundings and prison fare. Then asylum treatment began to
prevail. This means close confinement, good food, sufficient clothing and
comfortable beds. Asylum care means the humane custody of dangerous
prisoners. "From the asylum we move on to the hospital system of caring
for the insane and this system recognizes the fact that the lunatic is a
sick man and needs nursing and medical treatment in order to be cured.
Hospital treatment has been gradually introduced during the past thirty
years or more," and in time it will eventually supercede asylum treatment
and prison or workhouse methods in the management of the insane
everywhere.
[310 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Causes of Insanity.--There are many and various causes. One author states:
"Mental abnormality is always due to either imperfect or eccentric
physical development, or to the effects of inborn or acquired physical
disease, or to injurious impressions, either ante-natal or post natal,
upon the delicate and intricate physical structure known as the human
brain." Some physical imperfections, more than others, give rise to mental
derangements, and some persons, more than others, when affected by any
bodily ailment, tend to aberrated conditions of the mind. Some impressions
more than others, are peculiarly unfortunate by reason of their crowding
effects upon the brain tablets of a sensitive mind. To these natural
defects and unnatural tendencies, we apply, in the general way, the term
"Insane Diathesis." This diathesis may be inherited or acquired. Those who
are born to become insane do not necessarily spring from insane parents or
from an ancestry having any apparent taint of lunacy in the blood. But
they do receive from their progenitors oftentimes certain impressions upon
their mental and moral, as well as upon their physical being, which
impressions, like iron molds, fix and shape their subsequent destinies."
The insane diathesis in the child may come from hysteria in the mother. A
drunken father may impel epilepsy, madness or idiocy in the child.
Ungoverned passions, from love to hate, from hope to fear, when indulged
in overmuch by the parents, may unloose the furies of unrestrained madness
in the minds of the children. "The insane may often trace their sad
humiliation and utter unfitness for life's duties back through a tedious
line of unrestrained passion, of prejudice, bigotry, and superstition
unbridled, of lust unchecked, of intemperance uncontrolled, of avarice
unmastered, and of nerve resources wasted, exhausted, and made bankrupt
before its time. Timely warnings by the physician and appeals to his
clients of today, may save them for his own treatment, instead of
consigning them to an asylum where his fees cease from doubling, and the
crazed ones are at rest." The causes of the insane diathesis
(constitution) are frequently traceable to the methods of life of those
who produce children under such circumstances and conditions that the
offspring bear the indelible birthmark of mental weakness. Early
dissipations of the father produce an exhausted and enfeebled body; and a
demoralized mind and an unholy and unhealthy existence in the mother, are
causes. Fast living of parents in society is a fruitful cause of mental
imperfections in their children. "The sons of royalty and the sons of the
rich, are often weak in brain force because of the high living of their
ancestry."
The fast high livers of today are developing rapidly and surely, strong
tendencies to both mental and physical disorders. Elbert Hubbard says of
those who live at a certain hotel and waste their substance there, that
they are apt "to have gout at one end, general paresis at the other, and
Bright's disease in the middle."
Drunkenness, lust, rage, fear, mental anxiety or incompatibility, "if
admitted to participation in the act of impregnation will each, in turn or
in combination, often set the seal of their presence in the shape of
idiocy, imbecility, eccentricity, or absolute insanity."
Diogenes reproached a half-witted, cracked-brained unfortunate with this
remark, "Surely, young man, thy father begat thee when he was drunk."
[NERVOUS DISEASES 311]
Burton in his anatomy of melancholy states that: "If a drunken man begets
a child it will never likely have a good brain," Michelet predicts: "Woe
unto the children of darkness, the sons of drunkenness who were, nine
months before their birth, an outrage on their mothers."
Children of drunkards are often "sad and hideous burlesques upon normal
humanity." Business worry may cause unsoundness in the offspring generated
under such conditions.
One father had two sons grow up strong and vigorous, mentally and
physically, while a third son was weak, irresolute, fretful, suspicious
and half demented. The father confessed to his physician that on account
of business troubles he was half crazy and during this time the wife
became pregnant and this half-crazy son was born and the father states
that "he inherits just the state of mind I was then in." Many such cases
could be mentioned. "A sound body and a cheerful mind can only be produced
from healthy stock." Mental peculiarities are produced by unpleasant
influences brought to bear upon the pregnant mother. The story is told of
King James the Sixth of Scotland, that he was constitutionally timid and
showed great terror at a drawn sword. His father was murdered in his
mother's presence while she was pregnant. Children born under the
influence of fear may be troubled with apprehensions of impending
calamity, so intense that they may become insane at last. An instance is
given of "an insane man who always manifested the greatest fear of being
killed and constantly implored those around him not to hurt him." His
mother lived with her drunken husband who often threatened to kill her
with a knife.
Other Causes of Insanity. Imperfect Nutrition.--Whatever tends to weaken
the brain or exhaust the central forces of life must favor the growth of
insanity. The brain is not properly nourished.
Blows and Falls upon the Head.--Sometimes such injuries are forgotten, but
they result infrequently in stealthily developed, but none the less
dangerous, conditions, which may result in the derangement of all mental
faculties. A child should not be struck on the head. Teachers or parents
should not box a child's ears. One author says such a person "is guilty of
slow murder of innocents."
Fright is Another Cause.--Punishing a child by locking it in a dark room
or by "stories of greedy bears or grinning ghosts produces, oftentimes, a
mental shock that makes a child wretched in early life, and drives him
into insanity at a later date." Overtaxing the undeveloped physical powers
is another cause.
[312 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Insanity is most Prevalent among the Working Classes.--Our factories,
shops and stores frequently employ the young of both sexes and they are
overtaxed by day and night and they become feeders of our hospitals for
the insane. Another cause is forced education in the young. Our present
school system tends to break down the body. The work may not be too hard,
but the amount of anxiety and worry, which this work causes in the minds
of sensitive children, tends to enfeeble them. Many children are
sensitive, with nervous temperaments, and they are easily affected by the
strain of mental toil. Delicate children should be kept in the open air
and their physical condition should be considered more than their mental.
Girls, especially, at the age of puberty, should be built up instead of
rushed through a heavy routine of study. Herbert Spencer says: "On old and
young the pressure of modern life puts a still increasing strain. Go where
you will, and before long there comes under your notice cases of children,
or youths of either sex, more or less injured by undue study." Here, to
recover from a state of debility thus produced, a year's vacation has been
found necessary. There you will find a chronic congestion of the brain
that has already lasted many months and threatens to last much longer. Now
you hear of a fever that has resulted from the over excitement, in some
way, brought on at school. And, again, the instance is that of a youth who
has already had to desist from his studies, and who, since he has returned
to them is frequently taken out of his class in a fainting fit.
Social pleasure also tends to weaken the system of parents who produce
nervous and weakened children. Another great cause of insanity is the
unnatural, improper and excessive use of the sexual organs, and diseases
that often come from indiscriminate sexual relations. General paresis is
very often caused by specific disease. I might go on and enlarge upon
these causes, but enough has been written to give warning to those who are
breaking nature's laws.
Classification.--There are many classifications. I will mention only the
leading names, such as Melancholia, Mania. Dementia, General Paresis.
MELANCHOLIA (Sad Mania).--Melancholia is a disease characterized by great
mental depression.
Causes--Predisposition, physical disease, dissipation, work and worry,
shock, brooding. In simple melancholia the mildest attack may be called
the "blues."
ACUTE MELANCHOLIA.--Is generally the result of some mental shock.
CHRONIC MELANCHOLIA is the end of all other forms of mental depression.
All these have their own peculiar manifestations and need a special line
of treatment.
MANIA.--This type of insanity means a raving and furious madness. There
are many cases of this kind. The causes are many and may be the same as
those which produce melancholia. In melancholia the shock, etc., causes
depression, while in the mania the causes of mental injury tend to produce
irritation and excitement. In dementia, the causes of insanity tend to
exhaust the body and to mental failure, while in general Paresis "the
shock of disease comes after long and unwise contact with worry, wine and
women." Insufficient sleep often causes mania. It often follows after
exhausting and irritating fevers. Long continued ill health, together with
worry, etc., may cause it.
NERVOUS DISEASES 313
To sum up, "mania" may result from any unusual shock or strain upon the
nervous system; or it may come after any unusual mental excitement in
business, politics or in religion. Such are the exciting or stimulating
causes, but we must go back of the presence of worldly misfortune and
trace the tendency to mental disorder through channels of hereditary
influence. "Infants are born every day whose inevitable goal is that of
insanity." What is said in the Bible about sins of the parents is true.
DEMENTIA.--This term literally means "from mind," out of mind, and such a
person is in a state of the most deplorable mental poverty. We all have
seen such cases and some cases are not only very sad but disgusting.
PRIMARY DEMENTIA comes on independently of any other form of insanity.
SECONDARY DEMENTIA follows after some other form of insanity,--chiefly
melancholia or mania. Dementia may be acute or chronic.
SENILE (OLD AGE) DEMENTIA may be Primary.--Acute dementia attacks both
sexes, but it occurs most often in females, though in a milder degree. It
is a disease of youth, being rarely seen beyond thirty years of age. It
seems to depend often upon exhausting influences operating at a period of
rapid growth. Monotony of thought and feeling or want of mental food can
also induce it. Children who are sent at an early age into factories often
pass into the condition of acute dementia. Prison life also tends to
produce such a condition. Acute diseases such as typhoid and other fevers
are sometimes followed by acute dementia. Persons frequently go "out of
their mind" suddenly in this age, and upon recovering from acute dementia,
the patient finds a great "vacancy of memory."
Chronic Dementia.--Shakespeare says, "Last scene of all, that ends this
strange, eventful history, is second childishness and mere oblivion; sans
teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything."
"The Sans Everything."--Is the sad and hopeless obscuration by time or
disease of the once bright, vigorous, scintillating mental powers of
exhuperant and lusty youth. Everyone has seen such people who are
partially or hopelessly demented. It may come from diseases, such as
epilepsy and syphilis; alcohol produces it.
Senile dementia is the result of old age and of acquired brain disease. It
is different from simple old age or dotage. In old age the mind is
weakened, but the patient is conscious of it, such a person forgets a name
or date and gropes about in his memory to find it.
The demented person is not conscious of loss of memory, but applies wrong
names to persons, and serenely thinks he is right.
The senile demented person does not realize his condition, and if there is
any mental power left he cherishes delusions or false beliefs.
The victim of old age is unconscious of his weakness.
[314 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
GENERAL PARESIS.--Wine, worry and women produce a great many cases of this
disease. The doctors claim a notorious criminal now committed to one
asylum and about whom we have read so much, is a victim of this disease.
First stage.--There is worry, anxiety, sleeplessness and melancholy.
Second stage.--Stage of mania, wealth, power, and grandeur, alternating in
some cases with attacks of temporary depressions.
Third stage.--Patient passes into a condition of subacute or chronic
mania, with a slow tendency to decadence of all the powers, idiotic.
Fourth stage.--Stage of physical and mental failure and of death. Syphilis
causes most cases. It usually develops between twenty-five and fifty
years. The outlook for such cases is very unfavorable, as the patient
usually dies from one to eight or ten years after the beginning of the
disease.
TREATMENT.--There have been great advances made in recent years in the
treatment of persons mentally unsound. They should be placed under proper
treatment at an early stage. The causes have been given so that preventive
measures may be taken.
CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES.
RHEUMATIC GOUT. (Rheumatic Arthritis. Arthritis Deformans).--Cause.--It
occurs most often from thirty to fifty-five, usually in women, generally
at or after the change of life, and most frequently in those who have not
had children. The involvement of the joints is most common in adult males.
Exciting cause may be: Exposure to cold and wet, improper food, unhygienic
surroundings, worry, blows and acute infections.
Conditions.--Several joints are usually involved symmetrically. At the
edge of the joints there is formation of new bone covered with cartilage,
causing the enlargement of the bone and often partial loss of motion in
that joint.
Symptoms.--Several distinct types exist. 1. General progressive types
which may be acute or chronic.
Acute.--This occurs usually in women from twenty to thirty and at the
change of life. It comes on like acute joint rheumatism, many joints being
affected, permanent enlargement appearing early, redness of the joints
rarely existing, the pain being very severe, some fever, feel very tired,
with anemia, loss of flesh and strength. The first and later attacks are
often associated with pregnancy, confinement or nursing.
[CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES 315]
Chronic Type.--There is a gradual onset of pain or stiffness in one or
more joints, usually of the fingers, then of the corresponding joints of
the other side and then other joints. The swelling at first may be in the
soft parts of the joints with effusion in the joints and tenderness. The
pain varies from slight to severe. Periods of improvement and getting
worse alternate; the joints becoming enlarged and deformed, often nearly
stiff in partial bending on account of the thickened bone and soft
tissues. The muscles that move the joint dwindle and there may be changes
in the skin and nails of the parts affected due to the want of proper
nourishment. Disturbances of the stomach and anemia are common. The heart
is not affected. There may be only a few joints affected, or many, with
great deformity, before the disease reaches the period of inactivity.
2. Monarticular or one joint type.--This usually occurs in males over
fifty; one joint or a few large joints may be affected, generally with
shrinking of the corresponding muscles. If it occurs in the hip it is
called Morbus Coxae Senilis,--Hip joint disease in the aged.
Recovery.--The disease usually goes on with intervals of improvement and
often results in great crippling and disability. In some cases it becomes
permanent.
General Treatment.--The climate should be warm and dry. The patient should
avoid exposing himself; lead a general hygienic life, with as nourishing
food as his digestion will permit. The chief line of treatment should be
to improve the general health and relieve the pain. The stomach, bowels,
and kidneys should be kept working well. Nourishing food should be taken,
but its effect must be watched. Cod-liver oil to build up the system, iron
and arsenic may be of value. Sometimes iodide of potash is good. Early and
thorough treatment at Hot Springs offers the best hope of arresting its
progress, the Hot Springs in Bath County, Va., and in Arkansas. Much can
be done at home by hot air baths, hot baths, and compresses at night to
the tender joints.
Local.--Massage carefully given is helpful. The hot air treatment is good.
Baking the joints is now frequently done.
GOUT (PODAGRA).--A disorder of nutrition characterized by excess of uric
acid in the blood, attacks of acute arthritis (inflammation of joints)
with deposit of urate of sodium in and around the joints; with various
general symptoms.
Causes.--Heredity; male sex, usually appears from thirty to fifty and
rarely under twenty; from continued use of alcoholic liquors, especially
fermented, with little or no exercise; too much meat. Unhygienic living
with poor food, and excessive drinking of ale and beer may be followed by
the "poor man's gout." It is common in lead workers.
Symptoms. Acute Type.--There is often a period of irritability,
restlessness, indigestion, twinges of pain in the hands and feet; the
urine is scanty, dark, very acid, with diminished uric acid and deposit
when it is cooled. The attack sets in usually early in the morning with
sudden intense pain in a joint of the big toe, generally the right; less
often in an ankle, knee, wrist, hand or finger. The part swells rapidly,
and is very tender, the overlying skin being red, glazed and hot. The
patient is usually as cross as a wounded bear. The fever may be 103. The
pain may subside during the day, and increase again at night. There is no
suppuration (pus forming). The symptoms usually decrease, gradually, the
entire attack may last from five to eight days. Scaling of the skin over
the sore part may follow. After the attack, the general health may be
improved, and the joint may become normal or but slightly stiff. It recurs
at intervals of a few months commonly.
[316 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Retrocedent Gout.--This is a term applied to serious symptoms which
sometimes go with rapid improvement of the local joint conditions. There
are severe pains in the stomach, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, pain in the
heart, difficult breathing, palpitation, irregular and feeble action of
the heart with brain symptoms, probably from uraemia. These attacks often
cause death.
Chronic Gout, Causes, etc.--Frequent acute attacks; many joints, beginning
with the feet, become stiff and deformed, perhaps with no motion. The
overlying skin may ulcerate, especially over the knuckles. Dyspepsia,
arterio-sclerosis, enlargement of the left ventricle of the heart and a
great quantity of urine with low specific gravity are common. The patient
is morose and irritable. Eczema, chronic bronchitis, frequently complicate
the case.
Death often occurs from uraemia, meningitis, pleurisy, pericarditis or
peritonitis.
Treatment, Preventive.--Live temperately, abstain from alcohol, eat
moderately, have plenty of fresh air and sunshine, plenty of exercise and
regular hours. These do not counteract the inherited tendency. The skin
should be kept active, if the patient is robust, by the morning cold bath
with friction after it; but if he is weak and debilitated, the evening
warm bath should be substituted. The patient should dress warmly, avoid
rapid alternations in temperature, and be careful not to have thc skin
suddenly chilled.
Diet in Gout.--Most persons over forty eat too much. Eat reasonably and at
regular hours and take plenty of time to eat. Do not eat too freely of
meats and avoid too much starchy and sugary foods. Fresh vegetables and
fruits may be used freely, except cranberries and bananas.
Dr. Osler of England says.--While all stimulants are injurious to these
patients some are more so than others, particularly malted liquors,
champagne, port and a very large proportion of all the light wines. Take
large quantities of water on an empty stomach, mineral waters are no
better than others, but treatment of chronic and irregular gout at springs
gives the advantage of regular hours, diet, etc.
[Illustration: A Skiagraph (X-RAY photograph) of the hand. Made for the
purpose of locating piece of needle. Photo by P. M. Campbell, Detroit,
Mich.]
CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES 317
Diet from a prominent hospital for gout patient:--
May Take--
Soups.--Fresh fish soups, vegetable broths clear.
Fish.--Raw oysters, fresh fish, boiled.
Meats.--Fat bacon, boiled or broiled chicken, game (all sparingly).
Farinaceous.--Cracked wheat, oatmeal, rice, sago, hominy, whole wheat
bread, or biscuits, rye bread, graham bread or rolls, crackers, dry toast,
milk toast, macaroni.
Vegetables.--Mashed potatoes, green peas, string beans, spinach, cabbage,
cucumbers, cresses, lettuce, celery.
Desserts.--Plain milk pudding, junket, rice and milk, sago and milk,
stewed fruits, all without sugar.
Drinks.--Weak tea (no sugar), milk, buttermilk, toast water, pure water,
cold or hot.
Must Not Take--
Veal, pork, goose, duck, turkey, salted, dried, potted or preserved fish
or meat (except fat bacon), eels, mackerel, crabs, salmon, lobster, eggs,
rich soups, gravies, patties, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, asparagus,
mushrooms, rhubarb, lemons, pickles, vinegar, fried or made dishes, rich
puddings, spices, pies, pastry, sweets, nuts, dried fruits, tobacco,
coffee, cider, malt liquors, sweet wines, champagne.
Treatment.--In an acute attack raise the affected limb and wrap the "sick"
joint in cotton wool; warm fomentations may be used. The wine or tincture
of colchicum in doses of twenty to thirty drops may be given every four
hours in combination with the citrate of potash, fifteen grains, or the
citrate of lithium five to ten grains. Stop the tincture of colchicum as
soon as the pain is relieved and then you can give wine of colchicum ten
drops every four hours, watching for irritation of the stomach, bowels and
kidneys.
Dr. Hare of Philadelphia says.--For hospital practice a very useful
mixture is made by adding one part of bicarbonate of sodium to nine parts
of linseed oil. The joint is then wrapped in a piece of lint soaked with
this concoction. In some cases oil of peppermint has been recommended. In
chronic gout Dr. Hare also gives for diet milk and eggs, the white meat of
chicken; fruits, cooked without sugar being added, are allowed. Tea and
coffee being used only in moderation. If any wine is taken it must be
followed by copious draughts of pure water and the last article should be
used ad libitum. On the other hand, pastries and, more than all, sweet
wines, are the worst things that such a patient can take, and must be
absolutely prohibited.
[318 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
RHEUMATIC FEVER (Articular Rheumatism).--Causes. This may be acute or
chronic. It is an infectious disease characterized by inflammation of
several joints. The joints are held in place by ligaments and are inclosed
by a thin membrane. In this acute rheumatism these parts become congested
and inflamed, there is redness and swelling, heat and pain. Fluid is
passed into the joint sometimes and then the parts look watery
(oeclematous). The inflammation and swelling cause great pain in the
joint.
Predisposing.--A damp climate, winter and spring, young adults and persons
who are exposed to damp, wet and cold.
Condition.--There is congestion of the soft parts of the joints and
effusion into the joint cavities of a watery fluid. Endocarditis,
pericarditis, myocarditis, pleurisy and pneumonia may complicate it. The
first named, endocarditis, is very common and as the mitral valves become
inflamed it is likely to leave valvular trouble unless carefully watched
and treated at the time.
Symptoms.--The invasion may be gradual, with a very tired feeling and
often tonsilitis; but it is usually sudden, with pains, soreness in one or
more joints and fever. The knees, ankles, elbows and wrists are much
affected, but it frequently goes through almost every joint in the body
and sometimes repeats the terrible dose. I know, for I had it twice. The
suffering, torture and pain sometimes are simply indescribable and almost
too hard to bear. The joints become hot, red, painful, swollen and tender
to touch and motion. It seems to hurt worse when anyone comes near, for
the patient is afraid of careless handling.
Fever.--This runs from 102 to 104 and is modified by profuse perspiration
with bad odor and, generally, it does not afford any relief. The urine is
very acid, very thick and looks like thick, strong coffee. The symptoms
frequently disappear partially from one joint or joints as they begin in
other joints, attacking several in rapid succession, the fever varying and
changing with the degrees of joint involvement.
We may see the shoulder and hip, the elbow and wrist, knee and ankle,
etc., all affected at once: Heart complications are frequent and bear
close watching, for they are dangerous to life and the future health of
the patient. The patient becomes very anemic and this progresses rapidly.
When improvement does begin it is gradual; or the disease may become
chronic. Care must be taken not to be too active when improvement sets in
or you will cause a return by using the joints before they have become
thoroughly well. I did the same thing in my anxiety to get out, but would
never be as reckless again. Pain and stiffness of the joints often last
long after convalescence has set in. One who has had this disease once is
liable to another attack if he is not careful.
[CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES 319]
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Articular Rheumatism.--A gentleman sends us the
following treatment for articular rheumatism and writes as follows: "I
send you the following treatment for articular rheumatism because I used
it myself and was cured in a very short time, in fact, about ten days. It
was a number of years ago in the early spring when my knee joints, ankles
and wrists began to pain me and continued to become worse for about a
week, at the end of which time both my knees were perfectly stiff. I sent
for my physician; he wrapped my knees with common baking soda; taking long
wide bandages he was enabled to have the baking soda a fourth of an inch
thick around the knee, raising the bandage as he laid the soda on; after
this was completed I had heavy wet hot cloths laid around my knee and
renewed every fifteen or twenty minutes for probably eight or ten hours.
In the meantime I was taking the salicylate of soda and the cathartic,
veronica water, as directed below. The following day I sat up with my legs
resting on a chair, straightened out, and hot flat irons at my knees. I
began this treatment on Saturday, and the following Thursday was able to
walk about and go out of town, and never had rheumatism since, but at two
or three different times I suspected it was coming on and used the
salicylate of soda and veronica water as a successful preventive; at least
the rheumatism did not materialize.
Veronica Water.--Dose:--Glassful every two and one-half hours till bowels
are free, then one dose a day.
Also
Salicylate of Soda 1 ounce
Water 6 ounces
Large teaspoonful every two hours with a quinine pill every other dose."
2. Rheumatism, Cotton Excellent for Inflammatory.--"Take a roll of cotton
batting and wrap the limb, or part of the body affected, as firmly and
tightly as possible, without tearing the cotton, let it remain
"twenty-four hours, then tighten it up by unwinding and rewrapping the
cotton as tight as possible, as on the first application, and so continue
every twenty-four hours until cured, which, in my case, was three days. I
had been troubled with rheumatism for a long time, and was unable to walk.
I tried everything, doctors and all, but nothing helped me. A lady from
Cincinnati, who was visiting at a neighbor's, called at my house one day
and learning what was the matter with me, advised me to put cotton on as
stated above. I had no faith in it, but I had tried everything else and
concluded I would try that, with the result that it cured me. Possibly if
a case should require a longer time for a cure than mine it might be
necessary, or be better, to replace the cotton with a fresh roll. The
rewrapping every twenty-four hours is intended to keep the cotton batting
firmly and tightly around the part affected as the swelling recedes."
[320 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Prevention.--Wear flannel late and early. Keep from taking cold. Put off
wet things of every kind immediately upon getting home and dry your body
and put on dry well-aired clothes. Never sleep in a damp bed, under damp
unaired clothes. When you go away from home do not sleep in a room or bed
that has been unoccupied for any length of time, especially if there is no
furnace in the house. Do not sit down in wet damp clothes, stockings,
shoes, etc. Do not sit down anywhere to "cool off." It is inviting trouble
and sickness. Do not lie on the damp ground, do not sleep on the first
floor of an old damp house. Have plenty of sunlight and air in your
sleeping room. These directions apply to the chronic cases also. It does
not matter so much if one is wet or sweating as long as he keeps moving or
working. On wash day do not dry your clothes in the kitchen or sitting
room, or put them on your bed, unless they have been thoroughly dried,
aired and warmed before using. These little things mean much in real life.
PHYSICIANS' CAUTION for Articular Rheumatism.--Go to bed and remain there
and do not get up too soon, for remember the parts are still tender when
they may not be painful.
Local Treatment.--1. There must be absolute rest. Remove the sheets from
the bed and wrap woolen cloths or blankets about the patient and protect
the inflamed joints from the weight of the coverings. Cover the joints
with gauze or absorbent cotton, after putting on the parts a thick coating
of ichthyol ointment.
2. Sometimes hot fomentations are helpful in relieving the suffering;
sometimes cold cloths are best.
3. The following is good. Apply with cloths wrung out of it:
Carbonate of Soda 6 drams
Tincture Arnica 10 ounces
Glycerin 2 ounces
Water 9 ounces
4. Oil of Wintergreen 1 ounce
Compound Soap Liniment 8 ounces
Mix.
Rub the affected parts with oil of wintergreen and then wrap the parts in
cotton wool and soak with the solution.
5. "A layer or two of gauze saturated with methyl-salicylate is wrapped
around the painful joints and covered with paraffin paper, or other
impervious dressing, held in place by a bandage. This is renewed once or
twice daily until the pain in all the joints is relieved."
6. Internal.--Sodium salicylate or aspirin given until the pain and
temperature are relieved; usually five to ten grains of sodium salicylate
every three hours for an adult; or five grains of the aspirin every three
hours.
7. Dr. Hare recommends for the beginning in a strong, healthy individual,
ten drops of the tincture of aconite at once in a little water, and follow
it by a teaspoonful of a mixture containing fifteen drops of tincture of
aconite and two ounces of water everyone-half hour, until perspiration on
the skin betokens the circulatory depression through the action of the
drug. I use aconite in this disease very often, but not in such doses as
the first one. It seems to me that it is uselessly large. I use about
one-tenth of a drop at a dose everyone to two hours during the first
twenty-four hours.
[CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES 321]
Nursing.--The nurse must have the patience of Job to attend a patient sick
with this disease; but you must remember the suffering is awful. The
patient may be very restless and the pillows may need rearranging every
few minutes. Also be careful how you handle the patient. It hurts terribly
to be even touched. A rough, hearty person has no business to care for
such a patient. I allow patients to say anything they wish, for this is a
painful disease. They may swear at me if they wish. I know how it is, for
I was there twice, the last time for six long weeks. Have patience and
courage and cheer your patient. Do not look cross or scold.
Diet.--Milk mainly, broths, gruels, albumen water, oyster or clam broth,
milk toast, buttermilk, kumiss. Do not give solid food. Water, lemonade,
vichy or carbonated water.
CHRONIC RHEUMATISM.--Causes.--Heredity may predispose to it. It is most
common in those who are exposed to hard labor in the cold and wet;
especially in women about middle age. It occasionally follows sub-acute,
but rarely acute rheumatism.
Symptoms.--Many large joints are usually affected; sometimes it may be
only one joint; at times, the small joints only are affected. It may be
only on the one side. It usually persists in the joints involved, but may
attack others. The chief symptoms are stiffness of the joints, especially
after a rest and this diminishes after some motion, also pain, which grows
worse in damp weather. The joints may be tender to the touch, slightly
swollen, rarely red. They may in time become entirely stiff and deformed.
The general health may be good or there may be anemia, dyspepsia and
valvular disease due to sclerosis,--hardening of the valves of the heart.
Prognosis.--This is good as to life, but the disease is often progressive.
Treatment. Preventive.--A warm, dry, unchangeable climate, good
surroundings, good food; keep the stomach and bowels and kidneys in good
condition, avoid taking cold. Do not sit down in a draft to "cool off." Do
not go into a cool room in summer when you are warm or sweated. Do not
sleep in a bed that has not been used for months and kept for "company."
Do not dry your clothes in the kitchen and in that way make the whole
house steamy and damp. Do not sleep under unaired damp covers or in a damp
night dress. Always air and dry your bedding and night dress before using.
Do not take a hot bath and go into a cool room to cool off, but wrap
yourself up so as to be warm and cool off gradually. Any additional cold
will cause more rheumatism.
[322 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Sleeping rooms on the first floor are an abomination for rheumatic
persons. Do not sit down in wet clothes, stockings or shoes. Take them off
immediately on getting home, wipe yourself dry and put on dry garments.
Care in such little seemingly foolish things will do wonderful things for
a rheumatic person. I had two rheumatic attacks in my first year of
practice. Since then I have learned caution and through a hard and busy
life I have kept myself reasonably well by looking after such little aids
and cautions as, the above. I never sit down for any length of time in
damp or wet clothes, and if I can do that, persons that are not driven
like doctors can do the same. These cautions apply to not only this kind
of rheumatism, but to all kinds of rheumatism, neuralgias, and to
inflammatory diseases, such as neuritis, tonsilitis, pneumonia, pleurisy,
etc. Hot air baths, Hot Springs, massage will be more effectual in this
disease than in the former. Iodide of potash also is very useful. Flannel
underwear, heavy and light weight, is very beneficial in rheumatism. Great
benefit can be derived at home by wrapping the affected joints in cold
cloths, covering with a thin layer of flannel and protected by oiled silk.
A great many cases are helped by using hot fomentations of hops, wormwood,
smartweed, etc. Turpentine applied locally to the joints is effective, but
it is very likely to injure the kidneys when used freely and in these days
when there are so many diseases of the kidneys one must be careful or they
will produce an incurable and serious disease in the place of one that is
painful, but not necessarily dangerous. Many of the simple remedies have a
good effect on the rheumatic troubles.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Rheumatism.--Dr. Hare gives the following to
rub on large joints:
1. Ichthyol 1/2 to 1 ounce
Lard 1 ounce
2. Tincture of Aconite 6 drams
Tincture Arnica 1 ounce
Oil of Turpentine l ounce (l or 2)
Soap Liniment enough for 8 ounces
Use as a liniment three times a day. This can be used for some weeks.
3. Strong Water of Ammonia 6 drams
Oil of Cajeput 1 dram
Tincture of Belladonna 1 to 2 ounces
Camphor Liniment enough for 8 ounces
Use as a liniment.
4. Tincture of Aconite 1 ounce
Tincture Belladonna 2 drams
Strong Ammonia Water 4 drams
Chloroform Liniment 6 drams
Used as a liniment on chronic or inflamed muscles or joints.
5. Iodide of Potash 1/2 ounce
Compound Syrup of Sarsaparilla 3 ounces
Distilled Water 3 ounces
Mix and take a dessertspoonful in a glass of water two hours after meals
for chronic rheumatism.
[Illustration: Muscular System.]
[CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES 323]
6. This is prepared by Parke, Davis & Co., and made into a syrup:
Red Clover 32 grains
Queen's Root 16 grains
Barberry 10 grains
Prickly Ash Bark 4 grains
Burdock Root 16 grains
Poke Root 16 grains
Honduras Bark 16 grains
Iodide of Potash 8 grains
This portion to each fluid ounce of the syrup.
7. The following is good:
Equal parts of each of the following:
Blue Cohosh Root
Black Cohosh Root
Poke Root
Yellow Dock Root
Blue Flag Root
Prickly Ash Root
Burdock Root
Dandelion Root
Bruise them thoroughly or grind them coarsely, steep and make a tea and
drink freely of it. If you wish you can take three to five grains of
Iodide of Potash to each dose. This may in time disorder the stomach and
you may then stop it for a time. All these can be used in muscular
rheumatism also. The food should not be rich or highly seasoned. Spices
are bad for such patients. Pickles, mustard, etc., are best let alone.
MUSCULAR RHEUMATISM.--This is a very painful affection of the voluntary
muscles, called also neuralgia, or according to its location, torticollis
(stiff neck, wry neck), pleurodynia, lumbago (rheumatism in the back).
Causes.--Predisposed to it by previous attacks, having a rheumatic or
gouty constitution (diathesis). It follows sudden exposure, hence it is
most common in men.
Symptoms.--Local pain in the muscles, sharp or dull, aching constant, or
caused by certain movements and is usually relieved by pressure. It lasts
from a few days to several weeks and frequently recurs. The common forms
are: Lumbago. This affects the muscles of the back, and usually comes on
suddenly with a sharp stich-like pain, and is chiefly seen in those who
labor hard, often completely disabling them for a time.
Torticollis (stiff or wry neck).--It is usually on the side or back of the
neck. Comes from a draught of cold wind on the neck, etc.
Pleurodynia, pain in the chest muscles, etc.--With pain in all movements
of the chest, resembling intercostal neuralgia or pleurisy.
[324 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Diet for Rheumatism from the Head Nurse of a Prominent Hospital:--
May Take--
Soups.--Mutton broth, chicken or beef tea, in small quantities.
Fish.--Raw clams or oysters, fresh fish (whiter kinds) boiled.
Meats.--Chicken, calf 's head, sweetbread, tripe, broiled fat bacon or
broiled ham (all sparingly).
Farinaceous.--Whole wheat, corn or brown bread, arrowroot, rice, dry
toast, milk toast.
Vegetables.--Spinach, green peas or cabbage (well boiled), celery,
lettuce, cresses, radishes.
Desserts.--Milk, rice or arrowroot pudding, (all without sugar), junket.
Drinks--Tea (without sugar), buttermilk, pure water, plain with lemon or
lime juice (no sugar).
Must Not Take--
Pork, veal, turkey, goose, duck, fried fish or salt meats, cooked oysters
or clams, salted, dried, potted or preserved fish or meats (except fat
bacon or ham), crabs, salmon, lobster, eggs, rich made dishes, gravies,
potatoes, tomatoes, beans, asparagus, mushrooms, candies, rich puddings,
pies, pastry, nuts, cheese, coffee, cider, malt liquors, wines.
Treatment for Stiff Neck.--Wry Neck, (torticollis).--Warmth applied either
dry or moist as hot salt bag or fomentations of hops, etc. Parke, Davis &
Co., Detroit, now make a preparation called capsicine. This is very good
for this trouble, rubbed on thoroughly as directed. It can be bought at
most drug stores. It is also good for headaches and neuralgias. The same
line of treatment, hot and cold applications, can be given for pain in the
chest muscles (pleurodynia) and lumbago.
A MOTHERS' REMEDY for Stiff Neck.--Hot Salt and Oil of Sassafras.--"If
troubled with stiff neck, fill a bag with hot salt and sleep on it, or rub
the neck with oil of sassafras which, by the way, is also excellent for
lumbago and to scatter, not cure, rheumatism pains."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Rheumatism.--Preventive.--Avoid exposure as
stated for other rheumatism. Rest the chest by strapping with adhesive
plaster as in pleurisy. Porous plasters are good and liniments; sometimes
help is obtained by rubbing freely with camphor. Hot dry or wet
applications are frequently useful. Mustard plaster is very good when the
space is not too great. Mix the mustard with the white of an egg and after
it is taken off grease the part and keep on warm cloths. Hot foot baths
and hot drinks of lemonade or teas, after which the person should go to
bed and sweat and remain there for some hours.
[CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES 325]
Liniment.--
Oil of Wintergreen 1/2 to 1 ounce
Compound Soap Liniment 8 ounces
Mix and rub on thoroughly.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--Lumbago, Menthol Liniment for.--Apply the menthol
liniment, cover with a thick cloth and put the hot water bottle next to it
and go to bed. If up through the day have a cotton batting sewed to cloth
and keep affected parts warm, using the liniment freely." The menthol
liniment will be found an excellent remedy for lumbago, The menthol
absorbs quickly and by applying the hot water bottle relief is sure to
follow.
1. Weak Back, Vinegar and Salt for.--"One tablespoonful of salt and one
tablespoonful of vinegar to a quart of hot water. Bathe the back, then rub
well with sweet oil and relief will soon follow,"
2. Weak Back. Simple Remedy for.--"Aching may be relieved by taking a
large pinch of buchu leaves, steep and drink. Sweeten if desired. Use a
pint of water for steeping the leaves," This is a good remedy for a weak
back, resulting from kidney trouble. The buchu leaves acts quickly on the
kidneys and it is surprising to see how quickly the backache will
disappear. You can purchase a two ounce package for five cents at any drug
store.
3. Weak Back, Good Liniment for.--
"Tincture of Aconite 1 ounce
Oil of Wintergreen 1/2 ounce
Tincture of Belladonna 1 ounce
Tincture of Arnica 1 ounce
Aqua Ammonia 2 ounces
Mix and use as a liniment."
This is a very good liniment.
4. Lameness, Chloroform Liniment for.--"Chloroform liniment is the best
for all lameness and sore limbs."
5. Lameness, Plantain Leaves and Cream for.--"Make ointment from plantain
laves, simmered in sweet cream or fresh butter. This is very cooling."
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Rheumatism, Saltpetre Good in Cases of.--"One ounce
of saltpetre to one pint of water. Take one teaspoonful of the above in a
large glass of water, about six times daily." The saltpetre acts on the
kidneys, carrying off the impurities in this way. Care should be taken not
to continue this treatment too long at a time, as continued use would
result in injury to the kidneys.
2. Rheumatism, Rochelle Salts for.--"One teaspoonful rochelle salts in
one-half glass water every other morning." This acts on the bowels and
cleanses the system.
3. Rheumatism, Flowers of Sulphur Will Relieve Pain of.--Sciatica is
sometimes very much improved by wrapping the limb for one night with
flowers of sulphur."
[326 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
4. Rheumatism, Three Simple Ingredient Liniment for.--"One pint pure cider
vinegar, one pint of turpentine, four fresh eggs, put the egg shells and
all in the vinegar, let stand until the vinegar eats the eggs all up, then
add the turpentine." This makes a fine liniment.
5. Rheumatism, Sulphur Good for.--"Cases of chronic rheumatism are often
relieved by sulphur baths and sulphur tea. Dose:--Powder sulphur and mix
with molasses. A teaspoonful three times a day," Sulphur is a good blood
purifier and laxative.
6. Rheumatism, Horse-Radish for.--"An excellent and well-known remedy for
rheumatism is to make a syrup of horse-radish by boiling the root and add
sufficient sugar to make it palatable. Dose:--Two or three teaspoonfuls
two or three times a day,"
7. Rheumatism, Simple Remedy to Relieve Pain of.--
"Peppermint 1 ounce
Oil of Mustard 1/4 ounce
Vinegar 1 pint
White of one egg.
Beat egg; stir all together."
8. Rheumatism, Liniment for Chronic.--
"Olive Oil 1 pint
Sassafras Oil 2 drams
Camphor Gum 2 ounces
Chloroform 1/2 ounce
Dissolve the camphor in the oil and when dissolved add the chloroform and
four ounces of turpentine or rosemary. Rub the parts well night and
morning. If the limbs are very sensitive to cold, add to the mixture two
ounces of tincture of capsicum."
9. Rheumatism, Herb Remedy for.--
Tincture Colchicum Seed 4 ounces
Gum Guaiacum 4 ounces
Black Cohosh Root 4 ounces
Prickly Ash Berries 4 ounces
Iodide Potash 1 ounce
Dose for adult, one teaspoonful three times a day in wineglassful of water
or milk."
10. Rheumatism, Three Things that Will Help.--
"Best Rye Whisky 2 pints
Ground Burdock Seed 1/2 pound
Poke Berry Juice 1/2 pint
Mix, shake well before using.
Dose for adults, one and one-half or two tablespoonfuls night and
morning." In severe cases take three times a day. This is a thoroughly
tried remedy and is a very successful one.
[ CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES 327]
11. Rheumatism, Good Liniment for.--
"Alcohol 1 ounce
Oil of Wintergreen 1 dram
Chloroform 5 drams
Gum Camphor 1/2 ounce
Sulphuric Ether 3/4 ounce
Oil of Cloves 1/2 dram
Oil of Lavender 1 dram
Mix and apply externally for rheumatism and you will find it a very
beneficial remedy."
12. Rheumatism, Camphor and Alcohol for.--"Soak cotton batting in alcohol
and camphor and apply on part." Application to the affected parts will
frequently give relief in some rheumatic patients, when in others no
relief is obtained by this method, it being necessary to take something
internally.
13. Rheumatism, Sweet Fern Tea Excellent for.--"Sweet fern tea taken three
times a day. Dose, one cupful. Father has used this successfully himself."
14. Rheumatism, Well-known Celery Remedy for.--"Celery tea several times a
day with plenty of celery cooked or raw as a regular table food. Cut the
celery in pieces, boil until soft in water and let the patient drink the
tea, then make a stew of the remaining bits. If fresh celery cannot be
obtained, celery preparations can be found at the drug store.
15. Rheumatism, Flowers of Sulphur Relieves.--"Rheumatism is effectually
removed by enveloping the limb one night with flowers of sulphur." The
flowers of sulphur can be purchased at any drug store, and will give great
relief, especially in severe cases.
16. Rheumatism, Poultice for.--"Apply belladonna ointment to seat of pain,
poultices applied very hot. Sulphur applied to painful part is very
effective, after which the parts should be enveloped in flannel." The
belladonna ointment acts like a fly blister, but not quite so severe. The
ointment can remain on for some time without blistering. This treatment
relieves by removing the inflammation from the sore parts.
17. Rheumatism, Novel Relief for.--"The best remedy is electricity. It
cured me; I used medical battery." Electricity has been known to help in a
great many cases, but should be applied by a competent person.
18. Rheumatism, Snake Root and Lemons Good for.--"Make use of lemon juice
freely. Use decoction of black snake root, one ounce to pint of boiling
water; a tablespoonful four times a day. Wet compress renewed every two
hours applied to painful joints."
The black snake root is a remedy that was used by the early settlers for
this trouble. The wet compresses are very soothing, but care should be
taken not to wet the bed clothing, as the patient would then take cold.
[328 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
19. Rheumatism, Another Good Liniment for.--
Alcohol 5 ounces
Amber 30 drops
Tincture of Pinoum 30 drops
Hemlock Oil 30 drops
Tincture of Iron 30 drops
Aconite 30 drops
DIABETES MELLITUS.--A disorder of nutrition in which sugar accumulates in
the blood and is excreted in the urine, the daily amount of which is
greatly increased.
Causes.--Hereditary influences play an important role and cases are on
record of its occurrence in many members of the same family. Men are more
frequently affected than women, the ratio being about three to two.
Persons of a nervous temperament are often affected. It is a disease of
the higher classes. Hebrews seem especially prone to it. The disease is
comparatively rare in the colored race; women more than men in the negro,-
nine to six. In a considerable proportion of the cases of diabetes the
patients have been very fat at the beginning of or prior to the onset of
the disease. It is more common in cities than in country districts. The
combination of intense application to business, over-indulgence in food
and drink, with a sedentary life, seem particularly prone to induce the
disease. Injury to or disease of the spinal cord or brain has been
followed by diabetes. It is much more frequent in European countries than
here. Acute and chronic forms are recognized in the former.
Symptoms.--The only difference is that the patients are younger in acute
forms, the course is more rapid and the wasting away is more marked. The
onset of the disease is gradual and either frequent passing of urine (six
to forty pints in twenty-four hours) or inordinate thirst attracts
attention. When it is fully established, there is great thirst, the
passage of large quantities of sugar urine, a terrible appetite, and, as a
rule, progressive emaciation. The thirst is one of the most distressing
symptoms. Large quantities of water are required to keep the sugar in
solution and for its excretion in the urine. Some cases do not have the
excessive thirst; but in such case the amount of urine passed is never
large. The thirst is most intense an hour or two after meals. The
digestion is generally good, but the appetite is inordinate. Pain in the
back is common. The tongue is usually dry, red and glazed, and the saliva
is scanty. The gums may become swollen. Constipation is the rule. The skin
is dry and harsh and sweating rarely occurs. The temperature is under
normal. In spite of the enormous amount of food eaten a patient may become
rapidly emaciated. Patients past middle life may have the disease for
years without much disturbance of the health; on the other hand I have
seen them die after that age. Progress is more rapid the younger the
person. Death usually occurs from coma of diabetes. This is most common in
young patients.
[CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES 329]
1. There is a sudden onset after exertion of weakness, feeble pulse,
stupor, coma, death in a few hours.
2. Sudden headache, coma, death in a few hours.
3. After nausea, vomiting or a lung complication, there are headache,
delirium, abdominal pain, rapid labored breathing, sweetish odor of the
breath, stupor, rapid feeble pulse, coma and death within a few days.
Recovery.--Instances of cure in true diabetes are rare.
Treatment. Preventive.--The use of starchy and sugary articles of diet
should be restricted in families with a marked disposition to this
disease. Sources of worry should be avoided and he should lead an even
quiet life, if possible, in an equable climate. Flannel and silk should be
worn next to the skin, and the greatest care should be taken to promote
its action. A lukewarm and, if tolerably robust, a cold bath should be
taken every day. An occasional Turkish bath is useful.
Diet.--Let the patients eat food of easy digestion, such as veal, mutton
and the like, and abstain from all sorts of fruit and garden stuff. In
Johns Hopkins' Hospital these patients are kept for three or four days on
the ordinary ward diet, which contains a moderate amount of
carbo-hydrates, in order to ascertain the amount of sugar excretions. For
two days more the starches are gradually cut off. They are then placed on
the following standard non-carbohydrate diet.
Breakfast: 7:30, six ounces of tea or coffee; four ounces of beefsteak,
mutton chops without bone, or boiled ham; one or two eggs.
Lunch: 12:30, six ounces of cold roast beef; two ounces celery, fresh
cucumbers or tomatoes with vinegar, olives, pepper and salt to taste, five
drams of whisky with thirteen ounces of water, two ounces of coffee
without milk or sugar.
Dinner: 6:00 P. M., six ounces of clear bouillon; seven and a half ounces
of roast beef; one and one-half drams of butter; two ounces of green salad
with two and a half drams of vinegar, five drams of olive oil, or three
tablespoonfuls of some well-cooked green vegetable: three sardines; five
drams of whisky with thirteen ounces of water.
Supper: 9:00 P. M., two eggs, raw or cooked, thirteen ounces of water .
The following is a list of articles which a diabetes patient may take as
given by one of the best authorities in the world on diabetes:
Liquids: Soups.--Ox tail, turtle bouillon and other clear soups. Lemonade,
coffee, tea, chocolate and cocoa; these to be taken without sugar, but
they may be sweetened with saccharin. Potash or soda water and
appollinaris, or the Saratoga-vichy and milk in moderation may be used.
[330 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Animal Food.--Fish of all sorts, including crabs, oysters, salt and fresh
butcher's meat (with the exception of liver), poultry and game, eggs,
buttermilk, curds and cream cheese.
Bread.--Gluten and bran bread, almond and cocoanut biscuits.
Vegetables.--Lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, chickory, sorrel, radishes,
asparagus, water-cress, mustard and cress, cucumber, celery and endives;
pickles of various sorts.
Fruits.--Lemons and oranges, currants, plums, cherries, pears, apples
(tart), melons, raspberries and strawberries may be taken in moderation.
Nuts, as a rule, allowable.
Must Not Take--
Thick Soups and Liver. Ordinary bread of all sorts (in quantity), rye,
wheaten, brown or white. All farinaceous (starchy) preparations, such as
hominy, rice, tapioca, arrowroot, sago and vermicelli.
Vegetables: Potatoes, turnips, parsnips, squashes, vegetable-marrows of
all kinds, beets, common artichokes.
Liquids: Beer, sparkling wine of all sorts and the sweet aerated drinks.
Medicines. Codeine.--A patient may begin with one-half grain three times a
day, which may be gradually increased to six or eight grains in the
twenty-four hours (under the doctor's care); withdraw it gradually when
sugar is absent or reduced as far as possible.
DIABETES INSIPIDUS.--A chronic affection characterized by the passage of
large quantities of normal urine of low specific gravity.
Causes.--It is most often found in young males and is probably of nervous
origin. It may follow excitement or brain injury.
Symptoms.--The onset is usually gradual. The urine is pale; ten to twenty
quarts a day. Thirst, dryness of the mouth and skin. Appetite and general
conditions are usually normal; sometimes there are feebleness and
emaciation. Death usually occurs from some other disease.
Treatment.--There is no known cure. Keep the general health in good
condition according to the advice of your family physician.
OBESITY.--An excessive development of fat; it may be hereditary. It occurs
most frequently in women of middle age and in children. Its chief cause is
excessive eating and drinking, especially of the starch and sugar foods
and malt liquors, and lack of exercise. The increase of fat is in all the
normal situations and the heart and liver are often large and fatty. The
condition in general may be good or there may be inactivity of the mind
and body. Disturbances of digestion and symptoms of a fatty heart. There
is less power to resist disease. Death may occur from fatty infiltration
of the heart, resulting in dilatation or rupture.
[CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES 331]
Treatment.--Must be in regulating the diet. The person must avoid all
excess in food and drink, and avoid especially foods that contain starch
and sugar. There must be regular and systematic exercise, hot baths and
massages are helps. Medicines made from the poke berry are much used and
are successful in some cases.
Diet.--The food of a fleshy person should be cut down gradually. Its bulk
can be great, but its nourishing properties should be small. The diet for
reduction of obesity should consist chiefly of bulky vegetables, but not
too much of any one article or set of articles. The following list is
recommended by Dr. Hare of Philadelphia:
For Breakfast.--One or two cups of coffee or tea, without milk or sugar,
but sweetened with a fraction of a grain of saccharin. Three ounces of
toasted or ordinary white bread or six ounces of brown bread; enough
butter may be used to make the bread palatable, not more than one ounce.
Sliced raw tomatoes with vinegar, or cooked tomatoes without any sugar or
fats. This diet may be varied by the use of salted or fresh fish, either
at breakfast or dinner. This fish must not be rich like salmon or
sword-fish, but rather like perch or other small fish.
Noon Meal--Dinner.--One soup plate of bouillon, consomme julienne, or
other thin soup, or Mosqueras beef-jelly, followed by one piece of the
white meat of any form of fowl or a small bird. Sometimes a small piece,
the size of one's hand, of rare beef, or mutton but no fat, may be
allowed, and this should be accompanied by string beans, celery (stewed or
raw), spinach, kale, cabbage, beans, asparagus, beets and young onions.
Following this, lettuce with vinegar and a little olive oil (to make a
French dressing), a cup of black coffee or one of tea, and a little acid
fruit, such as sour grapes, tamarinds and sour oranges, or lemons may be
taken, and followed by a cigar, if the patient has such a habit.
Supper.--This should consist of one or two soft boiled eggs, which may be
poached, but not fried, a few ounces of brown bread, some salad and fruit
and perhaps a glass or two of light, dry (not sweet) wine, if the patient
is accustomed to its use.
Before Going to Bed.--To avoid discomfort from a sensation of hunger
during the night, the patient may take a meal of panada, or he may soak
graham or bran crackers or biscuits in water and flavor the mess with salt
and pepper. The reduction of the diet is generally best accomplished
slowly and should be accompanied by measures devoted to the utilization of
the fat present for the support of the body. Thus, the patient should not
be too heavily clad, either day or night, should resort to exercise, daily
becoming more severe, and should not drink freely of water, unless
sweating is established sufficiently to prevent the accumulation of liquid
in vessels and tissues. Baths of the proper kind, cold or Turkish, should
be used, if the patient stands them well. The bowels should be kept active
by laxative fruit or purges. Salts are useful if drinks are thrown off
rapidly. If proper exercise is impossible the rest cure with massage,
electricity, passive exertion and absolute skimmed milk diet may be
resorted to, particularly in those persons known as "fat anemics," who
have not enough red corpuscles in their blood to carry sufficient oxygen
to the tissues to complete oxidation.
[332 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CANCER.--(In the following article on cancer we quote in part from
material issued by the Public Health Department of the State of Michigan).
Cancer is curable if it be operated upon in its early stages.--If it be
left to grow and develop, cancer is always fatal. It may be partially
removed when in an advanced stage, and relief may be had for some time
after operation; but beyond the early stage, cancer cannot at present be
permanently removed, nor permanently cured. Permanent cure of a cancer is
possible if the afflicted person obtains an early diagnosis and receives
early attention from a skilled surgeon. The only permanent cure for cancer
known at the present time is early surgical operation.
Have Operations Failed to Cure?--Very few persons die from operations
performed by skilled surgeons for the removal of cancer. Where cancer
operation is done by experienced surgeons the fatality in America for the
past fourteen years is less than one case out of a hundred, or in other
words ninety-nine persons out of a hundred survive operation for cancer.
Many persons have died from the return of the cancerous growth even after
operation by a skilled surgeon, and this fact has led many persons to
believe that operation for cancer is, therefore, unsuccessful, that it
does not cure. This is not the fact. It is true that cancer often returns
after operation, and that this method does not always effect a permanent
cure; but it is not true that operations are, therefore, useless. The
reason that operations do not remove cancers permanently in a great number
of cases is that such cases do not submit to operation soon enough. The
majority of persons suffering from cancer seek surgical aid too late. If a
house is on fire and one refuses to turn in an alarm until the fire has
spread from cellar to garret, neither blame nor disparagement must be
placed upon the fire department if it failed to save the burning house. So
with cancer; if the public refuses or neglects to operate for cancer at
the time when it can be eradicated, the public cannot censure or belittle
surgery. A cancer is like a green and ripe thistle. Pull up the green
thistle and you have gotten rid of it. But if you wait until the thistle
is ripe, and the winds have blown away the seeds, there is no use of
pulling up that thistle. Early operations are successful. Late ones are
not.
No reliable surgeon claims to save his patient or cure him of cancer if
the disease be in an advanced stage. But experienced surgeons do recognize
the fact that cancer in its early stage can be permanently removed and a
permanent cure can be effected by surgical operation. No other means of
permanent cure are known.
[CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES 333]
Caustic pastes applied to cancerous growths or sera, are sometimes
successful in obliterating the cancer for a time; but they are not
reliable for effecting enduring cures, and usually are merely palliative,
The fact that a cancer does not return for three years after removal is
not sure proof that it will not return; the return of a cancerous growth
depends upon its state of development and other conditions at the time of
removal from the cancer. In Johns Hopkins' Hospital forty-seven per cent
of all patients with cancers of the breast operated upon remained well for
three years or more, and seventy-five per cent of this forty-seven per
cent were cured, being in the most favorable condition for cure at the
time of the operation. But where conditions are not favorable at the time
of the operation, many patients have a return of the cancer even after the
three years of apparent cure have elapsed.
What is Cancer?--A cancer is a growth of cancerous cells in a network of
connective tissue. The cause of cancer is not known. It has not been
proved to be communicable and the majority of investigators of this
subject believe that it is not caused by a germ. Nor is it thought to be
inherited. Out of 8,000 cases of cancer at Middlesex Hospital, London, no
evidence of heredity was found. Until the cause of cancer is known, it
cannot be prevented. The only safeguard lies in an early diagnosis of the
condition and an immediate operation. Eminent investigators are carrying
on extensive research and thousands of dollars are being spent annually to
ascertain, if possible, what is the cause of this dread disease, and it is
confidently believed that final success will crown this labor.
When to Suspect Cancer and What to Do.--External or Exposed
Cancer.--Cancer of the exposed or surface parts of the body, such as the
skin of the lip, nose, cheek, forehead, temples, etc., is more readily
recognized than internal cancer, and is therefore more liable to early
operation and prompt cure. One rarely sees these forms of cancer in an
advanced stage, because such cases are readily seen and recognized by
physicians in the early stage of development, when operation can be
sufficiently early to effect a lasting cure.
The least malignant of all cancers is that kind which first exhibits
itself by a hardening of the skin, forming a nodule looking pimple or a
mole and having a dark red color, due to tortuous blood vessels, upon the
sides of the nose near the eyes, upon the cheek bones, forehead or
temples. This form of epithelioma is called rodent ulcer, flat epithelioma
or cancroid and sometimes does little harm for many years, but should
receive the attention of a physician familiar with cancer and its
eradication.
Deep or squamous cancer occurs on the lip, the tongue or the forehead or
wherever the mucous membrane joins the skin, and is characterized by a
hard, deep-seated sore formed upon any such part, growing down into the
flesh and having a dark red or purplish-red color.
[334 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
If such a cancer is suspected of being present, the patient should at once
seek diagnosis from a competent physician. Cancer of the lip is more
frequent in men than in women, occurring usually in the under lip and
called "Smoker's Cancer." Any hard persistent nodule in the under lip
should cause suspicion and should be taken to a skilled surgeon, as cancer
of the under lip is easily removed when in its early stage of development.
CANCER OF THE STOMACH.--The beginning of cancer of the stomach is very
difficult to recognize and it is far safer and wiser, upon the appearance
of the first suspicious symptom, to seek the aid of some physician skilled
in cancer diagnosis than to ignore and neglect these early warnings of the
disease. Although cancer of the stomach may occur in younger persons, it
is usually met with in persons after forty years of age. Therefore, any
person at this age who suffers from continuous indigestion or
characterized by retention and prolonged fermentation of food in the
stomach, should at once consult a competent physician. In the early stages
of the cancer of the stomach the patient loses weight, but in the later
stages there is more or less pain.
Whenever a physician finds that a patient has a pappy, insipid taste with
a furred, pale, rarely dry and red tongue, and is suffering from
continuous, dull sensations or pain in the region of the stomach,
periodically increasing to paroxysms, often induced by pressure or
increased by it, together with a sensation of weight, drawing pains of
varying character, and frequent pain in the shoulder, loss of appetite,
frequent belching of fetid gas from the stomach, severe and frequent
vomiting, often periodical, often occurring before partaking of a meal but
more often afterwards with slight indigestion, but vomitus being more or
less watery and containing mucus and blood, usually decomposed and
recurring frequently, together with constipation of the bowels, the skin
being sallow, yellowish, dry and flaccid, and losing weight and strength,
he should suspect cancer of the stomach and where possible advise an
immediate surgical operation for the removal of the cancer.
CANCER OF THE UTERUS.--What women should know regarding it. The menopause
or change of life comes on gradually, rarely suddenly. It is not preceded
by excessive flowing or discharge or pain in a healthy woman.
By cancer period is understood those years after forty, although rarely it
may occur earlier. The first symptoms of uterine cancer are:
1. Profuse flowing, even if only a day more than usual. Flowing or
spotting during the interval or after the use of a syringe or the movement
of the bowels.
2. Whites or Leucorrhea, if not existing previously. If existing but
getting more profuse, watery, irritating, or producing itching is a very
suspicious symptom.
[CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES 335]
3. Loss of weight, if no other cause is apparent. Pain in the region of
the womb, back or side.
If any of the above symptoms occur after the age of thirty-five or forty,
a woman should seek relief and insist on thorough investigation of the
cause and prompt treatment.
Cancer is always at first a local disease and can be removed if early
recognized and an absolute, permanent cure brought about.
CANCER OF THE BREAST.--Eighty-one per cent of an tumors of the breast are
cancer or become so. Whenever a woman feels a lump in her breast,
particularly if she be at the cancerous age, she should consult a skilled
physician at once and keep that breast under medical observation. If so
advised by her physician or by a skilled surgeon, she should have an
operation for the removal of the cancer, as it can be completely
eradicated when operated upon in its early stages. If left to grow and
develop it will get beyond the aid of even the most skillful surgeon.
Early diagnosis plus surgery is the only hope for a cancerous person.
Operation offers a most hopeful outlook for those afflicted with cancer.
It is more important to make an early diagnosis in cancer of the breast
than it is in appendicitis.
CANCER (CARCINOMA).--This is very malignant. This kind is divided into two
classes, Scirrhus and Epithelial.
1. Scirrhus cancer. This is a hard, irregular growth of moderate size. Its
special seat is the breast, the pyloric (smaller) end of the stomach and
in few instances the glands of the skin.
Soft Medullary or Encephaloid cancer. This type resembles brain tissue
both in appearance and consistence. It appears quite soft and may be
mistaken for an abscess. In form, it differs according to the organ
attacked. Special seats: The testicle, liver, bladder, kidney, ovary, the
eye and more rarely the breast.
Colloid cancer; jelly-like substance.--The cancer cells have undergone a
degeneration in one of the preceding varieties. The material it contains
is a semi-translucent, glistening, jelly-like substance. Its special
seats are the stomach, bowel, omentum, ovary and, occasionally, the
breast.
Diagnosis.--This kind is very rare before thirty years of age and common
after forty. They involve the gland early, contrary to what the sarcoma
variety does. Innocent growths occur, as a rule, in younger patients, do
not grow so rapidly, do not become adherent to neighboring parts and do
not ulcerate.
2. The Epithelial Cancer (Carcinoma).--These always spring from free
epithelium-clad surfaces, as the skin, and mucous membranes or from the
glands of the same. These growths appear with great frequency at the
points of junction of mucous membranes and skin surfaces, probably because
these parts are subjected to more frequent and varied forms of mechanical
and chemical irritation, Special seats: Skin surfaces, the nose, the lower
lip, the penis and scrotum, the vulva, the anus (mucous surfaces), tongue,
palate, gums, tonsils, larynx, pharynx, gullet, bladder, womb.
[336 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--l. Cancer, Simple Remedy for.--"Give a teaspoonful of
sarsaparilla tea four times daily, made with two ounces of sarsaparilla
root and quart of water boiled to one pint and apply to cancer growth a
poultice made of carrots scraped or mashed cranberries." These simple
remedies will relieve and often cure growths taken for cancers, but if it
is really a cancerous growth no medicine will help and a physician should
be consulted at once.
2. Cancer, Nettles and Laudanum Will Help.--"Take the juice of common
nettles inwardly and mix a little laudanum with the juice and rub the
parts outwardly. Cancer has often yielded to this treatment." This remedy
will no doubt help an ugly looking ulcer, repeatedly taken for cancer, by
the patients themselves and frequently the doctor. It is always well to
give this simple home remedy a trial, at least, for it is frequently
admitted by the medical fraternity to-day that ugly ulcers are often
treated in this way as cancers, sometimes to the lasting detriment of the
sufferer. Then why not try some efficient home remedy like the above until
you are certain that it is a cancer?
TUMORS.--A tumor is a new growth which produces a localized enlargement of
a part, or an organ, has no tendency to a spontaneous cure, has no useful
function, in most cases tends to grow during the whole of the individual's
life. Clinically, tumors are divided into the benign and the malignant.
A benign tumor is usually composed of tissues, resembling those in which
it originates.
A malignant tumor usually consists of tissues widely different from those
in which it originates; its growth is rapid and therefore often painful;
it infiltrates all the surrounding tissues, however resistant, even bone,
because it is never encapsulated; it thus early becomes immovable; the
overlying skin is apt to become adherent, especially when the breast is
involved. Sooner or later it usually infects the group of lymphatic glands
intervening between it and the venous circulation and from these new
centres, or directly through the veins, gives rise to secondary deposits
in the internal organs.
Some varieties. 1. Fibrous tumors; these consist of fibrous tissues. 2.
Fatty tumors (or lipomata); these consist of normal fat tissue. 3.
Cartilaginous tumors; consist of cartilage. 4. Osseous (bony) tumors. 5.
Mucous tumors (myxomata). 6. Muscular tumors (myomata). 7. Vascular tumors
(Angeiomata). 8. Nerve tumors (Neuromata).
Malignant Sarcoma (Sarcomata).--These are a variety of tumors. The result
of these varies with the location of the tumor. If located in the jaw, an
operation may cure it. If in the tonsil or lymphatic gland, it destroys
life rapidly. If in the sub-cutaneous tissue, it may be repeatedly
removed, the system remaining free, or the amputation of the limb involved
will probably cure the disease.
[Illustration: Circulatory System.]
[CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES 337]
TUMORS.--Diagnosis. It is uncommon under thirty, quite common after.
Epithelioma of the lower lip is limited almost entirely to men. If, then,
a man of from forty to seventy develops a small tumor in the lower lip
which ulcerates early, it is likely to be the cancer. The same applies to
some extent to the tongue. These growths and sores need attention early.
Treatment.--The best treatment is early free removal of the entire growth
before the glands are involved.
DISEASES OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
HEART DISEASE, Emergency Treatment.--For collapse or fainting, loosen
clothing, lie down, rub camphor on forehead, and keep quiet.
To Revive When Fainting.--Smell of camphor or aromatic spirits of ammonia.
Put one to two teaspoonfuls of whisky or brandy in eight teaspoonfuls of
hot water, and give one or two teaspoonfuls at a time and repeat often.
Some are not accustomed to stimulants and it may strangle them, so give it
slowly. Pulse is weak in such cases, calling for stimulants.
2. Pearls of Amylnitrite. Break one in a handkerchief and put the
handkerchief to the patient's nose so that he may inhale the fumes.
Stimulant.--A person with heart valvular trouble should always carry
pearls of amylnitrite. Inhale slowly so as not to get too much of it at
once.
HEART FAILURE.--The pulse may be slow and weak or fast and weak.
Digitalis.--Give five drops of the tincture in a little water. Another
dose can be given in fifteen minutes. Then another in an hour, if
necessary.
PALPITATION OF THE HEART.--Irregular or forcible heart beat action usually
perceived by the person troubled.
Causes.--Hysteria, nervous exhaustion, violent emotions or sexual
excesses; overdose of tea and coffee: alcohol or tobacco.
Symptoms.--There may be only a sensation of fluttering with that of
distention or emptiness of the heart. There may be flushing of the skin,
violent beating of the superficial arteries, with rapid pulse, difficult
breathing and nervousness. Attack lasts from a few minutes to several
hours.
[338 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.-l. Palpitation of the Heart, Tea of Geranium Root
for.--"Make an infusion of geranium root, half an ounce in pint of boiling
water, strain, cool, and give wine glass full three or four times a day."
The geranium root will be found to be an excellent remedy where female
weakness has caused the palpitation of the heart.
2. Palpitation of the Heart, Hot Foot Bath and Camphor for.--"Place the
feet in hot mustard water and give two grains camphor every two or three
hours, or two drops aconite every hour. This remedy is very good and is
sure to give relief."
3. Palpitation of the Heart, Valuable Herb Tea for.--"All excitement must
be avoided. Where there is organic disease, all that can be done is to
mitigate the severity of the symptoms. For this take the following herb
tea: One ounce each of marigold flowers, mugwort, motherworth, century
dandelion root, put in, two quarts of water and boil down to three pints;
pour boiling hot upon one-half ounce of valerian, and one-half ounce of
skullcap. Take a wineglassful three times a day. Let the bowels be kept
moderately open and live principally upon vegetable diet, with plenty of
outdoor exercise."
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Heartburn, Home Remedy for.--"A few grains of table
salt allowed to dissolve in the mouth and frequently repeated will
sometimes give relief." People who have too little acid in the stomach
will be much benefited by this remedy.
2. Heartburn, Soda a Popular Remedy for.--"One-half teaspoonful soda in
glass of water. Everybody uses this in the neighborhood."
3. Heartburn, Excellent Remedy for.--
"Powdered Rhubarb 1/2 ounce
Spirits of Peppermint. 2 drams
Water 4 ounces
Bicarbonate of Soda 1/2 ounce
Dose--One Tablespoonful after meals."
The bicarbonate of soda relieves the gas and swelling of the stomach,
while the rhubarb has a tonic action and relieves the bowels. The spirits
of peppermint stimulates the mucous membrane.
4. Poor Circulation, Remedy for Stout Person.--"Ten cents worth of salts,
five cents worth of cream of tartar; mix and keep in a closed jar. Take
one teaspoonful for three nights, then skip three nights." This is an
old-time remedy known to be especially good, as the salts move the bowels
and the cream of tartar acts on the kidneys, carrying off the impurities
that should be thrown off from these organs.
PHYSICIAN'S TREATMENT FOR PALPITATION.--When caused by valvular trouble,
digitalis can be given as above directed under heart failure.
When Caused by the Stomach.--From gas or too much food, take salts to move
the bowels. Hot whisky is good when caused by gas; or soda, one
teaspoonful in hot water is also good when gas causes palpitation.
[CIRCULATORY DISEASES 339]
Difficult Breathing.--If caused by gas, soda, hot whisky or brandy will
relieve. If caused by too fast beating of the heart, give digitalis as
above directed. If caused by dropsy, the regular remedies for dropsy. If
the dropsy is due to scanty urine you can use infusion of digitalis, dose
one to four drams; or cream of tartar and epsom salts, equal parts, to
keep the bowels open freely.
PHYSICIAN'S CAUTIONS:--Quiet the patient's mind and assure him there is no
actual danger; moderate exercise should be taken as a rule with advantage.
Regular hours should be kept and at least ten hours out of twenty-four
should be spent in lying down. A tepid bath may be taken in the morning,
or if the patient is weakly and nervous, in the evening, followed by a
thorough rubbing. No hot baths or Turkish bath. Tea, coffee and alcohol
are prohibited. Diet should be light, and the patient should avoid
overeating at any meals. Foods that cause gas should not be used. If a
smoker the patient must give up tobacco. Sexual excitement is very
pernicious, and the patient should be warned especially on this point.
Absolute rest for the distressing attacks of palpitation which occur with
nervous exhaustion. In these cases we find the most distressing throbbing
in the abdomen, which is apt to come after meals, and is very much
aggravated by the accumulation of gas.
Diet.--A person with heart disease should not bring on palpitation from
over-eating or eating the wrong kind of food. Such a person dare not be a
glutton. The diet must be simple, nutritious, but food that is easily
digested. Any food that causes trouble must be avoided; starchy foods,
spiced foods, rich greasy foods, are not healthy for such a person. The
stomach must be carefully treated by such a patient. The bowels should
move daily. The kidneys should always do good work and pass enough urine
and of the right color and consistency. Stimulants like alcohol, tea and
coffee are not to be used. Weak cocoa is all right in most cases. Hot
water, if any drink must be taken, at meals. Such a patient in order to
live and live comfortably, must take life easy. He cannot afford to run,
to over lift, or over exert, to walk fast upstairs, hurry or to "catch the
car." He must not get angry or excited. Games of all kinds that have a
tendency to make him nervous must be avoided. The same caution applies to
exciting literature. In short, a patient with organic heart disease must
be a drone in the hum of this busy, fast-rushing life, if he would hope to
keep the spark of life for many years. Sleep, rest and quiet is a better
motto for you than the strenuous life.
[340 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Heart.--The heart is the central organ of the entire system and
consists of a hollow muscle; by its contraction the blood is pumped to all
parts of the body through a complicated series of tubes, termed arteries.
The arteries undergo enormous ramifications (branchings) in their course
throughout the body and end in very minute vessels, called arterioles,
which in their turn open into a close meshed network of microscopic (very
minute) vessels, termed capillaries. After the blood has passed through
the capillaries it is collected into a series of larger vessels called
veins by which it is returned to the heart. The passage of the blood
through the heart and blood vessels constitutes what is termed the
circulation of the blood. The human heart is divided by a septum
(partition) into two halves, right and left, each half being further
constricted into, two cavities, the upper of the two being termed the
auricle and the lower the ventricle. The heart consists of four chambers
or cavities, two forming the right half, the right auricle and right
ventricle, and two forming the left half, the left auricle and left
ventricle. The right half of the heart contains the venous or impure
blood; the left the arterial or pure blood. From the cavity of the left
ventricle the pure blood is carried into a large artery, the aorta,
through the numerous branches of which it is distributed to all parts of
the body, with the exception of the lungs. In its passage through the
capillaries of the body the blood gives up to the tissues the material
necessary for their growth and nourishment and at the same time receives
from the tissues the waste products resulting from their metabolism, that
is, the building up and tearing down of the tissues, and in so doing
becomes changed from arterial or pure blood into venous or impure blood,
which is collected by the veins and through them returned to the right
auricle of the heart.
From this cavity the impure blood passes into the right ventricle from
which it is conveyed through the pulmonary (lung) arteries to the lungs.
In the capillaries of the lungs it again becomes arterialized by the air
that fills the lungs and is then carried to the left auricle by the
pulmonary veins. From this cavity it passes into that of the left
ventricle, from which the cycle once more begins. The heart, then, is a
hollow muscular organ of a conical form, placed between the lungs and
enclosed in the cavity of the pericardium. It is placed obliquely in the
chest. The broad attached end or base is directed upwards, backwards and
to the right and extends up to the right as high as the second rib and the
center of the base lies near the surface underneath the breast bone. The
apex (point) is directed downwards, forward and to the left and
corresponds to the space between the cartilage of the fifth and sixth
ribs, three-fourths of an inch to the inner side, and one and one-half
inches below the nipple, or about three and one-half inches from the
middle line of the breast bone. The heart is placed behind the lower two-
thirds of the breast bone and extends from the median line three inches to
the left half of the cavity of the chest and one and one-half inches to
the right half of the cavity of the chest.
Size: In adults it is five inches long, three and one-half inches in
breadth at its broadest part and two and one-half inches in thickness.
Weight in the male ten to twelve ounces; in the female eight to ten. It
increases up to an advanced period of life. The tricuspid valve (three
segments) closes the opening between the right auricle and right
ventricle. Pulmonary semilunar valves guard the orifice of the pulmonary
artery, keeping the blood from flowing back into the right ventricle. The
mitral valve guards the opening to the left ventricle from the left
auricle. The semilunar valves surround the opening from the left ventricle
into the aorta and keep the blood from flowing back. If any one of these
valves becomes diseased it may not thoroughly close the opening it is
placed to guard and then we have a train of important symptoms.
[CIRCULATORY DISEASES 341]
PERICARDITIS.--This is an inflammation of the pericardium, the sac
containing the heart.
Primary or First Causes.--They refer in this disease to a peculiar
constitution. Children that have a tuberculous constitution are more
liable to this disease. Acute rheumatism or tonsilitis are the causes and
this trouble follows or goes with them. Infectious diseases also cause it.
Symptoms.--Slight pain in the heart region, fever moderate. These subside
or effusion may set in and this usually occurs with acute rheumatism,
tuberculosis and septicemia. Sometimes these symptoms are absent.
Treatment of Pericarditis.--The patient must rest quietly in bed and a
doctor should be in attendance. An ice bag placed over the heart
frequently gives relief and quiets the distress and pain. There is apt to
be liquid in the sac (pericardium) and to lessen the tendency to this
there should not be much drink or liquid food taken. There should be what
is called a dry diet. (See Nursing Department for this.)
ENDOCARDITIS.--Inflammation of the lining of the heart chiefly confined to
the valves; it may be acute or chronic.
Simple Kind, Cause.--Occurs at all ages, but most often in children and
young adults. It most frequently comes with acute rheumatism, chorea,
tonsilitis, scarlet fever, and pneumonia. The valves in the left heart are
most often affected, the mitral simply swollen or bearing small growths.
Symptoms.--If it is caused by acute rheumatism, there may be higher
temperature, without increase of joint symptoms. Heart beats faster and is
irregular. It may run into chronic valvular disease.
Treatment of Endocarditis.--Preventive.--Much can be done to prevent this
disease by closely watching the patient having the disease that causes it.
The heart should be closely watched. Acute inflammatory rheumatism is a
frequent cause and the heart must be watched continually in this disease.
When the patient has this disease he must be quiet and in bed. This is
essential. A doctor must be called, for the disease is serious and
dangerous.
Diet.--Should be liquid. Milk or preparations made with it is the usual
diet. Care must be taken that the stomach and bowels be not disordered.
Gas collecting in the stomach causes much distress to one who has
endocarditis or valvular disease.
Caution.--Avoid early exertion after getting well.
[342 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CHRONIC ENDOCARDITIS.--Usually occurs in persons under middle age.
Generally follows acute endocarditis. It may be caused by syphilis,
alcoholism, gout, and prolonged over-exertion. The edges of the valve
become thickened and then the thickened parts separate and cannot meet
exactly and therefore fail to close the opening they are set to guard.
CHRONIC VALVULAR DISEASE.--Results of valve lesions. Narrowing of a valve
causes increased difficulty in emptying the chamber of the heart behind
it. Insufficiency of a valve allows the return of the blood through the
valve during the dilation of a chamber, thus increasing the amount of
blood entering the chamber beyond the normal. Either trouble causes
dilation of the chamber and compensatory hypertrophy. Enlargement of its
wall must take place in order to perform the extra work demanded
constantly, for the normal reserve force of the heart muscles can
accomplish the extra task only temporarily. This enlargement increases the
working power of the heart to above normal, but the organ is relatively
less efficient than the normal heart, as its reserve force is less and
sudden or unusual exertion may cause disturbance or failure of the
compensation acquired by the enlargement. If this loss of reserve force is
temporary, compensation is restored by further enlargement and by
diminution, by rest, of the work demanded of the heart. Any valvular
lesion, whether a stenosis (narrowing) of the outlet or insufficiency from
the moment of its origin, leads to certain alterations in the distribution
of pressure upon each side of the affected valve. If the body of the heart
itself did not possess a series of powerful compensatory aids, that is,
the power of making good a defect or loss, or restoring a lost balance, to
improve this relation of altered pressure, then every serious lesion at
its very beginning would not only cause serious general disturbances of
circulation, but very soon prove fatal. Without compensation of the power
of making good the defect or loss, the blood in every valvular disease or
lesion would be collected behind the diseased valve. The heart's reserve
power prevents to a certain extent such a dangerous condition; the
sections of the heart lying behind the diseased valve work harder,
diminish the blood stoppage and furnish enough blood to the peripheral
arteries. The reserve force is used in stenosis to overcome the obstacle,
whereas in insufficiency it must force more blood forward during the
succeeding phase through the diseased valve. To effect this increased work
permanently, anatomic changes in the heart are bound to follow. The
changes consist in hypertrophy (enlargement of the heart muscle) and
dilatation of the different chambers. Under this head, compensation, is
included the increased filling and increased work of certain heart
chambers with their resulting dilatation and hypertrophy. But this
compensation cannot last forever. It fails sometimes and certain symptoms
follow as hereafter related. Therefore persons who have valvular disease
and who have been informed that the heart has adapted itself to the
condition by enlarging of its walls and chambers and thus forming the
condition called compensation, should be very careful of their mode of
living and not put any undue or sudden strain upon the heart that might
destroy the conditions that make compensation continue. In the following
pages symptoms are given showing what happens when compensation continues
and when it fails.
[CIRCULATORY DISEASES 343]
AORTIC INSUFFICIENCY OR INCOMPETENCY.--The valves are not doing their work
thoroughly.
Symptoms.--They are often long absent; headache, dizziness, faintness,
flashes of light, difficult breathing, and palpitation on exertion, and
pain in the heart region may occur early. The pain may be dull and
localized, or sharp and radiating to the neck or left arm. When
compensation fails, we have difficult breathing, which is worse at night,
swelling of the eyes and feet, cough, anemia. Sudden death is more common
in this than with any other valvular disease. You can hear a soft blowing
sound by listening with your ear.
NARROWING (Aortic Stenosis).--Caused by chronic endocarditis, etc. Their
valve segments are usually adherent to each other by their margins and are
thickened and distorted.
Symptoms.--When compensation is gone, diminished blood in the brain causes
dizziness and faintness.
MITRAL INSUFFICIENCY OR INCOMPETENCY.--This is the most common valvular
disease. The segments of the valve may be shortened and deformed. There is
often stenosis (narrowing) caused by this deformity. The effects are
regurgitation, flowing back of blood from the left ventricle into the left
auricle, which is also receiving blood from the lungs, causing dilatation
of the auricle and its enlargement to expel the extra blood; dilatation
and other enlargement of the left ventricle occurs on account of the large
quantity of blood forced in by the auricle; obstruction to flow of blood
from pulmonary veins due to extra blood in left auricle, hence dilatation
and enlargement of right ventricle which forces blood through the lungs;
dilatation and enlargement of right auricle.
Symptoms.--If compensation is slightly disturbed we have blueness
(cyanosis), clubbing of the fingers, hard breathing on exertion, and
attacks of bronchitis and bleeding from the lungs. If compensation is
seriously disturbed we are likely to have the blueness (cyanosis) more
marked, heart beat feeble and irregular, constant hard breathing, with
cough and water or bloody sputum, dropsy in the feet first and going up
and involving the abdomen and chest cavities.
MITRAL STENOSIS.--This is the narrowing of the valve opening. It is most
common in young persons, chiefly females. The narrowing of the valve
opening may be due to thickening or hardening of the valve segments,
adhesion of their edges, thickening and contraction of the tendinous cords
of the valve ring.
Symptoms.--Similar to mitral insufficiency, but they develop slower and
those symptoms of venous congestion of the lungs, liver, etc., are more
marked; bleeding from the lungs is more common.
[344 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
TRICUSPID (VALVE) INSUFFICIENCY.--Cause.--Usually due to dilatation of the
right ventricle in mitral disease or with lung emphysema or other
obstruction to the lungs' circulation.
TRICUSPID STENOSIS (NARROWING).--Rare except in cases from the time of
birth.
Recovery from the valvular disease, depends upon the degree of
compensation maintained and is best when this is acquired spontaneously.
This is to be judged by the heart action. The prognosis is poor in
children. It is better in women than in men.
Treatment (a) While Compensated.--Medicine is not necessary at this
period. The patient should lead a quiet, regulated, orderly life, free
from excitement and worry; and the risk of certain death makes it
necessary that those suffering from a disease of the aorta should be
especially warned against over-exertion and hurry. An ordinary healthy
diet in moderate quantities should be taken, tobacco and stimulants not
allowed at all.
The feelings of the patient must control the amount of exercise; so long
as no heart distress or palpitation follows, moderate exercise will be of
great help. A daily bath is good. No hot baths should be taken and a
Turkish bath absolutely prohibited. For the full-blooded, fleshy patient
an occasional dose of salts should be taken. Patients with a valvular
trouble should not go into any very high altitudes; over-exertion, mental
worry and poor digestion are harmful.
(b) The stage of broken compensation. Rest. Disturbed compensation may be
completely restored by rest of the body. In many cases with swelling of
the ankles, moderate dilatation of the heart and irregularity of the
pulse, the rest in bed, a few doses of the compound tincture of cardamon
and a saline purge suffice within a week or ten days to restore the
compensation. For medicine a doctor must be consulted as each individual
case must be treated according to its peculiar symptoms.
FATTY HEART.--This occurs often in old age, prolonged, infectious, wasting
disease, anemia, alcoholism, poisoning by phosphorus and arsenic.
ANGINA PECTORIS.--True angina, which is a rare disease, is characterized
by paroxysms of agonizing pain in the region of the heart, extending into
the arms and neck. In violent attacks there is the sensation of impending
death. Usually during the exertion and excitement, sudden onset of
agonizing pain in the region of the heart and a sense of constriction, as
if the heart had been seized in a vise. The pains radiate up the neck and
down the arm. The fingers may be numb. The patient remains motionless and
silent, the face usually pale or ashy with profuse perspiration. Lasts for
several seconds or a minute or two.
[CIRCULATORY DISEASES 345]
Treatment.--Live an absolutely quiet life, avoid excitement and sudden
muscular exertion. During the attack, break a pearl of amylnitrite in a
handkerchief and inhale the fumes. These should always be carried. If no
relief is had in a minute or two chloroform should be given at once. It is
dangerous and you must look to your physician for advice and treatment.
ARTERIOSCLEROSIS.--A localized or diffused thickness of the inner coat and
then of the other coats of the arteries. Arteries look lumpy and are
crooked, dilated with stiff, thin or calcified walls. All coats,
especially the middle, show degeneration. It usually comes in later life.
Treatment.--Regulate the mode of life, avoid alcohol, excess of eating,
drinking, exertion, excitement and worry. Keep the bowels and kidneys
acting regularly. There is no medicine for it.
ANEURISM.--This is a local dilatation of an artery. A local tumor.
Treatment.--Absolute rest, restrict fluids. There is always danger from
rupture.
MYOCARDITIS.--This is an inflammation of the muscle substance of the
heart. It may be acute or chronic.
Causes.--Endocarditis and pericarditis in the course of rheumatism; acute
fevers like typhoid, etc.; clots lodging in the heart arteries, coming
from diseases such as septicemia and pyemia.
Symptoms.--The heart is weak. The pulse is rapid, small and irregular,
palpitation and fainty sensations come on suddenly during the course of
diseases mentioned. The outlook is serious and life may end suddenly.
Treatment.--The same as that given for endocarditis. Absolute rest is
necessary. A good nourishing diet must be given and a doctor is always
needed.
PHLEBITIS, INFLAMMATION OF THE VEINS.--Causes.--Some irritation of the
vein, as a puncture or any other injury accompanied by infection.
Symptoms.--Pain and tenderness along the course of the vein with
discolored skin and acute swelling (watery) below the obstruction. Pulse
rapid, high temperature, chills, dry and brown tongue and pain.
Treatment.--Absolute quiet is necessary, with the affected limb elevated.
Lead and laudanum wash should be applied, or hot antiseptic fomentations
if an abscess is forming. An abscess should be opened, keep up the
patient's strength.
[346 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
VARICOSE VEINS (Varix).--This term means an enlarged, elongated, tortuous,
knotty condition of the veins. The term "varicose veins" is restricted in
general use to the veins of the extremities, and especially those
belonging to the lower extremity. The disease begins with a slow dilation
of the vein, which gradually becomes thickened and tortuous. The inner
lining membrane or coat of the vein is altered, the valves are shortened
and thus rendered insufficient to support the column of blood. The outer
coat becomes thickened. The varicose conditions affect chiefly the
superficial veins.
Predisposing Causes.--They are most frequent in the female sex. The
tendency increases as the age advances. Obstruction. Anything that
obstructs the full return of blood in the veins, as tight garters below
the knee, etc. Standing work may bring it on.
Exciting Causes.--Tumors in the pelvis; diseases of the heart and lungs;
pregnancy. These all obstruct the full return of blood in the veins.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT FOR VARICOSE VEINS.--Palliative.--Remove the cause
if possible. Treat the heart and lung troubles. Remove the pelvic tumors.
In pregnancy, the woman afflicted with this trouble should not be much on
her feet, but should remain lying down in bed as much as possible. This
position removes the weight of the pregnant womb from the veins and allows
a free return of the venous blood. An elastic bandage, or a perfectly
fitting elastic stocking, supports the veins, equalizes the circulation
and turns the flow to the deeper veins, which do not, as a rule, become
varicose. This silk stocking should be made to order. This treatment gives
much comfort in chronic varicose veins.
DISEASES OF THE EYE AND EAR
The first thing we notice in looking at the eye may be the lids and at
each edge are the eyelashes. When this edge becomes inflamed it is called
Blenharitis Marginalis or inflammation of the margin of the eyelids. It is
called thus from the name of the eyelid "Blepharon;" It is always means
inflammation.
If we turn down the lower lid and turn up the upper, we see a red membrane
called the conjunctiva (connecting). This is the mucous membrane of the
eye. It lines the inner surface of both lids and is reflected over the
fore part of the Sclerotic and Cornea--two other coats of the eye, The
palpebral or eyelid portion of the conjunctiva is thick, opaque, highly
vascular (filled with blood vessels) and covered with numerous papillae.
It turns back (reflects) over the Cornea, but it consists only of a very
thin structure (epithelium) forming the anterior layer of the cornea and
is, in health, perfectly transparent. Upon the sclerotic it is loosely
attached to the globe. When the conjunctiva becomes inflamed it is called
(Conjunctiv(a)itis) conjunctivitis. The sclerotic-cornea forms the
external tunic (coat) of the eyeball, the sclerotic being opaque and
forming the posterior five-sixths of the globe; the cornea, which forms
the remaining sixth (the front white part that is plainly seen) being
transparent. The sclerotic (means dense and hard) serves to maintain the
form of the globe, the eyeball.
[EYE AND EAR 347]
The cornea.--This is almost circular in shape. It is convex anteriorly and
projects forward from the sclerotic in the same manner that a watch glass
does from its case. This layer covers what we call the pupil.
The second tunic or coat (membrane) is formed from behind forward by the
Choroid, the ciliary body and the Iris. The choroid is the vascular and
dark coat covering the posterior five-sixths of the globe. The ciliary
body connects the choroid to the circumference of the iris. The iris is
the circular muscular septum (division) which hangs vertically behind the
cornea, presenting in its center a large rounded opening, the pupil.
The choroid is a thin highly vascular membrane of a dark brown or
chocolate color and is pierced behind by the optic nerve and in this
situation is firmly adherent to the sclerotic.
The ciliary body comprises three muscles for its make-up and connects the
choroid to the circumference of the iris.
The Iris (rainbow) has received its name from its various colors in
different individuals. It is a thin, circular shaped, contractile curtain,
suspended in the aqueous (watery) humor behind the cornea and in front of
the lens, being perforated a little to the nasal (nose) side of its centre
by a circular opening, the pupil, for the transmission of light. By its
circumference it is continuous with the ciliary body, and its inner or
free edge forms the margin of the pupil. The anterior surface of the iris
is variously colored in different individuals and marked by lines which
converge toward the pupil.
The Retina.--This is a delicate membrane, upon the surface of which the
images of external objects are received. Its outer surface is in contact
with the choroid; its inner, with the vitreous (glass) body. Behind it is
continuous with the optic nerve; it gradually diminishes in thickness from
behind forward. The retina is soft, semi-transparent and of a purple tint
in the fresh state. Exactly in the centre of the posterior part of the
retina corresponding to the axis of the eye, and at a point in which the
sense of vision is most perfect, is an oval yellowish spot, called after
its discoverer, the yellow spot or Macula lutea of Sommering.
Refracting Media.--The aqueous humor completely fills the anterior and
posterior chambers of the eyeball. The anterior chamber is the space
bounded in front by the cornea; behind by the front of the iris. The
posterior chamber is a narrow chink between the peripheral part of the
iris, the "suspensory ligament" of the lens and the "ciliary processes."
[348 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The vitreous body forms about four-fifths of the entire globe, It fills
the concavity of the retina and is hollowed in front, forming a deep
cavity, for the reception of the lens. It is perfectly transparent and of
the consistency of thin jelly. The fluid from the vitreous body resembles
nearly pure water. The crystalline lens enclosed in its capsule is
situated immediately behind the pupil, in front of the vitreous body. The
lens is a transparent, double-convex body. It is more convex on the
posterior than on the anterior surface. The rays of light go through this
body and converge to a point at the back of the retina.
BLEPHARITIS MARGINALIS.--This means a chronic inflammation of the margin
or edge of the eyelids accompanied by congestion, thickening and
ulceration of the parts and the formation of scales and crusts.
Causes.--The underlying cause is often an inflammation of the conjunctiva
where the proper care is not taken in cleansing the roots of the lashes
when the discharge collects.
Other causes are keeping late hours, smoke and dust.
Symptoms.--The red swelling along the roots of the lashes is often the
only symptom. This comes and goes at the least excuse, such as eye strain,
late hours, dust and wind. Scales and dust form in the severe forms, of
the disease. It is most common in children, extends over many years and
may finally result in the loss of the lashes, with the edge of the lid,
thickened, reddened and turned out.
Treatment.--This is tedious. Fit glasses if there is eye strain, reform
the mode of life and attend to any constitutional disease that may tend to
make it worse.
Local treatment.--Keep the parts thoroughly clean. The edges of the lids
should be washed carefully with soap and warm water or mild solution of
borax or soda until the crusts are all cleaned off and then use at night
an ointment composed of the following ingredients:
Yellow oxide of Mercury 2-1/2 grains
Petrolatum 2-1/2 drams
Mix and make an ointment and rub on the edge of the lids every night,
first cleaning them. The conjunctivitis must be cured.
STYE (HORDEOLUM).--This is a swelling beginning in a gland or glands at
the edge of the lid and pus forms finally.
Causes.--Inflammation of the edge of the lid, stomach trouble, run down
condition, poorly fitted glasses, when glasses should be worn to relieve
the eye strain.
Symptoms.--Itching and burning feeling followed by a red swollen area
(lump) at the edge of the lid. Later it comes to a point and discharges.
Cause.--Styes usually run their course in a few days or a week; another
frequently follows. When it does not reach the pus stage, it often leaves
a hard swelling (blind stye).
[EYE AND EAR 349]
MOTHER'S REMEDY. 1. Stye.--Home Method to Kill.--"To hasten the pointing
of a stye apply hot compresses for fifteen minutes every two hours. As ill
health may be the cause, a tonic may be needed; glasses properly fitted
should be worn and a boric acid eyewash used until long after the stye has
disappeared." Applying hot compresses will relieve the congestion and
gives much relief. Ill health produces a poor circulation of the blood and
a good tonic will be found beneficial. Styes are frequently produced by
need of glasses.
Treatment.--Treat the stomach and system if necessary. Ice or cold cloths
against the stye may abort it. If it goes on, hot fomentations will hasten
it. It should then be opened up and scraped out. It will soon heal then
and will not leave a lump.
ACUTE CATARRHAL CONJUNCTIVITIS (Pink Eye).--Definition.--This is an acute
inflammation of the mucous membranes under the eyelids, and there is
congestion (too much blood), swelling and a discharge of mucus and pus.
Causes.--Exposure to wind, dust, smoke, or irritating foreign substance,
cinder, sand, etc. It may occur in epidemic form and then is contagious
and is called "pink eye."
Symptoms.--The lids appear stiff to the patient, the light causes
discomfort and the patient fears it. Burning feeling as if there was some
dirt, etc., under the lid, not much pain, but discomfort especially in the
evening. The lids look swollen and red. The conjunctiva on the cornea is
reddened and that on the lid is thickened, reddened and rough. The
discharge collects at the roots of the lashes or lies on the conjunctiva.
The lids are stuck together in the morning. The sight is slightly affected
by the discharge on the cornea, which is otherwise clear. Sometimes little
(minute) ulcerations are seen.
Course.--It may run into a chronic conjunctivitis. One eye is usually
attacked a few days before the other. The first stage lasts a few hours or
a day and then the discharge follows which may last a few days or a week
or more.
Treatment.--First: Use gauze or cotton and dip in ice or cold water and
apply to the eyelids. A wash of hot water can be used to cleanse the eye
or ten to sixty grains (one teaspoonful) of boric acid to an ounce of
water can be used as a wash also.
The following remedies are good in combination as follows:
Alum 3 grains
Sulphate of Zinc 2 grains
Distilled Water 1 ounce
Mix and drop one drop into the eye two or three times daily. A weak
solution of tea can be used also as a wash. Anoint the lids at night with
white (tube) vaselin.
[350 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
INFLAMMATION OF THE EYE OF NEWLY BORN (OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM).--This is a
severe inflammation of the conjunctiva in the new born infant, usually due
to a discharge from the mother and it is characterized by a discharge of
pus.
Causes.--Mild cases may come from a less violent form of infection from
the mother's discharge from the vagina, or from outside causes. The
majority of the severe cases is due to a poison (the gonococcus
infection).
Symptoms.--The first symptoms are swelling and redness, usually of both
eyes, usually occurring a few days after birth. Soon the discharge appears
and shortly becomes creamy pus, which runs from the eyes when the swollen
lids are partly opened. As the disease continues to advance, the membrane
of the lid is thickened, red and velvety looking and the conjunctiva
(membrane) in the eye is swollen, puffy and watery.
The disease may last from two to six weeks or longer.
If the pus is not cleaned from the eye, the cornea may look dim and ulcers
may appear. If the ulcer eats through the cornea the iris is apt to be
caught in the opening and in the scar resulting from the ulcer. The cornea
may later bulge and protrude or the disease may involve the whole eye in
an inflammation which may destroy it.
The result generally depends upon how soon treatment is begun. If attended
to early the great majority of cases recover. It is serious to neglect
early treatment for this disease. It causes a great many cases of
blindness and generally the cases are neglected too long. Treatment must
begin before the disease begins. Immediately at the birth of the child,
when if there is any poison in the eye due to a discharge in the mother's
vagina, it can be immediately cleansed.
TREATMENT PREVENTIVE. What to do first.--As soon as the child is born and
before its eyes are opened the discharges should be carefully wiped away
from the lids with small squares of cotton or gauze, pieces wrung out of a
weak solution, three per cent (three parts to one hundred of warm, boiled,
water) of boric acid. The eyes should not be exposed to the light. At the
first both the eyes should be bathed and the same piece of linen should
not be used for both eyes.
As soon as any redness appears the eye should be frequently bathed with
this warm, weak solution of boric acid and sometimes cold compresses
should be used by taking squares of folded gauze or masses of absorbent
cotton. Take them cold from a block of ice and lay them over the eyes, and
keep constantly changing to keep them cold. This relieves the congestion
and prevents a great amount of blood from flowing and settling
(congestion) there. When pus appears in the eye it should be cleansed
every half hour at least. You can do this by letting the solution run over
it from a medicine dropper. After being allowed to trickle from the outer
to the inner angle (corner) of the eye, it will then run down beside the
nose and can be caught in a piece of absorbent cotton or sponge. If there
is a great amount of pus in the eye, the eye may have to be washed out in
this manner, every fifteen minutes, day and night, so that the cornea will
be kept clean. If this must be done a small fountain syringe with a glass
tube (eye-dropper) attached will cause a steady flow of the solution. The
boric acid can be increased to five or ten grains to the ounce of water.
If only one eye is diseased the other eye may be covered.
[EYE AND EAR 351]
All cloths, etc., should be burned at once and the basin which has held
them, filled with carbolic acid solution of the strength of one part acid
to twenty parts water. The nurse's hands should be thoroughly scrubbed in
hot water and soap and disinfected in the same strength of carbolic acid
solution, as the disease is very contagious and dangerous to adults. An
attendant should not touch her face or hair with her hands unless they
have been washed quite clean. The conjunctiva should be brushed with a
solution of nitrate of silver of two per cent strength (two parts to one
hundred of distilled water) and then neutralized with a salt solution, not
strong enough to burn.
When the cornea is diseased one per cent solution of atropine may be
necessary once or twice a day.
Caution.--In the cities this disease is disastrous in its results to the
sight of babies. This is due to the want of necessary care. Persons who
must be with the patient should be very careful not to get any of the
discharge upon their clothes or person, as it is very contagious.
ULCER OF THE CORNEA.--Causes.--Poor general health is an underlying cause
or the cornea itself may be poorly nourished. Ulcers are common among the
poor classes. They often begin through a rubbing of the cornea by a
foreign body. They also come from diseases of the conjunctiva. Weakly
babies are easily affected.
Symptoms.--The light hurts the patient; there is a feeling of something in
the eye. When the ulcer is over the pupil the sight is impaired. The
eyeball shows a ring of pink congestion about the cornea, with congestion
of the conjunctiva. The form of the ulcer may be irregular, circular, etc.
Course.--The simple ulcers heal in a week or two. Infected ulcers may
spread, or they may sink deeply into the substance of the cornea and eat
through. The danger to the sight depends upon the kind and severity of the
ulcer. There is apt to be more or less film over the eye for some time and
if the ulcer eats through it may destroy the sight.
Treatment. Preventive.--When the cornea has been injured and there has
been some rubbing off of its tissue (abrasion) mild antiseptic solution in
the form of eye drops should be used. Boric acid, as much as will dissolve
in warm, distilled water and some dropped in the eye three or four times a
day. If there is a foreign body in the cornea, clean instruments should be
used to remove it. The cocaine used to render the eye painless must be
pure.
[352 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
General Treatment.--If the patient is "run down" the general system should
be built up.
Local Treatment.--One to two per cent solution of Atropine should be put
into the eye three to six times a day to keep the pupil dilated and
prevent it from adhering to the cornea. Hot fomentations repeated
according to the severity of the case and the amount of "easing" they
give. A three per cent solution of boric acid should be used for cleansing
purposes. The bowels should be regular. The patient should remain in one
room.
FILM ON THE EYE PTERYGIUM.--This is a growth beginning near the inner or
outer corner and extending with its point towards the center of the
cornea.
Symptoms.--The patient only complains when it has advanced toward the
center of the cornea and the vision is lessened or cut off. It occurs more
often from the inner corner. It keeps growing for many years and may cease
advancing at any time.
Treatment.--Surgical treatment is often necessary. Dr. Alling says:
"Dissect off the growth from the cornea and sclera coats, leaving the base
attached (toward the corner of the eye) and bury its point under the
undermined conjunctiva below. If the growth is dissected off the cornea,
which may readily be done, and then cut off (towards its base) it would
recur."
IRITIS. (Inflammation of the Iris.)--This is an inflammation of the iris,
characterized by congestion, small pupil and posterior synechia.
Causes.--It occurs in the second stage of syphilis, second to eighteenth
month, from rheumatism, diabetes, gout, injury, and without any known
cause (idiopathic).
Symptoms.--More or less severe pain in the eye, forehead and temple, worse
in the night and early morning especially. There is fear of the light and
the eyes water very much. The sight is affected and there may be some
fever. On examination the lids are found swollen and red, the eyeball
shows congestion in the cornea and ciliary body, with some congestion of
the conjunctiva. The cornea looks hazy. The anterior surface of the iris
looks muddy and does not look so fine and delicate. The pupil is small and
the light does not make it contract readily. If atropine is put in the eye
(one per cent solution) the pupil will not dilate regularly, because at
different points the pupillary edge of the iris is held to the lens by an
exudate that lightly holds it.
Course and Recovery.--The disease may occur at any age, but it is most
common in children. It may last from one to six weeks.
Chances of recovery are good if treatment is begun early. There is a
tendency to recurrence.
[EYE AND EAR 353]
MOTHER'S REMEDY.--1. Iritis.--Sensible Remedy for.--"Doctor the blood with
sulphur and lard, a teaspoonful three times a day. Refrain from using the
eyes. This disease is said to be brought on by rheumatic fever, and
rheumatism is a disease of the blood." This is a very serious disease and
a physician should be called.
Treatment. What to do first.--Confine the patient in a darkened room and
if the attack is severe in bed.
Local Treatment.--Dry or moist heat should be applied, according to the
ease they give. Leeches are good in severe cases placed near the outer
corner of the eye. Atropine usually made of about the strength of two to
four grains Atropine to an ounce of water; or one per cent (1 to 100) may
be used, and it should be dropped into the eye from three to six times a
day. The pupil must be dilated and kept so from the beginning to keep the
adhesions from forming between the iris and lens. If too much is used the
throat and tongue will feel dry, face will flush, and there will be
dizziness and a rapid pulse. Stop it until that effect is gone and then
cautiously use it again. The bowels should be kept open.
The diet should consist of milk to a great extent. Water of course can be
taken freely. Soups, broths, gruels, etc., can be used if desired; but
meats should be withheld for a time unless the patient runs down.
Caution.--If a person has any of the special symptoms above mentioned it
would be prudent to begin treatment at once. The great danger is permanent
adhesion of the iris to other parts, especially the lens, and the dilating
and contracting power may be lost.
INJURIES OF THE IRIS.--Concussion of the eyeball may produce an irregular
dilation of the pupil. This is due to paralysis of the sphincter muscle of
the pupil, but it generally disappears. The edge of the pupil may be torn
in the form of one or more rents, or the iris may be separated from its
root at its circumference, leaving a clear space, or it may be entirely
torn from its attachment.
Perforating wounds are accompanied by injury to the lens and other
structures; when the cornea is wounded it is often complicated by falling
of the lens. When a small foreign body passes through the cornea and iris
a small opening may be seen. The greatest danger from wounds is due to
infection and if it reaches the iris, it may produce violent iritis. If
the lens is displaced or absent the iris being without support, will
tremble with every movement of the eye. In some cataract operations, if
there is a loss of the "Vitreous" body a part of the iris may be folded
upon itself, thus enlarging the pupil in that point.
[354 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CATARACT.--This is an opacity of the crystalline lens or its capsule. The
lens is not clear and bright and keeps the light from going through it.
Then it is called opaque.
SENILE CATARACT.--The vast majority of these cataracts are found after the
age of fifty. They simply come without any known cause. Of course, injury
can cause a cataract and it is then called traumatic cataract.
Symptoms of Senile (Old Age) Cataract.--Blurred vision, flashes and
streaks of light, dark spots, double vision. There is no pain. Eye strain
due to imperfect sight. Sometimes the first symptom is ability to read
without glasses (second sight). This is due to the increased refractive
power of the lens from swelling. The lens looks a little whitish through
the pupil opening and looks more so as time goes on.
Course.--The progress is slow. It usually takes a number of years before
it is "ripe" for operation. They may remain in the same condition
sometimes. In this kind of cataract both eyes are affected sooner or
later, although one eye may be fully matured before the other is much
changed.
The result of an operation depends upon the condition of the eye. The eye
should be free from evidence of disease. "The anterior chamber should be
of normal depth. The pupil should react to light. There should be a
homogeneous (all alike) white or gray opacity immediately back of the
pupil, with no shadow from the edge of the pupil (except in cases of
sclerosis, already mentioned). A candle carried on all sides of the
patient while the eye is fixed, should be properly located by him. The
tension of the eyeball should be normal."
The operation is very frequently done and it is very successful. The
patient should be ready and willing to place himself in the charge of the
operator and do as he says.
SYMPATHETIC INFLAMMATION OF THE EYE.--(Sympathetic Ophthalmia.)--A
condition in which the healthy eye becomes the seat of a destructive
inflammation transferred from the other eye which has been the subject of
a similar inflammation usually following a perforating injury of the
eyeball. The injured eye is called the exciting eye; the other, the
sympathetic eye.
This is a rare disease, but it may occur when one eye is injured or
diseased and on the first indication of trouble in the injured eye the
other eye should be closely watched for symptoms of sympathetic trouble so
that if can be removed.
Symptoms in the Exciting Eye.--This is more or less congested and painful;
when pressure is made upon the upper lid, it shows tenderness. The tension
is not as strong; the pupil may be blocked with an exudate.
In the Sympathizing Eye.--There is an inflammation involving the choroid,
ciliary body and iris. There is pain, tenderness, small blocked pupil and
sight is poor.
[EYE AND EAR 355]
Course.--It usually appears between the third week and the sixth month
after the original injury. "The extreme limits are two weeks and twenty
years." The sound eye is likely to be attacked when the exciting eye is in
a state of active inflammation.
Treatment.--The "exciting eye" should be enucleated (taken out) before any
signs of sympathetic inflammation appears in the healthy eye. If it has
appeared, enucleation will be of no value; at all events if there is
vision in the exciting eye, the operation should not be done then.
INFLAMMATION OF THE RETINA FROM BRIGHT'S DISEASE (Albuminuric
Retinitis).--The retina is a very delicate structure and we are often able
to diagnose Bright's disease from the peculiar effect it produces upon the
retina.
Causes.--The cause is usually Bright's disease, (nephritis) and usually
the chronic Interstitial variety. Pregnancy causes it sometimes.
Interference of the vision, sight, is what the patient complains of. This
may be very slight, when you consider the great changes occurring in the
retina. Such patients are subject to attacks of temporary blindness of
uremic origin. The vessels of the retina are swollen and tortuous.
Bleeding and shining white patches are scattered through the back part of
the eye and a peculiar arrangement of glistening white dots around the
yellow spot. This disease shows itself late in Bright's disease and the
patient is not likely to live more than two years after the appearance of
this eye lesion.
Treatment.--It sometimes occurs during pregnancy. Then the question of
inducing premature labor arises. There is no local treatment that can be
of any use when it is caused by Bright's disease.
FITTING GLASSES.--This is done by lenses and prisms, etc.
Lens.--A lens is made of glass and prisms graded in strength, one surface
curved, and has the power of refracting or changing the direction of the
rays of light. A prism is wedge-shaped and bends rays of light towards its
base. A great many people are troubled with their eyes, much more than
years ago. We even see little children wearing glasses. It is unfortunate,
but true, that even more children and grown people should wear them.
Fitting glasses is an art in itself. It takes more ability to fit glasses
well than it does to operate well. Poorly-fitted glasses are not only
annoying to the wearer, but dangerous. Glasses rest the eyes, not tire
them. When the eyes water and feel tired or strained, even after using
them but little, glasses are needed. Headaches are frequently caused by
the eye strain. When glasses are needed it does not pay to put off getting
them and the person needing them should go to one competent to properly
fit them. A great many eyes are hard to fit, and they need not only
ability to fit them well, but time and attention must be given to fitting
them properly.
[356 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
SQUINT OR STRABISMUS.--Both lines of sight are not directed towards the
same object of fixation.
Internal or Convergent Squint.--Where one eye is turned inward toward the
nose.
External or Divergent Squint.--One eye turns outward toward the temple.
Squinting upward and downward are uncommon.
Causes of Convergent (Internal) Squint.--It generally appears between two
and five years; at first periodically, later constantly. The patient is
generally far-sighted.
Treatment.--Internal squint in very young children may be treated by
covering the well eye and forcing the child to use the other. When the
child is old enough, proper glasses should be worn. Operation can be done
when needed and is generally successful.
External (Divergent) Squint.--This may appear at any age and is often
associated with near-sightedness. An operation is necessary and the
tendons on both sides must generally be cut and properly placed. Parents
should always attend to a child who has this trouble. The operation is not
difficult to perform and it will not only, as a rule, give the child good
sight, but better looks. Parents who are able to have an operation or
glasses fitted when needed, and who neglect their children, should be
punished; they are guilty not only of neglect, but cruelty.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. Inflammation of the Eye. 1. Chickweed a Relief for.--
"The juice of chickweed is good for inflammation of the eyes, when dropped
into them."
2. Inflammation of Eyes, Sassafras, Excellent Remedy for.--"Take sassafras
bark and make into a tea. Apply this externally to the eyes, and it will
be found very beneficial for this trouble." This is a very good remedy, on
account of its oily soothing nature.
3. Inflammation of Eyes, Tried Remedy for.--
Boric Acid 10 grams
Camphor Water (not spirits) 1/2 ounce
Water 1/2 ounce
Apply this with a soft cloth.
This trouble usually results from or is associated with constitutional
disease and requires treatment for same, but the above wash is good for
local applications. This prescription was given me by an oculist."
4. Inflammation of Eyes, Common Potato Will Cure.--"Scrape raw potato and
apply to the temple until relieved." This helps to draw the blood away and
relieves the inflammation.
5. Inflammation of Eyes, Milk Curd Relieves.--"Make a curd of sweet milk;
that is, set it on the stove till it forms a curd; then add quite a little
alum and wash eyes." The milk is very soothing and the alum acts as an
astringent. Care should be taken in using this remedy that none of the
mixture gets into the eyes.
[EYE AND EAR 357]
6. Inflammation of Eyes, Wild Hairs Cause.--"A few years ago, I had
trouble with my eyes. They felt as though there was something in them
scratching the eye-ball. I went to an eye specialist, and he gave me two
little vials of medicine to drop into my eyes six times a day. I doctored
with him several months, and while the medicine reduced the inflammation
largely, it did not relieve the scratching sensation in the eyes. Then I
was away from home for about ten days and did not use the medicine, and
when I returned my eyes were very much inflamed, and very painful. I
visited the doctor again, and he said I had a little ulcer on the eyeball,
and he pulled out several hairs or winkers from the eyelid. I asked him if
wild hairs were the cause of the ulcer and he admitted they were. After a
few days' more treatment by the doctor I learned of a neighbor who
understood a little about wild hairs in the eyelid and had him examine my
eyes. He pulled out more wild hairs, and my eyes got well. Ever since
then, when my eyes begin to hurt me as though there was some foreign
substance in them, I go to my neighbor and he pulls out the wild hairs,
and that was the trouble with my eyes. My experience in obtaining this
knowledge cost me twenty dollars in fees to the eye specialist, which I
could have saved by going to my neighbor at first,"
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--Sore Eyes. 1. Rose Leaves Rest.--"Steep rose leaves
and apply often." Apply the leaves as a fomentation and relief will soon
follow. This is very soothing and very easily applied.
2. Sore Eyes, Soothing Remedy for.--"Use a wash of borax and water.
One-half teaspoonful to a cupful of water." This is very good.
3. Sore Eyes. Slippery Elm Excellent for.--"This is a very soothing
dressing far the eyes. You can buy a small package of the slippery elm at
any drug store, and prepare it by making a tea and using externally.
4. Sore Eyes, Common Remedy for.--"Use a wash night and morning of common
table salt and water." This is often sold by druggists for 10 or 15 cents
an ounce under a medical name.
5. Sore Eyes, Elder Berry Flowers Relieve.--"In a severe case of
inflammation of the eyes apply a poultice of elderberry flowers; bathe the
eyes with warm water and witch-hazel." This remedy was given by a mother
who tried it a great many times and always had success.
6. Sore Eyes. Borax and Camphor Good Wash for.--"Borax one teaspoonful,
spirits of camphor fifteen drops, distilled water one-half cupful. This
makes a fine wash for sore eyes, and is perfectly harmless."
[358 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
7. Sore Eyes, Tested Eye Wash for.--
"Hydrastis (Golden Seal Root) 1/2 ounce
Best Green Tea 1/2 ounce
Sulphate of Zinc, Pulverized 1 dram
Steep the root and tea for a few minutes in a pint of boiling water; while
cooling add the sulphate of zinc; when cold strain well and bottle. Use as
an eye wash three times a day. In severe cases a poultice is useful, made
of pulverized slippery elm and warm milk and water. All eye washes should
be used with caution and especially those containing belladonna or caustic
solutions,"
8. Sore Eyes, Borate of Soda and Camphor Water Relieves.--
"Borate of Soda 2 grains
Camphor Water (not spirits) 1 ounce
Mix, drop one or two drops in the eye four times a day.
Camphor water is made by allowing the gum to dissolve in water instead of
alcohol, also saturate lint in this mixture and apply on the eyes."
EAR AND ITS DISEASES.
The external ear is called auricle or pinna. It is an oval funnel-shaped
organ. The canal leading in to the membrane (drum) is called the external
auditory meatus. It extends inward about one and one-quarter inches and
terminates in a membrane.
Membrane Tympani (drum) which separates the external ear from the tympanic
cavity. To examine the drum, you must pull the ear backward and outward to
make the canal straight.
Membrane Tympani (the drum) Membrane.--This is situated at the inner end
of the canal and separates it from the tympanum or middle ear. It is
placed like the membrane in the telephone. It is pearly gray in color.
This membrane not only serves as a protection to the delicate structures
within the tympanum, but also receives the sound vibrations from without
and transmits them to the ossicular (bony) chain of the middle ear.
The Tympanum or Middle Ear.--This cavity just beyond the drum, which forms
the greater part of its outer wall, is an irregular cavity, compressed
from without inward and situated in the petrous bone. The mastoid cells
lie behind. It is filled with air and communicates with the nose-pharynx
(naso-pharynx) by the eustachian tube. The upper portion of this cavity,
the attic, lies immediately below the middle lobe of the brain, separated
from it by a thin layer of bone, which forms the roof of the cavity. This
cavity is separated from the internal ear.
[EYE AND EAR 359]
The Eustachian tube.--This is the channel through which the middle ear
communicates with the pharynx. With an opening in the anterior of the
middle ear, a bony canal passes from this point, inward, forward, and
downward through the petrous bone, when it merges into a cartilaginous
canal, which terminates in a funnel-shaped protuberance, with a slit-like
orifice, located in the nose pharynx. This is the eustachian tube. It is
lined with mucous membrane like the throat. The air goes up from the
throat, through this canal to the middle ear. The mucous membrane of the
middle ear is continuous with that of the nose-pharynx through the
eustachian tube. So you can readily understand how easy it is for an
inflammation of the throat to extend to the middle ear through the
eustachian tube.
The posterior wall which has the greatest height, reveals in its upper
portion a passage (antrum) through which the vault of the tympanum (attic)
communicates with the cells of the mastoid process, situated posteriorly.
From this description you see how near to each other these parts are
placed and when one becomes diseased the disease can extend to the other
part or parts. The brain is separated from some of these cavities by a
very thin shell of bone, and the disease can soon affect the brain through
infection or breaking through the thin structures that separates the
parts.
Diseases of the middle ear and the mastoid are always to be considered
serious, and should be very closely watched. A child with a running ear is
in danger, for it may at any time become closed up and serious.
ECZEMA OF THE EXTERNAL EAR (Auricle).--This is an inflammatory disease of
the skin, and in the poorer classes it is very frequent. It is quite a
common disease in old age. It develops in other parts of the body at the
same time in a certain percentage of cases.
Causes.--Soaps, alkalies, foreign bodies in the ear, removing ear wax and
a chronic discharge from the middle ear. There is a tendency to it in some
families; stomach trouble, improper food are also causes.
Symptoms.--Itching,--and this is very pronounced,--burning feeling. The
part is somewhat reddened, fluid oozes out, crusts form, the skin
thickens, and scales. Sometimes it swells very much.
Treatment.--Regulate the bowels, give a simple easily digested and proper
food for children and adults. Cleanse the inflamed skin gently with
castile soap and tepid water once a day. Cloths dipped in some cooling
lotion, such as the lead and opium wash, or in plain water to which has
been added a little alcohol or eau de cologne, should be wrapped around
the inflamed ear during the acute stage and they should be kept wet. Clean
vaselin, etc., is good to put on the scabs. The ear should be covered as
before directed to keep dirt, dust, etc., out.
[360 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
HARDENED WAX OR IMPACTED CERUMEN.--This mass may be mixed with foreign
bodies or be made up of "wax" alone.
Symptoms.--A large mass of wax may remain in the ear for many years
without causing any special loss of hearing so long as the plug does not
rest against the drum and there remains a passage between the mass so that
the sound-waves can strike the drum. Generally the hearing gradually grows
less. Loss of hearing may take place suddenly, as after washing the head,
or after a general bath, or after an attempt to clean the ear with the end
of a towel. Patients will often say the dullness of hearing appeared
suddenly. This no doubt was due to the fact that the mass of wax was
displaced against the drum suddenly by an unusual movement of the head or
the jaws, or the mass became swollen through fluids getting into the
canal. If the canal is filled there will be more or less deafness, ringing
in the ear, and there may be piercing pain produced by the hardened mass,
especially if the jaws are moved from side to side. If the mass is
thoroughly and carefully removed, the hearing may entirely return if it
was caused by this wax.
Treatment.--The mass is best removed by syringing the hardened plug and
softening it gradually. Removing it with a currette and forceps without
softening it may do injury to the parts. The syringe and hot sterilized,
boiled water should be used for some time, and the patient asked
occasionally if there is any faintness or dizziness caused by it. It often
comes, in a lump after the water has been used for some time. A strong
solution of bicarbonate of sodium is also good to use.
FOREIGN BODIES IN THE EAR.--These are not of frequent occurrence. In the
case of children these bodies may comprise such objects as pebbles, beads,
beans, pieces of rolled paper, fly, bed-bug; insect of any kind may get
into ear of adults. If they reach the drum a very unpleasant sensation is
produced by the attempt to escape. Sometimes a layer of wax may gather
around the dead object. These bodies should be removed, for their presence
may produce a swelling or soreness in the canal. If the object is a dried
pea or bean the syringe should not be used. The object must be carefully
removed. Sometimes an operation is necessary to remove the object.
DISEASE OF THE MIDDLE EAR.--The ordinary cold in the head rarely runs its
course without one of the eustachian tubes at least is involved to some
extent.
SIMPLE INFLAMMATION OF THE EUSTACHIAN TUBE.--Causes.--Acute colds,
inflammation of the nose and pharynx, tonsilitis.
Symptoms.--The ear may feel full and numb, roaring in the ear may occur.
There may be pain on swallowing, shooting up through the tube.
[EYE AND EAR 361]
Treatment.--Remove the cause. Treat the nose and pharynx. Spray and gargle
with solutions advised for throat trouble. If it continues the throat
should be examined for adenoids, enlarged turbinate bones and so on.
ACUTE CATARRHAL INFLAMMATION OF THE MIDDLE EAR. Causes.--Acute coryza,
acute pharyngitis, influenza, scarlet fever, inflammation of the
eustachian tube, gargling, bathing, employing the nasal douche or
violently blowing the nose.
Inflammation of the eustachian tube is, in many cases, simply the first
stage or onset of this disease. The congestion extends beyond the tube and
involves to a greater or less degree this cavity. If it continues for a
few hours or an entire day, the watery elements of the blood will begin to
escape from the distended vessels into the tissues of the mucous membrane
and ooze out upon its free surface. If this is copious enough pressure may
be developed within the cavity, middle-ear, to cause pain. These cases
vary much in severity. In the mildest ones there may be a few twinges of
pain in the affected ear, but nothing more; and even in the most severe
cases the pain does not last longer than a few hours, although it may
return on several successive days. Very many of the earaches of young
children, from two to ten years of age, are due to this disease. The pain
is very likely to come on late in the afternoon or during the night, while
earlier in the day the child may be free from pain. In the milder forms
the condition of the drum is similar to that existing in inflammation of
the eustachian tube. It is not then much changed from normal. There may be
more congestion than in this condition. In a fairly severe case the
membrane (drum) a few hours after the onset presents a most striking
change. It is a picture of obstructed venous (dark blood) circulation of a
high degree. In some cases one or more of these distended veins may
rupture and form a blood tumor in the external ear canal. The drum is red
and more or less swollen.
Treatment.--Very little is needed for this kind, except care and watching.
Use the simple hot water in the ear carefully or poulticing when there is
pain with onions, bread and milk, and puncture of the drum if it bulges or
is too tense. Hot water for gargle, steaming of the pharynx. Keep the
patient in a room with an even temperature. The patient must not take cold
as it might extend farther.
Recovery.--The outcome is usually good in this disease if proper care is
taken; Generally in a few weeks the inflammation is gone and the hearing
is restored.
[362 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
SEROUS MUCOUS EXUDATION INTO THE MIDDLE EAR.--The disease just described
is often associated with an (exudation) watery oozing of fluid into the
middle ear, but the following condition is different. Sometimes a
comparatively normal middle ear is found to contain a variable amount of
either fluid or mucus, or a fluid which represents a combination of both.
The failure of the fluid to absorb is due first to the fact that the
drainage through the eustachian tube is still obstructed; second, that the
absorbing process in the cavity is not acting normally.
Symptom.--Sudden change from somewhat poor to good hearing and the
reverse. It is due to the changing in the position of the fluid. The
hearing may be normal when the head is thrown far backward, for the fluid
then escapes into the antrum, or when the chin is resting upon the chest.
Another symptom that is peculiar is a feeling of something moving in the
ear. This is only felt when the head is moved suddenly. Sometimes the
patient says: "I went in bathing and got some water into my ear, and I am
unable to get it out." He thinks the water went into the ear by the way of
the external ear canal. It was due to the chilling of the surface of the
body, or the water accidentally entered into the ear through the mouth, or
nose, throat, and eustachian tube, and this caused an exudation of fluid
to take place in the middle ear. Hearing gurgling sounds in the ear during
coughing, sneezing and swallowing is an important symptom. The drum on
being examined varies greatly. The simplest case is seen when fluid
contained in the cavity is small in quantity and consists of a thin serum.
The upper level of this fluid can then be seen like a hair crossing the
drum in a more or less horizontal direction. It retains its horizontal
position when the patient moves his head backward and forward.
Treatment.--The fluid can be evacuated by an opening made into the drum,
but it usually accumulates again. The proper treatment is to treat the
diseased condition of the nose and throat, as described in other parts of
this book.
CHRONIC CATARRHAL INFLAMMATION OF THE MIDDLE EAR.--The expression, acute
inflammation of the middle ear, is rightly employed when it is applied to
a case in which the underlying cause is of a temporary nature, as for
example, a cold in the head, and mild attack of influenza, perhaps also in
an attack of hay fever. But when the causes are of a more permanent
character and the middle ear continues for an indefinite period to be the
seat of all sorts of disturbances the combination of these different
diseased phenomena receives the name of chronic catarrhal inflammation of
the middle ear.
Causes.--Troubles (lesions) located in the upper pharynx, the
naso-pharyngeal (nose-pharynx) vault and the nasal passages. Adenoids may
cause it.
The course of this disease has of recent years been growing more
favorable, because the causes are being removed more and more.
Symptoms.--Symptoms of the acute inflammation would be present, and
impairment of hearing which sometimes comes so gradually as not to be
noticed by the patient. It will be better and then worse. A harassing,
hissing, blowing, ringing, usually accompanies it. Pains soon or later add
to the discomfort. One side is usually affected first.
[EYE AND EAR 363]
Treatment.--It must be devoted to removing the causes just mentioned.
Restore the general health. Abstain from alcohol, tobacco and excess of
all kinds. Active outdoor exercise, horseback riding, mountain climbing,
rowing, walking, etc., are great health producers.
ACUTE SUPPURATIVE INFLAMMATION OF THE MIDDLE EAR.--This inflammation of
the middle ear is one in which, at an early stage of the disease, the free
liquid poured out assumes a pus-like character. At the onset the mucous
membrane of the eustachian tube and middle ear becomes first congested and
afterward oedematous (watery swelling). Then a serous or a bloody-serous
fluid is poured out into the middle ear; and finally this assumes all the
outward characteristics of pus. In a few exceptional cases this pus fluid
will find a sufficient passage through the eustachian tube; but in the
great majority of cases this passageway becomes closed almost at the very
beginning of the attack, and then the free exudation; under an ever
increasing pressure and on account of the softening and breaking down of
the tissues of the drum forces an opening for itself directly through the
drum membrane.
Causes.--The same causes that produce the acute variety will produce this
variety of the disease. It occurs more frequently during the spring and
fall months as the result of changes in the climate. Acute and chronic
catarrh of the nose and pharynx are causes. It frequently occurs in
connection with scarlet fever and measles. It complicates nose and
pharyngeal diphtheria.
Symptoms.--Pain in the ear is the most striking symptom noticed by the
patient. In infants and young children of two or three years of age it may
appear and not be recognized until a slight discharge appears at the
opening of the external ear. The child is feverish, fretful and peevish,
seemingly suffering great pain, and the parents think it is, not very sick
or has only an earache. Sometimes physicians fail to recognize the trouble
until the discharge appears in the external ear. The symptoms are more
severe at night. Any physical or mental exertion increases the plain. The
pain is sometimes very severe, and a spontaneous or artificial rupture of
the drum eases the suffering very quickly in some cases, and a bloody,
serous, pus-like discharge escapes into the external ear canal. Often a
patient will say: "I felt something give away in the ear, a watery
discharge appeared, and the pain soon subsided." In many cases the rupture
of the drum gives little or no relief from suffering. This is due in some
cases to the small and insufficient size of the opening in the drum. If
the pain persists, after a free opening has been made, it may indicate
that pressure exists in some cavity or cavities other than the middle ear
proper. A sensation of fullness and sometimes of throbbing or pulsation in
the affected ear; roaring, singing, whistling, etc.; impairment of
hearing; increased pain, when the jaws are opened and shut, are symptoms
of minor importance. If there are no complications after free discharge
sets in the pain disappears, the fever gradually returns to the normal
point, and the patient drops to sleep. In the course of a week or two the
discharge subsides and if the rupture is not too extensive the wound will
close and the patient will soon be well. Frequently, however, on account
of disease of one or more of the bony parts, the wall of the middle ear or
the mastoid cells, the discharge continues for weeks and may become
chronic in its character.
[364 MOTHERS' REMEDIES ]
Treatment.--Apply heat or cold first. Open the bowels.
How to apply heat.--With the patient lying on his side with the affected
ear turned upward, fill the external ear canal with hot water (about 105
degrees F.), then place immediately over the affected ear a hot flaxseed
meal poultice, five or six inches square and one-half inch thick, and
spread a folded blanket or shawl over the whole to keep it warm as long as
possible. Bread and milk with catnip, or onions will do if flaxseed is not
at hand. The flaxseed holds the heat longer. Water is a good conductor of
heat, and that which fills the external auditory (ear) canal may rightly
be considered as an arm of the poultice which extends down to the drum
itself.
Leeches also can be applied in front and below the tragus (front of the
opening). If the symptoms do not improve under this treatment and
especially if the drum is bulging, an opening should be made at the
bulging point of the drum. The canal is now syringed with a warm
antiseptic solution--like one part listerine, etc., to twenty parts of
warm boiled water, with a clean syringe, or warm boiled water can be used
alone. If there is any odor carbolic acid one part, to fifty or sixty of
water can be used. A strip of sterile gauze is put into the canal for
drainage and protection. This syringing can be done from two to four to
five times a day, and gradually decrease the number of times as the
discharge lessens. It must be syringed and dressed often enough to allow a
free discharge and produce cleanliness.
Recovery.--The result of this disease cannot be told at the outset. The
majority of such attacks end favorably, with care and treatment; this in
persons of good constitution and health. It may run ten days to three to
six weeks. In tuberculous patients the result is not so favorable.
Recovery follows as a rule in this disease following scarlet fever and
measles, but not so quickly, and there may be a discharge for some time,
due to chronic disease of the ears, etc.
Complications and results.--In the majority of cases, in ordinarily
healthy persons, this disease runs its course without doing any great
amount of damage to the organ of hearing, and without involving any
structure lying outside of the middle ear proper. In scarlet fever,
measles, la grippe, or nasal diphtheria, actual destruction of tissue
often takes place in some part of the middle ear before it is recognized.
Sometimes it results the same way even when it is discovered in time.
Caution.--A person who has had this disease should be very careful not to
take cold. The patient should take plenty of time to get well and strong.
The diet should be liquid mostly.
[EYE AND EAR 365]
CHRONIC SUPPURATIVE INFLAMMATION OF THE MIDDLE EAR.--An inflammation that
forms pus; hence called suppurative. This is an inflammation that has
become chronic (continued) and has one characteristic at least that is
very noticeable, and that is the discharge. This may last for an
indefinite period. The acute suppurative (pus-forming) inflammation just
described in the foregoing pages, may have inflicted various kinds and
degrees of damage upon the mucous membrane which lines the cavities, and
as a result of the conditions thus established there will be a discharge
which may last an indefinite time.
Causes.--Improper or lack of treatment for the acute suppurative
inflammatory attack. This is the chief cause. The first attack may have
been caused by scarlet fever, measles, etc. They are prone to become
chronic, especially if not recognized early and treated properly.
Symptoms.--The main symptom is the discharge from the ear. This may be
abundant or scanty. It may stop for a time and begin again. The hearing
may be slightly or seriously impaired. Such patients are not accepted by
life insurance companies.
Treatment.--Cleanliness of the parts and perfect drainage must be secured.
Syringing with one to fifty carbolic acid solution (acid one part, warm
water fifty parts) is good treatment. The opening in the drum should be
made large enough to give free discharge to the pus in the middle ear.
The patient's strength must be built up if necessary.
INFLAMMATION OF THE MASTOID' CELLS. (Acute or Chronic Mastoiditis).--This
disease represents one of the most serious terminations of an acute or a
chronic suppurative inflammation of the middle ear. This is fortunately a
comparatively rare event. There are, however, quite a good many cases of
this terrible disease.
Causes.--It occurs as a primary or secondary disease. The first condition
is rare and the result from injury, exposure to cold and dampness, or from
syphilis or tuberculosis. Secondary disease is catarrhal or pus-like in
form. This results from an extension of middle ear disease through the
antrum, as a rule. The disease may develop at any time and endanger the
life of the sufferer.
Symptoms.--Dull constant pain behind the ear and tenderness on pressure,
more severe at night, the tenderness is very apt to be followed in a short
time by redness and swelling of the skin in the same region. The pus may
drain from the mastoid into the middle ear cavity. If this does not happen
it may swell behind the ear and break through some other place. It may
involve the structures within the brain. If meningitis develops, the
patient has headache and later it becomes very severe. Lights hurts the
eyes, The patient is restless, sleepless, may have nausea and vomiting and
a constant high temperature. The neck is stiff and rigid. If there is more
brain involvement (phlebitis) there will be sudden rise of temperature,
followed by a rapid fall of temperature and attended by profuse sweating
and chills,--a dangerous condition. There can be abscess of the brain
also. In abscess of the brain symptoms are less severe and localized; the
rigid neck and fear of light and vomiting are absent.
[366 MOTHERS' REMEDIES ]
Treatment.--If seen early it may be aborted. If an examination of the drum
shows bulging, an incision of the drum head should be made. If an opening
is there it should be enlarged, if necessary. Cold applications are
valuable and should be applied directly over the mastoid behind the ear.
Sometimes hot applications are better, hot poultices, cloths, etc.,
syringing the canal with hot water. These applications, etc., should be
constantly used for a day or, so, unless unfavorable symptoms set in, when
if a marked improvement, especially in the local tenderness and pain, has
not occurred, an operation should be done and the mastoid opened.
The diet should be liquid (milk), nourishing and sustaining. Bowels should
be kept open.
This disease must be carefully watched. It is not only dangerous to life,
and very quickly, but it is full of disagreeable and dangerous
possibilities, lifelong discharge from the ear, an external fistulous
opening, a permanent paralysis of the facial nerve, abscess in the brain.
Brain symptoms, paralysis and pus symptoms do not now preclude an
operation on the mastoid for mastoid disease. The patient should be
closely watched and an operation performed as soon as called for.
I have given a longer description of the diseases of the ear than I
intended when I began this part of the work. Diseases of the ear are
becoming quite frequent, and the subject is important. I did not give much
general medical treatment because I consider the local treatment is of
more importance in a work of this kind. In treating the baby, I shall give
more medical treatment. I shall treat the disease also, especially in
relation to the baby. There can be more local applications used than those
given. If the hot treatment is thought best, not only hot water and
poultices of many kinds can be used, but fomentations of hops, etc., and
hot water cloths alone. The intent of such treatment is to keep hot moist
applications to the part continually. The use of laudanum in poultices
used for ear trouble is not recommended because its soothing power may
obscure symptoms that might appear and be dangerous in themselves and need
quick and thorough treatment. The syringing of hot water into the external
canal is often of great help. Five to ten grains of boric acid can be used
in an ounce of water. If there is much odor to the discharge, you can use
one part of carbolic acid to fifty parts of boiled water. The water should
not be used too hot. One teaspoonful of the acid to fifty teaspoonfuls of
water, or that proportion. After using the hot water, the canal should be
filled with gauze for protection and drainage. For the fever, the first
twenty-four hours, one-tenth to one drop of aconite can be used every one
to three hours. By putting one drop in ten teaspoonfuls of water you get
one-tenth of a drop at a dose.
[EYE AND EAR 367]
DEAFNESS.--This is usually the result of a disease and is merely a
symptom. Diseases of the middle ear, rupture of the drum membrane, and
large ulceration of this membrane cause it. Ear wax causes temporary
deafness. Diseases of the throat and nose cause it very often, and
deafness frequently accompanies catarrh of the nose. Adenoids cause it
sometimes, especially in children.
Treatment.--The only way to prevent this trouble is to treat the disease
that causes it. Discharge from the ear, due to ear disease should be
treated from the first or it may cause permanent deafness in that ear.
Many cases of scarlet fever leave deafness behind in one ear at least.
This trouble should be closely watched during an attack of scarlet fever,
and in other infectious diseases and proper treatment given.
Chronic deafness is hard to cure; so often some of the deeper parts of the
ear are diseased. When a person recognizes that his hearing is growing
less acute he should have his ear examined. People often let the trouble
go too long before beginning treatment.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. Deafness. 1. Quick and Effective Remedy for.--"Five or
ten drops of onion juice put in the ear several times a day is very good.
If there is any pain in the ear, add a drop or two of laudanum, or you may
just use two or three drops of glycerin with the other ingredients. In
about an hour after treating the ear in this manner, syringe it well with
warm castile soap suds or warm milk."
2. Deafness. Often Tried Remedy for.--"Take one dram each of tincture of
lobelia, tincture of gum myrrh, oil of sassafras, tincture of opium and
olive oil, mix and apply lint wet with the liniment in the ear, night, and
morning, then syringe out with warm water and castile soap."
3. Deafness, My Mother, in Galt, Found Mullein Good for.--"Small blossoms
of mullein, fill bottles and cork, hang in sun till oil forms, drop three
drops every third day in the ear for three or four weeks. We tried this
successfully in our family."
EARACHE.--The general belief exists that earache is something which is
quite harmless and entirely different from a genuine inflammation of the
ear. This belief is strengthened by the fact that the great majority of
earaches subside without inflicting any harm upon the ear. As soon as a
discharge appears, in many cases, there is relief. If a discharge appears,
the earache was the result of an inflammation in the ear. So-called
earache lasts but a short time, and can be relieved by either hot or cold
applications; but when the earache continues for a day or more it is an
indication of more than pain in the ear and if a thorough examination is
made there will, no doubt, be found disease of the ear that is causing the
earache. Then the disease proper should be treated.
[368 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Treatment.--Hot or cold applications are of benefit. With the patient
lying upon the well ear, fill the canal with hot water (105 degrees F.).
Then place over the ear a flaxseed poultice or a roasted onion poultice,
four to five inches square and one-half inch thick and spread over all a
folded shawl. Bread and milk makes a good poultice also. A hot bran bag or
a hot salt bag is good. The heat must be continuous.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Earache, Hot Raisin for.--"Hot raisins sometimes
relieve earache. Soak them in hot milk and change frequently." This is an
excellent remedy. The raisins should be placed in the ear canal, and they
are sure to give relief.
2. Earache, Flax and Cornmeal for.--"Flaxseed and cornmeal in oil." Take
equal parts of flaxseed and cornmeal and mix together, then add enough
sweet oil to moisten this mixture. This should be applied hot and kept so
by repeating as each poultice is cold. This will be found very beneficial.
3. Earache, Soothing Home Remedy for.--"Glycerin and laudanum heated and
dropped in the ear. Hot poultice of hops inclosed in cotton bag and
applied to the ear is very soothing." The glycerin and laudanum will give
temporary relief and the hops poultice retains the heat, which is one of
the essential things in earache.
4. Earache, Horse-radish Leaves for.--"Steaming the face and ear with
crushed horseradish leaves will give relief and soothes one to sleep."
When through steaming the face the horseradish leaves should be applied to
the face and ear as a poultice. This is very soothing.
5. Earache, Onion Sure Cure for.--"The heart of an onion." Roast the
heart of an onion and put in the canal of the ear. Then apply heat to the
outside of the ear and relief will soon be obtained.
6. Earache; Temporary Relief for.--
"Gum Camphor 1/2 dram
Olive Oil 1/2 ounce
Glycerin 1/2 ounce
Mix and drop in ear."
This is good to relieve, but should not be continued, as this oily
substance lodges in the ear and may cause trouble.
7. Earache, Sweet Oil and Pepper for.--"Take a piece of cotton batting,
cover with sweet oil, then cover that with black pepper, inserting into
ear." This is a good remedy.
8. Earache, Steaming With Hot Water for.--"Steam the ear and side of the
head with cloths wrung out of hot water; put feet in hot mustard water; do
not put anything in the ear but keep steaming it and you will find relief
in a few hours, even if it is a gathering."
[Illustraion: SKELETON.]
[DEFORMITIES 369]
9. Earache, Castor Oil for.--"Put a drop of castor oil in the ear. Fill
hot water bag and warm the ear that aches."
10. Earache, Fresh Warm Milk for.--"The warm milk from a cow will cure
earache and has also been known to cure deafness." While still warm from
the cow drop a little in the ear.
DEFORMITIES.
HARE-LIP.--This is due to the fact that the flesh or bony parts do not
quite properly unite. It may form a single or double hare-lip, or
complicated, or it may involve the soft parts, or the hard (bony) and soft
parts at the same time. It is always to one or the other side of the
middle line. It is double hair-lip in about one-tenth of the cases, and
when double it is frequently complicated with cleft palate.
Symptoms.--Upon examination you notice that there is a split in the lip,
either partly through the lip or entirely, so that the bone is exposed; or
the slit goes not only through the lip, but also through the bone.
Operation.--This is necessary, and it is quite successful. The best time
is between the third and sixth month, especially when it is a simple case.
In some cases of double hair-lip, when the child cannot take the breast
and has to be fed, early operation should be done if the child is strong.
The operation for a simple hare-lip is very easily and quickly done. For
complicated cases it takes longer, and of course is not without some
danger. It should be done, for a child is a pitiable sight with this
deformity. When grown up it is a source of great annoyance and shame.
CLEFT PALATE.--The bones that form the hard palate do not unite in the
median line and a longitudinal opening is left in the roof of the mouth.
This is called Cleft Palate.
Symptoms.--Of course, upon examination this split is seen. It may involve
not only the hard palate, but also the soft palate and uvula. It is then
generally accompanied by single or double hare-lip. When the severe forms
occur they cause great trouble. Fluids pass freely into the nose, and
unless the child is carefully fed by hand it will soon die, as it is
unable to suck. In the less severe forms the child soon learns to swallow
properly, but when he learns to speak he cannot articulate properly and
his voice is nasal.
Treatment.--For this reason an early operation is advisable, not so early
as for hare-lip, but before the child has learned to speak, say between
the age of three and four when faulty speech (articulation) may be
overcome by successful closure of the palate. When the operation is done
late, the patient will not be able to overcome the bad habits of
articulation acquired in his childhood.
[370 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Operation.--The anaesthetic is necessary. The end of one-half of the cleft
palate is seized with an instrument and the edge freely pared with a thin
bladed sharp knife; same with the other half. Then the stitches are put in
of silk worm, gut or wire. The patient is fed on liquid food for three or
four days, and afterwards on soft food until the stitches are removed.
They are removed about the sixth or eighth day, and the wound should be
completely healed.
CROOKED FEET. Talipes.--There are many varieties. The treatment should be
begun, under the instructions of a physician, and continued from infancy
and many a good foot can be obtained.
KNOCK KNEE. (Genu Valgum).--This is due to an overgrowth of the internal
knuckle (condyle) on the knee joint, and curving inward of the shaft of
the thigh-bone (femur) in its lower parts, with relaxation and lengthening
of the ligaments of the knee joint.
It usually shows itself soon after the child begins to walk, but may not
do so until puberty,--rarely later. It is due in the child to rickets; in
the latter form, it is caused by an occupation that requires continued
standing, by a person of feeble development of the muscles and ligaments.
"Flat-foot" is often associated with it and, at times, may be the real
cause. It may affect one or both knees, may be so slight as to escape
detection, except upon a very careful examination, or so severe as to
separate the feet very widely and render walking difficult and wobbling.
In children other symptoms of rickets can generally be found. If not
severe it may often get better spontaneously as the rickets condition
improves and the general strength increases. This result is common in the
cases occurring later, from standing if the general condition improves.
Treatment.--Should be begun early and both general and local treatment
should be given. The quicker the treatment is begun, the quicker will be
the recovery and the deformity will be less. The ordinary medical and
hygienic treatment should be given for rickets.
Local Treatment.--This is mechanical, supplemented by baths, rubbing,
friction, electricity and preceded, if necessary, by attending to the
bones. If the rickets is still active, and the bones are soft and
yielding, standing and walking should be forbidden, the limb should be
straightened by manipulation and the correct position secured and
maintained by an outside splint and bandage. Sometimes operative measures
are needed.
BOW LEGS. (Genu Varum).--This is the opposite of knock knees, and the
deformity usually affects both limbs, the knees being widely separated.
The disease begins in early childhood; the cause is rickets, and the
deformity is the direct result of the weight of the body and muscular
action.
[DEFORMITIES 371]
Treatment.--Spontaneous recovery occurs; but if the case is at all severe,
and the child is young enough that the bones have not become firmly set in
the abnormal curves, mechanical treatment should be employed to bring the
limbs to a better position. This may be done by plaster of paris or
braces. This must be used intelligently and continuously. Children should
not be allowed to walk so early, especially those of slow development.
CLUB FOOT (Talipes).--Varieties:
1. The heel may be drawn up and the foot extended (Talipes Equinus).
2. The foot may be flexed, bent up, (Talipes Calcaneus).
3. The foot may be drawn inward, adducted, (Talipes Varus).
4. The foot may be drawn outward, abducted, (Talipes Valgus); or, two may
be combined, extended, and drawn inward (Equino Varus).
In the congenital (born with it) variety the displacement is almost always
one of adduction, that is, drawn inward, with commonly some elevation of
the heel. It generally affects both feet, but it may be confined to one
and if only one is affected, the right is oftener affected than the left.
The deformity varies. At the time of birth and for some months afterwards
the deformity can usually be corrected by proper manipulation, but later,
if left to itself, it becomes in greater or less measure fixed, because of
the muscular contraction, and developed changes in the shape of the bones.
Cause--It is not known.
Treatment is successful if it is begun early. Each case should be treated
as it needs. The treatment should be varied to suit each case. Bandaging
or adhesive straps properly applied has been used with success. Sometimes
the leg must be kept motionless by plaster of Paris or gutta-percha
bandages. They must be frequently removed and reapplied. In older cases
the tendons must be cut and braces applied. Parents are careless who
neglect such a case for even one month.
INTOXICANTS AND SUN STROKES
ALCOHOLISM. Acute Symptoms.--The face is flushed, the breath has the odor
of liquor, the pulse is full and bounding with deep respiration. Reason,
memory, judgment and will are first stimulated and then blunted. The
drinker's peculiarities are exaggerated, the person becoming affectionate
or quarrelsome. There is a loss of coordination as shown by the
staggering, swinging, the relaxation of the muscles, and finally deep
sleep, with snoring breathing. The person is unconscious, but can be
partly aroused and will mutter when questioned or disturbed. The pupils
are contracted or dilated, and they will dilate when the face is slapped.
The urine is increased, but it is often retained.
[372 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CHRONIC ALCOHOLISM.--This results from protracted or periodic "sprees."
Symptoms.--The face is red, the capillaries are dilated, eyes are watery,
conjunctiva is congested. There is chronic inflammation of the stomach,
which is characterized by morning vomiting; there is often hardening of
the liver, trembling of the hands and tongue; the memory is weakened and
judgment and will as well, especially until a stimulant has been taken;
often the person is irritable, careless, with loss of moral sense and in
extreme cases dementia. Peripheral neuritis is more common in men than in
women. It begins with sharp pain and tingling in the feet and hands;
paralysis affects the lower extremities, then the upper, and is most
marked in the further muscles of the limbs. The pain may be very severe,
with great tenderness. There is Arteriosclerosis (hardening of walls of
the arteries); often heart dilation.
DELIRIUM TREMENS.--This is a brain manifestation of chronic alcoholism
occurring in steady drinkers after excessive drinking or sudden withdrawal
of alcohol, or after sudden excitement or accident, pneumonia or other
illness, or lack of food.
Symptoms.--There are restlessness, insomnia (sleeplessness), mental
depression, then active delirium with great restlessness, talking,
muttering, hallucination of sight and hearing. He thinks he sees objects
in the room such as rats, mice, or snakes, and fancies that they are
crawling over his body, has them in his boots, etc. The terror inspired by
these imaginary objects is great, and has given the popular name of
"horrors" or "snakes" to the disease. You must watch the patient
constantly, or he may try to jump out of the window or escape. The patient
may think he hears sounds and voices, threats of imaginary enemies. There
is much muscular "shakings," the tongue is coated with a thick white fur
and, when protruded, trembles. The pulse is rapid and soft, sleeplessness
is a constant feature. Favorable cases improve in the third or fourth day,
the restlessness abates, the patient sleeps and the improvement sets in.
The shakings persist for some days, the hallucinations disappear
gradually, and the appetite returns. In the more serious cases, the
sleeplessness (insomnia) persists, the delirium is incessant, the pulse
becomes more frequent and feeble, the tongue dry, the prostration is
extreme and death takes place from gradual heart failure.
Treatment.--In acute alcoholic cases special measures are seldom required,
as the patient sleeps off the effect of his "spree." If there is deep
profound alcoholic coma, it may be proper to wash out the stomach and if
symptoms of collapse occur, the limbs should be rubbed, and hot
applications made to the body.
[INTOXICANTS AND SUN STROKES 373]
Chronic Alcoholism.--This is different; withdraw the alcohol and
substitute strychnine, one-thirtieth of a grain three or four times a day,
nourishing food, confinement in a sanitarium if necessary. Give the
bromides for the restlessness and sleeplessness. Drugging of the liquor
with apo morphine or tartar emetic.
MOTHER'S REMEDY. Drunkenness. 1. Effective as Cure for.--
"Arsenious Acid 19 grains
Bromine Water sufficient
Tribromide of Gold 14 grains
Distilled Water sufficient
Ten drops of this solution for injection, which equals one thirty-second
grain of gold tribromide." This is an active tonic, powerful sedative and
destroys the appetite or cravings for alcoholic stimulants; the medicine
is to be taken regularly four or five times a day for several weeks until
the alcohol is out of the system even though he may appear cured. This is
a good remedy, but should be given under the supervision of a doctor.
Treatment.--The patient must be put into a bed and carefully watched;
withdraw alcohol at once unless the pulse is too feeble. Procure rest and
sleep for the patient. How? In mild cases, thirty grains (one-half dram)
of bromide of potassium, combined with tincture of capsicum five to ten
drops, may be given every three hours. Call a doctor for the rest. One
hundredth grain hyoscine hypodermically is sometimes good; one-fourth
grain morphine hypodermically is sometimes given. For heart weakness:
Aromatic spirits of ammonia.
MORPHINE HABIT. (Morphinomania--Morphinism).--This is usually acquired by
the repeated use of the hypodermic syringe for pain. It is also used by
the mouth or opium smoking.
Symptoms.--At first it causes a sense of well-being and exhilaration, but
it must be gradually increased to produce the result; when the effect
wears off, the person feels weary, mentally and physically; has nausea,
slight distress in the stomach region or pain like intestinal colic.
Another dose relieves these feelings, eventually the person becomes thin,
his face is sallow, the pupils are dilated or unequal, except when he is
under the influence of the drug. His appetite is poor with indigestion.
Sometimes itching of the skin, restlessness; irritable, disturbed sleep,
and a tendency to lie about everything.
Treatment.--The patient must be taken from home and friends and be
constantly watched. The drug should be withdrawn gradually and nourishing
food given at stated intervals.
COCAINE HABIT.--The drug is taken as a snuff, hypodermically, or in sprays
and often the habit is formed when given as sprays, etc., in disease.
Symptoms.--Large doses cause great excitement, sometimes convulsions,
followed by weak heart and respiratory weakness, general prostration,
convulsions and coma.
The cocaine habit causes emaciation, anemia, disturbances of the stomach,
etc., disordered heart action, weakness of the body and mind, nervous and
great depravity.
Treatment.--Same as for the morphine habit.
[374 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CHLORAL HABIT. Symptoms.--After a slight primary exhilaration there is
depression of the mind and body; skin eruptions, bad breath, spongy gums,
poor appetite, indigestion, bad nutrition, permanent dilation of the
cutaneous (skin) blood vessels, intermittent pulse, blunting of the higher
mental faculties, restlessness, sleeplessness, irritability, sometimes
dementia.
Treatment.--Same as for morphine.
LEAD POISONING. (Plumbism-Saturnism). Causes.--It is common in lead
smelters and grinders, painters, glaziers, and plumbers, whose hands are
not washed before eating. The lead is absorbed by the mouth, skin and
lungs. It may be taken into the system by drinking water, cider, etc., in
new lead pipes, or from hair-dyes or cosmetics containing lead.
Symptoms of Acute Case.--These develop rapidly from continued exposure.
There is rapidly progressing anemia, with acute neuritis, epilepsy,
convulsions or delirium or with severe stomach and bowel symptoms.
Chronic Cases. Symptoms. 1.--Anemia, lead line on the gums, paralysis,
colic, and brain symptoms.
2. Blue-black line of lead in the gums near the teeth.
3. This is preceded by an obstinate constipation. It resembles severe
intestinal colic. There may be vomiting.
4. Paralysis. This is the result of peripheral neuritis, localized or
generalized. Wrist drop and many other symptoms of local and general
paralysis.
TREATMENT. Prevention.--The hands and finger nails of the lead workers
should always be thoroughly cleaned before eating. Use respirators if lead
is present in the form of dust.
For chronic poisoning remove the cause. Potassium iodide, five to ten
grains three times a day. Not to be given in acute cases or when the
symptoms are very severe, until what is in the bowels is removed.
Constipation.--For this give a half ounce of epsom salts before breakfast
when needed, or repeat in small doses.
For pain.--Heat over the abdomen and give morphine, if necessary.
FOOD POISONING. (Bromototoxismus).--Food may contain the specific
organisms of disease, as of tuberculosis or trichinosis; milk and other
foods may become infected with typhoid bacilli, and so convey the disease.
Animals (or insects or bees) may feed on substances that cause their flesh
or products to be poisonous to man. Meat poisoning. Eating sausage or pork
pie or headcheese has caused poisoning. Poisoning from impure milk, shell
fish, pellagra, from using altered maize, etc.
[INTOXICANTS AND SUN STROKES 375]
Symptoms.--Acute inflammation of stomach and bowels, with great
prostration, ending in collapse. In shell fish poisoning, there are
numbness, weakness, dilated pupils, rapid and feeble pulse, temperature
under the normal and collapse.
Treatment.--In all cases empty the stomach by emetics or stomach tube and
the bowels by cathartics. Stimulate if necessary.
HEAT STROKE.--Called also heat exhaustion; thermic fever, coup de Soleil.
A condition produced by exposure to excessive heat.
Heat Exhaustion.--This is caused by continued exposure to high
temperatures, especially while working hard.
Symptoms.--Prostration with cool skin, temperature often below normal,
95-96, pulse is small and frequent, sometimes restlessness and delirium.
The person need not necessarily be exposed to the direct rays of the sun,
but the condition may come on at night, or while at work in close,
confined rooms.
Treatment of indoor heat exhaustion.--Aromatic spirits of ammonia one to
two drams and strychnine; avoid alcohol. If the temperature is below
normal, (98.6) a warm bath can be given. Rest in bed in a well ventilated
room.
SUNSTROKE. Heat Stroke, Thermic (heat) Fever.--This occurs in persons
chiefly who, while working very hard are exposed to the sun. Soldiers who
are marching with their heavy accoutrements are very liable to be
attacked. In large cities the most of the cases are confined to workmen
who are much exposed and at the same time, have been drinking beer and
whisky.
Symptoms.--The patient may be struck down and die very soon with symptoms
of failure of the heart, difficult breathing and coma. This kind is most
frequent in soldiers. In ordinary cases there may be failure to perspire,
premonitory headache, dizziness, sometimes nausea and vomiting, colored or
poor sight (vision); insensibility follows, which may be temporary or
increased deep coma. The face is flushed, the skin is dry and hot, the
pupils are temporarily dilated, then usually greatly contracted, the pulse
is rapid and full, and the temperature ranges from 107 to 110 degrees or
higher. The breathing is deep, labored and snoring (stortorous). Usually
there is complete muscular relaxation, with twitchings, jerkings, or very
rarely convulsions may occur. In fatal cases, coma (deep sleep) deepens,
the pulse becomes more frequent and feeble, the breathing becomes more
hurried, shallow and irregular and death may occur within twenty-four to
thirty-six hours. In others, the consciousness returns, the temperature
falls, the pulse and breathing become normal and recovery may be complete
or leave bad results. The patient may be predisposed to future attacks or
suffer from weakness or headache, and disturbance of the mind when ever
the weather is warm.
[376 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Prognosis.--The death rate is higher when treatment is delayed, and when
alcohol has been used as a beverage.
MOTHER'S REMEDY. Sunstroke, Quick Method to Relieve.--"Apply alternately
hot and cold applications to forehead and base of the brain or back of the
neck, place the feet in warm mustard water, and apply mustard to the
stomach and calves of legs. This remedy was tried by my brother's wife,
who is a trained nurse. She says it is very effective," The hot and cold
applications help to draw the blood from the brain. Placing feet in warm
mustard water will help to give relief.
Treatment.--Avoid exposure and alcohol. For a mild case--Rest in a cool
place, cool sponging, aromatic spirits ammonia or strychnine if needed for
the prostration.
For severe cases.--The temperature must be reduced as rapidly as possible.
Pack the patient in a bath of ice. Rubbing the body with ice is an
excellent procedure to lower the temperature rapidly. Ice water enemata
(injections in bowel) may also be employed. If ice cannot be obtained
strip the patient and sprinkle him with water until the temperature is
reduced. Use a thermometer to see it does not go too low. Ice cap or cold
water to the head. Keep working for hours.
Medicine.--Glonoin, 1/100 to 1/200 grain is of help in severe cases.
ACCIDENTS, EMERGENCIES AND POISONS
COLLAPSE.--1. Place the patient flat on his back.
2. Raise the feet and lower his head, unless blueness of the face occurs.
3. Make the patient warm by applying warm coverings and hot water bottles,
bricks or wood.
4. Enema of strong coffee.
5. If necessary the legs and arms can be bandaged beginning at the feet
and hands and then bandage up. Use above in order given.
FAINTING.--Place the patient on her back, with the head low and feet
raised unless the face is flushed. The face is generally pale.
Loosen the clothing about the waist, throat, etc.
Plenty of air and no crowding around the patient.
ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 377
Cold water on the face with cloths. It is not necessary to wet her all
over. Ammonia or camphor near the nostrils to inhale. Lie still for some
time and do not attempt to rise while still feeling dizzy or faint.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Sea Sickness, Red Pepper and Molasses Relieves.--
"A teaspoonful of red pepper mixed with molasses and taken in one dose is
considered one of the best remedies for this trouble."
2. Sea Sickness, Peppermint an Excellent Relief for.--"A teaspoonful of
essence of peppermint put in a tumbler of hot water, sipped occasionally,
is both a preventive and cure for sea-sickness."
Sea Sickness.--Dr. Hare, of Philadelphia, says: "The bromides should be
used in the dose of five to ten grains three times a day for several days
before the patient sails to quiet the vomiting center." After sea sickness
begins the following combination is good:
(a) Citric Acid 2 drams
Distilled Water 4 ounces
Make a solution.
(b) Bromide of Potash 1 dram
Bicarbonate of Potash 1 dram
Distilled Water 4 ounces
Make a solution.
Then a tablespoonful of each of these solutions should be added to one
another and taken during effervescence. Lemon juice can be used in place
of citric acid in the first combination.
DOG BITES (Not Rabid).--Treat the same as for any torn wound, wash out
thoroughly with hot water and an ounce of salt in a pint of water. There
is no danger of hydrophobia from the bite of a dog, cat or any animal
unless that animal has hydrophobia. No one can take hydrophobia from an
animal that does not have it. (See Hydrophobia).
POISONED WOUNDS. Mosquito Bite.--Remove the sting in the wound. Diluted
vinegar applied to the bites is sometimes of help. Camphor is also good.
Snake Bite.--Naturalists have discovered twenty-seven species of poisonous
serpents and one poisonous lizard; eighteen species of these are true
rattlesnakes; the remaining nine are divided between varieties of the
moccasin, copperhead or the viper. The poisonous lizard is the Texan
reptile known as the "Gila Monster." In all these serpents the poison
fluid is secreted in a gland which lies against the side of the skull
below and behind the eye, from which a duct leads to the base of a hollow
tooth or fang, one on each side of the upper jaw; which fang, except in
the case of vipers, is movable and susceptible of erection and depression.
When not in use the fang hugs the upper jaw and is ensheathed in a fold of
mucous membrane. In the vipers the fang is permanently erect. In the case
of biting the contents of the poison sac are forcibly ejected through the
hollow fang.
[378 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Symptoms of a Snake Bite.--The symptoms are similar in bites of poisonous
snakes. Pain in the wound, slight at first, but becoming more severe, with
rapid swelling and spotted discoloration in the vicinity of the wound.
Symptoms of heart and lung depression soon show themselves by feeble and
fluttering pulse, faintness, cold sweating, mental distress, nausea and
vomiting and labored breathing. Death may occur very soon in intense
poisoned cases, but more frequently the struggle extends over a number of
hours.
Treatment.--First thing to do.--When the bite is on a limb, tie the limb
above the bite toward the body and twist the ligature so tight that the
circulation is cut off, or checked. Then cut the wound open very freely.
When the bite is on the body, make a free cut, and when this cannot be
done suck the wound vigorously, which can done without danger, if there
are no cracks or abrasions of the lips or mouth, as the poison is harmless
when taken into a well mouth. If a hot iron is at hand apply it freely
within the wound and this may take the place of the knife or suction. Salt
put in the cut wound will be of help, or fill the wound with permanganate
of potash and inject a solution of the same, diluted three-quarters with
water, around the wound. Strychnine one-fifteenth of a grain every two
hours until the symptoms are better. This is not given until the symptoms
of snake poisoning have shown themselves.
If such agents are not at hand, brandy or whisky should be given freely.
The pulse will show when the patient has had enough.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. INSECT AND OTHER BITES.--1. Simply Use Pepper for Dog
Bite.--"My son had his hand bitten by a dog and it was over a week before
it was brought to my notice. The sore was then filled with green pus and
the pain went up to his jaw, so we were afraid of lockjaw. I had him
cleanse it thoroughly in a basin of warm saleratus water, then filled and
thickly covered it with black pepper. The pain stopped almost instantly.
It seems as though pepper would smart a cut terribly, but it does not."
This is a good remedy and worth trying. The black pepper did not smart the
wound because the flesh was dead.
2. Bites, Tobacco Good for Dog.--"Immediately wash the parts with clear
water; then take leaf or cut tobacco and bind over the part bitten,
changing it two or three times a day for a week. This effectually absorbs
the poison. It is a good prevention of any future trouble."
3. Bites, Ammonia Good for Insect.--"Rub the affected parts with ammonia,
which will draw out the poison. For mosquito bites have often used baking
soda. This always gives relief and is very cooling."
4. Bites, Baking Soda for Insect.--"Cover the affected parts with baking
soda and keep moist." A mud poultice is an old tried remedy.
[ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 379]
5. Bites, Hartshorn Old Time Remedy for.--"Apply hartshorn or spirits of
ammonia to part which neutralizes the formic acid, the active principle of
the poison." This is an old-time remedy and will always give relief if
applied immediately.
6. Bites, Carbolic Acid Draws Poison from.--"Bathe frequently in a weak
solution of carbolic acid." The carbolic acid is a very good remedy and
seldom fails to cure, but if you do not happen to have the acid, use
vinegar, and it will have practically the same effect.
7. Bites, Alum and Vinegar Good Remedy for.--"Alum and vinegar. Purchase
five cents' worth of powdered alum and dissolve in a pint of vinegar and
apply freely. This is a very good remedy."
8. Bites, Salt Water for Mosquito.--"Take salt and water in a little dish
and keep wetting the bite for a few moments. This will soon destroy the
poison," This will be found a very simple but effective remedy, especially
in children or small babies, as we mothers all know how very annoying a
mosquito bite is to children. The salt water will remove all the poison
and at the same time relieve the itching and swelling. Care should be
taken not to make it too strong for a small baby.
9. Bites, Spirits of Ammonia for Snake.--"Strong spirits of ammonia
applied to the wounds of snake bites or rabid animals is better than
caustic. It neutralizes the poison." Enough of the ammonia should be used
to irritate the parts. It is harmless treatment and should be used freely.
STINGS, MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Leaves of Geranium Good for Bee or
Wasp.--"Bruise the leaves of geranium and bind on the affected part. This
has proved an excellent, though simple remedy."
2. Stings, Simple Remedy for.--"Take a dresser key or any with a good
sized hole and press over the sting. If used very soon this will remove
the stinger, then cover with wet salt."
DISLOCATIONS.--A dislocation is the putting out of joint some bone, such
as the elbow or shoulder bone or bones. The bone has slipped out of its
socket. They are called after the joints involved.
General Causes.--Blows, sudden contraction of the muscles; also due to
some diseases of the joints.
General Symptoms.--There is a deformity at the joint, pain and sometimes
it is not possible to make all the joint movements.
General Treatment.--Of course it is to replace the bone, as soon as
possible, before there is much swelling, inflammation and consequent
adhesions.
DISLOCATION OF THE JAW.--It is not possible to close the mouth. The chin
is too far forward. The jaw may turn toward the other side in one-sided
dislocation.
[380 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Treatment.--Hold something hard between the teeth in front so that when
the jaw snaps in place your thumbs will not be bitten. A piece of wood as
thick as your fingers will do. Stand in front of the patient, who should
be sitting in a high chair. Put your thumbs in the mouth upon the lower
jaw two-thirds of the length backwards, and your forefingers directly
underneath the jaw; with the thumbs press down and with the fingers pull
forward.
[Illustration:
Oblique Bandage of Jaw.
Medicated Cotton can readily be applied with this
style of Bandage.
Bandaging and Photograph by
DR. W. E. ZIEGENFUSS, of Detroit.
Done expressly for this book.]
Sometimes it is necessary to hold the jaw in place for some days. For that
purpose the bandage for a broken jaw can be used.
SHOULDER JOINT DISLOCATION.--There is a depression of the skin over the
cavity. The shoulder is flattened. The bone of the arm points to where the
head of the bone is.
Treatment.--Carry the elbow to the side with the forearm at right angles
to the arm: turn the arm around until the forearm points away from the
body. Then carry the arm up from the body until it is level with the
shoulder. In this position gradually rotate the arm again and then bring
the arm to the side, with the forearm across the chest, hand pointing to
the other shoulder when it should be bandaged by pieces of bandages three
inches wide passing around the arm, elbow and body. A pad should be placed
under the hand to keep it from making the flesh sore.
FINGER OR THUMB DISLOCATION.--If the joint is dislocated forward pull the
front part forward and backward. If it is dislocated backwards, pull the
front part of the finger forward and upward. If reduced immediately this
needs no bandaging.
FRACTURES.--They are simply broken bones or cartilage, usually applied
popularly to a broken bone.
Varieties.--Simple fracture means a break of the bone only.
Compound fracture is where the broken bone sticks out through the skin.
ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 381
Comminuted is where the bone is broken into small parts.
Impacted is where one part of the broken bone is driven into the other
part.
Green stick break. This is not really a break, but only a bending of the
bone, seen mostly in children.
Bandages for fractures can be made of muslin. They should be six to eight
to twelve yards long for large bones.
Width. For a finger one inch.
For arm or head two and one-half inches.
For the leg three to four inches.
For the body six to eight inches.
An old sheet can be used and the ends of the strips sewed together and
then wrapped tight in a roll, with the ravelings from the sides removed.
The bandage should be started from the end of the limb, wrapped towards
the body. They should not be wrapped so tightly as to shut off
circulation,
Padding.--This should be of cotton. In case of necessity, handkerchiefs,
towels, pieces of muslin, cloths; hay or grass can be used temporarily.
Splints.--In emergencies splints can be made from shingles, pasteboards or
even bark.
How to Take Hold of a Broken Leg or Arm.--Never take hold of it from
above, but slip the hands underneath, and then take a firm but gentle hold
at two points a short distance from the break on each side, and all the
while making slight extension with the hand on the end part (distal part)
so as to keep the ends from rubbing together, and lift with both hands at
the same time slowly and evenly until the limb is in the required
position. Then apply the emergency treatment. This is to help keep the
broken parts in place until proper care can be given, or to assist in
safely and comfortably moving the patient to the place desired. Support
the broken limb with something smooth and stiff, such as a thin narrow
shingle, three inches wide perhaps, or thin board, stout pasteboard, or
the bark of trees, and padded with something soft, such as cotton, wool,
hay, straw, leaves, which can be held by bandages of required width, or
handkerchiefs folded in triangular shape, or by strips of linen, muslin,
ribbon or anything with which the splint can be temporarily held fast.
For the Forearm.--Two padded splints three to four inches wide and long
enough to take in the hand also should be applied, one to the thumb, and
the other to the back of the forearm, slight extension being made by
pulling on the patient's hand. This pulls the broken end in place. Tie on
the splints over the hand, wrist and just below the elbow. Two or three
wraps of adhesive plaster or five or six wraps of a bandage or
handkerchief or towel folded and pinned will temporarily hold the limb in
place. Put on a sling reaching from the finger tips to beyond the elbow.
[382 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
For the Arm.--Put on two padded splints from the shoulder to the elbow,
one in front and the one behind, and bind on at the bottom and top. Then
place the forearm on the chest pointing to the well or sound shoulder and
bind the arm with bandages or a long towel to the body.
For a Broken Leg.--Pull on the foot gently to make slight extension, and
lift the leg on a pillow or some sort of pad, and tie this firmly about
the leg; or broad strips of wood may be padded and placed on either side
of the broken leg and securely tied.
For a Broken Thigh, Upper Leg.--The splint should extend from under the
arm to the ankle, padded and bound to the body and to the leg by means of
long towels or pieces of sheeting applied six inches apart. If the patient
is in a wagon and no splint can be had, bags of dirt or sand applied
around the thigh will hold some. But there is always something at hand to
use as a splint and to bind the splint to the leg.
For a Broken Collar Bone.--Place the patient on his back if he is to be
moved and put a firm pad in the arm pit and bind the arm to the side with
the forearm across the chest; or if you have a roll of adhesive plaster
two or three inches wide, after putting a pad in the arm pit (sometimes
this is not necessary) put the adhesive strip around the arm midway to the
shoulder. The arm should be lifted up and a little back. Run the strip of
adhesive plaster around the body and fasten to the first part. Then put
another strip fast to the band around the arm and run this down around the
bent elbow and over the forearm placed on the chest, the fingers pointing
to the sound shoulder. This strip can pass over the sound collar bone and
fasten to the strip about the body. If it is put on properly, the injured
part will feel comfortable.
Broken Ribs.--Put on a towel, about eight to twelve inches wide. This
should go around the body and be pinned tightly; or, if you have a roll of
adhesive plaster, two and one-half to three inches wide, use this. Start
at the backbone, at the lowest point necessary, about two ribs below the
broken one, and carry it straight across the chest to the breast bone; put
on about eight of such strips, lapping each about one-half inch. Fasten
the ends with a strip running up and down one-half on the flesh and the
other half on the strip. This is to keep the strips from slipping any. The
arms should be held up while the strips are being applied.
A Broken Jaw.--Take a strong piece of muslin, long enough to reach around
the neck and eight inches longer. Split this through the center to within
about seven inches of the center of the band. Put this unsplit part above,
over and under the chin. Tie the upper tails around the neck and run the
under tail pieces up in front of the ear to the crown of the head. Tie
each end on the back part of the head to the pieces left over after tying
back of the neck.
[ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 383]
Broken Nose.--Put the parts in place by pressure and moulding. It is
easily done. Do not hurry. Put a strip of adhesive plaster across the
bridge of the nose over the break reaching to the cheek.
If the injury causes bleeding, the wound should be washed with clean linen
and boiled water and covered with clean linen. To wash the wound, one
teaspoonful of salt to one pint of boiled water. Salt is usually at hand.
If an artery is cut, this bleeding must be stopped. The blood spurts out.
Press your hands hard on the back of the thigh towards the body of the
wound. Another should tie some cloth around the thigh above the wound
tightly. It can be made tighter by putting a stick under the band and
twisting it around as much as possible. Raise the leg high up and put the
head low. If the cut is below the knee or on the foot, bend the leg back.
First put a pad or your fist in under the knee joint and bend leg over the
pad or your fist. Sometimes the spurting artery can be caught or pressed
upon with your finger. If the arm is injured, bandage as for the thigh. If
the forearm, the same as for the leg.
If a finger is cut clean off, pick the piece up and wash it and the stump
clean and then place the cut off part against the stump and tie on, or
stick on with adhesive plaster. It sometimes grows fast.
SPRAINS.--Sprains or wrenches of the joints are caused by a twist or a
blow. The injury consists in the tear or rupture of a number of the fibres
of the ligaments.
Symptoms.--Severe pain, the joint is practically useless for a time;
swelling, heat and later the joint discolored from effusion of the blood
into the tissues.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Sprains, Ointment for.--"The bark of bittersweet
with chamomile and wormwood simmered in fresh lard make an excellent
ointment for sprains and swellings."
2. Sprains, Vinegar and Bran Poultice for.--"Make a poultice with vinegar
and bran only, or with the addition of oatmeal, or bread crumbs. As the
poultice becomes dry it should be moistened with vinegar."
3. Sprains, Turpentine Most Common Remedy for.--"Rub the injured part with
turpentine and keep warm and you will find this remedy to be one of the
best to keep proud flesh out that has ever been used. I always have
turpentine in my home and find that I have to use it often, and it always
does as I said above, if once used you will never be without it."
4. Sprains, Quick Relief for.--"Bathe the parts with hot water as hot as
one can bear it and relief comes at once." This is an old tried remedy,
but if hot water does not give relief use cold water.
5. Sprains, Relieves Pain of.--"Put warm woolen cloth over sprain, drip
hot water as hot as can be borne on cloth for half hour. Bathe with
spirits of camphor."
[384 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
[Illustration: Method of applying Bandage to the Arm.]
[Illustration: Spiral Bandage of the Finger.]
[Illustration: Simple Method of applying Bandage for Sprained Ankle.]
Bandaging and Photographs by DR. W. E. ZIEGENFUSS, of Detroit.
Done expressly for this book.
[ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 385]
6. Sprains, Quick Application for.--"A poultice of stiff clay and
vinegar." Add enough vinegar to the clay to make a nice moist poultice.
The clay is exceptionally good for swellings and sprains.
7. Sprains, Turpentine Liniment for.--"Equal parts of spirits of
turpentine and vinegar and the yolk of one egg make a valuable liniment in
cases of sprains, bruises and rheumatism poultice. Take common salt, roast
it on a hot stove till dry as possible. Take one teaspoonful each of dry
salt, venice turpentine and pulverized castile soap. Excellent for felon,
apply twice daily until open." This is a very good liniment and if applied
often will draw, which is one of the essential things for a felon.
8. Sprains, Old English White Oil.--
"Alcohol 1/4 pint.
Turpentine 1/4 pint.
Hartshorn 1/2 ounce.
Oil Origanum 1 ounce.
For sprains and rubbing around sores."
9. Sprains, Arnica Much Used for.--"Tincture of arnica." This should be
diluted with water about one and one-half for adults and one and
three-fourths for a child. This is one of the best known remedies for
sprains that can be obtained. Apply freely to the bruise or sprain.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Sprains.--Rest for a time (for some weeks). The
parts should be raised to lessen the blood supply. Hot applications,
through fomentations, or cold evaporations, lotions, massage later, and
support with a pad and a firm bandage, in some cases. When there is not
much swelling, a plaster of Paris bandage is sometimes applied at once in
order that absolute rest can be secured.
1. Tincture of Arnica.--This is an excellent remedy for sprains When the
part is much swollen and looks bluish is when it is especially beneficial.
It can be used full strength by saturating cloths and applying either hot
or cold, or diluted to half strength.
2. Hot Water.--Applied with soaked cloths on the part is very grateful in
some cases. It should be kept hot and plenty of water on the part all the
time. This should be applied for hours. Between the soakings, the parts
should be dressed with the lead and laudanum wash, and rubbed with
ichthyol ointment or camphor and laudanum liniment.
3. Cold Applications.--Cold water.--Some patients are more benefited by
the cold applications. The part should be elevated and a cloth wrung out
of ice cold water, or an ice bag should be kept on the part.
4. Lead and Laudanum Wash.--This should not be used if the skin is broken.
Then the laudanum, three-fourths water, can be used alone. Composition of
lead and laudanum wash, proportions four parts of undiluted lead water,
diluted with sixteen parts of water to one of laudanum. This can be made
stronger in the laudanum.
[386 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
5. Fomentations of hops, or smartweed or wormwood, etc., are also good.
6. Vinegar and Hops--Turpentine Liniment.--This can be used later, for
stimulating purposes.
[Illustration: Most efficient way of Bandaging Eyes
showing how Bandage may be lifted from one eye.]
[Illustration: Usual Spiral Reverse Bandage of the Arm.]
Bandaging and Photographs by DR. W. E. ZIEGENFUSS, of Detroit.
Done expressly for this book.
The following is a liniment made by an old gentleman I used to know. I was
well acquainted with him while he was living, and I know he was a good,
competent man. Following is the recipe:
"Oil of Amber l ounce.
Oil of Wormwood 1 ounce.
Oil of Tansy 1 ounce.
Camphor Gum 2 ounces.
Ammonia 2 ounces.
Oil of Spike 1 ounce.
Small piece castile soap.
Spirits of Wine 1 pint.
Rub in thoroughly. In some cases it should be diluted one-fourth to
one-half strength. Full strength for much pain.
[ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 387]
BURNS. SCALDS.--
A Burn is caused by dry heat.
A Scald is caused by moist heat.
A superficial burn, upon a young child, that involves the third of the
body will almost certainly prove fatal, while a very deep burn, provided
it is localized, may not be so serious, unless important nerves and blood
vessels have been destroyed.
Burns may be divided into three degrees:
First degree are those burns that only affect the outer or superficial
layer of the skin, producing a redness with some small vesicles.
Second degree burns: These extend through the true skin and blisters
result.
Third degree burns: This goes down underneath and involves the deeper
tissues. Charring and destruction of tissue takes place.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Burns, Linseed Oil for.--"Quick application of
linseed oil." The oil forms a coating and is very soothing.
2. Burns, Common Soda for.--"There is nothing better than common baking
soda for burns and scalds; apply a thick coating of dry soda. Bind a cloth
over it, and keep on until the pain ceases, after which any good healing
salve will do."
3. "Apply crushed onion poultice; cover to keep out the air. This will
soon extract the heat and pain." Onions seem to possess many medicinal
properties. They are very soothing, and in a case of scalds keep out the
air and relieve the pain.
4. Burns, Molasses Takes Pain from.--"Apply New Orleans molasses to the
burn and cover with flour. This forms a coating over the affected parts,
keeping the air from it, thereby relieving the burning. This is an
excellent remedy and one easily prepared."
5. Burns, Butter a Relief for.--"Spread butter on the affected parts and
bandage well. This is one of the remedies our grandmothers used to use and
is a good one."
6. Burns, Oil of Peppermint Draws Fire Out of.--"Apply oil of peppermint;
it will take the fire out almost immediately."
7. Burns, Sweet Oil and Cotton Batting Relieves.--"Saturate cotton batting
in sweet oil and cover the burns and keep covered until the fire is out. I
had my hand burned with steam until the skin peeled off, and this remedy
relieved the smarting."
8. Burns, Vinegar Prevents Blistering from.--"Vinegar applied every few
minutes will keep it from blistering." This is a remedy always at hand,
and will do just what it says.
[388 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Scalds, Elder Berries Soothing for.--"The flowers of
the black elder berries and the bark all possess valuable medicinal
properties. An ointment made by stirring the fresh flowers into melted
lard or vaselin and occasionally stirring it, will be found an excellent
remedy for scalds or burns." It is not only soothing, but forms a coating
thereby keeping the air out.
2. Scalds, Alum for Slight.--"Put a teaspoonful of alum in a pint of
water, and bathe the parts frequently. Keep the parts well wet with this
solution which extracts the heat in a remarkable manner and soothes the
patient into a calm and refreshing sleep." This remedy is most always at
hand and will relieve if the case is not too severe.
3. Scalds, Scraped Potatoes will Relieve.--" A few raw potatoes scraped or
grated and beaten in a bowl, then add a dram of laudanum; apply to the
affected parts as you would a poultice."
4. Scalds, Crackers and Slippery Elm as Poultice for.--"Apply a poultice
of cracker and slippery elm, made of raspberry leaf tea. Guard against
taking cold." Use enough of the raspberry tea to make a soft mixture. This
is very soothing, and keeps the air from the scald which is one of the
essential things in order to get relief.
5. Scalds, Raisins' and Lard with Tobacco Helps.
"One pound Raisins, chopped.
One pound Lard.
Five cent package of Chewing Tobacco.
Mix all together and let this simmer about three hours slowly, strain it
and put in a jar."
6. Scalds, Sweet Oil Soothing for.--"I know of nothing better than equal
parts of sweet oil and lime water." This is very good and should be
applied freely.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Superficial Bums.--Exclude the air; protect and
treat the parts is the theory of treatment.
Superficial Burn.--When the skin is not broken, bicarbonate of soda may be
sprinkled thick over the burn, then wrap the part in moist gauze, lint or
linen, and over this a layer of common cotton, and hold in place with a
bandage. Flour can be used in place of the soda. Oatmeal flour, rice
flour, etc., will do also. The objection to all powders is that the moist
gauze, etc., will make the flour form cakes and make removal painful and
difficult. Applications in liquid form are therefore better.
Liquid Forms.--If the blisters are large, open them with a clean
(sterile-boiled) instrument (scissors or knife) and absorb the fluid with
a clean gauze. Then dissolve bicarbonate of soda in water--a saturated
solution. This term means as much soda as the water will dissolve. Then
gauze, lint or linen pads may be wrung out of this solution or the same
strength of boric acid solution and applied. Put over this a layer of
clean cotton and hold in place by a bandage or strip of adhesive plaster.
(Keep parts always moist). Baking soda will do about as well as
bicarbonate of soda.
[ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 389]
Oil and ointments are also very beneficial. Spread the ointments or oil
over the burn thick and cover with lint or soft linen, and change
frequently to keep from smelling badly.
1. Carron oil made of equal parts of lime-water and linseed oil is good.
2. Carbolized oil or simple pure sweet oil is good.
3. Cosmoline, Vaselin, Pineoline (salves) are all good; they cover and
protect.
4. Cold cream is very good.
5. Thick lather from any good pure soap spread over the part thick and
then covered with the cloth dressing. This is very good and is always at
hand.
6. Dr. Douglas, of Detroit, very strongly recommends the following simple
remedy: One teaspoonful of common salt to one pint of boiled water, used
comfortably warm. Old clean muslin or gauze cloths of several thicknesses
should be dipped in this solution and spread evenly over the sores in
several layers and over this oiled paper or paraffine paper should be
applied to prevent evaporation or drying and bind all with a bandage. The
covering should not be too thick or it might make the part too warm. This
should be avoided in all dressings.
This salt water dressing can be moistened and changed when necessary.
7. Beeswax ointment. (Dr. Douglas).-
"Benzoinated Lard 6 ounces.
Yellow Beeswax 1 ounce.
Salicylic Acid 20 grains."
Mix the wax in a tin cup, then add the lard, when all is melted remove
from the fire and stir till cool, then add the salicylic acid and continue
stirring until cold. This makes an excellent covering, excludes the air.
8. Ointment of Oxide of Zinc is very good. The following are the
ingredients:
"Oxide of Zinc 2 drams.
Lanoline 5 drams.
Alboline 1 dram.
Salicylic Acid 10 grains.
Mix, and make ointment and apply."
The following is not very pleasant to think about, but farmers have
frequently used it: Cow manure as a poultice.
Another: The inner bark of elder boiled in cream. Use the salve resulting.
This is good for burns and sores.
Another: Slippery elm bark tea boiled down so it will be thick and oily,
is very good.
[390 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Some claim that immersing the part in milk and keeping it so is a very
good remedy. We know that cream is, but it will soon become rancid.
Remedies must be of an oily covering nature to do good, or else do it by
their antiseptic qualities like salt, boric acid, etc.
Another:
"Picric Acid 75 grains.
Alcohol 20 ounces.
Distilled Water 2 pints.
Mix and apply."
Cleanse the burns of dirt and charred clothing and then soak strips of
clean gauze in this solution and apply to the part. Place over this a pad
of dry absorbent cotton which can be fastened by a light bandage or
adhesive straps. The dressing dries rapidly, and may be left in place for
several days. Then moisten it with the same solution so as to soften the
dressing and remove it. Then apply a fresh dressing of the same kind and
leave on a week. This dressing soon relieves the pain, prevents the
formation of matter (pus), hastens healing and, leaves a smooth surface.
The dressing stains the hands so it is best applied with rubber gloves.
This is good for all degree burns.
For Severe Case.--There may be and is shock and great weakness after some
burns. The patient should be put to bed and given strong black coffee, or
if you have it one teaspoonful of aromatic spirits of ammonia in a glass
of water. Hot water bags and jars should be applied to the feet and one
teaspoonful of paregoric may be given to an adult for the pain. Give the
patient ice to hold in his mouth, as he is very thirsty. Cold water and
milk to drink also. If the burn is severe put oil cloth or rubber on the
bed to protect the bed from the wet dressing. Do not put a night-shirt or
pajamas on him, as it pains to remove and renew the dressings, if such are
used as need frequent removal and renewal. Cover warmly, but keep covers
lifted so that their weight will not give unnecessary pain. The bowels can
be kept open with soap-suds enemas. Watch carefully, especially a man, if
urine is passed and enough in quantity. It must be drawn if it is not
passed within twelve hours.
For Third Degree Burns.--In this kind there is a great shock. Stimulate
the patient with whisky, etc. Put one ounce in a glass one-half full of
water, and give two teaspoonfuls frequently, dependent upon how much
stimulant the patient has ever used; or an enema of one ounce of hot
coffee can be given.
The first dressings may be the same, but when the patient is stronger
others should be used.
Warm Baths are now used when the deep tissues are burned, and the sloughs
and charred material are removed.
[ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 391]
When convenient, begin with a warm tub bath, with boric acid added to the
water--handful to the tub. This is good for stimulating purposes, and
also to relieve pain and for cleansing the surfaces before the
applications of the dressings, these can be of those recommended.
When the air passages have been scalded by hot steam or hot liquids, the
steam of lime-water, not too hot, may soothe.
Burns from Acid.--Soda, chalk, whiting, sprinkled over the surface of the
skin and covered with moist coverings of gauze. Egg albumen is also good
applied, on the part.
Bums from Alkali (like potash or strong ammonia).--Vinegar poured over the
part, or dress with a mild solution of boric acid. One teaspoonful to four
ounces of water.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Bruises, Cold Water Prevents Coloring.--"Bathe the
parts in cold water, prevents turning black and blue."
2. Bruises, Kerosene Relieves the Pain of.--"Bathe freely with kerosene."
3. Bruises, Turpentine to Keep Proud Flesh from.--"Rub the injured part
with turpentine and keep warm, and you will find this remedy to be one of
the best to keep proud flesh out and gangrene that has ever been used. I
always have turpentine in my home, and find that I have use for it often.
If once used you will never be without it."
4. Bruises, Bread and Vinegar Quick Remedy for.--"Apply a poultice made of
hot vinegar and bread. A girl bruised her fingers with some iron rings in
a gymnasium. She applied this poultice at night, and they were well in the
morning. Since then I always use it for a bruise."
5. Bruises, Good Liniment for.--"Where inflammation is under the thin
covering of the bone, dissolve chloral and camphor gum together. They
dissolve each other by putting together, and looks like glycerin. Apply
very little with tip of finger, put absorbent cotton on and bind up with
pure gum rubber band to keep it from evaporating as it is very volatile.
Rubber band must not be too tight, as it will cut off the circulation."
6. Bruises, Liniment Used in Ohio for.--"Five cents' worth spirits
ammonia, five cents' worth spirits turpentine, whites of two eggs beaten,
one cup cider vinegar, two cups rain water." This gentleman from Ohio says
he has used the liniment for many years, and his neighbors have used it
with the utmost success. He recommends it as the best he ever used.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT. Bruises.--1. Tincture of Arnica applied from
one-half to full strength is very good.
2. Alcohol about two-thirds strength is also very good, gently rubbed in
the parts.
3. Cold or hot water applied with cloths.
4. Raw beefsteak (lean) is excellent. Place it on the bruise.
5. Lead and laudanum wash if the skin is not broken. Of course bruises
usually disappear in time. The above remedies will help. Heat applied at
some distance from the parts relaxes the surrounding vessels and promotes
absorption of the blood in the bruise.
[392 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CUTS. WOUNDS.--They are named cut (incised); contused, such as made by a
blunt instrument.
Lacerated or torn, when the tissues are torn or ragged.
Punctured, stab-wounds, when made by a pointed instrument.
Treatment.--There may be pain, gaping (opening) of the edges and bleeding.
In order to gape, the cut must pass through the deep skin. Cuts or wounds
that do not go deep leave little or no scar. Such require only a little
antiseptic dressing like this remedy:
"Boric Acid 1/2 ounce.
Boiled Water 1 pint."
Wash the cut thoroughly and cover with gauze or clean linen. Cuts or
wounds should always be washed first with boiled water, cooled enough to
use. Do this with absolutely clean muslin, absorbent cotton or gauze and
boiled water. After being thoroughly cleansed and washed with hot water
and cloths, a thick pad of muslin, absorbent cotton or gauze thoroughly
soaked with the boric acid solution, (strength one-half ounce of boric
acid to a pint of boiled water) should be applied on the wound, and for an
inch or two around it. Over this lay a thick layer of absorbent cotton or
muslin, bandage all securely with a bandage or adhesive strap, so the
dressing cannot slip.
[Illustration: Hand Arteries.]
Gaping Wounds generally need stitches. These should be put in deep enough
to draw the deep edges together. If that is not done, a pocket will be
left where the parts are not together and "matter" may form there. Plaster
will not draw the deeper parts of wounds together. They should then be
covered the same way as superficial wounds; of course the wound should be
thoroughly cleansed in the same way before the stitches are put in. Such
wounds unless they are large, need not be dressed for a day or two, unless
there is soreness or pain. If the wound is sore and throbs it should be
redressed immediately. Some discharge will no doubt he found penned in,
and needs a drain through which to escape. This does not usually happen,
and if it does, the wound was infected (poisoned) and then needs dressing
once or twice a day, and full vent given to any discharge that may be
present. The dressing immediately over the wound should then be thick and
soft so as to absorb the discharge that may be present. The stitches are
usually removed in small wounds the third or fourth day. This is easily
done, with a sharp pointed scissors or knife; put one point underneath the
stitch next to the knot, cut it off and with the forceps take hold of the
knot and pull it out gently. It comes away easily as a rule.
[ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 393]
Torn Wounds should be trimmed. That is, cut away the torn pieces and then
stitch together as for other wounds. Of course all the tissue possible
should be saved and only ragged flesh should be cut away. This would die
anyway, and prove a foreign body, and would be very apt to cause pus.
These wounds should be dressed the same way as previously directed.
Sometimes bleeding may cause trouble. Usually, hot water constantly
applied will stop it. Pressing above the part will often stop bleeding. If
an artery is cut it will spurt red blood. The artery should be tied and
pressure made upon the limb above the cut toward the body; or tying the
limb tight. If a finger or toe is cut and bleeds much, press on each side.
The arteries are there. Put the limb high and the head low. Bandaging a
limb tight, beginning at the end, often stops bleeding. Stimulants' are
sometimes necessary for a time.
Punctured Wounds.--From a sharp pointed instrument, nail, etc. The first
thing to do is to cleanse the wound thoroughly with hot water and about
one-half ounce of salt to a pint of water. Keep this up constantly for
one-half hour. Then if it is from a nail, put on a bread and milk poultice
hot, and keep changing it every ten minutes to keep it good and hot. Keep
this going for at least an hour. Salt pork can then be put on and kept on;
or a cloth dipped in hot salt water can be applied, and kept on for a few
hours when it can be dressed as other wounds are. There should be no
throbbing pain the next day. A wound of this kind should be dressed every
day, with great care in the matter of cleanliness. It is lack of
cleanliness that usually causes trouble, either the poison that gets into
the wound at the time of injury or that is allowed to get in and infect
the wound afterwards. Clean hands, tools, basins, dressings and boiled
water are essential to a quick healing.
Rusty Nail Wound, Simple Guard Against Serious Results from.--"Every
little while we read of someone who has run a rusty nail in his foot or
some other part of his person, and lockjaw has resulted therefrom. All
such wounds can be healed without any fatal consequences following them.
It is only necessary to smoke such wounds or any wound or bruise that is
inflamed, with burning wood or woolen cloth. Twenty minutes in the smoke
will take the pain out of the worst case of inflammation arising from any
wound I ever saw." Put on a poultice of bread and milk, changing every
five or ten minutes. After this bind on salt pork and keep on for several
days.
[394 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Cuts, Iodoform and Vaselin Salve for Barb Wire.--
"Iodoform 1 teaspoonful.
Vaselin 1 ounce."
Before applying the above salve it is very necessary to cleanse the
affected parts with a solution made of one teaspoonful of salt to a pint
of water. If the iodoform is offensive to some people, you may use the
vaselin alone, although the iodoform is known to be one of the best
healing remedies that can be obtained.
2. Cuts, Turpentine Good in Small Quantities for.--"For cuts and any open
wound pour turpentine in and put a piece of absorbent cotton on and soak
well with the liniment, tie up, and leave it so until dry, then pour on
some more." Care should be taken in using turpentine, not to put too much
on the wound, as it may cause proud flesh in some people; a little of it
is very healing and effective.
3. Cuts, Tincture of Myrrh for Fresh.--"Use freely of the tincture of
myrrh by saturating a cloth and applying to the parts affected." This
tincture of myrrh may be purchased at, any drug store, and is a very
effectual remedy for fresh wounds of any description. It is slightly
contracting, and has great healing qualities.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Bleeding, Unusual Way to Stop.--"If fresh, sprinkle
full of black pepper. It will not smart, and is soon healed. If not fresh,
clean with a weak solution saleratus and cover while wet with pepper. This
has been tried many times in our home and has never failed."
2. Bleeding, Cobwebs to Stop.--"Make a pad of cobwebs and apply to cut. I
have never found anything to equal this remedy." This simple remedy has
been known to save many lives, and can always be obtained. As most
housekeepers know; cobwebs are easily found in every home, and perhaps
after reading this remedy they will not seem such a pest as heretofore, if
we stop to think that at some future date our baby's life might be saved
by using them.
3. Bleeding, Powdered Alum and Hot Water Stops.--"A heaping teaspoonful of
powdered alum, placed in a teacup of water will stop the flow of blood in
ordinary wounds, where no large artery has been cut. This will be found
very beneficial for children, when their finger has been cut and bleeding
badly." Alum is something that should always be kept in the home, using it
in a case of emergency when there is no time to run to the drug store.
4. Bleeding, Salt and Flour Successful Remedy for.--"Equal parts of fine
salt and flour placed on cut. I have seen this tried and it proved
successful." The salt will stop the bleeding by its astringent action and
mixed with flour forms a coating over the cut.
5. Bleeding, Boracic Acid Excellent for.--"Bind up in boracic acid
powder." The boracic acid is very healing and a good antiseptic, which is
one of the important things to be attended to in a bad cut or wound.
[ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 395]
6.--Bleeding, Tobacco Will Stop.--"Bind in tobacco." Very few people know
that the nicotine in tobacco is very healing, and by applying it to a cut,
not only stops the flow of blood, but heals.
THINGS IN THE EAR; Buttons, Beads, etc.--The bent hairpin is good to use
for removing these objects, unless it is too far in. Sometimes the object
can be washed out with a stream of water. This will kill and destroy
insects. A small stream from a pitcher will do, if there is no fountain
syringe handy. Water should not be used for corn, peas or beans, for if
they are not removed the water will cause them to swell up and enlarge. A
competent person should then be called, but no injury will be done for a
few hours.
GAS from wells, cisterns, mines, illuminating gas and coal gas.
Treatment.--Fresh pure air. Open all windows in the house and remove
patient from a house filled with coal gas. Artificial respiration: Inject
salt enemas; teaspoonful of salt to one pint of warm water.
FITS. (Convulsions).--Loosen all clothing. Put something hard between the
teeth to keep the patient from biting his tongue. Allow plenty of sleep
afterward.
IN-GROWING TOE-NAILS. Causes.--Pressure from improperly fitting shoes, or
a wrong way of cutting the nails. The flesh along the nails becomes
inflamed. Toe-nails should be cut straight across, and not trimmed too
closely at the corners.
Treatment.--Wear broad-toed shoes with low heels. The high heels push the
toes against the shoe and besides are unhealthy and dangerous in walking.
Hot poultices will relieve the inflammation and pain. Soak the toe in hot
water and push the flesh back from the nail. Cotton under the edge and
corner of the nail helps to keep it away. Dust a boric acid powder, mixed
with an equal quantity of starch flour, on the parts. Mennen's borated
talcum powder is good.
MOTHER'S REMEDY. 1. In-growing Toe-Nail, Popular Remedy for.--"Shave a
little common laundry soap and mix with a little cream and pulverized
sugar, work to the consistency of salve and apply to the affected part
night and morning. It will take off the proud flesh in about ten days and
then heal. This is a good salve for bed-sores or cuts, that, have dirt in
them, and will also draw out a splinter. To prevent in-growing toe-nails,
scrape the center of the nail very thin and cut a V in the top. This will
allow the nail to bend and the corners will have a chance to grow up and
out. Avoid short shoes and stockings." Anyone suffering from this dreaded
thing will be willing to try anything that will give relief. The above
treatment is always at hand, and has been known to cure in severe cases.
[396 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
FALLS.--If one has had a severe fall and is wholly or partially conscious,
move as little as possible, in case of broken bones. Remain in a
comfortable position until proper aid can be given. If unconscious
stimulation may be necessary.
FIRE in Clothing.--Keep quiet, and away from a draught. Wrap anything
handy around him and roll him. Leave only the head and face uncovered.
Keep mouth closed.
CHOKING. (Foreign bodies in the larynx).--Produce vomiting. Give an
emetic, warm water, melted lard, vaselin or one teaspoonful of mustard in
one-half glass of warm water and drink. Tickle the throat with your finger
or a feather. For a child, sometimes by taking hold of the feet with the
head down and give a few slight jerks frequently expels the foreign body.
Slap patient's back. The last resort is an operation,--tracheotomy.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Choking, Fish Bone to Stop.--"A fish bone stuck in
the throat can often be dislodged by swallowing a raw egg or raw oyster."
2. Choking, Simple Remedy to Stop.--"Hold both hands high above the head.
If necessary tap gently between the shoulders."
3. Choking, Pennyroyal Tea and Lard Relieves.--"Pennyroyal tea and hog's
lard; drink hot." The pennyroyal may be purchased at any drug store for
ten cents. Make a tea of this, then add the hog's lard. As we all know,
that this will produce vomiting and relax the tissues so that any foreign
matter will come out.
4. Choking, Grease and Meat Common Remedy for.--"Warm lard, or any kind of
grease, and give the patient. Have seen it used with success." The warm
grease will usually cause vomiting, and in that way remove the foreign
matter.
In the Gullet.--An emetic is good to give if the body cannot be reached
with the hand. Doctors use forceps or another instrument called a probang.
Pennies will go down into the stomach and pass out through the bowels and
usually cause no trouble. Fish bones can generally be reached with the
finger or crochet hook. This is also good for foreign bodies in the nose,
such as beans.
THINGS IN THE NOSE. Corn, Peas, Beans, Buttons, etc.--Children frequently
get such things in their nose and also ears. They should be removed soon
and then there will be no harm done. They have been known to remain for
years, and they have been the cause of catarrh. A small curved hair-pin
makes a good instrument to use and is always handy. Also a crochet hook,
though not so good, for it will not bend as well as the hair-pin. The
mother should sit facing a window or open door. The child should be placed
on its back with its head resting between the mother's limbs and an
assistant holds the child's hands. Its legs will be hanging down. The
light now shines into the nostril and the bent hair-pin can be slipped
over the foreign body and easily hooked out. The head must be held quiet
by the mother. The mother can do this herself, with one hand holding the
head quiet and with the other can introduce the hair-pin and remove the
object. But the position of the child must be reversed with the head
between her knees and the light shining in the nose; or place the child on
a bench or cradle or buggy, head on a pillow, and to the light. Hold the
head and legs quiet; by kneeling by the child's side, you can easily see
the object and remove it. If they are too far back, they can be pushed
over into the throat, but parents should never attempt to remove an object
in the nose they cannot see. Sometimes causing sneezing with a feather or
pepper will expel the object.
[ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 397]
TREATMENT OF THE DROWNED, SUFFOCATED OR ELECTRICALLY SHOCKED. Accidents,
etc.--The one action of first importance in the treatment of the drowned,
the suffocated or the electrically shocked is to restore breathing. This
must be done by expelling from the lungs the poison or water which has
caused the trouble, and by establishing artificial respiration. Avoid
delay. One moment may lose or save a life.
Schaefer Method of Effecting Artificial Respiration In Case of
Drowning.--After an investigation and comparison of the different methods
of artificial respiration, Schaefer suggests one which is by far the
simplest and easiest and at the same time one of the most effective and
least injurious to the patient. In describing it he says: "It consists in
laying the subject in the prone posture, preferably on the ground, with a
thick folded garment underneath the chest and epigastrium, (region above
the stomach). The operator puts himself athwart or at the side of the
subject, facing his head (see plate) and places his hands on each side
over the lower part of the back (lowest ribs). He then slowly throws the
weight of his body forward to bear upon his own arms and this presses upon
the thorax of the subject and forces air out of the lungs. This being
effected, he gradually relaxes the pressure by bringing his own body up
again to a more erect position, but without moving his hands." These
movements should be repeated regularly at a rate of twelve to fifteen
times per minute, until normal respiration begins or until hope of its
restoration is abandoned. Some claim there is no hope of restoring
respiration after half an hour of artificial respiration. Others claim
there is a chance of saving the patient even then, and say that artificial
respiration should be kept up for two or three hours.
[398 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
TO RESUSCITATE THE DROWNED.--First: Lose no time in recovering the body
from the water. Always try to restore life; for while ten minutes under
the water is usually the limit, still persons have been resuscitated after
being under water for thirty or forty minutes. Do not lose time by taking
the body to a place of shelter--operate immediately.
[Illustration: The Schaefer Position to be Adopted for Effecting
Artificial Respiration in Case of Drowning.]
[ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 399]
Second: Quickly lay the person prone, face downward with stomach resting
on a barrel or roll of clothing, so the head will be lower than rest of
the body and the water will run out from the throat and lungs. Wipe dry
mouth and nostrils. Wrap the corner of a handkerchief about the forefinger
and clear the mouth of all mucus and slimy substance back as far as the
top of the throat. Rip open the clothing on chest and back and keep the
face exposed to the air. Separate the jaws and keep them apart with a
cork, stone, or knot in a handkerchief.
Third: Remove the roll of clothing from underneath the stomach of the
patient. Kneel by the side of or across the patient. Place your hands over
the lowest ribs. Lean forward and put your weight straight over the lowest
ribs. Exert this pressure for three seconds. To count three seconds, say:
"One thousand and one, one thousand and two; one thousand and three,"
Fourth: Do not remove the hands from the ribs; but release the pressure
from the ribs for two seconds, by squatting backward. To count two
seconds, say: "One thousand and one, one thousand and two,"
Fifth: Again exert pressure straight over the lowest ribs for three
seconds. Alternate thus (three seconds pressure and two seconds release),
about twelve times a minute, until breathing is restored. This method of
resuscitation at once expels water and produces the identical results of
normal breathing.
Sixth: If another person is at hand to assist, let him do everything
possible to keep the body warm, by sheltering it from the wind, rubbing
hands and soles of feet, making hot applications. Warm the head nearly as
fast as the other parts of the body to avoid congestion. Camphor or
ammonia may be applied to nostrils to excite breathing.
Seventh: Do not give up too soon. Any time within two hours you may be on
the point of reviving the patient without there being any sign of it. Send
for a physician as soon as possible after the accident. Prevent friends
from crowding around the patient and excluding fresh air.
AFTER-TREATMENT.--After breathing is restored, remove the patient to a
warm bed where there is free circulation of fresh air. Administer in small
doses stimulants (hot coffee, ginger tea, hot sling) being careful not to
let the patient choke or strangle. There is danger that the patient may
suffer congestion of the lungs and have great difficulty in breathing.
When this occurs, a large mustard plaster should be placed over the lungs.
HOW TO KEEP FROM DROWNING.--To keep from drowning it is advisable, but not
necessary, to know how to swim. The human body in the water weighs little
more than a pound; so that one finger placed upon a piece of board, an oar
or a paddle, will easily keep the head above water, and the feet and the
other hand can be used to propel the body toward the shore. It is all
important for the person in the water to breathe and keep a cool head, and
the mouth closed.
[400 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
HOW TO FIND DROWNED PERSONS.--Make a board raft, ten or twelve feet
square. Cut a round hole in the center, eight or ten inches in diameter.
Lie down on the raft with the face over the hole, covering the head with a
coat or shawl, to exclude the light. By this contrivance the rays of the
light are concentrated directly under the raft, and objects of any size
can be seen a considerable distance below the surface. Tow the raft over
the place where the drowned person is supposed to be. If the body has just
gone under and no raft can be provided at once, dive or drag the bottom
with line and hooks. The important object is to rescue the body at the
earliest possible moment. If the body is not rescued, it will rise to the
surface within a week or ten days.
Three hundred lives are lost in Michigan every year from drowning. If by
studying and learning how to carry out the directions in this article, you
can be a life saver at some critical moment, the few moments spent in
careful reading will be well repaid. Master the directions so that you
will be able to do everything possible in case of accident.
ELECTRIC SHOCK, ETC.--In suffocation by smoke or any poisonous gas, as
also by hanging if the neck is not broken, and in suspended breathing from
effects of chloroform, hydrate of chloral, or electric shock, remove all
obstructions to breathing, instantly loosen or cut apart all neck and
waist bands, taking special pains to keep the head very low, and placing
the body face downward, to prevent closure of the windpipe by the tongue
falling back. Then proceed to induce artificial respiration the same as in
drowning, described above.
BATHING IN SEWAGE POLLUTED WATERS IS DANGEROUS.--Cases have been reported
where typhoid fever has been contracted by bathing in streams below cities
and villages. Probably this occurred through accidentally or carelessly
taking the infected water into the mouth. No person should bathe in an
ordinary stream just below any city or village, or other source of sewage
or privy drainage, or in any harbor or lake near the entrance into it of a
sewer or the drainage of a privy.
POISONS
An antidote is something given that counteracts poison, such as soda,
chalk, magnesia, soap, whiting, milk mixed with magnesia, soda diluted,
etc., followed by whites of eggs and bland drinks such as flaxseed tea,
slippery elm tea, quince seed tea, and sweet or castor oil given after
regular antidote.
For Shock, inject hot black coffee into the rectum.
Emetic is some medicine given to produce vomiting. The simplest emetic is
mustard and warm water. If one does not know what poison has been taken,
the best thing to do is to give an emetic first.
[ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 401]
Mustard.--One-half ounce or four teaspoonfuls for an adult, one to two
teaspoonfuls for a child, of mustard to a cup of warm water may be given
and repeated every ten or fifteen minutes until free vomiting is produced.
Salt and warm water may be used in the same way. Tickling the throat with
a finger or a feather produces vomiting.
Goose grease, lard, lard drippings, vaselin, all in large amounts.
Other medicines: Sulphate of zinc, ten to twenty grains at a dose, in a
cup of warm water; or fluid extract of ipecac fifteen to thirty drops, or
syrup of ipecac one teaspoonful.
Poisons may be divided into corrosive and irritant.
Corrosive poison: This is a poison that is likely to eat or burn through
organic tissue immediately.
Irritant poison acts more slowly and produces inflammation which later may
result in suppuration and perforation.
An emetic or stomach pump cannot be used in some poisons, such as suphuric
acid, because the tissues are quickly injured by the acid and the emetic
and pump would only injure farther.
ACONITE. Symptoms.--Sudden collapse; slow, feeble, irregular pulse, and
breathing; tickling in the mouth and the extremities, giddiness, great
muscular weakness; pupils generally dilated, may be contracted; mind is
clear.
Antidotes: Solution of tannic acid, twenty drops to a glass of water, to
wash out the stomach.
Treatment.--Stimulants, whisky or brandy; digitalis, artificial
respiration, warmth and friction of the body. Lie in recumbent position.
ALCOHOL. Symptoms.--Stupid, confused, giddy, staggers, drowsy, but can be
aroused; full pulse, deep snoring, respiration, injected eyes, dilated
pupils, low temperature.
Emetics.--Strong hot coffee, inhale amyl nitrite; hot and cold douches.
AMMONIA. Symptoms.--Intense inflammation of the stomach and bowels, often
with bloody vomiting and purging; lips and tongue swollen; violent
difficulty in breathing; characteristic odor.
Antidotes.--Lemon juice and water, vinegar and water half and half.
Treatment.--Milk, soothing drinks; sweet oil or castor oil, bland drinks
like flaxseed tea, slippery elm, albumen (white of egg) water. The oil
should be used last.
ANTIMONY. Symptoms.--Metallic taste, violent vomiting, becoming bloody,
feeble pulse; pain and burning in the stomach. Violent watery purging,
becoming bloody; cramps in the extremities, thirst, great weakness;
sometimes prostration, collapse, unconsciousness.
Antidotes.--Tannic acid, twenty drops to a glass of water.
[402 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Treatment.--Soothing drinks, milk, white of egg and water, flaxseed tea,
etc.; external heat.
ARSENIC, Symptoms.--Violent burning in the stomach, nausea and vomiting,
retching, thirst, purging of blood and mucus, suppressed urine, cramps in
the legs, intense thirst, collapse.
Antidotes.--Jeaunel's antidote.
Treatment.--Emetics freely, mustard water, salt and warm water, goose
grease, etc. White of egg and milk, and then sweet oil or castor oil.
ARSENICAL POISONING, Chronic Cases, Causes.--Inhaling arsenic from dyes,
in wall-paper, carpet, etc, Taking it in by the mouth in handling dyed
paper, artificial flowers, etc., and in many fabrics employed as clothing.
The glazed green and red papers used in the kindergartens also contain
arsenic. The drug given in repeated and excessive doses causes poisoning
sometimes.
Symptoms.--Dry throat, watery swelling of the eyelids, sometimes coryza,
nausea, burning vomiting, and burning watery diarrhea; skin eruptions,
falling off of the hair, paralysis of the arms and legs, with wasting and
numbness, but little pain, The legs are most affected, causing steppage
gait.
Treatment.--Remove the cause in these chronic cases and treat the
symptoms. It may be best for a physician to prescribe treatment.
ATROPINE. Symptoms.--Flushed face, red eyes, throbbing head, pulse fast,
dizzy, staggering, hot and dry throat, dilated pupils, scarlet rash on the
skin. Patient may be delirious and wildly so.
Antidotes.--Tannic acid, twenty drops in glass of water. Emetics to
produce vomiting, such as mustard water, salt and warm water, goose
grease, vaselin, etc.
Stimulants.--Coffee to drink or by enema, artificial respiration.
BELLADONNA, Symptoms.--Flushed face, red eyes, throbbing head, pulse fast,
dizzy, staggering, hot and dry throat, dilated pupils, scarlet rash on the
skin. Patient may be delirious and wildly so.
Antidotes.--Tannic acid, twenty drops in glass of water,
Treatment.--Emetics to produce vomiting, such as mustard water, warm salt
water, goose grease, vaselin, etc.
Stimulants.--Coffee to drink or by enema, artificial respiration,
BLUE STONE. Symptoms.--Vomiting and purging, taste of metal, severe pains,
dizziness and headache and sometimes insensibility.
Treatment.--Emetics such as mustard water, warm salt water, goose grease,
vaselin, etc. Then white of eggs, followed by milk and soothing drinks,
flaxseed tea, etc.
BLUE VITRIOL. Symptoms.--Vomiting and purging, taste of metal, severe
pains, dizziness and headache and sometimes insensibility.
Antidote.--Jeaunel's antidote.
[ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 403]
Treatment.--Emetics such as mustard water, warm salt water, goose grease,
vaselin, etc., then white of eggs, followed by milk and soothing drinks,
flaxseed tea, etc.
CARBOLIC ACID. Symptoms.--Immediately burning pain from mouth to stomach;
giddiness, loss of consciousness, collapse, partial suppression of the
urine; characteristic odor and white color of lips, etc.
Antidotes. Epsom salts or glaubers salts, and water very freely to drink;
drink a pint of flaxseed tea. Later strong coffee or whisky and water as
stimulants.
External.--If burned externally by carbolic acid, apply immediately some
oil-sweet oil, olive oil or any good oil at hand-or wash freely with
baking soda water. Should the acid get into the eye continue application
of oil or soda water and send for a physician. Hold lower lid down to
prevent acid getting into pupil until you are sure all the acid is off of
the lids.
CHLORAL. Symptoms.--Deep sleep, livid look, pulse weak, breathing slow,
pupils contracted during sleep, but dilated when awake, temperature low.
Antidotes.--Permanganate of potash, four to five grains every half hour.
Treatment.--Emetics at first, if seen early, such as mustard water, and
warm salt water, vaselin, goose grease, etc. Keep person awake by walking,
slapping and cold applications; give strong coffee enemas.
COPPER. Symptoms.--Intense corrosion of the mouth and stomach, bleeding
and cramps in the bowels.
Treatment. Emetics.--Mustard water, warm salt water, lard, vaselin, etc.
Then milk and eggs, black coffee enema.
CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE. Symptoms.--Burning heat in stomach and bowels,
vomiting, diarrhea, with bloody stools, tongue white, shriveled:
suppressed urine, gums sore, salivation.
Antidote.--Milk or white of eggs; one egg for four grains of drug; milk,
flour paste.
Treatment.--Cause vomiting after the antidote has been given, and follow
with soothing drinks, castor oil.
CHEESE, Spoiled. Symptoms.--Vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, weakness, cold
hands and feet.
Treatment.--Emetics, such as warm water and salt until patient vomits
freely; or mustard water, lard, vaselin, tickle throat with feather, etc.
Enema to empty lower bowel; stimulants, such as strong coffee or whisky.
DEADLY NIGHT-SHADE. Symptoms.--Flushed face, red eyes, throbbing head,
pulse fast, dizzy, staggering, hot and dry throat, dilated pupils, scarlet
rash on the skin. Patient may be delirious and wildly so.
[404 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Antidotes.--Tannic acid, twenty drops in glass of water. Emetics to
produce vomiting, such as mustard water, salt and warm water, goose
grease, vaselin, etc.
Stimulants.--Coffee to drink or by enema, artificial respiration.
FOWLER'S SOLUTION. Symptoms.--Violent burning in the stomach, nausea and
vomiting, retching, thirst, purging of blood and mucus, suppressed urine,
cramps in the legs, intense thirst, collapse.
Antidote.--Jeaunel's antidote.
Treatment.--Emetics freely, mustard water, salt and warm water, goose
grease, etc., then white of egg and milk and follow with sweet oil or
castor oil.
HYDROCHLORIC ACID, Symptoms.--The stomach and bowels are irritated and
inflamed, the mouth may burn and bleed; swallowing is difficult; "coffee
grounds" vomiting.; pulse feeble, clammy skin.
Treatment.--Usually the first thing to do is to give an emetic. Send for a
doctor and give an emetic. Then give chalk or, if necessary, take plaster
from the wall, mix it with a glass of water. Also three or four eggs (raw)
in a glass of milk can be taken.
HELLEBORE, WHITE AND GREEN. Symptoms.--Pain and burning in the bowels,
vomiting and diarrhea, slow weak pulse, pupils dilated usually.
Treatment.--Emetics, such as mustard water, warm salt water, goose grease,
vaselin, etc.; stimulants, strong coffee, brandy, whisky. Keep patient
quiet and warm.
IODINE. Symptoms.--Pain in throat and stomach, vomiting is yellow from the
iodine, or blue if starch is in the stomach; color and odor of iodine on
lips and in mouth.
Antidote.--Starch or flour mixed into a paste with water, should be given
and followed by emetics.
Treatment.--Emetics, something to cause vomiting, warm salt water, mustard
water, etc. Then sweating drinks, such as hot flaxseed or hop tea, etc.
LYE. Symptoms.--Intense inflammation of the stomach and bowels, often with
bloody vomiting and purging; lips and tongue swollen; violent difficulty
in breathing; characteristic odor.
Antidotes.--Lemon juice and water; vinegar and water, half and half.
Treatment.--Milk, soothing drinks; sweet oil or castor oil, bland drinks
like flaxseed tea, slippery elm, albumen (white of egg) water. The oil
should be used last.
LAUDANUM. Symptoms.--Excitement at first, soon weariness weighty limbs,
sleepiness, pin-point pupils, pulse and breathing slow and strong, patient
roused with difficulty and later it is impossible, snoring breathing.
[ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 405]
Treatment.--This is a dangerous poison. A stomach pump should be used.
Emetics, such as mustard and warm water or warm salt water or vaselin,
etc. Keep patient awake, stimulants, coffee enemas, artificial
respiration, etc.
MERCURIC CHLORIDE. Symptoms.--Burning heat in stomach and bowels,
vomiting, diarrhea, with bloody stools, tongue white, shriveled,
suppressed urine, gums sore, salivation.
Antidote.--Milk or white of eggs; one egg for four grains of drug, flour
paste.
Treatment.--Cause vomiting after the antidote has been given, then give
soothing drinks and dose of castor oil.
MORPHINE. Symptoms.--Excitement at first, soon weariness, weighty limbs,
sleepiness, pin-point pupils, pulse and breathing slow and strong; patient
roused with difficulty and later it is impossible; snoring breathing.
Treatment.--This is a dangerous poison. A stomach pump should be used.
Emetics, such as mustard and warm water or warm salt water, or vaselin,
etc. Keep patient awake; stimulants, coffee enemas, artificial
respiration, etc.
NUX VOMICA. Symptoms.--Appear quickly. Terrible convulsions, in paroxysms,
devilish grin, the body is curved backward, jaw set.
Treatment.--Cause vomiting with warm salt water, warm mustard water, lard,
vaselin, etc.; sixty grains of bromide of potash and thirty grains of
chloral hydrate by the rectum. Dark quiet room.
NITRIC ACID. Symptoms.--The stomach and bowels are irritated and inflamed,
the mouth may burn and bleed; swallowing is difficult. "Coffee grounds"
vomiting. Pulse feeble, clammy skin.
OXALIC ACID. Symptoms.--Hot acrid taste; burning, vomiting, collapse, numb
and stupid.
Antidotes.--Lime or chalk.
Treatment.--Medicines, soothing drinks, flaxseed tea, etc.
OPIUM. Symptoms.--Excitement at first, soon weariness, weighty limbs,
sleepiness, pin-point pupils, pulse and breathing slow and strong, patient
roused with difficulty and later it is impossible, snoring breathing.
Treatment.--This is a dangerous poison. A stomach pump should be used.
Emetics, such as mustard water, or warm salt water or vaselin, etc. Keep
patient awake, stimulants, coffee enemas, artificial respiration, etc.
PARIS GREEN. Symptoms.--Violent burning in the stomach, nausea, and
vomiting, retching, thirst, purging of blood and mucus, suppressed urine,
cramps in the legs, intense thirst, collapse.
[406 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Antidotes.--Jeaunel's antidote.
Treatment.--Emetics freely, mustard water, warm salt water, goose grease,
etc. White of egg and milk first, and then sweet oil or castor oil.
PAREGORIC. Symptoms.--Excitement at first, soon weariness, weighty limbs,
sleepiness, pin-point pupils, pulse and breathing slow and strong, patient
roused with difficulty and later it is impossible, snoring breathing.
Treatment.--This is a dangerous poison. A stomach pump should be used.
Emetics such as mustard and warm water or warm salt water, or vaselin,
etc. Keep patient awake, stimulants, coffee enemas, artificial
respiration, etc.
PHOSPHORUS MATCHES. Symptoms.--Vomiting and pain, the vomit may be
luminous in the dark, characteristic odor, after several days deep
jaundice, blood in vomited matter and bloody stools, pulse is rapid and
weak.
Treatment.--Emetics to cause vomiting such as warm salt water, warm
mustard water, etc., followed by epsom salts in large doses; five to ten
drops of turpentine.
POTASH, CAUSTIC. Symptoms.--Intense inflammation of the stomach and
bowels, often with bloody vomiting and purging; lips and tongue swollen;
violent difficulty in breathing; characteristic odor.
Antidotes.--Lemon juice and water, vinegar and water half and half.
Treatment.--Milk, soothing drinks; sweet oil or castor oil, bland drinks
like flaxseed tea, slippery elm, albumen water, white of egg water. The
oil should be used last.
POISONOUS PLANTS. Symptoms.--Vomiting, terrible weakness.
Treatment.--Emetics such as warm mustard water, warm salt water, goose
grease, vaselin, lard, etc.; strong coffee, brandy; heat to extremities,
artificial respiration.
ROUGH ON RATS. Symptoms.--Violent burning in stomach, nausea, and
vomiting, retching, thirst, purging of blood and mucus, Suppressed urine,
cramps in legs, intense thirst, collapse.
Antidote.--Jeannel's antidote.
Treatment.--Emetics freely such as warm mustard water, warm salt water,
goose grease, etc. White of egg and milk first, and then sweet oil or
castor oil.
[ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 407]
SALTPETRE. Symptoms.--Intense inflammation of the stomach and bowels,
often with bloody vomiting and purging; lips and tongue swollen; violent
difficulty in breathing; characteristic odor.
Antidotes.--Lemon juice and water, vinegar and water half and half.
Treatment.--Milk, soothing drinks; sweet oil or castor oil, bland drinks
like flaxseed tea, slippery elm, albumen (white of egg) water. The oil
should be used last.
SANTONIN. Symptoms.--Object looks blue, then yellow, ringing ears,
dizziness.
Treatment.--Emetics such as warm mustard water, warm salt water, goose
grease, lard, etc.; stimulants, brandy, strong coffee.
STRYCHNINE. Symptoms.--Appear quickly. Terrible convulsions, in paroxysms,
devilish grin, the body is curved backward, jaw set.
Treatment.--Cause vomiting, with warm salt water, warm mustard water,
lard, vaselin, etc.; sixty grains of bromide of potash and thirty grains
of chloral hydrate by the rectum. Dark, quiet room.
SPOILED FOODS. Symptoms.--Vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, weakness, cold hands
and feet.
Treatment.--Emetics such as warm salt water until patient vomits freely;
or mustard water, lard, goose grease, vaselin, tickle throat with feather,
etc.
SULPHURIC ACID. Symptoms.--The stomach and bowels are irritated and
inflamed, the mouth may burn and bleed; swallowing is difficult. "Coffee
grounds" vomiting. Pulse feeble, clammy skin.
Treatment.--Usually the first thing to do is to give an emetic. Send for a
doctor and give an emetic. Then give chalk or, if necessary, take plaster
from wall, mix it with a glass of water. Also three or four eggs (raw) in
a glass of milk can be taken.
TARTAR EMETIC. Symptoms.--Metallic taste, violent vomiting, becoming
bloody, feeble pulse; pain and burning in the stomach. Violent watery
purging, becoming bloody; cramps in the extremities, thirst, great
weakness; sometimes prostration, collapse, unconsciousness.
Antidotes.--Tannic acid, twenty drops to glass of water.
Treatment.--Soothing drinks, milk, white of egg and water, flaxseed tea,
etc., external heat.
TOBACCO. Symptoms.--Vomiting, terrible weakness.
Treatment.--Emetics, such as warm salt water, warm mustard water, goose
grease, lard, vaselin, etc.; then stimulants such as strong, coffee,
brandy; heat to extremities, artificial respiration.
WINE OF ANTIMONY. Symptoms.--Metallic taste, violent vomiting, becoming
bloody, feeble pulse; pain and burning in the stomach. Violent watery
purging, becoming bloody; cramps in the extremities, thirst, great
weakness; sometimes prostration, collapse, unconsciousness.
Antidotes.--Tannic acid, twenty drops to glass of water.
Treatment.--Soothing drinks, milk, white of egg and water, flax seed tea,
etc.; external heat.
[408 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
HERB DEPARTMENT
OVER ONE HUNDRED (100) MEDICAL HERBS
Partially Illustrated, with Full and Detailed Explanation as
to Their Internal and External Uses, Part to Be Used,
When to Gather, Time of Flowering,
Where Found, Preparation for Medicine,
Teas, Etc., and Full Directions for Using.
In preparing this department we have been governed by two essential
observations. First, that the tendency in American and Canadian homes is
to the return to the good old home remedies that mother and grandmother
used so successfully. We have, therefore, tried to choose in this list of
over one hundred herbs, the most common ones, ones that could be prepared
at home easily and quickly and which would be perfectly safe for the
average person to administer as medicine.
Second, upon a close examination of the herb departments of practically
all of the medical works or receipt books sold for family use today we
discovered that only general information and directions were given. In
this connection, we have endeavored, and we believe successfully, to
supply what other books have neglected,--definite directions for the
preparation, dose, etc. Should a physician leave a bottle of medicine at
your home without directions you would not think of using it, and it is
just as useless and indiscreet for a young mother to attempt to use herbs
from the field without explicit directions for their preparation and
administration.
We give below a few important directions for gathering, keeping and
preparation of herbs, etc., for reference when using herbs not in this
list. Those in the list are explained under their respective headings.
Drying and Preserving Roots, Herbs, Barks, etc.--Gather herbs when the
weather is fine, when there is no dew upon them, when the flowers are in
full bloom or the seeds are ripening. By gathering the herbs yourself you
are assured of their being fresh although, if living in the city, you can
purchase them ready prepared in ounce packages for about five cents at any
drug store. Should you gather them yourself dry them in the shade, after
which they should be kept from exposure to the air by wrapping up in paper
or keeping in paper bags, tied and hung up in the attic or other dry
place. If hanging exposed in your home for a long time watch them that
moths do not gather in them and make their nests.
[Illustration: BLOODROOT]
[Illustration: ELDER FLOWERS]
[Illustration: PLEURISY ROOT]
[Illustration: SNAKE HEAD]
[Illustration: SENECA SNAKE ROOT]
[Illustration: GINSENG]
[Illustration: MANDRAKE OR MAY-APPLE]
[Illustration: WAHOO]
[Illustration: SCOURING RUSH]
[Illustration: BONESET]
[Illustration: ROCK ROSE]
[Illustration: TANSY]
[Illustration: BEARBERRY]
[Illustration: ST. JOHN'S WORT]
[Illustration: WORMWOOD]
[Illustration: TRUE CHAMOMILE]
[Illustration: INDIAN TOBACCO OR LOBELIA]
[Illustration: CANADA FLEABANE]
[Illustration: MARSH MARIGOLD]
[Illustration: AMERICAN WORMSEED]
[Illustration: ELECAMPANE]
[Illustration: MUSTARD]
[Illustration: PARTRIDGE BERRY]
[HERB DEPARTMENT 409]
Roots should be dug in the spring when the sap is rising if you wish to
make extract; or they may be gathered in autumn when they have ceased to
vegetate. To dry for winter use they should be sliced, dried and kept from
the air.
Barks should be stripped when the tree is in full leaf and dried in the
shade. The bark of the roots should be taken in the fall, when the sap has
descended.
Flowers and Seeds.--Flowers should be gathered when in full bloom and free
from the dew and should be kept from exposure to the air. Be sure that
seeds have fully matured; dry them also in a shady place and keep ready
for use.
Preparation of Herbs for Medicine.--There are many different methods of
preparing herbs for medicine,--Infusion, Decoction, Fomentation, Ointment,
Plaster, Poultice, Powder, Essence, Tincture, etc. Only five of these,
Plaster, Poultice, Fomentations, Decoction and Infusion are commonly used.
An infusion is more commonly called "tea."
Infusion or Tea, to make.--Usually about one ounce of the herb to a pint
of water is used for an infusion. Sometimes cold water is poured over the
herb, but the most common method is to pour boiling water over the herb
and let stand for a short time, just as you would make common tea for the
table. Sometimes a little sugar may be added to make the tea more
palatable. An infusion or tea should be used while fresh.
Decoction, to make.--Make same as for infusion and boil for some time,
just as you would make coffee.
Essence, to make.--Take about an ounce of the essential oil of the herb
and dissolve in a pint of alcohol.
Fomentations, to make.--Dip cloths or heavy towels in the infusion or
decoction, wring out and apply locally to part that you wish to cover.
Ointments or Salve, to make.--An easy method to make a salve or ointment
is to take about eight parts of vaselin or lard or any like substance and
add two parts of the remedy you wish to use. Thus, if you were to make a
sulphur salve you would use eight ounces of vaselin and two ounces of
sulphur; stir and mix well while hot and when cool you would have a
regular sulphur salve or ointment.
Plasters, to make.--Bruise the leaves, root, or other part of the plant
and place between two pieces of cloth, just as you would a mustard
plaster, and apply to the surface you wish to cover.
[410 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Poultices, to make.--Poultices are used to apply heat (moist heat), to
soothe or to draw. Usually a soft substance is used, such as soap and
sugar, bread and milk, mustard, etc. Some cause a counter-irritation, some
draw the blood from a congested part and thus relieve pain. In the chapter
on nursing many different poultices are given with methods of preparing
them.
Powder, to make.--The part to be used is crushed, pounded, or ground until
it is made very fine. It is best to have substance dry if to be prepared
for powder.
Syrups, to make.--After preparing the substance for a tea boil for some
time, then add considerable sugar and stir until all is nicely dissolved.
To each pint of this syrup add one ounce of glycerin and seal up in
bottles or cans as you would fruit.
Tincture, to make.--Take one ounce of the powdered herb and add 4 ounces
of water and 12 ounces of alcohol, let stand for two weeks. A dram of
glycerin may be added. After standing for two weeks pour off liquid and
bottle for use. If it is necessary for you to use a tincture we would
advise that you buy it at a drug store, as it is not often made properly
at home. The above is a safe method for making a tincture and would not be
especially strong. Should the herb used have a very weak medicinal power
one to four ounces of the herb may be used for the above amount of water
and alcohol.
ALDER, SPOTTED.--Snapping Hazelnut. Winterbloom. Witch Hazel. Hamamelis.
Internally used for.--Falling of the womb, sore mouth, falling of the
bowel, piles, bleeding diarrhea.
Externally used for.--Sore eyes, ulcers, sores, enlarged veins, sprains,
bruises and ivy poisoning.
Part used.--Leaves and fresh bark.
Gather.--In the fall.
Flowers (when).--From September to November.
Grows (where).--In all sections of the United States, especially in damp
woods.
Prepared (how).--As a poultice, ointment, decoction. Make a decoction by
using one and one-half ounces of the fresh bark or leaves, boiled in a
pint of water. The medicine can be bought at any drug store.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--For sore mouth, throat, leucorrhea, falling of the
womb and bowel, use the decoction strong locally. It should not cause any
pain. For falling bowel, use a full strength injection and apply locally
with cloths on the sore bowels. Used locally for bleeding from the nose or
from pulling teeth. For piles, an ointment can be made by using strong
decoction and cosmaline mixed. Apply decoction locally on varicose veins
or varicose ulcers. It is often used in the form of "Pond's Extract." For
diarrhea one to three ounces every three hours. Good also applied locally
for burns, old sores, eczema, ivy poisoning, bruises.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 411]
BALMONY. Snakehead. Fish Mouth. Turtlebloom. Bitter Herb. Salt Rheum Weed.
Chelone Glabra.
Internally used for.--Dyspepsia, weak digestive organs, jaundice.
Part used.--Leaves are best for medical use.
Gather.--In the fall.
Flowers (when).--From July to late Autumn.
Grows (where).--Found in the United States in wet grounds.
Prepared (how).--Leaves made into a powder or tea. One ounce of the leaves
to a pint of boiling water to make the tea. Let steep.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of the powder, for above-named diseases,
one-half to one even teaspoonful, four times a day. Dose of the tea for
the above diseases, one to two ounces three or four times a day. The tea
is the best to use. Gentian can be added to this remedy, if desired, when
a more active bitter tonic is wanted. Use same amount of each and make
into a tea. Dose of combination, one to two ounces before meals.
BAYBERRY.--Wax Myrtle. Waxberry. Candleberry. Myrica Cerifera.
Gather.--Collect it late in the fall, dry without exposure to moisture,
pound with a hammer to separate the bark, powder and keep in dark, sealed
vessels.
Grows (where).--In damp places in United States, especially in New Jersey.
Prepared (how).--As a powder, poultice, decoction. To make decoction use
one ounce of the bark to a pint of water and boil.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--For jaundice, use the decoction, one to three
ounces, every two to five hours. For diarrhea and dysentery one-half ounce
every two hours. For blood diseases and scrofula, take two ounces four
times daily. Poultice for scrofulous tumors and ulcers, alone, or with
elm. For sore throat, mouth and gums gargle freely with the decoction. A
plaster can be made and used on ulcers. Dose of powder: twenty to
thirty grains, three times a day.
BEARBERRY. Upland or Wild Cranberry. Mountain Box. Red Berry. Arbutus Uva
Ursi.
Internally, used for.--Its special use is in kidney and bladder troubles.
It may be used in diarrhea, dysentery, leucorrhea, but as stated it is
better for cystitis, urinary trouble, etc., gonorrhea.
Part used.--The leaves.
Gather.--In autumn, and use only the green leaves.
Grows (where).--On mountains and dry land in United States, Europe and
Asia.
[412 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Prepared (how).--As a powder or decoction. For decoction use one ounce of
the leaves and boil in one and one-half pints of distilled water. Boil
down to a pint.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--One to three ounces every two to four hours for
gonorrhea, with bloody and mucous discharges and pain in the bladder. For
cystitis one ounce every two hours. For kidney troubles one ounce four
times a day. If taken long or in too large doses it irritates the kidneys.
BEECHDROPS. Cancer Root. Epipegus Virginiana.
Internally, used for.--An astringent for bleeding from the bowels and
womb, and for diarrhea.
Externally, used for.--Erysipelas and skin eruptions, ulcers, and also
good as an injection in leucorrhea.
Part used.--Roots and tops.
Flowers (when).--In August and September.
Grows (where).--All parts of North America.
Prepared (how).--As a powder, decoction, and poultice. To make a decoction
take one ounce of the root to a pint of water and boil. Keep adding water
to make a full pint.
Diseases, Doses, etc.--The decoction has been used in erysipelas, one-half
to one ounce every two hours. Same dose for bleeding and diarrhea. Dose of
powder ten to fifteen grains, four times a day. Decoction can be used
locally in erysipelas. This is also good for ulcers and wounds, and for
skin affections applied locally; or a poultice can be used. A poultice of
this remedy, poke and white oak, equal parts, is very good for old sores.
Useful locally also for sore mouth and throat, and as an injection for
leucorrhea.
BETHROOT. Birth Root. Ground Lily. Lambs Quarter. Wake Robin. Indian Balm.
Three-Leaved Night-Shade. Trillium Purpureum.
Internally used for.--Astringent, tonic, antiseptic. For bleeding from
lungs, kidneys and womb, for leucorrhea and for confinement. Also for
diarrhea, nose-bleed.
Externally.--The root is used as a poultice for tumors, lazy ulcers,
buboes, carbuncles, stings of insects.
Part used.--The root. This contains volatile oil, tannic acid, etc.
Gather.--In autumn.
Flowers (when).--In May and June.
Grows (where).--In middle western and southern states.
Prepared (how).--As a poultice, powder and infusion. Use one to one and
one-half ounce of root to a pint of boiling water for infusion.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--For female weakness, bleeding, leucorrhea, and
bearing down particularly, bloody urine, two to four ounces, of the strong
tea, four times daily, and also used as an injection in leucorrhea, once
daily. For bleeding from the lungs, one ounce every hour for a few doses.
For dysentery and diarrhea boil one ounce in a pint of milk and use two
ounces every two to four hours. Powdered root, given in hot water, may be
used in doses of one-half to one teaspoonful three times a day, instead of
infusion. Taken after confinement, use the infusion four times a day,
smell of the red bethroots.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 413]
BLACKBERRY. Dewberry or low blackberry. Red Raspberry.
Internally, used for.--Tonic and astringent, diarrhea, bleeding from the
bowels and womb, injection for leucorrhea.
Externally, used for.--Gonorrhea, gleet.
Part used.--Leaves of the raspberry and the bark of the other two.
Flowers (when).--Spring.
Grows (where).--Almost everywhere.
Prepared (how).--Use one ounce of the leaves of raspberry or bark of
either of the others, to a pint of water and boil to make a decoction.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--For diseases mentioned, such as diarrhea, take one
tablespoonful every four hours. For injection use the decoction. This is
used once daily for leucorrhea, gleet, gonorrhea, falling of the womb and
bowel. Internally it is also used as a diuretic.
BLACK HAW. Viburnum Prunifolium.
Internally, used for.--Tonic, astringent, diuretic and alterative. Tonic
for the womb, for threatened abortion and prevention of miscarriage. Good
for severe after-pains, and for bleeding from the womb.
Part used.--Bark of the root.
Flowers (when).--From March to July.
Grows (where).--Most abundant in the middle states and southern.
Prepared (how).--As an infusion and tincture (or fluid extract). Prepare
infusion by adding one ounce of bark of the root to a pint of boiling
water.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--For threatened abortion or miscarriage use infusion
three or four times daily, in two teaspoonfuls doses, a week or two
before, it usually has occurred; or the tincture in ten to twenty drop
doses five times daily. For bleeding from the womb take ten to twenty
drops, four times daily, a few days before the time for the flow.
BLOOD ROOT. Red Puceoon. Red Root. Sanguinaria Canadensis.
Internally, used for.--Tonic, emetic, and for sick headache.
Externally, used for.--Ulcers, ringworms and warts.
Part used.--Root and should be kept dry.
Flowers (when).--Appears early in March and April.
Grows (where).--Most parts of United States in woods, groves, in shaded
banks, in rich light soil.
[414 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Prepared (how).--An Infusion and powder. For an infusion one ounce to one
pint of vinegar.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of powder as an emetic, ten to twenty grains.
Dose of infusion as an emetic one to four teaspoonfuls: For ringworm,
tetter and warts, it is applied locally, freely. Applied to ulcers and
growths, it often cures, and removes the growths. As a tonic for the
stomach, the dose should be small, one to one and one-half teaspoonful of
the infusion four times daily, and for sick headache it should be half as
much and not repeated oftener than twice, a half hour apart.
BLUE FLAG. Flower de Luce. Flag Lily. Snake Lily. Liver Lily. Iris
Versicolor.
Internally, used for.--Chronic liver troubles, sick or bilious headache,
cathartic, catarrh of the upper bowel, jaundice, round worms, indigestion,
chronic rheumatism.
Part used.--The root. Make a tincture immediately or dry it quickly before
the fire, clean, powder, and bottle tight for use.
Gather.--In the fall. It must be kept fresh.
Flowers (when).--May or June.
Grows (where).--Found in all parts of the United States, growing in wet
places, in meadows and borders of swamps. Prepared (how).--In powder,
tincture or fluid extract. They can all be bought.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--As a cathartic, five to twenty grains of powder. If
it nauseates, mix with it a few grains of capsicum or ginger. Dose of
saturated tincture, ten to sixty drops. Fluid extract, twenty to sixty
drops. For sick headache one drop doses every hour. For chronic liver
troubles, five to ten drops of tincture, four times daily. Same dose for
all chronic diseases. For round worms, large doses must be used, enough to
move the bowels. Following is good for indigestion and biliousness: Fluid
extract of blue flag and golden seal each; one-half ounce, simple elixir,
one ounce. Take a dessertspoonful in hot water, before meals.
BONESET.--Thoroughwort. Fever Wort. Sweating Plant. Cross Wort. Indian
Sage. Ague Weed. Vegetable Antimony. Eupatorium Perfoliatum.
Internally, used for.--Ague, malarial fevers, influenza, colds, tonic,
cathartic.
Externally, used for.--A fomentation.
Part used.--The top and leaves.
Gather.--When at its best in early autumn.
Flowers (when).--In August and September.
Grows (where).--All over the United States.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 415]
Prepared (how).--Powder. Infusion, one and one-half ounces to a pint of
water.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--For malarial fever, a hot strong infusion taken
freely as hot as possible. Teacupful at a time often enough to produce
sweating. Same way for colds and influenza. Use the cold infusion as a
tonic and laxative. As a tonic it is useful after fevers, etc. Dose of
powder ten to twenty grains. Dose of infusion two to four ounces. It can
be combined with tansy and hops and makes splendid fomentation.
BROOKLIME. Veronica Beccabunga.
Internally, used for.--Scurvy and for the menses, obstructed menstruation.
Part used.--Leaves and top.
Gather.--Early autumn.
Flowers (when).--From April to August.
Grows (where).--Eastern and northern states, and grows in small streams
and near watercourses.
Prepared (how).--As a decoction, and it may be used freely.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--For scurvy used to purify the blood. It is used in
decoction to regulate menstruation, and should be taken freely and warm
and begun a day before the menstrual period.
BUCHU. A South African plant of the genus Barosma.
Internally, used for.--Bladder troubles. In irritable bladder and urethra,
due to increased sand in the urine, inflammation.
Part used.--Leaves.
Gather.--Buy in drug store.
Grows (where).--In Africa.
Prepared (how).--Infusion; make it by putting one ounce of the leaves to a
pint of boiling water and let it steep.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose is two to four ounces, three or four times a
day in chronic cases of bladder trouble, or one ounce every two or three
hours in acute cases. It is very good when the urine is not free or is
painful to pass. In acute and chronic inflammation, but more especially in
the acute form. If it injures the stomach it can be used in alternation
with pumpkin seed tea.
BURDOCK. Arctium Lappa.
Internally, used for.--Kidney troubles, rheumatism, syphilis, skin
diseases. Must be used a long time.
Externally, used for.--Can be used as an ointment.
Part used.--Roots and seeds.
Gather.--In the spring.
Grows (where).--Almost everywhere.
Prepared (how).--As a decoction, two ounces to a pint of water or fluid
extract can be bought.
[416 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of decoction: This should be used freely as it
is not strong, one pint can be taken in twenty-four hours. Used as an
ointment for skin diseases; the juice, of the leaves, is mixed with lard,
cream or vaselin. This remedy is used frequently in combination with other
blood remedies, for the above named diseases and is very beneficial.
CARROT. Wild Carrot. Bird's Nest. Bee's Nest. Daucus Carota.
Internally, used for.--Dropsy, chronic kidney troubles and gravel.
Externally, used for.--Ulcers: as a poultice.
Part used.--Roots and seeds. Garden carrot, only the root is used.
Flowers (when).--June to September.
Grows (where).--In neglected fields and by roadsides.
Prepared (how).--In infusion (tea) by using one ounce to a pint of boiling
water and allow it to steep, but not to boil.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose, two to four ounces of the infusion, three or
four times a day, for diseases mentioned. When the infusion is made from
the seeds the dose is only about one-third of a teaspoonful four times
daily. For external use for troublesome ulcers, scrape or grate the root
and apply to the ulcers.
CATNIP. Catmint. Catwort. Nepeta Cataria.
Internally, used for.--Sweating, nervous troubles, colic and tonic.
Externally, used for.--Poultices and fomentations.
Part used.--Leaves and top.
Gather.--Early autumn.
Flowers (when).--June to September.
Grows (where).--Grows in dry neglected places, about old buildings and
fences.
Prepared (how).--The infusion should be prepared by adding one ounce of
the plant to a pint of boiling water, Do not let it boil, but only steep;
stand only a few minutes; when wanted as a tonic, use it cold. When used
for sweating purposes, etc., it must be used hot.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Drink as freely as the stomach will permit. It is
frequently used for colic in babies in doses of half to one teaspoonful,
warm. To produce sweating it should be used hot and freely taken. A
combination of catnip, lady's slipper and skullcap, equal parts, either in
the infusion or fluid extract, one dram doses, is good for nervous
headache, hysteria, chorea. Leaves are used as a fomentation. The
expressed juice of the plant is good for amenorrhea in one to two
teaspoonful doses five times daily.
CELANDINE.--Tetter Wort. Chelidonium Majus.
Internally, used for.--Liver and skin troubles.
Externally, used for.--Warts, corns, salt rheum.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 417]
Part used.--Herb and root. Latter is the best.
Flowers (when).--Throughout the summer.
Grows (where).--In the United States in waste places.
Prepared (how).--It is best used internally in the tincture, powdered
root, or fresh juice.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--For liver disease, it is especially good where the
pain is under the right shoulder blade. Use the tincture in ten-drop doses
three times a day. Externally rub the juice on the corn or wart. Make an
ointment from the root and rub this on the skin for salt rheum. It is said
to be good for piles also. Dose:--Powdered root ten to twenty to thirty
grains. Tincture, ten to twenty drops, and of the juice ten to twenty
drops.
CHAMOMILE. Roman Chamomile. Anthemis Nobilis.
Internally, used for.--Tonic in small doses, dyspepsia, colic, cramp,
diarrhea, dysmenorrhea.
Externally, used for.--Fomentation, boiled in vinegar and applied to
painful swellings.
Part used.--Leaves and herb.
Gather.--When in bloom.
Flowers (when).--Summer.
Grows (where).--Native of Europe. It grows wild in the United States.
Prepared (how).--As an infusion use a half ounce to a pint of boiling
water, steep and take freely.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Use cold infusion in dyspepsia; warm infusion for
colic and cramps, and for diarrhea in children, especially of the green
kind of stools. Dose:--One teaspoonful every two or three hours. Good for
nervousness in teething children. An oil also is used, two to five drops
on sugar. This is given for colic, cramps, and in painful dysmenorrhea.
CLEAVERS. Goose Grass. Catch Weed. Clivers. Bed Straw. Galium Aparine.
Internally, used for.--Suppression of the urine, gravel, inflammation of
the kidneys and bladder, and for scalding urine in gonorrhea.
Externally, used for.--Freckles.
Part used.--The plant.
Gather.--Early autumn.
Flowers (when).--From June to September.
Grows (where).--Common in the United States, growing on cultivated
grounds, moist thickets, and along fences and hedges.
Prepared (how).--Infusion. Use one and one-half ounces of the herb in a
pint of warm water and allow it to steep for two hours.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Take two to four ounces of the infusion three or
four times a day, when it is cold. The dose can be lessened and taken
oftener. It may be sweetened with sugar when taken for the diseases named
above. Also equal parts of cleavers, maidenhair, and elder blows, steeped
in warm water for two or three hours and drank freely when cold forms an
excellent drink in erysipelas, scarlet fever and measles. An infusion made
with cold water is good to remove freckles; wash the parts several times
daily for two or three months.
[418 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CLOVES. Caryophyllus.
Internally, used for.--Flatulent colic, diarrhea, cholera morbus,
toothache, (oil of cloves).
Gather.--Collect flowers in October and November, before they are fully
developed and dry quickly.
Grows (where).--In tropical climate.
Prepared (how).--Boil two or three teaspoonfuls of the ground cloves in a
half pint of milk.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Two to four teaspoonfuls every twenty to thirty
minutes for gas colic, or diarrhea where the bowels need tone. The oil can
be used in three to five-drop doses. Also good to place in hollow teeth.
Put a little of the oil on cotton and insert into the tooth. It is also
good to add to other medicines to stop griping and nausea.
BLUE COHOSH. Squaw Root. Papoose Root. Blue Berry. Caulophyllum
Thalictroides.
Internally, used for.--Nervous affection, rheumatism, womb troubles, such
as amenorrhea, leucorrhea; used previous to labor it is beneficial and
also good for afterpains.
Externally, used for.--Sore throat. Part used.--Root.
Gather.--Latter part of summer or in autumn.
Grows (where).--All over the United States in low moist rich grounds, near
running streams, in swamps, etc.
Prepared (how).--As an infusion or decoction. It can be bought in the
fluid extract form. Make a tea by adding one ounce of the root to a pint
of boiling water. Decoction is made by allowing it to boil some length of
time.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of fluid extract fifteen to thirty drops. Dose
of tea, two to four ounces, three or four times daily. Dose of decoction,
one-half the amount. When used in acute disease, the dose should not be
more than one-fourth as much and given every one or two hours. For
rheumatism it is especially valuable, when small joints like the fingers
and toes are involved. It is very good in the chronic womb diseases named
above. It should be used in small doses several weeks prior to labor. It
is said to assist in making labor easier.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 419]
BLACK COHOSH. Rattle Root. Black Snake Root. Squaw Root. Rich Weed.
Cimicifuga Racemosa.
Internally, used for.--Chorea, dependent upon rheumatism; rheumatism,
amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, leucorrhea, afterpains.
Part used.--Root.
Gather.--Early in the autumn and dry in the shade.
Flowers (when).--In June and July.
Grows (where).--Native of United States. Grows in shady and rocky woods,
rich grounds and on sides of hills.
Prepared (how).--Powder; decoction, one ounce to a pint of water; and
tincture.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of decoction half to one ounce; of powder ten
to twenty grains. For chorea, use powder, twenty grains, three times a
day. Use tincture or fluid extract or the decoction for womb affections.
Dose of tincture, thirty to sixty drops three times daily. Fluid extract,
ten to thirty drops three times daily; for afterpains give half as much
about every three hours. In making the decoction you can make it stronger
by boiling longer. The dose must then be less, according to the strength.
This is a very useful remedy. For rheumatism, especially the chronic kind,
it is often beneficial.
COMFREY. Healing Herb. Gum Plant.
Internally, used for.--An astringent and soothing agent in diarrhea,
dysentery, coughs, lung affections, female weakness, leucorrhea, and
urinary diseases.
Externally, used for.--Bruises, ruptures, fresh wounds, sore breasts,
ulcers and swellings.
Part used.--Root.
Flowers (when).--May or June.
Prepared (how).--It is boiled in water or wine or it can be made into
syrup. For external use bruise the root and apply it to the diseased part.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of the syrup one to four ounces, two or three
times a day. For the diseases named it is best to take it in smaller doses
and oftener, say four teaspoonfuls every hour or two; children in
proportion.
CORN SILK. Zea Mays.
Internally, used for.--Diuretic, quieting to the urinary passages.
Congested kidney, dropsy from heart disease, chronic nephritis,
suppression of the urine, renal colic, haematuria, cystitis.
Prepared (how).--Make a tea and drink freely. Fluid extract can be bought.
Diseases., Dose, etc.--Dose: One to two teaspoonfuls of fluid extract
three or four times a day, or drink freely of tea for above diseases.
[420 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CRANBERRY (High). Cramp Bark. Viburnum Opulus.
Internally, used for.--Cramps and spasms of all kinds, asthma, hysteria;
cramps in the legs, especially during pregnancy, or at labor.
Part used.--Bark.
Gather.--Early autumn.
Flowers (when).--In June.
Grows (where).--In Canada and northern United States, in low rich lands,
woods, borders of fields.
Prepared (how).--Use an ounce of the bark, powdered, to a quart of wine.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Take half a wineglassful four times a day for
continued use. For hysteria attacks, asthma spasms, less should be used
and taken oftener for a few doses. The following combination is effective
for the spasmodic attacks, above named: Cramp bark two ounces, scull cap
and skunk cabbage one ounce each, cloves one-half ounce, capsicum two even
teaspoonfuls. Powder all, and bruise and add to them two quarts of good
native wine. Dose: one or two ounces two or three times a day; oftener and
smaller doses for hysteria, etc. It should be taken for two or three
months during pregnancy.
CRAWLEY. Dragon's Claw. Coral Teeth. Fever Root. Chicken Toes. Albany
Beechdrops. Corallorhiza Odontorhiza.
Internally, used for.--Sweating purposes in fevers and inflammatory
diseases, acute erysipelas, pleurisy, low stages of fevers, amenorrhea and
dysmenorrhea, in afterpains, and suppressed lochia.
Part used.--The root.
Gather.--In the fall.
Flowers (When).--In July. No leaves.
Grows (where).--Found on barren hills and shady uplands in northern states
and Canada.
Prepared (how) .--Powder and keep it in well closed bottles.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of powder, from ten to twenty grains in hot
water and repeated every hour or two as needed. Combined with blue cohosh,
it is very beneficial in amenorrhea, etc., as above stated. In fevers,
Culver's root can be added to it, if the bowels need regulating. It is
also good for flatulent colic in twenty-grain doses. Some combine pleurisy
root with it in pleurisy. It should be given in acute diseases every one
to two hours as needed.
CRANESBILL (spotted). Crowfoot. Tormentil. Storkbill. Alum Root. Geranium
Maculalum.
Internally, used for.--Second stage of dysentery, diarrhea in an infusion
of milk; in bleedings, sore mouth, leucorrhea, gleet, menorrhagia and
excessive mucous discharges, nose-bleed, bleeding from extracted teeth,
piles, bleeding after labor, sore throat.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 421]
Part used.--The root.
Gather.--Collected in late autumn.
Flowers (when).--From April to June.
Grows (where).--In United States in open woods, thickets and hedges.
Prepared (how).--Powder. Use one and one-half ounces of the root and boil
it in a pint of water or milk.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose: one to two tablespoonfuls. Use the watery
decoction as a gargle for sore mouth and throat. For piles:--Inject a
strong decoction and retain as long as possible; or apply an ointment of
two ounces of the root to tobacco ointment seven ounces, and apply three
or four times a day. Nose-bleed and bleeding from teeth extraction:--Apply
the powder or strong decoction to the part. Bleeding from the womb:--
Inject strong decoction or apply on gauze or cotton to inner womb.
Decoction, two parts to one part blood root, forms a good injection for
leucorrhea and gonorrhea. Good in latter stages of diarrhea and dysentery
of children, boiled in milk, given in teaspoonful doses, every one to
three hours.
CULVER'S ROOT. Veronica. Black Root. Culver's Physic. Tall Speedwell.
Leptandra Virginica.
Internally, used for.--A laxative, bilious fever, dyspepsia due to
inactive liver and bowels.
Part used.--Root. Age impairs its virtues. The dried root is safest to
use, if not too old.
Gather.--In the autumn.
Flowers (when).--In July and August.
Grows (where).--In limestone lands and in rich moist places, woods,
thickets, and barrens.
Prepared (how).--As a powder, extract and infusion. Fluid extract can be
bought. To make decoction, use one ounce of the powdered root to one pint
of water and let boil. If you use the green root put one ounce in cold
water, and let it remain there for one hour.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of the powder of dry root, one small
teaspoonful as a cathartic. This will bring away a black tarry discharge.
Then it is better to use the decoction; one to two teaspoonfuls every two
hours. Dose of extract is one-fourth of a grain. This is a good form to
give, when the liver is acting badly. Good also for indigestion, in this
form when due to inactive liver and costive bowels.
DANDELION. Leontodon Taraxacum.
Internally, used for.--Liver when it is torpid and engorged. It is also
laxative and tonic.
Part used.--Root. The green plant is good to use in the form of greens.
Milky juice is also good when fresh.
[422 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Gather.--July, August and September.
Flowers (when).--During spring and summer.
Grows (where).--Everywhere, it seems.
Prepared (how).--Juice is used, also infusion, extract and fluid extract.
Infusion, two ounces of root to the pint of water.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of infusion one to two ounces. Juice, ten drops
to one-half teaspoonful. Extract, ten grains. Fluid extract, one to two
teaspoonfuls. It should be taken often enough, when the liver is torpid,
to move the bowels once or twice a day. If the infusion is used, begin
with a half ounce and take every three hours; increase or decrease as
necessary. The extract is pleasanter and less bulky and best to use in
winter. Take two or three grains every three hours more or less.
DEVIL'S BIT. False Unicorn Root. Drooping Starwort. Blazing Star. Helonias
Divica. Somewhat similar to true unicorn root.
Internally, used for.--Used mainly in womb troubles, strengthens the womb
and prevents miscarriages. Good also for leucorrhea, amenorrhea and
dysmenorrhea.
Part used.--Root. Root is two to two and a half inches in length.
Gather.--In autumn.
Flowers (when).--June and July.
Grows (where).--In low grounds in United States and Canada.
Prepared (how).--Powdered root and decoction.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--It is a tonic to the womb and should be used for two
months before the time the miscarriage usually occurs. For the other womb
troubles, it should be taken four times a day. The fluid extract can be
bought at any drug store, and can be used. Dose: Fifteen drops, four times
daily. Dose of powder, ten to twenty grains. Decoction, one to two ounces.
ELDER (Sweet). Black-berried Elder. Sambucus Canadensis.
Internally, used for.--Erysipelas, kidneys, for sweating purposes, blood
diseases and scarlet fever.
Externally, used for.--Burns, scalds, ulcers, skin diseases and weak eyes.
Part used.--Flowers and berries. Bark of the root also is used.
Gather.--Gather when in flower and when berries are ripe.
Flowers (when).--In summer.
Grows (where).--Grows in all parts of United States and Canada.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 423]
Prepared (how).--Infusion, one ounce of the flowers or root to a pint of
boiling water.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Use warm infusion for sweating and for erysipelas,
half teaspoonful every three hours. Too much taken will move the bowels
and also cause vomiting. Same for scarlet fever in adults. Infusion of the
bark of the root may be taken in doses of half ounce twice daily, to act
as a cathartic. Local, use inner bark of the limbs and steep with cream
and apply freely and often for burns, sores, etc. For weak eyes make a tea
from the flowers and use as an eye wash for children.
ELECAMPANE. Inula Helenium.
Internally, used for.--For sweating, expectorant, bronchitis, dyspepsia
and dysmenorrhea.
Part used.--Root of the second year.
Gather.--Autumn.
Flowers (when).--In July and August.
Grows (where).--In Europe and Japan. Cultivated in United States and grows
in moist places and about houses. Prepared (how).--Use half ounce of the
powdered root to a pint of boiling water and boil to make a decoction.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--For bronchitis, dyspepsia and dysmenorrhea, take
half ounce doses four times daily. For sweating and painful menses take
two teaspoonfuls of the hot decoction every two hours until relieved.
FLEABANE. Pridewood. Blood Staunch. Mare's Tail. Colt's Tail. Fireweeds.
Erigeron Canadensis.
Internally, used for.--Diarrhea, dysentery, gravel, painful urination,
piles, bleeding from the womb and bowels.
Part used.--The whole plant.
Gather.--Collect while in flower.
Flowers (when).--July and August.
Grows (where).--In United States and Canada. In fields and meadows, by
roadsides, etc.
Prepared (how).--Powder, oil and infusion. To make infusion, use one ounce
to pint of boiling water.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--The infusion, one to two ounces, should be used
three or four times daily; powder, ten to twenty grains, the same. The oil
is more effective in bleeding and dysentery and bleeding piles. Oil is
very good, in doses of one to five drops every three hours for acute
diseases, or three times a day for chronic cases. Put on sugar.
GARLIC. Allium Sativum.
Internally, used for.--Nervous children, coughs, colds, hoarseness, worms,
croup, nervous vomiting.
[424 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Externally, used for.--Poultice.
Part used.--The bulb.
Gather.--When ripe.
Grows (where).--Native of Asia and Egypt; now cultivated.
Prepared (how).--Juice, syrup, powder, or may be taken whole. Juice or
syrup is the best form.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--For coughs, bronchitis and worms, should be taken
five times daily; croup, every half hour for a few doses. Nervous cough
and vomiting only a few doses. Local.--Bruise bulbs and apply warm as a
poultice in bronchitis, croup and tumors. For retention of urine, place a
poultice in the perineum or over bladder on the abdomen. Dose of juice,
twenty to thirty drops. Dose of syrup, ten drops to one teaspoon; this is
very destructive to round worm.
GENTIAN. Gentiana Lutea.
Internally, used for.--Tonic appetizer, dyspepsia, ammenorrhea.
Part used.--Root used and imported. Grows (where).--In the Alps.
Prepared (how).--Powder, tincture and infusion. To make infusion, use one
ounce of the root to a pint of boiling water.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of powder, ten to twenty grains. Tincture, one
teaspoonful. Infusion, one to two ounces. Taken before meals for dyspepsia
and loss of appetite. It should not be taken when the stomach is
irritable. It is a good bitter tonic.
GINSENG.--Red Berry. Five Fingers. Panax Quinquefolium.
Internally, used for.--Gravel, general weakness, poor appetite.
Part used.--Root.
Flowers (when).--In May.
Grows (where).--In United States, in rich soil and in shady places.
Prepared (how).--Powder. Infusion is made by adding one ounce to a pint of
boiling water.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--It should be taken three or four times a day for
gravel or general weakness. As an appetizer it should be taken before
meals. Dose of powder, ten to sixty grains. Dose of infusion, one to three
ounces.
GINGER. Zingiber Officinale.
Internally, used for.--To increase gastric juice secretions, stimulating
tonic, diarrhea, dysentery, flatulency, cramps and nausea.
Externally, used for.--Ulcers.
Grows (where).--Native of Asia.
Prepared (how).--Powder. Infusion made by adding half ounce of the
powdered or bruised root to a pint of boiling water.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 425]
Diseases, Dose, etc.--For diarrhea, dysentery and cholera infantum, mix it
with rhubarb, equal parts, or take alone. If with rhubarb it should be
stopped if it becomes too laxative. Used alone for want of tone of
stomach, flatulency, cramps and colic. It tones up the stomach and bowels
temporarily, but should not be used long or frequently. Dose of powder,
ten to twenty grains. Dose of infusion, one to two ounces.
GOLDEN SEAL. Orange Root. Yellow Puccoon. Ground Raspberry. Turmeric Root.
Hydrastis Canadensis.
Internally, used for.--Tonic in dyspepsia, chronic stomach and bowel
trouble. Torpid liver, sore mouth; gonorrhea (injection), leucorrhea,
gleet.
Part used.--The root.
Gather.--In autumn.
Flowers (when).--In May or June.
Grows (where).--United States and Canada.
Prepared (how).--Powder, infusion, tincture, fluid extract. Use half ounce
of root to a pint of boiling water for infusion.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Of the powder, five to ten grains; of infusion, one
ounce; of tincture, half to one teaspoonful and of fluid extract, five to
twenty drops. When it is called for, the tongue is generally coated
whitish; it will soon clear that. Diarrhea, etc., due to stomach and bowel
troubles are benefited by it. Two parts of the decoction of golden seal
and one of cranesbill used as an injection is good for gonorrhea, gleet,
and leucorrhea. Same is good for chronic cystitis. If too strong, weaken
it. Good in this form, mixed with cranesbill, for diarrhea and dysentery;
taken in two teaspoonful doses every three hours.
GRAVEL PLANT. Gravel-Weed. Mountain Pink. Ground Laurel. May Flower.
Trailing Arbutus. Epigea Repens.
Internally, used for.--Gravel and irritable bladder, causes more urine to
flow, just as buchu does.
Part used.--The leaves.
Gather.--In summer.
Flowers (when).--Appear in April and May.
Grows (where).--Canada and United States, on sides of hills with northern
exposure.
Prepared (how).--Infusion, and fluid extract which can be bought. Use one
ounce of the leaves to one pint of boiling water and let it steep to make
an infusion.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose: One to two teaspoonfuls. For gravel, take one
teaspoonful every three hours. For irritable bladder take half teaspoonful
every three hours.
[426 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
HOPS. Humulus Lupulus.
Internally, used for.--Nervousness, sleeplessness, hysteria, in
afterpains, to prevent chordee.
Externally, used for.--Used as a fomentation in many inflammatory
diseases.
Part used.--Cones.
Gather.--In the fall or when fully ripe.
Grows (where).--Native of North America and Europe.
Prepared (how).--Infusion, tincture and fluid extract lupulin.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of infusion, two to four ounces; tincture one
to four drams. Fluid extract, five to twenty drops. For nervous troubles,
take one ounce of the infusion, or one dram tincture, every hour or two
until quiet; same for sleeplessness. In delirium tremens, infusion drank
with some red pepper in it settles the stomach and quiets the craving for
drink. Following is good for chordee, etc.:
Lupulin 1 dram.
Camphor monobromate 1 dram.
Cocoa Butter, sufficient.
Make twelve suppositories and insert one in rectum every three or four
hours. Take at the same time, the infusion or tincture every two or three
hours. Fomentations are good in pleurisy and many other inflammations.
Inhale steam in throat and chest troubles.
HORSE CHESTNUT. Aesculus Hippocastanum.
Internally, used for.--Rheumatism. Used especially for piles.
Part used.--Bark and fruit which contains tannin.
Gather.--Late autumn.
Flowers (when).--In May and June, and fruit ripens late in autumn.
Grows (where).--Native of Asia. Naturalized here.
Prepared (how).--Powder of the rind of the root or powdered fruit.
Decoction made of the bark by using one and one-half ounces to a pint of
water and boiling.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose: For rheumatism two ounces, three times a day.
For piles, make an ointment of the powdered nut and apply. This is very
good.
HOARHOUND. White Hoarhound. Marrubium Vulgare.
Internally, used for.--Coughs, colds, bronchitis, chronic asthma,
sweating, hoarseness.
Part used.--Whole herb.
Gather.--When fresh.
Grows (where).--Naturalized in United. States. Grows in dry sandy fields,
waste grounds, roadsides; etc.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 427]
Prepared (how).--Infusion hot and cold by adding one ounce to pint of
water; fluid extract.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of infusion, two to four ounces; fluid extract,
one to two teaspoonfuls. A syrup is also made; dose, two ounces. Infusion
used hot for sweating, freely and often; cold and chest troubles about
every two to four hours; or use fluid extract. The hot infusion should be
used in asthma, amenorrhea, and hoarseness.
JUNIPER. Juniper Communis.
Internally, used for.--Dropsy, and to increase flow of urine in kidney
troubles.
Part used.--Berries.
Gather.--August.
Flowers (when).--In May and June and ripe in August.
Grows (where).--Grows in United States and Canada, in dry woods and hills.
Prepared (how).--In infusion or oil. For infusion, use one ounce of the
berries to a pint of boiling water. It can be made more effective by
adding half ounce of cream of tartar to the infusion.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--It should be used within the twenty-four hours for
above troubles, dropsy, etc. The oil can be bought and used in doses of
five to twenty drops, three or four times a day.
LADY'S SLIPPER. American Valerian. Yellow Umbel. Nerve Root. Yellow
Moccasin Flower. Noah's Ark. Cypripedium Pubescens. Internally, used
for.--Hysteria, chorea, nervous headache, nervousness, delirium,
hypochondria.
Part used.--The root.
Gather.--In autumn, cleanse from dirt and dry in the shade. Virtue
impaired by boiling.
Flowers (when).--In May and June.
Grows (where).--Most parts of United States in rich woods and meadows.
Prepared (how).--In infusion, powder and tincture.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of powder, thirty to sixty grains in hot water.
Tincture, one to two teaspoonfuls. Infusion, one to four ounces. For
chronic cases large doses three or four times daily. For acute cases half
as much every two or three hours. For nervous headache two doses, half
hour apart. Following is a good preparation for nervous or sick headache:
catnip, scullcap and lady's slipper, in powder, of each one-half ounce.
Pour on a pint of boiling water and steep for fifteen minutes, and take
half ounce every half hour, for three or four hours.
[428 MOTHERS' REMIEDIES]
LIFE ROOT. Rag Wort. Squaw Weed. Female Regulator. Senecio Gracilis.
Internally, used for.--Mainly for menstrual disorders, when suppressed or
too profuse, dysmenorrhea.
Part used.--Root and herb.
Gather.--In autumn.
Flowers (when).--May or June.
Grows (where).--Northern and western United States on banks of creeks and
in low marshy grounds.
Prepared (how).--In infusion, by adding half ounce to a pint of boiling
water and let steep and take throughout twenty-four hours. Take four or
five days before menstruation is expected.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--For amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea it may be combined
in equal parts with savin and wild ginger, and take one to two ounces four
times a day some days before menstruation. In menorrhagia--too much
flow--cinnamon and raspberry leaves can be combined with it. Dose, two to
four ounces four times a day.
LOBELIA. Wild or Indian Tobacco. Emetic Herb. Puke Weed. Asthma Weed.
Lobelia Inflata.
Internally, used for.--Asthma, emetic for croup (but very weakening), and
lung diseases.
Part used.--Leaves and seeds. Dry carefully in the shade. Keep whole or
powdered.
Gather.--August or September.
Flowers (when).--July to September.
Grows (where).--Very common, growing in fields and roadsides.
Prepared (how).--As an infusion, one ounce to pint of water, steeped; also
tincture.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of the tincture, five to ten drops. Infusion,
one to two teaspoonfuls. It should not be used strong enough to produce
vomiting, as it is too weakening. In small doses and given often in
infusion it produces sweating and relaxation of the tissues, thus helping
in asthma and lung diseases; For asthma, dose:--Ten drops of tincture
every ten minutes at the onset until better or until there is a little
nausea, and then lengthen the interval.
MAIDENHAIR. Adiantum Pedatum.
Internally, used for.--Expectorant, tonic and cooling uses; in fevers,
erysipelas, and pleurisy, coughs, hoarseness, influenza.
Part used.--Part above the ground.
Gather.--In autumn. Grows (where).--In United States in deep woods, on
moist rich soil.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 429]
Prepared (how).--As a decoction or syrup. Take an ounce of the herb to a
pint of boiling water and boil to make a decoction.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Use freely. For feverish conditions use one to two
ounces every two hours. In coughs and hoarseness, take four to five times
daily. For influenza and pleurisy enough to produce perspiration.
MANDRAKE. May Apple. Wild Lemon. Indian Apple. Raccoon Berry. Podophyllum
Peltatum.
Internally, used for.--A cathartic, alterative action in liver troubles in
chronic hepatitis; in blood diseases as syphilis, rheumatism; clears
liver; for constipation.
Part used.--Root.
Gather.--In autumn soon after fruit has ripened.
Flowers (when).--May and June and fruit ripens in September.
Grows (where).--In all parts of the United States, in damp and shady woods
and sometimes in dry and exposed places.
Prepared (how).--In powder and tincture. To make tincture: Gather the
fresh root before the fruit is ripe, chop and pound to a pulp, and weigh.
Then take two parts of alcohol by weight, mix the pulp thoroughly with
one-sixth of the alcohol and then add the rest of the alcohol. Stir all,
pour into a well stoppered bottle, let stand eight days, in a cool place.
Pour off, strain, filter.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--The resin, called podophyllin, can be obtained, and
is used in one-fourth to one-eighth grain as a laxative; one-sixteenth of
a grain can be taken four times a day for chronic liver trouble. Take ten
drops of tincture four times a day for chronic diseases. Some can take
more. For blood diseases., rheumatism, etc.
MARSHMALLOW. Mortification Root. Altheae Officinalis.
Internally, used for.--Hoarseness, gonorrhea, irritated bladder, acute
dysentery, and diarrhea, blood in urine and gravel.
Externally, used for.--Poultice for painful swellings, bruises, scalds,
burns, poisons.
Part used.--Root.
Gather.--Autumn.
Flowers (when).--July to September.
Grows (where).--Europe and this country.
Prepared (how).--Poultice; cut up finely and apply hot. Decoction half
ounce to two pints of boiling water and boil down to one pint.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Take one to three ounces four times a day for
chronic diseases, and one ounce every two hours for acute troubles
mentioned above. It is a mild soothing drink and medicine.
[430 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
MARIGOLD. Calendula Officinalis.
Externally, used.--As a local remedy for cuts and wounds, applied
constantly, it is the best remedy I know.
Part used.--Leaves and flowers.
Gather.--When in full bloom.
Grows (where).--Well-known garden plant.
Prepared (how).--Make a tincture of the flowers and leaves, or buy it. To
make tincture: Take the fresh leaves at the top of the plant with the
blossoms and buds, chop and pound to a pulp, enclose in a piece of new
linen and press. Shake the expressed juice, with an equal part of alcohol
by weight, allow it to stand eight days in a well stoppered bottle, in a
dark cool place and then filter.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Use freely on clean linen or gauze on wounds, cuts,
etc.
MILKWEED. Also called Silkweed. Asclepias Syriaca.
Internally, used for.--Dropsy, retention of urine, scrofulous and
rheumatic troubles.
Part used.--Root. Plant gives out a milky juice when wounded.
Gather.--In autumn.
Flowers (when).--July and August.
Grows (where).--Common in United States and grows in sandy fields, on the
roadsides and on bank of streams.
Prepared (how).--Powder, decoction and tincture. Decoction is made by
using three ounces of the root to one quart of water, and boil.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Take as directed four times a day. Dose of tincture,
ten to thirty drops four times a day. Can be bought. Dose, of the powder,
ten to twenty grains. Decoction, two to four ounces.
MOTHERWORT. Leonurus Cardiaca.
Internally, used for.--Menstrual disorders, nervousness, cramps,
amenorrhea from colds, suppressed lochia, hysteria, pains peculiar to
women, disturbed sleep.
Externally, used for.--Used as a fomentation over womb in dysmenorrhea.
Part used.--Tops and leaves.
Gather.--Early autumn.
Flowers (when).--May and September.
Grows (where).--In fields and pastures.
Prepared (how).--Decoctions, use two ounces of dried herb to a quart of
water and boil down to a pint.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--One to two tablespoonfuls every two hours. Smaller
doses can be used for nervous women every hour, and when there are painful
menstruations, suppressed lochia, hysteria, sleeplessness, etc.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 431]
MUSTARD. Sinapis Alba.
Internally, used for.--As an emetic, condiment, hiccough.
Externally, used for.--Counter-irritation.
Part used.--The seeds or leaves.
Gather.--While fresh, so the leaves can also be used. Seeds when used
should be ripe.
Grows (where).--Almost everywhere.
Prepared (how).--In many ways, poultices, plasters, etc.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Mustard leaves dampened with cold water are good for
pleurodynia, lumbago, neuritis, cramps in legs, inflammations, croup,
etc., applied locally. For apoplexy and convulsions, mustard poultices of
the seeds to feet, and mustard foot baths, handful of ground mustard to
hot water. Same is good in colds, sleeplessness, dysmenorrhea, headache.
Mustard water is good for poisoning as an emetic. Hiccough: Teaspoonful of
mustard in four ounces of boiling water, steep for twenty minutes, and
take in four doses.
OAK BARK. (Red and White). Quercus Alba.
Internally, used for.--Leucorrhea, piles, diarrhea, sore throat and mouth.
Externally, used for.--Sores on man or beast.
Part used.--The bark; white oak is more astringent.
Prepared (how).--Decoction.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--This decoction is used as an injection in
leucorrhea, piles and as a gargle in sore mouth, etc. Its astringent
property is due to the tannic and gallic acid it contains.
ONION. Allium Cepa.
Internally, used for.--Coughs, catarrh, croup, laxative.
Externally, used for.--Poultice for boil, inflammation, earache, etc., raw
and roasted and used locally.
Part used.--Bulb. It contains many constituents, such as citrate of lime,
allyl sulphide, volatile oils, sulphur.
Gather.--In autumn.
Grows (where).--Native.
Prepared (how).--As a poultice, raw; when boiled volatile oil is cast
off.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Juice mixed with sugar is good for colds, coughs,
catarrh, croup, chronic bronchitis. Roasted Spanish onion is good, eaten
at bedtime, as a laxative; fried in lard and applied locally it makes a
splendid poultice. Roasted in coals it makes a good poultice for earache,
toothache, sore throat and sore chest.
[432 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PARSLEY. Rock Parsley. Petroselinum Sativum.
Internally, used for.--Dropsy, especially following scarlet fever,
retained urine, painful urination, gonorrhea.
Externally, used for.--Seeds and leaves sprinkled on the hair, in powder,
destroy vermin. Bruised leaves applied as a fomentation, cure the bites or
stings of insects.
Part used.--Root, seeds and leaves.
Gather.--In autumn.
Grows (where).--Cultivated.
Prepared (how).--Infuse the whole plant, or a decoction can be made of the
root and seeds.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Drink freely of the infusion or decoction. Dose, two
to four ounces three times a day, or less dose and oftener. The oil can be
bought and used, two to three drops three or four times, daily.
PARTRIDGE BERRY. Squaw Vine. Checker Berry. One Berry. Winter Clover.
Deerberry. Mitchella Repens,
Internally, used for.--Dropsy, suppressed urine, tonic and alterative
action on womb.
Externally, used for--Cure for sore nipples.
Part used.--The vine.
Gather.--During the season.
Flowers (when).--June and July.
Grows (where).--In United States and Canada; in dry woods, among hemlock
timber and in swampy places.
Prepared (how).--Infusion, tincture, fluid extract, decoction. Infusion,
one ounce to pint of boiling water. Tincture: chop fresh plant and pound
to a pulp and weigh. Then take two parts, by weight, of alcohol; mix pulp
with one-sixth part of it thoroughly and rest of alcohol added, stir all
well, pour into a well stoppered bottle and let stand eight days in a dark
cool place; pour off, strain and filter.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of tincture, one-half to one teaspoonful. For
chronic diseases take one to two ounces of infusion four times a day. For
suppressed urine take half ounce every two hours. Dose of infusion, from
one to two ounces every three hours. To tone the womb and make labor
easier, the Indians used to take it several weeks before confinement. For
sore nipple: two ounces (fresh, if possible) and make a strong decoction
in a pint of boiling water. Boil down thick and apply on nipple after each
nursing.
PEACH TREE. Amygdalus Persica.
Internally, used for.--Constipation, tonic to the stomach and bowels,
leucorrhea, worms, inflammation of stomach and bowels, irritable bladder.
haematuria, dysentery.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 433]
Part used.--Leaves and kernels.
Gather.--When ripe.
Grows (where).--Cultivated.
Prepared (how).--By infusion; put ounce of leaves in one pint of cold
water and let it steep.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--For inflammations take one tablespoonful of the cold
infusion every hour or two. For bladder and urinary troubles and
leucorrhea, put four ounces of the kernels in a quart of brandy;
dose,--teaspoonful three or four times a day. For bowel troubles use half
ounce of the flowers and half ounce of the kernels to a pint of water;
boil to make a decoction and sweeten; dose,--teaspoonful occasionally,
until relieved; for teething children and for worms use about five doses.
PENNYROYAL. Squaw Mint. Tickweed. Hedeoma Pulegoides.
Internally, used for.--Stimulant, sweating, menstrual troubles, suppressed
lochia, suppressed menses, flatulent colic in children.
Part used.--The herb. Gather.--In fall. Flowers (when).--June to October.
Grows (where).--In dry sterile places in calcareous soils. In all parts of
the United States, etc.
Prepared (how).--An infusion, one ounce to a pint of boiling water and
only steep, not boil.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Use infusion freely. Dose of oil two to five drops.
For menstrual troubles, checked lochia and perspiration, take a hot foot
bath in bed and drink freely of the tea until sweating occurs. It is
frequently taken at bedtime for painful menstruation, etc.
PEPPERMINT. Mentha Piperita.
Internally, used for.--Tone stomach, colic, spasms, or cramps in stomach,
to check nausea and vomiting.
Externally, used for.--Fresh herb bruised and laid over the abdomen, to
allay sick stomach and diarrhea of children.
Part used.--The whole herb.
Gather.--Early autumn.
Flowers (when).--July to September.
Grows (where).--Native of England, cultivated here and grows wild in wet
places.
Prepared (how).--Essence, oil; infusion made by adding one ounce of herb
to a quart of boiling water and steep.
Disease, Dose, etc.--One to two ounces of infusion at a dose. The best
form is the essence or oil. Dose of the essence five to ten drops; of oil
one to five drops. It should be used carefully.
[434 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PLANTAIN. Plantago Major.
Externally, used for.--It is better used externally; the bruised leaves
are good for poisonous wounds, bites of snakes, spiders and insects,
ulcers, sore eyelids, salt rheum, erysipelas, poisoning from ivy and other
skin affections.
Part used.--Roots and tops.
Flowers (when).--From May to October.
Grows (where).--Well known and grows in rich moist places.
Prepared (how).--Tincture, infusion, bruised leaves for external use.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Some claim the infusion is good for snake bites or
the expressed juice can be used. This, to my mind, is doubtful and I would
advise the usual remedies first. The tincture is good for some kinds of
toothache, in one to two drop doses. The bruised leaves or the tea may be
used for other diseases mentioned as poultice or wash.
PLEURISY ROOT. Butterfly Weed. Wind Root. Tuber Root. Orange Swallow Wort.
Asclepias Tuberosa.
Internally, used for.--Pleurisy, pneumonia, catarrh, acute rheumatism,
diarrhea, dysentery, sweating and expectorant, falling womb.
Part used.--Root.
Gather.--Autumn.
Flowers (when).--July and August.
Grows (where).--In gravelly and sandy soils.
Prepared (how).--Infusion, one ounce to a pint of boiling water and let
steep. Tincture; buy powder.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of powder, ten to thirty grains three times a
day in womb diseases. For falling womb use one ounce pleurisy root and
one-half ounce unicorn root (true), mix powder and give in twenty to
thirty grain doses three times daily; and an injection of the same, in
infusion, may be given once a day. For pleurisy, etc., in first stage give
the warm infusion to promote sweating. Dose,--Four teaspoonfuls every half
hour, until sweating is produced. Following is good for diarrhea and
dysentery: Tincture pleurisy root two ounces, brandy one ounce, syrup of
raspberry three ounces. Half to one teaspoonful everyone or two hours.
POKE. Garget. Coakum. Pingeon Berry. Scoke. Phytolacca Decandra.
Internally, used for.--Chronic rheumatism, syphilis, sore throat, sore,
inflamed breasts, scrofula.
Externally, used for--For fat people. Caked breasts, felons and tumors.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 435]
Part used.--Root, leaves and berries.
Gather.--Root late in November, cut in thin transverse slices and dry with
moderate heat. Berries, when ripe.
Flowers (when).--July to September.
Grows (where).--Native of United States along fences in newly cleared
spots, in cultivated fields, roadsides, etc.
Prepared (how).--Juice of plant. Powdered root, poultice, fomentation.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--One to five grains of powdered root as an alterative
in chronic blood diseases, syphilis, etc. Juice of plant, half teaspoonful
three times a day, for same diseases can be used. For caked breasts one to
three drops of the tincture every one to three hours, at same time
applying the root (roasted in ashes until soft) mashed and applied as a
poultice; good also for a felon or can apply a hot fomentation of the
leaves instead.
PRICKLY ASH. Toothache Tree. Xanthoxylum Fraxineum.
Internally, used for.--Chronic rheumatism, syphilis, skin affections,
dysmenorrhea.
Externally, used for.--Decoction used as a wash or gargle in sore throat.
Part used.--Bark and berries.
Gather.--Autumn or earlier in some climates.
Flowers (when).--April and May.
Grows (where).--United States in woods, thickets and moist shady places.
Prepared (how).--Tincture. Powder. Decoction of root one ounce to a pint
of water and boil.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose,--half ounce every four to five hours. Tincture
of the berries is also used for nervous diseases, dysmenorrhea, etc., in
ten to thirty drops every two to four hours. Good also in blood diseases,
four times a day. Powder for same troubles in doses of five to ten grains
four times a day.
PRINCE'S PINE. Wintergreen. Ground Holly. Pipsissewa. Rheumatism Weed.
Chimaphila Umbellata.
Internally, used for.--Kidney and bladder troubles, chronic rheumatism,
syphilis, scrofula, gout, gleet.
Part used.--Whole plant.
Gather.--In autumn or late summer.
Flowers (when).--June and July.
Grows (where).--United States, etc., under the shade of woods and prefers
a loose sandy soil enriched by decaying leaves.
Prepared (how).--Decoction and tincture; put a pound of the dried herb
into a quart of water and three quarts of spirits; let stand for twelve
days, and then turn off the liquid. This makes a tincture. To make
decoction use one ounce of plant to a pint of boiling water and boil.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Take one to two ounces of the decoction three or
four times a day; fluid extract can be bought, dose fifteen drops four
times daily. Dose of tincture, one-half to one teaspoonful.
[436 MOTHERS' REMEDIES ]
PUMPKIN. Cucurbita Pepo.
Internally, used for.--For tape worm and for urinary troubles, suppressed
or retained urine.
Gather.--When ripe.
Grows (where).--Common.
Prepared (how).--A tea can be made of the seeds, or an oil gathered from
them.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--A tea strong or weak as the age and case demand, may
be given freely and is very effective. Do not bruise the seeds, as the
virtue resides in the covering. An oil can be gathered from the seeds and
is good for same purpose. Dose.--Six to twelve drops several times daily
or three drops every two hours. For Tape worm, see article on another
page. If it is best to take it as an emulsion get druggist to make it.
Taken at night with fasting. In the morning take dose of salts. Watermelon
seed tea is also good for kidney trouble.
QUEEN OF THE MEADOW. Purple Boneset. Gravel Root. Trumpet Weed. Joe-Pye
Weed. Eupatorium Purpureum.
Internally, used for.--Gravel stone in the bladder, kidney or stone colic,
or other urinary troubles.
Part used.--The herb.
Gather.--Autumn.
Flowers (when).--August to November.
Grows (where).--In wet places in United States.
Prepared (how).--Fluid extract; or an infusion, one ounce of the dried
leaves or plant in a quart of boiling water and steep.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Half teacupful of the infusion may be taken every
hour or two as hot as possible. This is a splendid remedy. Drug stores
keep the fluid extract, which can be bought and given in doses of fifteen
to thirty drops every three or four hours. Some claim it relieves the pain
in the kidney stone colic; the Indians used it for that purpose.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 437]
QUEEN'S ROOT. Queen's Delight. Yaw Root. Cock-up-Hat. Stillingia Sylvatica.
Internally, used for.--Secondary syphilis, scrofula, chronic skin
diseases.
Part used.--The root.
Gather.--Autumn.
Flowers (when).--April to July.
Grows (where).--In United States, etc.
Prepared (how).--An infusion of the fresh root, or use the tincture or
fluid extract. One ounce of root to pint of water for infusion.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of infusion one to two ounces. Tincture; dose,
twenty to sixty drops. Extract; dose, ten to thirty drops; smaller doses
given every two or three hours; larger dose three or four times daily.
This is a good remedy. It can be given with other remedies like poke root,
sarsaparilla, etc.
RED CLOVER. Trifolium Pratense.
Internally, used for.--Blood diseases and is often used with other
remedies; good drank warm in whooping cough.
Externally, used for.--Ulcers.
Part used.--Blossoms.
Gather.--When fresh.
Flowers (when).--Throughout summer.
Grows (where).--Common.
Prepared (how).--In infusion and salve.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Use blossoms to make tea and drink freely; tea
boiled down thick makes a good salve for ill-conditioned looking sores.
ROCK ROSE. Frost wort. Frost Plant. Cistus Canadensis.
Internally, used for.--Scrofula and blood diseases.
Part used.--The herb.
Gather.--In autumn early.
Flowers (when).--From May to July.
Grows (where).--In United States in dry sandy soil.
Prepared (how).--Infusion. Fluid extract. Decoction, use four ounces of
the dried leaves to one quart of boiling water and boil.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of infusion or decoction, one ounce three times
a day. Fluid extract is the best form, can be bought and given in doses of
half to one teaspoonful three or four times a day. The following
combination is good one for secondary syphilis: Rock rose, turkey corn,
Queen's root, equal parts; either the infusion, decoction or fluid
extract.
SAGE. Garden sage. Salvia Officinalis.
Internally, used for.--To stop sweating in consumption, used cold; and
used warm to sweat. Gargle in sore throat, colds, coughs, etc., alone or
combined with sumach berries or vinegar, or honey or alum.
Part used.--The leaves.
Gather.--In early autumn;
Flowers (when).--In June.
Grows (where).--Cultivated.
[438 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Prepared (how).--As an infusion cold or hot; half ounce of leaves to a
pint of boiling water.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose, an ounce or two. To produce perspiration give
warm. To check perspiration give cold, in smaller doses and oftener. For
sore mouth, sore throat, tonsilitis and quinsy, use hot infusion strong as
a gargle.
SCOURING RUSH. Horse Tail. Shave Grass. Equisetum Hyemale.
Internally, used for.--Dropsy, suppression of the urine, blood in the
urine, gravel, gonorrhea and gleet.
Part used.--The stalk.
Gather.--Matures in June and July,
Grows (where).--In wet grounds in river banks, hillsides, and borders of
woods in United States.
Prepared (how).--Infusion, one ounce to the pint of water.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--For above diseases drink in half ounce doses every
two hours.
SASSAFRAS. Laurus Sassafras.
Internally, used for.--Syphilis, scrofula, skin eruptions, bland drink
after poisoning,
Part used.--The bark of the root.
Gather.--In autumn.
Flowers (when).--April and May.
Grows (where).--Common.
Prepared (how).--Infusion of the bark, one ounce to a pint of water; as a
mucilage made by using two parts of the pith to one hundred of water. Do
not boil.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of infusion, one to two ounces. Oil, five to
ten drops on sugar for menstrual pain, and in painful urination. The
mucilage is good for chest disorders, bowels, kidneys and for inflammation
after poisoning, as a bland demulcent drink.
SENECA SNAKE ROOT. Mountain Flag. Milk Wort. Seneka or Senega. Polyagla
Senega.
Internally, used for.--Second stage of bronchitis in aged people,
bronchial asthma, coughs.
Part used.--The root.
Gather.--In autumn.
Flowers (when).--June to August.
Grows (where).--In United States in woods and on hillsides.
Prepared (how).--Powdered root. For decoction use one ounce of the dried
root to a pint of boiling water and let boil. You can buy the syrup and
fluid extract.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of the decoction, half to one ounce three or
four times a day. Dose of the syrup, one to two teaspoonfuls.
Dose of the extract, ten to twenty drops. This remedy is frequently used
with other remedies for bronchitis and cough.
[ HERB DEPARTMENT 439]
SHEEP SORREL. Rumex Acetosa.
Internally, used for.--Scurvy.
Externally, used for.--Good for wens, boils, tumor, ulcers.
Part used.--Plant.
Gather.--Autumn.
Grows (where).--Well known plant.
Prepared (how).--Decoction; poultice made of roasted leaves.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Decoction, freely drank for scurvy. Poultices should
be applied to above troubles.
SKUNK CABBAGE. Swamp Cabbage. Meadow Cabbage. Polecat Weed. Fetid
Hellebore. Dracontium. Ictodes Foetida.
Internally, used for.--Asthma, whooping cough, nervousness, hysteria,
convulsions of pregnancy.
Part used.--Root. Gather.--In autumn or early spring and dried
carefully.
Flowers (when).--March and April.
Grows (where).--Various parts of United States in moist places.
Prepared (how).--Powder. Tincture.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose: Five to ten grains of powder three times a
day. A saturated tincture of the fresh root is much better, of which half
a teaspoonful can be given everyone to four hours for above diseases.
SKULL CAP. Madweed. Hoodwort. Blue Pimpernel. Scutellaria Lateriflora.
Internally, used for.--Chorea, delirium, convulsions, neuralgia,
restlessness, insomnia.
Part used.--The whole herb.
Gather.--Late summer while in flower.
Flowers (when).--July and August.
Grows (where).--In moist places.
Prepared (how).--Infusion, one ounce to the pint.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--The infusion may be drank freely, Fluid extract,
dose, half to one teaspoonful, every two or three hours.
SLIPPERY ELM. Red Elm. Ulmus Fulva.
Internally, used for.--As a mucilage for stomach and bowel and urinary
troubles when a mild, soothing demulcent drink is needed; in diarrhea,
dysentery, coughs, painful urination, constipation.
Externally, used for.--As a poultice.
Part used.--Inner bark.
[440 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Gather.--Early fall. Flowers (when).--In April.
Grows (where).--In United States, in open elevated situations in rich firm
soil.
Prepared (how).--Infusion of two ounces to pint of water. Mucilage made by
using six parts of the dried bark to one hundred of water and allow to
steep.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--The infusion and mucilage may be taken freely. The
infusion can be injected for dysentery, diarrhea, gonorrhea, gleet and
leucorrhea. Mucilage is taken after poisoning to allay inflammation of the
membranes, etc. Eat bark or take prepared tablets for constipation.
SPEARMINT. Mentha Viridis.
Internally, used for.--Nausea and vomiting, internal and external scalding
urine. For fever is superior to peppermint.
Externally, used for.--For piles.
Part used.--The herb.
Gather.--Just as the flowers appear in dry weather, and dry in the shade.
Flowers (when).--July and August.
Grows (where).--United States in moist places.
Prepared (how).--Warm or cold infusion.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Warm infusion, a handful of the herb to a quart of
water and used freely to allay fever in inflammations, colds, etc. Cold
infusion is good in highly colored or scalding urine. Local, saturate
cotton with the strong infusion or diluted tincture, and apply to piles;
use it hot.
SPIKENARD. Spignet. Pettymorrel. Pigeon-weed. Aralia Racemosa.
Internally, used for.--Coughs, colds, chronic rheumatism, syphilis.
Part used.--Root.
Gather.--In autumn.
Grows (where).--In dry rocky woods in United States.
Prepared (how).--Decoction. Syrup.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Decoction, used freely in above diseases. It is an
old home remedy. A syrup can also be made of it.
SMARTWEED. Water Pepper. Polygonum Punctatum.
Internally, used for.--Suppressed menstruation, to wash out the bladder,
good for gravel, colds and coughs.
Externally, used for.--Fomentations. Part used.--The whole herb.
Gather.--Autumn.
Flowers (when).--August and September.
Grows (where).--About brooks and streams.
Prepared (how).--An infusion or a tincture made from the fresh plant. Use
cold water to make infusion. Fomentations, simmer in water and vinegar.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of infusion, one to three ounces. Tincture, one
to two teaspoonfuls. Apply fomentations for colic, bloating of abdomen;
used often with other plants externally. For menstruation give half
teaspoonful of the tincture four times a day a week before menstruation.
Use small doses for other troubles.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 441]
SNAKE ROOT, VIRGINIA. Aristolochia Serpentaria.
Internally, used for.--Sweating for feverish conditions where eruptions
are tardy in coming out.
Externally, used for.--For snake bites.
Part used.--Root.
Gather (when).--May and June.
Grows (where).--Hill-sides, in rich shady woods.
Prepared (how).--Powdered root. Infusion made by using four teaspoonfuls
of the powdered root to a pint of water and let steep.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Take two to three tablespoonfuls of the hot infusion
every three to four hours. Dose of powdered root, ten to twenty grains in
hot water.
SOLOMON'S SEAL. Convallaria Multiflora.
Internally, used for.--Female weakness, leucorrhea, menorrhagia.
Externally, used for.--Poultice for piles.
Part used.--Root.
Gather.--Autumn.
Flowers (when).--May and August.
Grows (where).--In United States and Canada, sides of meadows, high banks,
woods, and mountain.
Prepared (how).--Decoction, use one ounce of the root to pint of water and
boil. Poultice, bruise the root.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of the decoction, one to two ounces. Take less
when it is taken oftener, as much as the stomach will bear. Make a
poultice of the bruised root for piles and local inflammation.
STONE ROOT. Horse Balm. Rich Weed. Knob Root. Hard Hack. Collinsonia
Canadensis.
Internally, used for.--Cramps, colic, dropsy, bladder troubles, gravel,
leucorrhea.
Externally, used for.--Poultice for bruises, blows, wounds, strains.
Part used.--The plant.
Gather.--Autumn.
Grows (where).--United States and in Canada.
Prepared (how).--In infusion and poultice, steep the root in a covered
dish.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of the infusion half to one ounce, three or
four times a day.
[442 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
STRAWBERRY. Fragaria Vesca.
Internally, used for.--Gravel, gout, irritable bladder, nettle rash,
eruption.
Part used.--Fruit, roots, and leaves.
Gather.--When ripe.
Flowers (when).--Spring; April, May and June.
Prepared (how).--As an infusion.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Leaves are astringent and good in infusion for sore
mouth, diarrhea, and dysentery. Infusion of the root is a good diuretic
and is effective in difficult urination and gonorrhea. Drink freely.
STRAMONIUM. Thorn-Apple. Stink Weed. Jimson Weed. Apple Pern. Datura
Stramonium.
Internally, used for.--Used mainly for asthma.
Externally, used for.--Piles.
Part used.--Leaves.
Gather.--When leaves are green and when flowers are in bloom.
Flowers (when).--July to September.
Grows (where).--Along roads, etc.
Prepared (how).--Ointment. The leaves should be dried for smoking. It is
rather dangerous.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--For asthma, the leaves are mixed with tobacco leaves
and smoked. It must be done carefully as it is poisonous. The leaves are
good to cure piles when rubbed on them, or made into an ointment and used
locally.
SUMACH. Rhus Glabra.
Internally, used for.--Sore mouth and throat, quinsy, diarrhea,
leucorrhea, gonorrhea, suppressed urine.
Part used.--Bark and fruit.
Gather.--Autumn. Berries earlier.
Flowers (when).--June and July.
Prepared (how).--Make an infusion as usual. Use either bark or berries.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Fluid extract can be used and is safer; in doses of
ten drops three times a day. The infusion will do as a gargle and a wash.
SWEET FLAG. Calamus. Flag Root. Sweet Rush. Acorus Calamus.
Internally, used for.--Disorders of the stomach, flatulency, dysentery,
colic.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 443]
Part used.--Root.
Gather.--Late autumn or early spring, wash clean and dry with moderate
heat.
Grows (where).--Borders of small streams, ponds, wet meadows, swamp.
Prepared (how).--Infusion made by scalding one ounce of the root in a pint
of water.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose: One to three ounces, warm, for general
troubles; give hot for colic. One-third to a teaspoonful of the root can
be taken.
ST. JOHN'S WORT. Hypericum Perfoliatum.
Internally, used for.--Suppressed urine, chronic urinary affections,
diarrhea, menorrhagia, hysteria, etc.
Externally, used for.--Fomentations for caked breasts, hard tumors,
bruises, swellings, stings and wounds.
Part used.--Tops and flowers.
Gather.--When fresh.
Flowers (when).--From June to August.
Grows (where).--In this country.
Prepared (how).--Ointment. Infusion of powder or blossoms. Infusion one
ounce to one pint of boiling water.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of infusion, one to two ounces, three or four
times daily or less. Powder; dose, thirty to sixty grains can be put in
hot water and drank. Children's dose: Half to one teaspoonful. It should
be taken three or four times daily in regular full doses for chronic
diseases, and in half doses every two or three hours for acute diseases.
Local.--Make an ointment of the tops and flowers, or boil down the
infusion until thick, and make an ointment. First way is the best.
TANSY. Tanacetum. (Sometimes called double tansy).
Internally, used for.--Womb troubles and sweating, amenorrhea,
dysmenorrhea, hysteria.
Part used.--The whole herb.
Gather.--In the summer.
Flowers (when).--July to September.
Grows (where).--Cultivated and also grows wild.
Prepared (how).--As an infusion and fomentation. The oil can be bought. To
make infusion use one ounce of the plant to one pint of boiling water and
let steep.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of the infusion one to two ounces. Oil, half to
one drop. This oil is dangerous, so it must be taken carefully. For
dysmenorrhea, take half ounce of infusion every hour or two. Same for
hysteria. For amenorrhea, two ounces three times daily. For sweating, it
should be taken in one to two-ounce doses and hot. Fomentations should be
used hot and are good placed on the abdomen, over the womb, in painful
menstruation.
[444 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
TURKEY CORN. Wild Turkey Pea. Stagger-Weed. Corydalis Formosa.
Internally, used for.--Tonic, diuretic and alterative, for syphilis and
scrofula. (Eclectics esteem this a great remedy).
Part used.--Root, small round ball.
Gather.--While the plant is in flower.
Flowers (when).--In March.
Grows (where).--In rich soils, on hills and mountains, etc.
Prepared (how).--Tincture. Infusion, four teaspoonfuls of the powdered
bulb to one pint of boiling water and let steep.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of the infusion, one to three ounces three or
four times daily. Tincture, half to one teaspoonful. Tincture can be
bought at a drug store.
TURNIP, INDIAN. Jack-in-the pulpit. Wild Turnip. Dragon Root. Arum
Triphyllum.
Internally, used for.--Expectorant and sweating purposes in chest
troubles. Also good for sore mouth and sore throat if given in honey or
syrup.
Part used.--Root.
Gather.--In autumn.
Flowers (when).--From May to July.
Grows (where).--Common in South America in all moist and damp places.
Prepared (how).--Dry the root and powder it and give in honey or make into
a syrup or given in powder.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--For sweating use powder in hot water, ten grains
three times a day or smaller dose oftener. For bronchitis, etc., use in
syrup or in honey, three or four times a day, five to ten grains at a
dose. Same way for sore mouth and throat.
TRUE UNICORN ROOT. Star Grass. Colic Root. Ague Root. Crow Corn. Aletris
Farinosa.
Internally, used for.--Its tonic influence upon the womb to prevent a
tendency to miscarriage, for amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, falling, also for
chlorosis.
Part used.--The root.
Gather.--In autumn.
Flowers (when).--June and July.
Grows (where).--Most parts of United States, usually in dry sandy soils
and barrens.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 445]
Prepared (how).--Powdered root. Tincture. Fluid extract.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Powdered root, five to ten grains three times a day.
Saturated tincture, two to five drops, three times a day. Fluid extract,
five to ten drops. Tincture and fluid extract can be bought at any drug
store. For the above diseases it should be taken regularly four times a
day. The fluid extract is the best form in which to take it and is often
given by doctors.
WAHOO. Indian Arrow Wood. Burning-Bush. Spindle Tree. Enonymus
Atropurpureus.
Internally, used for.--Dyspepsia, torpid liver, laxative, tonic.
Part used.--The bark of the root.
Gather.--Autumn.
Flowers (when).--In June.
Grows (where).--In woods and thickets.
Prepared (how).--Powder. Tincture.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of powder, ten to twenty grains; saturated
tincture, one to two teaspoonfuls; extract, one to five grains. This is a
good remedy; smaller doses can be given every two hours for dyspepsia and
liver complaint. It is often combined with remedies, like dandelion,
yellow dock, burdock.
WILD CHERRY. Prunus Virginianus.
Internally, used for.--Tonic, dyspepsia, scrofula.
Part used.--The bark of the root.
Gather.--In autumn.
Flowers (when).--In May.
Prepared (how).--Powdered bark or infusion. One ounce of bark to one pint
of cold water to make infusion, allow it to stand for a few hours.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Take of infusion one to three ounces four or five
times a day. Dose of powdered bark, one to two teaspoonfuls in hot water.
For tonic action and for dyspepsia it should be taken oftener and in half
the given doses.
WILD YAM. Colic Root. Dioscorea Villosa.
Internally, used for.--Bilious colic.
Part used.--Root.
Gather.--In autumn.
Flowers (when).--June and July.
Grows (where).--United States and in Canada, twining over bushes and
fences, thickets and hedges.
Prepared (how).--Decoction of the root. Pour a pint of boiling water on
two ounces of the bruised root, let steep slowly for half hour, strain.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Give half cupful of decoction every twenty minutes
for bilious colic. Some have given half a pint at once in a severe case.
[446 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
WORMWOOD. Artemisia Absinthium.
Internally, used for.--Worms, jaundice, dyspepsia, amenorrhea and
leucorrhea.
Externally, used for.--Bruises, local inflammations.
Part used.--Tops and leaves.
Flowers (when).--In July and August.
Grows (where).--United States.
Prepared (how).--Fomentations. An infusion is made by adding thirteen of
the herbs to a pint of cold water.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Dose of infusion one to four teaspoonfuls. Use
fomentations for bruises and local inflammation.
WORMSEED. Goose Foot. Stinking Weed. Chenopodium Anthelminticum.
Internally, used for.--Worms, round worms.
Part used.--Seeds and herb.
Gather.--In late autumn.
Flowers (when).--July to September.
Grows (where).--United States, in waste places.
Prepared (how).--Oil.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--Four to eight drops of oil to be given night and
morning, for four or five days, and then followed by a purgative.
Combination: Oil of wormseed one ounce, oil of tansy one ounce, spirits of
turpentine one and one-half ounce, castor oil one pint. Dose for a child,
a teaspoonful every hour until it operates; for an adult one
tablespoonful. Powdered herb: Dose, half to one teaspoonful.
YARROW. Milfoil. Thousand Leaf. Achillea Millefolium.
Internally, used for.--Bleeding from the lungs, kidneys, piles, dysentery,
menorrhagia.
Part used.--The herb.
Flowers (when).--Nearly whole summer.
Grows (where).--Europe and America in fields, woods, pastures.
Prepared (how).--Decoction, half ounce of plant to six ounces of water and
boil down to three ounces. Juice of the herb is also used.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--In menorrhagia either can be used, as well as in
other diseases. Tablespoonful of decoction every hour. The expressed juice
in two or three tablespoonful doses may be taken three times a day.
[HERB DEPARTMENT 447]
YELLOW DOCK. Rumex Crispus.
Internally, used for.--Skin disease, scrofula, syphilis, scurvy.
Externally, used for.--Fresh root bruised in cream is good applied to
ulcers, tumors and itch.
Part used.--The root.
Gather.--Early autumn.
Flowers (when).--June and July.
Grows (where).--In pastures, dry fields, etc.
Prepared (how).--One ounce root to a pint of boiling water. Let steep.
Diseases, Dose, etc.--One or two ounces, three times a day; or half ounce
every three hours. This is a good remedy. Some people should commence with
smaller doses.
[448 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
HOMEOPATHY
THE TREATMENT OF ABOUT ONE HUNDRED TWENTY
DISEASES ACCORDING TO HOMEOPATHY
In cities and in most towns Homeopathic medicine will be found in drug
stores in their special preparations. Some drug stores handle Homeopathic
medicines exclusively.
MEDICINES.--Homeopathic medicines should be kept in a dry cool place. Do
not leave them standing open among odors or exposed to bright lights. The
following are among those common for home use:
List of Remedies.
Aconitum Colocynthis Phosphorus
Antimonium crudum Cuprum metallicum Pulsatilla
Antimonium tartaricum Gelsemium Rhus toxicodendron
Apis Hepar Sulphuricum Sanguinaria
Arnica radix Hyoscyamus Sepia
Arsenicum Ipecacuanha Silicea
Belladonna Lycopodium Spigelia
Bryonia Mercurius Spongia
Chamomilla Natrum muriaticum Sulphur
China Nux Vomica Veratrum album
Cina Opium
Cinchona (see China) Phosphoric acid
Fluid for External Use.
Arnica. Calendula.
Care of Medicine in the Sick Room.--Use a clean tumbler and when not using
cover the tumbler with a small saucer or piece of cardboard. Set it in a
cool place and where it is free from odors, as liquid medicines exposed
are likely to take up such impurities.
[HOMEOPATHY 449]
DIRECTIONS FOR USING HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES.
They are prepared in two forms, Dilutions and Triturations (powdered
form). From the triturations tablets are made. When we write "3X dil."
that means 3X dilution; when we write "3X trit." that means 3X
trituration. The 3X means or indicates the strength of the medicine. We
have different dilutions and triturations, as IX, 2X, 3X, 4X, etc.,
according to the strength of the medicine used and we say dil. or trit.,
for dilution or trituration, depending upon the form to be used. Tablets
are handier to use than the triturations or powder. In this book when I
write trituration I shall always expect you to use it in the form of
tablets. Instead of giving directions in every disease how to prepare the
medicine, I will give it here.
When you use the medicine in the dilution (liquid) form, you put ten to
fifteen drops of the dilution (say the 2X or any one) in a glass half full
of water and give one to two teaspoonsful everyone-half to one to two or
three hours, as the case may be, according to the age of the patient, etc.
This is for acute cases.
For chronic cases.--You give medicine three or four times a day, one to
two teaspoonfuls at a time. When you use it in trituration (tablet) form,
you give one to two tablets at a dose every one-half to one, two or three
hours, etc. In chronic cases three or four times a day, one or two
tablets.
For the beginning of a common cold.--Aconite 2X dil. Put ten drops in a
glass half full of water and take two teaspoonsful every one-half hour for
three doses, then every three hours for twelve hours. Tincture of camphor
in drop doses is also good.
If throat feels raw and sore.--I give three tablets of Mercurius bin. 2X
trit. (tablet form) in alternation with the Aconite for three doses. Then
stop it.
LA GRIPPE.--Gelsemium IX dil. Put ten drops in a glass half full of water
and give one to two teaspoonfuls everyone-half to two hours. Feels sick,
achy and bad all over; generally good at the beginning.
Belladonna 3X dil. if throat is raw and sore, throbbing, beating arteries,
tickling annoying hard cough.
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form). When throat is sore with much saliva,
sticky sweat which does not relieve.
Bryonia 2X dil. Grip with cold on chest, hurts to cough.
Phosphorus 3X dil. In bronchial tubes under breast bones.
Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form) stopped nose, watery burning discharge;
feverish, thirsty and restless; chills and fever.
STOMATITIS.--Meaning a simple inflammation of the mouth.
Mercurius sol. 3X trit. (tablet form). Give one to two every one to three
hours, according to the case.
[450 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
APHTHAE (Thrush) in Children.--l Mercurius sol. 3X trit. (tablet form).
Indicated when it extends downward and produces diarrhea. Give one tablet
every four hours for a few days.
2. Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form). Give one tablet every two to four
hours, when the parts look bluish and livid, with great weakness, much
thirst and restlessness, with burning watery diarrhea.
In Adults.--Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form). Give about two tablets every
three hours when the edge of the tongue is ulcerated and whitish with
violent burning pains.
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form). Give two tablets every three hours, when
the ulcerated gums discharge a fetid matter; loose teeth or teeth feel
long, much sticky saliva in mouth.
GLOSSITIS. Inflammation of the tongue.
Aconite 2X dil. if there is much fever, fast pulse, dry skin.
Prepare:--Put ten drops in a glass half full of water and give one to two
teaspoonfuls everyone to three hours.
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form) indicated in most cases. Take two tablets
every two to four hours.
DISEASES OF THE TEETH.--Chamomilla 1X dil. Put ten drops in one-half glass
full of water and give one to two teaspoonfuls everyone to three hours.
This is especially good in cross, nervous, teething babies.
Aconite 2X dil. Prepared and given as above stated. When there is much
fever, dullness and stupor.
Mercurius sol. 3X trit. (tablet form). When the teeth are sore and feel
too long; one to two tablets everyone to three hours.
DISEASES OF THE GUMS.--Hepar sulph. 3X trit. (tablet form) is good when
teeth are ulcerated and decayed. Take one to two tablets every three
hours. Or use,
Mercurius sol. 3X trit. (tablet form) if there is much saliva in the mouth
and teeth feel too long.
UVULA, INFLAMMATION OF.--Aconite 2X di1. Ten drops of this in a glass half
full of water and give one to two teaspoonfuls everyone to three hours,
when there is fever, furred tongue, dry and hot skin.
Belladonna 3X dil., prepared and given same as Aconite, instead of Aconite
when the parts are red, congested and painful.
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form). Good when the parts are much swollen,
sore and very sensitive, darkish, with much sticky saliva in the mouth.
THROAT, INFLAMMATION OF.--Aconite 2X dil. Ten drops in a glass one-half
full of water and give two teaspoonfuls everyone to three hours, in the
first stage attended by fever, hot and dry skin.
Belladonna 3X dil. Is better in second stage, when there is some sweating,
parts are red and swollen that interfere with swallowing.
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form). Given when there is much saliva with
pain, soreness and difficulty in swallowing.
[HOMEOPATHY 451]
PHARYNGITIS, Inflammation of the Pharynx.--
Aconite 2X dil., Belladonna 3X dil., and Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form)
according to symptoms given above.
TONSILS, TONSILITIS AND QUINSY.--Aconite 2X dil. In the first twenty-four
hours when there is fever, full pulse and dry skin.
Belladonna 3X dil. instead, when there is much redness and swelling of the
parts with much trouble in swallowing, great pain. Prepared as above
directed and given.
Hepar Sulph. 3X trit. (tablet form). One to two tablets every one to two
to three hours when suppuration is threatened and where there is constant
throbbing and pain in the tonsil.
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form). One to two tablets everyone to three
hours, when the trouble continues after suppuration, parts are dark red
and much thick sticky saliva and foul breath.
ENLARGED TONSIL (Chronic).--Baryta Carb. 3X trit. (tablet form). Take one
to two tablets daily for some time.
DIPHTHERIA.--Antitoxin is the best remedy.
Belladonna 3X dil. Ten to fifteen drops in one-half glass of water and
give two teaspoonfuls every one to two hours when there is fever, marked
inflammation of the tonsils, no spots as yet, red face and throbbing
arteries.
Kali bichrom 2X trit. (tablet form). Put ten to fifteen tablets in a glass
half full of water and give one to two teaspoonfuls every one to two
hours, when the discharge is thick and stringy.
Mercurius protoid 2X trit. (tablet form). Prepare and give same way as
Kali bichrom when membrane is dark, foul odor, tongue thick and pasty.
ESOPHAGUS, INFLAMMATION OF.--Aconite 2X dil. if there is much fever.
Belladonna 3X dil. If there is much local pain.
GASTRITIS, ACUTE INFLAMMATION.--Aconite 2X dil. Put ten drops or fifteen
drops in a half-glass of water and give when there is active and violent
inflammation with full and rapid pulse, shivering and bilious vomiting.
Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form). Give one to two tablets every one to
three hours. Where there is great soreness and burning, much thirst,
vomiting, dry, red and cracked tongue.
Nux Vomica 3X trit. (tablet form). One to two tablets every one to three
hours. When there is a dull pain and nausea, but no active vomiting;
especially good in cases from drinking.
[452 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CHRONIC GASTRITIS.--Arsenicum alb. 3X trit. (tablet form), one to two
tablets four times a day when there is much emaciation and when there is
much desire to vomit.
Nux Vomica 3X trit. (tablet form). One to two tablets after meals when it
is caused by intemperance, eating too highly seasoned food, too much tea
and coffee. Bowels are generally constipated.
Pulsatilla 3X trit. (tablet form). One to two tablets after meals, when it
is caused by rich, greasy foods, such as cakes, pies, puddings, pork and
greasy gravies.
Carbo veg. 3X trit. (tablet form). Two tablets after meals when there is
much wind (gas) in the stomach.
Bryonia alb. 2X dilution, ten drops put in a glass half full of water and
take two teaspoonfuls after every meal and before retiring, when the
stomach is sore to touch, food feels like a load in the stomach, with sour
water coming up.
HEART-BURN.--Nux vomica 3X trit. (tablet form), Mercurius vivus 3X trit.
(tablet form), Bryonia alb. 2X dil. are main remedies.
GASTRALGIA (Cardialgia).--Pains in the stomach.
Nux vomica 3X trit. (tablet form) with pressure and cramps in the stomach,
more particularly if the patient uses coffee, tea and liquors, or is
troubled with piles, constipation, with indoor life and headaches, two
tablets every half hour until better.
Ignatia 3X trit. (tablet form) especially for morose, nervous females,
same dose as Nux Vomica, and same way.
Pulsatilla 3X trit. (tablet form). Two tablets every half hour until
better. When brought on by rich food, as pork, pies, cakes. It is
especially good in blonde women with scanty and painful menstruation.
Sepia 6X trit. (tablet form). One tablet everyone to three hours. It is
especially good in brunette type with irregular and painful menstruation.
VOMITING.--Nux Vomica 3X trit. (tablet form). For acid vomiting, one
tablet dry on the tongue every fifteen minutes.
Ipecac 3X trit. (tablet form) for bilious vomiting.
Cocculus 2X dil. for vomiting from riding. Ten drops in a half glass full
of water; take one teaspoonful every ten minutes until better.
Arsenicum alb. 3X trit. (tablet form). One tablet every ten minutes until
better when the vomit is watery, burning liquid, patient is very restless
and thirsty. Generally found in disease.
ENTERITIS.--Acute inflammation of the small intestines.
Aconite 2X dil. Put ten drops in a glass half full of water and give one
to two teaspoonfuls everyone to three hours. When it is at the
commencement, caused by cold, with dry skin, dry tongue and fever.
Arsenicum alb. 3X trit. (tablet form). One to two tablets every one to two
hours, when the pains are burning, tearing, cutting in the bowels,
restless and anxious, vomiting and thirsty.
[HOMEOPATHY 453]
Belladonna 3X dil. Prepare and give as usual. When the ordinary symptoms
are accompanied by delirium or spasms with throbbing head.
Chamomilla 1X dil. For children during teething, with foul green diarrhea.
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form). One to two tablets everyone to three
hours with usual pains, pasty, coated tongue, foul breath, painful
diarrhea with it.
Nux Vomica 3X trit. (tablet form). One to two tablets every one to three
hours. Caused by sudden suppression of piles, especially in drinkers and
high livers, with lazy habits.
LARGE INTESTINE, INFLAMMATION.--Aconite 2X dil. at the beginning. Chilly,
fever, hot dry skin, usual symptoms and dose.
Arsenicum alb. 3X trit. (tablet form). One to two tablets every one to
three hours, with retching, vomiting, intense thirst, great prostration.
Mercurius viv. 3X trit. (tablet form) same dose as Arsenicum. Stools are
green and watery, with much pain before and after stools.
Nux Vomica 3X trit. (tablet form) constipated bowels, nausea and vomiting.
DYSENTERY AND DIARRHEA.--Nux Vomica 3X trit. (tablet form). One to two
tablets every one to two hours when there is pain before stool and
relieved by the passage.
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form) same dose, etc. When there is pain and it
is not relieved by the passage, stool is sometimes slimy, bloody and very
little in quantity.
Arsenicum alb. 3X trit. (tablet form). One to two tablets every one to
three hours. The person is very restless, thirsty, anxious, vomiting, and
burning watery stool.
Podophyllum 3X dil. Put ten drops in a glass half full of water; take two
teaspoonfuls every hour or two; especially good in children with large
watery mealy stools of so large quantity of mealy liquid that the mother
wonders where it all comes from.
Mercurius corr. 3X trit. (tablet form) instead of Mercurius 3X trit.
(tablet form) when the bladder also is affected.
CHOLERA INFANTUM:--Chamomilla 1X dil. in teething children, with sour
mucous vomiting, frequent greenish stools.
Mercurius vivus 3X trit. (tablet form). For mucous, painful slimy stools,
child strains at every stool, sometimes mixed with blood. Pain is not
relieved by a stool.
Arsenicum alb. 3X trit. (tablet form). One tablet every one to three
hours, for watery burning vomiting and same kind of stools, very restless,
thirsty and drawn looking.
[454 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CHOLERA MORBUS.--Arsenicum alb. 3X trit. (tablet form). One to two tablets
on tongue every fifteen minutes until better, when there is watery burning
vomiting, with terrible thirst, great prostration.
Veratrum alb. 2X dil. in water, etc. When there is vomiting with great
prostration, cold hands and feet, cold sweat.
APPENDICITIS.--Aconite 2X dil. at the beginning.
Belladonna 3X dil. after the first twenty-four hours.
Bryonia alb. 2X dil. Pains are sharp, shooting, better quiet. Can
alternate with Aconite or Belladonna.
Mercurius Viv. 3X trit. (tablet form) given later.
CONSTIPATION.--Correct diet and habits.
Bryonia 2X dil.
Nux Vomica 3X trit. (tablet form).
Sulphur 6X trit. (tablet form).
Opium 6X dilution. Taken 4 times daily.
COLIC.--Colocynthis 1X dil. Put ten drops in a glass half full of water
and give two teaspoonfuls every fifteen minutes until better. When the
pains are cutting, pinching, cramping, as if the bowels were pierced with
knives in the region of the navel and when the patient bends forward.
Nux Vomica 3X trit. (tablet form). One to two tablets every half hour
until better. When there is constipation, acid vomiting, distended
abdomen.
Chamomilla 1X dil. Colic in stomach region and is caused by bad food. Face
flushed, in teething children.
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form). One tablet every hour, when the pain is
in the liver, patient vomits much bile and has a diarrhea, both bilious
and fecal, with straining.
Podophyllum 3X dil. Ten drops in a half glass of water, two teaspoonfuls
every hour when the liver is too active, too much bile, colic is
aggravated by the bilious vomiting--jaundiced skin, bitter taste in the
mouth.
PAINTER'S COLIC.--Opium 6X dil. As usual, prepared, and given every one to
two hours, when the constipation is obstinate, hard abdomen, with intense
pain, griping and pinching.
Belladonna 3X dil. same way. When bowels feel constricted or seem as if
grasped by the finger nails.
[HOMEOPATHY 455]
PILES.--Nux Vomica 3X trit. (tablet form). One tablet after each meal and
before retiring. Constipation with pain in the lower back and in the lower
part of the rectum; piles may protrude and be sore.
Sulphur 6X trit. (tablet form) Tablet at night in connection with Nux
Vomica in the morning.
Aloes 3X dil. One drop of it four times a day when the piles are very
painful, and in the lower part of the bowels, and lots of them.
BOWEL FALLING (Prolapsus ani).--Tincture Cina is good when caused by
worms, one-tenth to one drop of the tincture every two hours.
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form) when caused by dysentery or loose bowels.
Mercurius Corr. 3X trit. (tablet form) when caused by dysentery. Last two
use 3X; one to two tablets every two hours.
WORMS.--Tincture of Cina from one-tenth drop to two drops four times a day
for pin (seat) (thread worms) and round worms.
Symptoms.--Boring of the nose, livid, semi-circle under the eyes, restless
sleep, cross, etc.
CHOLERA ASIATIC.--Aconite first stage.
Tincture Camphor in drop doses second stage every fifteen minutes.--Follow
with Arsenicum, Veratrum alb.
Carbo veg. 3X trit. (tablet form) third stage.
PERITONITIS.--Aconite 2X dil. at first.
Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet from) when patient is thirsty, very restless.
Dose every hour.
Bryonia alb. 2X dil. Prepare. Pains worse from motion,--cutting shooting;
constipated.
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form) Later, skin yellow, coated pasty tongue.
DROPSY.--After scarlet fever. Apis Mel. 3X trit. (tablet form). One tablet
every two hours.
In feet, ankles, and abdomen.--Arsenicum alb. 3X trit. (tablet form). One
tablet every three hours.
LIVER, INFLAMMATION (Hepatitis) Bryonia 2X dil. Prepare as usual and give,
etc. When some fever; lies on affected side. Severe pains when moved.
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form). One tablet every two to four hours,
after first remedy, when heavy odor from the breath, dry mouth, bitter
taste, yellow (pasty) coated tongue, yellow color of skin.
Nux Vomica 3X trit. (tablet form), etc. When severe pains in region of
liver extending to the back; nausea, vomiting and constipation.
LIVER, ENLARGED.--Phosphorus 3X dil. Prepare and give two teaspoonfuls
every four hours.
[456 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
BILIOUSNESS, LIVER.--With vomiting of bile and mucus use Nux Vomica 3X
trit. (tablet form) one every three hours, also from stimulants and over
feeding.
Sulphur 6X trit. (tablet form) when associated with piles. One tablet
night and morning.
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form). Two tablets four times a day, when
associated with white costive stools and depression of spirits.
BILIOUS DIARRHEA.--Give Podophyllum 3X dil. one drop every three hours.
BILIOUS ATTACKS.--In children brought on by teething, cold or anger give
one drop of Chamomilla 1X dil. every three hours.
Chelidonium 3X dil. Is good for chronic liver disease, when there is a
thick yellow coating on the tongue, pains, aching under right shoulder
blade, also constipation. Give two drops four times a day of 3X dil.
Nux Vomica 3X trit. (tablet form). Liver troubles of drinkers. Use two
tablets every three hours.
JAUNDICE.--Aconite 2X dil. Beginning from taking cold. Nux Vomica 3X trit.
(tablet form). Constipation prominent. Chamomilla IX dil. From fright,
anger, teething.
DISEASE OF THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS.--Coryza, cold in the head.
Aconite 2X dil. Prepare as usual. Use first twenty-four hours.
Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form). One tablet every hour for burning watery
discharge from the nose; nose stopped up, discharge makes nose sore.
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form). One to two tablets everyone to three
hours, for thick mucous discharge.
CATARRH, CHRONIC.--Sulphur 6X trit. (tablet form). Use tablets; take about
four times a day.
Kali Bich 3X trit. (tablet form) thick crusts from ulcers in the nostrils,
one tablet four times a day.
LARYNGITIS, (Inflammation of the Larynx).-Aconite 2X dil. In first
twenty-four hours; give one to two drops every hour.
Belladonna 2X dil. (second day) after aconite; give same way.
Kali Bich 3X trit. (tablet form). One to two tablets everyone to three
hours when hoarseness is present.
CHRONIC LARYNGITIS.--Belladonna 3X dil.
Hepar sulph. 3X trit. (tablet form).
Phosphorus 3X dil.
[HOMEOPATHY 457]
CROUP.--Aconite 2X dil. Put ten drops in a glass half full of water, and
give two teaspoonfuls every fifteen minutes in alteration with Spongia 3X
trit. (tablet form) one at a dose. If there is no fever the Spongia can be
used alone. Cough is hard, rasping, barking, sawing.
Hepar sulph, 3X trit. (tablet form), This can be used in place of Spongia
in light haired children. Cough may be a little looser than the spongia
cough.
BRONCHITIS, ACUTE AND CHRONIC.--Aconite 2X dil. Ten drops, etc. One to two
teaspoonfuls everyone to three hours in first stage for the fever, etc.
Belladonna 2X or 3X dil., etc., same. Chilly, dry throat and dry cough,
soreness, and rawness beneath the breast bone, pain in the head.
Phosphorus 3X dil. etc, Constant cough, pressing feeling under breast
bone, a little mucus expectorated.
Tartar Emetic 3X trit. (tablet form), One tablet every four hours. Better
for old people and chronic cases, when the cough is loose and much
rattling from mucus. Also good in children for capillary bronchitis.
INFLUENZA.--Gelsemium 1X dil. generally at the beginning twenty-four hours
one drop every hour.
Belladonna 3X dil. for sore throat.
Phosphorus 3X dil. for bronchitis.
Bryonia 2X for the lungs.
WHOOPING-COUGH. (Pertussis).--Belladonna 2X or 3X dil. Ten drops in a
glass half full of water and two teaspoonfuls given every one to three
hours for sudden tight, violent cough, with sore throat, headache and nose
bleed.
Cuprum Met. 3X trit. (tablet form). One to two tablets every hour, for the
violent forms causing convulsions.
Hyoscyamus 1X dil. Ten drops in a half glass of water; a dessertspoonful
after each paroxysm until they get better. This is indicated when the
paroxysms are frequent but not so violent, and when they are worse at
night; no fever, mucus of a thick greenish color; and when the cough
produces a sparkle or spots before the eyes.
PNEUMONIA, Inflammation of the Lungs.--Aconite 2X dil., etc. every hour
for first twenty-four hours.
Bryonia 2X dil., etc. Given same way, when the patient lies quietly, hurts
to move, stitching pain in chest when coughing and attended by a pain in
the head. Goes well after Aconite. Aconite and Bryonia are frequently
alternated every hour.
Phosphorus, 3X trit. (tablet form). One tablet everyone to three hours.
Tight cough, with little mucus.
[458 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PLEURISY, Inflammation of the Pleura.--Aconite 2X dil., etc., one to two
teaspoonfuls every hour, for the chill and fever, dry hot skin, full
bounding pulse, shortness of breath. First stage.
Byronia 2X dil. One to two teaspoonfuls every hour. Head aches as if it
would split open, sharp stitching pain in the affected side. Constipation.
PLEURODYNIA, (Intercostal Neuralgia).--Belladonna 3X dil. Bryonia 2X dil.
ENDOCARDITIS.--Inflammation of inner lining of the heart.
Aconite 2X dil.
Spigelia 3X dil.
Cactus 3X dil.
ANGINA PECTORIS.--Cactus 2X dilution.
Spigelia 3X dil.
Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form).
PALPITATION.--Aconite 2X dil. One drop. Arising from excitement.
Chamomilla 1X dil. and Nux Vomica 3X dil. (tablet form) caused from anger.
Nux Vomica 3X trit. (tablet form) for palpitation from indigestion.
Pulsatilla 3X dil. (light haired people).
PULSE INTERMITTENT.--Give digitalis, spigelia 2X dil. Gelsemium 2X dil.
VEINS VARICOSE.--Hamamelis locally is good.
Sulphur 6X trit. (tablet form) for varicose ulcers.
SPLEEN, ENLARGEMENT.--Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form) two tablets three
times a day.
China 3X di!. Two drops four times a day.
Bryonia 2X dil. One drop four times a day. Worse on motion and on touch.
KIDNEY (NEPHRITIS). (Inflammation of the Kidneys).--Aconite 2X dil. Ten
drops in a glass half full of water and two teaspoonfuls everyone to two
hours, when there is much fever.
Belladonna 3X dil. can follow.
BRIGHT'S DISEASE.--Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form). One tablet four times
a day.
DIABETES MELLITUS.--Phosphoric acid 3X dil. Two drops four times a day.
Uranium nitrate 3X trit. (tablet form). One tablet three times a day.
[HOMEOPATHY 459]
CYSTITIS (Inflammation of the Bladder).--Acute and chronic. Aconite 2X
dil. One drop everyone to two hours first twenty-four hours.
Cantharis 3X dil. For painful urination, and small amount; one to two
drops every two hours.
RENAL CALCULI.--Sand in the urine. Lycopodium 30X trit. (tablet form). One
tablet three times a day, for red sand.
Sarsaparilla 2X dil. Two drops three times a day for white sand.
Berberis Vulgaris (tincture). One drop four times a day for thick urine,
pain in the back running down to the bladder.
HEMATURIA.--(Blood in the urine). Aconite 2X dil., etc., beginning, when
there is fever.
Cantharis 3X dil. Ten drops every two hours. Urine pains in passing little
at a time.
Terebinth 3X dil. When the urine has a good deal of blood in it.
RHEUMATISM.--Acute inflammatory. Aconite 2X dil. At first, and when new
joints are attacked.
Belladonna 2X or 3X dil. When the parts throb and beat, and are swollen a
bright red.
Bryonia 2x dil. Pains are cutting, lancinating. Worse on least motion and
touch; better by rest.
Rhus tax 6X dil. Parts sore and stiff, but better, for a time, when moved
a little. Opposite to Bryonia.
GOUT.--Aconite 2X dil. At first for the fever.
Colchicum 3X dil. every two hours.
For chronic and muscular Rheumatism; above remedies are good but given
four times a day.
ERYSIPELAS.--Belladonna 3X dil. Bright red color, pain in head and eyes;
full throbbing, bounding pulse.
Rhus tax 6X dil. When swelling is dark and in the form of vesicles.
Apis Mel 2X trit. (tablet form) for puffy swollen kind. Urine is generally
light yellow color and lessened. Give a tablet generally every hour.
ACNE.--Sepia 6X trit. (tablet form). When caused by menstruation in dark
haired women.
Pulsatilla 3X dil. For blondes, and when caused by rich foods.
HIVES.--Apis Mel. 2X trit. (tablet form). One to two tablets every two
hours.
ITCH.--Sulphur 6X trit. (tablet form). One tablet four times daily and
sulphur ointment.
[460 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
ECZEMA.--Graphites 6X trit. (tablet form).
Hepar sulph. 3X trit. (tablet form).
Rhus tox 6X trit. (tablet form).
Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form).
PEMPHIGUS.--Cantharis 3X dil. Dose every two hours.
PSORIASIS.--Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form). Rhus tox 6X tablet.
IMPETIGO.--Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form). Rhus tox 6X, Graphites 6X.
BOILS.--Belladonna 2X dil. Hepar sulph 3X tablets.
CARBUNCLE.--Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form).
SCURVY.--Carbo Veg. 3X trit. (tablet form). Mercurius 3X tablet.
SCARLET FEVER.--Belladonna 3X dil. Put ten drops in a glass half full of
water and give two teaspoonfuls every two hours for usual kind.
Apis Mel. 2X trit. (tablet form). One to two every three hours when the
kidneys secrete less and there is some dropsy.
MEASLES.--Aconite 2X dil. in the beginning.
Belladonna 3X dil. for sore throat, dry spasmodic cough, headache
delirium.
Bryonia 2X dil. When lungs are sore and hurts much to cough.
CHICKEN POX.--Aconite 2X dil. for fever stage. Rhus tox 6X trit. (tablet
form). Tablet every three hours.
SMALL POX.--Aconite 2X dil. for fever. Tartar Emetic 3X trit. (tablet
form). 2 Tablets every two hours after fever is low.
FEVER, INTERMITTENT, AGUE, ETC.--Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form).
Natrum Mur. 30X trit. (tablet form) especially after Quinine has failed.
INFANTILE REMITTENT FEVER.--Aconite 2X dil.
Belladonna 3X dil.
Mercurius 3X tablet.
INFLAMMATORY CONTINUED FEVER.--Aconite 2X dil. for the fever.
Nux Vomica 3X trit. (tablet form). One every two to three hours for the
stomach.
[HOMEOPATHY 461]
TYPHOID FEVER.--Gelsemium 1X dil. Ten drops in a half glass, etc., 2
teaspoonfuls every hour, generally good in beginning stage.
Arsenicum 3X. trit. (tablet form). One to two everyone to three hours,
later when there is sunken countenance and eyes; dry, cracked, tongue,
burning thirst, restless, burning and involuntary diarrhea.
Rhus tox 3X dil. Delirium, nose bleed, sordes on teeth, brown dry tongue,
wants to change position often, muttering, drowsy sleep, picking at
things.
YELLOW FEVER.--Tincture Camphor drop doses every hour followed by
Belladonna and Arsenicum.
CONGESTION OF BRAIN.--Aconite 2X dil. Prepare, and give one to two
teaspoonfuls everyone to two hours.
Belladonna 3X dil. Prepare and give one to two teaspoonfuls everyone to
two hours. When head bounds and throbs much.
Bryonia 2X dil. Aggravated by motion; more fullness in the forehead;
bilious temperament.
BRAIN, INFLAMMATION OF.--Aconite 2X dil. at beginning.
Belladonna 3X dil. This follows well after Aconite.
Chamomilla 2X. Good in teething children.
CORD, INFLAMMATION OF (Myelitis).--Aconite 2X dil. At beginning.
Belladonna 3X dil. and Bryonia 2X dil. following.
SPOTTED FEVER (Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis).--Aconite 2X dil.
Belladonna 3X dil.
Bryonia 2X dil.
Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form).
AP
OPLEXY.--Belladonna 3X dil. When arteries beat violently at first.
WATER ON THE BRAIN (Acute Hydrocephalus).--Helleborus nig. 3X dil.
HEADACHE (Cephalalgia).--Belladonna 3X dil. One to two drops every half
hour until better. Pounding throbbing headache, eyes red, and pain.
Bryonia, 2X dil. same way. Stomach trouble, headache, worse on motion, in
forehead, full forehead, bilious feeling.
Nux Vomica 3X trit. (tablet form). One to two every one-half to two hours.
Begins in morning after eating, nausea, especially when from too much
coffee, liquor, etc.
Gelsemium 2X dil. For nervous headache.
[462 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
SICK HEADACHE.--Bryonia 2X dil. Vomiting (bilious) worse from motion.
Pulsatilla 3X dil. Blondes with menstrual troubles.
Iris vers. 2X dil. Ten drops in water. Bilious sick headache, frequent
nausea and vomiting.
Sanguinaria 2X dil. Ten drops, etc. Dose every fifteen minutes to an hour.
Stomach sick headache. Nausea and vomiting of stomach material, sick waves
from stomach to head.
Sepia 6X trit. (tablet form) for brunettes; bilious jaundiced appearance.
Spigelia 2X dil. Neuralgic headache, one sided, in one eye, heart
palpitates.
CONVULSIONS, IN CHILDREN.--Belladonna 3X dil. Ten drops in a half glass of
water, one teaspoonful every half hour to one hour. Flushed face with
wandering look, half open, staring eyes.
Chamomilla 2X dil. Spasms during teething, screaming, tossing, restless
sleep, irritable cross children.
Cina 1X dil. Two drops every half hour. When caused by worms.
Nux Vomica 3X trit. (tablet form). When caused by indigestion from a
hearty meal; constipated bowels.
ST. VITUS' DANCE (Chorea).--Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form) emaciated,
tired girls, weak.
Belladonna 3X dil. suited to rugged looking girls, with rush of blood to
the head.
Nux Vomica 3X trit. (tablet form) constipated, stomach bad.
Pulsatilla 3X dil. For blonde girls, menstrual troubles.
Sepia 6X trit. (tablet form). For brunettes, menstrual troubles.
NEURITIS (Inflammation of the Nerves).--Aconite 2X dil. when caused from
cold or congestion.
Belladonna 3X dil. sore to touch and movement.
Arnica 2X dil. when caused by injury,
Rhus tox ex trit. (tablet form) when caused by strain.
NEURALGIA or pain in the nerves, Tic douloreux infra-orbital. Facial,
intercostal, sciatic, etc.
Aconite 3X dil. when caused by cold, fever, hot dry skin.
Belladonna 3X dil. Beating throbbing pain, red parts, faceache, pain in
the eyeballs, bright eyes.
Arsenicum 3X trit. tablet form. Periodical in character, burning pain,
relieved temporarily by heat, aggravated by cold.
[HOMEOPATHY 463]
TOOTHACHE.--Aconite 2X dil. Fever, heat, and from cold or wet.
Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form) when cold brings on a paroxysm or
aggravates the pain.
Belladonna 3X dil. Throbbing pain, great in extent, aggravated by heat.
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form). Hollow teeth, ulcerated, feel too long.
Pulsatilla 3X dil. Persons of blonde type, menstrual troubles.
SCIATICA.--Rhus tox 6X trit. (tablet form). Pains better on motion, must
move.
Bryonia 2X dil. must keep quiet.
Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form) restless, burning, shooting pains.
LUMBAGO.--Rhus tox 6X trit. (tablet form).
Bryonia 2X dil.
PALPITATION OF THE HEART.--Nux Vomica 3X trit. (tablet form) from over
eating, drinking, sedentary life.
Pulsatilla 3X dil. Blondes who have menstrual troubles also when caused by
fat greasy foods.
Sepia 6X trit. (tablet form). Brunette type, womb troubles.
EYES, Simple Inflammation of.--Aconite 2X dil. First stage.
Belladonna 3X dil. Second stage.
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form) when there is a thick discharge.
EYES, weak and watery.--Ruta 3X dil. (may need glasses).
EYES, stye on lids. Pulsatilla 3X dil. Four times daily.
EARS, boils in the canal.--Belladonna 3X dil. hourly doses.
Hepar sulph. 3X trit. (tablet form) when suppuration (pus formation)
appears.
EAR, inflammation or.--Aconite 2X dil. First stage, followed by
Belladonna 3X tablet; then Hepar sulph. 3X trit. (tablet form) or
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form).
DISEASES OF WOMEN.
METRITIS, (inflammation of the womb)--Aconite 2X dil. followed by
Belladonna 3X dil. when the skin is moist.
Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form) when there is a thick discharge.
MENSES, suppression of.--Aconite 3X dil. when caused by cold.
Caulophyllum 3X dil. can alternate this with aconite every hour.
[464 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
OVARY, inflammation of.--Aconite 2X dil.
Apis Mel 2X trit. (tablet form). These can be alternated.
DYSMENORRHEA, Painful Menstruation.--Cocculus 2X dil. Put ten drops in a
glass half full of water and give two teaspoonfuls every fifteen minutes.
Caulophyllum 3X dil. can be used if Cocculus fails.
Pulsatilla 3X dil. used in blondes.
Sepia 6X trit. (tablet form) used in brunettes.
MENORRHAGIA (too much flow).--Sabina 3X dil. pains between sacrum and
pubic bones most, bright red blood.
Ipecac 3X dil. especially when there is much nausea.
China 3X dil. especially when it is a chronic case.
WHITES, Leucorrhea. Pulsatilla 3X dil. In blondes.
Sepia 6X trit. (tablet form). In brunettes.
China 3X dil. When it follows loss of blood, long sickness, malaria, etc.
MUMPS.--Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form). Tablet everyone to three hours.
Pulsatilla 3X dil. When it goes down. Give every hour.
NIGHT SWEATS.--China 2X dil. and Phosphoric acid 3X dil. These can be used
alternately, giving each one three times a day.
[PATENT MEDICINES 463]
PATENT MEDICINES AND SECRET FORMULAE
About One Hundred and Twenty Medicines in Common Use,
How to Prepare Them and Their Approximate Cost.
In giving the following recipes and formulae to the public, we wish to
offer a word of explanation. Many, in fact, most of the above are the
exact formulae. Others were secured from analysis by reliable institutions
and you need entertain no doubt whatever as to their reliability as far as
chemical analysis could determine their ingredients. Some of the patent
medicines are changed a trifle from time to time to conform with the Pure
Food Laws, etc. We can supply many others not in this list and will be
pleased to do so to our subscribers at any time upon request.
ALLEN'S WORLD'S HAIR RESTORER.
Sulphur l-1/2 drams
Plumbi Acetatis 2 drams
Glycerin 3 ounces
Water, flavored to make 6-1/4 ounces
Dissolve the plumbi acetatis in the water then add the glycerin and
sulphur. Any aromatic water may be used for making the restorer.
The above amount would cost about 20 cents.
RELIEF FOR ASTHMA.
Powdered Lobelia 1 ounce
Powdered Stramonium Leaves 1 ounce
Powdered Saltpeter 1 ounce
Powdered Black Tea 1 ounce
Mix and sift. Burn and inhale the fumes.
The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
ANTI-CONSTIPATION PAD.
Podophyllum 3 ounces
Aloes, powdered 1/2 ounce
Extract Colocynth compound, powdered 1/2 ounce
Croton Oil 1 dram
Oil of Sassafras 1 dram
Black Root 1/2 ounce
Lady's Slipper 1/2 ounce
Mix. Wear pad directly below pit of stomach.
The above amount would cost about 50 cents.
[466 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
BLOOD AND LIVER REGULATOR.
Potassii Iodidi 1/2 ounce
Fluid Extract Senna 1/2 ounce
Fluid Extract Cascara Sagrada 1/2 ounce
Fluid Extract Sarsaparilla 1/2 ounce
Fluid Extract Stillingia 1/2 ounce
Simple syrup to make 8 ounces
Dose: One teaspoonful three times daily.
This is conceded by all to be one of the finest combinations for
regulating blood and liver known.
The above amount would cost about 75 cents.
AYER'S CHERRY PECTORAL.
Acetate of Morphia 3 grains
Tincture Sanguinaria 2 drams
Wine Antimony 3 drams
Wine Ipecac 3 drams
Syrup Wild Cherry 3 ounces
Mix.
The above amount would cost about 35 cents.
SALVE FOR BOILS AND OLD SORES.
Rosin 1 ounce
Beeswax 1 ounce
Mutton Tallow 4 ounces
Copper Acetate 1 dram
Melt the rosin, tallow and wax together, then add the copper acetate, stir
until cool.
The above amount would cost about 50 cents.
AYER'S HAIR VIGOR.
Plumbi Acetate 3 drams
Flowers of Sulphur 2 drams
Glycerin 14 drams
Water enough to make 1 quart
The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
BURNS AND SCALDS.
Raw Linseed Oil 3 ounces
Lime Water 3 ounces
Acidi Carbolici 15 drops
This preparation for burns is used in all hospitals and is prescribed
every day by the best physicians in the United States.
The above amount would cost about 20 cents.
[PATENT MEDICINES 467]
AYER'S SARSAPARILLA.
Fluid Extract Sarsaparilla 3 ounces
Fluid Extract Queen's Root. 3 ounces
Fluid Extract Rumex Crispus 2 ounces
Fluid Extract Mandrake 2 ounces
Sugar 1 ounce
Iodide Potassium 90 grains
Iodide Iron 10 grains
The above would cost about $1.00.
FOR AGUE, CHILLS AND FEVER.
Quinine 2 drams
Tincture Chloride Iron 6 drams
Simple Syrup 2 ounces
Fowler's Solution Arsenic 128 drops
Glycerin to make 8 ounces
Mix. Dose: Teaspoonful three times a day in chronic ague.
The above amount would cost about 60 cents.
ROYAL CATARRH CURE.
Muriate of Berberine 0.65 parts
Acidi Carbolici 1.35 parts
Common Salt 98.00 parts
Total (parts by weight) 100.00 parts
The above amount would cost about 15 cents.
FOR CATARRH OF LONG STANDING.
Menthol 10 grains
Gum Camphor 10 grains
Chloroform 10 drops
Oil Petrolatum 8 ounces
This prescription is used by the most successful specialists and
physicians. You can have this filled for about 25 cents and the aboline
atomizer, which is used in administering the medicine, can be bought
cheaply.
BARKER'S BONE AND NERVE LINIMENT FOR MAN OR BEAST.
Cures rheumatism, sprains, bruises, chilblains, etc. We have made an
examination of the foregoing liniment and find it to be essentially a
liquid petroleum product, containing large quantities of camphor and
turpentine, and with smaller quantities of oil of tar and probably oil of
thyme. The bottle is square and deeply paneled and holds two fluid ounces
of a dark colored fluorescent liquid. The following formula, according to
H. W. Snow, makes a preparation not to be easily distinguished from the
original:
Camphor 70 grains
Oil of Tar 1/2 fluid dram
Oil of Thyme 1 fluid dram
Oil Terebenthene 2 fluid drams
Franklin Oil (Black oil,
lubricating oil) sufficient to make 2 fluid ounces
The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
[468 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CATARRH OINTMENT.
Eucalyptol 4 drops
Terebene 8 drops
Menthol 4 grains
Cosmaline to make. 1 ounce
Mix. Good.
This ointment will cure any ordinary catarrhal trouble of the nasal
cavities unless too far advanced.
The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
LAXATIVE BROMO-QUININE TABLETS.
Aloin 1/9 grain
Podophyllin 1/9 grain
Sodii Bicarbonatis 1 grain
Quinine Sulphate 1 grain
Acetanilid 2 grains
Mix. The above makes one capsule.
Would cost about 25 cents for 25 capsules.
CATHARTIC AND SURE CURE FOR CONSTIPATION.
Fluid Extract Rhamnus Purshiana 1 ounce
Syrup Rhubarb 1 ounce
Simple Syrup 2 ounces
Mix.
Dose: Teaspoonful four times a day. Is a sure cure for constipation and
the very best cathartic and laxative.
The above amount would cost about 35 cents.
BRINKERHOFF SYSTEM OF TREATING PILES AND OTHER DISEASES OF THE RECTUM.
There have been so many inquiries of late concerning the above treatment
that we deem it a duty to tell our readers, as nearly as possible, of what
the alleged specific treatment consists. The following is the Brinkerhoff
secret pile remedy or injection:
Carbolic Acid 1 ounce
Olive Oil 5 ounces
Zinci Chloridi 8 grains
Mix.
The above amount would cost about 40 cents. Inject into the largest piles,
eight drops; into the medium sized piles from four to six drops; into
small piles from two to three drops; into club-shaped piles near the anal
orifice two drops. He directs hot sitz baths for cases where violent pains
follow an injection. He recommends an interval of from two to four weeks
between each injection.
[PATENT MEDICINES 469]
COUGHS.
Hydrochlorate Ammonia 1 dram
Syrup Pruni Virginani 1 ounce
Syrup Squills 1 ounce
Tincture Opii Camphor 1/2 ounce
Syrup Tolu 1/2 ounce
Syrup Rock Candy to make 4 ounces
Mix. Dose: Teaspoonful every three to four hours.
This cough remedy is simple, but very effective remedy for coughs, such as
are generally experienced after catching a severe cold. Keep bowels open
with good cathartic.
The above amount would cost about 45 cents.
COLIC, CHOLERA AND DIARRHEA.
Laudanum 2 drams
Oil Cloves 15 drops
Oil Cassia 15 drops
Compound Tincture Catechu 4 drams
Alcohol to make 4 ounces
Mix. Dose: Teaspoonful every ten minutes to produce vomiting.
This prescription is said to be one hundred years old, and has cured
thousands of dysentery and diarrhea, as well as other bowel troubles.
The above amount would cost about 35 cents.
LYDIA PINKHAM'S COMPOUND.
High Cranberry Bark 1/2 pound
Partridge Berry Vine 1/2 pound
Poplar Bark 1/4 pound
Unicorn Root 1/4 pound
Cassia 1/4 pound
Beth Root 3 ounces
Sugar 3 pounds
Alcohol 1 pint
Water, sufficient quantity.
Reduce the six first named ingredients to Number Forty powder, add boiling
water enough to cover, let stand till cold, and then percolate with water
until two and one-half gallons of liquid are obtained. To this add the
sugar, bring to a boil, remove from the fire, strain, and when cold add
the alcohol.
The above amount would cost about $2.70 or about 40 cents per pint.
CROUP.
Powdered Alum 2 drams
Honey Strained 1/2 ounce
Syrup Simple 1 ounce
Mucilage Acacia to make 2 ounces
Mix. Dose: Take one teaspoonful as required.
The above amount would cost about 30 cents.
[470 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
SMITH'S ELECTRIC OIL.
Chloroform 1 ounce
Sassafras Oil 2 ounces
Linseed Oil 8 ounces
Cotton Seed Oil 1 pint
Mix. The above, nearly two pints, would cost about 60 cents.
EARACHE.
Tincture Opium 1 dram
Olive Oil 1/2 ounce
Glycerin 1/2 ounce
Mix.
This is another prescription you should have made up and keep on hand, as
children are very subject to earache, especially in the winter.
The above amount would cost about 15 cents.
BULL'S BLOOD SYRUP.
Potas. Iodid 12 drams
Red Iodide of Mercury 2 grains
Tincture of Poke Root 3 drams
Compound Syrup of Stillingia 6 ounces
Simple Syrup to make 1 pint
Mix.
The above, about three 8-ounce bottles, would cost about $1.25.
SORE EYES.
Acetate Lead 2 grains
Sulphate Zinc 2 grains
Glycerin 1 dram
Pure Water 1 ounce
Mix. Good.
Drop a few drops in the eye, once or twice daily. For inflamed or
granulated sore eyes there is no better remedy. The above would cost
about 25 cents.
CALIFORNIA LINIMENT.
Tincture Myrrh 1 ounce
Tincture Capsici 1 ounce
Sweet Spirits Nitre 1 ounce
Sulph. Ether 1 ounce
Chloroform 1/2 ounce
Tincture Arnica 1 ounce
Oil Spearmint 2 drams
Oil of Wintergreen 2 drams
Oil Lobelia 1 dram
Aqua Ammonia 1/2 ounce
Alcohol to make 1 quart
Mix.
The above, about four 8-ounce bottles, would cost about $1.50.
[PATENT MEDICINES 471]
CONSTIPATION.
Fluid Extract Cascara Sagrada 1 ounce
Fluid Extract Wahoo 1 ounce
Neutralizing Cordial 2 ounces
Mix. Dose: One-half teaspoonful three times a day (more or less).
This prescription is one of Dr. John Pitzer's of St. Louis, dean of the
faculty of the Missouri Medical College. The above amount would cost
about 50 cents.
CANCER PASTE.
I will tell you how I made it for the last twenty-three years. Take equal
parts (by weight) of chloride of zinc, pulverized bloodroot, and wheat
flour; mix well, add enough water to form a paste; spread the paste, just
the size of the sore, on a rag and apply, put olive oil around the ulcer
before applying, in order to protect the sound tissues. Leave the paste on
as long as the patient can bear it. Then remove and if convenient apply a
mild poultice or salve. In six or eight days the cancer will come out; if
it leaves a smooth and healthy surface, all is well; if not, repeat the
application until all diseased tissue is removed. This has never failed
me, but remember that many so-called cancers are not cancers at all; then
again, some are so malignant that this paste and all others will not cure,
but all the cases I have had for twenty-three years were healed. One that
I have on hand now, on the lower lip of a man thirty-four years old, is
stubborn, but I hope it will finally yield. I will be pleased to furnish
any further information in my power.--Jer. Hess, M. D., in Med. World.
Arsenic 2 ounces
Sulphur 2 ounces
Zinc Sulphate 2 ounces
Rochelle Salts 2 ounces
Of each equal parts; add yolk of one egg, till of the consistence of
paste; bake with slow heat, until dry, and then pulverize. When desired
for use mix again with egg, and apply as paste or on cloth.
The above amount would cost about 35 cents.
COLIC IN INFANTS.
Dewee's Carminative 1 ounce
Dose: One week old, three to five drops; one month old, five to ten drops;
three months old, ten to twenty drops. One ounce would cost about 15
cents.
[472 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
LOMBARD SECRET CANCER REMEDIES.
Dr. J. L. Horr says in Boston Medical and Surgical Journal: "Having
without solicitation on my part, become possessed of the knowledge of the
'secret remedies' employed by the late Doctor Lombard, the 'famous cancer
doctor' of Maine, I feel it my privilege, as a member of a scientific
profession that has only for its object the advancement of knowledge and
the relief of suffering to make a simple statement of the remedies and
methods which were employed in the so-called 'treatment of cancer.' The
remedy employed, if the cancer was small, was the inspissated juice of
leaves of the phytolacca decandra (garget) which was applied in the form
of a plaster until sloughing took place. The after treatment was some
dressing like simple cerate. If the tumor had attained considerable size,
Dr. Lombard first used a paste composed of chloride of zinc and pulverized
sanguinaria until an eschar was produced and then the same plaster as
before was applied until the mass sloughed away. The knowledge of these
remedies was given to me by Dr. Lombard himself, while I was attending him
during his last illness and a few days before his death."
CORNS.
Salicylic Acid 1 dram
Muriate Ammonia 1 dram
Acetic Acid 1/2 dram
Lanoline 1 dram
White Wax 1 dram
Lard to make 1 ounce
Mix. Excellent remedy. The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
CARTER'S LITTLE LIVER PILLS.
For headache, torpid liver, constipation, and the complexion take one pill
every night. As a purgative take four to eight. Weight of twelve pills
about seven and one-half grains of which probably two to two and one-half
grains is sugar coating. They contain Podophyllin and aloes made into a
pill and coated with sugar. On the above we deduce the following formula
as closely resembling the original:
Podoph (resin) 1-1/2 grains
Aloes (Socotrine) 3-1/2 grains
Mucilage of Acacia sufficient
Mix; divide into twelve pills and coat with sugar.
The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
FOR DIARRHEA, FLUX AND DYSENTERY.
To one teaspoonful of Epsom Salts add eight drops of laudanum in
one-fourth glass of water. An excellent medicine. The above amount would
cost about 5 cents.
[PATENT MEDICINES 473]
CASTORIA.
Senna 4 drams
Manna 1 ounce
Rochelle Salts 1 ounce
Fennel Seed 1-1/2 drams
Sugar 8 ounces
Oil of Wintergreen sufficient
Boiling Water, enough to make 8 fluid ounces or a half-pint.
Pour the water over the ingredients, then cover and macerate until cool,
after which strain, add the 8 ounces of sugar and dissolve by agitation;
add enough oil of wintergreen for suitable flavoring.
The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
DYSPEPSIA TONIC.
Tincture Gentian Compound 2 ounces
Tincture Rhubarb 2 ounces
Tincture Ginger 1/2 ounce
Essence Peppermint 2 drams
Sodium Bicarbonate 1/2 ounce
Water to make 8 ounces
Mix. Dose: Teaspoonful after meals.
For acute cases of indigestion where the stomach and bowels are full and
distended, or sour stomach and spitting up of food, this will relieve at
once; and with continued use relieve entirely. The above amount would
cost about 50 cents.
MADAME RUPERT'S FACE BLEACH.
Analysis assigns the following composition to this cosmetic:
Corrosive Sublimate 1 grain
Tincture of Benzoin 7 grains
Water 10 ounces
Mix. The above amount would cost about 15 cents.
TO REMOVE BLOTCHES AND PIMPLES FROM THE FACE.
Acidi Carbolici 20 drops
Powdered Borax 1 dram
Listerine 1 ounce
Alcohol 1 ounce
Aqua Rose to make 8 ounces
Mix.
For young ladies, this will prove more beneficial than any face
preparation on the market. It is very refreshing and will remove black
heads, tan and blemishes, leaving the skin clear and smooth. The above
amount would cost about 50 cents.
CHAMBERLAIN'S COLIC, CHOLERA, AND DIARRHEA REMEDY.
Tincture Capsici 2-1/2 ounces
Tincture Camphor 2 ounces
Tincture Guaicum 1-1/2 ounces
Mix. The above amount would cost about 50 cents.
[474 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
FEMALE REGULATOR.
Carbonate Iron 1 ounce
Tincture Gentian Compound 2 ounces
Powdered Rhubarb 1/2 ounce
Powdered Cinchona 1 ounce
Mix. Add to one pint Sherry Wine. Dose: Teaspoonful three to four times a
day.
We warrant this to be one of the best tonics that can be procured for
general female weaknesses.
The above amount exclusive of pint of sherry wine, would cost about 50
cents.
CUTICURA OINTMENT.
The much advertised "Cuticura Ointment" has been found to consist .of a
base of petroleum jelly, colored green, perfumed with oil of bergamot and
containing two per cent of carbolic acid. Four ounces would cost about 25
cents.
FLUX.
Prepared Chalk 2 drams
Tincture Catechu 1/2 ounce
Tincture Opii 1/2 ounce
Aqua Cinnamon to make 8 ounces
Mix. Dose: One-half to one teaspoonful every three hours. For adults,
only. The above amount would cost about 40 cents.
CUTICURA RESOLVENT.
This preparation is said to be:
Aloes, Socot 1 dram
Rhubarb Powdered 1 dram
Potas. Iodidi 36 grains
Spirits Frumenti 1 pint
Macerate over night and filter.
The above amount exclusive of whisky would cost about 15 cents.
FOR FEVER.
Quinia Sulp 50 grains
Capsicum 6 grains
It will make twenty-five capsules. Mix. Dose: One every three hours.
This has been used for years. You should keep the bowels open to remove
the cause. The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
[PATENT MEDICINES 475]
ELY'S CREAM BALM.
This is a proprietary article, largely advertised in the Eastern states,
and meets with rapid sales and is used for catarrh. The directions are to
dip the little finger into the balm and insert up the nostrils giving two
or three inhalations. It is as follows:
Thymol 3 grains
Bismuth Carbonatis 15 grains
Oil of Wintergreen 2 minims
Vaselin to make 1 ounce
The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
FOR SORE THROAT.
Listerine 2 ounces
Glycerin 1/2 ounce
Pure Water to make 4 ounces
Mix. Use as a gargle.
This will cure any ordinary case, but do not mistake sore throat for
diphtheria. The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
FELLOW'S HYPOPHOSPHITES.
Glucose 1 lb.
Simple Syrup 1 pint
Hypophosphite Calcium 128 grains
Hypophosphite Potassium 48 grains
Ferri Sulp 48 grains
Sulphate Manganese 32 grains
Sulphate Quinine 14 grains
Sulphate Strychnine 2 grains
Water sufficient
Dissolve the calcium and potassium hypophosphites in two fluid ounces of
warm water. Add to one ounce of water, three fluid ounces of the syrup and
dissolve in the mixture, by the aid of heat, the remainder of the salts.
Mix the solutions and set by a few hours, covered, to deposit the sulphate
of calcium which is formed. Filter into bottle containing the remainder of
the syrup, wash the residue with an ounce of boiling water, mix filtrate
and washings with the syrup; dissolve the glucose in the mixture, and add
through the filter enough water to make two pints. The formula would be
improved by substituting for the glucose, a refined extract of malt like
that prepared by Gebe, in Germany. The proportion of the medicinal
ingredients in the syrup it is true is small; I shall not warrant it to
perform miracles of cure. It is simply offered as a substitute for
Fellow's Hypophosphites; whatever therapeutic efficiency that nostrum has,
we may count upon obtaining equally from this syrup.
The above, about four pints, would cost about $1.00.
GENERAL TONIC.
Citrate of Iron and Quinine 2 drams
Simple Syrup 2 ounces
Pure Water 2 ounces
Mix. Dose: Teaspoonful four times a day.
This tonic is good to build up the system and to make rich, new blood.
People who feel tired and do not rest well at night cannot use a better
remedy.
The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
[476 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
GENUINE WHITE OIL LINIMENT.
Carbonate of Ammonium 19 drams
Camphor 20 drams
Oil of Turpentine 21 drams
Oil of Origanum 20 drams
Castile Soap 19 drams
Water to make 1-1/2 pints
Mix. The above amount would cost about 60 cent.
HEADACHE.
Acetanilid 160 grains
Citrate Caffein 1 dram
Sodae Bicarbonatis 15 grains
Tartaric Acid 5 grains
Simple Elixir to make 4 ounces
Mix. Dose: One-half to one teaspoonful half hour apart for two doses.
Two doses of this remedy will generally relieve any headache. Be careful
of this. It is good but all these are sometimes dangerous. The above
amount would cost about 35 cents.
GOOD SAMARITAN LINIMENT.
Oil of Sassafras 2 drams
Oil of Hemlock 2 drams
Spirits of Turpentine 2 drams
Tincture of Capsicum 2 drams
Tincture of Myrrh 1 ounce
Laundanum 2 drams
Oil of Origanum 2 drams
Oil of Wintergreen 1 dram
Gum Camphor 1/2 troy ounce
Chloroform 3 drams
Alcohol, to make 1 pint
Mix. The above amount, about twenty ounces, would cost about 90 cents.
HEARTBURN.
Tincture Nucis Vomicae 1 ounce
Dose: Take five drops three times a day before meals. This is good.
The above amount would cost about 15 cents.
[PATENT MEDICINES 477]
GRANDMOTHER'S OWN COUGH REMEDY.
One green paneled bottle contains seven and one-half fluid ounces of a
brownish-yellow, semi-clear, very sweet, thickish liquid, of a tarry
odor, and pronounced taste and smell of chloroform. From a close
examination we have ascertained that an exactly similar preparation is
easily made In the following way:
Rub well together:--
Liquid Tar 5 grains
Fluid Extract Hemlock 1 fluid dram
Powdered White Sugar 2 ounces av.
and add
Alcohol 1/2 fluid ounce
Aquae 1-1/2 fluid ounces
Molasses 3 ounces av.
Fluid Extract Ipecac 8 minims
Mix well and add finally
Chloroform 1 fluid dram
Mix. The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
HEART DISEASES, FLUTTERING, PALPITATION, ETC.
Tincture Digitalis 2 drams
Elixir Valerian 1 ounce
Simple Syrup to make 4 ounces
Mix. Dose: Teaspoonful at once. In ten minutes another, and afterward
every four hours for twenty-four hours or less.
When there is fluttering or palpitation of the heart, do not get excited
but use the above, it is the best thing you can use in this trouble.
The above amount would cost about 30 cents.
GREEN MOUNTAIN SALVE.
Resin 1 pound
Burgundy Pitch 1 ounce
Beeswax 1 ounce
Mutton Tallow 1 ounce
Oil of Hemlock 2 drams
Balsam Fir 2 drams
Oil Origanum 2 drams
Oil of Red Cedar 2 drams
Venice Turpentine, 2 drams
Oil Wormwood 1/2 dram
Copper Acetate 2 drams
Melt the first articles together, and add the oils; having rubbed up the
copper acetate with a little oil, put it in with the other articles,
stirring well; then put into cold water and work until cold enough to
roll.
The above amount, over thirty-six ounces, would cost about 50 cents.
IRON TONIC BITTERS.
Elixir Calisay and Iron 4 ounces
Alcohol 1 ounce
Pure Water 2 ounces
Syrup Simple 1 ounce
Mix. Dose: One teaspoonful four times a day.
The above amount would cost about 35 cents.
[478 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
GUNN'S RHEUMATIC LINIMENT.
Oleum Olivi 1 ounce
Oil Cedar 1 ounce
Oil Amber 1 ounce
Take camphor gum one-half ounce; rub in a mortar with alcohol or sulphuric
ether till pulverized, and while damp add
Oleum Olivi 1/2 ounce
Turpentine 1/2 ounce
Laudanum 1/2 ounce
After which add the first three articles. The above amount would cost
about 40 cents.
ITCH OINTMENT.
Lac. Sulphur 160 grains
Naphthaline 10 grains
Oil Bergamot 4 drops
Cosmoline 1 ounce
This is good.
Rub Lac. Sulphur into fine powder, sift it into the melted cosmoline and
stir until nearly cool, then add napthaline and oil bergamot. Stir until
cool.
The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
HAINES'S GOLDEN SPECIFIC FOR OPIUM HABIT.
Myrica Cerif 8 ounces
Ginger Powdered 3 ounces
Capsicum, powdered 1/2 ounce
Mix. The above amount would cost about 40 cents.
KIDNEY AND LIVER CURE.
Fluid Extract Cascara Sagrada 1 ounce
Fluid Extract Uva Ursi 1 ounce
Fluid Extract Buchu 1 ounce
Tincture Gentian Compound 1/2 ounce
Syrup Simplicis to make 16 ounces
Mix. Dose: Teaspoonful four times daily or less dose if bowels move too
freely.
The above amount would cost about 80 cents.
DR. B. W. HAIR'S ASTHMA CURE:
Potassii Iodidi 1 ounce
Tar Water 16 fluid ounces
Carmel sufficient to color light brown or about 30 grains
The above amount would cost about 60 cents.
[PATENT MEDICINES 479]
LINIMENT.
Chloroform 3 drams
Oil Cloves 1 dram
Tincture Opii 1 ounce
Oil Sassafras 2 drams
Aromatic Spirits Ammonia 2 drams
Alcohol to make 6 ounces
Mix. This is excellent.
This liniment is for household use; in sprains, bruises, cuts, and bites
from insects it cannot be excelled. It is a very fine liniment to keep on
hand.
The above amount would cost about 50 cents.
HALL'S HAIR RENEWER.
Sulphur Precipitated 1/2 dram
Lead Acetate 1/2 dram
Sodium Chloride 1 dram
Glycerin 4 ounces
Bay rum 1 ounce
Jamaica rum 2 ounces
Water enough to make 8 ounces
The above amount, nearly pint, would cost about 35 cents.
LINIMENT.
Camphor Gum 1/2 ounce
Tincture of Capsid 1/2 ounce
Oil of Turpentine 1/4 ounce
Water Ammonia, U. S. P 5 ounces
Alcohol enough to make 12 ounces
Dissolve camphor gum and turpentine in alcohol and add balance of
ingredients. Do not use internally. The above amount would cost about 35
cents.
HAMBURG DROPS.
Powdered Socotrine Aloes 1-1/2 ounces
American Saffron 1/2 ounce
Tincture Myrrh 16 ounces
Macerate for fourteen days and filter through paper.
The above amount would cost about $1.00.
LIVER PILLS.
Aloin 5 grains
Podophyllin 10 grains
Capsicum Powder 5 grains
Extract Nux Vomica 10 grains
Henbane 1 grain
Mix. Make fifty pills. Dose: Take one or two at night.
This little pill is one which you can always depend on and in old chronic
cases, torpid liver and constipated bowels, these pills if kept up will
make a permanent cure. The above amount would cost about 40 cents.
[480 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
HAMLIN'S WIZARD OIL.
Alcohol 1 pint
Gum Camphor 1 ounce
Oil Sassafras 1/2 ounce
Tincture Myrrh 1/2 ounce
Tincture Capsicum 1/2 ounce
Chloroform 1/2 ounce
Mix.
I consider this recipe as harmless (and useful too) as Hamlin's famous
Wizard Oil, and I believe it is as perfect an analysis as we can get.
The above amount would cost about 60 cents.
NEW YORK SUN CHOLERA CURE.
Essence Peppermint 1 ounce
Laudanum 1 ounce
Tincture Rhei 1 ounce
Tincture Camphor 1 ounce
Tincture Capsicum 1 ounce
Mix. Dose: Teaspoonful every ten minutes for three doses if necessary.
This preparation has a national reputation, and is certainly the very best
preparation you could keep on hand for immediate relief from cramps,
colic, and diarrhea, and no family should be without it. This preparation
alone is worth the price of the book.
The above amount would cost about 50 cents.
HINKLEY'S BONE LINIMENT.
Oil of Wormwood 40 minims
Oil of Hemlock 2 drams
Oil of Thyme 2 drams
Oil of Turpentine 4 drams
Fluid Extract Capsicum 1 dram
Alcohol to make 4 ounces
Mix. The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
NERVOUSNESS.
Tincture Chloride of Iron 1 ounce
Aromatic Spirits Ammonia 1 ounce
Compound Spirits Lavender l ounce
Mix. Good when run down. Dose: Fifteen drops four times a day.
People suffering from nervousness, fainting spells or shortness of breath,
can obtain relief from a few doses of this medicine. The above amount
would cost about 30 cents.
[PATENT MEDICINES 481]
HOLLOWAY'S OINTMENT.
The formula for this preparation is said to be:
Yellow Wax 2-1/2 drams
White Wax 2-1/2 drams
Terebinth 6 drams
Lard 13 drams
Sweet Oil 19 drams
Mix. The above amount would cost about 40 cents.
NEURALGIA.
Acetanilid 160 grains
Sodium Bicarbonate 15 grains
Tartaric Acid 5 grains
Simple Elixir 4 ounces
Mix. Dose: Teaspoonful at a dose. Should not take more than two doses.
Shake bottle. The above amount would cost about 30 cents.
KELLOG'S RED DROPS.
Spirits of Camphor 1 ounce
Spirits of Origanum 1 dram
Oil of Sassafras 1 dram
Oleum Terebinth 2 drams
Color Tincture (about) 2 ounces
Mix. The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
PAIN KILLER-EXTERNAL.
Chloroform 3 drams
Tincture Opii 3 drams
Tincture Camphor 3 drams
Aromatic Spirits Ammonia 3 drams
Spirits Vini Gallici 4 ounces
Mix. Do not use internally. Good liniment.
The above amount would cost about 35 cents.
KICKAPOO INDIAN OIL.
Camphor Gum 1/2 ounce troy
Oil Turpentine 1 fluid dram
Oil Peppermint 1/2 fluid dram
Oil of Wintergreen 1/2 fluid dram
Tincture Capsicum 1/2 fluid ounce
Alcohol sufficient to make 1 pint
The above amount would cost about 60 cents.
POISON OAK AND IVY.
Zinci Oxide 1 dram
Bismuth Sub. Nit. 1 dram
Carbolic Acid 10 drops
Glycerin 2 ounces
Mix. This is excellent. There are a number of remedies, but this is the
best known for poison oak. The above amount would cost about 20 cents.
[482 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
RHEUMATISM, INTERNAL USE.
Iodide Potash 1/2 ounce
Fluid Extract Phytolacca Decandra 1 ounce
Compound Syrup Sarsaparilla to make 8 ounces
Mix. For Chronic Rheumatism.
This is the oldest rheumatism remedy known. Rheumatism being a blood
disease, requires constitutional treatment. The above amount would cost
about 80 cents.
MITCHELL'S EYE SALVE.
Saxoline Snow White 175 grains
White Wax 65 grains
Zinc Oxide 22-1/2 grains
Oxide of Mercury 2-1/2 grains
Oil of Lavender 5 drops
Melt the white wax and saxoline together, and stir constantly while
cooling. As soon as the mass begins to solidify incorporate the oxides and
oil of lavender.
The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
SCROFULA.
Iodide Potash 192 grains
Fluid Extract Queen's Root 1 ounce
Fluid Extract Prickly Ash Bark 1/2 ounce
Fluid Extract Yellow Dock 1 ounce
Compound Syrup Sarsaparilla 8 ounces
Mix. Dose: Teaspoonful four times a day.
We do not claim this remedy will cure every case of scrofula, but will
give relief, and if continued for several weeks will generally produce a
cure. The above amount would cost about 75 cents.
MOTHER SIEGEL'S SYRUP.
Conc. Decoction of Aloes (1 to 4) 60.0 m.
Borax 1.3 gm.
Capsicum, Powdered 0.13 gm.
Gentian, Powdered 2.3 gm.
Sassafras Oil 0.3 gm.
Wintergreen Oil 0.12 gm.
Rectified Spirits 7.5 gm.
Fluid Extract Taraxici 7.5 gm.
Syrup 125. gm.
The above amount would cost about 40 cents.
SCALD HEAD.
Acidi Boracici 2 drams
Salol 2 drams
Balsam Peru 1 dram
Carbolic Acid 20 drops
Vaselin 1 ounce
Lanoline 2 ounces
Mix. This is excellent. First wash the head thoroughly with castile soap
and apply morning and night. The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
[PATENT MEDICINES 483]
PATTERSON'S EMULSION OF PUMPKIN SEEDS.
Patterson's Emulsion of Pumpkin Seeds is said to be a good emulsion for
expelling tapeworms. Take two ounces of pumpkin seeds, peel and pound to a
paste with sugar, then add by degrees eight fluid ounces of water, the
whole to be taken in two or three draughts at short intervals. The above
amount would cost about 25 cents or less.
TAPE WORM.
Powdered Kamalia 3 drams
Syrup Simple 3 ounces
Mix. This is very good. Two doses of this mixture hardly ever fails to
bring the worm. Give oil and turpentine two hours after the last dose.
The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
SOUTHERN CHOLERA CURE.
Tincture Laudanum or Opii 1 ounce
Tincture Capsicum 1 ounce
Spirits Camphor 1 ounce
Chloroform 180 minims
Alcohol to make 5 ounces
Mix. Dose: One-half to one teaspoonful fifteen minutes apart for two
doses or one-half to one teaspoonful every four hours. The above would
cost about 40 cents.
PARRY'S COMPOUND SARSAPARILLA BLOOD PURIFIER.
Turkey Corn Root 1/4 lb.
Stillingia Root 1/4 lb.
Sarsaparilla Root 1/4 lb.
Yellow Dock Root. 1/4 lb.
Sassafras Bark 2 ounces
Simple Syrup 1 qt.
Diluted Alcohol 4 ounces.
Iodide of Potassa 1/4 lb.
Water sufficient
Percolate roots and bark with diluted alcohol, add syrup, then iodide of
potassa. Dissolve in water to make 6 gallons. The above amount, six
gallons, would cost about $2.00.
TOOTHACHE.
Gum Camphor 1 grain
Chloral Hydrate 1 grain
Oil of Cloves 2 drams
Chloroform to make 1 ounce
Mix. Put on some cotton and put around the tooth. No physician can give a
better prescription for toothache than this.
The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
[484 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PERRY DAVIS'S PAIN KILLER.
Gum Myrrh 7-1/5 ounces
Cayenne Pepper 2 ounces
Gum Opium 1-3/5 ounces
Gum Benzoin 1-1/5 ounces
Gum Guaiac 3/5 ounce
Gum Camphor 2 ounces
Alcohol enough to make 1 gallon
The above amount would cost about $3.50 or 45 cents per pint.
WHOOPING COUGH.
Extract Belladonna 1 grain
Powdered Alum 1/2 dram
Mucilage Acacia 1 ounce
Syrup Scillae 1/2 ounce
Syrup Simple to make 4 ounces
Mix. Dose: Ten drops to use for whooping cough. It has been in use for
years and some of our best doctors employ it in their practice. The above
amount would cost about 30 cents.
BRODIE'S LINIMENT FOR ASTHMA.
Oil of Queen's Root 4 drams
Oil of Cajeput 2 drams
Oil of Lobelia 1 dram
Alcohol 1 ounce
Mix. Bathe the chest and throat three times a day. The above amount would
cost about 35 cents.
JOHNSON'S LINIMENT.
Chloroform 4 drams
Sulph. Ether 4 drams
Oil Spearmint 2-1/2 drams
Oil of Wintergreen 2-1/2 drams
Tincture Myrrh 1 ounce
Tincture Capsicum 1 ounce
Tincture Arnica 1 ounce
Water of Ammonia 2 ounces
Alcohol enough to make 32 ounces
Mix. The above amount would cost about $1.10.
SAGE'S CATARRH REMEDY.
Powdered Hydrastis Canadensis 1 ounce
Powdered Borax 10 grains
Sodium Chloride 10 grains
Ferro-cyanuret of Iron sufficient to color
Mix. The above is the formula of Dr. Sage, and sold by him to Dr. Pierce,
of New York, for $500.00. The above amount would cost about 35 cents.
[PATENT MEDICINES 485]
SAUL'S CATARRH REMEDY.
Tincture of Benzoin Compound 1 ounce
Tincture of Tolu 1 ounce
Chloroform 1/2 dram
Sulphuric Ether 1/2 dram
Aromatic Spirits of Ammonia 4 drams
Oil of Tar 1/2 dram
Rectified Spirits 2-1/2 ounces
Mix. Use with Cutler's Inhaler. The above amount would cost about 40
cents.
SEVEN SUTHERLAND SISTERS' HAIR GROWER.
Stearns' Bay Rum 7 fluid ounces
Dist. Extract of Witch-Hazel 9 fluid ounces
Sodium Chloride 1 dram
Hydrochloric Acid (5 per cent) 1 drop
Magnesia sufficient
Mix the bay rum and distilled extract of witch-hazel, and shake with a
little magnesia; filter, and in the filtrate dissolve the salt and add the
hydrochloric acid. The agitation with magnesia causes the preparation to
assume a yellow color; but by rendering it very slightly acid, with one
drop of five per-cent hydrochloric acid, this color all disappears. The
above amount would cost about 50 cents.
SKINNER'S DANDRUFF MIXTURE.
Hydrate of Chloral 1 dram
Glycerin 4 drams
Bay Rum 16 drams
The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
ST. JACOB'S OIL.
Gum Camphor 1 ounce
Chloral Hydrate 1 ounce
Chloroform 1 ounce
Sulp. Ether 1 ounce
Laudanum 1/2 ounce
Oil Origanum 1/2 ounce
Oil Sassafras 1/2 ounce
Alcohol enough to make 1 gallon
Mix. The above amount, eight pints, would cost about $2.25 or 30 cents per
pint.
SYRUP OF FIGS.
Senna Leaves 7 ounces
Coriander Seed 3 ounces
Figs 12 ounces
Tamarind 9 ounces
Cassia Pulp 9 ounces
Prunes 6 ounces
Glycyrrhizae 3/4 ounce
Essence Peppermint 3/4 ounce
Syrup Simple, to make 1/2 gallon
The formula omits directions; but probably a water extract should be made
of the drugs, so as to measure about four pints, and in this dissolve
eight pounds of sugar to make the syrup. The above amount, four pints,
would cost about $1.00.
[486 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
THOMAS'S ELECTRIC OIL.
Gum Camphor 1 dram
Oil Wintergreen 1 dram
Oil Origanum 1 dram
Chloroform 2 drams
Tincture Opium 2 drams
Oil Sassafras 2 drams
Oil Hemlock 2 drams
Oil Turpentine 2 drams
Balsam fir 2 drams
Tincture Guaiacum 2 drams
Tincture Catechu 2 drams
Alcohol, to make 1 pint
Alkanet sufficient to color
Mix. The above amount would cost about 40 cents.
KELLY'S TONIC.
Tincture Nux Vomica 2 drams
Dilute Nitro-hydrochloric Acid 3 drams
Compound Tincture Cinchona 1-1/2 ounces
Compound Tincture Gentian 3 ounces
Mix. Dose: Two drams in water three times a day.
The above amount would cost about 35 cents.
VAN BUSKIRK'S FRAGRANT SOZODONT.
The following formula may be regarded as making an article identical with
the original in all essential features:
Alcohol 1 fluidounce
Water 1-1/4 fluidounces
Soap 120 grains
Oil of Gaultheria 2 minims
Red Sanders sufficient
Dissolve the soap in the mixture of alcohol and water; add the color,
perfume with oil of wintergreen, add enough water to make the fluid
measure three ounces.
The above amount would cost about 15 cents.
The following is suggested as a similar article to the Fragrant Sozodont
powder, which accompanies the liquid.
Infusoria1 Earth 40 grains
Orris Root 125 grains
Precipitated Chalk 200 grains
To make 365 grains
Perfume very tightly with Oil of Cloves. The above amount would cost
about 10 cents.
[PATENT MEDICINES 487]
WATT'S ANTI-RHEUMATIC PILLS.
Powdered Aloes 4 drams
Powdered Gamboge 4 drams
Powdered Hellebore 2 drams
Powdered Guaiac 1/2 dram
Hydrargyrum Chlorid Mite 1/2 dram
Precip. Sulphide of Antimony 15 grains
Oil of Cloves 1/2 fluid dram
Soap 1 dram
Spirits of Camphor. sufficient
Mix. Make into five-grain pills. The above amount would cost about 50
cents.
WHITE'S COUGH SYRUP.
Syrup Tolutani 4 drams
Glycerini 8 drams
Hive Syrup 12 drams
Syrup Ipecacuanhae 12 drams
Tincture Lobelia 12 drams
Tincture Opii Camphor 12 drams
Extract Pilocarpi Fluid 4 drams
Ammonia Chloridi 2 drams
Mix. Dose: Take a teaspoonful three times during the day, and every hour
or two before going to bed. The above amount would cost about 60 cents.
EDWARD'S ALTERATIVE AND TONIC BITTERS.
Fluid Extract of Hops 2 ounces
Fluid Extract of Red Cinchona 2 ounces
Fluid Extract Sarsaparilla 6 drams
Fluid Extract Golden Seal 6 drams
Fluid Extract of Podophyllum 4 drams
Oil of Wintergreen 6 drams
Oil Sassafras 3 drams
Oil of Peppermint 2 drams
Oil of Lemon 2 drams
Sugar 12 ounces
Alcohol 1 quart
Water enough to make 6 quarts
The above amount would cost about $1.75.
HARTER'S WILD CHERRY BITTERS.
Wild Cherry Bark 1 ounce
Yellow Cinchona Bark 1 dram
Orange Peel 2 drams
Cardamon Seed 1 dram
Wild Ginger 1/2 dram
Alcohol Dilute 12 ounces
Honey 2 ounces
Syrup 2 ounces
Percolate the drugs in moderately fine powder, with the dilute alcohol and
when six pints are obtained add the honey and syrup.
The above amount would cost about 40 cents.
[488 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
HAMBURG BREAST TEA.
Marshmallow Flowers 2 ounces
Glycrrhiza Root 6 drams
Iris Florentina 2 drams
Coltsfoot 1 ounce
Mullein Flowers 1/2 ounce
Anise Seed 1/2 ounce
Mix. The above amount would cost about 25 cents.
PAINE'S CELERY COMPOUND.
Celery Seed 2 ounces
Red Cinchona Officinalis 1 ounce
Orange Peel 1/4 ounce
Coriander Seed 1/4 ounce
Lemon Peel 1/4 ounce
Hydrochloric Acid 15 min.
Alcohol 5 fluid ounces
Glycerin 3 fluid ounces
Water 4 fluid ounces
Syrup 4 fluid ounces
Grind the solids to No 40 power, mix the acid and the water, add the
glycerin and alcohol, and in the menstruum so prepared macerate the powder
for twenty-four hours; then percolate, adding enough alcohol and water in
the proportion given to make twelve fluid ounces. Finally add the syrup,
and, if necessary, filter. The above amount would cost about 60 cents.
RADWAY'S PILLS.
Aloes 4 parts
Jalap 2 parts
Zingiber 2 parts
Myrrh 2 parts
Make into a mass with mucilage and divide into two grain pills, of which
about four dozen are put into each box. The above amount would cost about
35 cents.
BRITISH OIL.
Petroleum 1 ounce
Oil Juniper 1 dram
Oil of Terebinth 1 ounce
Oil Amber 4 ounces
Linseed Oil 12 ounces
Mix. The above amount would cost about 50 cents.
PIERCE'S COMPOUND EXTRACT OF SMARTWEED.
Smartweed 10 drams
Alcohol 6 ounces
Water 2 ounces
Camphor 22-1/2 grains
Oil of Hemlock 30 drops
Oil of Sassafras 30 drops
Extract the smartweed with the alcohol and water and to the liquid
obtained add the camphor and oils. The above amount would cost about 30
cents.
[WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT 491]
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
I
CAUSES, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OF
DISEASES OF WOMEN,
With Advice regarding the Health of
YOUNG WOMEN AND GIRLS
II
OBSTETRICS OR MIDWIFERY
INCLUDING NURSING THROUGH PREGNANCY AND
CONFINEMENT; PREPARATION, DIET,
CARE OF CHILD, ETC., ETC.
"Sickness is the vengeance of nature for the violation of her laws,"--C.
Simmons.
Our busy life, our manner of dress, with all its attending demands are
causing havoc with the health of women who are under its terrible strain.
The number of women undergoing operations in our public and private
hospitals from day to day bears witness to the ravages of the strenuous
social life and mute testimony of the neglect of the laws of nature. Good
health is the fruition of eternal vigilance and a blessing that money
cannot buy. The conduct and health of our women represents the life of our
nation; individually, in a measure at least, health governs the happiness
of the home. Steele says: "All a woman has to do in this world is
contained within the duties of a daughter, a sister, a wife, and a
mother." But how many girls grow to womanhood untaught; enter wifehood in
ignorance, and assume motherhood wholly unprepared for the duties that are
thrust upon her. It would be out of place in a work of this nature, a
family table book, to take up all the questions involved in such a
subject; we can only leave with you a word of warning. Before puberty the
girl should be taught to lead a life that will make her strong and healthy
to prepare her for the coming strain upon her system. Once she has reached
puberty parents should remember, above all things, that HEALTH is far more
important than high grades in school. Do not offer prizes for high marks
and otherwise add to the pressure of the present school system. Relieve
her of worry, do not add to it. A cheerful mind, plenty of fresh air and
sunshine is more important at this period than school work. We have paid
special attention to "Causes" in this department; may we ask you, Mother
and Daughter, to read "CAUSES" of disease and thus render unnecessary in
later life, drugs, medicines, headache tablets and, perhaps, operations.
[490 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Pelvis. It is so called from its resemblance to a basin, is stronger
and, more massively constructed than either the skull or chest cavity; it
is a bony ring, interposed between the lower end of the spine, which it
supports, and the lower extremities, upon which it rests. It is composed
of four bones, the two innominated, (nameless), which bound it on either
side and in front, and the Sacrum and Coccyx, which complete it behind.
Further description will be given in the department of Obstetrics. The
cavity of the pelvis contains the bladder, the rectum, and some of the
generative organs peculiar to each sex and some windings of the small
intestine; they are partially covered by the peritoneum (lining membrane
of the abdominal cavity).
Anatomy of the Female Genital Organs.--The external genital organs, to
which the term vulva is usually given, consist of the mons veneris, labia
majora, labia minora, clitoris, vestibule, meatus urinarius, hymen, fossa
navicularis, fourchette and perineum.
Mons Veneris.--This is a rounded eminence surmounting the pubic bones, and
is composed of fatty tissue, covered by skin and hair.
The Labia Majora.--There are two more or less prominent longitudinal folds
of cutaneous (pertaining to the skin) tissue, covered by hair and mucous
membrane, which is continuous with the mucous membrane of the genital
organs and urinary tract. They join at each extremity, forming the
anterior and posterior commissures (uniting together). Between the
posterior commissure (union) and the margin of the bowel is a space of
about an inch in extent, the Perineum. It is important to remember this
part, for it is often torn in labor, to a greater or less extent.
The labia are the analogue of the scrotum in the male.
The Labia Minora.--These are two smaller folds situated within the labia
majora, extending from the clitoris, downward and outward for about one
and one-half inches on each side of the vaginal opening. At their
convergence at the clitoris each lip (labium) divides into two folds and
these surround the glans (clitoris) forming its covering (prepuce) above
and the bridle (frenum) below. These lips (labia) are composed of mucous
membrane covered by a thin epithelial layer. They contain a network of
vessels and numerous large mucous crypts (small sacs or follicles) which
secrete a quantity of (fatty) matter.
[WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT 491]
The Clitoris.--This is an erectile structure, the analogue anatomically of
the cavernous body of the penis, and is an elongated organ partially
covered by the anterior extremities of the labia minora and connected on
each side with the rami (slender process of the bone) of the pubic bones
and the ischia (two bones) by a band. The clitoris is surmounted by a
small tubercle (a small nodule) of spongy erectile tissue, the "glans
clitoris," Two cavernous bodies of erectile tissue enclosed in dense
fibrous tissue compose the body of the organ.
The Vestibule.--This is the smooth surface of triangular form situated
between the clitoris and the entrance to the vagina. The labia minora
bound it on either side. It contains the opening of the urethra.
The Hymen is a thin fold of mucous membrane of half moon in shape
(semi-lunar) and is spread across the lower opening of the vagina.
The Glands of Bartholin are small oblong bodies, two in number, situated
on each side of the commencement of the vagina above the deep fascia band
like tissue. Each gland has a single duct and by this duct opens the inner
surface of the adjacent labia minoris just external to the hymen. They are
made up of mucous glands and a colorless tenacious fluid is secreted by
them, which lubricates the vagina. These glands sometimes become diseased.
Hence the description.
The Vagina.--This is a membranous canal and extends from the vulva to the
uterus (womb) and connects the external and internal organs of generation.
It is four to six inches in length, the anterior wall being from one to
two inches shorter than the posterior. It lies in the cavity of the pelvis
in front of the rectum, behind the bladder and follows first the line of
axis of the cavity of the pelvis, and afterwards the axis of the outlet.
The vagina consists of an internal mucous lining (membrane) continuous
above with the mucous membrane lining the womb and below with the covering
of the labia majora. The next covering (inward) is a muscular coat
consisting of two layers--an external longitudinal and an internal
circular. There is a layer of erectile tissue between the muscular coat
and mucous lining. The lower end of the vagina is surrounded by a band of
striped muscular fibers comprising the sphincter muscle of the vagina
(sphincter vagina).
The internal organs of generation, more commonly called the pelvic organs.
These comprise the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries.
[492 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The womb is the organ of pregnancy, and receives the fruitful egg (ovum),
supports it during its development and expels it at the time of labor
(parturition). In form it is pear-shaped, weighs from 12 drams to 3 ounces
and is situated in the pelvic cavity, between the bladder and the rectum,
with its base upwards and its apex, smaller end downward. Its upper broad
extremity is called the fundus--base of the organ, and the lower,
constricted, narrowed portion is called the Cervix (neck or constricted
portion). The body of the womb gradually becomes narrower from the fundus
to the Cervix.
Its anterior surface is covered on its upper three-quarters by the
peritoneum, while the lower fourth is connected with the bladder. The
peritoneum covers the whole of the posterior surface. The womb is held up
(suspended) in the pelvis by ligaments; two anterior, womb and bladder
(utero-vesical), two posterior, womb-sacral (utero-sacral), two lateral
broad ligaments, and two round ligaments. The womb sacral (utero-sacral)
which holds the womb well up in the hollow of the sacrum and the round
ligaments which keep the womb well forward enter most actively into the
support of the womb. The round ligaments are strong muscular fibrous cords
and serve to hold the womb forward. When pregnancy exists they increase in
size with the womb, and keep the fundus forward in its excursion upwards
into the abdominal cavity, and after confinement, become smaller with the
womb, guiding the womb back again to its regular position. The broad
ligaments are little more than reflection of the peritoneum serving to
support the vessels that nourish, as they go to and from the womb.
The womb has three coats, enclosing a central cavity. This cavity of the
womb is small by comparison with the size of the organ and it communicates
with the Fallopian tubes by two minute openings at each side of the body,
and with the vagina below, through the mouth or opening of the womb.
The external coat of the womb is called servos, derived from the
peritoneum; the middle or muscular coat, which forms the chief substance
of the womb, consists of bundles of unstripped muscular fibers intermixed,
with loose connective tissue, blood vessels, lymphatics and nerves; the
internal or mucous coat is continuous through the fringed extremity of the
fallopian tubes, with the peritoneum, and through the mouth of the womb
(os uteri) with the mucous membrane of the vagina. This mucous membrane is
lined in the body of the womb by epithelium arrayed in columns (Columnar
Epithelium) which loses its ciliated (eye-lash) movement character during
pregnancy. In the lower half of the Cervix, the epithelium (this kind of
cell lines all canals having communication with the external air) is of
the stratified (arranged in layers) variety. The appendages of the womb
are the fallopian tubes, the ovaries and their ligaments and the round
ligaments. The fallopian tubes convey the ova (eggs) from the ovaries to
the cavity of the womb. They are two in number, one on each side, situated
in the free border of the broad ligaments and extend from each horn, an
excrescence of the womb that looks like a horn, of the womb outward to the
sides of the pelvis; each is about five inches in length, and has a small
canal beginning at the womb in a very small opening called the internal
mouth (ostium internum). This canal gradually widens to its ending, the
abdominal mouth (ostium abdominal) by which it communicates with the
peritoneal cavity, the timbrae. A series of fringe-like processes
surround this mouth or opening and this farther end is known as the
fimbriated extremity. The tube has three coats, serous or external or
peritoneal; the middle or muscular, continuous with that of the womb, and
an internal or mucous coat continuous also with the lining of the womb and
peritoneum (covered with ciliated Columnar Epithelium).
[WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT 493]
The Ovaries.--They are analogues, anatomically, of the testes in the male.
They are two egg-shaped bodies situated one on each side of the womb on
the posterior aspect of the broad ligament, below and behind the fallopian
tubes; each is connected by its anterior margin to the broad ligament;
internally to the womb by the ovarian ligament, externally to the
fringe-like extremity of the fallopian tubes by a short cord-like
ligament. They are white in color; about one and one-half inches long,
three-quarters of an inch wide and one-third of an inch thick and weigh
about two drams each.
The ovarian ligament extends from the inner side of the ovary to the
superior angle of the (Uterus) womb. The round ligaments, two in number,
are about five inches long and are situated between the layers of the
broad ligament, one on each side of the womb in front and below the
fallopian tube. They pass forward and outward from the womb through the
internal abdominal ring, along the groin canal and out at the external
abdominal ring.
I have given a lengthy description of these organs; I think it will repay
a careful reading. To understand a disease one should understand the
organs that are subject to the disease.
CAUSES OF DISEASES OF WOMEN.
Dr. Child says among primitive people, woman is notoriously free from many
of the diseases to which her sister in our present-day civilization is
especially prone. As we ascend the scale of civilization, departing from a
natural and adopting an artificial mode of life we find nature enacts due
penalties for the transgression of her laws. The female among savage
tribes has every advantage and opportunity to develop physical perfection,
and her endurance suffers little, if any, by comparison with the male. How
different is our modern system when the young girls are sent early to
school and subjected daily to long hours of study, often in badly
ventilated class-rooms, for nine months in the year, and this at the time
of puberty, one of the most important periods of their life when they need
plenty of out-door exercise. Surely, as Goodell says, "If woman is to be
thus stunted and deformed to meet the ambitious intellectual demands of
the day, if her health must be sacrificed upon the altar of her education,
the time may come when to renew the worn out stock of the Republic it will
be necessary for our young men to make matrimonial excursions into lands
where educational theories are unknown."
[494 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Menstruation.--Many of the disorders of menstruation are due to
carelessness and neglect of this function. There should be rest of both
body and mind at this time, and especially at puberty. Rest is seldom
allowed, but the daily routine is gone through, regardless of what may
happen.
Dress.--The way the abdomen is now constricted, and this is now a
prominent feature of women's mode of dress, is without doubt an important
predisposing cause in female diseases. This contraction of the normal size
of the cavity of the abdomen, with the subsequent compression and
displacement of its organs, must of necessity produce dynamic (powerful)
changes in the pelvis that cannot be otherwise than injurious to the
pelvic organs. Tight lacing or any lacing, aside from the remote effects
so unnatural a practice must produce, causes marked atrophy (dwindling) of
the abdominal muscles. These are often so weakened that during labor they
cannot properly assist the uterus (womb) in effecting delivery, and as a
result instrumental interference, with its attendant dangers becomes
necessary.
Prevention of Conception.--This is a very common practice among civilized
women, and it has a most destructive effect upon the pelvic organs, as
well as upon the general system.
Criminal abortion.--The chief danger from the criminal interruption of
pregnancy is sepsis (absorption of poisons) into the system. This may be
acute in character and have a fatal termination, or chronic in nature,
leading to permanent injury of the womb and fallopian tubes, sterility and
chronic invalidism.
Child birth.--Pelvic diseases frequently come from injuries received
during labor.
Venereal diseases.--Dr. Child says, "Syphilis exerts its usual baneful
influence, but gonorrhoea is responsible for more pathological (diseased)
lesions (conditions) in the female pelvis than any other one factor. Its
attack, if not resulting in ultimate loss of life, always leaves the
tissue in an impaired condition, from which resolution (returning to
natural condition) is rare. It is doubtful if a woman once infected with
gonorrhoea ever recovers from its ravages. As a cause of sterility its
power is beyond estimation."
INFLAMMATION OF THE VULVA.--(Vulvitis).--An acute or chronic inflammation
of the vulva (external genitals) either from a specific, like gonorrhoea,
or non-specific cause.
Causes.--Veit says, "Seventy-five per cent of the cases are caused by
gonorrhoea."
Other Causes.--Accumulation and decomposition of discharges from the womb
and vagina, inflammation of the inner lining of the womb and of the
vagina. Foul, putrid discharges from neglected supports (pessaries) and
tampons in the vagina; sloughings from cancer may act as exciting causes.
Contact with ammoniacal and sugar urines has a similar effect.
[WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT 495]
In Infants.--It is usually due to want of cleanliness in failing to remove
decomposing urine and feces. Mothers often allow soiled, foul smelling
diapers to remain for a long time on the baby.
Symptoms and Condition of the Parts.--In the acute stage the mucous
membrane around the opening of the vagina is red, swollen, painful and
bathed in pus. The glands in the groin and glands of Bartholin are usually
enlarged and tender. The glands of Bartholin and those around the urethra
may become infected and fill with pus. The fatty glands of the labia
majora are also sometimes affected and then appears the disease called
Follicular Vulvitis (in the chronic stage secretion is abundant). The
parts feel hot and there is more or less burning and itching. Walking
makes the trouble worse, due to rubbing of the parts. Passing of urine
increases the distress.
When the disease is caused by gonorrhoea it is more extensive and involves
the vagina, urethra, the glands around the urethra and glands of
Bartholin. This gland infection frequently results in an abscess.
Treatment.--In the acute form the patient should go to bed and remain
there for some time. The parts should be kept constantly moist with a wet
antiseptic dressing, listerine, hot water, etc., applied to the vulva and
kept there.
1. If there is much pain the following solution may be used:
Acetate of lead 1 dram
Laudanum 1/2 ounce
Water enough for six ounces.
Mix and apply constantly with sterile cloths.
2. For chronic form Dr. Child says, "The vulva should be shaved, thoroughly
cleansed and a mild ointment applied daily thereafter," such as:
Salicylic acid 20 grains
Oxide of zinc 2 drams
Petrolatum enough for 1 ounce
Mix and make an ointment and apply daily.
If it is due to irritating discharges that cannot be checked, cleanse the
parts thoroughly and use the Zinc ointment to protect.
ITCHING OF THE VULVA.--Vulvae or Pruritus.--This intense itching is the
characteristic symptom. With the itching there is more or less swelling of
the parts and extreme nervous irritability.
Causes.--This is doubtful; some think it is a purely nervous condition.
Parts irritable.--The upper angle of the labia majora and the mons veneris
are the usual locations. The skin is inflamed thickened, raw, from the
continual scratching."
Symptoms.--The itching and burning are almost unbearable at times,
beginning most often around the clitoris, coming in paroxysms and made
worse by warmth and motion.
In chronic cases the skin is a little thickened and looks dull and dry and
is covered with small cracks and scratches, the result of the patient's
efforts to stop the itching.
[496 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Treatment.--Systematic, general tonic treatment. Diabetes, gout,
irritating discharges from the vagina and rectum should be removed. Pin
worms and highly acid urine sometimes cause it in children. Internally the
bromides to quiet the nerves and arsenic to build up the system should be
given.
Local.--Strong solutions of corrosive sublimate (1 to 1000), nitrate of
silver, tincture of iodine, and cocaine ointment give temporary relief.
Sometimes an operation is necessary.
CYSTS OF THE VULVA.--A cyst is a cavity containing fluid and surrounded by
a covering (capsule). The duct (canal) of the gland of Bartholin, situated
in the labia majora, sometimes closes and the secretions of the gland are
not cast out, thus forming the cyst.
Cause.--The closing is nearly always the result of gonorrhea.
Condition.--The cyst is formed in the duct, the gland itself being
affected rarely. It contains a thin sticky mucus. If the cyst arises in
the gland, the swelling is more deeply situated. These cysts may be
attacked with an acute inflammation and finally pus is formed in them, and
a very painful abscess is the result,
Symptoms.--There are no symptoms except from the size of the swelling
unless an abscess occurs. Then there is an acute local pain, quite tender
on pressure, and often high fever.
Treatment.--If the cyst is large it should be removed, especially if it
causes annoyance. If it becomes inflamed, rest in bed and cold
applications are indicated. If it goes on to an abscess, a free cut should
be made, the abscess scraped and good drainage given. Sometimes it is best
to use pure carbolic acid in the walls of the cyst.
INFLAMMATION OF THE VAGINA, (Vaginitis).--Vaginitis is an inflammation of
the mucous membrane of the vagina.
Varieties.--l. Catarrhal or simple 2. granular; 3. gonorrheal; 4.
diphtheritic, and 5. senile.
1. Catarrhal or simple form.--This is the most usual form. There is a
general redness of the membrane with swelling and increased secretion.
2. Granular.--This is an advanced stage of the simple type, and is due to
long continued or repeated attacks.
3. Gonorrheal form.--Is due to infection by the gonococcus of Neisser (due
to gonorrhea). This form is hardest to cure and may continue for years or
life, The infection may extend to the womb, fallopian tubes and peritoneal
cavity and produce inflammation of the womb (endometritis) pus in the
tubes, (pyosalpinx) and peritoneal cavity. This is more common than even
some physicians realize.
[WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT 497]
4. Diphtheritic--Due to diphtheria, not frequent.
5. Senile type.--This comes only after the change of life.
Symptoms.--There is pain in the lower abdomen. Passing of urine is
frequent and is attended with smarting and burning pain. There is a
feeling of heat and burning in the vagina, and a copious discharge of
mucus and pus. In the gonorrheal variety the urinary disturbances are most
marked.
In gonorrheal variety the symptoms date from a distinct onset, last
longer, do not yield so rapidly to treatment, and complications, such as
enlarged glands in the groin and in the vulva and vagina, inflammation of
the lining of the womb and fallopian tubes, inflammation of the bladder,
often make their appearance early.
Treatment (in acute cases).--Rest in bed and prolonged vaginal injections
of a solution of corrosive sublimate (1 to 4000 strength) three times a
day. If the gonorrheal poison is present in the pus, the walls of the
vagina, cervix and cervical canal should be dried and thoroughly painted
with a twenty per cent solution of nitrate of silver. The patient should
be in the knee-chest position for this treatment.
In chronic cases the gonorrhea poison (gonococcus) is found most
frequently just behind the posterior lip of the cervix and here the silver
solution should be applied very thoroughly.
VAGINISMUS.--This is a painful reflex muscular contraction of the vaginal
orifice, and is most often observed in patients of a nervous and sensitive
temperament. Treatment.--Any local cause of irritation should be removed.
If there is no local irritation, the opening should be dilated under an
anesthetic. Tonics, exercise, and a complete change of scene are
beneficial.
DISEASES OF THE CERVIX.
TEAR OF THE CERVIX (Laceration).--This is a tear in the lower part of the
cervix. There may be one or more. The left one-sided tear is the usual
form. Next comes the tear on both sides (bilateral). Tears on front and
behind are not frequent. Tears are found in about thirty per cent of women
who have had children.
Causes.--The majority of cases are caused by labor, and is due to a cervix
that is not perfectly dilated. Very hurried, quick labors cause it
sometimes, but the greatest injuries are due to the various operations for
delivering the child through a cervix that is not fully dilated.
Symptoms. Immediate and remote.--On the immediate, when the tear is
severe, there is bleeding; later, sub-involution, that is, the womb does
not return to its normal size and weight.
Remote symptoms.--Leucorrhea, thick and mucus in character; profuse
menstruation and inability to become pregnant. When the tear has extended
through the internal opening the woman win not be able to carry the child
to full term, even if she becomes pregnant.
[498 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Treatment.--Tampons of ichthyol (ten per cent), mixed with glycerin,
introduced twice a week against the cervix and permitted to remain
forty-eight hours will often afford relief.
The tear should be repaired after child-birth, if possible. If not then,
and if it does not heal, it should be repaired later when the tear extends
through the internal (opening) or in case of extensive raw surface on the
cervix.
INFLAMMATION OF THE CERVIX.--This is an inflammation of the mucous
membrane lining the canal of the cervix (cervical canal), known as
Endocervicitis; it may be acute or chronic. The acute form is seen most
often as a part of a general infection involving both womb and cervix, and
will be described later. The chronic form is a very common condition and
it is difficult to treat.
Cause.--Injury and tear of the cervix.
Symptoms.--Leucorrhea, profuse and frequent menstruation, pain in the back
and loins. On examination a string of thick mucus is seen at the external
opening (os) of the cervix; and of women who have borne children there are
usually signs of tear and rawness of the cervix present; (Endometritis
usually produces a thin watery discharge, while gonorrhea produces a
thick, pus-like discharge).
Treatment.--Hot vaginal douches, containing one dram of sulphate of zinc
to one pint of water, used every night for ten minutes. Hot water with
witch-hazel, about four drams to the pint, is also good. Tincture of
iodine applied locally twice each month. White oakbark tea used as an
injection once a day for this trouble; also good for vaginitis.
INFLAMMATION OF THE LINING OF THE WOMB. Endometritis.--Endometritis is an
inflammation of the lining membrane of the womb, with a tendency to extend
to the lining membrane of the fallopian tubes and to the peritoneum. These
are the acute and chronic varieties.
Causes.--It may occur during an acute skin disease eruption, like that of
scarlet fever, and occasionally upon exposure to cold during menstruation.
The most frequent exciting causes are the microorganisms, like the
gonorrhea poison, etc.
Acute Variety.--The whole mucous lining is inflamed. In severe cases the
whole mucous lining is destroyed and the deeper muscular tissues of the
womb are invaded.
Gonorrheal Variety. Symptoms.--There is general pain in the lower bowel
region, in spells at first, later constant, with rapid rise of temperature
and pulse. A purulent (pus) discharge appears early from the cervix,
usually about the second day, and difficult and burning passing of urine
are early symptoms. There is inflammation of the vagina accompanying it in
about fifteen per cent of the cases, while inflammation of the fallopian
tubes, pus in the tubes, and local peritonitis are common results.
[ WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT 499]
MOTHER'S REMEDY. Inflammation of the Womb. 1. A Good Tonic for.--"For
inflammation of the uterus or ovaries try a hot sitz bath every day for a
week, and then every other day. In case of hemorrhage this bath is
invaluable, and will relieve when all other means have failed. It can be
taken during the hemorrhage, or at frequent intervals between times.
Remember, one should always lie down after a sitz bath. If desired you may
give aconitum tincture. Dose:--Two drops in a half glass of water,
tablespoonful doses every ten to thirty minutes according to the severity
of the case." If a woman has taken a severe cold, then the aconite should
be given, but under no other condition.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--Dr. Child advises that the cervix be
dilated, and the interior of the womb, cervical canal and vagina swabbed
out with a ten per cent silver nitrate solution. Subsequently vaginal
douches (1 to 5000) corrosive sublimate solution followed by a salt
solution, one dram of salt to a pint of water, should be given for at
least one week. Keep the bowels open.
SEPTIC PUERPERAL ENDOMETRITIS.--This is an inflammation of the inner
lining of the womb that occurs after child-birth during the first few
weeks, and is due to a poison.
Symptoms.--The attack usually begins with a chill, preceded by a regular
increase of the temperature and pulse. The face looks flushed at first,
but it soon becomes pale and the patient has an anxious look, as the
disease goes on. There is very little pain, if any. The discharge that
always follows labor is diminished or stops and has no odor, if there is
any discharge.
The death rate is from five to twenty-five per cent.
Treatment.--Never scrape out (curette) the womb for this disease. The womb
should be washed out with a hot salt solution, one teaspoonful of salt to
one pint of water, and then packed with ten per cent iodoform gauze. This
solution should also be injected hot into the rectum and frequently. The
bowels should move freely, and if necessary injections may be given for
that purpose.
The strength must be kept up by a liquid diet. Milk, brandy and
strychnine, if necessary; 1/100 of a grain of strychnine can be given
every four hours. Milk should be given every half hour, about two ounces
at one time: or more if it agrees well.
The gauze should be removed gradually, beginning on the third day and
ending on the ninth day.
In this disease the interior of the womb is smooth and contains no broken
down or foreign tissue. In the next disease, Putrid Endometritis, it is
far different, for this is caused by the presence of dead material, such
as parts of the after-birth, left in after labor, or sloughing tumors.
This material becomes putrid (rotten), and thus causes the disease called
"Putrid Endometritis."
[500 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PUTRID ENDOMETRITIS.--An inflammation of the inner lining of the womb
caused by putrid (rotten), decaying material.
Symptoms.--A chill is sometimes present at the beginning. The fever is
high, pulse bounds and feels hard and strong, the face is flushed but
there is little or no pain. The discharge from the womb, unless it is
blocked by a clot, is foul smelling. The flow after childbirth is scanty,
sometimes suppressed. The womb and ovaries are not very tender.
Treatment.--The first thing to do, of course, is to get the dead material,
such as parts of an after-birth, clots, shreds, etc., out of the womb, and
then scrape the rough surfaces. This must be done carefully and with
perfectly clean tools and liquids of every kind. Then wash the womb
thoroughly with the hot salt solution. One teaspoonful of salt to one pint
of boiled water. After this pack the womb with ten per cent iodoform
gauze, which may be bought in this strength. Remove this from the womb
about the third to the ninth day. The bowels should be kept open.
Diet.--Should be of milk or at least of liquids only. The patient can be
given whisky or brandy and 1/60 grain of strychnine every four hours if
needed.
MALIGNANT DISEASES OF THE WOMB.--Cancer or carcinoma is a malignant
disease of the neck (cervix) of the womb.
Causes.--The immediate cause is not yet known. Tears and erosions
(scraping off and making raw) are supposed to act as direct causes.
Symptoms.--Bleeding is the early and very important symptom. After the
change of life (menopause) is over if bleeding occurs and continues it is
a very bad sign and the womb should be examined immediately. Later, a
watery bloody discharge appears, with pain, loss of weight and general
weakness. Pain is not an early symptom. It appears when the disease has
spread to the nearby tissue.
Treatment.--The only thing to do is to operate and the earlier the better.
The womb and all its belongings should be removed. If this is done early
it is very successful. If the case is too far advanced, the only thing to
do is to make the patient as comfortable as possible.
For the pain, morphine or opium should be given.
For the discharge, hot water and corrosive sublimate (1 to 2000) is the
strength to be used. This should be used daily as an injection into the
vagina.
Cancer of the Body of the Womb is found in only about two per cent of womb
cancers.
Treatment.--An early operation is then necessary. The chances of obtaining
a cure if operation is done is better even than in cancer of the neck of
the womb. There is less chance for the adjoining structures to be affected
so early and readily.
[ WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT 501]
FIBROID TUMORS OF THE WOMB or Fibromata, Frequency.--Some observers state
that twenty to forty per cent of all women over thirty-five years have one
or more of these tumors. They are not malignant. They are more common in
women who are sterile, unable to become pregnant. They appear early in
life and attack all classes. They appear oftener in the body of the womb
than in the neck. When in the body of the womb the back wall is the common
site. A covering of loose fibrous tissue surrounds the growth. Few blood
vessels appear in the tumor, nourishment being received from the
surrounding tissues. Their growth is slow, except during pregnancy, when
they grow rapidly. There are three varieties named according to their
location and the structure covering: or surrounding them. 1. Interstitial;
2. sub-mucus; 3. sub-peritoneal or sub-serous.
1. Interstitial.--They are in the substance of the womb wall. They are
usually many and vary in size.
2. Sub-mucus (under the mucous membrane).--They project into the cavity of
the womb, are covered by mucous membrane and are attached to the womb by a
broad base or pedicle. This is sometimes cut off spontaneously, and then
the tumor is expelled from the womb.
3. Sub-peritoneal.--They are under the peritoneum, which forms its outer
cover.
Causes.--Are not known. They are more frequent between thirty and forty.
Symptoms.--Difficult monthly sickness, too much blood flowing from the
womb, unable to become pregnant, sometimes, and abortion. Bleeding comes
more from the sub-mucus variety generally. Pain is caused by the size and
weight and by pressure upon the bladder, rectum and the nerves. Death
rarely results except from the complications.
MOTHER'S REMEDY. 1. Ulcers of the Womb, Common Wood Cactus for.--"Common
wood cactus tea. Take wineglassful three times a. day." Should remove all
thorns, chop fine and boil in sufficient water; add gin to make dose more
pleasant.
Treatment.--Operation is needed when the symptoms are pressing. The
sub-mucus variety may make an early operation necessary on account of
their location.
Symptoms Calling for an Operation.--Size of the tumor; from the pressure
symptoms; persistent bleeding from the womb. Sometimes it is necessary to
remove the entire womb, especially in the interstitial variety, for the
walls of the womb may be filled with the tumors.
[502 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
SUBINVOLUTION OF THE WOMB.--This simply means that the womb, after
miscarriage or child-birth, fails to return to its normal size and weight.
Causes.--This is frequently due to getting up too soon after labor.
Symptoms.--Menstruation or too much flow of blood (menorrhagia), dull,
heavy feeling in the pelvis, backache or leucorrhea.
Results.--The womb frequently becomes misplaced.
Treatment.--Proper supports should be put in after the womb has been
placed in its proper position.
If seen early enough some cases can be cured by tampons of ichthyol used
three times a week and prolonged hot water injections at bed time. Cotton
soaked in ichthyol and glycerin are frequently of benefit three times a
week used as a tampon. The patient should not be on her feet much, or be
active. Witch-hazel water can be added to the hot water injection if so
desired.
DISEASES OF THE FALLOPIAN TUBES.--These are named after their discoverer,
Fallopian, an Italian anatomist. These tubes begin at the part of the body
of the womb that extends out like a horn. This is on the sides near the
top of the body of the womb. They are two in number and extend outward on
each side for about four inches; each end forms a fringe or finger shape
to catch the egg, as it emerges from the ovary. Through the center there
is a tube or canal, and the inner lining of the womb continues on and
lines this canal, the mucous membrane of the Fallopian tubes. When this
lining or membrane becomes inflamed it is called Salpingitis or
Inflammation of the Fallopian tubes. Salpingitis is derived from two
words: Salping, meaning tube; ltis, meaning inflammation; Fallopian was
the discoverer. Thus we have Salping(x)itis, or Inflammation of the
Fallopian tubes. Unfortunately in medical description it is generally
called Salpingitis.
SALPINGITIS. Inflammation of the Fallopian Tubes.--It may be either acute
or chronic in character.
Condition.--The tissues of the tubes become swollen when the inflammation
runs into the pus stage; the finger-shaped end (outer end) is usually
closed by adhesions, the pus accumulates in the tube and we have pus in
the tube, or what is technically called [pyo. (pus) Salpinx (tube)]
Pyosalpinx. In long standing cases the pus is absorbed or degenerates into
a thin watery fluid, forming watery fluid in the tube or [hydro (water)
Salpinx (tube)]--hydrosalpinx.
The tube may become attached to neighboring organs. The pus or fluid may
drain occasionally into the womb and vagina. It may go into the bladder or
bowels.
Causes.--It is usually caused by invading germs from the womb. Gonorrhea
is the cause of the most cases.
Symptom.--This disease follows the same kind of an infection in the womb
and vagina; the patient complains of pain in the region of the tube, a
little to the side or sides of the womb, and the pain is made worse by
motion, exercise or long standing. If it is the acute variety, the
temperature rises, the pulse grows faster, and sometimes there is nausea
and vomiting.
[WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT 503]
The Symptoms of the Chronic Variety are due to congestion and adhesions.
There is a constant pain in the region of the tube and the patient
protects herself when she walks, rides or sits down. There are difficult,
painful monthly periods and too much flow. The history shows gonorrhea or
septic infection, that is, disease caused by the absorption of products of
putrefaction.
Treatment of the Acute Kind.--First thing is absolute rest and quiet in
bed. Then prolonged hot injections in the vagina of hot water, and if you
wish, one teaspoonful of listerine, etc., in each injection. Put a
hot-water bag to the sore side, or fomentations of different remedies,
like hops, catnip, pennyroyal, smart-weed. The applications should not be
of great weight. The bowels should be kept open.
For Chronic Variety.--This frequently calls for an operation. When the
symptoms are due to inflammation in the tube alone, ten per cent strength
of ichthyol and glycerin tampons placed behind the lower part of the womb
three times a week do much to improve the condition.
This is an unfortunate disease, and it must be closely watched for
symptoms that may arise from a pus condition. There are many cases of this
kind in our public hospitals, and when they are due to gonorrhea they may
have been caused by the husband who had an acute or latent gonorrhea--an
attack he thought cured.
DISEASES OF THE OVARY.
Inflammation of the Ovary or Ovaritis.--This is an inflammation of the
ovary and it may be either acute or chronic.
In the acute form the ovary is slightly enlarged and the follicles on the
circumference are distended and filled with thick fluid or pus.
In the chronic variety the ovary may be small and contain cysts; there is
a destruction of the follicles and a hardened condition develops. The
function of the ovary is then impaired.
Causes.--Gonorrhea, septic infection from adjacent tissues, acute fever
diseases, mumps, and peritonitis. Falling (prolapse) often gives rise to
chronic inflammation.
Symptoms.--Pain in the lower abdomen (pelvis), difficult and painful
menstruation, too much monthly flow (menorrhagia), and painful
intercourse.
Treatment.--Ichthyol (ten percent) and glycerin tampons placed behind the
lower back part of the womb three times a week. The bowels should be kept
open with salts. The diet should be milk or liquid. Sometimes an operation
is necessary. In the department on operations this subject will be touched
upon in regard to operations.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--Change of the mode of life, and proper hygienic
measures will generally be all that is needed.
[504 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
TUMORS OF THE OVARY.--Cystoma is the most common tumor of the ovary. The
word "cystoma" means a cyst tumor, or cystic tumor. A cyst means a cavity
containing fluid and surrounded by a covering (capsule). Ovarian cyst or
tumors is often seen in print these days. Ovarian tumor takes in the
cystic variety, cancer and sarcoma, two malignant tumors.
Symptoms.--These depend upon the size of the tumors. The large tumors are
generally cystic. Examination of the vagina shows the pelvis filled by a
tense, watery, fluctuating mass. Examining the abdomen, the abdomen is
seen more or less distended by a regular swelling, and sometimes this is
enormous. The abdomen is rounded and there is no bulging at the sides like
there is in ascites (dropsy). The navel is not prominent. The tumor can be
outlined. It cannot be in ascites.
Treatment.--In bygone years tapping was done for these tumors. If it gets
large or the health fails, an operation should be performed. This is very
successful in uncomplicated cases. Inside of two months the patient is
about well. I know I have saved many lives of women by recommending an
operation for such tumors.
For the congested ovary, treatment by tampons and medicine often helps. I
have frequently given a medicine called Apis-Mel for this condition and
with success. I give it in tablets of 1/100 of a grain regularly four
times a day.
MENSTRUATION AND ITS DISORDERS.--Normal menstruation occurs monthly in the
female. There is a flow of blood from the cavity of the womb. The time for
its beginning is different in different countries, it being earlier in
warm climates, ten to twelve years, and later in cold ones (fifteen to
seventeen years); the average is fourteen years.
Pregnancy suspends menstruation and often nursing the child does, also.
Menstruation continues longer in robust, healthy women. Change of life
(Menopause) occurs usually between forty and fifty years. The healthy girl
and woman comes around every twenty-eight to thirty days. This is the
usual time. The flow lasts from two to eight days and the quantity is
about one ounce each day. A slight feeling of weight and fullness in the
lower abdomen (pelvis) should be the only symptom present in a healthy
female. The blood lost should not cause any special degree of weakness.
PREMATURE MENSTRUATION. Too early menstruation.--Premature or precocious
menstruation is when it occurs before puberty. This is in part hereditary,
but bad associations may be a cause of this early menstruation.
Treatment.--The cause, if possible, should be removed. The nerves should
be kept quiet by rest and, if needed, general tonics like iron, arsenic,
and nux vomica prescribed and given.
[WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT 505]
DELAYED MENSTRUATION.--This is often caused by slow development of the
generative organs. The girl may not come around until seventeenth to
nineteenth year.
Causes.--It may be due to heredity. Lack of proper nourishment and proper
exercise are the most important causative factors.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--l. Obstruction of Monthly Flow.--An herb
combination for.
Poplar Bark 2 ounces
Ginger 1/2 ounces
Bayberry 1 ounce
Cinnamon 1/2 ounce
Anise Seed 1/2 ounce
Golden Seal 1/4 ounce
Mix well and give a teaspoonful in a cup of boiling water sweetened with
sugar two or three times a day. Excellent in obstructions of the monthly
periods, debility, loss of appetite, etc. This combination is fine when
used as a tonic. It is stimulating and has been known to cure many severe
cases.
2. To Promote the Menses, Smartweed for.--"Smartweed is good to promote
the menses. Always steep in cold water; never boil. Dose.--Two
teaspoonsful every hour. Be sure to take warm."
VICARIOUS MENSTRUATION (In place of).--When menstruation is absent or
suppressed, bleeding sometimes occurs periodically, from the ear, nose,
any existing raw surface, leg, ulcer, and from the respiratory (breathing)
tract, and also from the bowels.
AMENORRHEA.--This is absence of menstruation.
Causes.--Delayed puberty, anemia (want of proper blood) chlorosis (green
sickness). diabetes, malaria, tuberculosis and acute illness may cause it.
Sometimes change of climate causes it and nursing baby too long.
Symptoms.--If it is associated with atresia, that is, want of the normal
outlet, of course no signs of flowing can show, but colicky, cramp-like,
monthly pains appear in the lower abdomen. These increase in severity as
the retained blood distends the womb.
Treatment.--If there is no opening for the vagina or cervix one must be
made, by operation. If it is due to anemia or chlorosis, Blaud's pills
will benefit. The following is the formula:
Dried Sulphate of Iron 2 drams
Carbonate of Potash 2 drams
Syrup--Sufficient quantity to make forty-eight pills.
Take one to three pills three times a day, after meals.
MENORRHAGIA.--Too much bleeding at the monthly periods. If it occurs
between the monthly periods it is called Metrorrhagia, womb-bleeding at
any time, especially between the periods.
Causes.--These may be constitutional or local, the latter being the most
important.
Local Causes.--These are inflammation of the womb, displacements of the
womb, malignant disease of the womb, fibroid tumors and disease of the
ovaries.
[506 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Symptoms.--Sudden or gradual increase in the amount of blood lost at the
monthly periods. Then secondary anemia, weakness and run-down feeling.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT. 1. Profuse Menstruation, an Easily Prepared Herb
Remedy for.--
"Cranesbill Root 1 ounce
White Poplar Bark 2 ounces
Bistort Root 1 ounce
Golden Seal 1 ounce
Geranium 1/2 ounce
Cloves 1/2 ounce
Ginger 1/2 ounce
Ground Sugar 1/2 pound
Mix. This compound is excellent for complaints of weak females, such as
leucorrhea, bearing-down, or profuse menstruation, etc. Dose: One
teaspoonful of the powder, in a half cup of boiling water three times a
day. Drink the clear liquid only." Any woman suffering with, female
trouble will find the above combination very beneficial.
2. In young girls and women who are not married, thirty drops of the fluid
extract of Ergot three times a day. This medicine will cause the womb to
contract. Hot douches can be given to married women. If the bleeding is
severe it may be necessary to pack the vagina with sterile gauze. Ergotin
ten to twenty drops, may be needed, given hypodermically. If it is due to
constitutional causes, like anemia, a played-out feeling, paleness.
weakness, etc., a tonic treatment is needed.
3. Blaud's pills will do well. This is the formula:
Dried sulphate of iron 2 drams
Carbonate of potash 2 drams
Syrup enough to make a mass
Mix and make forty-eight pills. Take one to three, three times a day after
meals.
4. If the appetite is poor, bitter tonics such as gentian, quassia,
cinchona, or nux vomica are needed.
Compound Tincture Cinchona 2 ounces
Compound Tincture Gentian 2 ounces
Mix. Take one teaspoonful before meals, in a little water.
5. Tincture of nux vomica in doses of two to three drops after meals is a
good stomach and bowel tonic.
6. Golden seal root made into a tea is good in some cases, especially if
the tongue is much coated.
7. Oil of Erigeron or flea-bane is good for oozing bleeding. Dose: Three
to five drops in a capsule every four hours.
8. Oil of cinnamon in one dose of one-half dram is good where flea-bane
oil cannot be used or obtained; usual dose, one to five drops. An infusion
can be made of the cinnamon bark and drank freely.
[WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT 507]
9. Cranesbill (Geranium maculata). The fluid extract is splendid when
diluted three or four times with boiled water, used locally for bleeding
from the womb, or as an injection for the same; or an infusion can be made
of the plant and injected into the vagina. The local cause mentioned
should be treated. The displacement should be corrected.
DYSMENORRHEA or Difficult Menstruation.--This term means difficult and
painful monthly periods. The pain may occur before, during or after the
periods.
Causes.--It may be caused by a narrow cervical canal, the canal from the
inner womb to the vagina. This is often very narrow and almost closed.
Again it is produced by the womb being turned back and bent on the canal,
thus partially closing it. This causes the blood to be retained in the
womb and then the womb contracts to expel the blood, pains being the
natural result. Diseases of the womb and ovaries also cause it. Sometimes
the membrane of the womb is cast off in the form of shreds or even a cast
of the inner womb.
Symptoms.--The flow may be scanty, moderate or profuse, often clotted. The
pain varies. It may be slight before the flow, or the first day or two, or
it may be severe, agonizing and continuous for one or two days, or during
the whole period and sometimes for some days after there may be pains.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Painful Menstruation, a Good Tonic for.--"This may
be relieved by sitting over the steam of a strong decoction of tansy,
wormwood, and yarrow, and fomenting the abdomen with the same. Then take
the following in wineglassful doses:--One ounce each of ground pine,
southern wood, tansy, catnip and germander, simmering in two quarts of
water down to three pints and pour boiling hot on one ounce of pennyroyal
herb, strain when cold and take as per dose above."
2. Painful Menstruation, a Home Remedy for.--"Let the patient take an
active cathartic; then when put to bed let a half cup of hop tea be given;
and a douche of one quart of hot water into which ten drops of laudanum
have been dropped, be injected." A cathartic is not necessary in all
cases. If the bowels have been moving freely do not take one. The douche
will give great relief providing the woman can take one while
menstruating. Some women can and some cannot.
[508 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--If the womb is displaced it should be corrected.
Any disease of the womb or ovaries should be treated. If the canal is too
much closed, gradual and careful dilation between the periods, will often
remove this cause in time. The bowels should be kept regular at all times.
1. For the attack.--Never take opium or alcohol for it in any form; it is
so easy to form the habit and a doctor who gives it is simply dodging
effective general and local treatment between the periods. If it is due to
taking cold, or from any local cause, the following treatment is good:
The patient should take a hot sitz bath, being well covered by a blanket,
while in the tub and afterwards, and should immediately get into bed as
soon as the buttocks are dried and remain there well covered. A turpentine
stupe is now to be used, prepared as follows: Place a tin cup containing
the turpentine in a vessel containing hot water. This will keep the
turpentine warm. Dip a piece of flannel into very hot water and wring it
out in a twisted towel, and after it is perfectly dry and no dripping, dip
it into the hot turpentine and wring it out again to free it from too much
of the drug. Apply the cloth while hot and allow it to remain until it
causes discomfort. Then withdraw it or it will blister the skin if left on
too long. Fomentations wrung out of teas like hop, pennyroyal, smart-weed,
etc., applied and kept warm often do much good. At the same time
pennyroyal tea can be drank freely. A five-cent package can be bought at
any drug store. Hot lemonade will help also. The object is to produce
relaxation of the tissues through the local applications and tea drinking.
If there is constipation, the bowels should be moved freely with epsom
salts, half ounce dose, in the morning before breakfast. If there is much
pain a belladonna suppository, one-half grain of the extract, can be
inserted into the rectum.
2. If the patient's nervous system is run down the "Rest Cure" will be of
benefit, and medicines to strengthen the nerves. Exercise, outdoor life,
horseback riding are of great benefit in toning the system.
3. Fluid extract of blue cohosh is a good medicine in this disease,
especially if there is some rheumatism during the interval. One or two
drops every hour will be enough.
4. Tincture of Pulsatilla in doses of three drops every hour is good for
the pain, especially in blonde girls and women.
5. Tincture of Cocculus I have found to be of great benefit. Put five
drops of a good pure tincture into a glass half full of water and give two
teaspoonfuls every ten to fifteen minutes until relieved. This I give in
cases I am called to and have not the time then to find out what the real
cause may be.
DISPLACEMENTS.--Turning back or retro-displacements. This includes retro-
version and retro-flexion. Retro-version means turning back, in plain
terms. Retro-flexion means bending back, bending of the body of the womb,
or the neck, backward. Retro-flexion is more common than retro-version.
Causes.--Some are congenital, that is, from birth, and a few are the
result of some injury, falls or blows. It is more often found in
child-bearing women, and this may be due to the fact that the womb has not
returned to its normal size and weight, and therefore there is more weight
for the ligaments to hold up. The ligaments often relax and do not support
the womb as thoroughly as before.
Symptoms.--Backache, a sense of weight in the lower abdomen, difficult
menstruation, leucorrhea, sterility, or repeated abortion and
constipation. The constipation is often due to the womb lying on the
rectum.
[WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT 509]
Treatment.--This is to replace the womb and keep it in position. Supports
of various kinds are used to keep the womb in position after it has been
replaced, They must fit thoroughly and give no pain or any discomfort
whatever. They are called supports or pessaries. If they are fitted
properly they do much good. They should be removed often (every month) and
not allowed to grow fast or cause sores in the vagina. There are the ring
support and the stem variety and others. The stem variety can be taken out
and replaced by wearer at any time. They are made to buckle around the
abdomen. They are bungling but effective. The ring kind should be
introduced by a competent person who should see that it is of correct size
and shape, and worn with comfort. Sometimes these supports fail to cure
when adhesions and other diseases exist; it may be impossible to wear
them.
Operations.--One operation is to break up the adhesions, the body of the
womb brought forward and sewn (sutured) to the abdominal wall. Another
operation is to shorten the round ligaments in the inguinal (groin) canal.
These are the usual operations, and they are quite successful.
FALLING OR PROLAPSE OF THE WOMB.--The womb may come down and remain in the
vagina (incomplete falling). When the womb escapes at the vulva it is
called a complete falling (prolapse or procidentia).
For the Incomplete Kind.--Replace the womb and wear a support for months.
For the Complete Falling.--Replace the womb. The patient should remain in
bed with daily, hot, prolonged vaginal injections of water for a few
weeks. The injection daily of white oak bark tea, of the strength of one
ounce of the bark to a pint of hot water, is often of great benefit.
If these measures fail to cure, an operation may be necessary.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Falling of the Womb. Unicorn Root for.--"Make a
strong tea of unicorn root, and take a half teaspoonful three times a day,
This is an excellent remedy for falling of the womb," This is very easily
prepared and not bad to take, and in addition to this use an injection of
witch-hazel or golden seal.
2. Falling of the Womb, a Fine Herb Combination for.--"Peach leaves,
mullein leaves and hops made into a tea, and a pint used twice a day as an
injection often cures when other remedies fail." We all know that this
combination of herbs is healing and especially in female trouble. The
hops, especially, are very soothing to the affected parts.
3. Falling of the Womb, a Physician's. Treatment.--"Knee-chest position.
Get down on the knees and put chest and chin to the floor. Retain this
position about three minutes several times a day." This is a splendid
thing to do, and is recommended by all physicians.
[510 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
4. Falling of the Womb, a Never Failing Remedy for.--"Ague root (Aletris
Farinosa) is a valuable agent to prevent tendency to miscarriage and
falling of the womb. It is especially useful for the purpose of restoring
the activity of the generative organs giving them vigor and healthy
action. Dose of the tincture is from six to ten drops three times a day
and of the powdered root five to eight grains." This is an old tried
remedy, and is frequently used by physicians alone or in combination with
other remedies.
5. Falling of the Womb, White Oak Bark for.--"A mild infusion of white oak
bark, or of alum or tannin, used in quantities of a pint, as a douche,
will often give immediate relief."
LEUCORRHEA. (The Whites).--This is an over-secretion from the glands that
pour out their contents into the vagina or the cervical canal of the womb.
Causes.--It is dependent upon many causes. Tear of the neck of the womb
(cervix), displacements, inflammation of the womb and vagina, a run-down
condition of the system from any cause. The character of the discharge
varies.
From a Torn Cervix, the discharge is thick and mucus-like in character.
In Inflammation of the Canal of the Cervix.--A thick mucus discharge also
comes from this trouble.
Inflammation of the Body of the Womb.--The discharge is thin and watery.
If the Inflammation is Caused by Gonorrhea the discharge would partake of
the pus-like variety.
Symptoms.--Local: is of course mainly the discharge or the irritation
often produced by it, especially if it is thin. It then irritates the
parts. The patient will be run down. It will be hard to do anything,
frequently the patient is very nervous and irritable.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Leucorrhea, Slippery Elm for.--"The immediate cause
of leucorrhea is either congestion or inflammation of the mucous membrane
of the vagina or womb, or both. It is not a disease, but a symptom of some
vaginal or uterine disorder; hence, general or specific tonics may be
needed but appropriate injection as auxiliary treatment will very much
assist in cure. The patient should bathe frequently and freely expose
herself to the sunshine, and have good ventilation in the house. If the
vaginal passage is very tender and irritable, an infusion, or tea, of
slippery elm bark is very soothing and may be used freely with a vaginal
syringe. Whatever injection is employed, should be preceded by the free
use of castile soap and warm water to thoroughly cleanse the parts."
Always lie down after an injection.
[WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT 511]
2. Leucorrhea, Glycerin for.--"One part glycerin to six parts water is a
very soothing lotion when there is much tenderness, pain or heat in the
vagina. A teaspoonful of tartaric acid in a pint of warm water is a
specific, in some cases, acting like magic. Whatever lotion is employed,
always use it warm. After cleansing with soap suds, the medicated lotion
of not less than two ounces should be injected."
3. Leucorrhea, Common Tea for.--"A very simple remedy that every woman has
in the home is a decoction of common tea; used as an injection twice daily
is very beneficial." The tea has an astringent action and the tannin
contained in the tea leaves is very effective. This remedy is a harmless
one, and every woman suffering with this disagreeable disease should give
this remedy a trial.
4. Leucorrhea, Witch-hazel for.--"Cleanse the parts well with clear warm
water, then inject two quarts of warm water in which has been dropped a
tablespoonful of witch-hazel." This is a very good remedy and sure to give
relief.
5. Leucorrhea, White Oak Bark for.--"White oak bark one ounce, water one
pint. This makes a very good injection and will be found very effective,"
6. Leucorrhea, a Good Herb Remedy for.--"Inject into the vagina with a
female syringe, a tea of bistort or beth root, and cranesbill, night and
morning and take the following night and morning in wineglassful doses.
White Pond Lily Root. 2 ounces
Unicorn Root 2 ounces
Wahoo Root 1 ounce
Golden Seal 1 ounce
Cinnamon 1 ounce
Add three pints of water, simmer to one quart, pour boiling hot upon one
ounce of grated nutmeg, one-half ounce ginger, powdered, one half pound of
granulated sugar. Exercise in the open air and nourishing food are
indispensable."
7. Leucorrhea, Common Vinegar for.--"Two tablespoonfuls vinegar in two
quarts of water (warm or hot), used as a douche at bedtime, until cured,"
This will cure some mild cases and has an astringent action.
8. Leucorrhea, an Easily Prepared Remedy for.--"Red oak bark tea used with
syringe; follow with hot water." Steep the red oak bark and make a tea of
it, using about two or three teaspoonfuls of the bark to a pint of hot
water. This acts as an astringent and the red oak bark contains a good
deal of tannin which is very beneficial in cases of this kind.
9. Leucorrhea, Home-Made Suppositories for.--"Take a small piece of
medicated cotton, and saturate in pure glycerin and insert in the vagina
at night, after a warm salt injection has been taken to thoroughly cleanse
the parts." So many women of today are careless about taking injections,
at least once or twice a week. Many of these diseases could be avoided in
the beginning by women being more cleanly. This saturated cotton acts as a
suppository absorbing the mattery secretion and in that way relieves the
congestion.
[512 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
10. Leucorrhea, a Good Home Remedy for.--"Cleanse the parts affected with
warm water with a little castile or ivory soap in it, by means of an
injection. Then inject a full syringe of the mixture, made by dropping a
tablespoonful of extract of witch-hazel (Pond's is best) into warm water;
repeat each night until cured." The injection of soap and water is one of
the essential things to do for leucorrhea, as it cleanses the parts
thoroughly and the witch-hazel is very soothing and healing.
11. Leucorrhea, a New York Doctor's Remedy for.--"Fluid extract of Oregon
grape root (sometimes called mild grape) mixed with a simple syrup and
given in teaspoonful doses, three times a day, is recommended by Dr. W. W.
Myers, as a curative for leucorrhea."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--First is to do away, if possible, with local
disease, like inflammations, tear of the cervix, etc. The general system
should be built up with tonics. The same treatment as for anemia and
chlorosis will be usual for this trouble. Refer to those diseases.
Local.--The vagina should be kept as clean as possible with the hot water
injections. To the hot water many simple remedies can be added with much
benefit.
1. One ounce of white oak bark in a pint of boiling water makes a good
injection for this trouble. Before any medicine is used the vagina should
always be washed out by an injection of warm water. Then follow with the
indicated injection and retain it as long as possible.
2. Tannic acid and glycerin, equal parts, one ounce to two quarts of warm
water, is a good injection.
3. Lloyd's Golden Seal is splendid, used in the proportion of four
teaspoonsful to a pint of warm water.
4. This combination gives good service:--
Sulphate of Zinc 1 dram
Sulphate of Alum 1 dram
Glycerin 6 ounces
Put a tablespoonful to each quart of warm water and use as injection.
It is well to remember the injections must be given in large quantities,
and used in a fountain syringe. A gallon can be used at one time.
5. Witch-hazel in warm water makes an excellent injection in many cases.
It can be used in the proportion of one-fifth water of witch-hazel to
four-fifths of warm water.
6. Many other simple remedies may be named, Cranesbill is one. Vaginal
cones are now made for leucorrhea. These are used about every third night
and a thorough injection taken the next day. There are many varieties,
most of them are good and can be bought at any drug store.
[WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT 513]
MENOPAUSE. (Change of Life). The active menstrual life lasts on an average
for thirty years and ends between forty and fifty years of age. The courts
have recognized the age of fifty-three years as the limit that a woman can
become pregnant.
The onset of the change of life, may be sudden or gradual. The organs
shrink and waste. The womb shrinks and part of its muscular tissue
disappears and its walls become thin, soft and relaxed. The ovaries become
small and harder. The vagina shortens and also becomes narrower. Sudden
mental shock, wasting disease or change of climate, may cause a sudden
appearance of the change of life.
Symptoms.--Many women hardly notice any change, as it comes on gradually.
Other women have all kinds of bodily and mental symptoms, and some are
afraid of becoming insane. The heart palpitates readily, feelings of heat
and cold, flushes of heat of the face, followed by sudden sweating. Rush
of blood to the head so quickly sometimes as to make the patient lose
temporary consciousness. The spirits are very much depressed,
sleeplessness is common in some women.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Change of Life, a Useful Herb Remedy for.--
"Motherwort is one of the most useful herbs to relieve obstructed
menstrual flow. There is no better herb for cleansing the womb and
removing obstructions in the female at change of life. Dose: A
wineglassful of the decoction three times a day."
2. Change of Life, excessive Flowing. An Old Tried Remedy for.--"One ounce
of nutmeg, grated, one pint Jamaica rum. Mix well and shake before taking.
Dose :--One teaspoonful three times a day as long as necessary." I tried
this remedy upon the advice of a physician at the time of "change of life"
and was very soon relieved, so I heartily recommend it.
3. Change of Life. Good Advice From an Experienced Mother.--"The first and
most important point to consider is the general health of the patient. If
the general health can be sustained there will be no danger attending this
critical period of life. Therefore whatever form of disease may manifest
itself the one object should be to seek a remedy in time. Take special
pains to preserve general good health and take care not to overwork, take
plenty of outdoor exercise and keep up a regular action of the bowels.
Purify the blood with tonics if necessary."
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--Exercise, fresh air, with freedom from worry,
anxiety and care. Many women at this time of life need much encouragement,
and cheerful company is a good tonic. Prominent annoying symptoms should
be met with the proper medicine. Irregular bleeding of the womb at this
time or after should lead to an examination as to its origin.
[514 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CYSTOCELE--Cystocele is simply a tumor formed by the bladder pressing into
the walls of the vagina. The bladder descends into the pelvis on account
of relaxation or destruction of its normal support. The anterior wall of
the vagina yields.
Causes.--Tear of the perineum allows the bottom of the pelvis to relax.
Undue relaxation of the ligaments of the bladder and of the floor of the
pelvis, with over distention of the bladder, are responsible for the
majority of the cases.
Symptoms.--Weight and dragging feeling. A tumor can be felt in the vagina.
It decreases when the bladder is emptied.
Treatment.--Supports are suitable in some cases (Skene's pessary). An
operation is necessary in many cases.
RECTOCELE.--The muscle that holds up the lower end of the rectum is
relaxed or torn and this deprives the lower end of the rectum of its
support so that during expulsion of the feces forward distention of the
anterior wall of the rectum into the vagina results. The posterior wall of
the vagina is carried before the advancing anterior rectal wall, and
appears at the entrance of the vagina as a bulging tumor which is
increased in size with every effort of the rectum to cast out the feces.
Causes.--Hard child-birth (labor) and the long time the head of the child
was resting on the perineum. This resulted in an overstretching or tear of
the muscle that holds up the lower end of the bowel and the parts were
necessarily weakened.
Symptoms.--It is hard to entirely empty the rectum because of the presence
of the tumor. This is soft, rounded, increasing and decreasing in size and
disappears upon pressure.
Treatment.--Keep, if possible, the tumor from getting larger, regulate the
bowels.
An operation may be necessary to restore the parts to their normal
condition. A physician must be consulted.
[OBSTETRICS OR MIDWIFERY 515]
OBSTETRICS OR MIDWIFERY
Small bodies are contained in the ovaries. These are called eggs or ova.
The human egg is about 1/125 of an inch in diameter. This egg enlarges and
one or more escape from the ovaries, usually about the time of the monthly
sickness, and are caught by the ends of the Fallopian tube, enter its
canal and are carried into the womb. After they have arrived in the womb
they are, as a rule, cast off with the secretion and leave the body. If in
the course of its travel from the ovaries, through the tube to the womb,
the female ovum or egg meets with the male elements, fertilization or
impregnation may take place. If then it is not cast off it generally
lodges in the womb and pregnancy has begun. The male and female elements
are usually supposed to meet in the outer portion of the Fallopian tubes,
fertilization then taking place; but this can occur any place from the
ovary to the womb. When the fertilized egg enters the womb it is usually
arrested in the folds of the womb membrane nearest the opening of the tube
and at once attaches itself to the womb wall. The folds by which it is
surrounded then grow forward and their edges unite over the egg or ovum
forming a sac--the decidua reflexa. Then follows the development of this
ovum and with it the development of the womb, and this growth or
development constitutes the process which is called pregnancy.
The Embryo or impregnated egg is nourished in the womb by measures
preparing for it. The placenta or after-birth forms during the third month
of pregnancy. Its function is to furnish nourishment breathing
(respiration) and excreting power to the embryo or impregnated egg. The
fully developed after-birth is a roundish spongy mass with a diameter of
about eight inches and weighs about one pound. It is usually thickest at
the center, the edges thinning out to the membranes. The inner surface is
smooth and glistening and is covered by a membrane (amnion) and beneath
this two arteries and a vein branch in all directions.
The cord is attached to the inner surface of the after-birth and is of a
glistening white color, varying in thickness, and is about twenty-two
inches long, but it may be longer or shorter. It contains two arteries and
a vein, which run in a somewhat spinal course.
DEVELOPMENT AT DIFFERENT MONTHS.--
First month.--There are indications of the eyes, mouth and anus. The
extremities are rudimentary. The heart is 4/10 of an inch long.
Second month.--It is now about one inch long. The eyes, nose and ears can
be distinguished. External genitals. There are suggestions of the hands
and feet.
[516 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Third month.--The ovum is now the size of a goose-egg. Fingers and toes
separate, nails look like fine membranes. The neck separates the head from
the body. The sex can now be told. Length is five inches. Weight about 460
grains.
Fourth month.--Six inches long and now weighs 850 grains. Short hairs are
present. Head equal to about one-fourth entire body. May perceive
quickening.
Fifth month.--Ten inches long; weighs eight ounces. Eyelids begin to
separate. Heart sounds can be heard. Quickening takes place.
Sixth month.--Twelve inches long; weighs 23-1/2 ounces. There is hair on
the head, eyebrows and eyelashes are present. Testicles show near the
abdominal rings (openings).
Seventh month.--Fifteen inches long; weight 41-1/2 ounces. Pupillary
membrane disappears.
Eighth month.--Sixteen inches long; weight 3-1/2 pounds. Left testicle has
descended into the scrotum. Nails protrude to end of finger tips.
Ninth month.--Eighteen inches long; weighs 4-1/2 to 7 pounds. Features are
complete.
While this growth goes on in the embryo the womb itself shows changes. The
virgin womb averages 2-3/4 inches in length, 1-3/4 inches in width and 1
inch in thickness and weighs about 12 drams. At term (confinement) the
womb is about 14 inches long, 10 inches wide, and 9-1/2 inches thick. This
increase in size is necessary for its growing contents and is due to both
an enlargement of its tissues (hypertrophy) and to an increase in the
number of its cells (hyperplasia). The muscular fibres are elongated to
about 11 inches, and they are five times thicker than they are in a womb
that is not pregnant. The cervix or neck of the womb participates but
little in these changes, and remains practically the same until a few
weeks before confinement. It becomes softened as the result of congestion,
and the glands are more active, secreting a thick glairy mucus. The canal
also is more or less dilated.
While this process is going on in the womb, various other conditions show
themselves, sometimes in the parts of the body so distant that it may not
be easy to discover the connection with the womb. Almost any part of the
body is liable to show changes from its normal condition; and yet some of
these changes are so constant and regular as to be regarded as signs of
pregnancy. It must not be forgotten, however, that sure signs of
pregnancy, such as cannot be induced by other causes, are very limited,
especially in the early months.
[OBSTETRICS OR MIDWIFERY 517]
Changes occur in the genital organs that may lead a physician to suspect
that pregnancy may exist; but the first symptom that attracts the
attention of the woman, is the passing of the monthly period. This is not
an absolute sign of pregnancy, since other things or conditions may cause
it. The effect of the mind upon the body may cause it, and it also occurs
sometimes in early married life without any appreciable cause, unless it
may be then due to the effect upon the nervous system of the marital
relation. Again, the monthly sickness sometimes continues in a greater or
less degree, during a part or even the whole of pregnancy. Usually this
discharge is due to some diseased condition of the cervix. The fear of
impregnation in unmarried women after illicit intercourse will
occasionally suspend menstruation for one or two months.
Nausea and Vomiting.--Another symptom upon which considerable dependence
is placed is the morning sickness (nausea and vomiting). While this
symptom is common, yet its absence does not prove that the woman is not
pregnant. Some women go through the whole pregnancy without any sign of
this symptom.
Nausea accompanied or not by vomiting may appear at the very time of
conception, but it usually appears about the fourth or fifth week of
pregnancy and continues until the sixteenth week or longer. In some cases
it may last but a short time, in others it may continue until confinement.
It may be light or severe; It generally manifests itself upon arising in
the morning and subsides in a short time, but it may occur at any time of
the day and continue during the entire waking hours. It may be absent
entirely and, in rare instances, manifest itself in the husband alone. I
have known of one such case. This nausea may be excited only by various
odors or sights or may be caused by constipation. An increased secretion
from the salivary glands usually accompanies the stomach disturbances and
in some cases it may amount to salivation. An irresistible desire for
certain articles of food or drink, generally of a sour or acid nature, is
often developed. Indigestion, gas in the bowels and belching of gas are
frequently present. The appetite is often capricious or it may be entirely
lost (anorexia).
Breasts.--Changes in the breasts also constitute a sign of pregnancy. As
an early symptom, there may be a feeling of fullness, sometimes pain. They
become larger and firmer from the development of the individual lobules,
which have an irregular knotty feel. A fat deposit takes place between the
lobules and in the other parts of the breast. The nipples increase in
size, are harder to the touch, become more prominent. A few drops of a
turbid fluid, colostrum, may be pressed from the nipple as early as the
third month. The veins under the skin become larger and more conspicuous.
The rose-colored circles (rings) around the nipples are broadened and are
slightly elevated above the surrounding skin and there is a marked
increase in their pigmentation, the color varying with the complexion of
the individual from reddish pink to brown and black. These changes usually
occur at the beginning of the third month, and if the woman has already
had a child the question of pregnancy has been decided by inspection of
these breast changes.
Bladder.--This is sometimes irritable in the later months, causing a
frequent desire to pass urine. It sometimes occurs in the second or third
week and is sometimes followed, later, by an inability to retain the urine
which escapes at any time. This, however, is not frequent.
[518 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Abdominal changes.--There is a slight flattening of the lower abdomen at
the second month, due to the sinking of the womb. There is also a slight
retraction (drawing back) of the navel. After the third month, when the
womb begins to ascend out of the pelvis, a progressive enlargement of the
abdomen begins and continues until near the end of pregnancy, when the
womb again sinks and the so-called lightening occurs. The protrusion of
the abdomen is more marked usually on the right side. There is often an
increased deposit of fat in the lower portion of the abdomen, as well as
on the hips and thighs. The navel may protrude after the sixth month,
Pigmentation.--Pigmentation or darkening of the middle line of the abdomen
begins by the eighth or twelfth week, and a dark band about 1/8 of an inch
wide extends from the pubis (bone) to and around the navel or even higher.
This shows plainer in brunettes, where it is quite conspicuous.
Discolorations also appear on other parts of the body, especially on the
face, "moth patches."
Quickening.--This is caused by the movement of the child (foetus) in the
womb. The impact of the enlarging womb, through the child (foetal)
movements, against the abdominal wall about the sixteenth week of
pregnancy gives rise to this sensation called quickening. Some women claim
to have experienced this sensation at a much earlier date, and by some it
is not felt at all. Gas in the bowels and contraction of the muscles of
the abdomen may give a chance for mistakes. In the later months of
pregnancy, the movements sometimes become so violent as to produce
perceptible movements of the womb and the abdominal muscles, and sometimes
they are the cause of the pain.
The Blood.--The blood is increased in quantity and slightly altered in its
composition. The water, fibrin and white corpuscles are increased; the red
cells are at first relatively diminished, but later return to normal.
Nervous System.--The nervous system is over sensitive and the disposition
of the woman may undergo a radical change, mental exaltation and
depression are often exhibited.
Constipation is the Rule.--Neuralgias in different parts of the body,
especially in the face and teeth, are common. Palpitation of the heart and
difficulty in breathing may be experienced. A discharge from the vagina is
almost always present, due to the increased circulation in the cervix and
vagina.
The Foetal Heart-beat.--This is the one positive sign of pregnancy and it
may be heard as early as the sixteenth to the twentieth week. It has been
compared to the ticking of a watch under a pillow. It ranges in frequency
from one hundred and ten to one hundred and fifty to a minute.
[OBSTETRICS OR MIDWIFERY 519]
Pelvic Signs.--As early as the first month of pregnancy a faint violet
color of the anterior wall of the vagina just below the opening of the
urethra may be distinguished. In the third month this color has become
purplish and pronounced. This sign is present in eighty per cent of cases.
There is also a more or less marked lividity of the vaginal portion of the
cervix from the first month of pregnancy. Also there is softening of the
cervix as early as the sixth week, and as pregnancy advances the whole of
the cervix is softened.
Duration of Pregnancy.--This is for all practical purposes two hundred and
eighty days.
How to Determine Date of Confinement.--The best rule is to count backward
three months from the first day of the last menstrual period and add seven
days to it. To be more accurate, in April and September only six days
should be added; in December and January, five days; and in February, four
days.
Position of the Womb.--At four months the top of the womb has risen above
the pelvic brim bone in front; at five months, it is midway between the
bone (pubic) and the navel; at six months, it is at the navel; at seven
months, it is four fingers breadths above the navel; at eight months, it
is midway between the navel and the bottom of the breast bone; at nine
months, it is to the breast bone; from the middle to the end of the ninth
month, the top of the womb sinks to about the position occupied at the
eighth month.
Twins occur about once in ninety to one hundred and twenty, triplets once
in one thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, and quadruplets once in
three hundred and seventy-one thousand one hundred and twenty-six
pregnancies. The causes are unknown. Twin conception is more common in
women who have borne children, and more so in the elderly than in the
young, first bearing women (primiparae).
Sex.--Children from the same ovum (egg) are always of the same sex. Of
twins in general, more than one-third are males, less than one-third are
females, and in the remaining one-third both sexes occur. The after-birth
is always, at least at first, double.
Diagnosis.--In twin pregnancy the symptoms and disorders of pregnancy are
apt to be exaggerated, and watery swelling above the pubic bone is almost
always present in the latter months. The abdomen is larger and broader and
there may be a depression dividing the abdominal wall in two spaces. The
womb is much distended and the walls are thin.
Hygiene of pregnancy.--In pregnancy the dividing line between health and
disease is often so shadowy that every care should be given the pregnant
woman, not only that she shall escape dangers that may come, but that the
future health of the coming baby may be safeguarded.
The care taken in pregnancy therefore should include attention to
clothing, food, exercise, rest, sleep, functions of all excreting organs,
the breasts, nervous system and the mind.
[520 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Clothing.--This should be worn loose. The heavier garments should not be
held by the waist but suspended from the shoulders. Flannels, if possible,
should be worn next the skin excepting, possibly, during the warmest
weather. Every precaution should be taken not to take cold or to chill the
surface of the body, as this might bring on an acute trouble of the
kidneys. As soon as the womb has risen out of the pelvis during the fourth
month, the corset should be absolutely abandoned, since pressure upon the
enlarging womb tends to cause acute Bright's disease and uraemia, and
these troubles are always to be guarded against. During the later months
of pregnancy, when the abdominal enlargement is great, a linen or elastic
bandage may be worn with great comfort, but it must be so put on as to
support and not press upon the womb.
Food.--The food of the pregnant woman should be simple, wholesome,
nutritious, of the kind that is easily digested and enough to satisfy the
demands of her system; excessive eating should be avoided. A mixed diet is
to be preferred, but the diet should be of such kind as to help to
overcome the constipation, usual in pregnancy. Meat should not be eaten in
as great quantities. It not only tends to produce more constipation but
also has injurious effect upon the kidneys, and anything that in any way
puts a greater burden upon the kidneys in pregnancy should be avoided. All
foods that are likely to produce indigestion, heart burn, or irritation of
the stomach and liver, such as sweets, fried, greasy, highly spiced foods;
greasy rich gravies, or pastry should not be eaten.
The heartiest meal should be taken near midday and the stomach, especially
at night, should never be overloaded. Water should, be drank freely, as it
tends to overcome the constipation and wash out the kidneys. Some women do
better with lighter meals and taken more frequently. Some do better by
taking their breakfast before rising.
Bathing.--Extremes in hot and cold bathing should be avoided. The skin
should be kept active by daily comfortable baths, followed by a brisk
rubbing with a rough towel. The Bowels and Bladder.--The bowels, as before
stated, are usually constipated and should be kept open by coarse foods,
fruit and, when necessary, mild laxatives; mineral waters and enemas
especially should not be given. It should not be forgotten that in some
women injections into the bowel are liable to bring on contractions of the
womb.
No woman, and especially no pregnant woman, should ever neglect the
bowels, as much discomfort and ill health are caused by improper
eliminations of the bowel contents. The bladder should also have proper
care. This is apt to be irritable during the early and later months of
pregnancy, owing to being pressed upon by the womb. A mild inflammation
arises in some cases. The woman should take plenty of water, either pure
or effervescing, to induce sufficient secretion in the kidneys, and also
to flush them. This is also very good for an irritable bladder. In order
that the physician may keep himself informed regarding the condition of
the kidneys, the urine of every pregnant woman should be examined, both
chemically and microscopically, every two weeks from the beginning of
pregnancy; during the late months of pregnancy the urine analysis should
be made weekly. Catherized specimens should be used because leucorrheal
discharges, so common in pregnancy, may give the albumin reaction. If the
above advice of Dr. Manton, of Detroit, was followed in every case there
would be fewer cases of trouble during the confinement. I remember one
case; the lady was seven months along when I was called. She was feeling
badly and complained much of her eyes; an analysis of the urine showed
thick with albumin. The failure of her sight was due to thc condition of
her kidneys. If the urine had been examined early and often, her condition
might have been prevented. Watch the kidneys, have the urine examined
frequently and carefully.
[OBSTETRICS OR MIDWIFERY 521]
Exercise, Rest and Sleep.--Plenty of exercise in the open air should be
taken daily, without this health cannot be maintained. It should not be
violent or so great as to fatigue and overtire. Slow riding in a carriage
and walking will give the best results. Horseback riding and riding in an
automobile should be avoided. The woman should sit out of doors as much as
possible. Plenty of sleep is also necessary. Eight hours are not too much
at night, and lying down an hour or two during the forenoon and afternoon
is very restful and desirable.
The Vagina.--When there is a profuse discharge of leucorrhea, a daily
vaginal douche is necessary. This should consist of a quart of warm
solution (as much as the water will dissolve) of boric acid, or an equal
amount of mild carbolic acid (one to eighty). The temperature of the
solution should be about 100 degrees F., and it should be injected slowly,
and without any force to the stream.
It is also best to remain in the recumbent position for some time after
the injection, to rest.
The Breast and Nipples.--These should be bathed once or twice daily in
cool or tepid water until the last month or two of pregnancy. Astringent
application should not be applied to the nipples to harden them. If the
nipples are small, undeveloped or retracted they should be pulled out
several times daily by the fingers and gently rubbed, and this will
usually stimulate their growth. Cocoa butter or castor oil may be applied
during the last month.
Nervous System and the Mind.--The pregnant woman is very susceptible to
annoying conditions of the social and domestic surroundings; such should
be removed, if possible, and excitement of every kind should be avoided.
Everything should be made bright and comfortable around her, cheerfulness
should be the rule in the home and she should be treated with every care
and consideration. Surroundings will influence the coming baby's future.
[522 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Disorders of Pregnancy.--Nausea and vomiting.--The simple nausea and
vomiting of pregnancy needs no treatment. This kind generally disappears
by the third or fourth month, but it may persist in a mild form during the
greater part of pregnancy. Generally the regulation of the diet and
attention to the bowels are all that is necessary to be done for this
trouble. Foods should be chosen carefully and only such foods taken that
agree with the stomach and lessen the constipation. Sometimes taking a
light breakfast in bed saves the usual morning sickness. It is best then
to remain lying for some time after eating. When the condition is annoying
the following powder will give much relief: powder Ingluvin, oxalate of
cerium, of each five grains. Mix thoroughly and take one, every one or two
hours as needed. A physician should be consulted if this trouble is very
severe.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Pregnancy, A Great Aid for.--"Soothing syrup or
Mother's friend, while pregnant. Two ounces each of cramp bark, blue
cohosh, slippery elm, raspberry leaves, squaw vine, orange peel and bitter
root. Simmer gently in sufficient water to keep herbs covered for two
hours, strain and steep gently down to one quart. Let it stand to cool,
then add one cup granulated sugar, and four ounces alcohol. Dose.--One
tablespoonful two or three times a day for several weeks before the birth
of the child. This has been thoroughly tried and causes an easy birth
where difficulty has been expected."
2. Nausea of Pregnancy, Menthol and Sweet Oil for.--"Vomiting and nausea
of pregnancy; a twenty per cent solution of menthol in sweet oil; use ten
drops on sugar when nausea appears." The menthol acts on the stomach and
quiets it. This will be found very beneficial.
3. Pregnancy, Bouillon or Broth for.--"Was weak and generally run down.
Family physician warned me I would never survive the birth of another
child. I bought each day several beef bones and boiled them for three
hours. I also bought chicken feet, scalded them and scraped them until the
outside skin peeled off, then boiled the chicken feet with the bones. Skim
surface from time to time. I would then heat up a raw egg in a glass and
fill glass with this broth and drink it warm." This lady would take a
glass whenever thirsty or six or seven times a day. She increased in
strength immediately, within a year was the mother of a healthy baby girl
now nineteen years old and believes her life was saved by the above.
Anyone will find this worth trying.
[OBSTETRICS OR MIDWIFERY 523]
Indigestion and Heart-burn.--This should be treated the same as under
other conditions. Diet, habits, should be regulated. The bowels and
kidneys should be regulated and do their eliminating work. For heart-burn
the popular remedy, magnesia may be taken or dilute hydrochloric acid with
nux vomica. One teaspoonful or effervescing citrate of magnesia dissolved
in water and drank, is a convenient remedy. Also, five drops of diluted
hydrochloric acid in water, taken after meals, through a tube, and one or
two drops of nux vomica before meals is beneficial. The following is an
excellent combination from Dr. Hare, of Philadelphia:
Dilute Hydrochloric Acid 2 drams
Essence of Pepsin 1 ounce
Compound Tincture of Gentian enough to make 4 ounces
Mix. Take one or two teaspoonfuls in a little water with meals.
In cases where it is impossible to eat anything the patient must be fed by
the rectum. In such cases a doctor must be called. Fortunately such severe
cases are very rare. The following for rectal feeding is given by Dr.
Manton, of Detroit, and is a good combination. Give every four hours:
Liquid Beef Peptonoids 3 drams
White of an Egg
Whisky 3 drams
Beef Tea or Warm Water enough to make 3 ounces
The rectum should be washed out once or twice daily in the interval
between the feeding.
Teeth.--The teeth are often affected during pregnancy, softening and
decaying rapidly, causing severe neuralgia. The teeth should be cleaned
frequently during the day to get rid of the secretions of the mouth, and
at night before retiring. Milk of magnesia should be held in the mouth for
a few minutes; cavities in the teeth should be stopped with a temporary
filling. Teaspoonful of lacto phosphate of lime can be taken three times a
day with benefit.
Constipation.--The enlarging womb pressing upon the rectum and also
irregularity in diet causes constipation at this time. Daily free bowel
movements are necessary to prevent the kidneys from overworking. As stated
before, the diet should be strictly regulated. Cascara sagrada cordial is
a good mild laxative to take, if necessary.
Difficult Breathing.--This usually comes late in pregnancy and is due to
the pressure of the womb upon the diaphragm; the patient should avoid
excitement and sleep with the shoulders well elevated. In the ninth month
the womb drops lower and the breathing is better.
Varicose Veins and Piles.--Varicose veins: These are due to the pressure
on the veins so that the return flow of blood is impeded and occur as a
rule late in pregnancy. They are seen oftenest on the inner side of the
thighs, the lower extremities, the vulva, and in the region of the anus.
As a rule, they do not give much trouble. When they become painful or
inflamed the patient should lie down, with the legs elevated and use water
of witch-hazel applied with cloths. Elastic stockings, properly fitted,
give much relief when the trouble is on the thigh and leg.
[524 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Piles.--When these are troublesome the rectum should be emptied by a small
dose of salts, and the parts thoroughly washed with warm water, the piles
pushed back and local lotions applied (see treatment of piles). Hot
fomentations of witch-hazel frequently give great relief to the piles as
well as to the varicose veins. Regular movements of the bowels usually
will prevent piles. Piles will not usually give rise to much trouble
unless constipation exists.
Albumin in the urine. (Albuminuria).--While the urine of about six to ten
per cent of all pregnant women contains albumin, the appearance of this
symptom should always be regarded with apprehension. Women who are in
their first pregnancy are most frequently affected. If the woman has had
disease of the kidneys before her pregnancy began this symptom will likely
appear in the early months; if it is caused by pressure, etc., it may not
appear until after the sixth month, but both acute and chronic.
inflammation of the kidneys may develop at any period of pregnancy. Dr.
Manton, of Detroit, states, "In the majority of cases, the albuminuria is
due to the so-called kidney of pregnancy, in which there is no
inflammation, but a fatty infiltration of the epithelial cells associated
with anemia of the organ." The urine may also contain casts. Whatever the
cause it indicates a condition of insufficiency of the kidney which may
lead to serious consequences to the mother and it is also injurious to the
(foetus) child. If this symptom develops suddenly the danger to both is
greatly increased. For this reason physicians should urge pregnant women
to have their urine examined frequently, especially during the later
months of pregnancy.
Treatment.--Regulation of the diet; in pronounced cases the diet should
consist entirely of milk and the patient should take three or four quarts
in twenty-four hours. Meats, pastry and sweets must be prohibited, but
vegetables such as squash, spinach, salads may be added to the dietary in
ordinary cases. Vichy water may be taken alone or with the milk, and may
be taken freely. The bowels should be kept open with citrate of magnesia
(one to two teaspoonfuls in water) or epsom salts in peppermint water.
Exercise in the open air can be taken in moderation. Warm clothing should
be worn and flannel next the skin; exposure to cold and draughts should be
carefully avoided. If the more special symptoms appear, such as persistent
headache, vertigo, ringing in the ears, black or bright spots floating
before the eyes, dimness of vision, an abortion of miscarriage should be
induced without delay. Fortunately such cases are rare and with care from
the beginning seldom occur. Pregnant women should inform their family
physician at the beginning of pregnancy of their condition, and in the
great majority of cases serious troubles can be prevented. Physicians
expect this information and receive it as a matter of course, and no woman
should hesitate to inform her physician either personally or through her
husband.
[OBSTETRICS OR MIDWIFERY 525]
Abortion, Miscarriage, Premature Labor. (Accidents of pregnancy).--These
three terms indicate a premature expulsion of the products of conception.
Let us medically define these terms as follows; Abortion implies expulsion
of the foetus before the sixteenth week. Miscarriage, the expulsion
between the sixteenth and twenty-eighth weeks. Premature labor designates
the time of expulsion as between the twenty-eighth week to within a few
weeks before the normal termination of pregnancy. Miscarriage is the term
popularly used for the accidental loss of the products of conception.
Abortion, in the popular mind, expresses the intentional loss of the
products of conception. Abortion in the medical sense, takes place about
once in every four or five pregnancies. It occurs more frequently in those
who have borne children, occurring generally in the third or fourth
pregnancy, or toward the end of the child-bearing period, and it takes
place more frequently between the ninth and sixteenth week, when the
after- birth is in process of formation; and it is more liable to occur at
the time of the month when the normal menstruation would be due. It should
be borne in mind also that abortion occurring at this period is quite
dangerous to the mother's future health, and also dangerous to life; so
that at the first indication of abortion a physician should be called for
this trouble, because it needs care, both to prevent it and to assist the
woman to a successful ending when it is impossible to prevent it. This is
more dangerous to life than confinement at full term, and is apt to leave
behind a tendency to recurrence at the same time in the future
pregnancies, and also makes the woman liable to inflammatory conditions of
the womb.
Causes.--Abortion may be induced by many causes due to the mother, father,
and child. Among maternal causes may be mentioned any serious disease,
especially fevers, when accompanied by a rash on the skin, such as
smallpox, measles, scarlet fever. It is hard for a pregnant woman to go
through one of these diseases, without having an abortion. Syphilis,
tuberculosis, malaria, organic heart and kidney disease, diabetes, anemia,
and systemic poisoning also are causes; nervous disturbances as shock,
fright, sorrow, convulsions, chorea; mechanical causes, violent exercise,
lifting, blows, falls, coughing, vomiting; local causes, as wrong position
of the womb, inflammation of the womb, etc.; all are causes.
Causes. Due to the Father. Paternal.--Syphilis, alcoholism, lead
poisoning, excessive venery, extremes of youth or old age.
Foetal Causes.--Disease of the after-birth, other parts, of cord, death of
the foetus, placenta pravia, and yet many women are subjected to falls,
blows, etc., who carry their child to full term.
[526 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Symptoms.--These vary with the period of pregnancy where they occur. In
the earlier months the symptoms are those of profuse menstruation,
sometimes accompanied by more pain perhaps than usual. The ovum is then so
small that it escapes notice. In the profuse flow there may be
unaccustomed clots of blood; when this trouble occurs later in pregnancy
there are two constant symptoms which, together with the history of the
case, render the diagnosis easy. These prominent and constant symptoms are
pain and bleeding. The symptoms may be preceded by a bearing down feeling
in the lower abdomen, with backache, frequent calls to pass urine, and a
discharge from the vagina, that is a mixture of mucus and water. After
these symptoms last for a shorter or longer time, labor pains set in, the
bleeding increases and the contents of the womb are discharged. The ovum
may be expelled whole when it looks like a huge blood clot, or it may be
expelled partly and the membranes left behind; or the embryo (child)
alone, surrounded by the transparent membrane, escapes.
If the after-birth has formed it may be cast off entire or piecemeal. The
embryo (child) alone may escape, the neck of the womb contracts and shuts;
bleeding persists for an indefinite period, for weeks and weeks, until the
health of the poor woman is seriously affected. Persistent bleeding of
this kind is almost always due to the retention of portions of the
after-birth or membranes, and should prove to the woman that there is a
serious condition existing which should be speedily corrected. A physician
should be called who should make a thorough examination; and if such a
condition as above described is found, should free the womb from its
retained products, which are not only sapping the woman's life, but also
rendering the future health of the womb very uncertain.
Threatened Abortion.--If a bleeding takes place in the woman who is
pregnant, abortion may be assumed to threaten; a careful examination will
usually settle this matter.
Inevitable Abortion.--The abortion is probably inevitable if the bleeding
becomes persistent and free, the cervix softens, the womb dilates and the
labor pains set in. Still in spite of all these conditions, the bleeding
and pain may cease, and the pregnancy go on to full term, The result of
these cases, if carefully and properly treated, is favorable as far as the
mother is concerned.
Treatment. Preventive. In women where repeated abortions have occurred,
the cause should be diligently sought for. If syphilis exists the
treatment should be begun at the beginning of pregnancy. But when no
special cause can be found, and an irritable condition of the womb is
suspected to be present, the patient must be kept quiet in bed, especially
at the time when menstruation would normally occur. She should also be
guarded against lifting, fright, worry, over-exertion; and medicines like
bromide of potash, five to fifteen grains at a dose, given to quiet and
allay the nervous irritability.
Treatment of Threatened Abortion.--The patient should go to bed, lie down
and remain there, and if possible be not only quiet physically, but also
quiet mentally. The main remedy is opium, and if necessary to obtain a
quick action it can be given hypodermically in the form of morphine.
Otherwise, laudanum may be given by the mouth, twenty drops, repeated
cautiously, every three or four hours as required, or it can be given in
thirty-drop doses combined with a couple of ounces of starch water by the
rectum. Extract of opium in pill form, one grain three times a day by the
month; or a suppository of opium, one grain, may be inserted into the
rectum every four to six hours. After the bleeding and pain have ceased,
the emergency is probably passed; but rest in bed and quiet should be the
routine for one or more weeks, and the patient should always rest in bed
at the usual time of the menstrual period, during the remainder of the
pregnancy.
[OBSTETRICS OR MIDWIFERY 527]
Treatment of the Inevitable Abortion.--If the cervix is hard and the canal
is not dilated, especially if the bleeding is free, the vagina should be
packed full at once, if possible, with iodoform gauze. Rolls five yards
long and two inches wide can be bought perfectly adapted to this purpose.
A speculum should be used (Sims' or Graves') and the gauze should first be
packed tightly into corners (fornices) around the cervix, then over the
cervix and well down to the outlet. This should be held in place by a
proper (T) bandage. The gauze can be removed in from twelve to twenty-four
hours, and the ovum will generally be found lying upon the upper part of
the packing, or in the canal that is now dilated, from which it can easily
be removed. Sometimes it is necessary to repack and allow it to remain for
another twelve hours as the canal has not been sufficiently dilated by the
first packing. This packing not only causes the canal to dilate but
usually stops the bleeding. After the ovum has been expelled an antiseptic
vaginal douche should be given twice a day for a week or longer.
If at the first examination the cervix is found softened and the mouth of
the womb is open, but the womb has not yet expelled its contents, the
sterile (clean) finger may be introduced into the womb and the ovum and
membranes loosened and taken away, while this is being done counter
pressure should be made over the abdomen. After the womb has been cleared
of all its contents an antiseptic solution should be used, carefully, in
the womb to wash it out, and this followed by washing out of the vagina.
The after treatment is the same as that for labor at full term. The woman
should remain in bed at least ten days.
Placenta Praevia.--The after-birth is placed in the lower part of the
womb; (after-birth before the child). This is a dangerous condition and
terrible bleeding may occur. It occurs about one time out of every one
thousand. The main symptom is bleeding and this may occur at any period of
pregnancy. It usually appears from the seventh to the ninth month. The
outset is without any appreciable reason and without pain. The amount of
blood lost at the first attack may be so slight as to escape notice or
copious enough to endanger the life of the mother. This flow may occur at
any time during these months, and it may be small or great. If during the
course of pregnancy the bleeding occurs at intervals in the increasing
amount, the greater will be the loss of blood during the labor.
Treatment.--There is little danger of dangerous bleeding before the
seventh month, and a waiting treatment may be adopted, but the woman
should be closely watched and told what the trouble is, so she will be
willing to remain quiet. Rest in bed, the avoidance of all muscular
exercise and quieting medicines may enable the mother to carry the child
until it can live, when pregnancy must be quickly terminated. If the child
is dead the womb must be emptied at once. After the seventh month an
expectant treatment is no longer allowable, and authorities declare the
pregnancy should be terminated without delay. The mother is in great
danger from sudden free flow. This treatment must be given by an
experienced hand and only a physician can do it. If the pregnancy is
allowed to continue to full term the danger to the woman is very great, as
the mortality runs from thirty to sixty-five per cent; but under modern
treatment it has been brought down to five to ten per cent. The death rate
of the child is between fifty and seventy-five per cent.
[528 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Labor.--Labor may be defined as the physiological termination of pregnancy
whereby the mature foetus (child) and its appendages (after-birth, etc.),
are separated from the maternal organism.
Premonitory Signs of Labor.--Premonitory signs of labor, usually observed
from one to two weeks before the onset of the labor pains, is a sinking
down of the womb in the abdomen, whereby some of the unpleasant features
of pregnancy are relieved, and the so-called "lightening" takes place. The
waist line becomes small, the breathing is easier and the general
well-being of the woman is better, so that her friends are attracted by
her feeling of relief. But as a result of the womb descent and the
consequent pressure, irritation of the bladder and rectum may occur, and
she may have frequent calls to empty these organs. The vagina secretes
more actively, the veins enlarge, some dropsy may appear in the
extremities, and the womb contractions of pregnancy, which have been
painless, begin to cause more and more discomfort.
These false pains recur at regular intervals of hours or even days, and
generally at night, last for a varying period and usually disappear in the
morning. They often deceive the woman and lead her to the belief that the
labor has already begun; but examination of the cervix will reveal that
this is not so. It is well to bear in mind that the true labor pains
usually begin in the back, extend down to the thighs and often around to
the front and they recur at regular intervals, and with increasing
intensity.
The beginning of labor is characterized by recurring pains at regular
intervals and of increasing severity. There is also a discharge from the
vagina of mucus, and this is sometimes tinged with blood, "the show." If
an examination is now made, it will be found that the cervix (neck of the
womb) is shortened, and that the mouth of the womb is beginning to dilate.
At the beginning, the pains are usually in the back and spread to the
abdomen and down the thighs; but they may be felt first in the abdomen.
They return every half hour or twenty minutes, but as labor goes on the
interval is shortened, so that toward the end of the second stage when the
child is being born, they appear to be continuous, and the patient feels
as if she is encircled by a belt of pain; however, with all this, she will
bear the suffering easier and better for she knows that progress is being
made, and that she will soon be over the pains and the child born. A pain
rarely lasts more than one minute.
[OBSTETRICS OR MIDWIFERY 529]
STAGES OF LABOR.--First stage extends from the beginning of labor until
the mouth of the womb is dilated. Second stage, from the complete dilation
until the complete birth of the child. Third stage, from the birth of the
child until the expulsions of the after-birth--Placenta.
The First Stage.--The first stage varies greatly in different women. The
average duration of this stage is from ten to fourteen hours in the woman
with the first child, and six to eight hours in the woman who has borne
children. During this stage the woman prefers to remain on her feet, sit,
stand or walk about. The amount of pain experienced varies greatly,
according to the temperament of the patient; in nervous women it may be
excessive. The pains now have nothing of that bearing down character which
they afterward acquire; they are described as "grinding," are usually felt
in the front. The genitals become bathed with secretions, which are
sometimes tinged with blood. This is an especially trying period to a
young wife, for she cannot see that the pains are doing any good, only
making her restless, tired and nervous. Little can be done by the
physician in this stage except to encourage and explain what is really
being accomplished by these seemingly futile pains and by tact and proper
encouragement, a physician tides this stage over and gives great comfort
to the needy patient. This stage ends with the opening and dilation of the
mouth of the womb and the second or expulsive stage sets in, with pains
altered in character.
Second Stage.--The pains now become more frequent and severe and last
longer, and the patient now manifests a strong desire to expel the
contents of the womb. The woman now feels better in bed and when the pains
come she involuntarily bears down, with each contraction she sets her
teeth, takes a deep breath, fixes the diaphragm, contracts the muscles of
the abdomen and bears down hard if you allow her to do so. The knowledge
that she is working to overcome an obstacle gives her some satisfaction
and she feels that she is accomplishing something by the efforts she is
making. The physician can aid greatly by suggesting to the patient how to
use the pains and how much bearing down to do. He can tell her when not to
bear down, and so save her strength for the next real pain when bearing
down will do good. Although the pains are really harder in this stage,
nervous women suffer no more, for their mind is now concentrated upon the
work at hand. Sometimes at the beginning of this stage the patient feels
chilly or has a severe chill; a hot drink and more covering counteract
this. Another phenomena is the escape of the waters and a lull in the
pains for a little time, when they come on more effectively than before as
the womb contracts down upon the child and is not hindered by the "bag of
water." The pains keep on at intervals until the child is born and the
physician can now be of help by guiding, directing and assisting the birth
of the head. This stage averages about two hours.
[530 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Third Stage.--The birth of the head is very soon followed by the shoulders
and the rest of the body, and the woman is now at comparative rest. The
cord is now tied and cut and the child laid away, if all right, in a warm
place until it can be washed and dressed. Following the birth of the child
there is a short resting period, the contractions of the womb cease and it
becomes smaller through retraction. After a few minutes the pains begin
again, the after-birth separates from its attachment in the womb, and
together with the membranes is extruded into the vaginal canal and vulvar
opening; whence it can be easily delivered by pressing upon the abdomen
over the lump (womb) and by guiding the after-birth with the cord. This
should be done slowly so that the membranes will all come away with the
after-birth.
This should always be examined to be certain that everything has come
away. A greater or less amount of clots of blood come with the
after-birth. The contraction of the womb stops the bleeding, one hand
should be kept on the abdomen over the womb, to see that it remains hard
and retracted. The womb moves under the hand. If it softens, gentle
rubbing should be kept up and the womb will soon remain contracted. This
stage averages about fifteen minutes.
MANAGEMENT OF LABOR.--Preparation of the Bed.--The bed should be high,
springs not soft, with a firm and smooth mattress. It should be placed so
that both sides are accessible. The bed should be made up on the right
side as a rule, as the woman usually lies on her left side when delivered.
Place a rubber, or an oil cloth sheet, over the mattress, and over this an
ordinary muslin sheet and secure this with safety pins to the corners of
the mattress. This is the permanent bed; on top of this is the second
rubber sheet and this is covered with another muslin sheet and both held
by safety pins. This is the temporary bed. Plenty of hot and cold boiled
water should also be at hand. Frequently only a temporary bed is made with
rubber or oil cloth underneath, blanket and sheet above this. They should
be fastened so that the movements of the woman will not disorder them.
These can be removed after the confinement and new, clean warm clothes put
in their place. The objection to this is the woman may be too tired to be
moved, while, with the permanent and temporary bed arrangement she need
not be moved at all, only lifted, while the temporary bed is being removed
and she is then let down easily upon clean bedding.
Preparation of the Patient.--The patient, if she desires, can take a full
bath. The bowels should be moved thoroughly with a soap and water
injection so that the rectum will be fully emptied. This makes labor not
only easier, but pleasanter, as no feces will be discharged during labor.
The bladder should also be emptied. The external organs should be
scrupulously cleansed and bathed with some antiseptic solution, like
glycothymoline, listerine, borolyptol, etc. A fresh suit of underwear may
then be put on and over this a loose wrapper.
[OBSTETRICS OR MIDWIFERY 531]
Examination of the Patient.--The physician needs to satisfy himself as to
the position of the child, etc. This can be done by an examination of the
abdomen and also of the vagina. He must determine whether the child is
alive, its position, the condition of the cervix and mouth of the womb. In
making such examination a routine plan should be adopted. The coat must be
removed, the shirt sleeves turned up and the hands and arms washed with
soap and water. The abdomen should be thoroughly palpated (felt) and
listened to with the ear or stethoscope to determine the character of the
child's heart beat, whether it be very slow, one hundred and twenty or
less, or a very rapid one, one hundred and fifty or more. It may indicate
danger to the child and necessitate a hurried delivery. After these things
have been done, the hands and arms must again be thoroughly washed and
sterilized, the fingers anointed with carbolated vaselin and the
examination of the vagina made.
This cleanliness is necessary, and if this plan were carried out by
everyone connected with the patient during the whole confinement, there
would be fewer cases of "child-bed" fever, with its resultant diseases.
The patient should lie on her back with the knees drawn up. There is no
need for any exposure now, for the covering can be held up by an attendant
so that it will not touch the physician's hands. The soft parts are now
separated by the fingers of one hand while the examining fingers are
introduced into the vagina. These fingers should never touch any external
part and especially the parts near the anus. If the cervix is found to be
long and the canal still undilated, or only slightly so, and especially if
it is the first child (primipara), the physician's presence is not needed
and he may safely leave for an hour or two. But if the mouth (os) of the
womb is dilated to the size of a silver dollar he should on no account
leave the house.
Frequent examination of the vagina should not be made. In ordinary cases
during the first stage, the woman should be up and encouraged to walk
about the room, to sit or assume any comfortable position. During a pain
she may stand beside the bed resting her hands upon something or kneel in
front of the bed or chair. The standing position assists in the birth. The
bladder should be emptied frequently, as a distended bladder retards labor
and may even stop the womb contractions. The pains become more frequent
and severe as the end of this stage approaches and each contraction is now
accompanied by straining or a bearing down effort on the part of the
woman, and as a rule the membranes rupture spontaneously about this time.
An examination of the vagina should now be made with the woman in bed, and
if the membranes have not broken and the womb is completely dilated as
shown during the pain, they may be ruptured by pressing against them with
a finger-nail during a pain. Sometimes we use every means to retain the
membranes intact, but that is when protection for the child is needed for
sometime longer. If the suffering is very severe, during this stage,
fifteen grains of chloral hydrate, well diluted with water, may be given
every fifteen or thirty minutes until sixty grains have been given. (This
medicine should never be given to a person with heart trouble). I find one
drop doses of the tincture of Gelsemium every fifteen to thirty minutes of
benefit, especially if the womb does not dilate well, or the patient is
very nervous. The patient may receive and can receive light nourishment
during this stage.
[532 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Management of the Second Stage.--After the rupture of the membranes the
labor proceeds faster and a termination may be expected within a
reasonable time. There is a short lull in the pains, usually, after the
waters have escaped and during this time the patient should remove her
clothing and put on a night dress, and to prevent its being soiled roll it
well up under the arms and retain it there. After labor it can be very
easily pulled down and made comfortable for the patient. A folded, clean,
sterile sheet is now placed about the body and extremities and held in
place by a cord around the waist. The opening in the sheet should be in
the right side, as this will allow the assistance being given as needed.
The powerful force of the abdominal muscles is now brought into action;
the force is best utilized with the woman lying on her back.
She should now be encouraged to bear down during the pains and she will be
greatly assisted by pulling on a sheet or long towel tied to the foot of
the bed, or by holding the hand of the nurse. A support for her feet
frequently aids the woman. Pressing low on her back relieves her to some
extent. In the intervals between the pains she should rest, do nothing,
and be perfectly passive. It is now that an anesthetic may be used to
relieve the suffering. She should not be put completely under its
influence for that is not only unnecessary, but injurious. Chloroform when
used should be given on a handkerchief opened and loosely held over the
woman's face, and administered drop by drop on the handkerchief. The
handkerchief should be placed over the face at the beginning of the pain
and be taken away as soon as the pain is stopped. The woman inhales the
chloroform during the pains and their sharpness is blunted. Given in that
way it is not considered dangerous. It should only be pushed to
unconsciousness during a forceps delivery, and even then it is not always
necessary to render the woman unconscious. I have used the forceps without
giving an anesthetic. They should be placed without causing any special
pain, and assist in delivery without causing any more pain when the head
is down low. Of course if the forceps must be used when the head is high
up a greater amount of anesthetic is needed.
Dr. Manton, of Detroit, says:--"The dangers of anesthetics are the same
when employed for obstetric purposes as in surgery, and then use should be
governed by the same rules in each instance." As soon as the head begins
to dilate the vulvar opening, the patient should be turned on her left
side with her knees drawn up and her body lying diagonally across the bed,
with the buttocks close to and parallel with the edge. This position
allows the physician to give better assistance and is no harder for the
patient.
[OBSTETRICS OR MIDWIFERY 533]
The physician with his hands thoroughly sterilized and with a clean
sterilized gown, seats himself on the edge of the bed and watches the
progress of the labor, ready to assist the woman at any moment. And at
this time he can do much by words of encouragement and proper directions
to the laboring woman how to use her pains so as to get the most from
them; and also by manipulation of the soft parts and the head. The head
advances more and more with each succeeding pain, and the perineum is put
on the stretch, each contraction is followed by a resting pause during
which the head slips back a little and relieves the perineum. Tear of the
perineum is liable to take place when the head is about to escape through
the vulvar opening, especially if the contractions are strong, the woman
bears down forcibly and the interval between the pains is short, so that
the head is forced out before the parts have time to completely dilate and
soften. Here is where the physician's work comes in, by holding the head
back and fully flexed (bent), chin upon the breast, and keeping the back
of the head (occiput) well up towards the bone in front (pubic arch) until
thc perineum is completely dilated.
The effect of the pains can be lessened, if necessary, also, by telling
the woman to open her mouth and not to bear down during the pain for a few
times. In this way the perineum will dilate properly and be torn little,
if at all, and perhaps much future trouble for the woman saved. I always
tell my patient why I ask her to do certain things in labor and I have
never found any woman who, when able, was not willing to do as I asked. A
torn perineum is not desirable, because even when sewn up immediately
after labor, it may not unite thoroughly, and thus cause displacements of
the womb in the future. A little time and care at the time of labor will
save the perineum and every woman is willing to do her share when the
conditions are plainly explained to her. It takes only a few minutes
longer, and only a few more pains to bear. When the head begins to stretch
the opening, the left hand of the physician should be carried over the
woman's abdomen and between the thighs, her right leg being supported by a
pillow placed between her knees, and this left hand presses the back of
the head (occiput) forward and against the "pubic arch." The right hand
may also press the head upward by being placed against the posterior
portion of the dilated perineum. The edge of the perineum should now be
closely watched. A small towel wrung out of a bowl of hot water placed
handy on a chair, should be held constantly against the perineum to hasten
the softening and dilatation of these tissues. Plenty of hot water and
small towels should be at hand. The head advances with each pain and again
recedes until the parts are properly dilated, and the perineum slips
backward over the child's face.
[534 MOTHERS' REMEDIES ]
If torn, it should be sewed before the physician leaves, as it can be done
easily and without pain to the mother. As the head of the child emerges,
the anesthetic should be pushed, or the woman told to open her mouth and
cry out. This lessens the pain and the child's head emerges slower, and
the perineum is saved. The child's head should be received in the hand.
After the head is born, there is a lull for a few moments. Then the
shoulders rotate into the proper position and are easily born. There may
then be a flow of watery fluid for a few seconds. Before this time the
physician has examined to see whether the cord is around the child's neck,
released it if it has been, and also cleaned out the child's mouth. The
child usually cries a little about this time and it is soon seen whether
it needs quick attention. The perineum should be guarded also while the
shoulders are being born as it can be torn by them. The shoulders are
generally born without any help. The child's head is held in the
physician's hand. As soon as the body is born, the child should be laid
upon the bed behind the mother's thighs, and the cord pulled down to
prevent it pulling upon the after-birth. After the beating in the cord has
ceased, generally from five to ten minutes have elapsed, the cord is then
tied, tight enough so it will not bleed afterward, about one or one and
one half inches (some say more) from the body and tied a second time an
inch or so from the first ligature, and the cord cut between the two
ligatures. Care should be taken so as not to cut a finger or toe of the
baby. If the cord is very thick it is best to pinch it at the point of
tying and the contents stripped away before the first ligature is applied.
After the cord is cut it should be wiped off to determine that bleeding
from the vessels has been permanently cut off, and if not it should be
tied again. The child is now taken up by placing the back of its neck in
the hollow between the thumb and forefinger, and the other hand over the
backbone. It should then be placed in a warm receiving blanket, and put in
a safe place.
Management of the Third Stage,--The contractions of the womb are renewed
and with the second or third the after-birth may be expressed. The top
(fundus) of the womb is grasped by the hand through the relaxed abdominal
walls, and squeezed, and at the same time make a downward pressure. The
after-birth is loosened from the womb and slides through the vagina and
outlet, and it may be caught in a tray which has been placed between the
patient's legs, or by the hand and given a few twists in order to roll the
membranes together; while this is being done, gentle rubbing should be
applied to the womb, when the membranes will slip out without tearing; no
drawing on the cord should be done in delivering the after-birth.
From the time of the birth of the head to the delivery of the after-birth
the womb must be controlled by the firm pressure of the hand on the
abdomen. It is well for the nurse, when the after-birth is separating from
the womb to follow the womb, throughout this whole stage, by keeping her
hand upon it and if, while the physician is attending to the child, the
womb softens and enlarges she should at once notify him. There may be
bleeding within the womb. After the womb is empty, friction should be made
over the womb whenever it softens at all in order to stimulate the womb to
perfect contraction, and it should be kept up at intervals for one hour
after the after-birth and membranes have been delivered.
[OBSTETRICS OR MIDWIFERY 535]
THE CHILD.
The eyes should be washed soon and normal respiration established. If the
child does not breathe well, cold water may be sprinkled in the face and
chest and if this fails, immersions in hot water at 106 degrees F., and
sprinkling with cold water must be resorted to. If necessary, artificial
respiration must be given. Slap the child on the back and move the arms up
and down by the side a few times, or breathing into the child's mouth.
Another method.--Face the child's back, put an index finger in each
arm-pit and the thumbs over the shoulders, so that their ends over-lap the
collar-bone and rest on the front of the chest, the rest of the fingers
going obliquely over the back of the chest. The child is suspended
perpendicularly between the operator's knees. Its whole weight now hangs
on the first fingers in the arm-pit; by these means the ribs are lifted,
the chest is expanded and inspiration is mechanically produced. The infant
is now swung upward till the operative's hands are just above the
horizontal line, when the motion is abruptly, but carefully, arrested. The
momentum causes the lower limbs and pelvis of the infant to topple over
toward the operator. The greater part of the weight now rests on the
thumbs, which press on the front of the chest, while the abdominal organs
press upon the diaphragm. By these two factors, the chest is compressed
and we get expiration, mechanically. After five seconds the first position
is resumed again, and the lungs expand and fill with air. This process may
be repeated several times until the breathing seems to be going naturally,
and with delicate infants it should be the last resort.
After the breathing has been established the child should be wrapped in a
warm flannel with hot water bags or cans near it, and left until the
mother has been cared for. Infants at birth are covered with a white
greasy substance, vernix caseosa, or cheesy varnish; it is removed by
applying olive oil, vaselin or fresh lard, and afterward rubbing the skin
gently with a soft cloth. The eyes and mouth should be washed out with
pure warm water--or a saturated solution of boric acid, used. Separate
squares of soft linen being used for this purpose. If the baby is born too
soon or is very small, weak and undeveloped, it should be given an oil
bath, only, and then wrapped in cotton wool and kept at a temperature of
not less than 80 degrees F., for ten days or two weeks.
[536 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
To a fully developed child the first bath may be given at once. Have
everything ready before beginning, a foot tub, warm soft towels, warm
water, castile soap, olive oil or vaselin, small squares of muslin or
linen, dusting powder, a dressing for the navel and clothing, the latter
consisting of a diaper, a flannel band, a shirt, long woolen stockings, a
loose long sleeved flannel petticoat and a simple soft white outside
garment, the two last, long enough to more than cover the feet. The infant
should be wrapped in flannel and only the part which is being bathed at
the moment should be exposed. The eyes are first bathed separately and
with different cloths, and afterward the face, no soap being used; the
head is then washed with warm water; very little soap should be used with
infants as it is more or less irritating, and it is likely to injure the
fine texture of the skin. Next, one should carefully clean the parts
behind the ears and the crevices of the neck, arm-pits and joints and
those between the buttocks and the thighs, and it is well to notice if all
the natural openings are perfect; finally the baby is put down into the
tub of warm water at about 96 degrees F., and washed off, with the head
and back firmly supported with the left arm and hand during the bath. The
baby is lifted out in a minute of two, held face downward for a moment and
rinsed off with clean warm water. It is then wrapped in a warm towel and
flannel and dried by patting, not rubbing. It is best to do all this on a
table, instead of on the lap, and it should be large enough to hold a bath
tub, every thing necessary for the bath and a pillow upon which to place
the baby. Everything then can be done without stooping and with greater
comfort to the child. Powder should not be used except where there are
signs of chafing, when stearate of zinc is the best to use.
The navel is then dressed. A hole is cut in the center of a square of
sterilized lint or linen which is slipped over the cord and folded about
it; the cord is then laid toward the left side, and over it is put a small
sterilized cotton pad which is held in place by the flannel bandage and
just tight enough to hold. The binder may be kept on by sewing it smoothly
with half a dozen large stitches, thus doing away with any danger of being
injured from the pins. A binder should only be tight enough to hold the
dressing for the navel. After the cord drops off the looser knitted band
should be used. The infant is not bathed in the tub again until after the
cord has been dried up and ready to drop off, which usually occurs on the
fifth or sixth day, although it may not drop off for nine days. The cord
should not be redressed in the meantime. (See Baby Department for further
directions).
THE MOTHER.
The first duty of the physician, following the third stage of labor, is to
see that the womb is well contracted and control of this organ should be
continued for at least one hour after delivery. This generally prevents
excessive loss of blood. If necessary to promote womb contraction one
teaspoonful of ergot can be given. After the womb has been kept in a state
of contraction, the room should be rid of all evidences of labor and the
woman made comfortable. The buttocks and thighs which have been soiled
during the labor should be bathed with warm water and soap and the
external genitals sprayed with an antiseptic solution, then dried with
sterile gauze or cotton, the dressing applied to the vulva and the
temporary bed removed, her night dress pulled down and the patient thus
lying in a clean, comfortable bedding. The woman may then have a cup of
weak tea, hot milk or broth and be left to rest; but during the first
sleep the womb should be carefully watched lest it relax and serious, if
not fatal, bleeding occur. In a normal confinement the dressings need not
be changed, as a rule, oftener than six times in twenty-four hours, for
the first few days. As soon as convenient after the first toilet is
finished the physician sterilizes his hands and with the patient on her
left side introduces one finger into the rectum and the thumb into the
vagina to discover the condition of the perineum. Washing out of the
vagina is not necessary as a rule.
[OBSTETRICS OR MIDWIFERY 537]
The binder is considered indispensable, and should be made of unbleached
muslin and wide enough to extend from the pubic (bone) to the breast-bone,
and long enough to go around the patient's body and slightly lap. The
binder should be pinned or sewed tightest in the middle, but it should not
be so tight as to press upon the womb and crowd it backward or to either
side. It acts as a splint to the muscles and assists in resting them to
their natural condition.
Rest.--Complete rest of the body and mind is essential to the well being
of the lying-in woman. She is better off without any company, and should
see no one except her family for the first week or two. Outside visitors
should be prohibited. The lying-in room should be kept free from noise and
confusion, and the patient should be protected from annoyances of every
kind. She should remain lying on her back for a few days and immediately
following delivery she should not have a pillow for her head. Sleep is
very necessary and desirable, and mild medicines should be given to
produce it, if necessary. It is best not to sit up in the bed until the
womb shall have had time to become smaller, and has resumed its natural
position behind the pubis. Among the upper classes, when it takes the womb
longer to regain its normal size, three weeks is a good rule to go by
before sitting up in the room, and she should remain in her room until the
end of the fourth week. Among healthy women of the laboring class, whose
muscular system has not been injured by "culture" and social excesses, the
womb and appendages regain their normal proportions more rapidly; but even
they should remain in bed two weeks.
AFTER-PAINS.--Women who have borne children frequently suffer from the
after-pains, occurring at irregular intervals, for two or three days and
they may give rise to much distress. A few drops of spirits of camphor on
a lump of sugar will often give relief when they are not severe. Also a
drop of tincture of blue cohosh taken every two or three hours is
valuable.
THE BLADDER.--If the patient is not able to pass urine it should be drawn
once in eight or twelve hours or oftener if required. A No.7 rubber
catheter is best. After it has been used, it should be sterilized by
boiling and then kept in a bichloride solution (1-2000). It should be
washed off with boiled water again before being used to remove the
bichloride solution and greased with sterile oil. The parts should be
exposed to pass the catheter, the labia separated by the finger and thumb,
and the opening of the urethra and surrounding parts bathed clean with an
antiseptic solution; unless you are clean decomposing discharges from the
vagina may be introduced into the bladder and a cystitis set up. The care
of the bladder is very important. It is not so sensitive after the labor
and the woman may have urine when she does not think so. Sometimes she
passes a little after trying and then thinks there is no more in the
bladder. Even the attendants are deceived sometimes. I once had a case
where the mother was the nurse. At each visit I inquired as to the amount
of urine passed. I was told each time it was sufficient. She suffered
severely the second day in the evening. I went to see her and against the
protests of the mother I used the catheter and took away an enormous
quantity of urine. In such cases the bladder should be emptied slowly to
save the woman from shock.
A physician cannot always depend upon the patient's knowledge of her
condition even in such matters and sometimes even the nurse is at fault.
[538 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
THE BOWELS.--There should be a movement of the bowels the second or third
day, and a soap and water enema containing a small teaspoonful of spirits
of turpentine and one-half ounce of glycerin, will usually be sufficient.
Later cascara cordial, castor oil, etc., may be used. Should the breasts
be much swollen and painful and fever arise, saline laxatives are needed
for two or three days, such as citrate of magnesia, rochelle salts,
hunyadi water or seidlitz powder may be given.
Care of the Breasts.--Careful attention should be given them from the
first. The nipples should be bathed after labor, with an antiseptic lotion
(bichloride, 1-2000), dried and then covered with castor oil, a small
square of clean sterile gauze being laid over each to protect the
clothing. Bathe the nipples before and after each nursing with a warm
saturated solution of boric acid and dry them carefully. The breasts may
be supported by a binder, made of a strip of muslin sufficiently wide to
extend from above to well below the breasts. If they are heavy and sagging
place a layer of cotton at the outer border of each breast and they should
be raised toward the middle line, the binder being pinned only tight
enough to hold without pressing upon them. The breasts should not be
pressed upon by anything. Shoulder straps can be pinned or sewed on the
binder if it has a tendency to slip down. Should the breasts be much
swollen relief can be obtained by massage with warm olive oil and by the
use of a breast pump. The tips of the fingers only should be used in
giving massage and the stroke should be light, from the circumference to
the center. Roughness and pressure must be avoided.
INFLAMMATION OF THE BREAST, Abscess; Broken Breast.--This usually results
from germs. The breast inflames, the milk tubes are choked and distended,
there may be fever. There is sometimes severe local pain, hard swelling
and an abscess forms and if this breaks it is called broken breast.
[OBSTETRICS OR MIDWIFERY 539]
Treatment, Preventive.--Support breast with a binder. The milk should not
be allowed to accumulate and cake. The breasts and nipples should be kept
clean and dry. Breast pump should be used if necessary to get out the
surplus milk. If the lumps continue and are painful, put cold applications
to the breast. Have child nurse at the other breast. If it continues and
will suppurate, apply moist heat, such as fomentations or poultices, and
then open thoroughly. Poke root makes a splendid poultice for caked
breasts. I have great faith in it. At the same time I give of the tincture
one drop doses every hour. It is a splendid remedy and the poultice and
remedy frequently stop the trouble. Inflammation of the breasts sometimes
occurs in babies, generally in the first weeks. The swelling can be
reduced by mild rubbing with warm carbolized oil used every day. Do not
rub hard enough to hurt the baby. After the rubbing, absorbent cotton with
carbolized oil should be applied and cover all with a thick layer of
cotton held on with adhesives. If the breasts form pus they must be
opened.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Sore Breasts, a Never-Failing Remedy for.--"Take a
pint of raw linseed oil and four ounces tincture of camphor, mix and apply
a cloth saturated in the liniment to the affected parts, taking care that
the whole surface of the inflamed parts is covered with the liniment. When
the breasts become swollen or painfully inflamed, apply the liniment often
to prevent gathering." Even if they have gathered it is an excellent
outward application. It allays pain, is extremely soothing and seldom
fails to effect a cure.
2. Swollen Breasts, an Herb Treatment for.--"Chamomile flowers one ounce,
marshmallow roots one ounce, bruise and boil in one quart of water down to
a pint. Foment the breast with this liquor as hot as can be borne; and
then place the flowers and roots in a cloth and apply as a poultice."
3. Sore Breasts, a Hot Poultice for.--"Apply hot pancakes made of sour
milk, saleratus and wheat flour, large enough to cover affected parts.
Keep them changed often enough, so they will not be cold. This is an
excellent remedy to steam out the inflammation." This is an old tried
remedy and one to be relied upon. The steaming relieves the swelling and
inflammation and gives relief quickly.
4. Caked Breasts, Fresh Hops for.--"Fry one pint of fresh hops in a half
cup of lard until the lard is a rich brown, then strain, set away to cool
and use as a salve."
5. Sore Breasts, a Poultice of Peach Leaves for.--"Take enough peach tree
leaves to mix well with meal and water to the consistency of a poultice."
This poultice should be applied hot, but should only be used in cases
where the breast has matter or pus in it.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--l. Sore Nipples, a Good Wash for.--"Brandy and water
mixed together and put on the nipples will harden them but should be
washed off before the child nurses. If they are cracked, apply glycerin
with starch, or arnica ointment."
2. Sore Nipples, Good Family Ointment for.--"Four ounces of white wax, one
ounce bayberry wax, three ounces of spermaceti, one pint olive oil. Mix
briskly over a slow fire, taking care to stir it briskly until cool." This
is an excellent ointment for mothers when troubled with sore nipples; it
moistens the skin and forms a coating. It is good for dry, scurvy, chapped
hands, blotches on the face and all sores which require a mild ointment,
but should be assisted with internal remedies when the case requires it.
[540 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Lochia.--By this term is meant the discharges from the womb and soft
parts after labor. They are mixed with blood at first and contain dark
clots, mucus, shreds of the after-birth and pieces of the membrane. They
become paler in color from the end of the third to the sixth day. After
this the color is yellow, greenish and contains pus and fatty cells, with
a little blood. This discharge varies in different women. In those who
menstruate freely and do not nurse they are usually copious; when
decomposed, they smell badly and the odor is penetrating. The flow may
cease entirely between the second and sixth week. It is increased by
exertions at about the time the patient begins to move about.
Diet.--This should consist at first of liquid, unstimulating food, given
in small quantities and frequently. If the baby does not nurse, the
liquids should be restricted. Some women on the first day can take milk,
milk toast, or if desired, dry or buttered toast with coffee, tea, weak
cocoa, according to the patient's taste. Water may be given if desired. On
the second and third days, simple soups or any of the following may be
added to the dietary: Meat broths, beef tea, soft boiled or poached eggs,
raw or stewed oysters (no vinegar or spices) and some simple dessert, such
as boiled custard or junket. During the next few days, chicken (white
meat), scraped beef or mutton in small quantities, baked potato, rice and
cereals may be given and by the end of the week a gradual return to the
ordinary diet may be made. Should there be any tendency to constipation,
the bowels should be opened by a simple enema (as before stated) or
glycerin enema, etc.; or by one or more doses, 2 drams, of the compound
licorice powder repeated in three or four hours, if necessary; or a half
ounce of castor oil, or a half glass of hunyadi water. Cooked fruits for
the constipation may also be given.
Bleeding After Delivery, Post-Partum Hemorrhage.--Bleeding from the womb
occurring six hours after delivery is called post partum and after that
time, is known as puerperal child-birth bleeding or hemorrhage.
Causes.--A relaxed condition of the womb, the retention of clots or parts
of the membranes, etc., in the womb, a full rectum or bladder, fibroid
tumors, deep tears of the cervix.
Symptoms.--If the bleeding is profuse, the pulse is fast, the woman looks
pale, anxious and feels cold, restless, gaping, usually it comes from a
relaxed, softened and enlarged womb.
[OBSTETRICS OR MIDWIFERY 541]
Treatment.--In severe forms no time must be lost in securing contraction
of the womb and the method employed for expelling the after-birth should
be employed to expel clots. Grasp the womb over the abdomen, employ firm
but gentle kneading, pressing downward. The pillows should be removed, the
foot of the bed elevated twelve to eighteen inches, a preparation of ergot
given by the mouth or hypodermically in the thigh. If these measures fail
the hand and arm should be sterilized and inserted in the womb, all clots,
etc., removed and pressure made over the abdomen on the womb while the
hand is still there. This pressure and presence of the hand close the
bleeding vessels in the womb. The hand should remain, while the kneading
goes on externally, on the womb.
This kneading should be kept up until the womb contracts. The hand can
then be removed from the vagina, while gentle kneading is slowly kept up
over the womb. The womb should be closely watched for hours after.
Bleeding very seldom occurs again, but it might. If the bleeding is more
of an oozing, an injection of very hot water, 120 degrees F., through a
long douche nozzle, directly into the womb cavity may be given. This is
very effective for any kind of bleeding. Lemon juice or boiled vinegar can
be added to the injection. Everything used must be perfectly clean or
child-bed fever may be caused by these measures. After the womb has
thoroughly contracted, it is sometimes of benefit to place a rubber bag
filled with cold water over the pubic bone to prevent subsequent
relaxations of the womb. Weakness can be met by hypodermics of whisky or
brandy and strychnine, one-thirtieth of grain, injected hypodermically to
stimulate the heart.
Pulse and Temperature.--The temperature may rise one to one and one-half
degrees without the case being abnormal. The pulse falls after labor,
ranging between sixty and seventy. A rise of temperature, a rapid pulse, a
flushed face, a chill, pain or tenderness of the abdomen, and abnormal
increase or decrease of the discharge, bleeding, or offensive odor of the
discharge should cause suspicion of child-bed (puerperal) fever. This is a
grave condition and results from infection which has taken place during
labor or afterward. The septic matter may be carried in on the fingers or
instruments by the physician or attendants, etc. The most usual sources
are unclean hands, instruments and clothing which come in contact with the
woman's genitals. The attack is usually ushered in during the second to
the fourth day by a chill, or chilly sensations, etc., rise of
temperature, rapid pulse, accompanied by headache and a feeling of
weariness. The discharge may be increased at first, but later diminished
and may cease; or it may be abundant, frothy and of a very fetid odor.
Secretion of milk may fail, the bowels are usually constipated, pain in
the abdomen develops.
Treatment.--If the interior of the womb is smooth, a single antiseptic
womb injection should be given; if it contains foreign material or is
rough, it should be scraped and then a douche given. This must be done
carefully and with absolute cleanness. Turpentine stupes should be placed
hot on the abdomen for the pain, or where cold feels more grateful the ice
bag or cloths wrung out of cold or ice water should be applied over the
abdomen, and covered with several thicknesses of flannel and changed as
soon as they become heated. Medicines to relieve the pain may be given.
Hot and cold sponging may be given to reduce the temperature, a little
alcohol can be added to the water or the cold or hot pack may be used.
[542 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Diet.--This should be nourishing and supporting, and at first, liquid and
consist largely of milk; but concentrated broths, jellies, and liquid
beef, peptonoids, are useful. Stimulants should be given in these septic
conditions. From one to two ounces of whisky may be given every three to
four hours in the form of milk punch and, if possible, as much red or port
wine also. Women in this condition can stand this treatment. Salines
(salts) should be given to keep open the bowels.
CONVULSIONS. (Eclampsia).--All forms of convulsions may occur during
pregnancy. They may occur during pregnancy and during labor. These are
usually the result of kidney trouble. The attacks occur most often during
the last three months of pregnancy. Their frequency is one to three
hundred to one to five hundred cases. It occurs oftener in the first
pregnancy, three to one.
Treatment.--Inhalation of chloroform to control the convulsion. Morphine
in one-half grain dose can be given if no chloroform is handy. Place the
patient in a hot water or vapor bath, or wrap blankets wrung out of hot
water around her, and pile the bedding on until a profuse sweat is
started. The sweating aids in eliminating the poison. Change the hot wet
blankets as often as necessary. If the convulsions do not cease the womb
must be emptied of its contents. If the convulsions occur during labor
they should be treated in the same manner. The mortality then is about
seven per cent. Chloral hydrate in thirty to sixty grain doses in three
ounces of water may be injected into the rectum if the other remedies
fail.
MILK LEG.--This is due to infection. It usually arises from an extension
of a blood clot (thrombosis) of the womb or pelvic veins, to the thigh
(femoral) vein, resulting in a partial or complete obstruction of the
vein. It may come in less frequent cases, from a lymphatic infection.
Symptoms.--They may develop at any time between the tenth and thirtieth
days or even later. These are general feelings of weariness, stiffness and
soreness of the leg, especially when it is moved. There may first be pain
in the region of the groin; or pain from the ankle to the groin and
followed by swelling. The skin of the leg becomes markedly swollen, white
and shiny. Later there is pitting on pressure, but not at first, because
the skin is extremely stretched. Fever may accompany the attack, but it
will subside long before the swelling of the leg has disappeared.
The vein may be felt as a hard lash-like cord, a red line of inflammation
marking its course along the inner and under side of the thigh. The
disease may last weeks, depending upon the severity of the trouble. The
affected leg is disabled for a number of months after recovery. Recovery
takes place as a rule. Absorption of the clot takes place, or the vessel
remains closed, and another (compensatory) circulation is established.
[OBSTETRICS OR MIDWIFERY 543]
Treatment.--The patient should lie in bed with the leg elevated and
swathed in flannel or cotton wet with some quieting lotion. The following
is a good lotion:--
Compound Soap Liniment 6 ounces
Laudanum 1-1/2 ounces
Tincture Aconite Root 1/2 ounce
Tincture Belladonna 1/2 ounce
Wet the flannel or cotton with this. After the acute symptoms have passed
the following ointment may be put on the leg:--
Ichthyol 45 grains
Iodide of Lead 45 grains
Chloride of Ammonium 10 grains
Alboline 1 ounce
The parts should not be rubbed lest a clot be loosened and travel in the
general circulation and thus endanger life.
Diet.--Should be supporting. Salts for the bowels.
[544 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
ALL ABOUT BABY
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Preparation, Outfit, Nursing, Formulas for Preparation of Milk
for Bottle-Fed Infants; Weaning, Teething, Diet Through
Childhood, All the Baby Diseases, etc., from the Best Medical
Authority, Infant Hospitals and Nurses.
How long does pregnancy usually last? Two hundred and eighty days.
How can the time be reckoned? Count back three months from the first day
of the last menstruation and add seven days to the date thus obtained. To
be more accurate, you should add only six days in the months of April and
September, five days in December and January, and in February four days.
What time of pregnancy does the form begin to change? It changes a little
the first two months. It is flatter and lower down. After the third month
there is a progressive enlargement.
What is quickening, and when first felt? It is a motion, of the foetus
(child) in the womb, imparted to the abdominal walls, and is felt from the
sixteenth to the twentieth week. It has been said to have occurred earlier
in some cases.
Can you foretell twin pregnancy? Not to a certainty.
Can a mother influence her child as to character and temperament before
birth? Authorities differ very much upon this point. The child inherits
the physical characteristics of its parents. The frame of the mother's
mind, some think, can be given in some degree to her offspring.
Will nervousness be inherited by the child? Not invariably; if the mother
is fretful, irritable, cross, repining, etc., her child may be puny, cross
and irritable, etc.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 545]
Do you believe in influences transmitted before birth (parental
influences?) All must admit that there is a great deal in heredity, and
the characteristics of parents are shown in their children.
Can a mother mark her baby? This is another disputed question.
When should the family physician be informed of the woman's condition? The
first month.
Why? So that the woman will know how to live properly, and also that he
will be given the urine twice each month to examine. This is for her
protection and is necessary, because anything that may be wrong with the
kidneys can be corrected much easier, and diet, etc. can be arranged to
prevent future trouble.
What kind of diet should a pregnant woman have? She should eat only
healthy articles of food. Stimulating, highly seasoned, rich, greasy foods
should be avoided. Constipation is frequently present and the diet must be
chosen with reference to that also. She should not restrict herself to one
line of diet unless it is necessary.
Should she take a daily bath, if so, what kind and when? Yes, if it does
her good. The pores of the skin should be kept open so that the kidneys
will have less work to do. Spray and baths should be taken cold or
lukewarm. Hot baths or Turkish baths are to be avoided. The time should be
at the woman's convenience. Morning is preferable, if she does not feel
the need of sleep.
Should she take a daily nap and when? Yes, one or two hours in the
forenoon, and also in the afternoon.
Should she take exercise? Yes, exercise is necessary. This promotes the
proper circulation of the blood, favors rest and sleep, relieves the
"blues," tones the whole system, gives her good wholesome air and makes
everything look better. It should not be violent. Slow walking and riding
in an easy carriage. She should not ride a horse, run, jump, dance, or do
any jerky or violent exercise; no heavy lifting or reaching up.
What about clothing? The clothing should be perfectly loose and
comfortable. Garters and corsets are injurious, especially when the
pregnancy has reached four or five months. The weight of the clothing
should be borne by the shoulders instead of the hips. Special waists can
be made for pregnant women. There should be no pressure on any part,
especially on the womb and breasts.
What is the meaning of the word enciente? The Roman women were accustomed
to wear a tight girdle about their waists which was called a cincture.
This they removed when they were pregnant. They were then said to be
incincta, or unbound. The term enciente is derived from this, and is
frequently used to indicate pregnancy.
What are the main symptoms of miscarriage? Pain and bleeding.
[546 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Does it usually come on suddenly? Not as a rule. There are premonitory
symptoms such as bearing down feeling in the pelvis, backache, frequent
desire to pass water, a discharge from the vagina, and sometimes a little
bloody flow.
At what period is it most common? Between the ninth and sixteenth weeks
when the after-birth is forming.
What are the causes of miscarriage? Diseases of the womb, disease in the
father, constipation, falls, over-exertion, violent emotions, such as
shock, fright, anger, blows on the abdomen, over-lifting, reaching up,
sewing on machine.
What is the first thing to do? Lie down, rest and send for a doctor.
Is it ever possible to stop it? Yes, and often.
Do the breasts need any special care? The nipple, if much drawn in and
small, should be "pulled out" once or twice daily. It will do to rub sweet
oil on the breasts every evening in order to relieve the tightness and
discomfort, especially after the pregnancy has advanced some months.
Are there any diseases to which a pregnant woman is more subject? None. The
kidneys need more watching.
Can any dentistry be done during pregnancy? Not if it makes her very
nervous; but toothache can cause more harm from a diseased tooth than if
it were treated carefully.
Why do pregnant women suffer from "varicose" veins? The enlarged womb
presses upon the veins and thus obstructs the return flow of the blood. It
is not so common during the first pregnancy.
Can anything be done for this trouble? The woman should lie down a good
part of the time if possible, and also wear a perfectly fitting elastic
stocking. They can be had of any size and length. The limb should be
measured for them.
Does oiling and massaging the body do good? Some women claim it does; it
certainly puts the muscles in better condition and strengthens the muscles
of the abdomen which have so much part in the labor.
What is the morning sickness and are all women subject to it? Nausea and
vomiting without any cause. No; many escape it entirely.
At what period of pregnancy does it usually occur? During the early months
it is more frequent and troublesome.
How long does it usually last? Usually three or four months, but it may
last during the whole pregnancy.
What can be done for it? In some cases arranging the diet to prevent and
cure constipation relieves it. For fuller treatment see this heading under
Obstetrics.
Does it ever endanger life? Not often, but a physician should be called if
it is bad.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 547]
Can any strict rules be laid down for this trouble? No, but the food
should be as concentrated as possible; egg-nog, ice cream, a bit of rare
steak, etc., raw oysters, gruels, meat broths, etc., if liquids are well
borne. It is surprising how little will keep up some women during
pregnancy.
When and how often should the urine be examined? From the beginning and
twice each month, and every week after the fifth month.
When should the nurse be called? Long enough before the expected time to
get everything ready.
What is lightening? It is caused by the womb sinking down lower in the
pelvis the last month, and this lightens the pressure upon the diaphragm
and lungs.
What are false pains? They occur during the last few weeks of pregnancy at
irregular intervals and are usually in the abdomen.
What is the bag of waters? It is a sac containing the fluid in which the
child floats while in the womb. The amount of fluid varies from a pint to
a gallon or more. When it ruptures there is a sudden flow of liquid, more
or less continuous flow. It may occur at the very beginning of labor and
is one of the signs of labor.
What are the other signs of approaching labor? A profuse discharge of
mucus from the vagina, and this may be tinged with blood. The "show" pains
begin generally in the back and are quite regular, one every twenty
minutes or half hour. (Dilatation of the womb).
How should the baby be first washed? See Obstetrics.
What clothing should be put on? See Obstetrics chapter.
Care of the eyes.--Wipe the eyelids with clean gauze and water. If there
has been much discharge from the vagina during pregnancy, the child's eyes
should be washed cleanly and also one or two drops of the one per cent
solution of silver nitrate should be put into each eye as a preventive.
(See Obstetrics).
How often should the baby's bowels move? Two or three times daily for the
first week, and then once or twice a day.
What is the appearance of the stool? It is soft, yellow and smooth and
should not contain any lumps.
How about the urine? It should pass from six to ten times a day, and it
should be colorless.
What is the average weight of a healthy baby? Seven to seven and one-half
pounds.
Does it lose any weight during the first week? Yes, generally a few
ounces, then it begins to gain at the rate of four to six ounces each
week.
Should the newly-born babe have its eyes exposed to the light? The eyes
are very sensitive, and the sun or artificial light should not be allowed
to shine on them. The first day the baby is deaf, but his hearing develops
and becomes very acute so that he is very much disturbed by sudden, sharp
noises.
[548 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
What is the "soft" spot on a baby's head? This is called the "fontanelle."
Do not touch this spot. This closes in time. At six months of age the
fontanelle is somewhat larger than it was at birth because the brain
expands faster than the boney matter deposited around the edges in the
skull bones. After this another deposit of bone goes on more rapidly than
the growth of the brain substance, and by sixteen or eighteen months the
opening should be entirely closed.
When should the baby be given the second tub bath? Not until the cord has
dropped off.
How and when should this be given? The room should be warm. The head and
face should be washed first and dried; then the body soaped and the infant
placed in the tub with its head and body well supported by the hands. The
bath should be given quickly with no special rubbing, drying with a soft
towel. (An hour after feeding).
What should be the temperature of the bath? One hundred degrees F. for the
first few weeks, later ninety-eight F. After six months ninety-five F.;
during the second year from eighty-five to ninety degrees F.
What should you use in giving the bath? Soft, clean sponges or smooth
cloths. There should be separate pieces for each eye, for the head, face
and buttocks.
What are the objections to sponges? They are very apt to become dirty and
are hard to keep clean.
When should the daily bath be omitted? In the case of infants who are
delicate and feeble, when the bath seems to harm them; in all forms of
acute sickness, unless the bath is directed. In eczema and many other
forms of skin diseases a great deal of harm is often done by soap and
water or water baths.
How should a genuine bath be given? If possible the bath should be given
in front of an open fire, in a room where the temperature is from seventy
to seventy-two F. and the draughts kept off by a large screen. Have
everything at hand with which to give the bath. A folding rubber bath-tub
is the best, next a papier-mache one; or if tin must be used, put a piece
of flannel in the tub to protect the baby from the tin. If necessary place
the tub on a low table, place another low table to the right of the one on
which the tub sets, and on this table should be the baby's basket
containing a soft brush, different sizes of pins in a pin-cushion, several
threaded needles, a thimble, squares of soft linen, absorbent cotton,
wooden tooth-picks, a powder-box and puff, or a powder-shaker containing
pure talcum powder, a box of bismuth subnitrate, one of cold cream, a tube
of white vaselin, a dish containing castile, ivory, or pure French soap
should be placed by the basket on the table; also a cup containing a
saturated solution of boric acid; two cheese-cloth washcloths, a soft
towel, a thermometer to test the water, several toothpicks on which a
little absorbent cotton is twisted, and the rolled flannel band. Then a
basin containing warm water, 98 to 100 degrees F., also one with cold
water. The baby-clothes should be hung on a rack close at hand.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 549]
How to take care of a sore navel.--If it looks red or has a thin discharge
coming from it, wash it carefully twice a day with saturated solution of
boric acid; or if pus is there use a 1-5000 solution of bichloride of
mercury. Use for a dusting powder one part of salicylic acid and nineteen
parts of starch on it. It needs a physician's attention if it does not
soon heal.
Do any physicians advocate a daily bath before the cord drops off? Yes;
but not a full tub bath.
When does the cord drop off? In from five to ten days.
Does soap hurt a baby's skin? Some doctors claim it does.
Is it necessary to use a powder after the bath? No, if all moisture is
removed, there is no need of powder. The skin can be kept cleaner and
healthier without it.
GENITAL ORGANS.
When is circumcision needed? Usually when the foreskin is very long and
very tight, so that one must use force to push it back, and always if it
produces local irritation.
How should you clean the genitals of a female child? Use good absorbent
cotton and warm water, with a solution of boric acid if necessary, about
two teaspoonfuls to a pint of warm water. This should be done once a day.
Is the hood of the clitoris ever too tight? Yes, and it needs to be
loosened and kept so, or it will produce irritation and sometimes
convulsions.
How should you wash the genitals of a male child? In infants and children,
this should be attended to daily. The foreskin should be pushed back and
the parts washed with absorbent cotton and water. Tight foreskin and
unclean parts induce trouble and bad habits.
TREATMENT FOR SORE EYES.
How should a newly-born baby's eyes be treated? They should be kept clean
with a soft cloth and warm water. Do not use the same piece of cloth for
both eyes.
Should redness and pus appear in the eye or eyes a few days after birth,
what should be done? Use a piece of soft linen or absorbent cotton and wet
it in a solution of boric acid or salt (one-half teaspoonful to one pint
of water, warm) and wash out the eye or eyes, and if pus appears, use a
stronger solution of boric acid (ten grains to eight teaspoonfuls of
water.) If the lids stick together grease them with vaselin from a tube
and rub in at night. If the sore eyes are severe send for a physician as
it may be the beginning of ophthalmia neonatorum.
[550 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Sore Eyes, Mothers' Milk for.--"There is nothing as
good as mother's milk." This is very soothing and healing and seems to
work better than medicines in small babies.
2. Sore Eyes. A Nurse from New York sends the following remedy for.--"Take
a cup of water that has been boiled and cooled and dissolve in it one
teaspoonful boracic acid powder. Bathe the eyes thoroughly and often." A
nurse in New York state, gives this recipe, and says she has been a nurse
for several years and has never had a case of sore eyes which did not heal
with this treatment.
How is washing out the baby's mouth done? Use a swab made by twisting some
absorbent cotton upon a toothpick. The folds between the gums and lips and
cheeks may be gently and carefully cleaned twice a day unless the mouth is
sore.
If a baby cries while nursing, what is the cause? It may have a sore
mouth. What is thrush or sprue? Patches looking like little white threads
or flakes appear inside the cheeks.
What is the cause of sore mouth? It is usually due to uncleanness and
carelessness. It may come in delicate babies without any special reason.
Babies who suck a "pacifier" or a rag with sugar in it are very apt to
have the disease. Bottle-fed babies get it because of uncleanness of the
nipple and bottle.
Should the baby continue to nurse? Yes, but the mother should thoroughly
cleanse her nipple with a solution of boric acid after each nursing.
What should be done for it? It should be washed before and after every
feeding with a solution of baking soda or boric acid of the strength of
one even teaspoonful to twenty-four teaspoonfuls of water, or listerine,
one teaspoonful to twenty-four teaspoonfuls of warm water, can be used.
(This will be treated more fully later under diseases). A solution of
borax (twenty grains to eight teaspoonfuls of water) can be applied every
two hours with a camel's hair brush. Borax, sage and honey are good old
remedies.
Should the scalp have special care at birth? It should then and afterward
be kept clean to keep scurf from accumulating. It should be wet before the
body is immersed in the bath. The hair should always be dried carefully;
brush first with a soft towel and then with a fine, smooth hair-brush.
Never use a comb on an infant's head.
Should any dressing be put on the scalp? No, for if the hair is washed and
brushed, the oil from the scalp will keep it soft, glossy and healthful.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 551]
QUESTIONS AND REMEDIES FOR SORE MOUTH. CANKER. THRUSH.
Explain more about thrush or sprue? It is an inflammation of the mouth
where small particles looking like milk curds appear on the tongue, gums
and cheek. This is really a more severe type of sore mouth, and is of a
fungus origin.
Causes of sore mouth. Uncleanness, failing to keep the mouth--especially
of bottle-fed infants--and the nipples and bottles, clean. Babies who are
allowed to suck a "pacifier" or rag with sugar on it. Thrush is parasitic
in origin and is always due to uncleanness in bottles, nipples and the
mouth, and is commonly associated with the stomach trouble. Diarrhea
frequently goes with it.
(See Mothers' Remedies for Sore Mouth, Canker, etc., in general
department).
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Thrush. Severe Sore Mouth. 1. Boric acid in a
saturated solution (five teaspoonfuls to a pint of distilled water) is a
specific for it.
Dr. Tuley, of Louisville, Ky., says:
2. Powdered Borax 8 teaspoonfuls
Strained Honey 3 teaspoonfuls
Mix thoroughly.
3. Glycerin 1 ounce
Distilled water 1 ounce
Boric Acid 2 drams
4. Golden seal diluted one-half with boiled water makes an excellent mouth
wash. Also a weak solution of alum. Use a piece of absorbent cotton or
soft linen on your little finger or small round piece of wood and dip in
solution and apply. Dr. Douglas, of Detroit, advises the use of a soft
brush. This should be boiled after using.
5. In Mild Cases of Sore Mouth.--The medicines need not be as strong as
for thrush. One teaspoonful of boric acid or baking soda to a pint of
boiled water is usually sufficient; wash after each nursing or four or
five times a day.
6. Powdered Borax 1 teaspoonful
Powdered Sugar 4 teaspoonfuls
Put a pinch on the tongue every two or three hours. The child's tongue
will work it around. This avoids the pain from washing, etc.
7. Another Mouth' Wash.--
Borax 1/2 teaspoonful
Tincture of Myrrh 1/2 teaspoonful
Glycerin 1 teaspoonful
Boiled water enough for one ounce.
Apply gently to the inside of the mouth several times a day in thrush or
any form of sore mouth or gums. Use a camel's hair brush.
[552 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
WHAT CARE SHOULD BE GIVEN THE DIAPERS?
A diaper should never be used more than once without washing. It should be
removed as soon as it is wet and placed in a covered pail in the bathroom,
etc., and washed at the first opportunity. Pure white soap only should be
used, and the diapers should be thoroughly rinsed and boiled. Dry them in
the sun and air and never before the nursery fire. They should be warmed
before they are again used. Unclean, soiled diapers frequently cause
chafing.
Should a baby cry while passing urine? No; it may be too acid, alkaline,
too little of it or too concentrated, or have sand in it. Examine the
diapers.
How about bands for the baby? Straight pieces of flannel, twenty-two by
five inches or wider. They may be knitted.
How long should they be worn? The snug bands, flannel or knitted should be
worn, not tight, three months; then if one is worn it should be loose. It
may prevent rupture and bowel trouble.
Do you approve of rubber diapers as an outside covering? No, because they
confine the dampness cause more sweating of the parts and may thus cause
chafing, etc.
How large should a diaper be? A diaper should be twice as long as wide.
They may be different sizes, eighteen by thirty-six inches, twenty-two by
forty-four, or twenty-seven by fifty-four.
CHAFING.
Chafing is a very common trouble in infants. What causes chafing? A wet
diaper left on too long; not drying the folds of the flesh properly; too
much and too strong soap in the bath, or in the diapers when they are
washed, or failure to wash the child clean.
Where are the places where baby is most likely to chafe? The buttocks, in
the folds of the neck and in the groins.
How can you prevent chafing? Use very little soap; no strong soap; rinse
the body carefully; dry thoroughly after rinsing; use clean diapers; use
dusting powder in the folds of the flesh, especially in fat babies.
If the skin is very sensitive, what then? Do not use any soap, but use
bran or salt baths.
How can you prepare a bran bath? Place one pint of wheat bran in coarse
muslin or cheese-cloth bag and put this in the bath water. It should then
be squeezed for five minutes until the water looks like porridge.
How is a salt bath prepared? One teaspoonful of common salt to each two
gallons of water.
If the parts are chafed what should we do? Do not use any soap, and give
only bran or salt baths or use pure olive oil and no water at all on the
chafed parts. Dry the parts carefully with old, soft linen and dust them
with a powder made of starch and talcum--equal part--with one-fourth as
much boric acid, all carefully mixed together. Or use starch two parts and
boric acid one part. Pure stearate of zinc powder is also good. Keep a
little piece of soft linen between the folds of the flesh, so they will
not be irritated by rubbing together.
[Illustration: Portait of Ardis]
[ALL ABOUT BABY 553]
MOTHERS' REMEDY.--1. Chafing in Infants, Mutton Tallow for.--"Five cents'
worth of mutton tallow, melted. Apply at night." If there is a tendency to
chafe during the day, use talcum powder, putting the mutton tallow on at
night when the child will be quiet, giving it an opportunity to heal.
How shall I take care of the buttocks to prevent chafing? This is the most
common place for chafing, as it is so frequently wet and soiled; hence all
napkins should be renewed as soon as wet and soiled and the parts always
kept perfectly clean.
What is prickly heat, and how caused? Fine, red pimples appear, caused by
excessive sweating and from irritation of flannel underwear.
How should I treat it? Muslin or linen should be worn next to the skin.
The entire body sponged frequently with vinegar and water (equal parts)
and plenty of starch and boric acid powder used; starch, two parts; boric
acid (one part) should be put on.
(See Mother's Remedies under "Prickly Heat," General Department.)
CLOTHING FOR THE BABY.
The chest should be well covered with soft flannel, the limbs protected,
but not cramped, the abdomen supported by a band, not too tight. The
clothing should be neither too tight nor too loose. No pins should be
used, but all bands should be fastened to the body. The petticoats should
be supported by shoulder straps.
How should a baby be held during dressing? It should lie on the lap until
quite old enough to sit alone. Draw the clothes over the child's feet and
do not slip them over the head.
Why use the band, and how long should it be worn? It protects the abdomen,
but its main use is to support the abdominal walls in very young infants
and thus prevents rupture. The snug flannel band should not be worn more
than four months. Then in healthy infants a knitted band may be used and
worn up to eighteen months. If the baby is thin and the abdominal organs
are not protected by fat, they may be troubled with diarrhea and need
protection. In such condition, the band may be worn until the third year.
BABY'S FIRST WARDROBE.
Four to six dozen diapers (bird's-eye cotton), two to three shirts (wool),
four flannel skirts, two white skirts (nainsook), two to four night
dresses (outing flannel), six day dresses, two wrappers, six pairs of
socks, four to six flannel bands, two flannel sacks, two shawls or
afghans. The dresses to be worn after the first four or six weeks. Of
course this can be less or more elaborate, according to the conditions and
circumstances of the parents, etc.
[554 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
What changes should be made in the clothing in summer? The thinnest gauze
flannel undershirts should be worn, the outside garments to be changed for
the changing weather. They should not be kept too hot in the middle of the
day, while in the morning and evening extra wraps should be used.
Should older children go with bare legs? There is no objection, if they
are strong and well, to doing this in warm weather.
What kind of underwear should be worn in cold weather? Next to the
heaviest is thick enough.
Do children require heavy flannels? Not as a rule, as they usually live in
the nursery and they sweat readily while playing. When they go
out-of-doors, coats and leggings render thick flannels unnecessary.
Are many children too thinly clad in the house? Very few. The usual
mistake is excessive clothing and too warm rooms. These cause them to take
cold so easily.
GENERAL DRESSING FOR DIFFERENT SEASONS.
At night baby may have a warm sponge bath, a fresh band, shirt and skirt
put on. In the winter he should sleep in a flannel nightdress and this can
be made with a drawing string or button on the bottom so that he cannot
expose his feet. In the summer he can wear a cotton night-dress and after
the third month the skirt may be left off in very warm weather. By the
time baby has entered his second month he may wear simple little "Bishop"
dresses instead of his plain slips. At the end of the third month, the
flannel band may be discarded, usually, and a ribbed knitted one used. The
band should be of wool in the winter, and of silk and wool in the summer.
It should be put over the child's feet when he is being dressed each
morning, and be changed for a fresh one at night, if possible. If the
baby is healthy he may begin going out in March, if the days are mild and
there are no stormy cold winds. Begin by letting him stay out one-half
hour during the warmest part of the day, then one hour, etc. When there is
much melting snow he should not be taken out. In cold weather the baby's
cap and cloak should be lined with flannel or lamb's wool. Woolen mittens
should cover his hands. A veil is not necessary.
Cap for Baby's Ears.--If baby's ears stand out from his head a
considerable distance, it can be corrected best when he is young. A
skeleton cap is made for this purpose. This can be bought or the mother
can make one out of thin lawn or pieces of broad tape. It should fit
snugly in order to do any good and be worn for some time.
Drooling.--If the baby drools much he is apt to wet any little bib he may
wear and take cold by having damp clothing next to his throat and chest.
Cut a piece of material now made (Linite, by Johnson & Johnson) in the
shape of a bib, and bind with tape. This can be worn underneath the bib.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 555]
Short Clothes About the Fifth Month.--Short clothes should be prepared for
the baby's wear at the beginning of the fifth month, and may consist of a
shirt, knitted band with shoulder straps, flannel skirt made on a cotton
waist, in summer or a flannel one for cold weather, and having a row of
small flat buttons, on to which the white petticoat may be buttoned; a
diaper, and a simple white dress. For summer, white cotton stockings
should always be worn, woolen ones in the winter; and they should be long
enough so that they may be pinned to the diaper. Moccasins or soft kid
shoes should be the first kind worn. At night a baby (in short clothes)
should sleep in a shirt, band, diaper and a night-dress of cotton in
summer, and flannel in winter. The change to short dresses should not be
made in very cold weather; and if the baby is born at such a time as to
make it necessary, he may be put into short clothes as early as the end of
his third or fourth month, rather than to wait until later and make the
change in mid-winter.
Clothing in Summer.--Even in summer, the baby should have clothing which
contains some wool. A mixture of silk and wool or cotton and wool may be
used for the shirt, band and skirt. The band should never be left off; the
shirt may be left off in the hottest weather and the long ribbed band with
shoulder-straps may take its place, but the abdomen must be covered by
means of the band. The nightdress should now be of cotton and the skirt
left off at night, but the band and the thin skirt should be worn. Long,
white cotton stockings reaching to the napkin should be worn all summer,
and not short socks.
The head should be kept cool, therefore do not use a sunbonnet which shuts
out all of the air. Muslin caps and light pique hats provide enough shade,
if the baby-carriage has a parasol.
Creeping aprons can be used for babies. They are made of fine gingham and
may be put over the dress or worn without one in very warm weather. Make
them so as to button all the way down the back, and they sometimes have an
elastic or draw-string run into the hem at the bottom of the apron so that
the white skirts may be kept clean.
For early fall, two or three little jackets of light flannel or cashmere
can be made; and the baby can wear one of these either over or under his
white dress in the morning or evening when it is cool. The baby should be
in the house by six o'clock unless the weather is exceptionally warm. In
the fall, if he has been accustomed to having his nap on the piazza, in
his carriage, a screen should-be placed around the carriage to protect him
from any possible draught. After the first of October, in chilly days, he
should have his nap in the house.
[556 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Winter.--A year-old baby in winter should wear a medium weight wool shirt,
knit band with shoulder-straps, a flannel skirt on a flannel waist, white
skirt buttoned on to the waist of the flannel skirt, woolen stockings
pinned to the diaper, laced shoes, a white dress of some cotton material
and for very cold days, a little flannel, or cashmere sack. At night
should be worn a band, shirt, diaper and flannel night-dress long enough
to keep his feet warm. For an outing in the winter he should have on a
light, but warmly lined coat; a wadded lamb's wool lining is best, but it
is expensive, and flannel may be used. His bonnet should be lined with
flannel; and leggings and mittens should be of wool.
First Half of Second Year.--A baby of this age may wear a thin gauze shirt
with short sleeves, but he should wear under it the ribbed silk and wool
band and also his flannel petticoat during the summer. Summer complaint is
often kept off by such clothing.
Second Half of Second Year.--A baby of this age is too young to walk in
the streets in the winter, and his feet cannot be protected from the damp
and cold sidewalks by the usual roomy shoes. When in the go-cart instead
of his carriage, his legs should be well covered, so that dampness and
wind will not chill and give him a cold. A large bag having a draw-string
at the top is an excellent thing to use for the lower part of baby's body
while in the go-cart, and the strings should be drawn up and tied under
his arms. This bag may be made of any material (warm) from eiderdown,
cloth, flannel to felting; or it may simply be made of an old crib blanket
and a small carriage robe placed over it. Baby's ears should be covered at
this age on very cold days, when out. The baby girl should wear a lined
bonnet, well covering her eyes. Tam O'Shanter caps of angora wool can be
made and pulled down over the eyes for both girls and boys alike; or a
soft felt hat with rosettes of ribbon lined with flannel sewed onto the
elastic can be made for the boy to protect the head and ears.
By the time baby is two years old, diapers should be given up and little
drawers used instead. It may be frequently necessary to use diapers at
night for several months longer, although if the baby be taken up at ten
or eleven o'clock p. m. he will frequently go all night without urinating.
First Half of Third Year.--Children of this age should be put into
night-drawers, cotton ones in summer and flannel ones either with or
without feet, in winter. Tiny overalls or "rompers" are now used a good
deal for both boys and girls while at play.
Second Half of Third Year.--Now he can walk in the street for a little
while each day, even in winter, having his legs protected by warm leggings
and with small rubbers for his shoes when the walks are at all damp.
Woolen leggings should be used.
Children should not be allowed to race about in their night-drawers and
bare feet. They should also have little wrappers and bedroom slippers.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 557]
What About the Nursery? The furnishings should be very simple. No
unnecessary hangings or upholstered furniture. A large room, well
ventilated and one in which the sun shines at some part of the day. The
shades should be dark, but no extra hangings or curtains. Nothing should
be allowed about the baby's crib but what can be washed. The air should be
kept pure. There should be no plumbing, no drying of napkins or clothes,
no cooking of food, and no gas burning at night. A small wax candle will
do for all usual purposes.
What kind of heat is best? An open grate fire is best; next, heat from a
Franklin stove. Steam heat is bad in a nursery. Never use a gas stove
unless for a few minutes during the morning bath.
What should the temperature be during the day? From 66 to 68 degrees with
the thermometer hung three feet above the floor. It should never be
allowed above 70 F. At night, not below 65 F. during the first three
months. After that it may go to 55 F., and after the first year it may go
to 50 and even to 45 F.
Does the fireplace furnish enough ventilation? No, the principal
ventilation must be from the windows.
How soon can you leave the windows open at night? Usually after the third
month, except when the outside temperature is below the freezing point.
How often should the nursery be aired? At least twice a day, after the
baby has had his bath in the morning and also before putting him to bed
for the night. This ventilation should be done thoroughly and the baby
should be moved to another room. In the meantime, any time the child is
out of the room it should be aired.
How can you ventilate the room at night? During the winter, while the baby
is young, the sleeping room may be ventilated at night by opening a window
in an adjoining room; or if the weather is not very severe, a window board
may be used, or a frame on which has been tacked heavy muslin; this may be
from one to two feet high and put into the window like an ordinary
mosquito screen. In summer, a screen around baby's crib will furnish all
needed protection from the open windows.
How does a room that is kept too warm affect the baby? He becomes pale,
loses his appetite, has some indigestion, gains no weight, perspires very
much and takes cold easily.
How early in baby's life may airing indoors be commenced, and how long
continued? When the baby is one month old. For fifteen minutes at a time
at first and may be lengthened ten to fifteen minutes daily. This airing
may be continued in all kinds of weather.
Will the baby take cold? Not if the period is at first short and the baby
becomes accustomed to it gradually. It is a cold preventive.
How should such an airing be given? The baby should be dressed with bonnet
and tight coat and placed in a crib or carriage which should stand a few
feet from the window; all the windows should be thrown open for baby's
airing. Doors should be closed to prevent draughts.
[558 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
How soon can baby be taken out of doors? In summer when one week old, with
eyes thoroughly shaded. In spring and fall usually in about one month; in
winter, when about three months old, on pleasant days, and kept in the sun
and out of the wind.
What time of day is best? A baby may go out almost any time in the early
summer and early autumn between 6 A. M. and 7 P. M. In winter and early
spring a young child only between ten or eleven and three.
Can this be done in all kinds of weather? When the winds are sharp and the
ground covered with melting snow, and when it is very cold, the baby
should not go out. If the thermometer is below 32 degrees F., a child
under four month's should not go out. If below 20 degrees F., a baby under
eight month's should not go out.
What care should be taken? The wind should never blow in the baby's face,
its feet and legs should be properly covered and warm and the sun should
never be allowed to shine directly upon its eyes either sleeping or
waking.
Does this outing do the baby any good? The fresh air renews and purifies
the blood, and this is just as necessary for its health and growth as
proper food.
How does it show in the baby? The appetite is good, also the digestion.
The child sleeps better and all signs of health are seen.
Is it better for the baby to be carried by the nurse in this airing? No,
for it can be made more comfortable in its carriage and as well protected
from exposure.
Is there any objection to a baby sleeping out of doors in the daytime? No,
it needs only to be kept warm and out of draughts. A covered inclosed
porch is a good place.
What can be done for a child that takes cold easily? The room should be
kept cool when it sleeps, the clothing should be light so that he will not
perspire so freely. Every morning the chest and back should be sponged
with cold water, 50 to 60 degrees F.
How should such a sponge bath be given? The child should stand in a tub
containing a little warm water, and a large bath sponge filled with cold
water should be squeezed over the body two or three times. Follow this
with vigorous rubbing with a towel until the skin shows quite red. This
may be given at least at three years old. For infants the temperature
should be 65 to 70 degrees F.
WEIGHING BABY FREQUENTLY.
Why is it necessary to weigh the baby regularly? To be able to tell how it
is doing. This is especially necessary during the first year.
How frequently should this be done? During the first six months every
week, and during the last six months at least once in two weeks; once a
month during the second year.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 559]
How rapidly should the baby' gain weight during the first year? During the
first week it loses a few ounces, after this it shows a gain of four to
eight ounces a week up to the sixth month, then two to four ounces a week,
up to the twelfth month.
Do bottle-fed infants gain so rapidly? Very seldom during the first month,
but after that with favorable air and circumstances, the gain is quite
regular, and they may gain faster during the latter part of the first
year, because the nursing baby loses weight at weaning time.
Why do they not gain so rapidly at first? Because it takes a few weeks for
the stomach to become accustomed to cow's milk and until this is
accomplished it is necessary that the milk be made very weak or
indigestion will result.
What is a baby's average weight at birth? Seven to seven and one-half
pounds.
How much should it be at different months at this average birth? At three
months it should be twelve to thirteen pounds; at six months fifteen to
sixteen pounds; at nine months seventeen to eighteen pounds; at one year
twenty to twenty-two pounds. A healthy baby will usually double its weight
at five months and at twelve months it will nearly triple its weight.
Should a healthy baby gain steadily in weight during the first year? He
usually does, but not regularly in every week during the year. There are
periods when most infants do not gain any weight. This is most often seen
from the seventh to the tenth month and frequently occurs when the child
is teething and sometimes in the very hot weather.
Is gaining regularly in weight a sure sign that the child is thriving
normally? Not always, some infants' foods produce weight, but not strength
nor development in other respects.
Can the regular gaining in weight guide us as much in the second year? The
gain after the first year is not so continuous; interruptions occur during
change of seasons, sometimes without any apparent cause.
How soon should a child hold its head up? During the fourth, and sometimes
in the third month, as a rule. If the body is supported the head can be
held erect.
How early does a baby notice things? During the second month he shows
pleasure by smiling and will turn his head in the direction of a sound.
They should be kept quiet, or their sleep will be broken.
What will it do at three months? It will recognize its nurse or mother,
and will smile and "coo" when she approaches, and now for the first time
the tear glands become active and the baby cries with tears. At this age
when taken out he should lie out straight in a heavy folded blanket, or
hair pillow, having a small thin pillow under his head; a hot water bag
should be near his feet; a light woolen blanket or afghan should be put
into the carriage and the baby placed upon it, then it should be carefully
wrapped around him and the outer carriage robe tucked in. These wraps
should be modified according to the weather. Babies should not perspire
much for they will take cold readily; so the covering should not be too
heavy.
[560 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
When does the baby laugh aloud? From the third to the fifth month.
When does it first notice toys, etc.? From the fifth to the seventh month.
At four months he is able to hold his head without support. He begins to
use his hands better. He will often grasp an attractive object; he will
throw it on the floor and expect it to be picked up for him. And also
frequently shows signs of fear at the end of the fourth month, and
strangers will scare him. He can now be played with for a little time
every day, but never before bedtime. The best time is after the morning
nap. Do not toss him about, but be gentle with him or you will make him
nervous and sleepless at night.
What is baby's condition at the fifth month? He is now a bright lively
fellow, and may sit in a half upright position in his carriage or in his
chair for a short time each day. When in his chair he should be tied in, a
soft pad or pillow should be at his back to support him. He now enjoys
exercise on a bed or in a large clothes basket, and may even have one toy
at a time to play with. Do not shake rattles at him. It tires him. His
naps now grow shorter gradually, but he should take two daily; a long one
of two or three hours in the morning and about one hour in the afternoon.
He should not sleep late in the afternoon, or he will not sleep as well at
night. He now "drools." This is a sign of teeth coming, and baby will bite
his fingers and put everything he can hold in his mouth. He may form the
sucking habit now, and if he does, put a small toy in his hand, or dip his
thumb in a solution of quinine or aloes. The habit of thumb sucking is an
ugly one. Another way to stop it is to bind a piece of cardboard on the
arm and long enough to reach a little above or below the elbow. Then the
arm cannot be bent.
Should the baby use an ivory or rubber ring to bite on when teething? A
special cracker is now made in the form of a ring; it is quite hard and
composed mostly of malt sugar and is intended for teething babies to bite
on.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.-1. Teething, What One Quebec Mother did for.--"Rub
paregoric on the gums. This always eased my children."
2. Teething, Novel Canadian Method to Aid in.--"Put a thimble on your
finger and when holding the baby rub his gums gently with it, and let him
chew on it. This cuts the gums and starts bleeding when the baby doesn't
think of it."
How early should a baby be able to sit and stand alone? At seven to eight
months he is usually able to sit erect and support his body. He first
attempts to bear the weight upon his feet at nine to ten months, and at
eleven to twelve months babies can stand without assistance.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 561]
When should a child walk without help? At twelve to thirteen months he
attempts to walk. At fifteen to sixteen months the average child is able
to run alone.
What conditions postpone this? Premature birth, a delicate constitution,
or prolonged illness and especially chronic or digestive disturbances.
Rickets is a common sign of late sitting, standing or walking.
Should you urge a child to walk? No; his muscles and bones may not be
ready. He will walk soon enough if able.
How early does a child begin to talk? Generally a child can say papa and
mamma at one year. The end of the second year the average child is able to
put words together in short sentences.
If a child does not attempt to talk in two years, what should be
suspected? Child may be a deaf-mute or mentally deficient. It is sometimes
seen in children who are very backward.
SPECIAL CARE OF THE BABY.
Baby will be sensitive to light, even the first day. Do not allow the sun
to shine in his eyes, or gas or electric light if that must be used. The
baby's skin may change to yellow for a few days, but this soon passes away
and frequently there is scaling. The fine soft hair usually comes out and
is replaced later by a second growth. The open spot on the head should not
be touched. When the head is out of shape or is swollen, this need not
cause worry for it will soon disappear. Mold it a little. Do not allow the
baby to lie in one position, as the soft skull may become flattened or all
the hair rubbed off in one place. The baby sleeps about nine-tenths of the
time, but he should be wakened regularly for his food and kept awake while
taking it. This will soon become a regular habit to him, and he will wake
of his own accord in a short time. Do not allow the baby to fall asleep
nursing at the breast or while taking food in his bottle. He will not get
enough nourishment and will want to nurse too often. Also if he is
bottle-fed the milk is apt to grow cold and cause colic. He should be
taught to nurse slowly and if he tries to nurse too fast the breast or
nipple should be taken away for a minute, and then given again. The baby
should nurse from fifteen to twenty minutes. A certain amount of crying is
necessary for a baby if he is to be strong and healthy. It exercises his
lungs. "Soothing syrup" should never be given to quiet him.
[562 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
THE CRY-HOW TO DISTINGUISH IT.
The cry of pain is strong, sharp, but not continuous, often accompanied by
contractions of the features and drawing up of the legs. The cry of hunger
is a continuous, fretful sound, after feeding or sometime before the next
feeding. The cry of temper is loud and strong, accompanied by kicking or
stiffening of the body, and, this should never be given away to from the
first. The cry of a sick child is feeble and whining. Baby should not be
rocked to sleep, nor carried about the room.
Baby's First Meal.--He should be placed to the breast as soon as the
mother can have him. He will not get much milk for the first few days, but
he should be given the breast four or five times daily. He needs what is
then secreted and it is also good for the mother to try to nurse as soon
as possible. The baby may be given a few teaspoonfuls of boiled water
between nursing, but no teas. At the third day the milk is usually
established, and the baby should nurse regularly every two hours up to 10
p. m., and twice at night. He should not sleep in his mother's bed, but
have his own crib and be taken to her at nursing time. There is danger of
baby being smothered sleeping with its mother, and it will not sleep so
well. As a rule it is best to wash baby's mouth out before nursing, and
the mother's nipple should also be wiped off with a little boric acid
solution.
Baby's Bed.--As before stated, baby should sleep in his own crib, an iron
or brass crib without rockers is best. A screen or plain white curtain of
some wash material may be used to protect him against draughts. If this
cannot be had, he may sleep while very young in a large clothes basket
placed on two chairs. The crib should have a good woven wire mattress and
a pair of heavy airing blankets should be placed on top of the crib,
folded so as to fit the mattress; a square of rubber or any waterproof
material should come next, then a cotton sheet, a quilted pad, a second
sheet, a pair of wool crib blankets and a light counterpane. This should
be removed at night and a comfortable afghan be used in its place. The
pillow should be of hair, never of feathers or down, about one inch thick.
The bed clothes should be aired thoroughly and the heavy airing blanket be
washed occasionally and thoroughly dried and aired before it is again
used. The blanket can hang on a line out of doors on a bright sunny day
for an hour or two; in this way the blanket will be kept cleaner and will
last comfortably until baby is three years old. The baby should never be
put in a cold bed; warm the sheets before the fire just before putting
baby in his bed (or crib) or place a hot water bag between them until they
are warm. Now (second month) the baby is old enough to use his chair, not
to soil his napkin. Place a small chamber on the mother's lap and hold the
child on it, supporting his head and back. Do this exactly the same hours
every day, morning and afternoon, directly after a meal. This training
should be continued, as the position alone often goes a great way in
helping to over-come constipation or any tendency to irregularity of the
bowels that may exist. They cannot be taught not to wet the napkin until
they are some months older.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 563]
The baby needs water as much as any adult person. Boil a fresh supply
daily and cool and keep it in a covered dish or bottle. A little,--four to
eight teaspoonfuls,--should be offered to the baby between each meal. It
can be given from a spoon, a medicine dropper, or taken from a nursing
bottle, and either hot or cold. This aids in overcoming constipation and
teaches a breast-fed baby to use a nursing bottle, which will be of much
benefit should sudden weaning be necessary.
During the second month his meals should be given every two and one-half
hours during the day, having eight meals in twenty-four hours of three to
four ounces at each meal. At night he should be fed at ten and two.
Meals for the Third Month.--Baby should be regularly nursed or fed every
three hours up to ten p. m. Then have one meal at two or three a. m., and
nothing more until seven a. m. If bottle fed he should be given three and
one-half to four ounces at each feeding.
Fourth Month.--If the mother is nursing her baby, it is a good plan now to
teach him how to use the bottle. Some doctors advise one bottle feeding
each day from the start, for, should the mother's milk suddenly fail, or
should she be obliged to stop nursing for any reason, there will be no
struggle, which would be very hard for the baby if it happened in hot
weather. Also the gradual accustoming of the digestive organs to the cow's
milk before weaning must be commenced and does away in some degree, at
least, with the danger from indigestion from the cow's milk given
regularly.
Fifth Month.--Night feeding should now be discontinued; he should be
taught to sleep from ten p. m. to seven a. m. There may be a few nights of
crying and a struggle when the night feeding is first stopped, but he will
soon learn to sleep without waking for his meal. He should be fed every
three hours until ten p. m., and if bottle fed he should be given five to
six and one-half ounces at each meal, making six meals in twenty-four
hours.
Sixth Month.--The baby sleeps about two-thirds of the time. He shows signs
of increasing intelligence. The baby should now accustom itself to taking
either condensed milk or only the best prepared foods once or twice daily.
The mother may become ill or unable to nurse for some reason, or wish to
take a journey, etc., and baby is then prepared for emergencies.
When the baby is seven months old he will need more exercise than a
clothes basket will afford. An exercise pen should be made.
Teeth.--As soon as the teeth come they should be kept clean, otherwise
they will decay, milk is likely to remain in the mouth, turn sour and
gradually destroy the enamel of the teeth.
With a soft linen cloth or a piece of absorbent cotton dipped in a
solution of boric acid wash out the mouth and teeth, twice a day at least,
carefully. A soft brush may be used later when baby has eight or ten
teeth, and a little finely prepared chalk may be put on the brush, if
there are any specks on the teeth. The baby should have three meals in
twenty-four hours of six or seven ounces at each meal, if bottle-fed.
[564 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Eighth Month.--Baby should be allowed to creep on the floor a little or in
his pen. It is good exercise and it will benefit him, but he should not be
urged to do it. Many mothers give baby potato, etc., at this period; this
is bad, as potato is hard to digest on account of having so much starch.
Bread and cakes are also prohibited; convulsions are often caused by such
food. Milk gruel and broths are enough for the baby and he will thrive
using them. Baby should feed every three hours up to ten p. m., six and
one-half to seven and one-half ounces at each meal.
Mosquito Bites.--If baby is bitten by mosquitoes wash the spot off with a
little camphor water, soda water, or a wet compress of witch-hazel should
be kept on the bite or boracic acid or soda solution. Keep the baby from
scratching the part by fixing his hands; scratching will further poison
the part.
Flies.--They often carry germs of disease on their legs and wings, and
they frequently light on baby's mouth or on the nipple of the nursing
bottle. Diseases can be contracted in this way. The windows should be
screened. Everything that the fly has touched should be washed with some
light antiseptic solution.
Ninth Month.--His long morning nap should be encouraged and he should
sleep in the early afternoon. If the baby is heavy his little moccasin or
kid shoes will not now support his ankles and he should have a shoe with a
piece of stiffening at the side. The shoe should have no heels; laced
shoes fit better and should be preferred. The baby (bottle-fed) can take
seven to eight ounces of the proper food every three hours until ten p. m.
Tenth Month.--He can now take a little beef juice, beginning with one
teaspoonful once a day and soon twice a day; then increase to two
teaspoonfuls at a time and keep on until he is taking eight teaspoonfuls
daily.
This should be given between his regular meals. Some babies cannot take
beef juice; orange juice may then be tried, strained through cheesecloth
or fine muslin and be given at first in doses of one teaspoonful and
increased until baby gets the juice of one-half an orange.
If the mother is nursing baby and he has been given one bottle of milk
daily, as advised for a four-months-old babe, he can now have two bottle
feedings daily. Every healthy baby should be weaned when one year old, and
it is better to do it gradually in this way. The baby's food should now be
given him every three and one-half hours up to ten p. m., thus making five
meals in twenty-four hours of seven to eight ounces at each meal.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 565]
Eleventh Month.--Baby can now have added to his diet another cereal like
farina well cooked,--twice as long as the directions advise and it should
be half solid when finished. Begin with one teaspoonful and then try two.
This should be given in addition to his beef juice or orange juice. It
should come between his regular meals, which should now be given at
four-hour intervals. He should take eight or nine ounces to a meal.
Twelfth Month.--Baby should go to bed at six p. m., and take long morning
nap. He should have five meals a day of such food as directed later.
INFANTS' FEEDING.
What is the best food for an infant? Mothers' milk.
What is the composition of mothers' milk? About thirteen parts solids and
eighty-seven parts water.
Name the solids? Fat, sugar, proteids and salts.
What is sugar? Milk sugar or "lactose."
What are the proteids? The curd of the milk, which is very similar to the
white of an egg, and is the muscle making element in the milk.
Is it necessary to have all these elements? Yes.
What benefit is the fat? It is needed for the growth of the bones, nerves,
fat of the body and also for producing heat.
Give the use of sugar? It is needed to produce heat and make fat in the
body.
Use of the proteids? They are needed for the growth of the cells of the
body, such as those of the blood, the various organs of the muscles.
What do the salts do? Help in the growth of bone.
What is the use of water? Water keeps the food minutely subdivided or in
solution, so that the infant's delicate organs can digest it. It also
enables the body to get rid of the waste material.
NURSING.
Should all mothers make an attempt at nursing their babies? Yes, as a
rule.
What are the most important conditions that may prevent nursing?
Tuberculosis now or in the past or, in fact, any other serious chronic
diseases; very delicate health herself. Some acute disease like typhoid
fever or cancer.
How soon after labor should the baby be put to the breast? As soon as the
mother is able to have it.
What is the food called that it then obtains? Colostrum.
What does this do? It aids in cleaning the baby's system.
Should the mother nurse the baby inclining or lying? Yes.
Does nursing drain the mother? Not if she is reasonably well. It is a
natural process.
[566 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
If the mother cannot nurse immediately after labor, what should you feed
baby? The baby will not starve in a few days. Give it warm water regularly
every few hours, or a little cream and warm water.
Are there any impediments to nursing? Sometimes the baby is tongue-tied.
Is the baby ever too weak to nurse? Yes.
What should be done in that case? Draw the milk from the breast and feed
it through a free flowing nursing bottle. Such babies are generally born
prematurely.
Are the mother's nipples ever at fault? Yes, they are; poorly developed,
retracted, that the baby's tongue cannot surround it to draw upon it.
What can be done for them? They should be drawn out, and sometimes a breast
pump is needed for this.
Should the nipples be treated after nursing? They should be dried and
clean clothing put against them. Some recommend washing them with a mild
solution of boric acid.
Are they ever so tender that nursing is painful? Yes.
What can be done for this? The nipples should be drawn out before
confinement; if neglected use the following: Compound tincture of benzoin
one-half ounce. After each nursing wash them clean with warm water or
water and a little alcohol and after drying them, put on the tincture of
benzoin with a camel's hair brush. It will not hurt the baby.
What can be done with cracked nipples? Apply benzoin as before directed,
and use a glass or rubber nipple shield until it gets well.
How can caked breasts be prevented? The breasts should be kept emptied and
well protected, both while nursing and during the intervals. Empty with a
breast pump if necessary.
If mother's clothes are wet by the excess milk, what can she do? Use a
breast-pump and drink and eat less fluid; eat more solid.
Should a baby nurse at both breasts? It is better.
If the breast contains pus, what can be done? Nurse at the other breast,
but if both breasts are affected it must stop breast nursing.
Should an infant nurse from a mother who is taking medicine? Not as a
rule.
When will the mother be able to nurse again? It is hard to tell. If the
child is six months old the child should be weaned if the mother is
seriously ill, and children with delicate stomachs should always be
weaned, when the mother is sick.
If the mother has not enough nurse, what can be done?--Nurse partly and
feed it the rest.
Can the milk secretion be increased? Yes, by regulating the mother's diet.
She should drink freely of good cow's milk and have an occasional bowl of
gruel, soup, etc.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 567]
How long can you wait to see if the mother can have milk? It is well to
wait several days, nurse all there is and supply the deficiency by bottle
feeding.
How often should the baby nurse at first, and how long? Every four or five
hours for the first few days--usually nurses fifteen to twenty minutes;
one night nursing.
When is there a full secretion of milk? Usually on the third day.
How often should the baby be nursed afterward? After the third day every
two hours and twice at night.
How often during the rest of the year? For two to three months every two
to two and one-half hours during the day, two times at night; three to
five months about every three hours up to ten p. m.; and one time at
night; five to twelve months every three to three and one-half or four
hours and not at night.
Is it necessary as a rule to give additional food the first few days? No;
give plenty of water.
What important things should be attended to in nursing? First, a regular
time night and day. Second, nipples should be kept clean.
What should a nursing mother eat? Her diet should be simple and plentiful,
and lots of fluids; she should have three regular meals a day, and gruel,
cocoa, or milk at bedtime and sometimes between meals. She can use
cereals, most soups, most vegetables; avoid sour tart fruits, salads,
pastry, and desserts. She may eat egg, meats once or twice daily, but in
most cases but once. Tea and coffee if taken should be very weak, and
ordinarily no wine or beer.
Are fruits eaten by the mother likely to injure baby? Sour fruits do in
some cases, but sweet fruits and most fruits that are cooked do not, and
are useful for the bowels.
Should the mother take special care of herself? Yes, she should lead a
simple, natural, happy life, with outdoor exercise, as soon as possible
after the confinement. She should make her bowels move daily by food and
habit; she should not worry, should sleep plenty and should nap for an
hour during the middle of the day.
Will the milk of the mother be affected by nervousness? Yes, more so than
by her diet; worry, anxiety, fatigue, loss of sleep, household duties,
society functions, have an injurious effect upon the child. Mother's
grief, excitement, anger, passion, act upon the child through the milk.
How does the return of the menstruation affect the milk? The quantity is
lessened, the infant is not satisfied. Sometimes the quality is affected
and the child may suffer from restlessness, colic, and acute indigestion.
Should regular menstruation prohibit nursing? Not always; as a rule both
functions do not go together. If the child thrives, it can keep on
nursing, although it might be well to feed the infant, at least partly,
during the period.
[568 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
How can you determine that the baby is well nourished? Good color, sleep
for two hours after nursing, is quiet, good-natured and comfortable when
awake; has normal bowel movements, three stools daily and gains gradually
in weight.
How can you tell when a baby is poorly nourished? It neither gains nor
loses weight; it is listless, tired, indifferent, cross, fretful,
irritable and sleeps poorly. It looks pale, anemic, and it becomes soft
and flabby. If the milk is scanty, it nurses long; at other times it tries
the breast and turns away seemingly disgusted.
What should be done? This depends upon the conditions; should the child
gain nothing for three or four weeks or lose weight, immediate weaning may
be necessary; at least other food must be given in addition to the breast
food. Feeding may be alternated with the breast nursing.
How do the symptoms show when the mother's milk disagrees? The child, is
in constant discomfort; it sleeps little, is restless, cries much, gulps
up gas, passes it by the bowels, or it accumulates in the bowels causing
colic. There may be vomiting, but more often bowel trouble. The bowels may
be constipated but usually there is diarrhea--frequent, loose, green,
with mucus and gas.
What should you do in such a case? If the child does not gain or loses
weight and there is little chance of improvement in the mother's milk, the
child should be weaned immediately. If the child gains in weight, try a
little longer to improve the mother's milk.
Why do some babies nurse so often? The milk does not satisfy.
When the baby has thrush, should the mother take special care of the
breasts? Yes, they should be cleaned after every nursing.
How much does the baby's stomach hold at birth? Six to seven teaspoonfuls.
Is vomiting a healthy sign in infants? Frequent vomiting is not natural;
see if his bands are too tight; find out if he has been danced or handled
after nursing.
When is it harmful? When it is frequent. If it comes up directly after a
meal looking just as it was when taken, the child may be over-fed.
What can be done? Reduce the quantity, or do not let it nurse so long or
so often. If vomiting takes place a half hour after feeding, in sour
swelling masses, it may be getting food too rich in cream, and then the
time between nursings should be lengthened; or dilute the breast milk by
giving one to two teaspoonfuls of plain boiled water, barley water, five
or ten minutes before nursing; the mother should eat less hearty food,
especially of meat.
If baby has frequent colic, what is the cause? The milk has too much
proteids.
What should be done? Eat less meat, keep quiet, and happy, do not worry,
etc.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 569]
How many stools does a healthy baby have daily? About two.
What color? Yellow color and pasty consistence.
If a nursing baby has too many stools, what change should be made in the
mother's diet? She should eat food that would cause costive bowels in her.
LOOSE STOOLS IN NURSING BABIES.
They are caused by the mother eating improper food. If the stools are very
yellow, foul, greasy or ropy the mother is eating food that produces too
much fat (cream) in her milk. If curds appear there is not enough fat, and
too much of the proteids (skim milk). When the stools are very green with
much mucus in them, the food should be reduced.
If a nursing baby is constipated, what can be done? More boiled water
should be given between nursing. The mother should take exercise at least
two hours each day out of doors; her bowels should move every day, even if
she must take a laxative. She should take plenty of pure, rich milk,
cocoa, oatmeal and cornmeal gruels, and some kind of tonic if she is weak.
Tea and coffee should not be used. Ripe fruit (not tart), some green
vegetables and a little meat can be eaten. Starchy foods should be
avoided. Sometimes baby does not get enough nurse. Then she should be fed
and given plenty of pure water between meals.
If a nursing baby has frequent colic attacks, what should be done? The
food is probably too strong. The mother should eat food that will produce
less fat (cream) in her milk. The baby can be nursed at longer periods for
a time; or give an ounce of hot water just before nursing. The mother
should take plenty of exercise, enough sleep and have a free movement of
her bowels, so as to keep well and free from nervousness.
WEANING.
When and how should this be done? This may usually be begun at nine or ten
months by substituting one feeding a day for one nursing. Later two
feedings, etc., until weaning is gradually accomplished. Some advise one
bottle feeding regularly each day much earlier, as before stated.
Give reasons for weaning earlier? Some serious illness of the mother,
pregnancy, but the main reasons usually are that the child is not
thriving.
When should the weaning be completed? Generally at one year, It may be
advisable to wait longer in warm, damp weather.
Is there any danger in nursing longer? Yes, as the milk is scanty; the
child may get rickets or anemia.
Is gradual weaning the best method? Yes.
[570 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Should a wet nurse be preferred to bottle feeding? Yes, if you are sure
you can get a good and perfectly healthy wet nurse. Her habits, etc., must
be unobjectionable--she should be chosen by a physician.
When should a "weaned" child use the bottle, and when the cup? If the
weaning is done at the eighth or ninth month the bottle should be used; if
weaning is done from the tenth to the eleventh month, the baby should be
taught to drink or be fed with a spoon.
How can you overcome some of the difficulties of weaning? As before
recommended, by feeding every nursing infant once a day or by giving water
regularly from out a feeding bottle, as this accustoms the baby to the
bottle. This is very good, for the mother is sometimes away at nursing
time, for a few hours and the baby can be fed, and when weaning comes, it
is much easier.
How soon should a child stop nursing from a bottle? If the child is well
this should be begun at the end of the first year, and after it is
fourteen months old, it should not have the bottle except at the night
feeding.
What is the objection to longer bottle nursing? They become attached to
the bottle and refuse solid food when it is proper to give it. They get
the bottle habit; also, it is troublesome and unnecessary. Then they will
not take milk in the future, when the bottle is finally taken from them;
an exclusive milk diet for children of two to three years old often
results in poor nutrition and anemia.
Give the process of training a child to give up the bottle? There is
little trouble if it is begun at the right time; pour the milk in a small
cup or glass and the child will drink little by little. Give only a small
portion of the food in this way, at first, and the balance from the
bottle. The child will in a few weeks time learn to drink out of the cup
without difficulty. If the child is two or three years old, take the
bottle away entirely and let the child get hungry, and give it only milk
in the cup and nothing else. Some children may go for a day without food,
but hunger will master them finally. As soon as he has learned to drink
milk from his cup, cereals and other solid foods are gradually added to
his dietary and the child has not only been taught to give up his bottle,
but he has also a training which is often necessary.
Can you give a baby just weaned as strong cows' milk as one of the same
age who has been fed upon cows' milk from birth? Not generally; it would
be almost certain to cause indigestion. You must remember that the change
in food is a great one, and the feeding should be begun with a weak milk
and increased gradually in strength as the baby becomes accustomed to the
cows' milk.
What are the proper proportions for an infant weaned at four or five
months? About the same as that given to a healthy bottle-fed baby of two
months, except the quantity should be larger. The food can be gradually
increased, in most cases, so that by the end of two or three weeks the
usual strength can be given.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 571]
What strength is given to a bottle-fed baby of two months? From the top of
a quart bottle of pure milk, that has stood from three to six hours, skim
carefully off the top six ounces and then pour off three ounces of milk
and mix them with the top milk (first skimmed off) making nine ounces in
all; add to this nine ounces twenty-four ounces of boiled water in which
you should have dissolved four teaspoonfuls of granulated sugar, or six or
seven teaspoonfuls of milk sugar; add a pinch of salt and a pinch of
bicarbonate of soda, or else two ounces of lime water.
Give the proper proportion for a baby who is weaned at nine or ten months?
About the same as for a bottle-fed baby of four or five months. The
increase to be as above given.
What is the formula for a bottle-fed baby of four months? For a healthy
baby, six ounces of top milk skimmed from the top of a quart bottle of
milk, six ounces of milk, then poured off, twenty-four ounces of barley or
oatmeal gruel, six teaspoonfuls of milk sugar or three of granulated
sugar, a pinch of salt and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda or if lime-water
is used instead take one ounce of lime-water to each twenty of the milk or
gruel. He should have four ounces of this mixture every three hours up to
ten p. m., and then one meal at about two a. m.; none until six or seven
a. m.
Will a child lose weight when placed upon this diet? It will often do so
for a week or more, but he will soon gain gradually and regularly.
SPECIAL MONTHLY RULES FOR A BOTTLE-FED BABY.
Formula of food.--For the first month: skim off carefully the top six
ounces from a quart bottle of pure milk, add to this twenty-four ounces of
boiled water, in which water three teaspoonfuls of granulated or six
teaspoonfuls of milk sugar have been dissolved, and then add a pinch of
soda, or else one and one-half ounces of lime-water. Mix all these
ingredients thoroughly, and then pour the correct quantity into each of
ten clean nursing bottles. Tightly cork these bottles with clean cotton,
and they can all be pasteurized or heated to a temperature of 155 degrees
F. (Some say higher).
What strength is given to a bottle-fed baby of two months? From the top of
a quart bottle of pure milk that has stood from three to six to eight
hours, skim carefully off the top six ounces and then pour off three
ounces of milk and mix them with the top milk (first skimmed off) making
nine ounces in all; add to the nine ounces, twenty-four ounces of boiled
water in which you should have dissolved four teaspoonfuls of granulated
sugar, or six or seven teaspoonfuls of milk sugar; add a pinch of salt and
a pinch of bicarbonate of soda, or two ounces of lime-water.
[572 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Formula for the third month.--(This is often used), Carefully skim off the
top six ounces from a quart bottle of pure milk, then pour off six ounces
of milk, twelve ounces in all, and now add twelve ounces of boiled water
in which three teaspoonfuls of granulated or six of milk sugar have been
dissolved, with a pinch of soda or else two ounces of lime-water; add then
twelve ounces of barley or oatmeal gruel, divide into eight bottles,
pasteurize, etc.; cool quickly and place where the temperature is 50
degrees F., until meal time, when one of the bottles should be warmed by
placing it in warm water. Pour a little out in a spoon to test the warmth,
etc.; when the milk is lukewarm remove the cotton cork and attach the
rubber nipple. He should be fed regularly and equally every three hours up
to ten p. m., then have one at two or three a. m., and nothing until seven
a. m. He should get three and one-half to four ounces at each meal, so
that much should be put in each bottle.
What is the formula for a bottle-fed baby of four months? For a healthy
baby, six ounces of top milk skimmed from the top of a quart bottle of
milk, six ounces of milk then poured off, twenty-four ounces of barley or
oatmeal gruel, six teaspoonfuls of milk sugar or three of granulated
sugar, a pinch of salt and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda; or if
lime-water is used instead, take one ounce of lime-water to each twenty of
the milk and gruel. He should have four or five ounces of this mixture
every three hours up to 10 p. m., then one meal at about 2 a. m. None
until 6 or 7 a. m.
Will a child lose weight when placed upon this diet? It will often do so
for a week or more, but he will soon gain gradually and regularly.
Formula for the fifth month.--Skim off the top six ounces as before, then
pour off nine ounces of milk and mix it with the top-milk, add twenty-four
ounces of barley or oatmeal gruel, a pinch of salt, four teaspoonfuls of
granulated or seven of milk sugar, a pinch of bicarbonate of soda and
proceed as before. He should be fed every three hours during the day until
10 p. m. Give five to six and one-half ounces at each meal, making six
meals in the whole twenty-four hours.
Formula for sixth month.--Six ounces of the top-milk skimmed off from a
quart of pure milk, ten ounces of milk then poured off. Twenty-four ounces
of barley or oatmeal gruel, in which has been thoroughly dissolved four
teaspoonfuls of granulated or seven of milk sugar, a pinch of bicarbonate
of soda, and a pinch of salt. Pasteurized as before, etc. Give baby from
four to six ounces at each meal every three hours up to 9 or 10 p. m. If
the day is exceedingly warm, pour out one or even two ounces from each
bottle of the regular mixture and substitute boiled water for it. If the
baby is inclined to vomit, it will be better during the hot weather to use
less of the top milk, four, or five ounces instead of six or eight, and
add so much more gruel. Barley gruel is better than oatmeal gruel unless
baby is constipated. Again if the baby has delicate digestive organs, one
meal each day during the very hot weather, can be made of mutton broth
prepared as follows: Cut up one pound of neck of mutton, one pint of cold
water and a pinch of salt; this is cooked very slowly for three hours
until half a pint is left, adding a little water from time to time as it
boils away; strain through muslin and allow to cool, and when cool take
off all of the fat. Add this to an equal quantity of barley water and feed
lukewarm to the baby from the nursing bottle. These measures may ward off
summer complaint and assist in teething.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 573]
Formula for the seventh month.--From a quart of pure milk carefully skim
off the top six ounces, pour off fifteen ounces of the milk and add
twenty-one ounces of barley or oatmeal gruel to which has been added
dissolved four teaspoonfuls of granulated or seven of milk sugar, a pinch
of bicarbonate of soda. Give six or seven ounces at each meal and six
meals in twenty-four hours.
Formula for the eighth month.--Skim six ounces of top-milk as before
directed, pour off seventeen ounces of milk, add twenty-one ounces of
barley or oatmeal gruel, four of granulated or seven teaspoonfuls of milk
sugar, a pinch of salt and bicarbonate of soda. Give six and one-half to
seven ounces every three hours up to 10 p. m.
Formula for the ninth month.--Use six ounces of top-milk skimmed off as
before, twenty ounces of milk poured off, twenty-two ounces of either
barley or oatmeal gruel, a pinch of bicarbonate of soda and salt added to
the gruel, and five teaspoonfuls of granulated or eight of milk sugar
dissolved in boiled water and put in the gruel. Give seven or eight ounces
of this every three hours up to 10 p. m.
Formula for tenth month.--The milk in a quart bottle is stirred and thirty
ounces of this is taken and twenty ounces of either barley or oatmeal
gruel is added to it, to which three teaspoonfuls of granulated or seven
of milk sugar, a pinch of salt and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda have
been added. Feed the child every three and a half hours up to 10 p. m.,
making five meals in twenty-four hours, and seven to eight ounces at each
meal.
Formula for eleventh month.--Stir up the entire quart of milk, add
thirteen ounces barley or oatmeal gruel and to this add one tablespoonful
of granulated or two of milk sugar dissolved in boiled water, a pinch of
salt and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. Treat as used; eight or nine
ounces are given at each feeding, and five feedings given during the
twenty-four hours.
Formula for twelfth month.--Stir up the entire quart of milk; add eleven
ounces of gruel, one tablespoonful of granulated or two of milk sugar, a
pinch of salt and bicarbonate of soda. The child should now have five
regular meals daily, arranged about as follows: Six a. m., nine ounces of
this modified milk; 8 a. m., teaspoonful of prune jelly or strained juice
of an orange; 10 a. m., seven ounces of the modified milk and two
tablespoonfuls of a well cooked cereal; 2 p. m., five ounces of beef juice
or six ounces of mutton or chicken broth, or else a coddled egg (alternate
on different days), five or six ounces of modified milk and a small piece
of zwieback; 6 p. m., nine ounces of modified milk; 10 p. m., ten ounces
of modified milk.
[574 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
BARLEY AND OATMEAL GRUELS.
How is barley gruel made? Rub up one teaspoonful of the flour with a
little cold water, and then stir this into a pint of boiling water, add a
pinch of salt and boil it fifteen minutes, strain if it is at all lumpy.
How is oatmeal gruel made? In the same way, but use two teaspoonfuls of
the flour.
SPECIAL RULES OF FEEDING AND NURSING FOR EACH
MONTH IN CONNECTION WITH THE FORMULA GIVEN.
How can milk be pasteurized? A regular pasteurizer can be bought for three
dollars; or the bottles, ten or less, can be placed in a pot partly filled
with water which is rapidly brought to the boiling point about 155 degrees
F. These bottles are filled with each regular feeding before being put in
the water. The milk should not boil. Then remove the pot from the fire and
allow the bottles to stand in it for one-half hour, then take them out and
cool them as quickly as possible by allowing first warm and then cold
water to run over the outside of the bottles; when they are cold, place
them on ice or where the temperature is about 50 degrees F., and keep them
until meal-time. Then one of the bottles is placed in warm water until the
milk is lukewarm, the cork can then be removed and the nipple applied.
These ten bottles were equally filled with the modified milk as prepared
under the formula for the first month.
How much modified milk should be placed in each bottle? For the first week
of life one to two and one-half ounces are placed in each of the ten
bottles, and two or three and one-half ounces for the last two weeks of
the first month.
What should be done if the baby vomits or has curds in his stools? Use a
little less cream and a little more water. Remember, two tablespoonfuls
equal one ounce.
What kind of bottles should be used? Round cylindrical bottles with the
ounces marked on them.
What color of nipples? Black rubber nipples.
How should the bottle be treated when emptied? Rinse it out with cold
water and then allow it to stand full of cold water with a pinch of soda
or borax in it.
How should the bottles be prepared before the food for the whole day is
put in them and pasteurized, etc.? They should be thoroughly rinsed in hot
soap suds, and then rinsed and boiled in clear water for ten minutes.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 575]
What about the nipples? Rinse them first in cold then in hot water and
allow them to stand in a covered cup of boric acid solution or borax water
solution one teaspoonful to a pint of water. Once or twice each day they
should be turned inside out and scrubbed with a brush and water. The hole
in the nipple should be only large enough for a rather coarse needle to go
through. The hole in the nipple can be made by such a needle heated red
hot and then run through the nipple.
When can you begin to add barley and oatmeal gruel to the baby's milk? In
the third month. The gruel should be made daily. If the child is not
constipated use barley gruel; if constipated use the oatmeal gruel.
If you cannot get the flour, how can you prepare the gruel from the grain?
Take two teaspoonfuls of barley or three of oatmeal and allow it to soak
over night in cold water; add one quart of cold water the next morning and
boil steadily down to a pint, (for about four hours), then strain through
muslin.
Do some physicians advise feeding nursing babies one or two meals daily,
beginning the fourth month? Yes.
What strength should it be? Use the formula for bottle-fed babies of the
first month and the same amounts.
How can you calculate the amount necessary? Take one-eighth or one-fourth
either for one or two meals daily of the separate ingredients mentioned in
the formula for the first month.
Following order may be as follows: First give baby three ounces of the
formula, and if all goes well in a day or two give him three and one-half
ounces and miss one meal at the breast. After one week if the baby is well
suited, give him three ounces of the formula for the two-months-old baby;
wait a few days, then give him four ounces of this formula at the one
meal. Then in a week's time if all goes well, give him four ounces of the
formula for the three month's baby. Use this for one week, and then give
him four and one-half ounces of the same formula. If after another week is
past, there are no signs of indigestion, give him four ounces of the
four-month formula, and if he enjoys this very much wait for a day or two
and then increase the amount to four and one-half ounces of the same
formula, and then to five ounces; as he grows older give him of the same
formula as the bottle-fed infant of the same age, and the same amount at
the one feeding; if he vomits or has curds in his stools or colic keep him
on a weak formula longer than formerly advised.
If you have fed a breast-fed baby one meal a day from the bottle when can
he be given two feedings from the bottle? During the tenth month.
COWS' MILK.--Does cows' milk contain all the elements present in the
mother's milk? Yes, but in different proportions.
Why not use prepared foods? They are not thought so good, and are more
likely to produce poor nutrition.
What is, the difference between cows' milk and mothers' milk? Cows' milk
contains nearly three times as much casein (curd) or cheesy matter, and
only about one-half as much sugar.
[576 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
What kind of cows should be selected? They should be healthy and the milk
should be clear and fresh.
Is it best to select Jersey cows? The milk from Jersey and Alderney cows
is generally too rich; common grade cows are best.
Should the milk be from one cow? It should be from the mixed or herd milk
since that varies little from day to day.
How fresh should the milk be? In winter it should not be used after it is
forty-eight hours old; in summer not after it is twenty-four hours old,
and sometimes it is unsafe in a shorter time.
How should the milk be cared for at the dairies? It must be kept clean and
free from being contaminated. Cows, milkers and stables must all be kept
clean, and the milk must be carried in sealed bottles; those that handle
the milk must not be near a contagious disease; all milk pails, bottles,
cans, etc., used for the milk must be steamed and boiled before being
used.
Should it be immediately cooled after leaving the cows? Yes, and kept at a
temperature of about 50 degrees F.
How should the family care for it after it is delivered fresh from the
cows? Strain it for infants through a thick layer of absorbent cotton or
through several thicknesses of cheese-cloth into quart jars or milk
bottles, covered and cooled immediately. This is best done by placing the
bottles in ice water or cool spring water that comes up to their necks and
allow them to remain there at least one-half hour. What you wish to use
for the children who drink plain milk you may pour into one-half pint
bottles, and these should be placed in an ice chest or in the coolest
possible place. The first rapid cooling is very important and adds greatly
to the keeping qualities of the milk, for the milk loses its heat quickly
when cooled in water, but very slowly when it is simply placed in a cold
room. After standing for four or five hours or longer, the top milk can be
strained off; the cream may be removed after waiting twelve to sixteen
hours.
How should it be cared for when received in bottles? The temperature of
the milk is always raised during the delivery, so it should be cooled as
before described. If it was bottled at a dairy the cream or top milk can
be removed in an hour or two.
How should milk and cream be cared for by the family when purchased in
bulk? This milk should never be used for infants, as it is liable to be
contaminated. Both cream and milk should at once be poured into vessels,
covered and kept in a cool place. There will not be much cream or top milk
upon such milk.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 577]
How should refrigerators be treated? The inner portion should be of metal.
An ordinary metal refrigerator, as sold, if encased in a wooden box makes
the best kind. A covering of felt and heavy quilting can be made for the
refrigerator which can be removed easily when wet or soiled--it must be
kept absolutely clean. The compartments for the milk should be so arranged
that the milk bottles be either in contact with the ice or near it. The
supply of ice should always be abundant, or the temperature of the milk
will not be low enough. The temperature should not be higher than 50
degrees F.; it is oftener 60 to 65 degrees F. To tell the temperature, use
a nursery thermometer and this should be used from time to time to know
what temperature the milk is in. Milk is often spoiled in too warm
temperatures in refrigerators, and also in unclean refrigerators. Many
cases of sickness are caused by it. The refrigerator should carry a
temperature of near 50 degrees F., and be absolutely clean, and the
compartment for the milk should be absolutely separated from other food
compartments.
MODIFIED COWS' MILK.
Can cows' milk be fed to infants without being modified? No; because,
although the elements are similar to those in mothers' milk, they are not
identical, and are present in different proportions.
Is this a matter of great moment? Yes, for very few infants can digest
cows' milk unmodified.
What does modifying cows' milk mean? It is changing cows' milk so as to
make it more nearly like mothers' milk.
What is this changed milk called? Modified milk; and the original milk is
known as "plain milk," "whole milk," "straight milk" or "milk."
State the principal differences between cows' milk and mothers' milk?
Cows' milk contains a little more than half as much sugar. It contains
nearly three times as much proteids (curds) and salts, and the proteids
are different and much harder to digest. The reaction is decidedly acid,
while the mother's milk is faintly acid or neutral.
Any other things of importance to consider? Yes; mothers' milk is always
fed fresh and sterile, while cows' milk is always more or less
contaminated by dust or germs which increase rapidly with the age of the
milk in proportion to the amount of dirt in it and with any increase of
temperature at which the milk is kept. So pasteurization and sterilization
are done to destroy the effect of germs.
How can the acidity of cows' milk be overcome? By adding lime-water or
bicarbonate of soda.
How much lime-water should be used? About one ounce to twenty ounces of
food.
How much bicarbonate of soda? About twenty grains to twenty ounces of food.
Suppose there is a tendency to constipation in the infant? You can then
use Phillip's milk of magnesia, or some other good preparation, adding
one-half to one teaspoonful to each twenty ounces of food.
How can the sugar be increased? By adding milk or granulated sugar to the
cows' milk.
[578 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
How much milk sugar is added to twenty ounces of food? About one ounce
will do for the first three or four months. This makes it between six and
seven per cent sugar.
How should you prepare the sugar? Dissolve it in boiled water and strain
if there is a deposit after standing, by pouring it through a layer of
absorbent cotton one-half inch thick placed in an ordinary funnel.
Is not granulated (cane) sugar recommended also? Yes; but all infants
cannot use it. It is cheaper, but a good article of milk sugar should be
bought. It costs from twenty to sixty cents per pound. The cheap variety
contains many impurities.
But if cane sugar is used, how much is needed? Usually about one-half or a
little over one-half as much as milk sugar, or about one half ounce to
twenty ounces of food.
What occurs if too much is used? The sugar is likely to ferment in baby's
stomach and cause colic. The milk is made too sweet.
If you continue to overfeed granulated sugar, what happens? Gas, colic,
restlessness, uneasiness, lining of the bowels becomes reddened and
irritated; the redness shows externally around the rectum, and in severe
cases around the hips.
Unless the amount of sugar is now reduced, what occurs? There follow
frequently watery, splashy stools with much gas and foul odors.
Is cane or granulated sugar safe to use after six months? It does not
usually produce so much trouble later on.
Suppose milk sugar produces irritation? The quantity used should be
reduced to one ounce to twenty-five ounces of food or even less for a
short time.
As a rule should milk sugar be preferred the first six months? Yes.
What are the best grades of milk sugar? Merck's, Mallinkrotz's, or
Squibb's.
Is sugar added to sweeten and make the milk palatable? No; although it
does that, its use is to furnish one of the needed elements for the growth
of the baby, and it is required by young infants in the largest quantity.
How do we know that this is true? Because in good mothers' milk the amount
of sugar is greater than that of the fat, proteids, and salts combined.
As cows' milk has nearly three times as much proteids (curds) and salts as
mothers' milk, how can these be diminished? By diluting the cows' milk.
How much should cow's milk be diluted for a very young infant? Diluted
twice will give almost the same proportion of proteids present as in
mothers' milk, but as the proteids of cows' milk are so much harder for
the infant to digest, the milk should, in the beginning, be diluted five
or six times for most infants.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 579]
Does the diluted cows' milk with lime-water and sugar added resemble
mothers' milk? No; for this mixture does not contain enough fat.
How can this be remedied? By increasing the fat in the milk before it is
diluted.
How is this done? By adding top milk or milk and cream.
What is the top-milk? It is the upper layer of milk, one-third or one-half
of milk removed after it has stood a certain number of hours,--six to
eight hours.
How is the strength of the top-milk measured? By the fat it contains. A
ten per cent milk contains a ten per cent of fat; a seven per cent milk
contains a seven per cent of fat.
Are these strengths used for infant feeding? Yes, they are most used.
What increases the percentage of fat in the top-milk? 1. The longer time
it stands. 2. Manner of its removal. 3. Number of ounces removed. 4.
Thickness of the milk used.
When is top-milk removed? If milk is fresh from the cow or before the
cream has risen, is bottled and rapidly cooled, it may be removed in four
hours. It does not make much difference in bottled milk, and it may stand
much longer.
How should top-milk be removed? Skim carefully off with a spoon, or cream-
dipper (specially prepared) holding one ounce. It may be taken off with a
glass or rubber syphon, never pour it off.
How can ten per cent top-milk be obtained from the different kinds of
cow's milk? From rather poor milk (three to three and one half per cent
fat) remove the upper eight ounces from a quart.
How can it be obtained from good average milk (four per cent fat?) Remove
the upper eleven ounces or one-third.
From rich Jersey milk (five and five one-half per cent fat)? By removing
sixteen ounces or upper one-half from the quart.
How is seven per cent top-milk obtained? 1. By removing the upper eleven
ounces or one-third of a quart from poor milk. 2. By removing the upper
half from average milk. 3. By removing two-thirds or about twenty-two
ounces from rich Jersey milk. As stated before the seven per cent and ten
per cent are the two kinds generally used.
If top-milk is treated in this way, is it like the human milk? The
proportion of the fluids and solids are about the same, but the elements
are different. The curd (albuminous element) is still different in
structure and action from the same element in human milk. The curd of
human milk when it is met by the gastric juice in the stomach coagulates
in minute particles, and the pepsin acts upon this very readily, but the
curd of cows' milk being much coarser and firmer coagulates under these
conditions, into large hard clots or masses, and these are quite
indigestible if the child's stomach is sour from an under amount of acid
being present.
[580 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
How can we prevent this? By adding some bland and nonirritating substance
to the milk which will mingle with the particles of curd and separate them
until the gastric juice can act upon each separate particle and digest it.
What can we use for this purpose? Barley or oatmeal water or gruel is
best.
What is cream? It is the part of the milk containing the most fat.
How is cream now obtained? By skimming after it has stood for twenty-four
hours, "gravity cream"; by a separator, and it is then known as
"centrifugal cream"; (most of the cream now sold in cities is "centrifugal
cream").
How much fat has the usual "gravity cream?" Sixteen to twenty per cent.
How much fat is contained in cream removed from the upper one fifth of a
bottle of milk? About sixteen per cent.
How much does the usual centrifugal cream contain? Eighteen to twenty per
cent fat.
How much does the heavy centrifugal cream contain? Thirty-five to forty
per cent fat.
Should the milk be boiled for babies in the summer time? No, not usually.
FOOD FOR HEALTHY INFANTS.--FOR EARLY MONTHS.
These directions, etc., are for healthy infants. Directions for such as
are suffering from digestive disturbances will be given later. I have in
preceding pages given formulas for feeding children. I give these
additional, because not all children can be fed the same way and it may be
well to have the two sets of formulas.
What important parts are to be remembered when we are modifying cow's milk
for the early month's feeding? That sugar is the most easily digested, fat
comes next, while the proteids (curd) are the most difficult.
What relation should the fat and proteids bear to each other during the
earlier periods? Usually in healthy infants the fat (cream) should be
three times the proteids (curds). Some healthy infants do not digest fat
so well and they should have only twice as much fat as proteids
(curds--skim-milk).
What per cent milk must be used to obtain three times as much fat as
proteids?
Ten per cent milk.
How can we obtain ten per cent milk? As top milk, described on another
page, or by using plain milk and ordinary cream (sixteen per cent), in
equal parts mixed; or it may be obtained directly from the milk
laboratories.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 581]
Which is better to do, use the top-milk or mix plain milk and ordinary
cream? If the milk is fresh from the cows, it is best then to use the
top-milk, because the food can then be made up after it is only a few
hours old.
If one uses bottled milk, in cities, the upper third may be used, but if
milk and cream are bought separately it is usually more convenient to mix
these, as cream will not rise uniformly upon the milk a second time.
What per cent milk must be used to obtain twice as much fat as proteids?
Use for dilution a seven per cent milk, that is, milk containing seven per
cent fat, as in this milk the fat is just twice the proteids.
How is this obtained? Same as top-milk, described on another page; or by
mixing three parts of plain milk and one part of ordinary cream (sixteen
per cent), or by obtaining it directly from the milk laboratories.
How should we prepare the food for the early months? Granted you make up
twenty ounces at a time, first obtain the ten per cent, or seven per cent,
milk to be used, then take the number of ounces of this called for in the
formula desired. One must remember that to make twenty ounces of food one
ounce of milk sugar (or three even tablespoonfuls) and one ounce of
lime-water must be used. The rest of the food is boiled water and the per
cent milk.
FIRST SERIES--Five formulas for early months for ten per cent milk:
Formulas. 1 2 3 4 5
10 per cent milk 2 oz. 3 oz. 4 oz. 5 oz. 6 oz.
*Milk Sugar 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz.
Lime-water 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz.
Boiled water 17 oz. 16 oz. 15 oz. 14 oz. 13 oz.
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz.
*The milk sugar takes no space as it is always dissolved in the boiled
water.
How can we strengthen this food? By gradually increasing the milk (top
milk) and decreasing the amount of water.
SECOND SERIES--Of five formulas for the early months from the seven per
cent milk. This is weaker in fat (cream), etc., about one-third:
Formulas. 1 2 3 4 5
7 per cent, milk 2 oz. 3 oz. 4 oz. 5 oz. 6 oz.
Milk Sugar 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz.
Lime-water 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz.
Boiled water 17 oz. 16 oz. 15 oz. 14 oz. 13 oz.
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Food 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz.
How can I decide which series of formulas to use? A strong child with good
digestion can be given from the first series, ten per cent milk.
A smaller, weaker child, and whose digestion is not so good, or with one
who has tried the first series and did not do well, should use the second
series of formulas.
[582 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
What is the reason the food is made so weak at first? The infant's stomach
is made to digest mother's milk, not cows' milk, so we must begin with
weak cows' milk, and the infant's stomach can thus be trained to digest
it. Strong milk would be very liable to seriously upset the child's
digestion.
How rapidly can I increase the food in strength, that is, go from formula
1 to 2, 3, 4, and 5, of either series? This can not be told, absolutely.
It depends upon the infant, how it bears the food. Usually you can begin
on formula one on the second day, formula two on the fourth day; three,
after seven or ten days, but after that make the increase slower. If the
infant is large, strong and of good digestion, he may be able to take of
formula five by the time he is three or four weeks old. A weak child, or
one with feeble digestion must go much slower, and such an one may not
reach formula five until it is three or four months old. Mothers should
remember it is safer to increase the strength of the food very gradually;
some infants should have an increase of only one-half ounce instead of one
ounce; thus: three to three and one-half ounces, etc. Two or three days
should be allowed at least between each increase of food.
May I not go by a general rule in increasing the food? Yes, increase the
food when the infant is not satisfied, but is digesting well.
How does an infant show this? He drains the bottle hungrily and cries when
it is taken away. He may begin to fret a half hour or so before the time
for the next feeding. He often sucks his fingers immediately after
feeding.
If I wish to prepare more than 20 ounces of food, what proportions shall I
use? To make 25 ounces, add one-fourth more of each ingredient. To make 30
ounces, add one-half more of each ingredient. To make 35 ounces, add
three-fourths more of each ingredient. To make 40 ounces, double each
ingredient.
For example, 25 ounces of food would call for--2-1/2 ounces of milk; 1-1/4
ounces of milk sugar; 1-1/4 ounces of lime-water; 21-1/4 ounces of boiled
water.
For 30 ounces of food, proportions would be--Milk, 3 ounces; milk sugar,
1-1/2 ounces; lime-water, 1-1/2 ounces; boiled water, 25-1/2 ounces.
How much more should be made at one time? Five ounces may be made, but the
first few days only two or three ounces of the additional should be given;
four ounces the next two days, and after two days more may give the five
ounces additional that has been made; that is, twenty-five ounces in all.
How much increase can be given at each feeding? Not more than one-quarter
of an ounce.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 583]
FOOD FOR HEALTHY INFANTS DURING THE LATER MONTHS.
How long shall I continue this proportion, that is, the fat three times
the proteids (curd)--skim-milk? Usually for three or four months.
What changes shall I then make in the food? After you are using formula
five of the first series; that is, six ounces of the ten per cent milk in
twenty ounces of milk, increase the fat slowly, for the proportion of fat
(three per cent), is near the limit for healthy children.
How then shall I strengthen the milk? By raising the percentage of
proteids (curds, skim-milk).
How can I do this? Use the formulas derived from the seven per cent milk
and discontinue the ten per cent milk.
THIRD SERIES.--Five formulas for seven per cent milk for the later months--
Formulas. 1 2 3 4 5
7 per cent milk 7 oz. 8 oz. 9 oz. 10 oz. 11 oz.
*Milk Sugar 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 3/4 oz. 1/2 oz.
Lime-water 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz.
Boiled water 12 oz. 11 oz. 10 oz. 4 oz. 3 oz.
Barley Gruel 0 oz. 0 oz. 0 oz. 5 oz. 5 oz.
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz.
*(As the milk sugar is dissolved in the boiled water the quantity is
twenty ounces instead of twenty-one.) Oatmeal gruel can be substituted for
barley gruel if there is constipation. To increase the food to
twenty-five, thirty, or thirty-five ounces increase the milk ingredients
by 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and for forty ounces using two times as much.
How shall I increase the food during this period? Beginning with formula
one of this series, which should usually follow five of the first or
second series, you can usually make the increase in ten days to No. 2; in
two weeks you can use No. 3; but proceed more slowly to four or five when
you have reached them. The same formula may be continued sometimes for
three or four months with no other change, except an increase in the
quantity of the food, that is from twenty ounces to twenty-five, etc.
Is it necessary or important to reduce the proportion of fat as it is at
first, reduced in passing from formula five of the first series to formula
one of the third series? It is not necessary.
How much is this reduction? From 3 to 2.50 per cent.
How much increase of fat is there from the fifth formula of the second
series to the first formula of the third series? From 2.00 to 2.50 per
cent.
Can the first decrease be avoided? Yes, by taking off at first the upper
thirteen ounces as top-milk, and using in a twenty-ounce mixture seven
ounces of this in place of formula No. 1, and also by using for the next
increase the upper fifteen ounces as top-milk--taking of this eight ounces
in a twenty-ounce mixture in place of formula No. 2. Then follow three of
this third series. This is only done when you think the formulas two and
three of the third series do not give enough fat.
[584 MOTHERS' REMEDIES.]
Can I add any other food about the sixth or seventh months? Yes, foods in
the form of gruel, and have this take the place of part of the boiled
water and part of the sugar. Oatmeal and barley gruels can be added.
Can I make further changes at ten or eleven months? The proteids
(skim-milk) may be further increased, sugar and lime-water reduced until
plain milk is given.
How can I do this? Give at first one feeding of plain milk and barley
gruel daily; later two feedings, then three feedings, etc. For example,
suppose one infant was being fed with modified milk as formula 4 or 5,
series 3, six feedings daily. The plain milk diluted with boiling water
would take the place of one such feeding at first, then two, three, four,
etc., feedings. Such changes to be made at intervals of two weeks.
Proportions of milk and barley gruel should be, at first, about five and
one-half ounces milk, two and one-half ounces barley gruel; later six
ounces milk, three ounces barley gruel and then seven ounces milk, two
ounces barley gruel until plain milk is alone used, and this can usually
be reached at twelve to thirteen months. For five months' infants a pinch
of soda may be added to each feeding when the lime-water is omitted. It is
not generally necessary, however.
Do some infants dislike the milk after the milk sugar has been omitted?
Yes; for such 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoonful of granulated sugar may be added for
a time to each feeding and gradually reduced.
RULES FOR USING THESE FORMULAS.
They are only for healthy infants. Begin always with a weak formula,
especially with an infant previously nursed at the breast, with one just
weaned and with infants who have poor digestive powers, or whose digestive
powers are unknown. Should the first formula tried be too weak the food
can be strengthened every three or four days until the right formula is
found. If the food is made too strong at first an attack of indigestion is
liable to follow.
How shall I increase the strength of the food? This should be done very
gradually. Do not advance more than one formula in the given series. It is
frequently better to make the increase in half steps. Say when it is from
three to four, give three and one-half, and then four.
How rapidly can I increase the quantity of food? This should not be more
than one-fourth ounce in each feeding, one to one and one-half to two
ounces daily.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 585]
When should the amount of food be increased? An increase may be necessary
every few days in the early weeks, but the same formula is often continued
for two or three months during the later months.
What signs in the infant demand an increase? The infant is not satisfied,
does not gain in weight, but it has good digestion--that is, it does not
vomit and has good stools.
When should I not increase the food? So long as the child is satisfied,
gains four to six ounces weekly, even when the quantity and strength of
the food is considerably below the average.
Should you then increase the food if the child seems somewhat hungry, but
still gains from eight to ten ounces weekly? It is not always a safe rule
to be guided by the appetite.
How can I know whether to increase the strength or the quantity of the
food? In the early weeks it is well first to increase the strength, the
next time the quantity of the food, then the strength, then the quantity,
etc. The quantity chiefly should be increased after the fourth or fifth
month.
Should a slight stomach discomfort or disturbance follow after the food
has been strengthened, what shall I do? If the disturbance is marked and
continues and the infant does not seem able to accustom itself to the new
food, you should go back to the weaker one and the next increase should be
smaller.
Should I be worried if the gain in weight for the first few weeks of
artificial feeding is slight, or even no gain? Not as a rule; if the
infant loses no weight, sleeps well, is comfortable, does not suffer from
vomiting, nausea, colic, you can feel sure the baby is doing well and is
becoming used to his new food. As his appetite improves and his digestion
is stronger the food may be increased every few days. Then the weight will
soon increase.
Is constipation likely to occur from such a weak food? This is very often
seen owing to the fact of their being little residue in the bowels, so if
he has a daily stool, even if it is small and dry, it need not cause worry
as it soon passes away with the using of stronger food.
What circumstances indicate that the food should be reduced? When the
child becomes ill from any causes, or when there are any marked symptoms
of indigestion.
How can I reduce the food? If there is but a slight disturbance and the
daily food has been prepared, pour off one-third from each bottle just
before each feeding and replace this quantity of food with boiled water;
if the disturbance is more severe, immediately dilute the food at least
one-half and also reduce, at the same time the quantity given; for a
severe attack of indigestion, omit the regular food altogether and give
only boiled water until a doctor has been called.
How shall I return to the original formula after it has been reduced for a
disturbance of digestion? The increase must be very gradual after the
immediate reduction. After a severe attack of indigestion, the milk should
not be made more than one-fifth the original strength, and ten days or two
weeks should elapse before the original strength food is given and, as
stated, there should be a gradual slow increase.
[586 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
ABOUT ADDING OTHER FOODS TO MILK.
How long shall I continue the modified milk? Usually for about six months;
but if the infant is doing well you can continue it for ten or eleven
months. If the infant has trouble in digesting cows' milk other foods can
be added at three or four months or even at the beginning.
What food can I first use? Barley, oatmeal, arrowroot, and farina.
Is it better to make them from the flour? Yes, they are more simple to
prepare from the flour.
How shall I cook them? Cook them separately, and when used they take the
place of some of the boiled water.
(For another way, see former pages.)
How shall I prepare barley gruel water? Take one teaspoonful of the flour
and rub it up with a little cold water, and then stir this into a pint of
boiling water; add a pinch of salt and boil it fifteen minutes; strain if
it is lumpy. Oatmeal gruel is made the same way, only using two
teaspoonfuls instead of one.
Barley Jelly.--One rounded tablespoonful of the flour, mixed with a little
cold water, is added to one pint of boiling water containing a pinch of
salt; cook twenty minutes in a double boiler and strain. A thinner gruel
(barley water) is made by using half of the quantity of flour.
How much of the gruel can I use? If prepared by the last method one-sixth
to one-half the total quantity of food; if the barley water is used it
can be used in greater quantity if desired, as it is weaker by half.
Which one shall I use? Barley and oatmeal are generally used; oatmeal is
more laxative.
What is their value as infant foods? Their chief value is to prevent the
curd from coagulating in the stomach in hard masses, thus rendering it
more digestible.
Would you advise this addition for all infants? No, for it does not agree
with them all, and so it cannot be recommended for all infants.
Can I give anything more during the first year? Beef juice, white of an
egg, and orange juice.
How and when may I use the beef juice? It may be begun at ten or eleven
months in infants who are strong and thriving well. Two teaspoonfuls may
be given daily, diluted with same amount of water, fifteen minutes before
the midday feeding; in two weeks it may be doubled; and six teaspoonfuls
can be given, in four weeks. Two or three tablespoonfuls is all that can
be given a child of one year.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 587]
Is beef juice of value in delicate pale infants? Yes, of much value, and
it is more important for them, and it may sometimes be given them at five
or six months in one-half the quantity mentioned.
When shall I give the white of egg (albumen) or albumin water? When the
conditions are similar to those requiring beef juice especially in infants
who digest the proteids (curd) with difficulty. You can give the one-half
of the white of one egg at six months, and soon the entire white of one
egg can be given.
What is the best way of preparing this? By coddling the egg.
Describe the way of preparation? Place a fresh egg with the shell on in
boiling water and immediately remove all from the fire. The egg cooks
slowly in the water for seven or eight minutes as the water gradually
cools, and the white part becomes like jelly. Give the white with only a
pinch of salt--it can be easily separated from the yolk.
When can I give orange juice? Usually about the eleventh or twelfth month,
and it should be given about one hour before the feeding. You can begin
with two teaspoonfuls at first, then one tablespoonful at a time, and
later three or four tablespoonfuls. Orange juice is very good when
constipation exists--strain it always, and it must be always fresh and
sweet.
OVER NURSING.
Mothers who have a very large supply of milk are very likely to overfeed
their babies if the milk is of good quality. This will drain the mother's
strength. Some mothers allow their babies to nurse to relieve the
uncomfortable feeling. If the infant vomits the surplus immediately they
are not injured. Where the baby does not vomit, the surplus food passes
into the bowels and causes colic and green and yellow gassy stools. If the
mother's milk is too rich, only, and not too much and the baby vomits,
this can be corrected by giving the baby some boiled water before each
meal. The baby will not nurse so much then.
OVER-FEEDING.
What do you mean by this term? The infant gets too much food, and this is
chiefly done at night.
Can I depend upon the infant's natural desire for food as to the quantity
to be given? Not always, the habit of over-eating is frequently acquired,
and is frequently seen in infants with a good digestion.
What harm results from over-feeding an infant? The food lies in the
stomach or bowels, undigested, ferments, and causes gas and colic, and if
the over-feeding is long continued, serious trouble arises. The baby
becomes restless, fretful, irritable, sleeps badly, stops gaining weight
and may lose weight.
[588 MOTHERS' REMEDIES ]
LOSS OF APPETITE.
What may cause this? Over-feeding or the use of milk too rich in fat.
What can I do for this trouble? If the child is well, offer food to him at
regular hours only. Do not coax or force him to eat even though he takes
only one-half or one-third of his usual quantity. Lengthen the intervals
between the feedings. It may be necessary with a child under a year old to
reduce the number of feedings to three or four in twenty-four hours. Give
water at more frequent intervals, weaken instead of strengthening the
food.
FOODS FOR SPECIAL CONDITIONS.
Some infants with weak digestive powers, and those suffering from various
forms of indigestion, have often much trouble in digesting the fat of
milk. To meet such troubles a series of formulas are given obtained from
plain milk.
FOURTH SERIES-Formulas containing four per cent fat:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Plain Milk 5 oz. 6 oz. 7 oz. 8 oz. 9 oz. 10 oz. 12 oz. 14 oz.
*Milk Sugar 1 oz 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz 3/4 oz. 3/4 oz. 1/2 oz. 1/2 oz.
Lime-water 1 oz. l oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz.
Boiled water 14 oz. 13 oz. 12 oz. 7 oz. 6 oz. 5 oz. 2 oz. 0 oz.
Barley Gruel. 0 oz. 0 oz. 0 oz. 4 oz. 4 oz. 4 oz. 5 oz. 5 oz.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz.
*(Milk sugar is not counted in totals.) If more than twenty ounces are
needed get the proportions by adding one-fourth, one-half, three-quarters,
or double each ingredient.
Why does an infant so often vomit some of its food soon after feeding? The
quantity may be too large or too rich food, the baby may feed too fast,
the hole in the nipple may be too large, the clothing too tight, or you
may press upon its stomach in moving the baby.
What are the causes of and changes needed for stomach troubles? It is
usually a symptom of indigestion and is frequently caused by too much fat
or sugar.
How can I remedy this? Reduce the fat or sugar, and increase the
lime-water. Avoid the formulas made from the top-milk, or cream and milk.
Those made from the seven per cent milk are not so likely to cause
trouble; but you had better, if the symptoms are severe, use formulas of
the fourth series.
What symptoms indicate that the baby is getting too much fat (cream)?
Vomiting and yellow, foul, greasy, or ropy stools.
How much shall I reduce the milk sugar? Use only one-half ounce to twenty
ounces of food or leave it out altogether.
How shall I know when to reduce the sugar, etc.? When there is excessive
formation of gas in the stomach, causing distention and pain, or belchings
of gas, and often a sour stomach. Reduce the amount of sugar and increase
the lime-water one and one-half to two ounces in twenty ounces of food,
increase intervals between the meats one-half hour and give less quantity.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 589]
What food usually causes habitual colic? This is due to gas accumulating
in the bowels, and is usually caused by the want of digestion of the
proteids (curd).
How shall I overcome this? Use a weaker formula. Use formula 4 or 3 of
first series; or use partially pasteurized milk, or use barley water
instead of plain water.
If curds regularly or frequently appear in the stools, what changes shall
I make? This usually accompanies colic, so use means just
described--reduce the proteids (skim milk).
How shall I modify the milk for chronic constipation? This is difficult to
overcome, and it is more frequent when infants are fed upon a plain milk
diet, variously diluted, than when seven or ten per cent milk is used and
diluted to a greater degree. But you cannot use food containing more than
four per cent fat, that is, eight ounces of ten per cent milk or twelve
ounces of seven per cent milk in twenty ounces of food. In some cases
ordinary brown sugar in one-half the quantity can take the place of milk
sugar, or Mellin's food, malted milk or cereal milk can be used in the
place of the milk sugar. Milk of magnesia can be used for lime-water as
before directed. Orange juice can be given to infants over nine months
old.
What modifications should I make in very hot weather? The proportion of
fat (top-milk or milk and cream mixed) should be less and when it is very
hot, for a short period, it should be much less. Use seven per cent milk
in place of ten per cent, that is, formulas from the second series, or
plain milk, in place of the seven per cent milk, fourth series.
If a child has good digestion, but gains very little or no weight, what
changes in the food should I make? Increase the quantity of the food if
the child seems hungry; or increase the strength of the food, if the child
will not take a greater quantity; do not coax or force the baby to eat,
give him more sleep; fresh air, etc.
If there is no modified milk that will agree with the baby, what shall I
do? If the infant is under four or five months old, a wet nurse would
likely succeed. If a wet nurse cannot be obtained or if the child is older
use some of the substitutes for cows' milk, like Borden's Eagle Brand,
canned or condensed milk. This is better to use when the trouble is in the
bowels and shows colic, gas, curds in the stools, constipation, or
diarrhea. If it is due to indigestion it shows in vomiting, etc.
How shall I use condensed milk? The directions are on the bottle. But if
the baby is three or four months old, and has symptoms of indigestion,
dilute its food with sixteen parts of boiled water, or sometimes barley
water if there is no constipation. As the symptoms improve it can be made
stronger, one to fourteen, one to twelve one to ten, one to eight, such
changes to be made gradually.
[590 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
How long can I use the condensed milk? Generally for a few weeks only as
the sole food, then give one feeding a day of modified milk, for instance,
No. 3 or 4 of the series; later two feedings and gradually increase until
the milk feeding is entirely used.
Why can I not continue to use condensed milk? It is very low in fat and
proteids and has much sugar in it; children who take this food for
sometime often gain rapidly in strength and weight, yet have not much
resistance, and they are very prone to develop rickets and scurvy.
Suppose baby is teething, has a cold, sore throat, etc., what change shall
I make? Dilute the food for two or three feedings by using boiled water in
place of an ounce or two of food; this much to be removed from the bottle
before being given; if it is necessary to continue for several days, use a
weaker formula.
What changes shall I make in this for serious acute sickness? For,
diseases with fever like measles, bronchitis, pneumonia, etc., dilute the
food and reduce the fat (cream from top-milk). Give the food at regular
intervals, but not so often. Do not force food in the early part of acute
sickness.
Suppose baby has acute gastritis, what changes shall I make? Stop all food
and give boiled water, only, for ten or more hours, then try barley water
or whey, but do not give any milk for at least twenty-four hours after all
vomiting has ceased. When you again begin the modified milk use a small
quantity with a low proportion of fat, and you can secure this by using a
formula from the fourth series. You may also double the proportion of
lime-water.
If baby is attacked with intestinal indigestion accompanied by loose
bowels, what food shall I give? If it has but two or three passages daily,
lower the proportion of fat (cream, etc.), in the manner above directed,
and boil the milk for five minutes. Dilute it still more if curds are
present in the stools.
But suppose the attack is more severe? If there is fever and the passages
smell badly and are more frequent, stop all milk and use the diet given
for acute gastritis. (Acute indigestion).
Do other conditions besides the food influence digestion? Yes, use proper
clothing, keep warm feet, regular habits, fresh air. Clean bottles and
food, given at proper intervals and temperature, quiet surroundings and
absence of excitement are needed.
What common mistakes are often made in modifying milk and feeding infants?
Never fail to follow the directions given for removing the top-milk.
Remove all the top-milk of any given strength in making a formula, and
not only the number of ounces needed for the formula. By using rich Jersey
milk as if it were more common milk. The formulas given are based upon
about four per cent fat. Food is very often increased too rapidly,
particularly after stomach and bowel indigestion. The food in an infant of
three or four months old attacked by acute indigestion should seldom be
given in full strength for two weeks afterwards, only half steps should be
taken like two to two and one-half, etc. Another mistake, when indigestion
symptoms show the food is not reduced quickly enough; reduce the food
immediately by at least one-half.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 591]
How to prepare cows' milk at home; what is needed? Feeding bottles, rubber
nipples, an eight-ounce graduated measuring glass, a glass funnel, a brush
for bottles, cotton, alcohol lamp, a tall quart cup for warming bottles of
milk, a pitcher for mixing food, a wide mouthed bottle of boric acid and
one of bicarbonate of soda, a pasteurizer, and later a double boiler for
cooking cereals will be needed.
What kind of bottles shall I buy? A cylindrical graduated bottle with a
wide neck holding about 8 ounces. This makes washing them easier. You
should have as many bottles for use as the baby takes meals a day (ten at
first).
How shall I care for the bottles? Rinse them, as soon as the child is
through nursing, with cold water, and let stand filled with cold water and
a little bicarbonate of soda in the water. Before using them again wash
them thoroughly with the bottle brush and hot soap suds and place them for
twenty minutes in boiling water.
What kind of nipples are best? Straight ones which slip over the neck of
the bottle, of black rubber, and the hole should only be large enough for
the milk to drop rapidly when the bottle is held upside down.
How shall I care for the nipples? Boil new ones for five minutes at first.
After using rinse them carefully in cold water and keep them covered in a
glass containing a solution of borax or boric acid. Turn them inside out
once a day and wash thoroughly with soap and water.
(There is a slight difference in the directions given by different
authorities as to cleaning bottles and nipples, but the general way is the
same.)
What kind of cotton shall I use for corking the bottles? Refined
non-absorbent cotton is best, but the ordinary absorbent cotton will do.
Which is the best--an alcohol lamp, or the Bunsen burner? The Bunsen
burner is the best, cheaper and simpler if there is gas in the house.
Should you use the lamp, put it upon a table covered with a plate of zinc
or tin, or upon a large tin tray. The French pattern is the best.
Give special directions now for preparing the food according to any of the
given formulas? The hands must be clean, as well as everything else--food
and utensils. First dissolve the milk sugar in boiling water, filtering,
if necessary, then add to the boiled water and sugar the milk, cream, and
lime-water, mixing all in the pitcher; a sufficient quantity for
twenty-four hours is always prepared at one time. Divide this in equal
quantities into the number of feedings for the twenty-four hours and cork
the bottles with the cotton cork and cool the bottles rapidly, after
having been pasteurized by standing first in tepid and then in cold water,
and then place in an ice chest at 50 degrees F.
[592 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
FEEDING DIRECTIONS.
How shall I prepare the bottle at feeding time? Take one from the ice
chest, warm it by placing it in warm water deep enough to cover the milk
in the bottle. Then thoroughly shake it, remove the cotton cork, and
adjust the nipple.
How shall I know that the temperature of the milk is correct? Pour a
teaspoonful from the bottle before adjusting the nipple, and taste it, or
pour a few drops through the nipple upon the inner surface of the wrist.
It should feel quite warm, but not quite hot; or a baby thermometer may be
placed in the water where the milk stands, and the temperature should be
between 98 and 100 degrees F.
How can I keep the milk warm while the baby is feeding? Slip over the
bottle a warm flannel bag with a draw-string.
What position should a child be in when feeding? During the first few
months, except at night, it had better be held in the arms; later it can
lie on its side in the crib, but the bottle must then be held by the nurse
until it is emptied, or the baby will nurse and sleep, and nurse and
sleep, etc.
How much time shall I give the baby for one feeding? Not longer than
twenty minutes. Take the bottle away then and do not give it until the
next feeding. Keep a sleepy baby awake, when well, until the food is
taken, or remove the bottle.
Can I play with the baby after feeding? Never. It may cause vomiting and
indigestion. Baby should lie quietly and sleep if possible, or at least
not be disturbed.
FEEDING INTERVALS.
How often shall I nurse or feed baby during the first month? Ten times in
twenty-four hours at intervals of two hours during the day and two times
at night.
Why can I not feed baby oftener? Because it takes nearly two hours to
digest a meal at two months, about two and one-half hours at five or six
months, and if another meal is given before the former meal is digested,
vomiting and indigestion will result. The following schedule is given by
one authority on children for healthy infants for the first year:
Night No. Quantity Quantity
Interval feedings of for for
between 10 P. M. feedings one 24
meals to in 24 feeding, hours,
by day. 7 A. M. hours. ounces. ounces.
2d to 7th day 2 hrs. 2 10 1 to 1-1/2 10 to 15
2d to 3rd week 2 hrs. 2 10 1-1/2 to 3 15 to 30
4th to 5th week 2 hrs. 1 10 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 25 to 35
6th to 8th week 2-1/2 hrs. 1 8 3 to 5 24 to 40
3d to 5th Month 3 hrs. 1 7 4 to 6 28 to 42
5th to 9th month 3 hrs. 0 6 5 to 7-1/2 30 to 45
9th to 12th month 4 hrs. 0 5 7 to 9 35 to 45
This schedule is for healthy children. The smaller amounts are required by
smaller children with weak digestion; the larger amounts are required by
large children with strong digestion. The interval is from the beginning
of one feeding to the beginning of the next feeding.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 593]
How soon can I make the intervals at two and one-half hours? Generally at
five or six weeks.
When may I increase it to three hours? Usually at eight weeks or two
months.
When should I lengthen the interval between feedings? When there is poor
stomach digestion.
How is this shown? By habitual vomiting or regurgitation of food long
after nursing is finished; also when the baby has a very poor appetite so
that it always leaves some of its food.
When can I shorten the intervals? It is not generally advisable to feed
any baby oftener than given by this schedule.
REGULAR FEEDING.
How can I teach baby to take regular meals? By commencing at birth to feed
at exactly regular hours every day.
Shall I awaken baby to feed it? Yes, for a few days. In a short time he
will waken at the same hours himself.
Should this regularity extend through the night? Only up to nine or ten
o'clock. After ten let him sleep as long as he will.
How soon can baby go without food from 10 p. m. to 7 a. m.? At four months
usually and always at five or six months; night feeding causes
restlessness and poor sleep.
STERILIZED MILK.
What do you mean by sterilizing milk? It means to heat milk so as to
destroy the germs.
Does cows' milk contain germs? Yes, even if it is handled faultlessly; but
when carelessly handled the number of germs is enormous.
Are all of the germs injurious? Most are harmless or cause only the
souring of the milk.
What other germs are occasionally present? Typhoid fever, diphtheria,
scarlet fever, cholera, tuberculosis and many forms of diarrhea germs.
Do I need to sterilize milk under all circumstances? When you cannot
obtain it fresh in warm weather. Hence during warm weather in cities and
towns; when you do not know that the cows are healthy or that the milk has
been cleanly handled; when milk is kept over twenty-four hours, especially
if there is no ice at hand. When there are epidemics of typhoid fever,
scarlet fever, diphtheria, or any form of bowel disease accompanied by
diarrhea.
How many methods of heating milk are there? First, sterilizing, in which
the milk is heated to 212 degrees F., for one hour or one and one-half
hours. Second, pasteurizing, when you heat the milk to 155 degrees or 170
degrees F. for thirty minutes.
[594 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Will the temperature of 155 degrees F. for one-half hour be sufficient to
kill the germs of the diseases mentioned above? Generally.
How long will milk so treated keep on ice? Heated to 212 degrees F. for an
hour will keep for two or three weeks; that heated (pasteurized) to 155
degrees F. will keep for two or three days.
Is cows' milk as digestible when sterilized? No, and it should be modified
for infant feeding the same as milk not heated.
When milk is heated for an hour to 212 degrees F. (sterilization), is it
injured in any way? It is rendered harder to digest, and is more
constipating; scurvy may be caused if it is used as the sole food for a
long time. It is so objectionable that the method is not recommended for
general use.
When should I heat it 212 degrees F.? For use on long journeys of days
traveling. Then you should heat for one hour upon two successive days,
leaving the cotton stoppers in the bottles.
Does heating milk to 155 degrees F. for one-half hour injure it in any
way? It does not affect the taste or make it more constipating. The
unfavorable effects, if any, are slight. Get clean and fresh milk and the
effects will be really of no account.
What pasteurizer would you recommend. Freeman's or Walker-Gordon.
What shall I do with the milk after it has been pasteurized? Cool it
quickly by placing the bottles in cold water--never leave them in the room
where pasteurized, and never place them, when warm, in an ice chest.
Why this caution? Because it requires from two to four hours to cool them
in the air, or in the ice box, and during that time a good many
undeveloped germs may mature and injure the keeping properties of the
milk. You can cool the bottles of milk in cool water in from ten to twenty
minutes if you change the water frequently, or if ice is put into the
water.
What is modified milk of the laboratories? It is milk containing fat,
sugar, proteids, etc., in definite proportions put up, usually, according
to a physician's directions.
PEPTONIZED MILK.
What is peptonized milk? Milk that has been partially digested.
What part of the milk has been digested? The proteids (curd).
Does this alter its taste? No, if it is peptonized for only ten minutes,
but if it is fully peptonized the milk has a bitter taste.
How can the bitter taste be avoided in partly peptonized milk? At the end
of ten or fifteen minutes place the milk in a sauce-pan and raise it
quickly to the boiling point; this kills the ferment so that the milk will
not become bitter when it is warmed for feeding; or the milk can be cooled
rapidly by placing the bottles first in cool and then in ice water; but in
this way the ferment is not destroyed, and the milk may become bitter when
warmed for feeding.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 595]
How is milk peptonized? By the action of a peptonizing powder composed of
a digestive agent known as the extractum pancreatis and bicarbonate of
soda. This is added to the plain or diluted milk. This agent can be bought
in tubes or tablets, and is the active ingredient of the peptogenic
powder.
Will you describe the process? Place the plain or modified milk in a clean
glass jar or bottle, and then rub up the peptonizing powder or tablet with
a tablespoonful of milk, and add it to the milk and shake the bottle.
Place the bottle in a large pitcher or basin of water of about 110 degrees
F., or as warm as the hand can bear comfortably, and allow it to remain
for ten to twenty minutes if you wish to peptonize the milk but partially;
or if you wish it completely peptonized let it remain for two hours.
Is it better to peptonize the whole day's supply, or each bottle
separately just before feeding? If you peptonize the whole day's supply at
once raise the milk to the boiling point after it has been peptonized; if
only the one feeding do not peptonize it more than ten minutes before
feeding for the ferment will work while the child is feeding. It can be
done either way.
Is not the completely peptonized milk distasteful? Not so in the case of
young infants; older infants will take a few feedings without objection,
but it cannot be used for children much older than five months.
How much of the agent should be used? For a single feeding of four ounces
one may use one-eighth of a tube with a weak formula of milk or one-sixth
with a stronger formula. For one pint of plain milk five grains of the
extract and fifteen grains of bicarbonate of soda will be needed. This
amount is usually put up in one tube or tablet. Less will be required in
weaker formulas of modified milk.
What advantages has peptonized milk? Partially peptonized milk assists
greatly in digesting the curd of milk. Young infants sometimes have
trouble in digesting the curd. When completely peptonized it is good in
attacks of acute indigestion.
How long may I give it? It may be used for a few days when completely
peptonized; when partially peptonized it can be used for two or three
months, and when you wish to give other food, leave off its use gradually
by shortening the time of peptonizing and lessening the quantity of the
powder used.
[596 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
FEEDING DURING THE SECOND YEAR
How many meals should a child have during the second year? Five.
Shall I prepare the milk for all day at one time? It is better to prepare
the milk for all day during the second and third years. If you wish to
modify it by adding cream, water, etc., prepare as done during the first
year, and later when only plain milk is used, the quantities needed for
the different feedings should be put into one or two bottles, pasteurized
or not as necessary. In this way the different feedings are kept separate.
Prepare the food as soon as possible in the morning alter the milk has
been received.
FOR A HEALTHY CHILD OF TWELVE MONTHS.
6:30 a. m. or 7:00 a. m.--Milk, six to seven ounces, diluted with two or
three ounces of barley or oatmeal gruel, and taken from a cup after
thirteen months.
9:00 a. m.--One to two ounces of orange juice.
10:00 a. m.--Milk two parts, oatmeal or barley gruel one part, and from
ten to twelve ounces in all may be given in a cup.
2 :00 p. m.--One or two ounces of beef juice, or the white of one egg,
slightly cooked, and later an entire egg or mutton or chicken broth, four
to six ounces.
6:00 p. m.--Same as 10 a. m.
10:00 p. m.--Same as at 6:30 a. m., except the milk can be taken from the
bottle.
How long can this schedule be given? Until the fourteenth or fifteenth
month, and then you can give the cereals thicker and with a spoon.
Can I give other fruit juices at fourteen or fifteen months? Orange juice
is the best, but the juice of ripe peaches, red raspberries or
strawberries in the order given, is good. Strain all carefully through
muslin, for the pulp or seeds might cause serious trouble. You may now
give one to four tablespoonfuls of the orange or peach juice, and about
one-half the quantity of the others.
When shall I give the fruit juices? One hour before the second meal.
What diet shall I give between fourteenth and eighteenth months?
6:00 to 6:30 a. m.--Eight to ten ounces of plain milk from a cup.
8:00 to 9:00 a. m.--Juice of one-half orange strained.
10:00 a. m.--One, or later two or three tablespoonfuls of oatmeal or
barley jelly, hominy cooked at least three hours, and on which you may put
a little top-milk; a pinch of salt; no sugar and cup--about six ounces--of
milk to drink; crisp dry toast, one piece.
2:00 p. m.--Beef juice one to two ounces, a soft boiled; coddled or
poached egg, and a tablespoonful of boiled rice, or mutton or chicken
broth, four ounces; one or two pieces of stale bread or zwieback; and if
most of the teeth are present, one scant teaspoonful of scraped rare beef,
slowly increased to one tablespoonful, alternating with two ounces of beef
juice and a salt-boiled or coddled egg. (Some advise a little prune jelly,
apple sauce, a baked apple or junket as a dessert). No milk, but little
water can be taken.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 597]
6:00 p. m.--Two tablespoonfuls of thoroughly cooked farina, or cream of
wheat or granum, or arrow-root, on which is a little top-milk; salt, but
no sugar, and eight ounces of warm milk which may be taken from the
bottle.
10:00 p. m.--Warmed milk and eight to twelve ounces if necessary, by
bottle.
How shall I prepare the beef? Take round or sirloin steak and scrape it
with a large spoon on both sides, so that you obtain the pulp only, salt
it a little, and place it with a very tiny piece of butter in a saucer,
cover it with another saucer, remove the cover from the boiling teakettle,
and place the saucer in its place; let it steam until it is just heated
through, as it must look rare when done, Give at first one teaspoonful and
gradually work up to one tablespoonful, but do not begin this diet in
midsummer. Give baby plenty of water to drink between meals, boil and
cool.
A diet for the eighteenth month to end of twenty-fourth month? Follow the
same order. For most children milk at 10 p. m. is desirable; but if a
child sleeps during the whole night it is not necessary to wake it at 10
p. m. for the feeding.
6:00 or 6:30 a. m.--Warmed milk ten to twelve ounces.
9:00 a. m.--Two or three ounces of fruit juices.
10:00 a. m.--Cereals similar to the last schedule; they need not be
strained, but well cooked; crisp, dry bread, zwieback, warmed milk one
cup.
2 :00 p. m.--Beef juice and one egg or broth and meat; beef-steak, mutton
chop or roast beef scraped, very stale bread or two pieces of zwieback;
one or two tablespoonfuls of prune pulp, or baked apple and water, but no
milk.
6:00 p. m.--Farina, cream of wheat, or arrow-root well cooked with milk,
salt, but no sugar; or milk or stale bread and milk.
10:00 p. m.--If required, ten to twelve ounces of pure milk.
What fruits may I give during this period? If the child has a weak
stomach, only the fruit juices mentioned, but strong children may have in
addition, baked apple, apple-sauce and prune pulp. Stew the dried prunes
without sugar until they are very soft, and put all the fruit through a
strainer thus removing all the skin; you may give one to two
tablespoonfuls of this at one time. No cream should be given with the
baked apple, and very little sugar with the apple-sauce These are very
good for constipation, Remember to give water freely between the feedings,
especially in warm weather. From one to three ounces may be given at one
time either with a spoon, glass or bottle. Boil the water daily and cool.
Do not allow it to stand in the room, but give fresh water to the child
each time.
[598 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
SCHEDULE FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD CHILD.
7:30 a. m.--Cereal well cooked (over night) or at least for three hours, A
larger variety of food can now be given and given as before with thin
cream, salt, but little sugar. One glass of warm milk, a soft boiled,
coddled or poached egg; bread very stale or dry, one slice with butter.
10:00 a. m.--One cup of warm milk, with a cracker or a piece of stale
bread and butter.
2:00 p. m.--Soup, four ounces, or two ounces of beef juice. Meat: chop,
steak, roast beef, lamb or chicken; white potato, baked or boiled rice.
Green vegetables: Tips of asparagus, string beans, peas, spinach, all
cooked until they are very soft, mashed or preferably put through a sieve,
and only one to two teaspoonfuls at first. Desserts: Cooked fruit, baked
or stewed apple, stewed prunes, water, but no milk.
6:00 p. m.--Cereal: Farina, cream of wheat, or arrow-root, cooked for at
least one-half hour with plenty of salt, but no sugar; or milk toast; or
old bread and milk or stale or dry bread and butter and a glass of milk.
BABY'S SECOND SUMMER.
Nearly all mothers dread baby's second summer. If the baby is born at such
a time that he cuts his double teeth during the hot weather, and if it is
attended by indigestion and fever, there is really some cause for worry,
because the digestive organs during the hot weather are more difficult to
manage than during the colder months; otherwise, if you feed your baby
carefully and properly, and with the regularity that you did in the early
months, there is no reason to dread the second summer, Mistakes are made
by mothers and grandparents especially. They permit the child to come to
the table and eat of the food prepared for adults. Sometimes it is only a
little, but that little will gradually grow larger; and even that little
may be enough to upset baby for weeks and then the illness that follows is
in reality due to the parents' own foolishness when it is laid to the
credit of the second summer, or regarded as "a mysterious dispensation of
Providence." Do not give anything to baby between its regular meals but
water; crackers, zwieback, and bread are prohibited between.
DIET OF OLDER CHILDREN-FOURTH TO TENTH YEAR.
Give the largest meal at midday and a light supper at night, very much
like that recommended for the third year. For a few years you can give
milk once between breakfast and dinner, or dinner and supper, and permit
no other food between meals, but give water freely.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 599]
MILK AND CREAM.
What part of the diet should milk form now? Nothing can take its place,
and it should be an important part of the diet. Most children can take and
digest milk.
Why is this of so much advantage? Because it possesses a higher nutritive
value than any other food, for the amount of work required of the
digestive organs, and it is very especially adapted to a child's diet. It
must be clean and fresh and not too rich.
What essential point should I consider in its use? The Jersey cow gives
too rich milk, and it must be greatly diluted. Children who digest milk
with difficulty should take it diluted about four parts milk, one part
water, a little salt or bicarbonate of soda should be added. Do not give
milk at meals when fruits, especially if they are sour, are allowed.
How much milk can I allow to advantage? For an average child with good
digestion, you can allow one and one-half pints to one quart daily,
including what is also used upon cereals and in other ways. Two quarts are
too much, for a mixed diet will do better.
How much cream can I allow? Older children do not need so much fat as do
infants, and cream, especially when very rich, often produces indigestion.
It is a common cause of the coated tongue, foul breath, and pale greasy
stools, or biliousness so-called. Will not cream overcome constipation? It
does so in some degree in infants, but not so much so in older children;
and if it produces the above given symptoms it should not be given.
EGGS.
What is the value of eggs in the diet of this period? They form a very
valuable food. They must be fresh and only slightly cooked, being either
soft-boiled, poached or coddled. Fried eggs and omelets are prohibited.
Is the white or yolk more digestible? Generally the white in most
children. This is a very digestible proteid and can be used to great
advantage even in the latter part of the first year.
Do eggs often cause biliousness? Very seldom if they are carefully
prepared and fed.
How often may I give eggs to the child? Most children at this period will
be able to take one egg for breakfast and one for supper, with relish and
advantage; however, some few children cannot eat them at all.
MEAT AND FISH.
What kinds of meat can I give to my child? Beefsteak, mutton-chop, roast
beef, lamb, boiled chicken and fish, such as shad or bass.
What points should I consider in feeding meat? Most meats should be rare,
scraped or finely divided, as a child will not chew it properly. Boiled or
roast beef is best; fried meats should not be given to a child.
How often can I give meats? Only at the midday meal, at this period.
Do you think it causes nervousness in children? Not unless too much is
given and too often.
[600 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
What meats should be forbidden? Ham, bacon, sausage, pork, liver, kidney,
and all dried and salt meats; also mackerel, cod and shell fish. A child
should not eat any of these until after the tenth year.
Are gravies healthy and nutritious? Beef juice or so-called "platter
gravy" from a roast is very nourishing and desirable, but many of the
gravies that are thickened are harder to digest and too much is given.
Only a small quantity should be allowed.
What about vegetables? Baked, boiled or mashed potatoes may be given
first, but never fried. After the sixth or seventh year baked sweet
potato, turnips, boiled onions and cauliflower, all well cooked, may be
given moderately. They must be thoroughly cooked and mashed. This is the
great trouble.
Can I give canned vegetables? Peas, and asparagus of the best brands can
be used. They are often better than stale green vegetables.
What vegetables should be prohibited? Any that are eaten raw such as
celery, radishes, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes or lettuce; corn, lima
beans, cabbage, egg plant, even when well cooked; none of these should be
given to a child under ten years old.
Can I give vegetable salads? As a rule none should be allowed at this
period. They are difficult to digest and create great disturbances in
children of all ages.
CEREALS.
What points should I consider in selecting and preparing these? They must
be properly cooked and not used in excess. He should not make a meal of
them because he is fond of them, and eat two or three saucerfuls at once.
Proper cooking is essential. Oatmeal, hominy, rice, wheaten grits need two
hours' cooking at least, in a double boiler; cornstarch, arrow-root, and
barley should be cooked twenty minutes or more. All the market
preparations need cooking.
How should they be eaten? Usually with milk or milk and cream; plenty of
salt, no sugar or very little--one-half teaspoonful to a saucer--syrups or
butter and sugar are prohibited.
What broths and soup do you recommend? Meat broths are generally to be
preferred to vegetable broths, mutton and chicken usually being the best
liked. Almost all plain broths can be given. Those thickened with rice,
barley or cornstarch make a good variety, especially with milk added.
Tomato soup should not be given to young children.
BREAD, CRACKERS, AND CHEESE.
What forms of bread can I give? Stale bread cut thin and freshly dried in
the oven until it is crisp is very useful, also the unsweetened zwieback.
Fresh bread should not be eaten. Gluten, oatmeal, or graham crackers, or
the Huntley and Palmer breakfast biscuits, stale rolls or corn bread which
has been cut in two or toasted or dried to a crisp form a sufficient
variety.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 601]
What kinds of breadstuffs should be prohibited? All hot breads, all fresh
rolls, buckwheat and other griddle cakes, all fresh sweet cakes,
especially when covered with icing and those containing any dried fruits.
Lady finger (stale) or a piece of sponge cake is all that can be allowed
to children up to seven or eight years old.
DESSERTS.
Can I give any desserts to young children? Mistakes are very often made
here. Junket, plain rice pudding without raisins, plain custard, and not
more than once a week, a small amount of ice cream are all that can be
allowed up to six or seven years.
What are prohibited? Pies, tarts, and pastry of every kind and jams,
syrups, and preserved fruits; nut candy and dried fruits.
Can I give a little? No, for it develops a taste for this sort of food,
and then the plainer food is taken with less relish. The little is soon
likely to become a great deal.
A child has an instinctive desire for sweets, why not satisfy it? A
child's fondness for sweets is not a normal instinct. A free indulgence in
desserts and sweets by young children produces more digestive disorders
than any other causes. It is a growing tendency and hard to control as the
child grows older. The only safe rule is to give none in early childhood.
FRUITS.
Are fruits an important or essential part of children's diet? Very
important, and they should be begun young. They have a splendid effect
upon the bowels. They should be carefully selected, especially in large
cities. A greater latitude can be all owed in the country where fruit is
fresh.
What fruit can I safely give to children up to five years? Generally only
cooked fruits and fresh fruit juices.
What kind of fruit juices can I use? That from fresh, sweet oranges is
best. The fresh juice of grape fruit, peaches, strawberries, and
raspberries may also be used.
What stewed fruits may I use? Stewed and baked apples, prunes, pears,
peaches and apricots.
What raw fruits should be avoided? The pulp of oranges or grape fruit,
also cherries, berries, bananas and pineapple.
What care should be exercised in regard to the use of fruits? In hot
weather they should be used with greater care, and in children who are
easily attacked with intestinal indigestion.
What symptoms suggest that I should avoid fruits? Looseness of the bowels
or a tendency thereto, with discharge of mucus, or frequent attacks of
colic (abdominal pain) or stomach-ache.
At what meals should fruits be used? If the fruit juice is given upon an
empty stomach early in the morning, it works more actively upon the
bowels, than when given later.
[602 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Is it wise to give cream or milk with sour fruits? No, it is not wise, it
is best to give it at midday when no milk is taken as a dessert. The
quantity should always be moderate.
Can I give anything besides water and milk to drink? Cocoa, if made very
weak, almost all milk is often useful as a hot drink. Tea, coffee, wine,
beer and cider are all prohibited under puberty. Lemonade and soda water
should not be given until the tenth year at least.
INDIGESTION IN OLDER CHILDREN.
Different ways in which indigestion shows itself in children? First as an
acute attack which lasts for a few days only; second, as chronic
disturbances which may last for weeks and months.
Which is the most serious? Chronic indigestion, for it often goes on for
months and even years unchecked, because it is not recognized.
The symptoms of acute indigestion? Vomiting, pain, diarrhea of undigested
food, often fever and prostration.
What are the common causes? Over eating or indulging in improper food or
too hearty eating when very tired.
Is it sometimes the forerunner of some acute general sickness? Yes.
How shall I treat acute indigestion? Give castor oil to clean out all
undigested food from the bowels. Vomiting usually frees the stomach of
food; stop food for from twelve to thirty-six hours, only boiled water
being allowed. Let the stomach rest.
Can I then begin with the former diet? No, give at first only broth gruel,
very much diluted milk or whey. Increase the diet slowly as the appetite
and digestion improve, but this should consume a week or ten days in most
cases before the full diet is resumed.
Give the symptoms of chronic indigestion (dyspepsia) in children?
Disturbed sleep, tired, grinding teeth, fretfulness, loss of weight and
flesh, gas in the stomach and bowels, pain in the bowels, bloated bowels,
constipation or loose bowels with mucus in the stools, foul breath, coated
tongue, poor appetite, capricious appetite. Some may think worms are
present.
Common causes of chronic constipation? Bad system of feeding, prolonged
use of improper food or improper methods of feeding, such as coaxing the
child to eat, rapid eating, eating between meals, child selects his own
food and lives largely upon one article of diet; indulgence in sweets,
desserts, pies, etc. Improperly cooked foods especially oatmeal, and
vegetables and eating sour or stale fruits. Exclude articles of diet which
are known to be hard for children to digest.
How shall chronic indigestion be treated? Remove all causes such as bad
foods, habits, etc.
Is it curable? In most cases, but the rules for feeding must be carefully
followed for a long period. Medicine will not cure such cases unless the
proper food is given in a proper way. That is better than medicine.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 603]
How long must this proper feeding continue? For months, and with many
children for two or three years.
Is medicine of any use? It will relieve the symptoms, but the main thing
is proper feeding.
SLEEP.
Should a baby sleep with anyone? No, young infants have been smothered by
their mothers. It is also a frequent temptation to nursing at night, and
this is injurious to both mother and child.
How long does baby usually sleep at first? About nine-tenths of the time.
How should his bed be prepared? The mattress should be firm and soft, the
pillow, of hair and very thin; you should change his position so as not to
sleep always in the same position.
How many hours should baby sleep at six months? About two-thirds of the
time.
How long should the daily nap be continued? Until about four years old.
How shall I put baby to sleep? Darken the room and have quiet. The child's
hunger should be satisfied and make him generally comfortable and lay him
in the crib while still awake.
Can I rock him to sleep? No. It is a bad habit and, he will readily
acquire it. It will be hard to break, and besides it is useless and some
times an injurious one. The same may be said of sucking a rubber nipple or
pacifier, and all other devices to put baby to sleep.
What principal things disturb baby's sleep? Quiet, peaceful sleep is a
sign of perfect health, and disorders of sleep may be produced by almost
anything that is wrong with the child. Food and feeding cause disturbed
sleep. It may come from chronic indigestion due to improper food. In
bottle-fed babies it is often due to over-feeding. In those who nurse it
may be due to poor food and hunger. Feeding three or four times during the
night makes a restless baby. It may also be due to nervous causes such as
bad habits due to faulty training, as when the nursery is light and the
baby is taken from its crib whenever it cries or wakes, or when
contrivances for producing sleep have been used. Any excitement in a
nursing mother or child before sleeping time will cause wakefulness.
Romping play just before bedtime and fears aroused by stories and pictures
are causes, and children who inherit a nervous constitution are special
sufferers from this cause. Cold feet, insufficient or too much clothing,
want of pure fresh air in the sleeping room. Tonsils or adenoids may
interfere with breathing in older children. Rousing a sleeping child from
a good sound sleep, is a frequent cause of poor sleep. If a pregnant woman
keeps herself in as good condition as possible, not only physically, but
also mentally, she will not be likely to have a nervous baby; and if a
baby is not born nervous there is no reason, at all, why it should not
sleep well, for sleep is then its most normal condition, nine-tenths of
the time. It will then depend upon the food and training it is given. The
training many babies receive is enough to make them poor sleepers.
[604 MOTHERS' REMEDIES ]
Unnecessary handling.--Babies are wakened from sleep to show to friends
who wish to see them at almost any and all hours. They are handled,
petted, and made restless. Sleep is their normal condition and they ought
to be given the opportunity nature demands. They are only to be aroused
from sleep for nurse, bathing and clothing, and immediately placed in
their crib, covered comfortably and warmly with all light shut away from
their eyes and quiet about them. They will soon wake of their own accord
for meals.
Rocking baby.--Rocking and shaking cause an increased flow of blood to the
brain, and this should be avoided, for it of itself will cause
sleeplessness. The brain during sleep is comparatively empty of blood;
warm feet and cool head tend to produce sleep. Rocking, etc., is
unnatural, and baby is made to receive and enjoy the natural. If the baby
is sick the mother may take it in her arms and sing to it and coddle it
carefully, but it is then sick. If it is trained properly from the
beginning, rocking to sleep will be unnecessary; walking with the baby is
of the same nature. See that your baby has warm feet and legs and body and
a cool head, with comfortable clothes and good careful feeding, and it
will sleep. Singing lullabies are soothing, but they do no good at first
as the baby is deaf. Such lullabies are good when baby is sick and
nervous, and then the mother is allowed and expected to hold and quiet
baby. Sleep perhaps as much or more than any other item of nursery regime,
depends on habit and mild but decided purpose. A lack of firmness in the
early months of the baby's life may not only render its early years a
burden to itself, but an annoyance, if not a nuisance to the entire
household. Baby's habits are quickly and easily formed, but hard to
correct. Dr. Tooker says: "An infant is as plastic as moist clay, you can
mold it to your will. But you must have a will and a purpose and a plan,
and make your judgment and your duty law."
But suppose baby will not sleep, but continues cross and wakeful and
peevish; can I not give medicines to produce sleep? Never. If baby is
wakeful and refuses to sleep, there is something wrong with your training,
his clothing, covering, or his food, or he may be sick, he may not get
enough food, etc., or he may have worms. If everything is all right and
you have trained your baby right from his birth, he will sleep. Find out
the cause and remove it. All soothing syrups, cordials, and quieting
medicines contain opium in some form, and all experienced physicians
realize the danger of giving these mixtures to babies. Babies have been
killed by medicines which were declared to contain neither opium nor
anything else injurious. They are often used. Remember that opium,
laudanum and paregoric are dangerous for babies and old people. Careful
proper training, allowing plenty of sleeping time, no waking at wrong
hours, warm feet, legs and body, cool head, proper modified food, and
especially mother nursing, with mother careful with herself, will give a
good baby in nine out of ten cases.
Will children ever sleep too much? Not if they are healthy; you must
remember a newly-born baby sleeps nine-tenths of the time; excessive
sleeping may indicate disease of the brain.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 605 ]
EXERCISE.
Is exercise necessary for infants? Yes.
How can it be obtained? A young baby usually gets its exercise by
screaming, waving its arms, kicking, etc. It is a good plan to let baby
lie in the center of a large bed, and with his long skirts drawn up, allow
him to kick his little legs about for twenty or twenty-five minutes twice
each day or one-half hour once a day. His clothing ought to be loose for
this exercise. If the room is all right you can remove all clothing except
his shirt, stockings and napkin; change his position sometimes and let him
lie on his stomach for awhile. Of course this exercise cannot be taken
after a meal and before the fourth month. Take a large clothes basket, put
a blanket and some large pillows in it and prop baby up in a half sitting
position for a little while each day, beginning with fifteen minutes, then
one-half hour, and you can also at this time (fourth month) play with baby
for a short time every day, but never just before bedtime, and the best
time is just after his morning nap. Do not toss him in the air to make him
laugh or crow; he is too tender and delicate for that. When baby is older
and in short clothes, place a thick quilt upon the floor and allow him to
tumble as he will; a fence two feet high which surrounds a mattress, makes
an excellent place, or a box for this young animal to exercise his arms
and legs without danger of injury. Before you put baby to sleep at night
give him a warm sponge bath with a fresh band and shirt and he will sleep.
When, if ever, is crying useful in a baby? The cry expands the lungs of a
new-born baby, and he should use his lungs a few minutes daily in order to
keep them well expanded.
How much crying daily is necessary? Twenty to thirty minutes is not too
much.
What kind of a cry is it? Loud and strong and infants get red in the face
with it. Some call it a scream. It is exercise for baby and necessary for
its health.
When is the cry abnormal? When it is very long and too frequent. It is not
strong, but rather of a moaning or worrying nature or only a whine.
What causes such crying? Habit, temper, pain, hunger, illness.
What is the indulgence or habit cry? This is the cry of infants who cry to
be rocked, or carried about, for a bottle to suck, etc.
[606 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Temper cry? This is loud and strong and is usually accompanied by kicking,
stiffening of the body, bending backward and is usually quite violent.
Pain cry? This is generally strong, sharp and quick, but not usually
continuous, the features contract, legs draw up and the baby plainly shows
symptoms of distress,
Hunger cry? This is a continuous fretful, pitiful cry, not strong and
lusty,--baby looks hungry.
The cry of illness? This is moaning, fretful, easily aroused to crying.
This can be distinguished even from a little distance before seeing baby,
if you have heard it once. A baby who cries to get things stops when he
gets them.
If baby cries at night what shall I do? See that he is comfortable,
clothing all smooth under and about him, with warm feet and hands, and
clean unsoiled napkin. If he is all right, let him cry. If it is habitual,
find out the cause.
If baby cries from temper or habit what shall I do? Let him cry it out,
you must conquer him or he will make of your life a burden. Be sure first
it is habit or temper and then conquer him. I have seen many babies who
cried from cause and I have also seen those who needed conquering.
But will not crying cause rupture? Not in young infants if the band is
properly applied and not under any conditions after one year.
HOW TO LIFT A CHILD.
Grasp the clothing below the feet with the right hand and slip the left
hand and, arm beneath the infant's body to its head. It is then raised
upon the left arm and its head is upon your arm or chest. This supports
the entire spine and there is no undue pressure upon the chest or abdomen,
as is often the case when baby is grasped around the body or under the
arms.
How shall I lift a child who is old enough to run about? Place your hands
under the child's arms, at the arm-pits and never by the wrists.
Can I injure the child lifting it by its hands or wrists? Yes, it often
injures the elbows or shoulder joints.
TEMPERATURE.
Normal temperature of an infant? This varies more than it does in adults.
In the rectum it varies from 98 degrees F. to 99.5 degrees F., and a
temperature in the rectum of 98 degrees F. or of 100 degrees F. is not of
much importance unless it continues.
Where should I take the temperature of infants and young children? First
the rectum, next the groin, the first is from one-half a degree to a
degree higher than that of the groin.
How long should the thermometer be left in place? Two minutes in the
rectum and five minutes in the groin.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 607]
What meaning has the different temperature in a young child? 100 degrees
F. to 102 degrees F. means a mild illness.
One hundred four degrees F. or over means a serious illness. The duration
of the fever is more important. Slight causes often produce a high
temperature in all young children which lasts for a few hours. There is
then not much cause for alarm unless the temperature continues high or is
accompanied by important symptoms of illness.
Is high temperature a more serious symptom in a young child than in an
adult? No, for young children are very sensitive to conditions which
produce fever and the thermometer often gives an unduly high idea of the
severity of the symptoms. The same cause which would produce a temperature
in an adult of 102 degrees F. or 103 degrees F. would likely produce a
temperature of 104 degrees or 105 degrees F. in a child.
NERVOUSNESS.
What are the principal causes of nervousness in young infants and in
children? The brain is a delicate structure at this time, and it grows
rapidly, and during the first year of life grows as much as during all the
rest of life. This needs quiet and peaceful surroundings and infants who
are naturally nervous should be left almost alone, and few people should
see them. Such babies should not play much. The poor little baby is often
so tried by the attentions given him by older people that he does not know
what to do, and as one author, a lady, says: "If he could speak he would
beg for a quiet hour, and be perfectly happy if left alone with his own
little hands and toes for his sole amusement." Babies of the very poor are
less nervous than those of the wealthy and this is generally due to the
fact that their mothers are too busy to constantly entertain and bother
them. Children are better companions for babies than adults. Such little
attentions given by the parents and relatives make sleepless and nervous
babies very often. Playing with them before time and out of season, makes
them not only nervous and irritable, but causes indigestion and allied
diseases.
TOYS.
It is instinct for baby to put everything in its mouth. However, toys
should be chosen that are smooth, easily washed and which cannot be
swallowed. Avoid toys with sharp points like corners, or loose parts,
small objects that can be pushed into the nose or ear or swallowed, such
as coins, marbles, buttons, safety pins, beads, painted toys and those
covered with hair or wool. Infants frequently swallow such wool or hair.
KISSING.
What objections are there to kissing babies? They are many and serious. No
one, at least, outside of the immediate family has any right to kiss baby.
Tuberculosis, diphtheria, syphilis and many other diseases are given by
kissing. If infants are kissed at all, they should be kissed upon the
cheek or forehead.
[608 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
FOREIGN BODIES.
If in the throat, examine and remove with the finger. If it has gone into
the stomach, give plenty of dry food, such as bread, potatoes, but do not
give an emetic or cathartic. An infant should have its usual food. A
cathartic would hurry the foreign body too rapidly through the intestines,
and in this way do harm. In the usual way it becomes coated with fecal
matter and usually passes the intestines without causing any injury.
What shall I do if it is in the ears? If you can easily remove it with
your fingers or small hair pin or crochet hook, do it. If not, take the
baby to a physician. If it is a corn, bean or pea, do not wet it, or it
will swell and become larger.
What if it is in the nostril? Place baby upon the table with its face
toward a good light and use a hair pin bent right and pass this slowly and
carefully behind the object, and pull slowly forward; or compress the
empty nostril and have the child blow the nose strongly. If not removed
easily, see a physician.
COLIC.
This is a very common disturbance in children, and is always due to
disturbed digestion. It occurs in both nursed and bottle-fed babies, and
may appear in the healthiest baby from error in the last meal, or error of
diet or habit in the mother. Some mothers cannot under any circumstances
secrete good nourishing milk, suitable for their children, and continued
stomach and bowel disturbances with colic and emaciation follow its use.
Such mothers should not nurse their baby.
What are the causes of colic? As before stated, it is due to indigestion
What causes indigestion? In nursing babies this may be due to some
irregularity in the health or habits of the mother, or change in her
dieting, and if the colic is not persistent the cause is not hard to find.
Worry, trouble, sorrow, anger, overwork, and errors of diet in the mother
often cause this trouble or the child may nurse too fast, too long, too
much, or too often, or the milk may be too rich. If so, give baby an ounce
of hot water before nursing. Hand-fed children are too often over-fed, and
this produces indigestion.
What are the symptoms of colic? The child screams sharply; the cry comes
suddenly and returns every few minutes; he draws up his legs and feet; the
muscles of his face contract and he has other signs of pain. The belly is
usually hard and tense.
What can I do for colic? First warm his feet and hands by placing them
against a hot-water bag, or holding them before the open fire, turn him on
his stomach, letting him lie on a hot-water bag or hot piece of flannel;
pat his back gently to help up the wind and give him a little hot water
with a medicine dropper and a few drops of essence of peppermint may be
added to the water. If the colic continues, put ten drops of turpentine
into a half teacupful of warm water, and inject this slowly into the
rectum, and at the same time gently rub the abdomen so as to start the
wind. If the wind is in the stomach, give him one-half a soda mint tablet
dissolved in a tablespoonful of very warm water, or a little soda. If the
attacks are frequent, the foods are too strong; use less cream or milk and
more water. Regulate the mother's diet carefully if the baby nurses, and
she should take some exercise out of doors, if possible, and try not to be
nervous. Cereals, cocoa, milk, eggs, gruels made of corn, oatmeal; most
fruits, not tart, and vegetables, with some meat, make a good diet for a
nursing mother. The bowels must move freely every day at least once.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 609]
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Wind Colic, Yarrow Tea for.--"Steep the yarrow tea
the same as for catnip tea or any ordinary herb, and give as often as
necessary." This is a remedy that has been very much used, and will help
in a great many cases. It is perfectly harmless, and no one need have any
fear of trying it.
2. Colic, Camphor Cure for.--"One drop of camphor in a teaspoonful of
water. This remedy worked like a charm with my little girl." This acts
quickly, and is sure to give relief as it warms up the stomach.
3. Wind Colic, Castor Oil for.--"Give large doses of castor oil." Colic,
as we all know, is frequently caused by fermentation of the food in the
stomach and bowels, and castor oil is one of the best known cathartics in
a case of this kind. This can be given to small babies, in small
quantities of course.
4. Wind Colic.--A New York mother sends in the following relief
for:--"Give enough essence of wintergreen in water to make it taste for a
small babe, and more according to age. For mine I give 1/4 to 1/2, cup of
warm sweetened water. I have always used this remedy, as it was
recommended to me by my mother. It is better than peppermint as it is not
so binding."
5. Wind Colic, a Good Herb Remedy for.--Add enough water to one ounce of
snake root to make one-half pint." Give in doses according to the age of
the child. This is a good remedy, and has been used by many mothers with
good success.
6. Wind Colic.--A doctor in New York sends in the following remedy
for.--"One-half teaspoonful sweet spirits of nitre in one-third glass of
water, for baby. Increase the dose for older children or adults. This
warms the stomach, and is highly recommended."
7. Wind Colic, Cloves for.--"Make an infusion of 1 or 2 ounces of cloves.
Cloves are warming, cordial and strengthening; they expel wind, and are
good for the colic." This treatment has been known to give many a fretful
baby a good night's sleep, and will be found very useful in homes where
babies have this disease.
[610 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.--Temporary relief is obtained in attacks of colic
by emptying the bowels of irritating materials, either by an enema or
medicine. Peppermint, anise seed, catnip are effective, but may be harmful
if continued long. Gin and whisky, warm, are good when the gas is in the
stomach and upper bowel. It is always best to mix them with a solution
like the following:
Bicarbonate of soda 40 grains
Aromatic spirits of ammonia 30 drops
Enough peppermint water to make 2 ounces
Put one teaspoonful in a cup of hot water for a child one year old.
The following is good to move the bowels:
Bicarbonate of soda 40 grains
Aromatic syrup of rhubarb 4 drams
Syrup of senna 5 drams
Syrup of orange 1 ounce
One teaspoonful two or three times daily is needed in sour gassy stomach,
with constipation or foul smelling stools. Fortunately such medicine is
not often needed if the mother is careful, or baby is carefully
bottle-fed. When there is vomiting with the colic and the stools contain
curds the food is too strong. The nursing baby should be given one ounce
of warm water before nursing, and the food for the bottle-fed baby should
be made weaker by going back one formula. Sometimes peptonizing the food
for a short time will do. This is very good when the proteids (curds) are
hard for the baby to digest.
EARACHE.
Many young babies suffer from this trouble without the cause being even
suspected. It may come after a cold, an attack of bronchitis or pneumonia,
and sometimes during teething. It often accompanies scarlet fever and
measles. The child screams, presses his head against his mother or nurse,
pulls at his ear as if it hurt him. If you press in front of the ear the
baby jumps as if in great pain and cries aloud. The pain is likely to be
continuous and prolonged.
What can I do for it? Heat is the best remedy. Wash out the ear with a hot
solution of boric acid fifteen to twenty grains to the ounce of water, and
then apply heat in various ways. Have the child lie with the painful ear
against a covered hot water bag or heat a flannel over a lamp and place it
against the ear, changing it often to keep it hot. A bag of hot salt or
bran is also very good. Laudanum and oil should not be used unless ordered
by a physician. As soon as possible after the first attack of pain the
baby should be examined by a doctor and unnecessary deafness is often
avoided by such action. For a more extended account, see General
Department. Fomentations applied are often beneficial, especially of hot
water.
(See Earache, Mothers' Remedies, etc. under General Department).
[ALL ABOUT BABY 611]
CROUP.
This disease is treated fully in the general department; only a general
outline is given here. This is a disease dreaded by most mothers. It is
more distressing than dangerous. Its appearance is sudden and generally
at night. The baby may have had a slight cold or have been exposed to a
bad wind or it may have come on without any known cause.
Symptoms.--They are known to almost everyone. There is a hard, dry,
barking, hoarse cough, generally with difficulty in breathing to a greater
or less degree with a distressed look.
(For Mothers' Remedies, see General Department.)
Treatment.--If the child has eaten a big supper, it is well to give a
simple emetic, such as warm mustard water, alum and molasses, or goose
grease, or melted lard. Wring out pieces of flannel in hot water and put
them on the child's throat as hot as he can bear them and change them
often to keep them hot. Make a tent by spreading a sheet over an opened
umbrella over the crib then place a croup kettle or teakettle close to the
crib, directing the steam under the sheet into the tent so that baby may
inhale the vapor, taking care not to burn him. This affords much relief.
If necessary give ten drops of syrup of ipecac until vomiting occurs; a
teaspoonful of castor oil should also be given and if the baby is
constipated, give an enema of soapsuds and water. Keep the child indoors
the next day.
CONSTIPATION IN BABIES.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Constipation, Olive Oil Treatment for.--"Rub the
abdomen with a firm yet gentle motion from left to right with pure olive
oil. This is what the doctor told me to do for my babe of three years."
This treatment will be found very beneficial as the olive oil is very
strengthening and the rubbing will always give relief.
2. Constipation, A Pleasant Treatment for.--"One-half teaspoonful olive
oil, one-half teaspoonful orange juice, three times a day after feeding."
3. Constipation, Prunes a Medicine for.--"Abate heat and gently open the
bowels by the use of prunes. These should be fed to children more often.
This would often prevent sickness. A very useful way of administering
prunes as a medicine is to simmer for one-half hour, a few in water enough
to cover, with 1/2 oz. senna leaves; remove the prunes, allow to dry and
let the child eat them when needed. This is very good."
4. Constipation, Soothing Syrup Made by a Mother in New York for.--"One-
half ounce spearmint, one-quarter ounce lady's slipper, one-half ounce
rhubarb, one-quarter ounce cinnamon powder; pour one-half pint boiling
water on the whole, mix and let stand to boil fifteen minutes, strain and
sweeten well with syrup or honey. Give a teaspoonful every half hour,
diminishing as the pain subsides." This will be found very beneficial in
children, and may be used without any fear whatever, as it is perfectly
harmless.
5. Constipation, Figs as a Medicine for.--"Grind up equal amounts of figs
and senna leaves, put in closed jar and eat dry when needed." This will be
found especially good for children, and most of them like it.
[612 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CONSTIPATION may be caused by many things, inheritance, malformation of
the rectum and other parts, errors of food in the mother and in bottle-fed
babies.
What is the treatment? If the baby is nursed and the mother is
constipated, she should at once change her habits and diet. She should
exercise in the open air at least two hours every day, and have a movement
daily, even if she must take some mild laxative.
What should she drink and eat? She should drink plenty of water, and pure
rich milk, cocoa, eat oatmeal and cornmeal gruels. She should not drink
tea or coffee. She can eat fruit, most green vegetables and some meat, but
not much starchy food. Baby may not get enough residue in his bowels. Give
him one or two meals daily of modified milk made up of oatmeal gruel
instead of barley, and give him plenty of water between his meals. One
teaspoonful of cream in a little hot water given before nursing is often
beneficial, or one or two teaspoonfuls of beef juice may be given night
and morning, After six months a little orange or prune juice may be added.
BOTTLE-FED BABIES.
Add a little more top-milk or cream to each bottle than the formula gives;
do not pasteurize the food unless it is necessary; do not use lime-water,
but bicarbonate of soda in proper strength in its place, as lime-water is
often very constipating. Malted food may be added to each bottle for some
time. If necessary, stimulate the rectum mildly; this can be done by
holding the baby over a small chamber at exactly the same time after a
meal each day and insert into the bowel a small cone of oiled paper, or
use a small castile soap suppository. This may form a habit in a few days.
Suppositories of gluten are very beneficial if used in the morning. The
child should not be allowed to go longer than twenty-four hours without a
passage. A enema made up of one or two tablespoonfuls of sweet oil may be
given with a bulb syringe, or an ounce of warm water to which has been
added one-half teaspoonful of glycerin, or one-half pint of warm
soap-suds. Do not give it every day; massage the baby's abdomen. Your hand
should be warm. Begin at the right side groin and make a series of
circular movements with your fingers, lightly at first, and then press
down harder as the baby becomes accustomed to it; work your way up
gradually to the ribs, then across to the ribs on the left side, and down
to the left groin. This can be done twice daily for eight or ten minutes
at a time, and always at the same time of day, but never soon after a
meal. Olive oil may safely be given for constipation to a baby,--from
twenty drops to one teaspoonful one or two times daily, but castor oil
should not be given for constipation, as after a time it leaves the baby
more constipated than ever. Sometimes inserting your finger, well oiled,
into the rectum, will produce a passage. For older children, decrease the
amount of white bread, toast, potatoes, and give green vegetables,
oatmeal, and graham bread instead, with plenty of proper fruit twice
daily; raw, scraped apples are sometimes the best fruit to use.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 613]
DIARRHEA. (For Older Children).
What shall I do for this trouble? Rid the system of the irritating matter
by giving the baby one teaspoonful of castor oil. Then stop all solid food
and give boiled water if there is only a moderate looseness. Keep the
child perfectly quiet. If the attack is more severe and attended by fever
and vomiting all food and milk should be stopped at once in children of
all ages, and only broth, barley water or some thin gruel given. Castor
oil is required for a severe attack. If the patient is an infant the milk
should be diluted or stopped. In severe attacks with vomiting or frequent
foul stools, stop all food for at least twelve hours and all milk for a
longer time, and the bowels should be freely moved by a cathartic. Give
plenty of water to drink.
Food.--Albumin water is often better than plain water or anything else. To
make it stir the white of an egg into a pint of cold water. See that they
are well mixed, add a pinch of salt and strain. Give baby one teaspoonful
every one-half hour, and if he vomits all other food, give two ounces
every two hours; barley gruel, wheat flour gruel, mutton broth may be
given also.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Inflammation of the Bowels, Poultice of Hot Mush
for.--"Wrap the child in a poultice of hot mush. Place the poultice over
the abdomen." A poultice of this kind retains the heat, and is very good
for inflammation of the abdominal cavity, and would help to take away the
soreness and bloating in the bowels that is always present in this
disease.
2. Bowel Trouble, a Good Tonic for.--
Powdered rhubarb 1 heaping teaspoonful
Soda 1/4 teaspoonful
Sugar 1 teaspoonful
Peppermint essence 1/2 teaspoonful
Hot water 1/2 cup (scant)
Dose:--One-half teaspoonful every hour until bowels show signs of right
color.
The soda and the peppermint will tone up the stomach and relieve any
trouble present there, while the rhubarb will act on the bowels and carry
off all impurities.
3. Bowel Trouble, Rhubarb and Licorice for.--"Compound tincture of rhubarb
one ounce bicarbonate of soda 1 dram, fluid extract of licorice 1 dram,
pure water 6 ounces. Give from one to two teaspoonfuls according to the
age of the child." This will be found a very good treatment for this
trouble, and one that has been thoroughly tried.
[614 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
RICKETS.
You should always be suspicious if your baby has no teeth at the end of
the first year. A hearty baby should have six or eight, and if the soft
spot in the head just above the forehead is as much open as it was for
months previously you should be doubly suspicious. This soft spot should
be closed in a well-nourished infant between the fifteenth and twentieth
months. If in addition to this the child sweats about the head whenever it
sleeps, cries whenever it is handled (unless it has scurvy or rheumatism)
and does not like to play, the indications of rickets are very nearly
conclusive. Rickets is a constitutional disease showing itself in
different ways.
At what age does it usually occur? Between six months and two and one-half
years.
What are the causes of rickets? Improper food, or inability to absorb the
food, unhygienic conditions. Nursing babies who have a healthy mother are
not troubled with this disease unless she nurses too long into the second
year. Starchy foods, too little milk or other animal food, taking the
infant to the family table and allowing it to eat whatever it wants, these
are the most common errors in baby feeding which very often result in
rickets. Babies who are brought up on condensed milk, or other foods that
contain little fat are likely to have rickets. Insufficient clothing, damp
and badly ventilated buildings, a lack of out-door air and sunshine, and
inherited constitutional weakness, are other causes.
When do the most marked symptoms usually occur? Between the sixth or
fifteenth months.
What are the symptoms? Such children are likely to be nervous and
irritable; child's head sweats profusely at night, so much so that the
pillows are very wet. The chest is poorly shaped and frequently has
depressions at the sides, and little nodules or "beads" in the ribs where
the ribs and breast-bone join. The child's head is also peculiar. It is
often very flat on the top and measures more around than a normal child at
the same age. The forehead stands out and the sides and top are flattened.
The soft spot in the skull is large and late in closing. He is late in
cutting his teeth. His abdomen is generally large and prominent, pot
belly; his muscles are soft and flabby, and his wrists and ankles are
enlarged a little later. He takes cold easily. He is pale and anemic,
although he may be plump and fat, and when he begins to walk his legs bend
easily, and he will have bow-legs. When he sits, his back will look as if
curved and this alarms his parents, who may think his spine is diseased.
Is such a disease curable? Yes, if taken in time; you can arrest its
progress.
Do they ever die of rickets? Very seldom, but they do not stand other
diseases very well.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 615]
When and what shall I do for it? If you recognize the condition, have the
baby attended to immediately by a physician. The food should be
changed--such children require fats; very little starchy or sweet foods
allowed. A baby ten to twelve months old can suck a piece of boiled bacon
for a few minutes every day. Fruit juices can be given early, raw meat
juice once a day. Give him his tub bath daily, and if he is apt to take
cold easily he should have a little cold water dashed over his chest and
spine, followed by a gentle brisk rubbing to start up the circulation. Sun
baths are beneficial. Place the baby directly in the sun with his back to
it, for an hour every day. Give him plenty of air and sunshine, both
indoors and outdoors.
Medicine.--Cod liver oil is an excellent remedy with the hypophosphites.
Cod liver oil alone with calcarea phosphoricum 3X (homeopathic) is
splendid treatment also. The whole treatment must be continued for
months--calcarea phos. four times daily.
SCURVY.--This disease is sometimes seen in infants. It attacks infants who
have been fed for a long time on a proprietary food or else on milk that
has been over sterilized. Nursing children seldom have it, or those who
have been properly fed on modified cows' milk. Babies who are delicate and
poorly nourished are more subject to it. The first symptoms a mother
notices is that it seems to hurt very much when his legs are touched;
sometimes both hurt, and then again only one is painful; at other times
the arms will be most painful and again both arms and legs seem to pain
alike. So it goes on; the joints enlarge somewhat and sometimes little red
spots appear just under the skin and very often the gums will become red
and spongy; this is especially noticeable around the incisor teeth of the
upper gums, if they have already appeared. Rheumatism is very rarely seen
so early and with that, there is generally fever.
Treatment.--A cure is soon affected. Stop the patent food at once, or if
the milk has been sterilized, it must be discontinued and the baby put on
unsterilized milk diluted to the proper strength for his special age.
Strained juice of an orange should be given him every day; if under six
months he can have the juice of one-half an orange; over that the juice of
one orange. This is given in intervals during the day. Beef juice is good,
about two ounces in twenty-four hours. Smaller amount if necessary.
Improvement is noticed twenty-four to forty-eight hours after treatment.
MALNUTRITION. (Marasmus).--Marasmus is a term applied to infants who grow
thinner and thinner. No matter how much or little they eat there is a
constant wasting or fading away of the body.
What are the causes? Syphilis, tuberculosis, chronic vomiting, persistent
loose bowels, poor assimilation of the food. Marasmus is really a later
and more severe form of malnutrition.
Symptoms.--He looks shriveled, the skin is dry, eyes are sunken, anemia is
marked, the belly is much distended, while the other parts of the body
seem to be all bones and no flesh; he is constantly whining and fretful,
has a tired and anxious expression most of the time; under six months it
is hard to cure.
Treatment.--A physician is needed to watch over and prescribe, no set rule
can be given. Sometimes cod-liver oil or iron is needed. It needs constant
care and watching to cure this trouble.
[616 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CONVULSIONS.--Young children are more subject to convulsions than older
people. Convulsions may be due to brain trouble, but an overloaded stomach
is the first thing a doctor thinks of, and so the mother should remember
what was eaten that might be unusual.
First Thing for the Mother to do? Undress the baby and put him to bed in a
quiet room, and place an ice bag on his head, or wring cloths out of ice
water or very cold water and place them on baby's head, and change often
to keep them cold. Warm the feet with a hot water bag. If the doctor can
not be present soon, give baby a mustard foot bath in bed; use two
tablespoonfuls to a gallon of water, some advise stronger. If the
convulsions are severe wring towels out of mustard water and place a
rubber sheet on the bed and wrap the child's body and feet in the hot wet
towels until the parts are quite red, and afterward cover the body with
warm flannels. Have plenty of hot water ready, so the doctor can give a
full tub bath when he comes, if he thinks it necessary. If the child can
swallow, give him a teaspoonful of castor oil; or if the convulsions
continue, wash out the bowels or give an injection as soon as possible.
When is a hot bath needed and useful? If the convulsions have continued
until the pulse is weak, the face is very pale, the nails and lips blue,
the feet and hands cold: it will do good by bringing the blood to the
surface and relieve the brain, heart and lungs.
How shall I give it? Use a thermometer to see that the temperature of the
water is not over 106 degrees F.; if no thermometer is handy put your arm
into the water to your elbow. It should feel warm, but not so hot as to be
uncomfortable. Put one-half teacupful of powdered mustard in the tub.
Place the baby in the tub, body all covered, and hold the head out of the
water; keep him in the bath for five to ten minutes; wrap him in a blanket
and put into bed without drying.
The following is given to prevent convulsions:--
Bromide of Potash 1/2 dram
Chloral Hydrate 15 grains
Simple Syrup 2 ounces
Mix thoroughly.
Give one teaspoonful every hour, while the baby is nervous or feverish.
For one-year-old child.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Convulsions, a Grandmother's Remedy for.--"Dip the
feet and limbs in warm water; give dry salt in mouth." Care should be
taken not to give too much salt as you may choke the child. Also apply
cold cloths to the head, to draw the blood from the brain.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 617]
2. Convulsions, Hot Mustard Water for.--"Put patient in tub of hot mustard
water, with cold cloths to the head," The hot mustard water draws the
blood from the head to the feet and the cold cloths assist in doing good
by keeping the blood away from the head. This is, an old, tried and
effective remedy,
3. Convulsions, Old Tried Remedy for.--"Put patient in hot bath; give
castor oil and rub vigorously." The castor oil does good in cases where
the bowels are too loose or constipated, as the case may be, by carrying
off the impurities, and the hot bath equalizes the circulation, relieving
the convulsion.
4. Convulsions, A New York Mother's Remedy for.--"Chloroform one-half
dram, tincture of cardamom, one-half ounce, spearmint water, two and
one-half ounces. Shake well and give one-half teaspoonful in water to
child one year old, smaller children a proportionate dose." The chloroform
is very quieting, and the tincture of cardamom and spearmint act on the
bowels. This combination will quiet the child, and in that way relieve the
trouble.
(See "Convulsions" in General Department for Mothers' Remedies).
INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN.
What are the early symptoms of brain diseases? Temperature is usually very
high, 104 degrees F. and over. There is stupor or delirium, and vomiting
is common; light hurts the eyes; the child jumps and starts at the
slightest noise, unless the hearing is affected. There is often a squint,
the eyes may be turned upward, and the lids may be only half closed during
sleep. The pupils are dilated or contracted, Sometimes one pupil is larger
than natural, while the other is smaller.
What can I do for these symptoms? Cold to the head, either by ice bags or
cold water cloths. The room should be dark and quiet. No food given unless
ordered, and then bland and very little at a time. A doctor should always
be called for such symptoms; castor oil to move the bowels should be given
or an enema of soap-suds and water. This helps to draw the blood from the
brain, also keep the feet warm and head cool.
SCALD HEAD (in Babies) Milk Crust.--This is often due to neglect in
regularly removing the free secretion, or due sometimes to an inflammation
of the little sebaceous follicles of the skin. It occurs on the scalp
most. The hair should be cut short, and soften the crusts with warm olive
oil, or vaselin may be left on the scalp over night, then wash off the
crusts with warm water and castile soap. An ointment can be made of
vaselin or cold cream, and two per cent resorcin, and applied after the
crust is resumed. Spread on linen and hold it in place by a thin cap, wash
this off every day with olive oil and apply the salve fresh. Water should
not be used oftener than once a week--oxide of zinc ointment is also good.
[618 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--l. Cleaning Baby's Head, Common Lard for.--"Nothing
is better than common lard. Grease the head good at night, using plenty of
lard, especially if very heavily coated. Let stand over night, the lard
softens the coating so you can take a fine comb and remove it. Comb from
the forehead back. You need never have any scale on the baby's head." Care
should be taken in using a fine comb, as it will very often make a child's
head very sore.
2. Scald Head, An Experienced Mother's Remedy for.--
"Boracic acid 2 drams
Salol 2 drams
Balsam Peru 1 dram
Carbolic acid 20 drops
Vaselin 1 ounce
Lanoline 1 ounce
Mix."
Then wash the head thoroughly with castile soap, and apply the above
morning and night, and use internally the following:--
Iodide Potash 192 grains
Fluid Extract Stillingia 1 ounce
Fluid Ext. Prickly Ash Bark 1/2 ounce
Fluid Ext. Yellow Dock 1 ounce
Compound Syrup Sarsaparilla, q. s 8 ounces
Mix."
Take about one-half teaspoonful from two to four times a day, according to
the age of the child. If this treatment is kept up faithfully, you will be
sure to obtain a cure.
TEETHING.--There are twenty teeth in the first set. There is sometimes
slight fever, restlessness, sleepless nights, maybe loss of appetite and
some indigestion. If signs of indigestion are seen, give less food, and
replace same with boiled water. If he is a nursing baby give him an ounce
of boiled water before nursing and nurse him only ten to fifteen minutes.
If he is restless at night give him a warm sponge bath, and if there is
any fever, add one teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda to a basin of tepid
water. If the gums are very much congested and swollen and the child
suffers, they may need to be lanced. Sometimes the teeth come earlier, but
generally between the fifth and ninth months. They appear usually as
follows:--
2 lower central incisors 6 to 9 months (often earlier)
4 upper incisors 7 to 10 months
2 lower lateral incisors 12 to 14 months
2 anterior upper molars 12 to 16 months
2 anterior lower molars 12 to 16 months
2 upper canines (eye teeth) 18 to 24 months
2 lower canines (stomach teeth) 18 to 24 months
2 lower and 2 upper posterior molars 24 to 30 months
During the first year the child should cut six teeth; next six months, six
or more; at two years he should have sixteen; at two and one-half years
twenty. About the sixth year the permanent teeth are cut and follow
closely after the shedding of the milk teeth.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 619]
TEETHING.--PERMANENT TEETH, USUAL ORDER.
4 first molars 6 years
4 central incisors 7 years
4 lateral incisors 8 years
4 first bicuspids 8-1/2 to 9 years
4 second bicuspids 10 years
4 canines 11 or 12 to 14 years
4 second molars 12 to 13 years, (12 to 15)
4 wisdom teeth 18 to 25 years (17 to 25)
HICCOUGH.--Some infants are very liable to hiccoughs. It is generally a
matter of little importance. It is a spasmodic contraction of the
diaphragm, often caused by gas or wind or too much food in the baby's
stomach. It is very annoying, and should not be allowed to go on
indefinitely. Pat the baby gently, but suddenly, on the back, or give him
a little hot water in which there are a few grains of sugar or a drop of
essence of peppermint. See that he does not feed too fast or suck an empty
bottle.
ENLARGED GLANDS.--Cutting teeth or sometimes a bad cold or other things
cause the glands at the sides of the neck to swell and enlarge. This does
not always give any discomfort to the baby, but it annoys and worries the
mother. Frequently the enlargement will soon disappear of itself, but
sometimes the gland grows larger, gets quite hard and often much
inflamed--matter or pus will then form, and a discharge soon follows.
Treatment.--If the gland keeps on enlarging, a doctor should be seen, and
if it needs lancing he can do so at the proper time, and save the neck
from a bad scar. Medicine can also be given that will sometimes stop it.
Syrup of iodide of iron three to ten drops, three times a day for a
one-year-old child is good; cod-liver oil should be given to pale, thin
children for a long time.
BED-WETTING.--If a child continues to wet the bed after he is three years
old, something should be done for this annoying habit. The child should be
examined by a doctor; circumcision will often effect a cure in boys; or
pin worms may be the cause of the trouble; a stone in the bladder, or any
trouble that makes him nervous, or it may be due to habit.
Treatment.--Scolding will not do any good. The child should not drink any
fluids after four in the afternoon. He should not have any bread and milk
or water for supper, but instead have bread and a dry cereal, with a
little stewed fruit; sometimes a child needs a tonic. It is a tedious
trouble to treat and it takes a long time to gain control of it. The
mother must have a large stock of patience and co-operate with the doctor.
The child should pass urine before retiring, have the foot of the bedstead
elevated, not too warmly covered so as to become restless. His suppers
should not be hearty, bowels should be regular. The following is a good
remedy:--Tincture of belladonna; give five drops at bed-time and increase
the dose, drop by drop, each night until it produces a fine scarlet rash
upon the skin. This should be marked "poison" and only given under the
care of a doctor. It is a good remedy, but it must be watched.
[620 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
HIVES.--Hives, or urticaria, is often seen in young children, It is
generally caused by indigestion. It is not a serious disease, but it is
uncomfortable and makes a baby cross. The eruption is bright red in color,
and appears in blotches or wheels.
Treatment.--Give the child a laxative like magnesia or citrate of
magnesia, or epsom salts and cream of tartar, of each two ounces. Dose,
one-half teaspoonful in water every three hours until the bowels move
freely. (One-year-old).
To relieve the itching.--Sop the spots with warm water, and a little soda,
or an entire bath can be given of this if the eruption is extensive.
RUPTURE in a Baby. (Navel).--Take a strip of oxide of zinc adhesive
plaster about one and one-half inches wide and long enough to reach
three-fourths around the baby's body. Fasten one end of this to one side
of the abdomen and with the other hand gently push the rupture back; bring
the skin on either side of the navel together so that it will meet and
hold the rupture. Bring the plaster tightly across the abdomen, across the
navel and attach it firmly to the other side; change this dressing every
few days and continue treatment until healed.
COLDS in Babies.--Many babies seem to take cold without any cause. It is
often due to the fact that the room is too warm, or they are clothed too
warmly; they get easily overheated and feel the slightest draught of air.
If it is in his nose and it is stopped up, twist a piece of cotton on a
small wooden piece like a tooth-pick and dip it into olive oil and put it
into the nostrils a short distance. If necessary, buy a nose syringe with
a soft rubber tip, and use it twice daily. The following solution is good:
one-half teaspoonful of boric acid powder, one ounce of glycerin, and
eight ounces of warm water. Mix. Place the child on your lap, head against
your chest, bend his head well forward and syringe one nostril and then
the other. Camphor cream is a good remedy. For a cough and much wheezing
use a mustard plaster. Take one part mustard, six parts flour and mix it
into a smooth paste with a little cold water, spread it between two layers
of muslin, warm it and moisten with a little water if necessary, and put
it on the upper part of the breastbone. Leave it on only long enough to
redden the skin (five to six minutes). Put it on just before baby goes to
bed. A drop of camphor every three hours is often good for a cold at the
beginning. Aconite in small doses is also very good.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 621]
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. Colds, Catnip Tea for.--"Give a little sweetened catnip
tea, then grease well with camphor and lard." This is a very simple and
effective remedy, especially for small babies.
(See "Colds" under General Department for more Mothers' Remedies,)
Early signs of sickness.--When a baby who persistently refuses his food is
drowsy at unusual times, fretful, feverish, and is uncomfortable, the
mother should look in baby's mouth, for sore throat or tonsils, or on his
body for rashes. Undress the baby and put him to bed in a quiet room away
from the rest of the family, and if he is hot and restless give him a
sponge bath with one teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda to a basin of
luke-warm water. Give him also an enema to move his bowels, especially if
they are not regular. Dilute his usual food with water or barley water to
one-half the usual strength. If he is old enough to eat solid food, stop
it. A dose of a teaspoonful of castor oil is safe to give until the doctor
comes. Give him water to drink for he is thirsty. Take his temperature.
CARING FOR BURNS, BRUISES, CUTS, WOUNDS, ETC., IN BABY.
For Burns.--Keep away the air from the burn. Dust soda on the burn if the
skin is not too much broken, and wrap it up in clean linen. Olive oil,
linseed oil, is better, or cream should be put on if it is more severe.
Then a layer of clean linen and then a thin layer of cotton wool. It must
not be too warmly dressed. An ointment called pineoline is excellent for
burns.
For a bruise or bump.--Apply cloths hot or cold,--you can do this with
flannel wrung out of very cold or hot water. Ice may be wrapped up in
cotton and put on the part.
Cuts.--Wash it with clean cold water, and bind it up with clean linen. If
it bleeds much, let it bleed for a few seconds, and then stop it with a
pad of clean linen pressed firmly on the part and held there until it
stops.
SPLINTERS.--Remove them and dress as for any other wound.
POISONING.--Children will get hold of poison, and mother had better have
antidotes, etc., to use in case of necessity. Rat poison, fly poison,
matches, etc.
Treatment.--First use emetics; mustard and luke-warm water or one
teaspoonful of alum in a glass of luke-warm water; a little salt and warm
water; ten to fifteen drops syrup of ipecac, and then warm water. For fly
poison, give one-half ounce of olive oil in same amount of lime-water, and
repeat it every five or six minutes, for five or six doses, and then white
of an egg, and keep child warm. Antidote for arsenic is freshly
precipitated, sesquioxide of iron. Go to druggist and tell him to prepare
it; tell him what it is wanted for, and give this in doses of an ounce at
a time as the oil was given.
For poisoning from sucking matches.--Vomit the child freely, but do not
give anything oily, as milk or egg, as this dissolves the phosphorus.
[622 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Oxalic acid is sometimes used for cleaning purposes, and mistaken for
epsom salts. Give an emetic and lime-water.
For carbolic acid.--Give an emetic, and then white of an egg and epsom
salts.
Overdose of soothing syrup.--Keep baby awake, slap with wet towel, etc.;
or walk him about if he is old enough, inject strong black coffee in the
rectum. Keep up the strength with stimulants.
PROPRIETARY FOODS.
These foods are sometimes of temporary use. As many of them contain very
little fat, they may be used in cases of illness where fat cannot be
borne. Some of these contain malt sugar, and when the baby is constipated
this kind is useful when added to milk. Others can be made up of water
only, and are useful and handy where it is impossible to obtain fresh
milk. In cases of diarrhea the flour foods made up with water are very
useful. Milk at that time acts as a poison. Some of the best foods on the
market are the following--Condensed milk, Mellin's food, Horlick's Malted
milk, Nestle's food, Imperial granum, Just's food, Carnrick's soluble
food, Ridge's food, peptogenic milk powder, Lactated food, Eskay's,
Albumenized food, cereal milk, Borden's food.
For constipation in a child.--One to two teaspoonfuls of Mellin's food,
added to each bottle of his usual modified milk formula will often help a
great deal. As soon as the bowels move naturally it should be gradually
diminished until after four or six weeks, the child can do without it.
Condensed milk and Malted milk.--These can be prepared with water only,
and so are best to use on a long journey. Give the baby one or two meals
daily a week or two before the journey. Discontinue when at the end of the
journey.
Imperial Granum.--This is often useful in acute diarrhea, when milk cannot
be given. Mix the proportion as given on the box with water into a smooth
paste, then add a pint of boiling water and boil for fifteen or twenty
minutes.
Peptogenic Milk Powder.--This may be used for a short time during or after
acute illness; you can add it to the formula used as directed on the
package.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 625]
NURSING DEPARTMENT
Including
Care of the Sick and the Sick Room
FOODS, FORMULAE, DELICACIES FOR SICK ROOM,
HOW TO PREPARE THEM; DIET IN FEVERS
AND OTHER DISEASES, SECURED FROM
TRAINED NURSES, PHYSICIANS
AND HOSPITALS.
Every Phase of Nursing Given in Detail and in Plain Mothers'
Language, including Latest Sanitary Care and Science.
VENTILATION.--The sick room should be ventilated without any draught
hitting the patient. The patient's bed should be placed out of the line of
air currents. If this is not possible he must be protected by means of
screens, the head of the bed being especially guarded. That draughts are
dangerous is founded on fact no less than is the modern idea that an
abundance of fresh air is necessary and helpful. A nurse has been guilty
of gross neglect of duty when the patient contracts pneumonia through
exposure to too severe currents of air. A simple way to ventilate a
private room is to raise the lower sash of window six inches and place a
board across the opening below; the air will then enter between the two
sashes and be directed upward, where it becomes diffused and no one in the
room is subjected to a draught. In a room where there is only one window a
pane of glass may be taken out and a piece of tin or pasteboard may be so
placed that the current will be directed upwards; or a window can be
opened in an adjoining room which fills with fresh air and the door of the
sick room opened afterwards to admit the air; or, the patient may be
covered up, head and all, for a few minutes two or three times a day,
while all the windows are thrown open, The room should be thoroughly
warmed before it is so thoroughly ventilated.
[624 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
TEMPERATURE OF THE ROOM.--This should be regulated by a thermometer
suspended at a central point in the room. The temperature should be
regulated according to the nature of the disease and the comfort of the
patient. In fevers it should be lower, varying from 55 to 60 degrees F.,
but in bronchial troubles it should be kept about 70 degrees F. The mean
temperature should be kept about 60 degrees to 70 degrees. It should be
raised or lowered gradually, so that the patient will not be overheated or
chilled.
LIGHT.--The patient should have plenty of light and sunshine, but do not
let the sun or light shine directly upon the face.
CARE OF THE DISCHARGES (Excreta).--This is very important. Sputa, dirty
vessels, soiled dressings and linen are prolific sources of impure air.
Sputum Cups.--These should be of glazed earthenware, without any corners
or cracks and provided with a simple moveable cover when in use. They
should be sterilized for one hour in every twenty-four hours.
Bed Pans and Urinals.--These should be washed out thoroughly. Allow
boiling hot water to run on them for some time before they are put away
after being cleansed.
Soiled Dressing and Linen.--These should be received in covered basins or
in paper bags and at once carried away and destroyed or disinfected, or
put in a metal dressing can and closely covered until the contents can be
cared for at the earliest possible time. Vomited matter or the discharges
from the bowels and the urine should always be covered in the vessel
either with a lid, towel or rubber cloth. The rubber is better than the
cloth as it keeps in the odor and can be scrubbed and disinfected.
If the patient is too sick to use a sputum cup, the expectoration can be
received in a paper handkerchief or a piece of cheese cloth and placed in
a small paper bag and burned at once.
SOILED AND STAINED LINEN.--These should be put away in a covered
receptacle that contains enough disinfectant solution to keep them moist.
They are removed as soon as possible to the wash room to be cleaned and
sterilized.
Sterilization.--This term is usually employed when heat is used to
sterilize.
Disinfection.--This is the term used when chemicals are relied upon to
purify (sterilize).
Heat and Chemicals are much aided by sunshine, light and fresh air,
especially that of high dry climates.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 625]
The germs (bacteria) are destroyed by dry or moist heat, the latter used
in the form of steam. Dry heat is not so penetrating and requires a longer
time and some goods are destroyed when exposed in it long enough to
destroy the germs.
In order to destroy these organisms it is thought to be necessary to
expose whatever is to be sterilized to the steam at 200 degrees F. for
three successive days for thirty minutes or more each day, and during the
interval to keep them in a room with a temperature of 60 degrees F.
A SIMPLE METHOD OF STERILIZING.--Put the articles (small articles) in an
ordinary kitchen steamer; closely cover it and place it over a pot of
boiling water. If you wish you can add two parts of carbonate of sodium to
each ninety-eight parts of water.
Germicides are chemicals used to destroy germs.
Disinfectants are chemicals used to arrest and prevent their development.
These disinfectants should always be fresh.
Carbolic acid is one of the most efficient and most frequently employed of
the known chemical disinfectants. It comes to us in the form of white
crystals and dissolves in water, glycerin, or alcohol.
Watery solutions cannot be made stronger than five per cent. Solutions
weaker than this will not destroy all germs, but on account of its
irritating qualities the weaker solutions are employed when used for the
skin and mucous membranes. How to make a five per cent or one to twenty
solution:
A bottle containing the crystals is placed in hot water until they are
melted (or you can buy this dissolved product). Then take one part of the
acid and add it to nineteen parts of boiling water and shake this
vigorously until all has been thoroughly dissolved and mixed. To make a 1,
2, 3 or 4 per cent solution, you take 1/100 or 1/50 or 1/33 or 1/25 of
acid.
Corrosive Sublimate or Bichloride of Mercury.--Tablets can be bought at
any drug store containing the desired strength, and are better to use.
This is a powerful irritant poison and must be used carefully. Tablets of
the strength of 1-1000 and 1-2000 are most often employed for germicide
action. The weaker solutions 1-5,000 or 1-10,000 were used to wash out the
cavities. It is not now used much for that purpose; it stains clothing and
corrodes instruments.
Milk of Lime is considered very valuable and safe to use in vessels to
receive evacuations from the bowels. It should be freshly made or it is
useless. Equal parts should be stirred up with the contents of the bed pan
and this must be let stand at least one hour. This is the best way to
disinfect stools.
To Prepare Milk of Lime.--The milk of lime is made by adding one part of
slaked lime to four parts water.
Chloride of Lime (Chlorinated lime) is also a very good disinfectant. It
has a bad odor and unless it is very fresh, is not reliable.
[626 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Boric acid disinfectant. This property is not very marked, but it is not
irritating. The standard solution is five per cent. The weaker solutions
are used to clean cavities, for superficial wounds, and to wash out the
bladder.
The standard or saturated solution is made by using one part of the acid
in crystal form to nineteen parts of water; or, this saturated solution
can be easily made by putting a large quantity of the crystals in a filter
and pouring the quantity of boiling water over them slowly until all are
dissolved. Strain the solution to get rid of the excess of crystals or it
can be allowed to cool when the liquid can be poured off.
Normal salt solution is made by using one teaspoonful of salt to a pint of
water.
CARE AND DISINFECTION OF AN INFECTED ROOM.--Carpets, upholstered
furniture, hangings, bric-a-brac, or any personal clothing, the color of
which may be destroyed by disinfection, should have been removed from the
room at the beginning of the disease.
DAILY CARE OF THE ROOM BY THE NURSE.--The furniture should be wiped off
with a damp cloth and the floor swept with a broom covered with a damp
cloth wrung out of a 1-20 (five per cent) carbolic acid solution; besides
this the floor must be rubbed thoroughly with a damp cloth every second or
third day. If the disease is contagious a damp sheet kept moist should be
hung in the line of the air currents. Cloths that are used daily should be
washed in hot soap suds and when not in use left to soak in carbolic acid
solution 1-20 (five per cent).
After the patient has recovered from an infectious disease he should
receive a hot soap and water tub or sponge bath, thorough washing of the
hair and irrigation of the ears included, followed by a thorough sponging
with a one per cent carbolic acid or corrosive sublimate (1-10,000)
solution. The finger-nails and toe-nails should be cut close and cleaned
underneath.
A nasal douche is given, and the mouth should be washed with listerine or
a saturated (five per cent) solution of boric acid. The patient is then
wrapped in clean sheets or clothes and taken in another room. Then the
bedding and clothing are made ready for sterilization.
DISINFECTION OF THE ROOM.--Brush off the mattress, wrap it in a damp sheet
wrung out of a twenty per cent solution of carbolic acid, and send to the
sterilizer. The clothes are steamed and sent to the wash room. When there
is no sterilizer the bed must be soaked in a 1-20 (five per cent) carbolic
solution, afterwards boiled and the mattress ripped apart and boiled or
burned.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 627]
DISINFECTING THE ROOM.--Arrange all articles that are left in the room so
as to expose them the best to the fumigating substance. To disinfect with
formalin, close the room tightly, seal all cracks and openings with paste
and paper. Place an alcohol lamp in a metal dish in the center of the
room. Put in a receptacle over the lamp three fluid ounces of a forty per
cent solution of formaldehyde; have a dish of water in the room for some
time; moisten the air of the room, light the lamp and then close the room
up tight for twenty-four hours, until the dust has settled; then enter
gently so as not to disturb the dust and wipe off everything in the room
with a cloth wrung out of a corrosive sublimate (1-1000) solution. Floors,
woodwork, furniture, bedstead must be so washed or wiped, and use for
crevices pure carbolic acid, applying it with a brush. The walls should be
washed down with the 1-1000 corrosive sublimate solution. Then leave the
windows wide open. Sulphur fumigation is not considered so certain in its
results.
HOW TO TREAT SPUTUM FROM TUBERCULOUS PATIENTS.--Sputum is dangerous when
it is dry. The sputum cups should be of china or paper, so that they may
be either boiled or burned. There should be no crevices. The cup should be
kept covered and the sputum moist so that none of the germs on the sputum
becoming dry may escape into the air of the room. The china vessel should
be frequently cleaned and, before the contents are thrown away, the germs
must be destroyed by putting the sputum in a two per cent solution of
carbonate of soda for one hour. The paper cups and contents must be burned
before the contents have time enough to become dry. In infectious
diseases, all discharges from the nose, mouth, bowels and bladder should
be received in a china vessel containing carbolic acid or milk of lime.
In Diphtheria the expectoration, discharge from the nose and vomited
matter should be received in paper napkins and burned at once in the room,
or if this is impossible, boiled before being taken from the room.
Use the same treatment for the discharges in Scarlet fever. Two sets of
cups should be kept and boiled in the soda solution before being used. All
vessels, tubes or cups that are used for the mouth in diphtheria,
syphilis, or cancer should be kept in a 1-40 solution of carbolic acid and
boiled before being used by another patient.
Bed-pans used in cases of cancer, dysentery, typhoid fever and, in short,
in all infectious diseases, are to be soaked in a 1-20 (five per cent)
carbolic acid solution and boiled before again coming into general use.
Sheets and clothing stained with typhoid fever discharges must be washed
out at once, or soaked in a disinfectant solution and steamed before being
sent to the laundry. Also the bedding and clothing in any infectious or
malignant disease should always be put to soak, at once, in a 1-20 (five
per cent) carbolic acid solution, or else steamed or boiled before being
brought again into general use.
The urine needs the same attention as the bowel discharges in typhoid
fever.
Coughing in diphtheria, lung tuberculosis, scarlet fever, etc., sets free
infectious germs. These may be received in the person of the attendant, or
on the bedding and furniture. Care should be taken when attending such
cases.
[628 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CARE OF THE MOUTH AND TEETH.--A weak solution of borax or listerine is
very good. One-half ounce of listerine to a glass of water to be used by
the patient as often as he desires to rinse his mouth. Lemon juice in
solution is very good. For cracks in the mouth, vaselin or cold cream is
good. A few drops of oil of peppermint can be added, or oil of
wintergreen.
For spongy and sore gums.--A few drops of tincture of myrrh added to pure
water may be used. Colorless golden seal in the same way is pleasant and
successful.
Cloths for washing the teeth and mouth are made in small squares of gauze
or old linen. They are best to use since they can be burned immediately
after being used. Wrap one of the squares around the first finger, dip it
into the mouth-wash and insert in the mouth. Go over the whole cavity, the
cloth being passed along the gums and behind the wisdom teeth, thence over
the roof of the mouth, inside the teeth and under the tongue. Use more
than one piece for all this. This is very necessary in typhoid fever. If
the tongue is badly coated, it can be soaked and gently scraped. A good
mouth-wash for general use is the following:
Glycerin 1 dram
Soda 10 grains
5% solution of Boric Acid 1 ounce
BED SORES. Prevention and care of.--Very fat flabby people or thin
emaciated patients are liable to suffer from bed sores. They result from
constant friction or pressure on a certain spot or spots and when the body
is poorly nourished. Moisture, creases in the under sheets, night gown,
crumbs in the bed and want of proper care and cleanliness also are causes.
Bed-sores due to pressure occur most frequently upon the hips and lower
back, the shoulders and heels; those from friction, in the ankles, inner
parts of the knees, or the elbows and back of the head. In patients
suffering from dropsy, paralysis or spinal injuries, or when there is a
continuous discharge from any part of the body, the utmost care must be
taken to prevent bed sores.
Treatment. Preventive.--Cleanliness and relief from pressure. Bathe the
back and shoulders with warm water and soap night and morning and
afterwards rub with alcohol and water equal parts. Dust the parts with
oxide of zinc or stearate of zinc powder, or bismuth mixed with borax; all
are good. If there is much moisture due to sweating or involuntary stools
or urine, castor oil should be well rubbed in addition. The sheets must be
kept smooth and dry under the patient.
[ NURSING DEPARTMENT 629]
Redness of the skin may be the first symptom of this trouble. This may be
followed by a dark color under the skin, and when the cuticle finally
comes off the underlying tissues are found broken down and sloughing. Any
skin scraped or worn off--abrasion--should be carefully washed and a small
pad of cotton smeared with olive oil and stearate of zinc placed over it
and kept there with collodion painted over it; or white of egg painted
over the sore is sometimes very beneficial; also equal parts of castor oil
and bismuth make an excellent dressing. Rubber rings or cotton rings over
the part relieve the pressure. Changing the position is often beneficial.
Treatment of the Sore Proper.--Sponge with clean soft cloths, with a
solution of boric acid or one per cent solution of carbolic acid and the
cavity packed with iodoform gauze, or iodoform, or aristol ointment, over
which apply a layer of borated cotton. Dress the sore daily. If it sloughs
apply hot boric acid dressings every four hours and follow with an
application of castor oil and balsam of Peru. When it is better treat as
any other sore.
BATHS.
A hot bath temperature is from 100 to 112 degrees F. or higher.
A warm bath temperature is from 90 to 100 degrees F.
A tepid bath temperature is from 70 to 90 degrees F.
A cool bath temperature is from 65 to 70 degrees F.
A cold bath temperature is from 33 to 65 degrees F.
The entire bath should not last longer, when given in bed, than fifteen or
twenty minutes. A few drops of water of ammonia or a little borax will
help much in getting the patient clean and disguise the bad odor of the
perspiration. A little alcohol or Eau de Cologne will be found refreshing.
Cold damp towels should never be employed here. The water should be
pleasantly warm and changed a few times during the bath. A glass of hot
milk can be taken after the bath is given, if the patient feels exhausted,
and if the feet are cool a hot fruit can is applied.
Foot Baths in Bed.--The patient should lie on her back, with the knees
bent and place her feet in the tub, which is placed lengthwise in the bed
on a rubber sheet spread across the lower part of the bed for protection.
A mustard foot bath can be given the same way except that the knees and
foot bath are enclosed in a blanket. These are often given for severe
colds, with head symptoms (headaches), when it is desired to draw the
blood from the head. Hot water alone will do this, but the mustard hastens
the action. The mustard should be mixed with a small amount of water
before being added to the bath. The amount will depend upon the
sensitiveness of the patient. The feet may remain in the bath for fifteen
to twenty minutes, the water kept at the same temperature or made warmer
by adding more hot water from time to time. They are wiped gently
afterward and tucked snugly in blankets.
[630 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Hot Bath, Hot Air, Vapor, and Steam Bath.--Given for sweating purposes.
Fill the tub half full of water at 100 degrees F. and draw it to the
bedside if necessary. Lift the patient into the tub and gradually increase
the temperature by the thermometer to 110 degrees and 112 degrees F.
Maintain it at this point for twelve or fifteen minutes. After this the
patient is lifted out into a prepared bed on which a long rubber is spread
with three or four hot blankets over it; these are wrapped all around the
patient, tucked in closely about the neck and watched continually to see
that no air enters. Give plenty of water to drink, as it promotes
perspiration and helps in that way to cast off the impurities. Keep this
up for an hour if possible, and then the patient is gradually uncovered,
sponged under a blanket with alcohol and water and the wet blankets
removed. Cloths wrung out of cold water are applied to the head during
this bath. The pulse should be closely watched for any indication of
faintness, when the patient should be put to bed, immediately. This bath
should not be given during menstruation or pregnancy.
Warm Baths (90 degrees to 100 degrees F.) are frequently given to children
for convulsions. They should be placed in the tub and cold applied to the
head, while the body is washed and rubbed.
Local baths and packs.--For sprains, a foot bath. For menstrual pain, a
sitz bath. The patient sits in the bath with only the thighs and part of
the body immersed, while the upper part of the body and the feet are
protected with blankets. Sitting on a cane-seated chair over a steaming
pail with a blanket around the neck and body gives a good bath for pain
during menstruation.
Salt-water bath. Tonic action.--Nine to fourteen pounds of sea salt to
fifty gallons of water will redden the skin and give an exhilarating
effect.
Dry Salt Bath sent us with Mothers' Remedies.--"To a basin of water put a
big handful of salt, take a Turkish towel and soak it in the salt water,
wring out and let dry. The salt will adhere to the towel. Use to rub the
body. A tepid bath should be taken next day to remove the salt."
Starch bath.--Add eight ounces of laundry starch to each gallon of water.
This allays skin irritation.
Bran bath.--Put the bran in a bag and allow this to soak in warm water for
an hour before being used; or it may be boiled for an hour and then the
fluid drained and added to the bath water.
Sponge bath.--Water and soap should be ready. Clothes to be put on, well
aired and at hand. Then remove the patient's clothes and wrap him in an
old blanket, expose only the part being washed at a time, wash and dry
this part. Begin with the face and neck, then the chest, abdomen, arms and
back, and lastly the lower extremities. Warm the water at least twice.
Then put on his clean, well aired clothes and into a clean bed, and the
patient will bless you.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 631]
Alcohol sponge bath.--This is given the same way, only sixty per cent
alcohol is used and the parts are allowed to dry themselves.
Tub bath (common).--Prepare everything as to heat, etc. Then carry the
patient or assist him to the tub. Soap him all over and pour water over
him from a large pitcher. The temperature of the water depends upon the
disease. One person should continually rub the patient in typhoid fever to
keep up the circulation while the water is being poured over him. A hot
drink is given before and after these baths and the patient is wrapped
immediately in warm flannel.
Patients are frequently put into a tub with a water temperature of 85 to
90 degrees, and then the water temperature decreased by adding cold water.
This bath must be carefully given.
The cold pack.--It is used to reduce fever, delirium and extreme
nervousness and to induce sleep. Cover the bed with a rubber sheet or
oilcloth, and over this a blanket. Wring a sheet out of cold water and
place this over the blanket. Lay the patient on this sheet and wrap it
around him so that every surface has the wet sheet next to it. Tuck the
sheet in well at the neck and feet. Fold the outer blanket over the
patient and tuck it in. Lay a wet towel over the head, or he can be
enveloped loosely in blankets and allowed to remain twenty minutes to an
hour, only ten to fifteen minutes by the tucked-in method and then dried
and put to bed.
The hot pack.--This is given in the same manner except that the patient is
wrapped first in a blanket wrung out of boiling water. More covering is
put over the patient than in a cold pack, and something cold is applied to
the head.
EXTERNAL APPLICATIONS.
General and Local.--For dry heat, for warmth alone, hot bags, bottles and
cans are used. Hot flannels are sometimes used for inflamed joints. Make
the flannel very hot, wrap in heated paper or cloth and apply quickly;
cover all with a layer of cotton, wool and oiled muslin.
For neuralgia and earache, salt bags are used.
Fill flannel bags with salt, heat as hot as can be borne, and cover it so
as to retain the heat after it is applied to the ear.
For moist heat.--This is more penetrating and has a more pronounced effect
than dry heat. It also hastens suppuration when it cannot be prevented in
acute inflammation like quinsy, etc.
For local pains, fomentations, stupes and poultices are used. Poultices
are best for deep-seated pain or continuous inflammation.
[632 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Linseed meal poultice.--Stir the meal slowly and evenly in boiling water;
boil this mixture for several minutes and stir briskly all the time, and
when thick enough it is well beaten with a spoon to remove lumps. If this
is properly done it will be a light smooth paste, just stiff enough to
drop away from the spoon. Use a muslin or coarse cloth and spread the
poultice on this to the depth of one-half inch, leaving one inch space to
turn in. Put vaselin over the surface, thin, and cover with a thin layer
of gauze or thin cloth. Turn the edges over and roll in a towel to keep it
warm and carry to patient. Keep them warm,--one should never be removed
until another is ready to be put on. The skin should always be wiped dry
before another is applied. Oiling the poultice prevents irritation of the
skin and pimples. Cover the poultice loosely if possible with a layer of
cotton-wool and oiled muslin to retain the heat and moisture longer. It
should be changed every three hours at least. Apply hot and never keep on
when it is cold. It should never be used a second time.
Starch Poultice.--This is used in skin diseases for its soothing
properties. Mix the starch first with a little cold water and then add
enough boiling water to make a thick paste, which is then spread on muslin
covered with a layer of gauze.
The Jacket Poultice. For lung affections.--Two layers of thin muslin are
shaped so as to fit closely around the neck and under the arms and come
over the chest and back, low enough to cover the lungs. Three sides are
now closed, and the prepared linseed is poured into the bag and regularly
distributed. Close the open end and then apply. Cover it with wool and
oiled silk and keep in place with safety pins or tapes which are tied
under the arms and over the shoulders. When changing the poultice be
careful not to expose the patient. A cotton-wool jacket should be worn a
few days after the poultice has been discontinued.
Cold is applied either by means of the cold bath or by compresses, pack,
sponging, coils or ice.
Cold Compresses are made by using two or three thicknesses of lint or
linen wrung out of cold water or ice water and applied over the inflamed
part, and changed frequently. A little vaselin may be rubbed on to prevent
the skin from becoming irritated. They are very useful where little weight
can be borne. If iced compresses are used a small block of ice partially
wrapped in flannel is placed in a basin; there should be two compresses,
one of which is kept on ice while the other is on the patient.
Compresses are very good in the early stage of tonsilitis, quinsy, sore
throat, laryngitis and croup.
Ice-bags (India Rubber).--With these, cold can be best applied and with
less trouble. These are made in different shapes. For instance
helmet-shaped to fit the head and long and narrow for the spine.
Crush the ice in small pieces and mix in it a little common salt,--never
fill the rubber bags more than half full; expel the air as much as
possible by pressing before screwing on the top. Always place a layer of
lint, cotton or thin cloth between the skin and the bag. The extreme cold
is not only painful but liable to irritate the skin, and may cause
frost-bites. Its effect should be watched carefully. Sometimes the weight
causes discomfort. In such cases suspend the bag. For the head, fasten a
bandage to the neck of the bag and pin the two ends to the pillow just
high enough to allow the cap (bag) to barely touch the head. Care should
be taken to refill the ice-bags before the ice has melted. At times a
piece of ice is wrapped in moist lint or old linen and passed gently over
the head in order to cool the head.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 633]
For Appendicitis.--There should be quite a thickness of cloth between the
ice bag and the skin. The latter must not become too cool. In this disease
this bag is a great reliever of the pain and generally used.
Ice Poultices.--In some cases these are better than the ice bag for the
reason that they fit the body better. They are usually made of two parts
of crushed ice to one of linseed meal or bran, together with a small
amount of salt. Make two bags of oiled silk,--one should be smaller than
the other. Close all sides but one, with adhesive plaster. Fill the
smaller bag two-thirds full of ice, close and slip it into the larger bag.
Ice Water Coils.--These can be bought. They can also be made from rubber
tubing. Sew this upon a piece of rubber cloth in circles about one inch
apart for five or six rounds; leave a yard or two of tubing at each end to
be used as a siphon, A large pan of ice water is raised above the patient
into which one weighted end of the tubing is placed, with a funnel
inserted into it, covered with gauze to prevent clogging, while the other
end is laid in a second basin on the floor which receives the water. The
upper pan must be kept filled. This is very good for delirium in brain
fever, etc., when applied to the head and also good for bleeding from the
bowels in typhoid fever. The stream of water can be regulated if necessary
by a stop-cock.
Lotions.--Lotions are medicated moist applications, and may be either hot
or cold.
Counter--Irritants are agents applied externally to produce irritation or
inflammation in order to relieve a diseased condition in an adjacent or
deep-seated part of the body. Mustard foot-bath relieves pain in the head
by drawing the surplus blood away from the head. The mildest mustard
counter-irritant is the mustard poultice. It can be made with one part
mustard to six of linseed meal. Never use boiling water with mustard.
Mustard Poultice.--Use of ground mustard, one-fourth to one-eighth of the
amount of meal used. Make into a paste and stir this into the linseed,
after it has been prepared for the poultices. The white of an egg is used
in this poultice as it may keep the poultice from blistering.
Yeast Poultices.--These stimulate ulcers, gangrene and sloughing
conditions. Mix eight ounces of soft yeast with as much water. Add enough
flour to make a sponge, but not too stiff. It should be kept warm until
fermentation begins; then apply every day. Finely powdered charcoal can
also be added.
[634 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
For Soothing Effect.--Hop bags or bran bags, dipped in hot water, may be
applied, protected and kept in place with a bandage.
Spice Poultice.--This is very good for pain in abdomen in children
especially. Equal parts of ground cinnamon, cloves, allspice and ginger,
one-quarter part cayenne pepper, if needed very strong. Place all together
in a flannel bag and spread equally. Wet with alcohol or brandy. When dry,
re-wet. This is a mild warming dressing.
Spice Poultice from a Stanlyton, Va., Mother.--"Take one teaspoonful each
of mustard, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, or as many
ground spices as one has in the kitchen; mix them well in a bowl while
dry, adding boiling water slowly and stir constantly until it is of the
consistency of soft putty; spread between soft thin cloths and apply to
the affected parts as hot as the patient can bear it. When it is cool heat
it again and apply."
Mother's Flour and Water Poultice.--"Make a thick poultice of flour and
water; bake soft and apply hot. Have another ready for change, if
necessary. This is good for any pain."
Poultice of Peach Tree Leaves from our Mother's List.--"Put a handful of
peach leaves in a vessel and let boil well; add enough meal to thicken,
spread between thin muslin cloth and apply to parts affected. This is a
splendid poultice."
Mild Plaster for Children.--"Two teaspoonsful of flour, three teaspoonsful
of mustard, a little fresh lard and a few drops of turpentine, Mix up with
warm water."
Fomentations.--This is the best way to apply moist heat, but it is
troublesome, as they should be changed very frequently, at least every ten
minutes when heat is required. They should never be left on until they are
cold and clammy. Sheets of lamb's wool make the best material. Cut these
layers into sizes required and encase them in a gauze cover over which is
put a layer of oiled silk. Coarse old flannel or an old blanket will do
well. Take two layers of the flannels, dip in the boiling water and wring.
Two should be at hand. Dry the skin first and then put on the flannel. It
should be covered with enough material to keep in the heat and moisture.
Hops, etc., can be put into the water.
Turpentine Stupes.--This is prepared the same way, except turpentine is
added. After the flannel has been wrung out, add from ten to twenty drops
of turpentine, or add two or three teaspoonfuls of turpentine to one pint
of boiling water and put the flannel in it and wring out and apply. Put a
towel over the stupe. This is especially for gas in the bowels.
Mustard Stupe.--Put a tablespoonful of mustard in one pint of hot water.
Make a paste of the mustard before it is put into the hot water, to avoid
forming lumps; never use boiling water. Wring the flannel out after it has
been in this solution and apply to the part.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 635]
Mustard Plaster.--This is made of different strengths, depending upon the
length of time it is desired to keep it on and the sensitiveness of the
skin.
1. Equal parts of mustard and flour.
2. One of mustard and two of flour.
3. One of mustard and three or four of flour.
White of an egg added makes it better and not so blistering.
A paste is made with warm water and spread between the layers of muslin
and left on no longer than ten minutes. When the skin is red remove the
plaster. This is used when you wish a quick counter-irritation.
Mustard Plaster.--This is made stronger, 1 to 2 to 3 parts meal.
Mustard leaves or Sinapisms may be bought at a drug store. They are no
better than you can make. Use plasters.
Capsicum and Belladonna Plasters.--May be bought. In applying, heat the
back of the plaster slightly; the face of the gauze is pulled off and the
plaster placed where wanted. To remove soak first with alcohol.
Spice plaster.--Mix two teaspoonfuls each of ginger and cloves with a
teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, one tablespoonful of flour, enough brandy
or water to make a paste. Spread this between two layers of muslin.
For Turpentine and Mustard Stupes see above.
Tincture of iodine, chloroform and liniments are also counterirritants,
also castor oil, and pure tartar emetic, and cartharides.
Cupping, Wet and Dry.--This is sometimes used to relieve inflammations of
the eye, lung or kidney, or even muscular pains like lumbago. Wine-glasses
will do as well as any you can buy.
Dry cupping.--Take a piece of wire, wrap a small piece of cotton about the
end, dip this in alcohol, light it and swab the inside of the glass,
remove and apply the glass. The heat causes the air to expand and it is
driven off and the partial vacuum formed is filled by the skin and tissues
over which the glass is placed. The edges of the cup must not be warm
enough to burn the patient. Six or seven cups may be applied at one time
and allowed to remain five minutes, after which they are removed by
pressing the flesh around the edge and inserting the finger there so as to
let in the air.
Linseed meal poultices can be applied afterwards to keep up the work
begun.
Wet cupping.--Scrub the skin with hot water and soap, wash off with a five
per cent (1-20) carbolic acid solution. Make a few cuts over the parts
desired with a clean knife and apply the cup prepared in the way above
directed. Remove the blood and check the bleeding, if necessary, by
sponging. Place a pad on the part and hold this in place by a bandage or
adhesive strap.
Blistered Skin. To dress.--Puncture the lower part with a clean instrument
and catch the fluid on absorbent cotton. Dress it with oxide of zinc
ointment or vaselin on lint or clean linen and strap on. It is best not to
remove the skin from a blister at the first dressing.
[636 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
HOW TO DETERMINE THE DOSE FOR CHILDREN.
We have endeavored to always give the dose throughout this book as we
recognized the lack of accurate and detailed information regarding the
administering of medicines as one of the weak features in practically all
home medical books. If we have overlooked a few instances we wish to
provide for such omissions by giving the table of doses generally used by
nurses as a basis for determining the dose of any medicine she may be
using for a particular age.
Rule usually followed.--For children under twelve years of age. Make a
fraction. Use the age of the child for the upper number, numerator. The
number below the line, denominator, is twelve, added to the age of the
child. For example: If your child is two years old you would begin by
placing two as numerator, thus 2/, then you add 2 + 12 = 14 and place 14
below the line and you have 2/14 or 1/7. You then take 1/7 of the adult
dose for your two-year-old child. If the dose for an adult is 21 drops, a
child of two years is given 3 drops, etc.
DOSE IN DROPS FOR DIFFERENT AGES.
If the dose is a spoonful or 60 drops for an adult, the other doses would
be correct for the ages given below:
21 and over 60 drops
15 years about 33 drops A few more or less if robust or weakly
12 " " 30 drops "
10 " " 27 drops "
8 " " 24 drops "
6 " " 20 drops "
5 " " 17 drops "
4 " " 15 drops "
3 " " 12 drops "
2 " " 8 drops "
1 " " 4 drops "
Exceptions to this rule are calomel and castor oil, when half an adult
dose can be given between 12 and 18.
Opium is dangerous to children and old people and should be administered
by a physician or trained nurse.
"Lest We Forget."
COMMON TABLES OF MEASURES.
APOTHECARIES' WEIGHT.
Apothecaries' Weight is used in prescribing and mixing medicines
Table.
20 grains equal 1 scruple
3 scruples " 1 dram
8 drams " 1 ounce
12 ounces " 1 pound
The pound is the same as the pound Troy. Medicines are bought and sold in
quantities by Avoirdupois Weight.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 637]
1 grain equals 1 drop or 1 minim
60 grains or drops " 1 teaspoonful
1 teaspoonful " 1 fluid dram
8 drams (or 8 teaspoonfuls) make 1 fluid ounce
2 tablespoonfuls make 1 fluid ounce
1/2 fluid ounce is a tablespoonful
2 fluid ounces is a wineglassful
4 fluid ounces is a teacupful
6 fluid ounces is a coffee cup
16 ounces (dry or solid) is a pound
20 fluid ounces is a pint
MEDICINE CHEST.--More important than the furnishing of the house is the
medicine chest. If you are beginning housekeeping let this be your first
consideration. Do not put it off because it is a little trouble and costs
a few dollars. Yon would not think of leaving your front room or your
"spare room" half furnished. Your health is of vastly more importance than
the looks of your best rooms. There may come a time when you cannot secure
the doctor for several hours or get into a drug store. Be prepared for
this emergency and either fix up a home-made box with shelves, etc., or
buy a regular medicine chest; in either case have a lock to it and the key
where you can find it but where the children cannot reach it.
We give below a few of the necessaries and you will of course add to this
list. One mother writes that she went to the store and bought several tiny
little bells and tied one of these bells around the neck of each of the
bottles in her medicine chest that contained poison. There was no danger
of her getting the wrong bottle in the dark. Contents of the Medicine
Chest.
Ten cents worth of Alum.
A small bag of Burnt Alum.
A small bottle of Castor Oil.
A small vial of Bichloride of Mercury Tablets.
A box of Boric Acid Powder.
A $mall bottle of Glycerin:
A bottle of Extract of Witch-hazel
A small bottle of Syrup of Ipecac.
A bottle of Whisky and one of Brandy.
A box of English Mustard.
Medicine glass.
A small box of Cold Cream.
Soft rubber Ear Syringe.
A Clinical Thermometer.
An Eye Stone.
A pad, pencils, and labels.
A small bottle of Carbolic Acid.
A roll of Adhesive Plaster.
A small box of Pineoline Salve.
A bottle of Arnica.
Hung near the chest should be a fountain syringe with the rubber catheter
for use in irrigating the bowels and a hot water bag.
[638 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
HOW TO CARE FOR THE DEAD.
The limbs should be straightened before the body becomes stiff (rigor
mortis). The eyes should be closed and the jaws held in position by means
of a support placed firmly under the chin; for this a roller bandage or a
small padded piece of wood is generally used. Of course if the person has
worn false teeth, and they have been taken out during the last hours, they
should be replaced immediately after death. The nostrils, mouth, rectum,
and vagina should be packed with absorbent cotton to prevent the escape of
discharges after death. After this bathe the body, if so desired by the
relatives, with a two per cent watery solution of carbolic acid, and if
there are any wounds they should be covered with fresh cotton and neatly
fastened with a bandage. The hips may be enclosed in a large triangular
binder; the knees are held together by a broad bandage; the hair should be
brushed smoothly, and finally stockings and a simple nightgown should be
put on. If the case be one of the infectious diseases, wrap the body in a
sheet wrung out of a five per cent watery solution of carbolic acid and
this sheet should be kept damp.
The room where death occurs should be tidied and regulated to make it look
natural and comfortable. The undertaker can be sent for as soon as desired
by the family. But if such care as directed has been given, the undertaker
need not be hurried.
ENEMA.--Enemata (Injections).--There are various methods used for
injecting fluids into the body. When they are introduced into the
intestines, we speak of giving enemata (enema is the singular). They are
named according to their purpose.
1. Simple laxative or purgative enemata.
2. Nutritive enemata for the purpose of nourishment.
3. Sedative enemata for local or systemic quieting effects.
4. Astringent enemata to check bleeding and diarrhea, like hot water, ice
water, solution of alum or nitrate of silver.
5. Emollient (soothing) enemata for soothing irritated and painful mucous
membrane; starch and drugs are also used.
6. Antispasmodic enemata to relieve flatulence such as the turpentine
enemata.
7. Anthelmintic (against worms) for destroying worms; salt, turpentine and
quassia are used.
8. Antiseptic or germicidal enemata used in dysentery.
9. Stimulating enemata, like hot water, hot strong coffee, hot whisky and
water, salt water.
10. To relieve thirst, water one pint or normal salt solution (one dram to
a pint of water) and injected high up.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 639]
ENEMATA are given either high or low.
A high enemas thrown high up into the bowel.
A low enema is injected into the rectum only, through a hard rubber tip to
a syringe.
Directions.--There are many ways of giving a simple enema.
Position.--A good way is to place an adult patient on his left side, with
the knees bent up close. Protect the bed with a rubber sheet and towel
under the patient. The basin of water can be placed on the rubber sheet
and the enema given under cover.
Amount.--An adult person will take one to four pints. A child one-half to
one pint. For an infant about two ounces will do.
What material? A simple enema can be made with good castile soap or good
brown soap and water, temperature about 95 degrees F. When ready for use
make into a good suds.
Syringe.--Use a bulb syringe, see that the syringe is filled full to the
nozzle before the nozzle is put into the bowel. Any air left in the
syringe will pass into the bowel and cause pain. Oil the nozzle with
vaselin or sweet oil and then gently put the nozzle into the rectum. It is
better to introduce an oiled finger through the sphincter muscle and pass
the nozzle along the finger and gently into the bowel. It should be in the
bowel two or three inches. Do not attempt to force the nozzle through any
obstruction. Introduce the water slowly in a gentle and steady stream. The
main object is to distend the rectum by means of the water, thereby
producing reflex stimulation. The worm-like movement of the bowels
results, thus bringing about an evacuation. The patient should retain it
for ten or fifteen minutes to get the best results. A folded towel placed
against the anus will assist the patient in resisting the desire to expel
the water. A large amount should be given in one-half hour if the first
one does not produce the desired result.
Sometimes a laxative enema is necessary.--Olive oil or glycerin or castor
oil may be used.
For olive oil, six ounces may be given in a hard rubber syringe; this is
seldom successful unless followed by a soap suds enema in one-half hour.
Glycerin enema, one-half ounce with equal quantity of warm water 95
degrees F., and give with a hard rubber syringe. This generally proves
successful, without an additional soap suds enema.
For infants and children the contents of a straight medicine dropper will
be sufficient.
Glycerin irritates the mucous membrane, and it is best that we add an
equal amount of olive oil.
If these enemata fail it will be necessary to use purgative enemata. These
are made by adding drugs, such as turpentine, rochelle or epsom salts or
castor oil in certain proportions to the simple enema. In giving castor
oil and water it is necessary first to mix the oil with the yolk of an egg
and then add the warm soap suds.
[640 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
1. Formula.--
Castor Oil 2 ounces
Turpentine 1/2 ounce
Mix thoroughly and inject with hard rubber syringe, followed in one-half
hour by a quart of soap-suds.
2. Formula.--
Turpentine 1/2 ounce
Rochelle Salts 1 ounce
Mix with warm soap-suds, one pint.
The buttocks and anus should be washed off with warm water after
turpentine has been used in the enema.
3. Molasses and Laxative Enema.--Mix from two to ten ounces, according to
age, with one pint of soap suds and inject slowly.
Nutritive Enemata.--Food is given by the bowel when the stomach cannot
retain it. It is then called Nutritive Enemata. They should be given only
from four to six times in twenty-four hours and the quantity given at one
time should not exceed four ounces. It must be introduced high up in the
bowel, about ten inches, and therefore they should be given through a
rectal tube made of heavy rubber one-quarter inch in diameter and at least
eight inches of it should be inserted in the bowel. After it has been
oiled the tube is gently inserted in a backward, upward, direction and a
glass funnel is attached to the outer end. The enema has been already
mixed in a small pitcher and gently poured (very slowly) into the funnel,
which is then raised so that the contents will go slowly through the tube
into the bowel. The patient is protected from drops by a folded towel
underneath him. Then the tube is slowly withdrawn. The tube should then be
cleansed by allowing warm water to run through it, and then kept in a one
per cent solution of boric acid. Food given by enemata should be very
nourishing and concentrated. The following are excellent formulas:
Formula 1.--
One whole Egg
Table Salt 15 grains
Peptonized Milk 3 ounces or 3/8 of a cup
Brandy 1/2 ounce
Formula 2.--
White of two Eggs
Peptonized Milk 2 ounces or 1/4 of a cup
The whole amount should never exceed four ounces. The addition of salt
aids the absorption of the egg. Brandy, and whisky are very irritating and
should be given only every other time.
The fresh raw milk can be used, if it is impossible to have it peptonized.
After a nutritive enemata the patient should lie quietly on his back for
twenty or thirty minutes.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 641]
Turpentine enemata for distention may be given according to the following
formula:
Mucilage of Acacia 1/2 ounce
Spirits of Turpentine 10 drops
This should be administered high up in the bowel.
Astringent Enemata. To check diarrhea.--They should be given slowly and
injected high up, and they should be retained as long as possible.
Starch and Laudanum.--Boil the starch as if to be used in the laundry and
dilute with luke-warm water, until it is thin enough to pass through a
tube. Take of this three ounces. This can be given alone in mild cases;
but if there is much pain and straining add ten to fifteen drops of
laudanum to the starch water or thirty to forty drops of paregoric. This
dose is for an adult.
Stimulating Enemata. 1. Black coffee.--One-half to one pint of strong
coffee, injected as hot as possible. It should be strained before using.
This is frequently given in poison cases.
2. Salt Enemata.--Two teaspoonfuls to one quart of hot water is mildly
stimulating; one-half to one ounce of brandy or whisky may be added.
DOUCHES.--By this term is generally meant a jet of fluid directed with a
certain amount of force upon a limited external or internal surface, for
cleansing, stimulating purposes and to relieve inflammation. Three common
douches are the ear (aural), the vaginal and the rectal.
The Vaginal Douche. For cleansing.--A one per cent solution of carbolic
acid is often used in one to three quarts of water.
To allay inflammation.--A hot solution of the temperature of 105 degrees
to 115 degrees is given, and three or six quarts may be used. Allow the
stream to flow before the nozzle is inserted so as to have the warm
temperature instead of cold at the start, and the nozzle should be
introduced up towards the posterior vaginal wall. The fountain syringe bag
should not be raised more than six to twelve inches above the patient who
is lying down with her hips raised on pillows and her knees drawn up.
Medicines can be used in all the douches.
Rectal douche.--This is to relieve piles and reduce inflammation. Hot or
cold as needed. A rectal tube or fountain syringe is used.
Ear (aural) douche.--This is used for earache and inflammation. Salt or
boric acid is generally used in the warm water. It should be allowed to
flow in slowly and gently.
How to use a bed pan.--When you are placing the pan, you should slip one
hand under the buttocks and then place the flat end of the pan under the
buttocks. It should always be warm. Raise the patient in the same way
before attempting to remove it. Do not pull it out.
[642 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
TEMPERATURE (Fever).--A thermometer is necessary in taking the
temperature. They can be bought for from fifty cents up. The temperature
is taken by putting the thermometer under the tongue, in the arm-pit and
in the rectum. For children it should be placed in the rectum or in the
arm-pit or groin. Allow it to remain from two to five minutes. This
depends upon the time limit of the thermometer. The normal temperature is
98-6/10 degrees F. This varies, some people are normal at times at 99 or
98 degrees. The temperature in the arm-pit is lower by 3/10 of a degree,
but that in the rectum is 1/2 degree higher than that taken in the mouth.
The normal point on the thermometer is marked by an arrow. The mercury in
the tube must always be down to that at its highest point, before the
thermometer is placed and the highest point the mercury goes indicates the
height of the temperature (fever). If you take it in the rectum, that
should be free from feces. Oil the thermometer and gently insert it into
the bowel for one and one-half inches and hold the stem.
Under the Tongue.--Place the point under the tongue and instruct the
patient to close his lips over the thermometer. He can also hold the stem
with his fingers, It should never be taken here right after a cold drink.
Unconscious patients may bite through the instrument, so care must be
taken with them.
Arm-pit.--Wipe the part thoroughly dry and place the point directly in the
arm-pit. Then place the elbow against the body and the hand on the chest
pointing to the opposite shoulder. When ready to take it out move the arm
away from the body and take the thermometer away gently for it sticks
sometimes and you will cause pain if you draw it away quickly. The
instrument should be cleansed in tepid mild salt solution.
PULSE.--Average in men, sixty to seventy. In women, sixty-five to eighty.
Children ninety to one hundred to one hundred and twenty. Different
authors vary. In men it is generally seventy to seventy-two. In women
seventy-two to seventy-five.
It is better taken sitting. It is faster when walking, slower when lying
down. I always take the pulse in the left arm unless there is a deformity
there. I use my right hand with the third finger toward the elbow. By
using the first three fingers you can find out different things about the
pulse. Some people are very nervous and such an one will make your arm
ache when feeling the pulse. The pulse should be regular, even beats, in
health. Sometimes you can feel it best on the temple or on the neck.
RESPIRATION (Breathing).--In an adult the average is eighteen per minute.
In a child the average is twenty to twenty-four. Respiration is the act of
taking in (inspiration), and giving out (expiration) air by the lungs.
THE TONGUE.--This is coated in dyspepsia and fevers,--some healthy persons
always have a coated tongue.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 643]
In Ulcers of the stomach there is no coating.
In high fevers, the tongue may also be red and cracked as well as coated
in some parts.
A dark brown or blackish coating indicates a serious condition in acute
diseases.
Strawberry tongue is seen in Scarlet Fever.
Cankered tongue and month may be due to local conditions, or to stomach,
liver and bowel disorders.
In Peritonitis the tongue is generally dry and red (beefy).
Cholera Infantum.--At first coated, then dry and reddish.
Constipation.--Tongue is generally coated.
Biliousness.--Yellowish dirty coating.
DIET
FOODS AND DRINKS FOR THE SICK ROOM.
DIET.--The importance of diet and its relation to the needs of the system
in disease can hardly be overrated. One should not only know what kind of
food to give, but how much and how often it should be given to get the
best result. Food should be given in small quantities in acute diseases
and at regular intervals. It will digest better. The food should never be
left in the sick room after a patient has finished with it. This applies
to all kinds of food, but especially to milk, for it absorbs impurities
from the air more readily than any other kind of food. How often do we see
milk standing in a sick room and uncovered; how often is it placed in an
ice box uncovered. I have often wondered how such people could eat some
foods I have seen prepared for them in such a careless way and with no
attempt to make it appear tempting to their poor appetite. Foods should be
given just as regularly as medicines, when so ordered, especially in long
wasting diseases like typhoid fever.
The kind of food.--Under each disease directions for the kind of food,
time, and quantity have been given. In diseases like typhoid fever,
special care must be given. It is better in that disease to give too
little than too much food and the proper kind of food must be given. I
shall never forget the death of a minister in my childhood days. I was
about four years old. This minister was loved by everyone and when he died
of typhoid fever, everyone was grieved and shocked and they could not
understand why God should take such a useful man away. It made a great
impression upon me. I found out more about the "why" afterwards. This
minister was in the convalescent stage and very hungry. He wanted a
genuine boiled dinner. That is bad enough for a well man. The doctor
forbade it, but the family gave him the dinner and the result, of course,
was fatal. It could not be otherwise. We often blame God for our own sins.
Many people are killed by kind friends. I have seen it more than once.
Peanuts, popcorn, and candy have caused many convulsions in children and
some deaths.
It is generally allowable to give a little liquid food every two hours in
acute diseases. It should be given at regular intervals in the conscious
or unconscious patients, especially in long continued diseases.
[644 MOTHERS' REMEDIES ]
LIQUID DIET.
1. Cream soups; tomato, pea, corn, celery, rice, spinach, asparagus,
potato.
2. Gruels; oatmeal, cornmeal, cream of wheat, flour gluten (for diabetes).
How to Albuminize Fruit Juices.--Into a cup of lemonade, orangeade, grape
juice, etc., put white of an egg slightly beaten, mix thoroughly, strain
and serve.
The following may or may not be albuminized.
3. Fruit juices; lemonade, orangeade, unfermented grape juice, currant,
berry juice.
4. Milk; peptonized milk, albuminized, buttermilk, malted milk, and milk
porridge.
5. Stimulating drinks; tea, coffee, cocoa.
6. Broths; beef broth, mutton broth, chicken broth, bouillon, consomme,
oyster broth, clam broth, oyster soup, clam soup, beef tea, and beef
juice.
7. Eggs; raw eggs and egg-nog.
8. Cooling and nourishing drinks; oatmeal water, rice water, barley water
and toast water. Ices and ice cream may be included in the liquid diet
list.
SOFT DIET.--This diet includes everything in the liquid diet list, and the
following additional foods:
1. Bread: soft bread; dry toast; milk, water or cream toast, brown bread
(after the first day on soft diet).
2. Eggs: poached, soft-boiled and shirred.
3. Cereals: all cooked for some hours; cornmeal, oatmeal rice, sago,
wheaten grits and cream of wheat.
4. Desserts: junket, custards, milk puddings, rice, thoroughly cooked,
tapioca, jellies, baked and stewed apples, prunes whipped and stewed, ices
and ice cream.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 645]
CONVALESCENT DIET.--This includes everything in the liquid and soft diet
lists and the following in addition:--
1. Breads: wheat, rye, Boston brown and graham bread and biscuits.
2. Meats: broiled steak, mutton, fish, game and fowl, or stewed fowl. Also
calf's head, calf 's brains, shell fish and oysters.
3. Eggs, as in soft diet.
4. Drinks as in soft diet.
5. Vegetables: tomatoes, green peas, string beans, potatoes (Irish and
sweet), lettuce, cresses, asparagus, onions, celery, spinach and
mushrooms.
6. Desserts: custards, creams, jellies, ripe fruits and stewed fruits. No
pastry or rich puddings.
FOODS FOR DIFFERENT MEALS FOR THOSE WHO CAN EAT,
BUT WHO DO NOT HAVE MUCH APPETITE.
Breakfast; drinks: tea, coffee, cocoa, milk or albuminized fruit juices;
cereal with cream; eggs; omelet, scrambled or poached on a piece of round
toast, or soft boiled in a hot cup; muffins or gems.
Dinner; broiled porterhouse or tenderloin steak; baked potatoes; bread or
rolls; pretty salad, as apple salad in apple case; custard baked in
souffle dish; tea, cocoa or milk.
Supper; broiled squab, raw oysters or meat balls, asparagus tips on toast,
fresh or stewed fruit, bread cut in fancy shapes.
Foods that may be taken together.--Meat; eggs: soft boiled, poached,
shirred or baked; potatoes, baked, boiled or mashed; fruit sauce and ices
may go with the following: stewed tomatoes, salad, spinach, or cucumbers,
acid drinks, etc., any foods prepared with vinegar.
Meats, vegetables cooked in milk, or served with cream sauce, cream soups
and eggs prepared with milk may be given with fruits, vegetables, drinks,
etc., containing no acids.
Foods that should not be taken together.--Any food prepared with milk
should not be given with lemonade, tomatoes, salads containing much
vinegar or any foods served with vinegar or lemon juice.
Diets in Fevers.--Furnished us by a Trained Nurse in a Hospital.
May Take--
Foods.--Soups, clear or thickened with some well-cooked farinaceous
substance, mutton, clam or chicken broth, beef tea, peptonized milk,
panopepton with crushed ice.
Drinks.--Pure cold water, toast water, lemon or orange juice in cold
water, jelly water, cold whey; all in small quantities sipped slowly.
Must Not Take--
Any solid or vegetable food or fruit until so directed by the physician in
charge,
[646 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Diet in Debility sent us from one of our Leading Hospitals.
May Take--
Soups.--Any broth thickened with farinaceous material, chicken or beef
soup containing chopped meat, rich vegetable soups, whole beef tea.
Fish.--All fresh fish, boiled or broiled, raw oysters.
Meats.--Beef, mutton, chicken, game, boiled ham, lamb chops or cutlet,
broiled bacon, tender juicy steak, hamburger steak.
Eggs.--Soft boiled, poached, scrambled, raw with sherry wine.
Farinaceous.--Cracked wheat, rolled oats, mush, sago, tapioca, hominy,
barley, macaroni, vermicelli, rolls, biscuits, cakes, whole wheat bread,
corn bread, milk toast, dry toast, brown bread.
Vegetables.--Nearly all perfectly fresh and well cooked.
Desserts.--Custards, egg and milk, rice or apple pudding, baked apples,
fruit jams, jellies, cocoa junket, marmalade, sweet fruits, calf 's foot
jelly.
Drinks.--Cocoa, chocolate, milk hot, cold or peptonized, pure water, plain
or aerated, wineglassful of panopepton.
Must Not Take-
Hashes, stews, cooked oysters or clams, pork, veal, thin soups, turkey,
salt meats, except ham and bacon, cabbage, cucumbers, turnips, carrots,
squash, spices, pickles, vinegar, pies, pastry, bananas, pineapples.
DISHES FOR THE SICK ROOM.
Oatmeal Gruel.--Boil one part oatmeal and two parts water in double boiler
two hours; strain through gravy strainer, add one quart sweet cream, a
little sugar, pinch of salt. Do not make it too sweet.
Raspberry Shrub.--Place red raspberries in a stone jar and cover them with
good cider vinegar, let stand over night, next morning strain and to one
pint of juice add one pint of sugar, boil ten minutes, bottle hot. When
desiring to use place two tablespoonfuls full of the liquid in a glass of
ice water; very nice.
Root Beer.--Take blackberry root, black cherry bark, spruce boughs,
wintergreens, sarsaparilla roots; steep in a large vessel till all the
goodness is out; strain, and when lukewarm put in a cup of yeast, let
work, bottle up, sugar to sweeten.
Cream Toast.--Toast a piece of light bread and moisten it with hot water;
butter and then put on a layer of sweet cream on top and place in oven a
moment. This is easily digested.
Lemon Jelly.--On one box gelatine pour 1 pint cold water and let stand one
or two hours. Then put on 4 cups of granulated sugar, squeeze juice of 4
lemons with the grated rind of one. When gelatine is dissolved, pour over
it one quart boiling water and stir. Pour this over sugar and lemon juice
and stir thoroughly until all is dissolved; strain. Put fruit in if
desired--turn into molds, cool until firm.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 647]
Baked Custard.--One quart milk. 4 eggs beaten light (separately). 5
tablespoons sugar, mixed with the yolks; nutmeg and vanilla. Scald but do
not boil the milk, add, gradually, yolks and sugar, then add whites and
flavor. Pour into dish or cups, set in pan of hot water, grate nutmeg over
top and bake until firm. Eat cold.
Mountain Dew.--Yolks of two eggs, 3 crackers (rolled),--four if small. 1
pint milk, pinch of salt, cook in double boiler. Beat whites of two eggs
stiff, add 3/4 cup sugar, lemon extract for flavor. Set in oven and brown.
This will serve four people.
Raspberry Vinegar.--Equal parts of red and black raspberries, wash them
and cover with cider vinegar, let stand over night. Strain and to each
pint of juice take 1 lb. white sugar and boil 15 minutes. Bottle ready for
use. To drink use about 2 tablespoons in glass of ice water.
Milk Porridge.--l tablespoon each of cornmeal and wheat flour wet to a
paste with cold water, cook in two cups boiling water twenty minutes, then
add 2 cups milk and cook a few minutes, stirring often.
Lemon Velvet.--l qt. milk, 2 cups sugar, juice of 2 lemons. Chill the
milk, then add the sugar and lemon mixed, and freeze like sherbet.
Ice Cream.--Mix 3 cups sugar and 2 tablespoons flour and stir into 2 qts.
hot milk until flour is cooked. When cool add 1 qt. cream, whipped, and
one tablespoonful vanilla. Freeze.
Sago Custard.--Soak 2 tablespoons sago in a tumbler of water an hour or
more, then boil in same until clear. Add a tumbler of sweet milk; when it
boils add sugar to taste, then a beaten egg and flavoring.
Crust Coffee.--Toast bread very brown, pour on boiling water, strain and
add cream and sugar. Good for stomach and diarrhea.
Cream Soup.--One pint boiling water, one-half cup of cream, add pieces of
toasted bread and a little salt.
Cinnamon Tea.--To 1/2 pint fresh milk add stick or ground cinnamon, enough
to flavor, and white sugar to taste; bring to the boiling point and take
either warm or cold. Excellent for diarrhea in children or adults.
Barley Water.--Add two ounces pearl barley to 1/2 pint of boiling water;
simmer five minutes, drain and add 2 qts. boiling water, add two ounces of
sliced figs, and two ounces of raisins; boil until reduced to one quart.
Strain for drink.
Arrowroot Custard.--One tablespoonful of arrowroot, one pint milk, one
egg, two tablespoons sugar. Mix the arrowroot with a little cold milk and
beat in the egg and sugar, pour into the boiling milk and scald until
thickened, flavor and pour into cups to cool.
Odors.--A few drops of oil of lavender poured into a glass of very hot
water will purify the air of the room almost instantly from cooking odors;
the effect is especially refreshing in a sick room.
[648 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Dainty Way to Serve Egg on Toast.--Pile the well-beaten white of an egg on
a slice of buttered toast, which has been softened with hot water. Make a
hollow in the white and drop the yolk therein. Set in the oven to cook the
egg.
Oatmeal Gruel.--Pour boiling water over a cupful of rolled oats, stir and
let stand a moment, then strain off the liquid. Season with sugar and a
little cream if desired. Especially good for children.
Prepared Flour for Summer Complaint.--Take a double handful of flour, tie
up in a cloth and cook from three to six hours in a kettle of boiling
water. Take out and remove the cloth and you have a hard, round ball. Keep
in a dry, cool place. Prepare by grating from this ball into boiling milk
enough to make it as thick as you desire, stirring it just before removing
from the fire with a stick of cinnamon to give it a pleasant flavor. Salt
the milk a little. This is very good for children having summer complaint.
Chicken Broth.--Take the first and second joints of a chicken, boil in a
quart of water until tender, season with a very little salt and pepper.
Fever Drinks--Pour cold water on wheat bran, let boil one-half hour,
strain and add sugar and lemon juice. Pour boiling water on flaxseed and
let stand until it is ropy, pour into hot lemonade and drink.
Egg Gruel.--Beat the yolk of an egg with one tablespoonful sugar, beating
the white separately; add one cup boiling water to that yolk, then stir in
the whites and add any seasoning. Good for a cold.
Diabetic Bread.--Take one quart of set milk or milk and water, one heaping
teaspoonful of good butter, one-fifth of a cake of compressed yeast beaten
up with a little water, and two well-beaten eggs. Stir in gluten flour
until a soft dough is formed; knead as in making ordinary bread; place in
pans to raise, and when light bake in hot oven.
Lime Water.--Into an earthen jar containing hot water stir a handful of
fresh unslaked lime. Allow it to settle; then decant the clear fluid and
bottle it. Water may again be added to the lime, and the mixture covered
and allowed to stand to be decanted as needed.
Vanilla Snow.--Cook one-half cup of rice. When nearly done add one-half
cup of cream, small pinch of salt, beaten white of one egg, one-half cup
of sugar, flavor with vanilla. Pile in a dish and dot with jelly. Serve
with sugar and cream.
Omelet.--One egg, white and yolk beaten separately; two tablespoons milk,
one-third teaspoon each of flour and melted butter, a little salt. Add
the beaten white last. Pour in small spider in which is a little melted
butter (hot) and cook over moderate fire. When it thickens and looks from
under the edges, fold it over and slip it on a hot dish.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 649]
Almond Milk.--Blanch one pound of sweet and two of bitter almonds that
have been soaked in cold water for twenty-four hours. This is done by
pouring boiling water over the almonds when, after a few minutes, they can
easily be pressed out of their hulls. Grind the almonds in a mill or pound
them in a mortar; mix with a half-pint of warm milk or water and allow the
mixture to stand two hours after which strain through a cloth, pressing
the juice out well.
Brandy and Egg Mixture.--Rub the yolks of two eggs with half an ounce of
white sugar; add four ounces of cinnamon water; one coffee-spoonful of
white sugar.
Cold Eggnog.--Beat up an egg; add to it two teaspoonfuls of sugar, a
glassful of milk and a tablespoonful of brandy or good whisky; mix
thoroughly.
Hot Eggnog.--Beat up the yolk of one egg; add a teaspoonful or two of
sugar and a glassful of hot milk; strain and add a tablespoonful of brandy
or old whisky, or flavor with nutmeg or wine.
Egg Broth.--Beat up an egg and add to it half a teaspoonful of sugar and a
pinch of salt; over this pour a glass of hot milk and serve immediately.
Hot water, broth, soup, or tea may be used in place of milk.
Egg Cordial.--Beat up the white of an egg until light; add a tablespoonful
of cream and beat up together, then add two tablespoonfuls of sugar and a
tablespoonful of brandy.
Caudle.--Beat up an egg to a froth; add a wineglassful of sherry wine, and
sweeten with a teaspoonful of sugar; if desired flavor with lemon peel.
Stir this mixture into a half-pint of gruel; over this grate a little
nutmeg and serve with hot toast.
Albumin Water.--Beat the white of one egg until very light and strain
through a clean napkin. Add six ounces of water. If intended for an infant
a pinch of salt may be added. A teaspoonful or more of sugar and a
teaspoonful or more of lemon juice, orange juice, or sherry wine may be
added to enhance its palatableness. This drink may also conveniently be
made by placing all the ingredients in a lemon-shaker, shaking until
thoroughly mixed and then straining. Serve cold.
Apple Water.--Pour a cupful of boiling water over two mashed baked apples;
cool, strain, and sweeten. Serve with shaved ice if desired.
Currant Juice.--Take an ounce of currant juice or a tablespoonful of
currant jelly. Over this pour a cupful of boiling water (use cold water
with the juice) and sweeten to taste.
Lemonade.--Take the juice of one lemon or three tablespoonfuls of lemon
juice; add from one to three tablespoonfuls of sugar and a cupful (six
ounces) of cold water. Serve with cracked or shaved ice if desired.
[650 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Syrup for Cough of Long Standing.--"Five cents worth of flax seed, a
little rock candy, two tablespoons of best brandy and a lemon makes the
finest cough syrup in the world. Steep flaxseed a short time, strain and
add rock candy to sweeten, then juice of one lemon and the brandy. One
physician says it is as good as anything he can put up."
Syrup of Lemons for Fever Cases and to Disguise the Taste of Bad
Medicines.--"Boil for ten minutes a pint of lemon juice, strain, add two
pounds of brown sugar and dissolve. When cold add two and one-half ounces
of alcohol. A fine addition to drinks in fever cases and good to disguise
the taste of medicines."
Lemonade.--Pare the rind from one lemon, cut the lemon into slices, and
place both in a pitcher with an ounce of sugar. Over this pour a pint of
boiling water and let it stand until cold. Strain and serve with cracked
ice.
Albuminzed Lemonade.--Shake together a cupful of water, two teaspoonfuls
of lemon juice, two teaspoonfuls of sugar, and the white of an egg. Serve
at once.
Orangeade.--Cut the rind from one orange; over the rind pour a cupful of
boiling water; then add the juice of the orange and a tablespoonful of
sugar; cool, strain, and serve with shaved ice if desired. If this is too
sweet, a tablespoonful of lemon juice may be added.
Imperial Drink.--Add a teaspoonful of cream of tartar to a pint of boiling
water; into this squeeze the juice of half a lemon, or more if desired;
sweeten to taste and serve cold. This drink is most useful in fevers and
nephritis.
Flaxseed Tea.--Add six teaspoonfuls of flaxseed to a quart of water; boil
for half an hour; cool, strain, sweeten, and if desired flavor with a
little lemon juice.
Mulled Wine.--One-fourth of a cupful of hot water, one-half inch of stick
cinnamon, two cloves, a tiny bit of nutmeg, one-half cupful of port
(heated) two tablespoonfuls of sugar. Boil all the ingredients except the
wine and sugar for ten minutes; then add the wine and sugar, strain, and
serve very hot.
Grape Juice.--Pluck Concord grapes from the stem. Wash and heat them,
stirring constantly. When the skins have been broken, pour the fruit into
a jelly bag and press slightly. Measure the juice and add one-quarter the
quantity of sugar. Boil the juice and sugar together and then pour into
hot bottles; cork and seal with paraffin or equal parts of shoemaker's wax
and resin melted together. Less sugar may be used.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 651]
Oatmeal, Barley or Rice Water. From the Grain: Use two tablespoonfuls of
grain to a quart of water. The grain should have been previously soaked
over night or at least for a few hours. When required for an emergency the
soaking may be dispensed with and the grain boiled for five minutes
instead. The water in which the grain was soaked should be poured off and
fresh water added before cooking. The grain should be boiled for several
hours, water being added from time to time to keep the quantity up to a
quart. Strain. This makes a somewhat thin, watery gruel. From prepared
flours: Various brands of prepared grain flours are on the market, such,
for example, as Robinson's Barley flour. These are all somewhat similar in
preparation. From two rounded teaspoonfuls to a tablespoonful of the
prepared flour is added to a pint of boiling water and this is boiled from
fifteen to thirty minutes and then strained. No previous soaking is
required.
CEREALS AND CEREAL GRUELS.
Either the grain itself or the specially prepared flour may be used. When
the grains are used they should be spread on a clean table and all foreign
substances removed. If the whole grains be used, it is well to wash them,
after picking them over, with two or three changes of cold water. Cereals
are best cooked in a double boiler. The lower part should be filled about
one-third full of water and, if more is added during the soaking, it
should always be boiling hot. The cereal should be boiled over the fire
for ten or fifteen minutes. The water should be boiled first and then
salted. The cereal is added gradually and the whole stirred to prevent it
from burning. It should then be placed in the double boiler and steamed
until thoroughly cooked. Cereals, like other starchy foods, require
thorough cooking. Most recipes allow too short a time. Oatmeal,
especially, should be mentioned. It develops a better flavor if cooked for
three hours or more, and is better when it is prepared the day before and
reheated when used. It should be just thin enough to pour when taken out
of boiler, and when cooled should form a jelly.
Any cereal mush may be thinned with water, milk or cream and made into a
gruel, or the gruel may be made directly from the grain or flour. Gruels
should be thin, not too sweet nor too highly flavored, and served very
hot. Milk gruels should be made in a double boiler. Gruels can be made
more nutritious by the addition of whipped egg, either the white or yolk
or both, and the various concentrated food products.
When cereal flours are used, the flour should be rubbed to a smooth paste
with a little cold water and added slowly to boiling water, stirring
constantly until it is thoroughly mixed.
[652 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
LENGTH OF TIME TO COOK CEREALS.
Cornmeal mush: Boil 10 minutes, then steam for 3 hours or more.
Oatmeal: Boil 10 minutes, then steam for l-1/2 hours or more.
Irish oatmeal: Boil 10 minutes, then steam for 8 hours or more.
Wheatena: Boil 10 minutes, then steam for 10 hours or more.
Gluten mush: Boil 30 minutes.
Steamed rice: Steam for one hour.
Boiled rice: Boil for twenty minutes or until soft.
Arrowroot Gruel.--Dissolve half a teaspoonful of sugar and a quarter of a
teaspoonful of salt in a cupful of water and heat. Mix half a teaspoonful
of arrowroot flour with a little water and add to the heated water. Boil
for twenty minutes, stirring constantly; then add a cupful of milk, bring
to a boil, strain, and serve hot.
Barley Gruel.--Proceed as above, using a tablespoonful of Robinson's
Barley flour instead of arrowroot.
Oatmeal Gruel.--As above, but use oatmeal, and boil for half an hour or
longer before adding the milk.
Farina Gruel.--Proceed as in making arrowroot gruel, using instead a
tablespoonful of farina, and boil ten minutes before adding the milk.
Cracker Gruel.--Brown the crackers, and reduce to a powder by means of a
rolling-pin. Add three tablespoonfuls of the powdered crackers to half a
cupful of milk and half a cupful of boiling water; cook for ten minutes;
then add one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt and serve.
Cornmeal Gruel.--Take a tablespoonful of cornmeal and moisten with a
little cold water. Stir this into a pint of boiling water to which a pinch
of salt has been added. Cook for three hours in a double boiler, or for
thirty minutes directly over the fire. In the latter case it must be
stirred constantly.
Gluten Gruel.--Mix a tablespoonful of gluten flour with one-fourth of a
cupful of cold water and stir this into one cupful of boiling salted
water. Cook directly over the fire for fifteen minutes; then add one clove
and cook over boiling water for a half hour.
Tapioca Jelly.--Soak a cupful of tapioca of the best quality in a pint of
cold water for two hours; when soft, place in a saucepan with sugar, the
rind and juice of one lemon, a pinch of salt, and another pint of water;
stir the mixture until it boils; turn into a mold and set away to cool; if
desired, a glassful of wine may be added.
Chestnut Puree.--One pound of chestnuts (not horse-chestnuts) are peeled,
and boiled in water until the second (inside) skin comes off easily. The
chestnuts are placed in a sieve until all the water drains off. They are
then washed in a dish and afterwards passed through a sieve. Melt three
ounces of butter in a stew-pan on the fire, add a little salt and
sugar,--enough to cover the point of a knife, and then the chestnuts. Stew
them for half an hour, stirring frequently; pour in enough bouillon so
that the mush does not get too thick.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 653]
Brown Bread.--Take one-half cupful scalded milk, one-half cupful of water,
one teaspoonful of salt, one-half teaspoonful of butter, one-half
teaspoonful lard, two tablespoonfuls of molasses, one-half cupful of white
flour, sufficient graham flour to knead, and three-quarters of a yeast
cake dissolved in one-quarter of a cupful of lukewarm water. Prepare the
same as white bread. Instead of graham flour, equal parts of graham flour
and white flour may be used in kneading.
Whole Wheat Bread.--Dissolve a quarter of a yeast cake in a tablespoonful
of lukewarm water. Pour half a cupful of hot water over half a cupful of
milk and when lukewarm add the yeast and half a teaspoonful of salt. To
this add a cupful of whole-wheat flour and beat for five minutes. Cover
and allow this to stand in a warm place for two hours and a half. Then add
whole-wheat flour gradually, mixing the mass until it can be kneaded.
Knead until elastic; shake and place in baking pans. Cover and allow to
stand in a warm place until it doubles in bulk. Prick the top with a fork
and bake for one hour. The oven should not be as hot as for white bread.
Cream-of-Tomato Soup.--One can tomatoes, one-fourth teaspoonful soda,
one-half cupful of butter, one-third cup of flour, 3-1/4 teaspoonfuls of
salt, one-half teaspoonful of white pepper, one quart of milk. Stew the
tomatoes slowly one-half to an hour, strain and add soda while hot; make a
white sauce and add the tomato juice. Serve immediately.
Cream-of-Celery Soup.--One and one-half cupful of celery, one pint of
water, one cupful of milk, one cupful cream, two tablespoonfuls of butter,
one-half cupful of flour, one-half teaspoonful of salt, one-eighth
teaspoonful of white pepper. Cook the celery in the boiling water until
very soft; strain and add the hot liquid; make a white sauce and cook
until it is thick cream.
Cream-of-Potato Soup.--Three potatoes, two cupfuls milk, one-half cupful
of cream, yolks of two eggs, one teaspoonful of salt, pepper, one-half
teaspoonful of onion juice. Cook the potatoes until soft, drain, mash, add
the hot liquid, and strain; add the beaten yolks and seasoning. Cook in a
double boiler until the egg thickens, stirring constantly. Serve
immediately.
Oyster Stew.--One cupful of milk, one pint of oysters, one-fourth
teaspoonful of salt, one tablespoonful of butter, pepper. Heat the milk.
Cook and strain the oyster juice. Add the oysters, which have been rinsed,
and cook until the edges curl. Add seasoning, butter and hot milk. Serve
at once This soup may be thickened with a tablespoonful of flour cooked in
butter as for white sauce.
Peptonized Milk.--Cold Process.--Mix milk, water and peptonizing agents,
and immediately place the bottle on ice. Use when ordinary milk is
required. This is particularly suited for dyspeptics and individuals with
whom milk does not, as a rule, agree. The flavor of the milk remains
unchanged.
[654 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Peptonized Milk.--Warm Process.--Put in a glass jar one pint of milk and
four ounces of cold water; add five grains of extract of pancreas and
fifteen grains of bicarbonate of soda. After mixing thoroughly, place the
jar in water as hot as can be borne by the hand (about 115 degrees). This
should be heated for from six to twenty minutes. At the end of this time
it may be placed upon ice until required. The contents of one of
Fairchild's peptonizing tubes may be used in place of the pancreas
extract. If the milk is to be kept for any length of time, it should be
brought to a boil, to prevent the formation of too much peptone, which
renders the milk bitter.
Hot Peptonized Milk.--Mix together the usual peptonizing ingredients and
add a pint of fresh cold milk; after thoroughly shaking the bottle, place
it on ice. When needed pour out the required amount, heat it, and drink it
as hot as it can agreeably be taken. If required for immediate use, the
ingredients may be mixed together in a saucepan and slowly heated to the
proper temperature.
Peptonized Milk Punch.--In the usual milk punch recipes the specially
peptonized milk may be used in place of ordinary milk. Take a goblet
one-third full of finely crushed ice; pour on it a tablespoonful of rum
and a dash of curacao, or any other liquor agreeable to the taste. Fill
the glass with peptonized milk; stir well, sweeten to taste and grate a
little nutmeg on top.
Peptonized Milk Gruel.--Mix with a teaspoonful of wheat flour, arrowroot
flour, or Robinson's barley flour with half a pint of cold water. Boil for
five minutes stirring constantly. Add one pint of cold milk and strain
into a jar; add the usual peptonizing ingredients, place in warm water
(115 degrees) for twenty minutes, and then put upon ice.
Junket or Curds and Whey.--Take a half-pint of fresh milk; add one
teaspoonful of Fairchild's Essence of Pepsin and stir just sufficiently to
mix. Pour into custard cups and let it stand until firmly curdled. It may
be served plain or with sugar and grated nutmeg. It may be flavored with
wine which should be added before curdling takes place.
Junket with Eggs.--Beat one egg to a froth, and sweeten with two
teaspoonfuls of white sugar; add this to a half-pint of warm milk; then
add one teaspoonful of essence of pepsin and let it stand until curdled.
Milk Punch.--Shake together in a lemonade-shaker a glass of milk, a
tablespoonful of rum, brandy, or good old whisky and two teaspoonfuls of
sugar. After it has been poured into a glass a little nutmeg may be grated
over the top.
Whey.--Take a half-pint of fresh milk heated luke-warm (115 degrees), add
one tablespoonful of essence of pepsin and stir just enough to mix. When
this is firmly coagulated, beat up with a fork until the curd is finely
divided and then strain. For flavoring purposes lemon juice or sherry wine
may be added.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 655]
Cream of Tartar Whey.--Add a heaping teaspoonful of cream of tartar to a
pint of boiling water. Strain, sweeten to taste, and serve cold.
Wine Whey.--Cook together a cupful of milk and half a cupful of sherry
wine. As soon as the curd separates, strain and sweeten. This may be eaten
hot or cold.
Milk Mixture.--This is made of cream, two parts; milk, one part; lime
water, two parts; sugar water, three parts (seventeen and three-fourths
drams of milk sugar to a pint of water).
Milk-and-Cinnamon Drink.--Add a small amount of cinnamon to the desired
quantity of milk and boil it. Sweeten with sugar and add brandy if
desired.
Albuminized Milk.--Shake in a covered jar or lemonade-shaker, a cupful of
milk, a tablespoonful of lime water and the white of an egg. Sweeten,
flavor as desired and serve at once.
Milk-and-Cereal Waters.--A most valuable method of preparing milk for
invalids with whom it disagrees is to mix equal parts of milk and
thoroughly cooked barley, rice, oatmeal, or arrowroot water and boil them
together for ten minutes. This may be served plain, or flavored by cooking
with it a cut-up raisin, a sprig of mace, or a piece of stick cinnamon,
which should be strained out before serving.
Irish Moss and Milk.--Soak about two tablespoonfuls of Irish moss for five
minutes and wash thoroughly in cold water. Add to a cupful of milk and
soak for a half an hour; then heat slowly, stirring constantly, and then
boil for ten minutes, preferably in a double boiler; strain, pour into
cups and cool. This may be served while hot and may be rendered more
nutritious by the addition of the white of an egg stirred into it just
before serving.
Eggs.--Eggs and all other albuminous food should be cooked at as low a
temperature as possible in order to avoid rendering them tough.
Soft-Cooked Eggs.--Place in a pint of boiling water, remove from the fire,
and allow to stand for eight or ten minutes. If the egg is very cold to
start with it will take a little longer.
Hard-Cooked Eggs.--Place in water, bring to a boil and then set on the
back part of the stove for twenty minutes.
Eggs should be served as soon as cooked and the dishes should be warm and
ready.
Rules for Custards.--The eggs should be thoroughly mixed but not beaten
light, the sugar and salt added to these, and the hot milk added slowly.
Custards must be cooked over moderate heat; if a custard curdles, put it
in a pan of cold water and beat until smooth. Custards should always be
strained.
[656 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Soft Custard.--Take a pint of milk, the yolks of two eggs, two
tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a pinch of salt. Mix all except the milk in a
bowl. Heat the milk to the boiling-point and add, stirring constantly. As
soon as mixed, pour into the saucepan in which the milk has been heated
and cook from three to five minutes, stirring constantly until it
thickens. Strain and pour into a cold bowl and flavor with from half to
one teaspoonful of vanilla, a teaspoonful or more of sherry, or other
flavoring material as desired. Custards may be cooked to advantage in a
double boiler.
Soup Stock.--To make stock, use a chicken or several pounds of bones with
some meat attached, or a pound of lean meat and one quart of water. Cut-up
vegetables may be added as desired. For flavoring add a sprig of parsley
and of celery, a peppercorn, a small onion, and a scant teaspoonful of
salt. Any of the flavoring vegetables may be omitted as desired or others
added. The meat should simmer for several hours, until but half the
quantity of water remains. Then add the other ingredients, simmer half an
hour longer, strain and cool. Remove the fat.
Chicken Broth.--Take one pound of chicken and a pint of cold water. Clean
the fowl, cut it into pieces, and remove the skin. Separate the meat from
the bone and chop the meat very fine. Place with the bones (if large they
should be broken) in the water and soak for an hour. Cook over hot water
for four or five hours at a temperature of 190 degrees. Strain and add
salt. Water must be added from time to time to keep the quantity up to a
pint. Remove the fat. If the broth is to be reheated use a double boiler.
Meat Broth: Beef, Veal, Mutton, or Chicken.--Cover one pound of chopped
lean meat with one pint of water, and allow it to stand for from four to
six hours. Then cook over a slow fire for an hour until reduced to half
the quantity. Cool, skim, pour into a jar and strain.
Veal Broth.--Pour a pint of water on a half-pound of finely chopped lean
veal and allow it to stand for three hours. Boil for a few minutes, strain
and season with salt.
Clam or Oyster Juice.--Cut the clams or oysters into pieces and heat for a
few minutes in their juice. Strain through muslin and serve while hot. In
straining great care must be taken that sand does not pass through the
muslin. The juices should be diluted and may be frozen.
Clam Broth.--Wash three large clams very thoroughly, using a brush for the
purpose. Place in a kettle with a half a cupful of cold water. Heat over
fire. As soon as the shells open, the broth is done. Strain through
muslin, season and serve.
Mutton Broth with Vegetables.--Allow one pound of neck of mutton to each
pint of water; add carrots, turnips, onions, and barley; let all simmer
together for three hours.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 657]
Mutton Broth Without Meat.--Cook two "shank-ends" in a pint of cold water,
and vegetables as directed in the foregoing recipe; simmer for three hours
and strain.
Beef Tea.--Cut up a pound of lean beef into pieces the size of dice; put
it into a covered jar with two pints of cold water and a pinch of salt.
Let it warm gradually and simmer for two hours, care being taken that it
does not at any time reach the boiling point.
Beef Tea with Oatmeal.--Mix thoroughly one tablespoonful of groats with
two of cold water; add to this a pint of boiling beef tea. Boil for ten
minutes, stirring constantly, and strain through a coarse sieve.
Beef Juice.--Broil quickly pieces of the round or sirloin of a size to fit
the opening of a lemon squeezer. Both sides of the beef should be scorched
quickly to prevent the escape of the juices, but the interior should not
be fully cooked. As soon as they are ready pieces of meat should be
squeezed in a lemon squeezer previously heated by being dipped in hot
water. As it drips the juice should be received into a hot wine glass; it
should be seasoned to the taste with salt and a little cayenne pepper, and
taken while hot.
Cold Beef Juice.--Cover one pound of finely chopped lean beef with eight
ounces of cold water and allow it to stand for eight or ten hours. Squeeze
out the juice by means of a muslin bag; season with salt or sherry wine
and drink cold or slightly warmed. It may be added to milk, care being
taken that the milk be not too hot before the juice is added.
Raw Meat Juice.--Add to finely minced rump steak cold water, in the
proportion of one part of water to four parts of meat. Stir well together
and allow it to stand for half an hour. Forcibly express the juice through
muslin, twisting it to get the best results.
Beef Essence.--Chop up very fine a pound of lean beef free from fat and
skin; add a little salt, and put into an earthen jar with a lid; fasten up
the edges with a thick paste, such as is used for roasting venison in, and
place the jar in the oven for three or four hours. Strain through a coarse
sieve, and give the patient two or three tablespoonfuls at a time.
American Bouillon (American Broth).--Place in a tin vessel that can be
sealed hermetically alternate layers of finely minced meat and vegetables.
Seal it and keep it heated in a water bath (bainmaire) for six or seven
hours and then express the broth.
Bottle Bouillon.--Cut beef, free from fat, into squares. Place these in a
stoppered bottle, put the bottle in a basin of warm water, heat slowly,
and boil for twenty minutes. There will be about an ounce of yellowish or
brownish fluid for each three-quarters of a pound of meat used. The flavor
is that of concentrated bouillon.
[658 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Methods of preparing raw beef.--Meat given raw should always be perfectly
fresh and very finely divided. Scrape the meat with a sharp knife, which
will separate the coarser fibers. If the resulting mass is stringy pass
through a fine sieve. This may be seasoned with salt and pepper and served
on toast, crackers or bread and butter. It may be rolled into small balls
and swallowed. These may be flavored as desired. They may also be slightly
browned by rolling about rapidly in a hot saucepan, care being taken not
to change any but the outside of the ball, and that but slightly. Scraped
beef may be served as a liquid or semi-solid food. Mix it with an equal
quantity of cold water until it is quite smooth. Place in a double boiler
and cook until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly. Add a little salt
and pepper and serve at once. This may be made thicker by adding less
water.
Raw-beef Soup.--This is made by chopping up one pound of raw beef and
placing it in a bottle with one pint of water and five drops of strong
hydrochloric acid. This mixture is allowed to stand on the ice over night
and in the morning the bottle is placed in a pan of water at 110 degrees
and kept at about this temperature for two hours. It is then placed in a
stout cloth and strained until the mass that remains is almost dry. The
filtrate is given in three portions daily. If the taste of the raw meat is
objectionable, the meat may quickly be roasted on one side and the process
completed in the manner previously described.
Barley Gruel with Beef Extract.--One-half teaspoonful of "Soluble Beef,"
two cupfuls of hot water, one tablespoonful of barley flour, one
saltspoonful of salt. Dissolve the beef in the hot water, and mix the
flour and salt together with a little cold water. Pour the boiling stock
on the flour and cook for ten minutes. Strain, and serve very hot.
Beef Broth with Poached Eggs.--Prepare the broth in the proportion of half
a teaspoonful of "Soluble Beef" to one cupful of hot water and add a
poached egg.
A Nutritive Drink for Delicate Women and Children.--This is made by mixing
one-fourth to one-half teaspoonful of "Soluble Beef," five ounces of
boiling water and one-half ounce of cream; season with salt and pepper to
suit the taste.
Beef Broth with Grain.--Take one teaspoonful of "Soluble Beef," one quart
of water, one tablespoonful of rice, and salt to taste. Dissolve the
"Soluble Beef" in the hot water and add the well-washed rice. Simmer
slowly until dissolved and absorbed by the rice, adding more beef broth if
too much boils away. If not entirely dissolved the broth should be
strained before using.
Beef Tea Egg-Nog.--This requires one-eighth teaspoonful of "Soluble Beef,"
one-half cupful of hot water, one tablespoonful of brandy, and a pinch of
salt. Beat the egg slightly and add the salt and sugar. Dissolve the
"Soluble Beef" in the hot water, add to the egg and strain. Mix
thoroughly, adding wine, and serve.
[NURSING DEPARTMENT 659]
Chicken Jelly.--Half a grown chicken should be well pounded, and boiled in
one quart of water for two hours until only a pint remains; season and
strain. Serve hot or place on ice, where it will jelly.
Veal-bone Jelly.--Place ten pounds of veal bones and ten quarts of water
or weak bouillon over the fire and bring to just a boil. Skim and add two
pounds of barley and a little salt. Simmer for five or six hours and then
strain. If too thick dilute, before serving, with bouillon. Stir in the
yolk of an egg in a cup and serve.
Meat Jelly.--This is made by cooking good boneless, lean beef on a water
bath with a little water for sixteen hours or until it becomes
gelatinized. Of the artificial preparations on the market for making
bouillon the most reliable is Leibig's Extract of Meat (10:250 gm.) or
Cibil's Bouillon (one teaspoonfnl to 250 gm.), Inaglio's Bouillon Capsules
are also very convenient. If it is desired to make a bouillon more
nutritious one teaspoonful of meat peptone may be added.
Jelly for Dyspeptics.--Remove the skin and meat from one calf 's foot;
wash the bone and place in cold water on the stove; when it begins to foam
skim off the refuse which gathers on top. After rinsing off the scum with
cold water put the bones into a pot with one-quarter kilo of beef or half
an old hen, one-quarter liter of water, and little salt, and boil slowly
for from four to five hours. Pour the jelly thus formed through a fine
sieve and place overnight in a cellar. Next morning remove the fat and
clarify the cold jelly by adding one egg with its shells mashed, beating
and stirring steadily. Then, with the addition of a little cornstarch,
subject the whole to a temperature not over 60 degrees F., or the white of
the egg will curdle. Constantly beat and stir. If the jelly begins to get
grainy, cover and let it cool until the white of the egg becomes flaky and
separates. Then strain again several times until it becomes perfectly
clear; add 5 gm. of extract of meat, pour the jelly into a mold, and let
it cool again. The gravy from a roast may be utilized and is very
palatable. It must be stirred in while the mass is still warm and liquid.
This jelly is usually relished with cold fowl, but spoils easily in
summer; it must therefore be kept on ice.
Gluten Bread.--Mix one pound of gluten flour with three-fourth of a pint
or one pint of water at 85 degrees. (With some of the prepared
flours--Bishop's, for example--no yeast is required). As soon as the dough
is mixed put it into tins and place them immediately in the oven; should
be made into small dinner rolls and baked on flat tins. The loaves take
about one and one-half hours to bake, and the rolls three-fourths of an
hour. Either are easily made. The addition of a little salt improves the
bread. (When any special brand of flour is used, the directions that
accompany it should be followed closely).
[660 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE FOUR LEADING SCHOOLS OF MEDICINE:
ALLOPATHY, HOMEOPATHY, OSTEOPATHY AND ECLECTICISM.
ALLOPATHY.--Literally the word Allopathy means "other suffering," from the
Greek "allos" meaning other, and "pathos" meaning suffering. A more
liberal translation would be,--other methods of treating suffering. The
term was first used during the latter part of the eighteenth century by
Hahnemann, the founder of the Homeopathic School, to distinguish the
ordinary or regular practice of medicine as opposed to Homeopathy.
Notwithstanding the comparatively recent origin of the term, however, the
methods and theories of Allopathy are based empirically upon the results
of the practice of medicine since the time of Galen, and logically upon
the scientific facts disclosed by modern research and study. In its broad
and popular sense, Allopathy is the preservation of health and the
treatment of disease by the use of any means that will produce a condition
incompatible with the disease.
The application of the theories and methods of this "old school"
necessitates a thorough knowledge of anatomy, pharmocology, pathology,
bacteriology, physiology and other sciences. At the present time much
stress is also laid upon the means for the prevention and the eradication
of diseases and their causes. The inefficiency of drugs is recognized and
besides the articles of the Materia Medica the "regular" physician makes
use of antitoxins, vaccines, surgery, electricity, baths, etc., in
treating diseases. Everyday examples of their methods may be seen in the
use of quinine in Malaria, antitoxins in Diphtheria and vaccines in
Smallpox, etc.
HOMEOPATHY.--This school was founded by Hahnemann, who lived in Germany
over a hundred years ago. Everyone now admits that he was a great scholar.
In translating a materia medica he was very much struck with the article
on cinchona, where it seemed to state that taken continuously in large
doses it would produce all the indications of ague. He tested other
remedies in the same way and finally announced his law "Similia Similibus
Curantur."
Definition given by a Medical Dictionary of Homeopathy.--"A system of
treatment of disease by the use of agents that, administered in health,
would produce symptoms similar to those for the relief of which they are
given." For instance, ipecac given in large doses, will produce certain
kind of vomiting. If the same kind of vomiting, with the other symptoms
agreeing, occurs in disease ipecac would be given for the trouble.
[LEADING SCHOOLS OF MEDICINE 661]
But if the vomiting was produced by ipecac, that same medicine would not
be given to stop it, but treatment given for an over dose of the drug,
ipecac. According to the principles of Homeopathy a medicine is selected
which possesses the power (drug diseases) of extinguishing a natural
disease by means of the similitude of its alterative qualities, (similia
similibus curantur); such a medicine administered in simple form at long
intervals, and in doses so fine as to be just sufficient without causing
pain or debility, to obliterate the natural disease through the reaction
of vital energy.
A great many medicines are used in this way by all schools, but the
"regular" school claims it is not an universal law. Some homeopathic
doctors claim that the antitoxin treatment for diphtheria, etc. is an
application of the homeopathic law. The poison that produces the
diphtheria is taken and from this by a thorough and precise process the
serum is made and injected into the body of a person who has diphtheria.
Hydrophobia is successfully treated in the same way. A homeopathic doctor
has a right to use any sized doses he wishes, but he claims experience has
proven that large doses are not often necessary and that the medicine
usually acts better attenuated.
ECLECTICISM.--An eclectic physician is a member of a school or system that
claims to select "that which is good from all other schools."
This school uses very few mineral remedies, but uses many vegetable
remedies. They have introduced a great many vegetable remedies into
medical practice and very many of them are useful.
The homeopathic school has benefited very much by the experience of the
eclectic system. This school uses remedies in large and small doses. Many
of them use the homeopathic attenuated drugs.
OSTEOPATHY.--"The name 'Osteopathy' is made up of two Greek words:
'Osteon,' which means 'bone,' and 'pathos,' which means suffering (to
suffer). 'Pathy,' our English equivalent for this word, by usage has come
to mean "a system of treatment for suffering or disease. Hence, viewed
strictly from its derivation, this term, Osteopathy, would carry only the
meaning of bone suffering, 'bone disease' or 'bone treatment.'"
Definition.--"Osteopathy is that science of treating human ailments which
regards most diseases as being either primarily produced or maintained by
an obstruction to the free passage of nerve impulses or blood and lymph
flow, and undertakes by manipulation to remove such obstruction so that
nature may resume her perfect work."
[662 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Explanation.--"While it is a distinctive theory of osteopathy that disease
conditions, not due to a specific poison, are traceable to mechanical
disorder in the body, or some part of it, and that the correction of such
disorder is not only the rational treatment, but is necessary to the
restoration of a permanent condition of health, yet as a palliative
treatment appropriate manipulations are occasionally employed to stimulate
or inhibit functional activity as conditions may require. Osteopaths also
employ such rational hygienic measures, common to all systems of healing,
as has been proven of undoubted value, and take into account environmental
influences, habits and modes of life, as affecting the body in maintaining
or regaining health."
The "American School of Osteopathy" is located in Kirksville, Missouri.
The course of study required is of three years duration, of nine months
each, and the degree of D. O. (Doctor of Osteopathy) is given to the
graduates.
OPERATIONS.
There has been a great change in regard to operations among the laity of
late years. There is much less opposition and prejudice. The people are
being educated to the necessity for operating in many diseases. A great
deal of the opposition was due to the doctors themselves. There have been
doctors who would operate at every opportunity. Some doctors could not
treat a woman for diseases of the womb and ovaries without suggesting that
an operation was necessary. There have been a great many healthy organs
removed, or at least organs that could have been saved by proper
treatment. Fortunately such doctors are becoming less in number and there
is more discrimination being used. On the other hand there has also been
too much conservatism. Many persons have spent years in suffering who
could have been relieved by an operation. Years ago a person suffering
from terrific attacks of gall stone colic continued to suffer all their
natural life. Now an operation is performed and relief is obtained at very
little risk to life. The same is true of cancers, tumors, etc. These, if
taken early, can be removed safely and successfully in very many cases and
lives saved and suffering relieved.
If an operation is needed the family should go to their family physician,
in whom they have confidence. He can do the operation or direct the family
as to what surgeon to choose. Bad results of operations are, sometimes,
due to the operator. It is the duty of the family to choose a competent
and honest surgeon. There are plenty of them all over the world,--and very
few competent surgeons operate simply for the money they receive. As a
rule they earn all and more than they are paid. There are more surgeons
today than ever and they are also more competent, for our medical schools
prepare them in the hospitals for that kind of work.
[OPERATIONS 663]
The surgeons connected with our hospitals, public and private, are doing a
great work in relieving the ills of humanity, others in private practice
are doing great work. Here and there one is found who operates only for
the money, but persons who employ such a doctor are usually entitled to
the results they receive. Your family physician, even if he is not a
surgeon, is the best person to consult when an operation may be necessary.
He will send you to some honest and competent man. Operations usually
should be performed as early as possible. In malignant disease the
operation must be done early. This applies to cancers of the lip, face,
tongue, breast, womb, ovaries, stomach and the abdominal cavity.
Then again, operations are far less dangerous now than before the days of
aseptic and antiseptic surgery. Cleanliness on the part of the surgeon,
nurses and patient is the first law of success in all operations. Any case
that becomes infected through fault of the surgeon or attendants is no
longer looked upon as a thoroughly successful operation, even though the
patient recovers.
As in other branches of medicine, there are now many specialists in
surgery. In the major operations it is best to employ a specialist, but in
the minor cases the "family doctor" should be competent. If he does not
care to perform the operation himself he can advise and direct you in
selecting a competent surgeon. Always seek his advice early; do not wait
until the patient is weak or dying before you decide to allow the
operation, as then the chances are it cannot help. If you are in doubt as
to the necessity of the operation consult more than one surgeon. There is
a possibility of a wrong diagnosis in some cases.
SPECIAL OPERATIONS.
ADENOIDS.--Should be removed early when they obstruct the breathing. In
another part of the book the reasons are given. The same advice is given
for tumors and malformations in the nose passages. Such conditions should
not be allowed to go on until the parts are permanently deformed or
diseased. These operations are done very frequently and successfully now,
and many people are saved years of worry and suffering. For more extended
account see department of nose and throat.
APPENDICITIS.--There has been a great deal of discussion about this
disease. It is no doubt true that many healthy appendices have been
removed, but it is also true that many lives have been saved by operation.
There is more discrimination now than formerly in this disease. Blood
tests, etc., aid in telling when an operation is necessary in acute cases.
There is very little danger in a chronic case if the operation is done
during the interval of the attacks.
CATARACT.--The operation for this trouble is gloriously successful and the
blind are daily recovering their sight through this operation.
MASTOID.--Operations on the Mastoid cells are frequently performed now and
save many lives. When there is swelling behind the ear or there is much
pain there a careful examination should be made. Chronic cases of Mastoid
disease usually demand this operation.
[664 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
OVARIES, TUMORS OF THE.--The operation for tumors is very successful. If
the ovary is simply enlarged by congestion, medicine will frequently
reduce it; but when the enlargement is due to a tumor, it should be
removed if it continues to enlarge. Sometimes there is cancer of the
ovary. If so, it should be operated upon early. Tumors of the womb, such
as fibroids, are often observed. They sometimes require removal if they
grow large. The symptoms will indicate when an operation is needed. These
tumors often grow so large as to necessitate the removal of the womb.
PERINEUM AND CERVIX.--The perineum and cervix are sometimes torn during
labor and should be immediately repaired. The perineum is the support for
the organs of generation and if it is not solid the ovaries, tubes, womb
and vagina will sag and fall. Neglect of this simple operation at the
proper time results in backaches, headaches, etc. Many women have suffered
for years and doctored for other complaints when proper attention to the
real trouble would have saved all that expense and pain. Your physician
should be requested, in advance, to attend before he leaves to any
laceration that may occur during labor. At this time it causes little or
no pain. If postponed until next day or later it would be painful and
require an anesthetic. Many cases of cancer are caused by neglected
lacerations.
PILES.--It is often necessary to operate both for external and internal
piles. The result is usually complete relief and cure.
CANCERS.--Cancers should be operated on early. A sore on the womb, lip or
tongue, or lump on the breast that continues for a little time without
getting better, is dangerous. It may soon spread in the surrounding tissue
and general system. Operations on the womb and breast, performed in time,
are very successful. Such tumors or sores should not be neglected. A lump
in the breast should be examined early. The womb should be examined if
there is a discharge from the vagina that continues. In such a case the
family doctor can determine what should be done. A sore on the lip,
tongue, face, etc., that continues and refuses to heal should cause
suspicion and be shown to a physician.
PLEURISY.--"Water in the chest" sometimes follows pleurisy. This, if not
absorbed, must be drawn off and is quite easily done. After some cases of
pneumonia the lung does not clear up properly and pus forms in it. An
operation is sometimes necessary to evacuate it. This should be performed
before the patient becomes very much exhausted. Some people allow it to
continue too long and thus lessen the chances of recovery when an
operation is at last performed.
SQUINT.--There is no need for any person being cross-eyed if attention is
early given to the trouble. Sometimes properly fitted glasses will correct
this trouble, but an operation is often necessary and is very successful
and not serious or painful.
[OPERATIONS 665]
TRACHEOTOMY AND INTUBATION.--The operation of tracheotomy, opening of the
wind-pipe, is performed where there is choking from a foreign body in the
wind-pipe or when it has become suddenly closed in diseases such as croup
and diphtheria. It is always an emergency operation and is only resorted
to when it is evident that unless severe measures are taken the patient
will choke to death. Intubation is more frequently practised in disease
when the breathing has become difficult owing to the growth of membrane in
the larynx. A tube of the proper size is placed in the wind-pipe and
allowed to remain there until the disease has lost its force and the
membrane no longer obstructs the air passage. This tube allows the patient
to breathe freely as it furnishes an opening for the air and an attendant
notices the change immediately. Intubation should be performed before the
patient has become weak.
TONSILS.--A person who is subject to enlarged tonsils should watch them
carefully. If they contain pus for any length of time they should be
removed, for they not only obstruct the breathing, but are a menace to the
health. Enucleation is usually the best method of removal. Enucleation
means the operation of extracting a tumor in entirety after opening its
sac, but without further cutting. Removal of the tonsils is a simple
operation, usually not requiring the use of anesthetics and most
physicians advise the removal of an enlarged or troublesome tonsil.
CALCULI OR STONES.--Calculi or stones are removed from the gall bladder,
gall ducts, kidneys, ureter and bladder by operations, when it has been
ascertained that the patient cannot "pass them." Many physicians prefer to
locate the calculus by use of the X-rays before deciding to operate, and
there can be no doubt as to the wisdom of this. In these, as in all
operations, success depends largely upon the general condition of the
patient. They are not considered dangerous operations, but the final
decision as to their necessity should rest, in each case, with a competent
physician or surgeon.
KIDNEYS, STOMACH, PROSTATE, ETC.--Little can be said in this brief
paragraph concerning the many operations that are now performed upon the
different organs. What applies to one applies, in general, to all.
Operations are now performed, and successfully, for pus in the kidney,
floating kidney, etc. Ulcers and cancers are removed from the stomach and
reproductive organs. In some cases it has been necessary to remove the
organs in their entirety. Pieces of the intestines have been removed with
gratifying results in cases of ulcers and injuries. Enlarged prostate
nearly always necessitates an operation before relief can be expected. It
is impossible here to say much concerning the chances for recovery in each
individual case, since they are decided by the strength and temperament of
the patient, the care and skill of the surgeon and nurses, and whether the
patient has submitted to the operation soon enough in the course of the
disease. Let it suffice here to say that the majority of the
above-mentioned operations are successful and result in the relief and
often the complete recovery of the patient.
[666 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
THE HOT SPRINGS OF ARKANSAS.
Government Ownership.--The ownership and control of the Hot Springs of
Arkansas by the United States Government is absolute, and its endorsement
of them for the treatment of certain ailments is unequivocal. After due
investigation, congress took possession of the springs in the year 1832,
and it retained around them a reservation ample to protect them from all
encroachments, It was the first National park reservation of the country.
They are set apart by this act as "A National Sanitarium for all time,"
and "dedicated to the people of the United States to be forever free from
sale or alienation."
The Army and Navy Hospital at Hot Springs.--In the year 1883 the United
States Government built a hospital known as the army and navy hospital at
Hot Springs, Arkansas, on the Southwestern slope, near the base of Hot
Springs mountain, since which time the soldiers and sailors of the army
and navy have been sent there for treatment for such ailments as the
waters may reasonably be expected to cure, or relieve. In his circular for
the guidance of the officers of the army in sending the sick there, the
surgeon-general of the United States enumerates the ailments for which the
sick should be sent to the army and navy hospital at the Hot Springs. It
says, "Relief may be reasonably expected at the Hot Springs in the
following conditions: In the various forms of gout and rheumatism after
the acute or inflammatory stage; neuralgia, especially when depending upon
gout; rheumatism, metallic, or malarial poisonings, paralysis, not of
organic origin; the earlier stages of locomotor ataxia; chronic Bright's
disease (early stages only), and other diseases of the urinary organs;
functional diseases of the liver; gastric dyspepsia, not of the organic
origin; chronic diarrhea; catarrhal affections of the digestive and
respiratory tracts; chronic skin diseases, especially the squamous
varieties, and chronic conditions due to malarial infection."
Approved, GEO. H. TORNEY, Surgeon-General U. S. Army.
J.M. DICKERSON, Secretary of War.
Privileges of Ex-Soldiers of the Civil and Spanish-American
Wars.--Honorably discharged soldiers of thc Civil war, and the
Spanish-American war, can obtain admission to the army and navy hospital
at Hot Springs in the following manner, and under certain conditions:
First.--Write to the Surgeon-General, United States Army, Washington, D.
c., for blank applications and instructions.
Second.--Upon receiving the blank application, fill it out properly, and
return it to the Surgeon-General, when, if there is room in the hospital,
he will forward to the applicant papers entitling him to admission to the
hospital. The conditions are that such ex-soldier shall pay forty cents
per day during the period he remains at the hospital. Such payment
entitles him to board, lodging, baths, medical treatment and medicine.
HOT SPRINGS OF ARKANSAS 667
Free Baths for the Indigent People of the United States.--By act of
congress approved December 16th, 1878, the government maintains a free
bath house for the indigent people of the United States of both sexes. No
baths will be supplied except on written applications made on blanks
furnished at the office of the bath house, making full answer to the
questions therein propounded: then if the applicant is found to be
indigent, in accordance with the common acceptations of the word, the
manager will issue a ticket good for twenty-one baths, which may be
reissued on the same application if necessary. The daily average of baths
given at the free bath house for the year 1909 was more than six hundred.
The government is very broad and liberal in construing the meaning of the
word indigent; and the fact that the applicant for free baths has some
property, seems not to act as a bar to the privilege of free baths. Ninety
per cent of the patients admitted to the Army and Navy Hospital are either
cured or relieved. Taking into consideration the large number of old civil
war veterans treated at the hospital, whose ailments have become chronic,
this is a very remarkable showing.
Physicians' and Medical Regulations.--The United States Government,
through the interior department, regulates and controls the practice of
medicine in connection with the hot waters. A local federal medical board
passes on the applications of physicians who wish to prescribe the hot
waters. All who meet the requirements of the board are placed on the
accredited list. Copies of this list are hung in all the bath houses and
only those whose names appear thereon are permitted to prescribe the hot
waters. For the benefit of visitors these lists are also kept at the
office of the superintendent of the reservation near the Army and Navy
Hospital. These regulations apply only to those who take medical
treatment. Others get the baths without formalities of any kind. In
addition to the Army and Navy hospital and the government free bath house,
there are twenty-five bath houses operated by private parties, eleven of
which are situated along the western base of Hot Springs mountains on the
government reservation, and fourteen are on private property at various
other points throughout the city. The relations of all the bath houses to
the government are the same. They each pay the water rental to the
Interior Department of the United States. The government's interests are
looked after by a superintendent of the reservation, who is appointed by
the President of the United States. He has charge of all improvements
going on, on the reservation and enforces all government rules and
regulations concerning the bath houses.
[668 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Cost of Living at Hot Springs.--Hot Springs is not located in a good
agricultural section, and it is not a manufacturing city; therefore, the
boarding and lodging of visitors is their only source of income. Upon
nearly every house in the city is displayed the notice that board is
furnished, or furnished rooms are for rent, with or without light
housekeeping. A few places furnish board and lodging for $4.50 per week;
the most general charge, however, is from $5.00 to $6.00 per week. Renting
rooms, arranged for light housekeeping, is the cheapest method of living
at Hot Springs. The above prices are intended to show the minimum cost of
living.
Where to obtain additional reliable information relating to baths, board,
etc., at Hot Springs, Arkansas.--First. Apply to the superintendent of the
United States reservation, corner of Central and Reserve Avenues, Hot
Springs.
Second. The business men of the city have an organization known as the
"Business Men's League," which is intended and prepared to furnish
reliable information by letter or personal application to the secretary
and managers of the Business Men's League. Persons visiting Hot Springs
should not rely upon advice, information, or propositions from strangers
either on the train or in the city.
MEDICAL USES OF SOME COMMON HOUSEHOLD ARTICLES.
SALT (Sodium Chloride).--This common household article is used in a great
many different ways. In cooking it is used to season foods. The absence of
salt gives rise to a bad state of the system, with the formation of
intestinal worms. If used too freely, it produces in some persons excess
of blood and corpulency. Salt renders the food more palatable in many
instances and thus increases the flow of the gastric juice. Salt increases
the flow of saliva also. For pin-worms, solution of salt injected is often
effective.
Constipation.--One teaspoonful to a glass of water taken on arising is
very good for some people troubled with constipation. For dyspepsia it
tones the stomach and aids in digestion in some cases. Salt alone in
teaspoonful doses will produce vomiting and is good after a spree or to
empty the stomach in convulsions and poisoning. Mustard given with it
makes it more effective. A salt solution is frequently injected into the
rectum to keep up the strength after operating and it is also frequently
put into the breast for same purpose.
A gargle and astringent in sore throat. For this purpose it is often of
use and successful. Taken dry in teaspoonful doses it is often given in
bleeding from the lungs. It is often used as an antiseptic to cleanse
sores and wounds. Teaspoonful to a half pint of water. On bites of insects
strong salt water or applied dry is often very good. In bites of snakes
and animals dry salt applied freely upon the wound is often of value. It
draws away some of the poison and also helps to burn out and cleanse the
wound.
Fomentations.--Used in this way it is good for sprains and bruises.
Baths.--One pound of salt to four gallons of water forms a suitable salt
water bath acting as a tonic and excitant to the skin.
[MEDICAL USES OF COMMON ARTICLES 669]
Ague.--Homeopathic doctors claim that salt in the attenuations will cure
some cases of ague.
Abuse of Salt.--Too much use of salt will cause a great many troubles. It
produces a peculiar eruption on the skin, sore eyes, etc.
Want of Salt.--Domestic animals need it and may die for the want of it.
Some animals may become sterile if deprived of it.
LEMON.--Lemons, owing to their pleasant flavor and agreeable acidity, are
very useful in a sick room. The rind yields an oil of great fragrancy.
Each lemon yields two to eight drams of acidulous juice and contains seven
to nine per cent of citric acid, besides phosphoric and malic acids, in
combination with potassa and other bases. Half an ounce of lemon juice
should neutralize twenty-five grains of bicarbonate of potassium, twenty
grains of bicarbonate of soda or fourteen grains of carbonate of ammonia.
The rind of lemon when fresh, besides the oil above mentioned, contains a
bitter crystalline glucoside.
Hesperidin.--Uses. Lemon juice applied to the surface of the skin removes
freckles, moth spots, sunburn, pruritus, and ink-stains.
Internally.--This is a very good remedy to cure scurvy. It is a constant
companion of sea-goers and scurvy is seldom seen when the regulation
ration of lemon-juice is used regularly. It also cures the scurvy skin
trouble or the form of muscular pains felt in scurvy.
Chronic Rheumatism.--In some cases several ounces of lemon-juice
administered daily affords marked relief, and it is also sometimes useful
in acute rheumatism. Lemonade is a useful drink during convalescence, as
it increases the urine and reduces its acidity.
Hot lemonade is useful as a sweating agent to break up colds in their
beginning. It satisfies the thirst and is very grateful to a stomach that
is not normal. It makes a very pleasant drink in many cases of sickness.
ONION (Allium Cepa).--It is supposed that the onion is a native of
Hungary. It is now found over the whole civilized world. It contains a
white, acrid, volatile oil holding sulphur in solution, albumen, much
uncrystallizable sugar and mucilage, phosphoric acid both free and
combined with lime, citrate of lime. The Spanish onion contains a large
proportion of sulphur and thus may be satisfactorily used in those cases
where sulphur is needed. The action of the volatile oil enhances that of
sulphur. Spanish onion boiled and eaten freely at bed-time is an excellent
laxative. Moderately used the onion increases the appetite, promotes
digestion, but in large quantities it causes flatulence, uneasiness in the
stomach and bowels. The juice mixed with sugar is useful in cough, colds,
and croup where there is little inflammation. Roasted or split it is
excellent as a local application in croup, tonsilitis and earache. Boiling
deprives the onion of its essential oil.
[670 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
SODA (Bicarbonate of Soda).--Uses. It is used in stomach fermentation and
in sick headaches arising from this condition. Useful in acidity of the
stomach. Good for gas in the stomach. It is good as a local application to
enlarged acute tonsils applied in powder. It is also used in preparing
different articles of food. The best to get is the bicarbonate of soda at
a drug store.
SULPHUR.--This is an important constituent in certain native mineral
waters. On the bowels it acts as a mild laxative. It is very good in
certain skin diseases and for itch in the form of an ointment it is often
used. It is useful in chronic acne, and for lice, itch, barber's itch,
etc. It is frequently used as a disinfectant after infectious diseases.
Burning sulphur in a room destroys bed-bugs, chicken lice, etc.
TURPENTINE (Terebinthina).--Uses. It is a valuable counter-irritant in
peritonitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, lumbago, pleurodynia, etc. Turpentine
stupes are frequently used in abdominal inflammation, for flatulence and
for bloating in typhoid fever. It is a valuable constituent of a great
many liniments. Used in excess it produces bloody urine, painful urination
and inflammation of the kidneys. The free use of barley water, hot bath
and purgative relieve its bad effects.
VASELIN.--Under the name of Petrolatum is sold a semi-solid substance
derived from certain kinds of petroleum called cosmoline or vaselin. It
has very soothing powers and does not become rancid and is used as a
soothing dressing in sores, boils, and skin affections. It is frequently
used as a base for ointments. Fluid or liquid petrolatum is much used now
in the form of a spray in the treatment of acute and chronic catarrh and
after irritant applications to the nasal cavities. It is put up now in
tubes and is much cleaner and purer. It is very soothing and healing when
used in this pure form.
ALCOHOL (Spirit of Wine).--Alcohol is a liquid composed of ninety-one per
cent by weight of ethylic alcohol and of nine per cent by weight of water.
Alcohol dissolves alkaloids, fatty and resinous substances, and is largely
used as a menstruum in obtaining the active principles of drugs in an
available form for administration. It is the basis for spirits, tinctures
and elixirs; spirits being solutions of volatile substances in alcohol;
tinctures, solutions of active principles of plants, generally obtained by
maceration and percolation. An elixir is a cordial flavored with orange
and syrup, used as a vehicle for other remedies and as a stomachic.
Its action is very extensive. It is used extensively in medical
preparations. It is a good application to prevent bed-sores. The addition
of one dram of alum to a pint makes it more effective. Hot applications
relieve pain in face neuralgia, cold in the face or toothache. It is often
used after bathing in full strength or diluted to rub on the body to
prevent taking cold. It stimulates the digestive organs, nervous system
and the circulation. It is much used in snake-bite. Its constant use is a
menace, as all know. It should never be taken for disease unless
prescribed by a reputable physician.
[MEDICAL USES OF COMMON ARTICLES 671]
ALUM (Alumen).--Dried alum is an astringent and mild "burner" for growths
such as "proud flesh." The glycerite of alum is useful in tonsilitis or
pharyngitis when it is not acute. In solution it condenses tissue by
coagulating their albumin and acts as an astringent.
Uses of the Strength.--One dram to a pint of whisky and water aids in
checking sweating in consumption when applied with a sponge. It is a good
injection for the whites. A cotton plug soaked in alum often stops
nosebleed by inserting it in the nostrils, or a solution may be thrown or
snuffed into the nostrils. It is also good as a gargle for tonsilitis and
sore throat.
Emetic for Croup.--Put a heaping teaspoonful in thirty-two teaspoonfuls of
water or syrup and give a teaspoonful every fifteen minutes until vomiting
is produced. It is often used stronger when quick action is desired. It is
a mild astringent and thus used to check mucous discharges from the
bowels, etc. Burnt powdered alum is often used to destroy "proud flesh."
BORAX (Sodium Borate).--This drug as it appears in commerce of America is
derived entirely from natural deposits found on the shores of lakes of
California and Nevada. This is purified.
Action.--It is antiseptic in its action. It renders the urine alkaline.
Gargle.--It is used as a gargle in sore mouth and throat in dose of a dram
to a pint of water. It is very good used as a wash for fetid sweating,
especially of the feet. It is often used in combination in catarrh of the
nose. It can be combined with soda for this purpose in dose of one dram of
each to two pints of pure water and used in an atomizer.
CAMPHOR.--This is distilled from the wood and bark of the camphor tree,
cinnamomum camphora, which grows chiefly in China and Japan. It should be
kept in closed bottles.
Uses.--It is good for cold in the head in the early stages. It may be
snuffed up the nostrils in fine powder, or put in boiling water and the
fumes inhaled. It is good used as a liniment in neuralgia, stiff neck,
rheumatism and for boils and sores. Used in the form of camphor ice it is
very good for sores, cuts, boils, etc. It is often of use to smell when
one feels faint. It is one of the ingredients in many liniments. Its
external use as spirits of camphor is extensive.
CASTOR OIL (Oleum Ricini).--This is derived from the beans of Ricinis
Communis, a plant in the United States.
Action.--It is bland and unirritating in its action as a purge and
generally acts in four to five hours.
Uses.--It is used whenever irritant materials such as bad food, putrid
flesh, decaying vegetables have been eaten, to move the bowels. It is good
in diarrhea produced by above causes and others, such as corn, peanuts,
cherry stones, berries. It is apt to produce piles and constipation if
used constantly. It is often given in the form of capsules containing from
one-fourth to one teaspoonful. Dip the capsules in water, as this renders
them slippery and are easily swallowed. Dose is from one to six
teaspoonfuls.
[672 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
OLIVE OIL. Sweet Oil (Oleum Olivae).--This is expressed from the ripe
fruit.
Action and Uses.--It is a lubricant. It is added to poultices as an
emollient in pneumonia and skin diseases. Internally, olive oil is
nutritious and laxative, and a purgative in infants in doses of one
teaspoonful. In adults it is a useful remedy in many irritant poisons,
excepting phosphorus. It is given in large doses for gall stones, three to
six ounces at a dose.
GINGER (Zingiber).--Ginger is the rhizome of Zingiber Officinale, a plant
of Hindostan, Jamaica and other tropical countries.
Action: It is an agreeable carminative and stimulant, in easing the
secretions and stimulating the wavelike movement of the bowels. It acts as
an irritant to the bladder and urethra.
Uses.--It is put in laxative pills to prevent griping and to disguise the
taste of the salines. It is useful in dyspepsia of aged persons and also
good in flatulence and diarrhea. For menstrual cramps, due to suppression
from exposure to cold it is useful as a warm tea and also for colds. It is
also used in the spice plasters.
HONEY (Mel).--This is a saccharine fluid deposited in combs by the honey
bee (Apis Mellifica).
Action: It is slightly laxative and a pleasant article of food. Honey and
water is used as a gargle and to relieve cough, dryness of the mouth and
fauces. When used as a gargle it increases the secretion of the mucous
membrane and so relieves the congestion. It is apt to disorder the stomach
when used too freely. Honey mixed with lemon juice and water is very good
for a cough, especially the tickling kind.
LARD (Adeps).--This is a common household article known to all. It is
frequently used as the basis for ointments and cerates and in domestic
practice as a lubricant. Tincture benzoin added to it prevents it from
becoming rancid. It can be used in corrosive poisoning as an antidote
except where phosporus and carbolic acid have been swallowed. It is also
used in preparing articles of food. It has more penetrating power than
petrolatum or vaselin. Washed lard, beaten up with an equal quantity of
lime-water, and a few drops of oil of bitter almond, thymol, or carbolic
acid added, is splendid for burns; stiffened with yellow wax it forms the
simple ointment often used. It softens the hard skin and reduces its heat,
when the natural secretion is suppressed. It also softens and removes
scabs and lessens and prevents the effect of irritant discharges. The
simple lard ointment relieves the intense heat and itching of the skin in
scarlet fever. Dissolved and given in large doses it causes nausea and
vomiting.
[MEDICAL USES OF COMMON ARTICLES 673]
MUSTARD (Sinapis).--Mustard flour, two tablespoonfuls to a glass of water,
acts as an emetic. If given largely it produces violent gastritis, and
chronic gastritis is often set up by its constant use in excess. It should
not be used in acute dyspepsia and bowel irritation.
External: It is applied for colic due to flatulence and for acute
inflammation of different organs and is also good when applied to the nape
of the neck in headache, neuralgia, etc. Lint soaked in limewater and
olive oil relieves the excessive burning from the plaster. Mustard foot
baths made by using one handful of ground mustard to half pail of hot
water is useful in colds, sleeplessness, headache, convulsions,
dysmenorrhea.
CREAM OF TARTAR (Potassii bitartras).--Uses: It is useful in kidney
diseases to remove dropsy. In large doses of four teaspoonfuls it acts as
a watery purge. It is useful where the urine is thick and alkaline to make
it clear and normal. It is sometimes combined in equal parts with epsom
salts to move the bowels, especially when an action on the kidneys is also
necessary. It is given in teaspoonful doses before breakfast for prickly
heat; it is cooling to the blood and is one of the old home remedies.
VINEGAR (Acetic Acid).--Vinegar contains from six to seven per cent acetic
acid. Dilute acetic acid contains six per cent pure acetic acid. The pure
or glacial acetic acid is a crystalline solid at 59 degrees F., takes up
moisture readily so should be kept in well stoppered bottles. Acetic acid
is a strong corrosive poison; if taken internally, causes vomiting, with
intense pain, followed by convulsions and fatal coma. If the acid remains
in the stomach for some time it may eat its way through the stomach wall.
In cases of poisoning by acetic acid, milk or flour and water should be
freely given and vomiting produced. Weak alkalies should also be given as
antidotes. Glacial acetic acid is used as an application to cancer of the
skin, ulcers, warts, growths in the nose, ringworm, lupus (Jacob's Ulcer)
and other ulcerous growths. Vinegar or dilute acetic acid is given to
check night sweats and to relieve diarrhea. It is also used in treating
painter's colic after the constipation has been relieved, as an antidote
to poisoning by caustic alkalies; externally to prevent bed sores,
relieves headaches, checks moderate bleeding from leech bites, superficial
wounds, nosebleed and in post-partum hemorrhage. It inhibits the growth of
micro-organisms. Cases of catarrhal, membranous and diphtheric croup are
benefited by the vapor of vinegar diffused through the sick room. A
compress saturated in vinegar and placed over the nose until consciousness
returns is recommended to prevent or relieve vomiting, nausea and headache
following the inhalation of chloroform.
[676 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
UNCLASSIFIED MOTHERS' REMEDIES
Received Too Late to Place in Proper Departments
Burns, Lime Water and Sweet Oil for.--"Put unslaked lime about the size of
a hen's egg in three pints of water and strain; add one cup of sweet oil,
shake and keep burn moist. Will heal without scar or scab." This is highly
recommended by physicians.
Burns, Charcoal for.--"Powered charcoal put on thick. This gives quick
relief," It is an antiseptic poultice and keeps air from burned surface.
Burns or Scalds, Grated Onions for.--"Grate onions and mix two parts pulp
with one part salt; apply twice or three times a day, changing as soon as
onions are wilted." The onions are very soothing and keep the air from the
affected parts.
Burns, an Easily Prepared Remedy for.--"Spread pure lard, or any unsalted
grease over burned surface: cover thickly with flour and wrap with soft
cloth after pain has ceased. Remove the flour and spread again with lard
or vaselin. Sprinkle over with boracic acid powder and wrap up." This is
an old tried remedy and one we all know to be good. The grease helps to
lessen the smarting, while the boracic acid is a good antiseptic and keeps
the air out.
Bunions, Pulverized Salt Petre for.--"Five cents worth of pulverized
saltpeter put into a bottle with sufficient olive oil to nearly dissolve
it. Shake well and apply to parts night and morning."
Blisters from Burns or Scalds, White of Egg for.--"Apply immediately the
white of an egg. Keep the part from being exposed as much as possible to
the air." White of egg is soothing and forms a coating while blistered
part is healing, also protects it from air.
Bites from Insects, Simple Remedies for.--"Tolerably strong solution
carbolic acid and water. An onion cut in two and rubbed on will also do."
Carbolic acid is an antiseptic; onion is soothing and helps to draw out
poison by acting as a poultice.
Catarrh, Burnt Alum for.--"Burn alum and power finely or buy prepared
burnt alum at the drug store and use as a snuff eight or ten times daily.
Ten cents' worth will last a long time. My mother used this remedy and
believes that she has cured her catarrh entirely with it." Alum is an
antiseptic, is cleansing, as well as an astringent remedy.
Catarrh, Bad Case Cured by the following: "Inhale fumes of iodine
crystals. This was given me by a friend, who claimed it cured a bad case
of catarrh." Use moderately.
[UNCLASSIFIED MOTHERS' REMEDIES 675]
Catarrh, Borax and Camphor for.--"Inhale three times daily equal parts of
borax, camphor and salt." These ingredients should be powdered very finely
and a pinch of the powder snuffed carefully several times a day. This is a
very simple but effective remedy.
Catarrh, Pure Lard for.--"Take a bit of pure lard size of a pea and draw
it up each nostril every evening. It will require about a year of constant
use." The grease helps to keep the affected parts moist and relieves any
congestion present. Anyone suffering with this disease should make it a
point to use grease in some form every night. It gives great relief.
Cancer, Yellow Dock Root for.--Scrape narrow leaf yellow dock roots and
steep in cream to make a salve and apply externally. Add a little alcohol
if you wish to keep it for sometime."
Colds.--
"Dover's Powders 20 grains
Capsicum 15 grains
Camphor 10 grains
Quinine 25 grains"
Mix. Make up into about 20 capsules or powders. Take one every 2 or 3
hours. This is recommended as a sure cure for colds. Keep bowels open with
small doses of salts or oil.
Coughs and Colds, Mullein Remedy.--"Steep Mullein leaves in fresh milk.
Drink of it just before going to bed. This makes a soothing drink."
Cough Syrup, an Easily Prepared Remedy for.--
"Fluid Wild Cherry Bark 1/2 ounce
Compound Essence Cordial 1 ounce
White Pine Compound 3 ounces"
Dose: Take twenty drops every half hour for four hours and then from
one-half to one teaspoonful three or four times a day, children less
according to age.
Constipation, Bran as a Cure for.--"Take each night two dessertspoonfuls
of bran. Take a spoonful at a time and chew it slowly and thoroughly and
swallow." This simple remedy has been known to cure cases of long standing
if kept up faithfully for a while.
Constipation, an Old Tried Remedy for.--"One ounce of cream of tartar and
two ounces of salts; pour quart of boiling water over mixture and stir
till dissolved; drain off and take a wineglassful every morning." The
cream of tartar is a good blood purifier and the salts carry off all
impurities in the system and in that way relieve the constipation.
Constipation, an Effective Remedy for.--"Chop fine a half-pound seeded
raisins and one ounce of senna leaves together; mix with a half ounce
powdered sulphur in air-tight jar. Chew a piece the size of a walnut
every night."
Constipation, Baby, Juice from Prunes for.--"Give baby a teaspoonful of
juice from cooked dried prunes whenever a laxative is needed." This remedy
will be found useful, not only for infants, but older children as well.
When old enough let them eat the pulp as well as the juice.
[676 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Cramps, Turpentine for.--"A cloth dipped in turpentine and applied will
relieve cramps in the limbs," Any one suffering with this difficulty will
find the above treatment very beneficial.
Croup, Quick Cure for.--"A quantity of raw linseed oil should always be at
hand in a family where the children are subject to croup. It is an
unfailing remedy, and for quick results it beats anything else which can
be given for that dread disease. Half a teaspoonful is a dose, unless the
child is choking very badly; then give a teaspoonful. It acts two ways. In
the first stage of croup, where there is not much mucus, it is loosened
and carried off through the bowels. In the second stage it causes
vomiting, but, unlike ipecac, it leaves no soreness of the throat as an
after difficulty. It is rarely necessary to give more than one dose, when
the child will get relief and go to sleep again. This simple remedy is one
that is within the reach of every mother, and one that can be kept on hand
at all times; and, while it is in the house the dreaded croup need cause
no terrors."
Croup, Salt Water for.--"A handful of salt in a basin of cold water. Wring
towel out of this solution and apply over the throat. Cover with warm
flannel, keep patient warm." This simple but effective remedy has been
known to give relief many times and has been thoroughly tried by a great
many mothers.
Chapped Hands, an Inexpensive Remedy for.--"One-fourth ounce gum
tragacanth, one-fourth ounce boracic acid, one ounce glycerin, one and
one-half ounce alcohol, five cents' worth best white rose perfume. Soak
gum in pint of rain water for thirty-six hours; let warm slowly until
heated. Remove from the stove, strain through a cheese cloth, add the
other ingredients, stir well and bottle."
Cholera Infantum, Chickweed For.--"Chickweed boiled and sweetened in milk.
This cured my daughter when an infant. This recipe has been used by me and
my mother and proved effectual." The above remedy is an inexpensive one
and easily prepared. It will be found excellent for this trouble.
Dog Bite, Home Treatment for.--"Apply common salt." Salt eats and draws
poison out. Use it freely.
Drunkenness, Chocolate for.--"Give patient all the chocolate he can or
will eat. This cured one man I know."
Diphtheria, a Marine City Mother Gives the Following Cure
For.--"One-fourth pound loaf sugar, one-fourth pound gum kino, one-fourth
ounce alum; put in a covered porcelain dish on stove in a quart of soft
water. Simmer down to one pint, gargle the throat every fifteen minutes,
or for small children use a swab. Bandage the throat with onion poultices;
this recipe has relieved when used as directed; was used by my mother and
proved effectual."
[UNCLASSIFIED MOTHERS' REMEDIES 677]
Dropsy, Chestnut Leaves for.--"A tea made of chestnut leaves taken freely
instead of water." These leaves can be purchased at any drug store in
five-cent packages. Prepare the same as ordinary tea, only stronger.
Eczema, Lard and Sulphur for.--"Melt lard and sulphur. When cool add a
little alcohol to keep sweet." This combination is very soothing to the
parts affected.
Eczema, Gasoline for.--"Bathe the affected parts in gasoline; be careful
not to use the liquid where there is fire or lamps."
Erysipelas, Antiseptic Wash for.--
"Hyposulphite of Soda 8 ounces
Carbolic Acid (200 drops) 3-1/3 drams
Soft Water 1 pint"
The above wash has very strong recommendations as a local application. It
was secured from a family that had used it at different times for twenty
years. The family seemed to be susceptible to erysipelas and this medicine
had been used for three generations, grandfather, son and grandson. In
fact, it was the only remedy that helped their case, although many others
had been tried. The entire prescription would cost about fifteen cents.
Fishbone, Choking from.--"Raw egg, taken soon as possible." It helps to
carry bone out of throat and is a remedy ready at hand.
Goitre, a Good Remedy for.--
"Iodine 1 dram
Iodide of Potassium 4 drams
Soft Water 4 ounces
Apply night and morning. Rub on with feather or soft brush all around, as
well as immediately on the lump." This is a counterirritant and often used
for goitre.
Goitre, Iodine for.--"Blister with iodine. Heal with sweet cream, paint
and blister again. This wore my sister's goitre away. It took time but was
worth it." It should produce redness instead of a blister.
Headache, Lemon Juice and Coffee for.--"A teaspoonful of lemon juice in a
small cup of black coffee will relieve." This is an old tried remedy and
one that will be found beneficial.
Inflammatory Rheumatism, Salt Petre and Sweet Oil for.--"One ounce salt
petre pulverized, one pint sweet oil. Rub parts affected."
Ingrowing Toenail, Home Treatment for.--"Cut a notch in the top of the
nail with a penknife, scrape the nail from base to top."
Ingrowing Toenail, a Good Canadian Remedy for.--"Paint part under flesh
with four parts caustic potash, six parts warm water. Paint part and
scrape with piece of glass or sharp knife. Repeat till thin enough to
break off." The caustic potash makes parts soft.
[678 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Ingrowing Toenail, Camphor for.--"Cut part growing in with sharp knife and
put camphor on intruding part. This eases the pain and prevents second
growth."
Indigestion, Egg Shells for.--"Brown egg shells in oven and crush till
very fine with a rolling pin, then take a teaspoonful at meal times three
times a day."
Inflammation of the Bowels, a Grandmother's Remedy for.--"Raw linseed oil
and bean poultice. Use as hot as can be borne; keep repeating until
relieved. This recipe has been used by my mother."
Kidney Trouble, an Easily Prepared Remedy for.--"Steep plantain leaves
into strong tea. Take half cup every night. This has been found good for
kidney trouble." Also good for ivy poisoning, burns, scalds, bruises, and
to check bleeding; pound leaves to a paste and apply to parts.
La Grippe, Red Pepper Treatment from a Canadian Mother for.--"Take a
bottle of alcohol, put enough red pepper in it so that when four drops are
put in a half cup of water it is strong. This is what I always break up my
grippe with." Peppers thus prepared stimulate and warm up the stomach and
bowels and increase the circulation.
Rheumatism, Liniment Sent Us from Gentleman in Canada (says he paid $7.00
for it).--
"Capsicum Powdered 1 ounce
Camphor 1/2 ounce
Oil Hemlock 1/2 ounce
Spirits Ammonia 1/2 ounce
Chloroform 1/2 ounce
Oil Turpentine 1/2 ounce
Oil Wormwood 1 dram
Potassium Nitrate 1 dram
Add Alcohol to make 12 ounces
Good Liniment.--"Sweet oil, turpentine, hartshorn, equal parts. Keep
corked."
Liniment, Sprains, Etc.--English Black Oil.
"Tanner's Oil 1 pint
Oil Vitriol 1 ounce
Spirits of Turpentine 1 ounce
Beef 's Gall, contents of 1 gall
Put oil vitriol in tanner's oil, let stand twelve hours and not cork
tightly, then add balance."
Lumbago, Ointment for.--
Vaselin 1 ounce
Belladonna 15 grains
Salicylic Acid 1 dram
Sodium Salicylate 1 dram
Apply. Also good to rub on bunions."
[UNCLASSIFIED MOTHERS' REMEDIES 679]
Neuralgia, Soothing Ointment for.--"One ounce of laudanum, baking soda to
make paste." Apply to parts and cover with flannel." Its virtue is in its
soothing and quieting action.
Pain or Rheumatism, Tansy and Smartweed for.--"Boil handful each of tansy
and smartweed together till strong tea is made. Dip cloths in the hot tea
and apply." Good local and quieting application.
Pain, Horseradish Poultice for.--"Grate and make poultice. Apply to part
where pain is." Makes a good drawing poultice and a counterirritant.
Pains, Liniment to Relieve.--
"Peppermint 1 ounce
Oil of Mustard 1/2 ounce
Vinegar 1 pint
White of one egg.
Beat egg and stir all together."
Pain, Vinegar and Pepper for.--"Hot flannel cloths wrung from vinegar, to
which a pinch of cayenne pepper has been added, applied hot to any part of
the body, will relieve pain." This is very good. This remedy is always at
hand and can be prepared quickly. It will most always give relief.
Palpitation of the Heart, Salt Baths for.--"Stop drinking tea and coffee.
Add sea salt to water when bathing. This cured me and I have not been
bothered for four or five years." Good when palpitation is due to
nervousness.
Piles.-
"Extract Belladonna 15 grain
Acetate Lead 1/2 dram
Gum Camphor 1 dram
Gallic Acid 15 grains
Acetanilid 20 grains
Vaselin 1 ounce
Mix.
In protruding, itching and blind piles this ointment will give almost
instant relief; if kept up several days it will promote a cure."
Poison Ivy, Buttermilk and Salt Heals.--"Add considerable salt to
buttermilk and bathe poisoned parts in it frequently."
Poison Ivy, Lead Water and Laudanum Relieves.--"Application of cold lead
water, made in proportions of two drams of sugar of lead, half an ounce of
landanum to half a pint of water and applied by means of cloths. The
patient should eat a cooling, light diet and use a good saline cathartic,
such as rochelle salts, etc."
Poison Ivy, Excellent Cure for.--"Copperas mixed with sour milk; put in
all the copperas the milk will dissolve. I knew of a very bad case to be
cured by this after a few applications. Care should be taken not to let it
get on the clothing, as it burns badly."
[680 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Poisonous Wounds, Ammonia Application for.--"Strong spirits of ammonia
applied to the wounds of snake bite or rabid animals is better than
caustic. It neutralizes the poison and is an excellent remedy."
Oak Poison, Gunpowder and Lard for.--"Mix small quantity of gunpowder and
lard and apply. One application cured me." This is an old, tried, standard
remedy.
Milk Poison, Popular Remedy for.--
Yellow Poplar Bark 4 ounces
Wild Gooseberry Roots 4 ounces
Slippery Elm Bark 4 ounces
Put in an earthern vessel with two quarts of water; put over a slow fire
and simmer to one pint, then strain and add it to one gallon of the best
rye whisky and give one wineglassful for the first dose, and thereafter
give two tablespoonfuls every two hours. Move the bowels by pink and senna
tea. Poultice the bottom of the feet with blue flag swamp root mashed fine
to the consistency of a poultice. For the vomiting associated with the
disease give one teaspoonful wild deer horn in a little water obtained by
filing or grinding the horn of a wild deer. As this is not always to be
obtained, a tablespoonful of pulverized chalk is good, or a little cold
tea may be given. This recipe has been known to save many persons' lives,
when the doctors had given up in despair. When the patient becomes
sufficiently improved to warrant it, the dose may be decreased, but it
should be taken quite a long time to kill the poison or counteract the
poison in the system."
Poor Circulation, Alcohol Rub for.--"Rub vigorously night and morning with
good whisky. Don't stop for a week or so after patient looks and feels
well." Rubbing with alcohol would probably be preferred.
Ruptures, Herb Remedy for.--"Make a poultice of lobelia and stramonium
leaves, equal parts, and apply to part, renewing as often as necessary."
This poultice acts by relaxing the muscles, but in severe cases no
application will do any good and the doctor should be consulted.
Rheumatism, Mountain Leaf Tea for.--"Tea made of mountain leaf taken
frequently cures rheumatism." Rheumatism, Beef Gall for.--"Two beef galls
in pint bottle, fill bottle with whisky. Apply often."
Salt Rheum, a Well-Tried Remedy for.--"Teaspoonful of red precipitate to
two tablespoonfuls of lard. Anoint the parts affected." This recipe has
been used by my mother and myself and proved effectual.
[UNCLASSIFIED MOTHERS' REMEDIES 681]
Snake Bites, Simple Poultice for.--"Poultice of hops or salt and grease;
grease is to keep salt together. Hops are always kept to be used in berry
season." As a poultice it draws the poison out.
Snake Bites, Onions and Salt for.--"Good drawing poultice for snake bites
is an onion and a handful of salt pounded together. We also use this for a
common poultice."
Stings, an Old, Tried Canadian Remedy for.--"For the bee sting I put soda
on and dampen it with honey." An old-time remedy and seems to do the work.
Soda is an antiseptic and cleansing remedy. If no honey at hand, dampen
soda with water.
Stings from Nettles, an Inexpensive Remedy for.--"Rub the affected parts,
if of nettles, with berry juice and let dry. This is what I always do
during the berry season." Berry juice is quieting and soothing; it
contains tannin. It would be handy to use and is recommended.
Stye, Common Tea Leaves for.--" After steeping tea gather out a small
handful of the steeped leaves, lay them in a cloth as you would any
poultice, and apply warm over the stye." It is the tannin in the tea that
cures the stye, although clear tannin bought at the drug store does not
seem to do the work as well. Black tea may be preferable.
Splendid General Salve.--
"Resin 4 ounces
Beeswax 4 ounces
Lard 8 ounces
Honey 2 ounces
Boil slowly until melted, then remove and stir until cold."
Scrofulous Difficulties, a Good Remedy for.--"A tea made of ripe dried
whortleberries and drank in place of water is an excellent remedy."
Sore Eyes, Camphor and Breast Milk for.--"When a tiny baby has sore eyes,
add one-half drop of camphor to a teaspoonful of breast milk; bathe the
eyes several times a day." Breast milk alone applied to the eyes of an
infant is very healing, but the addition of camphor improves it.
Sore Throat, Mustard Plaster for.--"Mustard plaster applied on outside of
the throat. I know it is good--have tried it." Care should be taken not to
allow the plaster to remain on too long as it will blister.
Stammering, a Canadian Mother's Treatment for.--"I always stop my boy when
I hear him stammering and make him say the words by syllables. I find he
is getting much better." The above is one of the best plans and should be
tried.
Sweating, to Cause.--"Wet flannel cloth in vinegar, lay it on a hot
soapstone and wrap in cloth. Take it to bed and you will sweat." This
creates a steam and of course will produce sweating very quickly.
[682 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Sweating, to Cause.--"Hot cornmeal mush applied as a poultice to parts,
will cause sweating."
Splinter, to Extract.--"When a splinter has been driven deep into the
hand, it can be extracted without pain by steam. Nearly fill a
wide-mouthed bottle with hot water, place mouth of the bottle over
splinter and press tightly. The suction will draw the flesh down, and in a
minute or two the steam will extricate the splinter and the inflammation
will disappear."
Toothache, Benzoin for.--"Compound tincture of benzoin applied on batting
to tooth,"
Toothache, Oil of Cinnamon for.--"Oil of cinnamon rubbed on gum and on
cotton batting and put in hollow tooth."
Weak Back, Turpentine and Sweet Oil for.--"Take one part of turpentine to
two parts of sweet oil, mix together and apply to back several times a
day. It is well to massage the back at night with this mixture just before
retiring. Always apply warm."
Weak Back, Liniment for.--
"Tincture of Cayenne Pepper 1/2 ounce
Spirits of Camphor 2 ounces
Tincture of Arnica 1-1/2 ounce
No better liniment; is an excellent remedy to bathe the back with; will
not blister."
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 685]
MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS
FOR OUR GREAT MIDDLE CLASS
AS WELL AS OUR BEST SOCIETY
Correspondence, Cards and Introductions, Dress for Different Occasions,
Weddings, Christenings, Funerals, Etc.,
Social Functions, Dinners, Luncheons.
Gifts, "Showers," Calls, and
Hundreds of Other Essential
Subjects so Vital to Culture and Refinement of Men,
Women, School-Girls and Boys at Home and in Public.
By MRS. ELIZABETH JOHNSTONE
"The small courtesies sweeten life, the greater ennoble it."
The social code which we call etiquette is no senseless formula. It has a
meaning and a purpose. It is the expression of good manners, and good
manners have been rightly called the minor morals. This is true in the
sense that they are the expression of the innate kindness and good will
that sum up what we call good breeding. As to its importance, Sir Walter
Scott once said that a man might with more impunity be guilty of an actual
breach of good morals than appear ignorant of the points of etiquette.
[684 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Every social custom has a foundation established by usage as a recognition
of social needs, and intended to prevent rudeness and confusion; intended
also to make polite society polite. We must conform, according to our
circle, to social conventions as thus established, since they are the
ripened results of long and varied experience in what is most suitable and
becoming. Not to observe them is to advertise our ignorance and expose
ourselves to criticism.
Importance of Knowledge.--That the importance of a knowledge of social
customs is widely felt is proved by the pathetic letters addressed to the
editors of women's magazines and departments, asking for information to
enlighten ignorance. Such letters range from the naive inquiry of the
unsophisticated girl as to whether it is "proper" to allow her "gentleman
friend" to kiss her good night, up to the plaint of the novice who doesn't
know how to make her spoons and forks come out even at a dinner-party.
Here in America, where circumstances may lift a family from poverty and
obscurity to wealth, with a position to win in a few brief years, the
first great anxiety of those not "to the manor born" is to learn how to
comport themselves in their new situation, and educate their children in
correct behavior.
Good manners are a necessary equipment of both men and women. In many
circles, success is impossible without such equipment. An agreeable
manner, a knowledge of what to do and when to do it, is indispensable to
the woman in society, and any man who meets other men in a business way
will willingly bear testimony to the reluctance with which he approaches
the gruff, brusque man, whose manners are patterned after those of Ursa
Major. The man whose manners are agreeable may be as ugly as Caliban, yet
please everybody.
Moreover, there is no weapon so effective against the rude and
ill-mannered as a calm politeness--a courtesy which marks the person who
can practise it as superior to the one who cannot. For one's own peace of
mind, one should learn the art of good manners.
A Matter of Habit.--Manners, like everything else in life, must be learned
by rule, the only possible exception being in the case of those who have
been brought up in what we call our best society, where what to do and how
to dress and behave have been matters of habit from earliest childhood.
When once the rules of etiquette are firmly fixed, they become instinctive
and are obeyed unconsciously. The individual then has "good manners." No
one can be easy and graceful who must stop to think how to do things.
Familiarity with form breeds ease and grace of manner. Therefore those who
would be letter perfect must practise the rules of good form at all times
and places. Manners cannot be put on and off like a garment. Moreover, as
has just been said, the politeness that comes of such observance is the
best possible armor against the rudeness or boorishness of the ignorant
and untrained.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 685]
Many books on etiquette are written, most of which are intended for those
in fashionable society who have a number of servants and entertain both
extensively and expensively. Other writers take too much for granted; they
presuppose a knowledge of the subject which the novice who needs
instruction does not possess. This department is intended for those who
desire to add to their knowledge of social forms, who do not wish to
appear ignorant and awkward, and who, in a more limited social sphere,
still wish to entertain properly and pleasantly, and comport themselves in
correct form.
CONCERNING INTRODUCTIONS.
The first and most positive rule in regard to introductions is that a man
is introduced to a woman; never the reverse, no matter how distinguished
the man may be.
The best form is the simplest. "Mrs. A., allow me to introduce Mr. B." If
the introduction has been solicited, the hostess may say "Mrs. A., Mr. B.
desires the honor of knowing you." If either party resides in another
city, she may mention the fact, or any other little circumstance that may
aid the two to enter into conversation. The woman does not rise when a man
is introduced, but if she is standing may offer her hand. To say "How do
you do" is much better form than "Glad to know you" or "Pleased to meet
you,"
The person who performs an introduction should be careful to choose an
opportune moment. Do not interrupt a conversation to introduce another
party, unless, as hostess, you feel it has continued so long that it is
time the talk became more general. It is not courteous to simply
acknowledge an introduction, and not exchange a few words.
Women and Introductions.--In introducing women, the younger is introduced
to the older; if nearly of the same age a distinction is immaterial. Young
girls are introduced to matrons, and the younger matrons to those older.
If a woman is seated when another woman is introduced she should rise and
offer her hand, and then invite the new acquaintance to a seat near her
where they may converse. If a man has been talking with the lady who
rises, he should rise also and remain standing until they are seated, when
he may bow and take himself away unless requested to remain. Generally,
this is the proper moment to leave.
When Calling.--If making a call, and another visitor enters, the lady of
the house rises to greet her and introduces any other guests who may be
present. A man must rise and find a scat for the newcomer, but the women
bow without rising. If only one guest is present, she should rise if the
hostess and latest caller remain standing, or if a change of seats seems
desirable. Introductions of this kind are semi-formal; they do not
establish a later acquaintance unless both are agreeable; the social
intent is to bridge over a situation that might seem awkward. However,
many pleasant friendships have been made by such casual encounters at the
house of a mutual friend.
[686 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
On the other hand, if two women who are not on friendly terms happen thus
to meet and are introduced, it would be a most grievous breach of
etiquette not to acknowledge the introduction courteously and exchange a
remark or two. Neither has a right to embarrass a hostess by airing a
private animosity under the roof of a friend--or in society generally.
General lntroductions.--The only "collective" introduction possible is
that of a speaker or essayist to an audience. At a club meeting or other
assemblage where a stranger is present as guest of honor, the members
should request the hostess or the president of the club to present them
severally.
Men and lntroductions.--Men seldom ask introductions. They have the
privilege of speaking without them. A man's title should always be given
him in an introduction. A man must request permission before bringing
another man to be introduced to a woman or to a friend's house. In the
latter case he will present his companions to the lady of the house and
any of the family who are present; if others arrive, the hostess should
introduce him to them.
After an introduction, the man waits for the woman to recognize him at
their next meeting. She should bow, even if she does not care to establish
an acquaintance. A casual introduction between women may not be recognized
afterwards, though a slight bow is more courteous.
A Few Things Not To Do.--Do not introduce a person as your "'friend." It
is not supposed you will introduce anyone who is not a friend. Moreover,
in certain circles the term friend is employed in naming a companion,
secretary, governess or managing housekeeper to one's guests. In this
connection it may be mentioned that one should not speak of "visiting a
friend" or "staying at a friend's house." Name the person referred to; or
if you do not wish to do so, do not allude to the circumstance. Naturally,
one visits only friends.
The indistinctness with which people who introduce often pronounce a name
is not infrequently the cause of awkwardness. The failure to hear is no
fault on the part of those introduced, but rather a mishap chargeable to
the person who brings them together. In this case, try to think of
something besides "I didn't catch the name;" that is so cut and dried. Say
rather, "I'm sorry, but I didn't understand Mrs. A. when she presented
me." Forgetting a name in the act of introducing someone is a much more
grievous failure; it speaks for your own social unaccustomedness, and is a
poor compliment to the person you introduce. Do not attempt an
introduction unless you are sure of your names.
One of the society woman's most necessary accomplishments is the ability
to remember names and fit them to the individual to whom they belong. It
is an art she should sedulously cultivate.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 687]
It is not etiquette, but misplaced politeness, to perform what may be
termed casual introductions--as in accidental encounters. Never introduce
on the street, unless your acquaintance is to join you. Don't introduce in
a street car or any public conveyance. In "our best
society"--so-called--it is not considered good form to introduce people in
church. People do not go to church for social purposes. In village
neighborhoods and the less fashionable city churches, this rule is often
violated in the vestibule, where acquaintances linger to greet each other
and introductions are not infrequent. But in the body of the church--the
space set apart for purposes of worship--an introduction is wholly out of
place.
Try to remember family relationships and feuds, that you may not attempt
to introduce those at enmity with each other. A woman once introduced, at
a crowded function, two sisters who had not recognized each other for
years, and afterwards exulted in having "made them speak." Their manners
were far superior to hers.
In Company.--At a reception or dinner-party it is perfectly proper for
those who have never been introduced to converse with each other without
such formality. The roof under which they meet confers the privilege.
Indeed, it is often the greatest kindness to speak to a shy person or one
who evidently has few acquaintances present, relieving his embarrassment
and putting him at ease. Not to reply courteously to such overtures is
great rudeness. The story is told of a prominent society woman who
addressed a stranger at such a function and actually received no reply.
Later, the hostess brought up the strange person and introduced her. Then
she explained that, not having been properly introduced, she felt she
could not respond. The society woman quietly remarked, "Oh, was that the
trouble? I thought you were deaf and dumb."
The late H. C. Bunner and the more recently deceased T. B. Aldrich
cherished an aversion for each other. They were not acquainted, but
disliked each other on general principles, both being engaged in literary
work. They happened to meet at an entertainment where Bunner was in the
house of his friends and Aldrich an outsider. Bunner's native kindliness
and courtesy made it impossible for him to see anyone uncomfortable in a
friend's house. He introduced himself, carried Aldrich to his host's
"den," and over a cigar and a glass of "Scotch" began a friendship that
was ended only by death.
School Girls' Etiquette.--Etiquette is not so formal among school girls,
though its form remains the same. Propinquity in classes, and the being
thrown together by mutual aims and interests, excuses informal
friendliness. In some women's colleges there are what may be termed
"unwritten laws"--school traditions--never set down in books but handed on
from class to class. Thus a member of a lower class would not take
precedence of a Senior, either on entering or leaving a room, or at table.
She would introduce her friends, even her parents, to the Senior and to
any member of the Faculty instead of the Senior to them. These little
matters of punctilio have to be learned by observation, or by the grace of
some friendly classmate who happens to be conversant with them.
[688 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CARD AND CALLING ETIQUETTE.
For Women.--Card etiquette has been jocosely termed "going into society in
a pasteboard way." Yet cards have a very essential part in the social
regime. They are the expedient resorted to by the woman with a large
circle of acquaintances and many engagements, for keeping herself in mind.
A card represents a visit, or acknowledges a courtesy in the way of an
invitation, There are well-defined rules which regulate the use of cards,
familiarity with which is necessary to all who have social aspirations.
And the questions most frequently asked by the novice relate to whom and
when they should be sent or left.
A General Rule.--Though calling has, in a degree, "gone out of fashion,"
the general rule is that a woman should call on her friends and
acquaintances once a year. This signifies the desire to continue the
relationship. If she finds her friend at home she gives her name to the
maid and at the conclusion of the visit leaves her card on a table or some
convenient place. If her friend is out, the maid receives her card on a
tray. In each case a visit has been paid and the card is a reminder that
the obligation has been discharged. At this call, if it is the first, or
expected to be the only one of the year, a married woman leaves one of her
cards for each lady in the family, and one of her husband's for each lady
and one for the man of the house. One card, of her husband's may include
several grown daughters. If she calls again during the season, she may
leave her own cards only, though she should acknowledge an invitation
received by her husband by leaving his cards. Cards are never to be handed
to the lady of the house or any member of the family.
After Social Functions.--Now here is the law as regards leaving cards
after social functions: After receiving invitations to receptions,
dinners, luncheons, card parties or evening entertainments, calls are to
be made within a week after the event, whether one has accepted or not.
However, in some localities, it is thought correct to leave cards at the
time if one attends the function, or send them if not attending. It is
safest to ascertain the local custom in advance. The correct etiquette is
to call afterwards.
An invitation to a church wedding necessitates sending cards to those in
whose name the invitation was issued and to the newly wedded pair. The
same is true of announcement cards. Cards for an afternoon tea do not
require reply; those present leave their own cards and those of any member
of the family who was invited but did not attend.
After Absence.--Another use of cards is when one returns home after a long
absence. Cards with one's address are sent to previous acquaintances, as a
notification that the sender wishes to resume her social relations. In
case of a friend's illness, one should call to make personal inquiries,
leaving a card on which is written "To inquire." After a death, cards may
be left or sent, on which it is correct to write "With sincere sympathy."
After the funeral, cards are sent by those bereaved to those who have thus
manifested regard, with the words "With thanks for kind inquiries" or
remembrances.
Thus we see cards are not meaningless, but indicate courtesy, kindly
interest and regard.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 689]
For Men.--Whereas the married man may discharge some of his social
obligations through his wife, the bachelor has no such resource. In
response to every invitation, accepted or otherwise, he must pay a visit,
leaving cards. Unless he does this, his invitations will soon cease.
A man may pay Sunday afternoon visits, as he is not supposed to be at
leisure during the week. An evening call indicates greater intimacy. If he
calls upon a young lady he must leave two cards, one for her and one for
her mother.
Letters of Introduction--Letters of introduction are never presented in
person. The man must call and leave the letter, with his card, but on no
account enter the house. The next step is to be taken by the recipient of
the letter.
At a Hotel.--If a man calls on a lady at a hotel he sends up his card and
waits in a reception room. It is not permissible to write on his card the
name of the member of the family whom he wishes to see. That is to be the
subject of later inquiry.
Styles in Cards.--Styles in cards vary, both for men and women. Usually
the stationer will be a reliable guide as to size and style of engraving.
A printed or written card should never be used, nor, according to strict
etiquette, should acceptances, regrets or informal invitations be written
on cards. Use note paper.
A woman's card should be of medium size and nearly square. Plain script,
Old English or Roman are the only letterings used. Engraved plates, once
obtained, may be used a long time. The street address, if used, is at the
lower right-hand corner. This can be changed on one's plate, if necessary,
by ways known to the maker. Men's cards are much smaller than women's, and
must be engraved. The name is always prefaced by "Mr."
Use of Names.--A married woman uses her husband's full name on her cards.
A widow who happens to be the oldest representative of the family may have
her cards engraved without her own or her husband's name, as "Mrs. Astor;"
this signifies her place as social head of the family. A clergyman's card
may have Rev. as a prefix; a physician's Dr., never M. D. A young girl is
always Miss, and pet names are without social recognition. For a year
after she enters society a girl has her name engraved beneath her
mother's; where there are several daughters "out," "The Misses Smith" may
be engraved under the mother's name. A widow may act her pleasure as to
using her Christian name or her late husband's on her card; the latter is
customary. It would be a social convenience to use the Christian name, as
with the prefix "Mrs." widowhood would be indicated.
[690 MOTHERS' REMEDIES ]
THE ETIQUETTE OF CALLS.
As has been said, a woman is expected to call on her friends once a year
at least. The "Day at Home" has rather gone out of fashion. It imposed an
obligation on the hostess which often proved irksome, interfering with
engagements she might wish to make. If, however, one has "a day," her
friends should so far as possible observe it.
Time and Manner.--The time limit of a call is fifteen or twenty minutes,
not to exceed the latter. This is the protection society affords us from
bores. We can endure even the most tiresome of visitors for fifteen
minutes.
If one does not wish to see callers, the maid or whoever answers the door
should be so informed; the conventional "Not at home" being perfectly
proper; it is merely a polite way of saying it is not convenient to
receive anyone. But for the maid to say "I will see, if Mrs. A is at
home," and return to say she is not at home or not receiving, is a grave
discourtesy. Nor should one keep a visitor waiting while she makes an
elaborate toilette; better say "Not at home." The call counts as a visit
whether the lady is at home or not, and must be returned. It is not
customary to invite a visitor to be seated, to come again, or urge a
longer stay. It is supposed she will take the initiative in these
particulars; and too, that the fact that the two exchange visits warrants
a certain wontedness of habit. Still, among intimates it is by no means
unusual for the hostess to say "Do come again soon; I always enjoy you so
much I should be glad to see more of you," or for the departing visitor to
say: "I shall hope to have the pleasure of seeing you at my home soon."
Men's Demeanor.--A man calling upon a lady either takes his hat and stick
into the reception room with him, or deposits them in the hall; she does
not instruct him what disposition to make of them. He removes his overcoat
of his own volition, or retains it, as he pleases; the lady does not
suggest its removal. This is the strict letter of etiquette. As a matter
of fact, many a man would feel snubbed, and the hostess that she failed in
cordiality, if she failed to invite him to lay aside his coat. One must be
governed by the customs of one's circle. It is safe to say that unless it
is a first call, which is the most formal, in our middle social stratum a
man expects, if he is welcome, to be asked to remove his overcoat.
A man waits for the woman to invite him to call, since it is her privilege
to choose her acquaintances. Such an invitation should not be given too
hastily, nor too soon after a first introduction. It is well not to show
too much eagerness to cultivate the acquaintance, and the woman should be
reasonably sure that the man is desirous of having the pleasure. If
invited, he should avail himself of the permission within a short time, by
way of showing his appreciation of the compliment. Young girls do not
invite young men to call on them; this is their mother's prerogative.
It is more correct in these days when everyone has a telephone, to call up
and inquire whether it will be convenient for the lady to receive callers,
unless, of course, one is paying duty calls, in which case a card
discharges the obligation.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 691]
"Pour Prendre Conge."--In taking leave, it is well not to wait until one
has exhausted the conversational gamut, and "that awful pause" in which
neither seems to have anything to say, occurs. And having risen, do not
"stand upon the order of your going;" do not linger for last words, or
begin a fresh topic at the door, keeping your hostess standing and perhaps
detaining her from other guests. "Parting is such sweet sorrow" in some
cases that it becomes awkward and embarrassing because so prolonged.
Especially does it seem difficult for the youth who has not yet attained
the aplomb which makes him at ease in society, to "tear himself away."
Remember that a too abrupt departure, though regrettable, is better than
one too prolonged.
Girls' Manners.--When the young girl accompanies her mother on a calling
expedition, she waits for the latter to take the initiative in regard to
departure. She must allow the older person to precede her in entering and
leaving, and she must be careful not to monopolize the conversation. Good
manners give precedence to age.
"P. p. c."--The social novice is sometimes puzzled by "P. p. c." written
in the lower corner of a card. The letters stand for the French phrase,
"Pour prendre conge"--to take leave. Such cards are sent when one is to be
absent from home for a considerable period. They are left to be mailed
after departure. Thus the intending traveler is not incommoded by
well-meant but ill-timed calls at an hour when she is most busy. "P. p.
c." cards intimate the acquaintance is to be resumed on the sender's
return.
The custom of turning down the corner to signify the call was made in
person is now entirely obsolete.
First Calls.--It is desirable, when making a first call, to meet the lady
called upon, and it is best to have been properly introduced. In the case
of a stranger, the oldest or most prominent member of the social circle of
the town should call first. A polite expedient by which a newcomer makes
entree into the society of a new place of residence is by sending her
cards to those whom she wishes to know. These are, if possible, to be
accompanied by the card of some well-known friend, who thus becomes her
social sponsor.
[692 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
A first call must be returned, and within two weeks at the outside. Not to
return such a call is a gross breach of etiquette. Even if one does not
wish or intend to keep up the acquaintance the return call must be made.
After this call she may act her pleasure. If a newcomer extends an
invitation to an older resident, she should at once leave cards and send a
regret or an acceptance. If the invitation comes through a friend, and she
is unacquainted with the hostess, she must call soon; but if the call is
not returned, or another invitation extended, she must understand the
acquaintance is ended. The newcomer may invite her late hostess to some
affair at her own house, and if the invitation is accepted, may understand
the acquaintance is established.
A stranger often finds her social progress slow unless she has
acquaintances in her new location who can help place her where she wishes
to be. The easiest way is to identify herself with some church, attend
regularly, and the pastor calling on the new member of his congregation
and finding her acceptable, will ask some of the ladies of the church to
call. These calls should be returned within two weeks; it would be a
discourtesy to the pastor not to acknowledge them.
INVITATIONS.
The Formal Invitation.--A dinner-party is the most formal and most
important of all social functions. We may invite all our acquaintances to
a ball or a reception. We may select more carefully for our teas and
luncheons, but the dinner is reserved as the greatest compliment to be
paid those we wish to honor. Therefore an immediate acceptance or regret
must be sent, and nothing but illness, accident or death should prevent us
from presenting ourselves. If such obstacles intervene, immediate notice
should be given the hostess, that she may supply the place at her table
thus made vacant.
Do not write you will "try to come;" that you will come but your husband
will not be able to do so, or in any way make your acceptance conditional.
Your hostess may wish to invite another couple; she must know who will be
present that she may arrange her table accordingly. Nothing is so annoying
to a hostess as to be obliged to rearrange her table because of some
slight excuse on the part of a guest who has once accepted,
Do not forget that an invitation to dinner is the highest social
compliment, and value it accordingly; also answer at once.
Formulas for Invitations.
The formula for a dinner invitation is this:
Mr. and Mrs. John Henry Smith
request the pleasure of
Mr. and Mrs. George Brown's company at dinner,
127 Blank Avenue.
on March fifteenth at seven o'clock.
This invitation may be written on note paper or engraved on a card.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 693]
The correct form of reply is this:
Mr. and Mrs. George Brown
accept with pleasure the polite invitation of
Mr. and Mrs. John Henry Smith for dinner
on March fifteenth, at seven o'clock.
If the dinner is in honor of guests, the formula may be:
To meet
Mr. and Mrs. William Dash,
Mr. and Mrs. John Henry Smith request the pleasure of
Miss Anderson's
company at dinner,
on Wednesday, January twenty-sixth,
at seven o'clock.
R. S. V. P. 91 East Ninety-fourth street.
If the invitation must be declined, this form may be observed:
Mr. and Mrs. Brown
regret that owing to a previous engagement
they are unable to accept
Mr. and Mrs. John Henry Smith's
very kind invitation
for Tuesday evening, March fifteenth.
Any other reason, as illness, proposed absence, or the like, may be
substituted for a "previous engagement."
In acknowledging invitations it is better to err on the side of
over-politeness than the reverse.
If a dance or theatre party is to follow the dinner, words indicating the
fact are written across the lower part of the card or in the lower
left-hand corner.
"R. s v. p." stands for the French phrase, "Respondez, sit vous
plait,"--meaning that a reply is desired.
[694 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Replies.--The reply to an invitation should be in the same form as the
invitation; thus if in the third person the reply should also be made in
the third person. Such invitations are the most formal. The reply is to be
addressed according to the wording of the invitation: thus if Mr. and Mrs.
John Henry Smith issue it, address the reply to them; if Mrs. John Henry
Smith's name alone appears, address it to her. The same rule applies to a
wedding invitation. The acknowledgement is sent to the parties issuing the
invitation, not to those to be married.
Must Not Ask Invitations.--It is not allowable to ask for an invitation to
a dinner, a luncheon or a card party for a guest or friend. These are
functions arranged for a definite number of guests; to include another
person is not possible. If your hostess knows you have a guest, she will,
if her arrangements make it practicable, include her; if not, there is no
slight to you or your guest. The presence of a guest does not excuse one
from a dinner, luncheon or card party, the invitation having been already
accepted. Provide some pleasure for your friend, or leave her to a quiet
evening at home.
In case a guest drops out at the last moment, as sometimes happens, one
may ask a very intimate friend, a relative, or some member of the family
to fill the vacant seat. Such a "last minute" invitation is no compliment:
one knows she is simply a substitute, but good sense and kindliness should
prompt the recipient to help out in the dilemma, which may happen to her
next time.
Other Particulars.--Dinner invitations are issued in the name of the host
and hostess, so also those for luncheons to which both men and women are
invited. Invitations to teas, card and garden parties, "at homes," balls,
and women's luncheons are in the name of the hostess alone.
Guests should present themselves punctually at the hour named in a dinner
or luncheon invitation, allowing themselves just time to remove wraps,
etc., before the meal is announced. It is almost unpardonable to be late.
Invitations are sent to people in mourning after the month following
bereavement, not because acceptance is expected, but as a compliment,
except that cards for dinners, luncheons and balls are not sent. Wedding
cards and announcements, and cards for large general receptions are sent.
During the year of mourning people thus remembered send cards with a
narrow black border in acknowledgment.
Unless an entertainment is exclusively for women, an invitation to a
married woman should include her husband. That he is personally unknown to
the hostess does not matter.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 695]
INFORMAL INVITATIONS.
Invitations by telephone are permissible for informal affairs, but why a
woman should spend hours at the telephone, calling up various parties and
losing her temper over "Central's" dilatoriness when she could sit
comfortably at her desk and write notes, is difficult to understand.
Whereas the formal luncheon invitation simply substitutes the word
"luncheon" for "dinner," the informal invitation is written in the first
person and requires a reply in the same form. It may be said again that
the response should follow the form of the invitation; this is an
invariable rule. This model is usually employed:
My dear Mrs. Henderson:
Will you and Mr. Henderson dine with us informally on Tuesday
evening, January twenty-seventh, at half-past six o'clock?
Trusting we may have the pleasure of seeing you, I am,
Yours sincerely,
Mary Bronson.
In reply the recipient will write:
My dear Mrs. Bronson:
Mr. Henderson and I accept, with much pleasure your very kind
invitation to dine with you on Tuesday evening, January
twenty-seventh, at half past six o'clock.
Yours sincerely,
Helen Henderson.
If the invitation is for luncheon, that word is substituted; afternoon
written in the place of evening, and Mr. Henderson is left out. In an
acceptance, one should repeat the date and hour, that no mistake may
occur. If the invitation must be declined, it is not correct to explain
the nature of the engagement or whatever reason occurs for refusal. We say
we "are unable to accept," not that we "will not be able;" the refusal
rests in the present.
An invitation sent by mail is enclosed in an envelope addressed to Mr. and
Mrs. A., and then in an outer envelope bearing full name and address.
Informal notes of invitation are written on one's best note-paper and no
outer envelope used.
Afternoon Tea.--The afternoon tea is a favorite method of paying off
social debts. Elaborate refreshments are not served. Tea is poured at the
dining table, by some friends asked to do so--it is thought quite a
compliment to be asked "to pour" For a very informal "at home" the hostess
may have a small table at hand and herself offer a cup of tea to her
visitors. For such a small affair she sends her visiting card with the
date written in the lower left hand corner. If many guests are expected
servants must be at hand to remove soiled dishes and replenish the tea and
cakes.
In acknowledgment of invitations, it is highly improper to send your card
with "regrets" written on it. An invitation is a courtesy offered; it must
be received courteously. You regret you "must decline the pleasure" of
accepting somebody's "kind--or polite--invitation."
[696 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Verbal Invitation.--Verbal invitations do not count for much. "Come
and dine with us some day" has no standing among invitations. The day and
hour must be named if it is to be reckoned with. And then--suppose the
hostess forgets she has given the invitation, or she prepares for a guest
who does not come! Except among very intimate friends the verbal
invitation should be looked upon with great caution. A verbal invitation
should be followed by a note repeating it.
WEDDING INVITATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
The number of wedding invitations often must conform to the size of the
church or the house, and to the character of the wedding. If it is to be a
large one, cards are usually sent as liberally as possible. An invitation
to the church may not invite to the reception at the house afterwards,
which may necessarily be limited because of the size of the house or the
means of the family. No guest receiving cards for the church should let
herself feel aggrieved because of failure to receive the other. Answers to
invitations should invariably be sent; many omit this, not thinking it
necessary, but why not?
Announcement cards are sent to everyone you know, or, more properly, to
all those whom you wish to recognize socially. It is quite correct to send
them to people you know but slightly. They are mailed immediately after
the wedding. They imply no obligation in the way of gift or reply. If an
"at home" card is enclosed, calls are expected.
Correct Form.
Wedding invitations of course must be engraved. The following form is
employed:
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Harmon
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Harriet
to
Mr. Harrison Richard Ames
on Thursday, the sixth of January,
at twelve o'clock.
Church of the Messiah.
If the wedding is at home, the street and number are given in place of the
church.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 697]
If the bride has no mother, the invitations are issued in the name of the
father; if no father, the mother's name is used. If an orphan, invitations
are issued in the name of the nearest of kin in the town where the wedding
occurs. If a married sister and her husband issue, the words "their
sister" are used. If a girl has a stepfather her own name is engraved in
full. Announcement cards follow the same rules as to who issues them, and
are couched in these words:
Mr. and Mrs. Hughson Smith
announce the marriage of their sister
Bettina
to
Mr. James Rhodes Grayson,
on Monday, the tenth of January,
Nineteen hundred and ten,
at the Church of the Messiah,
in the City of Cleveland.
For a home wedding, this formula is correct:
My dear Mrs. Jennings:
My daughter Julia is to be married to Mr. George Bronson Holmes on
Monday, the tenth of January, at twelve o'clock, and it will give Mr.
Brush and myself much pleasure if you and Mr. Jennings will come.
Yours sincerely,
Eleanor Graves Brush.
For informal church weddings, with small reception to follow, or for a
simple home wedding, most people prefer to use the engraved cards, but
personal notes may with perfect propriety take their place. For a home
wedding, the above formula is correct.
The Bridegroom's Family.
In inviting the bridegroom's parents by note, the mother may write: "Will
you and Mr. Holmes come to the quiet informal wedding of my daughter Julia
and your son on Monday," etc. Such invitations are written by the mother.
Other members of the family are included by adding "you and Mr. Jennings
and your daughter will come." Written invitations may follow the form of
the engraved, but for a small wedding at home, which will be of course
more or less informal, the personal form seems more in keeping.
Other Items.
Formal wedding invitations and announcements are addressed, one to the
head of the family, Mr. and Mrs. Jones; one to Miss Jones, or to The
Misses Jones, if there are several daughters, and one to each young man of
the family.
Note that the year is given in an announcement, but not in an invitation.
Announcements are engraved on note-paper, as in the case of invitations.
[698 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
A double wedding, which requires two ceremonies, also requires two sets of
invitations and announcements.
It is quite correct for a girl who has been employed in an office to send
an announcement of her marriage to her former employer, but if he is
married, it must be addressed to "Mr. and Mrs." So-and-So.
Do not abbreviate in writing notes of invitation, nor permit it on
engraved invitations. Doctor, Judge, Reverend, are to be in full. Mr.
before a man's name is the only abbreviation permitted. The names of the
month, day, year, and of the street or avenue are written out in full.
DINNERS AND LUNCHEONS
FORMAL DINNERS.
"A fig for your bill of fare; show me your bill of company,"
As has already been remarked, we ask our "dear Five Hundred" to our balls
and receptions, reserving our dinner invitations for those whom we
particularly wish to compliment. The dinner we provide is by no means of
the comfortable "pot-Iuck" kind. It is, in society, an elaborate and
expensive form of entertainment. A dinner to eight people, not specially
elaborate and without wines, rarely costs the giver less than $25 or $30,
and may easily run much higher. It requires delicacies for the palate,
flowers and bonbons and other decorations for the table, and ceremonious
serving. The finest of linen, cut glass and silver adorn it, and the
repast may easily be prolonged through two or more hours. Such a dinner is
served in courses; begins with an appetizer, extends through soup, fish,
joint, salad and dessert courses at the very least, and ends with coffee,
served at the table or in some other apartment--the library or drawing
room--where the guests converse over their cups.
Such a meal cannot be prepared or served without competent service in the
kitchen and dining-room. The cook must know how to prepare every dish in
the best manner, and have it ready at the right moment; the waiter must be
experienced and noiseless. The hostess must have such perfect confidence
that everything will progress in perfect and proper order that she can
give her full attention to the guests,
Serving the Dinner.--Let us suppose a dinner for eight people is to be
served. The ceremonious dinner, the world over, is served a la Russe, that
is, according to the Russian fashion. By this fashion nothing but the
covers--a term which includes the china, silver and glass at each
plate--flowers, dishes of bonbons, salted nuts and olives, occasionally
small cakes, are on the table when the guests are seated,
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 699]
The hostess has inspected the table, after it is laid, seeing that
everything is correct, Silver must have had a fresh polish, the cut glass
must shine and sparkle, There must be plenty of light, yet no glare; to
prevent this, ground glass globes on the electric lights are preferred.
The hostess herself will arrange the place cards, separating married
people, and in so far as possible so seating her guests that each may be
pleased with his or her neighbor. The centerpiece is of flowers; for this
never choose a strongly scented flower like hyacinths or narcissi. The
heat, the odor of the food, combined with the scent of the flowers, may
induce lethargy, so that the dinner may be "garnished with stupidity."
There must be a service plate at each place. These are to be as handsome
as you can afford. At the side of this is laid the dinner napkin, within
which a roll is folded. The guest removes the napkin, unfolding it for
use. The waitress removes the service plate and puts down another on which
is a grapefruit, vermouth, or other kind of cocktail. This plate and glass
removed, there comes another plate, and little dishes of caviarre are
passed. These plates also disappear, others are substituted, and soup is
served. After the soup is eaten the soup plates are removed, leaving the
other plates, and celery and radishes and salted nuts and olives are
passed, not necessarily all, but at least two, say celery and olives; nuts
and radishes. If the little individual almond dishes are used, of course
the salted nuts will not be passed.
These plates are again changed when the fish is served, the rule being
that at no time during the dinner must a guest be without a plate before
him until the table is cleared for dessert. Moreover, the waitress, in
placing plates that have a monogram or heraldic device for decoration,
must so place the plate before each guest that the design faces him. In
taking up the plates, one is taken up with the right hand while with the
left the waitress replaces it with another; one plate is never placed upon
another.
The fish, meat, and other courses are served from the pantry, the portions
being arranged for convenience in helping, and garnished with parsley or
lemon. The dish is passed first to the guest seated at the host's right
hand, next to the one on the left, and afterwards in regular rotation,
irrespective of sex. All service is at the left; this leaves the guest's
right hand in position to help himself. The waitress holds the dish upon a
folded napkin on the flat of her hand, and low down. Vegetables are passed
in the same fashion.
You will see how much depends upon having well trained servants at such a
dinner. The service must be without haste, yet without delay; there must
be no clatter of china and silver, no awkwardness in removing plates, etc.
The waitress must be quick to refill glasses or supply whatever is needed.
[700 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Help Required.--A dinner to twelve or fourteen guests cannot be served
properly without two or three waiters--usually men at such large
dinners--and additional help in the kitchen. So much thought and anxiety
are required for the success of a home dinner party that it is small
wonder many prefer to add a little to the expense, in cities at least, and
order a dinner for the requisite number at hotel or club, where the
responsibility rests with the management after the details of the menu are
settled. Such a dinner is less of a compliment to one's guests than the
entertainment at one's own home, however; and why should one possess
stores of beautiful and expensive furnishings without their use?
One dinner generally means another a short time afterwards, since in
selecting the small number who can be entertained one must necessarily
leave out others who have equal claims to hospitality and whose sense of
being slighted must be appeased. And if the hostess is socially prominent
she may find herself embarked on a course of entertainments that will tax
her time and her funds to a considerable degree.
Invitations to a dinner must be sent at least two weeks in advance. As has
already been stated, an immediate and unconditional acceptance or regret
is demanded.
Precedence.--At these formal dinners, the question of precedence engages
the hostess's attention, If all the guests are about on equal terms, the
host takes out the oldest or most prominent lady, seating her at his
right. The other, guests are paired off according to the hostess's ideas
of social propriety or congeniality. No man ever takes his wife in to
dinner. The place of honor for men is at the hostess's right hand. Dinner
cards, legibly written, are placed on the napkins. The men draw out the
chairs and seat the ladies, then seat themselves. Generally, at a small
dinner, the hostess tells each man before leaving the drawing room, whom
he is to take out: at large functions, he finds in the men's cloak room an
envelope addressed to him containing the lady's name. He seeks out his
partner and gives her his arm when dinner is announced.
Be Prompt.--It is almost unpardonable for a guest to be late at a dinner.
The arrival should be within fifteen minutes of the time named on the
invitation, never earlier. The hostess must be ready in ample time, and
must appear calm and untroubled. Nervousness bespeaks the novice in
entertaining. Generally, however, even if the affair passes off without
any contretemps she is ready to say "Thank heaven it's over!"
Now this is not to say that one may not serve a good and very enjoyable
dinner or luncheon to a few friends, without as much trouble and expense
as are here indicated. This is simply to state how such meals are served,
formally and informally. Knowing the proper procedure one may adopt as
much or as little as her circumstances and style of living warrant.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 701]
THE INFORMAL DINNER
The informal dinner resembles the formal, save that fewer courses are
served, the menu is simpler, and the decorations less elaborate. The
serving is on the same order--a la Russe. If one is fortunate enough to
have a maid who combines the experience of a waitress with the qualities
of a good cook, by ingenious planning it is possible to serve six persons
acceptably in the approved fashion.
But there are thousands of households in which but one maid is kept, and
in this case what may be termed "the family dinner" will be found better,
because there will be no endeavor to do more than one can accomplish with
the means at her command. Better by far serve well and simply than attempt
something more elaborate and fall short in it.
Family Dinners.--At the family dinner, the grape fruit or oyster cocktail,
or the raw oysters which form the first course, is on the table when the
guests are seated. The grape fruit may be served in glasses, like the
cocktail. If oysters are served, the maid passes the condiments. She then
removes these plates, replacing them with service plates as she does so,
and brings in the soup. This the hostess serves and the maid carries
about. While this is being eaten--celery or olives being passed after the
guests are helped--the maid slips out in the kitchen to dish up the
vegetables unless these are already in the warmer. Returning, she removes
the soup-plates, never taking more than two at a time. She then brings on
the joint or roast, placing it before the host, who proceeds to serve it.
(If oysters are served first, a fish course is generally omitted; indeed,
so many courses tax one's resources too severely.) The maid carries about
the dinner plates, removing the service plate with the right hand and
placing the other with the left. She then passes the vegetables. The
serving begins with the lady at the host's right hand. If the piece de
resistance is a turkey, white and dark meat and a portion of dressing are
placed on each plate; gravy and the vegetables, then cranberry or currant
jelly, are passed. Here the waitress should refill water glasses.
The plates are then removed for the salad course, and the table cleared.
This should be ready on the plates, and kept where it will be perfectly
cold. While this is being brought on, the hostess will start dishes of
salted nuts and bonbons down the table, the guests passing them. After the
salad the plates are removed and the dessert brought in. This may be a
mould of ice cream or a pudding; pie is seldom or never served. This the
host or hostess serves. The coffee service may be brought in, and the
hostess pours it; little cakes or wafers, or mints, are usually passed
with it; then the maid is excused from further service. The hostess always
gives the signal for leaving the table by a slight nod toward the lady on
her husband's right, and rising.
[702 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Requirements.--A dinner of this kind requires a serving-table or sideboard
where china and silver may be in readiness. Such an aid is even more
indispensable where the hostess serves the meal herself. Many very
enjoyable "company dinners" are served where the hostess is also the cook,
and she and her husband serve. If one has daughters they should be taught
how to serve, and may rise from the table to change plates and bring in
courses with perfect propriety. In such case, the soup is served at the
table and, as it is awkward to pass without spilling, some one should
carry it about if more than two or three guests are present. The roast or
fowl is carved by the host; vegetables are on the table and are passed
from hand to hand. After this course the hostess, or the daughter
delegated to do this, clears the table and brings in the salad. The
dessert follows. Coffee is occasionally served with the meat course, but
it is better to bring it on with the dessert. Cups, etc., should be in
readiness on the side table, to be transferred to the table. There should
be an apparent absence of formality at such a meal, though everything
should progress in regular order, systematically, quietly, without orders
or clash. Above all things, see that everything likely to be wanted is at
hand; nothing looks worse than someone jumping up to get some article that
has been forgotten. If dishes, spoons or forks must be washed during the
progress of the meal, have warm water ready in the kitchen, wash them
quickly, and wipe them out of cold water; then their heat will not betray
your limited resources.
Setting the Table.--The "best cloth" and napkins are brought out for the
dinner party. The cloth must be laid with mathematical exactness, its
center exactly on the center of the table. The centerpiece, almost
invariably of flowers, only occasionally of fruit, is also exactly placed.
This should be low; it is awkward not to be able to see one's vis-a-vis,
and the hostess should be able to command an uninterrupted view of her
table, so that if the waitress omits any service she may by a glance
direct her to supply it. The arrangement should be graceful and pretty,
and, in summer, garden flowers may be used with propriety. The flowers
give the keynote of the color scheme; dinner cards, bonbons, ices and
creams and the decorations of the small cakes usually served with the
dessert, conform to it. Candelabra are less used than at one time, but are
by no means "out." A handsome silver candelabra may be used as a
centerpiece, its base banked in flowers. On a square or oblong table,
candlesticks with shades give a touch of color that relieves the whiteness
of napery and glass.
There is a plate--your handsomest--at each place; a napkin squarely folded
and lying flat; a row of forks at the left, oyster fork outside, then fish
fork, dinner and salad fork, four in all, laid in the order in which they
will be used. Knives are at the right of the napkin, always two, a large
and a small one. Fashion has re-introduced the steel-bladed knife for the
meat course; it is surprising to notice how much more tender meat is than
it used to be when we tried to cut it with the silver knives. The
soup-spoon is laid at the top of the plate. The salad fork may be brought
in with the salad if preferred, spoons with the dessert and coffee. Grape
fruit is eaten with an orange spoon, laid at the right. No "fancy folding"
of napkins is permissible. The glasses stand at the top of the plate, a
little to the right. Small cut glass or fancy dishes containing the
relishes are placed near the corners of the table within the circle of
plates if the table is square; if it is round they are so arranged so as
to balance each other in the form of a square. There may be two of nuts
and two of stuffed olives or of bonbons. Individual salt cellars are at
the top of the plate; a roll is folded in the napkin, sometimes laid on
the bread-and-butter plate, which is placed at the left. Such rolls should
be small and well-baked. At formal dinners no butter is served, and the
plates are omitted. Finger bowls are brought in after the ices or the
pudding. They are on a small plate on which is a doily, and the fruit
knife, if to be used, is on the plate. The guest lays bowl and doily at
his right, lifting the two together, the plate being for fruit, if any is
served. If no fruit, the bowl is left on the plate.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 703]
LUNCHEONS.
The luncheon is a less elaborate function than the dinner, but ranks next
it in point of compliment and display. The "stand-up" or buffet luncheon
is much less popular than formerly, in fact even at the so-called buffet
luncheons the guests are now seated at small tables accommodating four.
Invitations are sent out ten days or two weeks in advance, and require
prompt replies.
Formal Luncheons.--Save in a less elaborate menu, the formal luncheon
differs very little from the dinner, except that the latter is at seven
o'clock, and the luncheon almost invariably at one. The menu generally
begins with grape fruit, served in glasses on small plates and doilies,
and on the table when the guests are seated. An orange spoon is used. The
table is set as for dinner, save that less silver is laid. Bouillon,
served in bouillon cups, with a spoon on the saucer may follow. Then may
come lobster a la Newburg; sweet-breads and peas; salad; ices and coffee.
In place of the sweet-breads one may serve squab on toast, fillet of beef,
or broiled chicken; peas, beets, and potatoes cut in balls and cooked in
deep fat may accompany anyone of these. The meat, cut in portions, and
surrounded by mounds of the vegetables, is often served from a large
platter, from which the guests help themselves. The hostess is served
first; this is, that, in case any unfamiliar dish is served, she may show
how it is to be handled. The lady on her right is next in order of
serving. The same etiquette in regard to serving, changing plates, etc.,
is observed as at the dinner, save that the rolls are on bread-and-butter
plates instead of being folded in the napkin. The decorations, ornamental
dishes, candies, and the like are used as at a dinner.
Minor Particulars.--The roast never figures at a luncheon; the courses
consist largely of what are called entrees, the idea being that the repast
is of a lighter character than a dinner. The salad is a special feature;
it may be chicken, Waldorf, fruit, or any kind preferred, but must be
carefully studied in its relation to the other dishes.
[704 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The guests keep on their hats during the luncheon, removing the gloves as
they are seated; at an informal luncheon the gloves are removed in the
dressing room.
Very often bridge or some other card game follows the luncheon. If not,
guests are not expected to remain more than half an hour after leaving the
table.
The luncheon--never say lunch--is a favorite form of entertainment for
girls. In this case the dishes served are light and delicate. Mushrooms on
toast, oyster patties or croquettes, a salad, and ices; the menu prefaced
by grape fruit and bouillon, are often thought sufficient for a girl's
luncheon. Sweets are served freely for them.
It is no longer thought correct to go to extremes in carrying out a "color
scheme." Sandwiches are not tied up with ribbons, nor cakes colored to
correspond with the preferred hue. Flowers, ices, and the decorations on
the small cakes passed with the dessert are quite sufficient. Candles, if
used, should have shades to correspond.
Large Luncheons.--The large luncheon has few friends these days; it is too
heterogeneous an affair. Those invited feel it is an easy way of paying
off social obligations; few find it entirely enjoyable. There is more or
less of a crush; one experiences difficulty in finding a table and being
served; it is not appetizing to note evidences that others have eaten at
the same table and departed. And one is likely to be seated with the wrong
people and thus miss much that belongs with and makes pleasant the smaller
affair.
No woman need hesitate at inviting a few friends to have luncheon with
her. She may prepare a simple meal, and if it is nicely served and she
herself gives the cordiality and the conversational impetus that "keeps
things going," her guests will find it enjoyable. She may adopt as much of
the regular method of serving as befits her home and its resources, but
she must make her table as beautiful as possible, and she must not serve
"stewed hostess."
TABLE ETIQUETTE.
We have seen how a table should be laid and a meal served; now let us see
how it should be eaten:
There is no situation in which one's good breeding is so much in evidence
as at the table. For that reason, mothers should begin to train their
children in infancy to correct usage. As soon as a child is able to hold a
spoon and fork, he should be taught how to hold them properly, and the
training should be continued until the right habit is established.
One should not be seated until the lady of the house is seated, unless
especially requested to do so. Children should observe this rule as
rigidly as that which requires the removal of the hat on entering the
house.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 705]
At the Table.--On being seated, the napkin is unfolded and laid across the
lap. It is more correct to only unfold one-half, that is, open it at the
center fold. One is not supposed to require further protection than from
the accidental crumb. On no account should it be used as a bib, or be
tucked in the dress or waistcoat.
Grape fruit is eaten from an orange spoon. If oysters are served raw, they
must not be cut but eaten whole.
Soup must be taken from the side of the spoon, quietly, with no hissing or
other sound, nor should the spoon be so full that it drips over. The
motion of the spoon in filling it, is away from instead of towards the
person; and tilting the plate to secure the last spoonful is bad form.
Crackers are never served with soup: croutons--small squares of bread
toasted very hard and brown, or small H. & P. biscuits are passed. These
are never put into the soup, but are eaten from the hand. Neither soup nor
fish should be offered the second time.
Fish is generally eaten with a fork and a bit of bread, though silver fish
knives are in occasional use. The entree which follows the fish should be
eaten with the fork only. A mouthful of meat is cut as required; it is
never buried in potato or any vegetable and then conveyed to the mouth.
Vegetables are no longer served in "birds' bath-tubs," as some wit once
called the individual vegetable dishes, but are cooked sufficiently dry to
be served on the plate with the meat. All vegetables are eaten with the
fork, so also jellies, chutney, etc., served with the meat course.
Using the Fork.--The fork laid farthest from the plate is to be used for
the first course requiring such a utensil; the others are used in their
order. The knife is held in the right hand; by the handle, not the blade.
The fork should not be held like a spoon, or a shovel, but more as one
would hold a pencil or pen; it is raised laterally to the mouth. The elbow
is not to be projected, or crooked outward, in using either knife or fork;
that is a very awkward performance. The fork should never be
over-burdened. The knife is never lifted to the mouth; it is said that
"only members of the legislature eat pie with a knife nowadays." The
handle of neither knife or fork may rest on the table nor the former be
laid across the edge of the plate.
Tender meat, like the breast of chickens, may be cut with the fork. A bone
is never taken in the fingers, the historic anecdote about Queen Victoria
to the contrary notwithstanding. The table manners of the twentieth
century are not Early Victorian. Olives and celery are correctly laid on
the bread-and-butter plate. The former is never dipped in one's salt
cellar; a small portion of salt is put on the edge of the plate; both are
eaten from the fingers.
[706 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Vegetables, Fruits, etc.--Green corn is seldom served on the cob at
ceremonious dinners. If it is served, it is to be broken in medium-sized
pieces and eaten from the cob, a rather messy process, and one not pretty
to observe. The fastidious avoid it. If eaten, the piece is held between
the fingers of one hand. To take an unbroken ear in both hands and gnaw
the length of it suggests the manners of an animal never named in polite
society.
It is correct to take up asparagus by the stalk, and eat it from the
fingers, but the newer and more desirable custom is to cut off the edible
portion with knife and fork. Lettuce is never cut with a knife; a fork is
used, the piece rolled up and conveyed to the mouth.
Hard cheese may be eaten from the fingers; soft cheeses, like Neufchatel,
Brie, and the like, are eaten with the fork, or a bit is spread on a
morsel of bread and conveyed to the mouth with the fingers.
A soft cake is eaten with a fork. The rule is that whatever can be eaten
with a fork shall be so eaten.
Roman punch and sherbets require a spoon. Berries, peaches and cream,
custards, preserves, jellies, call for the spoon. Strawberries are often
served as a first course in their season. They are then arranged with
their hulls and a portion of stem left on, dipped in powdered sugar and
eaten from the fingers. A little mound of the sugar is pressed into shape
in the center of the small plate and the berries laid around it.
Peaches, pears, and apples are peeled with the fruit knife, cut in
quarters or eighths, and eaten from the fingers. Bananas are stripped of
the skin, cut in pieces with a fork and eaten from it. Oranges are cut in
two across the sections and eaten with an orange spoon. Plums, like
olives, are eaten by biting off the pulp without taking the stone in the
mouth. Pineapple, unless shredded or cut up, requires both knife and fork;
it is usually prepared for more convenient eating. Grapes, which should be
washed by letting water from the faucet run over them and laid on a folded
towel until the moisture drips off, are eaten from behind the half-closed
hand, which receives the skins and seeds, then to be deposited on the
plate.
If the small cup of coffee--the demi-tasse--is served, the small
after-dinner coffee spoon is necessary. Cream is seldom served with the
black coffee--cafe noir--with which a meal concludes, cut loaf sugar is
passed.
The Spoon.--The spoon must never be left in the cup, no matter what
beverage is served. Most of us have seen some absent-minded individual (we
will charitably suppose him absent-minded instead of ignorant), stir his
coffee round and round and round, creating a miniature whirlpool and very
likely slopping it over into the saucer; then, prisoning the spoon with a
finger, drink half the cup's contents at a gulp. To do this is positively
vulgar. Stir the coffee or tea very slightly, just enough to stir the
cream and sugar with it, then drink in sips. To take either from the
teaspoon is bad form. Bread is broken, not cut, and only a small portion
buttered at a time. Do not play with bread crumbs or spoon, etc., during
the progress of a meal. Leave knife and fork on the plate, handles side by
side, when it is passed for a second helping, and at a conclusion of a
course, or the meal, lay them in the same position, points of the fork
upward.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 707]
Finger Bowls.--When finger bowls are brought, the tips of the fingers are
dipped in the bowl and dried on the napkin. Men may lift the moistened
fingers to the lips; women seldom do this, but wipe the lips with the
napkin. At any function the napkin is not folded, but laid at the side of
the plate at the conclusion of the repast. If a guest for a day or so, or
for more than one meal, note what your hostess does with her napkin and
follow her. If a guest at only one meal, never fold the napkin. Be careful
not to throw it down so carelessly that it is stained with coffee, fruit,
or fruit juices; your hostess will thank you for your consideration.
Be ready to rise when your hostess rises; you do not push your chair into
place; simply rise and leave it. Rise on the side of your chair so you
will not have to go around it in following your hostess to the drawing
room.
RECEPTIONS.
When invitations are sent out for a reception, the recipient dons her
handsomest afternoon gown for the occasion. This may be a dressy tailored
suit; by this is meant one not severely simple; or she may wear some
handsome trained gown under a long coat. Small cards for presentation at
the door are sometimes enclosed with invitations to a large reception or
buffet luncheon, since "the pushers" have been known to present themselves
at such functions without having been invited. These cards are handed to
the man who opens the carriage door. An awning extends from the door to
the curb, and strips of carpet are laid under it, A maid opens the door
and directs guests to the dressing room, where wraps are laid aside, hats
and gloves being retained.
Receiving.--The hostess stands near the door of the drawing room,
welcoming her guests with hand and smile. Next to her stand the ladies who
receive with her. During the hour of arrival there is seldom opportunity
for more than a word of greeting, and one should not linger but pass on
down the line. A reception is often given to some visiting stranger, who
is introduced by the hostess.
The guests then circulate through the rooms, greeting acquaintances, and
drifting eventually to the dining room, where refreshments are served.
They may stay as long as they find it agreeable, within the hours named on
the card of invitation, but people seldom stay more than an hour.
The hostess remains near the door after the rush is over to greet the
belated guest and bid adieu to those who are leaving.
[708 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Decorations.--It is usual to decorate the rooms with flowers, and the
services of the florist as well as the caterer are required if it is a
large affair. Cards are usually left, as a token that one has been
present, but in this case a card is manifestly not a visit, since it would
be absurd for a woman to invite fifty, a hundred, or even five hundred
people, who would expect her to call on them afterwards. Cards are sent by
those who do not attend, on the day. A reception given for forty or fifty
people is less formal, perhaps, but requires flowers--in less
profusion--and refreshments. The awning may be dispensed with if the day
is fine, but seldom is. The door must be promptly opened, and the maid
remains at her post during the affair if there are many guests, to open it
for those who leave as well as those who arrive.
HOSPITALITY IN THE HOME.
"There is an emanation from the heart in genuine hospitality which cannot
be described, but is immediately felt, and puts the stranger at once at
his ease."
--Washington Irving.
Were we to look up the meaning of the word hospitality in the dictionary,
we would find it defined as the act of receiving and entertaining guests
kindly, generously, and gratuitously, without expectation of reward.
According to such a definition, much that passes for hospitality in the
social realm does not deserve the name. Society is a give-and-take
arrangement, somewhat resembling the gift exchange we practise at
Christmas. If you do not give you do not get; if you do not entertain you
are not invited, unless it is understood that circumstances prevent your
doing so. Then one is asked for what one can contribute in the way of good
company, promotion of gayety, and the like. One "pays her way" by being
agreeable, well gowned, popular. Thus, in a way, much social hospitality
is merely social bargaining. The woman who feels indebted to her
circle--or circles, for these impinge upon each other--gives a large
reception or "at home." She can seldom do more than welcome the coming and
speed the parting guest. Her greeting is "So delighted to see you here;"
her farewell, "Good-bye; so glad you were able to come." Her guests have
greeted each other in much the same casual fashion, have had some
refreshments warranted to destroy their appetite for dinner; have shown a
handsome gown and hat--and perhaps had the former injured in the crush.
One is reminded of Bunthorne's "Hollow! Hollow! Hollow!!"
Real Hospitality.--Quite different is this from what we offer when we
invite our friends to visit us. Here is genuine hospitality--the receiving
and entertaining gratuitously those whose companionship we enjoy. One of
the chief joys of having one's own home is the pleasure of being able to
welcome one's friends and afford them the privilege of enjoying it also.
An invitation of this kind means we are willing to incommode ourselves,
incur expense, and give a measure of our time to the entertainment of
those of our friends whose society we wish to enjoy familiarly. Thus it
seems that an invitation to visit a friend in her home is a compliment of
no mean order, although Nicole says: "'Visits are for the most part
neither more nor less than inventions for discharging upon our neighbors
somewhat of our own unendurable weight."
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 709]
Short Visits.--Visits are of much shorter duration than in those "old
times" people talk about so enthusiastically--and would find so tiresome
were they to return again. Then visitors stayed week after week; were
urged to remain longer when they proposed departure. The story goes of a
Virginia planter who invited an old war-time friend to visit him. At the
end of a month the major proposed departure. His host objected so
strenuously that he agreed to stay another month. And so it went on, the
guest regularly proposing to leave, the host hospitably insisting on his
remaining, until in the end the old veteran died in and was buried from
his friend's house. This, however, is an example not to be emulated in
these less hospitable days.
There is a saying, "Short visits make long friends," that is worth
consideration by those who visit. Probably the truth of the saying has
been so often attested that it has given rise to the custom of specifying
the date of arrival and departure of a guest when giving the invitation.
It has become to be understood that the vague, indefinite invitation "Do
come and see us sometime," means nothing. No one would think for a moment
of taking it in good faith. If the giver wishes to entertain her friend
she will ask if it will be convenient for her to visit her at a certain
specified date. Nothing less counts. An understanding of this might save
the unexperienced from the awkwardness of making an unwelcome visit.
The Unexpected Visit.--Nothing is worse form than "the surprise visit."
Generally you do surprise your hostess and very often most disagreeably. A
housekeeper does not enjoy an intrusion--for such it is--of that kind any
more than you would be pleased to have a chance caller rush unannounced
into your private rooms. Even among relatives and the most intimate
friends, there is nothing to justify the unexpected arrival. Nothing so
strikes terror to a woman's soul as the thud of trunks on the piazza and
the crunch of wheels on the gravel, meaning someone has "come to stay."
Such an arrival is a piece of presumption on the part of the visitor. She
assumes she will be welcome at any time she chooses to present herself.
This may be true; but at the same time there is an obligation of courtesy
which requires her to consult her friend's convenience. Instead, she
consults her own and utterly ignores that of her hostess, who is thus
forced into entertaining her.
[710 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Inopportune Arrival.--Many awkward and sometimes amusing anecdotes are
told in connection with the inopportune visit. Thus not long ago the
newspapers chronicled the plight of a woman who undertook to surprise an
acquaintance from whom she had not heard for several years. She was driven
to their house and dismissed the carriage. A strange face met her at the
door, and she learned that her friend had removed to another city nearly a
twelvemonth before. "Served her right" will be everybody's verdict.
Suppose one arrives unexpectedly and finds the friend's house full of
other and invited company. Then, if ever, she ought to feel herself "a
rank outsider." If she is tactless enough not to give notice of her
intended arrival, she probably has not the good sense to depart as quickly
as possible. The man of the house may have to sleep on the parlor sofa, or
the children on the floor, and ninety-nine times out of a hundred the
whole family will wish her in Halifax.
Or she may arrive to find some member of the family ill, or house-cleaning
or repairing in progress, or the house in the hands of the decorators.
Indeed, so many unforeseen accidents may occur to make her visit an
unpleasant memory, both to herself and her hostess, that only the most
selfish and inconsiderate of women will so violate the social conventions
as to make "surprise visits."
Visits That Save Expense.--Something equally reprehensible is the visit we
pay to a friend in town where we have business or desire a pleasure trip,
and do not propose to have it cost us much of anything. We force
hospitality on our acquaintances in order to save hotel bills. They know
it, and they feel about it just exactly as we would in their places--that
is, that it is an imposition on good nature and a mean and selfish thing
to do.
"We gave up our house and went to boarding simply because my health and my
husband's salary were inadequate to the demands made upon them by our
out-of-town relatives and acquaintances, who used us as a restaurant and
hotel. There was seldom a week when we did not give ten or twelve meals
and two or three nights lodging to people better able to pay for them than
we were to furnish them. So we gave up housekeeping." This is an actual
experience.
WEEK-END VISITS.
The "house-party," as the week-end visit is now often styled, is a
comparatively recent addition to social entertainments. It is a fashion
imported from England, and a very good one. It is the "from Saturday to
Monday" visit, and so universally recognized that during the summer extra
trolley cars and railroad trains are in use to convey resorters and their
guests to summer homes in the country.
Invitations to a house-party are given several weeks in advance, and great
care should be taken to invite those who are congenial and will "mix
well," since where a few are thrown together congeniality is absolutely
essential to success. The invitations are informal; the length of the
visit definitely fixed; even the train by which the visitor is expected to
arrive and leave is mentioned, that there may be no misunderstanding.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 711]
The Invitation.--One may write to her friend: "Won't you give us the
pleasure of entertaining you from Friday afternoon to Monday? The 3:45
train will bring you here in time for tea. There is to be a musical in the
evening; an automobile ride is planned for Saturday afternoon, to show you
the beauties of our vicinity, and there is to be the usual Saturday
evening dance at the hotel. A train leaves here at 10:30 Monday morning,
which will take you back to the city in ample time for lunch. Hoping to
have the happiness of seeing you on Friday, I am," etc., etc.
This not only suggests to your friend at what time she is expected to
arrive and depart, but gives her an idea of what she should bring with her
in the way of clothes. One should always take her prettiest gowns that
will be suitable to the entertainments proposed for her pleasure--for a
hostess naturally wishes to have her guests make a good appearance. From
four to six is the number generally asked to a small house-party, since
the usual summer cottage has few guest rooms. The guests are, if possible,
evenly divided as to sex, and a hostess may, with perfect propriety,
arrange that the men of the party shall be lodged at a hotel, coming over
to breakfast with their entertainer.
Amusements.--Some amusements are always provided for the visitors at a
house-party. Often a dinner-party is planned for Sunday, in which several
other guests are included. Men who cannot leave business for even a
week-end often come out Sunday for a dinner and a breath of country air.
Now that automobiles are as plenty as black-berries the railroad train
can be ignored. Young people living in the country should take advantage
of this method of entertaining their city friends, who will find the
change delightful in summer, and will gladly reciprocate by inviting them
to the city during the social season. Remember that a hearty hospitality,
a sincere joy in seeing your friends, and the fresh milk, eggs and fruits
you can offer will do much toward counterbalancing your lack of "city
conveniences."
The Hostess's Arrangements.--The hostess should arrange to have the guests
met at the station. She will naturally try to have them arrive by the same
train, is possible; but she must see that their baggage arrives at the
house nearly as soon as they do, that they may at once remove the soil of
travel and dress for the evening meal. She may or she may not meet them at
the station, according to her own convenience, but she must be ready to
receive them when they arrive at the home. If the journey has been long, a
cup of tea may be offered; otherwise they are at once shown to their
rooms. The hostess does this for her women guests, the host or a servant
for the men.
If a visitor is so unfortunate as to miss her train she should immediately
telegraph or telephone her hostess, explaining the accident, and saying
she will arrange to have herself conveyed from the station to the house on
her arrival by a later train. Of course, the hostess will not permit this,
but will send some vehicle to meet the next train.
The matter of guest rooms and their conveniences, proper furnishings,
etc., will be taken up in a later section.
[712 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
What Is Expected of Guests.--One does not invite guests to make them
uncomfortable, therefore it is best not to expect them to rise for an
early breakfast. If they are expected to present themselves, as late an
hour as possible should be named. But they may be served with coffee,
rolls, fruit and any other easily prepared breakfast dish whenever they
please to arise, being given to understand that a substantial breakfast is
the price of the extra "forty winks." Guests at a house-party are expected
to entertain themselves, among themselves, to a considerable extent. They
may walk, or row, or play croquet or tennis, or read or gossip or play
cards, while the hostess attends to her domestic duties. If the party is
large, or if but one or no servants are kept, the women should quietly
attend to their own rooms, making up the bed and picking up their own
belongings. Whether they may do this or not depends upon circumstances of
which they must judge.
The most enjoyable house-parties are given in these roomy old houses with
broad verandas, surrounded with lawn and garden. But this need not deter
those having less delightful surroundings from offering their best to
their friends. It is not so much the elegance of what we offer as the
manner in which it is offered that makes our friends remember their visit
with pleasure.
Dress at Week-End Visits.--Women wear a simple tailored suit while
traveling, with white waist or silk skirt to match. If the weather is
warm, white duck, pique or linen skirts with white shirts are worn
mornings; afternoons, foulard, or some of the fine and dainty fabrics
suited to the season. For evening, nothing is prettier than white for the
young--and, indeed, "everybody wears white." By change of accessories, the
same white gown may be made to do for the two evenings. If an automobile
trip is part of the entertainment, one should take an ulster or long loose
coat and veil.
The woman's greatest trouble is to carry a second hat--something she may
need under some circumstances, though the fashion of going bareheaded
helps considerably. But if the entertainment includes a garden party, a
tea or reception, she must have a hat. The trunk is uncalled for, and the
suitcase is disobliging. What shall she do?
Her best plan will be to have a becoming shape covered with black tulle or
malines, and a made bow attached to it to travel in. On arrival, she will
detach the bow and pin on a couple of plumes, an aigrette, or flowers,
converting it into a dress hat.
Men's Wear.--The man wears the ordinary business suit for travelling, sack
or cutaway. He wears in the country in the morning a suit of flannel,
tweed or cheviot, a straw hat and tan shoes. His shirt may be of striped
madras or linen, with a white collar. The cutaway coat is correct for
ordinary afternoon wear, with a white waistcoat, white shirt and
four-in-hand tie. This takes the place in summer of the frock coat, which
is the formal day wear. He will seldom, if ever, have occasion for a dress
suit at a week-end visit in summer. Of course, the size of the party and
the gayeties in which one will participate have a bearing on the dress
question, but the tendency is for men's dress to be more comfortable and
less formal in summer, especially in the country.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 713]
THE DUTIES OF A HOSTESS.
The woman who is entertaining guests must remember two things: that she
must not neglect them, and that she must not tire them out with too much
attention. There is a "happy mean" to be attained, which is the climax of
pleasure and comfort to both.
One woman makes her visitor feel that "the domestic veal" has been
slaughtered in her behalf. The usual manner of living and habits of life
have been put aside that she may be "entertained." Elaborate meals are
planned; there is a straining after hospitality which defeats its own
purpose and makes the visitor uncomfortable, because the hostess has so
manifestly incommoded herself. The fussy hostess puts too much endeavor
into her entertainment.
On the other hand, there is the hostess who announces her intention of
regarding her visitor as "one of the family," "making no fuss" on account
of her being in the house. This sounds much better than it works out in
actual practice. Unless we are prepared to modify our routine in
accordance with our friend's pleasure and convenience, at least to some
extent, we should not invite her. We do not ask people to our houses to
make them more uncomfortable than they would be at home. A visit is in the
nature of a holiday, or vacation, to the visitor; we are to see to it that
she is deferred to and efforts made to please her.
The Visitor's Comfort.--It is hospitable to consult her tastes in the
matter of food. It is uncomfortable for both hostess and guest if the
principal dish at dinner is something the latter dislikes. Nor should we
ask her to conform to the family breakfast hour if we know she is
unaccustomed to early hours, or is very much fatigued. In that case it is
best to say that the early breakfast is a family necessity and that she
will not be expected to appear at it, but may have her coffee and toast in
her own room or down stairs at the hour at which she wishes to rise. This,
though it may necessitate the preparation of a tray to be sent up, is
really a convenience to the hostess, who is then left free to attend to
her domestic duties. As some one has said, "It is not hospitality to ask a
guest to your rooftree and expect her to find sufficient delight in being
there and doing as you do." Very often she would be far more comfortable
at home, physically at least. Remember your object in inviting people is
to make them happy. Unless you are willing to make some sacrifices to do
this, do not invite them.
[714 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Preparing for Company.--An expected guest should always be met at the
station by some member of the family. The guest room should be in
readiness, closet and bureau drawers vacated for her use. The bed should
be freshly made up, the bedding having been properly aired. It would seem
that no one would offer a visitor a bed that has not been changed and
aired after having been slept in, yet guests, exchanging experiences,
acknowledge it has been done--let us hope through inadvertence, though it
is really inexcusable.
There should be plenty of fresh towels and water; a fresh cake of soap, a
candlestick and matches, and a waste paper basket. On the dressing-bureau
there should be a spotless spread, a pincushion well stocked with pins,
hand mirror, comb and brush. The guest will bring her own, but may need to
use these before her luggage arrives. The brush and comb should have been
washed after a previous using.
A lounge, preferably placed at the foot of the bed if there is room; a
light quilt or blanket for use upon it; an easy chair, and a clock in good
working order are desirable furnishings. Writing materials should be
provided. Some careful and painstaking hostesses include a small writing
desk, well stocked with paper, pens and ink, postage stamps, even picture
postal cards already stamped and ready to be addressed. A new magazine and
a few books, and a little basket containing thimble, needles, scissors and
several spools of cotton complete the conveniences arranged for the guest.
A potted plant, or a few flowers in a vase, give a personal touch that
bespeaks the hostess's solicitude for the pleasure of her friend.
There is no more delicious flattery than that of having one's personal
tastes remembered and recognized.
The Visitor's Entertainment.--The entertainment of a guest is, of course,
dependent on the hostess's means, mode of life, social standing, the
season of the year, and whether one lives in town or in the country.
She will ask some of her friends to call on her guest; she will give a
little entertainment for her, at cards, or a tea, or a reception,
according to circumstances. No doubt her friends will include her visitor
in their invitations during her stay. She will take her friend to see the
sights of her home city if she is a stranger; she may give a theatre
party, or at least take her friend several times. She will pay her guest's
carfare, unless the other anticipates her, and pay for the theatre
tickets. It will be perfectly correct for the guest to "stand treat" by
inviting her host and hostess to accompany her to concert or play, paying
for the seats herself.
The Hostess's Invitations.--It often happens that a hostess has
invitations not extended to her visitor. She may have accepted; before her
guest's arrival, an invitation to dinner, card party or luncheon. In
neither of these may she ask to have her guests included. They are formal
functions for which arrangements are made long in advance. She may say to
an intimate friend who is giving a musical or an "At home" or any informal
affair, that she has a visitor staying with her, and the friend will no
doubt extend an invitation to the latter. It is proper for host and
hostess to accept invitations in which a guest is not included if they
make some provision for her pleasure during their absence.
She may be asked to invite some friend to dine with her, or someone
provided to take her to the theatre. Nor has she a right to feel affronted
at being left at home.
One thing must be carefully avoided, the hostess must not let her guest
feel, for one moment, that she is the cause of inconvenience or trouble.
Even if she is, the fact must be sedulously concealed. Bear with the
annoyance until the visit ceases; then do not invite her again. It is the
hostess's privilege to invite; having invited she must not allow her
equanimity to be disturbed.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 715]
THE OBLIGATIONS OF A GUEST.
If it is the duty of the hostess to be attentive to the comfort of her
guest, there is quite as much obligation resting on the guest to show a
disposition to be pleased and to make herself agreeable. Some women--young
girls more particularly--seem to think too much cannot be done for their
entertainment. They make themselves burdensome by their wish to have
"something doing" all the time. The visitor who conveys the impression
that she is neglected unless some festivity is in the immediate future
easily becomes tiresome.
The guest should accommodate herself to the ways of the family. Especially
should she be punctual at meals and ready on time when going out with her
friends. Her host may acquire a dislike to her if she keeps him waiting.
She should always be neatly dressed, never appearing at the breakfast
table in kimona or dressing-jacket if men will be present. She should
respect the privileges of the host, not occupying his easy chair,
appropriating the newspaper or the best position round the lamp. She
should give as little trouble as possible and be especially careful about
scattering her belongings about the house. This particularly applies to
young girls, who are apt to be careless in this respect. It annoys a
hostess to find Missy's rubbers kicked off in the hall, her hat on the
piano, and a half eaten box of candy on the parlor sofa.
About Being Thoughtful.--She should be careful to avoid injury to any of
her hostess' pretty things or her furnishings. The story is told of a girl
who, conducted to her hostess's beautiful guest room, furnished with the
utmost daintiness in white, threw her umbrella and dusty coat on the
spotless counterpane, exclaiming: "What a lovely room!" It was not lovely
when she left it. The wall was defaced by marks made by scratching
matches; the bureau scarf was blackened by the curling-iron; there were
ink spots on the hemstitched sheets where she had written letters in bed,
and something that would not come out was spilled on the table cover. It
does not show that you are accustomed to nice things to be so negligent
and careless; it shows you are not accustomed to them and do not know how
to treat them; and it makes you a visitor the hostess is glad to get rid
of, and never invites again.
[716 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The guest, young or old, should take herself out of the way part of the
time; she shouldn't be always in evidence. Let her go to her own room and
write letters, read, or take her work out of doors; in other words, show
an ability to entertain herself which releases her hostess from that
responsibility for the time being. This is much better than having one's
friend in one's constant presence.
Outside Acquaintance.--If one is staying with a friend and has other
acquaintances in the same place she will naturally expect them to call on
her. If her callers are strangers to her hostess, they should ask for her.
The hostess may see them or ask to be excused with equal propriety. The
guest is at liberty to accept outside invitations which do not include her
hostess, but should always consult her in reference to them. She has no
right to invite any of her friends to a meal without first mentioning her
wish to her hostess and securing a cordial acquiescence. She must not make
a convenience of her friend's house, and if a girl or young woman, she
must not receive there any man or woman of whom her parents disapprove.
This is disloyal to them, and an imposition upon her hostess.
Other Points to Observe.--If a visitor can play, sing, recite, tell
stories, or in any way contribute to the pleasure of her friends or other
guests, she should comply cheerfully with requests that she do so. On the
other hand, she should not monopolize the piano. She should enter readily
into any plans proposed for her entertainment; even though they may not be
especially agreeable, she should subscribe to the kindly intent.
The question as to how much assistance the visitor should volunteer in
case her hostess keeps but one servant, or does her own work, is dependent
upon circumstances. She certainly shouldn't follow her hostess all over
the house with offers of help: "Can't I do this?" "Shan't I do that?" Let
her quickly and unostentatiously render such small services as are helpful
without being obtrusive. She may care for her own room; she may fill the
vases with flowers; she may tell stories to the children or take them for
a walk, but she must carefully respect the hostess's privacy and not
intrude in the rear regions where the domestic rites are performed,
without her hostess's permission. And whatever aid she renders she should
give according to her hostess's method, not her own.
A visitor should carefully avoid any comment on the cook's failures,
should such occur; she must not criticise the children's manners: nor
reprove them; nor should she criticise the chance caller or visitor, who
is a friend of her hostess, but not of her acquaintance. Above all she
must avoid comparisons. If she has been visiting more wealthy people it is
not good form to wax eloquent over the elegance of their establishment or
their more expensive mode of entertaining.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 717]
Concerning Departure.--If there has been no time named as the length of
her visit, she should take an early opportunity to mention now long she
will remain "if perfectly convenient." And it is almost invariably a
mistake to remain beyond the date named. Better go, and have your
departure regretted, than linger to find the later days give a flat ending
and you and your hostess alike relieved at parting.
It is customary, on leaving, to give a small fee to the maid who has cared
for one's room, and to the waitress, if one is employed. Anyone who has
rendered personal service is generally remembered. A dollar is usually
given at the close of a week's visit: something depends upon the style of
the household. Men generally tip the chauffeur.
After having been received as a guest in a family it is the height of
incivility and bad manners to criticise their mode of living, discuss the
peculiarities of any member, or make unkind remarks in reference to a
slight, real or fancied, or any negligence or oversight. Having eaten your
hostess's salt, there is an obligation of silence imposed, unless one can
speak in terms of praise.
At Home Again.--Immediately after one's return home it is obligatory to
write what is sometimes called "the bread-and-butter letter"--that in
which one expresses her pleasure in the visit and her appreciation of the
hospitality received. A serviceable form for this follows:
My Dear Mrs. Blank:
I wish to tell you at once how much I enjoyed my visit to your
charming home and how truly I appreciate all you did to make my stay so
pleasant. I shall always remember my good times with you, and
especially that most delightful picnic to Ferndale.
With kind remembrances to Mr. Blank and to Lois, who helped so much to
make me happy, believe me,
Yours most sincerely,
Mary Annesley.
This recognition of hospitality enjoyed must on no account be omitted.
VISITING ETIQUETTE FOR GIRLS.
The best personal asset a girl can have is "nice manners;" they will
contribute more to her lasting popularity than beauty or wealth. Girls
sometimes wonder how it happens that a girl they have regarded as "too
homely" to be accounted dangerous, still carries off the matrimonial prize
of "her set." Ten chances to one it is because she has that charm of
manner that makes a man overlook her physical deficiencies. Her manners,
in such case, are the spontaneous expression of a kind and generous
disposition, aided, of course, by a familiarity with the social code that
prevents awkwardness. She has ease, and that puts others at their ease;
she is companionable; and not being engrossed by her own good looks, she
has had time to cultivate the intellectual graces.
[718 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Nothing is more becoming to a young girl than respect and deference to her
elders. If for no other reason than that it gives observers an unfavorable
opinion of her manners, she should avoid any disrespect or rudeness toward
her parents or older sisters. The young girl is often negligent in this
respect. Her own ego is exaggerated, owing to her youth and inexperience;
she thinks
"What there is to know, I know it;
What I don't know isn't knowledge;"
and is much inclined to dub her own mother "old-fashioned." So she
contradicts her, precedes her in entering a room, takes the easiest chair,
monopolizes the conversation, and in other disrespectful ways endeavors to
assert her own importance. Instead of crediting her with more social
experience, bystanders consider her a very crude and untrained young
person.
Deference to Age.--One reason why convent training is so highly esteemed
in our best circles is because girls are taught such beautiful manners. No
convent-bred girl would think of showing the slightest disrespect to an
older person. They are taught all the little matters of etiquette that
contribute to gentle and refined manners. A lady staying at a large summer
hotel noted the charming manners of a young Southern girl, especially in
regard to the unfailing deference paid to her mother and aunt. She rose
when they addressed her and remained standing during the conversation.
When the aunt came to the breakfast table the girl rose, standing until
the elder lady was seated; if her mother entered one of the reception
rooms she excused herself if conversing and advanced to meet her, finding
a seat for her and perhaps asking permission to introduce an acquaintance.
And it was all done so easily, so naturally, that it was plainly seen
there was no affectation, but the unstudied courtesy due to good-breeding.
On the other hand, girls who undertake to show their respect for their
seniors sometimes overdo the matter. No elderly person likes to be "fussed
over." She doesn't want someone continually thrusting a cushion behind her
shoulders or insisting on providing a foot-stool. The unwelcome service
provokes a little resentment. One must have an intuitive sense of what to
do and when to do it, and tact enough to perform a trifling service
without the appearance of saying "See me! how polite I am!" As young men
should rise when an elderly woman enters the room, so a young girl may pay
the same pretty deference to her mother or an acquaintance. She should be
careful not to take precedence of older women, not to interrupt them when
speaking, and to render any small service unobtrusively.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 719]
THE YOUNG GIRL'S SOCIAL AFFAIRS.
There is no special code of etiquette for girls. Why should they be
trained in one code, only to discard it for another when they enter
society? Their etiquette is simply more informal. Until they are "out,"
they do not give formal invitations. Their functions are chiefly
luncheons, invitations being given by telephone or personal notes, and the
menu more simple. They may give theatre parties, but never without a
chaperon. They do not invite young men to call on them; that is their
mother's duty. They do not send written invitations to young men; these
are in the mother's name. Thus:
My Dear Mr. Smith:
My mother wishes me to say that it will give her much
pleasure if you will spend Friday evening, March tenth, with us,
quite informally. We hope to see you at eight o' clock.
Yours sincerely,
Mary Gray.
Such an invitation presupposes the presence of other guests. If for cards,
or music or games, mention may be made of the proposed entertainment.
A girl should not receive calls from young men without the presence of
some member of the family, her mother by preference, at some time during
the evening. A young man should not feel that the girl he calls upon is
not properly looked after by her parents.
The Girl and the Chaperon.--Youth scorns the chaperon, regarding her as
superfluous. "I can look out for myself," is the young girl's motto. Yet
scandal has dimmed the fair name of many a girl through her disinclination
to submit to proper chaperonage. The chaperon is much more of a social
necessity in the East than she is in the South and West. If a girl
proposes to "look ant for herself," there are some things she must
carefully abstain from doing. She must not go to a restaurant with a young
man alone; she must not travel about with him alone, even if she is
engaged to him; she must not go "on excursions" unattended, nor go for a
ride with a man and stop anywhere for refreshments; indeed, she should not
accept such an invitation unless another couple or another girl are
included in the party. This is not prudery; it is protection; and any
young man's acquaintance is not desirable if he objects to such
arrangements. He would not permit his sister to do what he asks some other
man's sister to do. A young man loses in respect for a girl if she holds
herself cheap.
If a girl receives invitations of the character just mentioned, it is far
better to say frankly "My father (or mother) does not allow me to accept,"
than to make excuses or plead previous engagements time after time.
[720 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Girl and the Young Man.--Do not ask a young man to call on the
occasion of your first meeting. Young people often meet and make each
other's acquaintance when the girl's mother, whose place it is to give the
invitation to call, is not present. After several meetings the girl,
having ascertained the young man's antecedents, may say, if he seems
desirous of the invitation, "'My mother will be glad to know you," or
"Mother and I will be pleased to have you call some evening." The young
man should acknowledge the compliment by calling at an early date, and
should meet the girl's mother, The girl does not suggest when he shall
call, though she may mention that she receives calls on a certain evening.
She must not give him her card; if he is not sufficiently interested to
remember her address he probably does not intend to call.
It is not correct for girls to suggest a walk, ride, hint a wish to dance
or row, or tacitly invite a tete-a-tete. Let those who wish such favors
ask for them. The girl who shows herself most anxious for young men's
attentions generally receives fewest. Despite "the woman's movement," man
still insists on his privilege of taking the initiative.
About Gifts.--It is not correct form for a girl to receive presents from
young men, aside from flowers, candy and an occasional book or piece of
music. In some circles, to offer a girl a piece of jewelry would be
considered insulting. Not until he is engaged to her may a man offer
expensive presents. This rule, it is lamentably true, is often violated by
a certain order of young persons, who rather boast of the gifts of their
gallants, and are thus the object of rather unkind criticism.
As a rule, a girl makes a mistake when she sends a gift to a young man. It
is generally something that is as superfluous to him as a fifth wheel to a
wagon, and it entails an irksome sense of obligation. It is presumed, if
he has been very courteous and shown her many attentions, that it has been
his pleasure to do so, and her gracious acceptance and pleasure in them is
sufficient reward. A girl may give Christmas and birthday gifts to her
fiance, but he should not give her any article of wearing apparel except
gloves.
The Telephone.--A girl should be chary of calling up her young men
acquaintances by telephone. If forced to do so, she should make her
communication as brief as possible. It is annoying to a young man to be
called from his business to answer social or "nonsense" calls--the latter
when some idle, ennuied or "smitten" girl takes a notion she would like to
chatter to somebody awhile. It exasperates an employer to have his men
called from their duties to answer such calls, and fellow employees are
likely to "guy" the man about his "mash." The "note habit" is just about
as bad, though not quite as annoying, as the telephone habit, because a
man can carry such missives in his pocket unopened.
A wise girl will not give her photograph to any young man until she is
engaged to him. What nice girl would care to see her picture neighbored by
ballet dancers and footlight favorites in a young man's rooms! She will be
equally careful about corresponding with men, writing to but a few
intimate and long-known friends, making her letters bright and gay, but
carefully avoiding any warmer expressions of regard than those warranted
by the friendship. Many a girl has bitterly regretted the affectionate
missives sent to some young man who made "werry fierce love" to her for a
time, and whose regard afterward cooled. When the man she truly loves
comes along, she would give her most precious jewel to get those letters
into her hands again. It is a great deal safer not to write them.
A young woman, receiving back her letters at the close of a mistaken
engagement, once said:
"I sat down on the floor and read them over, and I tell you I was proud of
myself. There wasn't one I wouldn't have been willing to have my father
read--and you know what I think of my father!"
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 721]
THE DEBUTANTE.
A large number of young girls enter society without formal introductions.
After leaving school, they assume their social responsibilities with no
formality. It is seldom that a girl enters the social world under
eighteen, or over twenty-two. The early appearance implies no college
career; the later, that, she has spent several years at college or
finishing school.
Increasingly, however, it is becoming the custom to introduce the young
aspirant for social recognition at some function given in her honor. This
may be a ball, a reception, a "coming-out party," a dinner, a tea, at
which the debutante is introduced to the older members of the circle in
which she will move. Whereas her associates heretofore have been young
folk of her own age, she now meets the people of all ages who constitute
what we call society. Her circle of acquaintances will be much enlarged,
and her breeding will be judged by the manner in which she accepts her new
obligations.
A Grave Mistake.--The greatest mistake the debutante can make is to treat
with carelessness and lack of respect the matrons, young or old, to whom
she is introduced. In the arrogance of her youth and ignorance she may
think them "old frumps" and devote herself to her mates in age and
inexperience. But the "old frumps" hold the trump cards; she will be
dependent on them for invitations to many pleasant little functions,
especially those exclusive affairs to which it is an honor to be invited,
and if she is not personally agreeable, there will always be some one else
to take the place that might have been hers, for a chaperon often
influences a young man's invitations. Moreover, by her disrespect for age
and position she advertises her lack of good breeding and social training.
Her Dress.--The debutante dresses in white at her "coming-out party," as a
rule; white being supposed to typify her virginal attitude in the social
realm. The mother receives her guests with her daughter standing at her
side. It is not uncommon for two girls of about the same age who are close
friends to be introduced at the same function. The celebrant's friends
send flowers; sometimes the number of bouquets is so great that a screen
is arranged behind her on which they are displayed. Girls pique themselves
on the number of such tributes.
[722 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
If Not a Belle.--But suppose a girl is not pretty enough, nor rich enough,
nor attractive enough to become a social success. She will suffer
countless mortifications. In society, as in business, "Nothing succeeds
like success." If she is popular, she will have a very happy time as
debutante. If she is not "a success," her chaperon will despair of her.
She will be partnerless when other girls have too many; she will have to
retire to the dressing-room, deeply humiliated because unescorted to the
supper-room. She will be a wall-flower while others dance. Young men are
very selfish; unless a girl has some claim to consideration, personally,
or they expect invitations through her parents, they often will selfishly
neglect her.
What shall she do in such a case? She will be happier and more contented
to give up the losing fight, find some sphere that is congenial, and
determine to adorn it. There are many kinds of belles; she may make
herself a belle of the home, a belle in out-door sports, a queen of the
chafing-dish. Far better these humbler triumphs than neglect and
unhappiness in the social world.
A girl looks forward to her debut with many joyous anticipations, but
often finds her second social season a happier one than her first. She is
more sure of herself, less shy and reserved; little things--the small
mistakes made through ignorance--do not worry her so much; she has gained
ease and grace of manner, having shed her self-consciousness.
THE ETIQUETTE OF BALLS.
"Dinner dances" have largely taken the place of balls, the latter having
seemingly passed into the hands of clubs and assemblies or being known as
"subscription dances." One must have a very large house, with ball-room,
to give a ball successfully, so it is customary to engage private
apartments at some fashionable restaurant or hotel, where there are
accommodations for such an affair.
Invitations are formal, and of course engraved. If a debutante is to be
presented her card may or may not be, but usually is, enclosed with the
invitation. The patronesses of a subscription dance are entitled to
invitations which they send to their friends, enclosing their card. The
word "ball" never appears on an invitation; its nature is indicated by
"Cotillion," the fashionable name for what was called "the German." The
hostess or hostesses stand near the entrance to the ball-room, and should
see that the guests receive a fair amount of attention. The supper is
provided by a caterer, of course. Two orchestras, playing alternately,
provide music; they are screened behind palms and other plants. Balls
generally begin about eleven o'clock, the hour named on the cards being
half after ten, and everybody waiting in the hope that someone else may
arrive earlier. General dancing is in order until supper is served;
afterwards the cotillion is danced.
At the dinner dance, the cotillion is preceded by a dinner, given by the
hostess at her own house, or by several hostesses at some restaurant,
where each presides over a table. Dinner and subscription dances are much
favored by the younger set, as the hostesses act in the capacity of
chaperons, and the company is gayer.
To bid one's hostess good night--or good morning--and express one's
pleasure in her entertainment is obligatory.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 723]
GARDEN PARTIES.
Jupiter Pluvius apparently has a grouch against garden-parties, so often
does he shake his sieve with deliberate intent to spoil the affair, which
is after all, merely afternoon tea out of doors. The hostess anxiously
consults "the probabilities" as to weather, and if storm threatens must
hastily convert her garden fete into an in-door function. If blessed with
a bright day, a garden party is a pretty affair. The women wear beautiful
light gowns, en train by preference, and their flower-laden hats and gay
parasols contribute to the charm of the scene.
The garden-party is the special prerogative of the out-of-town hostess.
She has the lawn and the trees without which a party of this character
cannot be undertaken. Invitations may be formal, or the hostess may use
her card with the hour and the date and "Garden Party" written in the
lower left hand corner. If guests from a distance are expected to arrive
by train or trolley they must be notified of the train or car which will
be met by carriages or automobiles she provides.
The hostess receives on the lawn, and hats are retained. Games, like lawn
tennis, archery, croquet, should be provided. Guests wander about and
entertain each other, and seek the refreshment tables when so inclined.
The supper may be served under a tent or in the house. Seats are provided,
and rugs spread on the grass. No matter if the weather is unfavorable the
guests are expected to present themselves, as the hostess will quickly
transform her out-door fete into an in-door affair in case of rain.
Refreshments.--A hostess is not expected to use her best china and linen
at a garden party. She should have an ample supply of napkins, plates,
cups and silver, but the expense of hiring them from a caterer is offset
by the danger of breakage and loss.
She may serve salads, sandwiches, cakes, ices and ice creams, fruit, and
claret cup; or sandwiches, cakes, ice cream and lemonade and fruit punch.
Hot tea should be provided for those who prefer it, especially if rain
drives the guests in-doors. The young matrons are invited to pour it. The
maids should remove soiled dishes and napkins promptly, and keep the
tables looking fresh. Music is usually provided.
AT SMALL ENTERTAINMENTS.
Many small, informal entertainments are more enjoyable than those larger
affairs given for the purpose of paying off social debts. Good will and
jollity prevail, and people "go in for a good time."
[724 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Card Parties.--The most stringent rule of etiquette at a card-party is to
be punctual, that the tables may be filled up in good season. The second
rule is to keep good-natured, even if your partner fails to return your
lead or trumps your ace. Some people make themselves very disagreeable
over cards, and are avoided as partners. If unfortunate enough to be
paired off with such a person, at least control your own annoyance.
Never descend to the meanness of telegraphing information, hinting at your
preferences in the way of trumps, overlooking a neighbor's hand, or taking
any unfair advantage. A prize thus won is no honor. Nor do such violations
of good breeding pass unnoticed.
At the Party.--If one accepts an invitation to a card party she is
supposed to have sufficient proficiency to play the game proposed with
some degree of credit; otherwise she should promptly send regrets.
Invitations may be formal or informal, or the hostess may send her card
with "Bridge, at half after two o'clock," or "Euchre," or "Five Hundred,"
written upon it. Replies are to be sent at once. Many such invitations are
given by telephone. The guests are assigned to tables by the hostess, the
names being written at the top of the scorecards. Two packs of cards are
on each table, and small pencils attached to the score-cards. Playing
begins when all are present. Or the hostess may fill the tables as the
guests arrive, begin playing at the stated time, and assign late comers to
places as they come in. Hats are kept on at an afternoon card-party. The
usual limit for playing is two hours. The "progressive" fashion requires
the providing of two prizes, the first prize and a consolation prize for
the person having the lowest score. If prizes are given at each table they
should be duplicates. These prizes are wrapped up in tissue paper and tied
with ribbons, and are to be opened at once, displayed, and the hostess
cordially thanked. It is not good form to be ostentatiously generous in
the matter of prizes, nor should guests show themselves too eager to win.
It is customary to engage card tables and chairs for such an
entertainment. The refreshments are served on these tables. Punch is
sometimes served while the game is in progress.
Very often the hostess invites some of her friends who do not play cards
to come in for refreshments at half after four or five o'clock.
Refreshments should not be too elaborate for either afternoon or evening
card-parties. Sandwiches, coffee, and small cakes, or ices and cake, for
the afternoon; salad of some kind with coffee, olives, and some sweet or
fancy wafer, for evening. Men enjoy an oyster stew served hot in the
dining room.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 725]
YOUNG GIRLS' PARTIES.
Until a girl is formally launched in society, her parties are of the
simplest and most informal kind. She will invite a few friends to tea, or
to a card-party, giving informal invitations and confining them to her
school friends and most intimate acquaintances. Games, music, and the like
are the usual amusements. Properly chaperoned, she may give a small
theater party.
Birthday Party.--The largest of her social functions will probably be her
birthday party. For this, her birthday flower will be chosen for
decorations. Her young friends may give her little presents. Once in a
season she may be invited to a small dance given for some schoolmate. This
she will attend, prettily and simply gowned, and properly chaperoned. On
no account will she go alone in a carriage, or with a young man alone. If
she is a well bred girl she will not pique herself in dancing every dance,
nor "split the dances" into fragments to please those who wish to dance
with her. She will be careful not to romp nor laugh too loud; nor to
permit herself to be held too closely in dancing, nor be served too often
with punch.
"STAG" DINNERS.
The woman who wishes to give her husband a birthday party or anniversary
will not go amiss if she makes it a "stag dinner"--that is, a dinner for
men only.
To this she invites as many of his men friends as she can accommodate, and
provides a good, substantial meal, without any "frills." It need not be
elaborate if everything is good of its kind, well cooked and served hot.
The menu may include oysters, roast fowl, two vegetables, several
relishes, and an entree, with some simple dessert and good coffee. She
will also see to it that the cigars are of the proper excellence. It is
optional whether she sits at the table till the coffee and cigars are
served, or stays in the kitchen to superintend the serving. Red is the
most appropriate color for decorations, since a man's ideas of color are
usually rather crude. Men always enjoy a dinner of this kind. The evening
may conclude with cards.
A stag card-party sometimes takes the place of a dinner; it is followed by
a substantial supper.
THE MUSICAL AND INFORMAL TEA.
At a musical, guests are seated, the hostess remaining near the door to
welcome late arrivals. If these arrive while a selection is in progress,
they stand till it is finished, then find seats. Guests do not leave their
seats during the intermission, but converse with those in the vicinity.
Refreshments are always served. Hats are removed.
For a very informal tea the hostess sends her card with the date and hour
written across the lower corner. If a friend is staying with her, she may
write "to meet Mrs. A." at the top. She will offer a cup of tea and cakes
or wafers to each comer, or may ask some friend to do so for her, leaving
her free to mingle with her visitors. Simplicity and informality
characterize this form of receiving friends.
[726 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
ETIQUETTE FOR CHILDREN.
"The future destiny of the child is always the work of the mother."
--Bonaparte.
Children reflect the manners of their homes. As they learn to talk after
the fashion of their parents' speech, so they learn to be polite by
example, aided by training, and in both cases the habit of youth persists
in greater or less degree all through life.
To train children properly requires patience and persistence, but to have
polite children, and to feel that they know what to do and how to do it
when they begin to go out, is certainly a great source of satisfaction to
a mother, on whom the burden of training falls.
The secret of success is beginning early. Before the baby is three years
old he should be in process of training. When he comes into the use of
spoon, knife and fork, he should be taught how to hold these properly, and
how to feed himself. He should never be permitted to play with his food;
out of that baby habit comes the later playing with crumbs, holding the
fork in the hand when not eating, drinking tea from a spoon, and other
little gaucheries resorted to in embarrassment or preoccupation. It is not
necessary to wait until a child is ten or twelve years old before teaching
him not to interrupt a conversation, and to make his wants known quietly
and without iteration, nor yet that your yea means yea, and your nay, nay.
First Lessons.--The mother's first lesson is usually in regard to taking
off his hat or cap. Teach him to remove this as soon as he enters the
house, as soon as he begins to go out of doors alone, and the habit will
become life-long. It is very charming to see a child of either sex rise to
open the door for a visitor, or stand while she talks to him. One often
sees boys of seven, nine and eleven years of age occupying the seats in a
car while the ladies stand. No mother should permit this.
Whether a child should say "father" and "mother," or use the more babyish
form of "papa" and "mama" is a matter of parental choice, but the
preference in some circles is for the former. A blunt "yes" or "no" is not
thought polite from a child; he should say "yes, father," "no, mama,"
"yes, Mrs. Smith." "Ma'am" as a form of address is quite obsolete.
Most parents make the mistake of believing their children as absorbingly
interesting to other people as they are to them, and bring them forward so
prominently that they become tiresome. A good rule is for the mother to
allow children to greet the visitor and then send them away to their play.
The spectacle of a little child primly seated on a chair and "taking in"
the conversation with eyes and ears is not wholly edifying; while to allow
a child to hang on a visitor or monopolize the attention makes the
youngster a nuisance.
MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 727
CHILDREN'S PARTIES.
There is nothing children love better than a party. It takes so little to
make them happy that the exertion is well repaid by their pleasure. A few
games, a light supper, an inexpensive souvenir, and they have had "a
perfectly splendid time."
For children from five to twelve, the best hours for a party are from
three to half past five. This gives time for all to return home by six
o'clock. Few mothers wish to have their children out evenings at that age.
Where the children are old enough they should write their own invitations.
They should receive their guests themselves, the mother standing in the
background to see that they do it properly and to second their welcome.
The little host or hostess should early learn the lesson that she must
study the pleasure of her guests, not her own, and be taught the
courtesies required of her.
Games.--The first thing is the games, which are suitable to the children's
age. Little ones play romping games, like "Cat and Mouse," "London
Bridge," etc.; those a little older enjoy a peanut hunt or a peanut race,
or supplying the donkey with a caudal appendage. Many novel games are
possible. Or the children may be asked to a doll's party, or an animal
party. To the one they bring their favorite doll; to the other their teddy
bears and cotton elephants.
Supper.--The supper should be simple. Sandwiches, cocoa, jellies, and
fancy cookies not too rich. After the supper they may dance "Sir Roger de
Coverley," or some simple form all know, and then little souvenirs may be
distributed in a way that leads to a hunt. Notes are written and put in a
bag; each child takes one; the note directs where to look. All rush pell
mell to that spot. There they find directions to look somewhere else, and
finally each gets a little card or a note directing a search at some
particular place, say in a basket in the hall or in the dining room, where
each finds and unwraps a little gift. Or a large paper sack filled with
wrapped bonbons is hung between folding doors, each child blindfolded in
turn, given a cane and instructed to hit the sack if he can. Presently the
paper is broken and the youngsters scramble for the contents. Each little
guest should thank the giver of the party and the mother for the pleasure
enjoyed. The little host or hostess should stand where they can make their
adieus, for it is no longer proper to "take French leave" on any occasion
except "a crush."
Games for Older Children.--Older children enjoy a peanut hunt, or a spider
party where they follow a twine through a labyrinth of loopings and find a
small prize at the end, or a book party, where each guest represents the
title of some book. Thus Ouida's "Under Two Flags" could be very easily
represented. Young folks always enjoy "dressing up," and any hostess can
either find directions for some form of fancy dress, or invent something
new for herself. St. Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, May Day, the
Fourth of July, Hallowe'en, have their traditional decorations, and games,
and suggest their own refreshments. Elaborate refreshments have rather
gone out of style.
[728 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CONCERNING ENGAGEMENTS.
A marriage engagement is one of the most serious contracts into which
young people can enter, second only to actual marriage. It is not to be
lightly entered upon. It is no credit to a girl to have been several times
affianced; indeed, it almost invariably occasions unfavorable comment.
There may be reasons for breaking one engagement, but when it comes to the
second, Mrs. Grundy makes remarks, and is inclined to blame the girl,
either for too great haste to wed, or for being fickle and capricious,
A girl should be very sure of herself before she gives her promise. She
must respect the man, and have faith and confidence in him, and not permit
herself to be carried away by considerations of wealth and position. If
there is anything about him she dislikes, she may be sure dislike will
become aversion after marriage, unless she has a genuine affection for
him.
Parental Wishes.--She should not engage herself without consulting her
parents. Where can she find better advice than from those who have cared
for her so long and faithfully? Where there is parental disapproval, a
girl should show her respect for her parents' opinion by avoiding a hasty
decision. Men know men much better than women can ever know them; and the
opposition of a father or older brother should have due consideration.
In these days and in this country, young women take their matrimonial
affairs into their own hands. "In the good old times" the young man asked
the consent of the girl's parents before he was sure of her sentiments
toward him; he asked permission to woo, and if in his eagerness he
forestalled the etiquette of the occasion she modestly referred him to her
parents, first indicating her consent would accompany theirs. In the
twentieth century the young people too often settle the matter between
themselves, and announce their intentions to wed quite regardless of their
parents' sentiments on the subject. So many youthful attachments are
really youthful follies that the girl who submits her wishes to her
parents' counsel often has reason to consider herself fortunate. Girls,
however, almost invariably regard parental opposition as unreasonable;
actually it is often founded on a better understanding of their
temperaments and the character of the young men in the case than they
imagine--or in many cases can be made to see.
A manly man will approach the father of the girl he wishes to make his
wife, state his prospects, and ask the father's consent. If withheld, he
will not urge the girl into a hasty marriage, but will wait until the
opposition has diminished. In case this does not happen, the girl has at
least had an opportunity to learn her own mind. Many who have married
against their parents' wishes have lived happily; it must be admitted that
others have not. Delay, at least, gives time for reason to outweigh
romance.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 729]
It is especially awkward for the girl if the parents of her fiance do not
approve his choice. In such case she should give ample time for their
disapproval to have whatever effect it may on the young man's feelings
towards her. Some girls refuse to enter a man's family unless made
welcome.
No girl should engage herself to a man she has known but a short time;
certainly not without searching inquiry into his reputation in his former
place of residence. No man can reasonably object to such inquiries;
indeed, he should welcome them; invite them by furnishing credentials. No
matter how violently in love a girl may be, she should not throw prudence
and discretion to the winds.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF ENGAGEMENTS.
An engagement may be announced soon after it is entered upon, or not until
several weeks before the marriage. Usually the engagement is known to the
two families some time in advance of the later formal announcement. This
is to save the girl embarrassment in case it is broken off. Should this
happen, the young man takes the blame upon himself, declaring the young
lady discarded him. Only an out-and-out cad would intimate to anyone that
he "threw her over."
The announcement of the engagement comes through the girl's family; the
man waits until it is their pleasure to make it known. The usual way is
for the girl and her mother to write notes to relatives and close friends.
The man, of course, will know when this is done, and may send notes to his
relatives and friends, or acquaint them by word of mouth, at the same
date. No special form is employed for such notes; they are always informal
and familiar.
How Disclosed.--Sometimes a girl announces her engagement to her most
intimate girl friends at a small tea or luncheon her mother or some
relative gives for her. In this case the decorations are suggestive.
Heart-shaped place cards, decorated with the entwined initials of the two
parties; pink flowers, banked in heart-shape and pierced with silver
arrows, for a centerpiece, and sandwiches and cakes in heart shape, the
latter decorated in pink, are often used. At each plate may be a small
cluster of pink carnations, tied with narrow ribbons, one end connecting
with an arrow in the centerpiece. When these are drawn out some
appropriate sentiment is found attached, which is read aloud by the guest.
Any novel form may be employed in communicating the joyous intelligence.
Midway the repast some friend previously selected for the honor may
propose a health to the two who are betrothed; someone may ask a moment's
indulgence while she reads an interesting paragraph from a letter, or a
mock telegram may be delivered. Congratulations are in order; sometimes
the fiance has been held in reserve, and is brought in to share with his
fiancee the good wishes of her friends.
730 MOTHERS' REMEDIES
All who receive notes are expected to call in person or send letters of
congratulation. Flowers are often sent, and dinners, theater parties, and
other entertainments given for the young couple. Engagement gifts are
often given; china being a favorite choice, though any gift is in order.
After the Announcement.--Immediately upon the announcement of the
engagement the parents of the young man call upon his fiancee and her
mother, whether previously acquainted or not. His family takes the
initiative in the exchange of hospitality which follows. Calls are to be
returned within a week. In case the man's family live at a distance, the
members should at once write cordial, kindly letters to the girl, to which
she must reply within a few days. She should not "gush" but should show
her desire to know them, and a cordial and friendly feeling. The
prospective mother-in-law may invite the girl to visit her. She should
remember that no matter how welcome the alliance she is under inspection,
as it were, and do her best, through courtesy and tact and friendliness to
create a favorable impression.
The Girl's Behavior.--The engagement ring is not worn until the engagement
is announced. If the young man's means permit, it is usually as handsome a
diamond solitaire as he can afford. No womanly girl would wish her fiance
to go in debt to purchase her ring. Should it be less handsome than she
had hoped or expected, she should not give the slightest evidence of
disappointment. That would seem mercenary and grasping. Nevertheless, a
girl does doubtless get much more joy out of her engagement ring than she
does out of her wedding ring.
Though a girl may receive from her affianced gifts of jewelry, silver,
etc., as well as the bonbons, books and flowers she was privileged to
accept before her engagement, it is not in good taste for him to offer any
article of wearing apparel to her. He is not to buy clothes for her until
after their marriage. Nothing that cannot be returned to him uninjured in
case the engagement is broken is really correct for her to receive.
She will naturally receive many notes, letters, etc., from her fiance,
especially if he is called out of town often, or resides in another city.
The inexperienced, very-much-in-love girl is quite likely to write very
ardent and affectionate letters. Leave that to the man. If she knows her
Thackeray she will remember the rose-colored billet-doux poor Amelia used
to write to her George, and which lay unopened day after day, and will
model her missives upon the style of Lucy Snowe's to the Professor--"a
morsel of ice, flavored with ever so slight a zest of sweetness." Let her
make them bright, chatty, kindly, but not too tender.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 731]
Length of Engagement.--As for the length of an engagement, it is often
argued that if one has made a mistake, it is much better to find it out
before marriage than after. A prolonged engagement, however, is not
advisable. It embarrasses a girl to be asked "When is it going to be?" and
be obliged to make evasive answers. Thc old saying "Absence makes the
heart grow fonder" often proves untrue. The long engagement is a strain,
undoubtedly. A year is quite long enough for the two to demonstrate their
fidelity and for all necessary preparations.
Breaking Off.--If the two develop incompatibility, after being convinced
it is irreconcilable the only thing to do is to sever the tie. This is
often heart-breaking if caused by the infidelity of one party, and always
humiliating, especially to the girl. To spare her as much as possible, the
man assumes the breaking-off was her act. He never allows himself to speak
of her save in terms of the most perfect respect. The presents, letters,
pictures, are returned, and Cupid retires discomfited. The girl's mother
writes to her friends and tells them the engagement is broken; no reason
is given and no person of tact or knowledge of social forms will inquire
why or ever allude to the matter to either of the parties to the
engagement or their parents.
"Being engaged" does not relax etiquette. It does not justify a journey or
an excursion together, nor appearance in public places unchaperoned.
Lovers refrain from caresses or evidence of their devotion in the presence
of others; in short they should conduct themselves with decorum.
The Wedding Trousseau.--In case everything goes well when the wedding day
is set it is the custom to announce the engagement in the society columns
in the newspapers. The trousseau is nearly ready, the linen chest is
filled, the details of the wedding settled. It is not customary now for
the expectant bride to have dozens and dozens of undergarments, to be laid
aside, turn yellow and go out of style. One dozen of each garment is an
ample supply for the average bride; even half a dozen new garments of each
kind have been known to answer every purpose. She should have a moderate
supply of shoes, corsets, gloves, petticoats, both silk and cambric, and
handkerchiefs. Fashions change so rapidly now that it is foolish to lay in
a great stock of gowns. The supply of these must be in accordance with her
social position and its requirements. After she is married, she will find
her table-cloths and napkins, sheets, and pillow slips and towels a much
greater source of satisfaction than a lot of passe gowns and wraps. Her
silver and linen are marked with the initials of her maiden name. These
initials are always embroidered on the latter.
The supply of table and bed-linen will depend upon the size of her house
and the style in which she lives. Six sheets and six pillow and bolster
slips are allowed to each bed, and twelve towels, half of them bath
towels, to each bedroom. She should have dinner and lunch cloths, with
napkins to match; it is usual to allow a dozen napkins to each cloth. It
is good economy to purchase all these in a good quality. The dinner cloths
and napkins should be of double damask, so called. The very large dinner
napkins--seven-eighths of a yard square--are less in favor than the
medium, three-quarter size. A fairly ample supply of comforts, down and
silk quilts, and blankets, is often acquired by purchase before marriage.
[732 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
WEDDING FESTIVITIES.
Very soon after the wedding invitations are out, the bride's friends
bestir themselves and a number of entertainments are planned in her honor.
These are dinners, luncheons, teas, and theatre parties, the latter often
prefaced by a dinner at the house of the hostess. Often these include the
bridal party--bridesmaids and "best man." To dinners and theatre parties
the bridegroom-to-be is invited; luncheons and teas are given by the
bride's friends to her. The bridegroom's bachelor friends frequently give
a dinner for him--a farewell to the man so soon to rank as "Benedict, the
married man."
These functions in honor of the bride are exclusive, rather than general,
invitations being restricted to familiar friends. The bride's relatives
are the entertainers. At such functions the bride expectant may wear one
of the gowns of her trousseau. Because of these entertainments, which are
really quite a tax on the girl's strength and vitality, the trousseau
should be complete and the wedding preparations well under way before they
begin. Most of them seem to be crowded into the week or ten days preceding
the ceremony.
Engagement "Showers."--"The shower"--an entertainment that is somewhat on
the order of an informal tea at which each guest brings some gift to the
bride--has been called "provincial." It has a recognized place in middle
class society, at least, and may be made an enjoyable function. No two
"showers" are alike, hostesses vieing with each other in the endeavor to
present something original and attractive. The linen shower is one of the
most popular, each guest bringing some contribution to the bride's linen
chest. These are the more valued if the handiwork of the giver, and some
girls always have a bit of work in progress which may, when finished, be
their offering at a linen shower.
Only intimate friends are asked to a linen shower and the occasion is
entirely informal. The invitations may be couched in this form:
My Dear Miss Ames--
I am giving a linen shower for our mutual friend, Miss Gray, who is to
be married next month, and would be very glad to have you with us. I am
asking a few friends for luncheon on Thursday, January sixth, at one
o'clock, and hope you will be able to come. As the "shower" is to be a
surprise to Miss Gray, please do not mention it should you see her.
Very cordially,
Helen Brown.
The invitation should be promptly answered. Usually, the nature of the
entertainment is not known to the guest of honor until she arrives;
sometimes not until she is seated at the table.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 733]
How Presented.--The more unique the method of presentation the more
amusing the surprise of the guest. The gifts are to be neatly wrapped up
in white tissue paper, tied with ribbons, the card of the giver being
enclosed. Often some sentiment is written on the card, or an original
rhyme; this the recipient reads aloud when the gift is unwrapped.
At one long remembered shower, the centerpiece was a white linen parasol,
beautifully embroidered and the gift of the hostess. This, open, was
fastened upright, the block of wood which held it being hidden under
asparagus plumosus interspersed with pink roses. Under this were arranged
the several packages. Between each course the guest of honor was requested
to draw and open a parcel, the remainder being opened before leaving the
table. At another luncheon the gifts were brought in by a boy dressed as a
messenger, one at a time, as if just delivered. The surprise of the guest
at the first delivery greatly amused her friends. One guest contributed a
handsome lunch cloth, another the napkins to match, each marked with
embroidered initials. An embroidered white linen handbag, for use with a
white gown, was enclosed in a box about a foot square; within this was
another, neatly wrapped and tied, which, opened, contained another and
still another, keeping expectancy at its height. The "Jack Horner pie" has
been used, and the "showered" girl has been handed a white satin ribbon
and been bidden to follow where it led her, discovering at the end the
pile of presents.
Gifts for a linen shower may include towels of all kinds, the monogrammed
damask and initialed guest towels, embroidered linen pillow slips;
centerpieces, doilies, bureau scarfs and many other textile gifts suggest
themselves. The "kitchen shower" suggests the useful; the handkerchief
shower is dainty.
Refreshments.--The refreshments at such an entertainment may be as simple
as one likes, unless the invitations are for a luncheon; in that case they
should be more elaborate. Chocolate and sandwiches with cake and ices;
sandwiches, cake and coffee, are allowable. The guests are seated at a
table, which should be decorated with pink and white flowers. Pink
carnations are beautiful for this use. The guest of honor is seated at the
hostess's right hand and is served first. She must thank those who have
presented the gifts individually, and express to her hostess her pleasure
in the entertainment and her gratitude for the trouble she has taken for
her.
WEDDING PREPARATIONS.
The Expense of a Wedding.--It may be said at the outset that no wedding
should be more costly than the financial standing of the bride's family
warrants. If the bridegroom's family is wealthy, and that of the bride in
very moderate circumstances, there will be many to intimate that the
bridegroom "put up for it." The intimation is a sneer, because the bride's
family should pay all the expenses of a wedding. If the expense is
manifestly beyond the resources of the bride's father, society lifts its
eyebrows.
[734 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Of course her wedding is the one pageant in which the girl is the central
figure--the admired of all beholders. It is quite natural for her to wish
it to be beautiful, to look lovely herself, and not to go empty-handed to
her husband. But no sensible girl will have a grand wedding if its cost
will put her father in debt. If Mary's music lessons must be intermitted,
or John's entrance into college postponed because of her trousseau and her
wedding, she should assume some of the sacrifice herself and be content
with a more modest outfit and a simple ceremony. Thousands of thoughtless
girls leave their families to recover slowly from the financial strain of
their wedding. It is selfish and inconsiderate for a girl to say, "You
will never have to do it again for me," or "I shall be no further expense
to you." That may be true, but it is no justification.
Nor is it permissible for the bridegroom to furnish any part of the
bride's trousseau. If she is poor, and is to marry into wealth, good taste
and public opinion counsel her to confine her wedding preparations to what
she or her family can pay for. Let her make ready a simple wedding dress
and going-away gown, or be married in the latter, and take with her to her
new home only her under linen and the treasured keepsakes of her maiden
days. As soon as she is wife, her husband may lavish silks and laces and
furs upon her, but not before.
The Bride's Privileges.--It is the province of the bride to name the
wedding day, subject of course to the insistence of her fiance, who will
urge an early date. She decides whether her wedding shall be formal or
informal, at church or at home. She chooses the clergyman who shall
perform the ceremony, the bridegroom notifying him of her desire. Her
family issues--and pays for--the wedding invitations and announcement
cards. It is customary to ask the bridegroom to make out a list of those
of his relatives and friends to whom he wishes these sent. The bride names
her attendants, decides upon their number and if a bridal procession is
contemplated, consults with them as to their gowns and the accessories.
Here she is in duty bound to consider the expense to be incurred by those
invited to take part in the affair, unless she is prepared to pay for
their gowns herself; this however is seldom done. If she desires her
attendants to wear some particular adornment which will be of no use to
them afterwards, as a fancy muff or boa, she should pay for it herself.
She may endeavor to arrange with her dressmaker to make their gowns if she
can obtain a reduction on account of their being made alike, or the large
order placed. To be invited to serve as bridesmaid is often an expensive
compliment, as it usually involves a new gown and hat, the latter always
being worn at a church wedding.
If the bride decides to have but one attendant, the latter is usually
styled her maid-of-honor, and may be her sister or her most intimate
friend. If she has more than one maid she should include the bridegroom's
sister, if he has one. If a matron-of-honor is to participate, she should
be a friend or sister of the bride who has been recently wedded. The
bridesmaids are chosen from her unmarried friends.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 735]
Who Pays?--The question is often asked, "Who pays, for" this, that or the
other item.
The bridegroom provides the marriage certificate, the wedding ring, pays
the clergyman, and for the carriage in which he drives away with the
bride. He sends a gift and the bouquet to the bride; usually gives gifts
of jewelry to the bridesmaids and the best man, and often includes the
ushers.
The bride's family pays for the wedding cards, pays the florist and the
caterer, the expense of opening the church and the service of the sexton;
the music, carriages for the bridal party, in short, the bills are for the
family to pay. Where a wedding is very elaborate, the details are
sometimes turned over to a "manager," who sees to everything, and receives
a fat fee for his services.
The Wedding Gown.--Choice of a wedding gown depends upon the style of the
wedding. At a church wedding it is as handsome as the bride can afford.
Any girl is excusable for wishing her wedding to be "an occasion," and her
bridal attire as beautiful as possible. White is suitable, and there are
so many fabrics in that color that all purses can be accommodated. The
gown may be of satin, crepe de chine, messaline, lace or chiffon, or of
simple white organdie; all are appropriate for a church wedding. With any
of these a veil should be worn. Two and a half yards of tulle will be
sufficient; other accessories are white kid gloves, white slippers and
white silk hose, if white is worn. White is suitable for the most
elaborate church wedding and for the simplest ceremony at home. The gown
is made en train, as a rule; always so for a church wedding, and always
with high neck and long sleeves.
A bride may elect to be married in a traveling dress. For this some pretty
light color, as light gray, champagne, tan or biscuit color is chosen. A
hat must be worn with such a costume, and for a young bride is by
preference trimmed with flowers. It is correct to carry flowers--not a
shower bouquet, however--with such a gown, which is to be changed for a
plainer one for actual travel. For this dark blue, brown, or gray are
suitable colors; gloves match, and the hat is inconspicuously trimmed. It
is the bride's greatest desire not to look "just married."
Later Wear of the Wedding Gown.--The wedding gown is worn at the more
formal of the post-nuptial entertainments. The trousseau should include an
evening dress and wrap. For the former, black lace, chiffon cloth or net
will prove the most serviceable, and almost universally becoming. A
traveling gown, a handsome suit for visiting, receptions, etc., a pretty
gown for receiving at home, and several house gowns will be needed.
Kimonas, bath-robes, dressing-jackets, are included in the less ornamental
parts of the trousseau.
A girl often invites her intimate friends to inspect her wedding finery,
rejoicing in their admiration. The privilege of such a view is highly
valued.
[736 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Bridal Flowers.--Orange flowers are reserved for the bride, and she never
wears any other in her hair, at least no other that are artificial. She
may carry any flowers, she prefers; the florists make all seasons alike.
Often an order is given months in advance for the bride's favorite flower
to grace her wedding, and the florist forces it to bloom at the appointed
time. White roses and carnations can be had at almost any season; sweet
peas, white lilacs, lilies of the valley, are less easy to procure. The
"shower bouquet" has many narrow white satin ribbons falling from it to
the foot of the skirt, and knotted at intervals round flower sprays.
The rarest of bridal flowers are the orchids, so costly that only the rich
may have them, though a few orchids, two or three, are sometimes put with
lilies of the valley, or Roman hyacinths, intermixed with stephanotis or
stevia, for the bridal bouquet. Bridesmaids may carry large clusters of
flowers tied with ribbons, the flowers suiting their costumes. Or, if they
all wear white, American Beauties may be chosen. The usual preference is
for flowers in more delicate hues.
The Widow's Bridal Attire.--A widow does not wear white at her second
wedding, nor a veil, nor does she have bridesmaids. Her usual choice is to
be married in a handsome traveling gown of some light color, wearing hat
and gloves to match. The material may be silk or broadcloth for a church
wedding. She wears her wedding ring up to the day of her second marriage.
Though she may have no bridesmaids she may have a matron-of-honor, some
married friend, who wears a street or reception dress, with suitable hat
and gloves.
A woman who has entered her fourth decade does not, as a rule, wear white
when married.
It is no longer customary for a woman to go into semi-retirement preceding
her marriage. She does not parade herself; no lady would do that, but she
accepts invitations and appears at all the fetes planned for her up to the
wedding day. As a result, she is often very tired and fagged before the
event.
The Man's Wedding Garments.--One of the most frequent inquiries made of
the editors of women's departments in magazines relates to the proper
attire for the bridegroom. "When is it correct to wear a dress suit?" and
"What should the bridegroom wear at a day wedding?"
"The dress suit," so called, is the man's evening clothes. Naturally,
then, he will not don his evening attire until evening--after or for a six
o'clock dinner,' This should dispose of the question of "the dress suit."
For a man to wear evening clothes at a noon wedding would be as absurd as
for a woman to appear in a ball dress at that hour.
For a day wedding a man wears a black frock coat and gray trousers; his
waistcoat may match the coat or be of white duck or marseilles, white
shirt with standing collar, and tie of the fashionable cut in pearl gray
or soft white silk. Pearl-colored kid gloves are worn, and a silk hat. The
overcoat is black. A boutonniere of white flowers is usually worn.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 737]
The above is the correct dress for best man and ushers at a day wedding,
in church or at home.
For a formal evening wedding, full evening dress is worn by bridegroom,
best man and ushers. The suit is of fine black worsted, silk faced as to
the coat. The waistcoat may be of the same material, or white duck or
marseilles may be worn. A fine white linen shirt with standing collar, and
pearl or white enamel studs, white lawn tie, white or pearl-gray kid
gloves stitched in the same color, and patent leather pumps complete the
attire. A black overcoat, single breasted, and silk hat are the additions
for out-of-door wear.
The Bride's Mother.--The bride's mother wears a handsome reception dress.
Black with much jet and lace, pearl gray, mauve and lavender are favorite
colors for her. White gloves are worn. Mourning attire should never be
seen at a wedding. If the bride's mother, or any of the family, are in
mourning, it must be laid aside for the occasion. Black may be worn, but
it must be lightened with white lace, jet, or other accessories that will
take it out of the conventional garb of grief. Guests of course gown
themselves handsomely.
THE FORMAL CHURCH WEDDING.
Let us suppose that the church has been decorated with flower and palms,
arranged by experienced hands to form a background for the bridal party.
The seats for the respective families have been roped off with wide white
satin ribbons; those on the right for the bridegroom's family, those of
the left for the bride's. The bridegroom and the best man are with the
clergyman in the vestry; the bridesmaids have assembled at the bride's
house, and have entered their carriages; the relatives, including the
bride's mother, and guests are in their seats. The carriages containing
the bridesmaids precede that of the bride to the church; they alight and
await her in the vestibule. The bride, accompanied by her father, arrives.
The bridal procession is quickly formed, the vestibule doors having been
closed by the ushers on the arrival of the wedding party. At the signal
the organ breaks into the familiar strains of the wedding march; the
clergyman, followed by the groom and best man, enter from the vestry, and
stand on the chancel step facing the guests, awaiting the bride, the
bridegroom being slightly, in advance.
The ushers, walking two and two, lead the way up the aisle; the
bridesmaids follow at a distance of ten or twelve feet, also walking in
pairs; then comes the maid-of-honor, walking alone. She is followed by the
bride, leaning on the arm of her father or nearest male relative. At the
chancel the ushers separate to right and left, remaining below the chancel
step; the bridesmaids separate in the same manner, but ascend the chancel
step. The maid-of-honor places herself at the left of the place left for
the bride, in readiness to hold her bouquet and remove her glove. The
bridegroom descends the chancel step, meeting the bride. The two place
themselves before the clergyman, the bride standing on the bridegroom's
left; the best man stands at the right of the bridegroom a step or two in
the rear.
[738 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Bride's Father.--The place of the bride's father is at the left
somewhat in the rear. As the clergyman asks: "Who giveth this woman to be
married to this man?" he steps forward and places the bride's right hand
in that of the clergyman, who in turn places it in that of the bridegroom.
The father steps aside, and as the bridal procession forms to retire after
the ceremony, he joins his wife and escorts her from the church.
At the proper moment the maid-of-honor removes the bride's glove and takes
her bouquet. The best man gives the ring to the bride, who passes it to
the clergyman; the latter gives it to the bridegroom, who places it on the
bride's finger, holding it there while repeating the formula, "With this
ring I thee wed," etc. The significance of this transfer is the forming of
a circle, to indicate the endlessness of the contract.
Another Form.--A form sometimes introduced is for the bridal party to
stand below the chancel while the clergyman reads the service up to and
including the sentence, "If any man can show just cause," etc. After the
customary moment's pause, there being no unseemly interruption, the party
ascends the chancel step and the ceremony proceeds.
The order of the procession after the ceremony is this: The just married
pair lead the way, the wife taking her husband's arm; the maid-of-honor
follows; then the bridesmaids, after them the ushers. Such is the conduct
of a church wedding, a thousand times repeated. The ceremony is often
rehearsed a night or two previous to the event, to make sure each will be
familiar with his or her part.
The Best Man's Duties.--The best man has charge of the ring. At the
conclusion of the ceremony he disappears into the vestry, where he places
the wedding fee, enclosed in an envelope, in the clergyman's hands. He
then hastens to his carriage and is driven to the house, where he assists
in the reception of the guests, and takes the maid-of-honor or the
bridesmaid to luncheon. Or he may escort the maid-of-honor from the
church.
The best man also sees to it that the agitated bridegroom's clothes are in
order, packs his suitcase, orders the baggage to be called for, buys the
tickets for the wedding journey and sees that they are in the bridegroom's
possession, and orders the carriage in which the newly wedded pair drive
to the station. He takes as many of the details of the affair as possible
off his friend's mind and hands, and stands by manfully to the last. The
best man should fully acquaint himself with the duties of his position
before assuming it The sexton of the church takes the groom's hat from the
vestry to the vestibule, and hands it to him at the door.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 739]
Duties of Ushers.--An usher escorts each lady to her seat, giving her his
arm. The guests should stand during the ceremony, rising as the procession
enters, and remaining in their seats until it has retired. The ushers
often pass ribbons along their seats, not removing them until the bridal
party and the relatives have left the church. Having seen the bridal party
to their carriages, the ushers return to escort the relatives to theirs,
and then hasten to the house, where they meet the guests on arrival and
escort them, severally, to the receiving party. The bride's mother
welcomes them first; they are then presented to the newly married pair.
The bride offers her hand; the guest wishes her much happiness,
congratulates the bridegroom, shaking hands the while, greets the
maid-of-honor and the bridesmaids with a smile and bow, and passes on,
making way for the next.
The Wedding Reception.--The wedding reception follows the ceremony, guests
coming at once from church to the house. There should be no undue haste in
presenting one's self; the party requires a little time to arrange itself
in proper order for receiving. At a day wedding reception women lay aside
wraps, retaining their hats. At an evening reception they remove both, and
wear full dress.
After greeting the bride and groom, as indicated in the preceding
paragraph, the refreshment room is sought. If the reception is a large
one, a buffet or "stand-up" repast is often served, though it is more
desirable to provide small tables seating four people. If these are not
furnished the men may assist the ladies, though the service should be
adequate. No tea, coffee, or chocolate is poured at the table.
Refreshments.--The refreshments may be simple or elaborate. The table is
laid in the dining-room, and decorated with flowers. On it are the
refreshments, and plenty of napkins, plates and silver, in piles.
Bouillon, creamed oysters or oyster patties; salads, cold salmon or
lobster with mayonnaise dressing, ices and cake are suitable. Usually one
hot dish is passed. Or one may serve a salad, ice cream and cake, with
punch. If wine is offered it is always champagne.
The wedding cake, neatly packed in white boxes bearing the monogram of the
bride and groom and tied with white satin ribbon, is arranged on a table
in the hall, and each departing guest takes a box. Wedding cake is no
longer sent.
Going Away.--When the last guest has been greeted, the bridal party may be
served with refreshments. Their supper is laid in a private room, and they
are seated, a most welcome rest after the fatigue of the ceremony and the
reception. The bride then retires to change to her traveling dress; the
bridegroom, who has had his valise sent to the house in the morning,
retires for the same purpose. The maid-of-honor accompanies the bride; the
best man assists the groom, and packs his suit worn during the ceremony,
either to be taken with him or to be sent to his home.
[740 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
At the time agreed upon the bridegroom awaits the bride at the head of the
stairs. Adieus to the family are said in the bride's room and should be
brief. The bridesmaids and ushers are awaiting the departure in the hall.
Half way down the stairs the bride throws her bouquet. The bridesmaid who
catches it will be married next, according to the old superstition. The
bride and groom enter their carriage amid a shower of rice or confetti,
the carriage door bangs; the caterer has removed the debris of the feast;
the maids have restored the house to its wonted order and the wedding is
over--all except paying the bills.
Guests at a wedding do not remain until the departure of the bride. They
congratulate, partake of refreshments, chat a few minutes with friends,
and depart.
At a church wedding it is customary--and usually necessary to keep out the
uninvited--to enclose small cards which are presented at the church door
to ensure admittance. If the reception is large, the same thing is
sometimes done as a measure of protection.
Calls after Wedding.--It is expected that the guests at a wedding
breakfast or reception will call on the mother of the bride within three
weeks after the marriage, and upon the bride on one of her "At Home" days,
or soon after her return from the wedding journey, if no days are
specified.
Cards bearing the date of the bride's "At Home" days, or "At Home
after"--a certain date, are enclosed with the announcement cards, or the
date named on the card. If sent they must be ready to mail immediately
after the wedding.
THE HOME WEDDING.
While the home wedding is modeled in its essentials along the lines of the
church wedding, much less formality is observed. The invitations to the
church wedding are always in the third person and engraved. Those for the
home wedding, though often following the same formula, may be informal
notes in the first person, written by the bride's mother.
Correct Attire.--It is sometimes supposed that a bride married at home may
not wear a veil nor be "given away." On the contrary, if she wears white
she may with perfect propriety wear a veil, and the Episcopal marriage
ceremony always, and nearly all other forms of the service include the
giving away, as implying parental sanction and consent. The "giving away,"
then, is customary, even at the simplest home wedding.
If the bride wears a traveling dress she has a maid-of-honor, the one
attendant being so-called. The groom is attended by his best man. There
are usually two ushers, though these may be omitted, The maid-of-honor
wears some pretty costume which is in keeping with that of the bride. If
the latter wears white, the attendant also wears white with colored
trimmings. If the bride wears a veil, the maid wears a hat; the veil being
the head covering of the bride.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 741]
The bridegroom wears a black frock coat, gray trousers, white waistcoat
and tie, silk--not lawn, gray or white gloves, and patent leather shoes at
a day wedding, The ushers are similarly attired, save that they may wear
black waistcoats. Silk hats are worn.
Minor Particulars.--The bridegroom and best man will require a room. The
clergyman expects a room where he may don his surplice or gown. The ushers
may also require a room.
The bride's mother receives the guests, her father remaining with his
daughter to conduct her to the room where the ceremony is to be performed.
A mother may perform this office if the father is not living. After
placing his daughter's hand in that of the clergyman, the father steps
back a pace or two, awaiting the end of the service. Wedding music is
played when the party is ready to enter, and may be continued, very
softly, through the ceremony; it must not overpower the voices of the
participants.
Guests should arrive at the hour named, leave wraps in hall or dressing
room, and descend to the parlors. It is not expected that all will be
seated, though a few chairs are provided for the elderly. The ushers
stretch two lengths of white ribbon from end to end of the room, making an
aisle for the little procession.
The clergyman, groom, and best man enter and take their places at one end
of the room, when the music begins. Then come the ushers, next the
maid-of-honor, walking alone; then the bridesmaids, if any, followed by
the bride on the arm of her father. The groom steps forward to receive her
and the two face the clergyman. The best man stands on the bridegroom's
right. The maid-of-honor will hold the bride's bouquet and her glove, if
this is removed; the ring is in the custody of the best man.
Etiquette to be Observed.--At the close of the ceremony the clergyman
congratulates the pair and steps aside. They face about and the bride's
mother is the next to offer her good wishes, then the groom's parents. The
guests then extend felicitations. It is thought in better taste to wish
the bride happiness and congratulate the groom, it being supposed that he
is the most fortunate in having been able to secure such a prize.
It is no longer customary for everyone to kiss the bride; she is not
compelled to suffer to that extent.
The best man assists the ushers--whose first duty is to remove the white
ribbons--in escorting guests to the bride and groom. His duties are the
same as those of the best man at a church wedding.
The maid-of-honor stands at the bride's left as she receives.
The bride and bridegroom lead the way to the dining room, the best man
offering his arm to the maid-of-honor.
The bride's father escorts the bridegroom's mother, the guests follow in
such order as is convenient, and the bride's mother and the bridegroom's
father are the last.
[742 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
If only twenty-five or thirty guests are present the wedding breakfast is
preferably served at small tables. The clergyman and his wife, who should
always be invited, are seated at the bride's table. So also the
maid-of-honor, the best man, the ushers, and the parents of the pair, with
sisters and brothers if convenient. Or, the bride's table may be reserved
strictly for the bridal party.
The bride may cut her own cake if she chooses, or the wedding cake may be
dispensed in boxes as at the reception following a church wedding.
The departure of the newly wedded pair is on the order already indicated.
After the Wedding.--It may be said here that the "horse play"--for it is
nothing else--sometimes indulged in as "an after clap" to a wedding, in
which practical jokes are played on the pair, is not only unkind and
ill-bred, but in most execrable taste. To placard the luggage "Just
married;" to tie white ribbons on it and the carriage in which they are
driven away; to substitute a suitcase packed with the things a man doesn't
want on his journey for one containing what he does, is not at all
"smart."
Why should some coarse, ill-bred persons, whether they have or have not
been favored with invitations, strive to embarrass and make uncomfortable
those to whom the situation is already sufficiently trying? Why, after so
much pains and expense have been employed to make the occasion beautiful
and impressive, should the "practical joker" take it upon himself to spoil
it all by an ill-timed "pleasantry" which is the acme of rudeness and
discourtesy? It is a curious character that can enjoy perpetrating what
are really outrages upon other people's sensibilities.
Wedding Gifts.--Very soon after the wedding invitations are out the
presents begin to pour in. The fashion of gift giving on such an occasion
is not as prevalent as at one time; it was overdone, carried beyond the
limits of good taste, and of course a reaction was inevitable. Some men
profess to share the feeling of the Scandinavian immigrant who was so
deeply affronted at the offerings made by his bride's friends--as if he
were not able to furnish his home with the necessary articles--that in his
Berserker rage he was with difficulty restrained from casting gifts and
donors together into the street.
Generally speaking, only relatives and intimate friends send gifts, though
there is no interdict as regards others who may wish to testify to their
interest in the bride in this way. An ostentatious gift from a person not
in the family is in bad taste. The words "No presents" on wedding
invitations are in the worst possible form.
An invitation to a church wedding and not to the reception precludes the
necessity of making a gift; indeed, it would be thought rather "pushing"
to send one.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 743]
What to Give.--The flat silver is generally given by the bride's family.
In order to avoid duplicates, it is best for the friends and relatives to
consult together in regard to their gifts. It is not thought good form to
offer articles of wearing apparel. Anything the bride's immediate family
has to offer in this line is best included in the trousseau. Cut glass,
silver, bric-a-brac, napery, books, pictures, fans, rugs, clocks, handsome
chairs and tables, are things that may be chosen with propriety.
The question of the correct form of marking silver and napery often comes
up. The rule is to have it engraved with the initials of the bride's
maiden name--not the single initial of her family name, as is sometimes
ignorantly done--because it is her own private property. If a wife dies,
the silver bearing her name is packed away for the future use of her
child, especially if it is a girl. The second wife would be forbidden by
good taste and convention, from using the first wife's silver.
Acknowledgments.--Wedding gifts are usually packed where they are bought,
and sent direct from the shops. The card of the donor is enclosed, within
a tiny envelope. It is a rule that the wedding gift must be acknowledged
immediately, before the marriage, and by a personal note from the bride.
This is not always possible, but the note should be written at the
earliest moment the bride's engagements will permit. Such notes are always
in the first person, and should be pleasant and cordial. The writer must
be careful to render thanks for the article sent. Amusing mistakes
sometimes happen; thus a lady who had sent a pair of handsome candlesticks
was mystified by expressions of gratitude for a silver berry spoon she had
not sent.
A cordial form of acknowledging a gift is this:
12 Canton Avenue.
My Dear Mrs. Bruce:
The beautiful cut glass vase sent by you and Mr. Bruce has just
arrived, and I hasten to thank you most sincerely for your kind
thought of me. It will be a constant reminder of your goodness to Mr.
Waters and myself, and a most lovely ornament to our new home.
Gratefully yours,
Marion Moore.
July tenth, nineteen hundred and nine.
The wedding gifts may or may not be displayed, according to the personal
preference of the bride. They are commonly shown to intimate friends. A
room is given up to their display. Cards are to be removed.
[744 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Wedding Decorations.--At a church wedding it is customary, and wisest, to
put the matter of decorating the church and house into the hands of a
florist, who can furnish the palms and others plants required for the
chancel, and carry out any color scheme desired. He has the paraphernalia
requisite to effective disposition of flowers. Usually large clusters of
foliage and flowers, ribbon tied, are attached to the pews reserved for
the relatives; often they are arranged the entire length of the aisle, The
mantels in the house are banked with flowers, southern smilax is used in
profusion, and flowers are arranged upon the tables at which the supper is
served.
At a church wedding in the country the bride's friends must come to the
rescue, and their gardens be robbed to beautify church and home. Flowers
may be sought in the fields. Large jars of daisies, wild ferns, tall
grasses, autumn tinted boughs, or in the blooming season, boughs of fruit
trees, can be used most effectively. At one pretty home wedding the
decorations were boughs of the wild crab-apple in bloom, pink and pretty,
and kept so by having the stems inserted in bottles of water, suspended by
wires and concealed by other foliage. A large screen sometimes forms a
background for the bridal party. If covered with wire netting flowers can
be very easily attached.
Walls are not festooned; "wedding bells" and canopies are out of date. The
most approved setting is tall palms, ferns on standards concealed by a
lower grouping, with a few potted plants in bloom to relieve the
sombreness of the green. Large flowers like lilies, hydrangeas,
chrysanthemums and peonies are most effective. Tulips are often employed
at a spring wedding. One little country girl made good use of ordinary
field clover in decorating her home for her marriage.
After a wedding, the flowers are often sent to the hospitals, or to those
who are known to be ill, at the request of the bride.
THE SIMPLEST OF WEDDINGS.
Now, although we have told how the church wedding and the ordinary home
wedding are conducted, it does not follow that one may not have a much
simpler and yet a pretty wedding, with less "pomp and circumstance" and
consequent expense.
Wherever a girl has a home, she should be married from it. This is her
due, as "daughter of the house."
She may make the simplest possible preparations; may be married in her
best dress, not new for the occasion. She may omit all attendants, and
invite less than half a dozen of her friends; she may receive them herself
and at the appointed hour simply stand up and be married to a blushing
young man in a business suit, and afterwards cut her own cake, and then
proceed to her new home, which may be a little flat or a cottage. But she
should have the ceremony performed by a clergyman in her father's house.
If she has no parents, no home, merely a room in a boarding house, she and
her affianced may go to a clergyman's house and be married there. The
church and the law should sanction the rite; therefore she will not permit
herself to be married by a magistrate or a justice of the peace.
As for "sneaking off" and being married without the knowledge of one's
parents, this is both disrespectful and unkind--a poor return for their
care of her.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 745]
WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES.
The fashion of celebrating a succession of wedding anniversaries has
passed its high tide and is on the wane. Nevertheless, the custom is not
out, by any means. The tenth, twenty-fifth and fiftieth anniversaries,
known as the tin, silver, and golden, are those most frequently observed.
The first anniversary of the wedding day gives occasion for a paper
wedding; the second is cotton; the third leather. The fourth is omitted;
the fifth is the wooden wedding; next to be observed is the tin,
celebrating the close of the first decade. The next skip is to the china,
when twenty years have elapsed; and the quarter century of wedded
happiness is recognized in the silver wedding.
The wooden and tin weddings are occasions of great hilarity, and mean a
general frolic. The former began years ago with the gift of a rolling-pin
and a step-ladder. The gifts are of those practical, useful articles that
replenish the kitchen, though handsome gifts are of course easily
selected. Carved wooden boxes, handsome picture frames, articles of
furniture, are at the service of those who choose to pay their price.
Invitations to a wooden wedding are sometimes written or printed on birch
bark or thin strips of wood, or are engraved on cards which imitate wood
in appearance. The refreshments have been served on wooden plates procured
from the grocer. So far as possible the wooden idea is carried out.
Tin Weddings.--Gifts for the tin wedding are of course in that material,
and there is a wide range of choice. The tinsmith is often called upon to
manufacture fantastic articles, anything to raise a laugh. Thus one couple
were adorned, the wife with a set of tin curls, the man with a tin hat. A
tin purse enclosing a check for "tin" was once presented to a tin bride on
the occasion of her tin wedding. The freakish fancy of one's friends is
generally much in evidence at a tin wedding. As at the wooden wedding, the
bride cuts a wedding cake decorated with a monogram formed of the initials
of her own and her husband's name, and the year of the wedding and of its
anniversary. Refreshments may be served from tin dishes, and the guests
provided with tin plates.
[746 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Silver Wedding.--Cards for a silver wedding are printed in silver, or
in black on silvered cards--the former being in better taste. The
form--which may be used for all with the variation of but one word--that
designating the nature of the anniversary, is as follows:
1885 Mr. and Mrs. Smith 1910
request the pleasure of your company on
Thursday, February the twenty-fourth,
at eight o'clock.
Silver Wedding.
George Smith Anna Hall
As the couple who celebrate are generally in the prime of life, and their
friends of about the same age, a silver wedding is usually a very
enjoyable function. The many beautiful articles now made in silver afford
a wide range of choice in the way of gifts, both valuable and in those
inexpensive trifles that please everybody because so artistic. Silverware
is marked with the initials of the married pair, often enclosed in a true
lover's knot. Toilet articles, pomade jars, silver jewelry, spoons, silver
parasol and umbrella handles, picture frames in silver, rings and
bracelets, besides the manifold pieces for table use, offer a wide
individual range in choice and price.
The supper at a silver wedding is quite elaborate. The bride that was cuts
a wedding cake in which a silver piece is baked; the person who gets it
being expected to live to celebrate his or her silver wedding. Speeches
are made, often an original poem read, and not infrequently the health of
the pair pledged in a glass of wine.
Golden Weddings--Occasions for the celebration of fifty years of union are
much rarer than any other. Nor are they wholly joyful. The aged couple are
looking from "life's west windows" at a fast declining sun. A few short
years and it must set for them. The festivities are usually planned and
carried out by their descendants, who so far as possible summon to the
celebration the friends of "Auld lang syne," the clergyman who performed
the ceremony and any of the bridal party yet alive, and the dearest
friends of the present. Invitations in the conventional form are printed
in gold letters; often a monogram formed of intertwined initials is placed
between and a little above the years at the top of the invitation. The
wedding cake has a yellow frosting, or if in white, the monogram and the
years--1860-1910--are in yellow to represent gold.
Gifts in this precious metal are naturally circumscribed, but a gold coin
is apropos, particularly if Fortune has been chary of her favors. In the
seventh and eighth decade people have small use for bijouterie.
A golden wedding must be a sad anniversary to the participants. When they
were wedded, they were looking forward, joyously; now they recall the
past, its losses and trials and misfortunes. They remember the children
who are dead, or far away; or the prosperity once theirs, but now fled.
Few old folks would care to celebrate their golden wedding; it is usually
some well-meaning grandchild who sees in it "an occasion." Often, too, the
excitement, the fatigue, the unusual strain on mind and body, result in
illness which sometimes proves fatal.
The Courtesies of the Occasion.--There is no formal etiquette for any of
these anniversaries. Friends, as they arrive, are greeted by members of
the family; then, in the case of the elderly celebrants, are conducted to
them as they sit side by side, and presented. Failing eyesight and dulled
ears demand this. The congratulations are offered, and good wishes for the
future. If any speeches are made, they should be brief, that neither the
old couple or their guests be over-fatigued. The stay should be brief.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 747]
Gifts.--Gifts for the anniversary wedding are sometimes sent the day
previous, sometimes carried in person. Anything fantastic is generally
presented at the gathering, to contribute to its hilarity. The silver
wedding gifts are nearly always sent in advance, and are displayed on a
table, the cards of the donor usually being left on them. The recipients
are to tender their thanks in person or by note.
Every effort should be made to have these festivities joyous. Especially
should the wife subdue her emotion if the review of the years since her
bona fide wedding day have seen the loss of beloved children. She must
stifle her sad recollections for the sake of her guests.
The members of the bridal party, the more honored guests at the first
wedding, the clergyman who officiated, are sought as welcome guests at the
anniversary. The bride that was wears something she wore on the first
occasion. If the wedding dress and the bridegroom's suit have been
preserved they are worn--and wonderfully quaint they often look, so great
the change in fashion.
CHRISTENING CEREMONIES.
"Our birth is nothing but our death begun,
as tapers waste the moment they take fire."
--Young.
The arrival of the stork with the new baby is an event of vast family
interest, especially if it is the first visit of the bird to the domicile.
In America it is not customary to announce a birth in the newspapers, as
is often done in England, especially among the nobility. The personal
friends of the parents receive the visiting card of both, or of the mother
only, to which is attached a small card bearing the baby's full name and
the date of his arrival. These are enclosed in an envelope, this again in
an outer one, and mailed.
It is proper for those thus notified to call at an early date to inquire
as to the well-being of mother and babe. As it is not customary for the
mother to receive any but a very few of her nearest relatives under at
least three weeks, callers should not be expected to see her, but are to
leave cards. A note of congratulation is often sent instead of calling,
and offers to the ingenious and witty an excellent chance for the display
of delicate pleasantry. Thus it is entirely proper to address the note to
the baby, and congratulate him on having chosen such charming parents, and
such a lovely home. Flowers are not infrequently sent to the mother, and
little gifts--soft booties, little gold pins for sleeve and neck, little
crocheted or knitted sacks, or dainty bibs--to the baby.
[748 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Ceremony.--The baby is usually christened when it is six or eight
weeks old. Clergymen prefer this should be done at the church, and
generally arrange to perform several baptisms at the same time--Children's
Day being a favorite time. Otherwise, the christening usually takes place
after the congregation is dismissed at the conclusion of a service. Only
those interested and a few specially invited friends remain for it. There
is no objection, however, to having a child christened at home, when the
affair is made one of more festivity.
Most young married people prefer to have the clergyman who married them
christen their first baby, when practicable.
Sponsors.--The baby's sponsors are chosen, by the parents' agreement, from
among their relatives and close friends, almost always those of their own
communion. The request is preferred verbally or by personal notes. A boy
has a godmother and two godfathers; a girl two godmothers and a godfather.
Occasionally this rule is broken and a godmother alone chosen for a girl,
and one godfather for a boy. Godparents are supposed to stand in a more
intimate relation to their godchildren than to others, and to take a more
personal interest in them, especially in case of the parents' death. It is
a serious relation, involving a certain religious responsibility, and is
not to be lightly entered into.
The godparents are expected to make christening gifts to the child on his
baptismal day. They are usually in the form of silver cups, porringers,
silver spoons, forks, etc.; these should be solid, never plated ware. If
the babe is named for one of its godparents, the latter is expected to do
something handsome in the way of a christening gift. Sometimes a bank
account is opened in the child's name, the sum deposited being left at
interest until he becomes of age.
Church Christenings.--At a church christening, the babe is dressed in its
handsomest robe and cap. Formerly the robes were very long and miracles of
lace and embroidery; at present the finest of linen lawn or batiste, with
a little real lace at neck and sleeves, and a bit of fine French
embroidery, is thought in better taste, even in the case of the very
wealthy. And many a blessed baby is given his name in a simple little lawn
robe with no embellishment beyond a little tucking--done by the mother's
own hands, perhaps.
The nurse carries the child into the church. Sponsors and parents group
themselves around the font, which is often decorated with white flowers.
The godmother has the privilege of holding the babe until it is time to
lay him in the clergyman's arms, the cap having been removed. The parents
make the responses; after the naming the godmother takes the little one
again, holding him until the close of the service. She should not wipe
away any of the water placed on the child's head. A good baby is expected
not to cry during the ceremony, and one advantage of an early christening
is that the little fellow is less liable to be alarmed at strange
surroundings.
The same forms are observed at a home christening, the hour being usually
in the afternoon.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 749]
A luncheon to which the clergyman and the christening party, and a few
friends if desired, are invited, customarily follows the church
ceremony--unless several children of other families are baptized at the
same time--and always follows the home christening. It is not unusual to
make some recognition of a clergyman's services at a church christening,
and always is in order at the home rite, though it is not expected as a
clergyman counts on his wedding fee.
If church or house is decorated for a christening, white flowers only are
employed, in conjunction with palms and ferns to relieve them. White
lilies are particularly beautiful. The table is adorned with white
flowers; the cakes and bonbons are white. Any desired refreshments may be
served, those for afternoon tea being suitable. That old-fashioned
beverage known as caudle is never served at any other time. It is
dispensed in bouillon cups.
MOURNING ETIQUETTE.
Conduct of Funerals--
So brief the span between our birth and death that the etiquette of burial
may fittingly follow that of the christening ceremony. It might be
supposed that the funeral, especially the private, could be conducted
without formality. But informality often means disorder, and simplicity
without order is confusion. There is no time where lack of order and
system so grate on one's nerves as at a funeral. The less "fuss" on such
an occasion the better, and for that reason, the routine of meals should
go on as usual, though no one seems to have the heart to eat them. Still,
it is in a way a comfort to most people to feel the chain of accustomed
habit; it brings a trifling sense of relief.
Save in the case of a person who has been prominent in the public eye,
there is no excuse, or reason, for any but a private funeral. Time was
when not to hasten to the house of death was thought unkind; not to attend
the funeral of an acquaintance a mark of disrespect. We have changed all
that. We do not expect the uninvited to attend our weddings and
receptions, why should they come at times of much more intimate and
personal emotion--those times when we can hardly endure the words and
presence of those we love best? What the sensitive have endured at the
hands--or tongues--of well-meaning but clumsy sympathizers--not
infrequently curious as well as sympathetic--only those who have suffered
can relate. In addition to the natural grief experienced, the members of
the family are usually worn out with nights of watching and days of
anxiety; it is a fresh strain to be obliged to see people, relate
sick-room details and listen to stereotyped condolences.
[750 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Undertaker.--Cases are rare where there is not some "next friend" who
is competent to see the undertaker, and arrange details with him. In fact,
the undertaker may well be put in charge. He should be competent and
experienced. A clumsy, fussy undertaker is an affliction.
The undertaker will obtain the physician's certificate as to the cause of
death, without which in many cities a burial permit cannot be issued. He
will secure the necessary permit, see to the preparation of the grave, and
the purchase of a lot if necessary, arrange the house for the funeral,
furnish the bearers, and secure the requisite number of carriages; and,
before the family returns from the cemetery, have the funeral
paraphernalia out of the house, so that the maids or whoever is left in
charge can restore the rooms to their wonted order. Everything possible is
done to spare the grief-stricken.
The Duties of the Next Friend.--The actual duties devolving upon the
person representing the family include ascertaining their wishes as
regards the officiating clergyman and his notification of their desire and
the hour of the funeral; for music, if any is desired; the selection of a
casket, and determining the number of carriages to be ordered. A written
list of relatives and friends who will go to the cemetery, arranged in
order of their relationship, four in a carriage, is given the undertaker
for his guidance in assigning those present to their places. The friend of
the family will accompany the undertaker to the cemetery if a lot must be
purchased, or he may go alone, the undertaker receiving his instructions
from the cemetery authorities. If any special position is desired for the
new grave, this will be definitely stated. With this knowledge, an
undertaker will conduct a burial so quietly and decorously that as a
bereaved wife once remarked, it was "a real comfort to have John buried."
She did not quite mean what she implied, however.
Where means suffice, a black cloth-covered casket with silver mountings is
chosen. If the interment is in a vault, a metallic casket is obligatory.
The child's casket is white; that for a young person is white or
pearl-gray.
It is no longer necessary to call on friends and neighbors to bear the
dead to their last resting-place, though it may be done. Honorary
pall-bearers are chosen among the associates of the dead in case he is a
prominent personage; the active may be relatives, or undertaker's
assistants. A child is sometimes borne by his or her little school
friends, though it seems a pity to call on children for such offices.
The House Funeral.--At the house funeral the family remains upstairs, or
is seated in the room with the casket, the former more customary. The
clergyman stands at the head of the casket, or in the doorway, that his
voice may be heard. At the conclusion of the service, those not going to
the cemetery quietly disperse; the carriages drive up; the undertaker in a
low voice assigns the relatives to them in proper order, and the cortege
moves off. At the grave, the remainder of the solemn service is read, the
casket lowered, and all is over.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 751]
That dreadful custom known as "viewing the remains," by which those
present file past the casket for a last look at the dead, is obsolete. The
bereaved take their farewell before any arrivals; those who desire to
behold the face of the dead do so as they enter, then are seated in
another room. Sometimes the casket is closed before the funeral.
Church Funerals.--The church funeral is more dignified, perhaps, but much
less common than a few years ago. Good taste counsels that our leaving,
like our arrival in this world, be a purely family affair. Those who
attend a church funeral are in their seats when the cortege arrives. The
organ is softly played as the casket is borne up the aisle, the clergyman
preceding it; its rests before the chancel, the clergyman reads the burial
service from the step, the mourners, who have followed the casket, being
seated in the front pews. The procession retires in the same order, the
congregation dispersing afterwards.
Flowers.--Flowers are usually ordered the day before the funeral, to
arrive in the morning, that they may be fresh. Cards are removed before
they are taken to the cemetery. Colored flowers, preferably those of pale
tints, are admissible, though American Beauties are not infrequently sent.
Wreaths of galax leaves are often ordered for the funeral of an elderly
person; sometimes half of the wreath is of the leaves and the remainder of
flowers. Wreaths and sprays are almost invariably sent by private
individuals, the stereotyped "emblems" like "the broken wheel," "gates
ajar," etc., being the offerings of clubs, or other organizations to which
the deceased may have belonged. Where there is a great quantity of
flowers, the loose sprays are often sent to the sick in hospitals, only
enough to cover the grave being reserved. The visitor to a cemetery could
find it in his heart to wish that when the beauty of these floral
offerings has departed, the sodden remnants might be speedily removed.
They speak so forcibly of forgetfulness.
MOURNING GARMENTS.
The custom of wearing mourning after a bereavement is almost universal.
Even the poorest endeavor to show their grief by donning a few shreds of
black, while among the well-to-do an entire new wardrobe is felt to be
obligatory. However our religion bids us look forward to a more perfect
existence in the beyond, however truly death may be a relief from pain and
suffering, custom, that makes cowards of us all, must be followed. Often
too, mourning garb is but the visible evidence of the gloom that oppresses
us spiritually. In spite of our faith, our sense of loss and loneliness is
best expressed in sad raiment and abstinence from pleasures. Often it
would be kindness to the living to go our way as usual, but that is not in
harmony with our hearts.
Mourning is in a manner a protection to a woman. Strangers respect her
sorrow and refrain from the jocular. Behind her crepe she may defy
intrusion. But it often becomes a hardship to the young.
[752 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
"I missed all my youth," complained a middle-aged woman. "We were a large
family. A brother died when I was sixteen and we went into mourning and
shut ourselves away from entertainments. Then my father died; next a
sister, and another brother, so that, looking back, I can remember but one
gown I had, between the age of sixteen and thirty-one, that was not
black--and the one exception never had a chance to get worn out."
The Expense of Mourning.--Mourning, however, is sometimes a distraction.
In deciding about trimmings and the width of crepe hems many a woman
forgets her woe, for a time at least. Mourning wear is expensive, and to
clothe a whole family in black totals no inconsiderable sum. Many families
have been financially swamped through the expenses of an illness, a
burial, and the conventional mourning. In this instance, as in the case of
weddings, all these things should be regulated by common sense. A costly
casket, a profusion of flowers and a long funeral procession merely
gratify a foolish and ostentatious pride on the part of the survivors, and
often entail a heavy burden on the father or husband.
It is quite customary to borrow the black garments worn at the funeral.
These should be returned immediately after the funeral, with a message or
note of thanks.
It is well to look over one's wardrobe to see what garments may be colored
for use during the period of mourning. The art of the dyer has made such
progress that very satisfactory results are obtained, and quite wealthy
people do not hesitate to resort to this expedient.
Mourning Wear.--Crepe, ugly, expensive and easily ruined by dust and
dampness, is no longer indispensable to a mourning outfit. If used at all,
it is in the form of hems or narrow bands on face veils and as borders or
facings, on gowns. Even widows, who wear the deepest mourning, no longer
wear crepe veils.
All dress materials for mourning wear have a dull finish. Henrietta,
imperial serges, tamese cloth and nun's veiling are the standard fabrics.
A lusterless silk is sometimes employed, also crepe de chine.
Crepe is used as a trimming only during the first period of mourning. Hats
have almost entirely replaced bonnets, except for elderly widows, who
often adopt the close-fitting Marie Stuart bonnet, with the white ruche
inside the brim. A long veil of fine silk nun's veiling is worn with this,
with a tulle or net face veil with a narrow fold of crepe. Veils of crepe
or nun's veiling are not worn over the face except at the funeral.
Hats with crepe folds and trimmings, with veils arranged to fall in folds
in the back are usually selected; with them is worn a plain net face veil.
Dotted veils are not mourning. Black furs, lynx, fox or Persian lamb are
worn.
Many women wear narrow lawn turn-over collars and cuffs; they are
hemstitched, with no other decoration. Black-bordered handkerchiefs are no
longer carried; if, however, one's woeful trappings must extend to this
detail, the narrower the edge the better.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 753]
Either black glace kid or suede gloves are worn. Shoes and slippers must
be in a dull kid finish.
All white may be worn in summer during the later period of mourning, but
combinations of black and white are not mourning; thus a white dress with
black ribbons is not correct.
Jewelry (in gold), ostrich feathers, velvet, lace, satin, and jet
trimmings, except in dull jet, are barred. One may wear a diamond or pearl
ring or two, but no colored jewels set in rings. Some women have outer
shells made in black enamel to enclose diamond ear-rings they are
accustomed to wearing.
If one wears mourning, she should hold to the correct form. If, however,
she elects to wear black, more license is permitted her. Whatever is done,
should be consistent. Thus if she simply adopts black she may have a net
or all-over lace yoke in a gown, may wear hats with wings and quills or
fancy feathers in black, or black flowers--which are botanical
monstrosities--whereas in correct mourning she could not.
The Period of Mourning.--The length of time during which mourning is to be
worn has been considerably shortened of recent years. Widows formerly wore
deep mourning-crepe, bombazine, etc., for two years, and "second
mourning" for another year. Now, even among the most rigid sticklers for
form, two years is the limit, and there is a tendency to diminish this
period. Eighteen months of woe inconsolable; six months of grief assuaged.
Nor are all recreations debarred the widow, as formerly; she may go to
concerts, small entertainments, even to matinees, after some months have
elapsed. This is as it should be. Many women have settled into gloom and
despondency which have darkened their homes because there has been nothing
to lift them out of their low frame of mind.
For a parent, a grown son or daughter, the conventional period is two
years, one year of deep mourning. For a young child a mother wears black
for a year. The same time suffices for a brother or sister. Six months
answers for grandparents; three for an uncle or aunt. Often one does not
wear mourning except for husband, child or parent.
Young girls need not wear mourning as long as an adult does, nor do they
wear crepe, unless it be a hat with crepe trimmings, or one with ribbon
bows and face veil with crepe border. It seems as unnecessary as it is
unkind to put young children into black.
[754 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
French Mourning.--The French, with characteristic cheerfulness, greatly
abridge the mourning attire, dividing it into three grades, deep, ordinary
and half-mourning. For the first only woolen materials in black are
employed; the second, silk and woolen; the third gray and violet. The wife
laments her husband for a year and six weeks,--six months of deep
mourning; six of ordinary, and six weeks of gray and violet melancholy.
The bereaved husband, on the other hand, is let off with six months of
sorrow, three in deep mourning, three in ordinary; he has not to pass
through the gray-and-violet stage at all.
Six months is also the period for parents, evenly divided between deep and
ordinary. One gets off with two months for brother, sister or grandparent,
and three weeks suffices for a mere uncle or aunt. Good taste decrees
mourning should be discarded gradually. From black one may go to quiet
costumes in dark colors, gray being an approved hue.
Mourning for Men.--Custom sets more lightly upon men than upon women in
the matter of mourning. Here, as elsewhere, the details of etiquette
devolve upon women. A widow would incur censure if she married within two
years after her husband's death; indeed, if her marriage followed soon
after the expiration of that term, Mrs. Grundy would infer some
surreptitious courting had been going on. A man, however, may marry again
after a year has elapsed. A widower would abstain from society and the
theater for six months. A parent is mourned for a year.
The correct attire for men is a black suit, black gloves and tie of
grosgrain or taffeta silk, and a black band upon his hat. The tailor
adjusts this hat band with scrupulous nicety to the depth of his
affliction. It is deepest for a wife; it diminishes mathematically through
the gamut of parents, children, brothers or sisters.
The widower is not expected to wear mourning for two years, unless he
prefers to do so. If he goes into the niceties of the garb he will wear
black enamel shirt studs and cuff buttons, and a plain black watch fob.
After a year he may wear a gray suit, retaining the black accessories.
The custom, followed in some circles, of wearing a black band on the left
coat sleeve, is to be emphatically condemned. The place for the band is on
the hat. If not placed there, let it be nowhere. On a gray or tan coat the
effect is startling. The custom of wearing such a band as emblem of
mourning for a fellow member in a lodge, or any organization, whether worn
by man or woman, is more honored in the breach than the observance. Better
drape the departed member's seat in black, or hang crepe on the charter
than follow this foolish fad.
The Duties of Friends.--Where there is sickness in a family, friends call
to make inquiries or to proffer assistance. Kindness counsels that such
calls should be brief; often duties press heavily upon the well, and the
time spent in receiving visitors may be sadly needed for rest, or for
other duties. To stay to a meal or to take children on such a visit is
inconsiderate, to say the least. If help is needed, give it quietly,
unobtrusively, and as efficiently as possible. A little service rendered
by a thoughtful neighbor is always appreciated, whereas the person who
goes "a-visiting" where there is sickness comes near being a nuisance.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 755]
In town, friends call at the door to make inquiries. Unless very intimate,
they do not expect to see any member of the family. Cards are left, and it
is correct to write "To inquire" on the card. If death follows, cards are
properly left, either before the funeral or within a week after the event.
Upon these may be written "with deepest sympathy." One does not ask to see
one of the family. Cards of this character are often sent by mail, and are
acknowledged within three weeks by sending one's visiting card with narrow
black edge and envelope to match. Across the top of the card is written
"With grateful appreciation of your sympathy," or "It is a comfort to feel
that we have your sympathy in our loss." Cards are sometimes especially
engraved for this purpose. Such cards have a mourning border and are
enclosed in an envelope and mailed. One's visiting card, with narrow black
edge and black-bordered envelope, is sent in acknowledgment of invitations
to weddings, receptions, etc. If a note is necessary in reply to an
invitation, it is written on note-paper having a narrow mourning border,
and follows the customary formula, the border being an indication of the
reason it is declined.
In case the request "Kindly omit flowers" is made in the obituary notice,
the wish of the family should be observed.
Letters of condolence should be written as soon as possible. Friends
should not be afraid to intrude. If they feel a sincere sympathy it should
be allowed expression, for such tributes, coming from the heart, are
always grateful to the stricken. Answers to such letters should not be
expected; it is customary to acknowledge them by a card, as above
mentioned.
Friends who send flowers should be thanked, either by note, or word of
mouth.
THE ETIQUETTE OF CORRESPONDENCE.
"Letters should be easy and natural, and convey to the persons to whom we
send just what we would say if we were with them."--Chesterfield.
They say nobody has time to write letters these days, and yet the post
office department handles millions of them each year. True, they are not
the formal, lengthy, somewhat stilted epistles of a century ago, when a
lad began his home letters "Honoured Parents," and your correspondent
announced, "I take my pen in hand to inform you," etc. The letter of
today, however, is not less the messenger of good-will and remembrance
than it was in those days. It remains largely the bulletin of business and
of family affairs.
The postman's bag! What may it not contain? News of birth or tidings of
death, of lover's vows made or broken, of achievements or misfortunes.
Every letter is like a new day; we cannot tell what its message may be.
It is no mean accomplishment to be able to write a good letter.
[756 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Essentials.--The first essential to letter-writing is to have
something to say, and the ability to say it well. This is a talent that
may be cultivated. The next requisite is good paper. Better curtail in
some other item and allow yourself good, plain, heavy paper and envelopes.
Avoid all fancy papers, whether in tint or design. Plain white or cream
laid paper is always good form. Whatever the vagaries of the stationer,
the plain white, fine quality paper is to be preferred. The intertwined
initials of the writer are often placed at the top of the first page,
either in the center or at the left-hand corner where the water-mark used
to be. These are done in gold or silver, or some pale tint. Just now, the
street address of the writer is often engraved across the flap of the
envelope. The form of the latter, whether square or oblong, varies
according to the passing fashion. Whichever is used, the letter sheet is
folded once to fit it. Sealing-wax is little used at present; if at all,
the "blob" of wax is small, only large enough to receive the impress of a
single initial on the seal.
Use a good black ink. Violet and purple inks are as passe as colored
stationery. There is a certain writing-fluid, bluish when first used, and
turning black after a few hours' exposure, that is standard.
Write legibly. Handwriting may or may not be an index of character, but it
certainly does indicate certain attributes. A cramped, slovenly, awkward
handwriting is naturally associated with a careless and uneducated person;
whereas a free, graceful and trained hand indicates culture and refinement
in the writer. We say again, write legibly. Nothing is more exasperating
than certain examples of modern fad-writing, where one might as well
attempt to translate a page of Chinese script. Despite the typewriter, one
should endeavor to be a good penman, because the typed letter or note is
inadmissible in polite society, being reserved for the world of business.
Avoid also the microscopic calligraphy with a fine pen; it is very trying
to your correspondent's eyes, unless she happens to have a reading-glass
conveniently near.
Take pains to make your signature easily decipherable. Remember that while
a word may be puzzled out by the context, or by the analogy of its letters
to others, the signature has no context, and is often so carelessly
written that the letters composing it are indistinguishable. One should be
particularly careful in this respect where writing business letters or
letters to strangers.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 757]
Letter Forms--Ceremonious letters, and notes in the first person are
addressed to My dear Mrs. Smith. If Mrs. Smith is a friend or an
acquaintance, she is addressed as "Dear Mrs. Smith." This is the American
custom, and is an exact reversal of the English. which is, by the way,
being more generally adopted in our society. "My dear" certainly seems to
the uninitiated, at least, more intimate and familiar than "Dear." A
business communication to a stranger begins--
Mrs. Joseph Smith,
Dear Madam:--
There are shades of courtesy to be observed in signing letters. "Sincerely
yours" is a little more formal than "Yours sincerely;" "Yours with much
regard" is more familiar than "Yours sincerely." "Yours truly" is for the
business letter; "Yours affectionately" for the family or those to whom
we are much attached. The rule has been to capitalize all the words of the
address, but only the first word of the conclusion, as "My Dear Friend
Mary" and "Yours sincerely," but of late this rule seems to be broken in
regard to the address, which is now often written "My dear Mrs. Smith."
Abbreviations.--Abbreviations are always incorrect. The month, day and
date must be spelled out; the street number and the year are correctly
indicated in numerals. The year is sometimes spelled out on formal
invitations, but is regarded as an affectation in private correspondence.
To indicate a date in numerals, as 3: 18: '12, is bad form. "Street" is
not shortened to "St." and "Avenue" is to be spelled out. The city and
state should be written in full. "Cal." and "Col." are often wrongly read
by busy railway clerks, and your Colorado letter goes to California.
The character and (&) is never to be employed. "Hon.," "Dr." and "Rev."
are permissible on an envelope; "Rev. Father" is incorrect; write "Rev."
We do not use "Esq." in America as much as it is used in England, where it
is always employed in addressing a letter to an equal, "Mr." being
reserved for tradesmen. Here we use "Mr." almost entirely. Christian names
are not abbreviated in an address; one should write "George" or "Charles"
rather than "Geo." or "Chas."
What Not to Do.--A woman is never to be addressed by her husband's title,
either verbally or in writing. "Mrs. Dr. Smith" is "Mrs. Lewis Smith";
"Mrs. Judge Morris" is "Mrs. Henry Pond Morris." Of course she would not
think of signing herself "Mrs. Dr. Smith." She should sign herself by her
own name, "Marion Morris." If necessary to convey the information, she
may, in a business note, place Mrs. in brackets, before her name, or after
signing her own name, write below it, "Mrs. Henry Pond Morris." This is
never done in a social note. Often, upon her marriage a woman includes her
maiden name in her signature, thus, "Marion Ames Morris." A hyphen is not
used. The four-storied name, as "Marion Helen Ames Morris," is too
cumbersome for common use.
A woman uses her husband's full name on her cards. The man, in signing
himself, writes his full name "Henry Pond Morris" or "R. P. Morris,"
rather than "Henry P. Morris."
The postscript has been laughed out of existence. If a few words must be
added the "P. S." is omitted. Dodging about on the pages, from first to
third, then to second and fourth, is to be avoided. Don't write across
your written pages; a plaided letter is so difficult to decipher that one
is justified in destroying it unread. One is supposed to have sufficient
letter paper on hand. A half sheet should never be used as a means of
eking out an epistle. Don't send a blotted, smeared letter.
[758 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Placing the Stamp.--Several years ago silly girls occasionally inquired
through the newspapers as to "the significance" of the postage stamp when
placed in certain positions on the envelope. One paper made reply that to
place it anywhere but on the upper right hand corner of the envelope
indicated that the sender was a first-class idiot. The answer was widely
copied and the inquiries ceased. The stamp is placed there for convenience
in canceling, that being done by a machine in all but the smaller offices.
The last item to be remembered is, spell correctly, though it is one of
much importance. A mis-spelled word is a grievous error in a letter--worse
than a blot. Keep a dictionary on the desk; when in doubt look up the
word, and then take pains to fix it in mind so as to have no further
trouble with it.
When to Write.--Notes of invitation should be promptly answered. So should
business letters. As for friendly letters, were they answered at once, by
both parties, the exchange would be so brisk that too much time would be
thus occupied. One may let a reasonable time elapse before replying; this
depending upon the intimacy. Friends whose time is much taken up with
other cares, but who do not wish to lose touch with each other, not
infrequently agree to exchange letters at certain dates or anniversaries.
Both may write simultaneously, or one write and the other reply.
Make it a point to re-read the letter you are about to answer, and take
pains to reply to any questions your correspondent may have asked. Nothing
is more maddening than to make several important inquiries and find them
wholly ignored while your friend tells you how busy she is, how many
engagements she has in the future, how tired she is, and prefaces these
uninteresting details with a long apology for her silence. Who was it said
"An apology is a mistaken explanation"?
Postal cards are not considered in correspondence. They are to be used
only for business, or where one is traveling and wishes to inform her
friends of her whereabouts. The picture or souvenir postals are largely
used for this purpose. But the postal card, in correspondence, is like a
call when the lady is out and you do not leave your card--it doesn't
count.
In regard to love-letters, bear in mind what Rousseau says:
"To write a good love-letter you ought to begin without knowing what you
mean to say, and finish without knowing what you have written." Then,
having unbosomed yourself, don't send it.
Care in Writing.--It is well to remember, that once you have dropped a
letter into the box, it is no longer yours. It belongs to the person to
whom it is addressed. If you have been indiscreet, the matter is out of
your hands. Therefore, be careful what you write. You cannot tell what use
your correspondent may make of it. Your friend may be trustworthy, but
careless; some one may be dishonest enough to read it; it may be lost. It
is a good plan to write nothing you would not be willing to have read
before a roomful of people who know that you wrote it.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 759]
Avoid personalities. Don't commit your unflattering opinions of other
people to paper. The letter is a witness whose veracity is unquestioned.
Don't read your letters to others, unless they are family letters in which
all may rightly have a share. A letter is a private communication.
Keeping Letters.--It is a bad plan to keep old letters, especially if they
are of a personal nature, or if they contain confidences or secrets. When
the owner dies, there is no knowing to what use they may be put. One
regrets the publication of the private letters of great men and women,
showing, as they so often do, the foolish, silly, conceited side of a
character we have admired. Private letters are often disillusioning, or
betray the presence of the skeleton of the family, unhappiness or
disgrace.
The safest way is to keep a letter till it is answered, then destroy it,
This does away with a lot of useless lumber.
Letters of Congratulation and Condolence.--It is not possible to give
forms for letters of this character. They are meaningless unless they come
from the heart, and should be characterized by sincerity. Nevertheless,
they should be written, and promptly, as also letters of acknowledgment of
gifts, favors offered, and the "bread-and-butter letter"--the missive you
write to your hostess after a few days' visit. Letters of condolence are
especially difficult to write. One so fears to wound instead of
comforting. If one can offer some quotation that has been a personal help
in time of sorrow, it is often gratefully appreciated. But because we
"don't know what to say" we must not omit writing. The letter is often a
greater kindness than the call, which is a tax upon the strength of the
mourner.
"The path of sorrow, and that path alone, leads to the land where sorrow
is unknown; no traveler ever reached that blessed abode who found not
sorrows in his road."
"Wherever souls are being tried and ripened in whatever commonplace and
homely way, there God is hewing out the pillars for His temple."
Do not think you must write a long letter. A few well chosen phrases,
sincere expressions of feeling, are more grateful to one who grieves. One
may say:
My dearest Friend:--
It is with sincerest sorrow I have just heard of your great
bereavement. I cannot hope to comfort you; God only can do that, but I
want to say how deeply and tenderly I feel for you in your sad
affliction.
Believe me, most faithfully yours,
[760 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
On the other hand, if we must congratulate, we may write:
I have just heard of your engagement to Mr. Blank, and wish to be among
the first of your friends to express my sympathy with you in your
happiness. I have known Mr. Blank for some time, and greatly admire his
many good qualities. I am sure you are very happy with him, and will be
more so as you grow together in marriage. Hoping good fortune and joy may
always be your portion in life, and present bliss an earnest of more in
store for you, I am,
Most sincerely yours,
MANNERS FOR MEN.
"Politeness and good breeding are absolutely necessary to adorn any or all
other good qualities or talents."--Chesterfield.
Though what we call society is largely vested in women, and women's
customs regulate etiquette, men are by no means exempt from the necessity
of knowing and practising what we call good manners. A man can have no
greater charm than that easy, unstudied, unconscious compliance with
social forms which marks what we call "a man of the world"--the man who
knows what a good manner requires of him in any situation, and does it
quietly and with the grace of habit.
There has been no time in the history of the world when good manners
counted for more than at the present. This is true of both men and women.
It is so true that in certain fields it is practically impossible to
succeed without their aid. The value of a pleasing manner can hardly be
overestimated. Such a manner is as far from the self-assurance and
presumptuous familiarity which some men assume under the idea that these
are impressive, as night is from day.
Value of Courtesy.--Courtesy has a commercial value, and exerts no little
influence upon a man's success in business. Polite attention and readiness
to oblige bring customers again and again, where their lack would send
people to rival houses.
We can forgive, in the intellectually great, or in the man of affairs who
has done things worth doing, a lack of social training that would not be
endured in a man with no such claim. Yet this is not saying that the great
man would not command more unqualified admiration were he to practise the
social graces instead of ignoring them. The truth is, the fact that we
have to overlook the absence of these graces induces a more critical
attitude toward his achievements. Great though he be in spite of his lack
of courtesy, we feel he would have been greater had he known and practised
the art of gentle manners.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 761]
The Manners of the Gentleman.--These "gentle-manners," that make the
"gentle man" are an indispensable requisite to success in society. They
testify to a man's good breeding, to his social affiliations; they "place
him." They often bring a man many things that wealth could not.
The rich boor is despised in spite of his money. The poor man may be
popular because of his pleasing personality and his fine manner.
Men sometimes profess to despise those refinements that are associated
with good manners, saying they detest affectations. But these things are
not to be affectations. They should be the outward expression of inward
kindness and good-will and unselfishness. The cultivation of good manners
is a duty; somebody has said that "the true spirit of good manners is so
nearly allied to that of good morals that they seem almost inseparable."
John G. Holland says somewhere: "Young men would be thoroughly astonished
if they could comprehend at a glance how greatly their personal happiness,
popularity, prosperity, and usefulness depend on their manners." Emerson
remarked that,--"Manners should bespeak the man, independent of fine
clothes. The general does not need a fine coat."
A Matter of Training.--It may be that politeness is instinctive with some,
but with most men (women also), it is a matter of training and habit, and
careful discipline. In process of time courtesy becomes perfectly natural,
so gracefully spontaneous it seems to be.
Here is where the mother's work in the early training of her sons comes
in. Taught from childhood, by example and precept, the observances that
make for good manners, the young man wears them as easily and as
unconsciously as he does his clothes.
Politeness an Armor.--There is no better armor against rudeness and
discourtesy than politeness. The individual is impervious to slights and
snubs who can meet them with the courtesy which at once puts the common
person in his proper place as the inferior.
A woman is shocked and repelled by disagreeable manners in a man,
manifested in discourtesy toward her, by an awkward manner, coarse speech,
incivility, neglect of the little attentions she expects of a man and
which men of breeding render as a matter of course. A woman is more likely
to fall in love with a homely man of pleasing address than with an Adonis
so clad in self-complacency that he thinks politeness unnecessary, or one
who does not know its forms.
THE ETIQUETTE OF THE HAT.
The first rule a man should observe in regard to his hat is never to wear
it in the presence of women, save in the open. If mothers would take the
trouble to train their small sons to rigid observance of the rule of
removing their head covering the moment they enter the house there would,
be fewer adults guilty of this particular discourtesy, which is at once
the greatest and the most common. One occasionally sees a man wearing his
hat and preceding a woman down the aisle of a theatre.
The expression, "tipping the hat," is a vulgarism. A man doesn't "tip" his
hat, he raises it quite off his head.
[762 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Coachman's Salute.--The semi-military salute--raising the hand to the
hat as if to lift it, but merely approaching the forefinger to the
brim--is a discourtesy to a woman. Such a salute would bring a reproof in
military circles; it is objectionable among men. Actually it is the manner
in which a man-servant acknowledges an order from his master or mistress,
and is not inaptly called "the coachman's salute."
A man wears his hat on the street, on the deck of the steamboat, in a
picture-gallery or promenade concert-room. He removes it in a theatre, the
opera-house, and the parlors of a hotel.
When to Raise the Hat.--Men raise their hats to each other on the street.
They extend the same courtesy to all members of their family, of both
sexes. A well-bred man raises his hat to his little daughter, as he would
to his wife.
On the street, a man must wait for a lady to recognize him, but should be
ready to remove his hat simultaneously with her greeting, raising and
replacing it quickly. The fashion of removing the hat after meeting a lady
is absurd. How does she know the courtesy has been extended?
When a man is with a lady who recognizes an acquaintance, he must raise
his hat, whether he knows the individual or not. He should, however, keep
his eyes straight ahead, not looking at the person.
If he meets a man walking with a lady whom he does not know, he waits the
man's recognition.
A man removes his hat in an elevator if women enter or are already inside.
This rule is often ignored in large public buildings.
If a woman bows to a man in any place where it is his privilege to wear
his hat, he removes his hat and does not replace it while she is talking
with him. This rule applies everywhere except on the street. "A gentleman
of the old school" will stand bareheaded on the street if exchanging a
word or two with a lady; in such case she may request him to replace his
hat.
A man when driving or motoring cannot remove his hat. He bends forward
slightly and touches his hat brim with his whip, held upright, in the
first case, and raises his hand to the visor of his cap in the latter.
At Other Times.--When he is able to render some slight service to a woman
whom he does not know, she will thank him with a slight inclination of the
head and a smile, and he should raise his hat. When he relinquishes his
seat in the street car, he should give the lady a chance to acknowledge
his courtesy, and then raise his hat.
Men raise their hats and stand uncovered as a funeral cortege passes into
the church or from a house, and at the grave.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 763]
They also stand uncovered when the United States flag is borne past, or
the national hymn--the "Star Spangled Banner"--is played in public, at a
military review, etc.
When a man passes a lady in the corridor of a hotel, or on the stairway,
he should raise his hat.
When he takes leave of a lady, the same act of deference is expected.
Hat and Coat When Calling.--When calling, the man looks after his own hat,
overcoat and stick. His hostess does not offer to relieve him of them, nor
suggest the removal of his coat. He deposits his hat and stick on table or
seat in the hall before entering the drawing-room, and takes off his
overcoat if his call is to be prolonged. Or, he may take them all with him
into the drawing room if his call is to be brief. In any event, it is his
business to dispose of them according to his own pleasure.
RULES FOR PRECEDENCE.
A man precedes a woman in going down-stairs and follows her in going up.
This is that he may be in readiness to catch her should she fall.
He allows a woman to precede him on entering or leaving a room, and should
open the door for her.
On entering a hotel dining-room the man may precede the lady to the table
assigned them, on the occasion of their first meal, standing until she is
seated. Afterwards, he may follow her as the head-waiter leads the way.
Sometimes he permits her to precede him in the first case.
The question is sometimes asked who should follow the usher on entering
church or theatre. The rule above stated obtains. The woman follows the
usher; the man follows her.
The man allows the lady to enter the carriage first, but descends before
her that he may assist her to alight. The same rule prevails in regard to
entering and leaving a street car, etc.
ABOUT SMOKING.
The old rule of good manners: "A gentleman does not smoke in the presence
of ladies," is many times violated in these modern times. There is a story
of an elderly woman who, being asked if smoke was offensive to her,
replied: "I do not know. No gentleman has ever smoked in my presence." The
woman of today is more likely to answer "Oh, dear no! I love the odor of a
good cigar." The truth is the cigar has become such a constant and
apparently necessary adjunct to a man that to banish it is in effect to
banish the man. And women prefer to endure the smoke rather than have the
man absent himself. There are very few cafes and restaurants where men do
not conclude their repast with a good cigar, even when entertaining
ladies.
[764 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Where Not to Smoke.--Nevertheless, there are times and places when and
where a man should not smoke. When he is about to meet a lady he knows he
removes his cigar before removing his hat and bowing. If he wishes to join
the lady, walking a short distance with her, he throws away his cigar
before doing so. He does not smoke, when driving with a lady, unless
possibly in the country. He should not smoke when walking with her--but he
often does, with her full consent and permission. In fact, women, as has
been said, are responsible for men's lapses in the way of smoking.
A guest does not smoke in his host's house unless especially invited to do
so, by his host, not some younger member of the family or another visitor.
At a dinner party at which ladies are present, men do not smoke until the
ladies have left the dining-room.
It is a bad form to smoke when anyone is singing, unless in those
free-and-easy places of amusement where "everything goes."
About Expectoration.--No man should smoke, anywhere or at any time, who
cannot smoke without using a cuspidor. It is a practice so much worse than
smoking, so thoroughly abominable in itself, that no man with any claim to
good breeding or good manners permits himself to indulge in it.
In most homes, nowadays, men are permitted to smoke "all over the house."
It is better, wherever possible, to let the man have a "den" where he may
smoke with his friends. The practice of smoking in bedrooms is
reprehensible; the air one will breathe through the night should not be
vitiated.
BACHELOR HOSPITALITY.
"A bachelor's life is a splendid breakfast; a tolerably flat dinner;
and a most miserable supper."
Being a bachelor does not excuse a man from certain forms of hospitality.
Many "society men" live in apartments, at the present time, and may
entertain the ladies who have favored them with invitations; in fact, it
is expected that a man who has often been entertained will reciprocate in
some fashion.
If a bachelor's quarters are too restricted for any other form of
entertaining, he may give a theatre party, followed by a supper at some
cafe. Or he may do this without the theatre party. Of course, such an
entertainment is expensive, but he must remember that the ladies who have
entertained him have spent a good deal of money on their fetes.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 765]
The Bachelor and the Chaperon.--The first thing the bachelor must do is
to secure a chaperon. She must be a married woman of unimpeachable
reputation. Having done this, he invites the other members of the party,
first submitting his list to her approval. The usual number is six, three
men and three women, or two men and four ladies. Two men may join forces
to entertain a quartet of ladies, or more, and thus halve the expense. The
carriage or taxicab is sent first to the residence of the chaperon; the
host accompanies it or may meet it there. The other ladies are called for,
the other men generally meet the carriages at the theatre. The host sits
next the chaperon at the theatre and at the supper, placing her on his
right.
If a supper is to follow, and it almost always does, the host has reserved
a table at the hotel or cafe and has perhaps ordered flowers and a special
menu in advance. He has also settled the account, so that he has only to
cross the waiter's palm with silver at the conclusion of the repast, in
acknowledgment of faultless service.
Cheaper Ways of Entertaining.--In summer there are cheaper ways in which a
bachelor may payoff his social obligations. Most bachelors belong to
clubs, where they may give luncheons or suppers. There are roof-gardens
and outdoor vaudeville, open-air concerts, etc., that may be made
pleasurable occasions. He may charter a yacht, in company with several
friends, and entertain a dozen or half score ladies with a sailing party.
At all these, however, he must provide a chaperon.
A very pleasant and informal way for a bachelor to entertain is to invite
some of his more intimate women acquaintances to afternoon tea at his
apartments. For this he writes personal notes or gives verbal invitations.
He asks some married, lady to assist him, placing it in the light of a
favor to himself. She must arrive early, and remain until the last guest
has left. The host pays the chaperon special deference, asking her to pour
the tea, and either escorting her home or ordering a carriage for her.
Elaborate refreshments are not necessary at such an affair. Sandwiches,
cakes, tea, served in the American fashion or a la' Russe, are sufficient.
The chaperon presides at the refreshment table. All things needed for the
refreshment of the guests may be ordered from a caterer. If the affair is
in the evening, chocolate and coffee may be served instead of tea, or
cakes, coffee and ices.
The Bachelor's Chafing Dish.--If the circumstances of the bachelor permit,
he may give a chafing-dish supper, presiding over the manufacture of a
Welsh rarebit or lobster a la Newburg, making the coffee himself in a
machine. This might take the place of the supper at a restaurant after the
play. After such a supper, or a dinner in his rooms, the host escorts the
ladies to their carriages, and accompanies the chaperon to her home.
If none of these methods of entertaining chance to be within
the man's means--for many poor men of pleasing address are social
favorites--he may fall back on the pretty compliment implied in sending
flowers or bonbons, remembering that matrons as well as "buds" appreciate
such attentions.
[766 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
In Village Society.--In small towns and in the country, the young man
would ridicule the idea of having a chaperon along. He seldom considers
the question of repaying social invitations, or paying calls after an
entertainment. He should be careful to show courtesy to the host and
hostess, to dance with the latter and her daughter at a dancing party, and
may escort mother and daughter or the mother and some one of her friends,
to a lecture or concert. Generally he ignores all claims of this
character. But he should not.
Should He Offer His Arm?--A man seldom offers a woman his arm nowadays,
unless she is so elderly or infirm that she needs the support. For a
couple to walk arm in arm in daylight is decidedly provincial. For a man
to take a woman's arm is a liberty not permissible unless she is a member
of his family. He should offer his arm if holding an umbrella over her at
night, on a poorly lighted street or a country road at night. A woman,
unless very infirm or ill, should not walk arm-in-arm with a man in
daylight.
The Outside of the Walk.--A man usually walks on a woman's right, in order
to protect her if necessary, It looks absurd, however, for him to be
dodging around her to keep on the outside of the walk unless some danger
is to be encountered.
Minor Matters of Men's Etiquette.--A man should not carry a girl's
parasol; he should however assume any parcel she may be carrying.
When a man escorts a woman to her home it is not correct for him to linger
at the door. He should accompany her up the steps, ring the bell and wait
until she is admitted. If the hour is at all late he should not enter,
even though invited.
It is extremely bad form for a man to speak of a woman by her Christian
name while talking to casual acquaintances. Though long acquaintance may
sanction the familiarity at home, or among intimate friends, to all
outsiders she should be Miss.
The custom of leaving the theatre between acts is inexcusable. If a man is
escorting a lady, he is guilty of great rudeness if he leaves her,
Cards and Calls.--If calling on a lady who is visiting a person who is a
stranger to him, he must ask for her hostess, sending up a card for her as
well as for his friend. If calling with a lady, he should wait for her to
give the signal for departure.
The man who attends an afternoon tea should leave a card for each lady
mentioned in the invitation, and for the host, whether the latter was
present or not. He must send the same number of cards if unable to be
present, enclosing them all in an envelope which fits the cards,
addressing it to the hostess, and mailing it so that it will be received
on the day of the function. He must call upon his hostess within two weeks
after an invitation to a dinner or ball.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 767]
In attending a tea or afternoon reception, the right-hand glove must be
removed before entering the drawing room, as it is bad form to offer a
gloved hand to one's hostess on such occasions.
If, when calling on a lady, another visitor arrives, the first comer must
not attempt to "sit him out." He should make his adieux within a
reasonable time after the second arrival, even though a friend in more
intimate standing.
Bad Habits.--A man should carefully avoid mannerisms, such as twisting his
mustache, fussing with his tie, fidgeting with some little article taken
from a table, as a paper knife, etc. These awkwardnesses are the outcome
of nervousness. He should strive at all times to be simple, at ease, and
unconscious of himself. If he tries to "show off" he makes himself
obnoxious.
Picking the teeth, chewing a toothpick, cleaning the finger nails in
company, are gross violations of propriety.
The Car Fare Question.--A girl occasionally appeals to writers on social
forms to find out when she should permit a man to pay her car fare. It is
expected that he will pay for her if he is escorting her, and she should
allow him to do so without comment. If they happen on the same car by
chance she should pay her own fare. If the man anticipates her, handing
the change to the conductor and saying "For two," she should thank him
simply and let the matter pass. Really, it is not entirely good form for a
man to pay a woman's fare under such circumstances, unless she has
difficulty in finding her purse, or her change. Then he may say "Allow me"
and pay for her. If she finds her money she may return the amount, and he
should take it without protest.
THE ETIQUETTE OF DRESS.
"The best possible impression that you can make with your dress is to make
no impression at all; but so to harmonize its material and shape with your
personality that it becomes tributary in the general effect, and so
exclusively tributary that people cannot tell after seeing you what kind
of clothes you wear."--Holland.
MEN'S DRESS.
A man--lucky creature--is not expected to change his clothes as frequently
as a woman must. He wears morning dress until dinner, unless he is to
attend some afternoon function, like a wedding or a reception. Dinner is
now almost universally at six or half after six o'clock. Before that hour,
save in the exception noted above, he wears a business suit, a derby or
"soft" hat, tan shoes if he prefers them, or laced calf-skin shoes with
heavy soles. The coat may be sack or cutaway. Such an outfit is correct
for traveling wear. A white shirt, or one of striped madras, is worn, with
a white linen collar. The tie is usually a four-in-hand in some dark
shade.
[768 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The cutaway coat is correct for church wear. In summer it largely takes
the place of the frock coat, which, with the silk hat, is usually "out of
season," so to speak, from about the middle of May until about the same
time in September. Straw or felt hats are worn.
Tweed flannel and cheviot suits are favorite summer wear for men, Flannel
trousers, white with flannel shirt and leather belt, constitute the usual
wear for tennis, golf, etc., and blue cheviot or serge for yachting.
Afternoon Wear.--For formal afternoon wear the double-breasted frock coat
of black worsted, with waistcoat of the same or of white duck, is
reserved, dark gray pin-stripe trousers are worn with it, patent leather
shoes, gray gloves, silk hat and standing linen collar. The standing
collar is for formal wear. This attire is suitable for all social affairs
between noon and evening.
After dinner evening clothes--the "dress suit"--are worn. This has been
fully described in the chapter on wedding etiquette, under the head of
correct dress.
Incongruity in Dress.--A man must avoid incongruities in dress. Tan shoes
are inadmissible with formal afternoon dress. They do not accompany a silk
hat. A lawn tie is never worn save with evening clothes, nor a turn-down
collar with them. Gloves should be inconspicuous. A man's hands encased in
bright tan gloves make one think of sugar-cured hams.
The Tuxedo is a dinner coat, hence never seen before six o'clock; it must
not be worn at a theatre party, or if a man escorts ladies. It may be worn
in summer at informal dinners, and at summer hotels. Silk hat, white
waistcoat, or white lawn tie are not correct wear with a Tuxedo.
APPROPRIATE DRESS FOR WOMEN.
The real beauty of dress resides in being suitably gowned. Suit the attire
to the time and place. Fashion prescribes and regulates styles; etiquette
settles the appropriate garb for the occasion. Every detail, from shoes to
hat, should be harmonious and suited to the occasion and consequently to
the hour of the day. But how many, many violations of this rule we see!
Ostrich feathers worn with shirtwaists; low shoes on the street; dressy
hats in the morning; jewels at breakfast--all inappropriate and unrelated!
The correct street wear in the morning in the winter is a tailored suit
with medium sized hat in felt or beaver, walking shoes, and rather heavy
gloves in glace kid. More elaborate suits or gowns in fine smooth cloth or
velvet are worn at afternoon functions, for calling and receptions. One
does not choose light or showy colors for these if she must walk or take a
street car. Ostrich feathers can be worn on the velvet or satin hat that
accompanies this costume, which is completed by patent leather shoes and
white or pearl-gray gloves.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 769]
When Decollete Gowns are Worn.--High-necked and long-sleeved gowns are
worn at every daytime function.
At balls, cotillions, formal dinners, evening parties, and in the large
cities in opera boxes, decollete gowns may be worn.
No "nice" woman wears a low gown when dining at restaurant or hotel. The
neck may be cut low, under a lace yoke, unlined, and the sleeves finished
from the elbow with lace. Hats are worn.
One chooses a handsome velvet or other dressy material for a dinner dress,
and wears with it her rarest jewels. Good taste and modesty forbid too
lavish a display of shoulders. As a rule, in our average social life, the
unlined lace yoke and collar and lace sleeves are preferred for dinner
wear, the decollete gown being reserved for balls and cotillions.
Young girls' dancing gowns are never cut very low; the "Dutch" neck and
the slightly low round cut being preferred. A string of pearls, a fine
gold chain and locket, or gold beads, which have been restored to favor,
are the usual ornament.
For theatre wear, where one is not to occupy a box, one may wear a
handsome reception gown, or a handsome bodice and skirt. Shirt and
lingerie waists are not appropriate theatre wear, unless one patronizes
some second-class house of amusement.
Wearing the Hat.--The rule to bear in mind as to the wearing of hats is
this: At all daytime affairs, hats are kept on. At all evening
affairs--musicales, concerts, receptions, the play, they are removed.
Tea-gowns and negligees are for the boudoir; the kimona is for the
bedroom.
Gloves are removed at a luncheon or dinner. Of course they would not be
kept on at a card-party or a tea. One may retain them at a stand-up
supper.
Ornaments.--An abundance of ornament is in bad taste. Don't be one of the
See-me-with-'em-all-on type. A cheap ornament spoils a handsome costume,
better none at all; too many ornaments, even if good, look tawdry.
At a certain fashionable summer hotel a young woman was seen dancing in
high shoes and wearing a demi-trained lingerie gown over a petticoat of
ordinary walking length. She was certainly "the observed of all
observers," but hardly the object of admiration.
The Debutante's Dress.--The debutante usually wears white on the occasion
of her introduction to society. The material should be light and
youthful--crepe de chine, some soft white silk like messaline, chiffon or
organdie being the usual choice, made with high neck and long sleeves if
the affair takes the form of an afternoon reception. Only a ball or
cotillion permits a low gown, and then the gown is not "low" in the usual
sense: it is merely cut out modestly in the neck and the sleeves are
short. In the afternoon her mother, who presents her, wears a handsome
reception gown; her young friends, who "assist," wear light colored,
dressy gowns of chiffon, net, etc. At such an affair guests remove wraps
but retain hat and gloves.
[770 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Dressing on a Modest Allowance.--The woman who wishes to be well dressed
but must produce that effect on a moderate allowance, must be particularly
careful in her purchases. She should confine herself to two colors, of
which black will be one. She must choose conservative styles as well as
colors, and above all, she must study very closely the relationship of her
purchases in order to avoid incongruities. A hat may be beautiful and
becoming and within her means, yet a very unwise purchase because it will
not harmonize with or be suited to the costume with which it is to be
worn.
Neat gloves and good shoes are items of dress not to be disregarded by the
woman who wishes to look well dressed. Shabby gloves are ruinous to a
well-dressed appearance.
DRESS FOR ELDERLY WOMEN.
The woman who has been "dressy" in her youth must curb her fancy as she
grows older, and carefully avoid things that are "too young" for her. She
may "love pink" or pale blue, and because she could wear it when a girl,
unwisely clings to it in her fifth and sixth decades. A bedizened old
woman dressed in a fashion suitable for one twenty years younger, is a
sight more pitable than admirable. She must not permit the milliner or
costumer to convince her that she is still young enough to "wear anything"
but must try to have sense enough to distinguish what is suitable from
what appeals to her because she would have looked well in it in her youth.
Ermine furs, for instance, are absurd on a woman of forty-five or fifty.
The dead white brings out the yellow in her complexion and the faded color
of eyes and hair. A very light "dressy" hat makes the wrinkles more
obvious.
The Suitable.--Dark, unobtrusive colors, relieved by white lace at throat
and wrists, hats modest in size and coloring, set off gray hair and
matronly figure far better than showy and more youthful garb. No elderly
woman should attempt to wear brown; somehow it kills her complexion if she
is sallow. Black, very dark blue, the softer shades of gray, are generally
becoming if relieved with white. Lavender and mauve can be becomingly worn
by those dear old white-haired ladies who have pretty complexions. The
lemon-colored lady must avoid them. We must remember Joubert's saying: "In
clothes fresh and clean there is a kind of youth with which age should
surround itself."
Materials must be as handsome as can be afforded; soft wool materials may
be chosen, cashmere, henrietta, voile, make up suitably. In summer most
old ladies can wear white to advantage.
Simplicity should be the guide as to styles. Leave the fussy and elaborate
to younger women, and adopt a dignified simplicity.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 771]
DUTIES OF A CHAPERON.
"The art of not hearing should be learned by all." Young America flouts
the chaperon. The young girl of the middle class guesses she can "look out
for herself," and knows "how to behave." Very often she doesn't know, and
sadly demonstrates her lack of the knowledge of life and good sense that
would enable her to avoid situations that create gossip. In European
society the chaperon is indispensable and has an acknowledged and honored
position. In America, young women ridicule the idea and young men are
decidedly impatient of her presence. And yet in our more conventional
circles it is understood that she is a protection to the girls in her
charge, and an oft-needed restraint on young men who are inclined to be
too free and familiar.
Mothers as Chaperons.--A mother is her daughter's best chaperon. Very
often her health, her home duties and her own lack of social experience
unfit her for such a duty. In that case, she should be glad to put her
girls in charge of some more experienced woman. If all young men were
honest and honorable and temperate, the unchaperoned girl would meet with
fewer embarrassments. Think of the awkward plight of a girl should the
carriage or the taxicab break down as she is returning home, or the
miserable state of the girl whose escort at play or party has taken too
much wine! These things don't often happen, some one says. They do
happen--far more frequently than the world at large is aware.
Chaperon's Lot Not Easy.--The duties of a chaperon are so onerous that she
deserves much gratitude, rather than revilement, for undertaking them. She
must stay at balls and parties when she would infinitely prefer her bed;
she must frequent places of amusement that are tiresome to her but
agreeable to her young charges; she must remain in the parlor, or in the
adjacent room separated only by draperies from it, while the girt
entertains men callers, and no woman enjoys being "gooseberry;" she must
check too high spirits and prevent "loud" behavior. And she will many
times know that her presence is resented, and sad to say, endure slights
in the discharge of her duties.
Chaperons a Social Help.--Nevertheless, if girls only knew it, the
chaperon may be very helpful and aid them materially in having a good
time. She should be a woman of wide acquaintance, accustomed to good
society. Then she will introduce the girls under her charge to nice men
whom they should know, and to partners for the dance; see that they are
invited to nice places, and that they are correctly dressed. She must have
tact combined with dignity, and be able to reprove little lapses in
decorum so tactfully that youth will not take umbrage. She must make her
charges like her, and win and hold their respect. And it is very important
that she should know what not to see--"the art of not hearing"--yet she
should never overlook anything vital, It will be seen that she should be a
person of infinite tact, good nature and courage.
[772 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Chaperon of the Motherless Girl.--Nowdays, the wealthy widower,
instead of putting his young daughter at the head of the household,
secures some woman of good reputation and social standing as his
daughter's chaperon. She is, practically, the feminine head of the house,
and in so far as possible, takes a mother's place with the girl. She sees
to it that the girl has proper companionship and does not make undesirable
acquaintances. She accompanies her on shopping expeditions, travels with
her, attends theatres and parties with her, takes the head of the table if
the girl gives a luncheon, and everywhere strives to make life pleasant
for her young charge, giving up her own pleasure and convenience for that
purpose.
Even the young woman of twenty-five or twenty-seven, at the head of her
father's household, or living in a hotel, should have a companion.
Avoid Espionage.--And yet, with all this responsibility, the chaperon must
avoid anything like espionage. She must not open letters; she must not be
prying and inquisitive; she must not give reasons for the girl she
chaperons to regard her as "a dragon."
A giddy, flirtatious chaperon is a disadvantage to a girl. She is so
desirous of securing attention and having a good time herself that she
neglects her charge. Often she undertakes chaperonage chiefly or entirely
in order to go about herself. Such a chaperon is worse than none at all.
The Girl and the Chaperon.--A girl should remember that her chaperon
stands in the relation of a mother to her for the time being, therefore
any disregard of her chaperon's suggestions or wishes is the same as
disregarding her mother's. No well-bred girl ever does this--well, at
least not publicly. If her chaperon gently intimates that it is time to go
home, that she is dancing too many times with the same man, or "sitting
out" too long, she should cheerfully comply with the hint. She should not
vanish with an escort, leaving her chaperon and others--to wonder at her
absence, but at the close of every few dances, before the beginning of
another, ask to be taken to her chaperon. There her next partner will
naturally look for her.
She must at all times treat her chaperon with the utmost respect and
deference, remembering the lady is bestowing a favor by taking charge of
her, and that it is often at her parents' request.
At a theatre party, bachelor's tea, sailing party, excursion, etc., one
married woman is sufficient chaperon.
The girl who works, the art and music student, may look after herself, but
the society girl must submit to the thralldom of the chaperon.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 773]
The Chaperon in Middle Class Society.--While the rules of etiquette are
intended to be of general application, there are certain relaxations in
middle class society not permissible in more fashionable circles. This is
the case as regard the chaperon. Many young men on moderate salary would
not feel they could afford to buy a ticket to the theatre or concert for a
chaperon, or order a carriage. But is a girl then to be denied permission
to accept the invitation? Under such circumstances middle class etiquette
requires that the young man shall be well known to the family as a person
of good habits and reputation. The girl, however, is not supposed to
accept an invitation to a supper afterwards. She may go to a dancing party
at a private house or a club in case proper chaperons are provided for the
affair and they almost invariably are. But it is better taste for a party
of young people to go together under the care of a chaperon.
When a girl receives a young man visitor, her mother should always meet
him. She should enter the parlor, be introduced if he is a stranger,
converse for fifteen or twenty minutes, and excuse herself, leaving the
young people to their tete-a-tete. No girl ever loses a young man's
estimation through being properly looked after.
Under no circumstances should the young girl be allowed to accompany a
young man on an excursion without a chaperon. She should not motor with
him alone; another pair of young people should go with them unless a
chaperon is included.
GOOD FORM IN SPEECH.
"It isn't so much what you do; it is how you do it. Not so much what you
think as how you clothe your thoughts that enables you to make a pleasant
impression."
Good breeding is shown in the use of words, quite as much as in manners.
Correct use is evidence of culture and personal refinement.
Use of Slang and Colloquialisms.--Slang, we are often reminded, is
common--meaning vulgar. And yet, there are some slang phrases that are so
expressive, and convey so much meaning in few words that the temptation to
use them is irresistible. Much use of slang, however, is very undesirable,
indicating lack of refinement. We may be colloquial, but must eschew the
vulgar.
Among the words that are bad form we find "folks," used instead of
"family" or "relatives." "Ain't" is one of the most common improprieties
of speech and one that has no standing whatever in good language.
"Gentlemen friend." "lady friend," are vulgarisms. We should not speak of
young men as "fellows."
We should say "shops" instead of "stores," and "station" instead of
"depot." A depot is a place where provisions and stores are accumulated.
Just how it came to be applied to a railway station is an etymological
puzzle. The use of "learn" for "teach" is incorrect. "Pupil," "student"
and "scholar" are often used interchangeably, but incorrectly so. "Pupil"
refers to the younger classes in a school.
[774 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Those in the most advanced grade of a high school, and those in college
are students; while scholar signifies those who are learned and out of
school. "Dresser," "bureau" and "dressing case" are incorrectly applied to
a chest of drawers. "Vest" for "waistcoat," and "dress suit" for "evening
clothes" are incorrect. "Visitors" is in better taste than "guests." "Got"
is a word often used superfluously and always inelegantly. "I have it"
sounds much better than "I have got it"; leave out "got" wherever you can.
As for "gotten"--it ought to be unspeakable.
"Don't" for "doesn't" is, perhaps the most common grammatical error. "I
don't," "you don't," "they don't,' are correct. "Don't" is a contraction
of "do not." You wouldn't say "he do not," "she do not," would you? Then
don't say "he don't," or "she don't."
As a rule the simpler the speech the better. "Residence" for "house,"
"peruse" for "read," "retire" for "going to bed"--all these and their like
sound stilted.
The use of French words and phrases is to be avoided, both in writing and
speaking. Generally they are mispronounced--as in the case of the very
affected lady who spoke of "Mrs. Brown, nee Smith," pronouncing "nee" as
if spelled "knee."
Form of Address.--To acquaintances, a woman speaks of "my husband"; to
friends, she calls him by his Christian name. To servants, he is "Mr.
Smith." This is a rule often violated, so often in fact, that few are
aware of the impropriety of saying "Mr. Smith" to friends and
acquaintances. The man employs the converse of the rule; it is "my wife"
to acquaintances, etc. To speak of a daughter as "Miss Mary" or "Miss
Jane" to anyone but a servant is insulting, placing the person thus spoken
to on a par with an inferior. If formality is desirable one should say "my
daughter Mary." The same rule applies to a son.
It has already been said that we do not address a wife by her husband's
title. He is Dr. Brown; she is Mrs. Brown. Mrs. General, Mrs. Judge, are
not current in polite circles.
We do not use "Sir" in addressing equals. Children no longer say "sir" or
"ma'am" to their parents, but "Yes, father," or "No mother." Ma'am is
seldom heard now except from old-fashioned servants. Maids and
men-servants say "yes, Mrs. Smith," or sometimes, "No, madam."
Courtesy in Conversation.--"Things said for conversation are chalk eggs,"
said Emerson. There are many chalk eggs on the market. Most of us feel
that to "be sociable" we must talk incessantly. True, there are sometimes
dreadful pauses in conversation when no one seems able to think of
anything to say, and the longer the pause the more vacuous one's mind.
What passes for conversation at receptions, dinners, ordinary social
affairs, is merely chatter made up, of persiflage and repartee. One must
be able to furnish it, however, for small talk is conversational "small
change," without which it is not easy to "do business." Lacking it, one is
like Mark Twain's man with the million dollar check and not change enough
to buy a postage stamp.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 775]
SUBJECTS OF CONVERSATION.
No one can tell another person what to talk about. Advice on that subject
is valueless. There are some things we may do, however, to make ourselves
agreeable in conversation. We may study the art of expressing ourselves
clearly,--saying what we wish to say without circumlocution. Some people
seem to begin in the middle of a subject and talk both ways.
Avoid personalities in your conversation. Don't talk about yourself;
nobody is interested in your personal perplexities and troubles. Don't
recite your "symptoms" nor tell what the doctor says, nor what diet he has
prescribed. Nothing, positively nothing, is so tiresome. Don't indulge in
animadversions upon the absent, nor make sarcastic remarks about them.
Try to discover some subject in which your companion is interested, and
get him to talking. Then show yourself a good listener. A woman may get
the reputation of being bright and clever if she will simply show herself
a good listener. To do this, she must give her attention to the person who
is talking. She must seem interested. Her eyes must not wander around the
room; she must not take up picture or book and glance over it; her
questions must be intelligent and to the point. Then, unless the speaker
is a well-known bore, she need never suffer under the imputation of being
neglected in society, and she will be thought courteous and intelligent.
Discourtesies.--To interrupt a speaker, to take the words out of his mouth
and finish the sentence for him, to broach a new topic, irrelevant to that
in hand, unless the latter is in danger of leading to thin conversational
ice,--all these are discourtesies.
To yawn while listening to anyone; to show lack of interest in a story or
anecdote that is being told, or let the attention wander, is marked
impoliteness. We are not to remind a speaker that his story is an old one,
or that he has told it before.
Some Things to Avoid.--A man should avoid raving over the perfections, the
beauty or chic of one woman to another. He shouldn't talk golf to one who
doesn't know the language of the game, nor discourse on music to the
unmusical. Above all, he shouldn't undertake to entertain the whole
company, nor introduce a topic in which he only is interested or informed.
The more serious questions of life are barred in society; people wish to
be amused, not instructed. An inveterate talker, especially one of a
didactic turn, is a bore. So is the man who puts a hobby through its
paces. Avoid exaggerations in conversation, also extravagances, such as
"beastly this" or "awfully that," also avoid over emphasis. Don't talk in
italics.
[776 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Speaking Voice.--A clear, distinct enunciation should be cultivated.
The voice need not--should not--be raised above the ordinary
conversational level to make one perfectly understood, if only one speaks
clearly. This is something that can be cultivated. So also a
discrimination in the use of words, so that which most nearly expresses
the meaning of the speaker comes to him readily.
A pleasant voice is a charm, either in man or woman. A noted teacher of
singing once remarked that the cultivation of the speaking voice is a
positive duty, and possible to almost everyone. Certainly a harsh,
squeaky, shrill or affected tone of voice may be improved by care and
endeavor.
CHURCH ETIQUETTE.
Surely the church is the place where one day's truce ought to be allowed
to the vanities, the dissensions and animosities of mankind.--Burke.
The church is sometimes sarcastically referred to as "the social
stepping-stone." It is a fact that the newly made rich and the vulgar
often choose a church attended by the people of fashion whose acquaintance
they most desire, rent a high-priced pew, and become prominent through
their benefactions and their services in church work. They are "taken up,"
after a time, in a fashion, and unless too socially impossible through
lack of good breeding, may, from "fringers," become "climbers." "I might
go to that church for a hundred years and no one would notice me,"
bitterly complained a woman who had undertaken the social uplift via the
church. The woman in question defeated her own object. She dressed in the
extreme of style; she always came in late, with much rustle of silk and
rattle of bangles; her hair was "touched up" and her face rouged. The
well-bred and refined members condemned her on these grounds.
Nevertheless, where a stranger comes who bears the hall-mark of culture
and refinement, the church connection is often an aid to social
habilitation, though it should never be sought as such.
Friendly Advances.--Friendly advances generally come from pew neighbors.
Respond to them courteously but without undue eagerness. Do not expect
your pastor to become your social sponsor with his congregation, and
remember that though he will probably call after letters of church
membership are presented, you have no claim upon his family, nor the
families of any of the church officers through acquaintance in business
life. This is often a grievance to people from smaller towns who, moving
to a city, expect the families of their business associates to assist them
socially. Two men may be partners for ten years without their wives
knowing each other by sight, if they chance to move in different social
circles.
Demeanor.--One should dress quietly at church, give attention to the
service and the clergyman, and not linger unduly in the vestibule to
gossip or greet friends. To notify the usher if one's pew will not be
occupied is a courtesy if the preacher is popular and the church crowded.
To be disagreeable in case strangers are shown to one's pew, or mistakenly
seated there, is unkind and unchristian. Giggling, smiles, exchange of
smiles or bows in the church proper are regarded as bad form.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 777]
NEIGHBORHOOD ETIQUETTE.
Neighborliness is a quality little exercised in cities, where one may live
next door to people for years and merely know their names. Some people
prefer not to know their neighbors, fearing undue familiarity on their
part. The relationship may be a very pleasant one if both parties observe
certain restraints. It is not well to become too intimate. Nobody wants a
neighbor running in at all hours, with or without an errand. Sometimes to
sit on the back porch with a book or paper seems to invite a neighbor to
"run over" and the hour's rest or mental recreation is given over to small
talk.
A neighbor has no more right to enter without knocking than any other
caller, whether by kitchen or front door. It is an intrusion, a disregard
of the reserve that should characterize neighborly intercourse. No matter
how friendly, friendship will last longer where the forms of decorum are
observed.
Borrowing.--The exchange of "kitchen-kindnesses" should be ventured upon
rarely. By these is meant the plate of cookies or biscuit or doughnuts we
send our neighbor on baking-day. Some families prefer their own cooking. A
woman who had been annoyed by many unsolicited donations of this kind,
persisted in though unreciprocated, finally piled the sent-in biscuit
rather ostentatiously on the garbage can in full sight of her neighbor's
window. Other hints had failed, this was effective--a rather violent
remedy, but after all not undeserved. In case of illness, where one has no
maid, or the family must care for the sick, a fresh cake or a tasty
dessert may be offered, and will seldom fail of appreciation. Knowing the
circumstances, one need not hesitate over the proffer of a neighborly
kindness.
There is little excuse in the city for the borrowing of kitchen staples
which is the bane of some country neighborhoods. A borrowing neighbor is
an affliction--a nuisance which unfortunately doesn't come under the
jurisdiction of the Board of Health.
[778 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CARRIAGE ETIQUETTE.
A story is told of a certain great lady who visited at the court of a
reigning monarch on a secret matrimonial mission. The monarch had three
daughters; the emperor of her own country had a marriageable son. Before
overtures were made for an alliance, the lady was to see the three
princesses and decide which one should be honored by the proposal. It was
her whim to rely upon "the carriage test." She watched the young
princesses as they alighted from the royal carriage. The oldest one
descended clumsily, displaying too much of the royal lingerie. The second
skipped out, disdaining the step. The third descended gracefully and with
dignity, and Cupid's ambassador decided she would make the most fitting
empress.
At certain finishing schools, lessons in deportment include training in
how to enter and leave a vehicle gracefully. Stepping out on the
right-hand side, the right foot is placed on the step, the left naturally
falls on the ground. Entering, the left foot is first advanced. In this
way the other foot clears the body of the carriage without awkwardness.
Minor Items.--The rule that the owner of the carriage occupies the
right-hand seat even when accompanied by a guest, is almost universally
observed. The only exception seems to be when the guest is a person of
unusual distinction.
To place one's carriage at the disposal of a friend is a great courtesy,
and should never be abused by the recipient. In case of accident the
occupant should pay the bills for repairs, or at least urge that she be
allowed to do so.
If a lady invites a friend to pay calls with her, dropping her companion
to call on some acquaintance while she goes on to see a friend of her own,
the lady thus favored must not keep her waiting on her return, more than
the few moments necessary to make her adieux.
CIVILITY IN PUBLIC.
One is shocked, often, at the prevalence of rudeness in human intercourse.
People who are courteous in the drawing-room are sometimes horribly
uncivil in public. They crowd and jostle and elbow in thc endeavor to
secure better places for themselves, violating every canon of politeness.
Women have fainted, gowns have been ruined and valuable articles lost in
"crushes" incident to gatherings in "our best society."
Many people carry an umbrella with utter disregard of the eyes and
headgear of the passing crowd. Closed, it is tucked under the arm, the
ferrule projecting behind on a level with the face of a pedestrian. They
go through a heavy door, pushing it open for themselves and letting it
swing back against the next comer. They step in advance of those who have
prior claim to be shown to seats, and accept civilities and service
without so much as a "Thank you." They endeavor to obtain "something for
nothing" by piling their luggage into seats they have not paid for on the
train; on the boat they fortify themselves in a circle of chairs that are
"engaged"--generally to hold their wraps and lunch-boxes, while others
look in vain for seats.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 779]
Rude Tourists.--Tourists have a reputation for a disregard of the rights
of others, which makes them obnoxiously uncivil. They enter a church where
worshipers are kneeling and audibly criticise the architecture and
decorations, or the faith to which it is consecrated. They comment
flippantly on great pictures in art galleries, and snicker over undraped
statues, evincing the commonness of their minds and their lack of
knowledge of art. But one of the worst lapses of decorum is to sit in a
theatre and anticipate the action of the play, or the development of a
musical number, by explanations to a companion. To do so may show
familiarity with the play or the score, but it also shows a painful lack
of good breeding, and a disregard of others' rights to peaceful enjoyment.
On a par with this is the incivility of a person who undertakes to
accompany a soloist with his (or her) own little pipe, to the annoyance of
those who prefer to listen to professional rather than amateur efforts.
Of course all these rude people excuse themselves by saying they "get
left" if they don't "rush," and that they "paid for their seats," as if
this atoned for their disregard of those who, equally with themselves,
have paid for a pleasure spoiled for them by the greed or impertinence of
their fellow men--and women.
Telephone Etiquette.--"Central" could disclose how discourteous many women
who pique themselves on their good manners can be when they are "calling
down" the tradesman who has made a mistake in filling their order. And how
often a party line is held for a lengthy "telephone visit" while others
wait their really important affairs because the "line's busy!"
The manners of the public need reforming. Civility is a public good.
Without it, we would be barbarians. It is the practical application of the
Golden Rule to everyday life. To lay aside our own courtesy because we are
in a crowd, or among people who do not know us, reduces us below the level
of those who are not versed in the social requirements, because we know
them and should practise them, whereas they do not know.
DUTIES AND DRESS OF SERVANTS.
In many large and well-to-do households in this country only one maid, the
"girl for general housework" is engaged, the mistress and her daughters
assisting with the lighter parts of the work. In such case each must have
a certain definite portion of the daily duties and be responsible for its
performance. Very few maids are capable enough to do all the work of a
good sized family without assistance, even though the linen be sent to the
laundry.
The One Maid.--Where but one maid is kept she must rise early and put in a
couple of hours' work before breakfast, airing the house and perhaps
putting in order and dusting the living rooms, then preparing breakfast.
She will probably serve it unless everything is put on the table, in which
case she may busy herself in the kitchen, washing the rougher dishes used
in preparing the meal. The mistress of each household must make out her
own schedule for the week, according to the convenience of the family.
The maid is supposed to have her dress changed by three o'clock. She will
wear a simple but neat cotton gown about her work, mornings; in the
afternoon she will put on a black dress with white apron, collar and
cuffs. She is expected to keep a clean apron in the kitchen to slip on if
summoned to the door before luncheon. She should never answer the bell
with her sleeves rolled up. The mistress provides the white apron with
shoulder pieces, the linen cuffs and collar worn by the maid of all work
in the afternoon and evening. These are the mistress's property, remaining
in the family through the changes of servants. So many girls object to the
cap that it is seldom seen save in very formal establishments. If worn,
the mistress furnishes it.
[780 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Instructing the Maid.--If the mistress finds her maid's education in her
duties is deficient, she should teach her to open the door wide, as if the
visitor were welcome; to have her tray ready to receive cards; to be
informed as to whether the mistress is at home or not that she may answer
the visitor's inquiry at once. She is to usher the visitor into the
drawing room or parlor, take the card to her mistress and return to say
that "Mrs. Blank will be down in a few minutes," never alluding to her
mistress as "she," as some ill-trained girls do.
If a lady who keeps but one maid entertains at all she must instruct the
girl in the proper serving of meals. In the first place, everything that
is necessary for the service must be ready; there must be no getting out
of extra silver or china at the last moment, with its upsetting confusion.
The menu must be so carefully planned that most of the food to be served
can be prepared beforehand. For a six o'clock company dinner, the soup may
be hot in the kettle; the fowl or joint in the oven; the entree waiting
the finishing touches on the back of the range, the vegetables in the
warmer, and the dessert in the ice-box. All the china and silver being in
readiness and the table properly laid, the maid slips into her black dress
and apron, and presents herself at the drawing-room door, announcing
"Dinner' is served."
The Maid's Serving.--The guests being seated, she brings in the soup
tureen, uncovers it, taking the cover to the pantry as she goes for the
hot soup plates. She then stands at the left of the mistress with a tray,
covered with a doily, in her left hand, a folded napkin under the tray;
takes the soup plates as they are filled, passing them to the left of each
guest, taking the plate from the tray with the right hand. She then
removes the tureen. Removing the plates she takes them from the left side
of the guest. The roast is brought in and served in the same manner as the
soup; the vegetables are passed, each guest helping himself from the dish.
The salad is usually served on the plates upon which it has been arranged.
After the salad the table is cleared and the crumbs brushed with a napkin
upon a plate or tray, and the dessert brought on for the hostess to serve,
The latter starts the little dishes of bonbons or salted nuts on their
travels, guests passing them along.
Chocolate is a good beverage to serve on such occasions; it can be made in
the morning, or even the day before, and heated without in the least
impairing its quality.
Given a capable, willing girl, one anxious to learn and not too
self-conscious, a woman may entertain two or three or four guests very
adequately if she will plan her menu carefully and see, personally, that
everything is in readiness. She should, however, avoid any
overelaboration. Better a simple meal well prepared and served than a more
pretentious one that fails in these particulars.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 781]
Duties of Waitress and Cook.--Where two maids are kept they are waitress--
"second girl" or "housemaid," sometimes so-called--and cook. The
housemaid--we will so style her--opens and airs the house and dusts and
arranges the rooms before breakfast. She serves the breakfast, clears the
table and washes the dishes taken from it. She then proceeds to the
bedrooms, putting them in order, dusting, making beds, etc. She will
probably have fine lingerie waists, etc., to wash and iron on certain
mornings. She does the sweeping, unless there is a man to take out and
beat the rugs, and wipes up hardwood floors. She must clean the silver
once a week and rub up brass; keep the pantries in order, clean the
bathrooms, wait on table, answer the bell, both the door bell and her
mistress's bell, and usually assist the latter in dressing. She is
expected to do part of the family mending, keeping table linen and bed
linen in good condition, and in some households is expected to wash and
iron the napkins and dish-towels, unless a laundress is employed.
The Cook's Work.--The cook must prepare the meals, and put the food into
the proper dishes and these in the pantry, ready for the waitress, who is
not expected to enter the kitchen during the service of a meal. She washes
the dishes used in the kitchen and the meat dishes from the table; she
must keep the kitchen and its adjuncts, including back stairs,
refrigerator, back porch and closet in order. Her mistress plans the meals
with her, and she is expected to make good and economical use of
left-overs. She often does the ordering by telephone, and sees to the
milk, ice, etc., as they are delivered.
Should Understand Duties.--Most of the difficulties between servants arise
from misunderstanding of and friction about their respective duties. It is
best to have a definite and thorough understanding as to the work expected
of each before engaging her. Both cook and housemaid have one afternoon
and one evening each week and every other Sunday afternoon. When one is
off duty the other must necessarily assume part of her work. Some
mistresses allow a girl the afternoon and evening of one day; others give
one afternoon, and the evening of another day, requiring the cook to
return to prepare dinner on her "day" and the maid to come back to serve
it on hers. If afternoon and evening go together the cook is expected to
leave everything in readiness for the evening meal; the cook, on the
housemaid's day out, must wait upon the table.
Servants always respect a mistress who knows her rights, exacts them, and
respects her servant's rights. She should permit no familiarities; at the
same time she must not regard her household assistants as mere machines,
beyond her sympathy, Good mistresses make good servants.
[782 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Nurse.--The nurse must wash and dress the children; keep their clothes
in order, washing and ironing the finer articles; eat with them, keep the
nursery in order; sleep in the room, or in a room adjoining them with the
door open, and take care of them when they are ill. A nursery governess
teaches them, and is excused from the laundry work and from keeping the
nursery in order.
The mistress who can conduct her domestic menage with two servants only is
usually better served and with less friction than where more are employed.
Rarely can three servants get on harmoniously. The more servants there
are, unless there is a housekeeper, the more shirking there is, and the
more waste and extravagance.
SUMMARY.
Remember--
That, in introducing people the man must always be introduced to the
woman.
That the younger woman, the unmarried, the less socially prominent, are
introduced to the older, the married and the more renowned..
That to pronounce names distinctly avoids much awkwardness to those
introduced.
A casual meeting on the street does not necessitate an introduction.
Never present yourself with a letter of introduction. Leave it at the
door.
That a card represents a visit, and that leaving your name in this way
makes your friend your debtor.
That after dinners, luncheons, theatre and card parties a call is
required, whether the invitation is accepted or not.
An invitation to a wedding must be acknowledged by sending cards to those
in whose name the invitation was issued, and may, if she so pleases, call
on the bride on her return from her wedding journey.
One should send announcement cards rather than invitations to those with
whom acquaintance is slight.
An invitation to afternoon tea does not require reply. Leave cards if
present.
The etiquette of calling on an "at home" day does not differ from that of
an ordinary call, save that some light refreshment is offered, as a rule.
That the bachelor and the widower should respond to every invitation
whether accepted or declined, by calling and leaving cards, whereas the
married man's wife may leave his cards with her own. Men ignore this rule
a great deal, however.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 783]
Cards must be engraved, never written or printed.
That a married woman uses her husband's full name on her cards; that a
man's name always has the prefix Mr., and an unmarried woman's or young
girl's that of Miss, and that "pet" names are not "good form" on cards.
The extreme limit of a call is twenty minutes, and the first caller to
arrive should be the first to depart.
That you should not prolong your leave-taking.
That the lady invites the man to call, and being thus complimented he
should soon avail himself of the permission.
It is the mother's place to invite young men to call, not the daughter's,
though she may say "My mother would be pleased to have you call on us,"
The mother must then meet and assist, for a time at least, in entertaining
him.
A first call must always be returned. Afterwards the acquaintance need not
be continued.
"Not at home" is no discourtesy to a caller if she is so informed when the
maid opens the door. The maid should know whether her mistress wishes to
see callers or not.
P. p. c. on a card means "To take leave," and intimates your friend is
leaving town for a season.
It is customary for mother and daughter to use a card on which hath names
appear when calling together. A debutante, in our most conventional
society, has no separate card of her own. If she calls without her mother,
she uses this double card, running a pencil mark lightly through her
mother's name.
Sisters may use a card in common; it should be engraved "The Misses
Jones," and used when calling together or sending gifts.
The divorced woman, if she drops her husband's name by permission of the
court, uses her maiden name on her cards, with the prefix Mrs. If she
retains her husband's name, she usually combines her family name with it,
as Mrs. Jones Brown.
A card should never be handed to a hostess or any member of the family.
Lay it on the table. If a member of the family opens the door, a card need
not be used, though one is often left as above.
At afternoon teas, receptions and "At Homes" the visitor leaves a card for
the hostess on the tray in the hall, and one for the guest of honor, or
the debutante if one is being introduced.
A card to an "At Home" or an afternoon reception does not require either
acceptance or regret. If the person invited attends she leaves her card;
if not, she sends it by mail to reach the home on the day of the
reception.
[784 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
An invitation to a dinner must be answered immediately, and
unconditionally accepted or declined.
If, having accepted, it becomes absolutely impossible to keep the
engagement, the earliest possible notice must be given to the hostess.
It is unpardonable to be late at a dinner party. Arrivals are expected
within ten minutes of the hour named.
One wears the best she has that is suitable for a dinner party.
The reply to an invitation must follow the style of the invitation. If
formal, that is, in the third person, the reply must also be in the third
person. If informal, the personal form being employed, the reply is also
informal.
Do not send your card with "Regrets" written upon it, in response to any
invitation, formal or informal.
Telephone invitations are admissible only for informal affairs. General
invitations, given verbally, have no social footing. "Do come and dine
with us some day," unless followed by a definite date or note of
invitation, means nothing.
An invitation given by a man to dine or visit, or to a home entertainment,
is not to be accepted unless seconded by his wife.
A girl, sending invitations to commencement exercises, encloses her card.
It is bad form to show that one feels slighted or affronted at not having
been invited to any function, or not given the precedence one feels
herself entitles to. The hostess, in her own home, obeys such rules as she
believes correct.
A visitor is expected to contribute her share to the pleasure of the
occasion by being conversationally agreeable.
If hostess, one must overlook every awkwardness on the part of the guest
or servant, and any accident to one's belongings, but be deeply solicitous
and apologetic if an accident happens to a guest,
The guest of honor at a dinner party should take leave first. Other
departures follow speedily.
Remember--
That an invitation to spend a few days with a friend requires a speedy
reply. It is not allowable to say one will come either earlier or later
than the time specified.
A visitor should adapt herself to the ways of the household, be punctual
at meals, and make no plans or arrangements without consulting her
hostess.
She may not invite a friend of her own to a meal without requesting
permission of her hostess.
She should be careful not to infringe upon the privileges and prerogatives
of the man of the house.
MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 785
She may accept invitations in which the hostess is not included, but never
without due consultation with her hostess.
She should show herself pleased with the efforts made to entertain her and
enter into them readily.
She should leave promptly at the expiration of the time set for her visit.
It is almost invariably a mistake to outstay the limit. If no limit was
named in the invitation, she should, within a day or two of her arrival,
state the date on which she will leave.
On her return home, her first duty is to write her hostess, announcing her
arrival and expressing her pleasure in the visit. To omit this is a grave
discourtesy. A hostess once said of a woman who failed in this particular:
"We don't know whether she reached home or not; we never heard from her
after she left."
On departure, maids or servants who have attended one should receive a
gratuity, proportioned to the means of the visitor and the style of the
establishment.
The hostess should arrange to have the visitor met, either meeting her in
person at the station or being first to greet her on her arrival at the
house.
Guest rooms should be in perfect order and equipped with every possible
convenience for the comfort of visitors.
The hostess arranges whatever pleasures are possible for her guest's
enjoyment, invites her friends to call on her, and probably gives a tea or
reception in her honor.
Do not forget that it is ill-bred as well as unkind to discuss the family
affairs of one's hostess with others; to criticise or complain of her
arrangements; or gossip about her or her family.
Remember--
The announcement of an engagement comes from the family of the girl.
The parents and relatives of the bridegroom-elect should call on the girl
and her mother, or if living in another city write cordial letters without
delay.
The bride-elect should respond to these advances with cordiality.
She should try to make her future husband's family like her.
Etiquette is not relaxed in the case of an engaged couple. They do not
make calls together except on relatives or very close friends. They may
not make journeys together unchaperoned.
The cost of a wedding, whether at church or at home, is borne by the
bride's family, the bridegroom paying for the wedding ring, the
clergyman's fee, and the carriage in which the pair leave the church after
the ceremony.
Though it may be necessary to limit the number of invitations to a
wedding, announcement cards should be sent to all the friends and
acquaintances of the two families.
[786 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The "giving away" of a bride by her father is no mere form; it is a
recognition of family authority, the claim of a father upon his daughter.
It should therefore be a part of the ceremony.
Invitations to the church ceremony do not necessitate a wedding gift.
Those invited to the reception may send gifts if they so desire.
Cards are usually removed from gifts, but in some cases are left on.
All gifts should be acknowledged before the ceremony if possible, by the
bride herself.
If the bridegroom's parents live out of town, it is customary for the
parents of the bride to invite them to their home as guests of the
occasion. If this is not practicable, they may engage rooms for them at a
hotel, paying the bill in advance.
It is thought unlucky to postpone a wedding. Better withdraw the
invitations in case of severe illness or death, and have a quiet home
ceremony with few present.
A bridal procession always moves up the central aisle of the church. In
case there is no center aisle, it moves up one aisle and retires down the
other. The relatives of the bridegroom are seated in the body of the
church on the right; those of the bride are similarly placed on the left.
The hats of the father and ushers are left with the sexton in the
vestibule and handed to them as they leave.
At a church wedding a bride almost invariably wears a veil. Her attendants
wear hats. The maid-of-honor may wear a short veil.
The dress of the bridal party has already been fully described in a
preceding chapter.
It is the custom for the bridegroom to give a gift, almost invariably a
piece of jewelry, to his bride; and a small gift of silver or jewelry to
each of the ushers and to the best man. The bride generally gives some
souvenir of the same character to each of her attendants.
The bridegroom sends the bride her bouquet, and often one of violets or
her favorite flower to the bride's mother.
The bride's father seems a rather subordinate figure at the fashionable
wedding. After he has given away the bride, he retires into the
background, escorting his wife to her carriage at the conclusion of the
ceremony. He does not assist her in receiving the guests at the house, but
circulates among them after congratulations have been tendered the newly
wedded pair.
Formal afternoon dress is necessary for men who attend a day wedding, at
church or at home. At an evening wedding they wear evening clothes.
After a wedding, the members of the bridal party are expected to call on
the bride's mother within ten days or two weeks.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 787]
A bridal party always stand with their backs to the audience, the
clergyman facing it.
Remember--
That men's evening clothes are not worn before six o'clock.
That women wear their hats at afternoon functions, teas, luncheons, bridge
parties, etc., and remove them at evening affairs.
That in society, personal affairs, servants, dress, household
difficulties, "symptoms," illnesses and bereavements, are not to be made a
subject of conversation.
It is not good form to talk of the cost of articles or mention money
affairs in company.
The social aspirant should cultivate the art of saying polite nothings
acceptably. Small talk is the small change of social life.
One should be prompt at dinner, a card-party or a musicale.
At a dancing-party the hostess does not dance, as a rule, during the first
part of the evening. She receives her guests and sees that the women are
provided with partners.
A man who dances should pay his hostess the courtesy of inviting her to
dance. He should certainly dance with her daughter.
Engaged couples should be careful to avoid demonstrations of affection or
preoccupation in each other while in company.
Remember--
That the salt-shaker is out of favor; the open salt cellar and the
salt-spoon are much preferred.
Never cut bread; break it with the fingers. Never butter a large piece, or
spread it in the palm of your hand.
The finger-bowl will be brought on a plate with a doily under it.
Lift both from the plate to the table. The plate is then ready for the
fruit course.
Black coffee--cafe noir--is usually served without cream. Cut loaf sugar
is passed with it.
If a visitor for one meal only, the napkin is not folded at the conclusion
of a meal. If staying a day or two follow the practice of the hostess.
Creme de menthe is served before the coffee, in small liquor glasses.
Do not break bread or crackers into the soup nor tip the plate to obtain
the last of it.
Do not play with crumbs, or finger knife or spoon.
Never touch a knife to fish or salad.
[788 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Remember--
Do not move glass, spoon, etc., when the maid brushes the crumbs from the
cloth.
Knife and fork are laid upon the plate, tines of the latter upward, when
the plate is passed for a second helping. This "second help" is permitted
only at family or informal dinners.
A host must not urge food upon a guest after it has once been declined.
Lift the cup or glass to the lips, instead of bending toward it. Do not
throw the head back and raise the cup to get the last of its contents.
Remember--
To prepare a list of the members of the family who will go to the cemetery
at a funeral, for the undertaker's guidance, arranging them in the order
of the relationship.
Flowers should be sent early in the morning of the day of interment, or on
the previous afternoon. Acknowledgment by note or verbally is expected.
A letter expressive of sympathy in a friend's bereavement should be sent
immediately upon learning of a death.
During an illness, make inquiries at the door, leaving a card with "To
inquire" written upon it. This apprises a friend of your interest in her
troubles, yet makes no claim upon her time.
Men wear mourning bands on their hats, not on the coat sleeve. Borders on
mourning stationery and cards should be narrow.
Invitations to receptions, weddings, and general entertainments, excepting
dancing parties, balls and cotillions, are sent to people in mourning. A
response on black bordered stationery sufficiently indicates the reason
for non-acceptance.
Remember--
That the typewriter does not figure in social correspondence.
A neat, well written letter or note is a credit to the writer, and a
compliment to her correspondent.
Avoid "fancy" or bizarre stationery. A good quality of white or cream
paper, in several sizes, is indicative of refined taste.
The forms of address, under the head of "Letter forms" may be profitably
studied.
Abbreviations are incorrect. Write out the name of the state on your
envelope; otherwise it may go astray.
[MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 789]
To keep a dictionary on one's desk is a wise precaution unless one is sure
of herself in regard to spelling.
Answer all notes of invitation promptly, and unconditionally; and all
friendly letters within a reasonable time.
If you never say an unkind or hateful thing in a letter, you will never
fear you may be some day condemned by your written evidence.
Don't keep old letters; it is unwise.
Avoid discussions on any subject on which people feel strongly, like
politics and religion. Do not hold an argument in society.
Remember that good manners are made up of petty sacrifices, gracefully
made.
A kind "no" is often more agreeable than a rough "yes." An assent, given
grudgingly, is always ungracious.
Take note of this quotation: "Life is like a mirror. It reflects the face
you bring to it. Look out lovingly upon the world and the world will look
lovingly in upon you."
[790 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
BEAUTY AND THE TOILET
INCLUDING MANICURING, CARE OF THE COMPLEXION,
TEETH, EYES, FEET, Etc.
"The one thing that woman prizes most is her beauty. Though she have none,
she yet persuadeth herself that she possesses some charm upon which men's
eyes rest admiringly."--Johnson.
"There is no wound a woman will not more willingly forget than a blow to
her vanity."
Although woman's chief desire is to be beautiful, it is a historical fact
that nearly every woman whose beauty has been renowned has either led an
unhappy life or met a tragic fate. Strangely, too, the most famous
attachments of which we have record have been inspired by women who were
not only not beautiful, but who had some noticeable defect. So to be
attractive, and to charm, it is not necessary to be beautiful. Beauty
gives a woman a start in the race; her other qualities must enable her to
keep her advantage.
THE FACE-HEALTH AS AN AID TO BEAUTY.
The first essential to good looks is good health. The clear complexion,
the bright eyes, the lustrous hair that are such helps are born of good
health rather than of creams and hair tonics. Health depends a good deal
on wholesome diet and out-door exercise, which make pure blood. Pure air
is invaluable. Country girls often have exquisite complexions because of
the pure air they breathe--unless they eat too much heavy, greasy food.
Study hygiene, then, instead of relying upon "Bloom of Youth" and "Cream
of Roses" as aids to a good complexion. Such things deceive no one, and by
use ruin the skin, wrinkling and withering it. It is a good thing to drink
plenty of water. A glass on retiring, another on rising, and a third an
hour before the noon meal is little enough. Keep the stomach and bowels in
good order.
BLACKHEADS.--The most frequent inquiry in the "beauty pages" of the papers
is what to do for blackheads. In the first place, don't allow yourself to
get them. Keep your face clean. A blackhead is simply a pore that is
filled with oil and dirt. Sometimes they are as large as the head of a
pin. When taken out they leave an enlargement known as a coarse pore. Do
not steam the face to remove them. Wash the face well with soap and hot
water; wring cloths out of hot water and hold to the face then massage
with cold cream. Several treatments will soften them so they may be
pinched out between the thumbs. Never attempt this treatment before going
out; do it at night, before retiring.
Blackheads are a reflection upon one's personal cleanliness, therefore
bathe the whole body often.
[BEAUTY AND THE TOILET 791]
PIMPLES.--Pimples are due to an impure condition of the blood, for which
sulphur is a good remedy, taken internally and applied externally. One
dram each of camphor and flowers of sulphur in four ounces of rose-water
is a good lotion for external use. Do not pick or squeeze pimples, unless
pus has formed in them. Nothing is more disgusting than a face broken out
in pus-filled pimples. See a physician if thus afflicted.
FRECKLES.--These have been poetically called "the kisses of the sun," but
no girl cares for evidences of that sort of affection. Prevention is
easier than cure. Simple home remedies are lemon juice and glycerin, sour
buttermilk, and elderflower soap used in bathing.
A well-known application is six grains of bichloride of mercury in one
ounce each of glycerin and alcohol, and a few drops, say ten or twelve, of
oil of lavender. The trouble is that after using these remedies the skin
is delicate and freckles more easily.
The fad for going bareheaded has ruined many a girl's complexion.
SUNBURN.--Avoid it when possible. If going on the water, apply magnesia to
the face rather thickly. If sunburned, rub the skin with cold cream,
leaving it on as long as you can before using water on it. A wash that is
good for tan and sunburn requires half an ounce of borax and an ounce of
lemon juice in a pint of rose water.
CHAPPED HANDS AND FACE.--Many cases of "chaps" may be avoided by the
simple precaution of wiping the face and hands perfectly dry. If the skin
chaps easily keep at hand a bottle of glycerin and lemon juice mixed in
about equal proportions, and after wiping rub a little on the hands.
Before going out in the cold, rub a little cold cream or oil of sweet
almonds over the face; leave it on a few minutes, rub off lightly with a
dry towel and dust with rice powder. Camphor ice is good for chapped lips.
A PURE FACE CREAM.--Set a bowl in a basin of hot water over the fire. In
it put a quarter of an ounce of white wax and two and a half ounces of
spermaceti, and the same quantity of oil of sweet almonds. When melted and
hot, add a pinch of borax and an ounce and a half of rose-water. Beat
these ingredients with a silver fork, briskly, till the cream is cold.
Warm the jar before filling it and keep in a cool place.
ANOTHER GOOD CREAM.--One ounce each of white wax and spermaceti; two
ounces each of lanolin and cocoanut oil and four ounces of sweet almond
oil. Melt in a double-boiler or a bowl set in hot water, and stir in two
ounces of orange flower water and thirty drops of tincture of benzoin.
Stir briskly till cold, and of the consistency of a thick paste. This is
to be used at night, after thoroughly washing the face. It is a good
cleansing cream also.
[792 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
WRINKLES.--It is a great deal easier to prevent wrinkles than it is to get
rid of them after one has acquired them. A little study of women's faces
will show how wrinkles, that no amount of massage will obliterate, are
being made. They make perpendicular wrinkles between the eyes by drawing
the brows together when sewing or reading, sometimes through habit and
sometimes because of insufficient light. Some wrinkles are born of
in-temper, of fretfulness, or sorrow. As the skin loses its elasticity,
through age or ill-health, wrinkles come more and more easily. The best
remedy for wrinkles is a light heart and a contented mind. Assist these
with good, wholesome food that makes pure blood to feed the body, and
render external aid through gentle massage and some good face cream and
you have done the best you can. It is a good plan to some day take your
hand-mirror with you as you go about your daily duties and watch the
process of wrinkle-making. Say you are sewing and note the glass. Without
changing your expression, take a look at yourself. The chance is it will
be a revelation. You will realize why wrinkles come.
MASSAGE.--Unless properly done, massage may do more harm than good. If one
can afford a few treatments by a scientific masseur and study her methods,
it is a great help. The thing is not to rub in more than you rub out, by
improper manipulation. Rub the face up, not down. This is because of the
tendency of the muscles to sag.
Rub across, not with, the lines. Rub the "parentheses" around the month up
and out, and give a rotary motion to the rubs given the checks, gently
pinching and pulling them out.
But after all, there's nothing like good temper and steady nerves to
prevent the tell-tale lines.
WRINKLED HANDS.--Wrinkled hands belong to age, and are due to loss of oil
in the skin. After washing and wiping them, rub with a little cold cream
or olive oil. Rub well into the skin. At night, use the cream or oil
freely and put on a pair of old gloves.
Camphor is a good whitening agent for the hands, and a teaspoonful of
spirits of camphor beaten into any greasy, cold cream will be beneficial.
A piece of the gum camphor melted with the ointment blends more readily. A
piece of camphor size of a walnut to two tablespoonfuls of the cream is
about right proportions.
RED HANDS AND NOSE.--Sometimes a too tight corset, impeding the
circulation of the blood, is responsible for the blemishes; sometimes poor
circulation due to poor health. Cold feet may send the blood to the nose.
Find out what is the cause and remove it. Local applications are
ineffective.
[BEAUTY AND THE TOILET 793]
COLD OR FEVER SORES.--These unpleasant afflictions may be cured if taken
at the first indication of what is coming--a smarting or burning
sensation--by frequent applications of dilute spirits of camphor.
FACE POWDERS.--There are few women who do not at times have occasion to
use face powder. A woman once remarked: "It isn't decent not to in
summer--one looks so greasy without." There are many face powders on the
market, some of which are comparatively harmless, while others are
deleterious. The injury done by powder is that it fills the pores,
stopping them up and thus clogging the skin. Many powders contain lead or
bismuth, both of which are very injurious. Magnesia is drying. Rice powder
is most harmless, but does not adhere. The most innocent powder is
probably a preparation of French chalk. Weigh a box of powder in your hand
before purchasing. If heavy, it doubtless contains lead, and should be
refused. Find some powder that agrees with your skin and then buy that
brand. Suit the color of the powder to your complexion. Don't use flesh
tint if you are sallow, the "outlying regions" of neck and ears betray
you.
TO USE POWDER.--Wash the face; rub a little cold cream over it, rubbing it
in well, wipe with a dry towel, gently, then apply the powder with a
chamois--a clean one. Do not keep it on unnecessarily. Remove by rubbing
with the cleansing cream, then wash the face. Never go to bed with powder
on your face.
LIQUID WHITENERS.--Avoid these. They are "whitewashes" that wither and
wrinkle the skin and make it prematurely old. Almost without exception
they contain lead in some form. Constant use may produce a facial
paralysis due to lead poisoning. Moreover they deceive no one, and give an
unpleasing impression as regards one's good sense.
ROUGE.--Well, don't do it. There may be a few who can have a rouge
especially prepared that is the exact tint that harmonizes with the skin,
the hair, the eyes, and can apply it so carefully as to look "natural."
But ordinarily the deception is evident, and rouge in conjunction with
liquid washes and penciled eyes and brows, suggest the aids employed by
women of the demi-monde.
If any rouge is used, let it be the "Spanish lady's rouge" or
crepons--bits of white woolen crepe dyed with an ammoniacal solution of
carmine. These are gently rubbed on the skin to produce the required glow.
THE HAIR.--Beautiful hair is woman's crown of glory. Thousands of the sex
wear it unbecomingly. They follow the latest fashion in arrangement
without reference to whether it suits the lines of the face and head or
otherwise. One should never be satisfied with a front view alone. Study
the back, the sides, the lines produced, just as you study the
becomingness of a hat from all angles. If a new fashion is unbecoming,
either avoid it, or modify it into becomingness if you can. So many women
make guys of themselves by a slavish devotion to the freaks of fashion.
[794 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CARE OF THE HAIR.--The hair is kept in order by frequent brushings, which
excite the natural oil by which it is fed, and by washing it. Dr. Leonard,
an authority on the hair, says once a month is as often as the hair needs
washing. As a shampoo, he advises yolk of egg, well rubbed into the scalp
and roots of the hair, then washed out with tepid water and castile soap.
A brisk rubbing with dry towels excites the blood-vessels of the scalp.
There is no doubt that this simple shampoo is more beneficial than many
new-fangled ones.
The hair should be taken down and well brushed every night, This removes
dirt and makes it glossy. Use a brush with bristles as stiff as you can
use without irritating the scalp too much, and keep it clean. Don't drag a
fine comb through the hair. The proper comb has regular and even teeth,
rounded, not sharp. If a tooth becomes split, remove it; it will break the
hair. Wire brushes are nothing more or less than combs, and are not as
good for the hair as good bristle brushes. Keep combs and brushes clean.
USE OF POMADES.--Hair that is dry and brittle really requires some
oleaginous preparation, used in moderation. Yellow vaselin is good. Part
the hair and rub it into the scalp with the tips of the fingers. A
sufficient amount will find its way to the hair itself to relieve the
dryness. Cocoanut oil is also good. Never apply anything of this kind to
the hair itself, which is simply made greasy. The benefit should be to the
roots. The application of vaselin may be made a couple of days before the
monthly washing, or if the hair is very dry, may follow it. Remember not
to overdo the matter. It does not follow that because a little is good,
more is better.
A specialist on the hair who makes biennial trips abroad to advise himself
as to the most recent methods and treatment, in a moment of confidence
admitted to a customer that after all pure cold water was as good a hair
tonic as he knew of. "Do not wet the hair." he said. "Dip the tips of your
fingers in cold water and rub the scalp, wetting it and at the same time
massaging it. Do this as faithfully as you would apply a tonic, and in all
but certain exceptional cases it will be as beneficial.'
CLIPPING THE HAIR.--It is a good plan to clip the ends of the hair once a
month to keep the growth even. If the hair splits, trim to a point above
it, as the tendency is for the split to extend further up the hair-shaft.
DANDRUFF.--Dandruff is the scaling off of dead cuticle. In excess, it
becomes a disease, forming so thick a scale as to kill the roots of the
hair and cause it to fall out. It is rightly called "itch dirt."
Cleanliness therefore helps a cure.
An old-fashioned recipe for dandruff calls for five ounces of bay rum, one
ounce of olive oil, one ounce tincture of cantharides. Dr. Leonard advises
free applications of sweet oil for the purpose of softening the scales,
then a washing with warm water and castile soap, or the "green soap" of
the pharmacy. If the disease is bad, or obstinate, apply a little oxide of
zinc ointment.
[BEAUTY AND THE TOILET 795]
WASHING THE HAIR.--One suspects that those who advise washing the hair
once a week have more of all eye to the increase of their business than to
the welfare of their customers' hair. The egg shampoo has been advised.
Use a soap made of vegetable oil if possible. Never rub soap in the hair,
and be very careful to rinse thoroughly, to get all the soap out using hot
water for washing, then graduating the temperature till the final douche
of cold. Do not use ammonia, soda or borax on the hair.
COLOR OF THE HAIR.--Nature has suited the hair to the complexion in every
case, and we cannot improve upon her idea of harmony. That is why any
attempt to change the color is so unsatisfactory. The "bleached blonde" is
always recognizable; so is the woman who dyes her faded locks in vain
effort to retain her "youth." As the hair changes by natural processes the
complexion changes to match it, so that we never get a chance to improve
upon nature's handiwork.
In Elizabethan days, wigs were worn to harmonize or match with the
costume. Queen Elizabeth had over eighty. Think of purple hair? Yet some
dyes give a purple tinge to the locks.
DYED HAIR.--Dyed hair is a sorry makeshift at best. Far better let nature
have her way. There is but one hair-dye that is not positively harmful,
this is henna, and its use entails no end of trouble because it must be
frequently renewed,--some use it every day.
To prepare the dye, get a quarter pound of henna leaves; to this add two
quarts of cold water. Let stand on the back of the range where it will
steep slowly for four or five hours. Add three ounces of alcohol and
bottle. Apply with a tooth-brush. It gives a sort of reddish-brown color.
Women whose hair is prematurely gray often use this, declaring their white
hair prevents them from obtaining or holding business positions. But where
hair has whitened prematurely there is always a freshness and vitality
about eyes and complexion that bespeaks youth.
Physicians strongly deprecate the use of hair dyes. No matter how
strenuously the label insists on "absolute harmlessness," the dye relies
for its effectiveness upon the presence of lead in some chemical
combination. The frequent application of lead to the scalp induces a
certain dangerous form of poisoning, which results in paralysis. If "dye
you must," pin your faith to henna.
[796 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
GRAY HAIR.--"The only thing to do with gray hair is to admire it." This is
true. Nothing so sets off an aged face like the crown of silver. To color
it is a great mistake. There is absolutely no cure for it; the one thing
we can do is to make it a beauty. Gray hair is due to the exhaustion of
the pigment or coloring cells of the hair, supposed to be occasioned by
the lack of a regular supply of blood.
For the progressive whitening of the hair due to the advance of age,
curative agents are rarely of any avail, especially if the trouble is
hereditary. Not that gray hair and baldness are handed down from father to
son, but that the peculiarities of constitution which produce them are
inherent in both. Nervousness, neuralgia, a low physical condition, aid
the falling and blanching of the hair, and the victim should build up the
general system. Preparations of iron and sulphur, taken internally, are
supposed to supply certain elements of growth and pigment-forming power to
the hair.
A solution of iron for external application to the hair, calls for two
drams each of citrate of iron and tincture of nux vomica, and one and
one-half ounces each of cocoanut oil and bay rum. It may be mentioned
here, that faithfulness in treatment means even more than the tonic
applied. To gain any real benefit, one must be persistent in application.
Hair often turns gray "in streaks" to the chagrin of the victim. Or it
whitens above the forehead and temples and remains dark at the back.
Nothing can be done for this.
Gray hair should be kept scrupulously clean, and requires more frequent
washing than hair that holds its color. A very little blueing in the
rinsing water gives a purer, clearer white. For this use indigo, not the
usual washing fluid which is made of Prussian blue. Five cents worth of
indigo will last a lifetime.
A HAIR TONIC.--A lotion Dr. Leonard recommends for the hair, especially
where it is coming out calls for two drams tincture cantharides, half an
ounce nux vomica, one dram tincture capsicum, one and a half ounces castor
oil, and two ounces of cologne. Apply with a bit of sponge twice a day.
A preparation which is tonic in its properties and is also said to darken
gray hair, and which certainly contains nothing injurious, calls for one
ounce of sage and a pint of boiling water, allowed to stand twenty-four
hours in an iron pot, and then filtered through filtering papers.
Digest half an ounce of pine tar in a pint of water for forty-eight hours,
stirring occasionally; filter, and put with the other fluid, then add one
pint of bay rum, one ounce each of cologne and tincture of cantharides,
two ounces of glycerin and ten ounces of distilled water. Apply daily,
using a tonic brush.
THE HAIR AND HEALTH.--The condition of the hair is largely predicated on
the condition of the general health. In health, it should be abundant,
glossy and bright--"live"--in color. A low physical condition may make it
look dry and dead, and induce falling out. Take care of the general health
for the sake of the hair as well as for the sake of the complexion.
[BEAUTY AND THE TOILET 797]
THE HANDS.--One of the woman's continuous tasks is trying to keep her
hands clean, and one thing that militates against their good looks is
careless washing. They are washed indiscriminately in hot or cold water,
the soap not properly rinsed off, nor the drying complete. To keep them
soft and white, wash in soft, tepid water, dry thoroughly, then rub in a
little cold cream or compound of glycerin, or fine cornmeal. Use rubber
gloves in dish washing, and if you must have your hands in soapy water for
a long time, after washing them in pure water rub over with a few drops of
lemon juice or cider vinegar. This kills the potash in the soap that has
been used.
CARE OF THE NAILS.--It is a luxury to have one's nails done by a manicure,
and if one can not afford this, always, it is profitable to have it done a
few times and carefully observe the process, because the nails are a very
important part of the care of the hands.
Finger Nail Powder, Old Tried Remedy for--
"Violet Talcum Powder 1/2 ounce
Pulverized Boric Acid 1/2 ounce
Powdered Starch 1/2 ounce
Tincture of Carmine 15 drops
If the nails become hard or brittle, immerse them in warm olive oil every
night or rub vaselin into them."
IMPLEMENTS.--The tools required are a pair of manicure scissors, which
have small curved blades; get a good pair of steel scissors, the silver
are not so good; a package of emery boards, an orange-wood stick, a
flexible nail file, a small bottle of peroxide of hydrogen for bleaching,
a bit of pumice stone, a cake of polishing powder, a chamois covered
"buffer" and a box of rosaline or other paste.
THE PROCESS.--The nails are to be shortened by filing, as cutting thickens
them. The orange-wood stick is then dipped in peroxide and run under the
nail to bleach, then the pumice stone, powdered, is used in the same way
to cleanse. During this the left hand is soaking in tepid, soapy water. Of
course, if you do your own manicuring you will go on with the right hand,
waiting while the cuticle at the base of the nail softens. This is then
anointed with a little cold cream or vaselin; the cuticle is loosened and
trimmed if necessary,--do not trim if you can avoid it, as cutting
thickens it. When both hands have been thus treated, they are again soaked
a few minutes, then a little of the rosaline paste--a very little--is put
on each nail, the buffer dipped in the polishing powder and the nails
polished. The hands are then washed, rubbed dry, and the fingers gone over
a second time in search of roughness of nail or cuticle; they are then
polished again with a clean buffer, and may be sprayed with perfume from
an atomizer.
MOUTH AND TEETH.--Many young people owe their homely mouths to infantile
habits. Sucking the thumb, and these horrible "pacificators" or "baby
comforters" are responsible for some ill-shaped mouths. A large mouth, if
not malformed, is not ugly unless filled with bad teeth or set in a
disagreeable expression. Thus, in a way, we mould this feature ourselves,
to a considerable degree.
[798 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CLEANSING THE TEETH.--A good brushing twice a day, using cold water and
some pleasant antiseptic wash, like listerine, does much to keep the mouth
and teeth clean. Particles of food lodged between the teeth should be
removed with a bit of dental floss.
VISITS TO THE DENTIST.--Pain and expense are saved by consulting the
dentist in good season. The smallest cavity should be filled as soon as
discovered. At least once a year the teeth should be carefully examined by
one's dentist; it would be better to go every six months. Let the dentist
clean them and remove the tartar, if any, as commercial preparations often
injure. Most dentists will save a tooth wherever possible. There is little
excuse for bad teeth these days, since modern dentistry can work marvels.
CHILDREN'S TEETH.--On no account let a child's second teeth come in
crowded, irregular or projecting. A good dentist can remedy all these
malformations and though it may be troublesome at the time, the child,
when grown, will blame you for not having relieved him of them. From
babyhood, the child should be taught that cleansing the teeth is as
important a part of the toilet as washing the hands.
THE EYES.--No gift is more precious than sight. Therefore take care of
your eyes. Don't overstrain them, don't put anything in them, don't follow
any casual prescription, nor use belladonna to brighten them. Consult an
oculist, not an optician, if there is anything the matter with them. Bathe
them in hot water when they feel tired and drawn. Eyesight is too precious
to be tampered with. If a child is cross-eyed, a simple operation will
straighten them, and it is a crime not to have it done.
EYELASHES AND EYEBROWS.--The best application for these is the simplest.
Just a little yellow vaselin, which encourages growth. Don't clip, either.
Frequent brushing will generally train the brows into a shapely line. A
heavy, coarse hair may be pulled out with the fingers.
THE FEET.--The three most frequent evils to which the feet are heir are
corns, bunions or enlarged joints, and chilblains. Ingrowing nails are
much less common, but make up in painfulness.
CORNS.--Corns are of three kinds: callous spots, soft corns, and corns.
Callous spots may be rubbed or pared down and rubbed with cocoa butter.
Soft corns come between the toes and are very painful. Soak absorbent
cotton in a little turpentine and put between the toes; or sprinkle the
cotton with powdered alum. These corns are supposed to be due to moisture
between the toes and are sometimes cured and often prevented by keeping
absorbent cotton between the toes. Prevention saves a lot of suffering.
"Just corns" are calloused spots with hard center; pressure on this causes
pain. Soaking in hot water, and shaving off as much of the hardened skin
as can be removed with safety, affords relief. The little hard core should
be taken out.
Precautions.--Be sure that your knife, razor, or whatever implement is
used is perfectly clean (sterilized) and avoid drawing blood. If this
happens, use some antiseptic. Cases of blood-poisoning that have resulted
fatally have been caused by such wounds. If you wear colored hose, have
them washed before wearing, as the dye may be injurious.
[BEAUTY AND THE TOILET 799]
BUNIONS.--These painful enlargements are due to a too short shoe, or one
that does not fit well. Better discard such footwear; it will be cheaper
in the end. Paint the sore joint with a mixture of equal parts of
glycerin, tincture of iodine and carbolic acid; using a camel's hair
brush. Stockings that are too short may produce the same affliction.
CHILBLAINS.--People who have, or do not want chilblains should avoid
woolen stockings. Neither should they "toast their toes" at the fire, wear
bed-socks, or take a hot water-bottle to bed with them. Warm the feet by
exercise, or vigorous rubbing. If very painful, try ice-cold applications,
tincture of iodine, camphor, and tincture of chloride of iron are healing.
INGROWING NAILS.--A bad case should be taken to the chiropodist. Shaving
the nail thin on the top, or cutting a V-shaped piece out of it, tend to
relieve. Raise up the nail and put a bit of absorbent cotton under it. The
best way is to avoid foot troubles by wearing well fitting shoes which are
sufficiently large.
[800 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
NURSERY HINTS AND FIRESIDE GEMS
For Mother and Her Little Family
TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR RAISING CHILDREN.
1. Thou shalt not frighten thy child by threats of punishment.
2. Thou shalt not visit thine own disappointments upon thy child, nor
speak to him sharply without just cause.
3. Thou shalt not administer any rebuke while feeling anger toward thy
child.
4. Thou shalt not require more of thy child than of thyself.
5. Thou shalt not speak discourteously to thy child.
6. Thou shalt not lie to thy child, neither break thy promise, nor
deceive.
7. Thou shalt not waste thyself upon the effort to destroy evil
tendencies and wrong activities in thy child, but shall remove temptation
from him and cultivate his virtues and his righteous activities.
8. Thou shalt not curtail thy child's liberty but shall insist he respect
the liberty of all others, even as his is respected.
9. Many hours shalt thou labor with thy child and do all thy work,
dressing him, feeding him, teaching him, amusing him, but for one hour out
of every seven waking hours shalt thou let him alone, and bother him not,
neither thou, nor thy husband, nor thy nursemaid, nor thy friends, nor thy
relatives nor any that are in thy house. For in that hour shall the Lord
come unto him.
10. Thou shalt not force thy child in any respect, neither physically,
mentally or morally. Thou shalt not force obedience, for forced obedience
is not righteous; but thou shalt gently lead thy child along the way that
he should go, having first passed over the road thyself.
THE PRAYING OF A CHILD.
Pray, little child for me tonight,
That from thy lips like petals white,
Thy words may fall and at His feet
Bloom for His path with fragrance sweet!
Pray, little child, that I may be
Childlike in innocence like thee,
And simple in my faith and trust
Through all the battle's heat and dust!
Pray, little child, in thy white gown,
Beside thy wee bed kneeling down;
Pray, pray for me, for I do know
Thy white words on soft wings will go
Unto His heart, and on His breast
Light as blown doves that seek for rest
Up the pale twilight path that gleams
Under the spell of starry dreams!
Pray, little child, for me, and say:
"Please, Father, keep him firm today
Against the shadow and the care,
For Christ's sake!" Ask it in thy prayer,
For well I know that thy pure word
'Gainst louder tongues will have been heard,
When the great moment comes that He
Shall listen through His love for me!
Oh, little child, if I could feel
One atom of thy faith so real,
Then might I bow and be as one
In whose heart many currents run
Of joyful confidence and cheer,
Making each earthly moment dear
With sunshine and the sound of bells
On the green hills and in the dells!
Pray, little child, for me tonight,
That from thy lips in sunward flight,
One word may fall with all its sweet
Upon the velvet at His feet,
That He may lift it to His ear
Its tender plea of love to hear,
And lay it, granted, on the pile
Signed with the signet of His smile!
[NURSERY HINTS AND FIRESIDE GEMS 801]
Motherhood.--Motherhood is a profession that is overworked. The hours are
long and holidays and vacations are few and far between. Mother gets a
great deal of maudlin sympathy and not enough tangible aid, says a writer
in the Housekeeper. Our poetic conception of the true mother is that her
whole life is bound up in the welfare of her children and her family. At
what age are her children not, for her, a matter of serious concern? She
has ever had plenty of material which she can manufacture into worry and
heartaches. Many mothers consume too much of their own nervous energy and
jeopardize their health in what they think their bounden maternal duties.
There is a judicious limit of all things even though they are virtues.
Mother.--The babe at first feeds upon the mother's bosom, but is always on
her heart.--H. W. Beecher.
Baby's Layette.--The principal thing to be borne in mind regarding the
baby's layette is that all the clothing should be light, soft, in both
surface and texture, and porous also in order that the evaporation of
perspiration and a certain ventilation of the skin may take place. Perfect
simplicity, not only in material and trimming, but in the whole plan of
the little garments will testify to good taste and common sense, and at
the same time tend to eliminate much fretfulness and wailing.
Baby.--A sweet new blossom of humanity, fresh fallen from God's own home,
to flower on earth.--Massey.
[802 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Boy's Garments.--Don't burden the boy with a whole array of separate
garments, but give him a few good, heavy things. The lessened number will
allow him freedom, and his comfort, too, is to be considered. Boy's
trousers are now fully lined, and these with the right sort of underwear
will give him the requisite warmth with very little unnecessary weight.
Boys.--A torn jacket is soon mended, but hard words bruise the heart of a
child.--Longfellow.
Pretty Things for Baby.--Among pretty articles for baby there are tiny
ribbon garters to hold up the little sleeves, in colors to match the blue
of the eyes or the pink of the cheeks, and there are huge soft rosettes of
ribbon and hand embroidered strings for the cap, and gold baby pins and
fleecy robes and bow-decked quilts.
Baby.--A rose with all its sweetest leaves yet folded.--Byron.
Baby's Outing.--It is always better for a baby, no matter how young, to go
out in a carriage than to be carried. Young babies are much more
comfortable lying full length on a pillow placed in the carriage and
properly covered than when carried in the arms.
Baby.--A lovely bud, so soft, so fair, called hence by early doom; just
sent to show how sweet a flower in paradise would bloom.--Leigh Richmond.
Wild Flowers.--Children who gather wild flowers should be taught that they
must not put them in their mouths. The buttercup, which is harmless enough
to handle, contains an acid poison that will produce sore mouth, and taken
into the stomach worse effects might result. It also contains a narcotic
principle, anemonin, which has the property of diminishing the respiration
and heart action.
Flowers.--It is with flowers as with moral qualities, the bright are
sometimes poisonous, but I believe never the sweet.--Hare.
Reasoning versus Punishment.--There is one great point that all mothers
should observe and that is not to punish children when reasoning would
bring the same results. For needless correction blunts a child's
sensitiveness. To state that it brutalizes him is putting it too
positively, but it tends to develop indifference and hardness that one
does not want a child to possess,
Discipline.--Be ever gentle with the children God has given you.--Watch
over them constantly; reprove them earnestly, but not in anger.--In the
forcible language of Scripture, "Be not bitter against them." "Yes, they
are good boys," said a kind father. "I talk to them much, but I do not
beat my children: the world will beat them." It was a beautiful thought,
though not elegantly expressed.--Burritt.
Baby's Kimono.--The little flannel kimonos or wrappers, so convenient to
slip on the baby before the morning bath, or if the room is at all chilly,
may be made up in pretty styles, in delicate colors, bound with silk, and
tied with tiny bows to match.
[NURSERY HINTS AND FIRESIDE GEMS 803]
Early Schooling.--Of ten infants destined for different vocations, I
should prefer that the one who is to study through life should be the
least learned at the age of twelve.
--Tissot.
Baby's Fine Dresses.--If the baby's dress is not made of the finest of
handkerchief linen, French nainsook or a very fine batiste is usually
chosen. These are the soft materials, soft as well as sheer. They are the
materials on which embroidery is done most successfully and the baby dress
de luxe is always hand embroidered. It may have on it the merest touch of
hand work--scarcely more than a few eyelets and a tiny blossom and stem
and yet follow the prescribed lines. The little round yokes are attached
to the fulled on skirt portion with the tiniest of beading or else the
yoke scallops are lapped down over the fullness. The neck is edged with
the little hand-made scallops.
Nicknames.--A good name will wear out; a bad one may be turned; a nickname
lasts forever.--Zimmermann.
Undergarments.--In buying the little wool shirts (wool being considered
the most satisfactory for infants' undergarments) never get the heaviest
weights; there are four usually offered, even for winter wear. The next to
the heaviest is quite warm enough for winter, and for summer the lightest
weight obtainable, preferably of a mixture of silk and wool; cotton and
wool should not be used. In hot weather shirts of cotton gauze or a soft
porous cotton stockinet are satisfactory.
Training.--The education of our children is never out of my mind. Train
them to virtue, habituate them to industry, activity, and spirit. Make
them consider every vice as shameful and unmanly. Fire them with ambition
to be useful. Make them disdain to be destitute of any useful
knowledge.--John Adams to his wife.
Baby's Nerves.--Never try to entertain a baby too vigorously. Little
babies especially, but also children somewhat older, should never be
subjected to unnecessary excitement. Older people seldom realize how
exceedingly undeveloped the nervous system of a little child is, and any
undue shock to it is apt to cause the direst consequence. Do not take very
small children to the theatre or the circus. They don't understand it, and
they can't enjoy it.
Intemperance.--Violent excitement exhausts the mind, and leaves it
withered and sterile.--Fenelon.
Second Teeth.--When the baby's second teeth are cut there are often
injurious influences to be combated. There is more or less chance for the
formation of caries or tartar; care must be taken and counsel sought, and
every effort made to prevent the aggravation of the evil.
Tears.--Tears are the safety-valves of the heart when too much pressure is
laid on it.--Albert Smith.
Going Barefoot.--The careful mother does not let her child run barefoot,
no matter how they clamor to do it. If they wish to go shoeless, let them
wear bathing sandals without stockings, is the advice of the writer, who
adds, the germ of tetanus, better known as lockjaw, is frequently found in
the soil and a child with even a small scratch or cut takes big risks. For
girls, especially, running barefoot should be a forbidden pleasure as it
makes the feet broad and flat.
[804 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
FROM JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER'S "BAREFOOT BOY."
Blessings on thee, little man,
Barefoot boy, with cheek of tan!
With thy turned-up pantaloons,
And thy merry whistled tunes;
With thy red lip, redder still
Kissed by strawberries on the hill;
With the sunshine on thy face,
Through thy torn brim's jaunty grace;
From my heart I give thee joy,
I was once a barefoot boy.
The Children's Sunday.--What can we do with the children on Sundays? Do
not attempt to do anything unusual or make yourself miserable over their
natural antics. Send them to the Sabbath School, never deny a child this
privilege or be too negligent to give him the privilege, says the Woman's
National Daily. A walk during the day to the park, woods or some place
where the recreation is pleasant, is advisable. But do not get so modern
in your views that you will permit them the riotous amusements in which
they must usually indulge through the week. One cannot do wrong in
impressing the sacredness of the day upon the children, for it is one of
the deplorable features of modern life that the sacredness is sadly
abused, and mostly by the young folk.
Idleness.--Idleness among children, as among men, is the root of all evil,
and leads to no other evil more certain than ill-temper.--Hannah More.
Learning to Sew.--Every reasonable mother knows that it is wise to teach
her little daughter to sew. Let her begin on the tiny garment of her doll.
She will easily form the habit of mending torn places in dolly's clothes
and replace absent buttons. With this experience, it will not be long
before she will begin to take an interest in her own clothes, and so will
not need to be warned that a button is coming off or that the hem of her
skirt is coming out. But, of course, she could not begin by sewing or
patching her own clothes, nor by mending intricate tears. First see that
she sews on buttons correctly and then let her do some basting.
A Good Rule.--St. Edmund of Canterbury was right when he said to somebody.
"Work as though you would live forever; but live as though you would die
today."
--Henry Giles.
Double Duties.--Children should never be required to do housework to the
extent a housekeeper must do it, for the strength of a growing child
should be applied almost wholly to duties at school. A growing child
cannot do mental and hard physical labor at the same time. Wiping dishes
and assisting in the dusting do not interfere with school work, and are
really good exercises. But the young girl who is compelled to rise early
in the morning, prepare breakfast, assist with the family washing or
ironing and prepare herself for school will lose out somewhere.
[NURSERY HINTS AND FIRESIDE GEMS 805]
THE BABY-CLASS TREE.
We little folks planted a wee, wee, tree,
The tiniest tree of all;
Right here by the school-house door it stands
With two little leaves like baby's hands,
So crumpled and soft and small.
And I really believe it is ever so glad
That we planted it there to grow,
And knows us and loves us and understands,
For it claps them just like two little hands,
Whenever the west winds blow.
The Flannel Binder.--The flannel binders for baby should be cut from the
softest kind of flannel and on the bias to increase their elasticity. They
should be about five inches wide and twenty inches long, with the edges
raw, or pinked, perhaps, but not hemmed. After the first six or eight
weeks the knitted, circular band which can be bought ready made or may be
crocheted at home, is substituted for the flannel binder.
LOVE.
Over and over and over
These truths I will say and sing--
That Love is mightier far than Hate;
That a man's own Thought is a man's own Fate,
And that life is a goodly thing.
--Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
Wholesome Pleasures.--Pleasures for the little ones should be wholesome
and sensible, and the dangers of excitement cannot be overestimated. Their
minds so ready to receive impressions should receive only the best and
most beneficial, the wholesome air play in the park, or the country, not
too much company, nor too much noise, nor too many toys.
FROM "THE CHILDREN'S HOUR"
Between the dark and the daylight.
When the night is beginning to lower,
Comes a pause in the day's occupations,
That is known as the Children's Hour.
I hear in the chamber above me,
The patter of little feet,
The sound of a door that is opened,
And voices soft and sweet.
--Longfellow.
Scrubbing Tender Faces.--Children have tender skins as a rule, and yet
mothers are very apt to scrub the little faces with soap and water and
send them out to play. Think of such treatment in connection with your own
skin. If the children are going out at once after the washing, use warm
water with plain unscented soap, then rub a little good cold cream into
the skin.
[806 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
FROM LONGFELLOW'S "VILLAGE BLACKSMITH"
Toiling.--rejoicing,--sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begun,
Each evening sees it close;
Something attempted, something done,
He has earned a night's repose.
Saving the Coverlet.--It is discouraging to the mother to find the
eiderdown coverlets becoming soiled where the children rub their hands
over them. This can be avoided by making a tiny sham of swiss or other
similar material and basting it across the top of the coverlet. It can be
pinned into place at the corners with tiny baby pins or caught with a few
stitches. These shams edged with narrow lace add a really attractive touch
to the coverlet, and they can be quickly removed and easily laundered.
The Greatness of Love.--There are no little events with the heart; it
magnifies everything. It places in the same scale the falling of an empire
and the dropping of a woman's glove; and the glove generally weighs more
than the empire.
--Honore De Balzac.
Oranges as Medicine.--One of the most valuable adjuncts in acquiring a
generally good complexion in youth is that of eating oranges in
quantities. Let the mother give her children two or three oranges every
day, as they possess many virtues, especially upon the action of the
liver. The mother who buys plenty of oranges for the children will note
the reduction in her medicine bill.
THE HUMAN FACE.
When I meet a human face,
Lit for me with light divine,
I recall all loving eyes,
That have ever answered mine.
--Phoebe Cary.
The Art of Entertaining Children.--Entertaining convalescent children is
quite an art in itself. Nurses who expect to make a specialty of caring
for children sometimes take a brief course in kindergarten work, and
certainly such knowledge is a valuable asset. Quiet games that do not call
for too much exertion, paper-doll plays, the ever-delightful "cutting out"
of pictures or fashion book people, making scrap books for children's
hospitals and simple knitting or crocheting all help to amuse the little
folk. Almost all children enjoy being read to, but care must be taken not
to select stories that will depress the child or so excite him as to keep
him awake at night or cause unpleasant dreams.
Tireless Talkers.--A sick man that gets talking about himself, a woman
that gets talking about her baby, and an author that begins reading out of
his own book, never know when to stop.--O. W. Holmes.
Unselfishness.--Unselfishness is the key of a happy and beautiful life,
and this is one of the first things that should be taught to the little
one, says a writer in The Woman Beautiful. Insist upon her sharing her
pleasures, even at a great sacrifice with other children. One mother whom
I know has trained her baby to extend an entire box of bon-bons to her
little friends with the words "Hop yourself," and she does this with a
charm and spontaneity which makes her irresistible.
[NURSERY HINTS AND FIRESIDE GEMS 807]
A Cheerful Giver.--We should give as we would receive, cheerfully,
quickly, and without hesitation; for there is no grace in a benefit that
sticks to the fingers.--Seneca.
Indulgence.--It takes far more than the mere mother love to bring up
children. It takes training, study, knowledge, says the New York Tribune.
It takes self-control in the parents themselves. The mother who spoils a
child through weak indulgence does not truly love her child. She loves her
own pleasures in going along the line of least resistance.
Selfishness.--When parents spoil their children, it is less to please them
than to please themselves. It is the egotism of parental love.--Carlyle.
Method.--Now that school days are here, mark umbrellas by writing name on
muslin with ink and sewing to inside of top with black thread; overshoes
and rubbers by writing name on the lining, and handkerchiefs by writing
name across the center with ink.
System.--Marshal thy notions into a handsome method. One will carry twice
more weight packed up in bundles, than when it lies flapping and hanging
about his shoulders.--Fuller.
Baby's Meals.--To make a healthy baby of eighteen or twenty months wait
for the meal times of adults before feeding, is putting too great a strain
on the little system. Its diet should be adapted to its needs, says a
careful mother. Five light feedings are much more scientific, the first at
about six-thirty in the morning since baby keeps early hours. Milk and
toast should be given at this time. At ten-thirty a. m., well cooked and
well strained cereal might be served with rich milk. Cream is for older
children. Stewed prunes, baked apples, and oranges are also good. Dinner
at one-thirty might include meat broth, or soft boiled eggs, and bread and
toast. Soups must be free from grease. Crackers or toast with a cup of
milk should be served for the five o'clock supper, and another cup of milk
at bedtime.
Forbearance.--There is a limit at which forbearance ceases to be a
virtue.--Burke.
The Romper.--The romper has become an essential part of the young child's
wardrobe. They are developed mostly in linen, galatea, and less
expensively still in chambray. The best colors are dark blue, brown,
green, tan and natural colored linen; green perhaps is best for summer. It
is cool looking and it does not show grass stains. Short flowing sleeves
are most satisfactory.
[808 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
BABY'S PURPOSE.
With mighty purpose in his mind,
He clambers up. And then,
With purpose quite as well defined,
He scrambles down again.
From "Seven Ages of Childhood."
Picnic Supplies.--Women taking small children to picnics should carry
along a heavy quilt or blanket to place on the ground for the babies to
sit on. There is always more dampness in the woods than out in the open,
and summer colds are not pleasant for grown folk, much less wee tots. A
few safety pins, needle and thread will not take up space in the big
basket, and how often such articles are needed.
THE MYSTERIOUS FUTURE.
I've been a little girl so long,
That, somehow, it seems almost wrong
To think how grown-up I shall be
In days that have to come to me.
--Carolyn Wells.
Zweiback Noodles.--When making soup for children zweiback or Jew's bread
is excellent for making noodles. Pound the bread to a powder, roll it with
the rolling pin, sift and use the same as flour. It can also be used in
milk as a baby food, and is often given to children with very delicate
stomachs.
AFFECTION.
In the soft soil of little lives
Affection quickly springs and thrives
And grows like anything;
Its tiny tendrils Love puts out,
Not knowing what it's all about
But glad to smile and sing.
--Carolyn Wells.
Playgrounds for Boys.--In a certain Ohio city there is a large placard
"Boys, you can play here," It is a large corner lot thronged the whole day
through during the good weather with boys playing ball and other games.
This lot which could be sold for thousands of dollars, has been donated to
the boys for a playground near their homes, The owner realized that the
streets are not suitable playgrounds for the children and that accidents
occur there almost daily. The streets of our cities are poor places in
which to play, bad for the boys, and still worse for the community, If you
have vacant lots turn them over to the boys this summer. A boy never
forgets a favor, and American boys are not going to abuse good privileges.
The loneliest boys are those who are not allowed to play on the beautiful
lawn at home, are not allowed on the streets, and wander about from place
to place to be told "Move on," every place they go.
ALL GIRLS AND BOYS.
Fourscore, like twenty, has its tasks and toys;
In earth's wide school-house all are girls and boys.
--O. W. Holmes.
[NURSERY HINTS AND FIRESIDE GEMS 809]
Disinfection of Toys and Books.--All toys that have been used by a child
suffering from an infectious disease should be either burned or thoroughly
disinfected before they are used again. Books read by the little patient
should be especially guarded against.
FROM LOWELL'S "AFTER THE BURIAL."
In the breaking gulfs of sorrow,
When the helpless feet stretch out
And find in the deeps of darkness
No footing so solid as doubt,
Then better one spar of Memory,
One broken plank of the Past,
That our human heart may cling to,
Though hopeless of shore at last!
Keep Dainties Away from the Beginning.--The well-trained child does not
crave unaccustomed dainties. It is natural that he should feel a curiosity
with regard to a dish with which he is not familiar, and ask some
questions about it. But that does not mean that any of it is to be given
to him. A boy whose digestive organs were very delicate was taught from
babyhood to sit in his high chair at the table and eat what was on his
tray and was perfectly content with what he had, as he knew no other diet.
Once in awhile he would ask: "Is that good for little boys?" and when his
mother would answer gently, "No. darling, that would make little boys
sick," he was perfectly satisfied. Never having tasted things not suited
to his age he did not crave them. One cannot miss that which he has never
had. As he grew older he reaped the benefit of the strict regime and his
digestion was perfect.
PROGRESS.
New occasions teach new duties; Time makes ancient good uncouth;
They must upward still, and onward, who would keep abreast of Truth;
Lo, before us gleam her camp-fires! we ourselves must Pilgrims be,
Launch our Mayflower, and steer boldly through the desperate winter sea,
Nor attempt the Future's portal with the Past's blood-rusted key.
--James Russell Lowell.
Temperature of Nursery.--Sixty degrees Fahrenheit is the proper
temperature for the nursery, either in summer or in winter. This is not
sufficiently warm to be weakening nor sufficiently cool to cause chills.
Of course, when the natural heat of the atmosphere is higher than sixty
degrees the temperature of the nursery cannot be kept that low, but with
darkened windows during the heated portion of the day and good ventilation
the room can be kept at a reasonably comfortable temperature.
ROCK ME TO SLEEP.
Backward, turn backward, O Time in your flight,
Make me a child again just for to-night!
Mother, come back from the echoless shore,
Take me again to your heart as of yore;
Kiss from my forehead the furrows of care,
Smooth the few silver threads out of my hair;
Over my slumbers your loving watch keep;
Rock me to sleep, mother,--rock me to sleep!
--Florence Percy.
[810 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Pinafore.--The ideal dress for children is, of course, the pinafore
style. It is so easy to renew the overdress and under bodice as required
and it is, moreover, invaluable to suit the weather changes from day to
day. The serge overdress can have a little cotton or flannel blouse, just
as thermometers demand.
WEDDING CELEBRATIONS.
Three days --Sugar.
Sixty days --Vinegar.
1st anniversary --Iron.
5th anniversary --Wooden.
10th anniversary--Tin.
15th anniversary--Crystal.
20th anniversary--China.
25th anniversary--Silver.
30th anniversary--Cotton.
35th anniversary--Linen.
40th anniversary--Woolen.
45th anniversary--Silk.
50th anniversary--Gold.
75th anniversary--Diamond.
Afternoon Gowns.--Short afternoon gowns are proper for formal wear;
especially for those who can wear the full skirts attached to narrow
hem-bands. The dresses escape the floor by several inches and reveal the
slippers and an inch of the colored hosiery.
A SONG OF LONG AGO.
A Song of Long Ago:
Sing it lightly--sing it low--
Sing it softly--like the lisping of the
lips we used to know
When our baby-laughter spilled
From the glad hearts ever filled
With music blithe as robin ever thrilled!
--Riley.
Rather Hard on the Baby.--Here is some advice that appeared in a paper for
mothers the other day: "The bottle must be kept perfectly clean. When the
babe has finished drinking it should be unscrewed and laid in a cool place
under the tap." One feels rather sorry for any babies thus treated.
Learning Wisdom.--We learn wisdom from failure much more than from
success; we often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do;
and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery.--S.
Smiles.
Nursery.--Today the nursery is looked upon as an essential apartment in a
house where children abide, and from a hygienic standpoint, it may justly
be called a sensible room, for children after they walk should not sleep
in the mother's room. Whether the room is large or moderately small it
should, by an means, have plenty of ventilation, the more windows the
better. The room should be papered in light colors, also painted in light
tones, though the blinds should be the darkest shade, to darken the room
when necessary.
[NURSERY HINTS AND FIRESIDE GEMS 811]
Cares of Matrimony.--Husbands and wives talk of the cares of matrimony,
and bachelors and spinsters bear them.--W. Collins.
Awkwardness Due to Eyes.--A school teacher has remarked that many children
are awkward, not through being ungainly in walking, but wholly because of
impaired vision. It has been her experience with children in her
department who were usually awkward and who had their eyes examined that
there was something wrong with the vision, which was quickly overcome when
glasses were purchased.
Medicine.--The disease and its medicine are like two factions in a
besieged town; they tear one another to pieces, but both unite against
their common enemy, Nature.--Jeffrey.
Baby's Petticoats.--Fine white flannel is the best material for baby's
petticoats. They may be made in one piece, in princess style, or may
consist of a flannel skirt attached to a loose cambric waist. These are
decidedly preferable for summer and are really quite warm enough for any
season.
Charity.--Prayer carries us half way to God, fasting brings us to the door
of His palace, and alms-giving procures us admission.--Koran.
Tub for the Playroom.--Every playroom should be provided with a galvanized
tub to hold water for sail boats. What boy does not like to play with
water, boats and artificial fish? Do not expect him to be contented with
toys or plays that amuse the little girl. The boy prefers splashing in
water or making a noise with a hammer. Aquatic toys are numerous and
reasonably cheap.
NOW OR NEVER.
Gather the rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today
To-morrow will be dying.
--R. Herrick.
Cleaning the Rug at Home.--Baby's fur rug may be cleaned at home by giving
it a thorough bath in dry cornmeal. Rub the meal in as though it were
soap, shake it out and rub in more meal, letting it remain in the rug for
a day or two. Then shake out and the appearance of the rug will be much
improved.
The Value of Wise Conversation.--A single conversation across the table
with a wise man is better than ten years' mere study of books.--Chinese
Proverb.
Tooth Powder.--Look well at the teeth of the little ones. Charcoal and
tincture of myrrh are very beneficial to the teeth of the young, and both
are easily procured at any drug store.
Silence.--Silence is one of the hardest arguments to refuse.--Show.
[812 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
A Dish for Children.--An old-fashioned dish which never fails to delight
the children may be prepared as follows: One quart of cornmeal, one pint
of ripe chopped apples, three tablespoonfuls of butter, pinch of salt, one
and one-half cups of water. Sweeten the apples to taste and bake as
ordinary corn bread.
THE NOON OF LIFE.
What! grieve that time has brought so soon
The sober age of manhood on?
As idly might I weep, at noon,
To see the blush of morning gone.
--Bryant.
Mouth Breathing.--Little ones who habitually breathe loud or snore in
their sleep may be troubled with an adenoid growth.
Family.--A happy family is but an earlier heaven.--Bowering.
Obedience.--Prompt, unquestionable obedience in children seems to be a
thing of the past, is the criticism of a recent writer, who adds: The
up-to-date mother no longer tells her offspring that they must do or leave
undone certain things because it is right. She enters into elaborate
explanations and they need no longer blindly obey. This is not the wise
preparation for the adult life. Unless we have taught our children the
necessity for life's discipline, which they cannot at the time understand,
it will make them rebellious and fail to work out the peaceable fruits of
righteousness.
The Value of a Laugh.--A laugh is worth a hundred groans in any
market.--Lamb.
Sanitary Drinking Cups.--Supply the youngsters on going to school with
folded paper cornucopias which come in sealed packages for a small sum.
These are used for drinking cups instead of those found in public places.
Teach the children to make these useful little drinking cups from clean
white paper, and there will be no danger of contracting disease from a
drinking cup used by everyone who passes.
Easy to Misjudge Men.--Every heart has its secret sorrow which the world
knows not, and oftimes we call a man cold when he is only sad.--Anon.
Night Petticoats.--Night petticoats for baby have sleeves. If no petticoat
is worn, then an extra short jacket is provided in the coldest weather,
for most babes sleep best with hands and arms uncovered.
A Bathrobe.--A large Turkish bath towel makes a nice bathrobe for a baby
or small child. Use white cotton curtain cords for the girdle and make the
hood of the Turkish face cloth. This little robe is very serviceable and
convenient, and is easily laundered.
An Easy Task.--It is easy finding reasons why other people should be
patient.--George Eliot.
Money to Children.--Instead of paying children for doing work let them
understand that they have little duties that they must perform, but give
them money at intervals. Teach them the value of money and the principles
of saving.
[NURSERY HINTS AND FIRESIDE GEMS 813]
Be Discreet.--Thy friend has a friend; thy friend's friend has a friend,
therefore, be discreet.--Anon.
Methods of Cooking Eggs.--If you find that your baby, who is just
beginning to eat solid food will not eat soft cooked eggs, and there are
many who do not like them, try scrambling them until they are well done.
If not found palatable in that form make an egg custard. A baby usually
enjoys this and receives the same amount of nourishment that he would if
the egg were cooked in any other way.
Politics and Veracity.--Politics and veracity have the same number of
letters, but there the resemblance ends.--Anon.
Songs and Story Telling.--It is an unusual child indeed who does not
delight in listening to story telling or bright little songs at bedtime
and the nurse who is much with children will do well to treasure up all
such material that comes in her way. Being used to children and having a
sincere love for them makes one's work much easier, as even very little
children seem to know instinctively who their real friends are and to be
more easily controlled by them.
Friendship.--Two persons cannot long be friends if they cannot forgive
each other's little failings.--Bruyere
Harsh Commands.--Can a parent who habitually speaks to his children in
tones of harsh authority, and gives his commands to them in a manner of an
officer addressing refractory troops, expect that they will feel for him
the affection that they would give to one who took the trouble to draw out
their better natures by loving treatment? The above is a question to be
considered by parents who govern wholly by "authority."
Maidenhood.--No padlock, bolts, or bars can secure a maiden so well as her
own reserve.--Cerantes.
Baby's Sleeves.--When baby's arms grow too large for the shirt sleeves,
while the body of the shirt is still large enough, purchase a pair of
infant's white cashmere hose. Cut the feet off and overcast neatly into
the armholes; putting in a little gusset under the arms is necessary to
enlarge armhole. The leg of the stocking makes the sleeves and the top
fits nicely around the little wrist,
Reading.--To read without reflecting, is like eating without
digesting.--Burkc.
Princess Skirt.--For long skirts, both flannel and white ones, the
princess skirt adds to comfort of the body; no bands or fullness around
the body or neck. Cut the material same as for princess slip, coming
narrow on the shoulder and low neck back and front, and to flare at the
bottom, which may be finished as desired. The flannel ones add to warmth,
having flannel to neck baby needs no little jackets,
The Two Symptoms of Love.--The first symptom of love in a young man, is
timidity; in a girl, it is boldness. The two sexes have a tendency to
approach, and each assumes the qualities of the other.--Victor Hugo
[814 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Securing Covering at Night.--If a delicate child has a habit of kicking
the clothes off at night and so contracting chills, it is a good plan to
sew a large button to each corner of the coverlet and attach a long tape
loop to each corner of the bed. When fastened this will keep the
bedclothes securely in place, however much the child may toss in its
sleep.
Honesty.--Socrates being asked the way to honest fame, said, "Study to be
what you wish to seem."
Amusing Baby.--A simple device for keeping the baby amused and happy is to
fasten at intervals upon a broad, bright ribbon the toys of which he is
most fond, suspending the ribbon above the bed upon which he lies, within
reach of his little hands, by securing one end to the head of the bed and
the other to the foot. He will then entertain himself by the hour pushing
the toys back and forth, and watching them swing above him.
Prominent Ears.--Prominent ears should always be corrected in childhood by
putting a thin cap on the child at night.
Disappointing a Child.--A day in a child's life is equal to a week in
ours; so think twice before you condemn a child to a whole day's
disappointment or unhappiness.
Baby's Veil.--Baby's veil, which should only be used in cold or windy
weather, may be either a Shetland veil or made of bobbinet.
Sweaters.--There are cunning little sweaters exactly like those made up
for older children, which come in sizes to fit an eight-months old baby.
Wild Flowers.--Every garden should contain a few wild flowers. The busy
mother will find that they grow without care if proper soil is provided
and will bloom where there is too much shade for other flowers. March
brings forth the lovely hepatica, and wild phlox or sweet william soon
follows. Next comes the wild geranium cranes bill, but as its petals fall
rapidly, it is not as effective as sweet william, which will be a mass of
delicate bloom for five weeks or more. The trillium or wake robin is
another desirable flower, and wild violets thrive where the cultivated
kind will not grow. The Indian turnip or Jack-in-the-Pulpit is an
interesting plant and a curiosity to many who never ramble in the woods to
see it in its native abode. All of these bear transplanting and are
satisfactory as garden plants, but choose sweet william if you wish the
most desirable for color, fragrance and duration of bloom.
Making Friends.--Blessed is the man who has the gift of making friends,
for it is one of God's best gifts.--Thomas Hughes.
Baby's Nose.--But the most pliable of baby's features is the nose. By
gently massaging this feature every day with the thumb and forefinger a
tendency to broadness may be promptly subdued. The bridge should be gently
pressed between the fingers in the course of an upward massage movement.
[NURSERY HINTS AND FIRESIDE GEMS 815]
Flowers.--They are wreathed around the cradle, the marriage altar, and the
tomb.--Mrs. L. M. Child.
Bed Time.--One little chap was constantly being deceived as to his bed
hour, which was 7:30 o'clock. He could not tell the time, and his mother
or nurse would tell him that it was bedtime when in reality it was only
seven o'clock. He would look puzzled and only half convinced as his reason
told him it could not be that late; but he had no choice but to obey. It
would have been far wiser to set seven o'clock as his bed hour and to have
stuck to it.
Little Minds.--Minds of moderate calibre ordinarily condemn everything
that is beyond their range.--La Rachefoucauld.
Tea and Coffee.--Don't give your two-year-old child tea and coffee to
drink. What if she does cry for them? The crying will harm her far less
than the drink.
FOUR THINGS.
Each man has more of four thing than he knows.
What four are these? Sins, debts, fears and woes.
--From the French.
Sanitary Care of Baby's Bottles.--To wash and cleanse baby's bottles
satisfactorily, have a good stout bottle brush; make a strong suds of hot
water and soap or soap powder; wash the bottles thoroughly, using the
brush, then rinse several times, using the hot water and borax, and drain.
Before using bottles, always rinse again with hot water. With this care
there should be no trouble with sour or cloudy bottles.
Moulded by Circumstances.--In all our reasonings concerning men we must
lay it down as a maxim that the greater part are moulded by
circumstances.--Robert Hall.
Forming Habits.--The trouble with most bad habits is that they are so
quickly formed in small children. The mother relaxes her care for a day or
two, and a new trick appears, or the work of weeks on an old one is
undone. What is true of physical habits is equally so of the moral habits.
A tiny baby of a few months old knows very well if the habit of loud
crying will procure for it what it wants, and if not cheeked will develop
into the irritable whining adult we are all acquainted with. Habits of
disrespect, of indifference to the rights of others, of cruelty, may all
be irresistibly formed or dispelled in the first few years of life.
[816 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Chains of Habit.--The diminutive chains of habit are seldom heavy enough
to be felt, till they are too strong to be broken.--Samuel Johnson. Unique
Table Protector.--Many mothers prefer to bring their young children to the
family table on ordinary occasions when there are no guests. At the same
time they dislike to mar the appearance of their table with the tin waiter
which is usually set before the children to protect the cloth against the
depredations of dropped bread and milk. A clever device for this purpose
is made of two oblong pieces of butcher's linen sewed together in the form
of a case, with an oilcloth interlining. The linen is hemmed neatly so
that it looks like an oblong napkin, and while it protects the cloth and
the table it protects the table underneath; being white, like the cloth
itself, it does not spoil the looks of the table. When soiled the oilcloth
is slipped out and wiped off with a damp cloth, and the linen case goes
with the tablecloth and napkin. Several of these cases will be needed, for
the ordinary enterprising baby, but one piece of oilcloth will be
sufficient for a long time.
Banish Tears.--Banish the tears of children; continual rains upon the
blossoms are hurtful.--Jean Paul Richter.
Folding Bathtub.--The thing most desired by a young mother in these days
is a bathtub for the baby made of sheet rubber that is attached to a
campstool foundation. It can be folded up and put out of the way when not
in use, and it telescopes into a small bundle when one wants to travel.
Flowers.--Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made and forgot to put
a soul into.--Henry Ward Beecher.
Correct Length of Clothes.--In making long clothes for the baby it is well
to remember that the correct length for long dresses is one yard from the
shoulder to the hem. The petticoats should be made the same lengths as the
dresses, or perhaps a half inch shorter.
Life.--A pendulum betwixt a smile and tear.--Byron.
[DOMESTIC SCIENCE 817]
DOMESTIC SCIENCE DEPARTMENT.
The Theory and Practical Methods of Preserving Foods.
MARMALADES AND BUTTERS. CANNING. JAM
JELLIES. PICKLES. CHAFING DISHES.
By EDNA GERTRUDE THOMPSON,
Director of Domestic Science Department, Thomas Normal Training School,
Detroit, Michigan.
Theory and Practice of Domestic Science.--Domestic Science has come to be
considered one of the most important factors in our public school
education of today. We have just awakened to the fact that our daughters
should receive training in those things which will best fit them for
housewives and mothers. While many of our girls are earning their own
livelihood, the majority ultimately settle into homes of their own. Many
girls have an excellent opportunity to get the training they need as
homemakers from their mothers, but many of the children in this country
lack this home training. There are two reasons for this neglect on the
part of the mothers: first, the mother may not know how to do these things
herself; and, second, she may be a wage-earner and of necessity cannot
train her daughter.
Its Moral Influence.--In the early life of the child it is susceptible to
influences which may be brought to bear upon it, and if the homemaking
instinct is instilled early much is done toward moral growth of the child.
The public school is expected to develop the child along these lines and
consequently the cookery class, together with the class in housekeeping,
has a mighty influence toward developing noble women. All the home duties
are developed and made a pleasure and not a duty to the child, so that the
home is looked upon with favorable eyes.
There is an old saying that "the way to a man's heart is through his
stomach." This contains much more truth than it would seem on the surface.
Investigators who have made careful research into the divorce question,
which has assumed such large proportions, state that if women knew more of
the science of home making there would be fewer homes broken up. What man
or woman either would not be utterly discouraged to come home day after
day to poor meals and untidiness everywhere, conditions which in time
bring poor health and disease. The public school aims through domestic
science to teach the importance and dignity of being a good housewife.
[818 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Economy of Domestic Science.--Then again, domestic science makes a plea
for recognition on the ground of economy. Many times debt and trouble come
to homes, not through lack of sufficient funds, but through lack of
knowledge on the part of the dispenser of the funds. One of the principles
which domestic science emphasizes in its teaching is to show how some of
our cheaper foods furnish more nutriment to our systems than do some of
our more expensive articles of diet. With this fact thoroughly established
and understood domestic science tries to develop new and simple methods of
cooking such foods and of making them attractive and appetizing. It is a
well-known fact that it is not the amount of food we eat but the amount
that we digest that gives nourishment to our bodies, and it has been
proven that food that is not attractive and palatable to us gives only
one-half the value to our bodies as when it is made attractive and
palatable.
Greatest Food Value from Proper Cooking.--Then also students along this
line of study have discovered that some of our common foods lose much of
their value to us through improper cooking and preparation.
If we are going to prepare food and use it as part of our diet, why should
we not obtain the most of its value? Is that not true economy? For an
example of this fact let us take eggs, one of our most common articles of
diet. We commonly cook eggs to harden the white, or albumen, so as to make
them more palatable. One common method of doing this has been to boil
them. Through experiments it has been proven that boiling makes this
albumen so hard to digest that our bodies get practically no value from
it. The newer method advanced proves that the same results can be obtained
by cooking eggs in water which is kept just below the boiling point, and
eggs cooked this way are easily and readily assimilated by our bodies. Why
should we not endeavor then to give to our bodies food so prepared that it
gives the most nourishment. To take another example,--when salt is added
to vegetables it draws out from them into the water their mineral salts
and any proteid which will build tissue for us. In most vegetables the
cooking water is thrown away so that much of the value of the vegetable is
lost. Why should we not try to devise a method of cooking which will save
for us this food value? Salt is added for flavor only, so why cannot the
salt be added a short time before the cooking is finished so that it will
not have time to draw out the food value?
[DOMESTIC SCIENCE 819]
How to Save in Cooking Meats.--Again we cook different kinds of meats in
different ways. Perhaps you think these different kinds of methods have
simply come down to us through the ages. It is, however, interesting to
know that our mothers probably developed these methods through thought.
Tough meats, we know, require long cooking, but do we know why? The
fibers and tissues have become strong through constant use on the part of
the animal, and to be of use to us must be softened, so we cook tough
meats long and usually with moisture to accomplish the softening. Tough
meats are our cheap meats, but have you stopped to consider that they
contain more nourishment than our tender meats. As has been stated, the
tough meats are the parts of the body of the animal most used and
consequently have been developed and nourished. Why not learn how to cook
these pieces which give us more nourishment, and which are cheaper, in
such a way as to be attractive and palatable? This is what the Domestic
Science Course in our public school aims to teach our girls so that as
housewives they can get the most value for the least money and be
economical and intelligent buyers.
Our Winter Supply.--From an instinct, which ought to be common to all of
us, in time of plenty we lay something aside for the time of need. As
housewives this truth comes home to us, especially in the summer when we
have an abundance of fruit which, without care, would soon become
worthless. By reason of which fact we have developed methods of canning,
preserving, etc., which at the present time have become so advanced that
we can retain a very large share of the original color, flavor and shape
of the fruit.
Preserving Foods.--All food products, on exposure to air, undergo certain
changes which unfit them for use as food. It was once thought that these
changes were due to oxidation, but they are now known to be caused by
minute living organisms present in the air, in the water, in the ground
and in the food itself. To preserve food two things are necessary; first,
to either kill or render harmless those organisms already present; and
second, to exclude others from entering. The first we usually accomplish
by cooking, and the second by sealing. In order to live these organisms
require three conditions; first, a particular temperature; second, a
certain amount of moisture; third, the right kind of food. By taking away
all or anyone of these requirements we may stop the growth or, in other
words, we may preserve the food. For example: with the familiar method of
cold storage the factor of temperature is removed; in the drying of the
fruits and vegetables the factor of moisture is removed; by salting the
factor of food is taken away.
The fruits and vegetables, commonly preserved in the home, are divided
into five classes:
l.--Canning.
2.--Jellies.
3.--Jams.
4.--Marmalades and Butters.
5.--Pickles.
[820 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CANNING.--Under this head there are four common methods:
1. Steaming.--By this method the fruit is put into the sterilized jars,
the jars filled with boiling water and the covers loosely set on. Then the
jars are set on small blocks of wood in a pan of cold water. Cover this
pan and let the water come to a boil and boil for 15 minutes. Remove the
jars and fill them with boiling water, if necessary. Seal tightly. Small
berries, such as strawberries and raspberries, retain their color and are
especially good done in this manner. Whole tomatoes done in this way are
especially attractive for winter salads, and corn will keep indefinitely.
2. Boiling in Syrup.--This is the common household method of preserving
fruits, such as peaches and pears. A syrup is prepared of sugar and water,
into this the fruit is dropped and cooked until soft; it is then put into
sterile jars, sufficient syrup added to fill jar and the jar then sealed.
3. Preserving.--This is the same as boiling in syrup, except that equal
quantities of sugar and fruit are used. Small fruits such as berries are
usually done in this way.
4. Cold Water Process.--This is a simple and easy method to use, and is
especially desirable for vegetables such as rhubarb. Great care must be
taken to use only perfect fruit, because in this method of canning
bacteria are merely excluded, not destroyed, and if any are present in the
food there is nothing to prevent it from spoiling. If fruit is over-ripe,
or not perfectly fresh one of the other methods, such as boiling or
steaming, is preferable.
To Can by the Cold Water Process.--Pack the fruit in a sterilized jar;
pour over it water which has been boiled and cooled, seal your jar and
keep in a cool place. Sometimes a solution of salt and water is used in
place of pure water. When salt water is used food will need to be
freshened by being allowed to stand in cold water for some time before
using. Vegetables, such as beans, put up in this way are very similar to
the fresh product.
Utensils.--Among the utensils most necessary for use in preserving foods
in the home are scales, measuring cups, porcelain or agate ware sauce
pans; earthen or agate ware bowls; silver, agate or wooden spoons; an
agate colander; small dipper and funnel; new rubbers and perfect covers
for the jars.
To Sterilize Jars.--Wash the jars, fill with cold water, place them on
rests, such as small blocks of wood on the bottom of the kettle or boiler
and surround them with cold water. If blocks of wood are not obtainable
the jars may be wrapped in brown paper to prevent them knocking against
each other. Be sure the mouths of the jars are uncovered. Heat gradually
until the water boils, boil 15 minutes or until ready to fill them.
Sterilize the covers of the jars also, and dip the rubber bands in boiling
water just before using.
[DOMESTIC SCIENCE 821]
Directions for Filling Jars.--Remove the jars from the boiling water--the
handle of a wooden spoon is good to use in removing them. Wring a cloth
out of hot water and place it on a plate, put the jar to be filled on the
hot cloth, put a silver spoon in it,--silver being a good conductor of
heat absorbs the heat from the fruit and lessens the danger of breakage.
Fill the jar with fruit and then add enough syrup or boiling water, as the
case may be, to fill the jar to overflowing. Run a silver knife or spoon
down the sides of the jar to allow any enclosed air to escape; add more
syrup or water, if necessary. Put on the sterilized rubber and seal
tightly.
Tomatoes Canned Whole by Steaming.--Select medium sized, firm, ripe
tomatoes. Wash and peel. Pour boiling water over the tomatoes and they
will peel easily. Pack in sterilized jars, fill with boiling water and put
on the lid lightly. Set in cold water on rests and let boil about fifteen
minutes. If necessary, fill the jar with boiling water to overflowing. Put
on the sterilized rubbers and seal tightly. These tomatoes are especially
good for winter salads.
Canned Corn.--Cut the corn from the cob while fresh, pack in sterilized
jars, and fill with boiling water. Put the cover on lightly and set on a
rest, such as small blocks of wood, pieces of thick paper or the corn
husks, in a pan of cold water. Let boil from two to three hours. Remove
the can, fill to overflowing with boiling water and seal tightly.
Canned String Beans.--Select medium sized beans and string. Pack in a
sterilized jar, fill to overflowing with a brine and seal tightly. This
brine may be made in two ways: First, by mixing cold water and salt;
second, by mixing salt and boiling water and then letting it cool before
pouring over the beans. This method is best as the salt dissolves more
readily in boiling water than in cold water. One part salt to two parts
water makes a strong brine. Keep in a cold place and freshen before using
by letting the beans stand in cold water for an hour. In winter these
beans make an acceptable substitute for fresh ones.
Canned Rhubarb.--Select medium stalks, skin and cut either into one-inch
pieces, or eight-inch lengths. Pack in sterilized jars, fill to
overflowing with cold water and seal. Rhubarb put up in this way has been
known to keep for over a year, and is especially good for pies and sauce.
Steamed Strawberries.--Wash and hull the strawberries, and for every quart
of strawberries use one cup of sugar. Pack the berries in a sterilized
jar, cover with sugar and fill with boiling water. Cover the jar lightly,
put in a pan of cold water, on a rest and let the water boil for about
fifteen minutes. Remove, seal tightly, and keep in a cool place.
Canned Strawberries.--Wash and hull the berries. Make a syrup of sugar and
water, using one cup of sugar to every three of water. Boil 10 minutes.
Drop the berries in the boiling syrup and cook until soft. This will
require only several minutes. Fill the jars to overflowing with fruit and
syrup, then seal.
[822 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Canned Cherries.--Follow the method for strawberries. Cherries can be
pitted or not, as desired. If pitted, add a few stones for flavor.
Canning Raspberries.--Use the same method as for strawberries. The large
number of seeds in raspberries are objectionable, and the berries are more
often made into jam than canned.
Canned Pears.--The pears should be ripe and of fine flavor. Wipe and pare
the fruit. If the pears are large they may be cut in halves. Make a syrup
of sugar and water, using one cup of sugar to one cup of water. Boil 10
minutes. Put in the pears, cook until soft. Fill sterilized jars and seal.
Canned Peaches.--Follow the directions for pears. Peaches may be canned by
the steaming method by cutting them in two and removing the stones.
Strawberry Preserves.--Wash and hull the berries, then weigh. Make a syrup
by boiling three-quarters of their weight in sugar with water, allowing
one cup of water to each pound of sugar. Cook syrup 15 minutes, fill glass
jars with the berries, add the syrup to overflow the jars. Let stand 15
minutes. By this time the fruit will have shrunk; add enough more fruit to
fill the jar. Put on a cover; set on a rest in a pan of cold water, heat
to the boiling point, and keep just below boiling for one hour.
Raspberries may be done in the same way.
Raspberry and Currant Preserves.--
3 lbs. Currants. 3 lbs. Sugar. 4 qts. Raspberries.
Pick over, wash and drain the currants. Put into a preserving kettle and
mash. Cook one hour and strain through cheesecloth. Return to the kettle,
add the sugar, heat to the boiling point, cook 20 minutes. Add the
raspberries and cook until soft. Fill jars to over-flowing and seal. If
the seeds of the currants are not objectionable the mixture need not be
strained.
JELLIES.--Fruits to be used in making jelly should be underripe, rather
than over-ripe. Green fruit contains two substances, called "pectase" and
"pectose" and, by the action of the sun in ripening, these substances
change into pectin which makes fruit jelly. If the fruit is over-ripe the
pectin breaks down into pectosic acid which has not the power of jellying;
and as a result the fruit does not jell. If the fruit is a little
under-ripe pectin is formed through cooking, and it is often advisable to
add some green fruit to the ripe fruit in making jelly. Nearly all
failures in jelly making are due either to over-ripe fruit or to the use
of too much heat, because in both cases the pectin is lost.
To Prepare Glasses for Jelly.--Wash the glasses, put in a kettle of cold
water, heat the water gradually to the boiling point, and boil for fifteen
minutes. Remove the glasses and drain; place, while filling, on a cloth
wrung out of hot water. If the glasses are wrapped in brown paper with the
mouths uncovered they will not break.
[DOMESTIC SCIENCE 823]
To Cover Jelly Glasses.--First: with paraffin. Melt the paraffin over hot
water and pour over the jelly when cold about one-fourth inch thick. Be
sure to use hot water in melting the paraffin, as it is apt to explode if
heated to too high a degree.
Second.--Cut two pieces of white paper, one just the size of the glass and
the other larger; dip the first cover in brandy or alcohol and press down
tightly over the jelly. White of egg or water may be used, but it is not
so good. Then cover with the second paper, sealing edges with white of
egg. A tin cover could be used in place of the last paper.
To Make a Jelly Bag.--Take a piece of flannel about three quarters of a
yard long, fold the opposite corners together and sew in the shape of a
cornucopia, rounding at the end; if the seam is felled it will be more
secure. Bind the top with tape and finish with two or three heavy loops by
which it may be hung.
Good Fruits for Making Jelly.--Crab apples, snow apples, early summer
apples, grapes, currants, blackberries, raspberries, quinces, barberries
are the fruits most commonly used for making jellies.
General Directions for Making Jelly.--Wash the fruit, remove the stems and
imperfections. Cut large fruit into pieces. With fruit such as apples or
quinces add enough water to cover them, but with watery fruits, such as
grapes and currants, omit any water. Cook the fruit, until the juice
flows, keeping it just below the boiling point. Remove from the fire and
strain through a pointed bag, hung at some height. Allow all the juice
possible to drip through before squeezing the bag and keep this juice by
itself. Then squeeze the bag and use the juice thus obtained for second
grade jelly, which, while it is not as clear as the first lot, can be used
for jelly cakes, etc. Measure the juice, bring to the boiling point, boil
slowly two or three minutes, then add an equal quantity of heated sugar.
Boil until the jelly thickens when dropped upon a cold plate. Pour slowly
into sterilized jelly glasses and set away to harden. The jelly bags
should be sterilized before using.
Apple Jelly.--Wipe the apples, remove the stem and blossom ends and cut
into quarters. Put into granite or, porcelain lined preserving kettle and
add enough cold water to come nearly to the top of the apples. Cook slowly
until the apples are soft. Mash and strain through a coarse sieve. Allow
the juice to drip through a jelly bag. Boil slowly for about 20 minutes,
add an equal quantity of heated sugar, cook for about five minutes or
until the jelly will harden when dropped on a cold saucer. Pour into
sterilized jelly glasses and seal when cold. If the apples are pared a
very light colored jelly is obtained.
Crab Apple Jelly.--Follow the recipe for apple jelly and use red cheeked
crab apples, if possible.
[824 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Quince Jelly.--Follow the recipe for apple jelly, substituting quinces for
apples. Remove the seeds from the fruit. Sometimes apples and quinces are
used in combination and make an excellent jelly.
Grape Jelly.--Pick over the grapes, wash and remove stems. Heat to the
boiling point, mash and boil 30 minutes. Strain through a jelly bag,
return the juice to the kettle and boil slowly for about five minutes. Add
an equal quantity of heated sugar. Boil three minutes or until it hardens
on a cold plate. Skim if necessary. Pour into sterilized jelly glasses;
seal when cold. Be very sure the grapes are not over-ripe. It is very
desirable to add a few green grapes. Wild grapes make excellent jelly to
serve with game.
Barberry Jelly.--This is considered quite a delicacy, and is made the same
as grape jelly, except that a very little water,--about one cup to one
peck of berries--is sometimes added.
Currant Jelly.--Pick over the currants but do not remove the stems, wash
and drain. Put into a preserving kettle and mash. Cook slowly for about 20
to 30 minutes. Strain through a coarse strainer and then through a jelly
bag. Follow directions for grape jelly.
A combination of currants and raspberries makes a good jelly.
Raspberry Jelly.--Follow the directions for grape jelly. Raspberry jelly
is hard to make and should not be tried if the fruit is not perfectly
fresh or if it is at all over-ripe.
JAMS.--The pulp, seeds and skins are all retained in jams; often material
that is left from jellies, and so on, can be used in this way by adding
spices and nuts to give flavor. Sterilization and the exclusion of air are
not quite so important in this class of preserving on account of the large
amount of sugar used which takes away food from the bacteria. Equal
amounts of sugar and fruits are used in making jams.
Raspberry Jam.--Pick over the raspberries, mash in a preserving kettle
with a wooden masher. Heat slowly to the boiling point, and add an equal
quantity of heated sugar. Cook slowly for about 45 minutes. Put into
sterilized jars.
Strawberry Jam.--Wash and hull the berries. Add the sugar gradually so
that the juice of the berries will dissolve it. Boil about 20 minutes, or
until it will harden when dropped on a cold plate. Pour into sterilized
glasses.
Grape Jam.--
8 Cups of Grapes. 4 Cups of Sugar.
Wash the grapes, remove the stems and squeeze the pulp from the skins into
a preserving kettle. Put the skins on a granite plate and save them. Boil
the pulp until the seeds separate easily, stirring constantly. Strain
through a sieve, add the skins to the strained mixture, measure, return to
the kettle, and add an equal amount of sugar. Boil gently for 15 minutes
or until the jam is very thick. Pour into sterilized glasses and seal when
cold. The mixture needs careful watching and stirring, as it will burn
easily, especially after the sugar is added.
[DOMESTIC SCIENCE 825]
Rhubarb Conserve.--
2 lbs. rhubarb. 2 oranges.
3 lbs. sugar. 1 lb. shelled nuts.
Juice of 3 Lemons.
Remove the leaves and pieces of root from the rhubarb and wash the stalks
in cold water. Cut into one-inch pieces. Do not remove the skin unless it
is fibrous. If the skin is removed do this before cutting in pieces. Wash
the oranges and either grate the rind or cut the yellow into strips thin
enough to be seen through. Wash the lemons and use only the juice. A
little rind may be used, if desired, but it will take away from the orange
flavor. The nuts need not be blanched, but should be broken into pieces of
medium size. Any nut may be used, but walnuts are especially good. Mix all
the materials, except the nuts, with the sugar. Cook slowly, stirring
constantly, until the mixture is thick,--about three-quarters of an hour.
After the first half hour's cooking, add the nuts. Pour into sterilized
jelly glasses and seal when cold.
MARMALADES AND BUTTERS.--Marmalades and butters are really strained
jams and the same rules hold true as for jams.
Apple Marmalade.--Pare and core the apples. Cook until tender with just
enough water to keep from burning. Force through a fine sieve, return to
the fire with a scant pound of sugar and the juice and rind of one lemon
for each pound of pulp. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon until the
marmalade is thick when dropped on a cold saucer. Pour into sterilized
glasses.
Peach Marmalade.--Follow the recipe for apple marmalade, adding spices,
such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
Crab Apple Marmalade.--When making crab apple jelly, core the apples and
after straining, use the pulp that is left to make marmalade. Various
seasonings can he added. Among the best are cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg,
grated rind and juice of oranges and lemons. When seasoned according to
taste, add sugar to the pulp, and cook until of the desired consistency.
Seal in sterilized jars.
Rhubarb Marmalade.--
2 lbs. rhubarb. 3 lbs. sugar. Rind and pulp of 6 oranges.
Boil the ingredients together until thick. The rind of the orange may be
grated and cooked by itself until tender before adding to the rest of the
materials. Pour into sterilized glasses and seal.
Pineapple.--Pare and remove the eyes from pineapple, then grate. Weigh the
pulp and heat two-thirds of its weight in sugar. Cook the pineapple in an
uncovered dish for some time. Then add the juice of one lemon for each
pound of fruit. Then add the sugar and boil until thick,--about five
minutes. Pour into sterilized jelly glasses.
[826 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PICKLES.--Under this heading are classified pickles and relishes, such as
chili sauce, chow chows and catsups. Pickling is preserving in salt or
acid liquor. Pickles do not contain much nutritive value, but add much to
a meal in making it attractive. Cucumber pickles should never look as
green when pickled as the fruit on the vine; if they do it is almost
certain that some preservative has been used.
Sweet Pickled Pears or Peaches.--
1 peck peaches. 4 lbs. brown sugar.
1 quart vinegar. 2 ozs. stick cinnamon.
Cloves.
Boil sugar, vinegar and cinnamon for 20 minutes. Dip peaches quickly in
hot water and rub off fur with a towel. Stick each peach with three or
four cloves, put into syrup and cook until soft. Cook only enough fruit at
a time to fill one jar. Seal in sterilized jars. Pears may be prepared in
the same way.
Chili Sauce.--
25 ripe tomatoes (medium sized). 1/2 cup brown sugar.
4 large white onions. 6 peppers. (chopped fine)
4 teaspoons of ginger. 4 teaspoons of allspice
1 teaspoons of cloves. 2 tablespoons of salt.
1 qt. vinegar.
Mix these materials and cook for one hour, stirring occasionally. The
consistency should be quite thick and more than an hour's cooking may be
necessary. Strain or not as desired, but if strained put back in the
kettle and bring to the boiling point before scaling. Use tall wide necked
bottles and fill to overflowing, using the same precautions as you would
in canning fruit. The chili sauce is quite "hot," but this can be remedied
by altering the number of peppers and onions. In preparing, the tomatoes
should be washed; scalded and peeled. The peppers should be washed in cold
water, the stems removed and the peppers chopped finely. Chop the onions
finely in the same bowl as the peppers.
Olive Oil Pickles.--
8 qts. sliced cucumbers. 1 teaspoon cloves.
1 cup olive oil. 1 teaspoon allspice.
1 cup sugar. 1 teaspoon celery seed.
1 teaspoon mustard seed. 4 teaspoons cinnamon.
One dozen onions.
Slice the cucumbers thin and let stand over night in a weak brine. In the
morning drain, add the onions sliced thin. Mix the ingredients given. Put
the cucumbers and onions in a crock, pour over the mixture and add enough
vinegar to cover. Mix well.
[DOMESTIC SCIENCE 827]
Sweet Cucumber Pickles.--Select small cucumbers. Wash well but do not
peel. Put into a crock one cup of salt and 4 quarts of cucumbers. Cover
with boiling water and let stand over night. In the morning remove from
the brine, put in a granite kettle, cover with vinegar to which has been
added mustard seeds, whole cloves, stick cinnamon, two cups of sugar and
other desired seasonings. Let it come to the boiling point, but not boil.
Seal while hot.
Green Tomato Pickles.--Remove a thin slice from each end of the green
tomatoes. Slice and sprinkle one peck of tomatoes with one cup of salt and
let stand over night. Drain, boil 15 minutes in two quarts of boiling
water and one quart of vinegar. Drain again. Cook for 10 minutes the
following: one gallon of vinegar, 2 pounds or less of sugar, 1 red pepper,
10 teaspoon mustard seed, 3/4 cup cinnamon bark, and any other seasonings
desired. Add the tomatoes and simmer for about one hour, stirring
occasionally. The spices should be removed; this is easily accomplished if
they are tied in a muslin bag. Pack in sterilized jars.
SOME HINTS ON CHAFING DISH COOKERY.
The Use of the Chafing Dish and Some Favorite Recipes.
Within recent years the chafing dish has become very familiar to us. It
is, however, not a recent invention, for in the time of Louis XIV it was
very commonly used. To the housekeeper who wishes to save herself and to
serve her guests with food at its best, the chafing dish comes as an
acceptable friend for use at the breakfast table in the preparation of
eggs and dishes which should be served immediately. Toast can be served
fresh and hot by using a toaster over the burner of a chafing dish. At
luncheon a hot dish can easily take the place of the cold meat course if
the chafing dish is at hand. However, the chief use of the chafing dish is
in the preparation of late suppers, and is largely in use by those who
have limited facilities for housekeeping, such as college girls. By those
who entertain the chafing dish is looked upon as a true friend of
hospitality.
Chafing dishes vary in price from the common ones made of tin which can be
bought for about a dollar, to the more expensive ones made of silver.
Various wares are utilized for the chafing dish. Among those most
satisfactory are graniteware, earthenware, nickel, copper and aluminum.
[828 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
To get satisfactory results with the chafing dish you must have certain
parts. There should be a pan to use for hot water, and it should be
furnished with a handle. The cooking pan or blazer, as it is called,
should have a handle also. Until one becomes an expert the hot water pan
should be in constant use but later one need only use the hot water pan
for keeping food warm. The burner should be carefully looked after and be
in readiness. Alcohol, electricity and gas are all used as fuel, but
denatured or wood alcohol is probably the most common of all. If care is
taken in the use of alcohol there need be no danger. Fill the lamp with
sufficient alcohol to cook the dish desired, and if necessary to refill
during cooking shut off the flame and let the burner cool somewhat before
replenishing with the alcohol. A large tray upon which to set the chafing
dish prevents danger of fire and protects the table. Large forks and
spoons, made especially for the chafing dish, can be obtained at a small
price, but any table spoon and fork can be used. It is well to have a
napkin and extra spoon and fork at hand if it is necessary to taste the
preparation.
That a chafing dish supper may be a success, care should be taken on the
part of the hostess to have everything in readiness. The table should be
set with the required dishes, silver, etc., and all ingredients should be
at hand for the preparation that is to be made on the chafing dish. Most
chafing dishes will not supply portions for more than eight, so that a
larger number should not be included at a chafing dish supper. Unless
skilled in the use of a chafing dish, it is best not to prepare new dishes
for guests. If one will observe some care and have everything in
readiness, a chafing dish supper can be a very enjoyable source of
entertainment for informal affairs.
To use the following recipes with success level measurements of all
ingredients must be made--level teaspoon, level cup, etc.
SOME FAVORITE CHAFING DISH CONCOCTIONS.
Cream Sauce.--
2 tablespoons flour. 1/2 teaspoon salt.
2 tablespoons butter. 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
1 cup milk.
Melt the butter and stir in the flour and seasonings until smooth; add the
scalded milk slowly, stirring constantly. Cook until of the right
consistency. This makes a medium thick sauce, the thickness of which can
be varied by increasing or diminishing the amount of flour. This is the
foundation for a great number of chafing dish recipes, such as creamed
dishes. A richer sauce may be made by substituting cream for milk and
omitting most of the butter.
Creamed Chicken.--
1 cup cold flaked chicken. 1/2 teaspoon celery salt.
1 cup thin cream sauce. 1/4 teaspoon curry powder.
Prepare one cup of thin cream sauce and season with the celery salt and
curry powder. Add the chicken and when heated through pour over slices of
toast or into timbal cases. Garnish with parsley. Any desired seasonings
can be used in place of the celery and curry.
[DOMESTIC SCIENCE 829]
Chicken a la Goldenrod.--
1 cup cold flaked chicken. 2 cups thin cream sauce.
6 hard cooked eggs. 1/2 cup mushrooms.
Seasonings.
Cut the eggs in slices, putting two yolks through a potato ricer. Make a
thin cream sauce, season as desired with celery seed or curry. Add the
chicken and mushrooms, drained from their liquor. When hot, and just
before serving, add the eggs. Pour the mixture over rounds of toast and
over the top of each portion sprinkle some of the yolk which was forced
through the potato ricer as a garnish. A bit of parsley improves the
appearance.
Creamed Beef.--
1 cup shredded dried beef. 1 cup medium cream sauce.
4 hard cooked eggs, Seasonings as desired.
Prepare the cream sauce, add the beef and hard cooked eggs, cut into
slices. When heated through pour over toast diamonds. Garnish with parsley
and serve hot.
Cheese Fondue.--
2 cups grated cheese. 2 tablespoons butter.
1 cup soft bread crumbs. 1/2 teaspoon salt.
1 cup cream or milk. 1 teaspoon dry mustard.
3 eggs. 1/2 teaspoon paprika.
6 slices buttered toast.
Melt the butter and add the seasonings. When hot add the cheese and the
bread crumbs which have been soaked in the milk. When very hot add the egg
yolks which have been well beaten. Mix thoroughly, then fold in the whites
of eggs beaten stiff. Let cook several minutes over the hot water, then
pour over the buttered toast.
Curried Toast.--
1 cup cream sauce. 1 teaspoon curry powder.
4 hard cooked eggs. 6 slices buttered toast.
Make a cream sauce using the curry as seasoning. Chop the eggs fine, add
to the cream sauce and when hot pour over the toast. Garnish with parsley.
Eggs and Cream.--
6 eggs. 1 cup cream.
1/4 teaspoon salt. 1/8 teaspoon cayenne.
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce. 1 tablespoon butter.
6 slices toast.
Put the cream and seasonings in a dish. When almost boiling drop in the
eggs and put in the butter cut in bits. When the eggs are poached serve on
the toast which has been dipped in melted butter. Garnish with parsley.
Creamed Oysters.--
1 qt. oysters. 4 tablespoons butter.
1 cup cream. 1/4 teaspoon salt.
1 teaspoon parsley, minced. 6 slices toast.
Remove the hard muscles from the oysters, scald and drain. Melt the
butter, add the cream and seasonings. Cayenne, celery salt, Worcestershire
sauce and onion juice are good seasonings. When this is hot add the
oysters, cook two minutes and serve on the toast. The bread should be
toasted on one side only. Sprinkle with the minced parsley.
[830 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Welsh Rarebit.--
1 tablespoon butter. 1/4 teaspoon mustard.
1 cup soft mild cheese. 1/4 teaspoon salt.
1 egg. Few grains cayenne.
1/2 cup ale or beer.
Cut the cheese into small pieces and beat the eggs slightly. Put the
butter in the chafing dish, and when it is melted add the cheese and
seasonings, stirring constantly. Add the ale slowly and when smooth the
slightly beaten egg. Much of the success of a rarebit depends upon the
cheese. It should be smooth and creamy, and never stringy. Cook over hot
water. The rarebit may be served on toast or wafers.
Cream Welsh Rarebit.--
1 tablespoon butter. 1 cup soft mild cheese.
1/4 teaspoon salt. 1/4 teaspoon mustard.
Few grains cayenne. 1/2 cup milk.
1 egg. 1/8 teaspoon soda.
Follow directions for welsh rarebit (above) adding the soda with the
cheese and the milk in place of the ale. Curry powder and celery salt make
good additions as seasoning.
Curry of Tomato.--
4 tomatoes. 1 tablespoon butter.
1 tablespoon flour. 2 teaspoons curry.
1/2 teaspoon onion juice. 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Select large, firm, fresh tomatoes. Peel and cut in slices. Melt the
butter in the blazer. Add the tomatoes and cook for several minutes. Add
the cream, flour and curry and seasonings. When hot serve on toast. Care
must be taken or the acid in the tomato will curdle the cream.
Salted Almonds.--
1 cup almond meats. 1/2 cup olive oil.
Cover the almonds with boiling water. Remove the skins, then soak for
several hours in strong salted water. Drain and dry. Put in enough olive
oil to cover the bottom of the blazer. Put in the nuts and cook until
brown. Drain on paper. A shorter method is to remove skins and dry the
nuts, then cook in olive oil until brown, and while draining to sprinkle
them with salt. Peanuts, pecans and walnuts can be prepared in the same
way. Butter may be substituted for olive oil, if desired.
[CANNING, PICKLING AND PRESERVING 830]
ONE HUNDRED CHOICE RECIPES
on
CANNING, PICKLING, PRESERVING, JELLIES, JAMS
MARMALADES, RELISHES, CATSUPS, SPICES.
FOREIGN WORDS IN THE MENU.
In this list are many of the foreign words used on menu cards in hotels,
with their translation:
Cafe--Coffee.
Demitasse--After-dinner cup of coffee.
Frappe--Semi or half-frozen.
Fricasse--Stew.
Fromage--Cheese.
Glace--Frozen.
Cafe au lait--Coffee with hot milk.
Neufchatel--A soft Swiss cheese.
Timbale--Pie crust baked in a mould.
Croutons--Bread toasted in squares, used for soup and in garnishing.
Bouillon--A clear broth, usually of beef.
Au Gratin--Dishes baked, prepared with cheese.
Menu--Bill of fare.
Puree--Ingredients rubbed through a sieve; usually the term given a thick
strained soup.
Tutti Frutti--Various kinds of fruits (chopped fine).
Consomme--Clear soup.
Jus--Gravy or juice of meats.
[832 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CANNING.
1. Apples and Quinces.--Pare and cut the apples and quinces, the same
amount of each. Cook the quinces in enough water to cover them until
tender. Remove these from the water and cook the apples in the same
liquid. When these are done put in a jar or kettle a layer of quinces,
then of apples until all are used. Pour over them a syrup made of a half
pound of sugar to pound of quinces, dissolved in a little water and let it
stand over night. The next day heat them thoroughly and seal in cans.
2. Apple Sauce.--Take as many apples as desired, pare them and cut in
quarters. Put in a stew pan filled about two-thirds with water and cook
until tender. Remove from the fire and beat up thoroughly, adding a
teaspoonful of butter to a quart of apple sauce, half cup sugar and grate
in a quarter of nutmeg. Serve with or without cream.
3. Apples to Can.--Cook the same as for apple sauce, leaving out all
seasoning and sugar. Put in glass jars and seal. When these are opened in
the winter, just add such seasoning as may be desired.
4. Apple Butter.--Five pounds of brown sugar, three gallons of cooked
apples, one quart of cider vinegar. Boil this down to about two gallons
and season with cinnamon.
5. Canned Pears.--Prepare a syrup of one pint of water and one cup sugar
to one quart of fruit. Before doing this, have your pears all pared and
ready for the syrup when done. As you pare each piece of fruit drop it
into a dish of cold water. This will prevent the fruit from turning dark.
When the syrup has come to a fast boil, put in the pears carefully and
boil until they look clear and can be easily pierced with a fork, which
will probably be about twenty minute. Then done place in glass jars.
6. Canned Pineapple.--Pare the pineapple and cut in slices about one-half
inch thick. Be sure that all the eyes are cut out, as the fruit will spoil
quickly if these remain in. Make a syrup of one pound of sugar to quart of
water. When this syrup becomes thick enough, add the fruit and let boil
about fifteen minutes. When done place in glass jars and seal while hot.
7. Canned Peaches.--Pare the peaches and cut in halves and lay in a dish
of cold water until ready to put in the syrup. Make a syrup of one quart
of hot water to a pound of sugar. Let this cook to a syrup, then add the
fruit. Cook about eight minutes. Put in glass jars and seal while hot.
8. Brandy Peaches.--Drop the fruit into hot water. Let it remain there
until the skin can be taken off easily. Make a very thin syrup and cover
the peaches, after skin has been removed. Boil in this thin syrup until
the fruit can be pierced with a straw. While these are cooking make
another syrup, very rich, into which put the fruit after it is done.
Remove this from the fire and add an equal quantity of brandy while the
syrup is still hot.
9. Canned Plums.--Wash the fruit well in cold water, then add one pound of
sugar to a pound of fruit and let boil ten minutes. When done put in glass
jars and seal while hot.
[CANNING, PICKLING AND PRESERVING 833]
10. Canned Strawberries.--Wash the berries thoroughly before removing the
stems. Then weigh them, and to each pound of berries allow a half pound of
sugar. Let these boil about ten minutes, and they are ready for the cans.
11. Canned Rhubarb.--Take rhubarb when it is young and tender, or even the
later plant will do, cut into pieces about an inch long. Wash well and put
in glass jars, into which has been poured a cupful of cold water. Fill the
jar full of the rhubarb and then cover completely with water. Seal and put
in a cool place. When opened in the winter time a few minutes' boiling
with sugar added will make a delightful sauce.
12. Canning Corn.--The following is one of the safest and surest ways of
canning sweet corn, without the use of acids or the necessity of putting
up the corn with tomatoes, etc. Cut the corn from the cob and put in glass
jars, pack down tightly and screw covers on loosely to allow the air to
escape. Set the jars in a boiler and fill the boiler with cold water until
it reaches the rim of the jars and let boil for four hours. Remove the
cans and when sufficiently cool tighten the lids and set them away. A good
plan is to place a board or some corn husks in the bottom of the boiler on
which to set the jars to prevent them from cracking. Corn will keep as
long as you want it if canned in this way.
13. Canned Grapes.--Take the grapes and wash them thoroughly. Have two
dishes on the table. Put the seeds in one dish and the skins in the other.
Boil the pulp until all the seeds come out easily, then put through a
sieve. Add the skins, allowing one-half pound sugar to one pound of fruit.
When done put either in glass jars or crocks, taking precaution to see
that they are sealed tightly in either case.
TABLE FOR CANNING FRUIT.
Time
Quantity of sugar for boiling
per quart. fruit.
Apricots 2 teacupfuls 10 minutes
Sour Apples 1-1/2 " 10 "
Crab Apples 2 " 25 "
Black Berries 1-1/2 " 6 "
Gooseberries 2 " 8 "
Raspberries 1 " 6 "
Huckleberries 1 " 5 "
Strawberries 2 " 8 "
Cherries 1-1/2 " 5 "
Currants 2 " 6 "
Wild Grapes 2 " 10 "
Sour Pears (whole) 2 " 30 "
Bartlett Pears 1-1/2 " 20 "
Peaches (in halves) 2 " 8 "
Plums 2 " 10 "
Peaches (whole) 1 " 15 "
Pineapple (sliced) 1-1/2 " 15 "
Quinces 3 " 30 "
Rhubarb 3 " 10 "
Tomatoes 0 " 20 "
[834 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
PICKLING.
1. Tip-Top Pickles.--Take one peck green tomatoes, one dozen large onions.
Slice both of these in separate kettles, sprinkling salt between the
tomatoes, then letting them stand two hours. Pour scalding water over the
onions and let stand until wanted. After the tomatoes have stood the
desired length of time squeeze the liquid off from them, also the onions
and arrange in a crock in alternate layers, sprinkling celery seed between
them (white and black mustard seed). Pour over this a quart of vinegar and
a pint of sugar brought to a boil. This is ready for use when cold.
2. Chow-Chow.--Two quarts tomatoes, half dozen green peppers, one dozen
cucumbers, two white onions, two heads cabbage. Chop these all fine and
let stand over night, sprinkling a cup of salt on it. In the morning drain
off the brine and season with one ounce tumeric, one tablespoon celery
seed, half teaspoonful cayenne pepper, one ounce of the following spices,
cinnamon, allspice, one ounce black pepper, one quarter ounce cloves, one
cup brown sugar, vinegar enough to cover, then boil two hours.
3. Sweet Apple Pickle.--Pare the apples, leaving them whole, then take
three pounds of sugar, two quarts of vinegar, one-half ounce each of
cloves and cinnamon. Boil them in part of the vinegar and sugar until
tender; then take them out, heat the remainder of the fluid and pour over
them. Care should be taken not to boil the apples too long, as they will
fall to pieces.
4. Sweet Tomato Pickles.--Peel and slice eight pounds of tomatoes, four
and a half pounds of sugar, one pound of mace and cinnamon mixed, one
quart of vinegar and one ounce cloves. Mix all together and boil one hour.
5. Standby Pickles.--Chop fine one gallon green tomatoes, twelve onions,
slice fine two gallons of cabbage, one gallon vinegar, one pound brown
sugar, half an ounce turmeric powder, one tablespoon black pepper, one
ounce celery seed, one tablespoonful ground allspice, also ground cloves,
white mustard, one quarter pound, and one gill salt. Boil all these
together for two hours except spices, stirring well. When taken from the
fire add the spices, put in air-tight jars. If this pickle is kept in a
cool, dry place, you will find them in perfect condition at the end of the
winter.
6. Pickled Peppers.--Select nice large peppers, cut off the stems and
rind. Then put into strong hot brine, repeating this for three mornings,
and then drain off and cover with hot vinegar. When wanted to use, take
out of brine and stuff with creamed sweetbreads and mushrooms and serve on
a lettuce leaf. This makes a very attractive and appetizing dish.
7. Piccalili.--One-half peck green onions, sliced, one peck green
tomatoes, one cauliflower, one peck small cucumbers. Leave in salt water
twenty-four hours; then put in a kettle with a handful of scraped
horseradish, one ounce tumeric, one ounce cloves (whole), one-quarter
pound whole pepper, one ounce cinnamon, one pound white mustard seed, one
pound English mustard. Place in kettle in layers and cover with cold
vinegar, boil fifteen minutes, stirring constantly.
[CANNING, PICKLING AND PRESERVING 835]
8. Sweet Pickled Peaches.--Make a liquid of three pounds brown sugar, one
pint strong cider vinegar, and small handful each of cinnamon and cloves
and bring to a boil. Wash clean, but do not peel, several pounds of
peaches. Put in as many peaches as the liquor will cover; cook until
moderately soft and put into jars. Cook all alike, and pour liquid over
them. These are delicious.
9. Chopped Pickles.--Chop and mix together one peck green tomatoes, two
large heads of cabbage, three green peppers, one small cup salt, let stand
over night and drain. Then cover with cider vinegar and boil until soft;
drain again and mix with one tablespoon cloves, same amount of mustard,
two pounds each of raisins and sugar, one-half cup grated horse-radish,
three chopped onions, celery and salt to taste. Hot vinegar enough to make
moist, can rather dry.
10. Pickled Onions.--Select small white onions, peel and boil them in
equal portions of sweet milk and water for ten minutes, or until tender,
drain and pour scalding spiced vinegar on them immediately. Never use
allspice, as it darkens the onions.
11. Pickled Red Cabbage.--Choose purple red cabbage, slice into a
colander, sprinkle each layer with salt, let it drain two days, then put
into a jar, pour boiling vinegar enough to cover, put in a few slices of
red beet-root. A few spices in bunches and thrown in after being salted,
will look red and pretty.
12. Pickled Grapes.--Select grapes that are not quite ripe, but dark
colored, pick from the stem and wash, put in glass jars; in a separate
kettle make a syrup of sugar and vinegar and boil a few minutes, add
spices to suit the taste; pour over grapes and seal jars.
13. Spiced Cherries.--Take nine pounds of fruit, one pint cider vinegar,
four pounds sugar, one-half ounce cinnamon bark, one-half ounce whole
cloves, let the syrup come to a boil before putting in the fruit; cook the
fruit until the skin breaks, then take out the fruit and boil the syrup
down until thick, pour over the fruit hot.
14. Beet Pickles.--Cook beets in hot water until tender. Then remove the
skin and if the beets are large slice them, as you would for table use.
Place these in a glass jar. Take a quart of cider vinegar, one cup
granulated sugar, teaspoonful of salt, let this come to a boil, then pour
over beets. If vinegar is very strong dilute about half. When these are
opened in the winter, you will think you are eating fresh beets from the
garden.
15. Pickled Cauliflower.--Choose good firm cauliflower, and full size. Cut
away all the leaves and pare the stalks. Pull away the flowers in bunches.
Steep in brine two days, then drain them, wipe dry and put in hot pickle.
[836 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
16. Pickled Cabbage.--The cabbage should be sliced and salted for two or
three days, then placed before the fire for twenty-four hours, spread upon
a dry cloth, after which they are put into a jar, and covered with spiced
vinegar.
17. Cantelope Sweet Pickle.--Select melons not quite ripe, weighing about
seven pounds in all, put them in a weak brine over night. Then boil in
weak alum water until transparent. Take them out and place in a jar. Then
take 1 quart cider vinegar, 2 ounces stick cinnamon, 1 ounce cloves, 3
pounds granulated sugar; let this boil, then add the cantelope, cooking it
twenty minutes longer. Pour in a jar and close tight. Scald it over for
two mornings.
18. Mother's Pickled Blackberries.--Take three quarts of blackberries, one
quart of sugar, one quart vinegar. Put all together at the same time into
your kettle and boil ten or fifteen minutes. No spices are required. After
standing a few weeks they are very nice.
19. Pickled Brocoli.--Choose the whitest, closest and finest vegetables
before they are quite ripe, pare off all green leaves and the outside of
the stalks. Parboil them about five minutes in well-salted water. Then
drain well and pull the branches in convenient sized pieces and put into a
jar of pickle, prepared as follows: Heat vinegar to boiling point, add a
little mace and whole red peppers, and pour hot over the brocoli.
20. Mixed Pickles.--One quart boiled beets, chopped fine, one quart raw
cabbage chopped fine, two cups sugar, tablespoon of salt, one teaspoonful
red pepper, one cup grated horse-radish. Cover with cold vinegar and keep
from the air.
21. Mustard Pickles.--One quart small cucumbers, one quart large
cucumbers, cut in pieces, one quart large tomatoes, two quarts small
onions, three heads cauliflower, six red and six green peppers cut in
strips. Put these in separate dishes and let stand over night. In the
morning drain off and cook in separate dishes of clear water until nearly
tender. Then put together and boil a short time in the following paste:
One ounce pulverized tumeric seed, half pound ground mustard, two cups
flour, seven cups sugar, one gallon vinegar. This is an excellent recipe.
22. Sweet Pickled Peaches.--Boil together four pounds sugar and one pint
vinegar to twelve pounds of fruit. Add the fruit and let it come to a
boil; the next day drain off the liquor and boil again; do this three
times and your pickles are delicious; add cinnamon to the liquor and stick
two or three cloves in each peach.
23. Sweet Pickled Prunes.--Soak four pounds prunes for two or three hours,
then steam them ten or fifteen minutes. While the prunes are soaking, boil
together for ten minutes two pounds sugar, one pint vinegar, one ounce
each of cloves and cinnamon and one-fourth of an ounce of ginger. After
the prunes have been strained, pour the hot vinegar over them and boil all
together until the prunes are soft. These are delicious.
[CANNING, PICKLING AND PRESERVING 837]
24. Celery Sauce that Mother Used to Make.--Take fifteen large ripe
tomatoes, two red peppers, two onions, two and one-half cups vinegar, two
stalks (arrowroot) celery, eight tablespoons sugar, two spoons salt; chop
all fine and boil one and one-half hours.
25. Spiced Tomatoes.--Take red and yellow pear-shaped tomatoes; prick two
or three times with a fork, sprinkle with salt, let stand over night, pack
in a glass jar and cover with vinegar, prepared as follows, for a
half-gallon jar: 1 pint vinegar, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoonful
ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoonful ground allspice, 1 teaspoonful pepper, 1
tablespoon sugar. Let this come to a boil and pour over the tomatoes;
after they get cold tie strong paper over them.
26. Ripe Cucumber Pickles.--Take twelve large cucumbers and remove the
pulp. Cut them in strips about two inches wide and four inches long. Let
these stand while you boil for a few minutes the following: 2 pounds
sugar, 1 ounce cinnamon, 1/2 ounce cloves, 1 pint vinegar. Be sure and
skim this while it is boiling, then put in the cucumbers, letting them
cook until tender. Take the cucumbers out and let the liquor boil for
fifteen minutes. Pour this over the cucumbers and cover tight.
27. Green Tomato Pickles.--Chop a peck of green tomatoes and stir in half
a cupful of salt. Let these drain over night. Then add 3 green peppers,
chopped, 1 teacup of grated horseradish, 2 quarts of vinegar, 1 teacupful
of sugar. Let this all boil, stirring occasionally, gently, until the
tomatoes are tender, then add a large spoonful of cinnamon and cloves.
These are very good and easily kept.
28. Pickled Tomatoes.--Select tomatoes that are thoroughly ripe, and let
them lie in strong salt and water for four days; then put them down in
layers in jars, mixing with them small onions and pieces of horseradish;
then pour on vinegar, cold, after having spiced it. Be sure and use plenty
of spices, cover carefully and let stand for a month before using.
29. Green Tomato Sauce, for Meats or Fish.--Slice two gallons of green
tomatoes without peeling; slice one dozen good sized onions; one quart of
sugar, two quarts vinegar, two tablespoons each of salt, ground mustard,
and ground black pepper, one tablespoonful of cloves and allspice. Mix all
together and stew until tender, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
Put up in small glass jars.
30. Chili Sauce.--One peck ripe tomatoes, one pint vinegar, one cup sugar,
two red peppers, three sweet peppers, six large onions, one tablespoon
each of cinnamon, pepper and salt. Chop the onions and peppers fine. Boil
for two hours.
31. Tomato Relish.--One peck good ripe tomatoes, chop and drain, 3 large
onions, a peppers, red or green, 3 heads celery, chopped fine, 3/4 cup
salt, 2 pounds brown sugar, 2 oz. white mustard seed, 1 oz. cinnamon, a
pints vinegar. After the tomatoes have drained thoroughly, mix in the
balance of the recipe. Do not cook; keep in a jar. This relish cannot be
beaten. Everyone will like it.
[838 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
32. Tomato Catsup No. 1.--Take one gallon ripe tomatoes, peel them, one
teaspoon allspice, one tablespoon mustard, one red pepper; let all boil,
then strain and to this add one tablespoon salt, one teaspoon ground
pepper, one teacup vinegar, two pounds granulated sugar. Let all of this
boil until reasonably thick, or as thick as desired.
33. Aunt Mary's Catsup.--One cup onions, one peck ripe tomatoes (chopped),
one and one-half cups celery, one cup horseradish (grated), one cup sugar,
half cup salt, one cup white mustard seed, two red peppers, one teaspoon
each of black pepper, ground cloves, mace, cinnamon and celery seed, one
quart vinegar. Drain tomatoes thoroughly, before adding spices. Keep this
in stone jars and tie closely and it will keep nicely for a year or more.
34. Gooseberry Catsup.--To one pound of gooseberries, use three-fourths
pound sugar and spices to taste. One pint of vinegar to ten pounds of the
fruit. Boil two hours. This is delicious.
35. Spiced Vinegar for Pickles.--(This can be used generally for pickles.)
1 gallon of vinegar, 1 pound of sugar, 2 tablespoonfuls of allspice, 2
tablespoonfuls mustard seed, 2 tablespoonfuls celery seed, 2
tablespoonfuls salt, 1 tablespoonful of tumeric powder, 1 tablespoonful of
black pepper, 1 tablespoonful mace, 2 nutmegs, grated, 3 onions, 1 handful
grated horseradish. This can always be relied upon as good.
36. Tomato Catsup No. 2.--1 gallon tomatoes (strained), 6 tablespoons
salt, three tablespoons black pepper, 1 tablespoon cloves, 2 tablespoons
cinnamon, 2 tablespoons allspice, 10 pints vinegar, boil down to half. One
peck tomatoes will make one gallon strained.
37. Bottled Pickles.--Wash the pickles and pour boiling water over them,
letting them stand for four hours; to every gallon of vinegar take 1
teacup of sugar, 1 teacup of salt, 1 teaspoonful of pulverized alum, one
ounce of cinnamon bark, 1/4 of an ounce of whole cloves. Boil spice and
vinegar and pour over the pickles. Seal while hot.
38. Sliced Cucumbers.--Peel and slice one gallon of cucumbers and soak
them over night in weak salt water. Drain and put them in weak vinegar on
the stove and let them get hot; drain and pack in glass jars. Then bring
to a boil, one quart vinegar, a few slices of onions, sugar and spices to
taste. Then pour this over the cucumbers, while hot, and seal.
39. Grandmother's Dill Pickles.--Fill a stone jar with alternate layers of
grape leaves, fresh cucumbers, dill and salt. Cover with water and an
inverted plate; place a brick on the plate to keep all under water. The
cucumbers will be ready for use in about two weeks.
40. Mustard Pickles.--Wash the pickles and put in fruit jars, then cover
with the following dressing, do not cook the pickles or dressing: 1 cup
salt, 2 cups dark brown sugar, 1 cup Colman's mustard, 1 gallon vinegar,
mix together and put over pickles.
[CANNING, PICKLING AND PRESERVING 839]
41. Green Tomato Pickles.--One bushel tomatoes, slice and put in salt
water over night. The next morning put tomatoes in kettle after draining
them, with five pounds of brown sugar, 1/4 cup cloves, ten cents worth
cinnamon stick, two quarts vinegar. Boil until the tomatoes are tender.
42. Oyster Catsup.--Squeeze through a sieve 1 pint of oysters with the
juice, then add 1 pint of sherry or white wine and salt to taste. Flavor
with garlic, celery, etc., if desired. Add two or three ounces of mixed
spices. Simmer fifteen or twenty minutes, strain and bottle when cold.
43. Pepper Catsup.--Select about twenty-five red bell peppers without
removing the seeds. Add 1 pint of vinegar and boil until tender, stirring
constantly. Rub it all through a sieve. Set aside the juice. Pour over the
pulp another pint of vinegar with two tablespoonfuls brown sugar, 2 or 3
ounces mixed spices. Stir altogether and boil down one-half. Strain
through cheese-cloth and bottle when cold.
44. Grape Catsup.--Select grapes that are ripe, but not soft. Pick them
over carefully and add to five pounds of grapes, half as much sugar (by
weight), 1 pint vinegar, two or three ounces of mixed spices, and salt to
taste. Boil until it thickens. Bottle when cold.
45. Pickled Cherries.--Select firm and medium ripe cherries. Fill a
wide-mouthed glass bottle or jar with them, then add two tablespoons of
salt, and fill the jars with cold vinegar. Seal and let stand six or eight
weeks before using. These are very good.
46. Sweet Mixed Pickles.--For sweet mixed pickles, scrape and wash half a
dozen young carrots, and parboil in salted water for three or four
minutes, then drain and set aside to cool; meanwhile cut into strips. Then
take six green tomatoes, three large white onions, one large red pepper,
(taking out the seeds) three sour apples, one small cupful of tender
string beans, and finally the carrots treated in the same manner; place
all these ingredients together in the preserving kettle in which they are
to be cooked, adding salt and a very little paprika and allow them to
stand for twelve hours. When ready to cook drain off the water that will
have formed, adding sufficient vinegar to well moisten, one cupful of
sugar, a tablespoon olive oil and two teaspoonfuls of celery seed tied in
a piece of muslin, for about five minutes. Remove from the fire and mix in
quickly half a teaspoonful ground English mustard blended with a little
vinegar; seal immediately in small well-closed jars.
47. Corn Relish.--One dozen ears of corn, one large cabbage, one large red
pepper, chop all these up fine together, mix thoroughly and add one pound
of brown sugar and one quart of vinegar, salt to suit taste. Let this all
come to a boil.
[840 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
48. Mustard Pickles.--One hundred small cucumbers (if you get the larger
ones cut them in two), one-half peck of the tiny white onions, large head
of cauliflower, one pound brown sugar, 1-1/2 cups flour, 1/2 pound
mustard, five cents worth of tumeric powder, one cup salt. The cucumbers
are to be soaked in salt and water over night and drained in the morning,
put in the vinegar and let come to a boil, then add your onions and
cauliflower. Take the flour, mustard and tumeric powder, work to a cream
with a little vinegar, then gradually stir into the boiling vinegar to
thicken it. Boil this all about fifteen minutes. Watch every minute as
this scorches very easily.
49. Spiced Currants.--Steam and wash the fruit carefully, and for every
four pounds of currants take two pounds of brown sugar, one pint cider
vinegar, one tablespoon each of ground cinnamon, cloves, mace, nutmeg and
allspice. Put in the fruit and boil all together for a half hour. Fill
into wide mouthed bottles, lay a paper wet with vinegar over the currants
and tie up the mouth of the bottle with paper.
50. Spiced Grapes.--Five pounds of grapes, three pounds of granulated
sugar, half pint of vinegar, two teaspoonfuls each of cinnamon, allspice
and cloves. Pulp the grapes, boil skins until tender. Cook the pulp soft
and strain through a sieve, add to skins. Put in spices, sugar and vinegar
and boil thoroughly. Seal.
51. Ginger Pears.--Peel a dozen large pears which are not quite ripe and
cut into long, thin strips. Add two-thirds as much sugar as you have
fruit, the juice of a lemon, two-thirds cupful of water and a
desertspoonful of ginger. Boil all together until the fruit is
transparent, and serve as a relish.
52. Tomato Soye.--One peck of ripe tomatoes, one dozen large onions, three
large red peppers, one gallon best vinegar, twenty-four tablespoonfuls
brown sugar, twelve teaspoonfuls ground cinnamon, twelve teaspoonfuls of
salt, six teaspoonfuls of ground ginger and six teaspoonfuls of ground
cloves. Chop the tomatoes, onions and peppers fine and add the other
ingredients. Let simmer for three hours.
53. Spanish Pickles.--One peck of green tomatoes, one dozen onions,
sprinkle with salt and let stand over night and strain off the juice.
Allow one pound of sugar, one-fourth pound whole white mustard seed, one
ounce ground black pepper, one teaspoonful ginger and one of cinnamon. Mix
dry. Put a layer of tomatoes and onions in a kettle and sprinkle with
spices, then tomatoes and so on until all are used. Cover with vinegar and
let boil two hours, after which pack in jars and set in cool place.
54. Chili Sauce.--Take five large onions, eight green peppers, and chop
fine with thirty ripe tomatoes. Add five tablespoonfuls of brown sugar,
three tablespoonfuls of salt and eight cupfuls of vinegar. Boil all
together two and a half hours and bottle for use.
55. Green Tomato Pickles.--Half bushel green tomatoes, six large onions,
six large peppers, one-fourth pound white mustard seed, and three
tablespoonfuls celery seed. Chop all fine together, put in layers, one of
tomatoes and onions and one of salt, using in all a half cupful of salt.
Let stand over night. In the morning squeeze dry and put on to boil in two
quarts of vinegar. Cook until tender, when nearly done, add one pound of
sugar, put in cans and seal.
Green Beans Pickles.--"Green beans with the strings taken off and placed
in a kettle, salted and cooked until tender, then place in jars, fill with
good cider vinegar and seal tightly."
[CANNING, PICKLING AND PRESERVING 841]
PRESERVES.
1. Rhubarb Preserve.--1/4 lb. almond or walnut meats, chopped, 3 lbs.
rhubarb, 3 lbs. sugar, rind and juice of 2 lemons, boil until thick. Serve
with meats.
2. Preserved Pears.--Pare the fruit and drop into a bowl of cold water to
preserve the color. When all are pared, put into a pan of clear, cold
water, and boil until almost tender. Make a syrup of the water in which
the pears were boiled, allowing one pound of sugar to each half pint of
water. Drop the pears into the syrup and cook them slowly until they can
be pierced with a silver fork. Put the fruit into hot jars and cover with
boiling syrup. Seal.
3. Fig and Rhubarb Preserve.--Wash dry and cut up three pounds of figs and
seven pounds of rhubarb, put them into a basin, add six pounds of sugar,
one cupful of water, two heaping teaspoonfuls of ground ginger and the
juice of two large lemons. Cover and leave for twelve hours. Boil for half
an hour. Divide into jars and cover. This is an excellent preserve and
keeps well.
4. Preserved Cherries.--Select large, rich, red cherries; stone and weigh
them, adding three-fourths of a pound of sugar for each pound of fruit.
After the stones have been taken out, allow them to stand in a stone jar
over night; in the morning put them in a preserving kettle and cook until
clear. Put in glass tumblers and cover the tops when cool with melted
paraffin, before putting on covers.
5. Strawberry Preserves.--The fruit for this must be solid, and must be
used as soon as they are gotten ready, and not sugared down. To one pound
of sugar add one pound of fruit. Use just enough water to keep them from
sticking, and put fruit, sugar and water all on at the same time, and let
them cook twenty minutes. Then spread on flat dishes and set in sun for
three or four days, and then put in glass jars. They will need no more
heating or cooking. These are considered fine.
6. Lemon Butter.--Take two nice large lemons, grate the rind and use the
juice, two eggs, two cups of sugar, small lump of butter. Boil ten minutes
in double boiler.
[842 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
7. Apple Preserves.--Make a syrup of three-fourths pound of sugar to each
pound of apples. Add a little lemon juice or sliced lemon; keep skimming
this as it boils, and put in only a few apples at a time into the syrup,
and boil until they are transparent; skim out and put in a jar. When the
apples are done, boil the syrup down thick, then pour boiling hot over the
apples and cover closely. Well flavored fruit, not easily broken, should
be selected.
8. Apricot Preserves.--Pare the fruit very thin and stone it. Place the
fruit in a porcelain or granite kettle, first a layer of fruit, then a
layer of sugar, using pound for pound of sugar. Let this stand in the
kettle for a day. The next day boil very gently until they are clear. Then
place the fruit in a large pan or bowl and pour the liquor over them. The
following day pour the liquor into a quart of codlin liquor, this being
made by boiling and straining a pound of fine sugar with just enough water
to make a syrup. Let the whole boil quickly until it will jelly. Put the
fruit into it and bring to a boil, being careful to remove all the scum.
Then put up in small jars.
9. Citron Preserves.--Select sound fruit, pare it and divide into
quarters, (carefully take out the seeds) and cut in very small pieces, any
shape you desire, and weigh it. To every pound of fruit allow a half pound
of loaf sugar; put the citron on to cook until it is quite clear, then
remove it from the kettle where it can drain, and pour out the water it
was cooked in. Then put on the sugar you have weighed, with water enough
to wet it through; let it boil until very clear, and before putting in the
citron again add to the syrup two large lemons sliced, and a small piece
of ginger root, to give it a fine flavor; then add the citron and let all
cook together about fifteen minutes; fill the jars with citron and pour
over the hot syrup, then seal up.
10. Citron and Quince Preserves.--Pare and cut the citron into inch
pieces; boil hard in a medium strong alum water thirty minutes; drain and
boil in fresh water till the color is changed and they are tender; wash
the quinces carefully, pare, quarter, core and halve the quarters; boil
the cores and parings in water to cover them, an hour and a half; remove
them and add the prepared juice to the liquid; boil, and when they begin
to be tender, add the citron and three-fourths of a pound of white sugar
to every pound of the fruit. These are delicious.
11. Preserved Pears.--Have a pan of cold water ready to drop pears into
after they are pared, halved and the cores removed. This will prevent them
from turning black. Select smooth, sweet pears of a kind which will not
break when cooked. Put a little over one quart of granulated sugar into
your preserving kettle; add just water enough to moisten the sugar; when
warm put into this two quarts of pears; let them cook very slowly several
hours; when the syrup is thick put your fruit in jars.
12. Pineapple Preserves.--Pare and slice the pineapple. Then weigh the
fruit and allow a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit; then put a layer of
the slices in a jar and cover them with a layer of sugar; do this until
the apples and sugar are used up; let them stand over night. The next
morning take the apples out of the syrup, cook the syrup until it
thickens, replace the apples and boil fifteen minutes; remove the
pineapple from the syrup and let them cool, then put in jars and pour the
syrup over them. A few pieces of ginger root boiled in the syrup will
improve it.
[CANNING, PICKLING AND PRESERVING 843]
13. Tomato Preserves.--Select small, pear-shaped tomatoes, not too ripe.
Prick with a needle to prevent bursting, and put their weight in sugar
over them. Let this stand over night, then pour off the juice into a
preserving kettle and boil until it is a thick syrup, clarifying it with
the white of an egg; add the tomatoes and boil until they look
transparent. One lemon to a pound of fruit, sliced thin and cooked with
the fruit, together with a piece of ginger root, will improve it.
14. Preserved Strawberries. No. 1.--Take a couple of quarts of berries at
a time, remove the stems, and place in a colander. Pour water over them to
cleanse them. Make a syrup of two pounds of white sugar and a half cup of
water. Drop the berries into this and allow them to boil rapidly for
twenty minutes, removing all scum that rises, but do not stir the fruit.
Pour into tumblers, and when you are done cook your syrup and juice to a
jelly and fill up your jelly glasses. Keep in a dry place.
15. Preserved Strawberries. No. 2.--To one pound of berries use
three-fourths of a pound of sugar,--in layers (no water). Place in a
kettle on the back of the stove until the sugar is dissolved into syrup;
then let it come to a boil, stirring from the bottom. Spread on platters,
not too thickly and set out in the hot sun till the syrup thickens--it may
take two or three days. Keep in tumblers or bowls like jelly. Strawberries
done in this way retain their color and flavor.
16. Spiced Currants.--Three pounds white sugar, five pounds ripe currants,
one tablespoonful each of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. Boil
currants one hour, then add sugar, spices and a half pint vinegar, boil a
half hour longer.
17. Spiced Gooseberries.--Six quarts gooseberries, nine pounds sugar, cook
one and a half hours, then add one pint vinegar, one tablespoonful each
cloves, cinnamon and allspice. Boil a few minutes. When cold they should
be like jam. Boil longer if not thick enough.
18. Tomato Preserves.--Peel the tomatoes and to each pound add a pound of
sugar and let stand over night. Take the tomatoes out of the sugar and
boil the syrup, removing the scum. Put the tomatoes in and boil gently
twenty minutes; remove fruit again and boil until the syrup thickens. On
cooling put the fruit into jars and pour the syrup over. The round yellow
variety of tomato should be used and as soon as ripe.
[844 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
19. Preserved Pears.--Peel the fruit which should not be overripe, cut
into halves, extract cores and throw at once into a dish of cold water.
From the water put into jars, arranging the pieces as compactly as
possible, cover with cold water and then drain off. Make a syrup of sugar
and water, allowing a teacupful of sugar to a jar and fill the jars to the
brim; put on the covers, without rubbers and place in a kettle of cold
water over the fire. The water in the kettle should come to the neck of
the jars. Note carefully when the water comes to a boil, and let it boil
twenty minutes or more, according to ripeness of the fruit. Take the jars
from the water, adjust the rubbers and screw on the tops tighter and
tighter as the jars cool. A plated knife should be used in peeling the
fruit as a steel one discolors the fruit.
20. Preserved Peaches.--Plunge the fruit into boiling water to make the
skins come off easily, then throw into cold water. For three pounds of
fruit use one pound of sugar and half a teacup of water. When the syrup
boils put in the peaches, a few at a time, and cook until tender. Fill
jars as for pears. The stones will add to the flavor.
21. Brandied Peaches.--Put the peaches in boiling water for a few minutes,
when the skin will peel off easily. Make a syrup of half a pound of sugar
and half a teacupful of water for each pound of peaches. Skim as the scum
rises in boiling, then put in the peaches and boil them gently until
tender, no longer. Take them out carefully and fill your cans or jars.
Remove the syrup from the fire, and add to it half a pint of best brandy
to every pound of peaches.
22. Preserved Quinces.--Pare and quarter, taking out cores and all hard
parts. Boil in clear water until tender; spread out to dry. Allow a half
pound of sugar and one-third cup water to a pound of fruit. When the syrup
boils, put in the fruit, set back on stove and cook very slowly for an
hour or more if not too tender, as the longer it cooks the brighter will
be the color. Put in jars, the same as other fruit.
23. Preserved Grapes.--A delicious preserve can be made of California
grapes. Cut each grape with a knife and extract the seeds; add sugar to
the fruit, pound for pound; cook slowly for half an hour or longer until
the syrup and pulp of the grape are perfectly clear and transparent.
24. Purple Plums Preserved.--A very fine preserve can be made from these
plums, if you take equal weight of fruit and sugar. Take a clear stone jar
and fill it with the fruit and sugar. First a layer of fine granulated
sugar, then the plums and so on until the jar is filled. Cover them and
set the jar in a kettle of water over the fire. Let them stand in the
boiling water all day, filling up the kettle as the water boils away. If
at any time they seem likely to ferment, repeat this process. Any
housewife trying this recipe will be greatly pleased with the results.
25. Spiced Grapes.--Select five pounds of nice grapes, pulp them, and boil
until tender. After the pulps are thoroughly cooked, strain through a
sieve, then add to it three pounds of sugar, two teaspoonfuls of cinnamon
and allspice, and half teaspoonful of cloves. Add enough vinegar and
spices to suit the taste. Boil thoroughly and cool. This is very nice.
[CANNING, PICKLING AND PRESERVING 845]
26. Spiced Peaches.--Take five pounds of peaches, wipe them thoroughly and
boil until tender in one quart of vinegar and two pounds of brown sugar.
When done remove them from the liquid, and add one ounce each of cinnamon,
cloves and mace. Boil the liquid for some time after the spices have been
added, then place the fruit in jars and pour this over them.
27. Pear Chips.--Ten pounds of pears sliced thin, seven pounds of sugar,
four lemons boiled soft; press out the juice and pulp; chop the peel very
fine. Boil the fruit and sugar together until soft, then add the lemon, a
half pound green ginger root scraped and cut into small pieces. Let the
above mixture boil until quite thick. This can be placed in jelly glasses,
and will keep nicely. This is an excellent recipe.
JAMS AND JELLIES.
1. Crab Apple Jelly.--Select nice ripe apples, wash and cut out any
imperfections; place on the stove and cover with water, cook slowly until
soft enough to strain, then take them off and drain through a jelly bag.
To every four pints of juice use three pints of sugar; heat the sugar very
warm in the oven. Boil the juice fourteen minutes, stir in warm sugar, and
boil altogether three to five minutes, then turn into moulds or jelly
glasses.
2. Apple Jelly.--After you have selected nice tart, juicy apples of good
flavor, pare them, core and quarter, then put them with the skins and
cores, in a jar in a slow oven. When they are quite soft, strain all
through a coarse muslin bag, pressing hard to extract all the flavor of
the fruit. Put a pound of loaf sugar to every pint of juice and the juice
of one lemon, and put the liquor over the fire in a preserving kettle.
Boil steadily for twenty minutes or so, skimming occasionally. Boil the
jelly glasses in hot water and fill them with the jelly while hot. This
jelly will keep for an unlimited time if kept in a cool, dry place.
3. Currant Jelly.--The currants should be washed very thoroughly, but do
not stem; put in a kettle, scald them but do not cook. Cool and strain;
boil the juice alone for twenty minutes. Weigh the sugar, and to a pint of
juice use a pound of sugar. Have the sugar in the oven browning lightly
and heating thoroughly. When the juice has boiled twenty minutes stir in
the sugar until it dissolves; then put into glasses and keep in a cool
place.
4. Blackberry Jelly.--Cook the berries until tender, then strain the juice
from them. Add an equal quantity of sugar. Boil hard for twenty minutes,
then pour into moulds or jelly glasses.
5. Cranberry Jelly.--Take two pounds of sugar, granulated, one quart of
water and three quarts of cranberries. Cook thoroughly, mashing all the
berries fine, then put all through a fine sieve. Return the juice to the
stove and cook fifteen minutes more; pour into glasses and seal when cool.
[846 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
6. Grape Jelly.--Select grapes that are partially ripe, as they make the
prettiest jelly, and to every eight pounds of fruit take a large cupful of
water; put them into a porcelain-lined kettle and boil until quite soft;
strain through a cloth. Measure the juice, then measure and put away the
same quantity of sugar. Let the juice boil half an hour, then add the
sugar and let it boil five or ten minutes longer. All jellies to be good,
should have nearly all the boiling done before the sugar is added.
7. Rhubarb and Apple Jelly.--Cut up your rhubarb and wash it; put on the
fire without any water at all. Take good sour apples, pare and quarter and
cook in a very little water. Strain the juice from both and put them on
the stove to cook for fifteen minutes. Then add the heated sugar, using
three-fourths as much sugar as juice. Boil hard for twenty minutes, turn
into glasses and set in the sun, if possible, for half a day. Seal the
next day.
8. Spiced Grape Jelly.--Take grapes half ripe, crush all the juice out
well and strain. Take equal quantities of juice and sugar; to each quart
of juice add one-half teaspoonful of cloves and one tablespoonful
cinnamon. Cook very hard for twenty minutes, then remove from the stove
and pour into glasses.
9. Rhubarb Jelly.--After the rhubarb has been thoroughly washed and cut up
in small pieces, stew until tender in a preserving kettle. Strain through
a jelly rag and flavor with extract of lemon. Put in enough to suit the
taste. To each pint of juice add a pound of sugar; boil until it jellies
on the skimmer, then remove and place in glasses. Keep in a cool place.
10. Orange Marmalade.--Cut the oranges in half; remove the pulp with a
spoon, take one lemon to five oranges, preparing the same way. Then cut
the shells of the oranges in two, scrape out the white lining and put the
skins on to boil; weigh the pulp, take half as much sugar, and simmer
together fifteen minutes. When the skins are transparent and tender, take
up, putting several pieces together, cut it quickly into the narrowest
possible strips. Mix these with pulp and sugar; cook until very thick. Put
in glasses and then when cold, seal.
11. Blackberry Jam.--Take two quarts of blackberries, one quart fine
cooked apples, two quarts of sugar, boil these all together for twenty
minutes. This is very easily made and is very good.
12. Plum and Apple Jam.--After canning plums, there is often some left,
not enough to fill a can; a very nice jam can be made of this by putting
it through a sieve; and adding the same quantity of good apples, cooked.
Sweeten to taste and put in a very little cinnamon and cloves. Cook an
hour, then tie up in jars when cold.
13. Tomato Marmalade.--Pare and slice without wetting four pounds of
unripe tomatoes, Give them a slow boil for several hours until a large
portion of the water has evaporated; add for each pound of tomatoes
three-quarters of a pound of sugar and two sliced lemons. Boil for one
hour longer.
[CANNING, PICKLING AND PRESERVING 847]
14. Raspberry Jams.--To three or four pounds of ripe red raspberries add
an equal quantity of white sugar. Crush the whole well in a preserving
kettle; add one pint of currant juice and boil gently until it jellies
upon a cold plate; put into a small jar and cover with brandied paper. Tie
over them a thick paper and keep in a dark, cool, dry place.
15. Strawberry Jam, with Red Currants.--Take four pounds of strawberries,
one pint of red currant juice, and two pounds of sugar. Place in a
porcelain kettle and boil the berries and currant juice first, then add
the sugar and boil up again, skimming well. Put in jars, cover with
paraffin and keep in a cool place.
16. Peach Jelly.--Cook peaches and add a few kernels; when done strain. To
one pint of peach liquor add one lemon and one pound of sugar. Dry and
heat the sugar in a separate pan and let the peach liquor boil twenty
minutes. Then add the sugar and boil a few minutes longer. This is very
nice.
17. Gooseberry Jam.--To one pound of pulped fruit, add three-fourths pound
of sugar. Stew the berries in a little water, press through a coarse sieve
or colander. Then place on the stove again and add sugar. Boil
three-quarters of an hour, stirring constantly. Pour in jars or jelly
glasses.
[348 MOTHERS' REMEDIES ]
CANDY MAKING
CONFECTIONERS' AND COMMON CANDY.
From the Following Recipes and Formulae, Hundreds and
Even Thousands of Candies Can Be Made.
Candy Making at Home.--The proverbial "sweet-tooth" is a characteristic of
the American people. Hundreds of tons of candy are annually consumed, and
fortunes have been made in the business. The range of price is from ten
cents to a dollar a pound, with some specially wrapped and boxed bon-bons
exceeding the latter price, not because of intrinsic excellence, but
because of the ornamental form in which they are presented. Cheap candies
are adulterated and hence more or less detrimental to health. Good candies
are not harmful, unless eaten to excess. Delicious candy may be made at
home at much less cost, and some famous candies, like the "Mary Elizabeth"
and others, had their beginnings in a home kitchen and grew into popular
favor because of their known purity and uniform excellence. The cost of
ten one-pound boxes of candies is estimated at $1.50 when materials are
bought in small quantities; such candies, placed on sale at church fairs,
bazars, etc., are sold at forty and fifty cents per box. Even at
twenty-five cents a box there is a profit of ten cents on each box. Any
girl can prepare bon-bons for a luncheon or a party at home, if she is
willing to take the trouble,--which is, after all, a pleasure to many. She
may save her own candy boxes and by getting a supply of paraffin paper,
fill them again with candies quite as good as those they originally
contained; or buy new boxes of the paper box manufacturers at two or three
cents apiece. A box of home-made candy makes a nice Christmas or birthday
gift.
Boiling the Sugar.--Confectioners recognize seven degrees in boiling sugar
for candy, only four of which, however, are practically important. The
first of these is the "thread" at about 215 degrees, by the sugar
thermometer, when a short thin thread forms when thumb and forefinger are
separated with a drop of syrup between them. This passes very quickly into
a second stage, known as the large or long thread, when it can be drawn
out to a considerably greater length without breaking. In a moment more it
can be extended as far as the thumb and forefinger can be separated. The
next stage is the "pearl," shown when the surface of the syrup is covered
with bubbles, and is the stage at which much candy is made. The "blow" and
"feather" come next; then the "ball" or fondant stage at 235 to 245
degrees; this is the third important stage. To discover when the boiling
has progressed to this stage, drop a little of the syrup on to ice water,
or dip the tips of the thumb and forefinger into ice water and then into
the syrup and instantly into the ice water again with the syrup between.
One can use a small stick in the same way. If the syrup can be rolled into
a soft, but not sticky ball, it is in the soft ball stage; half a minute
more of boiling will convert it into the "hard ball," if tested in the
same manner. For fondant, the "soft ball" is chosen. The next is the
"crack" or brittle stage, at about 300 degrees; when testing as above the
syrup remains dry and hard on the fingers. This is the stage for candy
that is to be pulled. At the caramel stage the syrup begins to brown, and
must be quickly taken from the fire or it becomes "burnt sugar;" dropped
in water it crackles and snaps.
[CANDY MAKING 849]
Making the Fondant.--Fondant ("foundation") is the basis of all French
bon-bons, so-called. An endless number of varieties may be made from it in
combination with other material. There are two ways of preparing it. The
easiest and simplest way is to add to the white of an egg an equal bulk of
cold water and a teaspoonful of vanilla; beat until it froths, then add,
gradually, one pound or more, of confectioners' XXX sugar; if the egg is
large, one and one-half pounds may be required. Ordinary sugar will not
do. Add sugar until the mixture forms a stiff paste; work this with a
spoon until it is very smooth, then put away in a cool place for at least
twenty-four hours, letting it stand in an earthen dish, and cover with a
doubled napkin wrung out of cold water.
French, or Boiled Fondant.--Put into a porcelain lined kettle a pint of
the best granulated cane sugar, half a pint of cold water and a salt spoon
of cream of tartar dissolved in warm water. Stir it till the sugar is
dissolved and boil rapidly without stirring or moving the kettle. Without
a sugar thermometer it is impossible to tell exactly how many minutes it
should boil, but usually in about ten minutes a little of the syrup
dropped into cold water will form a soft waxy ball between the moistened
fingers. It should then be removed from the fire and put in a cool place
until the hand can rest with comfort on the bottom of the kettle. If too
hot, it will turn back to sugar; if too cold, it will not thicken
properly. In either case it is not spoiled, try again; add boiling water,
stir until dissolved, and repeat the boiling. A little experience makes
one to seize "the psychological moment" when the syrup is in the right
condition. When the syrup has cooled to the degree indicated above, begin
to stir it, using a long-handled wooden spoon. It will turn milky at
first, then thick and white, finally dry on the edge of the dish and get
so stiff it is difficult to stir. Then take the mass out on a marble slab
and knead as you would bread dough; if you have no marble slab you may
work it in the hands.
[350 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Flavor and Color.--At this point add the flavoring. Make little holes in
the fondant with the fingers and put in each a little of the flavoring,
working it through the mass. The essential oils are better than extracts.
Three or four drops of any of the oils will flavor a pound of fondant.
Three cents worth would be sufficient for a number of pounds. The flavor
should not be strong. About a teaspoonful of any extract will be
sufficient. If it is desirable to have two or more flavors, divide the
fondant into the required number of portions, and have an assistant take
up the kneading of each. Work the fondant until it is creamy. The pure
food laws discourage the use of colorings, and it is difficult for the
amateur to procure them in economical quantities. Cochineal can always be
had and provides any number of shades of pink. Spinach heated over steam,
and the juice expressed, gives a pretty green which is perfectly harmless.
Work into the fondant as you used the flavoring oil or extract. The above
ingredients will make one pound of fondant, all the beginners should
undertake at one time. It may be kept for some time by packing it in glass
cans and sealing tightly. The fondant should "mellow" for at least
twenty-four hours before being used, especially as centers for chocolate
creams, etc.; and these in turn should stand as long before being dipped.
It is also advisable to let the bon-bons stand a day at least before being
wrapped and packed. Choose a dry, clear, quiet day to make fondant, and do
not attempt to work with it in wet weather; it is very sensitive to
atmospheric conditions.
Making the Bon-bons.--After the fondant has stood the required interval it
is ready to make up. Here comes in play the ingenuity of the candy maker
in the employment of various accessories. Candied cherries, candied
violets and rose petals, angelica, dates, figs, hard jellies, raisins,
white grapes, crystallized ginger, cocoanuts, marshmallows, nuts, all are
employed, while chocolate is used in so many forms that it gives rise to
an entire class of candies. When ready to make up the bon-bons, roll the
fondant out evenly and cut in squares of equal size; shape these with the
fingers. The hands must be frequently dipped into ice water and wiped dry,
but never greased. Roll the fondant into a ball; while still in the hand,
press into the top an English walnut meat, or whatever decoration is
desired, and lay on paraffin paper to harden. Another class is made by
using a nut meat, say a blanched almond or pecan meat, a raisin, etc., as
center, and rolling the fondant round it. The ball may be rolled in beaten
white of egg and then in coarse white sugar. By using various centers, and
ornamenting the tops differently a great variety of bon-bons may be made;
in fact, hundreds or even thousands can be worked out by changing the
flavor, nuts, coloring, etc.
Chocolate Candies.--If the American girl had to be restricted to one class
of candies, there would be little doubt she would profess a preference for
those prepared with chocolate.
[CANDY MAKING 851]
Chocolate Creams.--To make chocolate creams, roll the fondant into balls
of uniform size; let them stand on paraffin paper twenty-four hours or
more. Also coat nut meats, raisins, candied cherries, etc., with fondant.
In making a small quantity of chocolate dipped candies, get a small bowl
that will fit into the top of the teakettle; into this cut half a pound of
unsweetened chocolate and a lump of paraffin as large as a black walnut,
and let them melt; when smooth and well mixed let cool a little, and then
set on a hot soapstone. Have ready a colander and a long darning needle.
Cover the bottom of the colander with paraffin paper, stick the point of
the needle into the piece to be dipped, immerse in the melted chocolate,
let it drip a moment, then push the eye of the needle through one of the
holes in the colander, reach the other hand under and pull out the needle.
There then remains no disfiguring hole in the bottom of the cream. When
the colander is filled, lift the paper very, very carefully, and put in a
cool place to harden. Unless the colander must be used again it is best to
let the creams stand in it to harden. Nut meats, white grapes, candied
cherries and the like, may be dipped in the melted chocolates and coated
like the creams. If the chocolate gets too thick, thin it with a little
olive oil or unsalted butter; not with water which will make it grain.
Chocolate Creams. No. 2.--Put two cups of granulated sugar into half a cup
of sweet cream. Boil five minutes from the time it begins to boil hard.
Set the pan into cold water and stir in the flavoring, a teaspoonful of
vanilla, usually. Stir until the candy is so stiff that stirring is
difficult; drop from a spoon on waxed paper; as it hardens, mould into
balls, and dip in chocolate as above.
Chocolate Candy, Plain.--Melt a square of unsweetened chocolate and stir
into plain fondant, flavoring generously with vanilla.
Chocolate Caramels.--Put together over the fire one cup of molasses and
two teacupfuls of sugar. Add a quarter of a pound of grated chocolate and
a piece of butter the size of an egg. Boil, without stirring, fifteen to
twenty minutes; pour into flat buttered dishes to a depth of one-third of
an inch, and when nearly cold cut into squares. Wrap each in a square of
paraffin paper.
Chocolate Nut Caramels.--Boil together a cup of molasses, a cup of sugar
and half a cup of sweet milk until a little hardens in cold water. Cut
into it a piece of butter the size of an egg and add a cup of chopped
nuts. Proceed as above.
Chocolate Fudge.--Put into a porcelain lined pan two cups of granulated
sugar, four sections of unsweetened chocolate, grated, one cup of milk and
two rounded tablespoonfuls of butter. Cook, stirring constantly, for
twenty minutes. Dip out a little of the mixture, put on a cold plate, and
if it is done it will form a soft pliable paste. Flavor generously with
vanilla, beat hard for a few minutes, then turn into buttered pans and cut
into squares while warm.
[852 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
CHOCOLATE CANDIES. Cocoanut Cream Bars.--Boil three pounds of granulated
sugar, one cup of cold water and half a teaspoonful of cream of tartar
until thick--or in the "ball" stage. Let cool slightly, then beat until
creamy. Have ready a large cocoanut, grated; mix and stir well, then pour
into shallow tins covered with buttered paper. When cold, cut into bars.
Let stand a day or two before using.
Cocoanut Caramels.--Three pounds of granulated sugar, one cup of milk, a
tablespoonful of butter and two teaspoonfuls of lemon extract. Put into a
kettle, stir till dissolved; add one grated cocoanut and boil to the
"pearl" stage. Pour into buttered pans, after it has cooled a little mark
off into squares, and when cold break apart. Use when quite fresh.
Cocoanut Snow Balls.--Knead dessicated cocoanut into fondant; make into
balls, and roll in grated cocoanut. Dessicated cocoanut may be used but is
not as good as grated cocoanut.
MAPLE CANDIES. Maple Creams.--Beat thoroughly one cup of the best maple
syrup and the while of one egg. With XXX confectioners' sugar, make it
into a stiff fondant or paste. Use as the centers for bon-bons, or make
into balls to be dipped into chocolate.
Maple Creams No. 2.--To two pounds of maple sugar add a cup of water and a
quarter teaspoonful cream of tartar. Shave the sugar, and stir till
dissolved. Boil without stirring to the soft ball stage; let stand in the
kettle until cool, not cold; beat until creamy and pour into a shallow
buttered pan.
Maple Balls.--Boil without stirring, two cups of shaved maple sugar and a
cup of water. At the hard ball stage add a heaping tablespoonful of good
butter. Beat till creamy. As soon as it can be handled form into balls and
press the half of an English walnut or pecan on one side.
WAFERS.--To make wafers, boil without stirring two cups of granulated
sugar, a half cup of water. When it will "spin a thread" set the kettle in
cold water and beat till creamy. Flavor with peppermint, wintergreen,
cinnamon, or any flavor you choose. Squeeze through a pastry tube upon
paraffin paper in quantities that will spread to the size of a quarter
dollar.
Chocolate Peppermint Wafers.--Take some of the fondant prepared as above,
flavor rather strongly with peppermint and dip in sweet chocolate.
MOLASSES CANDIES.--Nothing pleases children more than a "candy pull." Turn
them loose in the kitchen and let them make molasses taffy.
Molasses Taffy.--Boil a cup of good Porto Rico molasses, a cup of brown
sugar and a piece of butter the size of an egg until a little will harden,
in cold water. Cool on buttered plates, and as soon as it can be handled
grease the fingers and pull till hard and light colored. To prevent
boiling over, grease the edge of the pan or kettle in which it is boiled.
[CANDY MAKING 853]
Molasses Taffy No. 2.--Four cups of sugar, two of molasses, half a cup of
vinegar. Boil till it hardens in cold water, then add a tablespoonful of
soda dissolved in a little water. Pour into buttered dishes and pull when
sufficiently cool to handle.
Butter Scotch.--One cup of each of sugar and molasses, half a cup of
vinegar, one tablespoonful of butter and a quarter teaspoonful of soda.
Nougat.--Nuts intended for nougat should be blanched, skinned and dried.
Melt in a porcelain lined vessel, one pound of fine white sugar with two
tablespoonfuls of water, stirring continually with a wooden spoon. Heat
the nuts in the oven, after chopping them, add to the syrup, and stir for
five minutes. Remove from the fire and add a little grated lemon rind. Oil
a flat pan; place it in a warm place on the range and pour the candy into
it. When brown, turn out of the mould, cut in cubes and wrap in oiled
paper.
Nut Bars.--Chop any kind of nutmeats you prefer, or a mixture of nuts,
moderately fine. Butter a shallow pan and spread the nuts evenly over the
bottom. Boil one pound of granulated sugar with half a cup of water and a
pinch of cream of tartar till thick, but not too brittle. Pour over the
nuts and set aside to cool. When it begins to harden mark into bars with a
sharp knife. Let stand several days, when it becomes soft and delicious.
Nut Loaf.--Chop nutmeats into small pieces and work into fondant. Make
into a roll, and after standing a day or two, cut into slices. Chopped
dates, figs and raisins may be used in the same way.
Peanut Candy.--Carefully remove the shells and brown skins from roasted
peanuts. Put them an inch thick in a buttered pan. Boil a pound of crushed
loaf sugar with three gills of water and a salt spoon of cream of tartar
(to prevent graining) dissolved in water, to the caramel stage. The
instant the sugar reaches that point, shown by its beginning to brown, it
must be removed from the fire and the pan set in cold water to check the
boiling; then pour over the nuts.
Pop Corn Candy.--Boil two cups of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of butter and
a cup of water until it threads. Stir in four quarts of nice popped corn,
rejecting all hard kernels, take from the fire and stir till cool. Make
into balls.
Popcorn Baskets.--Prepare the corn as above, instead of making into balls,
butter the bottoms of tumblers and press the candy around them to form
little baskets, in which ice cream may be served or which may be filled
with candies.
Sour Drops.--Strain the juice of three or four large lemons into a bowl,
and stir in powdered loaf sugar till it is quite thick. Put into a pan and
let boil five minutes, stirring constantly. Drop from the end of a spoon
upon writing paper, and when dry keep in tin cannisters. Tartaric acid is
generally used by commercial candy makers, but is much more injurious to
health.
[854 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Crystallized Fruits.--Other Candies.--Boil two cups of granulated sugar
with two-thirds of a cup of water until it hardens in cold water, do not
stir. When it is brittle without being sticky, it is ready to use. Dip the
fruit to be candied, sections of oranges, white grapes, cherries, squares
of pineapple, etc., into this, and lay on paraffin paper. Dip a second
time after the first has hardened, to ensure a good coat. Use the same
rule for the syrup to glace nuts.
Cream Dates.--Remove the stones from nice dates. Replace them with the
roll of flavored fondant. Or roll a blanched almond in fondant and stuff
the date with it.
Hoarhound Candy.--Boil the hoarhound in a little water till the strength
is extracted. Make a sugar syrup, adding the hoarhound to it; let it boil
up and stir against the sides of the pan until it thickens. Pour out on
paraffin paper dusted with fine sugar, and cut into squares.
Marshmallows.--Dissolve over a slow fire eight ounces of best gum arabic
in three gills of water. Boil one ounce of marshmallow roots in a little
water for half an hour. Strain, and boil down. Put this and the gum arabic
solution with half a pound of loaf sugar, let it cook slowly till it makes
a paste that can be rolled between the fingers to the "soft ball" stage.
Then add the beaten whites of two eggs; when well mixed pour in a pan
which should be lined with white paper, with enough projecting over the
sides so that as the mixture cools it can be lifted out and cut in cups
with a sharp knife, then rolled in powdered sugar.
Marrons Glaces.--Remove the shells from a quart of large Italian or French
chestnuts. Let stand fifteen minutes in boiling water. Drain; rub off the
skin; cover again with boiling water and simmer gently half an hour or
till tender, but not soft. Drain in a sieve. Boil together one cup of
granulated sugar and one cup of water; add the nuts and simmer until they
begin to look clear. Make another syrup of one pound of granulated sugar
and one cup of water; boil till it will spin a thread, add a teaspoonful
of lemon juice and set aside till it cools a little; then beat till it
begins to turn white. Set in a basin of hot water, flavor with vanilla,
and when melted to a syrup, dip each nut. When coated, lay on paraffin
paper to dry. These sugared chestnuts are highly esteemed as a sweetmeat
and are expensive to buy.
Stick Candy.--Three pounds of granulated sugar, two cups of water, one
teaspoonful of cream of tartar dissolved in a little warm water. Stir over
the fire till the sugar is dissolved; cover the kettle while the syrup is
boiling and skim carefully a few drops. When it will harden in cold water,
take from the fire and add the flavoring and coloring, then pour on well
buttered plates. When cool, pull, and make into sticks or mark off into
squares.
[CANDY MAKING 855]
School Girl's Delight.--Two cups of white sugar, three-fourths cup of
golden color corn syrup and a quarter cup of water. Put into a granite
sauce pan and boil till a little will crisp in cold water. Beat the
whites of two eggs very stiff in a large bowl; pour the syrup very slowly
into the bowl, beating the while, and beat and stir until it begins to
harden. Then add one teaspoonful of vanilla, half a cup of chopped
nutmeats, and five cents worth of dates, cut up with the scissors. Pour
upon oiled paper in a flat pan and cut in squares. Those who eat this
candy will ask to have it made again.
A Few Hints.--Many candy makers consider coffee A sugar, better than the
granulated, as being purer. Choose a sugar that is dry, uniform in quality
and with hard, sparkling crystals. Cane sugar is greatly to be preferred
over beet sugar. When you can, let the sugar and water stand together for
some time. The syrup may be stirred until it reaches the boiling point,
but not afterward. Unless otherwise specified, cook over a hot fire. The
syrup passes quickly from one degree to another and must be tested often
and carefully. Cream of tartar must be dissolved in a little warm water
before being put into the syrup. So also must soda. If you use nuts, be
careful to remove every particle of shell and skin before putting them
into the syrup. Almonds are blanched by letting them stand in boiling
water for a few minutes and then nipping off the skins between the
fingers. They should be warmed in the oven before being put into the
syrup. Dessicated cocoanut should be steamed a few minutes before being
used; put in a dish in a colander over boiling water. Use the fresh
cocoanut if you can get it. Bonbons made of fondant are probably the
easiest form of candy making for the amateur to attempt, and the most
interesting on account of the variety possible through the use of other
materials in combination.
[858 MOTHERS' REMEDIES ]
OVER THREE HUNDRED
MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES
A GOLD MINE OF INFORMATION FOR
PROGRESSIVE HOUSEWIVES
HOUSEKEEPERS' ALPHABET.
Apples.--Keep in a dry place, as cool as possible, without freezing.
Brooms.--Hang in the cellarway to keep soft and pliant.
Cranberries.--Keep under water in cellar; change water monthly.
Dish of hot water set in oven prevents cake from scorching.
Economize health, time, and means and you will never beg.
Flour.--Keep cool, dry and securely covered.
Glass.--Clean with a quart of water mixed with a tablespoonful of ammonia.
Herbs.--Gather when beginning to blossom; keep in paper sacks.
Ink Stains.--Wet with spirits of turpentine; after three hours, rub well.
Jars.--To prevent, coax husband to your will rather than order him.
Keep an account of all supplies with cost and date when purchased.
Love lightens labor.
Money.--Count carefully when you receive change.
Nutmegs.--Prick with a pin and if good oil will run out.
Orange and Lemon Peel.--Dry, pound and keep in corked bottles.
Parsnips.--Keep in ground until spring.
Quicksilver and white of an egg destroys bedbugs.
Rice.--Select the large, with a clear fresh look; old rice may have
insects.
Sugar.--For family use, the granulated is the best.
Tea.--Equal parts Japan and green are as good as English breakfast.
Use a cement made of ashes, salt and water for cracks in stove.
Variety is the best culinary spice.
Watch your back yard for dirt and bones.
Xantippe was a scold. Don't imitate her.
Youth is best preserved by a cheerful temper.
Zinc lined sinks are better than wooden ones.
Regulate the clock by your husbands watch, and in all apportionment of
time remember the Giver.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 857]
1. Charcoal to Prevent Rust.--Charcoal absorbs all dampness, for which
reason it should be kept in boxes with silverware to prevent rust.
2. A Needle Holder.--A guest of ours kept all her needles in a bottle in
which was a pinch or two of emery. She said that it keeps them always
bright and free from rust, and she finds it much easier to pick out the
needle she wants from the bottle than from a tray.
3. Care of a Scrubbing Brush.--Scrubbing brushes should never be put away
with their bristles upward, for thus the water would soak into the wooden
part and the bristles would soon become loose.
4. In Case of Sickness.--In our home, when hot cloths are needed wet ones
are put in a steamer, and water kept boiling underneath. In this way the
cloths are more easily handled and can be applied as hot as needed.
5. To Tighten Cane-Seated Chair Bottoms.--Cane-seated chair bottoms that
have sagged may be made as tight as ever by washing them with hot water
and leaving them to dry in the open air.
6. For Chilblains.--To relieve the chilblains bathe the feet in warm water
at night, then rub them with castor oil. This method will cure very bad
cases.
7. Paint, Smoked by Kerosene Lamps.--Paint that has been smoked by
kerosene lamps may be cleaned with kerosene, which can afterward be rubbed
off with a clean brush.
8. A Use for Sacks.--Save all salt and sugar sacks; wash and boil them and
they can be put to various uses. Salt sacks are nice to strain jellies
through; are also nice to bake veal or beef loaf in. Sugar sacks make nice
dish-towels.
9. Soap With Stove Blacking.--Use a half bar of laundry soap, and one cake
of blacking. Put in an old kettle with three quarts of water. Boil down
until thick. This will last a year.
10. To Remove White Spots from Tables.--Wring cloths out of very hot
water, lay them over spot and remove quickly. Repeat if necessary. When
dry, rub the furniture with some of the good polish.
11. To Clean Mirrors.--To clean a French mirror which has grown dull, rub
with a cloth soaked in alcohol; follow this by rubbing with a dry cloth.
The dullness will vanish, and the mirror will look like new. This method
is used for cut glass with excellent result.
12. To Whiten Linen.--If you want your table linen to last do not use
bleaching preparations. Use only clean soap and soft water. If the water
is not soft, add a little ammonia.
13. Velveteen for Polishing Cloths.--Old pieces of velveteen that have
served their original purpose should be saved for polishing cloths. They
will answer perfectly the purpose of chamois and save buying anything
fresh. When soiled the cloths may be washed in soapy water and dried in
the open air.
[858 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
14. For Clearing Vinegar.--Should your home-made vinegar refuse to settle,
try this: To each gallon stir in a half pint of fresh milk and let stand
undisturbed for twenty-four hours. The milk will form a curd at the
bottom and all the dregs will settle with it, leaving the vinegar clear.
Pour off very carefully.
15. Uses for Old Velvet.--A bit of velvet is a fine polisher for brass. It
quickly removes the dust from woodwork, or shoes soiled from walking which
do not need reblacking. For dusting a felt hat there is nothing better
than a piece of chiffon velvet. It is also good to keep the bottom of a
silk skirt free from the dirt. One housekeeper even uses a big piece of
old velvet to rub her stove to a high polish after it has been blackened.
16. Removing Warts.--Warts can be removed permanently and safely by an
application of a salve made by mixing common table salt into a yolk of an
egg. Change the application daily, and within the week they will all drop
out.
17. To Save Time by Sewing.--When sewing on plain garments, cut out
several garments at a time, and save time by stitching all the straight
seams, then doing all the basting, etc.
18. To Remove Stains from Blankets.--Stains on blankets and other woolen
materials may be removed by using a mixture of equal parts of glycerin and
a yolk of an egg. Spread it on the stain, let it stay for half an hour or
more, then wash out.
19. Burn from Acid or Lye.--In case of a burn with carbolic acid or lye,
the speedy application of sweet oil or olive oil will give almost instant
relief.
20. To Wash Laces.--To wash delicate or tender laces put the lace in a
fruit jar with shavings of some good soap, cover with warm water, let soak
for awhile then shake, using if necessary several waters, then rinse in
same manner, spread between pieces of muslin and roll up on a bottle or
jar, and leave to dry. They will not be torn in this way and will look
like new.
21. For Cut or Bruise.--Bind sugar and turpentine on the wound or bruise
at once. The healing properties of this simple remedy cannot be surpassed.
22. Lemons; How to Obtain More Juice.--Lemons placed in a moderately hot
oven, for a few minutes will yield a greater quantity of juice than if
used in the ordinary way.
23. Whipping Cream.--If cream does not whip well, add to it the white of
an egg, and the result will be very satisfactory.
24. To Clean Lamp Burners.--To remove the black gummy coating which
sometimes comes on the brass parts of lamp burners, moisten the cloth with
common household ammonia, rub it on sapolio, and apply it to the coated
surface with the aid of a little elbow grease. A bright brassy surface
will soon appear.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 859]
25. To Preserve Hot Water Bottle.--Fill with air, cork tightly, and hang
in a cool dry place. This keeps the walls of the bottle from coming in
contact with each other and prevents deterioration and decay.
26. Sweep Stairs with Paint Brush.--My mother uses a paint brush with long
bristles for sweeping her stairs. With its use the work is more quickly
and thoroughly done than by the old way, because the bristles reach every
corner and crack as a cloth cannot do.
27. Washing Hair Brushes.--To wash hair brushes take a piece of washing
soda, dissolve it in warm water, and stand the brush in it, taking care
that the water covers only the bristles. It will almost instantly become
clean and white. Place it in the air to dry, bristles downward, and it
will be as firm as a new brush.
28. Loops on Towels.--Always have a loop on each end of the kitchen towel,
where a roller is not used. Otherwise all the soil and the wear come on
the lower end.
29. Changing Pillow Slips.--To change pillow slips without scattering the
feathers all over the house, sew up the clean tick, all except a space of
about twelve inches. Take the full pillow unopened and baste one side of
the empty one to the full one. Then with a knife slit open the seam of the
pillow, the twelve-inch space. Quickly baste the other sides together so
they will not come apart easily. Then slowly push the feathers into the
clean and empty tick, and when finished undo the basting and sew tightly.
Soak the soiled ticks in cold water immediately to remove remaining
feathers.
30. Use of Old Linen Collars.--Cut them up into narrow strips and use them
for gas-lighting instead of using wax tapers. They make a steady flame
and do not drip grease.
31. Discarded Toys.--My baby came in the other day hugging to his breast a
toy tin goat. It was evidently one of the discarded playthings of a
neighbor's child. On inquiry I found that the toy had been given to my
boy, and he has taken so much pleasure in this castoff plaything that I
have been saving his old toys and passing them on to other children of the
neighborhood. I have discovered that in their baby hearts these are as
good as new, because they have never played with them. It is nothing to
them that they are not just out of the store.
32. To Clean Silver.--Try curdled milk for cleaning your silverware. Let
the silver stand for several hours in the milk, and you will be surprised
at the result.
33. Removing Stains.--Damp salt will remove egg stains from silver and tea
stains from cups.
34. To Keep Free from Mould.--Jelly and jam can be kept entirely free from
mould by pouring a thin layer of melted paraffin on top. This paraffin can
be saved when the jelly is taken from the glass and used the next season
so the cost is very small.
[860 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
35. Hanging Out Clothes.--The other day I came across a peculiar clothes
bar. It was the same as any other, except that the crossbars had been
removed, and for them ropes had been substituted. The owner told me she
had had her husband fix it for her the previous winter when she was
bothered with salt rheum. "I hang up all the baby's little things,
fastening them with clothespins, right here in the house where it is
warm," she explained. "Then it is but the work of a moment to take the
whole thing out of doors, and there is no fishing around for the tiny
things when my hands are so cold they feel as though they would drop off."
36. A Fine Cutting Board.--I measured the top of my kitchen cabinet, and
had a piece of zinc cut to fit it, allowing an inch for turning over the
edges. My husband tacked it on, and I can cut meat and bread or anything
on it, without harming it in the least, besides using it as a moulding
board.
37. Convenient Place for Stiletto.--It will be found a great convenience
to have the stiletto tied to the embroidery hoop by a ribbon about a foot
long, when that little instrument is necessary for the work in hand.
38. Cleaning Paint and Varnish.--Many housekeepers have been annoyed by
finding their paint and varnish brushes dry and hard. To soften them, heat
to the boiling water point some good cider vinegar, immerse your brushes
and allow them to simmer in it for a few minutes, then wash out in strong
soapsuds and your brushes will be soft and pliable.
39. How to Keep Cookies from Burning.--To keep cookies from burning on the
bottom, turn the baking pan upside down and bake on the bottom of the pan.
40. Non-Sticking Cake Tins.--Cake layers will not stick in cooking if a
little meal is scorched on the cake tins and rubbed off with paper.
41. To Clean Sieve.--Hold a sieve which has been used for straining
oatmeal, tomatoes, fruit, etc., at once under the faucet, or shake it in
enough water to cover it, then slap it, and it is easily cleaned; if it
dries first it is almost impossible to get it clean even by more time and
effort.
42. Washing Clothes.--After the clothes have been soaked a while to loosen
the dirt, spread on washboard, soap, and then rub with a common scrub
brush. The dirt comes out easier and with much less wear on the clothes.
Even when the washing machine is used, this is a help for the wrist bands
that are not quite clean.
43. Discoveries.--When old clothes, like worn-out aprons or waists or
linings come to hand, and are absolutely good for nothing else, cut them
into small pieces, say eight or twelve inches square, some larger, and put
them into a bag or box easily accessible. Then when something is spilled
over on stove or floor, or mess of any kind is made, use these bits for
cleaning up and drop them into the fire.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 861]
44. To Stretch Curtains.--Take curtains while wet and put on a curtain
rod; also put a heavy rod as a weight on the lower hem. Hang one on
curtain at a time at an open window and stretch the desired width.
45. Cleaning Windows in the Winter.--It is a hard task in the winter time
to wash windows in the old way, but if it is very cold, windows can be
cleaned by using "Bon Ami," The same is useful for cleaning bright pieces
on stoves.
46. How to Kill Black Ants.--A request for information as to how to rid
plants and trees of black ants, which was received at the Pennsylvania
department of agriculture's division of zoology, elicited the following
from Prof. H. A. Surface, State Zoologist. You can do this by finding the
nesting places of the pests and making holes into the interior of them
with a sharpened stick like a broom handle and pouring into each hole a
half tea cup of carbon bisulphide. Fill the hole with earth and cover with
a wet cloth or blanket to keep down the fumes and the ants will be
destroyed at once. This is the best possible method for destroying ants of
any kind.
47. Washing Windows.--It is better to wash windows on a cloudy day or when
the sun is not shining directly on them. Before washing, dust them
thoroughly inside and out, then wash the woodwork without touching the
glass. For the glass use warm water, to which add a tablespoonful of
kerosene to each pailful of water used. Dry with a cloth or chamois skin,
wrung very dry; then polish with a soft cloth or soft old newspapers.
48. Home-made Soap Shaker.--A baking powder can with holes punctured in
both cover and bottom, makes a fine soap shaker. Put all the small scraps
of soap in this, and when you wash dishes, just put box and all in your
dishpan and shake about. You will have a nice suds and no soap rubbing off
on the dishes.
49. Cleaning Rugs.--When cleaning rugs first lay them out straight and
brush with a stiff dry scrubbing brush. You will be surprised at the
amount of dirt that is loosened and comes out in this way.
50. Clean Leather Furniture.--A good way to clean leather furniture is to
add a little vinegar to some warm water and wash the leather, using a
clean soft cloth. Wipe with a dry cloth. To restore the polish, mix two
teaspoonfuls of turpentine with the whites of two eggs; beat a little and
apply with a soft flannel cloth. Dry with another cloth and rub well.
51. Ironing Board, Conveniences for.--Try tacking a pocket on the under
side of your ironing board to keep your holder, stand and sheet of sand
paper in.
52. Clean Gilt Furniture.--Gilt furniture can be cleaned with sifted
whiting made into a cream with alcohol. Cover a small space at a time and
rub off before it hardens. To clean brass fixtures rub them with cut lemon
and then wash off in hot water.
[862 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
53. For Tufted Furniture.--For tufted furniture use a bicycle pump to
remove dust. Garments to be stored for the summer months should first be
aired well on a bright breezy day. Brush thoroughly and shake free of
dust. Do not leave clothing out in the air after three o'clock in the
afternoon, as from that time until dark all sorts of insects are seeking
their beds. A trunk or box that has been thoroughly cleaned and sunned and
then lined with fresh newspapers will prove an ideal place in which to
store winter clothing. Sprinkle each layer with cloves and tuck newspapers
well around them, moths detest printer's ink.
54. Clean Linoleum.--To clean linoleum add one cupful of beeswax, shaved
fine, to two cupfuls of turpentine and set on the back of the stove to
melt. When cool it will be thick and ready for use. First thoroughly clean
the linoleum and then apply the paste with a soft cloth. Rub in well, then
polish with a dry cloth, preferably flannel. Linoleum treated in this
manner will look like new.
55. For Broken Needles.--A receptacle for broken needles in her work
basket would be a boon to any woman, and this one which I am about to
describe is very easily made, takes up little space and is really very
convenient, when one is busy sewing and dislikes to get up to take care of
the dangerous bits of steel. Take a little two dram bottle (homeopathic
style), crochet for it a snug covering made of embroidery silk or
silkaline, crocheting it tightly and covering the bottle completely, using
some bright color if desired. When you break a needle just slip the pieces
right through the meshes of silk into the bottle; they will go in easily,
but the holes will close up after them, retaining them in safety till the
receptacle is full.
56. How to Carry House Key.--The pocketless woman often finds it
troublesome to carry a key, especially the house key, when she goes out.
If an old-fashioned split metal ring can be found, use it to connect the
key to be carried to the circular end of a strong, sure acting safety pin,
not necessarily of the largest size. If such a ring cannot be found,
fasten pin and key together with a bit of fine wire, string or thread will
be sure to break just at the wrong time. Then the pin may be fastened to
the inside of the jacket or slipped inside of the shirtwaist band pinned
to the undergarment, or attached to the skirtband and allowed to hang down
outside.
57. A Sewing Room Hint.--Thread will not become knotted so often if the
newly-cut end is put into the needle instead of the other end, which is
already broken.
58. Convenient Addition to Kitchen.--One of the most highly-prized helps
in our kitchen is a bird cage hook, one which can be hung on a nail, and
thus easily changed from place to place. On this when placed over the
sink, I hang macaroni, greens, etc., to drain; and when placed over the
kitchen table, it is an ideal arrangement for holding the jelly bag.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 863]
59. To Remove Candle Grease.--A simple way to remove candle grease is to
scrape off all that will come off in that way, lay over the spot a piece
of heavy brown wrapping paper (butcher's paper) and press with a very hot
iron.
60. Using Silk on the Machine.--When sewing on the machine with silk, it
often unwinds and twists around the spool spindle in a very trying manner.
To avoid this make a hole in a small piece of felt and slip it on the
spindle before the silk is put on.
61. A Shoe Cover.--When packing my trunk for a journey, I have found it to
be a good scheme to use my stockings for shoe covers, this saves the added
bulk of paper, and the shoes will be found less liable to muss up other
things if protected by this clean and handy stocking covering. A stocking
occupies practically no room when drawn over a shoe, and the two together
will be found quite handy to tuck into chinks into which they alone can
fall.
62. To Press Skirts.--An easy way to press skirts is to use a sheet of
paper in place of a cloth; lay the folds, or plaits and in place of
ironing over a wet cloth take a sheet of common magazine paper lay it on
the goods and iron. This presses the skirt very well and keeps the shine
off and will, I think, give more satisfaction than if pressed with a damp
cloth or ironed on the wrong side.
63. How to Attach Holders to Kitchen Apron.--Pin two holders with long
tape at each side of the apron when cooking. They are convenient for
handling hot kettles or dishes.
64. To Pack Music.--An excellent place in which to pack away sheets of
music that are not in constant use is a large box fitted with a hinged
cover and upholstered in cretonne, after the manner of shirtwaist boxes so
much in vogue. Such a box is kept in the hallway of a small flat, where
room is at a premium. The music cabinet was full to overflowing and there
was no closet shelf that could be utilized, as so often happens in an
ordinary house. An unused shirtwaist box was suggested and has been found
to answer every purpose, besides providing an extra seat when such a seat
was desirable. The box seems to fit in as an article of furnishing and the
reason for its being there would never be asked.
65. Pie Crust, How to Bake.--Bake empty pie crusts on the outside of the
tin, instead of the inside, and they won't shrink.
66. Let the Poison Bottle Tinkle.--A wise house mother with half a dozen
little folk needing all sorts of medicines and medical applications, has
purchased in a toy shop a handful of little bells, and when a bottle
containing poison is added to the medicine closet it is adorned with a
bell tied around its neck with a narrow ribbon. No danger with the bottle
thus equipped of taking by mistake, in the dark, the dangerous medicine.
The moment the poison bottle is touched the little bell tinkles its
warning.
[864 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
67. A New Night Lamp.--Mothers who have timid little ones will appreciate
the new night lamp, the apparatus of which may be carried to the country
in a trunk or handbag. This apparatus consists of a small wooden float
through which passes a tiny wick. An ordinary china teacup is half filled
with cottonseed oil, the little floating wick placed in this, and a match
touched to the upright wick. While the sides of the cup prevent thc direct
light of the flame being visible to the person in bed, a pleasant dim
light is cast over the room.
68. Time Saved in Sewing.--In a family of small children there are a great
many buttonholes to be made. A quick way to make them in the everyday
underwear, is on the sewing machine. Sew back and forth, leaving a small
space in the center, three or four times where the buttonhole is wanted,
and cut in the space left, being careful not to cut the stitching. In
making little dresses, or slips after the skirts are sewed up, attach the
gatherer to the machine and gather the top and bottom of sleeves and
skirt. In this way work is quickly done.
69. Stews and Hash, How to Make.--Stews and hash made of fresh meat or
round steak instead of scraps, are delicious. When the steak is to be used
without being ground, select only tender, young, pinkish pieces; otherwise
it will be tough in spite of prolonged cooking.
70. Dusters.--Another good idea about dusters. Do not use anything that
comes handy, but get squares of five-cent cheese cloth or silkoline, fold
a neat hem, and whip it nicely around, then turn and go back the other
way. These materials are the best one can use, as they do not leave lint
behind. Always wash the dusters after the sweeping day. No one can do
clean work with soiled tools; besides dusters ruin the hands.
71. Broom Bags.--Good material for a broom bag or cover is old gauze
underwear. The goods takes up dust very readily, and is easily rinsed out;
or a piece can be thrown away without waste.
72. To Settle Coffee.--An economical and satisfactory way to settle coffee
is as follows: Beat one egg well with an egg beater and pour over one
pound of freshly-ground coffee, mix very thoroughly and no trace of
dampness then remains. The coffee may then be put away as usual, and when
used it will be found as clear as amber.
73. Stocking Tops for Convenient Holders.--For soft, convenient holders
use old stocking tops. Take two thicknesses, cut in squares, bind all
around with some bias pieces left from calico dresses and sew a brass ring
on one corner.
74. Hat Hangers.--It is often convenient to hang up hats, even
"Sunday-go-to-meeting ones." To make sure that everyone will stay hung
up, and not fall to the floor to be soiled or crushed under foot, sew a
loop of narrow ribbon or elastic braid or even shoestring, to the middle
of the lining, making the loop long enough so that it will reach to the
edge of the hat crown when the loop is pulled out. This can be done and
passed over hook or nail or peg, and the hat hung over it, and even if the
hat gets a hard knock, it's a case of "sure on" every time.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 865]
75. To Freshen Bread.--To freshen bread pour cold water all over the loaf,
drain quickly, and place in the oven. When the outside is dry and hot
remove the loaf and it can scarcely be detected from a new one.
76. Renewing Wringer Rollers.--A neighbor rejuvenated a worn-out wringer
the other day by covering the rolls with white felt. She cut the felt so
that it would just come together, not overlap anywhere, and caught the
edges together with close stitches. It bids fair to last her as long
again, and it is certain that just now the wringer does as good work as
any new one.
77. To Prevent Cake Tins Sticking.--Flour the baking tins after greasing
them. If the flour is shaken all over the grease, and the tins rapped, you
will have no difficulty with sticky cakes which break when you try to get
them out. Lard is just as good as butter, for it will not taste through
the flour.
78. Substitute for Chopping Bowl.--When chopping mincemeat, tomatoes, or
large quantities of other fruit, you will probably find that your chopping
bowl is a good deal too small. Get a clean wooden box with a thick bottom,
from your grocer and use it instead of your bowl. You will notice a great
saving of time is effected.
79. Save the Gas.--Cut strips of asbestos paper an inch and a half wide
and long enough to go around the burners of the gas range. Pin together to
form a ring, slip over the burner, and all the heat will be concentrated
where wanted. In this way the gas can be half turned off and the same
results obtained.
80. To Prevent Pitchers Dripping.--Syrup or other liquids will not drip
from a pitcher if a little butter or grease is rubbed on the edge and
under the side of the lip.
81. Medicine Cupboard.--An array of ordinary medicine bottles is always
unsightly, and a nuisance, too, on cleaning days. Have a tiny cupboard
with tight closing door, or a well-fitted curtain, and there is gain in
looks and convenience.
82. To Prevent Tablecloths from Blowing Off.--We had some pieces of brass
chain, and found them splendid to run through the hems of the tablecovers
when in use on the porch in summer. Such "loaded" covers do not blow off
easily, consequently they save quite a bit of annoyance and laundering.
83. To Mark Poison Bottle.--When you purchase a bottle of poison run a
brass-headed tack into the top of the cork. It serves as a marker, and
children will be more cautious of the marked bottle. If the label comes
off or is discolored, the marker remains as a warning that the bottle
contains poison.
[866 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
84. To Remove White Spots Caused by Hot Dishes.--For polishing tables
after hot dishes leave a white spot, take a cloth wet in alcohol, then
have one wet in sweet oil. Do it quickly and spots will disappear at once.
85. Stains from Fly Paper, to Remove.--Almost anything that has come in
contact with sticky fly paper can be thoroughly cleansed by sponging with
kerosene. The odor will soon evaporate if the article is exposed to the
air for a short time.
86. A Use for Ravelings.--In trimming a tablecloth to be hemmed or
stitched, one very frequently has to cut off quite a piece of the linen.
Ravelings from these pieces are invaluable for mending old cloths, and
ought to be saved for that purpose,
87. How to Remove a Glass Stopper.--The obstinate glass stopper in a glass
bottle will yield to a string of seaweed around the neck of the bottle.
Friction, heat, slight outside expansion solve the problem.
88. To Prevent Starch from Boiling Over.--Add a small piece of butter the
size of a walnut when the starch comes to a good boil. This not only gives
a nice, smooth finish and makes the ironing easier, but it prevents the
starch from boiling over.
89. To Hold Sheets in Place.--I worked out a little scheme which has saved
me a lot of trouble and inconvenience, so I thought I would pass it on.
The sheets and bed clothes are constantly pulling out at the foot, so one
day I sewed three buttons on to my mattress with strong thread, and worked
buttonholes in the hems of the sheets to correspond, and since then have
not had trouble with their pulling up in the middle of the night.
90. Hints for Bathing the Baby.--It is a great advantage when bathing the
baby to have all the towels heated before using, as they absorb the
moisture much more readily and are very pleasant and soothing to the
delicate skin. This is also excellent for bathing an invalid as it greatly
hastens the work and lessens the danger of catching cold. It acts like a
charm for the child who dreads a bath, this is usually a nervous child who
does not like the feeling of the towel, on the wet surface of its skin;
complains of feeling damp; and refuses to don its clothing when a less
sensitive child would be perfectly comfortable.
91. A Satisfactory Shoe Polisher.--Not long since I ripped up a velvet
covered hat, only to find the velvet impossible for further use in the
millinery line. A threw it into the big waste basket that stands near my
husband's shoe cleaning apparatus. He caught up the velvet in a hurry one
day to take a spot off a shoe, and now has it laid away as a treasure in
his shoe kit. He says it is the best polisher he ever had, and uses it on
my fine shoes to his own entire satisfaction.
92. Tasty Way of Preparing Beef-tea.--Beef-tea will not prove so
monotonous to an invalid if a different flavoring is used each day, as
dove, bay leaf, or celery.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 867]
93. To Preserve Silk Gloves.--If white or delicately tinted silk gloves
are wrapped in blue paper, then in brown they will not discolor. The
chloride of lime in white paper is injurious.
94. Red Ants to Destroy.--Dry sulphur, sprinkled about in cupboards or
flour chests where small red ants frequent, will rid the place of the
pests.
95. Kitchen Account Book.--I have found a kitchen account book is a very
useful record. I have a small vestpocket note book hanging by a string and
pencil near my kitchen range. A page or two is devoted to each month's
use. The month and year are entered at the top of page. When groceries are
purchased, the date, article and price are noted, and summed up at the end
of each month. It makes a handy, permanent record, showing how long
supplies last, the expense of one month compared with another, and the
monthly average of each year.
96. A Brick Pincushion.--A brick pincushion was a dressmaker's ingenious
way of making easy work of basting and sewing long seams. She took a
common red brick, topped it with a flat oblong cushion size and shape of
the brick, covering the whole neatly with a bright chintz cover. This
standing on the edge of her cutting table was in constant use, and proved
a great convenience.
97. Fruit Stains, to Remove from Hands.--When your hands become stained
from paring fruit or vegetables, dip them in soap suds then rub thoroughly
with coarse salt, and they will become smooth and white.
98. Eyelet Embroidery, Suggestions for.--For some time after I began doing
"eyelet work" I wondered if there was not some way to fasten the thread
after completing an eyelet. A friend of mine showed me a solution of my
problem. It was to leave the last three loops loose enough so that I could
pass the thread back through them after completing the eyelet. Then I
carefully pulled each of these loops down and cut off the thread. This
obviates the necessity of any knots that are so unsightly, and at the same
time, the thread is firmly secured. 99. To Prevent Stockings from Wearing
Out.--Paste pieces of velvet soft side up, into the heels of your shoes,
bottom and back, and you will find your stockings darning reduced by a big
per cent.
100. Needle Sharpener.--I know a woman who always keeps a small piece of
whetstone in her machine drawer for sharpening needles when they become
blunted. It is a great scheme, and saves a lot of needles, as I have
proved to my own satisfaction.
101. Burned Kettles.--If you have had the misfortune to burn your kettle
it may be made smooth and clean by filling it with ashes and water,
leaving it for an hour or so, then washing with clear water.
102. Children's Petticoats.--When making washable petticoats for her small
daughters, a mother whom I know attaches two skirts to one belt, which in
turn is sewed to a little lace trimmed waist. The lower skirt is made of
white cambric, and the top skirt is of swiss embroidery. This arrangement
saves time in dressing the little ones and their upper and lower
petticoats are always of the same length and set evenly.
[868 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
103. Systematic Housekeeping.--A friend of mine who has a six-room
apartment delights in taking care of it in sections, one room a day. On
each of the six days in the week one room is thoroughly cleaned and put in
order. She plans, if possible, to add some little touch of adornment, a
new rocker, or vase, or table cover, or pincushion. In this way there is
always something new to notice and admire, and yet no new and startling
changes and never any accumulation of hard work.
104. To Keep Grape Fruit After Cutting.--When half a grapefruit or melon
is left from a meal, place it cut side down on a china or agate plate, so
that no air can reach it, and the fruit will keep as though it had not
been cut.
105. How to Freshen Nuts.--We had a lot of nuts that became too dry to be
good, and were about to throw them away, when a friend told us of a very
easy and practical way to freshen them. It was this: to let them stand
over night in a solution of equal parts of milk and water, then dry them
slowly in a moderate oven. They tasted so fresh and proved to be such an
economy, that we thought the idea well worth passing along.
106. Measure the Eggs.--Try measuring the whites of eggs for angel food
instead of counting them, for best results.
107. Kerosene Lamps.--A neighbor who has to use kerosene for lighting
purposes told me the secret of her bright lights. After cleansing the
lamps well and trimming the wick she fills the oil chamber, and drops into
it a piece of camphor gum about as large as a marble. It is a very simple
method of securing a splendid light.
108. Baking Help.--When creaming butter and sugar for cake or cookies, add
two tablespoonfuls of boiling water, then deduct this amount from the
other liquid used. Beat hard with a spoon, and the mixture will become a
light creamy mass in one-third of the time it otherwise would take.
109. To Destroy Disagreeable Odors.--The cooking of onions, cabbage, or
frying articles always leaves a disagreeable odor in our house. To get rid
of this I place an old tin over a lighted burner and sprinkle some ground
cinnamon on it. When the tin is very hot I carry it through the house on
the dustpan, leaving behind me the pleasant pungent odor of the spice.
110. The Last Step.--A great many times last winter I had to go into the
cellar to tend to the furnace when it was too light to light a lamp, and
too dark to enable one to see easily. Almost every time I had to feel
around to be sure that I was on the bottom step. One day my husband was
doing some painting in the cellar and happened to think that a little
white paint on that step would help. Now we wonder why we did not think of
it before.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 869]
111. Truth spoken with malicious intent is greater error than keeping of
silence where wrong is meant.
112. Boiled Potatoes.--Boiled potatoes should be served as soon as they
are cooled. To make them dryer, drain off the water quickly, shake them in
a strong draught of air and do not put back the lid of the kettle.
113. To Prevent Ripping.--When hemming table cloths, sheets, etc., on the
machine, try the following plan: Sew the hem as you always do, but when
you come to the end, instead of leaving a long thread to tie it, to keep
from ripping, simply lift the presser-foot, turn the goods around, place
the presser-foot down again and sew back over the same seam again, and sew
about half an inch more. It makes a neat finish and no danger of the hem
ever fraying out.
114. To Mix Corn Bread.--To mix corn bread more easily warm the bowl that
it is to be mixed in.
115. Mending Table Linen.--To mend table cloths and napkins, take the
sewing machine, loosen the tension, lengthen the stitch, place embroidery
rings over the place to be mended, and stitch back and forth closely. You
have a neat darn, easily done. When laundered you can scarcely see it. Do
the same with stockings.
116. Children's Toy.--Save all the empty spools, and when any dyeing is
done in the household, drop the spools into the fluid for a few minutes,
and they will make fine playthings for the children on a rainy day.
117. To Keep Coffee From Boiling Over.--To keep coffee from boiling over
add a lump of butter about the size of a small marble.
118. Sour Milk Pancakes.--We are very fond of sour milk pancakes, and have
often had to go without any in the winter when the weather was cold, just
because the milk would not sour. I have learned to put a teaspoonful of
vinegar in a pan of milk, that I wanted to use for the cakes the next
morning, and find that it never fails me in making the milk sour. Placing
the pan over the register for the night helps matters along.
119. When the Wooden Scrub Bucket Leaks.--When the wooden scrub bucket
leaks pour sealing wax into the crevice and paint on the outside. This
will make it last for a longer period.
120. Rust Spots on Clothes.--Many rust spots on clothes are caused by bits
of soap adhering to the latter when they come in contact with the bluing
water. The discovery has been of great help to me because I can now easily
avoid having these unsightly marks. I merely cut the soap into small
pieces, and tie them in a salt bag I keep for the purpose. With this
treatment the soap dissolves just as quickly but does not come into direct
contact with the clothes.
[870 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
121. Cleaning Stoves.--Before blacking my stove I rub soap on my hands, as
if washing them, letting the soap dry on. When washing my hands after the
work is done, the blacking and the soap come off together easily, leaving
no stain on the hands.
122. Left-Over Peaches.--If there are not peaches enough left from an
opened can to go around, mix them with orange pulp and a little sliced
banana and the family will find them improved.
123. Substitute for Cream in Coffee.--For a substitute for cream in coffee
put a pint of fresh milk into a double boiler and let it come to a boil,
stirring often. Beat the yolk of one egg very light and pour it into the
boiling milk and mix well.
124. Cooking cauliflower.--Soak cauliflower an hour before cooking. Put
into boiling water to which a tablespoonful of salt is added. Boil from
twenty to thirty minutes according to size of the head.
125. Uses for Child's Broom.--A child's broom should find place in the
bath room. It can be kept in the clothes hamper, and will be useful in
sweeping under the bath-tub.
126. Dish Cloths.--Dish cloths are often neglected. They should be kept
scrupulously clean, and in order that they may be so they should be washed
out carefully with soap, and well rinsed each time they have been used.
After this has been done they may be hung in the air to dry. Some people,
however, like to have a stone jar containing a solution of soda by the
sink and to keep the dish cloths in it when not in use.
127. Watch for the wishes of the customers and not the hands of the clock,
and some day you will have your boss's job.
128. We judge our neighbor as queer and eccentric, but with the same
measure comes back his judgment of us.
129. Uses for Men's Worn Out Collars.--Men's collars when worn out, can be
opened and bound together as a memorandum book which can be laundered each
Monday.
130. Broiling Meat.--A little salt thrown on the coal flame will clear it
for broiling meat.
131. Combinations of Cherries and Pineapple.--A combination of cherries
and pineapple makes a most-delicious pie.
132. Crepe Paper for Dish Closet.--A pretty effect for the dish closet may
be found in crepe paper. Some prefer white, but a tint harmonizing well
with the china is pretty too. Have it to fall about three inches below
the edge of the shelves and ruffle the edge of the paper by stretching it
lightly between forefinger and thumb.
133. Boiling Rice.--One cook always puts a very little lemon juice in the
water in which she boils the rice. She claims that it keeps the rice white
and the grams whole and separate. It may be worth trying.
134. To Remove Grease from Silk.--Grease may be removed from silk and
woolen clothes by the use of magnesia. Scrape a quantity upon the spot,
cover with a brown paper and place a hot flat-iron over it. The heat of
the iron acts upon the magnesia and when the iron and the paper are
removed and the magnesia brushed off the spot will have disappeared.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 871]
135. Hemstitching.--When hemstitching wears out, take serpentine braid and
stitch it across twice on the sewing machine. This makes the hem look neat
and last a long time.
136. Moths.--When moths get into dresser drawers, sweep them clean, expose
the wood to the sunlight and with an atomizer spray turpentine where the
pests are liable to be. A lighted match or sulphur candle will kill them.
137. To Remove Putty.--To remove putty, rub a red hot poker over it, and
cut off the putty with a steel knife.
138. New Method for Sprinkling Clothes.--Turn the nozzle of the hose to a
fine spray and sprinkle the clothes while they are on the line; a very
quick and good method. All plain pieces may then be rolled up and laid in
the basket as they are taken down, while starched articles need but a
little further hand sprinkling on portions not exposed.
139. To Open Packages of Breakfast Food.--To open packages of breakfast
food and keep boxes in a dust proof condition until empty, make an opening
in the side of box close to top by forcing a tablespoon through cardboard
and turn flap downwards. The flap will fit back snugly in place each time
package is used.
140. Preparing Oranges for the Table.--In preparing oranges for the table
take a sharp knife, cut the skin straight around, insert the handle of a
spoon turned over flat to fit the orange and loosen shell by forcing spoon
to within one-half inch of the end, around one side, then the other, after
which cut the orange through the center, making two parts. Then turn the
skin back in cup form, making a pretty decoration for the table and
serving as handles. Always serve in halves.
141. To Make a Muddy Skirt Wash Easily.--To make a muddy skirt wash easily
and look white, take sour milk and dilute with water; soak the skirt in it
over night, then wash in the usual way; the skirt washes easier and looks
white.
142. To Make Stained Water Bottles Clean.--To make stained water bottles
clean and bright, put in salt and pour on vinegar, let stand a few minutes
then shake. Rinse in clear water.
143. Sanitary Window Screen.--Try tacking cheese cloth on the pantry
window screen frame. This admits air that is sifted free from smoke and
soot, before it comes into the pantry.
144. Cheerfulness at Meals.--Cheer during the meals will do away with the
need of digestive tablets. Make it a rule to come to the table smiling,
and continue to smile, though the food does not suit you and everyone else
is down on their luck. Your smile will prove contagious.
[872 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
145. Uses for Stale Bread.--Take stale biscuits and grind them with a food
chopper; toast in oven to a delicate brown. Serve with plenty of sugar and
cream. Makes fine breakfast food and saves the stale bread.
146. Washing Lemons.--Always wash lemons before grating them, not only to
remove any foreign matter sticking to them, but in order to remove the
tiny insect eggs so often seen on them in the disguise of black specks.
They may be kept fresh indefinitely, if wiped perfectly dry and placed in
a sealed top glass jar.
147. To Give Vinegar a Nice Flavor.--A small button of garlic in a quart
of vinegar will give it a mysterious delicious flavor, and it will
immensely improve salads or anything in which it is used.
148. If Mice are Gnawing Holes.--If mice are gnawing holes in the house,
rub common laundry soap around the gnawed places, and you may depend on it
they will cease labor in that district.
149. To Teach Darning.--If young girls are taught to darn on canvas, the
method of weaving the stitches is easily explained and put into practise.
150. Bed Sheeting.--Sheeting should never be cut, but should be torn into
lengths, usually two and a half yards for medium beds.
151. Browning Potatoes.--For some kinds of frying the griddle is better
and has a less tendency to grease than the frying pan. Among the other
things potato cakes browned on a hot greased griddle are especially crisp
and delicious.
152. To Keep Bread from Souring.--You will find that light bread will not
sour so quickly in summer if it is not covered when taken from the oven.
This steam is unnatural and should be allowed to escape or it soaks into
the bread, making it clammy and more liable to sour. Let the bread cool
gradually then put a clean cloth in a large stone jar, place the bread in
and cover with the cloth, before covering with the stone, or wooden lid.
This keeps bread fresh and moist from one bake day to another.
153. Never Pour Scalding Water into Milk Vessels.--Never pour scalding
water into milk vessels; it cooks the milk on the sides and bottom of the
vessels making it more difficult to clean such articles. Rinse them first
with cold water. This same rule applies to cleansing of catsup bottles.
154. The Water Pipes in the Kitchen.--The water pipes in the kitchen will
not be so unattractive, if painted the color of the kitchen woodwork.
155. To Brush Fringe of a Doilie.--Do not use a comb for the fringe of
doilies as it pulls out the fringe, but brush it with a nail brush.
156. Wash Suits.--Large buttons should be removed from wash suits before
they are sent to the laundry.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 873]
157. Sewing Machine Conveniences.--Always leave a piece of cloth under the
presser foot of the sewing machine. This will save wear on the machine.
Also it will absorb any drop of oil which might gather and spoil the first
piece of fabric stitched, and will keep the needle from becoming blunted.
158. To Make a Ruffle Easily.--To make a ruffle easily, just above depth
of the ruffle make a quarter inch tuck. Insert edge of ruffle under tuck,
flatten down tuck over the ruffle edge and stitch on edge of tuck. If the
ruffle is desired on very bottom of garment, make a quarter of an inch of
tuck, leaving about half of an inch of goods underneath. Baste and stitch
wrong side of ruffle to wrong side of half-inch piece, about quarter of an
inch from edge. Turn back, making edge come under tuck. Flatten tuck and
stitch on the edge. This will save all the trouble of bias bands, so
dreaded by the dress-maker.
159. Greasing Cake Tins.--In making a cake, grease the tin with sweet lard
rather than butter and sift a little dry flour over it.
160. Making Children's Petticoats.--When making children's petticoats
gather the skirt to waistband before hemming the backs and then turn in
with the hem, and when band gets too small and narrow across the back, all
you have to do is rip out the hem and face back, and the gathers are
already there properly placed; and no ripping skirt from band to adjust
fullness is necessary.
161. After Cake is Removed from Oven.--A cake which has been removed from
the oven should be placed on a wire stand on the stove and the steam
allowed to thoroughly escape from it so as to obviate any chances of it
becoming heavy.
162. When the Top Cannot be Removed from Fruit Cans.--When the top cannot
be removed from a fruit can, if the lid is carefully pried at one point,
so the gum can be caught, the rubber can easily be removed. It is not
difficult to pull the band from beneath the metal cap.
163. Darning.--When darning must be done in the evening it is more easily
done if a light colored darning ball be used.
164. In Pressing a Plaited Skirt.--In pressing a plaited skirt one will
gain time and have more satisfactory results if the plaits are basted
before the pressing is done. Clean the skirt and brush it on the inside.
Next baste the seams, cover with a damp cloth and press on the right side
with a medium warm iron. Dampen the cloth, when necessary and press until
the cloth is dry.
165. Stitching Down a Seam.--After stitching down a seam, press with a hot
iron, and if no seamboard is at hand, it is useful to know that a rolling
pin, wrapped in a clean cloth, will answer this purpose equally as well.
166. The Color Meat Should be.--Meat should be red with the fat a clear
white. The fat besides being white should be firm, and suety, and never
moist. Good meat has very little smell. Bad meat shrinks considerably in
boiling. Meat which is fresh and good does not loose an ounce of weight,
but swells rather, when it is being boiled.
[874 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
167. Buying a New Oil Cloth.--When you are ready to buy a new oil cloth
for your kitchen table, take your old one and cut it up for aprons. Have
it cover the whole front of your skirt, and make a large bib on it, and
you will find, when you are through doing a washing, that you will be as
dry as you were before you began.
168. Galvanized Tub.--The popularity of the galvanized tub due to its
weight and durability, is the cause of a great many people discarding the
wringer on account of their inability to fasten it to the tub securely. If
a piece of heavy cloth is hung across the tub where the wringer fastens to
it, you will find that it will fasten and hold as securely as to the
old-fashioned wooden tub.
169. To Remove Mildew.--Mildew, if not of too long standing, can be
removed by the use of raw tomato and salt. Rub the stains with raw tomato,
sprinkle thickly with salt and lay in the sun. It may be necessary to
repeat the process two or three times.
170. Closed Cupboards in the Pantry.--If there are closed cupboards in the
pantry use them for storing provisions kept in screw top jars. There
should be brass hooks for hanging up all the articles that can be
suspended from the walls.
171. Keeping a House Account.--There are fewer reckoning days if
housekeepers pay cash. If they persist in running accounts for groceries
and other staples they should have a book and see to it that the right
price is put down the minute anything is bought.
172. Chestnuts as a Vegetable.--Chestnuts have considerable food value.
The boiled and mashed pulp may be used as one would use meat or vegetable,
even croquettes being made of it.
173. To Give Starch a Gloss.--A little sugar added to boiled starch will
give a desirable gloss to the clothes when ironed.
174. Apples Cored for Baking.--Apples cored for baking are delicious
filled with orange marmalade and a little butter and sugar.
175. Beating Eggs.--When heating eggs observe that there is no grease on
the beater, as it will prevent the eggs from frothing.
176. If you judge as evil the actions of another, through the judging
comes evil to you.
177. A Toy Saw.--A toy saw may be utilized many times in the kitchen for
sawing meat bones which are too large.
178. If a White Dress Has Turned Yellow.--If last summer's white dress has
turned yellow, put it in a stone jar, cover with buttermilk and let it
stand a day and night. Then wash well and starch with blued starch. This
is better to whiten goods than freezing, sunshine, or the use of borax.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 875]
179. Scorched Food.--A practical cook says: When food has been scorched
remove the pan from the fire and set into a pan of cold water. Lay a dish
towel over the pan. The towel will absorb all the scorch taste sent up by
the steam and the family need never know it was burned.
180. Mutton Chops to Make Tender.--Mutton chops can be made tender quite
as much as lamb, if before they are boiled or fried they are allowed to
simmer in just a little water on the back of the stove. This also makes
the flavor more delicate.
181. Hollowing Out a Tomato.--For hollowing out a tomato, previous to
stuffing, a pair of scissors enables a person to remove all the pulp
without breaking the skin. They are equally useful for fruit salads as the
fine skin which separates the sections of the grape fruit and oranges is
easily clipped off.
182. The Easiest Way to Blacken a Stove.--The easiest way to blacken a
stove is to use a flat paint brush about one and a half inches wide, and a
tin or jar, large enough to receive the brush, to mix the blacking in.
Apply the blacking to the stove as you would paint, and use a newspaper to
polish with, which can be burned. In this way the hands do not come in
contact with the blacking during the whole operation, and unsightly cloths
and brushes, which soil the hands, are done away with.
183. Making Gravies.--For making gravies, thickening of roast gravies, it
will be found useful to have browned flour on hand at all times, which can
readily be kept in a mason jar or any covered vessel.
184. Kitchen Mittens.--Kitchen mittens can be bought in several
thicknesses and sizes for various branches of housework. There are thick
ones, with straps across the wrist to wear when polishing the ranges, then
there are others to put on when scrubbing the sink or floors, and still
thinner ones with chamois cloth inside to use for polishing silverware.
These mittens are a great protection to the hands and finger-nails, and
they really simplify the work to a great extent.
185. To Improve Baked Potatoes.--To improve baked potatoes let them stand
in a pan of cold water for about an hour, then put them in the oven while
wet. This seems to steam them and cook them much quicker.
186. Meat Shortcake.--Give your household a meat shortcake sometimes. Make
the shortcake as you would for a fruit filling, a rather short biscuit
dough, and put between the layers creamed chicken or creamed veal, and
have it served with plenty of gravy.
187. Put a handful of coarse oatmeal in the water bottle and half fill
with water. Let stand half an hour, then shake well and rinse. The bottle
will look like new.
188. Making a Kitchen Apron.--In making a kitchen apron, provide it with
an immense pocket in which can be carried a large dustcloth. Often one
notices dusty places, on the furniture, windows or banisters while doing
the morning work, and the dust-cloth is at hand. Again one has to pick up
numerous little articles to throw into the waste basket and the pocket
holds such articles until the waste basket is reached. It is equally handy
for holding a few clothes pins, while hanging out the clothes; in fact the
large pocket is recognized as something decidedly useful in the kitchen
apron.
[876 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
189. To Make a Neat Buttonhole.--To make a neat buttonhole in thin white
material that is likely to ravel when cut, take a piece of white soap and
apply it to the back of the goods using enough to make a generous coat.
Cut the buttonhole and work; you will find that the work is easily done
and the buttonhole will not ravel.
190. To Mark Scallops.--To mark scallops place your thimble or spool just
outside the circle line and mark around it with a pencil. In this way, any
sized scallop can be made.
191. Delicate Fabrics to Clean.--Delicate fabrics can be cleaned perfectly
by using gasoline with a teacupful of corn meal. The meal scours out all
the spots. Place the meal in a dish, pour gasoline over it, then press and
rub through the hands. Apply to soiled spots, rubbing carefully. Brush out
with stiff brush.
192. When Using a Lap-Board.--While sewing a garment with the material
lying on the lap-board, use glass top push pins to hold the goods on the
board. One pin will oftentimes be sufficient. The pin is very sharp, and
is easily thrust through the material into the board, and leaves a hole
about the size of that made with a needle.
193. To Shape Cookies.--Cookies can be shaped with the bottom of a "star"
tumbler. Flour the bottom of the glass and press it into the unbaked
cookie until the indentions are imprinted upon the cake.
194. Have You Been Hoarding an Old Foulard Dress--One of that kind of
dresses which you liked and hated to part with, but it went out of style.
Get it out, clean it, rip it, and if there is not enough in it to make a
scant shirt-waisted one-piece empire dress, make it into a pretty
shirt-waist, with knife plaiting down the front.
195. To Wash Tarnished Brass.--Save the water in which the potatoes have
been boiled, and use it to wash tarnished brass. It will come out as
bright as new.
196. Sewing Lace.--When sewing two raw edges of fine lace together, like
the tiny lace ruffles on lingerie blouses or dresses, do not fell it in
the old-fashioned way, but place the two right sides together and bind the
edge with the finest thread, making a buttonhole stitch along the edges.
Put a stitch in each mesh, and you will have a neat lace seam which, when
pressed, can scarcely be observed, and it will not fray.
197. Roasted Chestnuts.--Roasted chestnuts are said to be very delicious
when salted the same as peanuts.
198. Mud Stains, to Remove.--Mud stains will disappear from cloth by the
following method of cleansing: After brushing the dry mud away sponge the
remaining stain with a weak solution of ammonia and water. This is
absolutely safe to apply to black cloth. Colored goods, however, should be
sponged with a solution of bicarbonate of soda as the latter does not
affect coloring matter.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 877]
199. Drop Table for Kitchen.--A woman can have a kitchen made in a very
cramped quarter if she provides it with a small work table, and a drop
leaf table attached to the wall. If the stationary table is covered on all
sides with a curtain and furnished with an undershelf, it will hold as
much as a cupboard. Two large shelves will be found very convenient, even
though it will be necessary to mount a chair or stool to reach the kitchen
articles. Usually extremely small kitchens are more convenient than large
ones, in which many steps must be taken.
200. A Convenience for Ironing Day.--The laundress who knows how to take
care of herself has a high stool with rungs for her feet, on which she may
sit when she is ironing the light pieces. It will help reserve her
strength for the next day's work.
201. Quickest Way to Core Apples.--One of the simplest and quickest ways
to core apples for baking is to use an ordinary clothes pin.
202. To Remove Iron Rust.--Tartaric acid will remove almost any iron rust
blemish from material and is excellent for removing yellow marks.
203. The Kitchen Apron.--The kitchen apron should cover the skirt and the
front of the waist, though not necessarily the sleeves, as most house
dresses are made with short sleeves.
204. Cookies, to Keep.--Cookies put in an earthen jar lined with clean
cloth, while they are still hot, and kept covered closely, will be much
more melting and crumbling than if they were allowed to cool in the air.
205. Discolored China Baking Dishes.--Discolored china baking dishes can
be made as clean as when new by rubbing them with whiting.
206. Care of Drippings.--The care of drippings in the kitchen, with the
price of food so high, should receive more attention. In cooking all
meats, poultry, and in making soup the grease should be carefully skimmed
off and saved. Render it out once a week and after a good boiling, strain
through cheesecloth. When cool skim the fat off and use in place of
lard,--except for pie and biscuit.
207. To Mend Rubber.--To mend rubber, use soft kid from an old glove and
paste to the patch the gum of automobile paste. The leather adheres better
to the gum than a gum patch.
208. Cleaning Black Woolen Clothing.--The following is a good recipe for
cleaning black woolen clothing: Dissolve borax in water and saturate a
sponge or cloth in the solution. Wash the greasy spots by rubbing
vigorously, then rinse in clear water the same way and dry in the sun.
This is especially good for cleaning men's coat collars.
[878 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
209. To Prevent Tinware Rusting.--To prevent tinware from rusting rub over
with fresh lard and put in a hot oven for a few minutes before using it.
If treated in this way it will never rust.
210. To Remove Machine Grease.--Cold water and a teaspoonful of ammonia
and soap will remove machine grease when other means would not answer on
account of the colors running.
211. To Keep Cheese From Drying.--Wring a cloth from vinegar and wrap
several thicknesses around the cheese to keep it from moulding and drying.
212. Small Hand Churn.--A small hand churn makes home-made butter and
cheese possible. It is no trouble whatever to make a pot of yellow butter,
fresh and sweet, by the aid of one of these convenient little churns.
After it is made it may be rolled into a delicate little pat and kept in
an earthen jar made purposely for butter.
213. Larding a Piece of Meat.--Larding a piece of meat is a simple
operation, and it is one which will greatly add to the juiciness of the
dish. Cut a piece of salt pork into strips quarter of an inch thick and
two or three inches long. Slip these into a larding needle and draw the
needle through the meat, so either end of the pork will protrude beyond
the meat.
214. To Make Vegetables Tender.--Cutting onions, turnips, and carrots
across the fiber makes them more tender when cooked.
215. Clear black coffee diluted with water containing a little ammonia,
will clean and restore black clothes.
216. To Make Linen Easier to Write on.--To make linen easier to write on
when marking, dip the pieces you wish to mark into cold starch, rub over
with hot iron and you will be able to write without the pen scratching.
217. To Air Pillows.--To air pillows, rip the corner of the ticking an
inch or more. Insert a piece of rubber hose pipe a few inches long, first
covering the exposed end of the tube with strong netting. Sew the ticking
firmly to it and then hang all day on the line, in the air punching and
shaking many times during the day. They will be light and fluffy besides
being thoroughly aired and sweet and clean.
218. Uses for Pea-Pods.--Never throw away pea-pods; they give a delicious
flavor to the puree for the next day.
219. To Remove the Skins of Tomatoes Quickly.--To remove the skins of
tomatoes quickly, put them into a wire basket and sink it quickly into a
kettle of hot water. Do not let the tomatoes stand in the water long
enough to heat through, and plunge into cold water immediately from the
hot. Another way is to rub the skins backward with the blunt edge of a
knife. In this way the tomato does not need scalding, and according to
epicures is more tasty.
220. Dyeing at Home.--In dyeing at home amateurs often make the mistake of
putting the dyed article through the wringer, possibly to avoid staining
the hands for one reason, or perhaps hoping to dry the garment more
quickly. This however, should never be done, for the creases so formed are
most obstinate and in fact, often only disappear with wear, despite all
pressing. Dyed articles should be squeezed and hung out of doors to dry.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 879]
221.--To Save Children's Shoes.--To save children's shoes wash them
occasionally to remove the dirt and old polish, and soften them with oil.
When any part of the sole becomes badly worn, it should be mended at once,
for usually a shoe will wear out at one point more quickly than elsewhere,
and by paying ten or fifteen cents to have that part mended it saves
dollars in time. Gunmetal shoes are preferable for everyday wear, for such
shoes are lusterless and can be cleaned with oils instead of polish, which
is destructive to the best leather, even when sparingly used.
222. A Systematic Housewife.--It is a handy plan for the business woman or
the housewife who has much domestic accounting to do to keep two
calendars, one to tear off day by day, the other to refer back to past
dates when necessary. The reference calendar which can be very small and
inconspicuous should have its special hook on the desk or table.
223. To Keep Candles in Warm Weather.--Keep your candles in the ice box
this warm weather. They will remain beautifully upright through a whole
evening's use, if they are hardened first in this way.
224. Tea Towels.--Keep the tea towels in sight, then have them fresh,
clean, and whole, and hang them on a long metal curtain pole, in a
convenient place, say back of the sink. This is better than placing the
towels on a nail against the wall as is usually done, and it permits them
to dry out quickly.
225. A Spotless House.--A house that is spotless at the price of the
family's peace or of the housekeeper's best self, is the worst sort of an
investment. You, the woman, are of vastly more importance than your
surroundings. If you feel yourself becoming a mere drudge, if your family
is growing away from you mentally, if your nerves are weakening under a
fetish of cleanliness, get time to read.
226. To Keep Flooring in Place.--Strips of moulding may be tacked around
the edges of a room at the baseboard, so as to cover the edge of oilcloth
or linoleum. This holds the floor covering in place and prevents dust from
getting beneath it.
227. Light Colored Wall Paper.--Light colored wall paper may be cleaned by
a careful rubbing with a very clean rubber of the kind which artists use.
If the spot cleaned seems lighter than the surrounding color it may be
toned down by a gentle rubbing with a clean chamois skin.
228. To Keep Canary Seed Away from Mice.--If there are any mice in the
house, the best way to keep the canary from being robbed of its food is to
empty the contents of a cardboard box of bird seed into a quart preserve
jar and cover with a screw top.
[880 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
229. Convenient Scrub Bucket.--The most convenient scrub bucket is light,
and is made of galvanized iron with a wide flaring top. The bucket is to
be fitted with a wire soap tray on the outside, for often the soap is
wasted while floating in the water if there is no convenient place to put
it, while scrubbing. Holes can be punctured in the bucket and the wire
tray fastened on with a heavy cord or a pliable wire,
230. Fruit Stains on Table Linen.--Fruit stains on table linen should be
taken out before the cloth is put in the wash tub. Soap and water will set
the stains.
231. Wicker Furniture.--Do not scrub your unpainted wicker furniture with
soap and water, as it will turn it yellow and ruin its looks. Instead, try
scrubbing it with a strong solution of salt water. If you have pieces that
are so shabby that they must either be painted or thrown away, try the
salt water treatment first. Scrub well and put in the sun and air and dry
quickly.
232. Removing Dirt from Carpet.--Of all the ways to remove dirt from a
carpet, the worst is by the use of the ordinary short brush which involves
the housemaid's kneeling down in the dust.
233. How to Preserve the Household Broom.--The ordinary household broom
will last twice as long, if care is taken of it, as it will if it is just
used anyhow. When it is new, before using it, put it in a pail of hot
water and let it remain there until the water is quite cold. Then
thoroughly dry--in the sun if possible. Always clean it after sweeping, by
dipping in water and shaking well before putting it away and occasionally
give it a thorough washing in hot soda water.
234. A Good Furniture Polish.--A good furniture polish may be made of
paraffin oil and turpentine. Kerosene too is very good, while crude oil
may be used to darken wood that has not been varnished.
235. Delicious Salad.--Seeded raisins cut in pieces, broken nut meats, and
a small part of celery in thin bits make up a delicious salad.
236. To Clean Light Rugs.--Rugs with white or very light ground may be
cleaned by sprinkling with cornstarch, mixed with one-sixth its bulk of
prepared chalk. Let the starch remain several hours and brush it out with
a fine whiskbroom, then hang in the sun and heat well before putting down.
This method is recommended for fine, silky rugs, as it injures neither
tint nor texture and makes a beautifully clean surface.
237. To Light a Closet of Any Kind.--To light a closet of any kind, but
especially a linen closet, the safest thing--next to electricity is a
light clear glass lantern with wire guards outside the glass. Swing it by
a light chain pulley, some little way in front of the shelves. Thus a
touch sends it up or down, throwing the light wherever it may be needed.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 881]
238. To Remove White Marks on Furniture.--A mixture composed of equal
parts of turpentine and linseed oil will remove the white marks on
furniture caused by water. Rub it on with a soft rag and wipe off with a
perfectly clean duster.
239. If Your Paint Has Been Marred.--If your paint has been marred by
careless scratching of matches, try rubbing it with the finest sand paper.
Use a half lemon for removing match marks from paint.
240. To Remove Inkstains from Cotton.--To remove ink-stains from cotton
material, place the stain over the steam and apply salt and lemon juice
which will soon remove the ink.
241. To Clean Plaster-of-Paris.--To clean plaster-of-paris figures, cover
with a thick coating of starch and water, let it dry on the surface and
the dirt will brush off with the dry powder.
242. To Clean Piano Keys.--A cloth moistened with alcohol will clean piano
keys.
243. Washing Veils.--When veils are washed at home they usually come out
quite limber and flimsy. To give them the stiffness add a pinch of sugar
to the rinse water.
244. To Take Candle Grease Out of Linen.--To take candle grease out of
linen, place the linen between two sheets of thick white blotting paper,
and set a hot iron on it, leaving it there long enough for the iron to
become perceptibly cooler. If necessary repeat this until the grease is
removed.
245. Cleaning the Sweeping Brush.--Try cleaning the sweeping brush with an
old comb. It is a good plan, for it preserves the brush and keeps it
clean, and at the same time saves your hands.
246. Bright Wood Berries May be Preserved.--Almost any kind of bright wood
berries may be preserved for decorative use in the winter, by dipping in
melted paraffin and putting away in a cool place until needed. Treated in
this way berries will remain firm and bright for a long time, and may be
used in many ways.
247. Old Wood Work to Keep Clean.--Old woodwork, that is so hard to keep
clean, can be made to look like new grained wood, by first painting it
with cream colored paint to give a body alike, and when dry go over it
with a dark oak varnish stain; with a little practice it can be made to
look like grained wood. The varnish dries quickly and leaves it darker in
some places. Any old furniture can be treated in the same way.
248. To Prevent Chairs Marring the Floor.--One should have all rockers
covered with half rounds of rubber to prevent the scratching of the porch
floor. These rocker tires are procurable at any furniture establishment
and are easily adjusted.
249. Summer Homes.--Some of the wealthiest women are furnishing their
summer homes with rag rugs, instead of the handsome oriental floor
coverings, that are a mark of luxury; and what seems odd to those who
cannot afford to please each whim, the rooms are being repapered with
simple sprigged effects and all evidences of up-to-dateness are being
eliminated, to be in keeping with these copies of the colonial rag
carpets.
[882 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
250. To Destroy Flies.--Flies will get into the house during the summer in
spite of the greatest care. One method of catching and killing them,
without having disagreeable looking fly paper lying around is to prepare a
mixture of cream, sugar and pepper. Put this on a plate and they will eat
greedily of it and die. They will instantly seek the open air and it is
easy to brush them from the screen doors. This is an old method and a good
one.
251. Successful Fern Growing.--A woman who has had her refrigerator placed
on the porch has a long drain pipe to carry off the melted ice, and this
is made to flow right into a large bed of ferns. The cold water in no way
destroys the plants, in fact, they can endure the coldest water, and last
year her ferns grew to an enormous size all due to the daily supply of
water from the refrigerator.
252. Faded Crepe.--Faded crepe can be dipped into a solution of water and
indigo, the water made very dark with blueing for the purpose. Dissolve in
one quart of water, a teaspoonful of sugar. Lift the crepe out, and shake
it and pin it to the bed to dry. As it can not be ironed pin it carefully
over soft muslin with needles.
253. Sweeping as a Beautifier.--The average woman who does her own
housework gets exercise enough, only it is not under the best conditions,
for the air, as a rule, is not sufficiently fresh. If she wants to be
benefited physically, while putting her house in order, let her make it
like outdoors, with the windows wide open so the fresh air can sweep
through the rooms. If necessary she can wear a jacket while making beds
and sweeping, and by the time her work is done she is bound to be in a
healthy glow. If she does not do housework she must go outdoors, and walk,
and indeed, a little walking is desirable even for the housekeeper.
254. Putting Screens Away.--If screens were carefully put away last fall
there should be little difficulty in getting them in place on the first
hot fly-breeding day. The wise housekeeper writes on the top of her
screen, where it is hidden from view by the upper sash, the room and
window where it belongs. She also covers the wires with a coating of
vaselin and stores them in a dry place with a cover thrown over them.
Should the wire have become shabby and rusty looking it can be freshened
up with a coat of paint. If the wires have gone into holes and are badly
bulged, replace with copper wire netting. It costs more than the ordinary
kind, but does not wear out nearly so soon.
255. Attractive Living Room.--The living room is sure to have a cheery
atmosphere if provided with a wooden seat at either side. The wooden shelf
is a good place for the clock, candlesticks, and a few simple flower
vases.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 883]
256. Finger Bowl.--A finger bowel should always have a few flowers or a
leaf floating around on the surface.
257. Raw Oysters.--Raw oysters are further improved by sections of lemon
or sprigs of mint among the cracked ice.
258. Cheerfulness at Meals.--Meals should be something more than the
consumption of food. All work stops at those times and people meet
together. Nothing that can be done should be omitted to make it an
occasion of agreeable interchange of thought and conversation, and when
this is done, not only the body, but the mind and nerves are refreshed.
259. To Keep a Rug from Curling.--The edge of the heavy rug will not curl
if treated to a coat of shellac on the under side.
260. Grease Stains on Silk.--For grease stains on silk, rub the silk with
French chalk or magnesia, and then hold it to the fire. Thus the grease
will be absorbed by the powder, which may then be brushed off.
261. Ironing Centerpieces.--When ironing centerpieces of tablecloths, see
that the iron moves with the straight grain of the cloth. If this method
is followed the circular edge will take its true line.
262. Tucking Children's Dresses.--When hand tucks are to be used on
children's dresses, they should be very carefully made, and the first one
kept perfectly straight to use as a guide for the others. A good way to do
this is to loosen one thread, not to pull out but sufficiently draw it to
show the straight line, and crease the tuck in this line. After the width
of the tuck and space between each is decided use a notched card as a
measure for all the other tucks.
263. A Neat Way to Mend Table Linen.--A neat way to mend table linen is to
darn it with linen threads off an older tablecloth. It will look much
neater than a patch sewed on. It is advisable to keep a piece of a
discarded tablecloth in the mending basket for that purpose.
264. A Good Substitute for a Toaster.--If the toaster is suddenly lost,
you can find a very good substitute in the popcorn popper. It can be held
over the gas or before the coal fire, and the bread will toast in a few
minutes.
265. To Prepare Cauliflower.--To prepare cauliflower remove all the large
green leaves and greater part of stalk. Soak in cold water, to which has
been added one teaspoonful of vinegar and a half teaspoonful of salt to
each quart.
266. Preserving Dress Patterns.--Some women, after they have used a
pattern, just roll it up and tuck it away wherever it happens, and when
they want to use it the next time, it curls up and acts so that there is
no doing anything with it. If they would just lay the patterns out flat
and put them where they might stay that way, all this trouble would be
avoided.
[884 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
267. Lace on Centerpieces.--Lace that is used on centerpieces is not
fulled, but is just held in enough to lie flat. The best way to get this
flatness is to draw the thread of the lace and fasten one end to the
linen, leaving enough to make a neat seam, and then to adjust fullness so
that it lies evenly. When right side is up one cannot see that any
fullness exists.
268. Uses of Mop Handles.--Most women have found the mop handle with the
handy clasp, a general utility tool. There is a great deal of unnecessary
bending of the knees to the household gods. It is a painful attitude, and
work that can be done just as well in a standing position, should never be
done in a kneeling one.
269. Iron Holders Made from Asbestos.--Iron holders made from a piece of
asbestos the desired size, and covered with drilling or heavy unbleached
muslin are light and keep out the heat. There should be a ring or loop
sewed to one corner to hang up the holder.
270. Washing Quilts.--To wash quilts a housekeeper gives the following
directions: Dissolve a bar of white soap in a cupful of water. Run into
your bath-tub sufficient water to cover one quilt; make a good suds, and
put in the quilt, and let it soak for a few minutes. Do not rub, but use
the washboard, top end down, to press or pound out the water and dirt.
Never wring but with the wash-board press out the water. Rinse several
times. When you have pressed out as dry as you can pin the quilt closely
on the line to drain. When thoroughly dry, whip with a carpet beater until
fluffy, before removing from the line. This method is especially fine for
tied quilts. The bath tub is preferred, because of shape and water
conveniences.
271. Shrinking Dress Goods.--Before making the white linen dress skirt, or
any material that is liable to shrink, fold the goods carefully and place
it in a tub and cover with water. Let it get thoroughly wet, stretch the
clothes line as tightly as possible, hang the goods through the center,
and pin perfectly straight on the line. When dry, let two persons stretch
the goods as curtains are stretched, fold it with the wrong side of the
material out and iron double with the seam running through the center of
the goods on the length of the material. In shrinking colored prints add
turpentine to the water, and it will set the color. A teaspoonful is used
to a gallon of water.
272. Fixing Worn Corsets.--For stitching over worn corset stays, a wide
white tape is unequaled.
273. Cooking Breakfast Food.--Don't leave the tin lid on the saucepan if
you start the cereal in the evening for breakfast. It will rust and the
moisture drip into the food.
274. Tough Meat to Make Tender.--Tough meat can be made tender by adding a
teacupful of lemon juice to the water in which it is boiled.
275. To Preserve Pineapple.--To preserve pineapple allow only
three-quarters of a pound of sugar to each pound of pineapple.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 885]
276. Hemstitching Underclothing.--Hemstitching forms a dainty finish for
the household linen and underclothing, but the busy woman often will not
undertake it because of the difficulty of drawing the threads. If a piece
of white soap be rubbed on the underside of the cloth, where the
hemstitching is to be done, the threads may be drawn with ease, in half
the time that is usually required.
277. To Boil Eggs Without Cracking Them.--To boil eggs without the risk of
cracking, hold them in a spoonful of boiling water before immersing them.
278. Save the Basting Thread.--Basting threads, when saved, should be
wound on a spool, otherwise they get hopelessly tangled and are not used
again.
279. Threading Needles.--Thread will knot less easily, if the end that is
broken from the spool is run through the eye of the needle.
280. Measuring Dress Goods.--Do not measure dress goods and laces with a
tape line, as it stretches the material. Use a yardstick.
281. Do Not Use Coarse Thread.--An expert needlewoman says that the reason
why so much embroidery does not look attractive is that too coarse a
thread is used for the work. It is not a bad rule to use a cotton a number
or two finer than is recommended, unless the advice comes from one who
understands embroidery perfectly.
282. Putting in a Temporary Hem.--The hem of a dress that must be
lengthened after it is laundered should be turned perfectly straight and
stitched with number one hundred thread. It can be easily ripped and the
fine threads will not leave the usual stitched lines that one often sees
when a hem is lowered.
283. Serviceable Child's Dress.--A quaint little frock that will be
serviceable, can be made from a remnant of demi flouncing hemstitched on
the embroidered edge. This placed at the hem, of course, and the top is
gathered in Mother Hubbard style into a neck band edged with a little
frill. The sleeves are in bishop style confined with bands trimmed to
match the neck.
284. Convenience for the Sewing Room.--A good sized waste basket should be
continually close to every sewing machine. Then it is easy to form the
habit of dropping all scraps into it just as the scissors make them,
instead of leaving them to litter about the floor.
285. Buttons for Future Use.--When buttons are removed from a dress for
future use they should be loosely strung on a thread before being put in
the button box. This is a time-saver as well as keeps the buttons from
getting lost or several of a set from being used.
286. Basting Long Seams.--When basting long seams, if the edge of the
material is slipped under the machine needle and the needle is lowered it
firmly holds the two pieces, and one can more quickly do the work.
287.--Mending Table Linen.--A woman who is expert in mending table linen
does it in this manner: A piece of linen is coated with white soap, to
make it stiff and the patch is evenly trimmed. This is placed under the
hole in the damask after the edges around the hole in the tablecloth are
soaped and trimmed to remove the rough edge.
[886 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
288. Washing Cooking Utensils.--All the cooking utensils should be washed
with soda immediately after they have been used, which will remove every
trace of grease.
289. To Make Soft Soap.--Soft soap made from half a pound of shaved hard
soap and two quarts of water will save the soap bill at cleaning time.
290. Separate Night and Day Pillows.--If separate night and day pillows
are not used, as is now generally done, the bed will look neater if
special pillow slips are kept to put on over the wrinkled pillow cases by
day.
291. To Keep An Iron Sink in Good Condition.--To keep an iron sink in good
condition, scrub once or twice a week with hand soap and kerosene. Every
night put a little chloride of lime in the strainer and pour through it a
kettleful of boiling water.
292. Steaming or Boiling Pudding.--In steaming or boiling puddings, as the
water boils away add more boiling water. If cold water is added, for a
short time at least, the foodstuff will not be boiling, and this state of
affairs may prove disastrous to the pudding.
293. Cooking Peas.--When cooking peas do not shell them. Wash the pods and
put them on to boil. When they are done the pods will break and rise to
the top of the kettle leaving the peas at the bottom. They have a better
flavor cooked this way.
294. Troubled With Ants.--When troubled with ants in your pantry and
kitchen pour kerosene around on the edge of your shelves and on your
doorstep. They will soon disappear.
295. To Exterminate Roaches.--A housewife says that a few drops of
turpentine sprinkled around where roaches gather will exterminate them at
once.
296. How to Economize on Gas.--More gas is wasted in the oven than
elsewhere. Often one burner will suffice after the oven has been well
heated. It is better to run one burner than to burn two low, as they
frequently go out.
297. Less Noise in Washing Dishes.--If your cook insists in washing the
dishes in the pantry while the family is still at dessert, insist upon her
placing the dishes to drain upon a heavy turkish towel. It will lessen
much of the clatter.
298. A Useful Article in the Kitchen.--A useful article in the kitchen is
a small microscope. Show the cook how to use one. She will be so horrified
if shown dates, prunes, or figs that are germ infested that she will take
special pains in washing them. The microscope is also useful to examine
cereals, cornmeal, buckwheat and other things which unless kept tight may
be unpleasantly infected.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 887]
299. To Restore Freshness to Vegetables.--For the housewife who must
practise strict economy, as well as for her who lives at a distance from
the market, it is well to know that cabbage, celery or lettuce and their
like which have lost the first freshness, may be restored by putting first
into warm water, just comfortably warm to the hand, and after fifteen or
twenty minutes, you will be surprised to note that it will have the
original snappy crispness so much desired. Often the grocer will sell the
second day celery and lettuce at half price. The above method will freshen
same, and may make quite a saving of bills.
300. Worn Brooms or Whisks.--Worn brooms or whisks may be dipped into hot
water and uneven edges trimmed off with shears. This will make the straw
harder, and the trimming makes the broom almost as good as new.
301. Making Over a Heatherbloom Petticoat.--When you make over a
heatherbloom petticoat, do not cut it off at the top and place the drawing
string in again, and do not plait it to fit the band. Instead, place a
band around the waist of the person being fitted, pin the petticoat to the
band, then make large darts at each seam and cut off that superfluous
material that otherwise would need to be put into gathers. It does not
destroy the shape and permits the petticoat to lie smoothly over the hips.
302. The Gingham Apron for the Housewife.--The gingham apron for the
housewife at her daily tasks, especially if the maid is out and she has
any kitchen work to do, is imperative, and she will find the long apron
that buttons over the shoulders the most acceptable.
303. After Cleaning the Sewing Machine.--After cleaning the sewing
machine, several yards of stitching must be accomplished before the
machine runs smoothly and without leaving marks. If you have any long
seams on dark material to sew up, sew them now before attempting any light
work.
304. To Remove Tangled Threads.--No doubt you often have stopped sewing
and patiently picked the threads out of the bobbin under the machine
plate, or around the wheels, for this often occurs, says the Woman's
National Daily. Save time in the future by lighting a match and burning
out the threads, then brush the ashes off and oil the parts.
305. Clothes Rack for Children.--In one home, in the rear hall, is a low
rack on which children can hang their coats, hats and mittens when they
come in from school. The hanger was made with two stout steel brackets and
a curtain pole fitted up with hooks on which the articles were held. On
one end of the pole was hung a whiskbroom, and each tot was taught its
use.
306. To Remove Dust from Any White Fabric.--To remove dust from any white
fabric lay the spot over a tea-kettle of boiling water. Place a cut lemon
over the spot, pressing firmly. Remove occasionally, in order to allow the
juice to evaporate, and the stain will disappear before one's eyes, no
matter how stubborn or how deep set.
888 MOTHERS' REMEDIES
307. Amateur Dressmakers.--Amateur dressmakers will probably find it
difficult to decide just how to finish the necks of the collarless frocks
and waists that will be worn this summer. If the material is net, there is
no prettier decoration than a band of the net piped with silk or satin and
braided in a simple design. Necks of tub dresses while there is to be no
contrasting yoke, may be trimmed with a threaded beading.
308. To Prevent Marks on the Dining Table.--If you have a highly polished
dining table which you are afraid of spoiling, lay a piece of oilcloth on
the table under the pad and you will have no trouble.
309. For Cupboard Shelves.--Put a white oilcloth on kitchen shelves
instead of paper. The cloth will not turn yellow as the paper does, and
can be kept clean while washing dishes.
310. Cleaning Gilt Frames.--When gilt frames or mouldings of the rooms
have specks of dirt on them they can be cleaned with white of an egg,
rubbed on with a camel's hair brush.
311. To Clean Kid Gloves.--Take a fine soft cloth, dip it into a little
sweet milk, then rub it on a cake of soap, and rub the gloves with it.
They will look like new.
312. Washing Fine Woolens.--To keep baby's sacques and socks and your own
shawls and scarfs as fluffy as when new, dry and put in oven of range,
shaking often between the palms while drying.
313. To Wash Grained Woodwork.--To wash grained woodwork take a half pail
of hot water, add half a pound of soap chips, and boil until dissolved.
Take from fire, add one pint kerosene, then boil for five minutes longer.
Add one quarter of this to a half pailful of warm water. Wash woodwork
thoroughly, wipe and dry, and lastly use a flannel to polish with.
314. Sewing on Buttons.--How often the mother hears the complaint: "I do
wish you wouldn't sew these buttons on so tightly that I can't button
them." When you start to sew on a button, before you take a stitch, lay a
pin across the face of the button, and sew over the pin. Fasten your
thread before you remove the pin, else you will draw the last stitch and
spoil it. You will find there is a good shank to the button and yet it is
perfectly secure.
315. Airing House After Meals.--After each meal, there should be another
thorough airing of the lower floor in the home. No matter how perfectly
the system of ventilation, it is impossible to prevent cooking odors. This
airing is doubly necessary should there be smokers in the family.
316. House Cleaning Hints.--For the last few days before house cleaning,
ornaments and pictures can be washed at one's convenience. They need only
be removed or covered when a room is cleaned. With these preparations, the
actual cleaning can be done quickly and with much less disturbance of the
family routine.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 889]
317. Uses for Men's Old Silk Handkerchiefs.--Men's old silk handkerchiefs
should never be thrown away when worn thin. They are just the thing for
dusting the polished surface of the piano, ornaments and fine china and
glass and bric-a-brac.
318.--Cleaning Fine Fabrics.--In cleaning fabrics great care should be
taken not to rub them roughly between the hands. The gentle rubbing on of
the solvent with a fresh cloth is sufficient.
319. To Wash White Woolen Blankets.--To wash white woolen blankets,
dissolve four tablespoonfuls of good washing powder in a dipperful of
boiling water and pour into a tub of warm water. Open the blanket out wide
and put it in the tub and let it soak all over for a half an hour. Then
rub it all over between the hands, and if there are any stains left, rub
them with soap. Rinse in clear water of the same temperature as the wash
water. If you do this your blankets will be soft and will not shrink. Do
not rub blankets on a washboard, as it makes them hard, and blueing added
makes them a dull gray color.
320. To Take Out Wagon Grease.--To take out wagon grease, which is of two
kinds, that made from coal tar may be removed from cloth by an application
of petroleum; the other, made from animal fat, responds to a sponging of
ether.
321. Old Perspiration Stains.--Old perspiration stains may be removed by
applying oxalic acid and water in solution, one part of the former to
twenty parts of the latter.
322. Eyelet Embroidery.--Eyelet embroidery is one of the daintiest as well
as the simplest of embroideries, and, best of all, with a little practice
the work can be accomplished quite rapidly. Eyelet embroidery is equally
effective done on sheer or heavy material; and neat sewing is all that is
required to gain good results.
323. A Convenience for the Household.--A convenience for the household,
that will be appreciated by men as well as women, is a wire rack to hang
in the closet. It has a series of projecting arms upon which coat hangers
may be placed without interfering with each other. This greatly augments
the closet room. This rack may be slipped over an ordinary closet hook,
and will accommodate five coat hangers.
324. To Turn the Hems of the Table Linen Easily and Accurately.--To turn
the hems of the table linen easily and accurately, remove the needle from
your sewing machine, adjust the hemmer to the desired width and pass the
goods through. They are then ready for hemming by hand. You will find this
saves a great deal of time, and gives you a straight, even hem.
325. Soft Wood Floors to Paint.--If a soft wood floor is glue sized,
before painting, it will take less paint.
[890 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
326. Hanging Out Quilts.--When hanging out quilts and pillows, pound and
brush them the first thing, and let the fresh air get into them all day.
Most people do this just before taking them in. Consequently the beds did
not get the proper airings.
327. Paint that Sticks to Glass.--Paint that sticks to glass can be
removed with hot vinegar.
328. Books with Delicate Bindings.--Books with delicate bindings which
have become soiled through much handling, can be satisfactorily cleaned by
rubbing with chamois skin dipped in powdered pumice stone.
329. Cleaning Silverware.--Old tooth brushes and nail brushes, and old
knitted underwear should always be reserved for cleaning silver. Nothing
is better than a tooth brush for brushing the dried whiting out of the
heavily chased silver or repousse work. The chamois skin is best for the
final polishing. If table silver be steeped in hot soap suds immediately
after being used, and dried with a soft clean cloth, a regular cleaning
will not be needed so often.
330. Cleaning Crockery and Enamel.--By immersing, for a day or two in sour
milk, glass, crockery or enamel ware articles may be perfectly cleaned of
stains or limey accumulations from hard water. This is much better than a
scouring, as the surface is not injured in any way, and every part can be
reached.
331. Going to Market.--The housekeeper who goes to market rather than
order by telephone will find she gets better things for less money.
332. Moths in Carpets.--If moths have attacked the carpet try putting
gasoline on the edges, soaking the nap of the carpet. Also work powdered
borax into the carpet wherever there is a sign of moths or under heavy
pieces of furniture, which cannot easily be moved in the weekly sweeping.
333. A Serviceable Furniture Brush.--A serviceable furniture brush is made
of turkey tail feathers. Take a stout twine and needle, sew the quills
tightly together and cover the handle with a piece of oilcloth, smoothly
stitched into place, or wrap the handle with cloth and stitch. A brush of
this kind is very soft and may be used to dust any highly polished piece
of furniture.
334. Uses of a Wooden Spoon.--Never use any but a wooden or silver spoon
to stir anything with in cooking. Many a dish is spoiled by the cook
stirring it with an iron or metal spoon. Wood is the best when any acid,
such as vinegar, is used in the ingredients to be stirred.
335. Boiling Vegetables.--Boil parsnips and such vegetables with thin
skins; then peel when cold. The flavor is preserved and your hands are not
stained.
336. To Wash Furniture.--Furniture washed with castile soap and tepid
water and rubbed with a piece of old silk will look like new.
[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 891]
337. Old Suitcases and Purses.--When suitcases and purses begin to show
wear, coat all the spots with tan water color paint, and when perfectly
dry rub over with a little sweet oil. Let stand for an hour, then rub with
woolen cloth. Tan and brown shoes which have become scuffed may be treated
in the same way.
338. Putting up Lunches.--Those who find the putting up of lunches a part
of the daily routine may take comfort in the suggestion of one resourceful
woman. When using eggs she sees to it that only a small piece of the shell
is broken off from the end of one egg. The egg shell from which the piece
has been cut is then washed and kept as a receptacle for jelly or jam for
the noon lunch basket. The open end being protected by a piece of paper
dipped in paraffin.
339. Paint Wicker Furniture.--If you must paint wicker furniture see that
you buy paint that is well mixed and thinned to the proper consistency. If
too thick it gets lumpy and the paint is apt to rub off on the clothes.
Porch chairs which are exposed to weather should be finished with a coat
of enamel to make them last longer. The coat of enamel is also more easily
dusted.
340. Bureau Drawers that Stick.--Wax is better to use on the bureau
drawers that stick than soap. It works better and will not catch dirt so
much.
341.--Uses for Old Envelopes.--Cut out the corners from all heavy
envelopes, for they are excellent for holding coins sent by mail. They
always make good corner protection.
342. To Prevent Fruit from Moulding.--A layer of absorbent cotton laid
over the fruit in the mouth of the fruit cans is an excellent preventive
against the mould. If mould should form, it will cling to the cotton and
leave the fruit clean.
343. Linoleum or Oilcloth That is Cracked.--Linoleum that is badly cracked
may be improved by a filler made of ochre and boiled flour paste. After
the filling is dry the linoleum may be painted.
344. Borax as a Purifier for Ice Box.--Borax is an invaluable aid to the
woman who wishes to keep her ice box immaculate. It is especially
desirable for use in small refrigerators where little food is kept, and
where ice is kept more for the purpose of preserving butter and milk and
keeping bottled water cool. Cold water with plenty of pure borax, is
preferable to hot water to use in wiping off the walls of the
refrigerator. It does not heat the box and, being a germ killer, it
purifies everything it touches. It may also he put in the corners of the
refrigerator. Its best use of all is perhaps in keeping the receptacle for
the ice itself and the outside tube in pure and sanitary condition. It may
be sprinkled freely over the bottom of the ice box proper and on the rack
holding the ice.
345. To Clean Gilded Surfaces.--To clean gilded surfaces, dip a soft brush
in alcohol to which a few drops of ammonia water have been added, and with
it go over the surface. Do not rub roughly or harshly. In about five
minutes the dirt will have become soft and easy of removal. Then go over
the surface again gently with the same or similar brush dipped in rain
water. Now lay the damp article in the sunlight to dry. If there is no
sunlight place it near a warm (but not hot) stove, and let dry completely
in order to avoid streaks, taking care that the position of the article,
during the drying is not exactly vertical.
[892 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
346. Hints for the Housewife.--Every housewife should have plenty of waxed
paper or paraffin paper about the house. It is of the greatest value in
preserving eatables from the air and keeping them properly moist. In the
sandwich basket it is indispensable. Cake wrapped in it will keep moist
and fresh for a much longer time than if put directly into the box. When
the paper has become sticky run cold water on it, and it may be used
again. Cheese wrapped up in it and put in the refrigerator will keep fresh
for a week.
347. Excessive Gas Light Weakens the Eyes.--When the excessive light of
the gas light or the electric bulb tires weak eyes, resort to the tallow
candle. For the sick room wax candles are preferred, as they never produce
smoke or smell. They seem to soothe the nerves of the invalid and in this
way help to produce a restful night.
348. Handy Disinfectant for the Household.--Chlorate of lime moistened
with vinegar and water, equal parts, is a handy disinfectant for the
household. It can be kept in the cellar, and in case of sickness a few
drops scattered around the house will purify the air.
349. For Closing Windows.--A piece of bamboo, an old blind roller, or any
strong smoothly rounded stick about three feet long, with a small flat
piece of wood about the same thickness, twelve inches long and covered
with flannel, nailed across the ends, makes an admirable and useful
article for closing top windows without either going outside or standing
on a stool or a chair to reach, or straining one's self with the weight to
be raised upward.
[ MEDICAL DICTIONARY 893]
MEDICAL DICTIONARY
SIMPLE and PLAIN DEFINITIONS of MEDICAL TERMS
For Reference in your Newspaper and
General Reading and Throughout this Work.
Abdomen (ab-do'men). That portion of the body, lying between the thorax
and the pelvis, or "belly."
Ablution (ab-lu'shun). The act of washing or cleansing.
Abnormal (ab-nor'mal). Contrary to the usual structure or condition. Not
normal.
Abortion (ab-or'shun). The expulsion of the fetus before the sixteenth
week.
Abrasion (ab-ra-zhun). A spot rubbed bare of the skin or mucous membrane.
Abscess (ab'ses). A localized collection of pus in a cavity formed by the
disintegration of tissues.
Absorbent (ab-sor'bent). Taking up by suction. A medicine or dressing that
promotes absorption.
Acid (as'id). Sour, having properties opposed to those of the alkalies.
Acidity (as-id'it-e). The quality of being acid or sour.
Acrid (ak'rid). Pungent; producing an irritation.
Acetabulum (as-et-ab'u-lum). The rounded cavity in the innominate (hip)
bone which receives the head of the femur.
Accoucheur (ah-kosh'er). An obstetrician. One who attends a woman in
confinement.
Actual Cautery (kaw'tere). Fire, a red hot iron, or the moxa, used as a
cauterizing agent.
Acholia (ah-ko'leah). Lack or absence of the secretion of bile.
Acupuncture (ak-u-punk-tur). The insertion of needles into a part for the
production of counter-irritation.
Adhesive (ad-he'siv). Sticking or adhering closely.
Adipose (ad'ip-os). Of a fatty nature; fat.
Adjuvant (ad'ju-vant). An auxiliary remedy.
Adult (a-dult'). A person grown to full size and strength or to the years
of manhood.
Affection (af-ek'shun). A morbid condition or diseased state.
Affusion (af-u'shun). The pouring of water upon a part or upon the body
for reducing fever or correcting nervous symptoms.
Ailment (al'ment). Any disease or affection of the body.
Albuminose (al-bumin-os). A primary production of the digestion of a
proteid, not coagulable by heat.
Aliment (al'im-ent). Food, or nutritive material.
Alimentary Canal (al-imen'ta-re). The portion of the digestive apparatus
through which the food passes after
mastication. The canal from the mouth
to the anus; gullet, stomach, bowel, anus.
Alkali (al'kal-i). A compound which forms salts with acids and soaps with
fats. Potash, soda, lithia, ammonia.
Alterative (awl-ter-at-iv). A medicine that produces a favorable change in
the processes of nutrition and repair.
[894 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Alveolar (al-ve'o-lar). Pertaining to an alveolus.
Alveolus (al-ve-olus). Bone socket of a tooth; air sac of the lungs, etc.
Amaurosis (am-aw-ro'sis). Blindness without any visible defect in the eye,
from disease of the optic nerve, retina, brain.
Amenorrhea (am-en-or-re'ah). Absence or abnormal stoppage of the monthly
sickness.
Amniotic Liquid (am-ne-ot'ik). A fluid enclosed within the amnion which
nourishes and protects the foetus (unborn child).
Amputation (am-pu-ta'shun). The surgical cutting off of a limb or other
part.
Amylaceous (am-il-a'she-us). Starchy.
Analysis (an-al'is-is). Separation. into compound parts or elements.
Anchylosis (Ankylosis) (ang-kil-o'sis). Abnormal immobility and
consolidation of a joint (stiff joint).
Anemia (an-e'me-ah). A condition in which the blood is deficient either in
quantity or quality.
Anastomose (an-as'to-moz). Communicating with one another, as arteries and
veins.
Anastomosis (an-as-to-mo'sis). The surgical or pathological formation of a
passage between any two normally distinct
spaces or organs.
Anasarca (an-ah-sar'kah). An accumulation of serum in the cellular tissues
of the body. General dropsy.
Anesthesia (an-is-the-zhe-ah). Loss of feeling or sensation of a part or
whole body.
Anesthetic (an-es-thet-ic). A drug that produces anesthesia, without the
sense of touch or pain.
Aneurism (an'u-rizm). A pulsating tumor consisting of a sac or pouch into
which blood flows through an opening in an artery.
Animalcule (anim-al'kul). Any minute animal organism.
Anodyne (an'o-din). A medicine that relieves pain.
Antacid (an-tas'id). A substance that counteracts or neutralizes acidity.
Antiphrodisiac (ant'af-ro-diz-e-ak). An agent that allays sexual impulses.
Anthelmintic (an-thel-min'tik). Destruction to worms.
Anthrax (an'thrax). A carbuncle.
Antibilious (an-te-bil'yus). Good against bilious conditions.
Antidote (an'te-dot). A remedy for counteracting a poison.
Antidysenteric (an'te-dis-en-ter'ik). Relieving, curing or preventing
dysentery.
Antiemetic (an'te-e-met'ik). Arresting or preventing emesis or vomiting.
Antilithic (an-te-lith'ik). Preventing the formation of stone or calculus.
Antimorbific (anti-mor-bif 'ic). Preventing disease.
Antiperiodic (an'te-pe-re-od'ik). Serviceable against malarial or periodic
recurrence.
Antiscorbutic (an'te-skor-bu'tik). Correcting or curing scurvy.
Antiseptic (an-te-sep'tik). A substance destructive to poisonous germs.
Antispasmodic (an'te-spaz-mod'ik). An agent that relieves spasms.
Antisyphilitic (an'te-sif-il-it'ik). Useful in cases of syphilis.
Anus (a'nus). The distal end and outlet of the rectum.
Apathy (ap'ath-e). Lack of feeling or emotion; indifference.
Apparatus (ap-ar-a'tus). A number of parts acting together in the
performance of some special function.
Aphasia (ah-fa'ze-ah). Defect or loss of the power of expression by
speech, writing, or signs.
Aphthous (af'thus). Pertaining to, characterized by, affected with
aphthae (thrush).
Apex (a'pex). The top or pointed extremity of any conical part.
Apnea (ap-ne'ah). The transient cessation of breathing that follows a
forced respiration.
Aperient (ap-e're-nt). A gentle purgative or laxative.
Appetite (ap'et-it). A natural longing or desire, especially that for
food.
Areola (ar-e'o-lah). The colored circle round the nipple or round a
pustule. A minute space or interstice in a tissue.
Aromatic (ar-o-mat'ik). A medicinal substance with a spicy fragrance and
stimulating qualities.
Aroma (ah-ro'mah). The fragrance or odor, especially that of spice or
medicine, or of articles of food or drink.
Arthrodia (ar-thro'de-ah). An articulation or joint which allows a gliding
motion of the surfaces.
[MEDICAL DICTIONARY 895]
Articulation (ar-tik'u-la'shun). A connection between two or more bones
whether allowing motion between them or not.
Articulated (ar-tik'u-la-ted). Connected by joints.
Arthritic (ar-thrit'ik). Pertaining to or affected with gout or arthritis.
Relating to inflammation of a joint.
Ascaris (as'kar-is). A worm found in the intestines.
Ascites (as-si'tez). Dropsy of the abdominal cavity.
Aspirate (as'pi-rat). To treat by aspiration. To pronounce with full
emission of breath.
Assimilation (as-sim-il-a'shun). The transformation of food into living
tissue.
Asthenic (as-then'ik). Characterized by weakness or feebleness.
Asthmatic (az-mat'ik). Affected with asthma.
Astringent (as-trin'gent). An agent that arrests discharges by causing
contraction, such as tannic acid, alum, zinc, etc.
Attenuant (at-ten'u-ant). Causing thinness, as of the blood.
Atony (at'on-e). Lack of normal tone or strength.
Atrophy (at'ro-fe). A wasting or diminution in the size of a part.
Auricle (au'rik-l). The pinna or flap of the ear. The chambers of the
heart on either side above the ventricles.
Auscultation (aus-kul-ta'shun). Listening with the ear or an instrument to
organs, such as the lungs, heart, etc.
Autopsy (au-top-se). The post-mortem examination of a body.
Axilla (ak-sil'lah). The arm-pit.
Axillary Glands. Lymphatic glands situated in the arm-pit.
Balsamic (bawl-sam'ik). Of the nature of balsam.
Biennial (bi-en'ni-al). Happening Once in two years.
Bifurcation (bi-fur-ka'shun). Division into two branches.
Bile or Gall (Bil). The golden brown or greenish yellow substance secreted
by the liver.
Bilious (bil'yus). Characterized by bile. Full of bile.
Blister (blis'ter). A collection of serous, bloddy or watery fluid beneath
the epidermis (outer skin).
Bonchioles. A minute bronchial tube.
Bronchia (brong'ke-ah). Bronchial tubes smaller than the bronchi, and
larger than the bronchioles.
Bougie (boo-zhe'). A slender instrument for introduction into the urethra
or a large one for the rectum or other opening.
Bronchial (brong'ke-al). Pertaining to the bronchi.
Bronchitis (brong-ki'tis). Inflammation of the bronchial tubes.
Bright's Disease (britz). Inflammation of the kidneys. Any disease of the
kidneys associated with albumen in the urine.
Bulbous (bul'bus). A bulb.
Cachexia (kak-ek'seah). A profound and marked state of constitutional
disorder. A depraved condition of general
nutrition due to some serious disease such as
cancer, tuberculosis (cancerous cachexia).
Cacumen (kak-u'men). The top or apex of an organ.
Callous (kal'us). Hard.
Calcareous (kal-ka'reus). Chalky. Pertaining to or having the nature of
limestone.
Callus (kal'lus). The new growth of bony matter between the extremities of
broken bone serving to unite them.
Capillary (kap'il-la-ri). Pertaining to or resembling a hair. A minute
blood vessel connecting the arterioles with
the venules; very minute blood vessels.
Capsicum (kap'si-kum). Cayenne pepper.
Capsule (kap'sul). A soluble case for enclosing a dose of medicine. A
fibrous or membraneous covering as of the spleen or kidneys.
Carbon (kar'bon). Charcoal.
Carbonic Acid Gas (kar-bon'ik). An acidulous liquid made by dissolving
carbon dioxide in water.
Cardiac (kar'de-ak). Pertaining to the heart.
Carminative (kar-min'-a-tiv). A medicine to relieve flatulence, such as
anise, cinnamon, cloves, peppermint, soda.
Caries (ka're-ez). Rottenness. The molecular decay or death of a bone. It
becomes soft, porous and discolored.
Carotid Artery (kah-ro-tid'). The large artery in the neck.
Carpus (kar'pus). The wrist.
[896 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Cartilage (kar'til-ej). Gristle. The gristle attached to joint surfaces
and forming certain parts of the skeleton.
Catamenia (kat-ah-me'ne-ah). Monthly sickness.
Cataplasm (kat'ap-lazm). A poultice.
Catarrh (kat-ahr'). Inflammation of a mucous membrane with a free
discharge.
Cathartic (kath-ar'tik). A medicine that produces free movements of the
bowels.
Catheter (kath'it-er). A hollow tube for introduction into a cavity
through a narrow canal or channel.
Caustic (kaws'tik). Burning; destructive to living tissues.
Cautery (kaw'ter-e). Application of a caustic substance or hot iron.
Cauterize (kaw'ter-iz). To scar or burn with a caustic or cautery.
Cell (sel). A small hollow cavity in any one of the minute protoplasmic
masses which form organized tissues.
Cellular (sel'u-lar). Relating to or composed of cells.
Cerebellum (ser-e-bel'um). The inferior part of the brain lying below the
cerebrum and above the pons and medulla.
Cerebro Spinal (ser'e-bro-spi'nal). Pertaining to the brain and spinal
cord.
Cerebral (ser'e-bral). Relating to the cerebrum.
Cerebrum (ser'-e-brum). The main portion of the brain occupying the upper
part of the cranium, and consisting of two equal
portions, called hemispheres.
Cerumen (se-ru'men). Ear-wax.
Chalybeate (kal-ib'e-at). Containing or charged with iron.
Chancre (shang'ker). The primary lesion (or sore) of syphilis.
Cholagogues (ko'ia-gog). A medicine causing an increased flow of bile.
Choleraic (kol-er-a'ik). Of the nature of cholera.
Chorea (ko-re'ah). St. Vitus' dance.
Chordee (kor-dee'). Painful deflection of the penis in gonorrhea.
Chronic (kron'ik). Long continued; not acute.
Chyle (kile). The milky juice taken up by the lacteals from the food in
the intestines after digestion.
Chyme (kim). The thick grayish liquid mass into which the food is
converted by stomach (gastric) digestion.
Circulation (sir-ku-la'shun). Passing in a circle, as the circulation of
the blood.
Cicatrix (sik-a'trix). A scar; the mark left by a sore or a wound.
Clavicle (klav'ik-l). Collar-bone.
Climacteric (kli-mak-ter'ik). A period of the lifetime at which the
system was believed to undergo marked
changes. Now generally applied to the
"change of life."
Clinical (klin'ic-al). Pertaining to bedside treatment or to a clinic.
Clonic (klon'ik). Applied to spasms where the parts are rigid and relaxed
in succession.
Clyster (kli'ster). An injection into the rectum; an enema.
Coagulation (ko-ag-u-la-shun). The process of changing into a clot.
Coagulum (ko-ag'u-lum). A clot or curd.
Coagulate (ko-ag'u-Iat). To cause a clot.
Coalesce (ko-al-es'). The union of two or more parts or things.
Collapse (kol-laps'). A state of extreme prostration and depression with
failure of circulation.
Colon (ko'lon). That part of the large intestine which extends from the
caecum to the rectum.
Colostrum (ko-los'trum). The first fluid secreted by the "breast" (mammary
gland) after confinement.
Colliquative (kol-liq'wah-tuv). Characterized bv an excessive fluid
discharge.
Collyrium (kol-lir'e-um). An eye-wash.
Coma (ko'mah). Profound stupor occurring during a disease or after a
severe injury.
Comatose (ko'mat-os). Pertaining to or affected with coma.
Combustion (kom-bust'yun). Burning; rapid oxidation with emission of heat.
Concussion (kon-kush'un). A violent jar or shock, or a condition resulting
from it.
Concretion (kon-kre'shun). A calculus or inorganic mass in a natural
cavity or in the tissues of an organism.
Condiment (kon'di-ment). A seasoner.
Condyle (kon'dil). The rounded eminence at the joint (articular) end of
a bone.
Confluent (kon-flu'ent). Becoming merged together.
Congenital (kon-jen'it-al). Existing at or before birth.
[MEDICAL DICTIONARY 897]
Congestion (kon-gest'jun). Excessive or abnormal accumulation of blood in
a part.
Conjunctiva (kon-junk-ti'vah). The delicate membrane that lines the
eyelids and covers the eyeball.
Constipation (kon-stip-a'shun). Infrequent or difficult evacuation of
feces (bowel material).
Constriction (kon-strik'shun). A constricted part or place. Tight feeling.
Contagious (kon-ta'jus). Propagated by contagion or by immediate contact
or effluvia.
Contusion (kon-tu-zhun). A bruise.
Contamination (kon-tam-in-a'shun.) Infection of the person or of matter by
contact.
Convalescence (kon-val-es'ens). Getting well after an illness.
Convoluted (kon'va-lut-cd). Rolled together or coiled.
Convulsion (kon-vul'shun). A violent involuntary contraction or series of
contractions of the voluntary muscles.
Cordial (kord'yel). Stimulating the heart; invigorating.
Cornea (kor'neah). The transparent anterior portion of the eyeball.
Corpse (korps). The dead body of a human being.
Corrective (kor-ek'tiv). Modifying or changing favorably.
Corroborants (kor-ob'er-ants). Aiding in proving.
Corrosive (kor-ro'siv). Eating away. A substance that destroys organic
tissue either by direct chemical means or by
causing inflammation and suppuration.
Counter Irritation (kown'ter-ir-rit-a'shun). A superficial irritation.
Cosmetics (koz-met'ik). Beautifying substances.
Costiveness (kos'tiv-nes). Constipated bowels.
Cranium (kra'neum). The skull or brain-pan.
Crassamentum (kras-sam-en'tum). A clot, as of blood.
Crepitus (krep'it-us). The grating of broken bones.
Crisis (kri'sis). Turning point of a disease for better or worse.
Cutaneous (ku-ta'ne-us). Pertaining to the skin.
Cuticle (ku'tik-l). The epidermis, outer or scarf skin.
Cyst (sist). A cavity containing fluid and surrounded by a capsule
(covering).
Debility (de-bil-i-ti). Lack or loss of strength.
Decoction (de-kok'shun). A medicine, etc., made by boiling.
Decomposition (de-kom-po-zish'-un). Putrefying. The separation of the
component parts of the body.
Deglutition (deg-lu-tish'un). The act of swallowing.
Dejection (de-jek'shun). Discharge of excrementitious material; mental
depression.
Deleterious (del-e-te're-us). Hurtful; injurious.
Deliquium (de-lik'we-um). A fainting or syncope.
Delirium (de-lir'e-um). A condition of mental excitement with confusion
and usually hallucinations and illusions.
Demulcents (de-mul'sents). Soothing; allays irritation, especially of
mucous surfaces.
Dentition (den-tish'in). Teething; cutting of teeth.
Dentrifice (den'trif-is). A substance for cleansing teeth.
Duodenum (du-o-de'num). The first part of the small intestine.
Deobstruent (de-ob'stru-ent). A medicine to remove obstruction.
Depletion (de-ple'shun). Diminished quantity of fluid in the body or in a
part, especially by bleeding, conditions due to
excessive loss of blood or other fluids.
Depuration (dep'u-ra-shun). Purify or cleanse.
Derm (derm). The skin.
Desiccate (des-ik-at). To dry thoroughly.
Detergent (de-ter'gent). A cleansing, purifying medicine.
Desquamation (des-kwam-a'shun). Scaling; shedding of the epithelial
elements, chiefly of the skin.
Determination (de-term-in-a'shun). Tendency of the blood to collect in a
part.
Diagnosis (di-ag-no'sis). The art of distinguishing one disease from
another.
Diaphragm (di'af-ram). The membrane that separates the abdomen from the
chest cavity.
Diaphoretics (di-af-o-ret'ik). Sweating remedies.
[898 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Diathesis (di-ath'es-is). Natural or congenital predisposition to a
special disease.
Dietetics (di-ct-et'iks). The science or study and regulation of food.
Dilatation (di-la-ta'shun). Stretched beyond the normal dimension.
Diluent (dil'u-ent). Makes less irritant; an agent that makes less
irritant.
Discutients (dis-ku'te-ent). Remedies that scatter.
Disinfectant (dis-in-fek'tant). Agent that destroys disease germs or
renders ferments inactive.
Dislocation (dis-lo-ka'shun). The displacement of any part, especially a
bone.
Diuretic (diu-ret'ik). Agent to increase secretion of the urine.
Dorsal (dor'sal). Pertaining to the back or back of any part.
Drastic (dras'tic). Powerful acting remedy or agent.
Dyspepsia (dis-pep'se-ah). Difficult digestion. Impairment of the power or
function of digestion.
Dysuria (dis-ur'e-ah). Painful or difficult passing of urine.
Dyspnoea (disp-ne'ah). Difficult or labored breathing.
Dyspragia (dys-pra'je-ah). Difficulty in swallowing.
Dyscrasia (dis-kra'ze-ah). A depraved state of the humors; abnormal
composition of the blood and humors.
Ebullition (eb-ul-ish'un). The process of boiling.
Ecstacy (ek'stas-i). A kind of trance or state of fixed contemplation,
with mental exaltation, partial abeyance of most of
the functions and rapt expression of the countenance.
Edema (e-de'mah). Swelling due to the accumulation of serous fluid in the
tissues.
Effervesce (ef-fer-ves'). To bubble; sparkle.
Efflorescence (ef-flo-res'sens). A rash or eruption.
Effluvium (ef-flu've-um). An ill-smelling exhalation, especially of a
noxious character.
Effusion (ef-fu-zhun). The escape of fluid into a part or tissue.
Electrization (e-lek-tri-za'shun). The act of charging with, or treatment
by, electricity.
Electuary (e-lek'tu-a-re). A medicinal preparation consisting of a
powdered drug made into a paste with honey,
syrup, etc.
Elimination (e-lim-in-a'shun). The act of expulsion from the body.
Emaciation (e-ma-se-a'shun). Leanness, or a wasted condition of the body.
Embryo (em'bre-o). The foetus (unborn child) in its earlier stages of
development, especially before the end of the third month.
Emesis (em'e-sis). Vomiting.
Emetic (e-met-ik). Any substance that causes vomiting.
Emmenogogue (em-men'ogog). Any agent stimulating or favoring the monthly
flow.
Emollient (e-mo'le-ent). Soothing or softening.
Emphysema (em-fis-e'mah). A swelling or inflation due to the presence of
air in the interstices of the connective tissues.
Emulsion (e-mul'shun). An oily or resinous substance divided and held in
suspension through the agency of an adhesive,
mucilaginous, or other substance.
Enamel (en-am'el). The white substance that covers and protects the
dentine of the crown of the teeth.
Empirical (em-pir-ic-al). Based on experience.
Encephalon (en-sef'al-on). That portion of the central nervous system
which is contained within the skull or cranium.
Encysted (en-sis'ted). Enclosed in a sac, or cyst.
Endermically (en-der-mik'ally). Absorption through the skin.
Enema (en'em-ah). An injection thrown into the rectum.
Enervation (en-er-va'shun). Languor; lack of nervous energy.
Enteritis (en-ter-i'tis). Inflammation of the intestine, usually the small
intestine.
Enteric (en-ter'ik). Pertaining to the intestines or bowels.
Epidemic (ep-id-em'ik). A disease which attacks many people in any
district at the same time.
Epidermis (ep-id-er'mis). Outer skin; scarf skin; cuticle.
Ephemeral (ef-em'er-al). Transient; for one day or less.
[MEDICAL DICTIONARY 899]
Epigastrium (cp-a-gas'tre-um). The upper middle portion of the abdomen
belly); over or in front of the stomach.
Epigastric (ep-e-gas'trik). Pertaining to the epigastrium.
Epileptic (ep-e-lep-tik). A person troubled with epilepsy.
Epiglottis (ep-e-glot'tis). The lid-like structure covering the entrance
into the larynx (upper windpipe),
Epiphora (e-pif-o-rah). An abnormal overflow of tears down the cheek,
usually due to lachrymeal stricture.
Epispastic (ep-e-spas-tik). A congenital defect in which the urethra opens
on the dorsum (back) of the penis. On the female,
a fissure of the upper wall of the female urethra.
Epistaxis (ep-e-stax'is). Nose-bleed.
Epithelium (ep-ith-ele'um). The covering of the skin and mucous membrane
consisting wholly of cells of varying form
and arrangement.
Erethism (er'e-thizm). Excessive irritability or sensibility.
Erosion (er'o-zhun). An eating or gnawing away; a kind of ulceration.
Eructation (e-ruk-ta'shun). The act of casting up wind from the stomach;
belching.
Eruption (erup'shun). A visible lesion on the skin due to disease and
marked by redness, etc.
Errhine (er'rin). A medicine that promotes a nasal discharge.
Erysipelations (er-is-ip'el-a-shuns). Pertaining to or of the nature of
erysipelas.
Eschar (e's-kar). A slough produced by burning or by a corrosive
application.
Escharotic (es-kar-ot'ik). A caustic substance capable of producing a
slough.
Esophagus (e-sof 'a-gus). Gullet, extends from pharynx to stomach.
Eustachian Tube (u-sta'ke-an). The bony cartilaginous canal that extends
from the middle ear to the throat.
Evacuation (e-vak-u-a'shun). The act of emptying, especially of the
bowels.
Evacuant (e-vak'u-ant). A medicine that causes the evacuation.
Exacerbation (eks-as-er-ba'shun). An increase in the symptoms of a
disease.
Exanthema (ex-an-the'mah). An eruption upon the skin; An eruptive disease.
Excision (ex-sizh'on). The cutting out of a part.
Excitant (ek-si-tent). Stimulating.
Excoriated (ex-ko-re-ated). Any superficial loss of substance, such as
that produced on the skin by scratching.
Excrement (eks-kre-ment). Fecal matter; matter cast out as waste from the
body.
Excretion (eks-kre'shun). The discharge of waste products.
Excrescence (ex-kres'ens). An abnormal outgrowth upon the body.
Exfoliate (ex-fo-le-ate). A falling off in scales or layers.
Exhalation (cx-ha-la'shun). The giving off of matters in a vapor form.
Expectorate (ex-pec'to-rat). The act of coughing up and spitting out
materials from the lungs and wind-pipe.
Expectorant (ex-pec-to'rant). A remedy that promotes or modifies
expectoration.
Exostosis (cks-os'to-sis). A bony outgrowth from the surface of a bone or
tooth.
Expiration (eks-pi-ra'shun). The act of breathing out or expelling air
from the lungs.
Extravasation (eks-trav-as-a'shun). The passing of fluid (blood, etc.)
outside of the cavity or part
normally containing it.
Extremities (eks-trem'it-ies). Pertaining to an extremity or end.
Exudation (eks-u-da'shun). The passing out of serum or pus in or upon the
tissues.
Facial (fa'shal). Pertaining to the face.
Facet (fa'set). A small plain surface on a bone or hard body.
Fauces (faw'sez). The passage from the mouth to the pharynx (throat).
Faeces. Same as feces.
Fecal (fa'kal). Pertaining to, or consisting of feces.
Fascia (fa'she-ah). A sheet or band of tissue which invests and connects
the muscles, or the areolar tissue, forming layers
beneath the skin or between muscles.
Farinaceous (far-in-a'se-us). Of the nature of flour or meal.
Febrifuge (feb'rif-ug). A remedy that allays fever.
Febrile (feb'ril). Feverish; pertaining to fever.
Femur (fe'mur). The thigh-bone. The bone from the hip to the knee.
[900 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Ferruginous (fer-ru'gin-us). Containing iron or iron-rust.
Fetid (fe'tid). Having a rank or foul smell.
Fetor (fe'tor). Stench or offensive odor.
Fibrin (fib'rin). A whitish proteid from the blood and serous fluids of
the body.
Filtration (fil-tra'shun). The passage of a liquid through a filter.
Fistula (fis'tu-lah). A narrow canal or tube left by the incomplete
healing of abscesses or wounds and usually
transmitting some fluid, either pus or the
secretions or contents of some organ or body cavity.
Flaccid (flak'sid). Weak, lax and soft.
Flatulence (flat'u-lense). Distended with gas in stomach or bowels.
Flatus (fla'tus). Gas, especially in the stomach and bowels.
Flexible (flex'ib-l). That which may be bent without breaking.
Flocculent (flok'u-lent). Flaky, downy, or wooly.
Flooding (flud'ding). A copious bleeding from the womb.
Flush (flush). A redness of the face or neck.
Flux (flux). An excessive flow of any of the excretions of the body,
especially feces.
Foetus (fe'tus). Same as fetus, The child in the womb after the end of
third month, called embryo before that time.
Fomentations (fo-men-ta'shun). Treatment by warm and moist applications to
a part to relieve pain or inflammation.
Formula (for'mu-lah). A prescribed method of preparing a medicine.
Fracture (frak'tur). The breaking of a part, especially of a bone.
Friction (frik'shun). The act of rubbing.
Fumigation (fu-mig-a'shun). Disinfection by exposure to the fumes of a
vaporized disinfectant.
Fungus (fung'gus). Anyone of a class of vegetable organisms of a low order
of development, including mushrooms, toadstools, moulds, etc.
Function (funk'shun). The normal, special or proper action or office of
any part or organ.
Fundament (fun'da-ment). The foundation or base of a thing.
Fungous (fung'us). Of the nature or resembling a fungus.
Galvanization (gal-van-iz-a'shun). Treatment by galvanic electricity.
Ganglion (gang'le-on). Any mass of gray nervous substance that serves as a
center of nervous influence.
Gangrene (gang'gren). The mortification or non-molecular death of a part.
Gargle (gar'gle). A solution used for rinsing the mouth and throat.
Gastric (gas'tric). Pertaining to the stomach.
Gestation (ges-ta-shun). Pregnancy.
Gelatinous (gel-at'in-us). Like jelly or softened gelatine.
Genital (gen'it-al). Pertaining to the organs of generation or
reproduction.
Gland. An organ that separates any fluid from the blood; or an organ which
secretes something essential to the system or excretes waste
materials the retention of which would be injurious to the body.
Glottis (glot'is). The space between the vocal cords, together with the
larynx, which is concerned in voice production.
Gluteus (glu-te'us). One of the large muscles of the buttock.
Glandular (glan'du-lar). Pertaining to the nature of a gland.
Granular (gran'u-lar). Made up of, or containing granules or grains.
Granulation (gran-u-la'shun). The formation in wounds of small rounded
fleshy masses.
Grumous (gru'mus). Clotted. Lumpy.
Guttural (gut'tur-al). Pertaining to the throat.
Habit (hab'it). The tendency to repeat an action or condition.
Hallucination (hal-lu-sin-a'shun). Perception of an object, etc., which
has no external existence, as by
sight, sound, smell, taste, or touch.
Hectic (hek'tik). Associated with consumption and with septic poisoning.
Due to absorption of toxic substances.
Hematemesis (hem-at-em'es-is). The vomiting of blood.
Hemorrhage (hem'-or-rej). Bleeding. An escape of blood from the vessels.
Hepatic (hep-at-ik). Pertaining to the liver.
Hereditary (her-ed'-it-a-re). Derived from ancestry or obtained by
inheritance.
[MEDICAL DICTIONARY 901]
Heredity (he-red'-it-e). The inheritance of qualities or of diseases from
a ncestry.
Hematuria (hem-at-u'-reah). The discharge of urine containing blood.
Hematosis (hem-at-o'sis). The process of the formation of blood; also its
arterialization in the lungs.
Hemiplegia (hem-e-ple'jeah). Paralysis of one side of the body.
Hernia (her'neah). Rupture. Breach.
Hydragogue (hi'drag-og). A purgative that causes copious liquid
discharges.
Hydrargyrum (hi-drar'gir-um). Mercury or quicksilver.
Hydrogen (hi'-dro-gcn). A light inflammable gaseous element, odorless and
tasteless.
Hydrothorax (hi-dro-tho'rax). The presence of a serous fluid in the
pleural cavity.
Hydrophobia (hi-dro-pho'bia). Acute infectious disease communicated to man
by the bites of an animal suffering from rabies.
Hygiene (hi'-gen). The science of health and its preservation.
Hyperesthesia (hi-per-es-the'zeah). Excessive sensibility of the skin or
of a special sense.
Hypochondrical (hi-po-kon'-dri-kal). Affected with hypochondriasis, morbid
anxiety about the health.
Hymen (hi'men). The fold of mucous membrane that partially occludes the
vaginal orifice.
Hypnotic (hip-not'-ik). Inducing sleep.
Hypertrophy (hi-per'tro-fe). An increase in the size of a tissue or organ
independent of the general growth of the body.
Hypodermic (hi-po-der'mik). Applied or administered beneath the skin.
Hypogastrium (hi-po-gas'treum). The lower median anterior region of the
abdomen.
Hysterical (his-ter'ikal). Pertaining to or affected by hysteria.
Ichor (ikor). An acrid thin puriform discharge. [transcriber's note: pus]
Idiopathic (id-eo-path'ik). Not dependent upon another disease or upon a
known or recognized cause.
Idiosyncrasy (id-eo-sin'kras-e). A habit or quality of body or mind
peculiar to any individual.
Ileum (il'-e-um). The tower portion of the small intestine terminating in
the cecum.
Ileus (il'-e-us). Severe colic due to intestinal obstruction.
Iliac (il'-e-ak). Pertaining to the ilium or to the flanks.
Iliac Region. One of the regions into which the abdomen is divided. Flank
region.
Illuminant (il-lu'min-ant). That which aids in lighting up a part, cavity
or organ for inspection.
Impotence (im'-po-tens). Lack of power. Especially of sexual power in the
man.
Imbecility (im-bes-il'-it-e). Feebleness of mind, congenital or acquired.
Immersion (im-mer'shun). The plunging of the body into a liquid.
Inanition (in-an-ish'un). Emptiness; wasting of the body from starvation.
Incontinence (in-kon'tin-ens). Inability to restrain natural discharges
like the urine, feces, etc.
Incubation (in-ku-ba'shun). The period between the implanting of an
infectious disease and its manifestation.
Incisor (in-sis'-or). Any one of the four front teeth of either jaw.
Incubus (in'-ku-bus). A heavy mental burden.
Indigenous (in-dij'-en-us). Native; originating or belonging to a certain
locality or country.
Indigestible (in-dij-es'tibl). Not susceptible of digestion.
Indisposition (in'-dis-po-zish'-un). Slight illness.
Induration (in-du-ra'shun). Hardening. The process of hardening.
Infection (in-fek'-shun). The communication of disease from one person to
another, whether by effluvia or by contact,
mediate or immediate.
Infiltration (in-fil-tra'-shun). The accumulation in a tissue of
substances not normal to it.
Inflammation (in-flam-ma'shun). A morbid condition characterized by pain,
heat, redness and swelling, etc.
Infusion (in-fu'shun). Steeping; to extract the active principles of
substance by means of water, but without boiling.
Ingestion (in-gcs'-shun). The act of taking food, etc., into the body.
Inguinal (in'gwin-al). Pertaining to the groin.
Injection (in-jek'-shun). The act of throwing a liquid into a part, such
as the rectum or a blood vessel.
[902 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Inoculation (in-ok-u-la'shun). The insertion of a virus into a wound or
abrasion in the skin in order to
communicate the disease.
Inspiration (in-spi-ra'shun). The act of drawing air into the lungs.
Inspissation (in-spis-sa'shun). To make thick by evaporation or absorption
of fluid.
Integument (in-teg'um-ent). The covering of the body; the skin.
Intercostal (in-ter-kas'tal). Situated between the ribs.
Intermittent (in-ter-mit'-ent). Occurring at intervals.
Intestines (in-tes'-tins). The bowels.
Ischuria (is-ku're-ah). Suppression or retention of the urine.
Joint. An articulation between two bones; more especially one which admits
of more or less motion in one or both bones.
Jugular (ju'gu-lar). Pertaining to the neck.
Labia (la'beah). Two folds of skin, etc., of the female genital organs;
lips.
Labium (la'-bi-um). A lip or lip-shaped.
Lacerated (las'er-a-ted). Torn; of the nature of a rent.
Laceration (las-er-a'shun). The act of tearing; a wound made by tearing.
Lactation (lak-ta'shun). Suckling. The period of the secretion of milk.
Lachyrmal (lak'ri-mal). Pertaining to the tears or to the organs secreting
and conveying tears.
Lacinating (la'sin-a-ting). Tearing; darting or sharply cutting.
Lacteal (lak'-te-al). Pertaining to milk
Larynx (lar'inx). The organ of the voice, situated between the base of the
tongue and the trachea.
Larva (lar'-vah). The first stage of the insect development after leaving
the egg and in which the organism resembles a worm.
Laxative (lak'-sat-iv). Mildly cathartic. Loosening.
Laryngoscope (lar-in'-go-skop). A mirror attached to a long handle for
examining the interior of the larynx.
Laryngotomy (lar-in-got'ome). The operation of cutting into the larynx
(incising the larynx).
Lesion (le'zhun). An injury, wound or morbid structural change.
Lethargy (lith-ar-gi). A condition of drowsiness or stupor that cannot be
overcome by the will; also a hypnotic trance.
Leucorrhea (lu-kor-re'-ah). A white, muco-purulent discharge from the
vagina and womb, popularly called "the whites."
Ligature (lig'-at-ur). A thread or wire for tying a vessel, etc.
Ligament (lig'-am-ent). Any tough fibrous band which connects bones or
supports viscera (internal organs).
Linctus (link'-tus). A thick syrupy medicament to be taken by licking.
Liniment (lin'-im-ent). Any oily preparation to be rubbed upon the skin.
Lithontriptic (lith-on-trip'-tik). An agent that dissolves renal stones.
Lithotomy (lith-ot'o-me). The removal of a stone by cutting into the
bladder (cystotomy).
Lithotrity (lith-ot'ri-te). The crushing of a calculus (stone) within the
bladder by a lithotrite (instrument).
Livid (li'vid.) Discolored from the effects of congestion or contusion.
Lochia (lo'keah). The discharge from the vagina that takes place during
the first week after child-birth.
Lumbago (lum-ba'go). Neuralgia of the loins.
Lumbar (lum'bar). Pertaining to the loins.
Lymph (limf). A transparent slightly yellow liquid of alkaline reaction
which fills the lymphatic vessels.
Lymphatic (limfat'-ic). Pertaining to or containing lymph.
Maceration (mas-er-a'shun). The softening of a solid by soaking.
Macula (mak'-u-lah). A stain or spot; especially one upon the skin not
elevated above the surface.
Malaria (mah-la'riah). A fever disease, now known to be caused by a blood
parasite.
Malarial (mal-a'real). Pertaining or due to malaria.
Malformation (mal-for-ma'shun). Deformity. An abnormal development or
formation of a part of the body.
Malignant (mal-ig'nant). Bad. Threatening life.
Malleolus (mal-le'o-lus). A hammer-headed process of bone.
Mania (ma'ne-ah). A variety of insanity characterized by wild excitement,
hallucinations, delusions and violent tendencies.
Mamma (mam-mah). The breast. Mammary gland.
Marrow (mar'o). The fatty substance contained in the medullary canal of
long bones and in the interstices of the cancellous bone.
[MEDICAL DICTIONARY 903]
Mastication (mas-tik-a'shun). The chewing of food.
Maturation (mat-u-ra'shun). The formation of pus.
Matrix (ma'trix). The womb. The groundwork in which anything is cast.
Meatus (me-a'tus). A passage or opening.
Medulla Oblongata (med-ul-lah oblong-at'-a). An organ or ganglion of the
brain which connects the
spinal cord with the pons.
Menses (men'sez). Monthly flow from the womb.
Menstrual (men'stru-al). Pertaining to menstruation.
Menstruum (men'stru-urn). A solvent.
Metastasis (met-as'tas-is). The transfer of a diseased process from a
primary focus to a distance by the conveyance
of the causal agents through the blood vessels
or lymph channels, like mumps from face to
the scrotum.
Metatarsus (met-ah-tar'-sus). The bones of the foot--situated between the
(instep) tarsus and toes.
Miasm (mi'asm). Anything harmful contaminating the air.
Micturition (mik-tu-rish'-un). The act of passing urine.
Midwife (mid'wif). A female nurse who attends women in childbirth.
Minim (min'-im). About a drop.
Mitral valves (mit'ral). The valves that control the opening from the left
auricle to the left ventricle.
Morbid (mor'bid). Pertaining to disease or diseased parts.
Morbific (mor-bif 'ik). Producing disease.
Morbus (mor'bus). Disease.
Mucous Membrane (mu'kus). A membrane that secretes mucus.
Mortification (mor-tif-ik-a'shun). See gangrene.
Mucilage (mu-cil'ij). A solution of gum in water.
Mucus (mu'kus). A viscid liquid.
Narcotic (nar-kot'-ik). A drug that produces stupor.
Nausea (naw'sheah). Sickness at the stomach with an inclination to vomit.
Navel (n-a'vet). The umbilicus.
Nauseant. (naw'she-ant). Nauseating; producing nausea.
Necrosis (nek-ro'sis). The death of cells surrounded by living tissue.
Nephritic (nef-rit'-ik). Pertaining to nephritis (inflammation of the
kidneys).
Nervine (nur'-vin). Acting upon the nerves.
Neuralgia (nu-ral'-jeah). Severe pain along a nerve without any
demonstrable structural changes in the nerve.
Neurasthenia (nu-ras-then-iah). A group of symptoms resulting from
debility or exhaustion of the nerve centers.
Nocturnal (nok'-tur-nal). Pertaining to the night.
Node (nod). A knob. Protuberance.
Normal (nor'-mal). Conforming to natural law or order.
Nostalgia (nos-tal'-je-ah). Homesickness.
Nostrum (nos'trum). A quack; secret medicine.
Nutritious (nu'trish'us). Nourishing.
Obtuse (ob-tus'). Dull.
Obesity (obes'it-e). An excessive development of fat.
Oedema (e-de'mah). An infiltration of serum in a part; watery swelling.
Obstetrics (ob-stet'-riks). Care of women during pregnancy, confinement
and after.
Occipital (ok-sip'it-al). Pertaining to the back part of the head
(occiput).
Olfactory Nerves (ol-fak'-to-re). Nerves of smell.
Omentum (o-men'tum). An apron. A fold of the peritoneum connecting the
abdominal organs with the stomach.
Ophthalmia (off-thal'-meah). Inflammation of the eye.
Opiates (o'-pe-ats). A preparation of opium.
Optic (op'tik). Pertaining to vision or to the science of optics.
Optic nerve. Nerve of sight.
Orthopnea (or-thop-ne'ah). A condition marked by quick and labored
breathing and relief is only had by remaining
in an upright position.
Ossific (os-if '-ik). Producing bone.
Ossification (os'if-ik-a'shun). The formation of bone.
Ovary (o'var-e). One of a pair of glandular organs giving rise to ova
(eggs).
Ovariotomy (o-va-re-ot'-o-me). Removal of an ovary.
Ovum (o'vum). An egg; the reproductive cell of an animal or vegetable.
[904 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Oxygen (oks'e-gen). A colorless, tasteless, odorless gas.
Palate (pal'-at). The roof of the mouth.
Palpitation (pal-pit-a'shun). A fluttering or throbbing, especially of the
heart, of which a person is conscious.
Palliative (pal'-e-a-tiv). An agent that relieves or soothes the symptom
of a disease without curing it.
Panacea (pan-a-se'ah). A cure-all.
Papilla (pap-il'-ah). A small nipple-like eminence.
Paracentesis (par'-ah-sen-te'-sis). Puncture of the wall of a cavity of
the body, such as the chest, drum
membrane, etc.
Paralytic (par-ah-lit'ik), Affected with paralysis.
Paralysis (par-al'-is-is). "Palsy." A loss of motion or of sensation in a
part.
Paraplegia (par-ah-ple'jeah). Paralysis of the lower half of the body or
of the lower extremities.
Parasite (par'ah-sit). An animal or vegetable living upon or within
another organism, termed the host.
Paroxysm (par'oks-izm). The periodic increase or crisis in the progress of
a disease.
Patella (pat-el'-ah). The knee cap.
Pathology (path-ol'-oje). The branch of medical science that treats of the
modifications of functions and changes of
structures caused by disease.
Pathognomonic (path-og-no-mon'ik). Characterized by a disease
distinguishing it from other diseases.
Parturient (par-tu're-ent). Giving birth; being in labor.
Parturition (par-tu-rish'-un). The act of giving birth to young.
Pediculus (pe-dik'-u-lus). The louse.
Pelvis (pel'-vis). A basin or basin-shaped cavity. The bony ring formed by
sacrum and coccyx and innominate bones.
Pepsin (pep'-sin). A ferment found in the gastric juice, and capable of
digesting proteids in the presence of an acid.
Percussion (per-kush'-in). Striking upon a part to ascertain the condition
of the underlying organs.
Pericardium (per-e-kar'de-um). The closed membranous sac enveloping the
heart.
Pericarditis (per-e-kar'-di-tis). Inflammation of the pericardium.
Perineum (per-e-ne'um). That portion of the body included in the outlet of
the pelvis, bounded in front by the pubic arch,
behind by the coccyx, and ligaments and on the
sides by the projections of the ichium.
Periodicity (pcr-e-o-dis'ite). Recurrence at regular intervals.
Periosteum (per-e-os'teum). Covering of parts of the bone except where the
tendons and ligaments are attached to the joint surfaces.
Peristaltic (per-e-stal'tik). Pertaining to peristalsis, an wave-like
motion seen in the tubes, like bowels, etc.
Perflation (per-fla-shun). To blow through.
Petechia (pet-e-keah). A small spot beneath the epidermis due to an
effusion of blood.
Permeate (per'me-at). Passing throughout.
Permeable (per'me-able). Capable of affording passage.
Phagedenic (fag-ed-en'ick). Relating to phagedena, a rapidly spreading
destructive ulceration of soft tissues.
Phalanges (fa-lan'ges). Plural of phalanx. Bones of the fingers or toes.
Pharynx (far'-inx), The throat.
Phlegmatic (fleg-mat'-ik). Indifferent, apathetic.
Phlebotomy (fleb-ot'o-me). Opening of a vein for blood letting.
Phlegmon (fleg'mun). An inflammation characterized by the spreading of a
purulent or fibro-purulent exudate within the tissues.
Phthysical (tiz'ik-al). Pertaining to consumption (phthisis).
Physiognomy (fiz-e-og'no-me). The countenance.
Plethoric (pleth'o-rik). A state characterized by an excess of blood in
the vessels and marked by a reddish color of
the face, full pulse, etc.
Pleura (plu'rah). The serous membrane enveloping the lung and lining the
inner surface of the chest cavity.
Pleurisy (plu'rise-e). Inflammation of the pleura (pleuritis).
Plexus (plex-us). A network, especially an aggregation of vessels or
nerves forming an intricate network.
Polypus (pol'e-pus). A tumor having a pedicle, found especially on mucous
membranes, as in the nose, etc.
Pregnancy (preg'nan-se). Woman with child; state of being pregnant.
[MEDICAL DICTIONARY 905]
Prescription (pre-skrip-shun). A formula written by a doctor to the
druggist, designating substances to be administered.
Post-mortem (post-mor'tem). An examination of a body after death.
Potable (po'ta-bl). Drinkable.
Prognosis (prag-no'sis). A judgment in advance concerning the duration,
course and termination of a disease.
Prophylactic (pro-fil-ak'tik). An agent that prevents the development of
disease.
Prolapsus (pro-lap'sus). Falling downward.
Pruritus (pru-ri'tus). Intense itching.
Pseudo (sudo). A prefix meaning false.
Ptyalism (ti'-al-izm). Salivation.
Puberty (pu'ber-te). The period at which generative organs become capable
of exercising the function of reproduction.
Purperal (pu-ur'per-al). Pertaining to, caused by, or following childbirth.
Pulmonary (pul'mon-are). Pertaining to the lungs.
Pulmonitis (pul-mon'itis). Inflammation of the lungs. Better term is
pneumonia.
Pulp. The soft part of fruit.
Pungent (pun'jent). Acrid, penetrating, producing a painful of prickling
sensation.
Purgative (pur'ga-tiv). A drug producing copious discharges from the
bowels.
Purulent (pu'rul-ent). Having the character of or containing pus.
Pus (pus). A liquid inflammation product made up of cells (leukocytes) and
a thin fluid called liquor pures.
Pustules (pus'tuls). Small circumscribed elevations of the skin containing
pus.
Putrid (pu'trid). Rotten.
Putrefaction (putre-fak'shun). The decomposition of animal or vegetable
matters effected largely by the agency
of nucro-production of various solid,
liquid and gaseous matters.
Pylorus (pi-lo'rus). The circular opening of the stomach into the
duodenum.
Pyrosis (pir'os-is). Heartburn; a burning sensation in the gullet and
stomach with sour eructation, due to acid dyspepsia.
Rectum (rek'tum). The lower part of the bowel (of the large intestine).
Recurrent (re'kur'ent). Returning.
Refrigerant (re-frig'er-ant). Coating, lessening fever.
Regimen (rej'im-en). The systematic regulation of the diet and habits for
some special purpose.
Regurgitate (re-gur-je'-tat). Flowing back or against a normal direction.
Resolution (rez-o-lu'shun). The return of a part to a normal state after a
pathologic (disease) process.
Resolvents (rez-ol'vent). An agent that causes resolution.
Respiration (res-pir-a'shun). The act or function of breathing; the act by
which air is drawn in and expelled from the
lungs, including inspiration and expiration.
Restorative (res-tor'a-tiv). Prompting a return to health or
consciousness.
Resuscitation (re-sus-sit-a'shun). The bringing back to life of one
apparently dead.
Retina (ret'in-ah). The delicate innermost tunic and perceptive structure
of the eye, formed by the expansion of the optic nerve
and covering the back part of the eye as far as the
"ora serrata."
Revulsion (re-vul'shun). The diverting of disease from one part to another
by the sudden withdrawal of the blood from the part.
Rheum (rum). Any watery or catarrhal discharge.
Rubefacient (ru-be-fa'shent). An agent that reddens the skin.
Rigor (rigor). The rigidity or stiffening which follows after death, due
to congestion of the "muscle plasm."
Saccharine (sak'kar-in). Sugary; of a sweet taste.
Salvia (sal've-ah). Sage.
Salutary (sal'u-ta-re). Favorable to the preservation and restoration of
health.
Sanative (san'at-iv). Promoting health; health.
Sanies (sa'ne-ez). A fetid, ichorous discharge from a wound or ulcer,
containing serum, pus and blood.
Scab (scab). The crust of a superficial sore.
Sanitary (san'it-are). Promoting or pertaining to health.
Sanitation (san-it-a'shun). The establishment of conditions favorable to
health.
Sanguine (sang-gwine). Abounding in blood. Ardent; hopeful.
Scarf-skin (scarf-skin). The epidermis.
[906 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Scirrhus (skir'rus). A hard cancer.
Sciatic (si-at'ik). Pertaining to the ischium (bone).
Scorbutic (skor-bu'tik). Pertaining to or affected by scurvy.
Scrotum (skro'tum). The pouch which contains the testicles and their
accessory organs.
Scrofulous (skrof 'u-lous). Affected with or of the nature of scrofula.
Sebaceous (se-ba'shus). Pertaining to sebum or suet.
Sedative (sed'at-iv). A remedy that allays excitement.
Sedentary (sed'en-ta-re). Sitting habitually; of inactive habits.
Seminal (sem'in-al). Pertaining to seed or semen.
Serum (se'rum). The clear portion of any animal liquid separated from its
more solid elements; especially the clear liquid which
separates in the clotting of blood from the clot and the
corpuscles.
Serous (si'rus). Pertaining to or resembling serum.
Semiflexion (sem-e-flek'shun). The position of a limb midway between
bending and extension.
Senile (se'nil). Of or pertaining to old age.
Septic (sep'tik). Produced by or due to putrefaction.
Sialagogues (si-al'-ag-og). An agent that produces a flow of saliva.
Sinapism (sin'ap-izm). A mustard plaster.
Sinew (sin'yu). The tendon of a muscle.
Slough (sluf). A mass of dead tissue in or cast out from living tissue.
Sewerage (su'er-ej). Drainage.
Solution (so'lu'shun). A liquid containing dissolved matter.
Solvent (sol'vent). Capable of dissolving.
Sordes (sor'dez). The dark brown foul matter which collects on the lips
and teeth in low fevers (typhoid, etc.).
Spasm (spazm). A sudden, violent, involuntary rigid contraction due to
muscular contraction.
Speculum (spek'u-Ium). An instrument for dilating the opening of a passage
or cavity of the body to view the interior.
Specific (spe-sif 'ik). A remedy especially indicated for any particular
disease.
Sphincter (sfingk'ter). A ring-like muscle which closes a natural orifice.
Spinal Cord (spi'nal). The cord-like structure contained in the spinal
canal.
Spleen (spleen). One of the so-called ductless glands.
Sporadic (spo-rad'ik). Occurring here and there, scattered.
Squamous (skwa'-mus). Scaly or plate-like.
Stertorous (ster'torus). Snoring. breathing.
Sternum (ster'num). Breast bone.
Stertor (ster'tor). Snoring or sonorous breathing, especially that of
sleep or of coma.
Stethoscope (steth'o-skop). An instrument for ascertaining the condition
of the organs of circulation and respiration.
Stimulant (stim'u-lant). Producing stimulation. Increasing the heart's
action.
Stool (stool). The fecal discharge from the bowel.
Stomachic (stom'ak-ik). Pertaining to the stomach.
Strangury (stran-ju-re). Slow and painful discharge of the urine.
Stricture (strik-tur). Abnormal narrowing of a canal, duct or passage.
Strumous (stru'mus). Scrofulous.
Struma (stru'mah). Scrofula.
Stupor (stu-por). Partial or nearly complete unconsciousness.
Styptic (stip-tik). Astringent. To arrest hemorrhage by means of
astringent quality.
Subcutaneous (sub-ku-ta'neus). Beneath the skin.
Submaxillary (sub-max'il-la-ri). Situated beneath the jaw.
Sudor (su'dor). Sweat or perspiration.
Sudorifics (sudor-if-iks). Sweaters.
Suppurate (sup'pu-rat). To produce pus.
Suture (su'tur). A surgical stitch or seam; an unmovable joint.
Symptom (simp'tom). Any evidence of disease or of a patient's condition.
Synocha (sin'-o-kah). A continued fever.
Syncope (sin'-co-pe). A swoon, fainting, or a faint. Sudden failure more
or less of the heart's action.
Syphilis (sif'i1-is). A venereal disease (pox).
Syringe (sir'inj). All instrument for injecting liquids into any vessel or
cavity.
Tepid (tep'id). Luke warm.
[MEDICAL DICTIONARY 907]
Tetanic (tet'an-ik). Pertaining to or of the nature of tetanus.
Tertian (tur'shan). Recurring every third day.
Tetanus (tet'an-us). An acute disease due to the bacillus tetani, in which
there is a state of more or less persistent tonic
spasm of some of the voluntary muscles.
Tibia (tib'eah). The inner bone of the leg (below the knee).
Therapeutics (ther-ap-u'tiks). The science and art of healing.
Thorax (tho'raks). The chest.
Testicles (tes'tik-kl). The two glands which produce semen.
Tendon (ten'don). A band of dense fibrous tissue forming the termination
of a muscle and attaching the latter to a bone.
Tense (tens). Stretched.
Tension (ten'shun). The act of stretching.
Tincture (tink'tur). A solution of the medicine principle of a substance
in a fluid other than water or glycerol.
Tonsils (ton'sils). Small almond-shaped masses between the pillars of the
fauces on either side.
Torpid (tor'pid). Not acting with normal vigor and facility.
Torpor (tor'por). Sluggishness.
Tormina (tor'minah). Griping pains in the bowels.
Trachea (tra-ke-ah). The wind-pipe.
Tracheotomy (trake-ot'o-me.) The formation of an artificial opening into
the trachea, cutting into the trachea.
Transpiration (tran-spi-ra'shun). The discharge of air, sweat or vapor
through the skin.
Tubercles (tu'ber-kl). Any mass of small, rounded nodules produced by the
bacillus of tuberculosis.
Transudation (trans'-u-da'tion). The passing of liquid through a membrane.
Tumefaction (tu-me-fak'-shun). A swelling. Puffiness.
Tumor (tu'mor). Morbid enlargement.
Tympanum (tim'pa-num). The middle ear.
Typhoid (ti'foid). Resembling typhus.
Typhus (ti'-fus). A contagious fever characterized by a petechial
(spotted) eruption, high fever and great prostration.
Ulcer (ul'-ser). An open sore other than a wound.
Ulna (ul'nah). A bone of the forearm on the side opposite that of the
thumb.
Urea (u-re'ah). A white, crystallizable substance from the urine, blood
and lymph.
Ureter (u-re'-ter). The tube that conveys the urine from the kidney to the
bladder.
Urethra (u-re'thra). A membranous canal extending from the bladder to the
surface.
Urine (u'rin). The fluid secreted by the kidneys, stored in the bladder
and discharged through the urethra.
Uric Acid (u'rik a'sid). One of the nitrogenous end products of
metabolism, found in the urine and spleen.
Uterus (u'ter-us). The womb.
Uvula (u'vu-lah). The pendulum (tip) of the soft palate.
Vaccine (vak'sin). The virus used in vaccinating.
Variolus (va-ri'o-lus). Pertaining to or of the nature of smallpox.
Varicose (var'ik-os). Swollen, knotted and tortuous blood vessels.
Vagina (vaj-i'-nah). A sheath. The canal from the slit of the vulva.
Vaginismus (vaj-in-iz'-mus). Painful spasm of the vagina due to local
oversensitiveness.
Valetudinarian (val'e-tu-din-a-re-an). A person of infirm or feeble habit
of body.
Vascular (vas'ku-lar). Pertaining to or full of vessels.
Venery (ven'er-e). Sexual intercourse.
Venous (ve'nus). Of or pertaining to the veins.
Venesection (ven-a-sek'shun). The opening of a vein for the purpose of
bleeding.
Ventilation (ven-til'a-shun). The act or process of supplying fresh air.
Vermifuge (ver'mif-uj). Having the power to expel worms.
Ventral (ven'-tral). Pertaining to the belly side.
Ventricle (ven'trik-l). Any small cavity.
Vertebra (ver'te-brah). Anyone of the thirty-three bones of the spinal
column.
Vertigo (ver'tig-o). Giddiness; dizziness.
Virulent (vir'u-lent). Exceedingly noxious or deleterious.
[908 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Virus (vi'rus). Any animal poison; especially one produced by and capable
of transmitting a disease.
Viscus (vis'-kus). Pl.-Viscera (vis'-er-a). Any large interior organ in
either of two great cavities
of the body, especially the
abdomen.
Vesiccant (vis'ik-ant). Causing blisters.
Vesication (ves-ik-a'shun). The process of blistering.
Vesicle (ves'ik-al). A small sac containing fluid.
Veterinary (vet'-er-in-a-re). Pertaining to domestic animals and their
diseases.
Vitreous Humor (vit'-re-us yu'-mor). The transparent jelly-like substance
filling the posterior chamber of the eye.
Volatile (vol'-at-il). Tending to evaporate rapidly.
Vulnery (vul-ne-ra-re). Pertaining to or healing wounds.
Vulva (vul'-vah). The external fleshy part of the female organs of
generation.
Whites (whitz). Leucorrhea or leukorrhea.
Zymotic (zi'mot'ik). Caused by or pertaining to zymosis.
Zymosis (zi-mo'sis). Fermentation. The propagation and development of an
infectious disease known by the growth of bacteria
and their products. Any infectious or contagious
disease.
[MEDICAL INDEX 909]
MEDICAL INDEX
INCLUDING PAGES 1 TO 682
Abortion (Herb Remedies) 413, 422, 444
Abortion (Accidents of Pregnancy) 524
Abscess 69
External Abscess 69
Mothers' Remedies 69
1. Beech Bark Poultice for 69
2. Milk and Salt Poultice for 69
3. More Good Poultices for 69
Abscess, Ano-Rectal 151
Abscess Around the Anus and Rectum 151
Abscess of the Brain 296
Abdominal Dropsy 135
Abscess, Hepatic 132
Abscess, Ischio-Rectal 151
Abscess of the Liver 132
Causes 132
Symptoms 132
Abscess 132
Recovery 132
Treatment 132
Diet in Liver Troubles 132
May Take 133
Must Not Take 133
Abscess of the Lungs 43
Causes 43
Symptoms 43
Physicians' Treatment 43
Accidents 376
Acne 63
Causes 64
Physicians' Treatment for Acne 54
Tincture of Nux Vomica 54
Calomel 54
Diet 54
Local Treatment 54
External Medication, Ointments and Lotions 54
1. Soothing Ointment 54
2. The Following Used as a Soothing Lotion 54
3. Dr. Duhring's Lotion 55
4. Kummerfield's Lotions 55
5. Stimulating Preparation's 55
6. Ointment of White Precipitate 55
7. The Following Hebra Lotion 55
Caution 55
Aconite, Poison by 401
Actinomycosis 234
Acute Anterior Poliomyelitis 307
Acute Bright's Disease 156
Acute Bronchitis 30
Acute Bronchitis, Diagnosis of 2
Acute Catarrhal Angiocholitis 128
Acute Catarrhal Conjunctivitis 349
Acute Congestion of the Kidneys 155
Acute Dyspepsia 100
Acute Gastritis 100
Acute General Peritonitis 133
Acute Indigestion 100
Acute Inflammation of the Kidneys 156
Acute Inflammation of the Smaller Bronchi and lungs 40
Acute Inflammation of the Stomach and Upper Bowel 111
Acute Laryngitis 24-26
Acute Melancholia 312
Acute Nasal Catarrh 10
Acute Nephriti 156
Acute Pharyngitis 21
Acute Pharyngeal Catarrh 21
Acute Pleurisy 41
Acute Rhinitis 10
Acne, Simple 53
Acute Tonsilitis 187
Acute Uraemia 156
Acute Yellow Atrophy 131
Addison's Disease 255
Causes 255
Symptoms 255
Treatment 256
Addison's Disease, Diagnosis of 1
Adenoids 8
Symptoms 8
Treatment 10
Adenoid Vegetation 8
Aestivo-Autumnal Fever 228
Agitans, Paralysis 291
Ague 229
Mothers' Remedies 229
1. Dogwood Good for 229
2. Menthol and Alcohol Effective Remedy for 229
3. Simple Remedy for 229
Ague, Chills and Fever (rare prescription) 467
Albuminuric Retinitis 355
Albumin Water 649
Alcoholism 371
Alcohol (Medical Use) 670
Alcohol, Poison by 401
Alcohol Sponge Bath 631
Anenoids, Operations for 663
All about Baby 544
Allen's World's Hair Restorer 465
Allopathy 660
Almond Milk 649
Alopecia 55
Alopecia Areata 56
Alum (Medical Use) 671
Amenorrhea 505
Amenorrhea (Herb Remedies) 418, 419, 420, 422, 424, 430, 442, 444, 446
Ammonia, Poison by 401
Anaemia 249
Causes 249
Symptoms 249
Treatment 250
1. Blaud's pills are very much used 250
2. Fowler's Solution of Arsenic 250
Diet 250
Anaemia, Diagnosis of 1
Anaemia, Pernicious 250
Anaemia, Secondary 251
Anaesthetica Lepra 240
Anatomy of the Nose 6
Anaemic Congestion 301
Diet 301
Medicines 301
[910 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Aneurism 845
Treatment 345
Angina Pectoris 344
Angina, Simple 21
Angiocholitis, Acute Catarrhal 128
Anidrosis 57
Treatment 57
Animal Parasites, Diseases Caused by 44
Anthrax 59, 230
Symptoms 231
Malignant Anthrax (Swelling) 231
Internal Anthrax 231
Charbon or Wool Sorter's Disease 231
Treatment 231
Ano-rectal Abscess 151
Anti-Constipation Pad 465
Antimony, Poison by 401
Anus, Diseases of the 136
Anus, Fistula in 152
Anus, Itching of the 143
Aortic Stenosis 343
Aortic Insufficiency 343
Symptoms 343
Aphasia 291
Varieties 291
Causes 291
Symptoms of the Motor Aphasia 291
Recovery 292
Treatment 292
Appendicitis 116
Symptoms 116
Local Signs 116
Recovery 117
Operations 117
Diet 117
Mothers' Remedies 117
1. Home Treatment found Good for 117
Physicians' Treatment 117
Caution 117
Appendicitis, Diagnosis of 1
Appendicitis, Operations for 663
Appetizer (Herb Remedy) 424
Apple Water 649
Apoplexy 292
Causes 292
Direct Causes 293
Symptoms 293
Subsequent Symptoms 293
What Can I Do at Once? 293
Mothers' Remedies 293
1. Simple yet Effective Remedy for 293
2. Simple Injection for 294
Medical Treatment 294
Caution 294
Arkansas, Hot Springs of 666
Arm, Plate of Bandage 386
Arrowroot Custard 647
Arrowroot Gruel 652
Arsenic, Poison by 402
Arsenical Poisoning, Chronic Case 402
Arteriosclerosis 345
Treatment 345
Arthritis, Rheumatic 314
Articular Rheumatism (Rheumatic Fever) 317
Arthritis, Gonorrheal 236
Ascariasis Lumbricoides 44
Ascites 135
Local Causes 135
General Causes 135
Symptoms 135
Physicians' Treatment 135
Ascites caused by an Ovarian Tumor 135
Asiatic Cholera 223
Asphyxiation, Gas 395
Aphthous Stomatitis 97
Asthma, Bronchial 37
Causes 37
Symptoms 37
Mothers' Remedies 37
1. Raspberry Tincture for Adults 37
2. Simple but Effective Remedy for 37
3. Lobelia Tea for 37
Physicians' Treatment for Asthma 38
1. Inhale Chloroform 38
To Prevent Recurrence 38
2. Vapo-Cresolene burned in a room 38
3. Tartar Emetic 38
Asthma, Bronchial, (Herb Remedies) 420, 426, 439, 442
Asthma, Hay 17
Asthma, Spasmodic 37
Asthma, Spasmodic (Herb Remedies) 427, 438
Ataxia Hereditary 306
Ataxia, Locomotor 305
Atrophic Leprosy 240
Atrophy, Acute yellow 131
Atropine, Poison by 402
Ayer's Cherry Pectoral 466
Ayer's Hair Vigor 466
Ayer's Sarsaparilla 467
BABY, ALL ABOUT (DEPT.) 544
(The following items are divisions and
sub-divisions of the 400 questions and over
in the Baby's Department.)
Adding other Food to Milk 586
All about Baby 544
Average Weight 547
Baby's Bed 562
Baby's First Meal 562
Baby's Second Summer 598
Band for Baby 552
Barley and Oatmeal Gruels 574
Bed Wetting 619
Bath 548
Bottle-Fed Babies 612
Bottle-Fed Baby, Special Monthly Rules for 571
Brain, Inflammation of 617
Bread, Crackers and Cheese 600
Bruises 621
Burns 621
Caked Breasts, Prevention of 566
Canker Sore Mouth 551
Cap for Baby's Ears 554
Cereals 600
Chafing 552
Circumcision 549
Clothing for Baby 553
Colds in Babies 620
Colic 608
Condensed Milk, How Shall I Use? 589
Constipation in Babies 611
Convulsions 542, 616
Cow's Milk 575
Cow's Milk, Modified 577
Cracked Nipples 566
Croup 27
Cry, How to Distinguish It 561
Cuts 621
Desserts 601
Diapers, Care of 552
Diarrhea (For Older Children) 611
Diet of Older Children-Fourth to Tenth Year 598
Dressing for Different Seasons, General 554
Drooling 554
Earache 610
Eggs 599
Enlarged Glands 619
Exercise 605
Eyes, Sore, Treatment of 549
Feeding During the Second year 595
Feeding Directions 592
Feeding Intervals 592
[MEDICAL INDEX 911]
Feeding and Nursing, Special Rules and Formula for Each Month 574
First Series of Formulas 581
Fly (Carrying Disease) 564
Food Healthy Infants, For Early Months 580
Food for Healthy Infants During the Latter Months 583
Foods for Special Conditions 588
Foreign Bodies in Throat, Ear or Nostrils 608
Fourth Series 588
Fruits 601
Genital Organs 549
Healthy Child Twelve Months, For 596
Hiccoughs 619
Hives 620
How to Lift a Child 606
Indigestion in Older Children 602
Infant Feeding 565
Inflammation of the Brain 617
Kissing 607
Loose Stools in Nursing Babies 569
Loss of Appetite 587
Malnutrition (Marasmus) 613
Meat and Fish 599
Milk and Cream 598
Milk and Cream, Care of 576
Mosquito Bites 564
Mouth, Care of 550
Mouth, Sore, Canker 551
Navel and Cord 549
Nervousness 607
Nipples, Cracked 566
Nursing 556, 565
Over-Feeding 587
Over-Nursing 587
Peptonized Milk 594
Permanent Teeth, Usual Order 619
Poisoning 621
Pregnancy (40 Questions and Answers) 544
Proprietary Foods 622
Regular Feeding 593
Rickets 614
Rocking Baby 604
Rubber Rings, or Ivory 560
Rules for Using Formulas 584
Rupture in a Baby 620
Scald Head 617
Scalp, Care of 550
Schedule for Three-Year-Old Child 597
Scurvy 615
Second Series of Formulas 581
Sickness, Early Signs of 621
Sleep 603
Soft Spot 548
Soothing Syrup, Overdose of 622
Sore Eyes, Treatment of 549
Sore Mouth, Canker 551
Special Care of the Baby 561
Splinters 621
Sprue 551
Sterilized Milk 593
Stools and Urine, Appearance of 547
Sugar, Kind to Use 578
Teeth 563
Teething 560, 618
Temperature 606
Third Series of Formulas 583
Thrush 551
Toys 607
Urine, Disappearance of 547
Ventilation and Airing 557
Weaning 569
Weighing Baby Frequently 558
Wardrobe, Baby's First 553
Washing Baby 547
Wounds 621
Baby's Second Summer 598
Bald Patches 56
Causes 57
Physician's Treatment 57
Local Treatment 57
Baldness 55
Causes 55
Mothers' Remedies 55
1.--Well Recommended for 55
2.--Vaselin and Quinine for 55
3.--Good Canadian Remedy for 55
Physicians' Treatment 55
1.--Dr. Schalek 56
2.--For Baldness 56
3.--For Baldness 56
4.--Ihle's Mixture 56
5.--Bulkley's Lotion 56
6.--Lassar's Ointment 56
Bandage of the Jaw, Plate of 380
For Fractures 381
Hospital Method, Plate of 394
Spiral Bandage of Foot, Plate of 384
Spiral Bandage of the Finger, Plate of 384
Borsch's Eye, Plate of 386
Spiral Reversed Bandage of Arm, Plate of 386
Barbers' Itch 87
Mothers' Remedies 87
1.--Standard Remedy for 87
2.--Healing Ointment for 88
3.--Reliable Remedy for 88
4.--Sulphur and Lard for 88
5.--Cuticura Ointment for 88
Physicians' Treatment 88
Barker's Bone and Nerve Liniment 467
Barley Gruel 652
Barley Water 647
Basedown Disease 260
Basilar Meningitis 210
Bathing in Polluted Waters 400
Baths 629
Beard, Ringworm of the 87
Bed Pan, How to Use a 641
Bed Sores, Prevention and Care of 628
Treatment, Preventive 628
Treatment of Sore Proper 629
Bed-Wetting 619
Belladonna, Poison by 402
Beri-Beri 230
Bites, Dog (Not Rabid) 377
Bites, Insect and Other 378
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 674
1.--Simple Remedy for 674
Bites, Mosquito 377
Bites, Snake 377
Big-Jaw 234
Alimentary Canal Type 234
In the Lungs 234
Symptoms 234
The Skin 234
Diagnosis 234
Treatment 235
Biliary Calculi 129
Bile Ducts, Cancer of the 130
Biliousness 125
Causes 125
Prevention 125
Diet 126
Mothers' Remedies 126
1.--Lemons for 126
2.--Salt and Water for 126
3.--Dandelion Tea for Chronic 126
4.--A Cheap and Very Safe Plan 126
5.--Salt Lemonade for 126
6.--Boneset Tea for 126
Physicians' Treatment 126
1.--Medicines 126
2.--Twenty Drops of Fluid Extract of Queen's Root 126
3.--The Following Combination 126
4.--For the Attack 127
[912 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Biliousness (Herb Remedies) 421
Blackheads 61
Symptoms 61
Causes 61
Mothers' Remedies 61
1.--Effective Yet Harmless Remedy for 61
2.--Alum Water for 62
3.--Cream of Tartar and Sulphur for 62
4.--Healing Cream for 62
Physicians' Treatment for Pimples 62
Local Treatment 62
1.--Precipitated Sulphur and Rosewater 62
2.--A Good Combination 62
Bladder, Inflammation of the 162
Bladder, Inflammation of (Herb Remedies) 419-429
Bladder Trouble 162
Mothers' Remedies 162
1.--English Oil of Sandalwood for 162
2.--Effective Herb Teas for 163
Treatment 163
Diet 163
Bladder Trouble (Herb Remedies) 417, 425, 432, 435, 441, 442, 444
Bleeders 254
Bleeding 394
Mothers' Remedies 394
1.--Unusual Way to Stop 394
2.--Cobwebs to Stop 394
3.--Powdered Alum and Hot Water Stops 394
4.--Salt and Flour Successful 394
5.--Boracic Acid Is Excellent for 394
6.--Tobacco Will Stop 395
Bleeding (Herb Remedies) 420
Bleeding After Delivery 540
Bleeding From the Nose 19
Bleeding from the Stomach 107
Causes 107
Symptoms 107
Physicians' Treatment 107
Caution 107
Bleeding from the Wind-pipe and Lungs 38
Symptoms 38
Quantity 38
Mothers' Remedies 39
1.--Salt Water for 39
2.--Herb Tea for 39
3.--Effective Remedy for 39
4.--Tannin and Sugar for 39
Physicians' Treatment for Bleeding from the Wind-pipe and Lungs 39
1.--First Thing to Do 39
2.--If Caused by the Coughing 39
3.--Alum for 39
4.--White Oak Bark Tea for 39
5.--Hot Water and Salt for 40
6.--Other Easily Obtained Remedies 40
Cautions 40
Thirst 40
Diet 40
Bleeding from the Wind-pipe and Lungs (Herb Remedies) 412, 446
Blepharitis Marginalis 348
Causes 348
Symptoms 348
Treatment 348
Local Treatment 348
Blister 92
Mothers' Remedies 92
1.--Linseed Oil for 92
2.--A Method of Raising a Blister 92
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 674
1.--White of Egg for 674
Blister Disease 79
Symptoms 79
Causes 79
Physicians' Treatment 79
Elixir Quinine, Iron and Strychnine 79
Local Treatment 79
Blistered Skin, to Dress 635
Blood and Ductless Glands, Diseases of 249
Blood and Liver Regulator (Rare Prescription) 460
Blotches and Pimples (Rare Prescription) 473
Blood Purifier (Herb Remedies) 437
Blood in the Urine 156
Causes 156
Treatment 156
Blue Stone, Poison by 402
Blue Vitriol, Poison by 402
Boil 68
Causes 68
Mothers' Remedies 68
1.--My Mother's Poultice for 68
2.--Soap and Sugar Poultice for 68
3.--Vinegar and Camphor for 68
4.--Bean Leaf Poultice for 68
5.--Another Remedy for 68
Physicians' Treatment for Boils 69
Boil (Herb Remedies) 431
Borax (Medical Use) 671
Boric Acid 626
Bottle-Fed Babies 612
Bowels, Bleeding from (Herb Remedies) 423
Bowels, Inflammation of 118
Bowels, Inflammation of (Herb Remedies) 413,439
Bow-Legs 370
Treatment 371
Brain, Concussion or Laceration of 302
Brain Diseases, General and Functional 280
Brain Hemorrhage 202
Brain, Softening of 298
Brain, Syphilis of 297
Causes 297
Symptoms 297
Symptoms When Arteries Are Diseased 298
How to Tell What the Disease Is 298
Recovery 298
Treatment 298
Brain, Tumors and Inflammation of 296
Bran Poultice 631
Brandy and Egg Mixture 649
Breakbone Fever 208
Breast, Broken Abscess 538
Breasts, Caked (Herb Remedies) 434, 443
Breast, Cancer of 335
Breasts, Care of 538
Breasts, Inflammation of 538
Breasts, Inflammation of (Herb Remedies) 434
Breathing, Difficult 339
Bright's Disease, Diagnosis of 1
Bright's Disease, Acute 156
Symptoms 157
Diagnosis 157
Recovery 157
Treatment 157
Diet and Nursing 157
Bowels, Attention to 157
Bright's Disease, Chronic 158
Causes 158
Conditions 158
Symptoms 158
Treatment; Diet 158
Brinkerhoff System of Treating Piles 468
Brodie's Liniment for Asthma 484
Bromidrosis 57
Bromototoxismus 374
Bronchial Asthma 37
Bronchial Asthma (Herb Remedies) 438
Bronchitis, Acute, Diagnosis of 2
Bronchitis, Acute (Herb Remedies) 420
Bronchitis, Acute 30
Causes 30
Symptoms 31
Mothers' Remedies 31
1.--Camphor and Lard for 31
2.--Grandmothers' Remedy for 31
3.--Antiphlogistine Plaster for 31
[MEDICAL INDEX 913]
4.--One of the Best Home Remedies 32
5.--Camphorated Oil and Steaming for 32
6.--General Relief for 32
7.--Lard Poultice for 32
8.--Mustard Plaster for 32
9.--Well-Known Remedy for 33
10.--Remedy and General Tonic for 33
Physicians' Treatment for 33
1.--Sweating Remedy for 33
2.--Steaming Remedy for 33
3.--Steaming With Pitcher 33
4.--Rub the Chest 33
5.--For Adults 34
Diet in Bronchitis (Similar to Laryngitis) 34
Bronchitis, Acute (Herb Remedies) 422, 426, 444
Bronchitis, Chronic 34
Causes 34
Symptoms 34
Physicians' Treatment 34
Preventive 34
1.--Ammonium Chloride 34
2.--Combination of Ammonium Chloride, Licorice and Water 34
3.--If the Cough Is Troublesome 34
Bronchitis, Chronic (Herb Remedies) 438
Bronchial Goitre 258
Bronchial Tubes, Inflammation of the 30
Brancho-Pneumonia 40
Causes 40
Symptoms 40
Secondary Cases 40
Prevention 40
Mothers' Remedies 41
1.--Herb Tea and Poultice for 41
2.--Home Remedy for 41
3.--Hot Vinegar Applications for 41
Physicians' Treatment 41
Diet 41
Bruises 621, 391
Mothers' Remedies 391
1.--Cold Water Prevents Coloring 391
2.--Kerosene Relieves the Pain of 391
3.--Turpentine to Keep Proud Flesh from 391
4.--Bread and Vinegar Quick Relief for 391
5.--Good Liniment for 391
6.--Liniment used in Ohio for 391
Physicians' Treatment for Bruises 391
1.--Tincture of Arnica 392
2.--Alcohol for 392
3.--Cold or Hot Water Applied With Cloths 392
4.--Raw Beefsteak (lean) is Excellent 392
5.--Lead and Landanum Wash 392
Bruises (Herb Remedies) 410, 429, 443, 446
Bubonic Plague 225
Bunions 95
Mothers' Remedies 95
1.--Remedy from Your Flower Garden 95
2.--A Cure for 95
3.--Iodine for 96
4.--Tested Remedy for 96
Physicians' Treatment 96
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 674
1.-Pulverized Saltpetre for 674
Burns 387,621
Causes 387
Burns 387
First Degree 387
Second Degree 387
Third Degree 387
Mothers' Remedies for Burns 387
1.--Linseed Oil for 387
2.--Common Soda 387
3.--Apply Crushed Onion Poultice for 387
4.--Molasses Takes Pain from 387
5.--Butter a Relief for 387
6.--Oil of Peppermint Draws Fire Out of 387
7.--Sweet Oil and Cotton Batting Relieves 381
8.--Vinegar Prevents Blistering from 387
For a Severe Case 390
For Third Degree Burns 390
Warm Baths 390
Burns from Acid 391
Burns from Alkali (Like Potash or Strong Ammonia) 391
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 674
1.--Lime Water and Sweet Oil for 674
2.--Charcoal for 674
3.--Grated Onion for 674
4.--Easily Prepared Remedy for 674
Burns (Herb Remedies) 429
Burns and Scalds (Rare Prescription) 466
Calculi, Biliary 129
Caisson Disease 304
Caked Breasts 566
Caked Breasts (Herb Remedies) 434, 443
California Liniment 470
Calculus, Renal 161
Calculi or Stones, Operation for 665
Callositas 58
Callosity 58
Causes 58
Symptoms 58
Physicians' Treatment 58
Calvus 58
Camphor (Medical Use) 671
Cancer of the Gall Bladder and Bile Ducts 130
Causes 130
Cancer of the Breast 335
Cancers, Operation for 664
Cancer 332
Cancer is curable if it be operated upon in its early stages 332
Have Operations Failed to Cure? 332
What is Cancer? 333
When to Suspect Cancer and What to Do 333
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 675
1.--Yellow Dock Root for 675
Cancer Paste 471
Cancer of the Stomach, Diagnosis of 2
Cancer of the Stomach 106, 334
Symptoms 106
Course 106
Physicians' Treatment 106
Diet 107
Cancer of the Uterus 334
Canker Sore Mouth 97, 551
Causes 97
Symptoms 97
Mothers' Remedies 98
1.--Raspberry Leaf for 98
2.--Oak Bark Tea for 98
3.--Boracic Acid for 98
4.--Canker Weed Tea for 98
5.--Honey and Borax for 98
6.--Wild Turnip for 98
7.--Alum for 98
8.--Borax Water for 98
9.--Common and Effective Remedy for 98
10.--Shoemaker Root and Borax for 98
Physicians' Treatment for Sore Mouth 99
1.--For Canker Sore Mouth 99
2.--Burnt Alum 99
3.--Nitrate of Silver 99
4.--A Wash of Sage Tea 99
5.--The Juice of a Ripe Tomato 99
Canker Sore Mouth (Herb Remedies) 410, 420
Capsicum and Belladonna Plasters 635
Carbolic Acid 625
Carbolic Acid, Poison by 403
Carbuncle 59
Symptoms 59
Causes 60
[914 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Mothers' Remedies 60
1.--Poppy Leaves to Draw and Ripen 60
2.--Slippery Elm and Sassafras Root for 60
3.--Sheep Sorrel Poultice for 60
4.--Bread and Milk Poultice for 60
5.--The Common Scabious for 60
6.--Snap Bean Poultice for 60
Physicians' Treatment 60
Local 60
Cardialgia 107
Care of Discharges (Excreta) 624
Care and Disinfection of an Infected Room 626
Care of the Room by the Nurse 626
Carter's Little Liver Pills 472
Castoria 472
Castor Oil (Medical Use) 671
Cataract, Operation for 663
Cataract 353
Senile Cataract 354
Symptoms of Senile (Old Age) Cataract 354
Course 354
Cataract, Senile 354
Catarrh 14
Causes 14
Symptoms and Course 14
Mothers' Remedies 14
1.--Successful Remedy for 14
2.--Cleansing Antiseptic Remedy for 14
3.--Witch Hazel for 14
4.--Cure for 15
5.--Mullein Leaves, Treatment for 15
6.--Milk and Salt Wash for 15
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 674
1.--Burnt Alum for 674
2.--Bad Case Cured by the Following 674
3.--Borax and Camphor for 675
4.--Pure Lard for 675
Physicians' Treatment for 15
Local 15
1.--Spray for 15
2.--Powders for 15
3.--Solution for 16
4.--Spray for 16
Catarrh (Herb Remedies) 431, 434
Catarrh, Acute Nasal 10
Catarrh Acute Pharyngeal 21
Catarrhal Angiocholitis, Acute 128
Catarrhal Headache 268
Catarrhal Jaundice 128
Catarrh of Long Standing 467
Catarrh Ointment (Rare Prescription) 468
Cathartic and Sure Cure for Constipation 468
Cathartic (Herb Remedy) 429
Cereals and Cereal Gruels 651
Cerebral Anemia 296
Cerebral Hemorrhage 292
Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis 209
Cervical Tuberculosis 212
Cervix, Diseases of 497
Cervix, Inflammation of 498
Cervix, Tear of 497
Chafing 552
Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera and Diarrhea Remedy 473
Chapped Hands and Face 93
Mothers' Remedies 93
1.--Quince Seed Cream for 93
2.--Soothing Lotion for 93
3.--Glycerin for 93
4.--Carbolic Salve for 93
5.--Glycerin and Lemon Juice for 93
6.--Camphor Ice for 93
7.--Remedy from a New York Lady 93
8.--Rose Cream for 93
9.--Preventive for 93
10.--From a Twin Falls, Idaho. Mother 93
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 676
1.--An Inexpensive Remedy for 676
Physicians' Treatment far Chapped Hands 94
1.--For Chapped Hands 94
2.--Powdered Camphor 94
3.--Ointment of Water of Roses 94
4.--Powdered Zinc Oxide 94
Charbon (Wool Sorter's Disease) 230
Cheese, Poison by 403
Chest, Cold in 30
Chestnut Puree 652
Chicken Broth 652
Chicken Broth 648
Chicken Pox, Diagnosis of 2
Chicken Pox 179
Mothers' Remedies 179
1.--Catnip Tea and Soda Water for 179
Physicians' Treatment 180
Chilblains 96
Mothers' Remedies 96
1.--A Cure for 96
2.--Witch-Hazel for 96
3.--Ointment for 96
4.--Vinegar Cure 96
5.--Home-Made Salve for 96
6.--Common Glue 96
7.--The Onion Cure for 97
8.--The Hemlock Remedy for 97
Physicians' Treatment for Chilblains 97
Internal 97
External 97
1.--Alum as a Wash 97
2.--Ointment of Ichthyol 97
3.--Rosin 97
4.--Lard and Iodine Ointment 97
5.--The Following Is Good 97
Childbirth 494
Child Crowing 26
Cause 27
Symptoms 27
Physicians' Treatment 27
Preventive 27
Cold Sponging 27
Chills and Fever 229
Mothers' Remedies 229
1.--Peruvian Bark and Rhubarb for 229
2.--Horseradish for 230
3.--Dogwood Known to Be Good for 230
Treatment 230
Choking (Foreign Bodies in the Larynx) 396
Mothers' Remedies 396
1.--Fish Bone to Stop 396
2.--Simple Remedy to Stop 396
3.--Pennyroyal Tea and Lard Relieves 396
4.--Grease and Meat Common Remedy for 396
In the Gullet (Foreign Bodies) 396
Chloasma 61
Chloral Habit 374
Chloride of Lime 625
Chloral, Poison by 403
Cholelithiasis 129
Chorea (Herb Remedies) 419, 427, 439
Cholera, Asiatic 223
Causes 223
Symptoms 223
Treatment 224
Cholera Infantum 112
Symptoms 112
Cautions 113
Mothers' Remedies 113
1.--Castor Oil and Warm Applications for 113
2.--First Thing to Do 113
3.--White of Egg and Cathartic for 113
4.--Olive or Sweet Oil for 113
5.--Spice and Whisky for 113
6.--Cabbage Leaf Poultice for 114
7.--Herb Remedy for 114
8.--Tomatoes Will Relieve 114
9.--Injection for 114
[MEDICAL INDEX 915]
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 676
1.--Chickweed for 676
Diets and Drinks 114
Physicians' Treatment for Cholera Infantum 114
1.--Washing Out the Bowel 114
2.--For Vomiting 114
3.--Subcarbonate of Bismuth 114
4.--Castor Oil 115
5.--Mustard Poultice for 115
Cholera Morbus, Diagnosis of 2
Cholera Morbus 111
Symptoms 111
Mothers' Remedies 111
1.--Castor Oil for 111
2.--Blackberry Root and Boiled Milk for 111
3.--Blackberry Cordial for 111
4.--Tincture of Cayenne Pepper for 111
5.--Nutmeg and Jamaica Ginger for 111
6.--Home Remedy for 111
7.--Old Reliable Remedy for 112
8.--Common Remedy for 112
Physicians' Treatment for Cholera Morbus 112
1.--Heat 112
2.--Morphine by Hypodermic Method 112
3.--For Cholera Morbus 112
Cholera Morbus (Herb Remedies) 418
Chordee (Herb Remedies) 426
Choroid, The 347
Chlorosis (Herb Remedies) 444
Chronic Bright's Disease 158
Chronic Desquamative or Tubal Nephritis 158
Chronic Diffuse Nephritis 158
Chronic Dyspepsia 103
Chronic Gastritis 103
Chronic Inflammation of the Bladder 163
Chronic Indigestion 103
Chronic Melancholia 312
Chronic Inflammation of the Nose 14
Chronic Parenchymatous Nephritis 158
Chronic Rheumatism 321
Chronic Rheumatism (Herb Remedies) 414, 434, 435, 440
Chronic Rhinitis 14
Chronic Splenitis 256
Chronic Uraemia 156
Ciliary 347
Cinnamon Tea 647
Circulatory Disturbances of the Liver 131
Circulation, Poor, Alcohol Rub for 680
Circulatory System, Diseases of 337
Circumcision 509
Cirrhosis of the Kidneys 159
Cirrhosis of the Liver 131
Cleft Palate 368
Clitoris, The 491
Club Foot 371
Cocaine Habit 373
Colds 9, 632
Causes 10
Symptoms 10
Mothers' Remedies 10
1.--Borax for Cold Settled in Throat 10
2.--Valuable Caution and Treatment for 11
3.--Molasses-Vinegar Syrup for 11
4.--Quinine and Ginger for 11
5.--Boneset Tea for 11
6.--Cold or Threatened Consumption 11
7.--Rock Candy Syrup for 11
8.--Skunk's Oil for 11
9.--Lemons and Mustard for 11
10.--Hops or Catnip Poultice 12
11.--Honey for 12
12.--To Break Up at the Onset 12
13.--Mutton Tallow and Red Pepper for 12
14.--Lard and Turpentine for 12
15.--Milk and Cayenne as a Preventive 12
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 675
1.--Capsules for 675
2.--Mullein Remedy 675
3.--An Easily Prepared Remedy for 675
Physicians' Treatment for Colds 12
Preventive 12
1.--Camphor and Vaselin Mixed or Camphor and Cream 12
2.--Camphor Taken Internally 13
3.--Aconite 13
4.--The Following Is Good 13
5.--Lard and Camphorated Oil 13
6.--To Restore Loss of Voice 13
7.--Benzoin Teas for 13
8.--Herb Teas for 13
9.--Dr. Ball, a London, England, Specialist 13
10.--When the Disease Is Rather Marked 14
Colds (Herb Remedies) 414, 423, 426, 437, 440
Colds in Babies 619
Cold in Chest 30
Cold Compresses 332
Cold, June 17
Cold Pack, The 631
Cold, Rose 17
Colic 608
Colic in Infants 471
Colic, Intestinal 124
Causes 124
Symptoms 124
Physicians' Treatment 124
1.--For Colic 124
2.--Severe Case 124
3.--Tincture of Colocynth 124
Colic Intestinal (Herb Remedies) 416, 417, 418, 432, 441, 442, 445
Collapse 376
Comedones 61
Common Itch 81
Common Tables of Measure-Apothecaries' Weight 636
Concussion of the Brain 302
Concussion of the Spine 303
Condensed Milk, How Shall I Use? 589
Condiment (Herb Remedies) 43
Congestion of the Brain 295
Congestive Headache 269
Congestion of the Kidneys, Acute 155
Kidney 155
Treatment 155
Congestion of the Kidney, Chronic 155
Congestion of the Liver, Acute 131
Congestion of the Liver, Chronic 131
Conjunctivitis 349
Constipation 136, 471
Causes 136
1.--Mechanical Obstruction 136
2.--Defective Motion of the Bowels 136
3.--Deficient Bowel Secretions 136
4.--Other Causes-Mechanical Obstruction 136
Defective Worm-Like Bowel Movement 136
Deficiency of the Secretions 136
Sundry Causes 136
Symptoms 137
Fissure 137
Hemorrhoids 137
Prolapse 137
Proctitis 137
Neuralgia of the Rectum 137
Mothers' Remedies for Constipation 137
l.--A Good Substitute for Pills and Drugs 138
2.--Substitute for Castor Oil 138
3.--Hot Water for 138
4.--Excellent Nourishment for Old People 138
5.--Salt and Water for 138
[916 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
6.--Water Cure for 138
7.--Tonic and Standard Remedy for 138
8.--Glycerin and Witch-Hazel for 138
9.--Well-known Remedy for 138
10.--Effective Remedy in the Most Stubborn Cases of 139
11.--Remedy from a Mother at Lee, Mass 139
12.--Fruit and Hot Water Cure for 139
13.--Herb Tea for 139
14.--Purshiana Bark Tea Without an Equal 139
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 675
1.--Bran as a Cure for 675
2.--An Old Tried Remedy for 675
3.--An Effective Remedy for 675
4.--Juice from Prunes for (Baby) 675
Physicians' Treatment 139
1.--Stretching of the Sphincter 139
2.--Frequent Rectal and Abdominal Massage 139
3.--Copious Injection of Warm Water (in the beginning only) 139
4.--Applications of Electricity 139
Abdominal Massage (Kneading, Rubbing, etc.) 140
Copious Warm Water Injections 141
Electricity 141
Rules 141
Correction of Errors in Diet 142
May Take 142
Must Not Take 142
Drinks 142
Outdoor Exercise 143
Bathing 143
Clothing 143
Physicians' Treatment 143
1.--One Year to Three years 143
2.--Smaller Children 143
3.--Older Children 143
4.--Fluid Extract of Cascara Sagrada 143
5.--The Aromatic Cascara 143
6.--The Compound Licorice Powder 143
7.--Capsule Dose 143
Constipation (Herb Remedies) 421, 429, 432, 439
Constipation in Babies 609
Constipation, Headache From 270
Consumption 211
Consumption (Herb Remedies) 437
Contagion 166
Contents of the Medicine Chest 637
Continuous Malarial Fever 228
Contracted Kidney 159
Convalescent Diet 644
Convulsions 542
Convulsions (Herb Remedies) 420-439
Copper, Poison by 403
Cord, Traumatism of 303
Cornea, The 347
Cornea, Diagnosis of Ulcer of the 5
Cornea, Ulcer of 351
Cornmeal Gruel 652
Corns 58, 472
Cause 58
Mothers' Remedies 58
1.--One of the Surest Remedies 58
2.--Turpentine and Kerosene for 58
3.--To Remove 'Without Pain 58
4.--Onion a Cure for 58
5.--Castile Soap an Effective Remedy for 59
6.--Iodine a Successful Remedy for 59
7.--Castor Oil for 59
8.--Vinegar and Bread for 59
Physicians' Treatment for Corns 59
1.--For Corns 59
2.--A Good But Weaker Remedy 59
3.--When the Corns Are Soft 59
Ulcerating Corns 59
Corns (Herb Remedies) 416
Corrosive Sublimate or Bichloride of Mercury 625
Corrosive Sublimate, Poison by 403
Coryza 9
Cough of Long Standing, Syrup for 650
Coughs 34, 468
Causes 34
Mothers' Remedies 34
1.--Raspberry Tincture 34
2.--Honey and Vinegar for 35
3.--Excellent Syrup for 35
4.--Reliable Mixture in Severe Cases 35
5.--Mullein Leaf Tea for 35
6.--Lemon Juice and Sugar for 35
7.--Standard Remedy for 35
8.--Ipecac Syrup for 35
9.--Remedy for Adults (Not for Children) 36
10.--Very Simple Remedy for 36
11.--Glycerin, Brandy and Paregoric With Lemon 36
Physicians' Treatment for Coughs 36
1.--A Combination 36
2.--A Good Combination Is the Following 36
3.--A Prescription 36
4.--Another Prescription for 36
5.--Many Other Combinations Could Be Given 37
6.--Onion Syrup 37
Coughs (Herb Remedies) 419, 423, 426, 428, 431, 437, 438, 439
Cough, Diagnosis of Whooping 5
Cough, Whooping 180
Counter-Irritants 633
Counter-Irritants (Herb Remedies) 431
Cracked Nipples 566
Cracker Gruel 652
Cramps (Herb Remedies) 424-430-433-441
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 676
1.--Turpentine for 676
Cramp, Writers' 292
Cranial Nerves, Neuralgia Fifth Pair 265
Cream of Celery Soup 653
Creams, Face 94
Cream of Potato Soup 653
Cream Soup 647
Cream of Tartar (Medical Use) 673
Cream Toast 646
Cream of Tomato Soup 653
Criminal Abortion 494
Crooked Feet 370
Croup, Diagnosis of 2
Croup 27
Symptoms 27
Treatment-Preventive 27
Mothers' Remedies 27
1.--Cold Application for 27
2.--Sure Cure for 28
3.--Immediate Relief from Steaming 28
4.--For Baby and Older Child 28
5.--Remedy That Never Fails 28
6.--Coal Oil (Kerosene) and Sugar for 28
7.--Pork and Onion Poultice for 28
8.--Blood Root for 29
9.--Time Honored Remedy for 29
10.--Ipecac for 29
11.--Vaselin for 29
12.--Ice Application for 29
13.--Salt for 29
14.--Castor Oil Breaks Up 29
15.--Coal Oil, Turpentine and Snuff, a Canadian Remedy 29
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 676
1.--Quick Cure for 676
2.--Salt Water for 676
Physicians' Treatment for Croup 30
1.--Dr. Douglas says 30
2.--Place the Child in a Hot Bath 30
[MEDICAL INDEX 917]
3.--Dr. Hoit of New York Says 30
4.--The Home Treatment 30
5.--Goose Grease 30
6.--Steam Is Very Useful 30
Croup (Herb Remedies) 469, 474, 608
Croup, Spasmodic 27
Croup, Spasmodic (Herb Remedies) 423, 427, 431
Crowing Child 26
Crust, Coffee 647
Cupping, Wet and Dry 635
Currant Juice 649
Cuticura Ointment 474
Cuticura Resolvent 474
Cuts 392, 621
Cuts (Herb Remedies) 430
Cyst, Sebaceous 85
Cystitis 162
Cystitis (Herb Remedies) 411-419
Cystocele 514
Dandruff 83
Definition 83
Varieties 83
1.--Oily Seborrhoea 83
2.--Dry Sehorrhoea 83
3.--Mixed Type of Both 83
Causes 84
Local 84
Mothers' Remedies 84
1. Home Preparation from New York Mother 84
2. A Barber's Shampoo for 84
3. Lemon Juice for 84
4. A Brook, Ontario, Lady Prevents 84
5. Simple and Harmless 84
6. Talcum Powder an Excellent Remedy for 84
Physician's Treatment for Dandruff 84
Local 85
Remedies 85
1. For Dandruff 85
2. For Dandruff 85
3. A Good Combination 85
4. For Dandruff 85
Dangue 208
Symptoms 208
Physicians' Treatment 208
Deadly Night Shade, Poison by 403
Dead, How to Care for the 638
Deafness 307
Treatment 367
Mothers' Remedies 367
1. Quick and Effective Remedy for 367
2. Often Tried Remedy for 307
3. My Mother, in Galt, Found Good for 367
Deformities 369
Delirium Tremens 372
Symptoms 372
Treatment 372
Chronic Alcoholism 373
Mothers' Remedies 373
1. Effective as Cure for 373
Treatment 373
Delirium Tremens (Herb Remedies) 427, 439
Dementia 313
Primary Dementia 313
Secondary Dementia 313
Senile (old age) Dementia may be primary 313
Chronic Dementia 313
Dermatitis 62
Deviation of the Nasal Septum 19
Causes 19
Physicians' Treatment 19
Diabetes, Diagnosis of 2
Diabetes, Insipidus 330
Causes 330
Symptoms 330
Treatment 330
Diabetes, Mellitus 328
Causes 328
Symptoms 328
Recovery 329
Treatment, Preventive 329
Diet 329
The following is a list of articles which
a Diabetes patient may take 329
Must Not Take 330
Medicines, Codeine 330
Diabetic Bread 648
Diagnosis, Mothers' 1
Diarrhea 108
Causes 108
Symptoms 108
Mothers' Remedies 108
1. Wild Sage Tea for 108
2. Egg and Nutmeg for 108
3. Scorched Flour and Sugar for 108
4. Excellent Compound for 108
5. Spice Poultice for 108
6. Blackberry Tea for 108
7. Hot Milk for 109
8. Castor Oil for 109
9. Former Canadian's Remedy for 109
10. A Goderich Lady found this good 109
11. Inexpensive Remedy for 109
12. Fern Root Good to Relieve 109
13. Milk and Pepper a Common Remedy for 109
Physicians' Treatment for 109
1. Rest in Bed 109
2. Dose of Castor Oil for 109
3. For Children an Infusion of pathweed 109
4. For Infants an Infusion of Chamomile 109
5. Another for Infants 110
6. Ginger is Frequently of Good Service 110
7. Infants of Six Months 110
Diet in Diarrhea from the Head Nurse of a Large Hospital 110
May Take 110
Must Not Take 110
Infants 110
Diarrhea (Herb Remedies) 410, 411, 412, 413, 417, 418, 420, 422,
424, 429, 431, 434, 439, 442, 443
Diarrhea (Older Children) 613
Diarrhea, Flux and Dysentery (Rare Prescription) 472
Diet 643
Diet in Older Children, fourth to tenth year 598
Diet in Debility sent us from one of our Leading Hospitals
May Take 646
Soups, Fish, Meats, Eggs, Farinaceous 646
Vegetables, Desserts, Drinks, must not take 646
Diets in Fevers--Furnished us by a Trained Nurse in a Hospital
May Take 645
Foods, Drinks--Must Not Take 645
DIGESTIVE ORGANS, DISEASES OF 97
Diphtheria, Diagnosis of 2
Diphtheria, Diagnosis between Acute Tonsilitis and 188
Causes 184
Symptoms 184
Pharyngeal Diphtheria 184
Laryngeal Diphtheria (formerly called Membraneous Croup) 184
Diagnosis of 185
Recovery 185
Mothers' Remedies 185
1. Cure and Preventive for 185
2. Kerosene for 185
3. Hops and Hot Water Relieves 185
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 676
1. A Marine City Mother Gives the Following Cure for 676
Physicians' Treatment 185
Local Treatment 186
[918 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
When in the Larynx 186
Diet 186
Cautions 186
Diphtheria, Laryngeal 184
Diphtheria, Pharyngeal 184
Dishes for the Sick Room 646
Diseases of Women, Causes of 493
Disinfectants 625
Disinfection 824
Dislocations 379
General Causes 379
General Symptoms 379
General Treatment 379
Dislocation, Finger or Thumb 380
Dislocation of the Jaw 379
Treatment 380
Dislocation of the Shoulder Joint 380
Divergent, Squint 356
Dog Bites (Not Rabid) 377
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 676
1. Home Treatment for 676
Dose for the Children, How to Determine 636
Dose in Drops for Different Ages 636
Rule usually followed 636
Douches 641
Drink, Bland after Poisoning 438
Drooling 554
Dropsy 165
From Heart Disease 165
Mothers' Remedies 165
1. Juniper Berries for 165
2. Wild Milkweed for 165
3. White Bay Buds 165
4. Canada Thistle for 165
5. Very Effective Remedy for 165
6. Common Herb Remedy for 165
7. Queen of the Meadow 166
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 677
1. Chestnut Leaves for 667
Physicians' Treatment for Dropsy 166
Dropsy (Herb Remedies) 416, 426, 429, 432, 438, 440
Dropsy, Abdominal 135
Drowned Persons, How to Find 400
Drowning, How to Keep from 399
Drowned, Treatment of 397
Drunkenness 676
Chocolate for 676
Dry Cupping 635
Dry Salt Bath Sent us with Mothers' Remedies 630
Dry Tetter 63
Ductless Glands 249
Duodenum, Ulcer of the Stomach and 106
Dyspepsia, Diagnosis of Acute 2
Dyspepsia, Acute 100
Causes 100
Symptoms--In Mild Cases 100
Severe Cases 100
Mothers' Remedies 100
1. Mustard and Molasses for 100
2. Wormwood Tea for 100
3. Dry Salt for 100
4. Chicken Gizzard Skin for 101
5. An Excellent Tonic for 101
6. Fruit Diet for 101
7. Hickory Ashes for 101
8. Salt and Water for 101
9. Slippery Elm for 101
10. Cold Water for 101
11. Hot Water for 101
12. Yolk of Egg and Salt for 101
13. Lemon Remedy for 101
14. Hops Excellent for 102
15. Tested Remedy for 102
16. Chamomile Tonic for Aged Persons and Children 102
Physicians' Treatment in Severe Forms 102
Diet 103
May Take 103
Must Not Take 103
Dyspepsia, Acute (Herb Remedies), 411, 417, 421, 425, 445, 446
Dyspepsia, Chronic 103
Causes 103
Symptoms 103
Mothers' Remedies 104
1. Spice Poultice for 104
2. Oil of Hemlock for 104
3. Ginger and Soda for 104
4. Oil of Peppermint for 104
5. Mustard Poultice and Eggs for 104
6. Hot Plate for 104
Physicians' Treatment for Chronic Gastritis 104
Diet 105
Cautions 105
Home Treatment 105
1. Drink Cold Water 105
2. Do Not Eat Much Meat 105
3. If the Stomach Wants Tone 105
4. Charcoal in Small Doses 105
5. If a Bitter Tonic is Needed 105
Dyspepsia, Chronic (Herb Remedies) 423, 424, 445
Dyspepsia, Nervous 105
Dyspepsia, Tonic 473
Dysentery, Diagnosis of 2
Dysentery 226
Acute Catarrhal Dysentery 226
Symptoms 226
Mothers' Remedies 226
1. Sweet Cream for 226
2. One Ounce Dewberry Root for 226
3. Colts Tail Remedy for 227
4. Sugar and Brandy for 227
5. Herb Remedy for 227
6. New Method to Cure 227
7. Starch Injection for 227
8. To Cure Bloody 227
Physicians' Treatment 227
1. Remain in Bed 227
2. Bismuth Subnitrate 227
3. Irrigation of the Colon 227
4. Ipecac 227
Nursing and Diet 228
Dysentery (Herb Remedies) 411, 420, 422, 424, 429,
432, 434, 439, 442, 446
Dysmenorrhea 507
Dysmenorrhea (Herb Remedies) 417, 419, 420, 422, 423,
428, 435, 443, 444
Ear, Diseases of 358
Membrana Tympani 358
Membrana Tympani (the Drum) Membrane 358
The Tympanum or Middle Ear 358
The Eustachian Tube 359
Ear, Diseases of (Herb Remedies) 410
Earache, Diagnosis of 3
Earache 367, 610
Treatment 368
Mothers' Remedies for Earache 368
1. Hot Raisin for 368
2. Flax and Cornmeal for 368
3. Soothing Home Remedy for. 368
4. Horse Radish Leaves for 368
5. Onion Sure Cure for 368
6. Temporary Relief for 368
7. Sweet Oil and Pepper for 368
8. Steaming with Hot Water for 368
9. Castor Oil for 369
10. Fresh Warm Milk for 369
Earache (Herb Remedies) 431
Earache (Rare Prescription) 470
Ear (aural) Douche 641
Ear, Things in 395
[MEDICAL INDEX 919]
Eclampsia 542
Eclecticism 661
Electrically Shocked 397, 400
Eczema 63
Definition 63
Varieties 63
Symptoms 63
Eczema Vesiculosum (Vesicular Eczema) 63
Eczema Pustulosum (Pustules) Pustular Kind 63
Eczema Papulosum (Papular Variety) 63
Eczema Rubrum (Red) 64
Eczema Squamosis (Scaling) 64
Recovery 64
Causes 64
Mothers' Remedies 64
1. Lemon or Vinegar for 64
2. Olive Oil and Powder for 64
3. Herb Tea for 64
4. Potato and Camphor for 64
5. Sulphur and Lard for 64
6. Burdock Tea a Standard Remedy for 64
7. Blood Purifier for 65
8. Reliable Remedy for 65
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 677
1. Lard and Sulphur for 677
2. Gasoline for 677
Physicians' Treatment 65
In Chronic Sluggish Cases 65
Local Treatment 65
1. Black Wash 65
2. Lead and Laudanum Wash 65
3. A Solution of Boric Acid 65
4. Soothing Application for 65
5. Dusting Powders 66
6. Oxide of Zinc 66
7. McCall Anderson's Ointment 66
The Black Wash Should be Used 66
8. Pastes 66
9. For the Itching 66
External Treatment of Chronic Cases 66
1. Tincture of Green Soap 66
2. Tar 66
3. Salicylic Acid 66
4. Dr. Schalek Uses 66
Glycoge1atin Dressing 67
Special Varieties of Eczema and what to do for them 67
Eczema of Children 67
Physicians' Treatment for Eczema 67
Eczema of the Scalp, Milk Crust 67
Eczema of the Face 67
Eczema of the Scrotum 67
Eczema of the Hands in Adults 67
Diet in Eczema 67
Eczema (Herb Remedies) 416
Edward's Alterative and Tonic Bitters 487
Egg Broth 649
Eggnog, Cold 649
Egg Cordial 649
Eggs, Dainty Way to Serve on Toast 648
Egg Gruel 648
Eggnog, Hot 649
Ely's Cream Balm 474
Emetic 431
Emphysema 43
EMERGENCIES, ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 376
Endocarditis 341
Simple Kind, Cause 341
Symptoms 341
Treatment 341
Diet 341
Caution 341
Endocarditis, Chronic 342
Endometritis 498
Endometritis, Putrid 500
Endometritis, Septic Puerperal 499
Enemata 638
A High 638
A Low 639
Directions 639
Position 639
Amount 639
What Material 639
Syringe 639
Enemata, Astringent 641
Enema, Laxative for Infants and Children 639
Formula No. 1 640
Formula No. 2 640
3. Molasses and Laxative Enema 640
Enemata, Nutritive 640
Formula No. 1 640
Formula No. 2 640
Enemata, Stimulating No.1, Black Coffee 641
Enemata, Salt No. 2 641
Enemata, Turpentine 641
Enlarged Glands 619
Enlarged Nail 77
Treatment 77
Inflammation of the Nail 78
Enteralgia 124
Epilepsy 288
Causes 288
Symptoms 288
Characteristic Paroxysm of Major Attacks 288
Clonic Spasm Stage 289
The Minor Attack or "Petit Mal" 289
Recovery 289
Physicians' Treatment 290
What to do during the Attack 290
Preventives and General Treatment 290
Diet 290
Causes 290
Medicines 290
Caution 290
Epithelial Cancer 335
Eruptions (Herb Remedies) 442
Erysipelas, Diagnosis of 3
Causes 220
Symptoms 220
Mothers' Remedies 221
1. Slippery Elm Bark for 221
2. Bean Poultices for 221
3. Soda Wash for 221
4. Easy Remedy for 221
5. Copperas Liniment for 221
6. Cranberry Poultice for 221
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 677
1. Antiseptic Wash for 677
Physicians' Treatment for Erysipelas 221
1. Local Treatment 221
2. Paint thoroughly with Tincture of Iodine 222
3. The following is a splendid application 222
4. Tincture of Chloride of Iron 222
Diet 222
Nursing 222
Erysipelas (Herb Remedies) 420, 422, 428, 432
Erythema Pernio 96
Excessive Sweating 75
Exophthalmic Goitre 260
Causes 260
Symptoms Acute Cases 260
Chronic Cases 260
Treatment 260
Expectorants (Herb Remedies) 434, 444
External Applications 631
EYE AND EAR, Diseases of 346
Eye, Bandage of 386
Eyelids, Sore (Herb Remedies) 434
Eyes, Sore (Baby's) 549
Face Creams 94
Mothers' Preparations 94
1. Cream of Pond Lilies 94
[920 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
2. When facing our North Winds in Canada 94
3. Lanolin Cream for 94
4. Cucumber Lotion 94
5. Almond Lotion to Whiten and Soften the Skin 95
6. The Cold Ontario Wind Harmless When using this 95
Facial Neuralgia 265
Fainting 376
Falls 396
Falling of the Bowel 137
Falling of the Bowel (Herb Remedies) 410
Falling Sickness 288
Fallopian Tubes, Diseases of 502
Fallopian Tubes, Inflammation of 502
False Leukaemia 252
Fatty Heart 344
Fattiness 330
Fattiness (Herb Remedies) 434
Fibromata 501
Film on the Eye 352
Filth Disease 200
Finger and Thumb Dislocation 380
Fire in Clothing 396
Fistula in Anus 152
Physicians' Treatment 152
Fish Bone in Throat 677
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassifed) 677
1. Choking from 677
Fits 395
Fitting Glasses 355
Feeding During the Second Year 595
Fellow's Hypophosphites 475
Felon 69
How to open the Felon 70
If in the Palm 70
Felon, Superficial 70
Mothers' Remedies 70
1. A Cure if Taken in Time 70
2. Treatment until Time to Lance 70
3. Strong Remedy for 70
4. Lemon to Draw Inflammation from 70
5. Hot Water Cure for 70
6. Soap and Cornmeal Poultice for 70
7. Smartweed Poultice for 71
8. Hot Application for 71
9. An Old Tried Remedy for 71
10. Turpentine Cure for 71
11. Weak Lye Application for 71
12. Rock Salt and Turpentine for 71
Physicians' Treatment for Superficial Felon 71
1. Some Hold the Finger in Hot Lye 71
2. Yolk of Egg and Salt 71
3. The Membrane of Egg Shell 71
Felon, Superficial (Herb Remedies) 434
Female Regulator (Rare Prescription) 474
Fever, Aestivo-Autumnal 228
Fever, Breakbone 208
Fever Cases and to Disguise the Taste of Bad Medicines-
Syrup of Lemons for 650
Fever, Continuous Malarial 228
Fever Drinks 648
Fever, Hay 17
Fever, Intermittent Malarial 228
Fever, Malarial, Diagnosis of 3
Fever, Malaria 228
Fever, Malaria (Herb Remedies) 414
Fever, Malta 230
Fever, Pernicious Malarial 229
Fever, For (Rare Prescription) 474
Fever, Remittent 228
Fever, Rheumatic, Diagnosis of 4
Fever, Rheumatic 317
Fever, Scarlet, Diagnosis of 5
Fever, Scarlet 167
Fever, Scarlet (Herb Remedies) 428
Fever, Spotted, Diagnosis of 4
Foul Sweating 57
Fever, Typhoid, Diagnosis of 5
Fever, Typhoid 195
Fever, Typhus 200
Fever, Yellow 224
Flatulency (Herb Remedies) 424, 432, 442
Flaxseed Tea 650
Flesh Worms 61
Floating Kidney 154
Flux (Rare Prescription) 474
Fomentations 634
Foods and Drinks for the Sick Room 633
Foods for different meals for those who can
eat but do not have much appetite 645
Breakfast, Dinner, Supper 645
Foods that may be taken together 645
Food for Healthy Infants 583
Food, the kind of 643
Food Poisoning 374
Foods, Spoiled, Poison by 407
Foods that should not be taken together 645
Follicular Tonsilitis, Diagnosis of 5
Foot Baths in Bed 629
Forearm, Bandage for 381
Foreign Bodies in the Gullet 396
Foreign Bodies in the Larynx 396
Foreign Bodies in the Throat, Ear or Nostril 608
Fowler's Solution, Poison by 404
Fractures 380
Fractures, Bandage far 381
Freckles 75
Causes 75
Mothers' Remedies 75
1. Buttermilk for 75
2. To Remove 75
3. Alcohol and Lemon Juice for 75
4. Excellent Lotion for 76
5. Borax Water for 76
6. Canadian Remedy for 76
Physicians' Treatment for Freckles 76
Friedrich's Disease 306
Frost Bites 95
Mothers' Remedies 95
1. Remedy from Northern New York 95
2. Roasted Turnips for 95
Fruit Juices, How to Albuminize 644
Functional Brain Disease 280
Furunculus (Furuncle) 68
Gall Bladder, Cancer of 130
Gall Stones, Diagnosis of 3
Gall Stones 129
Gangrene 91
Dry Gangrene 91
Mothers' Remedies 91
1. Remedy from New York 91
Physicians' Treatment 92
Moist Gangrene 92
Causes 92
Physicians' Treatment for Moist Gangrene 92
Gangrenous Stomatitis 99
Causes 99
Symptoms 99
Treatment 99
Salivation 99
Chlorate of Potash Solution, Soda Solutions 100
Boracic Acid Solutions 100
Gas from Wells, Cisterns, Mines, etc 395
Treatment 395
Gastralgia 107
Gastric Headache 270
Gastritis, Acute 100
Gastritis, Chronic 103
Gastrodynia 107
General Brain Diseases 280
General Paralysis of the Insane 298
General Paresis 298, 314
Softening of the Brain 298
Symptoms 298, 314
Treatment 299, 314
[MEDICAL INDEX 921]
General Tonic 475
General Tonic (Herb Remedies) 424, 428, 432, 435, 444, 445
Genital Organs, Female, Anatomy of 490
Genuine White Oil Liniment 476
Genu Valgum 370
Genu Varum 370
German Measles 179
Germicides 625
Germs, The 625
Gin Drinkers' Liver 131
Ginger (Medical Use) 672
Glanders 233
Causes 233
Symptoms 233
1. Acute Glanders 233
2. Chronic Glanders 233
3. Acute Farcy 233
Treatment of Glanders 233
Glands of Bartholin, The 491
Gland, Thyroid, Diseases of 258
Glasses, Fitting 355
Gleet (Herb Remedies} 435, 438
Glottis, Oedema of the 26
Glottis, Spasm of the 26
Glottis, Swelling of the 26
Symptoms 26
Gluten Gruel 652
Goitre (Bronchial) 258
Causes 258
Symptoms 258
Recovery 258
Mothers' Remedies 258
1. Three Ingredient Remedy for 258
2. Simple Remedy for 259
3. Inexpensive Remedy for 259
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified} 677
1. A Good Remedy for 677
2. Iodine for 677
Physicians' Treatment 259
1. Locally Tincture of Iodine 259
2. Use the Comp, tincture of Iodide 259
Externally 259
3. An Ointment 259
4. Other Medical Remedies 259
5. Colorless Iodine 259
6. This is Very Good 259
Goitre, Exophthalmic 260
Gonorrhea 235
Gonorrhea (Herb Remedies) 411, 413, 417, 425, 429, 432, 438, 442
Gonorrheal Rheumatism 236
Inflammation of the Joints 236
Symptoms 236
Treatment 236
Good Samaritan Liniment 476
Gout 315
Causes 315
Symptoms, Acute Type 315
Retrocedent Gout 316
Chronic Gout--Causes, etc 316
Treatment, Preventive 316
Diet in Gout 316
Dr. Osler of England says 316
Diet from a Prominent Hospital for Gout Patient 317
May Take 317
Must Not Take 317
Treatment 317
Dr. Hare of Philadelphia says 317
Gout (Herb Remedies) 435, 442
Grandmother's Own Cough Remedy 476
Grape Juice 650
Gravel (Herb Remedies) 424, 438, 441, 442
Green Mountain Salve 477
Gruel, Farina 652
Gunn's Rheumatic Liniment 478
Haematuria 156
Haematuria (Herb Remedies) 419, 432
Haemorrhagic, Purpura 253
Haemophilia 254
Causes 254
Condition 254
Symptoms 254
Treatment 254
Hair's, Dr. B. W. Cure 478
Haines's Golden Specific for Opium Habit 478
Hall's Hair Renewer 479
Hamburg Breast Tea 488
Hamburg Drops 479
Hamlin's Wizard Oil 480
Hard Liver 131
Hare Lip 369
Symptoms 369
Operations 369
Harter's Wild Cherry Bitters 487
Hay Asthma 17
Hay Fever 17
Causes 17
Symptoms 17
Mothers' Remedies 17
1. Quick Relief from 17
2. Remedy Worth Trying 17
3. Our Canadian Remedy for 18
4. Medicine that Helps 18
Physicians' Treatment for Hay Fever 18
1. The following gives relief from 18
2. Pill Blennostasin 18
3. The following solution gives temporary Relief 18
4. After using the above Spray 18
5. In Some Cases 18
6. Dr. Ball of London gives the following 18
7. Another from Dr. Ball 18
Headache 268
Sick Headache 268
Nervous Headache 208
Catarrhal Headache 268
Congestive Headache 268
Neuralgia or Gastric (Stomach) Headache 268
Bilious Headache 268
Bowel Headache 268
Womb Headache 268
Rheumatic Headache 268
Headache Sick (Herb Remedies) 413, 414, 427
Headache, Nervous (Herb Remedies) 427
Headache, Bilious. (Herb Remedies) 414
Headache (Rare Prescription) 476
Head, Injuries to 302
Symptoms 302
Treatment 303
What to do First 303
Head Louse 78
Haemoptysis 38
Haematemesis 107
Heartburn (Rare Prescription) 476
Heart Disease 337
Heart Disease (Herb Remedies) 419
Heart Disease, Fluttering, etc. (Rare Prescription) 477
Heat and Chemicals 624
Heat Stroke 375
Hellebore, White and Green, Poison by 404
Hemorroids 137, 145
Hemorrhage, Post-Partum (Bleeding after Delivery) 540
Hepatic Abscess 132
Hepatitis (Herb Remedies) 429
HERB DEPARTMENT (Over 100 Herbs) 408
Common Names 408
Internal and External Use 408
Part of Herb Used 408
When to Gather 408
Flowers When 408
Grows Where 408
Prepared How 408
Diseases, Dose, etc 408
[922 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Drying and Preserving Roots, Barks, Herbs, etc 408
Roots 409
Barks 409
Flowers and Seeds 409
Preparation of the Herbs for Medicine 409
Infusion of Tea, to make 409
Decoction, to make 409
Essence, to make 409
Fomentations, to make 409
Ointments or Salve, to make 409
Plasters, to make 409
Poultices, to make 410
Powder, to make 410
Syrups, to make 410
Tincture, to make 410
Achillea Millefolium 446
Acorus Calamus 442
Adiantum Pedantum 428
Ague Root 444
Ague Weed 414
Albany Beechdrops 420
Alder, Spotted 410
Aletris Farinosa 444
Allium Cepa 431
Allium Sativum 423
Altheae Officinalis 429
Alum Root 420
American Valerian 427
Amygdalus Persica 432
Anthemis Nobilis 417
Apple Pern 442
Aralia Racemosa 440
Arbutus, Uva Ursi 411
Arctium Lappa 415
Aristolochia Serpentaria 441
Artemisia Absinthium 446
Arum Triphyllum 444
Asclepias Syriaca 430
Asclepias Tuberosa 434
Asthma Weed 428
Balmony 411
Bayberry 411
Bearberry 411
Bed Straw 417
Beech Drops 412
Bee's Nest 416
Bethroot 412
Bird's Nest 416
Birthroot 412
Bitter Herb 411
Blackberry 413
Black-berried Elder 422
Black Cohosh 418
Black Haw 413
Black Root 421
Black Snake Root 418
Blazing Star 422
Bloodroot 413
Blood Staunch 423
Blue Berry 418
Blue Cohosh 418
Blue Flag 414
Blue Pimpernel 439
Boneset 414
Brooklime 415
Buchu 415
Burdock 415
Burning-bush 445
Calamus 442
Calendula Officinalis 430
Cancer Root 412
Candleberry 411
Carrot 416
Caryophyllus 418
Catch Weed 417
Catmint 416
Catnip 416
Catwort 416
Caulophyllum Thalietroides 418
Celandine 416
Chamomile 417
Checker Berry 432
Chelidonium Majus 416
Chelone Glabra 411
Chenopodium Anthelminticum 446
Chicken Toes 420
Chimaphila Umbellata 435
Cimicifuga Racemosa 418
Cistus Canadensis 437
Cleavers 417
Clivers 417
Cloves 418
Coakum 434
Cock-up-hat 436
Colic Root 444
Collinsonia Canadensis 441
Colts Tail 423
Comfrey 419
Corallorhiza Odontorhiza 426
Coral Teeth 420
Corn Silk 419
Corydalis Formosa 444
Corvallaria Multifiora 441
Cramp Bark 420
Cranberry (Upland or Wild) 411
Cranberry (High) 420
Cranesbill (Spotted) 420
Crawley 420
Cross Wort 414
Crow Foot 420
Crow Corn 444
Cypripedium Pubescens 427
Cucurbita Pepo 436
Culver's Physic 421
Culver's Root 421
Dandelion 421
Datura Stramonium 442
Daucus Carota 416
Deerberry 432
Devil's Bit 422
Dewberry 413
Dioscorea Villosa 445
Dracontium 439
Dragon's Claw 420
Dragon Root 444
Drooping Starwort 422
Elder (Black-berried) 422
Elder Sweet 422
Elecampane 423
Emetic Herb 428
Epigea Ripens 425
Epiphegus Virginiana 412
Equisetum Hyemale 438
Erigeron Canadensis 423
Euonymus Atropurpureus 445
Eupatorium Perfoliatum 414
Eupatorium Purpureum 436
False Unicorn Root 422
Female Regulator 428
Fetid Hellebore 439
Fever Root 420
Fever Wort 414
Fireweed 423
Fish Mouth 411
Five Fingers 423
Flag Lily 414
Flag Root 442
Fleabane 423
Flower de Luce 414
Fragaria Vesca 442
Frost Plant 437
Frost Wort 437
Galium Aparine 417
Garget 434
Garlic 423
Gentian 423
Gentiana Lutea 423
Geranium Maculatum 420
[MEDICAL INDEX 923]
Ginger 423
Ginseng 423
Golden Seal 425
Goose Foot 446
Goose Grass 417
Gravel Plant 425
Gravel Root 436
Gravel Weed 425
Ground Holly 435
Ground Laurel 425
Ground Lily 412
Ground Raspberry 425
Gum Plant 419
Hard Hack 441
Hamamelis 410
Healing Herb 419
Hedeoma Pulegoides 433
Helonias Dioica 422
Hoarhound 426
Hoodwort 439
Hops 426
Horse Balm 441
Horse Chestnut 426
Horse Tail 438
Humulus Lupulus 426
Hydrastis Canadensis 425
Hypericum Perfoliatum 443
Ictodes Foetida 439
Indian Apple 429
Indian Arrow Wood 445
Indian Balm 412
Indian Sage 414
Indian Tobacco 428
Indian Turnip 444
Inula Helenium 423
Iris Versicolor 414
Jack-in-the-Pulpit 444
Jimson Weed 442
Joe-Pye Weed 436
Juniper 427
Juniper Communis 427
Knob Root 441
Lady's Slipper 427
Lamb's Quarter 412
Laurus Sassafras 438
Leontodon Taraxacum 421
Leonurus Cardiaca 430
Leptandra Virginica 421
Life Root 428
Liver Lily 414
Lobelia 428
Lobelia Inflata 428
Madweed 439
Maiden Hair 428
Mandrake 429
Mare's Tail 423
Marigold 430
Marrubium Vulgare 426
Marshmallow 429
May Apple 429
May Flower 425
Meadow Cabbage 439
Mentha Piperita 433
Mentha Viridis 440
Milfoil 446
Mitchella Pepens 432
Milkweed 430
Milk Wort 438
Mortification Root 429
Motherwort 430
Mountain Box 411
Mountain Flag 438
Mountain Pink 425
Mustard 431
Myrica Cerifera 411
Nepeta Cataria 416
Nerve Root 427
Noah's Ark 427
Oak Bark (Red and White) 431
One Berry 432
Onion 431
Orange Root 425
Orange Swallow Wort 434
Panax Quinquifolium 424
Papoose Root 418
Parsley 432
Partridge Berry 432
Peach Tree 432
Pennyroyal 433
Peppermint 433
Petroselinum Sativum 432
Pettymorrel 440
Phytolacca Decandra 434
Pigeon Berry 434
Pigeon Weed 440
Plantain 434
Plantago Major 434
Pleurisy Root 434
Podophyllum Peltatum 429
Poke 434
Polecat Weed 439
Polyagla Senega 438
Polygonum Punctatum 440
Prickly Ash 435
Pridewood 423
Princes Pine 435
Prunus Virginianus 445
Puke Weed 428
Pumpkin 436
Purple Boneset 436
Queen's Delight 436
Queen of the Meadow 436
Queen's Root 436
Quercus Alba 431
Raccoon Berry 429
Rag Wort 428
Rattle Root 418
Red Berry 411
Red Clover 437
Red Elm 439
Red Puccoon 413
Red Raspberry 413
Red Root 413
Rheumatism Weed 435
Rhus Glabra 442
Rich Weed 418
Rock Parsley 432
Rock Rose 437
Roman Chamomile 417
Rumex Acetosa 439
Rumex Crispus 447
St. John's Wort 443
Sage 437
Salt Rheum Weed 411
Salvia Officinalis 437
Sambucus Canadensis 422
Sanguinaria Canadenisis 413
Sassafras 438
Scoke 434
Scouring Rush 438
Scutellaria Latcriflora 439
Senecio Gracilis 428
Seneca Snake Root 438
Shave Grass 438
Sheep Sorrel 439
Silkweed 430
Sinapis Alba 431
Skunk Cabbage 439
Skull Cap 439
Slippery Elm 439
Smartweed 440
Snakehead 411
Snake Lily 414
Snake Root Virginia 441
Snapping Hazelnut 410
Solomon's Seal 441
Spearmint 440
Spignet 440
Spikenard 440
[924 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Spindle Tree 445
Squaw Mint 433
Squaw Root 418
Squaw Weed 428
Squaw Vine 432
Stagger Weed 444
Star Grass 444
Stillingia Sylvatica 436
Stinkweed 442
Storkbill 420
Stone Root 441
Strawberry 442
Stramonium 442
Sumach 442
Swamp Cabbage 439
Sweating Plant 414
Sweet Flag 442
Sweet Rush 442
Tall Speedwell 421
Tanacetum 443
Tansy 443
Tetter Wort 416
Thorn Apple 442
Thoroughwort 414
Thousand Leaf 446
Three Leaved Night Shade 412
Tickweed 433
Toothache Tree 435
Tormentil 420
Trailing Arbutus 425
Trifolium Pratense 437
Trillium Purpureum 412
True Unicorn Root 444
Trumpet Weed 436
Tuber Root 434
Tumeric Root 425
Turkey Corn 444
Turnip, Indian 444
Turtle Bloom 411
Ulmus Fulva 439
Vegetable Antimony 414
Veronica 421
Veronica Beccabunga 415
Viburnum Opulus 420
Viburnum Prunifolium 413
Wahoo 445
Wake Robin 413
Water Pepper 440
Waxberry 411
Wax Myrtle 411
White Hoarhound 426
Wild Cherry 445
Wild Carrot 416
Wild Lemon 429
Wild Tobacco 428
Wild Turkey Pea 444
Wild Turnip 444
Wild Yam 445
Wind Root 434
Winterbloom 410
Winter Clover 432
Wintergreen 435
Witch-Hazel 410
Wormseed 446
Wormwood 446
Xanthoxylum Fraxineum 435
Yarrow 446
Yellow Dock 447
Yellow Moccasin Flowers 427
Yellow Puccoon 425
Yellow Umbel 427
Zea Mays 419
Zingiber Officinale 423
Hereditary Ataxia 306
Hernia 122
Herpes Zoster 74
Hesperidin (Medical Use) 669
Hiccoughs 301, 619
Causes 302
Mothers' Remedies 302
1. Vinegar for 302
2. Sugar and Vinegar Stops 302
3. Sugar Win Relieve 302
4. Simple Remedy for 302
5. Home Remedy to Stop 302
6. Vinegar Stops 302
7. Cinchona Bark in Peppermint Stops 302
Physicians' Treatment 302
Hiccoughs (Herb Remedies) 431
Hinkley Bone Liniment 480
Hip Joint Disease 236
Causes 236
Symptoms of the First Stage 236
Second Stage 236
Treatment 236
Hives 89, 620
Causes 89
Medicines 89
Mothers' Remedies 89
1. Slippery Elm for 89
2. External and Internal Home Medicines 89
3. Tea and Powder 90
4. Catnip Tea for 90
5. Mother from Buckhorn, Florida, says 90
6. From a Mother at New Milford, Pa. 90
7. Buttermilk for 90
8. Baking Soda for 90
9. Canada Blue Clay for 90
Physicians' Treatment for Hives 90
For the Itching 90
Hoarseness 24
Causes 24
Symptoms 24
Mothers' Remedies 24
1. Borax for 24
2. Egg and Lemon for 25
3. Horseradish for 25
4. Successful Remedy for Adults 25
5. Lemon and Sugar for Children 25
Physicians' Treatment for Hoarseness 25
1. Rest the Voice 25
2. An Ice Bag 25
3. Tincture of Aconite 25
4. Citrate of Potash 25
5. Full Dose of Ten Grains of Dover's Powders 25
6. For a Cough 25
Hoarseness (Herb Remedies) 423, 426, 428, 429
Hobnail Liver 131
Holloway's Ointment 481
HOMEOPATHY DEPARTMENT 448
Medicines 448
List of Remedies 448
Fluids for External Use 448
Care of Medicines in the Sick Room 448
Directions for using Homeopathic Medicines 448
Chronic Cases, For 449
Acne 459
Ague 460
Aphthae 449
Apoplexy 461
Appendicitis 454
Asiatic Cholera 455
Bilious Attacks 456
Bilious Diarrhea 456
Biliousness, Liver 456
Bladder, Inflammation of 459
Boils 460
Bowel Falling 455
Brain, Congestion of 461
Brain, Inflammation of 461
Bright's Disease 458
Bronchitis, Acute and Chronic 457
[MEDICAL INDEX 925]
Catarrh, Chronic 456
Carbuncle 460
Chicken Pox 460
Cholera, Asiatic 455
Cholera Infantum 453
Cholera Morbus 454
Chorea 462
Cold, Common, Beginning of 449
Colic 454
Constipation 454
Convulsions, in Children 462
Cord, Inflammation of 461
Croup 457
Cystitis (Inflammation of the Bladder) 459
Diabetes Mellitus 458
Diarrhea 453
Diphtheria 451
Diseases of Women 463
Dropsy 455
Dysentery 453
Dysmenorrhea (Painful Menstruation) 464
Ears Boils in the Canal 463
Ear Inflammation of 463
Eczema 460
Endocarditis 458
Enteritis 452
Erysipelas 459
Esophagus, Inflammation of 451
Eyes, Simple Inflammation of 463
Eyes, Stye on Lids 463
Eyes, Weak and Watery 463
Fever, Inflammatory 460
Fever, Intermittent 460
Fever, Spotted 461
Fever, Typhoid 461
Fever, Yellow 461
Gastralgia (Cardialgia) 452
Gastritis, Acute 451
Gastritis, Chronic 451
Glossitis 450
Gout 459
Gums, Diseases of 450
Headache 461
Headache, Sick 462
Heartburn 452
Hematuria 459
Hives 459
Impetigo 460
Influenza 457
Intestine, Large, Inflammation of 453
Itch 459
Jaundice 456
Kidney, Nephritis 458
La Grippe 449
Laryngitis 456
Laryngitis, Chronic 456
Leucorrhea 464
Liver, Enlarged 455
Liver, Inflammation of 455
Lumbago 463
Measles 460
Menorrhagia (too much flow) 464
Menses, Suppression of 463
Metritis (Inflammation of the Womb) 463
Mumps 464
Nerves, Inflammation of 462
Neuralgia 462
Neuritis (Inflammation of the Nerves) 462
Night Sweats 464
Ovary, Inflammation of 464
Painter's Colic 454
Palpitation 458
Palpitation of the Heart 463
Pemphigus 460
Peritonitis 455
Pharyngitis 451
Piles 454
Pleurodynia 458
Pleurisy 458
Pneumonia 457
Psoriasis 460
Pulse, Intermittent 458
Quinsy 451
Renal Calculi 459
Rheumatism 459
Scarlet Fever 460
Sciatica 463
Scurvy 460
Sick Headache 462
Smallpox 460
Spleen, Enlargement 458
Spotted Fever 462
St. Vitus' Dance 462
Stomatitis 449
Stye 463
Teeth, Diseases of 450
Throat feels raw and sore 449
Throat, Inflammation of 450
Tonsils, Tonsilitis and Quinsy 451
Tonsilitis 451
Tonsil, Enlarged 451
Toothache 462
Typhoid Fever 461
Uvula, Inflammation of 450
Veins, Varicose 458
Vomiting 452
Water on the Brain 461
Whites 464
Whooping Cough 457
Worms 455
Yellow Fever 461
Honey (Medical Use) 672
Hordeolum 348
Hot Bath, Hot Air, Vapor and Steam Bath 630
Hot Pack, The 631
Hot Springs of Arkansas 666
Army and Navy Hospital 666
Privileges of Ex-Soldiers 666
Free Baths for Indigent People 667
Physicians' and Medical Regulations 667
Cost of Living at Hot Springs 667
Additional Information 668
Household Articles, their Medical Uses 668
Humid Tetter 63
Hydrochloric Acid, Poison by 404
Hydroperitoneum 135
Hydrophobia 241
Comparative Danger 248
Immediate Treatment of the Wound 248
When to Send Patients to Institutes 248
What to Send for Examination 248
Protection 249
Cities where Pasteur Institutes are located 249
Hydrothorax 43
Causes 43
Physicians' Treatment 44
Hymen, The 491
Hyperaemia of the Brain 295
Hyperaemia of the Kidney 155
Hyperaemia of the Liver 131
Hyperidrosis 75
Hypertrophy of the Prostate 164
Symptoms 164
Treatment, Preventive 164
Hypochondria 427
Hysteria 283
Causes 283
Education 284
Direct Influence 284
Symptoms 284
Symptoms of the Paroxysms 285
During the Convulsion 286
The first thing to do 286
Preventive Treatment of Hysteria 286
Physicians' Treatment 287
1. The Following is Recommended by Dr. Goodell 287
2. Fowler's Solution of Arsenic 287
[926 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
3. Asafoetida 287
4. Sumbul or Musk Root 287
5. The Following is Good 287
6. Tincture of Hops 288
7. General Cautions 288
Hysteria (Herb Remedies) 420, 426, 430, 439, 443
Ice Bags (India Rubber) 632
Ice Cream 647
Ice Poultice 633
Ice Water Coils 633
Indigestion, Chronic 103
Causes 103
Symptoms 103
Mothers' Remedies 104
1. Spice Poultice for 104
2. Oil of Hemlock for 104
3. Ginger and Soda for 104
4. Oil of Peppermint for 104
5. Mustard Poultice and Eggs for 104
6. Hot Plate for 104
Physicians' Treatment 104
Diet 105
Home Treatment 105
1. Drink Cold Water 105
2. Do Not Eat Much Meat 105
3. If the Stomach Wants Tone 105
4. Charcoal in Small Doses 105
5. If a Bitter Tonic is Needed 105
Indigestion, Chronic (Herb Remedies) 411, 414, 425
Indigestion in Older Children 602
Imperial Drink 650
Infantile Paralysis 307
Causes 307
Symptoms 307
Treatment 307
Infantum, Chlora 112
Inflammations (Herb Remedies) 431, 444
Inflammation, Douche to Allay 641
Inflammation of the Bladder 162
Causes 162
Symptoms 162
Bladder Trouble 162
1. English Oil of Sandal Wood for 162
2. Effective Herb Tea for 163
Treatment 163
Diet 163
Inflammation of the Bladder (Herb Remedies) 425
Inflammation of the Bladder, Chronic 163
Causes 163
Treatment, Preventive 163
Inflammation of the Bowels 118
Mothers' Remedies 118
1. An Excellent Remedy for 118
2. Red Beet Poultice for 118
3. Hop poultice for 118
4. Griddle Cake poultice for 118
5. Spice Poultice for Child or Adult 118
6. Simple Remedy Always at Hand 118
7. A Rather Unique Remedy for 118
8. Marshmallow Leaves, A Canadian Remedy for 118
9. Syrup of Rhubarb for 118
Inflammation of the Bowels 678
Inflammation of the Smaller Bronchi and Lungs 40
Inflammation of the Brain 296, 617
Inflammation of the Bronchial Tubes 30
Inflammation, Simple, of the Eustachian Tubes 360
Inflammation of the Eyes at Birth, Diagnosis of 4
Inflammation of Eyes of Newly-Born 350
Inflammation of the Iris 352
Inflammation of the Kidneys, Acute 156
Inflammation of the Larynx 24
Inflammation of the Middle Ear 365
Inflammation of the Nail 78
Inflammation of the Nose, Chronic 14
Inflammation of the Nerves 276
Inframaxillary Neuralgia 265
Inflammation of the Peritoneum 133
Inflammation of the Pharynx 21
Inflammation of the Pleura 41
Inflammation of the Retina from Bright's Disease 355
Inflammatory Rheumatism, Diagnosis of 4
Inflammation of the Skin 62
Varieties 62
Physicians' Treatment 62
Inflammation of the Thyroid Gland 258
Inflammation of the Veins 345
INFECTIOUS DISEASES 166
Infection and Contagion 166
Infectious Diseases, Table of 167
Influenza 192
The Onset 192
Mothers' Remedies 193
1. Red Pepper or Cayenne for 193
2. An Easy Remedy for 193
3. Pleasant and Effective Remedy for 193
4. To Allay Fever in 193
5. Poor Man's Herb Vapor Bath 193
6. Red Pepper Treatment from Canada 193
Physicians' Treatment 194
Corn Sweat 194
Fever 194
Irritating Cough 194
Sore Throat 195
Medicines 195
Aspirin 195
Diet 195
Influenza (Herb Remedies) 414, 428
Ingrowing Toe-Nail 395
Causes 395
Treatment 395
Mothers' Remedy for 395
1. Popular Remedy for 395
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 677
1. Home Treatment for 677
2. A Good Canadian Remedy for 677
3. Camphor for 678
Injuries to the Head 302
Symptoms 302
Treatment 303
Injuries to the Spinal Cord 303
Insane, General Paralysis of 298
Softening of the Brain 298
Symptoms 298
Treatment 299
Insanity 308
History 308
Causes or Insanity 309
Other Causes of Insanity, Imperfect Nutrition 311
Blows end Falls Upon the Head 311
Fright is Another Cause 311
Insanity is most Prevalent among the Working Classes 311
Social Pleasure 312
Classification 312
Ischio-Rectal Abscess 151
Insects and Other Bites 378
Insects and Other Bites (Herb Remedies) 434
Insomnia 299
Definition 299
Causes 299
Primary Causes 299
Nervous or Simplest Causes 299
Sleeplessness 299
Mothers' Remedies 299
1. Hop Pillow Stops 299
2. Easy and Simple Remedy for 299
[MEDICAL INDEX 927]
3. Ginger at Bedtime for 300
4. Milk Will Stop 300
Physicians' Treatment 300
Treatment of the Congestive Insomnia 300
1. Hot or Warm General Baths 300
2. Cold Spongings 300
3. The Patient Should Stand in Water 300
4. The Cold Abdominal Pack is Valuable 300
5. Exercise 300
Diet 300
Medicines if you must use them 301
Insomnia (Herb Remedies) 426, 430, 439
Intercostal Neuralgia 265
Internal Piles 149
Interstitial Nephritis, Chronic 159
Intestinal Colic 124
Intestinal Obstruction 121
Causes 121
1. Strangulation 121
2. Intussusception 121
3. Twists and Knots 121
4. Strictures and Tumors 121
5. Abnormal Contents 121
Symptoms and Obstruction 121
Recovery 122
Treatment 122
Diet 122
INTOXICANTS AND SUNSTROKES 371
Intubation, Operation of 664
Iodine, Poison by 404
Iritis, Diagnosis of 3
Iris, The 347
Iritis (Inflammation of the Iris) 352
Causes 352
Symptoms 352
Course and Recovery 352
Mothers' Remedies 353
1. Sensible Remedy for 353
Treatment--What to do first 353
Local Treatment 353
The Diet 353
Cautions 353
Injuries to the Iris 353
Iron Tonic Bitters (Rare Prescription) 477
Icterus 127
Itch, Common 81
Cause 81
Mothers' Remedies 81
1. Mustard Ointment for 81
2. Grandmothers' Cure for 81
3. Herb Ointment for 81
4. Elecampane Root Ointment for 81
5. Oatmeal for 82
6. A Mother at Parma, Michigan, sends the following 82
7. Kerosene for 82
8. Splendid Ointment for Itch 82
Physicians' Treatment for Itch 82
First thing to do 82
Ointments 82
1. Simple Sulphur Ointment Alone 82
2. For Itch 82
3. For Itch 82
4. For Children 83
5. The Following for Adults 83
Second 83
Third 83
Itch, Common (Herb Remedies) 447
Itch, Disease 79
Symptoms 79
Definitions 79
Course of Disease 79
Causes 80
Physicians' Treatment 80
Arsenic 80
1. Local Treatment 80
2. Good Application 80
3. Tar Remedy 80
4. Tar and Sulphur for 80
5. A Good Combination 80
6. Another Good Local Application 81
Itching of the Anus 143
Causes 143
After Operation 144
Symptoms 144
Physicians' Treatment 144
Preventive and Palliative 144
Diet 144
May Take 144
Must Not Take 144
Remedies for Bath 144
1. Separate the Buttocks with Gauze 144
2. Dr. Allingham Recommends 144
3. Local Applications Soothing Remedies 145
4. The Following is Good to Dust the Parts 145
5. The Following is Good for Raw Parts 145
6. The Following is good for the Itching 145
7. For Constipation 145
8. For Injections 145
9. For the Same Purpose 145
Itch Ointment (Rare Prescription) 478
Itching Piles 143
Ivy Poisoning 92
Symptoms 92
Mothers' Remedies 92
1. Buttermilk and Copperas for 92
2. Cure for 93
Ivy Poisoning (Herb Remedies) 410, 434
Jacket Poultice, The 632
Jaundice 127
Causes 127
Symptoms 127
Mothers' Remedies 127
1. Sweet Cider Sure Cure for 127
2. Lemon Juice for 127
3. Peach Tree Bark for 127
4. Mandrake Root for 127
5. Dandelion Root Tea for 127
6. Boneset Tea for 128
7. Mandrake Leaves for 128
8. Mullein Leaf Tea for 128
Physicians' Treatment for Liver Trouble 128
1. For Liver Trouble 128
2. The Following is Good 128
3. Severe Type and Epidemic Form 128
4. The Common, Simple Kind of Jaundice 128
Jaundice (Herb Remedies) 411, 441, 446
Jaundice, Catarrhal 128
Causes 128
Symptoms 128
Physicians' Treatment 129
1. Sodium Phosphate for 129
2. Calomel for 129
Jaundice, Malignant 131
Jaw, Bandage for Broken 382
Jaw, Big 234
Jaw, Dislocation of 379
Jaw, Lump 234
Johnson's Liniment 484
Joint, Shoulder Dislocation 380
June Cold 17
Kelly's Tonic 486
Kellog's Red Drops 481
Kickapoo Indian Oil 481
Kidneys 152
Kidney Trouble 154
Mothers' Remedies 154
1. Cornsilk for 154
2. Flaxseed and Lemons for 154
3. Temporary Relief for 154
4. Buchu Leaves for 154
5. Common Rush Root for 154
[928 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
6. Effective and Easy Cure for 154
7. Sheep Sorrel Excellent for 154
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 678
1. An Easily Prepared Remedy for 678
Kidneys (Herb Remedies) 411, 415, 416, 417, 419, 422, 426, 435, 446
Kidneys, Acute Inflammation of the 156
Kidneys, Chronic Congestion of 155
Kidneys, Acute Congestion of 155
Treatment 155
Kidneys, Diseases of 152
Kidney, Floating 154
Kidneys, Hypeaemia of the 155
Kidney and Liver Cure (Rare Prescription) 478
Kidney, Movable 154
Causes 154
Symptoms 155
Treatment 155
Diet for Movable Kidney 155
Kidneys, Plate of 153
Kidneys, Stomach, Prostate, etc., Operation for 665
Kidney Stones, Diagnosis of 3
Kidney Stone 161
Symptoms 161
Treatment 161
Diet 162
Queen of the Meadow 162
Kidney Stone (Herb Remedies) 435
Knee Joint Disease 236
Treatment 236
Labia Majora, The 490
Labia Minora, The 490
Labor 528
Laceration of the Brain 302
La Grippe, Diagnosis of 3
La Grippe 192
The Onset 192
Mothers' Remedies 193
1. Red Pepper or Cayenne for 193
2. An Easy Remedy for 193
3. Pleasant and Effective Remedy for 193
4. To Allay Fever in 193
5. Poor Man's Herb Vapor Bath 193
6. Red Pepper Treatment from Canada 193
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 678
1. Red Pepper Treatment from a Canadian Mother 678
Physicians' Treatment 194
Corn Sweat 194
Fever 194
Irritating Cough 194
Sore Throat 195
Bowels 195
Medicines 195
Aspirin 195
Diet 195
Lard (Medical Use) 672
Laryngeal Diphtheria 181
Laryngitis, Acute 26
Diet in Laryngitis 26
Laryngitis, Oedamatous 26
Larynx, Inflammation of 24
Laudanum, Poison by 404
Laxatives (Herb Remedies) 431, 445
Laxative Bromo-Quinine Tablets 468
Lead Poisoning 374
Causes 374
Symptoms of Acute Case 374
Chronic Case 374
Symptoms 371
Treatment 374
For Chronic Poisoning remove the cause 374
Constipation 374
For Pain 374
Lemonade 649, 650
Lemonade Albuminized 650
Lemon Jelly 646
Lemon (Medical Use) 669
Lemon Velvet 647
Length of Time to Cook Cereals 651
Lens, for Glasses 335
Lentigo 75
Lepra Anesthetica (Nerve Leprosy) 240
Lepra Maculosa 240
Lepra Trophomenrotica 240
Lepra Tuberosa (Tuberculated, Nodulated or
Tegumentary Skin Leprosy) 238
Leprosy 236
Definition 236
History 237
Cause 237
Symptoms 238
Leprosy, Atrophic 240
Leprosy, Skin 238
Leucorrhea (The Whites) 510
Leucorrhea (Herb Remedies) 411, 412, 413, 419, 420, 422, 425,
431, 432, 441, 442, 446
Leukaemia 252
1. Spleen and Bone-Marrow (Spleen-Medullary type) 252
2. Lymphatic type 252
Causes 252
Symptoms 252
Treatment 252
Leukaemia, False 252
Causes 252
Symptoms 253
Treatment 253
Light 624
Lime Water 648
Liniment 678
Liniment (Rare Prescription) 479
Linseed Meal Poultice 631, 635
Lip, Hare 369
Liquid, Diet 644
Liver, Abscess of the 132
Liver, Chronic Congestion of the 131
Liver, Circulatory Disturbances of 131
Causes 131
Symptoms 131
Abscess 132
Recovery 132
Treatment 132
Diet in Liver Troubles 132
May Take 133
Must Not Take 133
Liver, Circulatory Disturbances of
(Herb Remedies) 414, 416, 421, 425, 429, 445
Liver, Cirrhosis of the 131
Liver (Description of) 125
Liver, Hard 131
Liver, Hobnail 131
Liver, Gin Drinkers' 131
Liver Pills (Rare Prescription) 479
Liver, Sclerosis of the 131
Liver Spots 61
Causes 61
Physicians' Treatment 61
Local Treatment 61
Local Baths and Packs 630
Local Peritonitis 134
Lochia, The 540
Lochia, The (Herb Remedies) 420, 430, 132
Lockjaw, Diagnosis of 3
Lockjaw 231
Causes 231
Symptoms 231
Recovery 232
1. Successful Remedy for 232
2. Smoke as a Cure for 232
Physicians' Treatment 232
Locomotor Ataxia 305
Lombard Secret Cancer Remedies 471
Loss of Appetite 587
[MEDICAL INDEX 929]
Lotions 633
Louse, Body 78
Louse, Diseases of the Skin Produced by 78
Treatment 78
Louse, Head 78
Lumbago 323
Mothers' Remedy 678
1. Ointment for 678
Lump Jaw 234
Lungs, Abscess of the 43
Lungs, Acute Inflammation of 40
Lungs, Acute Inflammation of (Herb Remedies) 419, 427
Lungs, Bleeding from 38
Lungs, Bleeding from (Herb Remedies) 412, 446
Lungs, Tuberculosis of the, Diagnosis of 5
Lung Fever 218
Lurschkas Tonsil 8
Lydia Pinkham's Vegetable Compound 469
Lye, Poison by 404
Madame Rupert's Face Bleach 473
Malarial Fever, Diagnosis of, 3
Malarial Fever 228
Causes 228
Intermittent Malarial Fever 228
(a) Tertian 228
(b) Quartian 228
(c) Quotidian 228
Symptoms 228
Remittent or Continuous Malarial Fever 228
Pernicious Malarial Fever 229
Treatment--Prevention 229
Malarial Fever (Herb Remedies) 414
Malignant Anthrax 231
Malignant Jaundice 131
Malnutrition (Marasmus) 615
Malta Fever 230
Mania 312
Mastoiditis, Chronic 365
Mastoid, Operation for 663
Matches, Poison by 406
Measles, Diagnosis of 4
Measles 175
Incubation 176
Symptoms and description of ordinary type 176
Eyes 177
Mortality in Measles 177
Diagnosis 177
Treatment--Prevention 177
Mothers' Remedies 177
1. Lemon Remedy from a Canadian Mother 177
2. Elder Blossom Tea to drive out 177
General Treatment 178
Cold Drinks 178
Cough in Measles 178
1. For Measles 178
2. For Measles 178
3. For Irritation of the Skin 178
4. For Scaling 178
Diet 178
Teas 178
Caution 179
Measles, German, Diagnosis of 4
Measles, German 179
Incubation period runs 179
Rash 179
Treatment 179
Medicine Chest 637
Melancholia 312
Causes 312
Acute Melancholia 312
Chronic Melancholia 312
Membranous Croup 184
Meningitis 210
Treatment 210
Meningitis, Basilar 210
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT 1
MOTHERS' DIAGNOSIS 1
Meningitis, Cerebro-Spinal 209
Cause 209
Conditions 209
Symptoms, Ordinary Form 209
Malignant type 210
Spinal Meningitis 210
Meningitis, Tubercular 210
Menopause (Change of Life) 513
Menorrhagia 505
Menorrhagia (Herb Remedies) 420, 441, 443, 446
Menstrual Headache 271
Menstruation 494
Menstruation (Herb Remedies) 415, 428 432
Menstruation Delayed 504
Menstruation Delayed (Herb Remedies) 428, 432, 440
Menstruation Difficult 507
Menstruation Difficult (Herb Remedies) 415, 443
Menstruation and Its Disorders 504
Menstruation and Its Disorders (Herb Remedies) 430
Menstruation Premature 504
Menstruation Vicarious (in place of) 505
Mercuric Chloride, Poison by 405
Midwifery, or Obstetrics 515
Migrane, Hemicrania 272
Mild Plaster for Children 634
Milk Leg 542
Milk of Lime, to Prepare 625
Milk Porridge 647
Milk Poison, Popular Remedy for 680
Miscarriage 524
Miscarriage (Herb Remedies) 413, 422, 444
Mitchell's Eye Salve 482
Mitral Insufficiency or Incompetency 343
Symptoms 343
Mitral Stenosis 343
Moist Heat, for 631
Mole 77
Physicians' Treatment 77
Causes 77
Mons Veneris 490
Morbus Coxarius 236
Morphine Habit 373
Symptoms 373
Treatment 373
Morphinism 373
Morphine, Poison by 405
Mosquito Bite 377
Mothers' Flour and Water Poultice 634
Mothers' Remedies Unclassified 674
Mother Seigel's Syrup 482
Moth Patch 61
Mountain Dew 647
Mouth, Sore 97, 551
Mouth, Sore (Herb Remedies) 410, 420, 442, 444
Mouth and Teeth, Care of 628
Spongy and Sore Gums 628
Cloths for Washing the Teeth and Mouth 628
Mouth Wash, Antiseptic 120
Antiseptic Mouth Wash 120
Simple and Unsurpassed 121
Mouth Wash (Herb Remedies) 410
Mulled Wine 650
Multiple Neuritis 278
Mumps, Diagnosis of 4
Mumps 180
Treatment 180
Muscular Rheumatism 323
Causes 323
Symptoms 323
Lumbago 323
Torticollis (Stiff or Wry Neck) 323
Pleurodynia, Pain in the Chest Muscles, etc 323
[930 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Diet for Rheumatism from a Head Nurse of
a Prominent Hospital 324
May Take 324
Must Not Take 324
Treatment for Stiff Neck 324
Mothers' Remedies for Stiff Neck 324
1. Hot Salt and Oil of Sassafras 324
Physicians' Treatment, Preventive 324
Liniment 325
Menthol Liniment for Lumbago 325
Mothers' Remedies 325
1. Vinegar and Salt for Weak Back 325
2. Simple Remedy for Weak Back 325
3. Good Liniment for Weak Back 325
4. Chloroform Liniment for Lameness 325
5. Plaintain Leaves and Cream for 325
Mothers' Remedies for Rheumatism 325
1. Salt Petre Good In Cases of 325
2. Rochelle Salts for 325
3. Flowers of Sulphur will Relieve Pain of 325
4. Three Simple Ingredient Liniment for 326
5. Sulphur Good for 326
6. Horse Radish for 326
7. Simple Remedy to Relieve pain of 326
8. Liniment for Chronic 326
9. Herb Remedy for 326
10. Three Things that will Help 326
11. Good Liniment for 326
12. Camphor and Alcohol for 327
13. Sweet Fern Tea Excellent for 327
14. Well-known Celery Remedy for 327
15. Flowers of Sulphur Relieves 327
16. Poultice for 327
17. Novel Relief for 327
18. Snake Root and Lemons for 327
19. Another Good Liniment for 328
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 680
1. Mountain Leaf Tea for 680
2. Beef Gall for 680
Mustard Leaves or Sinapisms 633, 635
Mustard (Medical Use) 673
Mustard Plaster 633, 634, 635
Mustard Poultice 633
Mustard Stupe 634
Myelitis 304
Causes 304
Symptoms 304
Recovery 305
Treatment 305
Myocarditis 345
Myxoedema 260
Causes of Cretinism 260
Symptoms 260
(a) Cretinism 260
(b) Myxoedema proper 261
Operative Type 261
Symptoms 261
Treatment 261
Naevus 77
Nail, Enlarged 77
Nail, Inflammation of the 78
Nail Wound, Rusty 393
Mothers' Remedies 394
1. Iodoform and Vaselin Salve 394
2. Turpentine Good 394
Tincture of Myrrh for Fresh 394
Nasal Catarrh, Acute 10
Nasal Growths 8
Nasal Polypus 19
Nausea (Herb Remedies) 424, 433, 440
Neonatorum Ophthalmia 4
Nephritis, Acute 156
Nephritis, Chronic (Diffuse Desquamative) 158
Nephritis, Chronic Interstitial 159
Causes 159
Arteria-Sclerotic Form 159
Symptoms 159
Recovery 160
Treatment 160
Diet as Followed by a Prominent Hospital 160
May Take 160
Must Not Take 160
Nephritis, Chronic (Parenchymatous) 158
Ncphritis, Chronic (Parenchymatous) (Herb Remedies) 419
Nephritis, Tubal 158
Nephro-Lithiasis 161
Nephroptosis 154
Nerves, Inflammation of 276
Nerve Leprosy 240
Nerve Tumors 276
Varieties, True and False Nerve Tumors 276
Symptoms 276
Physicians' Treatment 276
Nervousness 261
Mothers' Remedies 267
1. Catnip Tea for 267
2. Hops will Stop 267
3. Effective Remedy for 267
4. Five-Ingredient Remedy that Relieves 268
5. Lady's Slipper Breaks up 268
Nervousness (Herb Remedies) 416, 423, 426, 430, 439
Nervous Dyspepsia 105
Nervous Exhaustion 280
Nervous Headache 269
Treatment 269
Nervous Prostration 280
Causes 280
1. Hereditary Causes 280
2. Acquired 280
Symptoms 280
Physicians' Treatment 281
First, then, is Rest 282
Nervousness (Rare Prescription) 480
Nervous System, Plate of 262
NERVOUS SYSTEM, Diseases of (Chapter) 261
Nettle Rash 89
Nettle Rash (Herb Remedies) 442
Neuralgia 261
Causes 261
Symptoms 261
Nervous System, Plate of 262
Varieties 263
Mothers' Remedies 263
1. Lemon Juice as Liniment for 263
2. Salt and Vinegar Will Relieve 263
3. Quinine Will Cure 263
4. Four-Ingredient Remedies for 263
5. Good Liniment for 263
6. Menthol Liniment for 263
7. Belladonna Plaster for 263
Physicians' Treatment for 263
1. Cure for 264
2. Antipyrine 264
3. If Caffeine in First Prescription Causes Nervousness 264
Neuralgia (Herb Remedies) 439
Neuralgia (Rare Prescription) 481
Neuralgia of the Fifth Pair of Cranial Nerves 265
Neuralgia and Earache 631
Mothers' Remedy (Unclassified) 679
1. Soothing Ointment for 679
Neuralgia, Facial 265
Treatment 265
Neuralgic Headache 270
Neuralgia, Intercostal 265
Causes 265
[ MEDICAL INDEX 931]
Symptoms 266
Physicians' Treatment 266
Local Treatment 266
Neuralgia of the Rectum 137
Neuralgia of the Stomach 107
Causes 107
Symptoms 107
Physicians' Treatment 107
Neuralgia of the Trigeminus 265
Neuralgia Trifacial 265
Neurasthenia 230
Neuritis 276
Causes 277
Neuritis, Simple 277
Neuritis, Multiple 278
Neuroma 276
New York Sun Cholera Cure 480
Night Sweats 44
Mothers' Remedies 44
1. Salt Bath for 44
2. Cold Sage for 44
Physicians' Treatment 44
1. Atropine for 44
2. Tonics to Keep up the Appetite 44
Nitric Acid, Poison by 405
Normal Salt Solution 626
Nose, Anatomy of the 6
Nose-Bleed 19
Mothers' Remedies 19
1. Remedy sent us by a Public School Teacher 19
2. Alum as a Cure for 19
3. Remedy that Succeeded in a Severe Case 19
4. Simple Remedy for 20
5. Another Home Remedy for 20
6. Puff-Ball for 20
7. Vinegar and Water for 20
Physicians' Treatment for Nose-Bleed 20
Nose-Bleed (Herb Remedies) 420
Nose, Broken 383
Nose, Chronic Inflammation of the 14
Nose, Things in the 396
Nose, Tumor of the 10
Physicians' Treatment 19
Nursing 565
NURSING DEPARTMENT, Including Care of Sick and Sick Room) 123
Albumin Water 649
Alcohol Sponge Bath 631
Almond Milk 649
Appendicitis, for 633
Apple Water 649
Arrowroot Custard 647
Arrowroot Gruel 652
Baked Custard 647
Barley Gruel 652
Barley Water 647
Baths 629
Bed Pan, How to Use 641
Bed Sores, Prevention and Care of 628
Treatment, Preventive 628
Treatment of Sore Proper 628
Blistered Skin, to Dress 635
Boric Acid 626
Bran Bath 630
Brandy and Egg Mixture 649
Brown Bread 653
Capsicum and Belladonna Plasters 635
Carbolic Acid 625
Care and Disinfection of an Infected Room 626
Care of Discharges (Excreta) 624
Sputum Cups 624
Bed Pans and Urinals 624
Soiled Dressing and Linen 624
Caudle 649
Cereals and Cereal Gruels 651
Chestnut Puree 652
Chicken Broth 648
Chloride of Lime 625
Cinnamon Tea 647
Common Tables of Measures, Apothecaries' Weight 636
Convalescent Diet 644
Cold 632
Cold Compresses 632
Contents of Medicine Chest 637
Cold Pack, The 631
Cornmeal Gruel 652
Corrosive Sublimate or Dichloride of Mercury 625
Counter-Irritants 633
Coughs of Long Standing, Syrup for 650
Cracker Gruel 652
Cream of Celery Soup 653
Cream of Potato Soup 653
Cream Soup 647
Cream Toast 646
Cream of Tomato Soup 653
Crust Coffee 647
Cupping, Wet and Dry 635
Currant Juice 649
Daily Care of the Room by the Nurse 620
Dead, How to Care for the 638
Diabetic Bread 648
Diet 643
Diet in Debility sent us from
one of our Leading Hospitals
May Take 646
Soups, Fish, Meats, Eggs, Farinaceous Vegetables,
Desserts, Drinks 646
Must Not Take 646
Diets in Fevers, Furnished us by a Trained Nurse in Hospital
May Take 645
Food, Drinks--Must not Take 645
Dishes for the Sick Room 646
Disinfection 624
Disinfectants 625
Disinfecting the Room 626
Dose for Children, How to Determine 636
Dose in Drops for Different Ages 636
Rule Usually Followed 636
Douches 641
Dry Cupping 635
Dry Salt Bath sent us with Mothers' Remedies 630
Ear (Aural) Douche 641
Egg Broth 649
Eggnog, Hot 649
Eggnog, Cold 649
Egg Cordial 649
Eggs, Dainty Way to Serve on Toast 648
Egg Gruel 648
Enemata 638
A High 638
A Low 639
Position 639
Amount 639
What Material 639
Syringe 639
Laxative Enema, Sometimes is Necessary 639
Laxative Enema for Infants and Children 639
Formula No. 1 640
Formula No. 2 640
3. Molasses and Laxative Enema 640
Enemata, Astringent 611
Enemata, Nutritive 640
Formula No. 1 640
Formula No. 2 640
Enemata, Salt 641
Enemata, Stimulating 641
Black Coffee 641
Enemata, Turpentine 641
[932 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
External Applications 631
Farina Gruel 652
Fever Cases and to Disguise the Taste of
Bad Medicines, Syrup of Lemon for 650
Fever Drinks for 648
Flaxseed Tea 650
Fomentations 634
Foods for Different Meals for Those Who Can
Eat But Who Do not Have Much Appetite 645
Breakfast, Dinner, Supper 645
Foods that May Be Taken Together 645
Foods That Should Not be Taken Together 645
Foods and Drinks for the Sick Room 643
Food, the Kind of 643
Foot Baths in Bed 629
Fruit Juices, How to Albuminize 644
Germicides 625
General and Local, For Dry Heat 631
Germs, The 625
Gluten Gruel 652
Grape Juice 650
Heat and Chemicals 624
Hot Bath, Hot Air, Vapor and Steam Bath 630
Hot Pack, The 631
Ice Bags (India Rubber) 632
Ice Cream 647
Ice Poultices 633
Ice Water Coils 633
Inflammation, To Allay 641
Imperial Drink 650
Jacket Poultice, The 632
Lemonade 649, 650
Lemonade Albuminized 650
Lemon Jelly 646
Lemon Velvet 647
Length of Time to Cook Cereals 651
Light 624
Lime Water 648
Linseed Meal Poultice 635, 631
Liquid Diet 644
Local Baths and Packs 630
Lotions 633
Medicine Chest 637
Mild Plaster for Children 634
Milk of Lime to Prepare 625
Milk Porridge 647
Moist Heat, For 631
Mothers' Flour and Water Poultice 634
Mountain Dew 647
Mouth and Teeth, Care of 628
Spongy and Sore Gums 628
Cloths for Washing the Teeth and Mouth 628
Mulled Wine 650
Mustard Leaves or Sinapisms 635
Mustard Plaster 634, 635
Mustard Poultice 633
Mustard Stupe 634
Neuralgia and Earache, For 631
Normal Salt Solution 626
Nursing Department 623
Oatmeal, Barley or Rice Water, From the Grain 650
Oatmeal Gruel 646, 648, 652
Odors 647
Omelet 648
Orangeade 650
Oyster Stew 653
Peptonized Milk, Cold Process 653
Plasters, Capsicum and Belladonna 635
Poultices of Peach Tree Leaves from Our Mothers' List 634
Pulse 642
Raspberry Shrub 646
Raspberry Vinegar 647
Rectal Douche 641
Respiration (Breathing) 642
Root Beer 646
Sago Custard 647
Salt Water Bath, Tonic Action 630
Soft Diet 644
Soiled and Stained Linen 624
Spice Plaster 634, 635
Spice Poultice 634
Spice Poultice from a Stanlyton, Va., Mother 634
Sponge Bath 630
Starch Bath 630
Starch and Laudanum 641
Starch Poultice 632
Sterilization 624
Sterilizing, A Simple method of 625
Summer Complaint, Prepared Flour for 648
Table 636
Tapioca Jelly 652
Temperature (Fever) Under the Tongue and Arm-pit 612
Temperature of the Room 624
Tongue, The 642
Ulcers 643
High Fevers 643
Dark Brown or Blackish Coating 643
Strawberry Tongue 643
Cankered Tongue 643
Cholera Infantum 643
Constipation 643
Biliousness 643
Tub Bath (Common) 631
Tuberculous Patients, How to Treat Sputum from 627
In Diphtheria 627
Bed Pans 627
Sheet and Clothing 627
Turpentine and Mustard Stupes, for see above 635
Turpentine Stupes 634
Vaginal Douche the, For Cleansing 641
Vanilla Snow 648
Ventilation 623
Warm Baths (90 to 100 F.) 630
Wet Cupping 635
Whole Wheat Bread 653
Yeast Poultices 633
Nutmeg Liver 131
Nux Vomica, Poison by 405
Oatmeal, Barley or Rice Water, from the Grain 650
Oatmeal Gruel 648,652, 646
Obesity 330
Treatment 331
Diet 331
For Breakfast 331
Noon Meal Dinner 331
Supper 331
Before Going to Bed 331
Obesity--(Herb Remedies) 434
OBSTETRICS, OR MIDWIFERY 515
Obstruction, Intestinal 121
Odors 647
Oedema of the Glottis 26
Oedematous Laryngitis 26
Olive Oil (Medical Use) 672
Omelet 648
Onion (Medical Use) 669
Onychia 78
Onychauxis 77
Operations 662
Operations, Special 663
Opium, Poison by 405
Ophthalmia Neonatorum 350
Ophthalmia Neonatorum, Diagnosis of 4
Orangeade 650
Organs, Diseases of the Digestive 97
[MEDICAL INDEX 933]
Organic Diseases of the Spinal Cord 304
Symptoms 304
Treatment 304
Organs of Generation, The Internal 491
Osteopathy 661
Ovaries, The 493
Ovaries, Inflammation of 503
Ovaries, Tumors of 504
Ovaries, Tumors of the Operation for 663
Ovaritis 503
Ovary, Diseases of 503
Oxalic Acid, Poison by 405
Oxyuria Vermicularis 46
Oyster Stew 653
Ozena 16
Causes 16
Physicians' Treatment 16
Home Treatment 16
1. Solution for 16
2. The Following Ointment 16
3. Dr. Ferguson of New York uses the Following 17
Pain or Rheumatism 679
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 679
1. Tansy and Smartweed for 679
2. Horseradish Poultice for 679
3. Liniment to Relieve 679
4. Vinegar and Pepper for 679
Paine's Celery Compound 488
Pain Killer, External 481
Palate, Cleft 369
Palpitation of the Heart 337
Causes 337
Symptoms 337
Mothers' Remedies 338
1. Tea of Geranium Root for 338
2. Hot Foot Bath and Camphor for 338
3. Valuable Herb Tea for 338
Mothers' Remedies for Heartburn 338
1. Home Remedy for 338
2. Soda a Popular Remedy for 338
3. Excellent Remedy for 338
4. Remedy for Stout Person 338
Physicians' Treatment for Palpitation 338
When Caused by the Stomach 338
Difficult Breathing 339
Physicians' Cautions 339
Diet 339
The Heart 339
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 679
1. Salt Baths for 679
Palsy 294
Causes 294
Symptoms 294
(a) Paralysis of the Ocular (eye) Muscles 294
(b) Paralysis of the Muscles of Mastication (eating) 294
(c) Paralysis of the Facial (Face) Muscles 295
(d) Paralysis of the Muscles of the Upper Extremity 295
(e) Paralysis of the Muscles of the Lower Extremities 295
(f) Toxic (Poison) Paralysis, Lead Paralysis 295
Physicians' Treatment 295
Palsy, Shaking 291
Paralysis 294
Paralysis Agitans 291
Paralysis, General of the Insane 298
Paralysis, Infantile 307
Paralysis, Diseases Caused by Animal 44
Paresis, General 298
Paretic Dementia 298
Parotitis 180
Parry's Compound Sarsaparilla Blood Purifier 483
Parry's, Grave's Disease 260
Pasteur Institutes, Location of 249
Patch, Moth 61
PATENT MEDICINES AND RARE OLD PRESCRIPTIONS 465
Ague, Chills and Fever (Rare Prescription) 467
Allen's World's Hair Restorer 465
Anti-Constipation Pad 465
Ayer's Cherry Pectoral 466
Ayer's Hair Vigor 466
Ayer's Sarsaparilla 467
Barker's Bone and Nerve Liniment 467
Blood and Liver Regulator (Rare Prescription) 466
Blotches and Pimples (Rare Prescription) 473
Brinkerhoff System of Treating Piles 468
British Oil 488
Brodie's Liniment for Asthma 484
Bull's Blood Syrup 470
Burns and Scalds (Rare Prescription) 466
California Liniment 470
Cancer Paste 471
Carter's Little Liver Pills 472
Castoria 472
Catarrh Ointment (Rare Prescription) 468
Cathartic and Sure Cure for Constipation 468
Catarrh of Long Standing 467
Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera and Diarrhea Remedy 473
Colic, Cholera and Diarrhea (Rare Prescription) 469
Colic in Infants 471
Constipation 471
Corns 472
Coughs 468
Croup 459
Cuticura Ointment 474
Cuticura Resolvent 474
Diarrhea, Flux and Dysentery (Rare Prescription) 472
Dyspepsia Tonic 473
Earache (Rare Prescription) 470
Edward's Alterative and Tonic Bitters 487
Ely's Cream Balm 474
Fellow's Hypophosphites 475
Female Regulator (Rare Prescription) 474
Fever, For (Rare Prescription) 474
Flux (Rare Prescription) 474
General Tonic 475
Genuine White Oil Liniment 476
Good Samaritan Liniment 476
Grandmother's Own Cough Remedy 476
Green Mountain Salve 477
Gunn's Rheumatic Liniment 478
Haines's Golden Specific for Opium Habit 478
Hair's, Dr. B. W., Cure 473
Hall's Hair Renewer 479
Hamburg Breast Tea 488
Hamburg Drops 479
Hamlin's Wizard Oil 480
Harter's Wild Cherry Bitters 487
Headache (Rare Prescription) 476
Heartburn (Rare Prescription) 476
Heart Diseases, Fluttering, etc, (Rare Prescription) 471
Hinkley's Bone Liniment 480
Holloway's Ointment 481
Iron Tonic Bitters (Rare Prescription) 477
Itch Ointment (Rare Prescription) 478
Johnson's Liniment 484
Kellog's Red Drops 481
Kelly's Tonic 486
Kickapoo Indian Oil 481
Kidney and Liver Cure (Rare Prescription) 478
[934 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Laxative Bromo-Quinine Tablets 468
Liniment (Rare Prescription) 479
Liver Pills (Rare Prescription) 479
Lombard's Secret Cancer Remedies 471
Lydia Pinkham's Vegetable Compound 469
Madame Rupert's Face Bleach 473
Mitchell's Eye Salve 482
Mother Siegel's Syrup 482
Nervousness (Rare Prescription) 480
Neuralgia (Rare Prescription) 481
New York Sun Cholera Cure 480
Pain Killer, External 481
Paine's Celery Compound 488
Parry's Comp. Sarsaparilla Blood Purifier 483
Patterson's Emulsion of Pumpkin Seeds 483
Perry Davis's Pain Killer 484
Pierce's Compound Extract of Smartweed 488
Poison Oak and Ivy (Rare Prescription) 481
Radway's Pills 488
Relief from Asthma (Rare Prescription) 465
Rheumatism, Internal Use (Rare Prescription) 482
Royal Catarrh Cure 467
Sage's Catarrh Cure 484
Salve for Boils and Old Sores (Rare Prescription) 466
Saul's Catarrh Remedy 485
St. Jacob's Oil 485
Scald Head (Rare Prescription) 482
Scrofula (Rare Prescription) 482
Seven Sutherland Sisters' Hair Grower 485
Skinner's Dandruff Mixture 485
Smith's Electric Oil 470
Sore Eyes (Rare Prescription) 470
Sore Throat (Rare Prescription) 475
Southern Cholera Cure 483
Syrup of Figs 485
Tape Worm (Rare Prescription) 483
Thomas's Electric Oil 486
Tonic, General (Rare Prescription) 475
Toothache (Rare Prescription) 483
Van Buskirk's Fragrant Sozodont 486
Watt's Anti-Rheumatic Pills 487
White's Cough Syrup 487
Whooping Cough (Rare Prescription) 484
Patterson's Emulsion of Pumpkin Seeds 483
Pediculus Capitis 78
Pediculus Corporis 78
Pediculus Pubis 78
Pelvis, The 490
Pemphigus 79
Peptonized Milk 594
Peptonized Milk 653
Cold Process 653
Pericarditis 341
Primary or First Cause 341
Symptoms 341
Treatment of Pericarditis 341
Periproctitis 137, 151
Perineum and Cervix, operation for 664
Peritoneum, Inflammation of the 133
Peritonitis, Acute; General 133
Causes 133
Symptoms 133
Recovery, Prognosis, etc 134
Peritonitis, Local, 134
Symptoms 134
Treatment of Acute Peritonitis 134
For Vomiting 134
Diet 134
Peritonitis, Tubercular 134
Symptoms 134
Treatment 134
Permanent Teeth, Usual Order 619
Pernicious Anaemia 250
Condition 250
Symptoms 250
Treatment 250
Pernicious Malarial Fever 229
Perry Davis's Pain Killer 484
Pertussis 180
Pterygium 352
Pruritus Ani 143
Pharyngitis, Acute 21
Pharyngeal Catarrh, Acute 21
Pharyngeal Diphtheria 184
Pharyngeal Tonsil 8
Pharynx, Inflammation of 21
Phlebitis 345
Causes 345
Symptoms 345
Treatment 345
Pierce's Comp. Extract of Smart weed 488
Piles 145
Varieties 146
Causes 146
External Piles 146
Skin Piles, (Cutaneous) 147
Mothers' Remedies 147
1. Sulphur and Glycerin for 147
2. Strongly recommended remedy for 147
3. Good Salve for 147
4. Smartweed Salve for 147
5. Cold Water Cure for 147
6. Simple Application and Relief from 147
7. Steaming with Chamomile Tea for 147
Physicians' Treatment for Piles 148
What to do first 148
Lead and Laudannm Wash 148
1. Soothing Ointment for 148
2. Salve for 148
3. For External Piles 148
4. If there is much Itching 148
5. I Use quite frequently 148
Operation for Piles 149
Cutaneous Skin Piles Operated upon 149
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 679
1. Prescription for 679
Piles (Herb Remedies) 410, 420, 423, 426, 442
Piles, Internal 149
Symptoms 149
Recovery, Pain, etc 150
Physicians' Treatment for Piles 150
1. For Inflamed piles 150
2. For Bathing the Piles 150
3. When there is Slight Bleeding 150
4. If the Protruded Piles are Inflamed 150
5. An Ointment 151
6. Tea of White Oak Bark for 151
7. Take a rectal Injection 151
Preventive, Treatment 151
For Constipation 151
Habits 151
Diet 151
Foods Allowed 151
Piles, Itching 143
Pile, Operation for 664
Pimples 61
Pinworms 46
Placenta Praevia 527
Plague 225
Causes 225
Bubonic Plague 225
Septicemia type 225
Pneumonia type 225
Symptoms 225
Pneumonic Plague 226
Septicemic Plague 226
Treatment, Prevention 226
Plague, Bubonic 225
Plasters, Capsicum and Belladonna 635
[MEDICAL INDEX 935]
Pleura, Inflammation of the 41
Pleurisy Diagnosis of 4
Pleurisy, Acute 41
Causes 42
Diet and Nursing 42
Physicians' Treatment 42
1. Home Treatment 42
2. Other Home Remedies 42
3. Fomentations 43
4. Camphorated Oil for 43
5. Adhesive Plaster 43
6. Tincture of Aconite 43
7. Hypodermic of Morphine 43
Pleurisy, Acute (Herb Remedies) 420, 428, 434, 444
Pleurisy, Operation for 664
Pleurodynia 323
Plumbism, Saturnism 374
Pneumonia, Diagnosis of 4
Pneumonia 218
Causes of pneumonia 218
Symptoms 218
Mothers' Remedies 219
1. Salt Pork for Inflammation for 219
2. Raspberry Tincture for Inflammation of 219
3. Herb Ointment 219
4. Mullein for 219
5. Salve for Weak 219
Physicians' Treatment for Lungs 219
Fomentations 220
Pneumonia (Herb Remedies) 434
Pneumonia, Brancho 40
Poisoning 621
POISONS, ACCIDENTS AND EMERGENCIES (Chapter) 376
Poisoning, Bland Drink After 438
Poisoning, Food 374
Poisoning, Ivy 92
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 679
1. Buttermilk and Salt Heals 679
2. Lead Water and Laudanum 679
3. Excellent Cure for 679
Poisoning, Lead 374
Poison Oak and Ivy, (Rare Prescription) 481
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 680
1. Gunpowder and Lard for 680
POISONS, SYMPTOMS, TREATMENTS, ANTIDOTES
AND STIMULANTS 400
Poisoned Wounds 377
Polypus, Nasal 19
Posterior Spinal Sclerosis 305
Post Nasal Growths 8
Poultice (Herb Remedies) 424, 429
Poultice of Peach Tree Leaves from our Mothers' List 634
Pregnancy, Accidents of 524
Pregnancy, Cramps during (Herb Remedies) 420, 439
Premature Labor 524
Prevention of Conception 494
Prickly Heat Rash 76
Symptoms 76
Cause 76
Mothers' Remedies 76
1. Soda Water for 76
2. Relief from pain of 76
3. Burnt Cornstarch for 76
4. Soothing Ointment for 76
Physicians' Treatment for Prickly Heat 77
Chafing 77
Mothers' Remedies for Chafing 77
1. Fuller's Earth Eases 77
2. Good Home Remedy for 77
3. Borax and Zinc stops 77
4. Common Flour Good to Stop 77
Proctitis 137
Podogra 315
Prolapse 137
Proprietary Foods 622
Prostate, Diseases of the 163
Prostate, Hypertrophy of the 164
Symptoms 164
Treatment, Preventive 164
Prostration, Nervous 280
Pruritis 495
Pseudo-Leukaemia 252
Psoriasis 79
Pulse 642
Purifier, Blood (Herb Remedies) 422
Purpura 253
Symptoms 253
1. Symptomatic Purpura 253
2. Type Arthritic Purpura 253
Purpura Haemorrhagic 253
Symptoms 253
Treatment 254
Pyelitis 160
Symptoms 161
Treatment 161
Diet 161
Pyemia 223
Symptoms 223
Local Treatment 223
General Treatment 223
Quinsy 190
Radway's Pills 488
Rash, Nettle 89
Rash, Nettle (Herb Remedies) 442
Rash, Prickly Heat 76
Raspberry Shrub 646
Raspberry Vinegar 647
Rectal Douche 641
Rectocele 514
Rectum, Abscess around the 151
Rectum, Diseases of the 136
Rectum. Neuralgia of the 137
Relief for Asthma (Rare Prescription) 465
Remittent Fever 228
Renal Calculus 161
Respiration (Breathing) 642
RESPIRATORY DISEASES 6
Resuscitate the Drowned, To 397
Retina 347
Retina, Inflammation of the 355
Retinitis, Albuminuric 355
Rheumatism 678
Liniment sent us from a Gentleman in Canada 678
Rheumatic Arthritis 314
Rheumatism Articular 317
Rheumatism Chronic 321
Rheumatism, Chronic (Herb Remedies) 414, 434, 435, 440
Rheumatic Fever, Diagnosis of 4
Rheumatic Rever (Articular Rheumatism) 317
Causes 317
Predisposing 318
Condition 318
Symptoms 318
Fever 318
Mothers' Remedies 318
1. Salicylate of Soda Treatment 319
2. Cotton Excellent for Inflammatory 319
Prevention 319
1. Physicians' Causes 320
2. Hot Fomentations 320
3. The Following is Good 320
4. A Prescription 320
5. A Layer or Two of Gauze Saturated with Methylsalicylate 320
6. Internal 320
[936 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
7. Dr. Hare Recommend 320
Nursing 321
Diet 321
Rheumatism, Gonorrheal 236
Rheumatism, Gonorrheal (Herb Remedies) 429, 430
Rheumatic Gout 314
Rheumatic Anthritis 314
Arthritis Deformans 314
Causes 314
Conditions 314
Symptoms 314
Acute 314
Chronic Type 315
Monarticular or One Joint Type 315
Recovery 315
General Treatment 315
Local 315
Rheumatic Headache 268
Rheumatism, Diagnosis of Inflammatory 4
Mothers' Remedy (Unclassified) 677
1. Salt Petre and Sweet Oil for 677
Rheumatism, Internal Use (Rare Prescription) 482
Rheumatism, Muscular 323
Rheumatism, Muscular (Herb Remedies) 415, 426, 434
Rhinitis, Acute 10
Rhinitis, Chronic 14
Ribs, Broken 382
Rickets 614
Ringworm 86
Varieties 86
Ringworm of the Body 86
Mothers' Remedies 86
1. Gunpowder and Vinegar for 86
2. Cigar Ashes for 86
3. Kerosene for 86
4. Ontario Mother Cured Boy of 86
5. Another from a Mother at Valdosta, Georgia 86
6. Egg Skin Remedy for 86
7. From a Mother at Owosso, Michigan 86
Physicians' Treatment 86
1. For Infants and Children 86
2. Corrosive Sublimate 87
3. Ammoniated Mercury 87
4. For Ringworm 87
5. For Ringworm 87
Ringworm (Herb Remedies) 413
Ringworm of the Beard 87
Ringworm of the Scalp 87
Cautions and Treatment 87
1. Carbolic Acid 87
2. Oleate of Mercury 87
3. Sulphur Ointment 87
4. Tincture of Iodine 87
Root Beer 646
Rose, Cold 17
Rough on Rats, Poison by 406
Round Worm 44
Royal Catarrh Cure 467
Rupture 122
Location 123
Symptoms 123
Mothers' Remedies 123
1. Poultice for 123
Physicians' Treatment 123
Irreducible Ruptures 123
Strangulated Hernia or Rupture 124
Symptoms 124
Mothers' Remedies 124
1. Hop Poultice 124
Physicians' Treatment 124
To Reduce 124
Caution 124
Mothers' Remedy (Unclassified) 680
1. Herb Remedy for 680
Rupture in a Baby 620
Rupture of the Spleen 256
St. Jacob's Oil 485
Sad Mania 312
Sage's Catarrh Cure 484
Sago Custard 647
Salpingitis 502
Salt (Medical Use) 668
Saltpetre, Poison by 406
Salt Rheum 67
Mothers' Remedies 67
1. Alum Wash and Cathartic for 67
2. Ammonia and Camphor 68
3. Cactus Leaf Cure for 68
4. Pine Tar for 68
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 680
1. Well Tried Remedy for 680
Salt Rheum (Herb Remedies) 416, 434
Salve for Boils and Old Sores (Rare Prescription) 466
Salve, Splendid General 681
Santonin, Poison by 407
Saul's Catarrh Remedy 485
Scalds, Mothers' Remedies for 387
Scalds (Herb Remedies) 420
Scald Head 617
Scald Head (Rare Prescription) 482
Scalding Urine (Herb Remedies) 440
Scalp, Care of 550
Scalp, Ringworm of the 87
Scarlet Fever, Diagnosis of 5
Scarlet Fever 167
Definition 167
Modes of Conveying 167
Remains in the Room, How Long? 168
Age, Occurrence, Susceptibility 168
How Often? 168
Incubation 168
Contagion 168
Onset 168
Rash 168
Fever 168
Sore Throat 169
Tongue 169
Scaling 169
Complications, Nose 169
Ear 169
Eye 169
Kidneys 170
Heart 170
Joints 170
Chorea 170
Diagnosis 170
From Measles 170
Recovery 170
Sanitary Care of Room and Patient 170
City and State Supervision 171
How to Prevent and Avoid Scarlet Fever 171
Sanitary Care of Infected and Sick Persons and Rooms 172
The Room in Which One is Sick with this Disease 172
Soiled Clothing, Towels, Bed Linen, etc 172
The Discharges 173
All Cups, Glasses, Spoons, etc 173
Foods and Drinks 173
Persons Recovering from Scarlet Fever 173
Diet and Nursing 173
During the Sickness 174
Special Treatment 174
Dropsy in Scarlet Fever 175
How Soon May a Convalescent Person Associate with the Healthy 175
Caution 175
Scarlet Fever (Herb Remedies) 422
Scarlatina, Diagnosis of 5
Schaefer Method of Artificial Respiration 397
[MEDICAL INDEX 937]
Sciatica 266
Schools at Medicines 660
Sclerosis of the Liver 131
Scrofula 212
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 681
1. A Good Remedy for 681
Scrofula (Herb Remedies) 415, 434, 435, 436, 437, 438, 444, 445, 447
Scrofula (Rare Prescription} 482
Scurvy 615
Scurvy (Herb Remedies) 434, 444, 447
Sebaceous Cyst 85
Seborrhea 83
Secretion, Lessened Sweat 57
Senile Cataract 354
Symptoms of Senile (Old Age) Cataract 354
Course 354
Septicemia 222, 223
Seven Sutherland Sisters' Hair Grower 485
Shingles 74
Definition 74
Symptoms 74
Causes 74
Mothers' Remedies 74
1. Herb Remedy for 74
2. Mercury Ointment for 74
Physicians' Treatment 75
Shocked, Electrically 397
Shoulder Joint Dislocation 380
Sick Headache (Herb Remedies) 413, 414
Simple Acne 53
Simple Angina 21
Skin, Diseases of the 52
Macule Spots (Patches) 53
Papule (Pimple) 53
Tubercle (Node Lump) 53
Tumors 53
Wheel 53
Vesicle 53
Bleb 53
Pustule 53
Scale 53
Crust 53
Excoriation 53
Fissures 53
Ulcer (Sores) 53
Scar 53
Pigmentation 53
Skin, Diseases of the (Herb Remedies) 415, 430, 435, 436, 438, 447
Skin Diseases Produced by Lice 78
Skin, Inflammation of the 62
Skin, Inflammation of the (Herb Remedies) 412
Skinner's Dandruff Cure 485
Sleep 603
Sleeplessness 299
Sleeplessness (Herb Remedies} 426, 430, 439
Smallpox, Diagnosis of 4
Smallpox 201
Causes 201
Symptoms 201
Eruptions 201
Confluent Form 201
Varioloid 201
Treatment 202
Diet 202
Nursing 202
General Rule for Disinfection 203
Hands, Body, etc 203
Vaccination and Re-vaccination and its Prevention of Smallpox 203
A Good Time to be Vaccinated 203
Why Vaccinate? 203
Smallpox entirely prevented by re-vaccination 204
Who Should Be Vaccinated 204
Who Should Not Be Vaccinated 205
When Should a Person be Vaccinated? 205
Vaccination after Exposure to Smallpox 205
With what should one be vaccinated? 206
Where Vaccination Should Be Performed? 206
After Vaccination 206
Common Appearances after Vaccination 206
What to do during and after Vaccination? 207
Make a Record of your Vaccination? 207
Lives Saved from Smallpox in Michigan 207
Smith's Electric Oil 470
Smooth Tonsilitis, Diagnosis of 5
Snake Bites 377
Symptoms of a Snake Bite 378
Treatment 378
First thing to do 378
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 680
1. Simple Poultice for 680
2. Onions and Salt for 681
Snake Bite (Herb Remedies) 434
Soda (Medical Use) 669
Salt Water Bath, Tonic Action 630
Softening of the Brain 298
Soft Diet 644
Soothing Syrup, Overdose of 622
Sore Eyes (Rare Prescription) 470, 549
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 681
1. Camphor and Breast Milk for 681
Sore Mouth, Canker 97
Sore Mouth, Canker (Herb Remedies) 410, 420, 442, 444
Sore Throat 21
Symptoms 21
Chronic 21
Prevention of the Chronic Kind 21
Prevention of the Acute Kind 21
Mothers' Remedies 21
1. Used for Years Successfully 21
2. Splendid Liniment for 22
3. Simple Gargle for 22
4. Home Made Salve for 22
5. Cold Packs Sure Cure for 22
6. Ointment for 22
7. Remedy from a Mother in Johnson City, Tenn 22
8. Gargle and Application for 23
9. Vinegar Gargle for 23
10. Alum and Vinegar for 23
11. Kerosene for 23
12. Remedy always at hand 23
13. Simple Remedy for 23
Physicians' Treatment for Sore Throat 23
1. Inhalation of Steam 23
2. Sulphur and Cream for 23
3. Good Old Mothers' Remedies 23
1. Physicians' Local Treatment 24
2. When the Attack is Mild 24
3. I like the following at the beginning 24
4. For Chronic Catarrh 24
5. Other Gargles 24
6. Snuff 24
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 681
1. Mustard Plaster for 681
Sore Throat (Herb Remedies) 418, 420, 431, 434, 442
Sore Throat (Rare Prescription) 475
Sores or Ulcers 72
Sores or Ulcers (Herb Remedies) 410, 412, 413, 416, 431, 434, 447
Southern Cholera Cure 483
Spasms 542, 616
Spasms (Herb Remedies) 420, 432
Spasmodic Asthma 37
Spasm of the Glottis 26
Special Diseases 265
Spice Plaster 635
Spice Poultice 634
Spice Poultice from a Stanlyton, Va., Mother 634
[938 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Spinal Cord, Injuries of 303
Causes 303
Symptoms 303
Treatment 303
Traumatism of the Cord 303
Symptoms 303
Recovery 304
Treatment, Immediate 304
Spinal Cord, Organic Diseases of 304
Spine, Concussion of the 303
Splinters 621
Splinter, to Extract 682
Splints 381
Spoiled Foods, Poison by 407
Sponge Bath 630
Spots, Liver 61
Spotted Fever, Diagnosis of 4
Sprains 383
Sprains (Herb Remedies) 410
Squint 356
Internal or Convergent Squint 356
External or Divergent Squint 356
Causes of Convergent (Internal) Squint 356
Treatment 356
External (Divergent Squint) 356
Squint, Operation for 664
Stab Wounds 303
Stammering 301
Mothers' Remedies 301
1. Easy Cure for 301
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 681
1. Canadian Mother's Treatment for 681
Physicians' Treatment 301
Starch Bath 630
Starch and Laudanum 641
Starch Poultice 632
Steatoma 85
Sterilization 624
Sterilized Milk 593
Sterilizing, A Simple Method of 593
Stiff Neck 324
Stimulant (Herb Remedies) 433
Stings 379
Mothers' Remedies 379
1. Leaves of Geranium Good for Bee or Wasp 379
2. Simple Remedy for 379
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 681
1. Old Tried Canadian Remedy for 681
2. From Nettles 681
Stings (Herb Remedies) 412, 443
Stomach, Bleeding from 107
Stomach, Cancer of the 106, 334
Stomach Headache 270
Stomach, Neuralgia of the 107
Stomach, Operation for 665
Stomach, Acute Inflammation of the 111
Stomach Trouble 103
Stomach Trouble (Herb Remedies) 439, 442, 443
Stomach, Diagnosis of Ulcer of the 5
Stomatitis Aphthous 97
Stomatitis, Gangrenous 99
Strabismus 356
Strychnine, Poison by 407
Stye 348
Causes 348
Symptoms 348
Course 348
Mothers' Remedies 348
1. Home Method to Kill 348
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 681
1. Common Tea Leaves for 681
Treatment 349
Suffocated, Treatment of 397
Sugar, Kind to Use 578
Sulphuric Acid, Poison by 407
Sulphur (Medical Use) 670
Summer Complaint, Prepared Flour for 648
Sunburn 90
Mothers' Remedies 91
1. Lemon Juice and Vinegar for 91
2. Ammonia Water for 91
3. Relief from Pain and Smarting of 91
4. Preparation for 91
Physicians' Treatment 91
1. For Sunburn 91
2. For Sunburn 91
3. The following is a good combination 91
Sunstrokes 375
Symptoms 375
Prognosis 376
Mothers' Remedies 376
1. Quick Method to Relieve 376
Treatment 376
For Severe Cases 376
Medicine 376
Sunstrokes and Intoxicants (Chapter) 371
Superficial Felons 70
Suppurative Tonsilitis 190
Sweating, to Cause (Herb Remedies) 441, 443, 444
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 681
1. Sweating, to Cause 681
2. Another 682
Sweating, Excessive 75
Symptoms 75
Causes 75
Treatment 75
Application for the Local Treatment 75
White Oak Bark for 75
Sweating, Excessive (Herb Remedies) 426, 432, 434
Sweating, Foul 57
Symptoms 57
Mothers' Remedies 57
1. Alum Water for 57
2. Borax and Alcohol for 57
3. Simple Home Remedy for 57
Physicians' Treatment 57
1. Dressing Powders 57
2. Boric Acid, powdered, may also be used 57
3. Dusting Powder 57
4. One per cent Solution 58
Sweat, Lessened Secretion of 57
Sweats, Night 44
Swellings (Herb Remedies) 429, 443
Swelling of the Glottis 26
Symptoms 26
Sympathetic Inflammation of the Eye 334
Sympathetic Ophthalmia 354
Syphilis 415
Syphilis (Herb Remedies) 415, 429, 434, 435, 436, 438, 440
Syrup of Figs 485
Table 636
Taenia Saginata 48
Taenia Solium 48
Talipes 370
Tape Worm 48
Tape Worm (Rare Prescription) 483
Tapioca Jelly 652
Tartar Emetic, Poison by 407
Taste 307
Taste Buds 307
Taste Buds, Plate of 308
Teeth 563
Teething 560, 618
Tegumentary (Skin) Leprosy 238
Temperature (Fever) Under the Tongue, Arm-pit 642
Temperature of the Room 624
Tetanus 231
Tetter, Dry 63
[MEDICAL INDEX 939]
Tetter, Humid 63
Things in the Ear 395
Things in the Nose 396
Thomas's Electric Oil 486
Thread Worm 46
Throat, Sore 21
Throat, Sore (Herb Remedies) 418, 420, 425, 431, 434, 437, 442, 444
Thrush 551
Thumb, Dislocation 380
Thyroid Gland, Diseases of 258
Symptoms 258
Treatment 258
Thyroiditis 258
Tic Doloureux 265
Tickling in Throat 25
Tinea Trichophytina 86
Tobacco, Poison by 407
Toe-Nail, Ingrowing 395
Tongue, The 642
Ulcers 643
High Fever 643
Dark Brown or Blackish Coating 643
Strawberry Tongue 643
Cankered Tongue 643
Cholera Infantum 643
Constipation 643
Biliousness 643
Tonic (Herb Remedies) 424, 425, 428, 432, 444, 445
Tonic, General (Rare Prescription) 475
Tonsilitis, Diagnosis of 5
Tonsilitis, Acute 187
Follicular, Inflammation of 187
Causes 187
Symptoms 187
Diagnosis Between Acute Tonsilitis and Diphtheria 188
Mothers' Remedies 188
1. Raw Onion for 188
2. Peppermint Oil good for 188
3. Borax Water for 188
4. Salt and Pepper with relieve 188
5. Peroxide of Hydrogen will cure 188
6. A Remedy Effective for 188
Physicians' Treatment for Tonsilitis 189
1. Home Treatment 189
2. Smartweed 189
3. Salt Pork for 189
4. Liniment 189
5. Internally 189
6. Hot Water 189
7. Thyme 189
8. Steaming with Compound Tincture of Benzoin 189
9. For the Pain 189
10. Medicines, Parke, Davis & Co.,
Anti-Tonsilitis Tablet No. 645 is very good 190
11. Aspirin 190
12. Dr. Hare of Philadelphia 190
Tonsilitis, Suppurative 190
Tonsils, Operation for 665
Tonsil, Pharyngeal 8
Toothache 119
Mothers' Remedies 119
1. Dry Salt and Alum for 119
2. Oil of Cloves quick relief for 119
3. Home Made Poultice for 119
4. Clove Oil and Chloroform 119
5. Sure Cure for 119
6. Salt and Alum Water for 119
7. Oil of Cinnamon for 119
8. Reliable Remedy for 119
9. From Decoyed Teeth 120
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 682
1. Benzoin for 82
2. Oil of Cinnamon for 682
Physicians' Treatment 121
Toothache (Herb Remedies) 418
Toothache (Rare Prescription) 483
Tooth Powders 120
Mothers' Tooth Powders 120
1. The Ashes of Burnt Grape Vine 120
2. Tooth Powder 120
3. Tooth Powder 120
4. Tooth Powder 120
5. Tooth Wash 120
6. Commonly Used 120
Torticollis 323
Tracheotomy and Intubation, Operation for 664
Traumatism of the Cord 303
Symptoms 303
Recovery 304
Treatment, Immediate 304
Tremens, Delirium 372
Trichiniasis 50
Modes of Infection 51
Symptoms 51
Physicians' Treatment 52
Tricuspid Stenosis (narrowing) 344
Recovery 344
Treatment: (a) While Compensated 344
(b) The Stage of Broken Compensation 344
Tricuspid (Valve) Insufficiency 344
Cause 344
Trifacial Neuralgia 265
Tub Bath (common) 631
Tuberculosis of the Lungs, Diagnosis of 5
Tuberculosis 211
Forms-The Lungs 211
Ordinary Consumption 211
1. Acute Miliary Tuberculosis 211
(a) Acute General Miliary Tuberculosis 211
(b) Pulmonary (Lung) Type 211
(c) Tubercular Meningitis 211
2. Tuberculosis of the lymph nodes (glands) 212
3. Tuberculous Pleurisy 212
4. Tuberculous Pericarditis 212
5. Tuberculous Peritonitis 212
6. Tuberculosis of the Larynx 212
7. Acute Pneumonia (Pulmonary Tuberculosis)
or Galloping Consumption 212
8. Chronic Ulcerative Pulmonary Tuberculosis 212
9. Chronic Miliary Tuberculosis 212
10. Tuberculosis of the Alimentary Canal 212
11. Tuberculosis of the Brain 212
12. Tuberculosis of the Liver, Kidneys, Bladder, etc 212
13. Tuberculosis of Joints 212
Mesenteric Kind 212
Mothers' Remedies 212
1. Simple Home Method to Break Up 212
2. Physicians' Treatment 212
Physicians' Treatment for Consumption 213
Sanitary 213
Prevention of Tuberculosis 213
Second 213
Individual Prevention 213
General Measures 214
At Home 214
Diet-Treatment 214
Diet in Tuberculosis Furnished by a Hospital 214
May Take 214
Must Not Take 214
What every person should know about Tuberculosis,
whether he has had the disease or not 214
Tuberculosis (Herb Remedies) 437
Tuberculosis Patients, How to Treat the Sputum from 627
Tuberculosis, Cervical 212
[940 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Tuberculated Leprosy 238
Tubercular Meningitis 210
Tubercular Peritonitis 134
Tuberculous Tumors 297
Tumors 336
A Benign Tumor 336
A Malignant Tumor 336
Some Varieties 336
Malignant Sarcoma (Sarcomata) 336
Diagnosis 337
Treatment 337
Tumors (Herb Remedies) 412, 434, 447
Tumors of the Brain 296
Causes-Predisposing 296
Gumma 296
Tuberculous Tumors 297
Glioma 297
Sarcoma and Cancer 297
Symptoms 297
Treatment 297
For Headache 297
For Vomiting 297
Tumor of the Nose 19
Turpentine (Medical Use) 670
Turpentine and Mustard Stupes 635
Turpentine Stupes 634
Typhoid Fever, Diagnosis of 5
Typhoid Fever 195
Cause 195
Symptoms 196
Time 196
Incubation 196
First Week 196
Second Week 196
Third Week 196
Fourth Week 197
Special Symptoms and Variations 197
Walking Type 197
Digestive Symptoms 197
Diarrhea 107
Perforation of the Bowel 197
Treatment 197
Prevention 197
Sanitary Care 197
Sanitary Care of the Household Articles 198
Diet and Nursing in Typhoid Fever 198
Cold Sponging 199
The Bath 199
Medical Treatment 199
Management of the Convalescent 199
Typhus Fever 200
Symptoms 200
Eruptions 200
Fever 201
Treatment like Typhoid 200
Ulcers 72
Causes 72
Treatment 72
Chronic Ulcer 72
Mothers' Remedies 72
1. The Potato Lotion for 72
2. Chickweed Ointment for 72
3. Healing Ointment for 72
4. Excellent Salve for 72
5. An Old German Remedy for 72
6. An Antiseptic Wash for 72
7. Chickweed and Wood Sage Poultice for 73
8. Blood Root and Sweet Nitre for 73
9. A Good Combination for 73
10. A Four Ingredient Remedy for 73
11. Carrots will heal 73
12. A Remedy that Cures 73
13. Bread and Indian Meal for 13
Physicians' Treatment for Ulcers 73
Balsam of Peru is good for 74
A Salve 74
Poultice 74
Indolent Sluggish Ulcer 74
Poultice for 74
Ulcers (Herb Remedies) 410, 412, 413, 416, 431, 434, 447
Ulcer of the Cornea, Diagnosis of 5
Ulcer of the Cornea 351
Ulcer of the Stomach, Diagnosis of 5
Ulcer of the Stomach and Duodenum 106
Symptoms 106
Physicians' Treatment 106
1. Rest 106
2. Feed by the Rectum 106
Uraemia, Acute 156
Uraemia, Acute (Herb Remedies) 435
Uraemia, Chronic 156
Uraemia, Toxaemia 166
Urethritis 235
Urethritis (Herb Remedies) 415
Urinary Passage 164
Mothers' Remedies 164
1. Dandelion Root win clean 164
Urinary Passage (Herb Remedies) 411, 415, 432, 436, 443
Urine, Blood in the 156
Urine, Scalding (Herb Remedies) 440
Urticaria 89
Uterus, Cancer of the 334
Vaccination 208
Symptoms 208
Vagina, The 491
Vaginal Douche, for Cleansing the 641
Vagina, Inflammation of 496
Vaginismus 497
Vaginitis 496
Van Buskirk's Fragrant Sozodont 485
Vanilla Snow 648
Varicella 179
Varicose Veins 345
Predisposing Causes 346
Exciting Causes 346
Physicians' Treatment 346
Palliative 346
Varicose Veins (Herb Remedies) 410
Variola 201
Varix 345
Vaselin (Medical Use) 670
Venereal Diseases 494
Ventilation 623
Verucca 80
Vestibule, The 491
Vinegar (Medical Use) 673
Vomiting 115
Mothers' Remedies 115
1. Spice Poultice to Stop 115
2. Mustard Plaster to Stop 115
3. Parched Corn, Drink to Stop 115
4. Peppermint Application for 115
5. Mustard and Water for 115
6. Warm Water for 115
Physicians' Treatment 115
1. For Vomiting 115
2. For Nervous Vomiting 115
3. A Little Brandy 116
4. Oil of Cloves 116
5. Lime Water 116
6. Vinegar Fumes 116
7. Seidlitz Powder 116
8. Mustard Plaster 116
9. One-tenth drop of Ipecac 116
10. One-half drop of Fowler's Solution 116
Vomiting (Herb Remedies) 423, 433, 440
Vulva, Cysts of 406
Vulva, Inflammation of 491
Vulva, Itching of 495
Vulvitis 494
[MEDICAL INDEX 941]
Warm Baths (90 to 100 F.) 630
Wart 89
Mothers' Remedies 89
1. An Application for 89
2. Match and Turpentine for 89
3. Muriate of Ammonia for 89
4. Turpentine for 89
5. Warts, to Remove 89
6. Milkweed Removes 89
7. For Warts 89
Warts (Herb Remedies) 413, 416
Watt's Anti-Rheumatic Pills 487
Weak Back 682
Mothers' Remedies (Unclassified) 682
1. Liniment for 682
2. Turpentine, and Sweet Oil for 682
Weaning 569
Wen 85
Treatment 85
Wet Cupping 635
Whites, The 510
White's Cough Syrup 487
White Swelling 236
Whitlow 69
Whole Wheat Bread 653
Whooping Cough, Diagnosis of 5
Whooping Cough 180
Symptoms 181
The First Stage 181
Spasmodic or Second Stage 181
Stage of the Decline 182
Complications 182
Diagnosis 182
Mortality 182
Mothers' Remedies 182
1. Chestnut Leaves for 182
2. Chestnut Leaves and Cream for 182
3. Mrs. Warren's 182
4. Raspberry Tincture for 182
Physicians' Treatment for Whooping Cough 183
Medical Treatment 183
1. Good Powder 183
2. Tincture of Aconite 183
3. The Best Treatment 183
Diet 183
Whooping Cough (Herb Remedies) 437, 439
Whooping Cough (Rare Prescription) 484
Wine of Antimony (Poison by) 407
Wind-pipe, Bleeding from 38
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT 489
Abortion (Accidents of Pregnancy) 524
Causes 525
Causes--Due to the Father--Paternal 525
Foetal Causes 525
Symptoms 525
Threatened Abortion 526
Inevitable Abortion 526
Treatment--Preventive 526
Treatment of Threatened Abortion 526
Treatment of the Inevitable Abortion 527
Placenta Praevia 527
Treatment 527
Amenorrhea 505
Causes 505
Symptoms 505
Treatment 505
Bleeding after Delivery 540
Breast Broken, Abscess 538
Breasts, Care of 538
Breasts, Inflammation of 538
Abscess, Broken Breast 538
Treatment-Preventive 538
Mothers' Remedies for Sore Breasts 539
1. A Never Failing Remedy for 539
2. An Herb Treatment for 539
3. A Hot Poultice for 539
4. Fresh Hops for 539
5. A Poultice of Peach Leaves for 539
Mothers' Remedies for Sore Nipples 539
1. A Good Wash for 539
2. A Good Family Ointment for 539
Cervix, Diseases of 497
Tear of the Cervix (Laceration) 497
Causes 497
Symptoms, Immediate and Remote 497
Remote Symptoms 497
Treatment 498
Cervix, Inflammation of the 498
Cause 498
Symptoms 498
Treatment 498
Cervix, Tear of 497
Childbirth 494
Clitoris, The 491
Convulsions (Eclampsia) 542
Treatment 542
Criminal Abortion 494
Cystocele 514
Causes 514
Symptoms 514
Treatment 514
Diseases of Women, Causes of 493
Menstruation 494
Dress 494
Prevention of Conception 494
Criminal Abortion 494
Childbirth 494
Venereal Diseases 494
Dress 494
Dysmenorrhea 507
Eclampsia 542
Endometritis 498
Endometritis, Putrid 500
Symptoms 500
Treatment 500
Diet 500
Endometritis, Septic, Puerperal 499
Symptoms 499
Treatment 499
Fallopian Tubes, Diseases of 502
Fallopian Tubes, Inflammation of 502
Fibromata 501
Genital Organs, Female, Anatomy of 490
Glands of Bartholin, The 401
Hemorrhage, Post-Partum (Bleeding After Delivery) 540
Causes 540
Symptoms 540
Treatment 540
Pulse and Temperature 541
Treatment 541
Diet 542
Hymen, The 491
Labia Majora, The 490
Labia Minora, The 490
Labor 528
Premonitory Signs of Labor 528
Stages of Labor 529
The First Stage 529
Second Stage 529
Third Stage 530
Management of Labor 530
Preparation of the Bed 530
Preparation of the Patient 530
Examination of the Patient 531
Management of the Second Stage 532
Dr. Manton, of Detroit, Says: 532
Management of the Third Stage 534
The Child 534
Another Method 535
The Mother 535
Rest 537
After-Pains 537
[942 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
The Bladder 537
The Bowels 533
Leucorrhea (The Whites) 510
Causes 510
From a Torn Cervix 510
In Inflammation of the Canal of the Cervix 510
Inflammation of the Body of the Womb 510
If the Inflammation Is Caused by Gonorrhea 510
Symptoms 510
Mothers' Remedies 510
1. Slippery Elm for 510
2. Glycerin for 511
3. Common Tea for 511
4. Witch-Hazel for 511
5. White Oak Bark for 511
6. A Good Herb Remedy for 511
7. Common Vinegar for 511
8. An Easily Prepared Remedy for 511
9. Home-Made Suppositories for 511
10. A Good Home Remedy for 512
11. A New York Doctor's Remedy for 512
Physicians' Treatment 512
Local 512
1. One Ounce of White Oak Bark 512
2. Tannic Acid and Glycerin 512
3. Lloyd's Golden Seal 512
4. This Combination Gives Good Service 512
5. Witch-Hazel in Warm Water 512
6. Many other Simple Remedies 512
Lochia, The 540
Diet 540
Menorrhagia 505
Causes 505
Local Causes 505
Symptoms 506
Physicians' Treatment for Profuse Menstruation 506
1. An Easily Prepared Remedy for 506
2. In Young Girls 506
3. Blaud's Pills Will Do Well 506
4. If the Appetite Is Poor 506
5. Tincture of Nux Vomica 506
6. Golden Seal Root 506
7. Oil of Erigeron or Flea-bane 506
8. Oil of Cinnamon 506
9. Cranesbill (Geranium Maculatum) 507
Menopause (Change of Life) 513
Symptoms 513
Mothers' Remedies 513
1. A Useful Herb Remedy for 513
2. An Old Tried Remedy for 513
3. Good Advice From an Experienced Mother 513
Physicians' Treatment 513
Menstruation 494
Menstruation, Delayed 504
Causes 505
Mothers' Remedies, Obstruction of Monthly Flow 503
1. An Herb Remedy for 505
2. Smartweed for 505
Menstruation, Difficult 507
Causes 507
Symptoms 507
Mothers' Remedies for Painful Menstruation 507
1. A Good Tonic for 507
2. A Home Remedy for 507
Physicians' Treatment 507
1. For the Attack 507
2. If the Patient's Nervous System Is Run Down 508
3. Fluid Extract of Blue Cohosh 508
4. Tincture of Pulsatilla 503
5. Tincture of Cocculus 508
Menstruation, Premature 504
Treatment 504
Menstruation, Vicarious (In Place of) 505
Midwifery, or Obstetrics 515
Milk Leg 542
Symptoms 542
Treatment 543
Diet 543
Miscarriage 524
Mons Veneris 490
Obstetrics, or Midwifery 515
Small Bodies 515
The Embryo or Impregnated Egg 515
Development of the Different Months 515
First Month 515
Second Month 515
Third Month 515
Fourth Month 516
Fifth Month 516
Sixth Month 516
Seventh Month 516
Eighth Month 516
Ninth Month 516
Nausea and Vomiting 517
Breasts 517
Bladder 517
Abdominal Changes 518
Pigmentation 518
Quickening 518
The Blood 518
Nervous System 518
Constipation Is the Rule 518
The Foetal Heart-beat 518
Pelvic Signs 519
Duration of Pregnancy 519
How to Determine Date of Confinement 519
Position of the Womb 519
Twins 519
Sex 519
Diagnosis 519
Hygiene of Pregnancy 519
Clothing 520
Food 520
Bathing 520
The Bowels and Bladder 520
Exercise, Rest and Sleep 521
The Vagina 521
The Breasts and Nipples 521
Nervous System 521
Disorders of Pregnancy 521
Mothers' Remedies 522
1. A Great Aid for 522
2. Nausea of Pregnancy, Menthol and Sweet Oil for 522
3. Bouillon or Broth for 522
4. Indigestion and Heartburn 522
Teeth 523
Constipation 523
Difficult Breathing 523
Varicose Veins and Piles 523
Piles 523
Albumin in the Urine (Albuminuria) 524
Treatment 524
Organs of Generation, The Internal 491
Ovaries, The 493
Ovary, Diseases of 503
Ovaries, Inflammation of the 503
Causes 503
Symptoms 503
Treatment 503
Physicians' Treatment 503
Ovaries, Tumors of the 504
Symptoms 504
Treatment 504
Ovaritis 503
Pelvis, The 400
Placenta Praevia 527
Pregnancy, Accidents of 524
Premature Labor (Accidents of Pregnancy) 524
[MEDICAL INDEX 943]
Prevention of Conception 494
Pruritis 495
Rectocele 514
Causes 514
Symptoms 514
Treatment 514
Salpingitis 502
Causes 502
Symptoms 502
The Symptoms of the Chronic Variety 502
Treatment of the Acute Kind 503
For the Chronic Variety 503
Vagina, The 491
Vagina, Inflammation of 496
Varieties 496
1. Catarrhal or Simple Form 496
2. Granular 496
3. Gonorrheal Form 496
4. Diphtheritic 497
5. Senile Type 497
Symptoms 497
Treatment (In Acute Cases) 497
In Chronic Cases 497
Vaginismus 497
Treatment 497
Vaginitis 496
Venereal Diseases 494
Vestibule, The 491
Vulva, Cyst of 496
Cause 496
Symptoms 496
Condition 496
Treatment 496
Vulva, Inflammation of the 494
Causes 494
Other Causes 494
In Infants 495
Symptoms and Condition of the Parts 495
Treatment 495
1. If There Is Much Pain 495
2. For Chronic Form 495
Vulva, Itching of the 495
Causes 495
Parts Irritable 495
Symptoms 495
Treatment 496
Local 496
Vulvitis 494
Whites, The 510
Womb, Cancer of the Body of 500
Treatment 500
Womb, Displacements 508
Causes 508
Symptoms 508
Treatment 509
Operations 509
Womb, Falling or Prolapse of 509
For the Incomplete Falling 509
For the Complete Falling 509
Mothers' Remedies 509
1. Unicorn Root for 509
2. A Fine Herb Combination for 509
3. A Physician's Treatment for 509
4. A Never-Failing Remedy for 510
5. White Oak Bark for 510
Womb, Fibroid Tumors of 501
1. Interstitial 501
2. Sub-Mucus (Under the Mucous Membrane) 501
3. Sub-Peritoneal 501
Causes 501
Symptoms 501
Mothers' Remedy 501
1. Common Wood Cactus for 501
Treatment 501
Symptoms Calling for an Operation 501
Womb, Inflammation of the Lining of the 498
Causes 498
Acute Variety 498
Gonorrheal Variety, Symptoms 498
Mothers' Remedy 499
1. A Good Tonic for 499
Physicians' Treatment 499
Womb, Malignant Diseases of 500
Causes 500
Symptoms 500
Treatment 500
Womb, Subinvolution 501
Causes 501
Symptoms 501
Results 502
Treatment 502
Womb, Bleeding from the (Herb Remedies) 412, 413, 423
Womb, Cancer of the Body of 500
Womb, Displacements of 508
Womb, Falling or Prolapse 509
Womb, Fibroid Tumors of 501
Womb Headache 271
Womb, Inflammation of the Lining of 498
Womb, Malignant Disease of 500
Womb, Subinvolution 501
Wool Sorters' Disease 230
Worms, Flesh 61
Worms, Pin 46
Worm, Round 44
Symptoms 45
Mothers' Remedies 45
1. Sage Tea for 45
2. Tansy Remedy for 45
3. Peach Leaf Tea for 45
Physicians' Treatment 45
1. Dr. Osler of Oxford, England, recommends as follows 45
2. Dr. Ritter's Santonin Remedy 45
3. Dr. Douglas, of Detroit, Michigan 46
4. The Following Is from Professor Stille 46
Worm, Round (Herb Remedies) 414, 432, 446
Worm, Tape 48
Symptoms 48
Treatment, Preventive 49
Mothers' Remedies 49
1. Pumpkin Seed Tea for 49
2. Another Good Remedy for 49
3. Ontario Mothers' Remedy for 49
4. Successful Remedy for Children or Adults 49
Physicians' Treatment 49
Preparing the Patient 49
Giving the Remedy and Receiving the Worm 49
1. Light Diet 50
2. Pelletierine Remedy for 50
3. Infusion and Emulsion for 50
4. An Old-Time Remedy for 50
Worm, Thread 46
Mothers' Remedies 46
1. Aloes Treatment for 46
2. Pink Root for 46
3. Quassia Chips for 47
4. Lime Water Injection for 47
5. Salt Water Remedy for 47
Physicians' Treatment 47
1. Santonin in Small Doses and Mild Purgative Like Rhubarb 47
2. Santonin for 47
3. Dr. Tooker of Chicago, Illinois 47
4. Dr. Tooker Gives Another Method 47
5. Another Remedy for 47
6. Spearmint Treatment for 47
7. Internal Treatment for 48
8. Tincture of Cina, to Accompany Injection 48
[944 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Worm, Thread (Herb Remedies) 423, 432, 446
Wounds 621
Wounds, Punctured 393
Wounds, Rusty Nail 393
Wounds, Stab 392
Wounds, Torn 393
Wounds, Torn (Herb Remedies) 430, 434, 443
Writer's Cramp 292
Causes 292
Symptoms 292
Recovery 292
Physicians' Treatment 292
Wry Neck 324
Yeast Poultice 633
Yellow Fever 224
INDEX TO MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS
INCLUDING PAGES 683 TO 790
MANNERS' AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 683
Afternoon Wear 768
Incongruity in Dress 768
Appropriate Dress for Women 768
Bachelor Hospitality 704
Bachelor and the Chaperon, The 764
Cheaper Ways of Entertaining 765
Bachelor's Chafing Dish, The 765
Village Society, In 766
Should He Offer His Arm? 766
The Outside of the Walk 766
Minor Matters of Men's Etiquette 766
Cards and Calls 766
Bad Habits 767
Car Fare Question, The 767
Balls, the Etiquette of 722
Calls, the Etiquette of 690
Time and Manner 690
Men's Demeanor 690
"Pour Prendre Conge" 691
Girls' Manners 691
First Calls 691
Calls After Wedding 740
Card, Calling, Etiquette 688
For Women 688
A General Rule 688
After Social Functions 688
After Absence 688
For Men 689
Letters of Introduction 689
At a Hotel 689
Styles in Cards 689
Uses of Names 689
Carriage Etiquette 777
Minor Items 778
Children's Parties 727
Games 727
Supper 727
Games for Older Children 727
Christening Ceremonies 747
Ceremony, The 747
Sponsors 748
Church Christenings 748
Church Etiquette 776
Friendly Advances 776
Demeanor 776
Civility in Public 778
Rude Tourists 778
Telephone Etiquette 779
Concerning Introductions 685
Women and Introductions 685
When Calling 685
General Introductions 686
Men and Introductions 686
A Few Things Not to Do 686
In Company 687
School Girls' Etiquette 687
Cook's Work, The 781
Should Understand Duties 781
Nurse, The 782
Debutante, The 721
A Grave Mistake 721
Her Dress 721
If Not a Belle 722
Decollette Gowns Are Worn When? 769
Wearing the Hat 769
Ornaments 769
Debutante's Dress, The 769
Dressing on Modest Allowance 770
Dinner, The Informal 700
Family Dinners 701
Requirements 701
Setting the Table 702
Dinners and Luncheons 698
Formal Dinners 698
Serving the Dinner 698
The Help Required 699
Precedence 700
Be Prompt 700
Dress for Elderly Women 770
Suitable, The 770
Duties of a Chaperon 771
Mothers as Chaperons 771
Chaperon's Lot Not Easy 771
Chaperon a Social Help 771
Chaperon of the Motherless Girl, The 772
Avoid Espionage 772
Girls and the Chaperon, The 772
Chaperon in Middle Class Society, The 772
Duties and Dress of Servants 779
Maid, The One 779
Instructing the Maid 780
Maid's Serving, the 780
Duties of Waitress and Cook 781
Engagements, Announcement of 729
How Disclosed 729
After the Announcement 730
Girl's Behavior, The 730
Length of Engagement 730
Breaking Off 731
Wedding Trousseau, The 731
Engagements, Concerning 728
Parental Wishes 728
Entertainments, At Small 723
Card Parties 724
At the Party 724
Etiquette for Children 726
First Lessons 726
Etiquette of Correspondence, The 755
Essentials, The 756
Letter Forms 756
Abbreviations 757
What Not to Do 757
Placing the Stamps 758
[ MANNERS AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS 945]
When to Write 758
Care in Writing 758
Keeping Letters 759
Letters of Congratulation and Condolence 759
Etiquette of Dress, The 767
Garden Parties 723
Refreshments 723
Guests, What is Expected of the 712
Dress at Week-End Visits 712
Men's Wear 712
Guests, The Obligations of 715
About Being Thoughtful 715
Outside Acquaintance 716
Other Points to Observe 716
Concerning Departure 716
At Home Again 717
Hat, The Etiquette of the 761
Coachman's Salute, The 762
Hat, When to Raise the 762
At Other Times 762
Hat and Coat When Calling 763
Home Wedding, The 740
Correct Attire 740
After the Wedding 742
Wedding Gifts 742
What to Give 742
Acknowledgments 743
Wedding Decorations 743
Hospitality in the Home 708
Real Hospitality 703
Short Visits 709
The Unexpected Visit 709
The Inopportune Arrival 709
Visits that Save Expense 710
Hostess, The Duties of 713
The Visitors' Comfort 713
Preparing for Company 713
The Hostess's Invitations 714
The Visitor's Entertainments 714
Invitations 692
Invitations, Formulas for 692
Replies 693
Must Not Ask Invitations 694
Other Particulars 694
Informal Invitations 694
Afternoon Tea 695
The Verbal Invitation 695
Luncheons 703
Formal Luncheons 703
Minor Particulars 703
Large Luncheons 704
Manners for Men 760
Value of Courtesy 760
Manners of the Gentleman, The 760
Training, A Matter of 761
Politeness an Armor 761
Manners and Social Customs 683
Importance of Knowledge 684
A Matter of Habit 634
Men's Dress 767
Mourning Garments 751
Expense of Mourning, The 752
Mourning Wear 752
Period of Mourning, The 753
French Mourning 753
Mourning for Men 754
Duties of Friends, The 754
Mourning Etiquette 749
Funerals, Conduct of 749
Undertaker, The 749
Duties of the Next Friend, The 750
House Funeral, The 750
Church Funerals 751
Flowers 751
Neighborhood Etiquette 777
Borrowing 777
Receptions 707
Receiving 707
Decorations 707
Rules for Precedence 763
Smoking, About 763
Smoke, Where not to 764
Expectoration, About 764
Social Affairs, The Young Girl's 718
Girl and the Chaperon 719
Girl and the Young Men, The 719
About Gifts 720
Telephone, The 720
Speech, Good Form in 773
Use of Slang and Colloquialisms 773
Form of Address 774
Courtesy of Conversation 774
"Stag" Dinners 725
Subjects of Conversation 775
Discourtesies 778
Some Things to Avoid 775
The Speaking Voice 776
Summary 782
Table Etiquette 704
At the Table 705
Using the Fork 705
Vegetables, Fruits, etc 705
The Spoon 706
Finger Bowls 707
Tea, the Musical and Informal 725
Visiting Etiquette for Girls 717
Deference to Age 718
Wedding-Anniversaries 745
Wedding, The 745
Silver Wedding, The 745
Golden Weddings, The 746
Courtesies of the Occasion, The 746
Gifts 747
Wedding Festivities 732
Engagement "Showers" 732
How Presented 732
Refreshments 733
Wedding Invitations and Announcements 696
Correct Form 696
The Bridegroom's Family 697
Other Items 697
Wedding Preparations 738
The Expense of the Wedding 733
Bride's Privileges, The 734
Who Pays? 735
Wedding Gown, The, 735
Later Wear of the Wedding Gown 735
Bridal Flowers 736
Widow's Bridal Attire 786
Man's Wedding Garments, The 736
Bride's Mother, The 737
Church Wedding, The Formal 737
Bride's Father, The 738
Another Form 738
Best Man's Duties, The 738
Duties of the Ushers 739
Wedding Reception, The 739
Refreshments 739
Going Away 739
Weddings, The Simplest of 744
Week-End Visits 710
Invitation, The 710
Amusements 711
Hostess's Arrangements 711
Young Girls' Parties 724
Birthday Party 725
[946 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
MISCELLANEOUS INDEX
PAGES 790 TO 908
Including Chapters on "Beauty and the Toilet,"
"Nursery Hints and Fireside Gems,"
"Domestic Science," "Canning and Pickling,"
"Candy" "General Miscellaneous" and "Glossary"
Acid or Lye, Burns from 858
Account Book, Kitchen 867
"Affection" (Quotation) 808
"After the Burial," from Lowell 809
"All Girls and Boys" (Quotation) 808
Almonds, Salted 830
Ants, Troubled With 886
Apples, The Quickest Way to Core 877
Awkwardness Due to Eyes 811
Baby, Amusing 814
"Baby-Class Tree, The" (Poem) 805
Baby's Fine Dresses 803
Baby's Kimona 802
Baby's Layette 801
Baby's Meals 807
Baby's Nerves 803
Baby's Nose 814
Baby's Outing 802
Baby's Petticoats 811
Baby, Pretty Things for 802
"Baby's Purpose" (Quotation) 808
Baby (Quotations) 801, 802
Baby, Rather Hard On 810
Baby's Sleeves 813
Baby's Veil 814
Baking, Apples Cored for 874
Baking Dishes, Discolored China 877
Baking Help 868
"Barefoot Boy" (Quotation) 804
Barefoot, Going 803
Basting Thread, To Save 885
Bathing the Baby, Hints for 866
Bathrobe, A 812
Bathtub, Folding 816
BEAUTY AND THE TOILET 790
"Be Discreet" (Quotation) 813
Bed Sheeting 872
Bed Time 815
Beef, Creamed 829
Beef-Tea, Preparing, A Way of 866
Bindings, Book With Delicate 890
Black Ants, How to Kill 861
Blacking, Soap With Stove 857
Blackheads 790
Blankets, To Remove Stains from 858
Blankets, To Wash White Woolen 889
Bowl, Finger 883
Boy's Garments 802
"Boys" (Quotation) 802
Bread, To Freshen 865
Breakfast Food, Cooking 884
Breakfast Food, To Open Packages 871
Broom Bags 864
Broom, How to Preserve the Household 880
Bruise or Cut, For 858
Brush, To Sweep Stairs With Paint 859
Bunions 799
Bureau Drawers That Stick 891
Buttons for Future Use 885
Buttonhole, To Make a Neat 876
Buttons, Sewing on 888
Cake Tins, Greasing 873
Cake Tins, Non-Sticking 860
Cake Tins, To Prevent Sticking 865
Canary Seed, To Keep Mice Away from 879
Candle Grease, To Remove 863
Candle Grease, To Take Out of Linen 881
Candles, To Keep in Warm Weather 879
CANDY MAKING 848
Candy Making at Home 848
Chocolate Candy, Plain 851
Chocolate Candies 850, 851
Chocolate Caramels 851
Chocolate Fudge 851
Chocolate Nut Caramels 851
Chocolate Peppermint Wafers 852
Chocolate Creams 850
Chocolate Creams, No. 2 851
Cocoanut Caramels 852
Cocoanut Cream Bars 851
Cocoanut Snow Balls 852
Confectioners' and Common Candy 848
Cream Dates 854
Crystallized Fruits 854
Bonbons, Making the 850
Butter Scotch 853
Flavor and Color 849
Fondant, French or Boiled 849
Fondant, Making the 849
Hints, A Few 855
Hoarhound Candy 854
Maple Balls 852
Maple Candies 852
Maple Creams, No. 2 852
Maple Creams 852
Marron Glaces 854
Marshmallows 854
Molasses Candies 852
Molasses Taffy 852
Molasses Taffy No. 2 853
Nougat 853
Nut Bars 853
Nut Loaf 853
Other Candies 854
Peanut Candy 853
Popcorn Baskets 853
Popcorn Candy 853
Sour Drops 853
School Girl's Delight 854
Stick Candy 854
Sugar, Boiling the 848
Wafers 852
CANNING 831
Apples 832
Apples and Quinces 831
Apple Sauce 832
Butter, Apple 832
Canning Fruits, Table for 833
Corn 833
Grapes 833
Peaches 832
Peaches, Brandy 832
[948 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Flowers, Wild 814
Fly Paper Stains, To Remove 866
Fondue, Cheese 829
Food, Scorched 875
Forbearance (Quotation) 807
Forming Habits 815
Foulard Dress, Have You been Hoarding? 876
Four Things (Quotation) 815
Freckles 791
Freshen Nuts, How to 868
Friendship (Quotation) 813
Friends, Making (Quotation) 814
Fruit After Cutting, To Keep Grape 868
Fruit Cans, When the Top Cannot Be Removed 873
Fruit Stains, To Remove from the Hands 867
Furniture Brush, A Serviceable 890
Furniture, Clean Gilt 801
Furniture, Paint Wicker 801
Furniture Polish, A Good 880
Furniture, To Remove White Marks On 881
Furniture, To Wash 890
Gas, How to Economize on 886
Gas, Save the 865
Gilded Surfaces, To Clean 891
Gilt Frames, Cleaning 888
Gingham Apron for the Housewife 887
Glass, Paint That Sticks to 890
Gloss, To Give Starch a 874
Glass Stopper, How to Remove 866
Gloves, To Clean Kid 888
Gnawing Holes, If the Mice Are 872
Gowns, Afternoon 810
Gravies, Making 875
Gray Hair 795
Grease from Silk, To Remove 870
Grease, To Take Out Wagon 889
Greatness of Love, The (Quotation) 806
Hair, The 793
Hair, Care of the 794
Hair, Clipping the 794
Hair, Color of the 795
Hair, Dyed 795
Hair Brushes, Washing 859
Hair, Gray 795
Hair and Health 796
Hair Tonic, A 796
Hair, Washing the 795
Hands, The 797
Hand Churn, Small 878
Handkerchiefs, Uses for Men's Old Silk 889
Hands and Nose, Red 792
Hangers, Hat 864
Harsh Commands 813
Health as an Aid to Beauty 790
Hem, Putting in a Temporary 885
Hemstitching 871
Hems of Table Linen, To Turn Easily and Accurately 889
Hints, House-Cleaning 888
Homes, Summer 881
Honesty (Quotation) 814
Hot Water Bottle, To Preserve 859
House Account, Keeping a 874
House, A Spotless 879
Household, A Convenience for 889
Household, A Handy Disinfectant for the 892
House Key, How to Carry 862
Housekeeping, Systematic 868
Housewife, Hints for the 892
Housewife, Systematic, A 879
Human Face, The (Quotation) 806
Ice Box, Borax as a Purifier for 891
Idleness (Quotation) 804
Indulgence 807
Intemperance (Quotation) 803
Ironing Day, Conveniences for 877
Ironing Board, Conveniences for 861
Iron Holders Made from Asbestos 884
Iron Rust, To Remove 877
Iron Sink, To Keep in Good Condition 886
JAMS AND JELLIES 845
Apple 845
Blackberry Jam 846
Blackberry 845
Crab Apple 845
Cranberry 845
Gooseberry Jam 847
Grape 846
Orange Marmalade 846
Peach 847
Plum and Apple Jam 846
Raspberry Jams 847
Rhubarb 846
Rhubarb and Apple 846
Spiced Grape 846
Strawberry and Red Currant Jam 847
Tomato Marmalade 846
JAMS AND JELLIES (DOMESTIC SCIENCE METHOD) 822
Glasses for Jelly, To Prepare 822
Jelly Glasses, To Cover 823
Jelly Bag, To Make 823
Good Fruits for Making Jelly 823
General Directions for Making Jelly 823
Apple Jelly 823
Barberry Jelly 824
Crab Apple Jelly 823
Currant Jelly 824
Grape Jam 824
Grape Jelly 824
Quince Jelly 824
Raspberry Jam 824
Raspberry Jelly 824
Strawberry Jam 824
Keep Dainties Away from the Beginning 809
Kerosene Lamps, Paint Smoked from 857
Kettles, Burned 867
Kitchen Apron 877
Kitchen Apron, How to Attach Holder to 863
Kitchen Apron, Making a 875
Kitchen, Convenient Addition to 862
Kitchen, Drop Table for 877
Kitchen, A Useful Article in 886
Lace, Sewing 876
Laces, To Wash 858
Lamp Burners, To Clean 858
Lamps, Kerosene 868
Lap-Board, When Using 876
Last Step, The 868
Laugh, The Value of (Quotation) 812
Learning to Sew 804
Learning Wisdom (Quotation) 810
Leather Furniture, Clean 861
Lemons, How to Obtain More Juice 858
Lemons, Washing 872
Life (Quotation) 816
Linen Collars, Use of Old 859
Linen, To Make Easier to Write on 878
Linoleum, Clean 862
Linoleum or Oilcloth That Is Cracked 891
Little Minds 815
Liquid Whiteners 793
Living Room, Attractive 882
Long Seams, Basting 885
Love (Quotation) 805
Love, The Two Symptoms of 813
Lunches, Putting Up 891
Maidenhood (Quotation) 813
[MISCELLANEOUS INDEX 949]
Machine Grease, To Remove 879
Market, Going to 890
MARMALADES AND BUTTERS (DOMESTIC SCIENCE METHOD) 825
Apple 825
Crab Apple 825
Peach 825
Pineapple 825
Rhubarb 825
Marred, If Tour Paint Has Been 881
Massage 792
Matrimony, Cares of (Quotation) 811
Meals, Airing House After 888
Meals, Cheerfulness at 871, 883
Meat, Broiling 870
Meat, The Color Should Be 873
Meat, Larding a Piece of 878
Medicine Cupboard 865
MEDICAL DICTIONARY 893
Medicine (Quotation) 811
Method 807
Methods of Cooking Eggs 813
Mildew, To Remove 874
Milk Vessels, Never Pour Scalding Water Into 872
Mittens, Kitchen 875
Moulding by Circumstances (Quotation) 815
Moulding, To Prevent Fruits from 891
Mop Handles, Uses of 884
Money to Children 812
Mother (Quotation) 801
Motherhood 801
Moths 871
Moths in Carpet 890
Mould, To Keep Free From 859
Mouth Breathing 812
Mouth and Teeth 797
Muddy Skirt, To Make Wash Easily 871
Mud Stains, To Remove 876
Music, To Pack 863
Mutton Chops, To Make Tender 875
Mysterious Future, The (Quotation) 808
Nails, Care of the 797
Finger Nail Powder 797
Implements 797
The Process 797
Nails, Ingrowing 799
Nail Powder, Finger 797
Needles, For Broken 862
Needle Holder, A 857
Needle Sharpener 867
Needles, Threading 885
Nicknames (Quotation) 803
Night Petticoats 812
Night Lamp, A New 864
Noon of Life, The (Quotation) 812
Now or Never (Quotation) 811
Nursery 810
NURSERY HINTS' AND FIRESIDE GEMS 800
Obedience 812
Oil Cloth, Buying a New 874
Old Velvet, Uses for 858
Oranges as Medicine 806
Oven, After Cake is Removed from 873
Oysters, Creamed 829
Oysters, Raw 883
Paint and Varnish, Cleaning 860
Pancakes, Sour Milk 869
Pantry, Closed Cupboards in the 874
Peaches, Left Over 870
Pea-Pods, Uses for 878
Peas Cooking 886
Petticoats, Children 867
Petticoat, making over a Heatherbloom 887
Petticoats, Making Children's 873
Piano Keys, To Clean 881
PICKLES 835
Beet 835
Blackberries, Mothers' 836
Brocoli 836
Cabbage 836
Cantelope, Sweet 836
Catsup, Aunt Mary's 838
Catsup, Grape 839
Catsup, Gooseberry 838
Catsup, Pepper 839
Catsup, Tomato 838
Cauliflower 835
Celery Sauce, Mother Used to Make 837
Cherries 839
Chili Sauce 837, 840
Cucumber, Ripe 837
Cucumber, Sliced 838
Currants, Spiced 840
Dill Pickles, Grandmother's 838
Grapes, Spiced 840
Green Beans 841
Green Tomato 839
Mustard 836, 838
Oyster Catsup 839
Peaches, Sweet 836
Pears, Ginger 840
Pickles, Bottled 838
Pickles, Mustard 839
Pickles, Mixed 836
Pickles, Spanish 840
Pickles, Sweet Mixed 839
Prunes, Sweet 836
Relish, Corn 839
Relish, Tomato 837
Sauce, Green Tomato, for Meats or Fish 837
Soye Tomato 840
Spiced Vinegar for Pickles 838
Tomato 837
Tomato, Green 837, 840
Tomato Relish 837
PICKLES (Domestic Science Method) 826
Chili Sauce 826
Cucumber, Sweet 827
Olive Oil Pickles 826
Pickled Pears or Peaches, Sweet 826
Tomato, Green 827
Picnic Supplies 808
Pie Crust, How to Make 863
Pillows, to Air 878
Pillow Slips, Changing 859
Pillows, Separate Night and Day 886
Pimples 791
Pinafore, The 810
Pineapple, To Preserve 884
Pincushion, A Brick 867
Pitchers, To Prevent Dripping 865
Plaster-of-Paris, To Clean 881
Playground for Boys 808
Plaited Skirt, Pressing a 873
Poison Bottle, To Mark 865
Poison, Let the Bottle Tinkle 863
Politics and Veracity (Quotation) 813
Pomades, Use of 794
Potatoes, To Improve Baked 875
Potatoes, Boiled 869
Potatoes, Browning 872
Powder, To Use 793
Praying of a Child (Poem) 800
PRESERVES 841
Apple 841
Apricot 842
Brandied Peaches 844
Cherries 841
Citron 842
[950 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]
Citron and Quince 842
Fig and Rhubarb 841
Grape 844
Lemon Butter 841
Peaches 844
Pear 841, 842, 843
Pear Chip 845
Pineapple 842
Purple Plums 844
Quinces 844
Raspberry and Currant 822
Rhubarb 841
Spiced Currant 843
Spiced Gooseberries 843
Spiced Grapes 844
Spiced Peaches 845
Strawberry 822, 841, 843
Tomato 843
Princess Skirt 813
Progress (Quotation) 809
Prominent Ear 814
Pudding, Steaming or Boiling 886
Purses, Old Suitcases and 891
Putty, To Remove 871
Quilts, Hanging Out 890
Quilts, Washing 884
Rarebit, Welsh 830
Ravelings, A Use for 866
Reading (Quotation) 813
Reasoning Versus Punishment 802
Red Ant, To Destroy 867
Rice, Boiling 870
Roaches, To Exterminate 886
Rock Me to Sleep (Quotation) 809
Romper, The 807
Rouge 793
Rubber, To Mend 877
Ruffle Easily, To 873
Rugs, To Clean Light 880
Rugs, Cleaning 861
Rule, A Good (Quotation) 804
Rust, Charcoal to Prevent 857
Sacks, A Use for 857
Salad, Delicious 880
Salted Almonds 830
Sanitary Care of Baby' Bottles 815
Sanitary Drinking Cups 812
Saw, Toy 874
Scallops, To Mark 876
Schooling, Early (Quotation) 803
Screens, Putting A way 882
Scrub Bucket, Convenient 880
Scrub Bucket Leaks, When the 869
Scrubbing Brush, The Care of 857
Scrubbing Tender Faces 805
Seam, Stitching down 873
Securing Covering at Night 814
Selfishness (Quotation) 807
Sewing Machine, After Cleaning the 887
Sewing Machine, Conveniences 873
Sewing Room, A Hint 862
Sewing, To Save Time by 858
Sewing, Time Saved in 864
Sheets, to Hold in Place 866
Shelves for Cupboard 883
Shoes, Children's, To Save 879
Shoe Cover, A 863
Shoe Polisher, A Satisfactory 866
Shortcake, Meat 875
Sickness, in Case of 857
Sieve, To Clean 860
Silence (Quotation) 811
Silk Gloves, To Preserve 867
Silk, Grease Stains on 883
Silk, Using on the Machine 863
Silverware, Cleaning 890
Silver, To Clean 859
Skins of Tomatoes, To Remove Quickly 878
Skirts, To Press 863
Soap Shaker, Home-Made 861
Soft Soap, To Make 886
Song of Long Ago, A (Quotation) 810
Songs and Story-Telling 813
Souring, To Keep Bread from 872
Spoon, Uses of a Wooden 890
Sprinkling Clothes, New Method 671
Stains, Old Perspiration 889
Stains, Removing 859
Stained Water Bottles, To Make Clean 871
Stale Bread, Uses for 872
Starch, To Prevent from Boiling Over 866
Stews and Hash, How to Make 864
Stilletto, Convenient Place for 860
Stocking Tops, For Convenient Holders 864
Stockings from Wearing Out, To Prevent 867
Stoves, Cleaning 870
Stove, The Easiest Way to Blacken 875
Suits, Wash 872
Sunburn 791
Sweaters 814
Sweeping as a Beautifier 882
Sweeping Brush, Cleaning the 881
System (Quotation) 807
Tablecloths, to Prevent from blowing off 865
Table Linen, Mending 869, 885
Table Linen, A Neat Way to Hem 883
Table Linen, Fruit Stains on 880
Table, Preparing Oranges for the 871
Table, To Prevent Marks on the 888
Tomato, Hollowing out a 875
Tangled Threads, To Remove 887
Tarnished Brass, To Wash 876
Tea and Coffee 815
Tears, Banish 816
Tears (Quotation) 803
Teeth, Children's 798
Teeth, Cleansing the 798
Teeth Second 803
Temperature of the Nursery 809
Tinware Rusting, To Prevent 878
Tireless Talkers (Quotation) 806
Toast, Curried 829
Toaster, A Good Substitute for a 883
Tomato, Curry of 830
Tooth Powder 811
Tough Meat, to Make Tender 884
Towels, Loops on 859
Towels, Tea 879
Toy, Children's 869
Toys, Discarded 859
Training (Quotation) 803
Tub, Galvanized 874
Tub for the Playroom 811
Tufted Furniture, For 862
Underclothing, Hemstitching 885
Undergarments (Infants) 803
Unique Table Protector 815
Unselfishness 806
Vegetables, Boiling 890
Vegetable, Chestnuts as 874
Vegetables, To Make Tender 878
Vegetables, To Restore Freshness to 887
Veils, Washing 881
"Village Blacksmith," from Longfellow's 806
Vinegar, For Clearing 858
Vinegar, To Give a Nice Flavor 872
Wall Paper, Light Colored 879
Water Pipes in the Kitchen 872
Wedding Celebrations 810
[MISCELLANEOUS INDEX 951]
Welsh Rarebit 830
Whisks, Worn Brooms or 887
White Dress, if turned yellow 874
White Fabric, To Remove Dust from 887
White Spots Caused by Dishes, to Remove 866
Wholesome Pleasures 805
Wild Flowers 802
Windows, Cleaning in Winter 861
Windows, For Closing 892
Window, Sanitary Screen 871
Windows, Washing 861
Wood Berries, Bright, May Be Preserved 881
Wood Floors, Soft to Paint 889
Wood Work, Old, to Keep Clean 881
Wood Work, To Wash Grained 888
Woolen Clothing, Cleaning Black 877
Woolens, Washing Fine 888
Wringer Rollers, Renewing 865
Wrinkles 792
Wrinkled Hands 792
Zweiback Noodles 808
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