Mother's Remedies Part 71

Veronica Water.--Dose:--Gla.s.sful 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.

[CONSt.i.tUTIONAL 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, alb.u.men water, oyster or clam broth, milk toast, b.u.t.termilk, k.u.miss. 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, ma.s.sage 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 gla.s.s of water two hours after meals for chronic rheumatism.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Muscular System.]

[CONSt.i.tUTIONAL 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 p.r.i.c.kly 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 p.r.i.c.kly Ash Root Burdock Root Dandelion Root

Bruise them thoroughly or grind them coa.r.s.ely, 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 const.i.tution (diathesis). It follows sudden exposure, hence it is most common in men.