Mother's Remedies Part 75

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.

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

[CONSt.i.tUTIONAL 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 s.e.xual 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 flus.h.i.+ng 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 gla.s.s 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 winegla.s.sful three times a day. Let the bowels be kept moderately open and live princ.i.p.ally 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 gla.s.s 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 a.s.sure 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. s.e.xual 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 acc.u.mulation 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 pa.s.s 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-rus.h.i.+ng 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 pa.s.sed through the capillaries it is collected into a series of larger vessels called veins by which it is returned to the heart. The pa.s.sage of the blood through the heart and blood vessels const.i.tutes what is termed the circulation of the blood. The human heart is divided by a septum (part.i.tion) 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 pa.s.sage 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 pa.s.ses 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 pa.s.ses 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 s.p.a.ce 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.