Papers on Health Part 25

To keep what is got either by the soothing influence of cold or by the stimulating power of heat, it is good to rub with hot olive oil, and to dry this off well in finis.h.i.+ng, and also to wear a good broad band of new flannel round the lower part of the body. This band ought not to be so tight as to confine the perspiration. _See_ Changing Treatment; Remedy, Finding a.

Scrofula.--The treatment under Glands, Swollen, should be followed. But besides, the whole membranous system of the glands must be stimulated.

Daily rubbing briskly over the whole body with the cold-drawn oil of mustard for a quarter-of-an-hour will have this effect, and even by itself may cure.

Good, easily digested food must be taken (_see_ Abscess; a.s.similation; Diet; Nourishment), and overwork avoided. Continued work, as with a child at school, may quite prevent a cure, while if the work ceases, the cure will be rapid. It is better to have health and holidays than sickness and school. Where there is a family tendency to scrofula, care should be taken to treat promptly any case of glandular swelling.

Scurvy.--Is a disease springing from disordered digestion, and caused sometimes by partial starvation, but more frequently by a deficiency of vegetable acid in the food. It often manifests itself in skin eruptions, the skin peeling off in scales. To ward off or cure this disease, fresh food should always be used, and salted or tinned foods avoided. Especially should abundance of green vegetables and fruit be used, and where such cannot be obtained in sufficient quant.i.ty, lemon juice is valuable. Too much exposure, fatigue, and impure air, aided by a wrong diet, are the causes that formerly made scurvy so prevalent in the navy. It has almost disappeared since a regular allowance of vegetable acid has been served out.

Seamill Sanatorium and Hydropathic.--Very soon after the appearance of these "Papers on Health," the need was felt for some establishment where the treatment expounded here could be given by trained attendants under Dr. Kirk's personal supervision. The site was fixed on the Ayrs.h.i.+re coast, in the parish of West Kilbride. This region was chosen because special advantages of soil, climate, and scenery recommended it. The soil along the sh.o.r.e is almost pure sand, and dries rapidly after rain. The climate is extremely mild, high hills sheltering the whole region from north and east winds, and the Arran mountains, intervening some sixteen miles over the sea to the west, collect much of the rain. Hence, although near some very rainy districts, the Seamill neighbourhood is peculiarly sunny and dry. In winter the sun reflected from the water, and beating on the face of the hills, makes the sh.o.r.e climate most genial, and when other places only a few miles away are encased in ice, flowers will be blooming in the gardens at Seamill. In the very best part of this district a villa was secured in 1880 by some gentlemen interested in the treatment, with grounds ab.u.t.ting on the sand of the seash.o.r.e.

Here treatment was carried on with great success, until it became evident that larger premises were needed. In 1882 Mr. James Newbigging was secured by Dr. Kirk as manager and head-bathman, and worked under Dr. Kirk until the latter's death in 1886.

Mr. Newbigging then bought the establishment. Since that time, it has constantly increased in size and efficiency until it now accommodates close on a hundred patients.

Very many have come to Seamill almost or quite hopeless, and have left it with health restored and vigour renewed.

It ought to be mentioned here that in all his dealings with this establishment Dr. Kirk never had any pecuniary interest in it, always giving his services free. Nor has the writer, or any of Dr. Kirk's family, any pecuniary connection with the place. All information as to the establishment may be had by writing to the Proprietor or Manager, Seamill Sanatorium, West Kilbride, Scotland.

Sea-Sickness.--The cause of this is a nervous derangement of the internal organs, by which the bile pa.s.ses into the stomach instead of, as it normally does, pa.s.sing down into the intestines. A tight bandage round the middle of the body, so as to oppose resistance to this, will help _so far_. When the sickness has come on, a teacupful of hot water, at intervals, will very largely mitigate, and will often cure it. Even half a teacupful or a tablespoonful will prove sufficient in many cases where the teacupful cannot be taken. If this small quant.i.ty of hot water be taken every ten minutes, the worst effects of sea-sickness will not be felt, and far more relief obtained than most people will believe until they have tried it.

Sensitiveness.--When the nervous system is in a certain state, all impressions on it are exaggerated, and the patient suffers from light sounds, and various irritations, far more than is usual or healthy.

This state makes treatment difficult, because either cold towel or hot flannel distresses the sufferer, and by this does more harm than good.

Narcotics only do harm, without any good, and leave the patient worse.

The nervous system may in such cases be soothed by soaping the back with soap lather (_see_ Lather; Soap). The lather is to be blood heat, and very soft and creamy. Spread it all over a soft cloth as large as the back (having first warmed the cloth), and then place it gently on the back, lather side next the skin. Let this be done at bedtime.

Fasten the cloth on the back with a bodice that will fasten closely, and let the patient sleep on it. Wash off in the morning with warm vinegar and water half-and-half. Rub with oil and dry off. Let the patient take twice a-day, for eight days, a teaspoonful of well-boiled liquorice and a tablespoonful of hot water. This treatment will usually abate the sensitiveness in a week or so, and bring the patient within reach of other remedies. For example, it will, after a week or so, even in very trying cases, be possible to foment the feet and legs once a day, and rub them with warm olive oil. It will even be possible and well to foment with a hot blanket across the haunches, and in this way to bring on comparatively strong health. Change of air and scene will then be desirable: it is highly refres.h.i.+ng to one who is in the way of recovering, though only hara.s.sing to one who is feeling despondent and increasingly ill. We generally, when asked if a "change" would not be good in such cases, reply, "Yes, if once you have got health enough to enjoy it." When that has been fairly secured, stronger measures may be used with advantage. We feel much sympathy with those who suffer from sensitiveness, as so many do, and earnestly pray that these remarks may be blessed to such sufferers.

Shampooing.--_See_ Head, Soaping.

s.h.i.+ngles.--Though not often fatal, this illness gives serious trouble.

Its outstanding feature is a rash which comes out as a more or less regular belt round the body, or over one shoulder. The rash forms, if allowed to go on, into blackish scabs, and is accompanied in some instances by severe pains shooting through the body. It arises from a failure of the digestive system, therefore the stomach must be as little taxed as possible. Let hot water be sipped in teaspoonfuls for half-an-hour at a time, several times a day. For external treatment, wring a small sheet out of cold water and vinegar, and pack the whole trunk of the patient in this for half-an-hour. Do not use olive oil.

The vinegar packing may be renewed in an hour, and as often as the patient feels it agreeable. The mixture of vinegar and water must be weak enough not to be painful on the skin. If the pains in the body persist, then cold cloths may be applied, not very large at first, to the spine, while the patient is warm in bed. Should the feet be cold, this cooling of the spine must not be done until they are wrapped in a hot fomentation up to the knees. If the scabby eruption is very obstinate, the SOAPY BLANKET (_see_) applied daily for two or three days should clear it away. Wheaten porridge, gruel, and milk diet is best. A drink may be made of hot water and lemon juice, with five or six drops of tincture of cayenne added to a tumblerful, and sweetened to taste. _See_ Drinks.

s.h.i.+vering.--This is often a trivial matter, but sometimes it is a symptom of a serious chill. It may be only the effect of a thought, or of some mental shock, but in any case it is a nervous disturbance, and failure of energy, causing us to lose control of the nerves which produce the s.h.i.+vering movements.

For ordinary s.h.i.+vering, the result of cold, treat as in Cold, Taking.

For cases where the vital action has evidently become very low, foment the patient as directed in Angina Pectoris.

If pain in some part, as in a nursing breast or tender lung, indicates inflammatory action there, cold towels may be applied to that part while this fomentation is on. Renew the cold cloth as often as the patient feels it agreeable, keeping up the heat of the fomentation all the time. Increase the size of the cold cloth if the patient finds this pleasant; stop if it becomes unpleasant. Many serious troubles are checked in the first stage by treatment on these simple lines.

Sick Headache.--_See_ Headache.

Sitting (or Sitz) Bath.--This bath, in whatever form administered, is essentially a sitting in cold water with the feet out. The feet, in fact, are better to be warmly covered up while the patient sits in the bath. The most important thing to be considered in all such baths is the degree of vitality possessed by the patient. If he has much vitality, then the bath may be deep and longer continued--as long as even forty minutes. If the vitality be low, the bath must be brief and very shallow--it may be even necessary to make it as short as _one minute_, or even less. In some cases, as a beginning, a mere dip is all that is required. This leaves a large discretion to the nurse, and is a matter which common sense should be able to decide. To try a short bath first, and repeat it several times, rather than to give one long one, is the safest plan. It will soon be found out how much the patient can bear. If the vitality be so low as to make the simple sitz-bath a danger, the feet may be immersed, for the one or two minutes of the bath, in a small bath of hot water, and the patient well wrapped up all over in warm blankets.

In some cases it is necessary to _pour_ cold water on relaxed organs, which, especially with females, will sometimes not be braced up by mere immersion. But such pouring must be done with caution. Half-a-minute of it is _a long time_; one quarter-of-a-minute or less will usually be enough, even in important cases. If longer applications have only done harm, then let our friends try the one-minute bath, or the quarter-minute stream of water. In many cases we have known this make all right. Such short baths may be taken twice or thrice a day.

Skin, Care of.--Among the vast majority of people air and water far too seldom touch the skin. Want of water makes it unclean, and want of water and air make it slow in reaction. Now, a healthy skin is of the utmost value when one is attacked by disease. It can regulate the temperature of the various organs, and the application of heat or cold to it will cause a reaction at once. Much of our treatment as given in this book is directed towards stimulating the action of the skin. It is obvious that in health as in disease the skin can and does so act on the internal organs.

It should be the aim of everyone that this most important part of the body should receive careful attention by a strict watch on the diet, by cleanliness, tonic water baths (cold, tepid, shower, as may be found to suit), and by tonic air baths. Light clothing and porous underwear will also be found of use. We have already drawn attention to the value of Kneipp linen as the most suitable form of underwear (_see_).

[Ill.u.s.tration: Section of the Skin, showing glandular structure.

Hairs Fat Cells Sebaceous Gland Sweat Gland Nutrient Artery Hair Bulb]

Skin, A Wintry.--Something like an epidemic of skin trouble is often experienced in cold, wintry weather. First, the skin becomes dry and hard. A moist and sticky exudation replaces the ordinary sweat, and great irritation is felt when the skin is exposed to the air. If the sticky exudation be completely rubbed off, this irritation ceases. In this, and in the absence of inflammation, "wintry skin" differs entirely from eczema. The remedy is to rub all over every night for three or four nights with the CAYENNE LOTION (_see_). If this does not effectually cure, lather all over with soap and olive oil (_see_ Lather; Soap), before rubbing with the cayenne lotion. If the treatment of the whole skin at once is felt to be too severe, it may be cured by taking it in parts.

Skin, Creeping.--A sensation sometimes very much annoys patients, which they describe as like thousands of small creatures creeping over the skin. It most commonly arises from defective working of the pores. A kindred trouble may be noticed along with this creeping. It is as if a stream of cold water were pa.s.sing down the back. That causes great discomfort in many cases.

The cure is sponging frequently with weak ACETIC ACID (_see_) or even good b.u.t.termilk. The skin being in such cases very sensitive, it is well to treat it bit by bit, a small part at a time. Take one limb, then another, then part of the back, and then another part. Besides this sponging with acid, and before it is done, the skin should be gently covered with lather (_see_ Lather; Soap). If this treatment is not successful, a little olive oil, with cayenne lotion, may be mixed with the soapy lather, and will make its effect more powerful. This creepy feeling is sometimes the result of cold, and some extra clothing may remove it. _See_ Underwear.

Sleep.--No greater mistake could be made than to curtail the hours of sleep. Eight hours should be taken as a minimum, and any weak person should take ten hours. More and better work can be done by a person who takes fully eight hours' sleep than by one who tries to do with less.

Sometimes strong tea or coffee is taken to drive away sleep, and so the nervous system is injured and sleep will not come when it is desired.

Tea or coffee should never be taken except _very_ weak, and the person who accustoms himself to this will very soon come greatly to prefer it.

Sleeplessness.--In search of sleep men do many things both dangerous and foolish--sometimes even fatal. Sleeplessness arises in so many ways and from so many causes, that it is often hard for the patient to find a cure, and he will try anything in desperation. A little thought should prevent this state of mind. For instance, we have a man who tries to get sleep by fatiguing himself by long walks in the open air or hard physical work of some kind, but he only grows worse. Now, a little thought will show that sleep requires a certain amount of brain energy. If the supply be below this amount, the brain is _too tired_ to sleep. Violent exercise of any kind will only make matters worse. So "keeping people awake" all day is tried, to make them sleep at night.

It fails from the same reason--that it _reduces_ brain power. All narcotics in the end fail similarly. There comes a time when they have so reduced brain power, that even an enormous dose fails to give sleep, and the patient comes dangerously near poisoning himself--sometimes, indeed, does so outright. In all these cases, that which has worn down the brain _must be given up_ as a first condition of cure. Whether brain work, over-excitement and dissipation, alcohol or tobacco, the cause must be removed, and rest taken in the open air, or in well ventilated rooms.

This done, we come to treatment. Soaping the head (_see_ Head, Soaping), or even the application of towels wrung out of cold water, will often, when the cause has been removed, do all that is needed to give sleep. These remedies, especially the first, should be at once applied, if the sleeplessness is accompanied, as is usual, with _heat in the head_. Even where the fevered head is connected with indigestion, the stomach will be powerfully helped by a good soaping of the head at bedtime. If, on the contrary, the head is cold, then warm fomentations to it will be the proper treatment. Perhaps the very best guide will be to aim at what will make both head and feet perfectly comfortable, and _both_ of natural heat. If cold, the feet must be bathed or fomented, and the legs also up to the knees. Sometimes the pouring of warm water in a _douche_ over the head will act perfectly, instead of the fomentation; but pouring _cold_ water must be avoided, or only very cautiously resorted to (_see_ Sitz-Bath and Restlessness).

Sometimes sleeplessness proceeds from the use of bad drinking water, through its effect on the stomach and bowels. In this case, of course, the first thing is to see that no bad water is drunk. People cannot be too careful about a water supply. Usually boiling for half-an-hour renders water safe enough, but this is not always the case. Care must then be taken to see that water from any corrupted source is not used.

When it is given up, treatment as above may be applied.

If the sleeplessness be caused by a nasty tickling cough, put a BRAN POULTICE (_see_), or similar FOMENTATION (_see_) on the back _behind_ where the cough catches. Then change cold towels _in front_ over the same place. Soap the head, and sleep will probably soon come.

Where palpitation of the heart causes sleeplessness, change cold towels over the heart, fomenting the feet if necessary, and the palpitation will usually soon yield. _See_ Brain; Children's Sleep; Exercise; Head; Rest.

Smallpox.--If an epidemic prevails in the neighbourhood, or a case occurs in the house, after _due and carefully performed_ vaccination of the family, the important matter to regard is _cleanliness_. Frequent and thorough was.h.i.+ng and changing of all the clothes worn next the skin will do much to prevent possible infection. If the clothes are often changed, then, and well washed, and the skin gets a daily was.h.i.+ng with soap and is sponged with hot vinegar, there is little danger of infection during an epidemic of smallpox, or even when nursing the disease. Acetic acid, or white wine vinegar, is even a more powerful cleansing agent than carbolic acid, and has the advantage of being non-poisonous.

It is important in treatment to attack the disease early. We have known an attack completely defeated, and the patient cured, by a wet-sheet pack administered at the right time. The early symptoms are a great weariness and chilliness. In this _cold_ stage, half-a-teaspoonful of cream of tartar, in two tablespoonfuls of hot water, should be given every half-hour. Also (and this is important) wrap the feet and legs up over the knees in a large hot FOMENTATION (_see_). The head also may be packed in hot cloths. If the fever does not rise, the applications may continue. If the fever does come on, _cold_ cloths must be persistently changed on the head. This we have known _reduces_ the bodily temperature two degrees in half-an-hour, when if left alone it would probably have _risen_ two degrees. The whole body may be packed in a damp sheet, covered with dry blanket, and this continued cooling of the head still proceeded with.

When the eruption has appeared, and the violent itching set in, the eruption must be persistently _soaked_ with weak ACETIC ACID (_see_), or good white wine vinegar and water. In this soaking, avoid giving the patient pain by too strong acid. The necessary healing power will be found in such a mixture as will only cause the eruption slightly to smart.