Papers on Health Part 3

Beef Tea.--It is well to bear in mind that there is scarcely any nourishment even in home-made beef juice (the best form of any extract of meat).

Home-made beef juice is prepared by sc.r.a.ping the meat into shreds, placing in a jar, and leaving the water to soak into the meat for about half-an-hour. Then place in a saucepan on the fire for an hour, during which time it must not boil. After being then brought to the boil, it should be removed immediately, and the lump of meat removed.

Some idea may be obtained of the relatively small amount of nourishment even in this form of extract when it is remembered that the thin flaky matter which sinks to the bottom in the bowl is practically the only nutritive portion in the dish.

All extracts and such-like preparations are inferior to home-made beef tea in value. We do not deny, then, the value of beef extracts as stimulants in certain diseased conditions, but we do not recognise them as a useful food. Further, the stimulating effect upon the heart is largely due to the hot water they are made with (_see_ Bone Diseased).

Bile, Black.--For this take two tablespoonfuls of hot water every five minutes for six hours per day. A good many cases, some even given up by the doctors, have been cured by this simple, yet efficient means.

Bile on the Stomach.--Take half a teacupful of hot water every ten minutes for ten hours. Next day take the same every twenty minutes for a like period. The third day the same every hour. For ten days after take the same before each meal. We have seen a case of liver complaint of more than twenty years' standing cured thus. See also that the feet and legs are rendered healthful, and kept so. If cold and clammy, they should be bathed in hot water for five minutes or so, dried, and rubbed with warm olive oil.

Care must be taken also to give a simple diet. Oatmeal jelly, wheaten meal porridge, barley pudding (_see_ Barley), and such foods, should form the staple nourishment. Avoid eggs, b.u.t.ter, cream, and beef. _See also_ Sea-Sickness.

Biscuits and Water.--The biscuits referred to are manufactured in Saltcoats.[A] They are made from the purest whole wheaten flour. The late Mr. Bryden, of the Saltcoats Home, used them along with hot water as sole diet in many serious digestive troubles, with marvellous success. Where no food will lie on the stomach, one small, or half a large, biscuit is to be taken three times a day, as a meal, and at meal-times. This will prove amply sufficient to maintain the system in such a case, until the stomach gains power for more. In the case of SORES and ABSCESSES (_see_), such a diet of biscuits and water provides pure blood, and makes healing by other treatment very much easier. We have known limbs saved from amputation largely by such diet. It will suit equally well the delicate young lady and the strong labourer. Too much of ordinary food goes to increase ulceration and nourish disease.

The Saltcoats biscuit provides nothing for these ends, and is of immense value as an aid to cure. One great advantage of this diet is that it is a _dry_ one, and the biscuits _must_ be thoroughly chewed to enable them to be swallowed at all. The saliva is thereby thoroughly mixed with the food, which is all-important to make it digestible.

These biscuits are also so plain as not to tempt the patient to eat more than he can digest, which is the great danger in sickness. The slops of gruel and cornflour so often given are never chewed at all, and often do nothing but harm. Such starchy foods really require to be more thoroughly mixed with saliva than any other food, as unless, by action of the saliva, the starch is converted into sugar it cannot be a.s.similated in the stomach.

[Footnote A: By Mr. R. Black, baker.]

Bleeding.--In any case of this pack the feet and legs as directed in Lungs, Bleeding from, and press cold cloths to the place the blood comes from, stomach, womb (_see_ Miscarriage), or lungs. If it comes from the nose, apply the cold cloths to the head and back of the neck.

Blisters.--The destruction of the skin over any painful part, by means of blisters, is to be always avoided if possible (_see_ Burns, Knee, Pleurisy, etc.)

Blood.--A most common trouble is anaemia, a lack of good red blood, showing itself in a waxy paleness and whiteness of lips, often accompanied by exhaustion and great fatigue. To remedy this, first secure a supply of pure water, of which 80 per cent. of the blood is made up. Give this warm in dessertspoonfuls every five minutes. Give two tablespoonfuls, or perhaps only one, of very light food, or milk and boiling water half and half, every half-hour. This may be done in smaller portions every fifteen minutes, or in larger quant.i.ties every hour or two hours, according to the state of the digestion. Fruit is a valuable means of quenching the anaemia thirst, besides being very beneficial for the blood. Green vegetables and salads are also most valuable (_see_ Vegetables; a.s.similation; Diet; Digestion). As much fresh air as possible is also to be breathed by the patient. Either much time must be spent in the open air, or, if strength forbid this, the room must be thoroughly ventilated. Close air is the enemy of good blood. We know of many cases cured by this simple regimen. Care must also be taken to increase the patient's vitality by various means. If _thoroughly good_ medical advice can be obtained, it should be taken (_see_ Air and Appet.i.te; Balance, Loss of, etc.)

Blood Poisoning.--(_See_ Blood, Purifying; Sores).

Blood, Purifying.--Fever arising from bad state of the blood may be treated by careful cooling of the spine and head, with towels _well wrung_ out of cold water, frequently changed (_see_ Fever). The pulse in one case so treated was reduced from 130 to 96 by a few applications. If a sore exists, treat it as in article Sores. If an eruption in the skin breaks out, cover the surface at night with soap lather (_see_ Lather; Soap). Wipe that off with weak acetic acid (_see_) in the morning, and the skin will come right. Let the diet be simple and cooling (_see_ Abscess; a.s.similation; Skin; Sores; Appendix, etc.).

Blood, Supply of.--To supply good blood in cases where it is lacking, either from indigestion or low vitality, nothing is better than milk, diluted with an equal quant.i.ty of _boiling water_. It may be less or more diluted, as the patient's power of digestion is greater or less, but in all cases half and half can be tried first. This forms a natural blood supply. Claret, switched egg and brandy, are to be carefully avoided. _Boiling_ water amalgamates with the milk, and care therefore must be taken to see that it is really boiling. Give a teacupful of this every two hours. If the patient is very weak, this may be the only diet. But often he will be going about work or business, and yet needing fresh, good blood supply. Then the cupful may be taken every two hours, in addition to the usual meals. Experience will soon show how this may be done. But two hours after a meal, the milk and water may be given.

Boils.--The following treatment will be found effective to heal less severe forms of boils, by soothing the whole fevered system of nerves, and stimulating the skin in its getting rid of waste material.

Begin, then, by thoroughly soaping the head (_see_ Head, Soaping). Go to the back next, and soap similarly. The same process may, if desired, be carried over the whole body to the very tips of the fingers and toes. In a delicate case, do this in portions so as not to run any risk of exposing the patient too much.

Lay on the boil, after the soaping, and while the patient is under its soothing influence, a large piece of thickly folded flannel, or a small sponge, squeezed out of water as hot as the patient can bear. Continue this, with frequent re-heating of the application for a quarter-of-an-hour, then allow the patient to rest.

When you have soaped a patient as we have described, say twice, it is necessary to wash off the particles that may remain on the skin with white vinegar or weak acetic acid. Then, if you have overcooled with the soap and acid, it will be well to rub over with warm oil. By these simple methods of treatment you will banish all tendency to boils. You will change great suffering into comparative comfort, not only without expenditure of strength, but in a way in which you add vigour to the whole frame. One very great advantage of this treatment is that you do not need to move the patient in any distressing way. If you have only tact and gentleness of touch, you can do all that we have described without causing one moment's distress. The severe form of boil known as _Carbuncle_ is very dangerous, and in such cases good surgical aid is necessary, in addition to above treatment (_see_ Diet).

Bone, Diseased.--Diseased bone is not incurable. Bone is indeed constantly being replaced as it disappears in the ordinary waste of the body. Defective vitality in any part may cause an acc.u.mulation of bad material, which forms the basis of bone disease.

To cut off a diseased foot or ankle is easy, and soon done. To cure it, may take a long time and much patience, but is worth a great deal. We know large numbers of limbs that are sound and good now, that were doomed once to be amputated, but which we were able to rescue in time.

Moreover, a very short time of well-regulated fomentation improves the general health, and prevents the diseased material spreading from the foot or ankle through the body.

Take, then, a case in which the ankle bone has first become painful, perhaps without any perceptible cause, or it may be as the result of an injury to the part. It then swells and becomes inflamed. At this stage two or three fomentations (_see_) well applied may very likely cure it entirely. But if neglected, or leeched, blistered, and the skin spoiled with iodine, what is called disease of the bone may set in, accompanied with discharge of matter at one or more places on the ankle. This discharge, where it is evidently lodging in the limb, may be a.s.sisted to escape by careful lancing by a good surgeon. For such a case, fomentation of as much of the limb as possible is the treatment. Let a bath be procured, in which the limb may be immersed in hot water as deeply as possible, even up to the very thigh. Let the water at first be comfortably warm. Increase its temperature gradually until as hot as can be borne without pain. Keep the limb in this bath for an hour, or for such shorter period as the patient may be able to bear it. Gently dry, and rub all over with warm olive oil. Wipe this gently off, and cover the limb with clothing. Then syringe any sores with weak acid (_see_ Acetic Acid; Wounds), and dress with bandage (_see_ Ankle, Twisted). Do this twice each day, and persevere.

If it cannot well be bathed, let it be fomented by a large piece of flannel soaked with boiling water, and placed round the diseased part.

We have seen a wasting bone healed entirely in a few weeks by this means. We have seen a man with the bones of both his legs splintering off and coming through the skin perfectly healed in a few months. It stands to reason that it should be so. The bathing in his case, like the fomenting in others, were so effectually done that the bones themselves were heated, and strong healing action set in at once. We saw lately a piece of dead bone above four inches long come out of a young man's arm as the result of nothing else but fomentation. The arm was soon as whole and as useful as could be desired, though it had been to all appearance only fit to be taken off at the elbow. The steady supply of moist heat does wonders in this way.

We have seen some most remarkable specimens of what was erroneously thought sufficient fomentation. One was a case of diseased thigh-bone.

A bit of old flannel, about a quarter of a yard square, had been wrung out of water slightly tepid and laid on the skin, covered by a little cloth scarcely equal in size. The application would not have conveyed activity to the skin on which it was laid, though it required to convey it to the heart of a large ma.s.s of bone. The helpless complaint of the operator was that it did no good. How in the world could it do good?

Not less than six or seven or even eight yards of a blanket are required. That is to be folded and rolled up so that a good quant.i.ty of boiling water may be poured first into one end of it and then into the other. It has to be squeezed and kneaded till the heated water and steam are fairly soaking the inside of the blanket. When this is opened up, it is far too hot to put to the skin, but a double flannel or strong towel may be put on first, so that the heat shall go gradually through to the body, and by-and-by into the bone. This may be done at least once a day--if agreeable, it may be done twice. But it must be so well done that the heat shall effect the bone, or you cannot look for any result of importance.

If under the bathing the skin becomes irritated, as it will often do, cover it with cloths soaked in _weak_ vinegar till the bathing is over.

If the skin suffers from the fomentation, do the same thing, and if this does not cure, dress it, before putting on the fomentation flannels, with SOAP (_see_) lather as if for shaving, spread like b.u.t.ter on a cloth, and made to shelter the skin from irritation till the fomenting is done. This is of great importance in many cases; the skin is often so sensitive that it cannot well be bathed without being protected.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Preparing Blanket for Fomentation.]

In the case of hip-joint disease, the ARMCHAIR FOMENTATION (_see_) is the best form of fomenting. For other parts, common sense will guide how to produce an extensive and thorough heating of the diseased part and its neighbourhood by some similar means (_see_ Bathing the Feet; Pains, etc.). It is only heating the failed tissues, only keeping on such heating, and all the elements of perfect cure are supplied. Even limbs which have shrunk and become shorter, grow out to their natural size under this patient heating.

Get "steel drops" and all such-like sent down the sewer. The rats may have them if they are disposed. Give wheaten or oatmeal porridge, bread or Saltcoats biscuits, with good b.u.t.termilk, and the poor creature, half dead with poisonous "drops," begins ere long to have red on his lips and on his cheeks, some fresh vigour in his muscles, and healthy bone in the course of formation, where bone was only wasting before.

How is this explained? On the simple principle that the bodily system can turn wheaten meal into all the elements wanted for good bodily health. Beef tea, soups, "fine things" of all descriptions, never on earth gave human beings solid strength, but in myriads of cases they have been successfully employed to take it away. Above all, they fail to give healthy bone.

Get the patient to take wheaten or oaten meal porridge twice a day at least. We are not so stern as some in forbidding all else, though in this we may fall short; but by all means let eating and drinking be considered in the light of what we have been writing (_see_ Food in Health).

Good air is important in this, as in all cases of ill-health.

Much depends, in this treatment, on cheerfulness of mind. Let the patient feel that he is going to be cured. Avoid opium, tobacco, alcoholic drinks, and all worry. This will actually increase the vital exchange in the body and very much help the cure.

Bone, Soft.--Often, in the young, the bones are so soft that they bend more or less, and the beginning of a distressing deformity appears.

In such a case plaster jackets and steel bands are of little use, and often very painful. It is better to use bandages, applied so as to support where that is necessary. Also avoid all long sitting, such as is found at school. It is best sometimes not to permit the child to walk at all. Better far to lose two years of schooling than to be deformed for life. Parents should see to it, with all weakly children, that school does not become a means of trouble. Continuous education is not nearly so important as is sometimes supposed.

For positive treatment, let the parts be well and carefully rubbed (_see_ Ma.s.sage) every day with olive oil, in such a way as to direct a flow of blood to the feeble bone. It must largely be left to the healer's common sense how this is to be done, but a little thought will show how. At many Hydropathic Establishments it may be learned.

This careful rubbing, with good diet and proper bandaging, will gradually effect a cure in most cases. But here, as elsewhere, patience must rule. Plenty of good porridge and milk, with abundance of fresh air, work wonders in this disease.

Bowels, Glands of.--Symptoms of glandular trouble in the bowels are--weariness and pallor, lack of appet.i.te, softness and shrinking of limbs, with swelling of the belly. In its earlier stages, before consumption sets in, this trouble may be perfectly cured. We have seen even apparently hopeless cases recover under proper treatment. In its essence the trouble is a failure of power in the nervous centres upon which health of the bowels depends. To supply this needed power, take a small bag of cotton cloth, like a little pillow-slip, of just the size to cover the patient's whole back. Fill this with bran, prepared as for poultice (_see_ Bran Poultice). Oil the back before applying this, and place, if needed, four ply or so of cloth on the back to moderate the heat to the skin. After half-an-hour, if the patient feels desirous, renew for another hour; do this each day at bedtime for a week at least. Rub the body all over with warm olive oil when this is taken off; then place a bandage with only a gentle tightness in such a way as just to help the relaxed bowels, but only just so much--not by any means to try and force them into what might be thought proper dimensions. Give a teaspoonful of liquorice mixture (_see_ Constipation) thrice a day before meals in a little hot water. Feed on wheaten porridge and generally light diet, being careful to regulate it so as to make the bowels work easily and naturally. If not too bad a case, this treatment will soon tell favourably. Enemas (_see_) of either cold or warm water, as required, will also greatly help.

Bowels, Inflammation of.--This (called medically Peritonitis) is an inflammation of the membrane covering the bowels. It results from chill or strain, and sometimes, in the case of child-birth, from dirt introduced into the parts by handling with unwashed hands. In such cases, the utmost care must be taken to ensure cleanliness, which will secure against one fertile cause of the disease. The hands should be always fresh and clean, and all cloths, etc., should be either most carefully washed or burnt. Where the trouble arises from strain, or chill, these lower the vitality, and the membrane becomes gorged with blood at fever heat. To regulate this heat, then, and free the membrane from the blood which over-fills it, is to lead to a cure. Rub the back with warm olive oil, place on it a large BRAN POULTICE (_see_), or an india-rubber bag of hot water covered with _moist_ flannel; this must in either case be large enough to cover the entire lower back. Anything may be used, if these cannot be had, which will powerfully stimulate the back with moist heat. Wring a small thin towel out of cold water, and place it over the bowels. At first this must be _very gently_ laid on. After a little, and when several times freshly applied, this cold cloth may be very gently pressed all over the bowels. Relief will almost certainly come ere this has been done for an hour. Then a rest may be given for two hours, and after that a large fomentation applied to feet and legs (_see_ Fomentation). While this is on, the cold cloths may be changed over the bowels again, and over the chest as well. After an hour of this, great relief should be felt. If there is great thirst a small bit of ice may be sucked, or a few drops of vinegar in water may be taken; but the outside cooling will probably render this unnecessary. Avoid all alcoholic drinks.

s.h.i.+vering and a feeling of cold is often the earliest symptom, and as it is of immense importance that warming measures should be promptly applied. Hot bricks, or bottles, placed merely to the soles of the feet, are but poor helps: it would be vastly better to pack the feet and legs in a hot blanket fomentation at once, and, if pain at all shows itself, to apply a large fomentation to the lower part of the back. The sooner this is done the better; besides, there is the consolation that the treatment can never do any harm even if applied in a case in which there has occurred a harmless chill. The dread which some medical men have of cold applications is wonderful, but we know that the front-rank men have no such fear. When care is taken to have the hot application on first, there is, and can be, no possible danger in any case in cooling down the burning circulation. One or two applications have sufficed in many cases we have seen.