Oranges
Sources: Papers On HealthSome things regarding this useful fruit require to be noted
by those using them in sickness. To eat the whole substance of an
orange except the outer rind is to give the digestive system some hard
work. We have known most serious stomach disturbance caused to the
healthy by doing so. Some parts of the inner rind and partitions of the
fruit act almost like poison. These should always be rejected. The
juice is most benef
orange into a glass, and straining it through muslin into another
glass. Add its own bulk of water and a teaspoonful of sugar, if liked.
This may be taken warm or cold, and will do where even milk and water
cannot be taken. (See Drinks).
"Outstrikes."--These appear on the skin from various causes. In the
case of infants, they often appear on the head and face during
teething.
An experienced medical man is cautious in the extreme of quickly
healing the distressed skin. He is afraid of "driving in" the eruption
on the brain. Perhaps he refuses to do anything whatever to heal the
head. From what we have seen, however, even in the worst cases, when
head and face and neck were one great sore, we feel assured that there
is no need why this distress should be continued at all. It may be, at
least in many cases, safely and not very slowly healed.
The whole skin of the infant must be brought into vigorous and
healthy action. The head at first need not be touched; but the entire
skin not affected should be sponged with warm vinegar, and then dried,
rubbed with warm olive oil, and this wiped off carefully and gently, so
far as it does not adhere to the skin under the soft dry towel. Quite
enough remains to do all the good required; and if more is left on, a
chilliness and nastiness are felt, which prejudice many against the use
of it altogether.
It is well, in many cases, not to touch the child with water or
soap. The vinegar and oil cleanse the skin and do all that is
required. Then vinegar very much diluted should be used warm to apply
with a soft rag to the sores. Take a teaspoonful of vinegar in a
breakfastcupful of warm water. If this causes the child to cry when
applied, then dilute still further. Vinegar weak enough to cause hardly
any feeling when it touches the sore, will heal; stronger vinegar
will injure.
We have known a nurse try to heal an outstricken face by means of good
vinegar at its full strength. She was instructed to use the vinegar
very much diluted, but fancied it would heal faster if much stronger.
She might just as well have fancied that it is better to put one's cold
hands into the fire than to hold them at some distance when wishing to
warm them. The child's face was made greatly worse, of course, and the
cure abandoned. It is therefore necessary to urge that a strength of
acid which secures only the most gentle sensation of smarting is
essential to cure. The weak vinegar is first applied to the outer and
less fiery parts of the outstrike. Try to heal from this inwards, by
gradual advances from day to day. On the less affected parts the weak
acid may be applied twice a day; on the sorer parts only when itching
is so distressing as to demand it.
We have seen a child whose head, face, and neck were one distressing
sore; we have taken the cloth with the diluted vinegar and daubed a
square inch or so of the skin on which the fiery eruption was so full,
and in less than two minutes we have seen the colour change into a
healthy pink, and remain that colour when the olive oil was applied.
The child's sores yielded gradually, till the whole illness was
removed.
Sometimes such eruptions, in adults as well as children, arise from
suppressed perspiration, or from the perspiration being of an acrid and
irritating nature. It is sometimes apparently the result of the rubbing
off of a little of the skin, or it comes on without any known accident.
For a time it seems scarcely worth noticing, and is consequently
neglected; but gradually it spreads on the surface and gives
uneasiness, especially after the patient has been some time in bed. It
goes on till a large portion of the skin from the knee to the ankle is
reddened and roughened with a moist eruption. Now remedies of various
kinds are tried, but the evil gets worse and worse. The person affected
is often a struggling mother or widow, who has to keep on her feet all
day in anxious toil, and neither gets very good food during the day nor
proper rest during the night. Month after month goes past, and no
relief comes. The positive agony which such persons suffer is
incredible to those who have not experienced anything of the kind.
Here the great difficulty often is to get the patient the very chief
condition for cure--that is, perfect rest for the affected limb. If
this can in any way be secured, all else is comparatively plain
sailing. But this is sometimes impossible: the children may not be in a
position to be left, or the little business cannot be allowed to die,
as it would in a month's time if not attended to, or some other
hindrance is in the way. We must just do the best in the circumstances.
We shall say that we are compelled to do without the rest, probably
also without certain other things. Rest is very desirable, and so is a
gentle rubbing all over the body, first with warm vinegar and then with
olive oil, but there is perhaps no one capable of doing such a thing
whose services can be secured. It is easy to "order" very useful
processes, but among many who would not be exactly called "poor people"
it is not easy to have the "order" carried out. We must often do
without this double rubbing, and yet cure the diseased skin of the
afflicted limb. Let the reader remember that it is no matter of choice
that we dispense with the rest and the rubbing. If they are possible,
by all means let them be taken advantage of to the utmost.
For treatment, unless distinct running sores are formed, bathe the limb
with warm water and M'Clinton's Soap, which will remove all crusts,
scabs, &c. Then apply zinc ointment. Do not bathe or poultice after the
first time. All secretion can be removed by a piece of cotton wool
dipped in warm olive oil. If deep running sores have formed, then we
must have a water-tight box of rough deal in which the whole leg up to
the knee can be bathed for an hour in hot water. We see no reason why
it should cost much over a shilling to get this, and it would be a sore
want if it could not be procured. It is so made that the leg and foot
can rest easily in it while it is nearly full of hot water. It need not
be wider than just to hold the limb easily. Some good-hearted joiner
will put five small boards together so as to meet this want. We shall
suppose that it is supplied. Now for a few cloths, such as will cover
the diseased parts, about three-ply all round. Then for vinegar or
acetic acid, so diluted with water that it will just cause a slight
smarting when heated and touching the affected skin. It must not be so
strong as to cause burning, nor so weak as to give no sense of its
presence at all, but between these extremes. It can be tried when too
weak, and vinegar or other acetic acid added till a gentle smarting is
felt. The cloths are dipped in the diluted and heated vinegar, allowed
to drip till no more falls off, and then laid tenderly all round the
sore. A strip of dry cloth may then be wound round so as to keep these
on, and the leg thus dressed placed in the bath. It should be kept
there, with now and again a gentle movement, and the strong comfortable
heat of the water kept up for an hour, unless the patient should feel
sickness before that time. If this comes on, the water is too hot; but,
instead of merely cooling it, the bath may cease for the time, and
water not so hot may be tried on a second occasion. Whether the hour
has been reached or not, good has been done. The leg is taken out of
the hot water and gently dried--not rubbed, but dried without rubbing.
Then as much cloth as will go twice round all is dipped in warm olive
oil, and this is pressed out a little, so that it may not run. The
oiled cloth is wrapped all round the limb. Some dry cloth is also
wrapped round, and the first treatment is completed. This should be
repeated every night before going to bed, for a week at least. It may
be required for a fortnight if the case is bad and no rest at all can
be had during the day. We should say the cure may fail for want of this
rest, but this is not likely. In the morning as soon as convenient, the
diseased skin should be soaked with a warm vinegar cloth, so that it
shall smart just a little. It should then be dressed again with the
warm olive oil. If at any time during the day or night it gets
irritated and troublesome, this morning dressing may be repeated. It
will not be very long before the one leg is as good as the other. The
general health, too, of the patient will be sensibly improved.
It is scarcely necessary to point out that a similar treatment to this
will cure "outstrikings" of the same sort in the arms and other parts
of the body, as well as upon the legs. There is required only some such
modification of the appliances as may meet the particular case. For
example, we have seen the outstriking between the shoulders, so that it
could not be reached by bathing, unless by appliances utterly out of
the question in the circumstances. But dressing with hot vinegar
cloths, allowing these to remain on for twenty minutes or so, and then
dressing with warm olive oil, allowing this to remain for two or three
hours, is quite possible to any one who is so affected; and this will
usually be sufficient for a cure.
You have, perhaps, been cured temporarily more than once with arsenic,
and the evil has returned worse and worse. In that case you may require
all the more patience and the longer application of the above
treatment; but, once cured in this way, you will not, so far as a good
long experience enables us to judge, be likely to have any relapse. In
very bad cases we have seen poultices of mashed potatoes made with
buttermilk cleanse the diseased parts most effectually, and then the
acid takes healing effect very speedily. In these cases ordinary
medical treatment had utterly and hopelessly failed.
More
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Medicines
The delusion that health can be restored by swallowing drugs is so widespread that we think it well to quote the following wise words from the Lancet:-- "An eminent physician not long deceased was once giving evidence in a will case, and on being a... Memory Loss Of
A more or less complete suspension of this faculty is a not uncommon form of mental and bodily illness. We do not so much mean the mere fading of past impressions as the loss of power to recall them, so that we cannot recall what we wish to remember. ... Mind In Disease
Often a person, because of physical failure, becomes possessed of an utterly erroneous idea, which no reasoning can change or remove. Indeed, reasoning in such cases is best avoided. Attention should rather be directed to the physical cause of the men... Mineral Acids And Glacial Acetic
If any neutralising agent, such, e.g., as lime, chalk, soda, or calcined magnesia, is at hand, give it at once. Or give an emetic, followed by oil or milk and water. ... Miscarriage
An expectant mother should lead a quiet, orderly and healthful life (see Child-birth). By this we do not mean laziness nor idleness, nor treating herself as an invalid. On the contrary, plenty of work, both physical and mental, and regular exercise ar... Muscular Action Weak
The heart is the most important of all muscles. Sometimes the action of this is so weak that the pulse in the right wrist is imperceptible, and that in the left extremely feeble. The heart may be beating at the usual rate, only its stroke is much too ... Muscular Pains
These pains occur usually when a patient has been for some time in one position, sitting or lying, and rises suddenly in a particular way. They sometimes take such hold of the breast or back muscles as to make it appear as if some serious disease were... Mushrooms
Emetic; castor oil and enema. ... Mustard Oil
Where this is recommended the cold-drawn oil is meant, not the essential oil. The latter is a fiery blister. ... Narcotics
The use of these to give temporary relief, often degenerating into a habit, causes so much serious disease that we have felt constrained to insert an article warning our readers in regard to it. The use of tobacco we have found a fruitful source of da... Neck Stiff
For this, rub the whole back with soap lather (see Lather; Soap), and then with acetic acid and olive oil. Rub the neck itself as recommended for Muscular Action. ... Neck Twisted
This arises from the undue contraction of some of the muscles in the neck. It generally shows itself first in the evening, after the day's fatigue, and if neglected, or treated with blistering, iodine, etc., may become a chronic affliction. Yet it is ... Nerve Centres Failing
Many diseases flow from this cause, but at present we only consider one. That is where a "numbness" begins to show itself in fingers and toes, and to creep up the limbs. No time should be lost in treating such a case. It arises from failure in the spi... Nerve Pain
See Pain. ... Nerve Shock
After a fright, or some very trying experience, some part of the nervous system is frequently found to have given way. Heat is felt in the stomach. Then, if no treatment is given, curious feelings come on in the back of the head. Even inflammation of ... Nerves Shaken
By this we mean, not the nerve trouble which follows a sudden injury or fright, but the result of long-continued worry and overwork. Sleeplessness, great irritability of temper, depressing thoughts, restlessness, and even a wish for death, are all sym... Nerves Spinal
The spinal cord is continuous with the back part of the brain. It is a mass of nerve fibres, and from it branch off in pairs, all the way down from the brain, the great nerves which move the limbs and muscles of the body, and receive the impressions o... Nerves Troubled
Often a state of the nerves exists, without any apparent unhealthiness, which makes the whole system so sensitive, that ordinary sights, sounds, and smells become unbearable, and the patient feels the ordinary round of experience, which would never be... Nervous Attacks
What we call, for want of a better name, "nerve force," or "nerve action," is at any one time a definite quantity. In health it is distributed to all the sets of nerves equally, so that all work in harmony. But if its distribution be altered in certai... Nervous Prostration
Persons suffering from nervous prostration have probably allowed the urgency of seeming duty to drive them on in work till the vital energies have been fairly exhausted. At last they are completely broken down, and the very fountains of life are dried... Nervousness
This frequent and distressing trouble is to be traced to a state of the nervous system in which sensibility has got the upper hand, and self-control is partly lost. It is difficult accurately and briefly to describe, but is an easily recognisable stat... Nettle Rash
This is an eruption on the skin, often coming suddenly and going off again, but sometimes of long standing. It resembles in appearance the sting of a nettle--hence the name. It is accompanied by an intolerable itching, and is a very sore trouble where... Neuralgia
This is severe pain in one part or other of the body, sometimes followed by swelling of the painful part, but frequently without much sign of anything wrong at that point. It is, as the name implies, a trouble affecting the nerves which are connected ... Nicotine (tobacco)
Emetic; stimulate and keep warm; keep patient lying down. ... Night Coughs
These frequently remain as the so-called dregs of some illness, and are found very persistent. They are also frequently very alarming, as they are thought to indicate some trouble in the lungs, and as immediate steps should be taken to check this, it ... Night Pains
If these are of the nature of cramps, which come on while lying in bed, the treatment is similar to that given above as morning treatment for Night Coughs, only the cooling must be continued for three-quarters of an hour or longer, fomenting the legs ... Night Sweats
This distressing symptom, which accompanies various illnesses, can in most cases be easily cured. The whole skin is to be sponged over at bedtime with CAYENNE LOTION (see). This is best done under the bed-clothes. Acetic acid, the effective essence in... Nightmare
In serious cases of this trouble, the patient awakes some time before he gains any power whatever to move, feeling held as in a vice. But in common instances, the attack is entirely during sleep, and accompanied by frightful dreams. A heavily-loaded s... Noise And Disease
Perhaps nothing shows more the lack of human feeling in many people than the manner in which they inflict sore distress on the sick and dying by means of noise. Moreover, recovery is retarded, and has sometimes been wholly prevented, by nothing but a ... Nostrils The
The disease called Polypus, affecting the mouth or nostril with growths which are usually removed by force, is one of those troubles curable by proper use of vinegar or weak acetic acid. The extraction of the Polypi is painful, and we have ourselves s... Nourishment
Nothing is more required in healing than properly to nourish the enfeebled body. In its commencement proper nourishment demands a proper mixture of food and saliva. In fever, if there be little or no saliva present, food requiring much saliva to fit i... Nourishment Cold In
If a person is in fever, and is burning with internal heat, a little bit of ice, sucked in the mouth, gives great relief. The relief is got in this way: the melted ice, in the form of water, is little in bulk in proportion to the heat which is absorbe... Nourishment Heat In
Heat is absorbed in building up the bodily tissues, and given off when they are disintegrated. To rightly understand this is of great importance in all treatment. When a living substance is growing, it demands heat. An illustration of this is the sun... Nursing Over
Few vital processes are more remarkable than that by which food fitted for adults becomes in the mother's breast food fit for the little infant. In nursing it is well to remember that all food is not equally fit to be so changed. Well-boiled porridge,... Oil Olive
A little oil only should be applied to the skin at once. Any such smearing as dirties the clothes or bedclothes is quite unnecessary. Since the first edition of these papers was published, the use of oil in the "massage" treatment has become so wid... Opium
See Narcotics. ... Oranges
Some things regarding this useful fruit require to be noted by those using them in sickness. To eat the whole substance of an orange except the outer rind is to give the digestive system some hard work. We have known most serious stomach disturbance c... Oxalic Acid
Neutralise by chalk or lime water, but not by soda or any alkali. Give plenty of water; apply hot fomentations to loins. ... Pain Severe In Limbs
This is often not due to any trouble in the joint itself, but to some disorder in the large nerves which have their roots in the lower part of the back. In the case of severe pains in the back of the leg, ankle, or knee, when a chill to the large limb... Palpitation
Ordinarily we are not aware of the beating of the heart, enormous as is the work it does; but in certain cases this beating becomes distressingly violent, especially on lying down flat or in ascending hills or stairs. The latter cases are the more ser... Palsy
See Paralysis. ... Paralysis
This serious trouble in slighter forms affects one side of the face, or even one eye only. More serious attacks involve the arm, and even an entire half of the body. It may come suddenly, or may creep slowly over the frame. In very old persons the cas... Perspiration
By this term we mean not only the sensible perspiration which is felt as a distinct wetness on the skin during exertion or heat, or in some illnesses, but also, and chiefly, the constant insensible perspiration. This latter is far more important than ... Phosphorus
Often caused by children sucking matches. There is a burning in the throat, and often vomiting. Give an emetic. After this some barley water or milk may be given. ... Piles
This very common trouble is caused by one or more of the veins in the lower bowel losing their elasticity, so as to protrude more or less from the anus, especially when the stress of a motion of the bowels forces them out. When no blood proceeds from ... Pimples On The Face
See Face. ... Pleurisy
The pleura is the tender double web, or membrane, which lines the inside of the chest on the one side and covers the lung, or rather encloses the lung with its other fold. Each of the two lungs has its pleura in which it works, and each side of the ch... Poisoning
The following are the antidotes and remedies for some of the more common forms of poisoning. ... Poisoning Blood
Where this arises from a more or less putrid wound, what is aimed at in the treatment is to stop the manufacture of the poison in the wound by cleansing and healing it. This done, the other symptoms will subside. The wound should be carefully brushed ... Polypus
See Nostrils. ... Potato Poultice
Potatoes boiled and beaten up with buttermilk, spread out in the usual way, make this useful poultice. Weak acid or vinegar may also be used instead of buttermilk. The potatoes should be boiled as recommended below. ... Potato The
The proper cooking of this root is so important for health, owing to its universal use, that we here give directions which, if followed out, make potatoes a dish acceptable to even a very delicate stomach. Difficulty of digestion often arises from the... Poultice Bran
See Bran Poultice. ... Prostration Nervous
The various articles under Nerves and Nervousness should be read. Here we give simply the treatment for failure in the digestion and bowel action. This arises from failure in the great nerve centres near the middle of the body. External treatment may... Prussic Acid
Almost hopeless. Emetic; artificial respiration. ... Pulse Counting The
Most valuable information as to the nature and progress of disease is derivable from the pulse. Every one should learn to count it, and to distinguish the broad differences in the rapidity and nature of the beat. Such a distinction as that between BRO... Purple Spots On Skin
These arise first as small swellings. The swellings fall, and leave purple patches behind, which, if the trouble continues, become so numerous as to spoil the appearance of the skin. This especially occurs in children or young people, whose skin is e... Racks From Lifting
See Muscular Pains; Sprains. ... Rash Or Hives
Infants are often troubled with large red, angry-looking spots, breaking out over the body, and causing trouble by their heat and itching. These are commonly known as hives. If the water in which a child is washed be hard, it will sometimes cause the ... Remedy Finding A
It will sometimes occur, in the case of those endeavouring to cure on our system of treatment, that on applying what is thought to be the correct remedy, the trouble becomes worse. For example, where there are violent pains in the legs, a bran poultic... Rest
In every person there is a certain amount only of force which is available for living. Also this force, or vitality, is produced at only a certain definite rate. Where the rate is very low, only perfect quiet in bed for a time can bring down the expen... Restlessness
In slight cases, where the patient simply cannot sleep for tossing about in bed, a cold towel placed along the spine, with a dry one above, will usually relieve, especially if changed and cooled several times as it grows warm. If heat be specially in ... Rheumatic Fever
See Fever, Rheumatic. ... Rheumatism
We feel urged, in first considering this sore and very common trouble, to quote the old adage that "prevention is better than cure." Many people laugh at wettings, and some foolish young ones even seek exposure. We would impress upon all such that the... Rich Foods Brandy Beef-tea Etc
must be avoided. Involuntary starting, and the manifestation of great fear on waking out of sleep, frequently arise from irritation of the spine during teething. The cold compress applied along the spine when the child is warm in bed will relieve t... Ringworm
This distressing and most infectious trouble is due to a small parasite. Where that settles in the skin, a reddish ring soon appears, and gradually widens, leaving a leprous white patch of skin within it. Care should be taken at once to cure this, as,... Rose
See Erysipelas. ... Rupture
The abdomen is formed of a series of rings containing the bowels, and holding them in proper position. If the muscles and tissues holding these rings yield so as to permit them to separate a little, what is called "rupture" takes place. It may be caus... Saliva
See Digestion; Nourishment. ... Saltrome
The disease known by this name in Canada breaks out in the hands, especially on the palms. The skin cracks open and refuses to heal up. Sometimes, if the hands do heal, the trouble comes out on other parts. It is probably due to the long-continued use... Santolina
This plant is the Chama Cyparissos, or ground cypress. It is of the greatest value as a remedy for worms in the bowels (not tapeworm), and also acts as a stomach tonic of no small value. It is cut at the end of the season, made up in small bunches of ... Sciatica
This is a severe pain in the lower back, shooting sharply down the back and calf of the leg. It arises from inflammation of the large nerve which supplies these parts of the leg with power. Most commonly it is caused by exposure of the hips or lower b...