CHOLERA INFANTUM, Symptoms

Category: Digestive Organs

Usually begins with a diarrhea, which is
often so mild as to attract but little attention, but should be a warning.
If a weakly baby has a diarrhea which persists, or is foul smelling and
especially if there is a marked loss of flesh and dullness of mind, there
is ground for worry. If a bright child loses interest in things and has
diarrhea something is wrong. The two essential features are vomiting and
diarrhea, and the vomiting is persistent. First it vomits food, then the
mucus and bile. The thirst is great, but anything taken to relieve it is
instantly thrown up. The stools are frequent, large and watery. They may
be painless and involuntary. They may look like dirty water, but later
they loose all color. They are sometimes so thin and copious as to soak
through the napkin and saturate the bed. They may be without odor, and
again the odor is almost over-powering. The prostration is great and
rapid. The fontannelles, openings in the head, are depressed, the face
becomes pale and pinched, and the eyes are sunken. It occurs usually
during the summer months, oftener in babies under eighteen months and
still more under a year old.

Cautions. This book will probably find its way into homes many miles from
a drug store and possibly a long distance from a physician. Should a child
in that home show symptoms of cholera infantum it would be imperative for
that mother to begin at once home treatments. We, therefore, give below a
number of remedies which a mother can either prepare in her home or can
take the precaution to have filled at some convenient time and keep
constantly at hand, properly labeled so she can turn to them at any
moment. On the other hand, should you have to wait even three or four
hours for a physician begin one of the treatments below until he comes;
you may save the child's life by doing so. Cholera infantum and pneumonia
claim so many of our little ones each year, and in many cases snatch them
away within a few hours of the first noticeable symptoms that we must
advise you to call a physician as soon as you suspect it is serious. Cases
vary and only a trained eye can detect the little symptoms and changes
that may weigh in the balance the life of baby.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES for Cholera Infantum. l. Castor oil and warm
applications for. "Give the child one teaspoonful of castor oil, then
wring woolen cloths out of warm whisky and apply to the abdomen. This will
most always give relief, especially after the castor oil has acted upon
the bowels."

2. Cholera Infantum, First Thing to Do. "The first thing to do is to give
a teaspoonful of castor oil, so as to thoroughly clean out the bowels.
Then add one tablespoonful of turpentine to one quart of hot water and
wring cloths out of this and apply to the bowels to relieve the pain that
is always present in this disease. The turpentine is especially good for
the bowels when they are bloated and have much gas in them."

3. Cholera Infantum, White of Egg and Cathartic for. "One teaspoonful
castor oil every two hours, until the movements are natural. Give no food
except albumen water, which is composed of the white of one egg (slightly
beaten) and a small pinch of salt in a glass of cold water which has been
previously boiled. Feed this by spoonfuls."

4. Cholera Infantum, Olive or Sweet Oil for. "One teaspoonful sweet or
olive oil three times a day and an injection of one tablespoonful of the
oil at night, to be retained in the bowels. If continued this will
completely cure."

5. Cholera Infantum, Spice and Whisky Poultice for. "Take all kinds of
ground spices, make a poultice. Heat whisky and wet the poultice. Apply to
the stomach and bowels."

6. Cholera Infantum, Cabbage Leaf Poultice for. "Take a cabbage leaf,
hold it over the stove until warm as can be stood on back of hand; lay it
across the child's abdomen. Repeat if necessary."

7. Cholera Infantum, Herb Remedy for. "Strawberry root, blackberry root
and raspberry root, equal parts, steeped together. I have used this remedy
and found it good, but it should be used in time." Make a tea of these
roots and take one teaspoonful every hour until relieved. This is a mild
astringent.

8. Cholera Infantum, Tomatoes Will Relieve. "Make a syrup of peeled
tomatoes well sweetened with white sugar. Give one teaspoonful every half
hour." This syrup is very soothing and the tomatoes are especially good if
there is some ulcerated condition of the bowels. This preparation should
always be strained before using.

9. Cholera Infantum, Injection for. "For infant one year old inject into
the bowels one pint of thin starch, in which is mixed from three to five
drops of laudanum; cool, repeat night and morning. Plenty of water or cold
barley water may be given and the food for a time may consist of egg
albumen with a few drops of brandy. When the symptoms first appear apply a
spice plaster or hot application over the abdomen; and keep child as quiet
as possible." This is a remedy recommended and used by a number of
physicians and has cured many severe cases.

Diets and Drinks. Stop ordinary feeding at once. A little cream and
water, or barley water and cream may do. If the breast milk excites the
stomach and the bowels, stop it for a few hours. You can give a few drops
of raw beef juice or a little brandy and water. To satisfy the thirst,
wrap up a small bit of ice in a linen cloth and let the baby mouth it.
Dilute the milk or stop entirely and give only water, or lime water and
milk, barley water. Give all the water the child can drink boiled and
cooled.

Next: PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Cholera Infantum
Previous: CHOLERA MORBUS (Acute Inflammation of Stomach and Upper Bowel)

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CHOLERA INFANTUM, Symptoms