Corn Sweat
Categories:
Infectious Diseases
The corn sweat can be used. Put from ten to twenty-five ears
of corn in a boiler, boil thoroughly until the boiled corn smell appears,
then put the corn ears into five packs, putting from two to five ears in a
pack, according to the age of the patient. Use cloths or towels, but do
not put the ears in contact, wrap the cloth between them. Put one pack to
the feet and one at each side of the hips, and in each armpit. This will
oon cause sweating and restore the external (capillary) circulation. It
will generally produce a grateful sweat. Keep the clothes on the patient.
After the patient has perspired enough you can remove one pack at a time.
Have fresh aired sheets and night dress ready, and after bathing the
patient slowly and carefully under the clothes with tepid water and drying
all of the body put on the new night-dress and sheets. This remedy is also
good for colds and inflammatory diseases of all kinds and when used
carefully and thoroughly is always good. Of course, if there is great
weakness it cannot be used, for it weakens a patient somewhat. I have
saved lives with this sweat, and I know I have cut short many colds and
inflammatory diseases. After the sweat the patient should have enough
covering to keep comfortably warm and care must be taken to keep from the
cold.
Fever. If the disease goes on and there is high fever, so that the
patient suffers from it, it is better to reduce it by cool sponging than
by the coal tar products like antipyrin, acetanilid, etc. They are
weakening and this is a weakening, prostrating disease. Good, careful cool
sponging generally relieves the excessive fever and restlessness. The
fever does not continue so long in this disease and it is not, therefore,
so harmful. Delirium is present in some cases when the fever is not high.
Irritating Cough. This can frequently he controlled by steam inhalations
as directed under tonsilitis. You can also put in the steaming water one
teaspoonful to one tablespoonful of compound tincture of benzoin for this
disease. Hoarhound tea can be put in the water and the steam inhaled. If
such measures do not stop the cough, medicine will be needed.
Sore Throat. Spraying the throat with a solution of boric acid, one dram
to one pint of hot water, is good. Listerine is good in the same way and
dose.
Bowels. They should be kept open from the first. Salts are usually handy
and good.
Medicines. Ten grains Dover's powder at night is good; unless there is
much weakness. Some give quinine, some salol. Quinine, one to two grains,
is given one to three hours. Salol, five grains, every three hours,
especially for the backache.
Aspirin in five-grain doses for an adult every four hours is given very
much now. The bowels should be kept open with salts.
Diet. Children should take milk if there is no vomiting or diarrhea. If
there is vomiting and diarrhea, give only water or diluted milk, or
nothing if they continue. Water can generally be given.
For adults a good, nourishing diet when convalescence commences is
necessary. During the sickness, milk, eggs,--raw and soft boiled, broths,
soups, milk toast, can be given. A person must be very careful after an
attack of the grip. He should remain in the house for some time, a week
after he is well and thinks he can go out.