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Enemas Cold Water

Sources: Papers On Health

Prejudice often exists against cold treatment of

any kind, but it must be overcome, unless the sick would lose some of

the most precious means of relief which we possess. The Enema Syringe,

or Fountain Enema, may be had from any druggist, and is used to inject

liquid into the lower bowel. To inject cold water by this means is a

most efficient method of relief for internal heat and irritation, as

well as for DIARRHOEA (
ee). Sick headaches are also often instantly

cured by this means. What we are here concerned with, however, is to

say that this remedy is as safe as it is simple, so long as

discomfort is not felt by the patient. Cold enemas may be given

repeatedly, where they are felt to be comforting, without any danger

whatever. If the bowels move after the first application, there is no

need to be alarmed. Repeat the cold injection, and the diarrhoea will

cease. The cold enema does not produce or aggravate constipation; on

the contrary, it often relieves and cures the sluggish bowels. In cases

where medicine has to be almost constantly taken, its use, and the

disuse of the drugs, will often effect a complete cure. In many

instances in which outward cooling cannot be borne, the thermometer

will indicate that there is excessive internal heat, and the pulse will

be quick also. In such cases it will be possible to give the most

delightful relief by cautiously applied internal cold.



Fever that might be relieved by cold packing and sponging with vinegar,

or some such means, will be far more speedily reduced by these cold

injections, and fever which cannot be reduced by these means alone will

give way when this is added.



There are cases in which a sort of paralysis of the lower bowel renders

what is called "opening medicine" constantly necessary. The consequence

of these continued doses is to produce greater and greater paralysis,

and ultimately death itself; in these cases the cold enema is of great

value. If there is lack of power in the bowel, it is well to increase

it by a warm bran poultice, or hot bag on the back, and to brace the

vessels and muscles within with the cold enema. (See Constipation.)



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