The Wet Compress
Categories:
TREATMENT OF SCARLET-FEVER.
Sources:
Hydriatic Treatment Of Scarlet Fever In Its Different Forms
In bed, a wet compress is put on the throat, and another on the stomach,
which, beside the direct influence it has on that organ, acts as a
derivative upon the throat and head, and as a diaphoretic upon the skin,
assisting in allaying the fever and heat. This compress on the stomach
is an excellent remedy with small children and infants in a restless,
feverish condition. I often use it, even with infants scarce a week old,
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and always with perfect success. I wish, mothers could be made to
substitute it for paregoric and the like stupefying stuff, to procure
their crying infants relief and themselves rest. There is more power in
the compress than any one who is not familiar with its use, can imagine.
At the same time it has a very good effect on the bowels, which should
be kept regular, either with the assistance of tepid injections, or, if
they fail to operate, with a moderate dose of castor oil. If possible,
however, avoid the irritation of the digestive apparatus through
medicines, which are apt to counteract the external applications, whose
object is to draw the morbid poison as early and as completely as
possible to the skin.