CHOLERA INFANTUM, Symptoms

Categories: 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 vomi ing 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.