Part 19 (1/2)
The marking is caused by exposure to dry air and light, therefore paint the hands and face with a mixture of glycerine and charcoal--the glycerine keeps the skin soft, and the charcoal shuts out the light.
It should be washed off every morning, and re-applied. Under no circ.u.mstances must the patient be allowed to scratch off the pocks.
MEASLES
Is an eruptive disease peculiar to children, slightly contagious, but not dangerous. It may commence with a slight chill, or not. The fever is usually attended with a slight cold, swollen watery eyes, and sneezing.
The first thing to be done is to bring out the rash, which is quickly done, by flus.h.i.+ng the colon, followed by a wet sheet pack, as in scarlet fever. When the eruption is out, nothing is needed but to keep the colon clean, and wash down daily with tepid water. In all eruptive diseases guard against taking cold--for a cold closes the pores of the skin, shutting up Nature's vent through which she is expelling the disease germs.
WORMS IN THE INTESTINES.
This exceedingly prevalent and troublesome complaint may be quickly and effectually relieved by colon injections, coupled with the J. B.
L. antiseptic tonic. It should be retained until the preparation has time to destroy or loosen the hold of the worms. Its action may be greatly accelerated by rubbing and churning the bowels.
INFANTILE CONVULSIONS OR FITS.
These spasms sometimes indicate the approach of one of the eruptive fevers, but usually the cause is the irritation of teething, or worms in the intestines. Although the appearance of a child under such conditions is painful, yet the danger is much less than appears.
Get the little sufferer into a hot bath as quickly as possible, and draw the blood to the skin, which will afford relief. Next, direct your attention to the bowels. If, as is exceedingly likely, worms are the cause, treat as for worms.
GALL STONES
Are the result of arrested secretion of bile, usually through congestion of the liver. Then the substances that form bile acc.u.mulate and solidify in granules. Hundreds of these continually pa.s.s off through the bowels unnoticed; but prolonged congestion causes them to cohere and form larger ma.s.ses, that, in pa.s.sing through the bile duct, cause intense pain, which is sometimes mistaken for appendicitis.
TREATMENT.
It is only in pa.s.sing, that their presence becomes known, when all that can be done is, to favor their pa.s.sage by copious fomentations of hot water and diligent use of the ”Cascade.” Sometimes it is impossible for the stone to pa.s.s, when it has to be removed surgically. The regular use of the ”Cascade” will prevent their formation. At the first symptoms of pain in the region of the liver, follow the directions for treatment of that organ, especially the exercises, and drink freely of olive oil.
Ma.s.sAGE, SHEET-PACKS, ETC.
Ma.s.sAGE,
Which is the application of motion and pressure to the body, is a most important factor in preserving or restoring health. It affords a sick person all the benefit to be obtained from exercise without the physical effort, which he is unable to exert. The sweat glands, capillaries, and lymph channels, which const.i.tute thousands of miles of tubing, in the body of a grown person, are, by carefully and systematically applied ma.s.sage, stimulated to action. The currents in these vessels are a necessity of life. When they are obstructed, weakness is the result; when they cease, decay and death ensue.
When we rub our hands or feet, we say the friction warms them; in reality it is the inner vessels which are stimulated, and bring more warm blood to the parts. If this process is extended over the whole available surface of the body, the most beneficial results will follow.
There are three recognized methods of application.
First--Rubbing, to stimulate the skin to action.
Second--Rolling, and pinching gently, also a kneading movement, used princ.i.p.ally to stimulate. the stomach, bowels, and muscular tissues.
Third--Percussion, or tapping with the ends of the fingers, softly-most effiacious in stimulating the action of the lungs.
Rub the surface first with a little palm oil, or vaseline. Use the tapping movement for the chest and back, the rubbing movement for the stomach and bowels, and the pinching or kneading movement for the limbs. In dyspepsia and constipation, great benefit is derived from ma.s.sage treatment of the stomach and colon--starting the movements in the right groin, where the colon commences, and following its course to its rectal extremity, (consult diagram). For rheumatism, sprains, etc., commence with hot oily applications.
Most people find ma.s.sage treatment to have a gentle, soothing effect.
Nearly all find their appet.i.te increased.