anon

“ A teaspoonful of laudanum may be added to the injection in the case of an adult, 5 to 16 drops to an infant. Dysentery is a very troublesome disease, and when once established is very intractable, leaving the subject after recovery in a weak languid state, and liable to a relapse on any impropriety on his part. Hence the necessity of attention to the first symptoms. Roll of flannel worn round the bowels is a good precautionary measure, and the utmost attention to diet, which ought to be principally animal. ”

“ When will the fair sex of these islands abandon this monstrously absurd practice so fraught with evil? not, we suspect, till a few spirited females will resolve to be singular, and discard tight-lacing as a species of suicide! ”

“ The consequence of this prudential arrangement has been, that hundreds, if not thousands of cases of the incipient disease, have been checked in the bud, which, had it been allowed to go on, would have ended in all the dreadful symptoms of genuine cholera. Would persons only be persuaded to attend to their bowels the instant they are affected with purging, so as to get this checked, the result would be, that there would not be a single death from cholera. ”

“ Observations.——Burns are of frequent occurrence, and all families should have a supply of carded cotton, sweet oil, linseed oil, and lime water, particularly when any of their number are exposed to burning, such as engineers, smiths, &c. The great matter, in cases of burning, is prompt application of the remedy; any simple thing that is soft, and keeps a regular temperature, is answerable ”

“ Observations.——If costive bowels, an injection of castor oil and turpentine, a tablespoonful of the former and a teaspoonful of the latter, with thin gruel. Should the pain continue violent, a mustard poultice may be applied over the belly, also 40 to 50 drops of laudanum given. Persons subject to the attacks of colic ought to be careful what they eat and drink, avoiding acid, unripe fruits, or insufficiently cooked vegetables, also fermented drinks ”

“ Persons liable to difficult breathing cannot be too careful to have their feet comfortably clad, avoid night air and all irregularities; they ought to keep their bowels open with castor oil repeating the dose frequently. A Burgundy pitch plaster between the shoulders is often of much benefit.
BILE IN THE STOMACH.
Causes.——Indigestible food, costive bowels, obstruction in the liver or gall ducts that convey the bile to the stomach; also, increased action of the liver, which causes an overflowing of bile into the stomach.
Symptoms. ”

“ Intemperance, and all irregularities in living, deficiencies in food or clothing, want of cleanliness in house or person, the use of impure water, or accumulations of filth near dwelling, predispose to this, as in fact to almost every other disease. ”

“ Symptoms.-The first and easily curablo stage, is simple looseness of the bowels, which precedes the attack of the real cholera sometimes for some days, going off and returning alternately, till the purging become copious, and the matter passed resembles thin gruel, then vomiting a similar fluid. After this has continue for a longer or shorter period, the extremities become cold, which extends gradually over the whole body, till it has the cold feel of a corpse. ”

“ It is worthy of notice that temperate people who drink plentifully of pure water, are seldom troubled with this malady. (See Remarks on Acid in the Stomach.)
GRIPES IN INFANTS.
Causes.——Irritating matter in the bowels, flatulence, &c.
Symptoms.——Child screams violently, twists itself on nurse's arm; belly hard, sounds like a drum when tapped upon.
Treatment.——Give a teaspoonful of magnesia or castor oil, with from 2 or 3 drops of laudanum, or 10 drops aromatic spirit of hartshorn in water. ”

“ Symptoms.——Commences with sneezing, watery redness over cyes, pain in head, hoarse cough, increased hcat, then small darkish red spots over body.
Treatment.——Measles is in general a mild disease, requiring little treatment besides keeping the patient moderately warm. The apartment ought to be darkened, and the patient have plenty of fluid to drink.
Observations.——When inflammatory symptoms run high, bleeding with leeches; when eruption is repelled, the hot bath with mustard. Whiskey and sulphur is an old and a popular, but a very questionable remedy employed for striking out the rash. ”

“ Observations.—— Acidity in infants at the breast arises very frequently from the mother’s milk, and is best corrected by attention to herself, by avoiding indigestible food, and taking an anti-acid, such as carbonate of soda, or magnesia, once or twice a day; also to take a larger portion of animal food. Infants brought up with the spoon are peculiarly liable to acid, and require, if bowels are bound, a little magnesia, or if there be a looseness, chalk mixture occasionally mixed with their food. The green colour of the stools in infants, is an infallible proof of the presence of acid. ”

“ The heat of the skin keeps up the temperature of the water, so as to retain a soft covering of vapour around it. If the burn be deep, however, it may be requisite to poultice it till the dead part separate, and then dress it as a common sore, with hogs' lard or Turuer's eerate spread upon a linen cloth, &c. ”

“ Observations.——Persons who live much on potatoes are found very liable to asthma, particularly if their employment be sedentary ; also, persons exposed to sudden changes in the temperature, such as out of warm to a cold, or cold to a warm atmosphere. Persons who live mostly on vegetables such as potatoes, ought to substitute animal food. ”

“ Treatment.——Carded cotton, when put to a burn at the commencement, will often prevent its bad effects, and if allowed to remain will sometimes render other treatment unnecessary. Sulphur sprinkled on the surface, and sweet oil poured over it, has a soothing effect. Carron oil, which consists of equal parts of lime water and linseed oil, being frequently poured over the burn, or a linen cloth dipped in the mixture and laid over it, is a favourite remedy with many. ”

“ The reason for this is their more susceptible organization, but a frequent cause is wearing tight stays, a practice which, while deforming the natural symmetry of the figure, exercises a most prejudicial influence on the health, and should be reprobated as much as the women of China crushing their feet into the compass of an ordinary snuff-box. ”

“ Symptoms.——The symptoms depend upon the cause; one resembles measles, another the itch, and a third consists of large loose scabs on the forehead and face.
Treatment.——The utmost attention to cleanliness is indispensable; if bowels are costive, give a teaspoonful of magnesia; when the rush is present, keep the child moderately warm to prevent it striking in. ”

“ Symptoms.——Purging of copious watery feculent matter, accompanied with nausea, griping pains, and flatulence.
Treatment.——A brisk purge of castor oil, or tincture of rhubarb with 20 drops of laudanum to carry off offensive matter; then chalk mixture, with a few drops of laudanum.
Observations.—— If looseness continue, calomel and chalk in small doses 3 times daily; bread and milk boiled, as diet. In long continued looseness, the use of astringents, such as tincture of catechu or kino.—— N.B. A flannel roller around bowels is useful, &c. ”

“ Causes.——Habitual costiveness; hard riding; straining at stool; the use of aloctie purgatives, &c.
Symptoms.——Small hard tumours at the verge of the anus, causing much pain, which is increased by active cxereise or straining at stool; oceasionally discharge of blood from anus.
Treatment.——Rest in recumbent posture; laxitive mcdicines, such as sulphur and cream of tartar, a teaspoonful of each, taken each night in treacle, or chew bit of rhubarb root; anoint with pile ointment, the best consists of five grains of gallic acid to an ounce of lard. ”