Bloat

“ There is a train of symptoms characteristic of all scrofulous disease. The appetite may be altogether lost or feeble, or in extreme cases, voracious. In some instances there is an unusual disposition to eat fatty substances. The general derangement of the alimentary functions is indicated by a red, glazed or furrowed appearance of [pg 447] the tongue, flatulent condition of the stomach, and bloated state of the bowels, followed by diarrhea or manifesting obstinate constipation. Thirst and frequent acid eructations accompany the imperfect digestion. ”

“ I always am cautious when we first turn the cattle on alfalfa, seeing to it that they have a good fill on something else beforehand, and hold them at first on some part of the field where the mixed grasses are the thickest, so they can graze there first. In twenty minutes they will be safe to go where they wish, and may be allowed to run at will thereafter. I find, however, that on the clear alfalfa meadows there is almost no danger from bloat after the plants have begun to bloom. I usually have some hay stacked in the pastures, that the cattle may run to. ”

“ Soon these symptoms encrease. The peculiar soreness of the throat, which renders the swallowing liquids very painful, begins to create the utmost horror and dread of every thing that is liquid; and this first gives rise to the Hydrophobia, or dread of water, which compleats the patient’s misery in this terrible disorder.
The eyes become full and staring, the face bloated, florid intermixed with lividness; the mind is impaired; rage, lust and mischief, agitates the confused will ”

“ A temporary bloatedness may be obtained, especially with the young, by eating much farinaceous food, such as pancakes, etc., but it does not last, and is sure to bring on disease or sickness, or both.
Man is omnivorous, and must be fed accordingly. ”

“ The body is bloated and appears greatly increased in size from the development of gases within the abdomen, thorax, and scrotum, and also in the cellular tissue of the body generally. The swollen condition of the eyelids, lips, nose, and cheeks is usually of such extent as to obliterate the features and to destroy the identity of the body. ”

“ Cause.—Hoven is caused by various kinds of food which produce indigestion or fermentation and resultant gases in the rumen or paunch. When sheep are first turned into young clover, they eat so greedily of it that bloating frequently results. Turnips, potatoes and cabbage may also produce it. Middlings and corn meal also frequently give rise to it. In this connection it may be stated that an excessive quantity of any food, before mentioned, may bring on this disorder, or it may not be due to excessive eating but to eating too fast. Sometimes the quality of food is at fault. ”

“ When the body is perspiring freely, taking a large quantity of cold drink has often produced instant death.
Fluids taken into the stomach are not subject to the slow process of digestion, but are immediately absorbed and carried into the blood. This is the reason why drink, more speedily than food, restores from exhaustion. The minute vessels of the stomach inhale or absorb its fluids, which are carried into the blood, just as the minute extremities of the arteries open upon the inner surface of the stomach, and there exude the gastric juice from the blood. ”

“ A mustard plaster at the base of the brain with a hot foot-bath often helps. Some people by stroking the forehead and temples have the power to ease the pain, producing quiet and sleep. If the bowels are costive, salts should be taken to move them, or they can be moved by an enema, if salts are not at hand. If the stomach is full, or tastes sour, drink a lot of warm water and vomit, or produce vomiting by tickling your throat with your finger, after having taken a large quantity of warm water for sometimes warm water thus taken fails to cause vomiting. ”

“ In the mouth the water was almost instantly brought to body-temperature and its coolness was very agreeable to all the senses. I now rarely take any water except in very hot weather when perspiration is active and then only enough to quench thirst, excess giving discomfort and necessitating more perspiration. Water injures digestion by being taken with meals only because it is used to wash down food not yet prepared for the stomach. It is the unfit food that is carried down by it and not the water that does the harm. ”

“ Common Form.—At the moment of swallowing, a disagreeable taste and smell are generally experienced, and there may be immediate and intense pain in the throat, gullet, and stomach, and almost immediate retching and vomiting. The throat and tongue also may become swollen and painful; but in a considerable number of cases the symptoms are not at once apparent, but are delayed from one to six hours—rarely longer. The person’s breath may be phosphorescent before he feels in any way affected, and he may go about his business and perform a number of acts requiring both time and mental integrity. ”

“ The weak action of the heart, of course, causes the blood-pressure to diminish, and the heart stops in diastole. The voluntary muscles of the body are also weakened; the breathing is affected, partly from the action on the muscles. The temperature of the body is depressed (according to F. A. Falck’s researches) from 4·4° to 6·2°.
[805] L. Hermann (Lehrbuch der experimentellen Toxicologie) remarks that the vomiting must be considered as a reflex action from the inflammatory excitement of the digestive apparatus, especially of the stomach. ”

“ Sickness and vomiting is a frequent symptom in the beginnings of fever-fits, the muscular fibres of the stomach share the general torpor and debility of the system; their motions become first lessened, and then stop, and then become retrograde; for the act of vomiting, like the globus hystericus and the borborigmi of hypochondriasis, is always a symptom of debility, either from want of stimulus, as in hunger; or from want of sensorial power, as after intoxication; or from sympathy with some other torpid irritative motions, as in the cold fits of ague. ”

“ It is attended with languor of the stomach, nausea, and loathing of food, bringing on vomiting of bile or phlegm, anxiety, and pains in the stomach. All these symptoms arise, they say, from a sanguineous plethora, brought on by a suppression of the menstrual discharge. They, therefore, recommend a restricted diet, and moderate exercise when the woman was accustomed to it. When the humour which infests the stomach is of an acid, acrid, or saltish nature, they direct draughts of tepid water, to encourage vomiting; they forbid all sweet things; and recommend an old sub-astringent wine. ”

“ When impurities, however, exist in the stomach or bowels, the Kreuzbrunnen often causes sickness or disagreeable eructations, [196] and then some opening medicine should be taken. If this water causes a sense of distention, weight, or oppression at the stomach—or diarrhœa, or loss of appetite, it is a sign that the water is taken in too large quantity—or taken too fast—or taken too long—or, in fine, that it is not agreeing with the individual. Very often, however, it is more owing to errors of diet than to the nature of the waters that these phenomena occur. ”

“ Ragoczy.—A glass of this water taken fasting, causes a refreshing warmth in the stomach, followed by some degree of distention, with slight eructations of gas. The head next becomes affected, with a sense of pressure in the front, and even some degree of giddiness. If sufficient exercise be taken between each glass, a gentle perspiration occurs—the kidneys act more freely—and phlegm is expectorated from the mucous membrane of the air-passages. All these symptoms are generally followed by two or three actions on the bowels. ”

“ Would bathing myself with cold water over the region of the heart strengthen the muscles? Would you please suggest anything for strengthening heart. Are lemons or eggs injurious to the heart?
1. The throat symptoms indicate a dry, irritable, heated condition of the mouth and throat which, as the correspondent surmises, equally affects the stomach and the rest of the digestive organs. He should have a breakfast of fresh fruit only, take salads and grated raw roots with his meals and stop tea altogether. He can drink distilled water and vegetable or lemon drinks (unsweetened) instead. ”

“ Sixthly, Since vomiting is excited by disagreeable and painful impressions in the stomach, and requires the contraction of the diaphragm, and abdominal muscles, it agrees well with the notion, that sensory vibrations run into the neighbouring muscles for contracting them. I suppose also, that both orifices of the stomach are strongly contracted, previously to vomiting; and that the upper orifice, being most sensible, is contracted most strongly. Hence its power of contraction may be soon exhausted, and consequently it may open of itself in the action of vomiting. ”

“ In conclusion, what I have tried to show is, that the stomach is not the cause of the disorder, although generally the seat of it; that the organs irritated seem to be the semicircular canals of the ear, or the abdominal viscera, or both, which become full of blood and cause vomiting, which seems rather an effort of Nature to equalize the circulation than any desire on the part of the stomach to rid itself of its contents. ”

“ Pain in the stomach (which, in some of the cases, takes the form of violent cramp and vomiting) succeeds; the matters vomited may shine in the dark, and are often tinged with blood. Diarrhœa is sometimes present, sometimes absent; sleeplessness for the first night or two is very common. The pulse is variable, sometimes frequent, sometimes slow; the temperature in the morning is usually from 36·0° to 36·5°, in the evening 37° to 38°. ”

“ To prevent fainting for the future.—I would recommend early hours; country air and exercise; the stays, if worn at all, to be worn slack; attention to diet; avoidance of wine, beer, spirits, excitement, and fashionable amusements.
Sometimes the cause of a young lady fainting is either a disordered stomach or a constipated state of the bowels.
If the fainting have been caused by disordered stomach, it may be necessary to stop the supplies, and give the stomach, for a day or two, but little to do; a fast will frequently prevent the necessity of giving medicine. ”

“ Flatulence is an excessive formation of gas in the stomach and bowels leading to distension of the abdomen and the belching of gas, and often the bringing up of a sour, pungent, watery fluid.
Flatulence is seen in infants suffering from intestinal indigestion and the food is nearly always at fault. This condition is the result of the faulty digestion of the sugar and starches—particularly the starch—which should be immediately reduced. In such conditions the addition of a slight amount of some alkaline (such as soda, magnesia or lime water) to the food often produces good results. ”

“ Of all the Natural waters the power is, upon the whole, desiccant and calefacient; and they are peculiarly fitted for those of a humid and cold habit. The nitrous and saltish are beneficial to the head, to defluxions of the chest, to a watery stomach, to dropsies, to swellings after diseases, and to collections of phlegm. The aluminous are fitted for spitting of blood, vomiting from the stomach, immoderate menstrual discharges of women, and repeated miscarriages. The sulphureous are soothing and warming to the nerves, and relieve lassitude, but weaken and upset the stomach. ”

“ The slowly sipping of a single goblet of water will do more to alleviate thirst than the sudden gulping down of a gallon. It is more frequently the dryness of the mouth, during hot weather, than the want of the system, which calls for the supply of fluid. When larger quantities, moreover, are poured into the stomach than are required, that organ becomes oppressed mechanically by the distention, and the digestion is consequently weakened. ”

“ There are profuse sweats over the whole body, and particularly about the chest, the tongue is rough, expectoration saltish, bitter, or bilious, pains suddenly seizing the sides or shoulder-blades, frequent yawning, watchfulness, oppressed respiration, thirst after sleep, despondency of mind, coldness of the breast and arms, trembling of the hands. These symptoms may be relieved in the following manner: Procure vomiting after a moderate meal without medicine. Vomiting also when the stomach is empty will answer well ”

“ OF FLATULENCIES, OR WIND. All nervous patients, without exception, are afflicted with wind or flatulencies in the stomach and bowels, which arise chiefly from the want of tone or vigour in these organs. Crude flatulent aliment, as green peas, beans, coleworts, cabbages, and such like, may increase this complaint; but strong and healthy people are seldom troubled with wind, unless they either overload their stomachs, or drink liquors that are in a fermenting state, and consequently full of elastic air. ”

“ At the times of these inverted efforts of the stomach not only the lymphatics, which open their mouths into the stomach, but those of the skin also, are for a time inverted; for sweats are sometimes pushed out during the efforts of vomiting without an increase of heat. ”

“ An Emetic, a vomiting Medicine, excites the Act, or rather the Passion, the Convulsion of Vomiting, chiefly by the Irritation it gives to the Nerves of the Stomach; which Irritation produces a Spasm, a Contraction of this Organ. Now if in Consequence of this morbid or defective Texture of the Nerves, which constitutes the Vapours, those of the Stomach are excited to act with the same Violence, as in Consequence of taking a Vomit, the Patient will be agitated and worked by violent Efforts to vomit, as much as if he had really taken one. ”