Mother's Remedies - Thomas Jefferson Ritter (guided reading books .txt) 📗

the baking soda relieves any gas in the stomach that may be causing the trouble.

4. Cramps in Stomach, Oil of Peppermint for.—"Put a few drops of peppermint in a glass of warm water. Take a teaspoonful every few minutes until relieved." This is an old time-tried remedy our grandmothers used to use and can be relied upon.

5. Cramps in Stomach, Mustard Poultice and Eggs for.—"Make a mustard poultice with whites of eggs instead of water, and apply same to bowels. Give a teaspoonful of blackberry tea every fifteen or twenty minutes until relieved." The poultice acts as a counter irritant and will almost always relieve the cramps without further medicines.

6. Pains in Stomach, Hot Plate for.—"Hot plate laid on stomach. Use the heavy English made plates, common to us in Canada, as they will hold heat longer."

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 105]

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Chronic Gastritis.—Most cases can be cured if the patient is willing to do the proper thing in eating and drinking and regulating the habits. It takes time to cure such cases, and plenty of grit and courage and "stick" on the patient's part. Remember it has been a long time coming, longer than it will be going if the patient does right. Diet and habits must be corrected. You cannot help the trouble if you put into the stomach what has caused it. We eat too much fat and too much improper and improperly cooked foods, our bread, etc., is half baked. Gravies are rich and greasy, everything is highly seasoned, very much like the life we lead.

Diet.—A regular time for eating and no eating between meals. Do not eat too much or too fast, or anything that you know disagrees with you. Fried foods are generally harmful, pies, cakes, hot breads, strong tea and coffee and alcohol, gravy and highly spiced foods; vinegar pickles, preserves, etc., are generally bad. If there is acid belching gas on stomach, the starch foods should be restricted, particularly potatoes and the coarser vegetables. Potatoes fried in lard or butter are always bad unless you are a hard physical worker. Dr. Osler, England, says breads, pancakes, pies, and tarts, with heavy pastry and fried articles of all sorts, should be strictly prohibited. As a rule, white bread toasted is more readily digested than bread made from the whole meal. Sometimes graham bread is better. Sugar and very sweet articles of food should be used in great moderation or avoided altogether. Ice cream frequently aggravates it. Soda water is a great dyspepsia producer. Fats, except a little good butter, very fat meats, and thick greasy soups and gravies should be avoided.

Ripe fruits are good in some cases. Bananas generally are not digested.
Berries are frequently harmful. Milk is splendid diet for some people.

Cautions.—The bowels must be kept "moving" every day, try to do it by dieting, rubbing the abdomen and exercise. Bathing the abdomen in cool water is good. Go to the closet at a regular time every day and try to have a passage, as this helps. Never put off going to stool when nature calls. Dyspepsia is frequently made worse by constipation. Seek good cheerful company. Do not worry over your condition. By care and diet you will soon be all right.

Home Treatment.—1. Drink a glass of cold water an hour before breakfast, or hot water if it agrees better with you.

2. Do not eat much meat.

3. If the stomach wants tone, bitter tonics, like quassia, gentian, cardanum are good, even if drank as teas. When the tongue is coated with a white thick fur, golden seal is good. Medicines are not as essential as care and diet.

4. Charcoal in small doses is good for' a "gassy" stomach.

5. If a bitter tonic is needed the following is good:

    Bicarbonate of Soda 1 dram
    Tincture of Nux Vomica l to 2 drams
    Compound tincture of Gentian, enough for 3 ounces

Mix and take one teaspoonful to a dessert spoonful before meals.

[106 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

NERVOUS DYSPEPSIA.—This is acquired from over work, worry, excitement, hurried or irregular meals, or inherited. It shows itself in all sorts of symptoms and they must be met as they come. Diet the same as for general dyspepsia, never eat when you are tired, rest after eating.

ULCER OF THE STOMACH AND DUODENUM (Upper part of bowel).—Round or perforating ulcer. The stomach ulcer is most common in women of twenty or thirty; servant girls, shoemakers, and tailors are frequently attacked. Ulcer of the duodenum is usually in males and may follow large superficial burns. The ulcer in the stomach is usually situated near the pylorus (small end) and in the first portion of the duodenum.

Symptoms.—Pain, local tenderness, vomiting and bleeding. These may not show until perforation or bleeding occurs. Distress after eating, often nausea and vomiting of very acid fluid, loss of weight and lack of blood.

Pain in the region of the stomach and the back is the most constant symptom. It is usually sharp, increased at once by food, relieved by vomiting. The tender spot can be located. Bleeding occurs in about one-half the cases and is usually profuse, bright red and fluid; if retained in the stomach the blood becomes clotted and brown. Tar-like stools when there is blood in the bowels. They usually recover under treatment, but may recur.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT FOR ULCER OF THE STOMACH.—1. Rest in bed most of the time for several months.

2. Feed by the rectum at first in severe cases, then peptonized or plain milk or buttermilk (three to four ounces) every two hours, some adding eggs, chicken, scraped beef and farinaceous food, made of: rice, flour, corn, potatoes, etc.

CANCER OF THE STOMACH.—Usually occurs after the age of forty.

Symptoms.—Indigestion for a few months; lack of blood and loss of weight. Well marked case shows the following symptoms:—Distaste for food, nausea, irregular vomiting, especially in cases where it is located near the pylorus—the opening between the stomach and the small intestine—usually one hour or more after eating; bleeding rarely profuse, usually of "coffee-ground type," dragging, gnawing or burning pain in the region of the stomach, back, loins or shoulders, usually increased by food; progressive loss of weight and strength; peculiar sallow look, skin pale or yellowish.

Course.—The person usually dies in twelve to eighteen months, sometimes in three to four months.

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 107]

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT of Cancer of the Stomach and Bowels.—There is no cure for this trouble except by an operation. This must be done early; even this may not cure but it, at least, prolongs life and makes the patient more comfortable while life does last. In the line of medicine the only thing to do is to give only such remedies as will ease the symptoms.

Diet.—Attend to this also and you will save pain and distress. Every case should be treated as it needs and no special directions can be given here.

BLEEDING FROM THE STOMACH.—(Haematemesis).

Causes.—Cancer and ulcer of the stomach are main causes of excessive bleeding; poisons also cause it; injuries also.

Symptoms.—The vomited blood may be fluid or clotted; it is usually of dark color. The longer it remains in the stomach the darker it becomes. There may be great weakness and faint feeling on attempting to rise before a vomiting of blood. The contents of the bowels when passed look "tarry."

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Bleeding of the Stomach.—Absolute rest in bed is necessary. The bowels should be moved by an enema and it can be repeated carefully as often as necessary. Cracked ice in bag over the stomach. If the patient vomits much medicine is useless. They generally recover with rest. The extremities can be bandaged if there is great weakness and also external heat can be applied if there is a tendency to faintness.

Caution.—A person so afflicted, if he has ulcer, must be careful of his diet for months after an attack. He should be careful not to lift, over work, over eat or worry.

NEURALGIA OF THE STOMACH (Cardialgia, Gastralgia, Gastrodynia).—
This is a severe pain in paroxysms in the region of the stomach.

Causes.—The patients are of a nervous type. They may have anemia, exhaustion from sickness and bleedings, the menstruation be at fault. Grief, worry and anxiety.

Symptoms.—The attack comes suddenly as a rule. The pains are agonizing in the stomach region, they may dart to the back or pass around the lower ribs. The attack lasts from a few minutes to an hour or two. It does not depend upon the food taken.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Neuralgia of the Stomach.—The causes should be understood and especial treatment given for them. The patients are usually run down and a tonic treatment is needed. Constipation and menstrual troubles should be cured, worry, trouble and anxiety, if possible, be removed. The following is good for nervous patients:—

    Valerianate of zinc 18 grains
    Valerianate of quinine 18 grains
    Iron Arsenate 2 grains

Mix and make into eighteen pills and take one after meals.

[108 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Bitter tonics can be taken such as gentian, columbo, quassia. Change of air and scene may be needed. Sometimes morphine must be given for the attack. A physician should do this. If there is much gas, soda and peppermint are good.

DIARRHEA:—Causes.

(a) Improper or excessive food, including green or over-ripe fruit.

(b) Poison substances; such as decomposed milk or meat either fresh or canned: or caused by arsenic, mercury or colchicum.

(d) Exposure to cold, wet or draughts.

(c) Stomach disorder, preventing thorough digestion.

(e) Extension of inflammation from other organs.

Symptoms.—Sudden colicky pain in the bowels, moving about with rumbling noises. The pain is not constant and is followed at intervals with a sudden extreme desire to empty the bowels. The stools may be four to twenty a day, watery or gruel-like in appearance and they sometimes contain mucus or undigested food. The stools usually relieve the pain for the time. It usually lasts two or three days or longer.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES.—Diarrhea.—1. "Wild Sage Tea." Wild sage tea is a very good remedy for bowel trouble because of its astringent virtues. Before the sage is used, however, the bowels should be thoroughly cleansed with castor oil or salts.

2. Diarrhea, Egg and Nutmeg for.—"Beat up an egg, grate in half a nutmeg and sweeten to taste. Repeat two or three times during the day. Remarks: Has been known to help in chronic cases when doctors' medicine failed."

3. Diarrhea, Scorched Flour and Sugar for.—"Scorched flour in boiled milk or scorched flour and sugar eaten dry is very good. This is a simple but a never failing remedy if taken right at the beginning of the trouble."

4. Diarrhea, Excellent Compound for.—

    "Paregoric 1 ounce
    Tincture of Camphor 1/2 ounce
    Tincture of Ginger 1/2 ounce
    Tincture of Red Pepper 1/2 ounce
    Essence of Peppermint 1/2 ounce
    Ether 1/2 ounce

    Mix.—Dose for adult, one teaspoonful to four of water every two hours
    if necessary. This is an excellent remedy."

5. Diarrhea, Spice Poultice for.—"Make a poultice of all kinds of ground spices, heat whisky and wet the poultice, apply to the stomach and bowels."

6. Diarrhea, Blackberry Root Tea for.—"One-half ounce blackberry root boiled in one pint water fifteen minutes, strain. Dose.—One teaspoonful every hour or two until relieved."

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 109]

7. Diarrhea, Hot Milk, for.—"A glass of sweet milk that has been boiled well. Drink hot; use several times daily until checked."

8. Diarrhea, Castor Oil for.—"Castor oil. Dose.—One to four teaspoonfuls according to age. Wrap warm flannel around abdomen."

9. Summer Complaint, Former Canadian's Remedy for.—"Eat one blossom of the May weed every hour or two until relieved. This remedy came from Port Huron and has been used by my father with success."

10. Summer Complaint, a Goderich Lady Found this Good for.—"Powdered rhubarb, cinnamon, baking soda (one tablespoonful of each), dissolve in one pint of boiling water, add one