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

surface atrophy. It is seen in men over forty who have worked hard, eaten freely, and taken alcohol to excess. They are conspicuous victims of the "strenuous life," the incessant tension of which is felt first in the arteries. After forty, in men of this class, nothing is more salutary than to experience the shock brought on by the knowledge of albumin and cast tubes in the urine.

Symptoms.—Perhaps a majority of the cases are latent (hidden) and are not recognized until the occurrence of one of the serious and fatal complications. There may have been no symptoms to suggest to the patient the existence of a dangerous malady. In other cases the general health is disturbed. The patient is tired, sleepless; he must get up two or three times at night to pass urine; the digestion is disordered, the tongue is coated; the patient complains of a headache, failing sight, and gets out of breath by exercising. There may be vomiting, headache, neuralgia, and increase of the quantity of urine is common. This is light in color, of low specific gravity, 1005 to 1012; frequently there is a trace of albumin and a few casts of the hyaline and granular kind. In the late stages the albumin may be increased with high specific gravity and a less quantity of urine. The disease often lasts for a year.

In the arterio-sclerotic variety the urine may be normal or diminished in quantity, specific gravity normal or increased, the casts are more numerous, and the albumin is usually more abundant. There is an enlargement of the heart; the pulse is increased in tension; the wall of the artery is thickened. The skin is usually dry, with eczema common, but dropsy is rare, except when it is due to heart failure. There may be bronchial and lung troubles; attacks of uraemia, or hard breathing caused by the heart, frequently occurs. There may be hemorrhage of the brain or hemorrhage of the membranes, and these are often fatal.

[160 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Recovery.—Chances are unfavorable, but life may be prolonged for years, especially with care and especially if it is discovered early.

Treatment.—A quiet life without mental worry, with gentle but not excessive exercise, and residence in a climate that is not changeable should be recommended. A business man must give up his worry; his rush; his hurried eating, and rest. The bowels should be kept regular; there should be a tepid water bath daily, and the kidneys should be kept acting freely by drinking daily a definite amount of either distilled water or some pleasant mineral water. Alcohol, tobacco, excessive eating and improper food must not be allowed. Weak tea and coffee may be allowed. The diet should be light and nourishing. Meat should not be taken more than once a day. If it is possible, the patient should be urged to move to a warm equable climate during the winter months, from November to April, like that of southern California. Medicines must be given to meet the indications. No special directions can be given. The heart, stomach, and bowels must be watched.

DIET as Allowed by a Prominent Hospital.—

May Take:—

Soups.—Broths with rice or barley, vegetable or fish soup.

Fish.—Boiled or broiled fresh fish, raw oysters, raw clams.

Meats.—Chicken, game, fat bacon, fat ham (sparingly).

Farinaceous.—Hominy, oatmeal, wheaten grits, rice, stale bread, whole wheat bread, toast, milk toast, biscuits, maccaroni.

Vegetables.—Cabbage, spinach, celery, water-cresses, lettuce, mushrooms, mashed potatoes, cauliflower, onions.

Desserts.—Rice and milk puddings, stewed fruits, raw ripe fruits.

Must Not Take:—

Fried fish, pork, corned beef, veal, heavy bread, hashes, stews, battercakes, lamb, beef, mutton, gravies, peas, beans, pastry, ice cream, cakes, coffee, tobacco, malt or spirituous liquors.

[KIDNEY AND BLADDER 161]

PYELITIS.—This is an inflammation of the pelvis of the kidney and may be caused by bacteria from the blood, or by ascending pus, infection or tuberculous infection from the lower tracts like the ureter, bladder and urethra.

Symptoms.—There is pain in the back, with tenderness and pressure, cloudy-looking urine, either acid or alkaline, containing pus, mucus, and sometimes red blood cells; chills, high fever, and sweating occur. This may become chronic and then it becomes quite serious. Anemia and emaciation are then marked. Mild cases usually recover; pus cases may end in other diseases or death from exhaustion.

Treatment. Diet.—In mild cases fluids should be taken freely, particularly the alkaline mineral water to which citrate of potash can be added. Tonics should be given when called for, and milk diet and buttermilk may be taken freely. When a tumor has formed, and even before, it is perceptible, if the symptoms are serious and severe, an operation may be necessary.

KIDNEY STONE. (Renal Calculus. Nephro-Leithiasis).—Forming of a stone or gravel in the kidney or its pelvis may occur in intra uterine, (before the child is born), in the womb, or at any age. A family tendency, sedentary life, excesses in eating and drinking and very acid urine predispose. They vary in size from that of fine sand to that of a bean.

Symptoms.—Patients may pass gravel for years without having an attack of renal (kidney) colic, and a stone may never lodge in the ureter. A person may pass an enormous number of calculi. Dr. Osler speaks of having had a patient who had passed several hundred kidney stones (calculi) with repeated attacks of kidney colic. His collection filled an ounce bottle. A patient may pass a single stone and may never be troubled again. A stone remaining in the kidney may cause dull aching pain in the affected kidney, or the pain may be referred to the other side and sometimes there may be blood or pus in the urine, with chill and fever due to pyelitis. Kidney (renal) colic comes on when a stone enters the ureter, if it is at all large. At attack may set in abruptly, without any apparent reason, or it may follow a strain in lifting. The pain may be agonizing in character, which starts in the flank of the affected side, passes down along the course of the ureter and is felt in the testicle and along the inner side of the thighs. The testicle is drawn back. The pain may also go through the abdomen and chest, and be very severe in the back. In severe attacks nausea and vomiting are present and the patient is collapsed; sweating breaks out in his face and the pulse is feeble and weak. The pain lasts from an hour to several days, until the stone reaches the bladder, partial suppression of the urine during the attack occurs, but a large quantity of urine is usually passed after it and a feeling of soreness may, be present for several days. The stone may again cause pain in passing through the urethra, or it may remain in the bladder as a nucleus for a bladder calculus (stone). Dr. Osler gives Montaigne's description as follows; "Thou art seen to sweat with pain, to look pale and red, to tremble, to vomit well nigh to blood, to suffer strange contortions and convulsions, by starts to let tears drop from thine eyes, to urine thick, black and frightful water, or to have it suppressed by some sharp and craggy stone that cruelly pricks and tears thee."

[162 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Treatment.—Great relief is experienced in the attacks by the hot baths or fomentations which sometimes are able to cause the spasm to relax. If the pain is very severe morphine should be given by the hypodermic method and inhalations of chloroform given until morphine has had time to act. Local applications are sometimes grateful,—hot poultices or cloths wrung out of hot water may be helpful. Cloths wrung out of steaming hop, wormwood, or smartweed teas, are of benefit sometimes. Change of position often gives relief; when the stone is large an operation may be needed. The patient should drink freely of hot lemonade, soda water, barley water. When the patient is free from the attack, he should live a quiet life and avoid sudden exertion of all kinds. There should be a free passage of urine always. The patient should drink daily a large but definite quantity of mineral, or distilled water which is just as satisfactory. You may take the citrate or bicarbonate of potash. Mineral springs are good to visit, such as Saratoga, Hot Springs, Arkansas, etc. Abstain from alcohol and eat moderately. Live an open-air life with plenty of exercise and regular hours. The skin should be kept active; a cold friction bath in the morning is good, if one is strong; but if he is weak and debilitated the evening warm bath should be substituted. The patient should dress warmly, avoid rapid alterations in temperature, and be careful not to allow the skin to become suddenly chilled.

Diet.—Most persons over forty eat too much. One should take plenty of time to eat, and not too much meat should be eaten.

"Queen of the Meadow."—The Indians used this medicine quite frequently in the treatment of kidney and bladder troubles. A lady, whom I know well, told me that she had a cousin who was affected with the kidney stone colic. At one time, when he was suffering from an attack, an Indian happened in their home and saw him suffering. He went into the meadow and dug some of this remedy and made a tea of it. It seemed to do the work, for while he gave it, the pain was eased and he never had any more attacks. I give this for what it is worth. The remedy will certainly do no harm for it is a good diuretic.

INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER. (Cystitis). Causes.—It may occur from injury from passing a catheter, etc., from the use of drugs like cantharides, from the presence of a stone, from stricture of the urethra and from gonorrhea or cold.

Symptoms.—The urine is passed more frequently, sometimes the desire to pass the urine is almost constant. The distress is relieved for only a few minutes by passing the urine; sometimes only a few drops are passed, and it gives no relief from the desire for passing urine. The straining is extremely severe. Sometimes the patient will lean over the vessel quivering with the muscular effort to pass urine. The bowels often move at the same time from the straining. The urine becomes thick with much mucus, then scanty, and then tinged with blood.

[KIDNEY AND BLADDER 163]

BLADDER TROUBLE. Mothers' Remedies. 1. English Oil of Sandal Wood for.—"Get one ounce of the pure English oil of sandal wood, take four drops three times a day in a little water. As you urinate more freely reduce the dose. This is a splendid remedy."

2. Bladder Trouble, Effective Herb Teas for.—"Make a tea of half ounce of buchu leaves, half ounce of uva ursi leaves (barberry leaves), one pint of boiling water. Dose: Two or three tablespoonfuls three times a day, or may drink quite freely." A tea made of cornsilk is a common and standard remedy.

Treatment.—Remove cause if possible. Fomentations of hops, smartweed, wormwood are good, even hot water over the bladder. Hot hip bath is good, and also the warm foot bath. The bowels should be kept open with saline laxatives. Buchu tea is very good. Use about one-half ounce of the leaves to a pint of warm water and let it steep, not boil. Drink freely of this. Pumpkin seed tea or watermelon seed tea is good, also flaxseed tea. Dr. Hare recommends the following at the beginning if there is fever:

    Tincture of Aconite 3 drams
    Sweet Spirits of Nitre 1 ounce
    Solution of Citrate of Potash enough to make 6 ounces

Mix.

Give a dessertspoonful every four hours until all fever ceases and the pulse is quiet. The patient should be kept quiet.

Diet.—Should be milk only.

CHRONIC INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER.—Causes.—It follows repeated attacks; partial retention of urine in the bladder, decomposing there; Bright's disease, inflammation of the urethra, injury, etc.

Treatment.—Wash out the bladder with pure warm water or water containing about one to two teaspoonfuls of boric acid to the pint of warm water. This should be given once or twice a day; or enough permanganate of potash can be put into the water to give the water a tinge of the color. An injection of golden seal, one teaspoonful to the pint of warm water, is good if there is much mucus. The best way to give the irrigation is to attach a small funnel to a soft rubber catheter and fill the bladder by raising the funnel when full of water above the patient's belly; or you can attach the rubber tube