Indurations remaining after an abscess, may be frequently remedied by the application of a mercurial plaster, or cloths wet with the camphorated spirit, or rubbing the part, night and morning, with mercurial ointment, united with a little camphor.
Sometimes after the abscess heals, and the breast seems to be cured, it swells a little, especially towards night. This is from weakness, and is cured by strengthening the constitution.
Many women suffer more from this complaint than from all the various stages of pregnancy, labor, and delivery combined, and with whom broken breasts are an invariable attendant of confinement; they overlook all the other sufferings they have to undergo, and fix their dread and apprehension upon this. It is, therefore, all-important that inflammation of the breasts should not be permitted to take place, by proper precautionary measures, and this can, in all cases, be accomplished, by the mode of treatment pointed out in this work, which, as yet, has not been mentioned in any other, but of its invariable success there is not a shadow of doubt, as it has been tested under circumstances the most unfavorable, in cases where every confinement was attended with broken breasts, till this mode of treatment was had recourse to, and the patients, to their great surprise and joy, for the first time entirely escaped their uniform affliction. It is hoped the medical faculty will avail themselves of this invaluable mode of treatment, that hereafter inflammation of the breasts may be unknown, since prevention is so easy and practicable.
To prevent Inflamed or Broken Breasts.
This most desirable and important object is accomplished by covering the entire breasts with diachylon plaster (which can be obtained of every druggist, the machine-spread is preferable) rather tightly or closely put on, merely making a round hole (about the circumference of a dollar) for the nipple, sufficiently large not to interfere with the suckling of the infant, should it be put to the breast; and if not, it is not only unnecessary to draw the milk, but it would be advisable to refrain from it, even if a little pain or distension should supervene, as the milk is sure to find an outlet in the nipple. The plaster must be cut round and embrace and cover the entire of each breast, and should be put on within eight or ten hours after delivery, and before the milk threatens. The effect is to superinduce the flow of milk to the nipple, from which it freely and profusely flows, in no case requiring the application of stimulants to induce its discharge, and, by keeping the breasts in constant moisture, effectually prevents hardness by coagulation of milk. In ten days or thereabout the plasters can be taken off without inconvenience.
It is not too much to say that broken or inflamed breasts are impossible when this precautionary mode of treatment is adopted, as it has, in every instance, where it has been tested upon those who before were invariably afflicted with broken breasts, been attended with most triumphant success; and it has thus been put to the test in more than fifty instances to the writer’s personal knowledge. In communicating this important fact, therefore, he does so with the most thorough confidence that he is conducing to the amelioration of much suffering, and without assuming that this may not be known to others, he can only say that he has not met with any mention of it in any works to which he has had access. Should those, therefore, into whose hands this work may fall have a wife, or a relation, or a neighbor, who, heretofore, have been afflicted with inflamed or broken breasts, they would have it in their power to ameliorate, nay, prevent much suffering, which to the author of these lines will be a source of heartfelt satisfaction.
MANAGEMENT OF CHILDREN.
It is during infancy that the foundation of a good constitution is generally laid, and it is, therefore, important that parents be taught the best method of managing their offspring, in order to preserve their health. Great ignorance is manifested on this subject; it is owing to this that so many children sicken and die; and, furthermore, it is in consequence of this ignorance in our forefathers that the present generation have become so weak, sickly, and effeminate; and most of these evils may be imputed to errors in diet, regimen, mineral and depletive agents, &c. We have departed from the simplicity of nature, and we must, of course, suffer the penalty.
1st. On Diet.—If the mother or nurse has enough of milk, the child will need little or no food for the third or fourth month. It will then be proper to give it a little of some food that is easy of digestion once or twice a day; this will ease the mother, will accustom the child by degrees to take food, and will render the weaning both less difficult and less dangerous. All great and sudden transitions are to be avoided in nursing; for this purpose the food of children ought not only to be simple, but to resemble as nearly as possible the properties of milk: indeed, milk itself should make a principal part of their food, not only before they are weaned, but for some time after.
Next to milk we would recommend good bread, which may be given to a child as soon as it shows an inclination to chew; and it may at all times be allowed as much as it will eat. The very chewing of bread will promote the cutting of the teeth and the discharge of saliva, while, by mixing with the nurse’s milk in the stomach, it will afford an excellent nourishment.