The following remedies have proved invaluable:
Cimicifuga, 2d.—Sore, aching pain at base of brain, heat in top of head, boring pain in the eyeballs, aching in the limbs, restlessness. Six pellets every hour.
Ignatia, 2d.—Pain in forehead, nausea, fainting, depression of spirits. Pain relieved by lying down. Six pellets every two hours.
Sanguinaria, 3d.—Sick headache, worse from motion, noise or light, pain in back of head and running upward, dull, heavy pain in stomach. Six pellets every half hour.
Nux Vom., 2d trit.—Sick headache with vomiting, pains intermittent, feet cold, congestion, with pale face. Put one grain in six spoons of water, and take a spoonful every half hour.
Puls., 3d.—Pain in top of head, sharp pains in back and limbs. Six pellets every hour.
Gelseminum, 2d.—Pain in right side of head, running down the spine. One feels herself getting blind, pain relieved by tipping head backward, recurs periodically. Six pellets every half hour.
Heartburn is acidity of the stomach, caused by improper food or a failure in digestion. Avoid starchy foods, fats and meats. Avoid gravies. I know a lady who always has extreme acidity after partaking of chicken or turkey gravy, while nothing else has a similar effect. To remedy heartburn, take the meals entirely without drinking. The gastric juice that dissolves the food is not secreted until the liquids have passed from the stomach by absorption. Anything that lowers the tone of the stomach prevents it having power to perform both of these functions, consequently the food remains, to ferment and sour. If acidity is present, the gastric juice can be stimulated by eating a piece of burnt toast, or taking pulverized charcoal. Some, understanding this, make crackers containing charcoal. A few mouthfuls of these after the meal will answer the purpose.
Avoid a variety at one meal. Choose such articles as experience has proved to be best assimilated. Do not take magnesia, lime, soda, or any other alkaline for this trouble. They injure the mucous coat of the stomach, and the difficulty is more likely to recur another day. Drinking copiously of warm water may be resorted to, if the burning is severe. This will cause vomiting, and give relief. Abstain from food until the following day, and eat sparingly until the stomach has recovered a healthy tone.
Flatulence and colic arise from a failure of intestinal digestion. Many of the vegetables are inclined to cause flatulence: beans, sweet potatoes, and cabbage most frequently. Corn meal, oat meal, and rolled wheat will produce flatulence, if not thoroughly cooked. All of these require more time in preparation than is usually given. See chapter on Dietetics for proper cooking of these.