Some advise rubbing the bowels with castor oil, getting thereby the aperient effect, without the irritation of an internal dose.
Do not begin by giving a little baby aperient drugs. Chevasse says: “If you once begin, and continue it for a while, opening medicine becomes a dire necessity, and then woe betide the poor unfortunate child.”
Purgative medicines irritate beyond measure the tender organs of an infant and ordinarily result in constipation.
Diarrhea of infants is nature’s first method of removing obstructions and overcoming derangements of the system, and in nine cases out of ten should not be interfered with.
The natural movements are usually thin, and of a bright orange color. One author describes them as being of the “consistence and color of mustard mixed for the table.” They are nearly devoid of smell, or at least have only a faint, disagreeable odor. Many children at first have from three to six movements in a day. If they should increase to from six to twelve and still not change materially in consistence, color or odor, there is no cause for uneasiness.
Many an attack of sickness is the result of checking a diarrhea with opiates and astringents. If the discharges become watery, green, attended with griping, or streaked with mucus or blood, are of an ashen or chalk color, or if they have undigested curds of milk, then they demand attention. Above all, keep the child quiet and apply heat. The hot water bottle is most excellent. An enema of hot water often gives entire relief without the use of other remedies. I have known large families of children, in which for years no other means was used for the successful control of this disease.
Dysentery is indicated by mucus and blood with straining. It is an inflammation of the rectum and large intestines. Warm flaxseed tea injections after the discharge give great relief. Compresses should be put on the bowels for an hour or two at a time, three or four times a day.
A general pack is exceedingly helpful where fever attends this or other affections.
To pack a child, remove all its clothing, put on its nightdress, lay in the crib on a woolen blanket: wet the nightdress in tepid water, using a sponge, put a hot bottle to the feet.
Wrap the child closely in the blanket and be sure reaction takes place. Let it lie in this one hour, when it should be sponged carefully and wiped dry. This pack is indicated in any disease of children where there is sufficient fever and heat to produce reaction. Remember, the simplest measures are often the most effectual. (The above suggestions are equally valuable in giving packs to adults.)