For use in cases of fainting or exhaustion it is well to keep aromatic spirits of ammonia on hand. Its bottle should have a rubber stopper. The dose is one-half to one teaspoonful, in a quarter to half a glass of water. Hot coffee and tea are also good stimulants, but the time necessary to prepare them makes it desirable to have aromatic
ammonia on hand. Household or ordinary ammonia must not be used as a substitute.
Olive oil, mustard, and baking soda may be brought from the kitchen when needed. It is assumed that vaseline, cold cream, hand lotion, talcum powder, and other toilet preparations will also be available.
Only a few appliances are necessary. Among them are a medicine glass, a teaspoon, clinical thermometer, hot water bag, fountain syringe, and an alcohol lamp in houses without gas or electric stoves. It is better not to buy other appliances until they are needed, particularly rubber goods since they deteriorate rapidly.
EXERCISES
- Why is it dangerous for persons without medical training to prescribe medicines? What is the especial danger of dosing oneself?
- What is meant by a habit-forming drug? Name all you can, and tell why they are peculiarly dangerous.
- What are the special objections to patent medicines?
- What precautions should be taken in order to administer medicine accurately? What precautions to avoid giving wrong medicines?
- How may some disagreeable medicines be made more palatable?
- Tell how to prepare and give a soapsuds enema.
- How should a fountain syringe be cared for? a throat spray?
- Describe methods for giving steam inhalations.
- Describe the equipment and care of a household medicine cupboard.
- What drugs is it well for a family to keep on hand? What appliances? What materials for first aid?
- How many drugs in addition to those prescribed by a physician have you or your family on hand at the present time? How many do you consider really necessary? Are any of these medicines used to remedy troubles that might be cured by sufficient attention to rest, exercise, diet, and fresh air?
FOR FURTHER READING
- Health and Disease—Roger I. Lee, Chapter VI.
- How to Live—Fisher and Fisk, Supplementary Notes, Sections IV, V.
- Scientific Features of Modern Medicine—Frederic S. Lee, Chapters III, VIII.
- The Human Mechanism—Hough and Sedgwick, Chapter XX.
- The Conquest of Nerves—Courtney.
- Primitive Psychotherapy and Quackery—Lawrence, Chapters I-V.
- Nostrums and Quackery—American Medical Association. (See especially "Cancer Cures" and "Consumption Cures.")
Footnotes:
[2] See "Nostrums and Quackery," p. 445.