Dyspepsia.
This term is applied so loosely and so indiscriminately to all chronic derangements of the stomach, that it is difficult to define it. I shall therefore point out some of the more common ailments of the stomach and their proper remedies.
For sour eructations with hot, burning, scalding fluid rising up in the throat, with or without food, give Phos. acid and Pulsatilla in alternation every half hour, until the stomach is easy. For a feeling of weight and pain in the stomach, with dull pain in the head, with or without dizziness, give Nux. Vom. every hour until it relieves. If there is a burning feeling in the stomach as well as the heavy load, without eructations and rising of fluid, Arsenicum should be alternated with the Nux. Vom., at intervals of two hours. There are persons who, from imprudence in eating or drinking or both, or which is more frequent, from harsh drug medication, have so enfeebled their stomachs, that, though by care in selecting their food, and prudence in taking it, they may suffer but little, are, nevertheless, when from home or on special occasions, liable to overeat or take the wrong kind of food, from which unfortunate circumstance they are made to suffer the most tormenting and intolerable distress in the stomach and bowels, which may last, more or less severe, for several days. Soon after the unfortunate meal, perhaps the next morning, or, it may be, in a few hours, the stomach begins to bloat, by accumulating gas within, which is belched up every few minutes in large quantities; the stomach and bowels are racked with the most torturing pains; cold sweat stands on the brow, and he is the very picture of misery. Thus he may roll and tumble all night, and remain in misery the next day and several days longer, before the food will digest. It often passes from the stomach without digestion, and on its way through the bowels inflicts constant pain. If he does not take some emetic substance, he is not apt to vomit, his stomach cramping so as to prevent it.
I have here described one of the bad cases, but bad as it is they are by no means very rare. There are such cases in abundance, of all grades from the one here described down to a slight derangement. They all require a similar course of treatment.
It is useful for such patients to take at once large quantities of lukewarm water, and repeat the draught every ten to fifteen minutes, until free and thorough vomiting is induced, so as to throw off all the food from the stomach.
But even this does not often cure these bad cases. If it did, it is not always convenient to do it. The medicine that is quite certain to afford relief at once is Podophyllin. Let it be given, and the dose repeated in an hour. A third dose is rarely necessary. After relief from this attack, the medicine should be taken night and morning for a month or more until the stomach is restored. In the meantime care should be taken not to overload the stomach.
Constipation.
The medicine for this affection is Nux vom., to be taken at night on retiring. If there is fulness and pain in the head from costiveness, Bell. should be used in the morning, and at noon. Let the patient contract a habit of drinking cold water freely on rising in the morning, at least half an hour before eating. The patient should not take physic.
For constipation of children, Nux and Bryonia are to be given Nux at night and Bryonia in the morning. Opium is useful.
Much needless alarm is often felt by persons on account of a costive state of the bowels. If no pain is felt from it, there is no cause for alarm.