Papers on Health

by John Kirk

Again, the locality of the dryness causing thirst indicates the best method of quenching it. If only the mouth and tongue be dry, then it will be sufficient to wash out the mouth with the water, or acid drink, not swallowing, so as to avoid unnecessary loading of the stomach. If throat and mouth are cool, and only the stomach burns, then the cold towel above that is the best treatment.

There is no need, except in very special cases, for iced water. Tap water is generally cool enough, unless stored in heated cisterns. In this case a little ice may be used to bring it down to a temperature of 45 deg. or so, but not below 40 deg.

Throat Hoarseness.—This is best treated by a good large bran poultice (see) on the back of the head and neck. While the patient lies on this, cold towels must be changed on the front above the "apple" of the throat. Do this for an hour twice a day. Or, if the feet be cold, give treatment as in Teething. There must also be rest from talking. Procure a good camel's-hair throat-brush from the druggist, and brush the back of the throat well with weak acetic acid (see) several times a day, or simply gargle if there is difficulty with the brushing. The brush must be carefully cleansed, and dipped in the strong acid after use.

Especially is it necessary to give up, in such cases, the use of tobacco. Where the trouble has lasted for years, it may be slow to heal, and the poulticing may be done only once a week. In ordinary cases, a day or two's treatment should cure.

Many times we have seen a good fomentation of feet and legs alone give very sensible relief. Never be satisfied with putting a hot bottle or brick to the feet. This is a lazy way of dealing with a serious case. Have the feet and legs up to the knees rubbed with vinegar and olive oil, and wrapped in a large blanket fomentation. It is not the mere dry skin of the soles of the feet that needs warming: the whole legs, especially the muscles, require the moist heat of a thorough fomentation. Circulation is at once accelerated just where it is wanted, so as to lessen the pressure where the vital stream is pressing too heavily and lodging in a dangerous congestion. It is good even if the feet are not very cold, but only cool, to ply this part of the remedy well. Where the patient is strong enough to sit out of bed, a good hot foot-bath will do instead of this fomentation.

Throat, Sore.—The first question in any case of sore throat, is, What is the temperature of the patient? (see Heat, Internal). If this cannot be ascertained, at least we can say whether the patient is feverish or not.

Let us first take the case where there is no fever. Get the patient warmly to bed. Foment (see Fomentation) carefully all round the neck, first rubbing on a little olive oil. Renew the fomentation every five minutes for three-quarters-of-an-hour at least. Allow rest for an hour. Then foment thoroughly the feet and legs up over the knees. When this is done, and the heat kept up, cool the throat with constant fresh cold towels. Let this go on for an hour. Finally sponge the whole body with warm vinegar. Rub lightly over with olive oil, dry, and allow to rest. Probably the throat will be cured. If not, repeat the treatment the following day.

Where there is fever with the sore throat, first make sure whether the feet are hot or cold. If cold, put on fomentations as above. Even if the feet are only cool this should be done. While the feet and legs are thus fomented thoroughly, change cold towels on the throat every three minutes for an hour. Sponge all over as above directed, and allow to rest. If the feet are hot, cold towels alone are applied to the throat; but if the feet get at all chilled while such cooling is going on, they must be fomented.

If there is vomiting and sickness along with the sore throat, the other symptoms of scarlet fever should be looked for, and medical aid obtained if possible.

But here is a case where the most experienced eye, aided by the best possible instrument, sees nothing wrong in the throat itself, but the cough and difficulty of breathing point to the throat. The trouble is not there, but in the roots of the nerves by which vital energy is supplied to the windpipe and other vocal organs. You must go to the back of the neck, and to the back between the upper parts of the shoulders, and there affect the roots that are really in a state of distressing over-action. If you are skilful enough in applying cold, and your patient has plenty of general warmth, you need nothing more than a cold towel, changed pretty often, and nicely pressed over the proper parts. If this fails, have recourse to a cloth with mustard spread like thin butter on it, say about six inches broad and a foot long. Lay this gently on the spine at the back of the neck, and down as far as it goes. Apply your cold compresses now over this as well as you can, and the violent spasmodic symptoms will be mitigated. If one trial is not sufficient, sprinkle the cold cloth with cayenne. If the result can be reached by the cold cloth alone, it will be best. If mustard or cayenne must be applied, observe very carefully that they should never distress the patient. As much as can be borne quite easily, and no more, should be employed. Whenever a remedy becomes seriously distressing, we may be pretty sure it has ceased to be remedial, for the time at least.