If the skin give signs, by dryness and hardness, that it is out of order, instead of treatment with the bran poultice, the soapy blanket (see) may be applied on the first night. The patient may on other nights be lathered with soap (see Lather; Soap), and the soapy cloth worn on the back for a night or two, sponging all over with hot vinegar in the morning.
Where the veins by bursting have caused sores, treat with weak vinegar as directed for Ulcers, and after each acid soaking, bandage the whole limb (putting lint on the sores and dressing them properly) with an ordinary surgical bandage, just so tightly as to give relief, and not tight enough to cause any pain. Over-pressure injures. This treatment, with the necessary rest, will in most cases effect a cure in a few weeks.
Vomiting.—In many cases of severe illness, the stomach rejects all food, and the patient comes near to dying of simple starvation. On the slightest nourishment being taken, retching and vomiting ensue, the stomach being irritated beyond all possibility of its doing its work. This occurs in cancer and ulcers in the stomach, as well as in various disorders and stomach inflammations.
"Rum and milk," "claret," and all alcoholic drinks are most injurious in such cases, and should never be given. To soothe the irritation, the stomach should be soaped in the same manner as recommended in Head, Soaping the (see also Lather). We have seen, even in very bad cases of cancer, such an application cause all retching to cease almost at once. When this has been carefully and gently done, give exceedingly small quantities at first, of infants' food, or milk and boiling water. To give any "rich" things is a fatal mistake. Oatmeal jelly may be given also, but beginning with a teaspoonful at a time (see Assimilation; Digestion; Nourishment). By gradually working up the amount, a patient's life may be saved on this simple oatmeal jelly which would be lost if richer things were given. Often the stomach rejects food simply because it is surfeited. It may be that the liver is out of order, having had too much to do. Abstinence from food for a day or two, and then reducing the meals to two, taken, say, between 10 and 11, and 5 and 6 o'clock, will greatly help. Masticate the food till it is reduced to a liquid, in this state the quantity required will be wonderfully reduced and the work of the stomach lessened.
Water, Hot.—The frequent prescription in these papers of hot water, to be taken often in small quantities, makes it of importance that some explanation of its action should be given.
We see, frequently, such a thing as this: a person is confined to bed, sick and ill; there is no desire for food, but rather a loathing at the very idea of eating; distressing symptoms of various sorts are showing that the work of digestion and assimilation is going on badly, if really going on at all. The patient is started on a course of hot water in half-teacupfuls every ten minutes. When this has gone on for perhaps six or seven hours, he begins to be very hungry, and takes food with relish, probably for the first time for months past. In the meantime a greatly increased quantity of water has passed from the body one way and another, but has all passed loaded with waste material. The breath is loaded with carbonic acid and other impurities; the perspiration is loaded with all that makes it differ from pure water; the urine, especially, is loaded with waste separated from the blood and tissues of the body. The space, so to speak, left vacant by all this washing away of waste matter makes its emptiness felt by a call upon the stomach to furnish fresh material. Some will say that the hot water merely passes off by the kidneys without entering the circulation at all. This is impossible, and facts, patent to everyone, demonstrate that they are in error. The substances with which the water becomes impregnated show that it has been mingled with the circulation, and the wholesome effects produced prove that it has made itself useful.
"Hard" water, as it is called, will not do so well as "soft" water. Distilled water is best of all. So much superior is it, indeed, that its use cannot be too strongly insisted on. It can be had from the druggist at twopence per quart.
Where nourishment is given with too little water, the food will often fail almost entirely to enter the circulation. But a little warm water, somewhat above blood heat, but not too hot, will make all right. This is especially seen in nourishing infants (see Infants' Food). Food, then, will not act as water does, nor will water act as food. Even a little sugar mixed with the hot water completely alters its effect on the body. As it has already dissolved the sugar, it cannot dissolve what is needed to be removed from the body. Sugar and water is not a bad mixture, but it will by no means do instead of pure water in the cases we contemplate. On the other hand, a mixture of alcohol with the water is ruinous, and that just in proportion to the quantity of alcohol, small or great. Beer, for example, can never do what is required of water, nor can wine, or any other alcoholic drink. Tea added to the water also alters its quality. The water alone, and as nearly perfect in purity as it can be got, is the only thing which will do the necessary work.
Sometimes one finds a great prejudice against hot water. You see one who is miserable through derangement of the stomach and digestive organs, and you mention "hot water." The very phrase is sufficient to put an expression of strong prejudice on the face. Yet that very hot water is perhaps the only thing that will cure the patient. If you wait a little, there will be an opening to explain that hot water is very different to tepid water. Under blood heat, and yet heated, water tends to produce vomiting; above blood heat, nothing will so well set the stomach right. This is true, however, only when the water is taken in very small quantities. You must see that the water is not smoked in the heating or otherwise spoiled. And also that it be not too hot. If it scalds the lips it is too hot. When it is comfortably warm, but not tepid, it does its work most effectively.
Water for Drinking.—Every care should be taken to have drinking water absolutely pure. Diarrhœa and many infectious diseases may be conveyed by impure water. In gouty cases as much water should be taken as possible (provided the heart is sufficiently strong) in order to wash away the waste matter. The same applies to fevers. If there is a suspicion of water being contaminated mere filtration should never be relied on, the water should be boiled.