It may be well, however, to take another case or two for further illustration. Here, then, is a decayed tooth extracted, but the part from which it is taken does not heal, as is usual. The hole in the gum does not close, and a discharge of offensive humour flows from it constantly. The bone of the upper jaw is evidently wasting, and the decay has extended somehow considerably up the side of the nose. The hole, however, is so small, that the usual glass syringe cannot enter it. We got an exceedingly small instrument, used for the injection of morphia under the skin. The point of this syringe is a needle with a point that is hollow nearly to the very end. When this point was broken off, the hollow part was so small that it entered the hole in the gum, and so it was easy to inject the weak acid up to the bottom of the sore, which had come to be only a little under the eye. About an inch and a half of hollow had to be washed out with the acid. But in a very short time all discharge ceased, and the cure was perfect. Both of these cases are comparatively simple, but they show clearly the great value of this use of acetic acid.
Carbolic acid is much more commonly used for such a purpose. It has the drawback of being liable itself to melt away the healthy tissue, and to make a wound larger. Acetic acid never does this, and so heals more quickly and certainly.
We might take a much more difficult case. It was that of an abscess and bad sore in the lower bowels. It was supposed to be necessary to perform a very dangerous operation in order to try to cure this—not much hope was held out of its being possible really to cure. It was, however, quite possible to reach the sore by the injection of acetic acid. The sufferer was directed to have this done regularly. In a very short time there was a complete cure. In such a case all that is wanted is an ordinary india-rubber enema. A much larger quantity of water is required, but about the same strength of acid. First of all, as much acidulated water as can be taken up with comfort is injected: after a minute or so this is passed off. Then another is used in the same way, and passed off also. A third syringing may be employed, when about half-a-teacupful is taken and retained. If the acid gives no comfortable feeling of warmth it needs to be strengthened till it does so, but not so that it produces any pain. The operation really well done is not in the least painful, but, on the contrary, rather comfortable.
There is still one syringing which we may notice—that of suppurating ears. If an ear is discharging from some internal sore, nothing is more important than syringing with acetic acid, but it must be done with very peculiar care. The water used should be as nearly as possible of exact blood heat, and the acetic acid of the exact strength at which it will give a fine comfortable feeling in the ear. It must neither feel as if it were a mere wetting of the ear, nor that it gives the least pain. The syringe, too, must be used gently, so as not to force the water strongly against the internal parts that are so tender. It is a soaking operation rather than a forcible urging of the water into the ear which is wanted. If this is nicely done, say twice a day, the acid will reach the sore, and we may confidently look for a cure. Even when the bones are wasting, as we have seen in the case of the upper jaw, if this acid can be really brought to bear upon the sore, it will be cleansed and healed. In this simple way we have seen many, both old and young, delivered from sore trial, and made to enjoy life and health again.
PHYSICAL CULTURE.
Much weakness might be prevented and often cured by light gymnastic exercises practised twice a day, say on rising and at bedtime, giving tone to the muscles and bringing into regular use many which in ordinary daily life are seldom or never used. The various vital organs of the body owe much of their health to the proper exercise of the surrounding muscles; it will be seen then how necessary a system of regular exercise must be. The best way to learn this is to take a course of Swedish Drill or other good system at one of the gymnasiums which are now so common in Britain and America. But as many of our readers live in places where such cannot be had, we shall try to indicate by diagrams some simple movements which can be practised by anyone.
A few general rules should be borne in mind:—
Begin with a short time, say five minutes; omit at first the more fatiguing movements and gradually increase as the strength improves.
The time spent need never be long; fifteen or twenty minutes is long enough at any one time.