Breathing, in Going Uphill.—See Breath, and Nerve.
British Cholera is to a certain extent epidemic—that is, it affects a large number of people in a particular place, being, it is believed, conveyed mainly by the common house flies. War should be waged against these, and great care taken to guard food, especially that of children, against them, by using covers, etc. If this were done the appalling death-rate in summer from this disease among the young would be largely reduced. Typhoid fever and other diseases are probably also spread by flies. Care should be taken to remove promptly all refuse from about the house, and so prevent flies breeding on it.
In ordinary diarrhœa, injections of cold water by the enema will usually cure, especially if a little vinegar or a few drops of acetic acid be added to the water. But in British Cholera this proves insufficient.
This is not an affection of merely one part of the system, but of the whole. If, then, you brace with the cold enema one part, no doubt so far you do good and not harm, but you cannot by this, cure an affection of the whole system. British Cholera is a sweating from the surfaces of the whole alimentary organs. This internal sweat flows into the stomach and causes vomiting, and into the bowels causing purging that cannot be stayed by any application to the lower part merely.
The problem to be solved is how to give more life force. Whenever the injection of cold water fails, and especially when it rather increases the complaint, and vomiting or sickness shows that the attack is of the nature of British Cholera, you will do well to pack feet and legs in a good blanket fomentation. Put a little olive oil on before and after such a packing. One application may be sufficient; but it may be necessary to repeat the packing. Give frequent sips of hot water. It will be well also to use the cold injection, as it will be found to take good effect whenever the vital force has been increased by the hot packing. If cramp has shown itself, it will be needful to cool the spinal nerves (see Angina Pectoris), but this only when you are effectually heating the limbs.
The first injection may be followed by even an excessive motion, but if that is followed up with another injection still of cold water, there will be nothing experienced after but perfect comfort, and no more trouble with the bowels.
The violent irritation that follows after a very simple over-action of the lower bowel is quite prevented when this remedy is effectually used. In less severe cases, where fermentation of food is the cause of the disease, frequently a dessertspoonful of castor oil, or other simple purgative, will prove sufficient to cure.
Brandy often gets the credit of curing in such cases. It does so simply because the cases in which it kills are not taken into account. It always lessens vital energy, and in British Cholera increase of this is urgently required.
Bronchitis.—This frequent and severe trouble results most usually from chill to the skin throwing overwork on the lungs and bronchial tubes. These last become inflamed and swollen. A fiery heat and pain in the chest follows, the whole system becomes fevered, and breathing is difficult, and accompanied by severe cough.
Kneipp linen underwear, which is porous, and has a stimulating effect on the skin, assists it to perform its functions, and will therefore prove useful to sufferers from Bronchitis.