Papers on Health

by John Kirk

Treatment must first stimulate the spinal nerves; gentle, continued rubbing on each side of the spine with hot olive oil will do this. Proceed, after some time of this, to rub and knead the haunch, thigh, and leg with the same hot oil. Continue this, gradually descending, until the defective foot is reached and similarly treated. We have known even adults cured in this way, with perseverance. Ten or fifteen minutes of this treatment before a fire, or in a warm room, every night, will do wonders. A skilful surgeon can do much to remedy this, but one really skilful should be chosen. See Massage.

Cold in the Head.—Infants often are prevented sucking by this form of cold closing up the nostrils. In such a case have a small cap of cotton to fit the head. Wring this out of cold water, and fit it on the child's head. Put on over it a rather larger and thicker cap of the same material. Often the nostrils will open in two or three seconds, and the cold will speedily be cured, if no more be wrong. Observe that the child be warm during this treatment. If the case is obstinate, secure good medical aid, for constitutional weakness, or even some deformity of the nostrils, may be present as cause, where the trouble exists from birth.

For adults similarly affected, a towel wrung out of cold water and wrapped round the head, with another dry one above, will answer the purpose.

For severe cases, pack the feet and legs in hot fomentation for an hour, and apply a cold towel as above. This last method should always be pursued where the patient feels chilly. Cold in the head may often be checked by use of dilute vinegar. See Nostrils.

Cold, Settled.—A cold is often easily overcome. At other times it "sits down," as country people say, and refuses to be cured, a hard dry cough continuing for a long time, and causing sleeplessness and general weakness. In such a case first try to secure an increase generally of vital energy. At night rub the feet and legs with hot olive oil. Pack them for three-quarters of an hour in a good large blanket fomentation, open out, and dry well, oil and dry again, put on a pair of cotton stockings, and put the patient to bed. In the morning, place a towel tightly wrung out of cold water all round the back and breast. Cover this well with dry towels, and tuck the patient in, so that he becomes warm and comfortable. In three-quarters of an hour open out, dry the skin, oil it and dry again. Then the ordinary clothing may be put on. The second evening it will be well to pack in the soapy blanket (see). Next morning the towel envelope should be repeated as before. The third evening, put a large bran poultice (see) between the shoulders. While this is on apply cold to the chest, as in treatment for bronchitis (see). It is good to take sips of hot water at any time if the cough is troublesome. A teaspoonful of boiled liquorice and linseed two or three times a day has a good effect. This treatment usually cures a pretty severe case.

Cold, Taking.—Where cold is easily "taken," it is the skin which is defective in its action. The cure must therefore deal with it. Even spasmodic asthma can be traced to the failure of the skin to throw off waste sufficiently. Men exposed to great heats and chills, women and children whose nervous energy is small, are liable to this skin failure. Kneipp linen underwear, besides being more absorbent of perspiration than woollens, has a stimulating effect on the skin owing to a certain hardness (by no means unpleasant) of the fibre. Wearing it is an excellent preventive of skin failure (see Underwear). This may also be treated by careful, kindly rubbing over the whole body with warm olive oil, the patient being kept warm during the operation. This rubbing may with advantage come after a sponging with M'Clinton's soap (see Soap). To face the wintry blast at half-past five in the morning is for many severely trying. This treatment the night before will give immense help to those who are so exposed. It is the best preventive against taking cold known to us.

There is one great difficulty that stands in the way of such a remedy as we have suggested—that is, the "trouble" which it implies, not so much to ourselves as to others. Many a useful life is lost lest "trouble" should be given. It needs to be well understood that this is a temptation. If we can buy a quantity of some drug from a chemist according to the prescription of some medical man, and just quietly swallow it, that "troubles" nobody. So powders to sweat us, and powders to stop our sweating, are readily "taken," greatly to increase all tendency to "take cold." Our relatives and others have, as the fruit of such a system, worlds of serious trouble and loss that might all be saved if only a very little trouble were given in the more natural and reasonable way.

Cold Cloths.—See Towels, Cold Wet.

Constipation.—This trouble is often only aggravated and made chronic by the use of purgatives. Some simple change of diet, such as a ripe uncooked apple, eaten before breakfast, or a fruit diet for a day or two may put all right. So also with the use of wheaten meal porridge or bread. When this can be taken with pure cane syrup (see), the two together will make such a change in the food as will frequently banish all inaction of the bowels. Rest must be reckoned on, especially if the patient has been using purgatives freely. Do not act as if castor oil were a necessary article of diet. When the constipation is more obstinate, in the case of a child, good golden syrup may be given, a teaspoonful after each meal. A quarter of a pound of the best Spanish liquorice, costing sixpence, should be boiled in a pint of water down to three-quarters of a pint and strained. A dessertspoonful of this after each meal may be given instead of the treacle. It is the best tonic we know, and infinitely better than quinine and other costlier drugs. If a stronger mixture be desired, put half-an-ounce of senna leaf in the juice while being boiled. This may be increased to a whole ounce of senna if still stronger effect be desired.

Some are more liable than others to attacks of constipation, but chronic constipation may generally be put down to errors in diet, or want of sufficient exercise. Indigestible foods, such as pastry and heavy puddings, as well as foods which leave little residue in the intestine, such as white bread, puddings, arrowroot, are highly constipating. Tea has also a similar effect, also large quantities of meat. Constipation is seldom found in vegetarians, since vegetables and fruits act as a stimulus to the intestine. Brown bread and oatmeal porridge have also an aperient effect. If it is suspected that milk has been a cause of constipation in any particular case, it may be boiled and used with coffee instead of tea.