The remedy is very simple. Let the patient take about three tablespoonfuls of hot water every ten minutes for four hours. Before these four hours are expired, the substances causing irritation will be so diluted that they will cease to irritate, and the organs failing to do their duty will be in full working order.
Cramp in the Limbs.—The treatment of this is to apply cold cloths to the roots of the nerves which govern the affected limb or limbs. For the legs, the cold is applied to the lower spine; for the arms or hands, it is applied to the upper part. The limbs affected should also be rubbed briskly with the hands, or a rough towel. Often the irritating heat causing the cramp is in but a small part of the spine, and the whole body is cold, or at least too chilly to make the cold cloths a pleasant cure. In such a case fomentation (see) of the feet and legs will supply sufficient heat to make the cure by cold pleasant and safe.
Cramp in the Stomach.—This very severe trouble, though resisting ordinary methods of treatment, is not difficult to cure by right means. If help is at hand, the patient may be placed in a shallow bath, and cold water splashed with a sponge or towel against the back. A bad case has been cured with two minutes of this treatment. After it, the patient must be well dried and put to bed.
When help is not available, a substitute for the cold splashing is a thick cold compress, the length of the spine, which must be laid on the bed, and the patient lie down on it. This must be changed when it grows hot, and a few changes usually give relief.
Persons who are suffering have often very strong prejudices. For example, one who has decided most firmly that he "cannot do at all with anything cold," is suffering from cramp, and nothing but cold will relieve him, but you must not even hint at any such application. You must in such a case consider how this prejudice took its rise. You will probably find that cold has been unskilfully applied to this patient, and bad effects have been produced, not by the cold, but by its unskilful application. For instance, in a case of cramp the irritation and excess of heat may be both confined to a very small space, no more than that which is filled by the root of one nerve; the rest of the body may be cold rather than hot. There is need first that this general cold should be dealt with, and a general heat produced by some means or other. This is usually best done by packing feet and legs in a hot blanket fomentation. But this again is not an easy matter when cramp prevails. If you move the limbs in the least the cramp comes on, and the patient screams with pain. Still, you need not be defeated; you can let the limbs lie, and heat them from above by placing the hot blanket over them as they lie. As soon as you get heat raised in the body generally, by some such means as this, you are safe enough to apply all the cold that is needed. That may be so little that a common pocket-handkerchief will be enough. This wrung out of cold water, and folded so as to cover about three inches square of the lower part of the spine, may be gently pressed. If this is really well done, there will be no shivering from the cold, and there probably will be a cessation of the cramp. The one thing wanted is that the cold cloth shall be placed right over the root of the nerve which is irritated, and consequently overheated. The prejudice is thus overcome, and it is seen that cold is not to be absolutely avoided, because it has been once or twice, or many times, wrongly applied.
To prevent the cramp returning, means must be adopted to increase vital energy in the system. Entire mental rest for an hour after meals must be taken. If the patient says "I cannot get this," then he simply will soon have to give up all work, and perhaps narrowly escape a departure from this working world altogether.
Each morning before rising, the compress should be applied as above for a short time; the back should then be rubbed with hot olive oil before dressing. This treatment, and proper rest, will prevent return of the cramp. If the patient falls asleep on the compress, allow this sleep to continue unbroken: it is invaluable. So also is the avoidance of all anxious thought, which is best secured by complete trust in a loving God and Saviour.
Croup, Less Serious Form.—The less serious croup proceeds from a nervous closing of the windpipe, the attack being brought on by any causes of irritation in the nervous system. In this case, when the fit reaches a certain stage, the throat opens, and breathing proceeds as usual. This croup is a cramp of the windpipe; the cramp is caused by an irritation of the nerves controlling it, which are already in a condition to be easily irritated. The cure is to apply cooling cloths to the spine. Take the child warm in bed in the morning, and rub the little back with warm olive oil. Ring out a towel of cool, not quite cold, water; fold this into a narrow compress, and place it along the spine; place a dry towel above it and wrap up warm. Change for a fresh cool towel in two or three minutes. If the child falls asleep on this, leave him till he wakes voluntarily. Rub the back again with oil before dressing. The cooling may continue for an hour or so. If this treatment fail, the child may be given medicine to produce vomiting, which frequently relieves. Before putting to bed at night wash the child all over with plenty of M'Clinton's soap (see), dry and rub over with warm olive oil. Continue this treatment for some days.
Croup, More Serious Form.—This is caused by an accumulation of material in the windpipe, which is coughed up in pieces of pipe-like substance, and which, if not removed, threatens suffocation. For treatment, first give sips of hot water (distilled water is best) frequently. We have seen only five teaspoonfuls of this taken by a child followed by the throwing off of such a quantity of matter from the throat as had nearly caused suffocation. The further treatment is the bran poultice between the shoulders, and cold cloths on the chest, as prescribed in the article on Bronchitis. These may not cure in all cases, but will do so in many apparently otherwise hopeless. The moment the symptoms are perceived, treatment should be begun, as this disease is very rapid in its progress.
When an actual attack of croup of this kind comes on, and is severe, it is usual to put the child in a warm bath. If the water is a little below blood heat, and laved on the back, this will go far to relieve; but it will not have a tenth of the effect which a cold towel will have, if placed along the spine. It is indeed wonderful how spasms and the various forms of cramp give way to this. When a little warm olive oil is first rubbed on and then off, there is no danger of cold or of any bad effect (see Cramp in Stomach). If this croup is obstinate, there may be more serious disease of the throat, and good medical advice should be had.