Papers on Health

by John Kirk

Face, Skin of.—To secure a healthy appearance of this is worth much trouble, and any eruption or unhealthy redness is a great trial, especially to ladies. To cure and prevent these, it is usually necessary to look first to the diet. A disagreeable redness of the nose, and pimples in various places, is the common result of too much rich food, not to speak of alcoholic drink, which is always most injurious to the face skin. The use of corsets is another fertile source of this trouble, and many in their desire to improve their figure ruin their faces. Plain, easily digested food is to be taken. Tea must only be used at most twice in the day, and should be exceedingly weak. Half-a-teacupful of hot water should be taken before every meal, and everything possible done to promote digestion. The whole skin must be brought into a healthy state by daily washing with M'Clinton's soap (see Soap); no other should be used for toilet purposes. It is far better than the boasted and expensive "complexion soaps," and can now be had in various forms. Many faces are injured by the kind of soap used in washing. The use of the kind we recommend is remarkably pleasant and beneficial, and a full account of it, and of our motives in recommending it, will be found under article Soap. If, however, the face will not stand the touch of water at all, good buttermilk (see) forms the best wash and cooling application. Also a cloth mask may be worn all night, lined inside with soft creamy soap lather. In violent face irritation this last treatment is especially valuable.

For pimples on the face, the general treatment for the skin mentioned above (see Eyes, Inflamed) is to be used, especially applied to the skin of the back. The buttermilk wash may also be used, but the best effect comes from the general treatment of the skin.

Fainting.—Fatigue, excessive heat, fright, loss of blood, hunger, etc., are common causes.

The action of the heart is temporarily interfered with, and pallor, a sweat on the forehead, with an indescribable feeling of sinking away, precede unconsciousness.

The first thing to do is to bend down the patient's head till it touches the knees, and keep it there for a few minutes. After he has partially recovered consciousness, the clothing should be loosened, and all tight bands or braces removed. The face and hands should be bathed in cold water, slapping the face with a wet towel. Some stimulant, such as hot tea, coffee, or sal volatile, may then be given.

If there is a wound causing loss of blood, it should be attended to at once.

In case fainting is due to hunger, the greatest care should be taken to give only small quantities of food after recovery, as a large amount may prove fatal.

A sip of cold water, or bathing the face with cold water, will generally prevent a threatened fainting. If there appears any immediate danger of a relapse, keep the patient in a horizontal position for some time.

Persons liable to fainting fits should be careful to avoid extremes of temperature, such as very hot or very cold baths.

Fall, A.—After a fall from a height, where there is no apparent outward injury, there is often such a severe shock to the spinal cord and brain that continued unconsciousness occurs. In such a case, foment the spine at first, to remove the effects of the concussion. This may bring on serious difficulty of breathing, owing to congestion of the spinal cord. This can be removed by applying cold cloths along the spine. If the difficulty of breathing be present from the first, then apply the cold at once. The first effect of such a fall is to deprive the brain and spinal cord of vital force. This must be restored by heat. Subsequent effects due to congestion can be removed by cold. The effects of a shock in a railway accident may be similarly treated. Common sense will guide in using heat or cold by watching the effect. Where heat fails try cold. This is the simple rule. It is good also to give the patient some simple purgative medicine, and some warm drink. Avoid all doses of alcoholic drinks. We have known the flickering flame of life almost extinguished by a teaspoonful of brandy.