Papers on Health

by John Kirk

Head, Skin of the.—The nerves of sensibility are very largely supplied to the skin of the head, and many large nerves pass under it. It is therefore an important matter that it be kept in a right condition. In various troubles it becomes hard and dry, and even contracts and presses very painfully upon the head, feeling as if it were dried parchment. The pain thus caused is different from neuralgia, and cannot be relieved by cooling, but is easily cured by soaping the head (see Head, Soaping). This may be done every night, and the head tied up with the soap lather until morning. It may then be sponged, dried, and a little hot olive oil rubbed into the skin. In a serious case, where the patient is in bed, this treatment may be given night and morning. Always, in treating such a head, be very gentle, for the least touch is often painful to the irritated skin. The use of a pure and proper pomade, such as some preparation of vaseline, is of importance where the skin is dry, and tends powerfully to preserve the skin and hair in healthy condition.

Careful brushing of the hair, and rubbing of the skin of the scalp will, too, be of use. See Hair.

Head, Soaping.—Have a piece of M'Clinton's soap, a good shaving brush, and a bowl of warm water. Rub the wet brush on the soap, and work the lather up in the hollow of the left hand, taking more soap and water in the brush as necessary, until the left hand is full of creamy, thick lather. Lay this on all over the patient's head. Make another handful, and lay that on also. The lather may be wrought into the mass of hair until it reaches the skin, the brush being dipped in the warm water, and used to work the lather well into the skin of the head. This must be continued until the whole head is thickly covered with fine white lather, like a wig in appearance. You need have no difficulty with ever so much hair. You only comb that nicely back at first, and place the soap lather on the fore part of the head. Then you bring the hair forward, and soap the back part. You may work on at this process for half-an-hour. You will by that time have produced a most delightful feeling in both body and mind of your patient. Tie a soft handkerchief over all, and leave for as long as needed—even all night if required. When removing the lather, use a sponge and warm vinegar or weak acid (see Acetic Acid), and dry gently with a soft towel. This application can be used with good effect in all cases of hard, dry skin on the head, and formation of white scurf. It preserves the hair, and stimulates its growth. It also removes the painful sensitiveness to touch so often felt in the hair and head skin. Care must ever be taken to do it all with a gentle hand. So done it is priceless in its soothing and healing effects on irritable nerves.

Head, Sounds in.—As the result and accompaniment of deafness these are sometimes most distressing, even preventing the patient from sleeping. They are often caused by chill producing some inflammation of the ear, and stoppage of the internal or external air passages. Have a large fomentation (see) carefully packed round the whole head. If properly done, the patient will be comfortable in it for an hour. The fomentation must then be taken off, the head rubbed quite dry, and a warm covering put on. Do this before bedtime for three or four nights. Then desist for three nights. After this place a hot bran poultice (see) on the back of the head, neck, and spine, so that the patient can lie comfortably upon it for an hour. Oil before and after with olive oil. Give this at bedtime for three or four nights, and rest again for three or four days more. Avoid exposure during this treatment. It is suitable for all cases of ear trouble through chill.

It will be specially important to see that the feet are comfortable, and that health generally is looked to. See Ears; Hearing.

Health and Money.—It will be noticed that the remedies we recommend are in almost every case very cheap—even, like hot water, costing nothing, as they are in every house. This very simplicity and commonness has turned many against our treatment. We know, indeed, of one curious case where olive oil was derided and despised by a rheumatic patient, until his friends got it labelled "Poison, for external use only." It was then eagerly applied, and effected a cure. We warn our readers very seriously against this folly. It is traded in by some who sell the simplest things as secret cures at exorbitant prices, and impoverish still further those who are poor enough already. The price of a drug or appliance is no indication of its value as a cure. Neither is its lack of price. Nor is the price of any particular food or drink an indication of its value. Good and nutritious foods are generally cheap and easily procured. See Diet, Economy in. Our effort has been to find out cures within the reach of every household; and we have found that, as God has put water and air freely within man's reach, so has He put those things which best cure disease within the reach of the poorest. Let us not then despise such things because they are common.

Hearing.—We have had so much success in helping the deaf that we feel warranted in seeking to spread the knowledge of our methods as widely as possible.

Deafness is caused in many ways—very often by exposure of the head to a chill, especially in infancy. We have seen it even arise from enclosing the head in a bag of ice with a view to extreme cooling. What is called "throat deafness" is a different matter, but yields to the same treatment as the cases of chill. The process of cure is very similar to that used in cases of failing sight (see under Eyes), for the aural nerve has to be stimulated as the optic nerve in these cases. Rub the back of the head and neck, using hot olive oil, and continuing gently, yet firmly, until all the parts are in a glow of heat. Do this some time during the day. At night apply the bran poultice (see), oiling before and after, to the back of head and neck, the patient lying down on it for an hour at bedtime. Gently syringe the ears with tepid water, but only so far as to cleanse them. Rub with acetic acid (see) behind the ears, but not so as to cause soreness. In an obstinate case continue treatment for a month, then rest for a fortnight, and continue for another month.

Cases of deafness arising from dryness and hardness in the ears are to be treated differently. The ear is brushed internally with soap lather (see Lather and Soap). Dip a brush, such as is used for water-colour drawing, into hot water, rub it on the soap, and gently brush the inside of the ear. Renew the lather frequently, keeping up the heat. With another brush moisten the same parts with fine almond oil. Gently, but thoroughly, dry out the ear with a fine roll of lint or soft cotton. In a fortnight we have seen great benefit from this done daily or twice a day. Be careful not to use pressure on the inside of the ear when washing or drying, as this may cause the wax to harden into balls, pressing on the drum. The whole head may also be rubbed with acetic acid, not so as to cause pain, but simply a strong heat in the skin. In all treatment of so delicate an organ as the ear, avoid giving pain.

If the deafness proceed simply from a relaxed state of the tissues in the tubes of the ear, the cold douche applied to the head, with careful drying and rubbing afterwards, will often effect a cure. But it is only a sudden, brief, cold splash which is wanted, not a stream directed for any time on the head, which might do serious injury. In this connection it may be noticed that a child should never be punished by "boxing its ears." Children have had their hearing permanently injured by this thoughtless practice.