Papers on Health

by John Kirk

Hydrocele.—See Dropsy.

Hysteria.—This is usually brought on by some excessive strain upon the brain nerves, and may show itself either in the violent or in the fainting form; it may even pass from the one to the other, fainting alternating with violent movements and cries. It may often be checked by plunging the patient's hands into cold water.

In the silent stage, where sometimes unconsciousness continues for hours, a dry blanket should be laid on a bed, and another blanket must be rolled up and prepared with hot water as directed in Fomentation. Fold this until it is the size and shape of the patient's back, and lay her down on it, so that the whole back is well fomented. Take care not to burn the patient: soothing heat, not irritation, is required. Consciousness will usually return almost immediately. All except attendants should be excluded from the room. Allow the patient to rest in this comfortable warmth until signs of discomfort appear, then gently rub the back with hot olive oil, dry, and leave to rest or sleep if possible. Do all with great steadiness of temper and kindness; such a condition in the nurse is especially essential in these cases. Where the fit is violent, apply every mental soothing influence available, and remove from the room all excited persons. Then apply cold cloths to the spine to soothe the irritated nerves and brain. Two may gently and kindly hold the patient, while a third presses on the cooling cloths. In about half-an-hour the fit should be overcome. A difficulty in treating such cases is the terrifying effect of the violent movements, or unconsciousness; but these should not create fear. As a rule, a little patience and treatment as above remove all distress. Where there is a hysterical tendency, give abundance of good food, and let the patient live as much in the open-air as possible.

The patient should be kept employed. God made us all to be workers, and this sad affliction is frequently the punishment of idleness. No one has any excuse for this, for the world is full of those who are overworked and whose burden could be lightened. The girl whose only task is to exchange her armful of novels at the library will never know what true happiness is, nor deserve to. See Imaginary Troubles.

Illness, The Root of.—In treating any trouble it is well to get to the root of it. On one occasion a patient complained that the doctor never struck at the root of his illness. The doctor lifted his walking-stick and smashed the brandy bottle which stood on the table, remarking that his patient would not have to say that again. This will illustrate what we mean. Liquor drinking must be given up: it is the root of multitudinous ills; so must excessive tea drinking. Tobacco is one of the most insidious of poisons in its effects on the nerves, and is to be absolutely given up if a cure is expected in nervous cases. Chloral, laudanum, and opium in other forms, may give temporary relief; but they are deadly poisons, paralysing the nerves and ultimately completely wrecking the system. The continued use of digitalis for heart disease is a dreadful danger. We mention these by name as most common, to illustrate the truth that it is vain to treat a patient while the cause of his illness is allowed to act. If any evil habit of indulgence has given rise to trouble, that habit must be given up; a hard fight may have to be fought, but the victory is sure to those who persevere. Often dangerous symptoms appear, but these must be faced: to relieve them by a return to drugs is to fasten the chains more surely on the patient. It is better to suffer a little than to be all one's life a slave.

Imaginary Troubles.—These are of two kinds, the one purely imaginary, the other where bodily trouble is mixed with the imagined. In the first case the patient is in agony with a pain, when nothing wrong can be discovered in the part, or even elsewhere, to account for it. In such a case, proper treatment of the brain or spine (see) will often relieve. Again, a patient has set up such a standard of health that what would not trouble any ordinary person at all, gives him much distress. An intermitting pulse often is a source of great anxiety; but we have known people with intermitting pulses continuing in good health for forty years, and living to old age. So with many other heart symptoms that need give no concern at all. Sprains to some muscles are often taken for serious internal inflammation, and a slight cough and spit are taken for consumption. Care must be taken to resist all such fancies, and if not otherwise removable, thoroughly competent medical advice will often put the patient right. In such a case a medical man of undoubted high standing is best consulted, for an inferior practitioner may nearly kill the patient by arousing needless fears, which are afterwards difficult to remove. See Hysteria.

It must be remembered that diseases of the imagination are as actually painful to the patient as if they really were organic troubles. It is, therefore, useless to laugh at or pooh pooh the trouble, or suggest that the sufferer is only humbugging. Attention must be paid to diet, exercise, and to material, mental, and moral surroundings, so as in every way to relieve the patient from those apparent troubles that so annoy him. Great gentleness, firmness, hopefulness, and sympathy will often bring about an almost unconscious cure. If the trouble has been brought about by over-work and worry, complete rest will often be needed. If there is something in the surroundings that jars, a change may be advisable.

Indigestion.—(See also Digestion; Assimilation.) This subject leads naturally to a consideration of food in relation to it. The trouble usually is that food easily enough digested by others causes distress to the patient. Here we at once see that cooking plays a most important part. Potatoes, for example, when steeped for half-an-hour in hot water, which is changed before they are boiled, are much more easy of digestion. The water in which they have been steeped is found green with unripe sap, which is all removed. Where unripe juice is present in any root, this method of cookery is a good one. Eggs placed in boiling water, and allowed to remain so till the water is getting cool—say half-an-hour—are often found to be much more easily digested than as usually prepared. What we aim at in these illustrations is to show that digestion depends on the relation of the food taken to the juices of the stomach which are to dissolve it. It must be brought into a digestible state if weak stomachs are to deal with it.

Greasy, heavy dishes must always be avoided. Also unripe fruit. The diet should be spare, as very often indigestion proceeds simply from the stomach having had too much to do.

A very easily digested food is fine jelly of oatmeal made in the following way:—Take a good handful of the meal and put it in a basin with hot water, sufficient to make the mixture rather thin. Let it steep for half-an-hour. Strain out all the rough particles, and boil the milky substance till it is a jelly, with a very little salt. To an exceedingly weak patient you give only a dessertspoonful, and no more for half-an-hour. If the patient is not so weak you may give a tablespoonful, but nothing more for half-an-hour. In that time the very small amount of gastric juice which the stomach provides has done its work with the very small amount of food given. Really good blood, though only very little, has been formed. The step you have taken is a small one, but it is real. You proceed in this way throughout the whole day. The patient should not swallow it at once, but retain it in the mouth for a considerable time, so that it may mix with the saliva.