Failures of muscular power are caused by failure in the spinal cord. If a child cannot walk, but only trails his legs, or if he cannot hold his head erect, skilful rubbing with hot oil on the spine will often quite cure the defects. Do not rub too hard. Feel for the muscles around the spine, and gently insinuate healing influence with your fingers, so as to reach the nerves below. Use a moderate quantity of oil, and the effects will be marvellous.
Nerves, Troubled.—Often a state of the nerves exists, without any apparent unhealthiness, which makes the whole system so sensitive, that ordinary sights, sounds, and smells become unbearable, and the patient feels the ordinary round of experience, which would never be noticed otherwise, an intolerable burden. Strange feelings all over the body, and an indescribable series of seemingly "fanciful" troubles, come on. It is of no use, and indeed injurious, to treat such cases as merely fanciful. The wrong bodily condition must be righted if the mental condition is to improve. The first thing needed is quiet. Quietness rests the overstrained nervous system very much. Nerve-benumbing drugs are most hurtful (see Narcotics). Let the light in the room be subdued, and strong smells avoided. To rest the skin nerves, wear only Kneipp linen underclothing, and flannels above this if required. Bathe the tongue and palate by taking mildly warm water into the mouth and ejecting it again. Soap the head, and all over the body, if it can be done without chilling, three times a week. (See Head, Soaping; Lather, etc.).
Nervous Attacks.—What we call, for want of a better name, "nerve force," or "nerve action," is at any one time a definite quantity. In health it is distributed to all the sets of nerves equally, so that all work in harmony. But if its distribution be altered in certain ways, we find "fits" or "attacks" coming on. Action is greatly exaggerated in one part, and as greatly lessened in another—hence violent movements and complete unconsciousness co-exist. Children often have such fits. Where they arise from indigestion as a result of bad food, the cure is found in teaspoonfuls of hot water, and a hot sitz-bath coming up over the bowels. Where bad blood causes the fits, poultices over the kidneys will usually help greatly. (For fits of teething children, see Teething.) See also Epilepsy.
Nervousness.—This frequent and distressing trouble is to be traced to a state of the nervous system in which sensibility has got the upper hand, and self-control is partly lost. It is difficult accurately and briefly to describe, but is an easily recognisable state. Firstly, then, we say this is a physical trouble, and the patient must not be blamed for it, but encouraged kindly to make every effort of will to throw it off. A strong will can be cultivated, just as a strong arm, by exercise. Peaceful thoughts and Christian faith can also be cultivated, and anxious and disturbing ideas put down. Uniform, steady conduct on the part of all around is an enormous help to the nervous. For physical remedies, use no alcoholic drinks. These give temporary relief, but are fatal in their after effects. To cure nervousness is impossible unless these are given up. The physical treatment necessary will be found under Nerves, Shaken, and Nerves, Troubled.
Nervous Prostration.—Persons suffering from nervous prostration have probably allowed the urgency of seeming duty to drive them on in work till the vital energies have been fairly exhausted. At last they are completely broken down, and the very fountains of life are dried up. The brain itself has become incapable of giving sleep, or sound thought. But there is no need for despondency: this trouble is perfectly curable, only the right means must be employed.
In every case of real "nervous prostration," our question must be—How shall we enable this vital element to recreate itself? The answer is, with heat. Here we may detail the process which we know to be successful. Dip a four-ply cotton cloth in cayenne lotion, and lightly wring out. Lay this gently over the stomach and bowels, and over this an india-rubber bag full of hot water. All must be only hot enough to be comfortable. This application may remain on for two hours without any change, then it is repeated. Where no bag can be had, a good thick fomentation should be used instead. See Nerves, Shaken; Nerves, Troubled, and all articles on nervous trouble.
Much depends on consideration of the individual case, and careful thought and strong sense are needed on the part of all dealing with such cases. (See Changing Treatment.)
Dessertspoonfuls of light food should be given every half-hour, and increased in quantity as the patient can bear it. Avoid alcohol and all narcotics.
Nettle Rash.—This is an eruption on the skin, often coming suddenly and going off again, but sometimes of long standing. It resembles in appearance the sting of a nettle—hence the name. It is accompanied by an intolerable itching, and is a very sore trouble where it continues, or frequently recurs. Its cause is usually defective digestion. We should not depend on drugs for a cure, but treat first the whole spinal system. Rub the whole back smartly with vinegar. Wipe this off, and rub again with gentle pressure and warm olive oil. Put on the soapy cloth (see Soap) with the lather very finely wrought (see Lather), and free from excess of moisture. Over this lathered cloth put a good blanket Fomentation (see), changing it once or twice, so as to keep up the heat for half-an-hour. When all this is taken off, we should rub again with vinegar and oil, as at first. If the case is a sudden attack, we may soak the worst parts of the eruption with weak vinegar; but if a chronic one, the rash is better left untouched. The treatment to the spine may be continued daily. If the rash has been irritated into running, scabby scores by scratching, it may be cleaned with weak vinegar. A little cream of tartar or powdered rhubarb and carbonate of soda mixed in equal parts may be taken internally after meals—say about one-fourth of a teaspoonful in a little water. If this quantity exercise too great a cooling effect, smaller doses will produce very good results. Kneipp Linen Underwear will in many cases of such skin trouble give great relief.
Neuralgia.—This is severe pain in one part or other of the body, sometimes followed by swelling of the painful part, but frequently without much sign of anything wrong at that point. It is, as the name implies, a trouble affecting the nerves which are connected with the painful part, and usually there is nothing whatever wrong where the pain is felt. Where, however, violent pain in the head or jaws results from chill, there is an altogether different trouble, though it is often called by the same name.