Laxatives. Mild: mineral oil, milk of magnesia, olive oil; one teaspoon for babies, tablespoon at six years. For emergency, castor oil, preferably in capsule, or between layers of orange or grape juice. For immediate action, citrate of magnesia. For older children or adults, compound licorice powder may be used. Laxative oils should be given between meals; nutritive oils shortly after meals.

Antiseptics. These hinder development of germs. For internal use and on eyes, normal salt solution (1 teaspoon salt to 1 pint water), 2% boric solution (1 teaspoon to quart water), listerine 50%. For external use, saturated boric solution (1 teaspoon to pint water) listerine, 70% alcohol, witch hazel. Peroxide is uncertain. Use tincture of green soap in warm water for washing infected tissues. Use boiled or distilled water in making solutions. Put in sterilized bottles.

Disinfecting. Hands: scrub with hot water and tincture of green soap or lysol, clean and trim finger nails; for surgical cleanliness, scrub through several waters, soak one minute in 70% alcohol, and dry on sterilized towel. Linen from infectious patient: soak in solution of ½ ounce creolin to two gallons water for twelve hours before removing to laundry; boil at once. Dishes from infectious patient: burn food; put into covered kettle with soap powder; immediately boil twenty minutes; or keep in patient’s room; or use papier-maché and burn. Excreta from infectious patient (urine, stools, vomitus): put with equal volume of a solution made of equal parts saturated solution of chloride of lime and 2% solution acetic acid or vinegar; let stand quarter hour before disposing. Use tissue napkins, squares of cheesecloth or old linen for nose and mouth discharges. Put these and soiled dressings into paper bag and burn at once. Room: formaldehyde gas. Hot water and soap suds, strong sunlight, and fresh air are disinfectants.

Sterilizing. Needle: dip in 70% alcohol, or hold in match flame until red. Water: boil twenty minutes. Dishes: boil twenty minutes; keep in water with vessel covered, or in boric solution, until needed. Gauze, bandages: boil twenty minutes in saturated boric solution or 2% carbolic. Let cool slightly in water, wring out with disinfected hands or in sterilized towel. Or suspend in cheesecloth hammock tied to handles of wash boiler. Cover tightly and steam, with water boiling, thirty minutes. Press in sterile towel with hot iron, leave wrapped, and keep in covered receptacle until needed. Small squares for nursery use: cut and tack in bundles of five before sterilizing, store in a sterile, covered jar, and remove only as needed.

Counter-irritants. These draw the circulation to the surface, relieving internal congestion; they have not the chemical or metabolic effect of water and light. Mild: analgesic balm, mentholated vaseline, cold compress. Mustard plaster is more severe. Mix one part mustard and two parts flour, then bind together with white of egg or lukewarm water. Rub lard or vaseline into skin before applying. Leave on five to ten minutes. If necessary, repeat in six hours, using four parts flour. Kerosene, capsicum vaseline, red pepper, are too severe for children. Dry mustard may be rubbed behind ears for earache. Blistering has no value.

Patent medicines are expensive and dangerous. Avoid them, especially soothing syrups, cough or worm medicines, cold or headache cures, tonics. Many of these contain forms of opium or of coal tar products that affect the heart, and high per cent. of alcohol, and are positively dangerous. Hygienic measures are safe and more certain.

Choose a physician who favors hygienic treatment, and who knows how to use physiological measures—diet, hydrotherapy, massage, open-air treatment—with a minimum of drugs.

APPENDIX

Value of 100-Calorie Portions of Common Foods

Edible Portion, Uncooked