Advice to a wife and mother in two parts

by Pye Henry Chavasse

329. If the patient be delicate, and if she has a languid circulation, she ought, instead of the elastic belt, to apply a broad flannel belly-band, which should go twice around the bowels, and must be put on moderately and comfortably tight.

330. The patient, before the approach of labor, ought to take particular care to have the bowels gently opened, as during that time a costive state of them greatly increases her sufferings, and lengthens the period of her labor. I say a gentle action is all that is necessary; a violent one would do more harm than good.

331. Toothache is a frequent complaint of pregnancy; and I wish to caution my gentle reader not to have, during the time she is enceinte, a tooth extracted; miscarriage or premature labor has frequently followed the extraction of a tooth.

332. If the tooth be decayed, the hollow ought to be filled with cotton wool, soaked either in oil of cloves, or in equal parts of oil of cloves and of chloroform, and which should be frequently renewed; or with what I have found an excellent remedy, a little alum dissolved in chloroform.[^[67]] A bit of cotton wool placed in the ear of the affected side will oftentimes relieve the toothache arising from a decayed tooth. This simple remedy ought always to be tried before resorting to more active treatment. If the above remedies do not relieve, soak a small ball of cotton wool in chloroform, and insert it inside the ear, and let it remain there until the pain be relieved; let it be from time to time renewed. I have frequently found in toothache the above plan most efficacious, and to afford relief when other means have failed.

333. Creasote (spirits of tar) is sometimes applied, but of all remedies it is the worst for the purpose. I have known it, when thus used, severely injure and decay the whole of the remaining teeth: one case in particular I remember, of a gentleman who, by the frequent use of creasote, for the relief of toothache, lost the whole of his teeth!

334. If the teeth be not decayed, especially if the stomach be disordered, let an aperient be taken. The state of the bowels ought always to be attended to, as toothache is frequently relieved, and when the tooth is not decayed, cured by a dose of opening medicine. Let the sides of the face be well fomented with hot chamomile and poppy-head tea, and let a piece of crumb of bread (but not crumbed bread) be soaked for five minutes in boiling milk, and be frequently placed inside the mouth, between the cheek and gum; and let a large hot bread poultice be applied at bedtime to the outside of the face.

335. If the above does not have the desired effect, a piece of brown paper, the size of the palm of the hand, soaked in brandy, and then well peppered with black pepper, should be applied outside the cheek, over the part affected, and kept on for several hours. It ought from time to time to be renewed. This simple and old-fashioned remedy will sometimes afford great relief. It is in these cases preferable to a mustard poultice, as it is less painful, and neither blisters nor injures the skin.

336. If the pepper plaster does not afford relief, a ginger plaster should be tried:

Take of—Powdered Ginger,

Flour, of each one tablespoonful;