Were we to press our cheek over the wisdom tooth—which is in the fourth zone—or, rub the ice on our third zone ear, the sneeze and the nose bleed would pursue uninterruptedly the even tenor of their ways.
If you never had heard of these things, you would probably say “pish,” and look around with some trepidation for your informant’s keeper. Yet, in all earnestness and sincerity, I would, if you are one of those whose stomach is easily upset, urge that the next time you board a train or boat you arm yourself with a wire hair brush and a metal comb.
When the first faint qualms, premonitory of an eruption or some other seismic disturbance in your interior are felt, get busy with the comb and brush—not on your head—but on your hands.
For sickness of the stomach is quite generally relieved by steady pressure made over the first and second zone on the backs of the hands with the teeth of a metal comb. The comb should be pressed firmly over the areas running from the thumb and first finger of both hands, including the web between the thumb and first finger—which seems to have a very intimate connection with the stomach. If there is no comb handy, the finger nails will do good substitute work, but the metal is best, as it seems to stimulate an electrical contact that helps the “impulse.”
This procedure is to be used only where the stomach is irritated and threatens convulsive contractures, or where there is pain, or distention from gas. Relief of these conditions may generally be expected in from five to ten minutes.
Fig. 21.—When I first saw this patient (January 9, 1913), the enlargement in the neck, pronounced cancer, and inoperable, by some of our best men in New England, was stony hard and exceedingly painful to the touch. She had not been able to lie down for nine months, and had not taken any solid food for three months; could open the mouth only slightly, and with great difficulty. We induced speedy relaxation of the neck (it was absolutely relaxed in four treatments) through pressure with a dry cotton-wound applicator and also with a pencil moistened with trichloracetic acid in varied strengths from twenty-five per cent to a saturated solution, throughout the appropriate zones in the mouth, nose and epipharynx. This patient responds quickly to pressure, and accurately traces sensations of glow or numbness from the mouth to the extremities and vice versa. These sensations are almost immediately followed by lines of anesthesia. Note the neck of this patient (see Fig. [22]) fourteen months later. Patient through pressure on fingers of zones involved keeps side of neck constantly anesthetized, and therefore free from irritation, with constant absorption of growth.
If, however, the stomach is “dead”—the doctors call it “atonic”—when it lies inert and unambitious after a heavy meal—or even a small meal that is heavy for that stomach at that particular time—the best results are found in gentle stroking or scratching with a wire hair brush, or with the teeth of the comb. If these are not available scratch with the finger nails, but, as with the pressures, the most favorable results follow the use of metal.