Mother's Remedies Part 2

Sometimes the upper posterior wall of the pharynx, called the vault of the pharynx, especially the part behind each eustachian tube, is filled almost full with adenoids. These are overgrowths or thickenings of the glandular tissue in the upper posterior wall of the pharynx (vault of the pharynx).

ADENOIDS. (Pharyngeal Tonsil, Lursehkas Tonsil, Adenoid Vegetation, Post- nasal Growth.)--Adenoids are overgrowths or thickenings of the glandular tissue in the vault (top) of the pharynx. They are on the upper posterior wall of the pharynx, often filling the whole s.p.a.ce, especially the part behind the ear-tube--eustachian tube.

They are a soft pliable ma.s.s, well supplied with blood vessels, especially in children. Some are firmer and these are the kind seen in adults. The color varies from pale pink to dark red. The structure is similar to enlarged tonsils.

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[Ill.u.s.tration: Adenoids]

Symptoms.--Children breathe chiefly or wholly through the mouth. They are apt to breathe noisily, especially when they eat and drink. They sleep with their mouth open, breathe hard and snore. They have attacks of slight suffocation sometimes, especially seen in young children. There may be difficulty in nursing in infants; they sleep poorly, toss about in bed, moan, talk, and night terrors are common. They may also sweat very much during sleep. A constant hacking or barking cough is a common symptom and this cough is often troublesome for some hours before going to bed.

Troubles with the larynx and pharynx are common and spasmodic laryngitis appears to be often dependent upon adenoids. Bronchial asthma and sneezing in paroxysms are sometimes connected with them. The chest becomes deformed. The prolonged mouth-breathing imparts to adenoid patients a characteristic look in the face. The lower jaw is dropped and the lips are kept constantly apart. In many cases the upper lip is short, showing some part of the upper teeth. The dropping of the jaw draws upon the soft parts and tends to obliterate the natural folds of the face about the nose, lips, and cheeks. The face has an elongated appearance and the expression is vacant, listless, or even stupid. The nose is narrow and pinched, from long continued inaction of the wings of the nose (alae nasi). The root of the nose may be flat and broad. When the disease sets in during early childhood, the palate may become high arched. If the disease continues beyond second teething, the arch of the palate becomes higher and the top of the arch more pointed. The upper jaw elongates and this often causes the front teeth to project far beyond the corresponding teeth in the lower jaw. The high arched palate is often observed to be a.s.sociated with a deflected part.i.tion (septum) in the nose.

The speech is affected in a characteristic way; it acquires a dead character. There is inability to p.r.o.nounce the nasal consonant sounds; m, n, and ng and the l, r, and th sounds are changed. Some backwardness in learning to articulate is often noticed.

Deafness is frequently present, varying in degree, transient and persistent. Attacks of earache are common and also running of the ears.

The ear troubles often arise from the extension of catarrh from the nose-pharynx through the eustachian tubes to the middle ear. Sometimes the adenoids block the entrance to the tubes. The ventilation of the middle ear may be impeded. Dr. Ball, of London, England, says: "Ear troubles in children are undoubtedly, in the vast majority of cases, dependent upon the presence of adenoid vegetation" (growths).

Children with adenoids are very liable to colds in the head, which aggravate all the symptoms, and in the slighter forms of the disease the symptoms may hardly be noticeable, except when the child is suffering from a cold.

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Chronic catarrh is often caused by adenoids. A chronic pus discharge often develops, especially in children. There is often a half-pus discharge trickling over the posterior wall of the pharynx from the nose-pharynx.

And yet some children with adenoids never have any discharge from the nose. There may be more or less dribbling of saliva from the mouth, especially in young children, and this is usually worse during sleep.

Headache is not uncommon when these growths persist into adult life: they continue to give rise to most of the symptoms just described, although these symptoms may be less marked because of the relatively larger size of the nose-pharynx. The older patients seek relief, usually, from nasal catarrh symptoms. They complain of a dry throat on waking and they hawk and cough, In order to clear the sticky secretion from the throat. The adenoids have often undergone a considerable amount of shrinking, but they frequently give rise to a troublesome inflammation of the nose and pharynx. Rounded or irregular red elevations will often be seen on the posterior wall of the pharynx, outgrowths of adenoid tissue in this region. Similar elevations are sometimes seen on the posterior pillars of the fauces. The tonsils are often enlarged. A good deal of thick discharge will sometimes be seen in the posterior wall of the pharynx proceeding from the nose-pharynx.

Although adenoids, like the normal tonsil, usually tend to diminish and disappear with the approach of youth, they const.i.tute during childhood a constant source of danger and trouble and not infrequently inflict permanent mischief. Also children afflicted with adenoids are less able to cope with diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles, whooping-cough, etc.

Deafness, mouth-breathing habit, and imperfect resonance of the voice, as well as the characteristic expression of the face, will often remain as permanent effects of the impairment of function due to these growths in childhood, even though they have more or less completely disappeared. The collapsed state of the wings of the nose, and wasted condition of their muscles, resulting from long disease, often contributes to the perpetuation of the mouth-breathing habit. On the other hand the rapid improvement, after a timely removal of the growths, is usually very striking.

Treatment.--The only thing to do is to remove them soon, no matter how young the patient may be. An anaesthetic is usually given to children. The operation does not take long and the patient soon recovers from its effects. The result of an operation, especially in young children, is usually very satisfactory. Breathing through the nose is re-established, the face expression is changed for the better. The symptoms as before described disappear to a great extent.

COLDS. (Coryza. Acute Nasal Catarrh. Acute Rhinitis).--This is an inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the nose.

Causes.--Exposure to cold or wet when the body is overheated; sudden or extreme changes in the atmosphere; inhaling irritating fumes or dust.

Symptoms.--A chilly feeling, limbs ache, tendency to sneeze, severe headache above the nose, eyes are dry, stopped-up feeling in the nostrils.

Then there is a thin watery discharge, usually of an irritating character, very thin at first, but it soon becomes thicker; sometimes the ears ring (tinnitus). The nose and lining is red and swollen.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Colds. Borax for Cold Settled in Throat. "For a cold in the throat, dissolve a piece of borax, the size of a pea, in the mouth and don't talk. It will work like a charm." This is an old and well tried remedy and is very good for colds or sore throat. It acts by contracting the tissues and in that way there is less congestion in the parts.

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2. Colds, Valuable Caution and Treatment for.--Mrs. Maxwell, of Cleveland, writes in the Cleveland Press as follows: "If you intend to treat the cold yourself, take it up at the outset. Don't wait for it to develop. To break it up, nothing is better than the full hot bath at bed time, or the foot bath with mustard, followed by a hot drink. It is old-fas.h.i.+oned, but scientific, for nine colds out of ten are due to clogged pores. Benjamin Franklin said a hundred years ago that all colds come from impure air, lack of exercise, and over-eating, and n.o.body has ever bettered his conclusion. Even contagious colds will not be taken if the bodily resistance is kept at par. More fresh air, less grip. Avoid people who have colds, and keep out of badly ventilated rooms. Stuffy street cars are responsible for half the hard colds, not because people get chilled, but because the air is foul. And when you have a cold keep away from the baby.

If the baby takes a cold, let it have medical attention at once. Don't experiment upon it with remedies intended for grown-ups."

3. Colds, Mola.s.ses-Vinegar Syrup for.--"One-half cup of mola.s.ses, b.u.t.ter the size of a hickory nut, one tablespoon vinegar, boil together. Dose: One teaspoonful or less as the case requires. Take often until relieved."

This is an old remedy and a good one.

4. Colds, Quinine and Ginger for.--"Give plenty of quinine and drink hot water with ginger in it." Quinine, as we all know, is an old remedy for colds and therefore we all know how it acts. The ginger warms up the system and produces sweating. Care should be taken when using this remedy not to take cold, as the pores are all opened by the quinine.

5. Colds, Boneset for.--"Boneset tea steeped and drank cold cures a cold." Boneset simply acts by causing a better circulation in the system and in that way sweating is produced and we all know that a good sweat will usually cure a cold if taken in time.

6. Severe Cold or Threatened Consumption.--"One pint of mola.s.ses; one pint of vinegar; three tablespoonfuls of white pine tar; let this boil not quite half down; remove from the stove and let stand until next day; then take and skim tar off from the top, throwing tar away. Jar up and take as often as necessary. Spoonful every half to two hours."

7. Colds, Rock Candy Syrup for.--"Ten cents worth of rock candy; one pint of whisky; one pint of water; fifteen cents worth of glycerine; mix all together; this will syrup itself." Take one teaspoonful as often as necessary. This is excellent.

8. Colds, Skunk's Oil for.--"Skunk's oil has cured colds quickly by rubbing on chest and throat." The oil penetrates quickly and relieves the congestion. This remedy can always be relied upon.

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9. Colds, Lemons and Mustard for.--"A hot lemonade taken on going to bed and put the feet in a hot mustard bath; taken in time will break up a cold." The idea of the foot bath is to equalize the circulation, as so many of our colds begin in the head and by drawing the blood from the head the congested parts of the head are relieved.

10. Colds and Cough, Hops or Catnip Poultice for.--"Hops or catnip put in little bags and steamed until hot, then placed on lungs and throat." This is a very good remedy, as the hot bags act as a poultice and draw the congestion from the diseased parts. It produces not only local, but general perspiration.

11. Colds, Honey for.--"Eat honey. I have tried this many times and it is very good." The honey is very soothing, but if a little h.o.a.rhound or lemon is added it would make it much more effective. This is a good remedy for children, as they most all like honey.

12. Colds, to Break Up at the Outset.--"To break up a cold soak the feet in hot water and drink all the cold water you can." This has been known to cure many severe colds if taken at the beginning.

13. Cold in the Chest, Mutton Tallow and Red Pepper for.--"If cold is in the chest, render enough mutton tallow for one cupful and add one teaspoonful of red pepper and rub on chest and apply a flannel to keep out the cold. This is an old-time remedy and a good one."

14. Colds, Lard and Turpentine for.--"Melt a half cupful of lard and add one and one-half teaspoonfuls of turpentine, rub on chest and apply flannel cloth."

15. Cold, Milk and Cayenne as a Preventive.--"Drink a gla.s.s of milk with a pinch of cayenne in it. This will warm the stomach and prevent headache."

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Colds.--Preventive. Avoid the known causes of the trouble. A daily cold bath, if well borne, is held to be an effectual prevention against taking cold. Have the adenoids removed if your physician so recommends it. If seen early it can frequently be aborted.

Bathe the feet in hot mustard water, a small handful of mustard to a pail half full of hot water. At the same time, drink hot teas, like h.o.a.rhound, ginger, lemonade, etc. Then put the patient to bed and place hot water fruit jars around him. This treatment will produce a good sweat. After the sweating has continued for some time and the patient feels uncomfortable because of the sweat, bathe him with a towel dipped in warm water, and dry the parts as you go along. Of course, all of this is done under cover.

After you have bathed and dried the patient, put on a clean and well-aired night s.h.i.+rt and clean sheets, also well aired. This simple treatment will abort most colds. The patient should keep in bed for at least twelve hours after such a sweating. Plenty of cold water and lemonade can be given, especially after the patient has become cooler. Plenty of water is good for any cold; hot outside and cool for the inside. The bowels should be opened with salts. A Dover's powder (ten grains) will produce sweating, but why use it when sweating can be produced by the means first mentioned.

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1. Camphor and Vaseline Mixed, or Camphor and Cream, rubbed in the nose is good to stop the cold and soreness.

2. A few drops (two or three) of camphor taken internally every three hours will abort some colds, especially if the nose is all the time pouring out drops of water.

3. Aconite in small doses, one-tenth of a drop, every two hours is a splendid remedy at the beginning. My experience has shown me that aconite does better work in these small doses. Put one drop in ten teaspoonfuls of water and give one teaspoonful at a dose.

4. The following is good for a thick discharge: in oil spray.

Menthol 6 grains Chloroform 5 drops Camphor 5 grains Liquid Alboline 2 ounces

Mix and make into a solution. Use in an atomizer, every two hours.

To cleanse the nostrils wash out each nostril gently with a solution made of one teaspoonful of listerine, or glyco-thymoline, or borolyptol, or one-quarter teaspoonful of common salt in a half gla.s.s of warm water.

You can use a vaporizer and this solution: