Mother's Remedies Part 26

1. PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Canker Sore Mouth.--If from the diseases mentioned treat them. In the meantime to relieve the local conditions keep the mouth clean and use as a mouth wash boric acid, one teaspoonful to a cup of warm water.

2. Burnt alum applied directly to the part is good.

3. Nitrate of silver pencil applied directly to the canker until it turns whitish, cures in a few applications. Use twice a day.

4. A wash of sage tea is good also, but it must be strong.

5. The juice of a ripe tomato is good applied locally. Sore mouth should be kept absolutely clean. Thrush frequently comes from uncleanness.

GANGRENOUS STOMAt.i.tIS.--This is a rapidly spreading gangrenous affection of the cheeks and forms a rare occurrence and ending fatally in most cases. The trouble may extend to the jaws and lips.

Causes.--It is more common in girls and boys and usually appears between the ages of two and five years. It is worse in the low countries like Holland, but it is not contagious. It is more likely to attack the sickly children suffering from the effects of overcrowding. It may follow diseases like scarlet fever, typhoid fever, smallpox, etc.

Symptoms.--It usually affects first the mucous membrane of one cheek, near the corner of the mouth, as a dark, ragged, sloughing ulcer and spreads for two or three days before the substance of the cheek is infected. If you grasp the cheek between the thumb and finger you can then feel a hard and sensitive lump. The cheek may be eaten through by the third day, though a week generally pa.s.ses before this happens. There is a burning watery discharge from the unhealthy wound. The breath smells terribly and it is almost unbearable. The gangrene may spread over one half of the face of the side affected.

TREATMENT.--The death rate is eighty to ninety per cent. This is a very dangerous disease and a doctor must be in attendance. Cut, away all the dead tissue by using burning caustics, such as fuming nitric acid, solid zinc chloride, nitrate of silver, carbolic acid on the actual canker.

Sometimes mild applications like sub nitrate of bis.m.u.th, chloride of potash or the following do well:--

Sulphate of copper 2 drams Powdered cinchona 1/2 ounce Water enough to make 4 ounces

Mix and apply. Peroxide of hydrogen is good as a disinfectant or boric acid solution, etc., may be used. Keep up the patient's strength.

Fortunately this disease is rare. I have never seen a case in practice.

Salivation.--Stop the mercury, keep the bowels open and use the same antiseptic washes as directed for sore mouth.

[100 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Chlorate of Potash Solution, Soda Solutions, Boracic Acid Solutions.--Brush the ulcers with nitrate of silver sticks. Keep the mouth clean with hot water washes and some of the antiseptics put in the water as boric acid, soda, glycothymotine, listerine, etc.

ACUTE DYSPEPSIA.--(Acute Indigestion, Acute Gastritis). "Gaster" is the Greek for stomach; "itis" means inflammation,--thus acute inflammation of the stomach. It may be acute or chronic. When acute it may be called acute gastritis, acute gastric catarrh, acute dyspepsia or acute indigestion.

When chronic it may be called chronic gastritis, chronic catarrh of the stomach, chronic dyspepsia or chronic indigestion.

Causes.--This is a very common complaint and is usually caused by eating foods that are hard to digest, which either themselves irritate the stomach, or remain undigested, decompose, and so excite an acute dyspepsia, or indigestion, or it may be caused by eating or taking in more than the stomach can digest. A frequent cause is eating decomposing food, particularly in hot weather. Alcohol is another great cause.

Symptoms.--In mild cases. Distress in the stomach, headache, weary feeling, thirst, nausea, belching of wind, sour food, and vomiting; the tongue is heavily coated and the saliva increased. In children there are loose bowels and colicky pains. It lasts rarely more than twenty-four hours. Vomiting usually relieves the patient.

Severe cases.--These may set in with a chill; fever 102 or 103. The tongue is much coated, breath foul and frequent vomiting, loss of appet.i.te, great thirst, tenderness in region of the stomach; repeated vomiting of food at first, then of bile stained fluid with mucus; constipation or diarrhea. Attacks last one to five days.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Mustard and Mola.s.ses for.--"Mustard is an excellent household remedy kept in every home. A tablespoonful of white mustard mingled with two ounces of mola.s.ses and then taken once a day will act gently on the bowels and is a beneficial remedy in dyspepsia." By acting upon the bowels it relieves the stomach of any food that may have caused a disturbance and relieves the dyspepsia.

2. Flatulent Dyspepsia, Wormwood tea for.--"Wormwood, one to two teaspoonfuls, water one pint. Make a tea and take from one to four teaspoonfuls daily." This is an old tried remedy and one that should be given a trial if affected with dyspepsia.

3. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Dry salt for.--"One-half teaspoon dry salt taken before each meal. Knew a gentleman who was nearly worn out with this trouble and entirely cured himself with this simple remedy." It is always well to give these simple remedies a fair trial, before resorting to strong drugs. Salt is a good stimulant.

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 101]

4. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Chicken Gizzard Skin for.--"Four ounces good brandy, one-fourth pound of loaf sugar, one tablespoonful pulverized chicken gizzard skin, one teaspoonful Turkish rhubarb dried on paper stirring constantly; this prevents griping; the chicken gizzard skin is the lining of the gizzard which should be thoroughly cleaned and dried then pulverized. To prepare put brandy and sugar together (crush the sugar), light a paper and set fire to the brandy; let burn until sugar is dissolved, then add the gizzard skin and rhubarb, stir together and if too thick add a little water and boil up. Dose :--Infant, one-half teaspoonful every four hours; child, one teaspoonful every four hours; adult, one tablespoonful every four hours. Have used this remedy for a great many years and given it to a great many people who have worn out all other remedies."

5. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, an Excellent Tonic for.--

"Tincture Gentian Compound 2 ounces Tincture Rhubarb 2 ounces Tincture Ginger 1/2 ounce Essence Peppermint 2 ounces Bicarbonate Soda 1/2 ounce Water to make 8 ounces

Mix.

For acute cases of indigestion where the stomach and bowels are full and distended, or sour stomach, spitting up of food. This will often relieve at once and with continued use relieves entirely."

6. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Fruit Diet Cure for.--"Persons afflicted with this disease would find great relief if they would confine themselves to a diet of fruit only for several days." This gives the stomach an opportunity to rest up and get back to its natural state.

7. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Hickory Ashes for.--"Take a swallow of hickory limb ashes and water three times a day."

8. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Salt and water for.--"Drink sal and water before eating breakfast."

9. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Slippery Elm for.--"Chew slippery elm; it aids digestion."

10. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Cold Water for.--"A gla.s.s of cold water half hour before eating."

11. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Hot Water for.--"Sip a cup of boiling hot water before eating anything."

12. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Yolk of Egg and Salt for.--"A very simple but good remedy is the yolk of one egg, with a small quant.i.ty of common salt before breakfast. This treatment has been tried and known to cure in many cases."

13. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Lemon Remedy for.--"Drink a half gla.s.s of water into which has been put the juice of a lemon (no sugar) morning and evening. This is a fine remedy."

[102 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

14. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Hops Excellent for.--"Pour one quart of boiling water over one-half ounce of hops, cover this over and allow the infusion to stand for fifteen minutes; the tea must then be strained off into another jug. A small cupful may be drank in the morning, which will create an appet.i.te and also strengthen the digestive powers. It is an excellent medicinal drink." Hops does its work by the soothing and quieting action on the whole system, and should be taken regularly for some time.

15. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Tested Remedy for.--"A good digestive is made as follows:

Tincture of Leptandrin 1 ounce Tincture of Hydrastis 1 ounce Tincture of Colombo 1 ounce Wine of Pepsin 1 ounce

Mix. Dose, two teaspoonfuls after each meal."

The leptandrin acts on the liver, the colombo is a bitter tonic and hydrastis is a good tonic for the stomach.

16. Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Chamomile Tonic for Aged Persons also for Children.--"Put about one-half ounce chamomile flowers into a jug, pour a pint of boiling water upon them, cover up the tea, and when it has stood about ten minutes pour it off from the flowers into another jug; sweeten with sugar or honey. A cupful in the morning will strengthen the digestive organs, a teacupful in which is stirred a large dessert spoonful of moist sugar and a little grated ginger is an excellent thing to give to aged persons a couple of hours before dinner," It is remarkable to see how this treatment aids the digestion, especially in chronic cases. It may also be given to fretful children in small doses.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT in mild cases of acute Dyspepsia.--These recover by themselves by giving the stomach rest, and taking a dose of castor oil.

Hot water is good to help to clean out the stomach.

Treatment in severe forms.--Promote vomiting by drinking large amount of warm water. This cleans the stomach of the sour, foul, decomposing food.

If warm water does not cause vomiting, give any simple emetic you may have at your hand, such as mustard, etc., one teaspoonful. If the stomach tastes very sour, take some baking soda; subnitrate of bis.m.u.th (ten grains) is good, if you have it. If the bowels are constipated you should take an enema (injection) or salts. Soda water can be drank freely. Rest the stomach for a day from food. For the thirst cracked ice is relished.

As the patient is usually very thirsty the mouth should be rinsed frequently with cool water and some can be swallowed. As stated before for nausea and sour belching, baking soda or bis.m.u.th subnitrate can be used when there is much gas, sour belchings; crust coffee is very good. Burn the toast and make a hot coffee of it.

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 103]

DIET.--Given us by the Lady Superior of one of the largest Catholic Hospitals in Ohio.