DIGESTIVE ORGANS, DISEASES OF.

CANKER SORE MOUTH. (Aphthous Stomatitis.)—This is a variety of inflammation of the mouth where there are one or more vesicles (cankers) upon the edges of the tongue, the cheek or the lips.

Causes.—They are most common in children between two and six years of age; but are not rare in adults. Predisposing causes are spring and autumn, tuberculosis, teething, poor nutrition, stomach and bowel disorders.

Symptoms.—The vesicles soon rupture and leave the ulcer (canker). There may be a few or many, pin-head or split pea in size, along the edges of the tongue, inside the cheeks. They are very tender.

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MOTHERS' REMEDIES.—1. Canker Sore Mouth, Raspberry Leaf for.—"Infuse a handful of raspberry leaves in a half pint of boiling water for fifteen minutes; when cold strain and add two ounces tinc. of myrrh, rinse the mouth with a little of it two or three times a day, swallow a little each time until relieved. This is also good for spongy gums, loose teeth, bad breath and for gently correcting and cleansing the stomach."

2. Canker Sore Mouth, Oak Bark Tea for.—"Red Oak bark, a little salt and pepper." The bark should be boiled down to make a good strong tea, according to age of person. The salt has an astringent effect upon the mouth and is also a good antiseptic. The pepper should not be used when the parts are very red and inflamed. It should be used only when they are rather sluggish.

3. Canker Sore Mouth, Boracic acid for.—"Rinse the mouth with a solution of boracic acid and put some of the dry powder on the canker," This is a very good remedy as the boracic acid is a good antiseptic and is especially good for children and mild cases of canker sore mouth.

4. Canker Sore Mouth, Canker Weed Tea for.—"Apply canker weed found in the woods. A small plant with dark green leaves spotted with white." Make a tea of the canker weed by steeping it, then strain and apply to the affected parts. This is a very good remedy.

5. Canker Sore Mouth, Honey and Borax for.—"Honey and borax used as a mouth wash or swabbing is excellent." The honey is very soothing and the borax is a good antiseptic.

6. Canker Sore Mouth, Wild Turnip for.—"Dried wild turnip grated fine and put in mouth. I know this is excellent."

7. Canker Sore Mouth, Alum for.—"Take a piece of alum, rub on the canker often."

8. Canker Sore Mouth, Borax Water for.—"Rinse the mouth well with a weak solution of borax water, then put a little dry borax on the canker. They will generally heal after one or two applications."

9. Sore Mouth, Common and Effective Remedy for.—"Make an infusion of sumach bobs (not the poison ones, of course). Good for sore throat when used as a gargle and a little swallowed frequently." This is a very effective remedy and is also good for sore mouth.

10. Sore Mouth, Shoemaker Root and Borax good for.—"Take the inside bark of shoemaker root and steep it; strain, add a little borax; have known it to take off canker where doctors failed." If the above cannot be secured make a tea from common strawberry leaves. You can use this for a baby by swabbing the mouth, and I have known some mothers to throw in a small piece of alum making it stronger for an older person.

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 99]

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 STOMATITIS.—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 passes 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 bismuth, 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 appetite, 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 Molasses for.—"Mustard is an excellent household remedy kept in every home. A tablespoonful of white mustard mingled with two ounces of molasses 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 glass 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 quantity 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 glass of water into which has been put the juice of a lemon (no sugar) morning and evening. This is a fine remedy."

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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 appetite 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 bismuth (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 bismuth 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.

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

May take—

Soups—Clear thin soups of beef, mutton or oysters.

Fish—Oysters raw, shad, cod, perch, bass, fresh mackerel.

Meats—Beef, mutton, chicken, lamb, tripe, tongue, calf's head, broiled chopped meat, sweetbread, game, tender steak.

Eggs—Boiled, poached, raw.

Farinaceous—Cracked wheat, hominy, rolled oats, rice, sago, tapioca, crackers, dry toast, stale bread, corn bread, whole wheat bread, graham bread, rice cakes.

Vegetables—Spinach, string beans, green peas, lettuce, cresses, celery, chicory, asparagus.

Desserts—Rice, tapioca or farina pudding, junket, custards, baked apples, apple snow, apple tapioca, ripe fruits—raw or stewed.

Drinks—One cup of milk and hot water equal parts, or one glass of pure cool water, sipped after eating, Panopepton or cracked ice.

Must Not Take—Rich soups or chowders, veal, pork, hashes, stews, turkey, potatoes, gravies, fried foods, liver, kidney; pickled, potted, corned or cured meats; salted, smoked or preserved fish; goose, duck, sausage, crabs, lobster, salmon, pies, pastry, candies, ice cream, cheese, nuts, ice water, malt or spirituous liquors.

CHRONIC DYSPEPSIA (Chronic Indigestion—Chronic Gastritis—Stomach Trouble).—A chronic digestive disorder characterized by increased secretion of mucus, changes in the gastric juice, weakening of the stomach muscles and diseased changes in the mucous membrane.

Causes.—The use of unsuitable and improperly prepared food, too much fat, starchy foods, New England pie, and hot meals, biscuits, cakes, etc., greasy gravies, too strong tea or coffee, and too much alcohol. Eating too much food, eating too fast, and eating between meals. Drinking of ice and cold water during or after meals. Chewing, especially, and smoking tobacco.

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Symptoms.—Almost every bad feeling can be put under this head, both physical and mental. It has been coming on gradually for some time and the warnings have not been heeded; The appetite is variable, sometimes good and often poor. Among the early symptoms are feelings of distress or oppression after eating, and they may amount to actual pain; great or small. Sometimes feels sick at the stomach, belching of gas and bitter liquids and vomiting of food immediately after eating or some hours later. Stomach tender and painful to the touch. Stomach and abdomen are distended, especially after meals, with costive bowels or diarrhea. Feels weary, blue, tired, discouraged, poor sleep, bad dreams, bitter taste in the mouth, tongue coated especially on the back part, craves different things, much wind on the stomach, acid stomach, heavy feeling in the stomach, sometimes as if a stone lay there. Stomach feels weak, it is hard to sit up. Frequently must lie down after meals. Urine may have sand in it, Stomach feels full after eating only a little, must open up the clothes across the stomach. Persons are cross, irritable, discouraged, gloomy, nervous, generally look thin, haggard and sallow. The dreams are of horrid things, nightmare.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES, Stomach Trouble, Spice Poultice for,—1. "Take all kinds of ground spices and make a poultice. Heat whisky and wet the poultice with it, then apply to the stomach and bowels." This will always give relief. Wetting the poultice with whisky will be found very beneficial as it will retain the heat longer.

2. Stomach Trouble, Oil of Hemlock for,—"The Oil of Hemlock is a superior remedy in gastric irritation of the stomach. Dose:—One to two drops in sweetened water every ten or twenty minutes until relief is afforded, for an adult."

3. Cramps in Stomach, Ginger and Soda for.—"One teaspoonful of ginger stirred in half glass of hot water in which a half teaspoonful of baking soda has been dissolved." The ginger is very beneficial, as it warms up the stomach and thereby relieves the cramps, and the baking soda relieves any gas in the stomach that may be causing the trouble.

4. Cramps in Stomach, Oil of Peppermint for.—"Put a few drops of peppermint in a glass of warm water. Take a teaspoonful every few minutes until relieved." This is an old time-tried remedy our grandmothers used to use and can be relied upon.

5. Cramps in Stomach, Mustard Poultice and Eggs for.—"Make a mustard poultice with whites of eggs instead of water, and apply same to bowels. Give a teaspoonful of blackberry tea every fifteen or twenty minutes until relieved." The poultice acts as a counter irritant and will almost always relieve the cramps without further medicines.

6. Pains in Stomach, Hot Plate for.—"Hot plate laid on stomach. Use the heavy English made plates, common to us in Canada, as they will hold heat longer."

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 105]

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Chronic Gastritis.—Most cases can be cured if the patient is willing to do the proper thing in eating and drinking and regulating the habits. It takes time to cure such cases, and plenty of grit and courage and "stick" on the patient's part. Remember it has been a long time coming, longer than it will be going if the patient does right. Diet and habits must be corrected. You cannot help the trouble if you put into the stomach what has caused it. We eat too much fat and too much improper and improperly cooked foods, our bread, etc., is half baked. Gravies are rich and greasy, everything is highly seasoned, very much like the life we lead.

Diet.—A regular time for eating and no eating between meals. Do not eat too much or too fast, or anything that you know disagrees with you. Fried foods are generally harmful, pies, cakes, hot breads, strong tea and coffee and alcohol, gravy and highly spiced foods; vinegar pickles, preserves, etc., are generally bad. If there is acid belching gas on stomach, the starch foods should be restricted, particularly potatoes and the coarser vegetables. Potatoes fried in lard or butter are always bad unless you are a hard physical worker. Dr. Osler, England, says breads, pancakes, pies, and tarts, with heavy pastry and fried articles of all sorts, should be strictly prohibited. As a rule, white bread toasted is more readily digested than bread made from the whole meal. Sometimes graham bread is better. Sugar and very sweet articles of food should be used in great moderation or avoided altogether. Ice cream frequently aggravates it. Soda water is a great dyspepsia producer. Fats, except a little good butter, very fat meats, and thick greasy soups and gravies should be avoided.

Ripe fruits are good in some cases. Bananas generally are not digested. Berries are frequently harmful. Milk is splendid diet for some people.

Cautions.—The bowels must be kept "moving" every day, try to do it by dieting, rubbing the abdomen and exercise. Bathing the abdomen in cool water is good. Go to the closet at a regular time every day and try to have a passage, as this helps. Never put off going to stool when nature calls. Dyspepsia is frequently made worse by constipation. Seek good cheerful company. Do not worry over your condition. By care and diet you will soon be all right.

Home Treatment.—1. Drink a glass of cold water an hour before breakfast, or hot water if it agrees better with you.

2. Do not eat much meat.

3. If the stomach wants tone, bitter tonics, like quassia, gentian, cardanum are good, even if drank as teas. When the tongue is coated with a white thick fur, golden seal is good. Medicines are not as essential as care and diet.

4. Charcoal in small doses is good for' a "gassy" stomach.

5. If a bitter tonic is needed the following is good:

Bicarbonate of Soda 1 dram Tincture of Nux Vomica l to 2 drams Compound tincture of Gentian, enough for 3 ounces

Mix and take one teaspoonful to a dessert spoonful before meals.

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NERVOUS DYSPEPSIA.—This is acquired from over work, worry, excitement, hurried or irregular meals, or inherited. It shows itself in all sorts of symptoms and they must be met as they come. Diet the same as for general dyspepsia, never eat when you are tired, rest after eating.

ULCER OF THE STOMACH AND DUODENUM (Upper part of bowel).—Round or perforating ulcer. The stomach ulcer is most common in women of twenty or thirty; servant girls, shoemakers, and tailors are frequently attacked. Ulcer of the duodenum is usually in males and may follow large superficial burns. The ulcer in the stomach is usually situated near the pylorus (small end) and in the first portion of the duodenum.

Symptoms.—Pain, local tenderness, vomiting and bleeding. These may not show until perforation or bleeding occurs. Distress after eating, often nausea and vomiting of very acid fluid, loss of weight and lack of blood.

Pain in the region of the stomach and the back is the most constant symptom. It is usually sharp, increased at once by food, relieved by vomiting. The tender spot can be located. Bleeding occurs in about one-half the cases and is usually profuse, bright red and fluid; if retained in the stomach the blood becomes clotted and brown. Tar-like stools when there is blood in the bowels. They usually recover under treatment, but may recur.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT FOR ULCER OF THE STOMACH.—1. Rest in bed most of the time for several months.

2. Feed by the rectum at first in severe cases, then peptonized or plain milk or buttermilk (three to four ounces) every two hours, some adding eggs, chicken, scraped beef and farinaceous food, made of: rice, flour, corn, potatoes, etc.

CANCER OF THE STOMACH.—Usually occurs after the age of forty.

Symptoms.—Indigestion for a few months; lack of blood and loss of weight. Well marked case shows the following symptoms:—Distaste for food, nausea, irregular vomiting, especially in cases where it is located near the pylorus—the opening between the stomach and the small intestine—usually one hour or more after eating; bleeding rarely profuse, usually of "coffee-ground type," dragging, gnawing or burning pain in the region of the stomach, back, loins or shoulders, usually increased by food; progressive loss of weight and strength; peculiar sallow look, skin pale or yellowish.

Course.—The person usually dies in twelve to eighteen months, sometimes in three to four months.

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 107]

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT of Cancer of the Stomach and Bowels.—There is no cure for this trouble except by an operation. This must be done early; even this may not cure but it, at least, prolongs life and makes the patient more comfortable while life does last. In the line of medicine the only thing to do is to give only such remedies as will ease the symptoms.

Diet.—Attend to this also and you will save pain and distress. Every case should be treated as it needs and no special directions can be given here.

BLEEDING FROM THE STOMACH.—(Haematemesis).

Causes.—Cancer and ulcer of the stomach are main causes of excessive bleeding; poisons also cause it; injuries also.

Symptoms.—The vomited blood may be fluid or clotted; it is usually of dark color. The longer it remains in the stomach the darker it becomes. There may be great weakness and faint feeling on attempting to rise before a vomiting of blood. The contents of the bowels when passed look "tarry."

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Bleeding of the Stomach.—Absolute rest in bed is necessary. The bowels should be moved by an enema and it can be repeated carefully as often as necessary. Cracked ice in bag over the stomach. If the patient vomits much medicine is useless. They generally recover with rest. The extremities can be bandaged if there is great weakness and also external heat can be applied if there is a tendency to faintness.

Caution.—A person so afflicted, if he has ulcer, must be careful of his diet for months after an attack. He should be careful not to lift, over work, over eat or worry.

NEURALGIA OF THE STOMACH (Cardialgia, Gastralgia, Gastrodynia).— This is a severe pain in paroxysms in the region of the stomach.

Causes.—The patients are of a nervous type. They may have anemia, exhaustion from sickness and bleedings, the menstruation be at fault. Grief, worry and anxiety.

Symptoms.—The attack comes suddenly as a rule. The pains are agonizing in the stomach region, they may dart to the back or pass around the lower ribs. The attack lasts from a few minutes to an hour or two. It does not depend upon the food taken.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Neuralgia of the Stomach.—The causes should be understood and especial treatment given for them. The patients are usually run down and a tonic treatment is needed. Constipation and menstrual troubles should be cured, worry, trouble and anxiety, if possible, be removed. The following is good for nervous patients:—

Valerianate of zinc 18 grains Valerianate of quinine 18 grains Iron Arsenate 2 grains

Mix and make into eighteen pills and take one after meals.

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Bitter tonics can be taken such as gentian, columbo, quassia. Change of air and scene may be needed. Sometimes morphine must be given for the attack. A physician should do this. If there is much gas, soda and peppermint are good.

DIARRHEA:—Causes.

(a) Improper or excessive food, including green or over-ripe fruit.

(b) Poison substances; such as decomposed milk or meat either fresh or canned: or caused by arsenic, mercury or colchicum.

(d) Exposure to cold, wet or draughts.

(c) Stomach disorder, preventing thorough digestion.

(e) Extension of inflammation from other organs.

Symptoms.—Sudden colicky pain in the bowels, moving about with rumbling noises. The pain is not constant and is followed at intervals with a sudden extreme desire to empty the bowels. The stools may be four to twenty a day, watery or gruel-like in appearance and they sometimes contain mucus or undigested food. The stools usually relieve the pain for the time. It usually lasts two or three days or longer.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES.—Diarrhea.—1. "Wild Sage Tea." Wild sage tea is a very good remedy for bowel trouble because of its astringent virtues. Before the sage is used, however, the bowels should be thoroughly cleansed with castor oil or salts.

2. Diarrhea, Egg and Nutmeg for.—"Beat up an egg, grate in half a nutmeg and sweeten to taste. Repeat two or three times during the day. Remarks: Has been known to help in chronic cases when doctors' medicine failed."

3. Diarrhea, Scorched Flour and Sugar for.—"Scorched flour in boiled milk or scorched flour and sugar eaten dry is very good. This is a simple but a never failing remedy if taken right at the beginning of the trouble."

4. Diarrhea, Excellent Compound for.—

"Paregoric 1 ounce Tincture of Camphor 1/2 ounce Tincture of Ginger 1/2 ounce Tincture of Red Pepper 1/2 ounce Essence of Peppermint 1/2 ounce Ether 1/2 ounce

Mix.—Dose for adult, one teaspoonful to four of water every two hours if necessary. This is an excellent remedy."

5. Diarrhea, Spice Poultice for.—"Make a poultice of all kinds of ground spices, heat whisky and wet the poultice, apply to the stomach and bowels."

6. Diarrhea, Blackberry Root Tea for.—"One-half ounce blackberry root boiled in one pint water fifteen minutes, strain. Dose.—One teaspoonful every hour or two until relieved."

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 109]

7. Diarrhea, Hot Milk, for.—"A glass of sweet milk that has been boiled well. Drink hot; use several times daily until checked."

8. Diarrhea, Castor Oil for.—"Castor oil. Dose.—One to four teaspoonfuls according to age. Wrap warm flannel around abdomen."

9. Summer Complaint, Former Canadian's Remedy for.—"Eat one blossom of the May weed every hour or two until relieved. This remedy came from Port Huron and has been used by my father with success."

10. Summer Complaint, a Goderich Lady Found this Good for.—"Powdered rhubarb, cinnamon, baking soda (one tablespoonful of each), dissolve in one pint of boiling water, add one tablespoonful of peppermint; take every hour one teaspoonful in water."

11. Summer Complaint, Inexpensive Remedy for.—

"Paregoric 2 ounces Brandy 1 ounce Jamaica Ginger 1 ounce

Have used this and found it excellent." Dose: 1/2 dram every 3 hours.

12. Summer Complaint, Fern Root Good to Relieve.—"A decoction is made with two ounces of the sweet fern root boiled in one and one-half pints water to one pint. Dose.—A tablespoonful several times a day as the case requires. Most useful in diarrhea," This may be purchased at any drug store and will be found a very good treatment for diarrhea.

13. Summer Complaint, Milk and Pepper a Common Remedy for.—"Sweet milk and black pepper once or twice a day. Dose.—Three or four swallows. Mother used to use this for us children." The milk should be warmed, for in this way it relieves the diarrhea while the pepper is stimulating.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Diarrhea.—1. Rest in bed is the best. Abstain from food, especially at first, and then only give a little milk and boiled water or milk and lime water every two hours for two days. Cracked ice is good for the thirst.

2. A dose of one-half to an ounce of castor oil to an adult is of great benefit, as it removes all the irritating matter from the bowels. This often cures a light diarrhea. Follow by a blackberry wine or blackberry cordial if it is more severe.

3. For children.—An infusion of path weed is an excellent remedy for this trouble in children; after castor oil in one to two teaspoonful doses has been given. If castor oil is too bad to take, you can use what is called "spiced syrup of rhubarb," one to two teaspoonfuls to a child one to two years old, and then follow with blackberry wine.

4. For infants.—An infusion of chamomile is good for the green diarrhea of teething babies.

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5. Another for infants.—For infantile diarrhea the root of geranium maculation or cranesbill, boiled in milk in the proportion of one or two roots to the pint, will be found of great service and is tasteless.

6. Ginger tea is frequently of good service, especially when the stomach needs "toning."

7. Infants of six months.—Chalk and bismuth mixture by Dr. Douglass, of Detroit.

"Subnitrate of Bismuth 2 drams Paregoric 2 fluid drams Chalk mixture 2 fluid drams

Mix and shake bottle. Give one-half to one teaspoonful for loose bowels in a child six months old, every two to four hours as needed."

DIET IN DIARRHEA.—From the Head Nurse of a Large Hospital.

May Take—

Soups.—Milk soup well boiled, clam juice, beef tea.

Meats.—Scraped fresh beef or mutton well broiled, sweetbread, beef juice from freshly broiled steak (all sparingly).

Eggs.—Lightly boiled or poached on dry toast.

Farinaceous.—Rice, sago, macaroni, tapioca, arrowroot, dry toast, milk toast, toasted crackers.

Desserts.—Milk puddings, plain, with sago, rice, tapioca or arrowroot (no sugar).

Drinks.—Tea, toast water, boiled peptonized milk, Panopepton.

Must Not Take—

Oatmeal, wheaten grits, fresh breads, rich soups, vegetables, fried foods, fish, salt meats, lamb, veal, pork, brown or graham bread, fruits, nuts, pies, pastry, ice cream, ice water, sugars, sweets, custards, malt liquors, sweet wines.

Infants.—Bottle-fed infants should stop milk and use egg albumen, etc. This is prepared by gently stirring (not to a froth) the white of one egg in a cup of cold water and one-fourth teaspoonful of brandy and a little salt mixed with it. Feed this cold.

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 111]

If it causes foul or green stools it must be stopped. Dr. Koplik, of New York, recommends stopping the feeding of breast and bottle-fed infants in severe diarrhea or cholera infantum and to use the following:—Albumin water, acorn cocoa, or beef juice expressed and diluted with barley water. The white of one egg is equal in nourishing value to three ounces of milk and is well borne by infants. The albumin water can be used alternately with the solution of acorn cocoa or beef juice or barley water. Liebig's soup mixture is better liked by older children. Meat juice is made from lean beef, slightly broiled, then cutting it in squares and squeezing these in a lemon press. Rice or barley water can be added to this if the meat juice causes vomiting. Add only one or two teaspoonfuls of barley or rice water and increase, if it agrees well, in a day or two.

CHOLERA MORBUS (Acute Inflammation of Stomach and Upper Bowel).—This is most common in young people in late summer, after indiscretion in eating.

Symptoms.—Sometimes the patient feels tired, then nausea, etc. The attack though is usually sudden, with nausea, vomiting, and cramp-like pains in the abdomen. The contents of the stomach are vomited. The bowel discharge at first is diarrhea and later like rice water. Repeated vomiting and purging, with severe cramps. It looks like true cholera.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES, Cholera Morbus.—Castor Oil for.—"Castor oil one tablespoonful for an adult, one-half tablespoonful for children." This is an old, tried remedy and very good.

2. Cholera Morbus, Blackberry Root and Boiled Milk for.—"Steep the root of the long blackberry, give in one-half teaspoonful doses; alternate with teaspoonfuls of well boiled sweet milk, one-half hour apart."

3. Cholera Morbus, Blackberry Cordial for.—"Take a quantity of blackberries, strain out all of the juice. To each pint of juice add a pint of sugar. Then put in a little bag or cloth one-half ounce of cinnamon, one-fourth ounce of mace, two teaspoonfuls of cloves. Place this little bag with spices in the berry juice and boil for about two minutes, after which remove bag of spices and add one large cup of brandy or whisky to each pint of juice."

4. Cholera Morbus, Tincture Cayenne Pepper for.—"Tincture cayenne pepper, five to ten drop doses in a little hot water. Before giving this medicine it is well to drink a quantity of tepid water and produce vomiting. This can be made more effective by adding five or ten drops of camphor."

5. Cholera Morbus, Nutmeg and Jamaica Ginger for.—"Grate one teaspoonful nutmeg, put few drops Jamaica ginger in three or four tablespoonfuls of brandy, add little water." The writer says this is one of the finest remedies she has ever known for summer complaint.

6. Cholera Morbus, Home Remedy for.—"To a pint of water, sweetened with sugar, add chalk one-half dram, anise, two drams, cayenne pepper, ten grains; boil this down to one-half pint. Give a teaspoonful every hour or two until relieved. Kerosene may be applied to the abdomen with cloths. This is a very good remedy and easily prepared."

[112 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

7. Cholera Morbus, Old Reliable Remedy for.—

Tincture Rhubarh 4 ounces Spirits Camphor 2 ounces Paregoric (Tinct. opii camph.) 3 ounces Spirits Ammonia 4 ounce Essence Peppermint 1 dram

Take a half teaspoonful every two hours. This is a tested recipe; have known of its being used the last fifty years."

The camphor and paregoric will relieve the pain, while the rhubarb and pepper are stimulating and laxative.

8. Cholera Morbus, Common Remedy for.—"To check vomiting and purging, the following mixture is excellent:

Essence of Peppermint 1 ounce Water 1 ounce Carbonate of Potash 20 grains Paregoric 1 teaspoonful White Sugar or Honey 2 teaspoonfuls

Mix and shake well. Dose.—One teaspoonful every ten or twenty minutes until the patient becomes quiet. If necessary keep up bodily heat by means of hot flannels or bricks to extremities. Keep the patient quiet."

This is an excellent remedy for this trouble and may be used by anyone. The above mixture is for an adult.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Cholera Morbus.—l. Heat to the bowels and to the extremities. Give plenty of hot water to aid vomiting and to wash the stomach. It is always well to keep on drinking hot water and frequently the vomiting stops. If not, the camphor, laudanum and water can be given.

2. Morphine by hypodermic method. A doctor must give this.

3. Tincture of Camphor 15 drops Laudanum 15 drops

Mix in one-third of a cup of hot water. This is a good remedy. Mustard poultice to the stomach and bowels benefits.

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 113]

CHOLERA INFANTUM, Symptoms.—Usually begins with a diarrhea, which is often so mild as to attract but little attention, but should be a warning. If a weakly baby has a diarrhea which persists, or is foul smelling and especially if there is a marked loss of flesh and dullness of mind, there is ground for worry. If a bright child loses interest in things and has diarrhea something is wrong. The two essential features are vomiting and diarrhea, and the vomiting is persistent. First it vomits food, then the mucus and bile. The thirst is great, but anything taken to relieve it is instantly thrown up. The stools are frequent, large and watery. They may be painless and involuntary. They may look like dirty water, but later they loose all color. They are sometimes so thin and copious as to soak through the napkin and saturate the bed. They may be without odor, and again the odor is almost over-powering. The prostration is great and rapid. The fontannelles, openings in the head, are depressed, the face becomes pale and pinched, and the eyes are sunken. It occurs usually during the summer months, oftener in babies under eighteen months and still more under a year old.

Cautions.—This book will probably find its way into homes many miles from a drug store and possibly a long distance from a physician. Should a child in that home show symptoms of cholera infantum it would be imperative for that mother to begin at once home treatments. We, therefore, give below a number of remedies which a mother can either prepare in her home or can take the precaution to have filled at some convenient time and keep constantly at hand, properly labeled so she can turn to them at any moment. On the other hand, should you have to wait even three or four hours for a physician begin one of the treatments below until he comes; you may save the child's life by doing so. Cholera infantum and pneumonia claim so many of our little ones each year, and in many cases snatch them away within a few hours of the first noticeable symptoms that we must advise you to call a physician as soon as you suspect it is serious. Cases vary and only a trained eye can detect the little symptoms and changes that may weigh in the balance the life of baby.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES for Cholera Infantum.—l. Castor oil and warm applications for.—"Give the child one teaspoonful of castor oil, then wring woolen cloths out of warm whisky and apply to the abdomen. This will most always give relief, especially after the castor oil has acted upon the bowels."

2. Cholera Infantum, First Thing to Do.—"The first thing to do is to give a teaspoonful of castor oil, so as to thoroughly clean out the bowels. Then add one tablespoonful of turpentine to one quart of hot water and wring cloths out of this and apply to the bowels to relieve the pain that is always present in this disease. The turpentine is especially good for the bowels when they are bloated and have much gas in them."

3. Cholera Infantum, White of Egg and Cathartic for.—"One teaspoonful castor oil every two hours, until the movements are natural. Give no food except albumen water, which is composed of the white of one egg (slightly beaten) and a small pinch of salt in a glass of cold water which has been previously boiled. Feed this by spoonfuls."

4. Cholera Infantum, Olive or Sweet Oil for.—"One teaspoonful sweet or olive oil three times a day and an injection of one tablespoonful of the oil at night, to be retained in the bowels. If continued this will completely cure."

5. Cholera Infantum, Spice and Whisky Poultice for.—"Take all kinds of ground spices, make a poultice. Heat whisky and wet the poultice. Apply to the stomach and bowels."

[114 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

6. Cholera Infantum, Cabbage Leaf Poultice for.—"Take a cabbage leaf, hold it over the stove until warm as can be stood on back of hand; lay it across the child's abdomen. Repeat if necessary."

7. Cholera Infantum, Herb Remedy for.—"Strawberry root, blackberry root and raspberry root, equal parts, steeped together. I have used this remedy and found it good, but it should be used in time." Make a tea of these roots and take one teaspoonful every hour until relieved. This is a mild astringent.

8. Cholera Infantum, Tomatoes Will Relieve.—"Make a syrup of peeled tomatoes well sweetened with white sugar. Give one teaspoonful every half hour." This syrup is very soothing and the tomatoes are especially good if there is some ulcerated condition of the bowels. This preparation should always be strained before using.

9. Cholera Infantum, Injection for.—"For infant one year old inject into the bowels one pint of thin starch, in which is mixed from three to five drops of laudanum; cool, repeat night and morning. Plenty of water or cold barley water may be given and the food for a time may consist of egg albumen with a few drops of brandy. When the symptoms first appear apply a spice plaster or hot application over the abdomen; and keep child as quiet as possible." This is a remedy recommended and used by a number of physicians and has cured many severe cases.

Diets and Drinks.—Stop ordinary feeding at once. A little cream and water, or barley water and cream may do. If the breast milk excites the stomach and the bowels, stop it for a few hours. You can give a few drops of raw beef juice or a little brandy and water. To satisfy the thirst, wrap up a small bit of ice in a linen cloth and let the baby mouth it. Dilute the milk or stop entirely and give only water, or lime water and milk, barley water. Give all the water the child can drink boiled and cooled.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Cholera Infantum.—1. Washing out of the bowel frequently by injection controls the diarrhea. Use water of a temperature of 107. Elevate the tube about two feet above the bed, use one-half pint at one time. As the half pint flows in disconnect the funnel attached to the tube and the contents of the bowel are allowed to escape. Then allow another one-half pint to flow in. Some may escape and this is not an unfavorable sign. Keep on until a quart is given. This treatment is to wash and clean out the gut and stimulate the heart. The salt solution should be used, if necessary. Give only two daily.

2. For Vomiting.—Wash out the stomach through a tube or by giving a great deal of water.

3. Subcarbonate of bismuth for the vomiting and straining; two or three grains in powder every two or three hours. If there is much colicky pain, add one-half grain of salol to the bismuth powder.

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 115]

4. Castor oil; one teaspoonful may be needed if the bowels have any fecal matter in them.

5. Mustard poultice or spice poultice on the belly is useful.

Vomiting.—This is simply a symptom; many diseases cause it, as scarlet fever, tuberculosis, meningitis, acute dyspepsia, biliousness, chronic dyspepsia, indigestion, neuralgia of the bowels, appendicitis, ulcer and cancer of the stomach, pregnancy, etc. Many persons with dyspepsia vomit their food.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES for Vomiting.—1. Spice Poultice to Stop.—"Make a poultice of one-half cup of flour and one teaspoonful of each kind of ground spice, wet with alcohol or whisky. Apply over the stomach." This acts as a counter irritant and has the same action on the system as a mustard plaster, only not so severe and can be left on for hours, as there need be no fear of blistering. This kind of a poultice should always be used when it is necessary to leave one on any length of time.

2. Vomiting, Mustard Plaster to Stop.—"Plaster of mustard on pit of stomach." Be very careful not to allow the plaster to remain on too long, as it will blister, and this would be worse to contend with than the vomiting.

3. Vomiting, Parched Corn Drink to Stop.—"Take field corn and parch it as brown as you can get it without burning. When parched throw in boiling water and drink the water as often as necessary until vomiting is stopped."

4. Vomiting, Peppermint Leaves Application for.—"Bruise peppermint leaves and apply to the stomach." This can be found in any drug store in a powder form, and is easily prepared by crushing the leaves and applying to the stomach. If you have the essence of peppermint in the house, that will answer about the same purpose taken internally and rubbed over abdomen.

5. Vomiting, to Produce, Mustard and Water for.—"To produce vomiting take two tablespoonfuls dry mustard, throw luke warm water over it and let stand a minute, then drink." This is an old, tried remedy that we all know about.

6. Vomiting, to Produce, Warm Water for.—"Drink a quart of warm water and you will easily find relief at once." The warm water remedy is very good as the water helps the patient by removing all decomposed food.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Vomiting.—The only way to treat it is to treat the disease that causes it. Here I may mention a very simple remedy; a tea made from wood soot is frequently helpful. It is the creosote in the wood soot that gives it its medical virtue.

2. For nervous vomiting; two to five drops of garlic juice is good. Dose of syrup for a child [is] one teaspoonful. Dose of syrup for an adult is four teaspoonfuls.

[116 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

3. A little brandy on cracked ice is often good.

4. Oil of cloves, one-half to one drop, helps in some cases.

5. Lime water added to milk is good in babies.

6. Vinegar fumes, saturate a cloth and inhale the fumes.

7. Seidlitz powder often settles the stomach, soda also.

8. Mustard plaster over the stomach is good in all cases.

9. One-tenth of a drop of ipecac is good for nausea and vomiting.

10. One-half of a drop of Fowler's solution every two hours is useful in nausea following a spree. So also one drop dose of nux vomica every half hour.

APPENDICITIS.—Inflammation of the vermiform appendix is the most important of acute bowel troubles. Sometimes the appendix may contain a mould of feces, which can be squeezed out readily. Sometimes foreign bodies like pins are found there; in about seven per cent of cases foreign bodies are found.

It is a disease of young persons. Fifty per cent occur before the twentieth year. It is most common in males. Persons who do heavy lifting are quite subject to the disease. Some cases follow falls or blows. Indiscretions of diet are very apt to bring on an attack, particularly in those who have had it before. Pain in the appendix in such persons, frequently follows the eating of food hard to digest. Gorging with peanuts is also a cause.

Symptoms.—In a large proportion of cases the following symptoms are present:—Sudden pain in the abdomen, usually referred to the right groin region. Fever often of moderate form or grade. Disturbances of the stomach and bowels, such as nausea, vomiting and frequently constipation. Tenderness or pain in the appendix region. The pain in fully one-half of the cases is localized in right lower part of the abdomen, but it may be in the central portion, scattered, or in any part of the abdomen. Even when the pain is not in the region of the appendix at first, it is usually felt there within thirty-six or forty-eight hours. It is sometimes very sharp and colic-like; sometimes it is dull. The fever follows rapidly upon the pain. It may range from 100 to 102 and higher. The tongue is coated and moist usually,—seldom dry. Nausea and vomiting are commonly present. It rarely persists longer than the second day in favorable cases. Constipation is the rule, but the attack may start with diarrhea.

Local Signs.—Tenderness of the rectus muscle (to the right of the centre of the abdomen) and tenderness or pain on deep pressure. The muscle may be so rigid that a satisfactory examination cannot be made. Sometimes there is a hardness or swelling in the appendix region. Tenderness, rigidity and actual pain on deep pressure; with the majority of cases, a lump or swelling in the region of the appendix.

[Illustration: Vermiform Appendix. When Affected by Inflamation and Gangrene Necessitating an Operation.]

[Illustration: Vermiform Appendix. Showing Different Types.]

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 117]

Recovery.—Recovery is the rule. It frequently returns. General peritonitis may be caused by direct perforation of the appendix and death in appendicitis is usually due to peritonitis.

Surgeons have declared that sudden pain in the region of the appendix, with fever and localized tenderness, with or without a lump almost without exception means appendix disease. Rest in bed, take measures to allay the pain; ice bag applied to the part is very effective.

Operation.—Dr. Osler, of Oxford, England, says.—"Operation is indicated in all cases of acute inflammatory trouble in this region, whether the lump is present or not, when the general symptoms are severe, and when by the third day the features of the case points to a progressive (condition) lesion. An operation after an acute attack has disappeared is not fraught with much danger."

Diet.—All food should be withheld for a few days if possible. Liquids, such as egg albumen, weak tea, thin broth, barley or rice water, or milk diluted with lime water may be given in small quantities if necessary. When the acute symptoms have subsided, milk may be taken undiluted, and eggs may be added to the broth. When the pain and fever have disappeared entirely, gruels made of rice or barley, soft-boiled egg, scraped beef, stewed chicken, toast, and crackers may be added to the list; still later, mashed potatoes and vegetables, finely divided and strained, may be allowed and, finally, when well, usual diet resumed.

APPENDICITIS, Mothers' Remedies.—Home Treatment Found Good for.—"To allay the pain and stop the formation of pus in appendicitis it is recommended that a flannel cloth be saturated with hot water, wrung out, drop ten to fifteen drops of turpentine on it and apply to the affected parts as hot as the patient can bear. Repeat until relief is obtained. Then cover the bowels with a thin cotton cloth, upon which place another cloth wrung out of kerosene oil. This sustains the relief and conduces to rest and eventual cure. It is an essential part of the absorbent cure for appendicitis, and since its adoption doctors do not resort to a surgical operation half so often." The above is a standard remedy and will most always give relief.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Appendicitis.—The bowels should at first be moved by an enema, The patient should be perfectly quiet in bed. The ice-bag should be applied to the part, but wrapped in flannel and flannel also on the skin, It must not be allowed to make the flesh too cool. This coolness relieves the inflammation of the part. Small doses, from one-tenth to one drop, of aconite can be given for the fever and inflammation the first twenty-four hours. Dose every one to three hours. But little medicine is now given in appendicitis.

[118 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Caution.—Keep the bowels regular, especially if you have ever had appendicitis before, also be careful of your eating. This disease will attack high livers, hearty eaters and those with constipated bowels more quickly than others.

INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS. Mothers' Remedies.—1.—Inflammation of the Bowels, Excellent Remedy for.—"First bathe the abdomen with warm salt water, then lay over the navel a piece of lard the size of black walnut. Hold the hand over this until it softens; then rub well into the bowels. This often relieves when pills and powders fail." The massaging brings about action of the bowels without a cathartic usually. Sweet oil or olive oil instead of lard, will do as well.

2. Inflammation of the Bowels, Red Beet Poultice for.—"Take red beets; chop up, put in bag, warm a little and put across the stomach. This will draw out the inflammation quickly and makes a very good poultice."

3. Inflammation of the Bowels, Hop Poultice for.—"Take hops, strain them and put in a sack. Lay across the stomach and bowels."

4. Inflammation of the Bowels, Griddle Cake Poultice for.—"Apply hot griddle cakes on bowels. This acts as a poultice, and should be replaced as soon as cold." This remedy saved my life when I was seventeen years of age. Am now fifty. This remedy will be found very good, but care should be taken not to burn the patient.

5. Cold or Pain in the Bowels, Spice Poultice for Child or Adult.—"Take a cloth sack large enough to cover abdomen; take all kinds of ground spices, put in the bag and tie up, sprinkle bag lightly with alcohol, just enough to dampen spices; lay this on abdomen." This serves as a poultice and is an excellent remedy for this trouble. This may be used for a child as well as an adult.

6. Inflammation of the Bowels, Simple Remedy Always at Hand for.—"Apply hot woolen cloths to abdomen as hot as can be wrung out, change every few minutes. My life was saved twice when I was several hundred miles from a doctor by this treatment." This simple but never failing remedy is easily prepared and, as we all know, heat is the most essential thing for this trouble, especially moist heat.

7. Inflammation of the Bowels, a Rather Unique Remedy for.—"Cut the head off of a hen, cut open down the breast, take out the inwards, pound flat and roll with rolling pin and apply to the bowels. This will draw out all inflammation, but must be done in as little time as possible." The above remedy can do no harm. Many people use it. Perhaps other poultices would be easier to prepare, just as effective and save the hen.

8. Inflammation of the Bowels, Marshmallow Leaves, a Canadian Remedy for.—"Green marshmallow leaves (dry will do). Wet flannel and apply hot." Make a strong tea of the marshmallow leaves and while hot dip flannels and apply to abdomen.

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 119]

9. Inflammation of the Bowels, Syrup of Rhubarb for.—"Add to three pints of simple syrup one and three-fourths ounces of crushed rhubarb, one-fourth ounce each of crushed cloves and cinnamon, one dram of bruised nutmeg, one pint of diluted alcohol, evaporate liquid by a gentle heat to one-half pint. Excellent in bowel complaint in one-half dram (one-half teaspoonful) doses every hour until it operates." The rhubarb moves the bowels and casts out all irritating matter. The oil of cloves stimulates the membranes of the bowels and the cinnamon and nutmeg are astringents.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES for Toothache, Dry Salt and Alum for.—1. "Equal parts. Take common salt and alum. Mix and pulverize these together, wet a small piece of cotton and cause the mixture to adhere to it and place in the hollow tooth. At first a sensation of coldness will be produced, which will gradually disappear, as will the toothache. This is an excellent remedy and should be given a trial by any person suffering with this trouble."

2. Toothache, Oil of Cloves Quick Relief for.—"If the tooth has a cavity take a small piece of cotton and saturate with oil of cloves and place in tooth, or you may rub the gum with oil of sassafras." These are both good remedies, and will often give relief almost instantly.

3. Toothache, Home-Made Poultice for.—"Make a poultice of a slice of toast, saturate in alcohol and sprinkle with pepper and apply externally. This will give almost instant relief."

4. Toothache, Clove Oil and Chloroform for.—"Clove oil and chloroform, each one teaspoonful. Saturate cotton and apply locally."

5. Toothache, Sure Cure for.—

"Peppermint water 1/2 ounce Nitre 1/4 ounce Chloroform 1 dram Ether 1 dram Oil of mustard 10 drops

Remark: This remedy will give relief where all others fail. Not only for toothache, but for neuralgia pains in any part of the body, apply with cloth moistened and lay on the parts affected. Continue until relieved."

6. Toothache, Salt and Alum Water for.—"Fill a bottle of any size half full of equal parts of pulverized alum and salt, then fill up the bottle with sweet spirits of nitre. Shake and apply it to the tooth and gums. Apply it freely, as there is nothing to hurt or injure you."

7. Toothache, Oil of Cinnamon for.—"A drop of oil of cinnamon will frequently relieve very serious cases of toothache. Apply to the tooth with a little cotton. This will at least give temporary relief until you can see your dentist and have the tooth treated."

8. Toothache, Reliable Remedy for.—"Chloroform, clove oil, alcohol, one half ounce of each. Mix together and saturate a piece of cotton and place it in the tooth. This is sure to give relief."

[120 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

9. Toothache, From Decayed Teeth.—"If the tooth is decayed take a small piece of raw cotton, saturate with chloroform and place in cavity."

MOTHERS' TOOTH POWDERS.—1. "The ashes of burnt branches of the common grape vine make a very superior tooth powder. It will clean the blackest of teeth, if continued for a few mornings, to that of pure white."

2. Tooth Powder.—"Precipitated chalk four ounces, powdered orris root eight ounces, powdered camphor one ounce; reduce camphor to fine powder moistening with very little alcohol, add other ingredients. Mix thoroughly and sift through fine bolting cloth." Have used this with great success.

3. Tooth Powder.—"All tooth powders, or anything that has a grit will, with the friction of the brush, scour loose from the enamel of the teeth; and this is far superior to any of them in every respect.

Soap tree bark 1 pound Turpentine 2 ounces Powdered orris root 2 ounces Alkanet root 1/2 ounce

Diluted alcohol, half water, sufficient to make the whole into one gallon. Let it stand in an earthen jar to macerate for fourteen days; stir occasionally, then strain and filter through filtering paper. The alcohol will have no injurious effect. This is an excellent tooth remedy."

4.—Tooth Wash.—"One teaspoonful of boracic acid in a pint of boiling water.

Tincture Myrrh 1/2 teaspoonful Spirits of Camphor 1/2 teaspoonful Essence of Peppermint 1/2 teaspoonful

Use in the water in which you brush your teeth. Let boracic acid water cool, then add last three ingredients."

5. Tooth Powder.—"Precipitated chalk four ounces, pulverized sugar two ounces, powdered myrrh one ounce, pulverized orris root one ounce. Mix and sift through fine bolting cloth. This is fine."

6. Tooth Powder, Commonly Used.—

"Precipitated Chalk 12 drams Rose Pink 2 drams Carbonate of Magnesia 1 dram Oil of Rose 5 drops

Mix all well together and after using it you will find the following mouth-wash fine for rinsing out the mouth."

Antiseptic Mouth Wash.—

"Boric Acid 10 grains Resorcin 4 grains Salol 2 grains Thymol 1/2 dram Glycerin 1/2 dram Pure water 1 ounce

This sweetens and cleanses the mouth."

[DIGESTIVE ORGANS 121]

7. Tooth Powder, Simple and Unsurpassed.—

Cream of Tartar, powdered 3 ounces Cochineal 1 dram Alum, powdered 4 drams Myrrh 1 dram Cinnamon 1 ounce Sugar 1 ounce

Mix and pass through a sieve. This is a preparation that has no superior for cleaning, preserving and whitening the teeth.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Toothache.—1. Chloretone dissolved in oil of cloves and applied on a cotton wad is very good for toothache.

2. Creosote.—Put on a piece of cotton and put this in the hollow tooth.

3. Toothache in an ulcerated or hollow tooth, caused from wet feet, etc. Take a hot foot bath and drink a hot lemonade, hot ginger, or hot pennyroyal tea, and go to bed and take a good sweat. Aching tooth needs the care of a dentist. It pays to retain your natural teeth in good shape.

INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION.—Causes.—This may be caused by strangulation, telescope (intussusception) of the bowels, twists and knots, strictures and tumors, abnormal contents.

1. Strangulation is the most frequent cause; this is caused by adhesions and bands from former peritonitis, or following operations. The strangulation may be recent and due to adhesion of the bowels to the abdominal cut or wound, or a coil of the bowel may be caught between the pedicle of a tumor and the wall of the pelvis. These cases are rather common after some operations.

2. Intussusception.—This means that one portion of the bowel slips into an adjacent portion. These two portions make a cylindrical lump varying in length from one-half inch to a foot or more. Irregular worm-like motion of the bowel is a cause of intussusception.

3. Twists and knots.—Most frequent between thirty and forty. (There is an unusually long mesentery.)

4. Strictures and tumors.—These are not very important causes.

5. Abnormal contents.—Fruit stones, coins, pins, needles, false teeth, round worms rolled in a mass. Coins rarely cause inconvenience.

[122 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Symptoms of Acute Obstruction.—Constipation, pain in the bowels, and vomiting are the three most important symptoms. Pain sets in early, and may come on abruptly when walking or more commonly when working. It is at first colicky, but soon becomes continuous and very intense, vomiting soon follows and is constant and very distressing. First the stomach contents are vomited, and the greenish bile-stained material, and soon the material vomited is a brownish-black liquid, with a bowel odor. This peculiar vomiting is a very characteristic symptom. Constipation may be absolute, without the discharge of either feces or gas. Very often the contents of the bowel below the obstruction are discharged. The abdomen is usually distended and when the large bowel is involved this is extreme. If it is high up in the small intestine, it may be very slight. At first, the abdomen is not tender, but later it becomes very sensitive and tender. The face is pale and anxious and finally collapse symptoms intervene. The eyes are sunken, the features look pinched and a cold, clammy sweat covers the skin. The pulse becomes rapid and weak. There may be no fever, and it may go below normal. The tongue is dry, parched, and the thirst is incessant.

Recovery.—The case terminates as a rule in death in three to six days, if aid is not given.

Treatment.—Purgatives should not be given. For the pain, hypodermics of morphine are needed. Wash out the stomach for distressing vomiting. This can be done three to four times a day. Thorough washing out of the large bowel with injections should be practised, the warm water being allowed to flow in from a fountain syringe and the amount carefully estimated. Hutchinson recommends that the patient be placed under an anesthetic, the abdomen kneaded, and a copious enema given with the hips placed high or patient in inverted position. Then the patient should be thoroughly shaken, first with the abdomen held downward and subsequently in the inverted position. If this and similar measures do not succeed by the third day surgical measures must be resorted to.

For bloating, turpentine cloths should be used, and other hot, moist applications.

Diet.—Should be very light, if any, for a day or so.

RUPTURE (Hernia).—Hernia means a protrusion of an organ from its natural cavity, through normal or artificial openings in the surrounding structures. But by the term hernia, used alone, we mean the protrusion of a portion of the abdominal contents through the walls, and that is known by the popular term of "rupture."

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The most common forms of rupture protrude through one of the natural openings or weak spots in the abdominal walls, as for instance, the inguinal (groin) and femoral canals. The femoral canal is located at the upper and inner part of the thigh, and this place is a seat of rupture, especially in women. Rupture may also occur at the navel, when it is called umbilical hernia or rupture. The contents of a hernia are bowel and omentum (a covering of the bowel) separately or together. The bowel involved in a rupture is usually the lower portion of the small bowel, but the large bowel is sometimes affected. A sac covers the bowel or omentum in a rupture. This sac consists of the protruded portion of peritoneum, which has been gradually pushed through one of the canals (inguinal or femoral) or of the process of peritoneum, which has been carried down by the testicle in its descent, and the connection of which with the peritoneum of the abdomen still continues, not having been obliterated, as it usually is before birth. The former is called an acquired rupture sac; the latter is a congenital rupture sac, and it is found only in groin (inguinal rupture).

Causes.—Rupture is more common in men than in women. It may occur at any time of life. The majority of cases occur before middle age, and the largest number during the first ten years of life, owing to the want of closure of the peritoneum which is carried down by the testicles before birth. Rupture is most frequently strangulated between the ages of forty and fifty.

Location.—The great majority of cases of rupture are groin or inguinal rupture.

Symptoms.—A fullness or a swelling is first noticed in the groin, which is made worse in standing, coughing and lifting. This disappears on lying down and reappears on rising in many cases, even at first; coughing makes the lump or swelling harder. It may come on both sides, when it is called double rupture or hernia.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES.—Rupture, Poultice for.—"Take equal parts of lobelia and stramonium leaves; make a poultice and apply to the parts. Renew as often as necessary. This combination makes a very effective poultice and is sure to give relief."

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.—A person should wear a truss (support) that fits perfectly, and this should not cause any pain or discomfort. The truss should be worn all day, taken off at night after going to bed and put on before rising, when still lying down. If it is put on after rising a little of the gut may be in the canal and pressed down by the support. There are many kinds of supports.

Operations now performed for rupture are very successful if the patient takes good care for months afterwards until the parts are thoroughly healed. The operation simply closes a too large opening. The testicles descending through the groin canal from the abdominal cavity before birth and in congenital rupture, left too big an opening. In acquired rupture, these natural openings were enlarged by lifting, falls, etc. The round ligament of the womb goes down through this canal and sometimes there is too large an opening left or acquired by accident.

Irreducible Rupture.—This is when the rupture cannot be returned into the abdominal cavity, and it is without any symptoms of strangulation. They are of long standing and of a large size. This condition is often due to carelessness of a patient in not keeping in a reducible rupture with a proper support. Adhesions form, holding the rupture. Even if it is small, it gives rise to much discomfort and the patient is always in danger of strangulation of the rupture.

Operation for radical cure is generally a success.

[124 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Strangulation Hernia or Rupture.—This means the rupture is so tightly constricted that it cannot be returned into the abdominal cavity, and its circulation is interfered with; then there is not only obstruction to the passage of the feces, but also an arrest of circulation in the protruded portion of bowel which, if not relieved, results in gangrene and death. This occurs more often in old than in recent ruptures and more often in congenital than in acquired rupture.

Symptoms.—Sudden and complete constipation with persistent vomiting. The lump may be tense, hard and irreducible. Then there is faintness, collapse; severe abdominal pain, complete constipation, with no gas passing, then vomiting, at first of food, then of the bile-stained fluid and finally of fluid with a bowel odor. All these symptoms increase and the patient gradually sinks from exhaustion in eight or nine days, though in very acute cases the patient may die within forty-eight hours.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES.—Strangulated Hernia, Hop Poultice for.—"A large warm poultice of hops over the abdomen will be found one of the best known means of relieving strangulated hernia."

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.—It must be reduced or an operation must be performed and soon.

To reduce.—The patient is put under an anesthetic and placed on his back with the hips (pelvis) raised and the thigh of the affected side flexed, bent up and rotated inward if the rupture be inguinal or femoral. This motion relaxes the parts. The neck of the sac is then seized with the thumb and fingers of one hand, and thus fixed, while with the other hand, the operator endeavors to return the strangulated gut by gentle pressure in the proper direction. In femoral rupture, this is at first downward, to bring the gut opposite the opening then backward and then upward. In groin (inguinal) rupture it is usually slightly upward and outward. It must be coaxed, kneaded and squeezed carefully. Care must be taken. If it cannot be returned in from five to ten minutes no further time should be wasted, but an operation should be performed immediately. This consists in cutting down to the constriction and through it, thus allowing the rupture to be reduced.

The patient should be kept in bed and treated the same way as for other abdominal operations.

Caution.—Persons with rupture must be very careful not to lift or fall. If a support is worn it must fit perfectly and be worn with comfort.

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INTESTINAL COLIC. (Enteralgia).—Causes.—Predisposing; poor general condition, worry, over-work, nervous disposition. Exciting causes; exposure, gas in the bowels, mass of feces, undigested or irritating food, cold drinks, green fruit, ice cream when a person is very warm.

Symptoms.—Intermittent pain usually in the umbilical (navel) region, moving from place to place, dull or sharp pain, relieved by pressure or bending forward. Abdomen is distended or drawn back. It lasts a few minutes or many hours, ending gradually or suddenly, after a passage of gas or movement of the bowels.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT.—1. Remove cause first if possible. Mild cases; put heat to the abdomen by hot water bag, wring cloths out of hot water and put in them ten drops of turpentine and place over the bowels hot. Give dose of peppermint water or ginger tea.

2. Severe case.—Morphine hypodermically, if necessary, in a severe case; mustard poultice is good, also a spice poultice.

3. Tincture of Colocynth (bitter cucumber) is an excellent remedy for this trouble. I have often used it with great success. Put five drops of it in a glass half full of water and give two teaspoonfuls every fifteen minutes until relieved. A few doses generally relieve the patient.

THE LIVER.—The liver is the largest gland in the body, and is situated in the upper and right part of the abdominal cavity. The lower border of the liver corresponds to the lower border of the ribs in front and to the right side. It weighs fifty to sixty ounces in the male; in the female, forty to fifty ounces. It is about eight to nine inches in its transverse measurement; vertically near its right surface it is six to seven inches, while it is four to five inches thick at its thickest part. Opposite the backbone from behind forward it measures about three inches. The left lobe, the smallest and thinnest, extends to the left, over what is called the pit of the stomach.

BILIOUSNESS.—This condition presents different symptoms in different cases, but it always includes languor, headache or dizziness, perhaps some yellow color of the skin and conjunctiva, and a general sense of want of tone, depression of spirits and discomfort.

Causes.—The liver does not perform its function well, or there is a retention of bile in the bile ducts. Most of the symptoms do not depend directly upon the changes in the bile, but upon failure of proper digestion in the stomach and intestines. Certain poorly prepared foods or improper food for stomach digestion, quickly cause the development of active fermentation and its results irritate the stomach mucous membrane bringing about a faulty stomach secretion of mucus, which causes further trouble. It may end in a sick headache.

TREATMENT. Prevention.—Normal, easily digested food, open bowels. Active exercise, horseback riding, massage of the liver region. Stooping over and bending from side to side and bending back with feet close together are good aids.

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Diet.—Do not over-eat. Avoid alcohol in any form. Stimulating foods such as spices, mustard salads, concentrated meat extracts and meat broths, pepper, horseradish are not to be used. Do not use too much salt; strong coffee and tea are harmful. In severe cases milk either diluted with water or lime water or peptonized should alone be used.

Gruels, albumen water, kumiss, buttermilk and oyster broth may be allowed. Orange juice as well as lemonade may generally be given. Fasting is good in biliousness. No one will starve in a few days of fasting.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES.—1. Biliousness, Lemons for.—"One lemon squeezed in a glass of water with a very little sugar, repeat for several days." Lemon is a very good medicine, and it is surprising to know how few people realize what medical properties the lemon contains. This is a good, simple, but very effective remedy.

2. Biliousness, Salt and Water for.—"Take a teaspoonful of salt to a cup of water and drink before breakfast for a few mornings." It is a well-known fact that a little salt in warm water before breakfast is laxative and also cleanses the system and bowels on account of its purifying action.

3. Biliousness, (chronic) Dandelion Tea for.—"Dandelion root is highly recommended for this." The root should be collected in July, August or September. Dose:—A strong tea may be taken freely two or three times a day, or the fluid extract may be purchased at any drug store.

4. Biliousness, a cheap and very safe plan.—"Drink plenty of cold water and exercise freely in the open air." Following the above advice is often better than medicines and spring tonics, also unless doing hard physical labor, cut down on the meat eating. In fact, eat less generally for a time.

5. Biliousness, Salt Lemonade for.—"Hot salt lemonade night and morning. Juice of one lemon and teaspoonful salt to as much hot water as you can drink."

6. Biliousness, Boneset Tea for.—"Pour hot water on boneset and let stand until it is cold. Take a swallow occasionally." This is very good.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT. Medicines.—1. Nitro-hydrochloric acid three drops three times a day in half a tumblerful of water is valuable.

2. Twenty drops of fluid extract of Queen's root three times a day.

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3. The following combination forms a good pill to be taken every night:

Extract of Chirata 40 grains Podophyllin 4 grains Wahoo 8 grains Culver's root 8 grains Creosote 10 grains

Mix and make into twenty pills. Take one every night.

4. For the Attack.—Take calomel one-sixth grain tablets; one every fifteen minutes until six are taken, and then follow with two to four teaspoonfuls of epsom salts.

JAUNDICE (Icterus).—A symptom consisting in discoloration by bile pigment of the skin, whites of the eyes, other mucous membranes and secretions.

Causes.—Obstruction of the gall ducts, from gall stones, inflammation, tumor, strictures, from pressure by tumors, and other enlarged abdominal organs.

Symptoms.—The skin and the conjunctiva (red membrane of the eyes) are colored from a pale lemon yellow to a dark olive or greenish black. The itching may be intense, especially in a chronic case. The sweat may be yellow. The stools are a pale slate color, from the lack of bile, and are often pasty and offensive. The pulse is slow. Recovery depends upon the cause. Plain, simple jaundice cases recover in a few days or weeks.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES.—1. Jaundice, Sweet Cider Sure Cure for.—"New cider before it ferments at all. Drink all you can." This is a very simple remedy, but a sure one if taken in the early stages of jaundice. It causes the bowels to move freely and carries off any impurities in the system.

2. Jaundice, Lemon Juice for.—"Take a tablespoonful of lemon juice several times a day." This disease is produced by congestion of the liver, and as lemon is excellent as a liver tonic it is known to be an excellent remedy for jaundice.

3. Jaundice, Peach Tree Bark for.—"Take the inner bark of a peach tree, and make a strong tea, and give a teaspoonful before each meal for five days, then stop five days, and if the patient's indications do not warrant a reasonable expectation that a cure is effected repeat the medicine as above. I never knew of a case in which the above medicine failed to cure. Keep the bowels open with sweet oil."

MOTHERS' REMEDIES for Liver Complaint. Mandrake Root for.—1. "Dry and powder the mandrake root (often called may-apple) and take about one teaspoonful." This dose may be repeated two or three times a day, according to the requirements of the case. This is a stimulant, a tonic and a laxative, and is especially good when the liver is in a torpid and inactive condition.

[128 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

2. Liver Trouble, Dandelion Root Tea for.—"Steep dandelion root, make a good strong tea of it; take a half glass three times a day." This is a very good remedy as it not only acts on the liver, but the bowels as well. This will always cure slight attacks of liver trouble.

3. Torpid Liver, Boneset Tea for.—"Drink boneset tea at any time during the day and at night. It is also good for cleansing the blood." This is a very good remedy, especially for people who live in a low damp region.

4. Liver Trouble, Mandrake Leaves for.—"A very good remedy to use regularly, for several weeks, is to use from one to three grains of may-apple (mandrake) seed, night and morning, followed occasionally by a light purgative, as seidlitz powder or rochelle salts." This is sure to give relief if kept up thoroughly.

5. Liver Trouble, Mullein Leaf Tea for.—"Mullein leaves steeped, and sweetened. Drink freely." This acts very nicely upon the liver.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Liver Trouble.—1. For the itching, hot alkaline baths with baking soda in water, or dust on the following:—

Starch 1 ounce Camphor, powdered l-1/2 drams Oxide of Zinc 1/2 ounce

Mix and use as a powder, or use carbolic vaselin locally. Move the bowels with salts and do not give much food for a few days. Use nothing but milk.

2. The following is good to move the bowels when the stool is yellow and costive in a child one year old:

Sulphate of Magnesia 2 ounces Cream of tartar 2 ounces

Mix and give one-half teaspoonful in water every three hours until the bowels move freely. Phosphate of soda in one dram doses every three hours is good.

3. Severe Type and Epidemic Form.—Give one to two drops of tincture myrica cerifera (barberry) every two hours for an adult. This I know to be very good.

4. The common simple kind of jaundice will get well readily by moving the bowels freely and keeping the patient on light food.

CATARRHAL JAUNDICE. (Acute catarrhal angiocholitis).—Jaundice caused by obstruction of the terminal portion of the common duct, by swelling of the mucous membrane.

Causes.—This occurs mostly in young people. It follows inflammation of the stomach or bowels, also from emotion, exposure, chronic heart disease. It may be epidemic.

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Symptoms.—Slight jaundice preceded by stomach and bowel trouble. Epidemic cases may begin with chill, headache and vomiting. There may be slight pain in the abdomen, the skin is light or bright yellow, whites of the eyes are yellowish, pain in the back and legs, tired feeling, nausea, clay colored stools. Pulse is rather slow, liver may be a little enlarged. It may last from one week to one to three months.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Catarrhal Jaundice.—1. Restrict the diet if the stomach and bowels are diseased. Sodium phosphate may be given one teaspoonful every three hours to keep the bowels open. Drink large quantities of water and with it some baking soda one-half to one teaspoonful in the water.

2. If you have calomel you may take one-tenth of a grain every hour for four hours, and then follow with the sodium phosphate in one-half teaspoonful doses every two to three hours, until the bowels have fully moved, or epsom salts, two to four teaspoonfuls. Keep in bed if there is a fever or a very slow pulse say of forty to fifty.

GALL STONES. (Biliary Calculi, Cholelithiasis).—Cases of gall stones are rare under the age of twenty-five years. They are very common after forty-five, and three-fourths of the cases occur in women. Many people never know they have them. Sedentary habits of life, excessive eating and constipation tend to cause them. They may number a few, several, or a thousand, or only one.

Symptoms.—There are usually none while the stones are in the gall bladder, but when they pass from the gall bladder down through the (channel) duct into the bowel they often cause terrific pain, especially when the stone is large. Chill, fever, profuse sweating and vomiting, which comes in paroxysms or is continuous. The pain may be constant or only come on at intervals. The region of the liver may be tender, the gall bladder may be enlarged, especially in chronic cases and very tender. In some cases the pain comes every few weeks and then may be scattered, sometimes seeming to be in the stomach, and then in the bowels, or in the region of the liver. When a person has such pains and locates them in the stomach or bowels, and they come periodically, every week or two or more, he ought to be suspicious about it being gall stones, especially if the symptoms do not show any stomach trouble. If the stone is large and closes the common duct, jaundice occurs; the stools are light colored; the urine contains bile. The attacks of pain may cease suddenly after a few hours, or they may last several days or recur at intervals until the stone is passed. The stones may be found in the bowel discharges after an attack. Death may occur from collapse during an attack.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES.—1. Gall Stones, Sweet Oil for.—"Massaging the part over the region of the liver lightly night and morning is very good, following by drinking a wineglassful of sweet oil at bedtime." The patient should take some good cathartic the next morning, such as a seidlitz powder or cream of tartar. Teaspoonful in glass of water each morning. This treatment should be continued for several weeks and is very effective.

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2. Gall Stones, Tried and Approved Remedy for.—"Drink about a wineglass of olive oil at bedtime followed in the morning by a cathartic, as seidlitz powder, or cream of tartar and phosphate of soda; teaspoonful each morning in wineglass of water. This treatment to be pursued several weeks. Massage the part over the liver lightly night and morning. If the suffering is intense use an injection of thirty drops of laudanum to two quarts of water." In many cases the cathartic may not be needed as the olive oil will move the bowels freely. Massaging the parts over the liver will cause it to work better and has proven successful in many cases.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Gall Stones.—1. For the pain. Morphine must be used and by the hypodermic method; one-fourth grain dose and repeated, if necessary, and chloroform given before if the pain is intense, until the morphine can act. Fomentations can be used over the liver.

2. Soda.—The bowels must be kept open by laxatives, Sodium Phosphate or Sodium Sulphate, (Glauber's) salt.

3. Olive Oil.—Olive oil is used very extensively. I do not know whether it does any good; some people think it does. From two to ten ounces daily, if possible. The phosphate or sulphate of sodium should be taken daily in one to two teaspoonfuls doses each day. Some claim these salts prevent formation of gall stones.

4. Powder for the Itching.—For the intolerable itching you may use the following powder, dust some of it over the skin:

Starch 1 ounce Zinc Oxide 1/2 ounce Camphor 1-1/2 drams

Mix into a powder.

Diet.—This must be thoroughly regulated. The patient should avoid the starchy and sugar foods as much as possible. He or she should also take regular exercise. If a person afflicted with gall stones keeps the stomach and bowels in good condition, they will be better. Pure air, sunshine, exercise, and diet are big factors in the treatment of chronic diseases. A woman so afflicted should not wear anything tight around the stomach and liver, corsets are an abomination in this disease; olive oil if taken must be continued for months.

Surgery.—The operation is indicated when the patient is suffering most of the time from pain in the liver region or when the person is failing in health, or during an acute attack. When there are symptoms of obstruction or when there is fever, sweating shows that there is pus in the gall bladder. Also an operation is then necessary, and in most cases it results satisfactorily.

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CANCER OF THE GALL BLADDER, AND BILE DUCTS. Causes.—It usually occurs between forty and seventy years of age. The cases that originate here show no percentage in either sex; but those that appear here as secondary cancers are three times as frequent in women as in men. Chronic irritation by gall stones is an important cause. They are hard to diagnose and, of course, fatal in the secondary kind. For the primary kind early complete removal may cure if you can get at them.

CIRCULATORY DISTURBANCES OF THE LIVER. (Acute Hyperemia or Congestion).—This occurs normally after meals, and in acute infections, diseases, etc.

CHRONIC CONGESTION OR NUTMEG LIVER.—This is due to an obstruction of the blood circulation in the liver by chronic valvular heart disease with failure of heart action. Lung obstruction in the trouble called Emphysema, Chronic Pneumonia, etc., may cause it. The cut section of a liver shows an appearance like a nutmeg, due to a deeply congested central vein and capillaries. In a later stage the liver is contracted, central liver cells are shrunk and the connective tissue is increased.

ACUTE YELLOW ATROPHY. (Malignant Jaundice).—This is fortunately a rare disease. There is rapid progress, and it is fatal in nearly all cases. The liver is very small and flabby. The symptoms are many and are hard to differentiate. You must depend upon your physician. The only thing for him to do is to meet the symptoms and relieve them if possible.

CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER. (Sclerosis of the Liver, Hobnail Liver, Gin Drinkers Liver, Hard Liver).—This occurs most often in men from forty to sixty years old. It is not uncommon in children.

Cause.—It is usually due to drinking of alcohol to excess, especially whisky, brandy, rum or gin. The liver is small and thin; hard, granular, white bands run through it and press on the liver cells and destroy them.

Symptoms.—These are few as long as proper circulation in the heart is maintained. Fatty cirrhosis is often found in post-mortems. The first symptoms are the same as those accompanying chronic gastritis, dyspepsia, They are:—Appetite is poor, nausea, retching and vomiting, especially in the morning; distress in the region of the stomach, constipation or diarrhea. These increase and vomiting of blood from the stomach may occur early and late. Bleeding from the stomach and bowels, etc., cause the stools to look like tar. Nosebleed and piles are common and profuse; bleeding may cause severe lack of blood. The epigastric and mammary veins are enlarged. Ascites (dropsy in the abdomen) usually occurs sooner or later and may be very marked, and it recurs soon after each tapping. The feet and genital organs may be oedematous (watery swelling), jaundice is slight and does not occur until late. During the late stage the patient is much shrunken, face is hollow, the blood vessels of the nose and cheeks are dilated, abdomen is greatly distended. Delirium, stupor, coma or convulsions may occur at any time.

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PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Cirrhosis of the Liver.—It is usually fatal; sometimes even after temporary improvements. No coffee or alcohol; simple diet, bitter tonics, keep bowels open, A physician must handle such a case.

ABSCESS OF THE LIVER. Hepatic Abscess: Suppurative Hepatitis.—This is a circumscribed collection of pus in the liver tissue. If there is only one abscess it is in the larger lobe in seventy per cent of the cases. The amount of fluid contained in such an abscess may be two or three quarts and its color varies from a grayish white to a creamy reddish-brown; when the abscess is caused by a type (amebic) of dysentery, there is generally only one abscess, occurring more often in the right lobe, whereas other forms due to septic infection give rise to many abscesses.

Causes.—This disease is rare even in tropical climates. When it is excited by gall stones, it is invariably septic in character and the infecting material reaches the interior through the liver vessels or bile passages. Stomach ulcers, typhoid fever, appendicitis, may bring on such an abscess. Pus wounds of the head are sometimes followed by a liver abscess. The most common method of infection is through the portal vein. Other causes that may be mentioned are foreign bodies traveling up the ducts, as round-worms and parasites.

Symptoms.—Hectic temperature, pain, tenderness, and an enlarged liver, and often slight jaundice. In acute cases the fever rises rapidly, reaching 103 or 104 in twenty-four hours. It is irregular and intermittent, and it may be hectic, that is, like the fever of consumption. Shakings or decided chills frequently are present with the rise of fever and when the fever declines there may be profuse sweating. The skin is pale and shows a slight jaundice, the conjunctiva being yellowish. Progressive loss of strength with disturbance of the stomach and bowels is present. The bowels are variable and constipated and loose. Dropsy of the abdomen (Ascites) may develop, on account of pressure on the big vein, inferior vena-cava. Lung symptoms, severe cough, reddish-brown expectoration are often present.

THE ABSCESS.—May break into the pleural cavity, bronchial tubes, lungs and stomach, bowels, peritoneum or through the abdominal wall.

Recovery.—The result is unfavorable as it generally goes on to a rapid termination. The abscess should be opened and evacuated when its location can be detected. The death rates ranges from fifty to sixty per cent.

Treatment.—Open it if you can, Sponge liver region with cool water. For the pain, mustard poultices, turpentine stupe or hot fomentations prove beneficial. Keep up strength by stimulation and quinine.

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Diet in Liver Troubles sent us from Providence Hospital (Catholic), Sandusky, Ohio:

May Take—

Soups—Vegetable soups with a little bread or cracker, light broths.

Fish—Boiled fresh cod, bass, sole or whiting, raw oysters.

Meats—Tender lean mutton, lamb, chicken, game, (all sparingly).

Farinaceous—Oatmeal, hominy, tapioca, sago, arrowroot (well cooked), whole wheat bread, graham bread, dry toast, crackers.

Vegetables—Mashed potato, almost all fresh vegetables (well boiled), plain salad of lettuce, water-cress, dandelions.

Desserts—Plain milk pudding of tapioca, sago, arrowroot or stewed fresh fruit (all without sugar or cream), raw ripe fruits.

Drinks—Weak tea or coffee (without sugar or cream), hot water, pure, plain or aerated water.

Must Not Take—

Strong soups, rich made dishes of any kind, hot bread or biscuits, preserved fish or meats, curries, red meats, eggs, fats, butter, sugar, herrings, eels, salmon, mackerel, sweets, creams, cheese, dried fruits, nuts, pies, pastry, cakes, malt liquors, sweet wines, champagne.

ACUTE GENERAL PERITONITIS. (Inflammation of the Peritoneum, Lining of the Abdominal Cavity).—Causes. Primary; Occurs without any known preceding disease, and is rare. Secondary; Occurs from injuries, extension from inflamed nearby organs, such as appendicitis or infection from bacteria, without any apparent lesion (disease of the bowel). Perforation causes most of the attacks of peritonitis. Peritonitis may accompany acute infections or accompany chronic nephritis, rheumatism, pleurisy, tuberculosis and septicemia. Peritonitis occurs from perforation of the bowel in typhoid fever also, and it frequently occurs after appendicitis and sometimes after confinement.

Symptoms.—This is often the history of one of the causes mentioned above, followed in cases with perforation or septic disease by a chill or chilly feeling and pain, varying at first, with the place where the inflammation begins. The patient lies on his back, with the knees drawn up, and the body bent so as to relax the muscles of the abdomen, which are often rigidly contracted,—stiff at first on the side where the pain starts. The pain may be absent. The abdomen becomes distended, tympanitic (caused by gas). An early symptom is vomiting and it is often repeated. There is constipation; occasionally diarrhea occurs. The temperature may rise rapidly to 104 or 105 and then become lower; it is sometimes normal. The pulse is frequent, small, wiry and beats 100 to 150 per minute; the breathing is frequent and shallow. The tongue becomes red and dry and cracked. Passing the urine frequently causes pain; sometimes there is retention of urine. The face looks pinched, the eyes are sunken, the expression is anxious, and the skin of the face is lead colored or livid. Hiccoughs, muttering, delirium or stupor may be present.

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Recovery, Prognosis, etc.—The action of the heart becomes weak and irregular, respiration is shallow, the temperature taken in the rectum is high, the skin is cold, pale and livid, death occurs sometimes suddenly, usually in three to five days; less often thirty-six to forty-eight hours; or even after ten days. The results depend mainly upon the cause of the inflammation, and the nature of the infection, infectious disease that produces it, being usually very bad after puerperal sepsis (after confinement), induced abortion, perforation of the bowel or stomach, or rupture of an abscess.