Mother's Remedies Part 52

ASIATIC CHOLERA.--This is an acute infectious disease caused by a specific organism and characterized by profuse watery discharges from the bowels and great prostration.

Causes.--Some inherit a weakness, making them more susceptible than others to this disease. Other causes are intemperance, general debility, unhygienic surroundings, exciting causes. The spirillum (cholera asiaticus) found in the stools, watery discharges and intestines of affected cases and its transmission by infected food and water.

[224 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Symptoms.--After an incubation period of about one to five days, the invasion is marked either by simple diarrhea with some general ill-feeling and prostration, or by abdominal pains, vomiting and diarrhea. Mild cases may recover at this time. In the stage of collapse, there are frequent watery movements resembling rice water, with vomiting, great thirst, abdominal pains and eruptions on the legs. There is sudden collapse and temperature that is below normal; nearly all secretions are greatly diminished. In the so-called cases of cholera sicca (dry) death occurs before the diarrhea begins, although a rice water fluid is found in the intestines after death. After two to twenty-four hours those who have not died may recover or pa.s.s into the stage of reaction in which the signs of collapse and purging disappear. After improvement, with slight rise of temperature at times, there may be a relapse or the patient may have inflammation of some of the viscera (cavity organs) and suppression of the urine with delirium, coma and death.

The prognosis is worse in infancy, old age and debilitated persons, and in cases of rapid collapse, low temperature and great blueness. Death rate from thirty to eighty per cent.

Treatment.--Isolate the patient and disinfect all discharges and clothing.

Use boiled water during an epidemic.

For pain, morphine hypodermically, and apply hot applications to the abdomen.

For vomiting.--Wash out the stomach and give cocaine, ice, coffee, brandy or water by the mouth. Intestines may be irrigated with a two per cent solution of tannic acid.

During collapse.--Hypodermic of camphor, hot applications to the body.

Good nursing and careful diet.

YELLOW FEVER.--Yellow fever is an acute infectious disease characterized by jaundice, hemorrhages, alb.u.minuria (alb.u.min in the urine).

Cause.--It is common in the West Indies and epidemic in nearby countries.

It is most common in crowded, dirty, poorly drained portions of sea coast cities. It is probably caused by a specific organism which is conveyed from one person to another by mosquitoes and not in clothing, as formerly believed. One attack usually confers immunity.

Symptoms.--Incubation is about three to four days. There may be a fore-warning period, but the attack is usually sudden, with chills, headache, backache, rise in fever, and general feverish symptoms, vomiting, and constipation. Early in this disease the face is flushed, while the conjunctiva and the mucous membrane lining the eyelids is congested and slightly jaundiced. Fever is 102 or 103 degrees, and falls gradually after one to three days. Pulse is slow, and while the temperature rises, it again falls. The stage of calm follows the fall of the temperature with increased jaundice and vomiting of dark altered blood, the "black vomit." Hemorrhages may also occur into the skin or mucous membranes. Brain symptoms are sometimes severe. Convalescence is usually gradual. The disease varies from great mildness to extreme malignancy. Mortality from fifteen to eighty-five per cent.

[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 225]

Treatment.--Prevent spread of the infectious mosquitoes; use screens and netting in infected districts. Careful nursing, food by r.e.c.t.u.m while vomiting is frequent. For the hemorrhage opium is given; frequent bathing will keep down the fever; and for the vomiting cocaine is given and cracked ice.

PLAGUE (BUBONIC PLAGUE).--Plague is an infectious disease characterized by inflammation and suppuration of the lymph nodes and cutaneous (skin) hemorrhages. It has long been known as the Plague or "Black Death," on account of its "flea-bite looking eruptions." This disease is becoming a serious matter on our western coast, especially in and around San Francisco. The disease exists in India all the time, and there is now danger of it becoming epidemic (existing all the time) in San Francisco, according to today's, Jan. 10th, Detroit Free Press. Mr. Merriam, chief of the U. S. Bureau of Biological Survey, recently appeared before congress and asked for more money to investigate this and other conditions, and how to stamp out the carriers of this dreadful disease. European wharf rats, introduced about San Francisco, have spread the plague to the ground squirrels, and the gophers, rabbits, field mice, and other rodents are now being infected. In India, fleas on the native squirrel, perpetuate the plague. The way to stop the plague is to kill the carriers.

Causes.--The bacillus pestis (pests) is transmitted through insects, small animals, like rats, through the air, or in clothing, bedding, and is contained in the feces and urine. The poor in unhygienic districts are most often attacked.

Bubonic Type.--In this type the lymph nodes, particularly in the arm-pit, and groins show inflammatory lesions with marked overgrowth of new tissue.

Sometimes there is suppuration, hemorrhage and local death of the part.

The bacilli are formed in great numbers in the affected nodes and secondary lesions.

Septicemic Type.--In this type all lymph nodes and nodules show signs of toxemia and the bacilli are formed in the primary (first) lesions and in the blood.

Pneumonic Type.--In this type there are areas of broncho-pneumania, with lesions of the bronchial lymph nodes. The bacilli occur in these situations and in the sputa.

[226 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Symptoms.--In the bubonic plague (the usual form) the invasion is marked by headache, depression, pain in the back, stiffness of the extremities and fever. This rises for three or four days, then falls several degrees and is followed by a more severe secondary fever of the prostrating type.

At about the third to the fifth day the lymph nodes usually become enlarged most often in the inguinal (groin) region. This is followed by a resolution (getting better) suppuration forming pus or necrosis (local death of the part). "A flea bite looking eruption and hemorrhages from the mucous membrane often occur. The mild cases, which often occur at the beginning of an epidemic, and at its close, are marked only by slight fever and glandular swelling, which may terminate in the forming of pus in the part. In these cases the symptoms are slight and last only a few days."

Septicemic Plague.--This is characterized by symptoms of severe general infection, with hemorrhages, rapid course, and death in three or four days, without the development of swelling of the lymph nodes. Cultures from the blood show bacteria.

Pneumonic Plague.--The symptoms are those of a severe "lobular" pneumonia, with b.l.o.o.d.y sputum containing many bacilli. It is usually rapidly fatal.

Death rate may reach ninety per cent.

Treatment. Prevention.--Prolonged isolation, disinfection of the discharges, cremation of plague victims, destruction of rats, and preventive inoculation of healthy persons with sterilized cultures of the bacillus pestis.

Immunity following this procedure is said to last from one to eighteen months.

For pain, morphine; for weakness, stimulation; for fever, bathing; for buboes, application of ice, injection of bichloride and excision have been advised.

DYSENTERY.--A group of inflammatory intestinal affections, either acute or chronic, and of infectious origin, characterized by frequent painful pa.s.sages, (containing mucus and blood) or by loose movements.

Acute Catarrhal Dysentery.--This is the most common form in the temperate climate The colon is congested and swollen with a covering of blood-tinged mucus on its mucous membrane.

Symptoms.--The invasion: This is usually marked by diarrhea, then cramp-like general pain in the abdomen and frequent mucous, b.l.o.o.d.y stools, accompanied by hard straining at stool. The temperature may reach 102 to 103 degrees. After one or two days the stools consist entirely of b.l.o.o.d.y mucus and are very frequent. The thirst is great. In about one week the stools may become normal.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Dysentery, Sweet Cream for.--"One or two teaspoonfuls of thick cream every hour. Three doses is usually sufficient.

(This remedy proved successful with my baby when all others failed)."

2. Dysentery, One Ounce Dewberry Root for.--"Boil in one quart of water one ounce of dewberry root. This should be boiled down to one-half pint and a half winegla.s.sful given to patient two or three times a day, or in severe cases, a half winegla.s.sful every two or three hours until discharge diminishes."

INFECTIOUS DISEASES 227

3. Dysentery, "Colt Tail" Remedy for.--"The herb called "Colt Tail," steep and drink the tea. It's a tall weed and grows in damp places. It is one of the best herbs for this." This is especially good when the discharge from the bowels is b.l.o.o.d.y or contains mucus.

4. Dysentery, Sugar and Brandy for.--"Two tablespoonfuls brandy poured into a saucer. Set fire to the brandy and hold in flame lump of sugar on fork. This is a very good remedy, and has cured cases when doctors'

remedies failed. This sugar will melt and form a syrup. Dose:--One-half teaspoonful every two hours or oftener if necessary."

5. Dysentery, Herb Remedy for.--"Take four ounces poplar bark, four ounces bayberry bark and three ounces tormentil root, simmer gently in four quarts of water, down to three, strain and add two pounds granulated sugar; let it come to boiling point, skim and add one-half pound blackberry or peach jelly and one-half pint best brandy. Keep in a cool place, take one-half winegla.s.sful three or four times a day or more often if required."

6. Dysentery, New Method to Cure.--"A hot hip bath will often relieve distressing sensations of dysentery or itching piles." This is a very simple remedy and will have a very soothing effect upon the whole system, relieving any nervousness that may be present and usually is with this disease.

7. Dysentery, Starch Injection for.--"Use injection of one cup thin boiled starch, and one-half teaspoonful laudanum. Repeat every 3 to 4 hours."

8. Dysentery, To Cure b.l.o.o.d.y.--"Put a teaspoonful of salt into a quart of warm water and inject into the bowels to wash them out thoroughly."

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Dysentery.--Remain in bed on fluid diet, and give a free saline cathartic or castor on, one-half ounce, followed by salol five grains in capsules every three hours.

2. Bis.m.u.th subnitrate, one-half to one dram every two to three hours.

3. Irrigation of the colon with normal salt solution or weak solution of silver nitrate at about one hundred degrees with a long rectual tube. Dr.