Mother's Remedies, Thomas Jefferson Ritter [reading well .TXT] 📗

id="id07638" >Ice Water Coils.—These can be bought. They can also be made from rubber tubing. Sew this upon a piece of rubber cloth in circles about one inch apart for five or six rounds; leave a yard or two of tubing at each end to be used as a siphon, A large pan of ice water is raised above the patient into which one weighted end of the tubing is placed, with a funnel inserted into it, covered with gauze to prevent clogging, while the other end is laid in a second basin on the floor which receives the water. The upper pan must be kept filled. This is very good for delirium in brain fever, etc., when applied to the head and also good for bleeding from the bowels in typhoid fever. The stream of water can be regulated if necessary by a stop-cock.

Lotions.—Lotions are medicated moist applications, and may be either hot or cold.

Counter—Irritants are agents applied externally to produce irritation or inflammation in order to relieve a diseased condition in an adjacent or deep-seated part of the body. Mustard foot-bath relieves pain in the head by drawing the surplus blood away from the head. The mildest mustard counter-irritant is the mustard poultice. It can be made with one part mustard to six of linseed meal. Never use boiling water with mustard.

Mustard Poultice.—Use of ground mustard, one-fourth to one-eighth of the amount of meal used. Make into a paste and stir this into the linseed, after it has been prepared for the poultices. The white of an egg is used in this poultice as it may keep the poultice from blistering.

Yeast Poultices.—These stimulate ulcers, gangrene and sloughing conditions. Mix eight ounces of soft yeast with as much water. Add enough flour to make a sponge, but not too stiff. It should be kept warm until fermentation begins; then apply every day. Finely powdered charcoal can also be added.

[634 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

For Soothing Effect.—Hop bags or bran bags, dipped in hot water, may be applied, protected and kept in place with a bandage.

Spice Poultice.—This is very good for pain in abdomen in children especially. Equal parts of ground cinnamon, cloves, allspice and ginger, one-quarter part cayenne pepper, if needed very strong. Place all together in a flannel bag and spread equally. Wet with alcohol or brandy. When dry, re-wet. This is a mild warming dressing.

Spice Poultice from a Stanlyton, Va., Mother.—"Take one teaspoonful each of mustard, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, or as many ground spices as one has in the kitchen; mix them well in a bowl while dry, adding boiling water slowly and stir constantly until it is of the consistency of soft putty; spread between soft thin cloths and apply to the affected parts as hot as the patient can bear it. When it is cool heat it again and apply."

Mother's Flour and Water Poultice.—"Make a thick poultice of flour and water; bake soft and apply hot. Have another ready for change, if necessary. This is good for any pain."

Poultice of Peach Tree Leaves from our Mother's List.—"Put a handful of peach leaves in a vessel and let boil well; add enough meal to thicken, spread between thin muslin cloth and apply to parts affected. This is a splendid poultice."

Mild Plaster for Children.—"Two teaspoonsful of flour, three teaspoonsful of mustard, a little fresh lard and a few drops of turpentine, Mix up with warm water."

Fomentations.—This is the best way to apply moist heat, but it is troublesome, as they should be changed very frequently, at least every ten minutes when heat is required. They should never be left on until they are cold and clammy. Sheets of lamb's wool make the best material. Cut these layers into sizes required and encase them in a gauze cover over which is put a layer of oiled silk. Coarse old flannel or an old blanket will do well. Take two layers of the flannels, dip in the boiling water and wring. Two should be at hand. Dry the skin first and then put on the flannel. It should be covered with enough material to keep in the heat and moisture. Hops, etc., can be put into the water.

Turpentine Stupes.—This is prepared the same way, except turpentine is added. After the flannel has been wrung out, add from ten to twenty drops of turpentine, or add two or three teaspoonfuls of turpentine to one pint of boiling water and put the flannel in it and wring out and apply. Put a towel over the stupe. This is especially for gas in the bowels.

Mustard Stupe.—Put a tablespoonful of mustard in one pint of hot water. Make a paste of the mustard before it is put into the hot water, to avoid forming lumps; never use boiling water. Wring the flannel out after it has been in this solution and apply to the part.

[NURSING DEPARTMENT 635]

Mustard Plaster.—This is made of different strengths, depending upon the length of time it is desired to keep it on and the sensitiveness of the skin.

1. Equal parts of mustard and flour. 2. One of mustard and two of flour. 3. One of mustard and three or four of flour. White of an egg added makes it better and not so blistering.

A paste is made with warm water and spread between the layers of muslin and left on no longer than ten minutes. When the skin is red remove the plaster. This is used when you wish a quick counter-irritation.

Mustard Plaster.—This is made stronger, 1 to 2 to 3 parts meal.

Mustard leaves or Sinapisms may be bought at a drug store. They are no better than you can make. Use plasters.

Capsicum and Belladonna Plasters.—May be bought. In applying, heat the back of the plaster slightly; the face of the gauze is pulled off and the plaster placed where wanted. To remove soak first with alcohol.

Spice plaster.—Mix two teaspoonfuls each of ginger and cloves with a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, one tablespoonful of flour, enough brandy or water to make a paste. Spread this between two layers of muslin.

For Turpentine and Mustard Stupes see above.

Tincture of iodine, chloroform and liniments are also counterirritants, also castor oil, and pure tartar emetic, and cartharides.

Cupping, Wet and Dry.—This is sometimes used to relieve inflammations of the eye, lung or kidney, or even muscular pains like lumbago. Wine-glasses will do as well as any you can buy.

Dry cupping.—Take a piece of wire, wrap a small piece of cotton about the end, dip this in alcohol, light it and swab the inside of the glass, remove and apply the glass. The heat causes the air to expand and it is driven off and the partial vacuum formed is filled by the skin and tissues over which the glass is placed. The edges of the cup must not be warm enough to burn the patient. Six or seven cups may be applied at one time and allowed to remain five minutes, after which they are removed by pressing the flesh around the edge and inserting the finger there so as to let in the air.

Linseed meal poultices can be applied afterwards to keep up the work begun.

Wet cupping.—Scrub the skin with hot water and soap, wash off with a five per cent (1-20) carbolic acid solution. Make a few cuts over the parts desired with a clean knife and apply the cup prepared in the way above directed. Remove the blood and check the bleeding, if necessary, by sponging. Place a pad on the part and hold this in place by a bandage or adhesive strap.

Blistered Skin. To dress.—Puncture the lower part with a clean instrument and catch the fluid on absorbent cotton. Dress it with oxide of zinc ointment or vaselin on lint or clean linen and strap on. It is best not to remove the skin from a blister at the first dressing.

[636 MOTHERS' REMEDIES] HOW TO DETERMINE THE DOSE FOR CHILDREN.

We have endeavored to always give the dose throughout this book as we recognized the lack of accurate and detailed information regarding the administering of medicines as one of the weak features in practically all home medical books. If we have overlooked a few instances we wish to provide for such omissions by giving the table of doses generally used by nurses as a basis for determining the dose of any medicine she may be using for a particular age.

Rule usually followed.—For children under twelve years of age. Make a fraction. Use the age of the child for the upper number, numerator. The number below the line, denominator, is twelve, added to the age of the child. For example: If your child is two years old you would begin by placing two as numerator, thus 2/, then you add 2 + 12 = 14 and place 14 below the line and you have 2/14 or 1/7. You then take 1/7 of the adult dose for your two-year-old child. If the dose for an adult is 21 drops, a child of two years is given 3 drops, etc.

DOSE IN DROPS FOR DIFFERENT AGES.

If the dose is a spoonful or 60 drops for an adult, the other doses would be correct for the ages given below:

    21 and over 60 drops
    15 years about 33 drops A few more or less if robust or weakly
    12 " " 30 drops "
    10 " " 27 drops "
     8 " " 24 drops "
     6 " " 20 drops "
     5 " " 17 drops "
     4 " " 15 drops "
     3 " " 12 drops "
     2 " " 8 drops "
     1 " " 4 drops "

Exceptions to this rule are calomel and castor oil, when half an adult dose can be given between 12 and 18.

Opium is dangerous to children and old people and should be administered by a physician or trained nurse.

"Lest We Forget."
COMMON TABLES OF MEASURES.
APOTHECARIES' WEIGHT.

Apothecaries' Weight is used in prescribing and mixing medicines

Table.

20 grains equal 1 scruple
 3 scruples " 1 dram
 8 drams " 1 ounce
12 ounces " 1 pound

The pound is the same as the pound Troy. Medicines are bought and sold in quantities by Avoirdupois Weight.

[NURSING DEPARTMENT 637]

    1 grain equals 1 drop or 1 minim
   60 grains or drops " 1 teaspoonful
    1 teaspoonful " 1 fluid dram

    8 drams (or 8 teaspoonfuls) make 1 fluid ounce
    2 tablespoonfuls make 1 fluid ounce

  1/2 fluid ounce is a tablespoonful
    2 fluid ounces is a wineglassful
    4 fluid