Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-08-13

Il nerve, we observe u contraction vi wv
gland with simultaneous excretion OF It's
products. Upon continued irritation, we
observe more blood flowing towards such
gland, and it swells in proportion until 1t
interferes with the business OF Its neigh
Dor. We press upon the od-yesseis,
and darker appearance Is quickly OBJ
served, cell upon cell seems to press IN
until the vessel is filled up to the next
branch If we hold on long enough, a
eliot is formed by which this vessel is made
impossible. We inject some foreign sub
stance into the veins of the foot, and after
five minutes we see it pass before us, mix
ed with the blood which now shows n DIFF
ferent activity, while its flow seems irreg-
ular and spasmodic by and by we OBJ
serve the flowing to become slower and
slower, until it ceases altogether. We
look at it with the naked eye, and observe
a little red patch, but no more. Thus we
may continue to amuse ourselves until we
begin at once to reflect, and to think OF
the consequence of such transactions.
Surprising the same should happen in our
selves, what should we do? We have al
ready seen too much to be fooled any
longer with mere names, remedies, and
nonsense We know that the observed
irregularities which we brought about ar
tifically, cannot be removed by simple
dose of castor-oil or salts, nor by any in
finitesimal dilutions of humble bee.
Having once examined and seen into the
minuteness, extreme delicacy and nicely
of the machinery, we are afraid to fool
with it any more. 1t is with us, as with
the boy who could laughingly torture a
poor bug. until once he examined and
stnded it thoroughly; when, after the
knowledge gained, he carefully avoided
stepping upon it; So with ourselves, hav-
ing gained knowledge of the machinery
of our body, we avoid abusing it.
A child becomes suddenly very sick -
being called to attend it, we find beau
tiful child lying on its bed, asking for
help from its mother, and crying as we
enter, from fear and from pain. What is
the matter? No one knows much about
1.-THE child has vomited, throws the
head around, cries when trying to go to
stool, and refuses all kinds of food. There
is no fever. but the child looks frightened
and anxious On examination, we find its
abdomen swelled and hard; we feel the
motion of the intestines; evidently the
child suffers pain. Should we not give
opium and dose of castor-oil? We
might but we dare not. Shall we try
Homeopathy? 1t will do no harm, at any
rate, and perhaps it might be of service
Or shall we try warm bath, with "A bat
terry in itp Or Il dose of calomel, and sag
that it was Homeopathic medicine Or
perhaps some worm medicine might not
be bad. Choral being the latest discov-
cred and newest remedy out, we might
try it; and, if successful, publish some
thing about it; it will give notoriety? We
might rub something on its bowels. While
we thus soliloquize. an old aunt comes in;
she has had a number of children of her
own. some of whom have died. '.Why
don't you give it an injection, Doctor?"
"Yes, madam" 1--WE did not think of it just
now when we were soliloquizing), ian
injection can do no harm an injection
of equal parts of sweet and castor-oil,
mixed with sufficient quantity of warm
water, with little soap in it." We re-
member having read about applying hot
wet cloths to the abdomen; so we order
this to be done. Don't you prescribe, or
give scme medicine P" asks the mother.
Yes, we must have some medicine; so we
prescribe some peppermint-water, three
drops every hour. Before the bottle AZ
rives, our child seems better the inIec
ton produced full discharge, the abdo-
men is less swollen, the child is more
quiet, and falls asleep, and must not be
awakened. After three hours it awakes
and smiles--we give it three drops of pep
permint-water, tell the mother and aunt
ito be uery careful" with the child and
call again next day. The child now meets
us on the steps perfectly well. Very hard
case "What was the matter with the
child, Doctor?" "Oh it had an attack of
spasmodic collie, which would have result
ed in summer complaint or enterltis."
sob yes, | underestimate is quite dam
gerous, is it not ?" "Yes, madam" She
and we don't--but neverthe
less called to another child having the
same symptoms. All, now we know what
to dove prescribe an injection, hot
cloths, and peppermint-water, as before.
But this child will not sleep we try
again, but to no purpose. What now
We give castor-oil. 1t is vomited up, the
pain becomes more severe: We give OPT
UNI lis thrown i've try brandy with
lis thrown up also. Things
are becoming alarming and desperate we
call in counsel; try everything, but all to
no purpose, the child dies on the fourth
day. Upon post-mortem examination we
find that the intestine has pushed itself up
into itself about ten inches (intussuscep-
tion). We now see that there was no use
for our remedies in this case; there was
no help this time. Everybody is satisfied
but ourselves, we do not know much at
ter all, and feel a little ashamed, but must
not let it be known, as it would not do
We ought to have known all aboutit. The
first child, in playing with other children,
had been laying with the abdomen uppro-
tected upon the cold and damp ground,
thereby reducing the temperature of the
intestines, until spasnodic contraction of
the nerves which govern the motion of the
intestines took place. Our treatment was
therefore a correct one, and the child got
well. The other child had not chilled its
bowels by exposure, Post-mortem exam
nation would have shown Inflammation
Constructed capillary vessels) of the brain,
which the child had got from some acct
dent unknown to us; the seeming diff
Guilty in the bowels being only the reflex
action from the brain
These two illustrations are sufficient to
convince any one that the very same
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