Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-22
Concerning Medical Matters.

A lady in Illinois writes that she sent us
several months ago some receipts that she
had found exceedingly useful in her fami-
ly, and wonders we do not publish them
In respect to medical matters we have
some very positive opnions-one of which
is that there is far too much medical mat
ter taken for the good of the people, and
that 50 far as we are concerned, we shall
do nothing towards in1ucing our readers
to dose themselves. Physicians are fur in
advance of the people in this respect; they
do not give one tenth part of the drugs
they did twenty-five years ago, and were it
not that their patients would not be satisfied
if they did not do something" they
would give still less than they do now.
\ sick person needs to have his mind treat
ed us well as his body, and if he feels that
something is being done for him. his mind
is at ease, and he will not fret about him
self So physci,n really does him a
benefit by leaving some harmless thing,
to be taken in exact doses every few hours
the Oftener the better, Us it will occupy
the mind in looking out for the precise
time. Every physician knows that while
the patients view of his services is CON
fined to the medicine given, his trouble is
to find out just what is the matter, and how
far nature is tending to repair damages.
If matters are going on we'll enough. and
if not interfered with, nature will effect Il
cure; all he has to do is to amuse the pa-
tient with harmless doses. If he were to
say, there is nothing serious the matter
with you You have only to keep in bed
and feed on Stops, and you will be we'll in
a week" that doctor would be discharged,
and one sent for who would understand
| the case and give something to cure it,
The mental effect of the visits of a CHEEKY
doctor is of great help to patients who are
not especially i'll, and his services in this
respect are worth all they cost. Now, we
! do not mean to say that there are no cases
| that need medicine, for there are many in
which life may depend upon the most
prompt and energetic treatment: but what
we wish most especially to enforce, is the
| fact that when there is any serious Illness
no one who has not been educated to the
matter can make proper diagnosis,
which is the medical term for finding out
what is the matter, and is the most diff
cult thing TO do; if this be not correct the
treatment may be useless, or even harmful.
1t would be folly for us to publish RENE
dies for particular maladies when it is al
most impossible for other than physician
T to know WDelner SuCn diseases are present
or not We do not wish to convey the idea
that physician should be called for every
minor .ilment; colds, irregularities of the
! stomach and bowels, local pains, and other
| such ills can be treated with the domestic
remedies at hand. Every family keeps Il
! few simple remedies, which vary according
to usage; but there should always be at
hand, especially in farm-houses-
thing to make Il warm drink to promote
perspiratiOn, some cathartic or relaxative
to move the bowels, some astringent and
anodyne, and in fever and ague districts
quinine or such other antiperiodic as is
known to be useful. For th4 rest, the kitch-
en- may he depended upon for soda rs an
antacid, salt to check vomiting, cayenne
pepper as stimulint and mustard one of
the most useful of applications for local
pains. When an illness does not Weld,
and promptly, to these domestic remedies,
do not hesitate about calling doctor The
pain in the stomach OF bowels that do IS
not yield to mustard plaster and few
doses of paregoric OF laudanum may be Il
symptom of some serious disease of those
parts that requires an entirely different
treatment 4 sore throat with pain not
relieved at once by the usual remedies may
indicate the severe and often fatal diphthc-l
ria, and continued and increasing loose
ness of the bowels may be a symptom of
something more serious than an ordinary
diarrhcea. Every sensible mother will,
the moment that che rs not sure she is
right, call in the services of some one who