Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-03-30
Prescribing for the Sick.


IHAyE sometimes been called upon by
oefohf,ors 10 give some advice about the
care of persons who were suffering from
mains Of some kind, and who hardly liked
h summon doctor. If those who come
n me know what medicine to give, or if
they had some undoubted panacea in the
house, they would not ask for my advice,
presume. But never have any medi-
cines, and never want any. Neither do
know much about particular diseases.
There are few things which everyone
should know about curing diseases--and
the same rules apply generally to the pre-.
yention of disease. When i am called
upon for help, | ask: Are the feet
warm" and usually they are not. This,
then, must be corrected as soon as posi-
bic. You can hardly trust an ignorant
woman's report on this point, so common
il il for women to 60 habitually with cold
feet in the winter, calling them warm,
perhaps, unless they actually ache with
cold. Neither can you trust q sick child's
report Of its feet, and If you would do your
best for the patient, feel OF its feet your
self. Not only warm It's feet, but sec that
ne pls1Ie body I.qs a coBtfoTtdbts degres 81
aoarmth. This is necessary, whatever may
be The disease. If the body, or any part
Of ii, is hot and dry, cool il. Usually
cloths wet with clean, soft water are most
available for this purpose. An equally
important inquiry Is concerning the state
~ the bowels. The rule, keep the
bowels open" like the previous one In
respect TO a comfortable degree OF
warmth for the whole body. applies in
egery ease Of sickness, no matter what may
be the disease.
know / am only repeating what has
been said edit0rially and by other con-
tributors 10 this journal, when ! say that
medicine does not cure sick folks. III
NAV give some assistance, but Nature
herself works with all her might TO pre-
vent, and also TO cure, sickness, or TO re-
store to health any injured part Oh the
body. We have only 10 work IN harmony
with her. For this reason we seek 10
maintain an equable circulation OF the
blood throughout the body by warming
that which Il too cool and cooling that
which Ia too warm. For this reason we
seek 10 keep open every means OF exit Tor
the waste and poisonous matter which the
body has 10 throw off constantly in It's
processes Of repair and growth This
makes necessary not only an open condi-
ton of the bowels, but an open condition
of the pores Of the skin. Sweatings or
.. sweats /" are well in their place, when
the pores are closed on account OF cold,
hut q sick persons profuse perspiration
ought to be followed by some kind OF a
bath, carefully given so as not 10 chili
the natient. in order TO wash away the
81. 1tn
poured, with the persplration, through us
innumerable pores. This should be zone
in warm room, If possible, and IN cool
weather only small part OF the Oody
should be exposed at once. When one
arm has been washed and dried, the
other may be bathed, and so on-a part
at time.
Improper eating seems to be the cause
of much of the ailments for which am
called to prescribe. OF course the over
worked stomach ought TO rest, and with ii
the whole body. But working people
cannot lie by on account OF illness II they
have strength 20 crawl about, and so they
think they must take something"
There is a good deal in name, and
when people are in much pain, Of course
they want IA "pain. killer" Outside or
inside, no matter--kill the pain at once,
So they seem TO think, and in Ignorance
take ANYTHING which recommends itself
as able 10 relieve their suffering. When
our little girl pulled a heavy piece of iron
from the table upon her foot, crushing il
so that we thought she would be unable
to use it for long time, her suffering
was extreme.
i" We ought 10 have some pain-killer
i'm the houser' exclaimed a member Of
the family who was as ignorant of the
component parts and especial powers OF
that medicine as / am myself.
What for?'' ] asked, and he replied
"The child can never bear such pain long
1t is HORRIBLE
But we set to work with cold water
pouring IL constantly upon the bruised part
for about an hour Relief began imme
diately, and the child was unwilling to
have any cessation OF the bath until the
pain was all gone. 1t seemed almost
miracle 10 see that little girl running
about on both feet in less than two hours
after the accident, and never afterward 70
hear another word of complaint about the
badly-bruised foot. Nor was there ever
aiterward any hint in our house OF the need
a "pain- killer or other patent medicines.
Vigorous rubbing is often better than
water TO relieve pain.
When the body is suffering on account
of any obstruction, or injury, 1t Is unfair
to burden the stomach with unnecessary
labor Food easy Of digestion should be
selected, like well-cooked gruel,a graham
mush, or nice toast, dressed with sweet
cream. Often an entire fast for one or two
meals, with rest from labor, is the best
thing for restoration TO health. Most OF
US are too ignorant to attempt to treat a
very sick person without the advice of a
physician. Our neighbors thought us
very presumptuous when | was taken
quite i'll last winter because we did not
call doctor. Indeed, we were Just on
the point of doing SO, in order TO learn
what was the matter with me, when we
became sure that ii was pneumonia, or
lung. fever. We had no difficulty, then,
in treating the case by simple nursing,
using hot flannels or cool congresses, as
instinct called for either to relieve pain.
Medicines were advised by kind hearted
neighbors, but none were taken, nor even
food, until the fever had abated and appe-
tite returned This little sickness of two
or three weeks cost Us not less than forty
dollars In loss of time TO my husband and
myself though there was no outlay for