The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-03-30
Prescribing for the Sick.

house, they would not ask Tor my advice,
presume. But l never have any medi.
cines, and never want any. Neither do !
know much about particular diseases.
There are a few things which everyone
should know about curing diseases and
the same rules apply generally to the pre-.
vention of diseate. When I am called
upon for help, I ask: "Are the feet
warm!" and usually they are not. This,
then, must be corrected as soon as posi-
BILE. You can hardly trust an ignorant
woman's report on this point, SO common
is it 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 a 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 its feet, but see thai
the u1aole body has a comfortable degree Q,
,oarmth. This is necessary, whatever may
be the disease. If the body, or any part
of it, is hot and dry, cool it. Usually
cloths wet with clean, soft water are most
available for this purpose. An equally
important inquiry Is concerning the state
of the bowels. The rule, keep the
bowels opep," like the previous one in
respect to comfortable degree OF
warmth for the whole body, applies in
ererv case of sickness, no matter what may
be the disease.
know l am only repeating what has
been said editorially and by other con-
tributors to this journal, when l say that
medicine does not cure sick folks. 1t
NAV give some assistance, but Nature
herself works with all her might to pre-
vent, and also to cure, sickness, or t. re-
store to health any injured part of the
BODY, We have only to work in harmony
with her. For this reason we seek to
maintain an equable circulation OF the
blood throughout the body by warming
that which is too cool and cooling that
which is too warm. For this reason we
seek to keep open every means of exit for
the waste and poisonous matter which the
BODY has to throw off constantly IN its
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 we'll in their place, when
the pores are closed on account of cold,
but a sick persons profuse perspiratlon
ought to be followed by some kind of q
bath, carefully given so as not to chill
the patient, in order to wash away the
etfete matter which the sick body has
poured. with the perspiration, through its
innumerable pores. This should be done
in warm room, if possible. and in cool
weather only a small part OF the body
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 l am
called to prescribe. OF course the over.
worked stomach ought to rest, and with 1t
the whole body. But working people
car not lie by on account OF illness II they
have strength to crawl about, ano so tney
think they must "take something. - >
There is q good deal in name, and
VIII N people are in much pain, OF course
they want a "pain- killer" Outside or
inside, no matter!-kill the PAIN az once
So they seem to think, and in Ignorance
take anything which recommends 11sell
as able to relieve their suffering. when
our little girl pulled heavy piece OF IRON
from the table upon her foot, crushing II
SO that we thought she would be unable
to use it for a long time, her suffering
was extreme.
1--WE ought to have SEINE pain killer
in the house!' exclaimed 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 it constantly upon the bruised par'
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
q miracle to see that little girl running
about on both feet in less than two hours
after the accident, and never afterWard to
hear another word of complaint about the
badly-b-uised foot. Nor was there ever
afterward any hint in our house OF the neeo
a"pain-killer' or other patent medicines
Vigorous rubbing is often better IMAM
water to relieve pain.
When the body is suffering on account
of any obstruction, or injury, it is unfair
to burden the stomach with unnecessary
labor. Food easy of digestion should be
selected, like we1l-cooked cruel, = graham
mush, or nice toast, dressed with sweet
cream. Often an entire fast for one or two
meals, with rest from labor, is the Des,
thing for restoration to health. Most OF
us are too ignorant to attempt to treat
very sick person without the advice OF
physician. Our neighbors thought us
very presumptuous when was taken
quite i'll last winter because we did moi
call doctor. Indeed, we were just on
the point of doing SO, in order to learn
what was the matter with me, when VIC
became sure that it 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 tor
extra help or physicians attendance: 81
I am more sure than ever that sickness
does not pay, and that it is mothers
duty to take care of herself as well as Of
her children.-FaiMR Rochester, in Aa,eert-
can Agriculturise. ztl@77~lt sfs,F ~ e 'H