The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-05-31
How to Treat a Cold.

cult respiration. Now, if a warm bath
be taken at this period, followed by fric-
ton to the skin and warm covering in
bed so that a slight perspiration is estab-
lished, the cold is abated at the outset,
and the chill will be quite well the next
day. These measures should always be
employed with eroupy children or those
who are subject to prolonged catarrh or
cough after taking cold.
Sneezing is ordinarily an indication
that cold has been taken. 1t may be the |
beginning of severe nasal catarrh |
which will ultimate in a bronchial cough.
The warm bath, etc., are useful here,
and it is proper to open the bowels, if |
constipated, by mild cathartic. If the
Inflammation of the nasal mucous men,
brane is very acute, as evidenced by pro-
fuse and scalding, watery discharges, it |
may be mitigated by certain means.
The inhalation of the vapor of hot
water (not too hoD is sometimes sooth-
ing. A teaspoonful of spirits of cam
phor in a little hot water is very good
for inhalation. A few drops of laud-
anum may be used in the same way
These remedies are, of course, not avail
ttDlC 1llttb CitIl
be done for them is to gently anoint the
nostrils with little olive oil applied
with a feather. A small handkerchief or
bit of linen wet in water as warm as can
be borne and laid closely over the nose
and forehead will often seem to give re-
| lief. Children, who are old enough to
use nasal douche, may be benefited by
injections of warm salt water. An
atOmizer may sometimes be used
with advantage. Chronic catarrh
should be treated by the medicated
douche as soon rs the child is old
enough to use the apparatus, and it
must be persisted in for considerable
length of time before any very decided
good results can be expected. Change
of air, particularly to the seaside, will
sometimes effect a complete cure, from
which, however, the patient may relapse
after the return home. In bad cases
the experiment should be tried if practi-
cable. Children of scrofulous diathe-
sis are often affected by chronic catarrh
as part of the general morbid state of
the system. These eases require the
best of.hyg:ene and judicious tonic treat
ment.
A most frequent and painful compli-
cation of the ordinary acute catarrh, or
cold in the head, is sore throat. Some
times the violence of the attack falls
chiefly on the throat, and we may have
headache and disorder of the stomach
as accompaniments of simple sore
throat In the time of scarlet-fever and
diptheria epidemics, sore throat should
never be neglected. Unless the mother
is able to recognize, for a certainty, the
diphtheric eXudation or the angina of
scarlet fever, the doctor should be call
ed. If it be known to be only the simple
sore throat of an ordinary cold, home
treatment will be all that is necessary in
most cases. If any cathartic is given it
should be some saline draught, as seid-
litz-powder or citrate of magnesia.
These may be given in appropriate doses
to children three or four years age. If
they are old enough to gargle the throat,
nothing is better than chlorate of potas-
sa-a dram to a tumblerful of water,
or,in severe cases, in saturated solution.
More can be dissolved by hot water than
by cold, Some children are very liable
to slight sore throat, felt, especially, in
rising in the morning. 1t is so fire.
quently present that it may almost be
termed chronic. For these cases astrin-
gents are usually very serviceable. Half
"a dram of tannin added to the solution
of the chlorate of potassa will be found
very useful.
External applications do great good
oftentimes. An old-fashioned, but an
excellent, remedy is a slice of salt pork,
cut very thin, stitched to a bit of muslin
and applied by means of flannel band
age. It may first be sprinkled with salt
or powdered camphor to make it act
more quickly.
The value of these simple remedies
depends largely upon the skill in pre-
parmg and employing them. After the
bandage is ready, the pork being nicely
stitched upon it, warm it slowly until it
becomes soft, flexible, and oily ON the
surface. Then If the soreness is high
up under the angle of the jaw, the ends
of the bandage should be brought up on
the head and carefully pinned, not SO
tightly as to be uncomfortable, but snug
" enough to keep the slice of pork in
close contact with the surface. If the
soreness is lower down, the bandage
may be simply fastened around the
neck. This must be kept on for some
time. After twenty-four hours slight
eruption will be likely TO appear under
the bandage, and it may be left off for 8
, little while and afterward reapplied
! But in twentv-four hours we should ex.
!, pect a simple sore throat to be very
much improved.
Poultices made of linseed meal pre-
ferably, or of corn or rye meal and the