The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-05-20
The Ailments of Old Age.

necessary for the age to have, as rule,
weary days and nights of sleepless pain.
No, nor for the old to wish youth to come
again. There is a land where youth blooms |
eternal; let us rather look forward than
backward. There is no greater blessing
that can be enjoyed in old age than that of
contentment. In the case of the aged, con- |
tentment really is continual feast. ltisa
habit, therefore, that ought to be cultivated
if only for these two reasons: first, that /
fretfulness aggravates any ailment or chronic |
disease one may be suffering from-Owing !
to the effect the mind has over the body; |
and secondly, that fretful man Cor woman)
is less likely to be loved by those around
him, upon whom he is really dependent for
the comforts of his daily life; for let him be
as rich as CrOesus, and able to command all
the luxuries life can give. | think 1t is
better to deserve than command, and better
to be loved for ones self than toadied for
ones wealth.
The disease known by medical men as
senile bronchitis comes uppermost to my
mind: it is little else than bad cough, with
copious expectoration of frothy phlegm and
matter 1t is usually easiest in summer and
on fine sunshiny days, and worst in winter
and dark gloomy weather. In other words,
the secretion is diminished by life in the
warmth of the sun, and increased by cold
diminished by the exhilaration of spirits
caused by fine day, and increased by the
gloom of dull one, and this latter is simply
a proof of what | said Just now about fret
fulness always aggravating any present dis
order. Take a case in point: An old man
who verging on eighty, has always been
used to an active out-of-door life, and al
though suffering from severe senile bron-
ehitis. still takes walks abroad every fine
/ forenoon, is confined to the house ON rainy
day; he will still take his exercise up and
down the room, pausing oft to gaze longingly
through the windows, and wondering while
he bemoanS his hard fate, if it ever means
to clear up. This very worry of mind then
increases both cough and expectoration; he
at once thinks he is booked for another
world. Bless my heart, he will say to
his wife, did you ever see the like? Did
YOU ever in your born days hear such
cough? All my dear, you won't have me
long now.
But presently the sun blinks out. He
brightens up. forgets his cough and lays
aside his cordial mixture, both objects of
untiring interest to him all this forenoon,
I'm take my stick, he says, "and run
down and see how poor old So-and-so Is to-
day
He got-s out. and couple of hours after
he returns humming a tune, looking, aye,
and feeling just twenty years younger, and
his very first question to his wife is:
Dinner ready yet, my dear
This l. no imaginary sketch, and could
give YOU fifty, nay hundred ike it,
Rheumatism Is often associated with
bronchitis. and until you have got rid of
the former you viii hardly succeed IN re
Reving the latter. Fer this end avoid for
a time, wine. beer, spirits, and everything
likely To produce acidity; wear thicker
flannel. busted inside with sulphur, and try
dose or two Of eolchicum at bedtime. On
the other hand, to the aged rheumatic |
could well recommend course OF the lodide
of potassium with bark-such a preSerip-
tion as this, for example; Twenty grains
Of iodide Of potassium, two draus OF the
tineture of henbanc, dram of biearbonate
Of potash. and nine ounces of the tmeture
of yellow bark: the dose, two teaspoontuls
twice a day.
Sleeplessness Is common concomltant
of gathering years. | but mention II TO
warn nv readers against the use OF sleep
| ing dranghts. which do but act artihcially,
and hardly ever fail to ultimately shorten
, life. pure air, very well ventilated bedroom
, exercise and light supper are the only
safe narcotics in old age. Old people by
, the way, do NOS need 50 much sleep as the
younger folks, and if they retire early they
/ ought to be up betimes-
r Well. fear that TO many the symptoms
, of senile bronchitis, or the catarrh Of old
; people. are too well known to need deserip.
, lion. and those who 50 suffer will do vel
10 take good care of themselves without
, OVERRIDING it. The exercise should be mod
/ erate-that is. never carried 10 the verge Of
; fatigue at the same time it is no reason on
/ a fine day why patient should come to the
] / nfstf~E NJ once NnGii lt ACtio n AAhNAS saaNNa
! let him take heart Of grace and rest for {
p short time in a sunny corner, out OF th'
: drupht. then continue the walk, BATH
= chairs are useful where the feebleness Il
/ very great, but care must be taken to wraI
J. up well. and that the feet be not cold Ih'
+ food should be the best procurable; II the
f teeth are bad, the meat ought TO be minced
= with one of those handy pocket masticators
Time should be taken in eating and mod
- crate allowance of good wine taken with tbs
, meal. Occasionally short course of tonic
;; may help to strengthen the system and IN
h crease the digestion. One of the best
: know is made of the compound tincture o.
f bark one ounce, hemlock juice SIX drains
, ten ounces of camphor water and few
drops of peppermint; dose, an ounce three
d times day.
r Cod liver oil does good in these eases
f when it can be borne if it Is not well borne
+ however. it should be discontinued after !
5 good trial. A mixture ef ammonia, splrIt'
: of chloroform and squills, which any intel
9 ligent druggist can compound, will do goot
i. service. About fifteen drops Of Friar bal
l. sam in cup of tea three times day wal
IS give great relief in many cases, and thos'
t who are subject to this complaint shoul'
o never want an inhaler in the house. Fiy,
n drops of turpentine, with about ten of laud
h anum, may be added to every ounce of no
It water in the inhaler, and deep long breath
II be taken-oneo or twice day is sufficient
e When the chest feeels very bad, warm tur
e pentine should be rubbed over it, and al
e. aperient pill taken.
y may add in conclusion that the aged
e being very sensitive to cold, should wea
o warm though light clothing, with fanne
d next the skin-the clothes being loose no
.e tight; they should have their bedrooms an
% bedclothes well aired, and for the purpose
4. of warmth and ventilation little bit of fir
e in the bedroom. The bedclothes shoul
be soft and warm without being heavy, an
the surroundings cheerful in appearance
,s A Family Doctor, IN HarPer's Weekly,
= Stables should be warm enough so tina
D. horses may be comfortable without blankets
t; then the blankets will do good service a
!. coverings when the animal is left stand n
n out in the street. The practice of coveriin
IL lIo,,I.,4 -, 4ho uto hln tD