St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-09-07
A Family Medicine Chest.

Some one writes an Article to the
Christian Union giving valuable hints
to mothers who are leaving home on a
summer vacation where doctors and
drug stores may not he accessible.
Many of the hints are useful on other
occasions also:
A stout wooden box should he got,
about ten inches long, six inches wide
and six high, and divided into com
partmcnts large enough to hold two
ounce bottle, leaving space ut one
end for handagcs, old linen; cotton
wool, etc. An extra supply of these
may he taken. but some should always
be kept in the medicine chest, that
they may he forthcoming at moments
notice. The box should he fastened
with button or hook, not with-a lock
and key. as the latter would certainly
bc missing in an emergency.
1t will hold twelve bottles, and these
should he filled with castor oil, pare
gOric, chalk mixture, peppermint, cX-
tract of ginger, ipecac. Wyeth's soda
mint pills and compressed Dover pills
five grains), extract of witch ~hazel,
carbolic acid, glycerine and bi-carbo-
nate soda. TO these should he added
tin box of coSm0line, Il roll of Sea-
bury * Johnson's salicylated plaster,
a bottle of flexible collodion, a tin case
of prepared mustard plasters, and two
short glass tubes, one bent, the other
straight.
With this equipment any woman of
ordinary common sense can carry her
children through the summer without
having recourse to Il doctor. An india
rubber hot-water bag, holding three
pints or two quarts, will he found a
great comfort, as it is not always easy
to yet Il bottle, or, if that is procured,
to find cork to fit it. If this is
| thought too great an expense, it is Il
good plan to take as Il substitute three
or four empty lager beer bottles. The
metal fastenings being attached to the
bottles are always in place when
wanted. They can be filed with very
hot water without breaking them, if,
during the process, they are wrapped
in cloths wrung out i'll cold water.
The mere mention of castor oil is
enough to make u child weep with an
| ruish who has once taken it as Urdi-
narily given. If little milk is poured
| in cup, a teaspoOnful of essence OF
peppermint added, the oil put in last
the whole stirred and taken through a
glass tube, the nauseous taste is effect
ually disguised. As a boy remarked
after swallowing the compound, not
knowing what it was, at tastes a little
like custard.n A few drops of paregoriC
mixed with glycerine makes a soothing
mixture. From twenty drops to a tea
spoonful, according to the age of the
patient, will check diarrhGa. If this
is insufficient. dose of chalk mixture
will usually be effectual. A little eX-
tract of ginger mixed with hot water
and sugar will cOunteract the baC
effects of wetting. Ipecac must bt
on hand in case of Group, or to lOOseT
an obstinate cough. Soda mint pill'
1 are excellent to correct Il slight acidity
or to relieve nausea. Each COMPOUND
i Dover pill contains half grain o
opium and may be given in sever
pain, or in conjunction with hot foot
bath and hot lemonade to assist II
producing perspiratiOn and wardin;
off Il cold.
In case of a sprain or a bruise, afte
it has been well bathed with eXtremel.
hot water, the extract of witch haze
heated, poured on flannel and bound o
the part will relieve the pain as quickl
as if 1t really possessed magical prop
: critics. Carbolic acid, diluted wit
a, warm water and poured into the ear,
sovereign cure for earache. 'Th
n mother whose child suffers from tooth
e ache must find Il corner in the medicin
< chest for a phial of powdered aluI
b saturated with sweet spirits of nitr'
9 This mixture put i'll the cavity, if ther
+ is one, or rubbed on the gum, if theI