The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1883-03-16
Counter Irritants.

Not little pain, disease, and sleeplessness
also, may be saved by the proper understand
ing and use of counter-irritants. A pain in
the head, and often in other parts of the body,
can be removed or modified by putting the
feet in hot water. How? Why? When the
feet are irritated it causes rush of blood to
them, their veins became full and distended.
This draws off the blood that was before
crowding into the head or other affected part
and producing pain there. Even rubbing the
scalp briskly may attract outwardly the blood
previously pressing the internal organs.
rubber bag of hot water at the feet, or
other warm or gently irritating application,
will often SO draw down the blood from the
excited brain that one will soon fall into II
quiet sleep Ten to twenty drops Of aroma.
tic spirits of ammonia swallowed in half q
tumblcr ofwater on going to bed or when
restless and wakeful during the night will
very often put one into an easy slumber. 1t
is quickly absorbed into the blood, and car
ried to every part of the body, producing a
gentle stimulus. This calls the blood to every
point, equalizing the circulation, and thus
relieving the before excited brain.
A "cold" generally means that there is or
has been unequal heat, disturbing the blood
circulation, and causing congestion, pain, and
disease. A gentle physic of oil or calcined
magnesia, in passing through the system,
produces flow TO the intestines of fluids
drawn from the blood. This reduces the
blood as well as draws it from parts affected
by the cold. Almost any cold taken before
1t becomes chronic, or SO seated" as to pro-
duce DISCRIMINATION, may be relieved and
usually cured by such Il cathartic dose-one
not severe enough to disarrange the diges.
tive apparatus. "Physic cold" is more
philosophical than feeding a cold" as the
adage has it, The latter only aggravates the
trouble
A slightly sore or irritated throat is usually
relieved or cured by applying an irritant to
the outside. volatile liniment" is good for
this. 1t is made by shaking well together
any amount of sweet oil with one fourth to
one-half its bulk ofaqua ammonia, or Charts
horn"-the amount depending upon the
strength of the ammonia 1t is good, cheap
counter-lrritant TO keep on hand-well cork
ed, using new cork as the old one shrnks
from the action of the ammonia. 1t is also
useful to rub well on the chest when there is
soreness in the muscles Alcohol or strong
whisky, rubbing upon the throat (outside) as
counterirritant, often relieves a sore throat,
and the same ola sore chest When using
the alcohol, cover the part well and quickly,
to prevent Il chill from the rapid evaporation.
LinimGnt, alcohol, hot water, or hot wet
cloths, or mustard, on the outside of the
abdomen tends to relieve irritation of the
bowels, on the general principle of countr-
irritation above mentioned
For an lnflamed Sore Throat or tonsils Il
very good general remedy is to gargle the
throat every hour or two wiha teuspuoniul
of chl0late of potassa solution. 1t is well
to keep in every house good sized vial of
water with more Choratc Of potasSa in it then
will dissolve. The clear LIQUID is then always