Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1886-07-01
Treatment Of Cholera Infantum.

Treatment Of Cholera Infantum.
A vast number of children die ev-
Try year Of this disease because of |
improper treatment. Under the er-
'oneous notion that an Inflammation
was at the bottom of the trouble,
opiates have been freely given, and
are still recommended by some of |
the best authors. The use of lauda-
mum, paregoric, wine of opium, Do
ver's powders or other preparations
Of opium is frequently followed by
stupor and commissions. The bowel
trouble may appear to be checked,
but the poisonous materials are re-
tanned, and these, along with the
drug, ale more than the enfeebled in
FAINT can endure. The different
soothing syrups" and secret nos
trums for the cure of this and similar
affections all contain opium in some
form, and their use is accompanied
with the greatest danger. Astring-
ents, like catechu, kino, and extract
of logwood are dangerous for the
same reason, only they are not di-
rectly poisonous in themselves like
opium. The rational treatments is
to give something that will kill the
microbs, clear out the digestive canal,
and not place any more germs of de-
composition therein. In the first place,
then, one Of two things should be
done: Give a dose of castor oil, or
of rhubarb, to clear out all offending
substances; this may be done if there
is no vomiting. Follow this with
food that has been thoroughly boiled,
and plenty of cold water, for it is
very necessary to keep the blood
from becoming too greatly thickened
by loss of fluids. If vomiting is @
prominent symptom, neither caste,
oil or rhubarb can be retained. Ii
any case, in these especially, mi
crobe destroyer that will not add tt
the irritation of the stomach shoult
be given. The best of these agent
is calomel in minute doses. On,
grain of calomel should be thorough
ly mixed (triturated) with about tel
grains sugar or milk, magnesia, pre-
pared chalk, or any indifferent sub
stance, so as to insure minute subdi
vision, then be divided into ten o
twelve powders, one to be given al
ter each act of vomiting or passag
from the bowels. The powder shoul
be given dry, followed by a moutl
full of water; or mixed with tef
, spoonful of pure cold water; this
) which has been boiled and cooled
best. The caIomel soothes the irr
' tated stomach and, at the same tim
8 kills the microbes and acts as mil
q laxative, thus meeting every necess
Il ty of the case. 1t is probably CO
J verted in a small but effective pr
= portion into the bichloride of me
Il curry, the most powerful destroyer
o disease germs that has ever been di
e covered. The dose is so small th
II no harm can possibly be done by Il
J. calomel. 1t should be added th
the most successful treatment
J. Asiatic cholera is based upon u
same principle.
Ii NOT AN INFLAMMAToRY DISORDER.
G, After death from cholera infantu
10 no signs of Inflammation are to
II found in any part of the digestl
d canal. This is an argument agar
v. the idea that it is, essentially, an
he fammation, which wound seem to
ID unanswerable.
Is The use of the little calomel pc
70 ders should be continued until Vol
ie ting ceases and the passages becol
III colored greenish, characteristic
In this action. Alcoholic stimulants
called for by the extreme .debili
IN and may be given freely as soon
D. they can be retained. or these go
Is brandy is the best, properly dllut
ig and given in small quantities, but I
Is ouently. Ii cholera infantum
10 checked in its early stages, the gre
1 est care in feeding is required aft
al ward. II this point is not attend
to, a catarrhal inflammation of 80
CT part of the digestive tube will rest
lis Raw beef, grated or scraped to {
pulp, all fat and strings removed,
one of the most easily digested q
nourishiEg substances that can
he given. Rice, oatmeal or barl
re boiled for long time and made i
ou a thin Cruel, properly sweetened al
T." straining, makes another form Of i
er- TRENT that is Of the greatest utiIi
Milk, ''peptonized'' by the proper
\, of pancreatine, is a very nutriti
r." and digestible material. For v
is young children healthy wet-nu
is indispensable.
Some of the s'infant foods" M
in. the market are very useful. Th
he prepared after the place Of the C
brated chemist, Baronvon Liebig,
the best, for the materials of which &
St are composed have been mostly dit
Z. ted, and their final preparation is v
ISL simple and easily understood by
Dill, one. Several of them are Of ca
m value. practically, although the hot
sti- advertising them differ materially
ick their estimates of rival productiC