The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-02-27
Written for THE NATIONAL TRIBuNE.l
BEALTH HINTS
For Old and Young.
ny FELIX T.. OSWALD. NJ. ~,
Author OF Physical Education" Household
Remedies. The Bible of Nature" etc.
CukpTpp T,VI.


DISEASES or --(contnued).
passenger-agcnt of one of our Western
States, where the competition of rival railway
companies is close, estimates that four-ffths of
all railroad disasters and half the delays are
caused by attempts TO run trains at an excessive
rate of speed.
Our modern system of highpressure educa-
ton often defeats its purpose by similar results.
The attempt to gain time by stutfing babies
with textbook lessons is apt TO eventuate in a
considerable loss of time. The ovcrworked
brain of the little martyr of the three RS be-
comes FESTIVE, and the child, in the long run,
will remain behind other pupils of its age.
Not rarely, moreover, the forcing process may
lead TO Il complete breakdown of the mental or
gansm. Weak mndeduess aud water on the
brain (hydrocephalusl avengc the mistake of
the educator, and the subject Of the risky eX-
pertinent may remain an intellectual cripple
for life
HYDRoCEPHALUs.
Water head, acnte and chronic hydrocephalus,
are disorders with rs many different stages of
development rs the diseases of the respiratory
organs. The moustrous deformitios incident to
a far-gone stage of the complaint are compare
lively rare, though, us the Swiss sanitarian
Schrodt expresses it, in our city schools it is
nothing unusual to see few youngsters whose
heads look several sizes too large for their
propfietors' and who nevertheless, are charac-
terized by peculiar defect in the retentiye-
ness of their memories They may cOmpre-
bend their lessons rs fast, if not faster, than
other children. but their brain resembles q
sieve, and the net result Of education is mega
tive quantity for at the end of the school year
the little swell head is apt to be more ignorant
and much more irritable aud ill-tcmpered than
n year before. Change OF occupation outdoor
work cspeciaily-and the company of lively
rustic playmates may restore the mental vigor
Of the patient, while harsh forcing methods
are apt TO aggrayato the complaint to an incura-
Bile degree
PRENfoNTToRY SYMPTOMS.
Besides frctfulnes4, drowsincss and "top-
hcavincss," as one might call it, thore is one
very characteristic sym ptom of iucipient hydro
ccphalus; viz, a dark, reddish line remaining
when the finger is drawn over tho skin The
skin of tho face and neck feels hot, the child
complains of headache. falls asleep ut uncx-
pocted times by its head getting heavy as
the patient is likely TO call 1t. and sinking down
on the table, in which position ! have seen
children of five 20 10 sleep before the middle OF
their MONDAY meal. In a more pronounced
stage of the disorder the patients mind begins
10 wander, delirum at night, and incoherent
attempts nc conversation with imaginary visit
ors become more aud moro frequent; the child
pleads to be LETT alone, and seems unable to re-
main wide-awako for an hour. Commissions
AiiA hAiilA paralysis lnNlttt1 AuAb tii5 ula'H1N
has passed its enrable stage, aud that 1t would
be- more merciful 60 spare the patient the adj
dtional aiilicton OF tanseatng drugs, especial
ly since, just before death, the severity of the
sick headaches is apt 20 moderate. Sound sleep
and prOtraCtcd lucid intervals, on the other
hand indicate a change for the better; and IL
Is a suggestive circumstance that such favorable
changes often snporvene after few days of
cooler weather. Nurses should profit by that
hint and never permit the atmosphere of the
sick room 10 get excessively warm aud stuify.
On every fair Winter day the patient should be
INDUCED in a few hours OF outdoor play, and in
Summer should be permitted TO sbep in tho
coolest and Ririest room, or on warm nights
under a screen on au open verandah. Com
| presses of crushed ice applied 10 the head have
| been tried with success. Gnd the diet oil the
! patient should be that recommended ia hot
fevcrs--ligllt farinaceous dishes and fruit; now
| and then a glass Of sweet cold milk or soft
boiled egg. Stimulating drugs profit but little,
aud are absolutely useless ia chronic cases OF
! the disorder. Children born with enlarge
4 mcuts OF the Uranium recover or get hopelessiy
worse about the beginning of tho nth year,
| but if decided change for the better has not
| been noticed within six years after birth, the
/ trouble may generally be considered incurabe.
! In its mider forms the affection yields readily
| To purely hygienic remedies -iresh air. mental
rest and physical exercise, cold baths aud q
/ noufishing but non.stimnlating diet.
INTEsTiSAL WORMS.
with proper system of diet mawworms in
! children would be a very rare affection Their
| presence always indicates accumulation OF
/ undgegted food aud only few of tho more
malignant varieties fail o. disappear rs soon rs
| the general vigor of the digestive organs has
! been improved by light digestble food aud al
| occasional fast day. At least dozen different
| quackE advertise infalible specifics for the re
| moval of intestinal parasites, TO whose influ-
| ence they ascribo nearly every known disorder
! OF childhood. though the only reliable symp-
| toms are paleness. capricious appetite and the
| excretion of specimens or segments of the
1 troublesome tenants. Psychologists euumerate
some 80 species of parasites infcsting the human
! body % of them found ia the intestinal canal
| but OF the latter kind Of vermin only three
| the tapewarm, the roundworm and the thread
| worm-aro anything like frequent. There is d
| kind of sea-grass that survives the removal o.
both its top aud It's roots. Any part of the plant
| seems sufficient TO reconstruct the whole in thu
| course OF a few days. The tcHid s0lium oil
| common tapeworm, boast very smilai
| degree OF vitality. Tho removal OF large sec
tions OF its body Is by no means Il conclusive
proof that the trouble has been definitely
| eradicated. The partial expulsion of worms
can be effected by large number of different
| medicines but only few OF them are both harm
less and entirely effective: Koosso aud the
puverized seed of pumpkin, for instance. adj
min istcrcd after preparatory treatment of two
or three days. During those days the patient
should be limited TO diet that leaves next q
no undigested accumulations In the bowels
milk, whipped eggs sage soup, or little bee
tea The bowels should be kneaded and, i
necessary, loosened by warm enemas. On the
third day pound two ounces of pumpkin seeds
in mortar, aud add enough water 10 make
nearly pint. Strain through coarse cloth
aud administer twice II day, directly after
light breakfast and again just after noon. Til,
third or fourth dose will generally effect cure
ITO be conitnued)
| Ohio Mexican War Veterans.
All Mexican war veterans who were oriei