The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1904-11-24
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Home Health
| Club
b DAVID b. READER. Ph. D.. ND.
La Porte, Ind.
~

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During the past season many fam
lilies have used the method of home
treatment for measles, that has TO!
| years been advocated by me, ant
perfect success has followed the plat
in every instance Prejudice against
| fresh air in cases of measles has al
| most wholly disappeared, but l an
sorry to say that prejudice against
cold water is yet to be overcome
| Have you ever noticed how quickly
| the blood rushes to the surface ano WIFI
| such vigor as to cause glowing RED
ness, after having washed your hanos
| in cold water? Well, the same principle
holds good to the cases OF measles OF
scarlet fever.
If the feet are comfortable, and the
circulation is not obstructed, while the
bodily temperature is at or above 1oS
degrees. then it will not only be per-
fectly safe, but the best thing possible
to be done, If the patient is placed In a
full bath of 95 degrees temperature for
hours. and reducing this temperature
of the water five degrees each time until
IS degrees are reached. This Will nave
the effect of quieting the restlessness
and allowing the patient to sleep. One
caution only wish to impress, and tnat
because children, more than grown peo-
pie, are apt to suffer from measles. ana
that is, children do not stand the con-
tinued abstraction of heat as well as
grown people, and in using the colo
water treatment, care must, therefore,
be taken that the process is continued
to Just the proper point and no more.
A skillful nurse or loving mother can
judge of this matter to an almost exact
degree; but where these conditions DO
not exist, then the following rules should
be carefully observed. Attention must
be directed to the condition Of the pa
tient. Take, for instance, case where
the poisonous effects of the disease have
caused delirium, and there Is moaning.
muttering, and extreme restlessness;
then we must adopt heroic measures
or the case is liable to soon terminate
fatally.
Drug treatment may reduce the fever,
but it Is powerless and unavailing in
the case of cerebal symptoms; and we
must depend upon the rapid and correct
use of cold water. Place the patient
In a sitz bath, with the water at IS de-
grees, and have three or four basinfuls
of water at Is degrees or even colder.
thrown over the head and shoulders.
after which the patient should be laid
on a table and rubbed with warm bath
water. II this does not prove effectual
in arousing the lethargic nerve centers
and restoring vital action to the slug
gish organs. the patient should again
be placed in the sitz bath of IS degrees
and a stream of water at about so or 60
degrees should be poured from two or
three feet above him, over the back of
the head. neck and spine; continue for
one minute only and repeat in five or
six minutes, in the meantime allowing
the patient to remain in the wa1@l sitz
reclining position by lying back upon
whatever may be had. Resting thus
easily, gently rub the upper portions
Of the body with the warm bath water
AS soon as reaction has taken place, It
will be unnecessary to proceed with the
heroic treatment; and the red glow OF
the skin, the refreshed and invigorated
condition Of the patient, will usually
tell you when the reaction has taken
place. The patient Is now ready to
renew the battle with the poisons which
were crowding in upon the heart and
brain, paralyzing their action, and
the very existence of the
sufferer. In about an hour and q half
or two hours the treatment should be
repeated. AS long as the symptoms ap-
pear to affect the brain, and stupor or
delirium comes on, continue this; and
in the meantime If the temperature of
the body is over 103, the whole trunk
may be packed in a wet sheet pack at
temperature of about 70 degrees
In the above description of hydro
pathfc treatment for measles, 1t is pre-
sumed that the case Is we'll under way
and has not had proper care up to this
point. The reason for this presump-
ton lies in the fact that this stage of
the disease will not be reached by one
case In 500 II proper treatment with cold
water is used at the outset. The prin-
ciple of prevention should always be
kept before you, and prompt measures
adopted at the first symptoms Of the
disease. The preliminary treatment for
scarlet fever will prove to be the best
preventive, and may be used without
fear. The same method of treatment
during convalescence, including the
diet, will hold good In cases Of measles.
Club Notes.
Plainfleld, Ia.-Dr. David H. Reeder,
La Porte. Ind. Dear Sir: l am an in
terested reader Of the Home Health
club and as so many are receiving aid
through its columns also ask advice.
1. Children here are troubled great
deal with an eruption which begins as
a blister, fills with matter and looks
much as If it contained a silver. On