St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-04-15
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Home Health
Club
By DAVID r. REEDsR. Ph. D., Nd
La Porte, Ind.
~

lcSIulc On lue SUBJECT Oh caQker sores
stating in her request that she cid no
understand why she was troubled witt
them. She said her digestion was fine
anu that she was in perfect health, witt
the exception of canker sores, and O
terrible vomiting spells which last some
times for two or three days. 1t SEEM
uncomfortable to me that anyone cal
consider his digestion as being perfec
when they are troubled with cankel
sores in the mouth
AS a rule, canker of the mouth i.
confined to children, and in acute case.
is indicative of danger; but any per
son OF scrofulous tendency or anyone
whose nutrition is impoverished, anc
with consequent enfeeblement of the
constitution, may be liable to these dis
tresslng sores. In their nature, cankel
sores in the mouth are not unlike ulcers
yet the symptoms may be radically diff.
ferent. Especially is this the case with
children, for they do not always know
how to describe their sufferings These
cankers sometimes, yes, quite often, be-
come manifest in the throat, and are
then termed "canker sore throat"
The signs to look for where there are
sores in the mouth are about as follows:
The gums become RED, and they, as well
as the cheeks, are swollen to a greater
or less extent; and inside the mouth
the gray ulcers make their appearance.
| In severe or fatal cases they extend,
/ hn al cf1,1o 0f
ment, and become ashy and then brown
in color; the breath becomes very often
sive; the appetite fails, and with its
| failure strength is rapidly exhausted.
Sometimes the whole cheek and roof OF
the mouth, or even the tongue, are in
vo1ved. When it is in the cheeks, the
| outside becomes hard and swollen, while
the inside presents a foul. profuse!y
| dlscharging ulcer. At first, the ulcer
is very painful and tender, but later
becomes soft and sloughs away. One of
the serious difficulties to be encountered
in this condition, especially in children,
lies in the fact that after the canker be-
gins to slough and discharge profusely,
there is little or no pain, and the child
will make no complaint until the case
is almost hopeless one before it is
discovered. Holes may sometimes be
eaten through the flesh, and it would
then at once be called cancer, and in
durable.
The reason there is little or no suf-
fering is that the poisonous discharge
so blunts the sensibilities, causing
stupor, that the sensory nerves are I'M
able to apprise the brain of the danger.
Prompt and energetic measures must
then be adopted, or death will speedily
follow.
When treating such cases personally
l use a certain compound of vegetable
extract, directly to the parts, and then
proceed with the bodily nourishment,
but as the compound is very expensive,
and not very easily obtainable, recon-
mend the next best thing. which have
also personally used in many cases.
First, there should be made what is
commonly called a swab a soft cloth
or antiseptic cotton wound around the
end of a small stick The stick should
be about the size of common lead pen
Gil, or even smaller. TO the end of this
securely fasten bit of clean. soft cot
ton rag, winding it around carefully so
as to not leave any of the ends of the
stick exposed that might hurt the sore
spots. Now prepare wash of warm,
soft water, to which has been added
enough acetic acid to make it slightly
sour to the taste. Carefully wash out
the mouth with this preparation, using
care to see that each portion of the sore
places has been thoroughly treated
After all this has been carefully attended
to, there will be a decided feeling of
comfort to the sufferer, but the method
of treatment does not end here.
The root of the disease may be
reached and the cause removed. In or
der to do this effectually. the entire sys-
tenn must be revitalized How best to
accomplish this is no longer serious
question to majority of the readers of
this department. But of course new
members are joining the club daily, even
hourly, and all of these are yet to be in
those who have read all of the preceding
lectures, often write to me for more
explicit instructions.
l will, therefore, describe the method |
of treatment recently used under my
direction in severe case with most ex-
cellent results. The sufferer was thin
in flesh; the complexion was pale, rath-
er sallow; circulation not good, consti-
patton very persistent.
The instructions given in the lecture |
on constipation and piles was first to |
be carried out, during which time there |
should be given soapy blanket fomen-
tation twice per week for two weeks,
and then once every week for two weeks.
With special instructions regarding the
abundant use of oil and thorough manip-
ulation of the muscles and abdomen one
or Two nights per week. A glass OF
emon without sugar. was to be taken
laily on arising from bed in the morn
ng, half an hour before dinner, and half
IN hour before supper, and again at bed
,ime No tea or coffee OF. other liquid
It meal times, but all the water that was
wanted after meal times. Every mouth
ul of food was to be masticated thor
,ughly, even if the mouth was sore
The vital forces cannot be expected
@ repair injured tissues without the
Material with which to do the work IS
prepared. Properly eaten,
generous diet will be assimilated; there
ore it was prescribed. AS almond nuts
ire one of the most fattening foods