The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-03-12


taken on rising in the morning is a
good habit. They who cannot thus
take cold water into an empty stom-
ach may consume quantity of mod
erately hot water and derive equal
benefit from its use.
Let us now consider the conditions
of i'll health in which the internal use
Of water is desirable. Let it be un-
derstood that there are conditions in
which a generous use of water is
harmful, and these, again, should be
pointed out by the physician. But in
affections of the skin, in govt, rheu-
matism, constipation, "biliousness}'.
and in many states in which normal
physiological action is disturbed, the
free use of water is most valuable
In such the waste products are found
in excess of normal, or one or more
organs of elimination may be found
in abnormal condition. In either case
there is lack of equal distribution Of
labor, and other tissues are called
upon to do more work In this process
Of elimination than they are wont to
do in health. Since, then, water is
the solvent and eliminant of all waste
products found in the tissues, its
value in the above conditions can
hardly be overestimated. It should
be drunk, hot or cold, at the begin
ming and close of the day and between
meals. 1t should be taken with some
care. It should not cause discomfort,
and had better be taken in small por-
lions frequently repeated than in such
full draughts as will disturb the
functions Of the stomach, and thus
do more harm than good.
In conditions of fever of short or
long duration the free administration
of good water is attended with results
most gratifying. Here we have hot,
dry skin. with restlessness, sleepless-
ness and general discomfort of the
patient, or he is listless, stuporous or
in active delirium. The tongue is
parched, the salivary secretion is d.
minished in quantity and quality, and
throughout the digestive tract we
have like disturbances of function.
These conditions explain the loss of
appetite, faulty digestion and poor
absorption of nutriment and the re-
sultant loss of strength to the patient.
But these are by no means the only
cause of the sick mans condition.
Other important factors are at work.
The infectious germs that have
caused the fever are in the tissues and
capable of doing incalculable harm.
The poisons produced by these germs,
the toxins, are also here, fraught.
with danger now, or, it may be, later
in the course Of the sickness. So here
again water has it's value in favoring
elimination of the various poisons.
Under it's use restlessness abates, the
mind clears. The natural secretions
of the mouth are improved in quality
and Quantity. The tongue clears, be-
comes moist and a desire for food re-
turns. What is true of the mouth is
equally true of the condition of stom-
ach and intestine, where the more
important functions of digestion and
absorption take place. Animal ex-
Fermentation and clinical evidence
prove this. It is not matter of the
DRY.
In the allowance Of drinking water
to the sick there can be no fixed plan
suitable to all cases. Care and judg-
ment must be exercised in this mat
ter as in all other features of good
nursing. The diet must also be regu-
lated. In the case of the aged, or in
the event of vomiting or an irritable
stomach, water must be given spar
ingly or even withheld for time. A
patient with high fever and great
thirst, left to his own inclination, may
very easily disarrange his stomach
by injudicious draughts of water. To
such, however, the regular and peri
odic draught - a tumblerful every
two hours, for instance, will prove
most acceptable. Thirst may also be
relieved by rinsing the mouth with
hot water. Or bits of cracked ice
held in the mouth will do the same
thing. If a change of potation is de-
sirable an agreeable draught is made
by adding cream of tartar to cold wat
era teaspoonful to the quart.
Slightly calculated waters have their
use in the sick room, and nothing is
more grateful here than an occasional
draught of weak lemonade. Plain
spring waters, or natural aerated
waters, may be substituted from time
to time to break the monotony of a
uniform drink or to satisfy the ca
price of the patient.
The foregoing remarks are based
upon well known physiological data
and broad clinical observation,-Ha
per's Weekly.