Year: 1878

RHEUMATISM.


Few Words by a Family Doctor.


An English physician says in CasseWd
Magazine: I would strongly advise
those who are subject to rheumatism to
be very careful what they eatand drink;
if there be any form of dyspepsia, that
should at once be seen to. Often rheu-
matte people are weak in the stomach,
subject to acidity and fatulence. The
temptation to take antacids for the cor
rection of the acidity is often great, and
patients will dose themselves with the
bicarbonate of soda and potash, forget
ting that these alkalies are very weaken
ing. In severe cases of heartburn the
pain and distress must be relieved by a
tesspoonful or two of bicarbonate of
soda, in o large tumblerful of lukewarm
water soon after, the fauces had better
be tickled with feather, when the Of
Tending contents of the stomach will be
expelled.


But tone ought to be given to the
stomach by some such medicine as the
following: Take OF the tinoture of Chi
retta four drams, of the citrate of iron
and quinine one dram, and of water
twelve ounces. The dose is one ounce,
or two tablespoonfuls, three times day.
The quantity as well as the quality Of
the food should be studied. Never
over. eat-rather adopt the old-fashioned
plan Of getting up from the table little
hungry; but let what you do eat be of
the best and nourishing. Avoid beer
and most wines. Solid food is less apt,
in my opinion, to produce acidity, but
in winter soups may be used these
need not be too strong, and certainly
not clarified. I shall merely mention
one-it is made of the broth of boiled
fowl Tor good stock), thickened with ar
tichokes it is just the soup, in my
opinion, for the rheumatic, and deserves
trial in cold weather it is very nour-
ishing, easy of digestion, not at all like
~ to produce fatulence, and it also pos
sesses medicinal qualities of diuretic
nature.


Good sleep OF night is invaluable to
the rheumatic, especially during painful
attacks, when sedatives will in all prob
ability be needed; but let the least
dangerous be first tried. Some prepara-
tion of henbane, or hops, or even opium
or morphia may be required to ease the
pain and induce sleep. Between the
attacks the rheumatic subject has duty
to himself to perform !; he must do
everything in his power to strengthen
his system, both nervous and muscular.
Exercise is invaluable, because the more
acid there is eliminated by the skin, the
less will be left to poison and hamper
the blood ; for the same reason, a Turk
ish bath occasionally will do good, if
there be no affection of the heart and no
tendency to apople1y but in no case
should the tepid salt water sponge-bath
be omitted every morning before break
fast, following its use with well rubbing
the whole body with rough towel. The
Turkish bath, I may add, is often of
service in removing the pain of "bad
attacks"


Need I remind the reader of the
danger of sudden chills, of sitting or
standing in drafts, of getting wet feet
without soon changing the socks, of 60
ing long on an empty stomach ; or of
the benefits of regular living, wearing
flannel, eating good and wholesome
food, and last, but not least, of light
brown cod liver oil?


Ofspecial medicines for chrome rheu-
matism, the first that comes into my
mind is colchicum. 1t is always worth
trying, both in gout and rheumatism. It
is sedative and laxative, and seems to
have beneficial action on the liver. As
pleasant way as any of taking it is to
mix the dose-say fifteen drops of the
tincture-with teaspoonful each OF sal
volatile and compound orange tincture !;
this to be used thrice daily in half bot
tie of soda water.


Guaiacum I arn more chary in pre-
scribing through these columns, as it is
inadmissible where there is tendency
either to fullness of blood or irritability
of the digestive canal, but for old or
weak people such mixture as the fol-
lowing may often be given with advan-
tage, two tablespoonfuls to be taken
twice a day: Take of ammoniated
tincture Of guaiacum one ounce, tincture
of aconite one dram, gum tragacanth
water and camphor water of each eight
ounces. I am strangely tempted togi7e
the recipe for the "Chelses pensioner. !"
will. Here he goes, the old rascal,
and much good he has done: Take two
drams of rhubarb powder, two ounces
of sulphur, an ounce Of cream of tartar,
and a dram of guaiacnm resin mix
thoroughly, then stir the whole into a
pound of honey Git used to be treacle the
pensioner got). Now, if desert-spoon-
full of this be taken night and morning,
till it is all used, it will purify both
blood and skin, and most likely scare
away the rheumatism.


The Acetea rdcenaos1 is much e1tol-
led in America, and especially for lum-
bago in women. The dose of the tine
ture is from thirty drops to dram,
every three or four hours, in little
water, until nausea ensues.


The iodide of potassium is extremely
u sful in many cases it should be given
with tonic and sedative, thus: Take OF
iodide of potassium thirty grains. bicar-
Donate of potash three drams, tincture
of henbane four drains, and infusion OF
yellow bark up to twelve ounces. The
dose is two tablespoonful twice or
thrice daily.