3. To remove thread-worms-For this purpose, half a pint to a pint of water, to which then drops of eau-de Cologne or of Spirit of Turpentine have been added, answer the purpose admirably (see Section on Worms). In order hat the water may be thrown as high up in to the bowel as possible, a vaginal gum-elastic tube may be attached two the enema-syringe, and, after being well greased, gently pushed right up the bowels. Here, however, as in other cases, general treatment is necessary to correct the constitutional condition on which the diseases depends.
4. To convey nourishment-Injections are sometimes used to sustain he system, by introducing food up the rectum when it cannot be taken by the stomach, as in acute GAstritis, obstinate vomiting, Cancer, etc. beef tea, soup, milk, he brandy-and-egg mixture, etc., may be administered in this way. It is necessary that the rectum should be empty before injecting nourishment, and it is at the best a makeshift. Effective nutrition cannot long be a maintained in this way, although it will serve to tide over an emergency. Medicinal substances are also sometimes administered by means of enemata.
32,-Inhalation.
In its therapeutic sense, inhalation is the act of drawing air, impregnated with the watery vapour of medicinal substances in to the air-passages, It is an extremely mode of administering various remedies when their action is chiefly required on the mucous surfaces of the respiratory passages, Iodine, Sulphurous Acid, Phosphorus, Kreosote, Borax, Permanganate of Potash, Aconite, Hyoscyamus, Belladonna, Ipecacuanha,Carbolic Acid, etc., may be well given by inhalation in certain diseases chiefly involving the throat and large bronchial tubes, or in irritative or convulsive cough, or when there by foetid expectation.
Quinsy, catarrhal and ulcerated Sore-throat, chronic Bronchitis, Phthisis, etc., may be more or less benefited by inhalation. the method o inhaling is very simple, and is often done quite effectively, a wand with less effort, without a special inhaler. All that is required is a jug of hot water, over which the face may be held, and a towel so arranged that it covers the face below the eyes and surrounds the top of the jug, so as to confine the vapour. A few drops of the drug to the inhaled being dropped into the hot water, the medicine finds ready access tot he air passages through both the mouth and the nose. This may be practised for five or ten minutes at bed-time, and if necessary, and the patient has no to be exposed to cold air during he day, it may be repeated once, to cold air drawing the day, it may be repeated once, twice, or oftener in the day. In acute inflammatory diseases of the throat simple or medicated vapour may be administered as frequently as the diabetes strength and item circumstances permit, A portion of the drug thus administered reaches the lungs and enters the general circulation;l but the chief action of the medicated vapour is on the throat and bronchial mucous surface.
In smoke cases of inhalation, a new, clean, common clay smoking pipe may be employed, The bowel should be filled with sponge, or loose to cotton, and a teaspoonful of the spirit to the inhaled poured in. the pipe is not to be lighted, but. by deep inspections, the particles of spirit may be drawn through the tube into the air vessels for the lungs.
In some diseases vapour may be inhaled by diffusing it through the apartment by the steam from a kettle with a long spout kept constantly boiling, or by forming a tent over the bed and covering it with blankets, and then bringing a pipe to convey the steam under it.
The use of he steam kettle is to e deprecated in Diphtheria. It gives some relief sometimes in Bronchitis, but in ordinary cases, simply keeping water boiling in the centre of the room will moisten the atmosphere sufficiently.
Besides the administration of various remedies to the respiratory passage the local application of the steam of hot water is very serviceable it soothes the inflamed mucous membrane, aids expectoration from the lungs, and removes mucus from the crypts and follicles of the tonsils.
Inhalation can, however, be only a subordinate method of treatment in constitutional diseases, such as Consumption, and is chiefly palliative rather than curative. A well chosen homoeopathic remedy, administered in the usual way, just as certainly reaches the seat of he disease as anything inhaled can do, and at the same time tends to correct the constitutional error on which the local symptoms depend.
When a patient has to be exposed to cold air after inhalation, the vapour should be cold, and formed and distributed by the Spray-producer. This is an important precaution. In many cases in which it is desirable to se topical applications directly to a diseased art, this is the best method; the fluid may be objected or thrown as a fine spray, so as to be inhaled by the patient, by means of the spray-producer. By breaking up the fluid into a very small spray, substances can be inhaled without inconvenience, and brought into direct contact with the bronchial tubes, even as far as their small ramifications. The instruments called Atomizers which can be obtained from any chemist are admirable for making a very finely divided spray of medicinal substances suspended in an oily vehicle like Paroleine.
33.-Some Directions on Nursing.
The services of an intelligent, experienced nurse form a part of the treatment of the sick quite as essential as the administration of medicine. To aid her to some extend in the performances of this duty, the following neural hints and offered. Particular instructions, suited to various diseased conditions, are given, when needful, throughout Part III., under Accessory Treatment. persons having the charge of patients should always refer to this portion of the Section, in which the cases of illness is described, and also be familiar with the various directions contained in this Part II. Special directions concerning infectious fevers are given in the Section on Enteric Fever. In serious and difficult cases the medical attendant alone can furnish instructions adapted to the peculiarity of each case; and it is the nurses duty faithfully to carry to his directions, and to report to him at each visit the effects of the treatment.
Ist. The sick-room.-The following points should be kept in view (I) The apartment should be airy. A spacious, well-ventilated room, allowing an uninterrupted admission of fresh air, and the free escape of trained, is a valuable element in the management of the sick. Fresh air can only be insured by an open window or door, or both. It is general desirable to have a blazing fire kept burning night and day, both is summer and winter, as this assists ventilation; b the patients head should be protected from it.
The room should be diverseted of all superfluous furniture- carpets, bed hanging, etc. (2) The room should be provided with a second bed, or convenient cough, to which the patient should if possible, be removed for a short time at least once in the twenty-four hours. This insures a change of atmosphere around the patients body, and at the same time allows the bed to aired. (3) The apartment should be darked, not by excluding all light and air, by closed shutters, or closely-drawn bed-curtains, but by letting down the window-blinds, and securing a subdued light, a nd by protecting the patient;s face from the glare of gas, lamps, etc. (4) The sick room should be quiet. Silk dresses and creaky books, the crackling noise made by handling a newspaper, etc., often distress creaky books, the crackling noise made by handling a newspaper, etc., often distress invalids;l the tones of the voids should be gentle and subdued., but whispering avoided; all unnecessary conversation and noise must be forbidden. (5) the temperature of the food should be ascertained by a thermometer, as the sensations of the nurse cannot be depended upon as a sufficient guide;l a thermometer suspended out of a currant of air and the direct heat of the fire, will correctly indicate the temperature of the room. the temperature may be varied according to the nature of h disease from which the patient suffers. In Fevers, etc., about 44 degree will the proper warmth. In inflammation of the Lungs and Bronchitis, a higher temperature is necessary-60 degree and upwards. In all inflammatory affections of the chest, the air should be warm, and hot too dry (see Inhalation), so as not to irritate the inflamed lining of the air-tubes. Cold air and too many bed clothes are sure to increase the mischief.
Under all circumstances it must be remembered that the temperature considered necessary is on no account to be maintained by excluding fresh air from the room, and making the patient breath over and over again the air which has already been made impure. (6) Patients suffering from infectious disease should be isolated, and occupy a room on an upper story, to prevent the spread of the infection to others. Mothers who frequently go in and out the room must keep a loose cotton gown hanging behind the door, ready to put on over their other dress whenever they enter it before waiting on the infected patient, a nd to be taken off again when leaving the room. These wrappers must be frequently boiled and in no case should the mother go straight from the sick-room to see a healthy child. She should if possible be a little while in the open air after leaving the patient, and she must observe in all ways the most scrupulous cleanliness.
LICENTIATE OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS; MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS; LICENTIATE IN MIDWIFERY, LONDON AND EDINBURGH, ETC. PHYSICIAN TO THE READING AND BERKSHIRE HOMOEOPATHIC DISPENSARY.
Author of "The Stepping Stone to Homeopathy and Health,"
"Manual of Homoeopathic Treatment". Editor of "The Homoeopathic World."