Drowning, Dwining, Dysentery

Papers on Health
by John Kirk

(Page 11 of 22)

If stronger heat seems to be needed, a soft cloth four-ply thick, large enough to cover the whole lower back, should be dipped in cayenne lotion, slightly squeezed, and placed on the back. Over this a dry cloth should be placed, and the patient should lie down on a bran poultice or hot-water bag for an hour or two. Afterwards the back should be rubbed with olive oil, and a band of soft new flannel worn round the body.

Even if the swelling is caused by rupture this treatment is the best. The rupture must be reduced (see Rupture) and sustained by a proper truss, for which the patient should apply to a responsible surgical instrument maker. This treatment alone has cured many patients. Where failure of the heart's action complicates the trouble, this treatment will usually relieve the heart as well as kidneys. For drink in such cases see article Drinks. For food give whatever is most easily digested and passed into good blood. Wheaten-meal food, oatmeal jelly, etc., are good. See also Biscuits and Water.

Drowning - Many valuable lives have been saved by an elementary knowledge of what to do in the case of one apparently suffocated or drowned.

Commence treatment immediately in the open air, with the face down, neck and chest exposed, and all tight clothing such as braces removed.

The points to be aimed at are - first and immediately, the Restoration of Breathing; and secondly, after breathing is restored, the promotion of Warmth and Circulation. The efforts to restore Breathing must be commenced immediately and energetically, and persevered in for one or two hours, or until a medical man has pronounced that life is extinct. Efforts to promote Warmth and Circulation beyond removing the wet clothes and drying the skin must not be made until the first appearance of natural breathing, for if circulation of the blood be induced before breathing has recommenced the restoration to life will be endangered. First: Roll the patient over on his chest, with one of the arms under the forehead, when the water will readily leave the mouth. Second: If breathing does not recommence then, place him on his face, supporting the chest on a roll of clothing.

Turn the body gently on the side, then briskly on the face repeating these movements, about 15 times in the minute. (By placing him on his chest the weight of the body forces the air out; when turned on the side air enters the chest). Five minutes is the longest that can be afforded to this treatment. Third: Turn him on his back, draw his tongue forward, keeping it forward by a band passing over it and under the chin, placing the roll of clothing under the shoulder blades. Then, kneeling at his head, grasp the arms just below the elbows, draw them above the head, keeping them stretched for about two seconds. Then turn down the arms and press them firmly for two seconds against the sides of the chest. (The outstretched position allows air to be drawn into the lungs, the other position allows it to be pressed out.)

When a spontaneous effort to respire is observed, proceed to induce Circulation and Warmth. This is accomplished by rubbing the limbs upwards with firm grasp and pressure underneath the warm blankets, or over the dry clothing which through bystanders or other means should have been already procured, apply hot flannels, hot water bottles, heated bricks, etc., to the pit of the stomach, the armpits, between the thighs and the soles of the feet.

Allow abundance of fresh air to play about the patient. Administer a teaspoonful of warm water, and then if the power of swallowing have returned, give hot milk, coffee, etc., in small quantities. The patient should be kept in bed and a disposition to sleep encouraged.

The above treatment should be persevered in for some hours, as it is an erroneous opinion that persons are irrecoverable because life does not soon make its appearance, persons having been restored after persevering for many hours. The appearances which generally accompany Death, are: Cessation of the heart's action, eyes half-closed, pupils dilated, tongue approaching to the inner edges of the lips, lips and nostrils covered with a frothy mucus. Coldness and pallor of surface increase. Cautions: Prevent crowding, avoid rough usage; if the body is on the back have the tongue secured. Never hold up the body by the feet. Never place the body in a warm bath, unless under medical direction, and even then only momentarily.

Dwining - We give this name to a trouble from which we have been able to save some patients, as expressing best the general failure and weakness which sometimes constitute a serious danger, even where all specific symptoms are wanting. Some cases of this kind we have cured, when they were supposed to be hopelessly dying, by the use of simple soap lather. The skin of the patient is usually dry, and the pulse feverish. In such a case take lather, made as directed in article Head, Soaping, and spread it gently all over the stomach and heart. Repeat this six or seven times, keeping the patient warm in bed. Then, after drying, do the same thing to the back. This does immense good. For the general skin stimulation, rub over with the mixture for night sweats. The skin is rubbed over with this five or six times, once a day.

Where there is no feverishness, but rather cold feelings, then use the warm lather as directed, and rub well all over afterwards with hot olive oil. This treatment alone we know to have cured many.

Dysentery - This is an affection of the bowels of the nature of diarrhea, but much worse, as in it blood accompanies the bowel discharge. It usually begins as diarrhea, and at this stage may be cured by either warm vinegar and water or simple cold water injected into the bowel (see diarrhea). Where there is any reason to suspect the water supply, that should be boiled for half-an-hour and cooled before use. Attention to the diet, taking for a time milk diet alone, is also important. Nothing can be better than boiled bread and milk, giving no more than the sufferer feels he needs. When the diarrhea has passed into true dysentery, with blood discharge, or the trouble begins as such, then enemas of weak acetic acid, or vinegar and water, given warm (i.e., a little over blood heat), must be used instead of cold water.

As much vinegar should be used as will make the mixture (see Acetic Acid) very slightly smarting when applied to a tender part of the skin - say, to the corner of the eye. What is wanted is just as much acid as will act healingly on the injured vessels, and no more. An enema of this water mixed with acid may be repeated as long as required with perfect safety and good effect every time. Even if the disease has made very serious progress, this will tell upon it powerfully. These warm enemas should be very resolutely followed up as long as they give the least comfortable feeling. No one who has not felt their magical effect can conceive how powerful they are. We have seen a patient on the point of giving in and lying down as a helpless invalid made perfectly fit for work in less than an hour by this mode of treatment.

Where the trouble has passed into that stage where the patient is much weakened, in addition to this the armchair fomentation should be employed; or if the patient be too weak, the fomentation may be properly wrapped round him in bed without rising. If the patient be too weak for wrapping round the body, he may be first wrapped round the legs, and so strengthened as to stand the stronger remedy. Olive oil must be rubbed on the skin before and after fomenting. The heat may be kept up for an hour. If too weak to stand even this, the feet and legs may be first fomented, and afterwards the body. This treatment has saved many cases from disaster. See also British Cholera; diarrhea.

Dyspepsia - See Indigestion.

Printed by Hurst Bros., Shaw Heath, Stockport. 1904.