Throat, Part 2. Toothache

Papers on Health
by John Kirk

(Page 13 of 21)

Those who are musical should take a note on the piano enunciating the vowels in their natural order on this note. Then proceed to the next note; the whole of the octave may thus be gone over. Choose an octave most consonant with the range of the voice.

Then add the consonants: bā , bay, bee, cā , cay, etc., etc. Thus a perfect command over all the possible combinations of vowels and consonants may be attained.

There is absolutely no reason why any musical person should have an unmusical voice, especially since this bad production of the voice often strains the muscles and inflames the mucous membrane of the throat. In connection with this question of music, it should be remembered that almost irretrievable injury to the voice may be done by allowing a boy to continue singing after his voice has begun to "break."

It is not a good plan to be constantly "clearing" the throat whilst speaking. One gets to imagine after a while that it needs clearing when it really does not.

Alcohol and tobacco are both undoubtedly injurious to the voice. A little honey and lemon juice will be found the best gargle if a gargle is required.

Deep breathing is of great assistance in endeavoring to produce the lower note, in fact it is not possible to produce a full note except from a full chest. In this connection it may be said that it has been observed that deep-chested, deep-breathing, slow-speaking people are frequently possessed of certain estimable points of character, such as prudence, firmness, self-reliance, calmness. If one is going to be angry, ten deep breaths might save a world of trouble. (See Breathing, Correct method of).

Thumb, Bruised and Broken - Frequently a tradesman will strike the thumb or finger a serious blow with a hammer, in missing a stroke. If not treated properly, the whole hand may be destroyed, but if promptly plunged into warm clean water and kept there, even the broken bones can be handled quite comfortably, and all pain and uneasiness pass away ere very long. Plenty of bathing in clean warm water, and proper setting and dressing, are all such an injury requires.

Toothache - This trouble appears in two opposite characters. In the one it is cured by rightly applied heat, and in the other by cold. If it is merely the soft substance in the tooth which is affected, local cooling applications will cure, if persisted in. If it be the nerve terminating in the tooth which is irritated, then even the extraction of the tooth may fail to give relief. Both cold and hot applications to the tooth or cheek will then probably prove useless.

In such a case, apply cold towels gently pressed over the head and back of the neck. If the case be a bad one, the feet may be put in a hot bath, or fomented. Persevered in for an hour, this treatment is almost certain to cure. It may take away all pain in a few minutes. After the pain is cured, dry well, and keep the head moderately warm.

But if the toothache is caused by a severe chill to the head, and that be still cold, it should be packed in a hot fomentation. This gives almost instant relief. Rub on a little oil when the fomentation comes off, and keep the head warm.

It should not be difficult to distinguish the cases requiring heat from those requiring cold. In any case, if the first application of either increases the pain, try the other.

Towels, Cold Wet - A towel of the ordinary kind, and full size, is soaked in a basin of cold water and carefully wrung out until it is merely damp. Prejudice against this treatment is often aroused by putting on the cloths wet, and in a slack, blundering way, so as to make the patient most uncomfortable. It is then folded and applied to the skin, as directed. While applying the first, a second towel may be in the water. It is then wrung out and applied, while the first is placed to soak afresh. In prolonged cooling, care must be taken that the water in the basin does not get too warm. It should be frequently changed. The nurse should gently press the towels on the part, frequently changing the position of her hands. They should not merely be laid on, but gently pressed, unless this causes pain. The towels will need to be changed when hot, and will take from two to five minutes to lose their cooling effect, according to circumstances. Where cold increases the patient's distress, it is almost always safe to substitute heat. See Cooling in Heating; Fomentation.

Tumors - A large, soft, fleshy tumor is usually simply an accumulation of waste material, which should have been excreted from the body if all the organs were in healthy working order. Where such a swelling exists, the first consideration is diet. For this,

Barley as chief food will do very well. Lemon and orange juice (See Drinks) should be the drinks. The barley must not be cooked with milk, and the drinks must be made with pure water. This plain diet will help very much towards the removal of the tumor.

Then the back should be rubbed (see Massage) with hot olive oil twice a day. This treatment alone has often removed the disagreeable swellings on the neck so often afflicting women.

Also, fine soap lather (see Lather; Soap) should be gently rubbed repeatedly over the tumor itself. This alone we have known remove tumors, so it is important.

The three forms of treatment, all applied carefully, will cure all but very obstinate cases.

Where fibrous tumors exist, the treatment is to douche cold water on the part affected, while the rest of the body is kept warm. In case of such a growth in the abdomen, the patient sits in cold water, while the feet are placed in hot water, and the whole body warmly wrapped in blankets. Cold water is then thrown against the spot where the tumor lies. If the tumor is discovered early, its growth may be entirely stopped by this means. Such treatment for several minutes twice a day has in our own experience cured cases pronounced incurable. See Sitting Bath.

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