Weaning, Weariness

Papers on Health
by John Kirk

(Page 18 of 21)

Weaning - Many of the troubles which come in this process arise simply from ignorance or want of thought on the part of the nurse or mother. Sometimes the child, having been burned with a hot teaspoon, will afterwards refuse all that is offered in such a spoon. In such a case use an egg-spoon of bone, or a small cup. Sometimes spoons of various metals, having peculiar tastes, are used, and the child refuses them. When food is refused, it is well therefore always to see that it is not the spoon or dish which is the real reason.

Again, food ill-fitted for the child's digestion is offered. In this case the child is doing the right thing in refusing it. Milk and hot water, in equal quantities, with a very little sugar, is a mixture which can always be given with safety. In weaning, the nurse should begin by using this alone. Gradually a very little thin oatmeal jelly may be added, and the strength of the mixture increased. If there should be indigestion, a few teaspoonfuls of hot water will usually cure it. If the bowels are inactive, mix a little pure cane syrup with the food. Avoid all drugs as far as possible. If the whole process be gradual, there will usually be little or no trouble with the child. If, where teething and weaning are both coming together, the child should be seized with chill and shivering, a good blanket fomentation may be wrapped round the body and legs. Dry after this, and rub with warm olive oil. Generally this will induce sleep, in which case leave the child warm in the fomentation until it awakes (see Teething).

In weaning, the mother often suffers as well as the child. The supply of milk in the breast being over-abundant, the breasts become hard and painful, and feverishness comes on. In this case the breasts must be emptied, either by some other person, or by the various ingenious instruments sold by all druggists. Then a large, cold damp cloth should be placed over the emptied breast, and changed once or twice, rubbing afterwards with a little olive oil. This, in ordinary cases, will cause the flow of milk to cease. Where the swelling is very hard and almost inflammatory, the breast should be fomented for five or ten minutes, then emptied, and a cold cloth applied as above directed. If all this fails, a bran poultice, or hot bag with moist flannel covering, should be applied between the shoulders. While the patient lies on this, cold towels (see Towels, Cold Wet) should be changed on the breasts. This will usually effectually stay the secretion of milk. This last treatment is rarely required, but is harmless and most efficient.

Where mother and child are both sickly, weaning must be carefully conducted. But it must ever be remembered that a child is far more healthily nourished on a bottle of good cow's milk or condensed milk (of first-rate quality) than on a sickly mother's milk. This is the case even if the child be ill. Only let the bottle not be too strong. See Children, numerous articles.

Weariness - Where persistent weariness is felt, and the least exertion brings on a feeling of lassitude, there is evidently an undue exhaustion of nerve force in the body. Too rapid action of the heart is a frequent cause. In such a case all exciting ideas and influences should be kept from the patient's mind, and rest taken. The heart's action should also be reduced by careful lathering with soap (see Lather; Soap). Where the weariness is really serious, great care must be exercised, and treatment very gradually administered. Rest must be given whenever exhaustion shows itself (See Heat and Weakness; Weakness; and articles on Nerves and Nervousness). Where the heart's action is very slow, and requires to be stimulated, rest must be taken, and treatment given as recommended in the case elsewhere. See Depression.

In other cases we find weariness arising from an irritated state of the stomach. Where there is no particular nerve exhaustion, the fiery and inflamed state of the stomach membranes forbids sleep, and causes a great feeling of tiredness.

Headache, and even fainting fits, sometimes come on in such a case. All the nerves are excited, so that even touching the head or skin is most painful. Yet all can be traced to an inflamed stomach as the cause. Such a case, to be successfully treated, requires considerable resolution. In one case the treatment was as follows: First, the feet and legs up to the knees were wrapped in a large fomentation . A cold wet towel was then folded lengthwise so as to be four-ply thick. The end was laid on the stomach, and gently pressed. In about half-a-minute it was hot. The towel was then shifted so that a fresh cool part lay over the stomach, and so on throughout the length of the towel.

Handfuls of finely-wrought soap lather were then prepared and laid on the stomach. Then the cold cloth was again renewed on top of the lather. For two hours this was continued, and by that time the worst symptoms had abated. A little fresh oil gently rubbed over the stomach completed the treatment for that time. When the heat again arose, the same treatment was repeated, and so on till a cure was effected. Five or ten minutes' cooling would have been utterly useless. The heat evolved in the stomach required two hours steady cooling, and might have required more. The feelings of the patient are ever the best guide in such a case. As long as the cooling feels "delightful" it may safely be continued, if the heat to the feet is kept up.

If the weakness is very great, it may be necessary to keep to milk and hot water, such as an infant would thrive on, for a short time. If the weakness is not so great, it will be possible for the patient to take a little gruel or porridge made from wheaten meal, and also good fresh buttermilk. The stomach may be far from ready to take eggs and such things, but quite able to digest the "poorer" food, as it is often called. To give the really weak as perfect rest of mind and as easily digested food as possible, are conditions that must not be overlooked if we would be successful in their cure.

White Leg - When a limb becomes swelled and white, pouring hot water very gently over it with a sponge or cloth will have a blessed effect. It may be continued for an hour at a time for several times. If this ceases to be comforting, it should be discontinued and the limb dressed with warm olive oil, a soft cotton rag being put next the skin, and soft flannel above that. Of course absolute rest should be taken.

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