FIRST STEPS TOWARDS HEALTH
"All sick people want to get well, but rarely in the best way. A 'jolly
good fellow' said: 'Strike at the root of the disease, Doctor!' And
smash went the whisky bottle under the faithful physician's cane."
In neuropaths, all irritation to the nervous system is dangerous, and must
be eliminated, and to this end, eyes, ears, nose and teeth, all in close
touch with nerves and brain, must be put and kept in perfect order.
The Eye. Only 4 per cent, of people have _perfect_ sight. Errors in
refraction--common in neuropaths--mean that the unstable brain-cells are
constantly irritated. Dodd corrected eye-errors in 52 epileptics, 36 of
whom showed improvement.
You take your watch to a watchmaker, not a chemist; take your eyes to an
oculist, and if you cannot afford to see one privately, get an eye-hospital
note. (To allow a chemist or "optician" to try lenses until he finds a pair
through which you "see better" is very dangerous.)
Then you go to a qualified optician, who makes a proper frame, and inserts
the lenses prescribed. Patients should inquire if the glasses are to be
worn continually, or only when doing close work or reading.
The Ears. Giddiness and other unpleasant symptoms may be due to ear
trouble. If there is any discharge, buzzing or ringing, see a doctor, for
if ear disease gains a firm hold it is usually incurable.
The Nose. Neuropaths often suffer from moist nasal catarrh, or from a dry
type in which crusts of offensive mucus form, the disagreeable odour of
which is not apparent to the patient himself. He must pay careful attention
to the general health, take nourishing food, and wash out the nose three
times a day with:
1 oz. Bicarbonate of Soda,
1 oz. Common Salt,
1 oz. Borax,
Dissolved in 1 pint hot water.
For obstinate nasal trouble, consult an aural surgeon.
The Teeth.
"Most men dig their graves with their teeth."--Chinese Proverb.
Serious ills are caused by defective teeth, for microbes decompose the food
left in the crevices to acid substances which dissolve the lime salts from
the teeth, and this process continues until the tooth is lost.
Faulty teeth are common in neuropaths, and at the risk of being
wearisome--and good advice is wearisome to people--patients must get proper
aid, privately or at a dental hospital, from a _registered dentist_, who,
like a doctor, does not advertise.
Teeth gone beyond recall will be painlessly extracted, those going,
"stopped", and tartar or scale scraped off. If necessary, have artificial
teeth, but remember that the comfort of a plate depends upon skilled
workmanship, not on gold or platinum. Everyone should visit the dentist as
a matter of routine once a year.
Buy 3 ozs. Precipitated Chalk,
1 oz. Chlorate of Potash,
and brush the teeth with this mixture ere going to bed; use tepid water
after meals. Do not brush across, but, holding the brush horizontally,
brush with a circular motion, cleaning top and bottom teeth at once. Use a
moderately hard brush with a curved surface which fits the teeth.
After each meal, it is essential to cleanse the interstices between the
teeth with a quill toothpick or dental floss, never with a pin, for it is
the decomposition of tiny particles that starts decay; _a tooth never
decays from within_.
1½ fl. oz. Glycerine,
1 fl. oz. Carbolic Acid,
½ fl. oz. Methylated Chloroform.
With ten drops of this mixture in a wineglassful of tepid water, wash out
your mouth and gargle your throat after every meal, sending vigorous waves
between the teeth, and so removing any particles left by toothpick and
brush.
Children should be taught these habits as soon as they can eat, for the
custom of a lifetime is easy.
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