The shower bath is very refreshing. A hot bath is seldom advisable. It
is better to have the water of a temperature not much higher than that
of summer heat. A pure soap should be used, and care should be taken
to rinse it from the body. The daily bath is the best preventive of
colds. Comparatively few people who bathe daily suffer from more than
transient colds.
The bath should not be taken in a draught. If the room is cold, work
rapidly and use additional time for rubbing, continuing it until the
skin glows.
The practice of partial bathing is not to be recommended. When you take
a bath, take it all over.
If away from home, and sleeping in a hotel bed, which may have been
occupied by a diseased person, it is well to go over the body carefully
in the morning with an antiseptic soap. Every hotel, and all public
conveyances, are laden with germs, and a bath will prevent many
diseases.
A few drops of ammonia or a teaspoonful of borax placed in the water
in which you bathe will remove the odor of perspiration, but ammonia
should not take the place of good soap.
=Clothing Afire.=--Force the person afire to lie down and roll him over
and over. Wrap him in a rug or blanket, or anything else at hand. Throw
water upon him, but do not wait for water. Wrapping him in a blanket
is sure to extinguish the flames. Under no circumstances allow the
person afire to run about or out of doors.
=Colds.=--Use simple remedies, such as hot lemonade, but if the cold
does not soon abate, consult a physician.
=Diphtheria.=--Consult your physician. Never go near a case of
diphtheria or allow a dog, cat, or other animal to enter the sick-room.
Be careful of every utensil, and do not allow any one else to use them
until they have been washed in antiseptics. Never handle any clothing
or other articles in a sick-room.
Disinfectants
The reader is warned against placing reliance upon any disinfectant,
because it smells of carbolic acid, or has any other strong odor. Many
of the advertised disinfectants are worthless, and some of them are
merely deodorizers, which destroy smell and don't disinfect.
Sulphur or brimstone is probably the best fumigator. Sulphite of iron
(copperas) is cheap and should be used for sewers and drains. Dissolve
a pound and a half in a gallon of water. Two parts of sulphate of zinc
to one part of common salt, dissolved in a gallon of water, is a good
disinfectant for clothing, bed linen, etc.
Carbolic acid is an excellent disinfectant, but is efficacious only
when used at considerable strength, 3 to 5 per cent. Its strong odor
suggests qualities which do not exist, if it is much diluted.
There are many disinfectants upon the market, many of them being
advertised to be efficacious. Some of them are thoroughly reliable, but
others are almost worthless. I would advise the reader not to purchase
or use a disinfectant which is not recommended by a reliable physician.
=Disinfecting Cellars, Yards, Cesspools, etc.=--Use a solution made of
60 pounds of copperas dissolved in a barrel of water. Sprinkle freely
over cellar and put a pailful in a cesspool.
=Disinfecting the Sick-Room.=--Plenty of fresh air and cleanliness are
to be first considered. The clothing, bed linen, and towels should be
washed in a tub containing a zinc chloride solution, and the water
should be boiling hot. A solution of copperas and water should be
immediately placed in all vessels containing discharges.
=Dislocations.=--The novice should never attempt to treat a
dislocation. All he can do is to place the patient in a comfortable
position, using a sling or cushion to support the part injured. A
physician should be summoned.
=Dog Bites.=--Wash the wound with antiseptic soap or pure soap and
water, with borax dissolved in it to the strength of a teaspoonful to
a pint. Hydrophobia occurs very infrequently, and many dogs, supposed
to be mad, are suffering from some other ailment; but a surgeon should
be summoned in all cases whenever it is possible to do so. The bite
of a rat, cat, or other animal is not generally dangerous, but the
wound should be washed with borax and water, as above. Better summon a
surgeon. Suck the wound vigorously before applying washes. There is no
danger to the person sucking a wound of this nature, unless the skin on
his lips or in his mouth is cracked or bleeding, but he may wash his
mouth with borax water if he feels uneasy about it.
Drowning
If the person is conscious tell him that you will save him, which will
prevent him from losing his nerve. If you swim out for him, and he is
struggling, seize him by the hair and turn him over on his back. Swim
on your side, towing him along as you would a log of wood. You may
hold his head with one arm, but do not attempt to support his entire
body. If he struggles violently, hold his head under water until he is
unconscious, so that you can better handle him. Loosen his clothing,
drain water out of lungs by inverting body, clean out his mouth, and
pull his tongue forward. Immediately begin artificial respiration, each
movement to last from four to five seconds. Apply warmth and rubbing,
and when he is conscious give him hot water, coffee, or lemonade.
Artificial breathing is of greatest consequence. Do not give up. Many
persons have been resuscitated after many hours of incessant labor.
Artificial respiration may be performed in the following way:
First--Immediately loosen the clothing about the neck and chest,
exposing them to the wind, except in very severe weather. Get the water
out of the body, first by tickling throat with a feather, or applying
ammonia to the nose; give a severe slap with the open hand upon the
chest and soles of feet; if no immediate result, proceed as follows:
Second--Lay the body down in the open air with the head hanging down
and with its weight on the stomach across any convenient object, such
as a keg, box, boat timber, or your knees. Open the mouth quickly,
drawing the tongue forward with handkerchief or cloth to let the water
escape. Keep the mouth clear of liquid. To relieve the pressure on the
stomach, roll the body gently from side to side and then back on the
stomach. Do this several times to force the water from the stomach and
throat.
Third--Lay the body on the back, make a roll of a coat or any garment,
place it under the shoulders of the patient, allowing the head to fall
back. Then kneel at the head of the patient.
Open patient's mouth and place some small object between teeth.
With tongue pliers or fingers covered with gauze or cloth, grasp his
tongue and draw it out. Tie it down to his chin with cloth or rubber
band.
Grasp the patient's arms at the middle of the forearms, fold them
across his stomach, and raise them over his head to a perpendicular
position, drawing them backward, straight, then forward overhead to
the sides again, pressing the arms on the lower part of the ribs and
side, so as to produce a bellows movement upon the lungs. Do this about
fifteen times a minute.
Apply smelling salts, camphor, or ammonia to the nostrils to excite
breathing.
Fourth--On signs of life, or when breathing is restored, remove the
clothing, dry the body, wrap the patient in warm blankets or hot
cloths. To encourage circulation briskly rub his limbs under the
blankets toward the heart; brandy or aromatic spirits of ammonia may be
given in small doses, with care to avoid strangulation.
Another Method
Another simple method of restoring breathing, one that is being
rapidly adopted, is that known as the Schafer, or prone, method. It has
the great advantage that it can be performed by one man alone. This
method has just been endorsed as the preferable one by a commission
representing the American Medical Association, the National Electric
Light Association, and the American Institute of Electrical Engineers.
First--Lay patient on stomach with his head to side and withdraw his
tongue, which itself then will hang out if teeth are held apart with
small object. The operator then kneels astride the patient's thighs and
with his hands across the lower ribs swings his body back and forth
rhythmically, pausing about two seconds as his weight falls upon and is
removed from patient. This movement is to be continued at the rate of
about fifteen times a minute.
=To Prevent Drowning.=--The human body weighs, in the water, about one
pound; that is, it is approximately one pound heavier than the water
which it displaces. A stool, chair, or small box or board will overcome
the tendency to sink and will keep the head above water. The feet, and
the hand which is not clinging to an object, should be used as paddles.
Every one should learn to swim. If he can take only a few strokes, the
chances of death by drowning are small, for he is likely to be able to
reach something which will support him. So much do I believe in the
necessity of knowing how to swim, that I consider it a crime not to
understand this art.
=Electrical Accidents.=--Immediately shut off the current, but do not
handle the wire with your naked hands. If rubber gloves are not handy,
cut the wire with an ax or knife, with a piece of woolen cloth wrapped
around the handle. If you pull the sufferer away from the wire, do
not touch him with your bare hands, but cover them with woolen cloth,
or wear rubber or woolen gloves, or remove him by the use of a rope.
The ordinary electric shock will not cause death unless the patient
continues to receive it. Summon a doctor at once. Place the patient in
the open air, with something under his shoulders. Loosen his clothing,
open his mouth, and pull out the tongue. Clear the mouth from saliva.
Force air into his lungs by pressing the base of the ribs about once in
four seconds, then attempt to resuscitate him as you would a drowning
person.
=Emergencies with Children.=--If the child suddenly suffers from
vomiting, purging, and prostration, send for a doctor at once. In the
meantime place him in a hot bath and then carefully dry him with a
warm towel and wrap in warm blankets. If the hands and feet are cold,
apply hot water bottles to the feet and hands. A poultice made of
flaxseed meal (3/4) and mustard (1/4) should be placed over the body.
Five drops of brandy in a teaspoonful of water may be given every 15
minutes. For sudden diarrhoea, administer one teaspoonful of castor oil
or of spiced syrup of rhubarb. Allow the child to drink freely of cold
water that has been boiled. Always summon a physician.
Emergency Medicines ..
The writer would emphatically discourage self-medication and dosing,
and would oppose the taking of medicines of any kind, except the
simplest remedies, without the advice of a physician. Hundreds of
thousands of people have been made sick, because the wrong medicine
was administered to them, and many more have taken medicine when they
didn't need it.
The following emergency medicines are presented, with a distinct
understanding that they should not be used except in simple cases:
=Ammonia.=--What is known as ammonia water, or liquor of ammonia,
or as spirits of hartshorn, or hartshorn, is of several strengths
and is highly irritating and poisonous if taken internally. Applied
externally, if of considerable strength, it will cause blisters and
pain. Ammonia should not be applied to an open wound or irritated
surface, except in case of snake bites or stings of insects, where it
is intended to neutralize the poisons. The vapor of ammonia water,
inhaled through the nostrils, affects the nervous system and may be
used in fainting or epilepsy, but always with caution, for a strong
preparation of ammonia applied to the nose may produce a violent shock.
It is better to saturate a handkerchief or wad of cotton and hold it a
short distance from the nostrils. The buyer is cautioned against the
use of the strongest ammonia water.
=Aromatic Spirits of Ammonia.=--This is a stimulant, and may be used in
cases of sick headache, hysteria, cholic, or fainting, in doses of from
10 to 30 drops in sweetened water.
=Arnica.=--Tincture of arnica is supposed to be of value in accidents,
and especially efficacious for sprains and bruises. It has some value,
mainly from the alcohol it contains and partly because it is applied
with friction. It is a poison, and never should be taken internally.
For external use it should not be applied at full strength, as it is
apt to cause inflammation if the skin is tender.
=Bicarbonate of Soda.=--Bicarbonate of soda, commonly known as baking
soda or saleratus, is distinct from sal soda or washing soda. It is of
great value in the treatment of burns, and may be used as an antidote
in poisoning by acids.
=Camphor.=--Camphor is purchased in gum or in liquid form. It never
should be taken internally, except by advice of a physician. Nor
should it be applied in its full strength directly to the wounds or to
irritated or inflamed surfaces.
=Ginger.=--The essence or extract of ginger is a very popular remedy
for trouble with the digestive organs, bowel complaints, etc., and
should be taken in doses of from 10 to 40 drops in sweetened water,
milk, or other liquid. It never should be used habitually, because
it may establish a drug habit; nor should large doses be taken to
check diarrhoea, as it is often inadvisable to too rapidly check the
discharges.
=Glycerin.=--Glycerin may be used for burns, and, mixed with equal
parts of rose water, it is a good lotion for chapped hands or lips, but
it is irritating to the skin of some people.
=Peppermint.=--The essence of peppermint may be used for stomach-ache
and bowel complaints, the usual dose being from 10 to 20 drops on sugar
or in sweetened water. Oil of peppermint should not be taken, except
when prescribed by a physician.
=Turpentine.=--Turpentine is the base of most liniments, and it has
some value, but mustard plasters are safer. Turpentine is inflammable,
and never should be applied near an open fire. Turpentine should not be
given internally, unless prescribed by a physician.
=Whisky.=--Whisky, brandy, wine, and all other spirits should be used
sparingly. They are likely to do more harm than good. Hot water, hot
coffee, hot tea, or aromatic spirits of ammonia are to be preferred.
Children should never be given spirituous liquids, except in extreme
cases, and then only 10 to 20 drops in water.
=Witch Hazel or Hamamelis.=--Used as a remedy for sprains, wounds, and
swelling. It is a mild application for chapped hands, and used by the
laity for burns, scalds, cuts, etc. It is not irritating, and is a good
substitute for arnica. Its use externally is absolutely safe.
=Vaseline.=--It is to be recommended for burns, scalds, etc. It is
nonirritating and is not poisonous. It can be used frequently.
=Cold Cream.=--A perfectly safe article to be used for chapped hands
and lips, and skin roughness.
=Emetics and Stimulants.=--In practically all cases, and where poison
has entered the stomach, it is well to empty the stomach immediately.
If a stomach pump cannot be procured, an emetic should be administered.
Doctors would administer ipecac, apomorphine, sulphate of zinc, tartar
emetic, and other drugs, but none of them are likely to be available
before the physician arrives. When notifying the physician tell him,
if possible, the kind of poison taken, so he may be prepared. A
dessert-spoonful of ground dry mustard in a glass of warm water is
likely to produce vomiting. Follow the first dose with a second one.
Then push the forefinger down the throat as far as possible, that the
patient may vomit. Dissolve a teaspoonful of salt in water and give to
the patient, or administer a teaspoonful of ipecac every few minutes to
a child, and a tablespoonful to an adult. Follow the dose with a glass
of water and then insert the forefinger in the throat. One who has
taken opium does not vomit easily and strenuous efforts should be made
to produce vomiting. If one emetic does not work, give another, and
keep on repeating it.
Exercise
Physical exercises are absolutely essential to health. The working man,
however, is likely to obtain enough of it from his daily action, but
those of sedentary habits, especially those who work indoors, will not
receive sufficient exercise from their labor.
While the gymnasium is to be recommended, and while it has done much to
make weak people strong, I would not advise any one to take more than
very simple gymnasium exercises without the advice of a physician.
Exercises may be taken in the bedroom, with the use of light dumb
bells, or without the use of any apparatus at all.
Walking is the best of all, for it can be enjoyed by those in poor
health or physically weak. It takes one out of doors, and exercise
out of doors is far better than that taken in a closed room. If you
exercise at home, open all of the windows.
Every one should walk at least two miles a day in the open air, unless
he is very weak. Select a companion, as exercise is more efficacious
if enjoyed and is not mere exercise by itself. Take long breaths in
the open air every morning. Overexercise, and much of that practiced
by athletes, injure the heart and work opposite from the intention. No
strenuous exercise should be taken after mid-life without the advice of
a physician. Any good doctor will prescribe a course of exercises for
you at a nominal fee, most of them not charging more than a dollar for
advice. Then, those who exercise need more food and a different kind of
food from that required by those who do not exercise.
As cases differ, it is inadvisable for me to prescribe proper food.
Consult your physician.
=Extinguishing Fires from Coal Oil.=--Do not attempt to smother the
flame by water. Smother it with a carpet or cloth.
Fainting
Ordinary fainting is distinct from that which occurs from shock or
collapse, the latter following serious injuries, while fainting is
common with some people, and may not be serious.
Those who are subject to frequent fainting spells should consult a
physician that he may locate the cause.
If fainting is caused from any disease of the heart, or from a weak
heart, death may follow, and such persons should be under the care of a
physician.
When fainting occurs, place the patient on his back with his head as
low or lower than the body. Raise the legs. He should have plenty of
fresh air. If fainting occurs in a crowd, ask the spectators to move
away. If in-doors, open all doors and windows, loosen the clothing,
and sprinkle water upon the face, at the same time applying smelling
salts or spirits of camphor held close to the nose, but not touching
it. The body may be rubbed to assist the circulation. If the person
does not quickly revive, apply gentle heat or a mustard plaster to the
pit of the stomach. When he recovers give him hot tea or coffee, and
never more than a moderate amount of alcoholic stimulants. Keep him in
a reclining position for some time after he has recovered.
=Feeding an Invalid.=--If the illness is at all serious, consult a
physician. He will tell you what and what not to give the patient in
the way of food. Never cook the food in the presence of the invalid,
and keep the smell of cooking away from him. Don't eat in his presence,
as it may annoy him. Serve everything attractively, with spotless
napkin, table cloth, and ware. Be careful not to spill anything.
Hot articles should be served very hot, and cold ones very cold,
as lukewarm viands are not acceptable. Everything brought into the
sick-room should be covered with dishes or napkins. Better bring in too
little than too much, more to be served if the patient desires it.
=Fire in the House.=--When the house is afire cover the head, if
possible, with a wet cloth, or dry one if there is no facility for
wetting it, cutting holes for the eyes. Creep on the floor and don't
stand up or walk, for the air is clearer next to the floor, as smoke
rises. Unless there are plenty of exits, a knotted rope should be
attached to a staple. It is easier to climb down a knotted rope than
one which is smooth. If necessary to jump from an upper story, throw
out a mattress or something else which is soft, and attempt to land
upon it. When at a hotel or boarding house, ascertain the means of exit
before retiring.
=Fits.=--Generally speaking, the treatment should be similar to that
given to one who has fainted. If the patient is hysterical, apply
mustard plasters or ice to the soles of his feet and the wrists, but do
not dash water in the face or use strong emetics or heroic measures. If
the fit is caused by epilepsy (in this case the person is rigid), do
not attempt to stop the patient from struggling. Lay him on his back
with his head somewhat raised, and loosen his clothing. If necessary,
hold his arms and legs gently, but do not use force. Place a stick or
knife handle between the teeth to prevent biting the tongue. Always
summon a physician.
=Frost Bite.=--Never place the patient near a fire. Undress him
carefully and pack frozen parts with cloths wet with ice water. Rub
adjacent parts vigorously. Administer hot coffee or tea. If breathing
appears to have stopped, treat him as you would one apparently drowned.
When the patient begins to revive, place him in a warm, but not a hot,
room, cover him with blankets, and rub him with a cloth wrung out of
hot water; give him the ordinary stimulants, but not alcoholic ones.
=Fumigating a Sick-Room.=--Formalin is probably the best fumigator.
Place the articles to be fumigated in a closed room, and pour
formaldehyde over towels or bed linen and place on the floor. The room
should remain closed for 24 hours. A room containing 100 square feet
of floor surface requires at least a pint of formaldehyde.
Getting Things into the Eye, Nose, Ear, etc.
=Eye.=--Sometimes complications result of a most serious nature.
A physician should be sent for immediately. In the interval the
following directions may be followed: Articles like cinders, dust, and
other small objects may be removed from the eye, if one has a steady
hand; but the eye should not be rubbed, and should be kept closed,
except when one is trying to remove the foreign substance. The tears
by themselves will often wash out ordinary dust or cinders. If the
substance is hidden from view, one or two grains of whole flaxseed
may remove it. Catch the upper lid by the lashes and pull away from
the eyeball over the lower lid, holding it there for a moment, and
request the patient to blow his nose vigorously. Visible articles may
be removed with a piece of gauze on the hand, or an absolutely clean
cloth; but don't touch the eye with the finger. As the eye is a very
delicate organ, the novice should not attempt to operate upon it.
=Nose.=--Blow the nose very hard, and close one side of the nostril
by pressing your finger against it. Tickle the nose or give snuff to
excite sneezing. Sometimes the article will be removed if the patient
takes a long breath and closes his mouth, then give him a sharp blow
on the back. If the body is not discharged, call a physician.
=Ear.=--There is great danger in tampering with the ear. Never insert
needles or pins in an attempt to remove foreign substances. Better send
for a physician. If live insects enter the ear, pour a small quantity
of sweet oil or glycerin into the ear and very gently syringe it with
warm water.
=Throat.=--Send for a physician immediately, and tell him what you
think the matter is, so he may bring the necessary instruments. If
there is no difficulty in breathing, wait for the physician. Slap the
person on the back when the body is bent forward with face downwards,
which will cause him to cough. Elevate him so that his head is lower
than his body and slap him on the back while in this position.
=Getting Wet.=--Many colds are contracted on account of exposure to
rain and moisture. Unless able to change your clothes, keep moving. It
is said that very few colds are contracted while one is exercising.
=Headaches.=--Under no circumstances take a headache powder, or any
drug whatsoever, without the advice of your physician. Many headache
powders contain dangerous drugs, which work upon the heart, sometimes
causing death. Headaches almost invariably come from a cause not
located in the head itself. Do not attempt to cure it yourself. The
headache powder may relieve the headache temporarily at the expense of
the system.
=Hiccoughs.=--Drink a glass full of cold water as rapidly as possible.
Breathe deeply. If the hiccoughs continue, call a physician.
How to Avoid Accidents
Never cross the street without looking both ways.
Do not get off of a car or other vehicle while it is in motion.