Mother's Remedies by Thomas Jefferson Ritter (positive books to read txt) 📕

doctor can give a full tub bath when he comes, if he thinks it necessary. If the child can swallow, give him a teaspoonful of castor oil; or if the convulsions continue, wash out the bowels or give an injection as soon as possible.

When is a hot bath needed and useful? If the convulsions have continued until the pulse is weak, the face is very pale, the nails and lips blue, the feet and hands cold: it will do good by bringing the blood to the surface and relieve the brain, heart and lungs.

How shall I give it? Use a thermometer to see that the temperature of the water is not over 106 degrees F.; if no thermometer is handy put your arm into the water to your elbow. It should feel warm, but not so hot as to be uncomfortable. Put one-half teacupful of powdered mustard in the tub. Place the baby in the tub, body all covered, and hold the head out of the water; keep him in the bath for five to ten minutes; wrap him in a blanket and put into bed without drying.

The following is given to prevent convulsions:—

      Bromide of Potash 1/2 dram
      Chloral Hydrate 15 grains
      Simple Syrup 2 ounces
      Mix thoroughly.

Give one teaspoonful every hour, while the baby is nervous or feverish.
For one-year-old child.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES.—1. Convulsions, a Grandmother's Remedy for.—"Dip the feet and limbs in warm water; give dry salt in mouth." Care should be taken not to give too much salt as you may choke the child. Also apply cold cloths to the head, to draw the blood from the brain.

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2. Convulsions, Hot Mustard Water for.—"Put patient in tub of hot mustard water, with cold cloths to the head," The hot mustard water draws the blood from the head to the feet and the cold cloths assist in doing good by keeping the blood away from the head. This is, an old, tried and effective remedy,

3. Convulsions, Old Tried Remedy for.—"Put patient in hot bath; give castor oil and rub vigorously." The castor oil does good in cases where the bowels are too loose or constipated, as the case may be, by carrying off the impurities, and the hot bath equalizes the circulation, relieving the convulsion.

4. Convulsions, A New York Mother's Remedy for.—"Chloroform one-half dram, tincture of cardamom, one-half ounce, spearmint water, two and one-half ounces. Shake well and give one-half teaspoonful in water to child one year old, smaller children a proportionate dose." The chloroform is very quieting, and the tincture of cardamom and spearmint act on the bowels. This combination will quiet the child, and in that way relieve the trouble.

(See "Convulsions" in General Department for Mothers' Remedies).

INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN.

What are the early symptoms of brain diseases? Temperature is usually very high, 104 degrees F. and over. There is stupor or delirium, and vomiting is common; light hurts the eyes; the child jumps and starts at the slightest noise, unless the hearing is affected. There is often a squint, the eyes may be turned upward, and the lids may be only half closed during sleep. The pupils are dilated or contracted, Sometimes one pupil is larger than natural, while the other is smaller.

What can I do for these symptoms? Cold to the head, either by ice bags or cold water cloths. The room should be dark and quiet. No food given unless ordered, and then bland and very little at a time. A doctor should always be called for such symptoms; castor oil to move the bowels should be given or an enema of soap-suds and water. This helps to draw the blood from the brain, also keep the feet warm and head cool.

SCALD HEAD (in Babies) Milk Crust.—This is often due to neglect in regularly removing the free secretion, or due sometimes to an inflammation of the little sebaceous follicles of the skin. It occurs on the scalp most. The hair should be cut short, and soften the crusts with warm olive oil, or vaselin may be left on the scalp over night, then wash off the crusts with warm water and castile soap. An ointment can be made of vaselin or cold cream, and two per cent resorcin, and applied after the crust is resumed. Spread on linen and hold it in place by a thin cap, wash this off every day with olive oil and apply the salve fresh. Water should not be used oftener than once a week—oxide of zinc ointment is also good.

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MOTHERS' REMEDIES.—l. Cleaning Baby's Head, Common Lard for.—"Nothing is better than common lard. Grease the head good at night, using plenty of lard, especially if very heavily coated. Let stand over night, the lard softens the coating so you can take a fine comb and remove it. Comb from the forehead back. You need never have any scale on the baby's head." Care should be taken in using a fine comb, as it will very often make a child's head very sore.

2. Scald Head, An Experienced Mother's Remedy for.—

    "Boracic acid 2 drams
    Salol 2 drams
    Balsam Peru 1 dram
    Carbolic acid 20 drops
    Vaselin 1 ounce
    Lanoline 1 ounce
    Mix."

Then wash the head thoroughly with castile soap, and apply the above morning and night, and use internally the following:—

    Iodide Potash 192 grains
    Fluid Extract Stillingia 1 ounce
    Fluid Ext. Prickly Ash Bark 1/2 ounce
    Fluid Ext. Yellow Dock 1 ounce
    Compound Syrup Sarsaparilla, q. s 8 ounces
    Mix."

Take about one-half teaspoonful from two to four times a day, according to the age of the child. If this treatment is kept up faithfully, you will be sure to obtain a cure.

TEETHING.—There are twenty teeth in the first set. There is sometimes slight fever, restlessness, sleepless nights, maybe loss of appetite and some indigestion. If signs of indigestion are seen, give less food, and replace same with boiled water. If he is a nursing baby give him an ounce of boiled water before nursing and nurse him only ten to fifteen minutes. If he is restless at night give him a warm sponge bath, and if there is any fever, add one teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda to a basin of tepid water. If the gums are very much congested and swollen and the child suffers, they may need to be lanced. Sometimes the teeth come earlier, but generally between the fifth and ninth months. They appear usually as follows:—

2 lower central incisors 6 to 9 months (often earlier) 4 upper incisors 7 to 10 months 2 lower lateral incisors 12 to 14 months 2 anterior upper molars 12 to 16 months 2 anterior lower molars 12 to 16 months 2 upper canines (eye teeth) 18 to 24 months 2 lower canines (stomach teeth) 18 to 24 months 2 lower and 2 upper posterior molars 24 to 30 months

During the first year the child should cut six teeth; next six months, six or more; at two years he should have sixteen; at two and one-half years twenty. About the sixth year the permanent teeth are cut and follow closely after the shedding of the milk teeth.

[ALL ABOUT BABY 619] TEETHING.—PERMANENT TEETH, USUAL ORDER.

4 first molars 6 years 4 central incisors 7 years 4 lateral incisors 8 years 4 first bicuspids 8-1/2 to 9 years 4 second bicuspids 10 years 4 canines 11 or 12 to 14 years 4 second molars 12 to 13 years, (12 to 15) 4 wisdom teeth 18 to 25 years (17 to 25)

HICCOUGH.—Some infants are very liable to hiccoughs. It is generally a matter of little importance. It is a spasmodic contraction of the diaphragm, often caused by gas or wind or too much food in the baby's stomach. It is very annoying, and should not be allowed to go on indefinitely. Pat the baby gently, but suddenly, on the back, or give him a little hot water in which there are a few grains of sugar or a drop of essence of peppermint. See that he does not feed too fast or suck an empty bottle.

ENLARGED GLANDS.—Cutting teeth or sometimes a bad cold or other things cause the glands at the sides of the neck to swell and enlarge. This does not always give any discomfort to the baby, but it annoys and worries the mother. Frequently the enlargement will soon disappear of itself, but sometimes the gland grows larger, gets quite hard and often much inflamed—matter or pus will then form, and a discharge soon follows.

Treatment.—If the gland keeps on enlarging, a doctor should be seen, and if it needs lancing he can do so at the proper time, and save the neck from a bad scar. Medicine can also be given that will sometimes stop it. Syrup of iodide of iron three to ten drops, three times a day for a one-year-old child is good; cod-liver oil should be given to pale, thin children for a long time.

BED-WETTING.—If a child continues to wet the bed after he is three years old, something should be done for this annoying habit. The child should be examined by a doctor; circumcision will often effect a cure in boys; or pin worms may be the cause of the trouble; a stone in the bladder, or any trouble that makes him nervous, or it may be due to habit.

Treatment.—Scolding will not do any good. The child should not drink any fluids after four in the afternoon. He should not have any bread and milk or water for supper, but instead have bread and a dry cereal, with a little stewed fruit; sometimes a child needs a tonic. It is a tedious trouble to treat and it takes a long time to gain control of it. The mother must have a large stock of patience and co-operate with the doctor. The child should pass urine before retiring, have the foot of the bedstead elevated, not too warmly covered so as to become restless. His suppers should not be hearty, bowels should be regular. The following is a good remedy:—Tincture of belladonna; give five drops at bed-time and increase the dose, drop by drop, each night until it produces a fine scarlet rash upon the skin. This should be marked "poison" and only given under the care of a doctor. It is a good remedy, but it must be watched.

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HIVES.—Hives, or urticaria, is often seen in young children, It is generally caused by indigestion. It is not a serious disease, but it is uncomfortable and makes a baby