Part 4

The first thing, in this early stage, is to increase vital action in the part, and also in the whole system (see Abscess). Moist heat is to be applied. Make a BRAN POULTICE (see), which should come right round from over the spine, over the swelling, and over the whole shoulder. Let this be kept hot for an hour at least. If it can be thus applied twice a day without too much fatigue, do so. If the swelling softens and becomes less under this treatment, a few cold cloths may be applied to brace the part and aid its vitality. Do not, on any account, make the patient shiver. If the swelling increases and becomes discoloured, keep to the hot treatment until it bursts and discharges. For treatment then, see Abscess; Wounds.

During all this treatment the whole back should be gently rubbed daily with warm olive oil for half an hour, if as much can be borne.

Assimilation.--Is the process whereby the digested food is carried into the blood stream, and thus conveyed to the different parts of the body where the hungry cells are in need of it.

Fine threads of blood vessels (capillaries) take it up from the stomach and intestines. Also along the intestines there are little projections (villi), through which the food passes into a blood stream leading to the liver, where the blood is then purified. These projections also contain lacteals or little vessels containing blood without its red corpuscles. A duct carries this colourless blood mixed with absorbed food to the left side of the neck, where it empties into the blood stream. These lacteals have a special affinity for the fat of the food. Most of the rest of the food, including the proteid and the carbohydrate or starchy portion now in the form of sugar, passes into the capillaries, and then is led to the liver.

The liver will not let through more sugar than is required, storing it up for future use. It also acts as a careful guardian, by arresting many poisons which would otherwise pass into the general circulation. The liver requires for the proper performance of its functions plenty of pure blood, hence the necessity for fresh air and exercise, that the lungs may work well. The liver is easily influenced by alcoholic beverages, and by getting too hard work to do through eating rich foods. A consideration of this delicate and intricate process, whereby the digested food is absorbed, will show that badly-digested food can not hope to be well assimilated, consequently attention should be paid to the quantity and quality of the food we eat (see Digestion; Diet).

Whatever thus makes living substance is nourishment; whatever fails to do so is not. If food be taken, and even digested, without being thus assimilated, it becomes an injury to a patient instead of a help. In cases of fever, inflammatory disease, or wasting sores, much rich food feeds the fire. It is like laying rafters on the roof of a burning house for purposes of repair. In such a case small quantities of milk, or milk and hot water (see Digestion), represent the total food which can be effectively used in the body. We write on this subject that in treatment our friends may watch not to injure by making the blood too rich in elements which the system cannot usefully assimilate. Such foods as oatmeal jelly and wheaten porridge will often furnish more real nourishment than pounds of bread, beef, and potatoes. A little careful thought will guide to correct treatment in this matter. An easily assimilated diet is found in Saltcoats biscuits and hot water; many inveterate stomach troubles have yielded to this, when taken as sole diet for some weeks (see Biscuits and Water).

Treatment may also be given for lack of assimilative power. The back, especially on either side of the spine, is rubbed with gentle pressure and hot olive oil. This pressure is so applied that a genial heat arises along the whole spinal column. This done twice a day, for half-an-hour at a time, and continued for several weeks, will markedly restore assimilative power. Cases which have been perfectly helpless for eight and even ten years are cured by this simple method, sufficiently and carefully followed.

We had a patient who was stout, but weak and weary, with the muscles slack and showing loss of power. The effect of back-rubbing, accompanied by easily assimilated food in small quantities and often, was to lessen his weight by a considerable amount. But the muscular power at once began to increase, and the man was soon like one made anew. Digestion had not been impaired in this case, but the blood formed by it was not converted into good living substance. Sight and hearing have even been restored by these means when the failure in eye or ear has been due to waste material accumulating, as frequently is the case.

In connection with many troubles, what may be called local assimilation has to be considered. A foot, say, with a bad abscess or diseased bone (see Pain, Severe) is cured by hot bathing and pressure. From a shrunken and feeble limb, the leg grows to a healthy and strong one. This occurs because the heat and pressure have so stimulated its vitality that the material supplied by the blood can be utilised in the leg for purposes of healthy growth. So with any other part of the body. Such diet as we have indicated supplies easily assimilated substance. The local heating, pressure, and bathing enable this substance to be utilised where it is needed. A little careful thought on this line will guide to proper treatment of almost any case where assimilation has failed, either locally or generally, and will lead the way to a method of cure.

Asthma exists in various forms, having equally various causes. One of these causes, giving rise to a comparatively simple form of the disease, is cramp of the ring-muscle of the windpipe, so contracting the windpipe that breathing is rendered difficult. A "wheeze" is heard in breathing, though there is no bronchitis or lung trouble present. The cause of this cramp is an irritation of the ring-muscle's nerve. It can be relieved by pressing cold cloths gently along the spine, from the back of the head to between the shoulders, taking care that the patient remains generally warm during the treatment, and attending to the feet and skin as directed below in this article. Sometimes the cause seems to lie in the air of the place where the sufferer resides. A change either to high ground or the seaside will often entirely remove asthma, especially in the young. In any such case a trial should be made of several places, if that be at all possible, and that place fixed upon where the asthma is least felt. At SEAMILL SANATORIUM (see) many asthmatic persons have found complete freedom from their trouble from the day of their arrival, and the treatment given has made this cure permanent.

Another cause of asthma is lack of power in the breathing muscles. In such a case the patient clings to a particular attitude, in which alone he can breathe. This is in most cases due to a lack of vitality in the root nerve which supply the breathing muscles.

An attack of this may often be relieved by rubbing, with the points of the fingers chiefly, gently yet firmly up and down each side of the spine, close to the bone. Even rubbing above the clothing will frequently relieve. The roots of the nerves supplying power to the breathing muscles lie just on each side of the spine, and this kind of rubbing stimulates these roots. It is not rubbing of the skin or backbone which is wanted, but such gentle treatment of the nerve roots on either side of the bone as makes them glow with genial warmth. This rubbing is of course better done on the surface of the skin. See that the patient is warm, then dip the fingers in cold water, and rub as directed. When the water makes the patient feel chilly or he tires of it, use fresh olive oil, warmed if necessary. Avoid all alcoholic drinks, which simply rob the nerves of the very power needed for cure. Temporary relief may be given by such drinks, but it is at the expense of lowered life and reduced chances of recovery.

A tablespoonful of hot water every five minutes is the best curative drink. It may be given for several hours if required. To give this rubbing treatment and drinking hot water fair play, however, attention must be paid most carefully to the feet and skin of the patient. The feet frequently are cold, and in bad cases swell, the skin at and above the swelling being pale and soft. In minor cases this state of the feet may be treated by rubbing with hot olive oil. In serious cases rubbing is to be alternated with bathing the feet in hot water, until the feet and limbs glow with heat. This may be done two or three times a day, for half an hour, or even an hour. It increases very greatly the vital power for breathing.

Again, the skin in bad cases of asthma becomes dry, hard, and a light brown substance forms on its surface. If the skin thus fails, severe work is thrown on the already overloaded lungs, and the breathing is much worse. Give the patient a night's pack in the SOAPY BLANKET (see). If there is not strength to stand the entire treatment, keep in the blanket pack for a shorter time--one, two, or three hours. Not more than two nights of this treatment should be needed at a time. The soapy blanket greatly stimulates the skin, and opens all the closed pores, immensely relieving the lungs. If feet, skin, and back be treated as we have advised, even a very obstinate case of asthma should be cured. See Appendix; Bathing the Feet; Rubbing; Soap; Soapy Blanket.

Back Failures.--Often a severe pain in the toe, foot, ankle, or lower leg has its cause, not in anything wrong with the part which is painful, but in some failure of nerve in the patient's back. Blistering or other treatment of the painful part will often injure, and cannot do much, in any case, to cure. Pains even in the knee and groin sometimes have the same cause--in back failure. In other cases the symptoms are, weariness, stiffness, inability to stoop, or stand long without support, and pains in the stomach and thighs.

A little thought will enable any one to distinguish between pains due to back failure and those due to local causes. If there is no appearance of anything wrong at the part pained, then the evil is probably in the back. It is even a good rule to consider the pain at first as due to back failure rather than local causes, for by treatment of the back the local trouble, when that is present, is much helped and relieved.

In the case of pains in the arms or hands, the upper part of the back is indicated; in leg and foot troubles, the lower part. Neuralgic pains are almost always of this class.

In any case of this kind, heat may be applied to the spine, and rubbing with hot oil given to it, at its upper or lower part as required. If the heat and rubbing increase the pain, then cold applications may be used. Sometimes heat and cold may be needed alternately; but common sense must guide, and all irritation or chilling of the patient must be carefully avoided.

The best manner of applying cold to the spine is described in article on Angina Pectoris. Towels are folded as there directed. The moist one (well wrung out) is placed next the spine, either over the part desired or the whole spine. The dry one is placed over this, and the patient lies down on his back on the top of them; or, if he cannot lie, as sometimes happens, the towels are gently pressed with the hand against the spine until sufficient cooling has resulted. The patient should never be made to shiver. If he feels chilly, hot fomentations to the feet and legs, as described in article on Angina Pectoris, may be applied.

Balance, Loss of.--Cases where loss of balance in walking and standing are due to St. Vitus' Dance will be treated under that head. Other cases, where loss of power in the motor nerves causes this unsteadiness, are treated of here. As these cases differ totally from St. Vitus' Dance in cause and treatment, it is well carefully to distinguish between them. In St. Vitus' Dance, then, notice that the patient cannot lie still. In case of simple loss of power, he staggers or falls only when moving, or trying to move. Probably also in the last case there are cold feet and clammy skin. For this, bathe the feet at bedtime in hot water, dry, and rub them with hot oil. Then apply to the back on going to bed a warm cloth, covered with soap lather (see Lather), with dry towel above it. Do this each night for a week. When taking off the cloth, sponge the back with warm vinegar or weak acid (see Acetic Acid), and rub with warm olive oil.

After a week of this treatment, apply each night for two or three days, a large BRAN POULTICE (see) across the loins for an hour at bedtime, with olive oil before and after. Above all, conscientiously let the patient rest. A good deal of lying in bed and on a sofa must be taken, and good nourishment given (see Assimilation, etc.). Some weeks of alternate treatment like this should effect a great improvement, if not a radical cure.

Balance of Action--See Action, Balance of.

Band, Flannel.--A piece of fine new flannel made to cover the whole back, and sewed under the usual underclothing, has a truly wonderful effect when worn in certain cases of illness. The same effect is not produced by doubling the flannels that are worn. What we have specially to call attention to is the fact that the piece is extra to all that which covers the rest of the body. The heat of the back, which is so very important from the nerve structure of the spinal system, is made to gather under a single ply of flannel, but much more quickly under two folds of the same material. When, therefore, there is anything like natural heat in the back, this piece of new flannel makes it gather quickly, and keeps it stimulating the parts to which it is confined. Then, if the front of the body is more thinly clad, it is very much the same as when a hot bag or a bran poultice is applied to the back, and a cold cloth in front. The effect is not so immediate, but in the course of time it gets to be even greater. We have never been able to see much come of "magnetic" or "electric" belts other than would result from wearing the woollen material they are covered with; but we have seen constantly all the good effects ascribed to the most costly appliances produced by a bit of new flannel. If there can be a good rubbing given with olive oil, and then the extra flannel put on, the effect is delightful. Again, when the skin has been cleansed effectually with the mixture for NIGHT SWEATS (see), put the flannel on. It causes a gathering of heat, which stimulates the spinal nerves, and produces good effects all over the body and limbs.

A broad band of extra new flannel round the lower half of the body is somewhat equivalent to fomentation got in the armchair, or in the hot pack of the lower body. Those who are exposed, as coachmen are, and subject to lumbago and other troubles, will find a flannel band work wonders. This flannel band on the lower back is valuable in cases of rheumatism, sciatica, and various kidney troubles. On the upper back it is good for bronchitis and some forms of asthma.

It may be used in connection with the other forms of treatment given for these in separate articles. When linen underwear is worn, this band should be worn under that, next the skin.

Bandage, Four-ply Flannel.--The four-ply flannel bandage is simply what its name implies--a bandage of the shape and size to cover the parts treated, and at least four-ply thick. It is wrung out of cold water, and covered with a thick dry bandage while applied.

Bandaging.--See Veins, Swollen, etc.

Barley.--If this grain is well grown and thoroughly well cooked, it will be found to be one of the best foods for restoring an exhausted digestive system.