One of the greatest dangers in the disease is the collapse produced by the extraction of the water from the system. To counteract this, salt water is sometimes injected into the veins. This, of course, should not be done except by a physician or surgeon. Almost equally efficient, however, are methods which can be used by any one in safety. As a result of the extraction of the water the blood flows less freely, the hands and feet and ears first begin to get cold and purple, the temperature of the body falls, some- times alarmingly. If now the patient is put in a bath tub, and kept there with only his head out of the water, and the water is kept at a temperature of 100 degrees to 102 degrees Fahrenheit, further loss of heat will be prevented, and the system will absorb some water from the bath. The tem- perature of the patient must be kept up as near normal as possible. Perhaps a bath like this is not obtainable. If so, the use of a hot pack may be a good substitute, wrapping the patient in sheets wrung out of hot water and covering him thoroughly with woolen blankets. An old way of using the hot pack consisted in boiling a lot of corn on the ear, and packing the hot corn all around the patient. Hot bottles and water bags are better than nothing, but in this case moist heat is better than dry heat. - The blood must not be allowed to stagnate. To prevent this the extremities should be rubbed firmly toward the body. Don't simply chafe the skin, but grasp the hand or foot firmly and press the blood along toward the heart. Asphyxia is often found in the disease, the lungs being collapsed and emptied of air. To counteract, this condition 298 The Family Doctor prompt and intelligent action, as if to resuscitate a drowning person. Place the patient upon his back, with a small pillow under the small of the back. Place yourself at his head, and grasping both his elbows, raise the arms alongside the patient's head. This expands the chest. Then force the elbows against the chest and express the air. This should be done about fifteen times a minute. The action should be strong, regular, and not sudden or jerking. At the same time the bodily heat must be preserved. The judicious use of alcohol internally is of great assist- ance in the collapsed stage, but it is often abused. There is relatively little danger of the spread of the disease from the exhaled breath or from the urine. The danger is great from the discharges from the bowels. It is found that the bacteria are less strong and less prolific when first discharged. After standing a little time they are very prolific and hard to kill. Discharges should therefore be passed into a solution of corrosive sublimate (proportion i to 1,000) or into a 4 per cent, solution of carbolic acid, to which has been added a little sulphuric acid. Even with these precautions they should not be allowed to remain in the room. They should, if possible, be burned. Under no condition should they be cast into the sewers without previous disinfection. Neither should a surface or dry closet be used.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

One of the greatest dangers in the disease is the collapse produced by the extraction of the water from the system. To counteract this, salt water is sometimes injected into the veins. This, of course, should not be done except by a physician or surgeon. Almost equally efficient, however, are methods which can be used by any one in safety. As a result of the extraction of the water the blood flows less freely, the hands and feet and ears first begin to get cold and purple, the temperature of the body falls, sometimes alarmingly. If now the patient is put in a bath tub, and kept there with only his head out of the water, and the water is kept at a temperature of 100 degrees to 102 degrees Fahrenheit, further loss of heat will be prevented, and the system will absorb some water from the bath. The temperature of the patient must be kept up as near normal as possible. Perhaps a bath like this is not obtainable. If so, the use of a hot pack may be a good substitute, wrapping the patient in sheets wrung out of hot water and covering him thoroughly with woolen blankets. An old way of using the hot pack consisted in boiling a lot of corn on the ear, and packing the hot corn all around the patient. Hot bottles and water bags are better than nothing, but in this case moist heat is better than dry heat. - The blood must not be allowed to stagnate. To prevent this the extremities should be rubbed firmly toward the body. Don't simply chafe the skin, but grasp the hand or foot firmly and press the blood along toward the heart. Asphyxia is often found in the disease, the lungs being collapsed and emptied of air. To counteract, this condition 298 The Family Doctor prompt and intelligent action, as if to resuscitate a drowning person. Place the patient upon his back, with a small pillow under the small of the back. Place yourself at his head, and grasping both his elbows, raise the arms alongside the patient's head. This expands the chest. Then force the elbows against the chest and express the air. This should be done about fifteen times a minute. The action should be strong, regular, and not sudden or jerking. At the same time the bodily heat must be preserved. The judicious use of alcohol internally is of great assistance in the collapsed stage, but it is often abused. There is relatively little danger of the spread of the disease from the exhaled breath or from the urine. The danger is great from the discharges from the bowels. It is found that the bacteria are less strong and less prolific when first discharged. After standing a little time they are very prolific and hard to kill. Discharges should therefore be passed into a solution of corrosive sublimate (proportion i to 1,000) or into a 4 per cent, solution of carbolic acid, to which has been added a little sulphuric acid. Even with these precautions they should not be allowed to remain in the room. They should, if possible, be burned. Under no condition should they be cast into the sewers without previous disinfection. Neither should a surface or dry closet be used.

The century cook book