Bowels, Inammflatlon of.— This is often ushered in by slight
shivering fit, a degree of nausea with thirst, and a white, furred
tongue with a red tip or red spots. There will be pain or ten-
derness of some parts of the abdomen, more commonly in the
lower part or about the middle region. The pain is of a dull
sort, except in the part that is most tender on pressure, where
it will become acute and increased by bodily movements. The
knees are generally drawn up in order to take off the pressure
of the muscles of the abdomen. There is loss of appetite, sick-
ness, sometimes vomiting, with increasing thirst, a coated
tongue, and a hot, dry skin. The bowels are often obstinately
• constipated at the commencement of an attack of inflammation,
and afterwards they become relieved even to diarrhoea. The
character of the motions will vary — they are usually thin and
watery, consisting of mucus and faeces, and are occasionally
tinged with blood.
MEDICINAL. 303
These symptoms are generally attended with a feverish condi-
tion of the system, as shown by a rapid, sharp pulse, thirst, heat
of surface, &c. Inflammation of the bowels may originate in
indigestible or undigested food; the action of irritant poisons,
or of too active purgation.
Treatment. — Complete rest of body, and, as far as is
possible, of the intestines, is the first and most essential point of
treatment. The patient must be confined to the bed, and
warm fomentations and poultices should be applied over the
abdomen. Pain and diarrhoea may be relieved by Dover's
powder — five grains every four or six hours, according to the
severity of the symptoms, in cases of adults; for children,
smaller doses may be cautiously given. If the pain be very
acute, one grain of plain opium may be given every six hours.
Turpentine stupes will be found useful. The constipation that
sometimes ushers in an attack of inflammation of the bowels
is often relieved by a few doses of opium. It depends upon
spasm or cramp of the intestinal fibres. The diet should be
of the simplest kind, soft and nutritious — e. g., milk, beef tea,
mutton broth, eggs, arrowroot, etc., in small quantities fre-
quently.
Breast, Inflammation of (acute). — Milk Abscess. — Symp-
toms.— A portion of the breast becoming harder than the rest,
and having a throbbing pain, with slight redness of the skin.
The hardness and pain extending, a degree of fever is set up.
Shivering takes place, the throbbing increases — at last some
one spot on the surface becomes softer as the matter which has
been formed comes to the surface — the skin is thinned and
gives way, if not opened by a lancet, and allows of the escape
of matter, sometimes in lai"ge quantities.
Abscess of the breast occurs during the early weeks of
nursing, and sometimes during weaning, sometimes through
neglect in drawing off the milk when it is required to be done,
and often without any known cause, and despite every care
that may have been taken.
Page 214
Presented as published in 1883. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Bowels, Inflammation of.— This is often ushered in by slight shivering fit, a degree of nausea with thirst, and a white, furred tongue with a red tip or red spots. There will be pain or tenderness of some parts of the abdomen, more commonly in the lower part or about the middle region. The pain is of a dull sort, except in the part that is most tender on pressure, where it will become acute and increased by bodily movements. The knees are generally drawn up in order to take off the pressure of the muscles of the abdomen. There is loss of appetite, sickness, sometimes vomiting, with increasing thirst, a coated tongue, and a hot, dry skin. The bowels are often obstinately • constipated at the commencement of an attack of inflammation, and afterwards they become relieved even to diarrhoea. The character of the motions will vary — they are usually thin and watery, consisting of mucus and faeces, and are occasionally tinged with blood.
These symptoms are generally attended with a feverish condition of the system, as shown by a rapid, sharp pulse, thirst, heat of surface, &c. Inflammation of the bowels may originate in indigestible or undigested food; the action of irritant poisons, or of too active purgation.
Treatment. — Complete rest of body, and, as far as is possible, of the intestines, is the first and most essential point of treatment. The patient must be confined to the bed, and warm fomentations and poultices should be applied over the abdomen. Pain and diarrhoea may be relieved by Dover's powder — five grains every four or six hours, according to the severity of the symptoms, in cases of adults; for children, smaller doses may be cautiously given. If the pain be very acute, one grain of plain opium may be given every six hours. Turpentine stupes will be found useful. The constipation that sometimes ushers in an attack of inflammation of the bowels is often relieved by a few doses of opium. It depends upon spasm or cramp of the intestinal fibres. The diet should be of the simplest kind, soft and nutritious — e. g., milk, beef tea, mutton broth, eggs, arrowroot, etc., in small quantities frequently.
Breast, Inflammation of (acute). — Milk Abscess. — Symptoms.— A portion of the breast becoming harder than the rest, and having a throbbing pain, with slight redness of the skin. The hardness and pain extending, a degree of fever is set up. Shivering takes place, the throbbing increases — at last some one spot on the surface becomes softer as the matter which has been formed comes to the surface — the skin is thinned and gives way, if not opened by a lancet, and allows of the escape of matter, sometimes in lai"ge quantities.
Abscess of the breast occurs during the early weeks of nursing, and sometimes during weaning, sometimes through neglect in drawing off the milk when it is required to be done, and often without any known cause, and despite every care that may have been taken.