tines, from an overloaded condition, may give rise to the same
set of symptoms. It may be scarcely possible to distinguish
between them, except by the result. Fortunately the treat-
ment may be the same.
Symptoms. — The symptoms are: Frequent desire to empty
the bowel, without success; severe pain, usually at some one
spot, with extreme tenderness in that part.
Treatment. — As soon as the fruitless nature of the
attempts to evacuate the intestines are apparent, all purgatives
should be withheld. Clysters of large quantities of warm
water, or of warm olive oil, should be passed gently into the
bowel. By persevering with these, the obstruction is some-
times overcome, and if the cause of the obstruction be loaded
bowels, relief will pretty surely follow. The obstruction may
last for several days, and yet give way to this simple and
unirritating mode of treatment. Vomiting and nausea gener-
ally attend these cases, which may be relieved by pieces of ice
and small quantities of champagne, or soda-water and brandy.
Concussion of the Brain. — Symptoms. — This condition may
be the result of either a fall, or blow on the head, or it may be
occasioned by a violent jerk to the body, especially to the lower
part of the spine. After one or other of these accidents, the
symptoms of concussion will be: Unconsciousness, and loss of
power of moving; a small and feeble pulse; the pupil of the
eye insensible to the light; the complexion pallid; skin cold,
and there may be vomiting. Convulsions, also, are likely to
occur if a child is the subject of concussion.
Treatment. — Small quantities of stimulants, such as wine,
brandy, ether, or salvolatile in water, should be given every
half hour, if the patient can swallow, until signs of reaction
begin to show themselves. This will be known by the restora-
tion of warmth and color to the surface of the body, together
with increased force in the pulse, and gradually reviving con-
sciousness.
Congestion of the Brain. — Symptoms. — Many very differ-
ent sets of symptoms are often included under this one term.
Thus, a " fit " is said to be caused by congestion of the brain,
and so is a feverish condition with ** head symptoms," so with
a " stroke," so also with delirium.
It is indicated by headache, giddiness, unusual dullness of
the mind, and of the senses of sight and hearing, or preternat-
ural excitability, impairment of memory, noises in the ears,
and a flushed countenance. There is feebleness or sluggish-
ness of movement. The dullness may pass on into apoplexy,
or paralysis, or convulsions; or the morbid excitabily may be
but the precursor of inflammation of the brain.
MEDICINAL '315
Treatment. — The treatment must be modified very much
by its causes. If from over use of the brain, change of scene,
fresh air, and bodily exercise may be sufficient to dispel it.
Shower-baths, with tonic medicines and mild aperients, will
suffice. Sea-bathing, or plunging-bath, should be avoided, so
/ong as there are any symptoms referable to the brain. If the
dullness and heaviness persist, more active purgatives may be
employed, and a rather more abstemious diet followed.
Page 224
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
tines, from an overloaded condition, may give rise to the same set of symptoms. It may be scarcely possible to distinguish between them, except by the result. Fortunately the treatment may be the same.
Symptoms. — The symptoms are: Frequent desire to empty the bowel, without success; severe pain, usually at some one spot, with extreme tenderness in that part.
Treatment. — As soon as the fruitless nature of the attempts to evacuate the intestines are apparent, all purgatives should be withheld. Clysters of large quantities of warm water, or of warm olive oil, should be passed gently into the bowel. By persevering with these, the obstruction is sometimes overcome, and if the cause of the obstruction be loaded bowels, relief will pretty surely follow. The obstruction may last for several days, and yet give way to this simple and unirritating mode of treatment. Vomiting and nausea generally attend these cases, which may be relieved by pieces of ice and small quantities of champagne, or soda-water and brandy.
Concussion of the Brain. — Symptoms. — This condition may be the result of either a fall, or blow on the head, or it may be occasioned by a violent jerk to the body, especially to the lower part of the spine. After one or other of these accidents, the symptoms of concussion will be: Unconsciousness, and loss of power of moving; a small and feeble pulse; the pupil of the eye insensible to the light; the complexion pallid; skin cold, and there may be vomiting. Convulsions, also, are likely to occur if a child is the subject of concussion.
Treatment. — Small quantities of stimulants, such as wine, brandy, ether, or salvolatile in water, should be given every half hour, if the patient can swallow, until signs of reaction begin to show themselves. This will be known by the restoration of warmth and color to the surface of the body, together with increased force in the pulse, and gradually reviving consciousness.
Congestion of the Brain. — Symptoms. — Many very different sets of symptoms are often included under this one term. Thus, a " fit " is said to be caused by congestion of the brain, and so is a feverish condition with ** head symptoms," so with a " stroke," so also with delirium.
It is indicated by headache, giddiness, unusual dullness of the mind, and of the senses of sight and hearing, or preternatural excitability, impairment of memory, noises in the ears, and a flushed countenance. There is feebleness or sluggishness of movement. The dullness may pass on into apoplexy, or paralysis, or convulsions; or the morbid excitabily may be but the precursor of inflammation of the brain.
Treatment. — The treatment must be modified very much by its causes. If from over use of the brain, change of scene, fresh air, and bodily exercise may be sufficient to dispel it. Shower-baths, with tonic medicines and mild aperients, will suffice. Sea-bathing, or plunging-bath, should be avoided, so long as there are any symptoms referable to the brain. If the dullness and heaviness persist, more active purgatives may be employed, and a rather more abstemious diet followed.