_Alcohol_ may be used to disinfect the more delicate utensils as the thermometer. _Most alcohol now obtainable is wood alcohol or denaturated; that is, mixed with powerful poisons, so that it should never touch the mouth._ Never place a bottle of alcohol near a flame. If it is ever necessary to use an alcohol lamp, use the solid alcohol. It is much safer.

_Camphorated oil_ is often used to rub the chest and neck with in case of colds. It should be warmed and rubbed in thoroughly. Protect the bedclothes and the patient's clothes with towels. After rubbing, wipe and cover the part with a flannel, to prevent chill.

_Spirits of camphor or aromatic spirits of ammonia_, a few drops on a handkerchief or piece of cotton, held five or six inches from the nose, relieves faintness. Inhaling the camphor in this way will often make it easier to breathe through the nose in case of a head cold. Fifteen drops of aromatic spirits of ammonia in a tablespoonful of water may be given to anyone recovering from a faint or to relieve nausea.

_Flaxseed tea_ is an old-fashioned remedy for coughs. Pour a quart of boiling water over two tablespoonfuls of flaxseed and let it simmer for two or three hours, or until reduced to about a pint of tea. Strain through a fine strainer several times so that it will not be stringy, flavor with lemon, and add honey or sugar. Put in a covered jar, and take a teaspoonful at a time to relieve irritation in the throat.

_The Daily Clean-Out._--People, sick or well, should have a bowel movement once or twice a day. Taking medicine for this purpose is a very bad habit. If healthy people have the proper exercise and food, and drink plenty of good water, medicine is not necessary. Eating coa.r.s.e grained food, as bran m.u.f.fins, corn meal porridge, fruits, and vegetables, drinking plenty of water, exercising in the open air, and having a regular time for going to the lavatory (immediately after breakfast and the last thing at night before retiring are suggested times) are habits that are usually sufficient to keep the bowels in good order.

If the waste matter is not carried off by the bowel movements, the body will in time become poisoned by the decayed substance in the intestines, and illness follows. Many headaches, "tired feelings," "blues," and even appendicitis may be caused by constipation.

People who are sick and therefore deprived of taking exercise to help in keeping their bowels regular, need to have very special attention paid to their diet and to have plenty of drinking water always at hand. Also they should have bedpan or whatever other attention they need _regularly_, and when asked for, _immediately_.

_Chill_, if due to exposure, may be treated by giving a warm bath or a foot bath, and putting to bed between warm blankets and with hot water bags. Rub briskly under the covers and give a warm drink such as tea, coffee, milk, etc.

Some Common Ills and Their Treatment

When a chill is not merely due to being cold, give the same treatment except the rubbing, take the temperature, and if there is fever, send for the doctor, as it may be the beginning of an illness.

_Colds or cramps_, or pain in the bowels may be caused by constipation, by gas, by undigested food, by the monthly period or more serious causes. Apply heat (hot water bag or fomentation), sip hot water in which is a little baking soda (one-half teaspoonful to a cup), or a few drops of peppermint. Try a hot foot bath. Lie down and keep very quiet with a hot water bag at feet. If pain continues, except in the case of the monthly illness, empty the stomach either by putting the finger down the throat or by drinking warm water and soda until vomiting starts.

Take an enema or a dose of castor oil. If the pain still continues, send for a doctor.

_Convulsions._ Send for a doctor at once. Loosen all clothing, undress if possible. Watch and prevent patient from hurting herself. Do not try to restrain. Try to force a spoonhandle wound with a bandage between the teeth, to prevent biting of tongue. Keep lying down with head slightly raised. As soon as possible, administer enema or dose of castor oil. Put ice bag on head and hot water bottle to feet. Keep warm. A child may be put into a warm bath and held until convulsions subside. Keep very quiet and handle as little as possible when the convulsion is over, as handling may cause a repet.i.tion of the twitching.

_Croup._ Give steam inhalation. Keep a kettle of very warm water in the room. If this is not possible, fill the bathroom with steam by turning on the hot water, and take the patient there. Put hot fomentations to neck, chest, and abdomen. Send for doctor, who will usually order medicine to make the child vomit, which brings some relief.

_Earache._ Use hot applications against the ear. A heated gla.s.s or a cup in which there is a cloth wrung in very hot water, held against the ear may be found very comforting. Never put drops nor anything else into the ear ca.n.a.l. Either send for the doctor or take the patient to him, as there may be a developing abscess which needs to be opened.

_Fever._ Patient should go to bed in a well ventilated room and keep quiet. The bowels should move freely and plenty of water be taken.

Bathing the hands, face and neck or rubbing with alcohol gives relief, especially if there is restlessness. Only liquid food should be given, and even that should not be urged.

_Headaches._ The commonest causes of frequent headaches are eye-strain and indigestion. The cure is being fitted with gla.s.ses and taking a proper diet. Rest and quiet, careful eating, cold compresses to the head, a hot water bag to the feet, or a foot bath will usually relieve an ordinary headache. Sometimes, as when there is constipation, a dose of castor oil is necessary. An enema will often give instant relief.

Never take headache medicines unless a doctor has specially ordered it.

These medicines may contain powerful poisons. The danger of taking them is that while for the time being they may relieve the headache, the _cause_ of the headache _remains_, and the headache returns unless the cause, such as eye-strain or indigestion, is removed.

_Hiccoughs_ can be usually stopped by drinking a gla.s.s of water in sips while holding the breath. They are usually caused by eating too fast or by some form of indigestion.

Colds, Their Prevention and Care

Everybody knows that colds are "catching." People who are over-tired or under-fed, who stay too much in either under-heated or over-heated rooms, or who do not bathe regularly, or who do not get exercise enough in the open air, are those most likely to catch cold.

If you have a cold yourself, stay away from others if possible, and do all in your power to prevent others coming close to you. Cover the mouth when coughing or sneezing, use paper or old rags instead of handkerchiefs and then burn them; wash your hands before touching things others are to use, and use separate dishes, which should be kept entirely apart from the family dishes and washed separately. If such precautions are taken by the first member of the family to take cold, it would seldom spread through the family.

When people around you have colds, avoid getting close to them, gargle often, take deep breaths of fresh air whenever possible, wash your hands often and keep them away from your nose and mouth.

You do not need to be told that the handkerchief used by anyone with a cold is full of germs. It should be kept from touching other things and should never be left lying around.

If, at the first signs of a cold, a good dose of castor oil is taken, a gla.s.s of hot lemonade and a hot bath before going to bed, a cold may be "broken up," as we say. In mild weather, the windows may be left open, but if the weather is very cold it is better to air the room from another room, in order to keep an even temperature, but there should be good ventilation.

If the throat is sore, gargling and a cold compress to the neck will bring relief. If there is fever and headache, you have already been told what to do. Anyone with a cold should eat very lightly and drink plenty of water. They should be as quiet as possible and get all the rest and sleep possible.

Camphorated or plain vaseline may be put in the nostrils, and if there is a cough, plain vaseline may be taken internally--placed on the tongue at the back of the mouth. A spoonful of flaxseed tea taken as often as necessary to relieve irritation may bring relief. Inhalations are helpful in hoa.r.s.eness. Never give any cough medicines except what are ordered by a doctor.

If the symptoms continue after the first night it is advisable to call a doctor, as what seems a slight cold may be the beginning of a serious illness, as measles, scarlet fever, pneumonia, etc. If there is earache, rapid breathing, great weakness or sleepiness the doctor should be called at once.

Any symptom that lasts after a cold, as pain in one part, weakness, or high temperature, needs a doctor's attention.

Food for the Sick

Food for the sick should be light and easily digested. Generally the doctor says what may be eaten. Such foods as the following are included in so-called invalid foods: Milk, milk soups, eggs, raw and soft-cooked, rennet, custards, ice creams, alb.u.min water, well cooked cereals, gruels, broths, toasts, milk toast, jellies made with gelatine, such as lemon and wine jelly; macaroni, spaghetti, well-cooked bread (never fresh bread), tea, coffee, cocoa.

Sick people should have their meals as regularly as possible, at regular hours and promptly and attractively served. The tray, the dishes, the tray-cloth, should be spotlessly clean, and the tray should not be over-loaded with dishes or food. If it is necessary to bring all the food for a meal to the room on the tray at once in order to save steps, remove some of it, perhaps the dessert, until the patient is ready for it.

Before leaving the room to prepare the tray, arrange everything so that the patient may eat the food as soon as it is brought. As a rule it is better for the sick member of the family to have her meals served before the family sits down to the table, so that she may have her food fresh and hot, and not get tired waiting.

Try to have food that the patient likes, if possible. If she does not like what may be served her, it may be served so attractively that her appet.i.te may be tempted.

All food should be tasted before serving. Serve hot food hot, and cold food cold.

Milk is the most nourishing of liquid foods. If it is to be heated, do not let it boil. Always take the chill off milk served to children.

Generally speaking, cooked food is better than uncooked, even fruits.

Baked apples or apple sauce, for example, are safer to give the sick than raw apples.

Toast is better than bread. Toast upon which the b.u.t.ter has melted should not be given to a sick person. Have the toast hot, and b.u.t.ter each mouthful as eaten. Bread should be at least one day old before being given to a sick person. Hot breads, such as fresh rolls and biscuits, are not good foods for ill people. Fried foods should be kept from invalids and children.

The best way to prepare a potato for an invalid is to bake it. It should be served when it is light and mealy, and never after it has become soggy.

The best way of cooking meat is to broil it, having the outside well browned, and the inside soft and juicy, never dry and hard.

A Tray for Liquid and Soft Food

The tray should be large enough to hold two gla.s.ses or a cup and saucer and a gla.s.s, as well as salt or sugar. Put two spoons on the tray, and if the patient is using a tube or a feeder, put that on the tray. One of the gla.s.ses should contain fresh water. Offer a gla.s.s of water before and after the nourishment.

The tray for soft solids. Suppose the meal is to be boiled rice, or other cereal, and toast. The tray should have a fresh doilie, salt, sugar (covered), a gla.s.s of water, two teaspoons, a knife, if b.u.t.ter is allowed on the toast, and a small pitcher of milk or cream for the rice.

Put the cereal in a deep saucer or small bowl, cover with a plate or saucer and rest on another plate. Spread a small napkin on another plate. Put the toast on it, then wrap the napkin around it to keep hot.

Sick people should have plenty of water to drink. Besides having a pitcher of fresh water and a gla.s.s where it may be easily reached, always put a gla.s.s of fresh cool water on the tray when food or medicine are brought. While ice water is bad for both sick and well people, the water should be cool enough to be agreeable and refreshing. Water that is chilled to the right temperature by being kept in the ice chest, bottled, is preferable. It should be drunk slowly and not gulped down.

Water standing in the room should be kept covered at all times.

Feeding Helpless Patients

A patient is often so weak that she cannot lift her head in order to eat. In this case she would be given liquids through straws or by spoon or "feeder." Sometimes by putting a small quant.i.ty of liquid in a gla.s.s, two tablespoonfuls, a patient is enabled to drink without spilling a drop.