The century cook book

Besides poultices made from linseed meal, there are others in frequent use, such as those made from bread and water, oatmeal, arrowroot, bran; and others, which are much less often employed, made from carrots, potatoes, onions, etc. In addition to these there are poultices more strictly medicated, such as those made of foxglove or hemlock. As these may prove dangerous if carelessly employed, they ought only to be made use of when ordered by the medical attendant. Mustard Poultice . This is ordinarily made by sprinkling the surface of a linseed meal poultice with mustard, and covering it with muslin to retain the mustard in its place. The Invalid's Air-cushion. in THE FAMILY DOCTOR Prescriptions are herein found which apply to some of the cases vientioned in a preceding chapter, ' * What to Do in Case of Accident or Sudden Illness." They have been preserved, however, as they are more especially applicable to HOME TREATMENT in general. Asthma. The attack most frequently comes on between one and three o'clock in the morning. The sufferer sits or stands up, leaning forward, and labors to breathe. The countenance is anxious, with pallor, coldness, and in severe cases, lividness of the face and hands. The attack may pass over in a few minutes, or may last for hours; or, with some remission, days or weeks. Death almost never occurs during the fit of asthma. Those subject to it often live to old age. But dilation of the pulmonary air-cells, and enlargement of the heart, may follow in protracted cases, breaking down the health. Asthma is hereditary in a majority of cases. Males have it more often than females. Smoke, fog, fumes of various things, ipecac, mustard, new hay may cause it. During the attack take the following: Take of wine of ipecac and tincture of lobelia, each a half a fluid ounce. Mix, and take one-half teaspoonful every half hour until expectoration or nausea occurs. Smoking tobacco relieves in some instances; smoking cigarettes of stramonium leaves in others, as also the inhalation of burning nitre paper. As an adjuvant, the warm mustard foot bath may be employed, as well as mustard plaster or dry cupping applied between the shoulders. Take of nitre, half a drachm, 292 The Family Doctor powdered anise seed, half an ounce, powdered stramonium leaves, one ounce; mix, place a thimbleful in a plate, light it, and inhale the fumes. Between the attacks, take five grains of iodide of potassium three times a day. No disease is more curiously capricious in its causation than asthma. Some always have an attack if they visit the seashore; others are more secure there than elsewhere. Each must learn his own peculiarities, and be governed thereby. The climate of Colorado is said to possess a remarkable influence in promoting the amelioration and cure of asthma. Biliousness. Take of ipecac, 3 grains; blue mass, 8 grains; compound extract of colocynth, 16 grains; mix, and divide into eight pills. Take one at night and morning. Generally in mild cases, two or three grains of blue mass at bedtime, followed in the morning by citrate of magnesia, or a seidlitz powder will give relief. The diet should be light, and fifteen grain doses of bicarbonate of soda should be taken twice a day for several days.