HOME TREATMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 126, 30 May 1934, Page 15

HOME TREATMENT.

INFANT COLIC.

(By PERITUS.)

An attack of abdominal pain, not due to disease and calling for prompt surgical interference, can be quickly quelled by a liot water injection between 95 degrees and 100 degrees F. in temperature, slowly run into the bowel, and a dose, of sweet spirits of nitre, 10 to 15 drops in a spoonful of water, given by the mouth. If there is flatulence this will disperse it, and a hot compress on the beliy will hasten relief. A dose of rhubarb and soda and sugar of milk, or one of castor oil, should be given when the pain lias passed. Sometimes even breast milk is too rich for a child, and he will cry when or after being fed. In such cases give one or two tablespoonfuls of barley water before the feeding. _ Perhaps, in a bottle fed infant, one grain of citrate of soda to each two tablespoonfuls of milk will cure the indigestion. In older children cold feet and legs will sometimes set up colic, and they should have a hot compress on the abdomen and a pint of hot barley water with a teaspoonful of oil of turpentine injected as an enema. Cut off most starchy food —cakes, biscuits, potatoes, grain puddings —and give pounded fish and fowl and cold toast buttered. In nearly all cases an aperient is required, and calomel followed by Epsom, salts next day is most reliable and gives no griping pains. For a frequently used aperient liquorice powder is probably the best. It must always be remembered that a piece of unmasticatecl apple or unripe banana acts like a poison in some children, in fact, "banana poisoning" is not unknown. The ' binder of all-wool flannel used for infants can be used for older children through the winter months. Such a band should go twice round, be of fine Saxony flannel, and be not less than ten inches broad. Many colic attacks can be avoided by this means alone.