HEALTH NOTES.

Hastings Standard, Volume XII, Issue 5846, 9 May 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

HEALTH NOTES.

SCALDS , , For scalds an application of glycerine is most useful. Strips of linen or lint, well soaked in glvcri:.e. gently laid over the scalded skin immediately after the accident, will afford relief trom pain, and hasten a cure.

BRUISES If a child receives a blow causing a bruise, smear a small lump of fresh butter on tho part affected, and renew it every five minutes for two or three hours. Olive oil may be used if fresh butter is not at hand.

V'.M UE OF A TEPID BATH A warm water or tepid bath is hig.ily recommended for those who cannot take a cold one. The effect is soothing the bleed flowing into the relaxed superficial vessels of the skin, and thereby increasing its functions.

BLACK CURRANT TEA Black currant tea is an excel.ent drink for a sure throat. Put two tablespoonfuls of black currant jam, with a pint of water, into a saucepan and allow them to simmer for halt an hour; strain it. and if it is to be taken for a cold or sore throat, drink it as hot as possible.

FATTY FOODS FOR WARMTH For some unaccountable reason the eating or fat is regarded by not a few as positive'.v vulgar. Such an attitude displays an ignorance of physiological facts. Cold feet, hands, finders, ears, and chilblains would iu many instances be avoided under a generous diet of fattv fcod. —"Lancet.''

POVERTY AND CONSUMPTION. How closely the disease of consumption is connected with poverty is shown by two large charts, one relating to England and Scotland, and the ether to Ireland. The striking fact shown is that where pauperism is rampant there is consumption rampant also. "Co-operative News."'

VALUE OF CURRANTS The King's phvsiciau has recently recalled the fact that there is great virtue in currants—a virtue which our forefathers were cot slow to take advantage of. There is far more sustenance in currants than in double the quantity of lean beef. And yet. because; currants are so cheap, as to be within the roach of tho very poorest, we overlook their wonderful health-giving ciiiahtties.

INFLUENZA CURE One of the best cures yet discovered for influenza is undoubtedly that of a certain French doctor, who doses his patients with essence of cinnamon. Twenty to twenty-five drops taken three times a day in water is the ordinary prescription. The remedy, by the very fact of its mildness, will perhaps not tempt the majority of the people, who believe in strong and black doses.

FRUIT SKINS FATAL The skill of an apple or a pear is very harmful (says the •' Family Doctor ). and has, been known, when eaten, to bring on acute gastritis, with fatal results.

A REMEDY FOR TOOTHACHE Fill a small cup with boiling vinecar. Dip a piece of cotton-wool into the vinegar, and rub the gum; let the vinegar be as hot as von can endure-. Stuff tho aching tooth with some wool. In five minutes the pain will have ceased. Sometimes, however, two opplications must be made.

CHILBLAINS Rub tho part affected with spirits of rosemary, or aromatic camphorated cream; afterwards apply pieces of soft linen moistened with camphorated spirits, soap liniment, or camphor liniment. When the swellings break or ulcerate apply poultices and emollient ointments for a few days. Another remedv is egiial quantities of sweet oil. lime water, and proof spirits.

SPECTACLES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN. An interesting report on the providing of spectacles for school children emanates from Tjr.jnay (Eng.). Hie v Board of Education hating decided that v the ratepayers" money could not be .used for providing the spectacles. ;>. yrolirutnrv Uicd MJi.:--,ifX-iifil~' In all, I 403 children were examined hy the ophthalmic surgeon, and in 2~>l cases spec-1 tacie? were ordered- rii'iy-one paivntSj provided the spectacle-!, and m only twentv-onc instances was the entire cost of the spectacles borne l.y the fund. The attitude of the parents, on the whole, has been sympathetic and appreciative.

A PEBBLE IN THE EAR Dr. Jul Eo.-ke <" I'ngar. Meuic, Presse") remrts the following case:—A pebble lodged in the left ear of a three-year-old bov: repeated syringing failed to dislodge it ; its extraction was attempted unsuccessfully under narcosis by means of the ear-spoon and pointed hook. Then an incision was made behind the pinna of the ear and paral'e with it, and the cartilaginous externa! auditory canal was opened. The pebble was seen wedged tightly at the liottom of tho canal. It wa> necessary to remove a few circular layers from the bony wall of the auditory canal to en able one to lift out the stone with the car-spoon.

INJURIOUS FOOD Some foods are vi ry injurious u> the sight. A case was brought under the notice ot an eye spe<-i-ilist in which the eyes of a whole family .were affected by eatinz rabbit pie. In each instance the patient bad become afflicted with a peculiar defect ei" vi.-ion that is technically known as "failure, of accommodation." So. me foods are proved to be tho cause in a case of weakening of the sight known as amblyopia. Stale sausages and scur cream are cquMly injnrious. Blindness resulting from eating tainted fish has been found almost impossible to cure, and quinine, is also responsible for some persons halfblind -condition. This drug affects the optic nerve in a manner that sometimes ends in blindness.

CAKE OF THE HAIR Wear a hat as little as possible. Do not wear heavy hats or hats that lo not allow proper ventilation, or those that fit the head tightly. The fashionable high hat worn by gentlemen _ U Tery hard on the head. The hair, like vegetables, requires light and air. Piople with thin Iriir or a tendency vi baldness should indulge spaiingiy in sea bathing, as salt is rather injurious to weak hair. Sensible eating and plenty of sleeping are two things to be careful about observing. "Regular exercise is very important, and personal cleanliness means everything to the general state of health, and hence to the hair. Regularity, every day. gently rub firmly rub the head over until the scalp tingles. This will promote the circulation of the blood to the head.

WATER AS A XKRVK FOOT> If nervous women would only drink moro water they would not be so nerrons. Nearly every physician will recommend a woman who is suffering from nervous prostration or nervous exhaustion to di inks lots of water between meals but ninny women who do not come nnder a doctor's care would feel better and look better if they would drink, say, a quart of water in the course of a day. WaUr is nerve food.

It has a distinctly soothing effect when sipped gradually, as one can test for oiuself. Moreover, tho hygienic effects of pure water are not confined to tho female sex, for, .is a matter of fact, men would bo all tho better it' they imbibed more of it.

APPLES FOR SLEEPLESSNESS The apple is such a common fruit that very lew persons are familiar with its remarkably efficacious medicinal properties. Everybody ought toknow that tho very best "thing ho (or she) can do is to eat apples l>cfore retiring for the night. Persons uninitiated in the mysteues of the fruit are liable to threw up their hands in horror at the visions of dyspepsia which such a suggestion may summon up, but no harm can come even to a delicate system by the eating of the ripe and juicy apple before going to bed. l'li.> apple is excellent brain food, because it has more phosphoric acid in an easily digested shape than any other fruits. It excites the action of the liver, promotes sound and healthy slop, and disinfects the mouth. This is not all; the apple prevents indigestion and throat diseases.

INFLUENZA AND THE HEART The desire not to make too much of a ;uiu:ir illness sometimes will force a man who has been really laid low by influenza for a few days to hurry back to his work as soon as his acute symptoms have passed off. In th- and strong pers.m the only untoward result of such a disregard of the seriousness oi the disease may he a temporary inability to get back to normal strength and energy. In the man who is past middle ago and whost heart is slightly fatty or otherwise so degenerated tho consequences may be much more serial!.;.. Atter an influenza attack, no matter how short in duration, have tlv heart carefully examined by a physician to -seo whether it is strong enough to allow yo uto go buck to ordinary duties. Stay in bed, or at least in tho house, for a day .;r two after you feel able to get up. In this way tho heart will have a chance to recover from the effects of the influenza poison before being called upon to resume its ordinary duties.

NETTLE-RASH Nettle-rash or hives a-e characterised by the sudden appearance on the skin of pinkish elevations accompanied by intense itching. The, wheals may last from a few minutes to several hours, disappear, and then be succeeded by others. They are usually found on tho skin, but sometimes may affect tho mucous membrane of the throat or larynx, in which latter case very alarming and dangerous suffocative attacks may occur. Ordinarily an attack lasts but a few days, but in some cases the di.seaso may persist for years. Nettlerash is caused by disturbance of the digestive tract, the irritating article of diet varying in different individuals. Tho most common articles to producthives arc: Lobsters, crabs, mussels, pork sausage, nuts, oatmeal, and strawberries. In cases seen early an emetic frenuentlv will euro by getting rid of tho offending substance. In chronic cases every effort must b© made to discover tho cause and to regulate the patict's diet. In obstinate cas-s a few weeks on a milk diet is very efficacious. Cooling lotions applied to the wheals will often allay the intense itching.

DANGERS OF BLISTERS Dr Huchard entertains the following opinion concerning blisters : 1. They often produce an open wound, which facilitates secondary infections or the absorption of cantharides. 2. Besides the tending to caii.se m-flnn-mation of the kidney and bladder. they have a general congestive action. 3. Even in those disease where they are most frequently used, such as pneumonia and pleurisy, they should be dis-ca-drd. because, though they increase pulmrmary ventilation. _ they increase also pulmonary congestion. i. Blistes tend to arrest execration by the kidneys, so important in all infectious diseases, and this is especially harmful in these, normally causing albuminuria. Instead of aiding the execration of toxines, blisters are likely to produce a fresh intoxication. o. The only real use of blisters is in their revulsive and analgesic action, but thi<: effect is better attained by les.-: daiu'e-rons means, such as mustard plasters or cold baths.

WALKING BEFORE A vp'-v common amateur piece of ndvien to the man whose health is a little 1.--V- prr is. ''Take a brisk walk before break fast, and von will feel a new man all dav." The "sufferer may follow this suggestion, and without doubt he will not it a decided change in his condition. Th-> trouble is that the change in nine case, out- of ten is for the worse. Reco—rs'ng this fact, he imagines he is r.rV-- viii down than he had originally su;>r -ed, so he probably makes things wo— ■'•• bv worrying over his health. It shot-] 1 be thoroughly understood that on!.- Die person of very strong eonstituti :i and digestion can do any work. phv-i.-a! cr mental, after an eight or ten [ oirs' fast without endangering his l-cMi. During sleep, which ordinarily hogins just as the digestion of the eveniusr meal is completed, all the processes of tho body are going on much less vigorously than in the waking hours. However, a certain amount of energy and vitality is being used up by the involuntary ' actions of the heart-beat. breathing mechanism .etc.: so that by moniiug' the human engine is quite unfit for am- active work until its fires have hern "well stoked at breakfast time. Anv wmk done before breakfast is a strain on a system not at its best, and the damage from this strain is I'kely 10 more than counterbalance any good which might have resulted from a walk in the pure, fresh, early morning air.