INFLUENZA AND PNEUMONIA REMEDIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17484, 28 November 1918, Page 5

INFLUENZA AND PNEUMONIA REMEDIES.

Tu IJifi KUITOH.

dm, —Your coiTLspouduiit < "Anxious" seeuis afraid of cold wuier remedies. tjo axe xiiiiuy poopie, but levered patients iiud them (ieiigauul, ii properly used, i'or kO yours i luive used anu recommended the treatment advocated by Professor Kirk, of Edinburgh, ii» his V Papers on Hoaith," and have always iound' it very eli'eewve. My books published in 1390, wero the fifteenth edition! i.nis snows that Eirk s treatment is larcclv used. - * J

Xiio following extracts from his books may be a Gou-seua to some of your readers: For influenza fever, pack the icet up to the knees in a hot blanket (a blanket wrung out of hot water), 'lliut is the most simple and easy way of giving fresh vital force. When this is done, cool the stomach and heart with a gentle use of cold cloths (wrung out of cold water, changed every few minutes). Don't be afraid of a little cooling, nor yet of two or three ta.blespoonfu.ls of cold water if sought by the patient. Hoat tho feet and 000 l the stomach at the saaie time. Carry out these two things really effectively, and it will bo found that the more marked of the influenza symptoms give way. Do not bo anxious as to feedine the pateint. Give light food, as to a baby, and that in small portions.

For pneumonia, or inflammation of the lungs, if the case is a very simple one—inflamation in one lunr- is the only important symptom—cool down the inflammatory heat that has arisen. Get two good towels and plenty of cold water. Wring out, fold, and gently press over tho affected lung one after another of these cooling compresses till all distress is removed. In many cases the vital energy is much too low for treatment by cold alone. There generally needs to be a supply of heat, and in that of vital energy, more than that which is drained off in oooling the lung. Hence it is necessarv to foment as well as to cool. This can be done effectively in various ways. Oil the feet and legs well with olive oil; then wrap tnem in a warm fomentation (blanket wrung out of hot water), but take special carc that it is not uncomfortably warm. It must, be warm enough to give a sense of help and to balance tho cooling of tho cold cloth over tho inflamed organs. When the foot- have been thus treated once or twice it will bo well to place a large bran poultice .(hot-water bag with three or four folds of good flarnel wrung- out of warm water above answers splendidly) across tho lower part of the back, taking care again that this is only comfortably hot. When the patient has had the benefit of this once or twice a similar poultice may bo placed between tho shoulders, but this only after success in oooling down the inflamed lung or lungs, as the case may be. If this treatment is really well carricd out, all evil effects of the illness -will soon be removed. During the wholo of the treatment it will bo well to watch -what is agreeable to tho

feeling .of the sufferer. The? very nataro of tlio system involves more or Ices of an index to that which is healing, in the niceness which is felt from all that is in the right direction.—l am, etc., ... KT , F. Hilgkndokp. Waitati, November 26.