^^ti^^sK^K EDGE PAUL J. BARRINGTON, M. D. GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. COMMON SENSE PRESCRIPTIONS AND PRACTICAL INFORMATION. A SYSTEMATIC TREATMENT IN THE DOMESTIC PRACTICE OF MEDICINE. v« By PAUL J. BARRINGTON, M. D. k CO, SOLD BY THE AUTHOR AND HIS AGENTS ONLY. . : CHICAGO: OTTAWAY & COMPANY, PRINTERS, 54 & 56 Franklin Street. 1881. Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1881, By PAUL J. BARRINGTON, M. D. & CO., in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. All rights reserved. This Book is Dedicated To our much-loved and esteemed Friend and Brother^ Z. W. BINGHAM, M. D. , PREFACE. The object of placing this volume (as its title indicates) before the public and non-professional class of people, is to furnish them with a few use- ful hints and suggestions for those who are sick as well as those who care for the sick. In the practice of over twenty years by the bed- side of the sick and unfortunate, we have long since felt impressed with the necessity of a more practi- cal work that may be placed in the hands of all — a book of useful knowledge, stripped of all techni- calities, clothed with the plainest common-sense language, which contains the most practical and useful information upon all subjects pertaining to the physical well-being of all — from infancy to old age— as the general knowledge they impart, the instructions they give for the preservation of health, comfort and happiness, are worth more than all the strong medicines in the world. This book is not intended to take the place of a physician, when one is really needed. Oh, no! 'but more especially to instruct you to know and do many things that are highly necessary for you as well as the physician, together with other useful informa- (3) 4 PREFACE. tion, such as we feel will be highly prized in every home. In order to satisfy the demands of all pro- gressive minds of the present day, in regard to their choice in the many schools of medical prac- tice, we have combined the homoeopathic system of medication, which has within the last few years become so successful and popular, together with some of the most important remedies that are known in medical science up to the present day. By the Author. INTRODUCTION. In giving the homoeopathic treatment, it is our desire to be concise, and not give remedies enough to confuse the mind in choosing from the many, which we think has been a great error in the pro- fession. Our object is to shorten the list, and choose the best remedies for the various diseases of which we will speak, making it more practical and admissible to every household. Careful study for years has been the means of developing these thoughts, together with the practical experience in life, drawn from the bedside of the sick and afflicted ; from the palace to the hovel in consultation with some of the leading physicians of the present day; in fact; from all phases of life. Therefore, it is our wish to be as brief and simple as possible in aiding humanity; trying to encourage and assist them to acquire and maintain a thorough knowledge of their entire physical body, and the laws that gov- ern — fully understanding if these sacred laws are violated the physical must suifer. With this knowledge put into practice the whole system may be kept in a healthy condition and all the complex machinery brought into active play, and the results (5) 6 INTRODUCTION. can only produce a appy influence with those they come in contact, while a deseased body can- not contain a happy, contented spirit — hence, the great need of more light in this direction. The remedies in this department will be chosen from the active principle of each drug. Our rem- edies are procured only from the leading homoeo- pathic pharmacies of large cities: H. C. Luytus, No. 306 North Fifth Street, St. Louis, Mo. ; Boer- ick & Tafel, No. 35 Clark Street, Chicago, 111.; also Gross & Delbridge, No. 48 Madison Street, Chi- cago, 111. These are good reliable firms. If there should be a homoeopathic physician in your vicin- ity all necessary remedies can be obtained from him. In ordering medicine you should be careful and state distinctly what you wish; whether it be Mother Tincture or the decimal dilutions. Per- haps an explanation in regard to the attenuations may be necessary in order for you to understand our method of administering medicines. The name and strength are usually labeled on the vial. Below we will give a short description of the marked characters that will enable you to choose what strength may be called for, in certain cases: "When you see a character marked thus it denotes full strength, or Mother Tincture, regardless of name, and from this all other decimal attenuations are made. INTRODUCTION. 7 Thus: 3.x in any drug means the third attenuation. 6.x. " " " " sixth " 12.x. " " " " twelfth " 30.x. u " " " thirtieth " and so on, up to the five-thousandth (a point we have not yet been able to attain) or advocate; time and experience may reveal the beautiful spiritual action of practical truth. In ordering medicine you should give name and state the strength de- sired. For an illustration: Tincture Aconite one ounce; Aconite 3.x, half ounce, and so on the dose will be given under each disease, and can be referred to in the book. We prescribe the dilution from the fact of their being better understood than the triturations (or powders). When prepared in water it should be renewed every day. Neither would we advise the medi- cated globules for home practice, as has been done in the past, for we feel they are not so effectual unless medicated by ourselves at the time of pre- scribing. Many of our remedies through the book will be abbreviated to save time and space. Thus: Aeon. for Aconite. Bell. " Belladonna. Gels. " Gelseminnm. Bry. " Bryonia. Cal. Carb. " Calcaria Carbonica. Puis. " Pulsatilla, etc., etc. 8 INTRODUCTION. In presenting this book to the public, it is with a hope that it will be accepted as a guide to the multitude of people throughout the land, and especially those in the plainer walks of life, who have limited opportunities of becoming acquainted with the latest and best method of treating them- selves. If we can accomplish this we shall feel our efforts have not been in vain; what the result will be, time and the readers of our book must decide. The motive was for the best good of all. Y, V, Barrington, M. D., Homeopathic Department* HOW TO NURSE THE SICK. We commence this book with the above to state plainly their qualifications and duties, for we know the success of the remedies applied to the sick de- pend almost wholly upon the nurse, and it is gen- erally conceded or admitted that a good nurse and a poor physician are more successful than a poor nurse and a good physician. The art of nursing is a natural gift and cannot be wholly acquired, yet it may be much improved or developed by close observation and study. There are many reasons why we have so few good nurses. 1. A nurse may be too young, and also too old. The first is apt to be thoughtless, wild and heedless; the latter may be deaf, stupid, or in trouble. Good nurses should always be able to control themselves under all circumstances. But no matter who the nurse may be, she should always enter the sick room with a cheerful face and a sweet smile, no matter how grave the case. She should be gentle, kind and tender; always calm, not excitable; must have a pleasant voice, a gentle, magnetic touch, a light, easy step, and a knowledge of preparing food tor the invalid. Such a nurse is invaluable. 2. She should be honest both with the patient and the physician. (9) 10 GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. 3. If the patient have no confidence in the nurse, the sick room is no place for such an indi- vidual ; or if the conduct be such as to lead the physician to think his orders have not been attended to, it surely is a very unpleasant place to occupy. But no person should employ a physician unless they have full confidence in his ability, after which they should understand his directions and be sure his orders are carefully and faithfully exe- cuted. Some nurses fancy they know far better what is necessary than the physician, and in order to carry out their plans they resort to a species of dishonesty. Such nurses should be entirely avoided, for they ought to know and understand that the patient must suffer and, perhaps, die from such treatment. 4. A nurse should be dignified and genteel. Some are always in a constant giggle; the grin of childish levity and thoughtless noise, and roaring laughter should be avoided; in fact, no person should be allowed in a sick room who cannot mani- fest perfect self-control. The next quality should be firmness / every nurse should be resolute, but not rude. It is not expected that she should yield to every request of the patient unless it coincide with reason and common sense; but what she does should be done cheerfully and kindly, as well as carefully; then the patient will have confidence in her ability for exercising her good judgment. GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. 11 5. The next thing of importance is patience.' It requires a very large degree, for the reason that in- valids are often irritable and restless, and some- times well persons may partake of their influence. Please remember this. Have you not frequently eluded yourself for your own impatience under cer- tain circumstances? We have. Then how could you expect it otherwise with those who are suffer- ing and compelled to stay in bed for weeks, per- haps months, and be deprived of their liberty and enjoyment, even walking about the house? There- fore it does not matter how sorely tried and worn out the nurse may be, it does not furnish an excuse for getting out of patience. A nurse should always possess gentleness, especially in case of a broken limb, painful back, or rheumatism, etc. When it is necessary to change the clothes great tenderness and gentleness should manifest itself. The inva- lid should always be handled with a steady hand; the hold that insures firmness, strength and gen- tleness will insure confidence in the patient and make him feel secure. This duty should always be performed with a spirit of kindness and sympathy, and not in a rough, uncouth manner. 6. The most important of all is cleanliness. The nurse should not only be clean herself, but she should keep the room clean and sweet. The room should be well ventilated with fresh air and sun- light, and not from inner rooms or halls; the best 12 GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. way is to let the window down from the top; the air should not come directly upon the patient, but the room should always be kept with an even tem- perature (or heat). Vessels containing particles of food should never be allowed to remain in the room. Drinking water should be changed as often as called for, as it gathers knpurities by standing. With careful attention to the little things con- nected with the sick room, any nurse will be amply rewarded by the speedy recovery of her patient. 7. Some people are too generous and indulgent to make good nurses; they are always overwhelmed in difficulties; they mean to be good, but fail by overdoing. She many times comes loaded down with good things, both hands full ; in trying to get up-stairs she steps on the bottom of her dress, drops a plate, spills the tea, or, perhaps, falls herself. With a great effort she manages to get up, and places what she has left on the tray before the patient. In her hurry and confusion she cuts the bread and butters it with a knife that has previously been used to cut an onion or spread a mustard plas- ter, and says: " Now, dear, I will go back and make some more tea." The patient asks for a drink of water before she goes. She says, " Yes, dear," and runs off, gets a glass brim full, puts her hand under the patient's head, bends his neck, and turns the water down on the outside, all over the breast and clothing. Then she wonders why in the GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. 13 world he don't drink better. In lighting the lamp she uses a bit of paper, then throws it on the floor -and stamps it out with her foot. The fire wants fixing; she turns on too much fuel and it spills over the floor; in trying to gather up the fragments she leaves the stove door open till the room is filled with smoke; in her hurry to relieve this condition, the braid on her dress being loose it catches on the chairs, and she drags them after her, making a fearful noise, which is very annoying to the patient. Her fingers are bound up with a rag tied with a black string, having been scalded by trying to pour hot water into the teapot. She forgets to give the medicine at the right time. The soiled dishes are left scattered all around the room, the food left standing for hours by the bedside; the bed is full of crumbs and seldom made up; the fire burns low or goes out, the ashes strewn all over the hearth. These things tend to annoy the patient, who be- comes nervous; fever returns, and he gets no sleep or rest during the night. Such a nurse means well, but fails to accomplish the desired end from lack of natural ability. Every nurse should have good judgment and full exercise of his or her senses. /Sight — To read directions, and sometimes to read and amuse the patient. Hearing — To catch the faintest whisper, to avoid a great effort in speaking. 14 GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. Feeling — To determine the change in tempera- ture in the room, the heat of the body, the moist- ure or dryness of the skin, and to know when ap- plications are to be made — when they are too cold or too hot — to see that all drafts are avoided when sponging or bathing the patient. Smelling — To detect all effluvias or impurities in the room. Taste — To determine the seasoning of food. A careful exercise of all natural faculties, with a study of the principles of nursing, ought to make a competent person to care for the sick. EOOM FOR THE SICK. It is not every family that has a choice of rooms, but under all circumstances we must do the best we can. A room should be selected that is light and cheerful. The head of the bed should be placed to the north, if possible, as the currents of electricity in nature run from north to south. If the patient has fever, brain disorder, or nervous disease, let the room be in some quiet part of the house, away from the family. If it be a bone broken or fracture from the result of accident, then the patient should be near the rest of the family, for in such cases it is very often amuse- ment for the patient to watch the movements GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. 15 of the rest. Avoid a room that is exposed to any kind of effluvia, and have the windows so they can be let down at the top. The less furniture in the room the better, especially if the disease be in- fectious. Before putting the patient in the room see that it has been well aired, warmed and dried. First, light the fire and see that the chim- ney draws well. The best bed is a hair mattress, but clean straw or husks will answer very well. Remember that feather beds are not healthy; be- sides they are inconvenient, especially if the patient has a broken bone or fractured leg, and in wounds and burns — the patient is apt to sink down into holes. When the patient is to be changed and cannot get up, place him on the edge of the bed and roll up against him all the bed-clothes you intend to change, having your clean sheets and blankets all ready; spread them on the bed smooth and straight; get your patient to roll over carefully on the clean sheets; take off the soiled clothes, then spread out the other half of the clean ones. Now, don't you see, you have it all done nicely. If it be necessary to scour the room to purify it, wash it with hot water, first adding a few cents' worth of chloride of lime, or some carbolic acid. Then dry the room thoroughly and it is ready. 16 GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. FOOD AND DRINK FOR THE SICK. It will be necessary to know how to prepare cer- tain kinds of food which the doctor may order for the patient. It is well for you to understand a few general principles that should govern the admin- istration of food. First. Solid food is seldom admissible, especially during acute diseases of any kind, for the reason the stomach and digestive organs are not in a condition to furnish the fluids necessary for its comminution; hence, instead of digesting, it simply lies there and decomposes, which will give rise to irritation, and produce other serious complications. Second. The more severe the disease the more delicate and light the food should be. Thus, in high grades of fever or inflammation we should give whey, beef tea, extract of beef, milk punch, toast water, mut- ton broth, tapioca, chicken broth. Third. "When there is great exhaustion the food should be all the more concentrated, and very nutritious. Then give the Extract of Beef ] or beef essence, as it is sometimes called, chicken or mutton broth, milk and cream. Fourth. In fevers or inflammatory disease, give food at that period of the day or night when there is least vascular and nervous excitement, and never force it upon the patient if suffering from a high grade of fever. Fifth. Never give food during severe pain. Sixth. If the tongue GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. i i be coated yellow, with bad taste in the mouth, a feeling of weight and oppression in the stomach, it is better not to give food; or if given, should always be in a liquid form. Seventh. When the digestion is impaired and it becomes necessary to sustain life with food, it should be given in small quantities and at regular intervals, like medicine, every two or three hours. Eighth. In convalescing much care is required in keeping the patient from eating too much. EECIPES FOE COOKING. BEEF TEA. Take one pound of nice, tender steak, remove the fat, chop very fine, put it in a pint of cold water, stir, and let it soak one hour, then boil ten minutes, strain it and season to suit the taste of the patient. EXTRACT OF BEEF. Take a Scoth ale stone bottle (is the best), scald it out so that you know it is clean; take one pound of nice, tender, fat beefsteak; after remov- ing the fat, chop it up fine, season it with a little salt and pepper, put it in the bottle, cork it up tight, then tie the cork down so that you know it will not fly out with the heat and steam; place the bottle in a pot of water and boil it for three 2 18 GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. hours. Remember you cannot cook it too much. This preparation is very rich with nutritious ele- ment; two tablespoonfuls at a dose for an adult is sufficient, repeated every two or three hours. A little can be poured out at a time and warmed on the stove as it be required. Keep the bottle well corked; if it is left open the extract will lose much of its strength, as well as its flavor. CHICKEN JELLY. Take half a raw chicken, pound it well with a mallet, bones and all, cover it over with cold water; heat it slowly in a covered vessel ; let it simmer till the meat is thoroughly cooked, then strain the liquor through a coarse cloth; season it to taste, return it to the stove and let it simmer ten min- utes longer, skim it when cool and give it to the patient. BARLEY WATER. Take of pearl barley two ounces, boiling water two quarts, boil down to one quart and strain; a little lemon and sugar may be added. This is a good drink in all inflammatory and eruptive dis- eases, scarlet fever, measles, small-pox, etc. RICE WATER. Take of good rice two ounces, water two quarts, boil one and a half hours, then add sugar and nut- GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. 19 meg to suit the taste; use with milk. This is an excellent diet for children. ARROWROOT JELLY. One cup of boiling water, two teaspoonfuls of Bermuda arrowroot; wet the arrowroot in a little cold water and rub smooth, then stir it into hot water, which should be on the fire and boiling, with sugar already in it; stir until clear, then add one teaspoon ful of lemon juice; wet a cup with cold water and pour the jelly, and let it form. Eat with sugar and cream, if you like. BARLEY JELLY. Boil one quart of water, let it cool; take one- third of a loaf of bread (common size), slice it up, pare off the crust. Toast it to a light brown, put it in the water in a covered vessel and boil it gently till you find, on putting some in a spoon to cool, that it becomes a jelly; now strain it and cool; add sugar and lemon juice, or grate a little lemon peel as it is used. OATMEAL GRUEL. Two tablespoonfuls of oatmeal, one quart water, boil ten minutes and strain; salt and sugar to suit your taste. CORNMEAL GRUEL. Made the same way, using cornmeal instead of oatmeal. 20 GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. OATMEAL WATER. Take two ounces of oatmeal, one quart of water, stir up well, let stand until settled, then drink the water with ice in it, if you choose. This is an ex- cellent remedy for diarrhoea or in dysentery. Again. — Take milk one pint, sheep's suet three ounces, corn starch half an ounce, cardamon seeds one ounce, browned like you would coffee, then grind it very fine; after the other mixture is boiled gently for thirty minutes stir in the ground seed while it is yet hot; when cool it can be used as food and medicine. It is excellent. It will cure the very worst cases of dysentery or bloody flux. It does the work when the best of doctors fail. BUTTERMILK PAP. Take of fresh buttermilk four parts, water one part, mix and boil, then thicken with corn or oat- meal. Eat with butter and molasses. WINE WHEY. Heat a pint of new milk until it boils, at which moment pour in as much good wine as will curdle and clarify it; boil again and set aside until the curd subsides; pour off the whey carefully and add two pints of boiling water, and loaf sugar to suit the taste. ORANGE WHEY. Milk one pint, the juice of one orange with a GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. 21 portion of the rind; boil the milk, then add the orange juice; let stand till it coagulates, then strain. Both of the above are excellent for conva- lescent patients where there is weak digestion, for children or adults. VEGETABLE SOUP. Take one potato, one turnip, and one onion, with a little celery or celery seed; slice each, and boil one hour in a quart of water; season to taste; then pour the whole upon a piece of toast. ELM-BARK JELLY. Take two teaspoonfuls of finely pulverized elm- bark and one pint of cold water; stir until a jelly is formed; sweeten with loaf sugar. This is excel- lent for all diseases of the throat and lungs, coughs, colds, etc. It is very nutritious. FLAX-SEED LEMONADE OR COUGH SYRUP. Four tablespoonfuls of whole flax-seed, half an ounce horehound herb, one quart boiling water; let steep for three hours in a covered vessel, and strain the juice from three roasted onions and two lemons; tincture of lobelia and ipecacuanha, of each three drachms; add sugar to sweeten; if too thick, add a little water. Partake of it freely; it is excellent for colds, coughs, throat or lung, as well as kidney trouble. 22 GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. MILK PUNCH. Take two fresh eggs, two tablespoonfuls loaf sugar; beat well together on a plate; add one pint of new milk, nutmeg and good brandy or whisky to flavor it well. This is par excellence in low grades of fever for children or adults. Change oc- casionally with the Extract of Beef, and the (see page 17) patient will live on them for days and weeks. EATING. The brain is interested in the process of diges- tion. If it be excited or over-taxed, or even vexed, it will not stimulate the stomach to work till it is rested. Never eat when you are mad, fatigued, or exhausted. Drink a little gruel if you are very hungry, then wait till you are rested before you take a full meal. Always give the stomach time to rest between meals. Always eat regularly. Fre- quent eating, as well as too frequent nursing of children, soon weakens the stomach and liver, and brings on dyspepsia and other kinds of disease. Eat slowly. — Rapid eating, and drinking while eating, is the curse of this nation. It produces palpitation of the heart, vertigo, headache, neural- gia, nervous debility, spinal irritation, rheumatism, premature old age. Chew your food thoroughly, drink but little while eating, take plenty of time GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. 23 — thirty minutes at each meal. Remember that stomach bitters will not chew your food for you. You are better off without such stuff. Common lamentation. — " What is the cry of our fast-going people ? 'My food does not digest;' this is the saying all over* America. ' My poor head aches half the time;' so exclaim our young ladies. 4 My lungs are the best part of me, but my liver is diseased and torpid.' This is a popular complaint. 'And my bowels slow and sluggish.' Such mis- erable lamentations ascend from all the most fer- tile portions of this glorious continent. But we feel glad there is an awakening in the direction of physiological knowledge and universal improve- ment, and the final triumph will surely be: The triumphant conquest of individual man over all enemies to his bodily ease and mental tranquility. " Is it not worthy of particular notice that the majority of people who, as invalids, incessantly complain in the department of digestion, are the most 'constant violators of physiological law? If any person should flatter him or herself that he or she can* go on violating the conditions of Health, and at the same time, by simply yielding to the self-restoring mercies of his spiritual consti- tution, recover all his original vigor and bloom, his disappointment will be complete. Mother Nature is as loving and as just as Father God; but they do not, because they cannot, guarantee im- 24 GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. punityfrom the effects of violation. All the med- ical isms, myths and pathies from Hippocrates down to the last nostram cannot perform the par- doning act. There is no infallible remedy, so you might as well pass the word all around the world — there is no specific for any human transgression. Let every eye read it, let every ear hear it, and in- scribe it in fadeless characters upon the Temple of Health." — Davis. LUNG LIFE; OR, PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTS. The shortest route to health is through the lungs. Deprive them of heaven's invisible air, shut off the supply of the vivifying principle, and the whole beautiful machinery will immediately stop. Oxy- gen is universally the vehicle of heaven's divine breath ; these celestial elements ride straight through the lungs into the blood, thence to the great battery of all energy and digestion. The brain immediately distributes to each part of the body the principles of sensation, life and motion.. To obtain this point, begin gradually and practice deep breathing daily, and you will find that the air is impregnated with an electric energy which per- vades, refreshes, quickens and energizes every part of your physical temple. Remember, your food cannot digest, neither can your blood circulate, GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. 25 without the electric fire of the air; neither can a particle of food strengthen you without it. With- out the living energy of the air, which is obtained through thelun^s, no diet can be made universally nutritious. Salivary juice, as it pours out from the little springs on either side of the cheeks from the parotid glands, could do nothing without the vivifying electricity of the air. The gastric fluids — although loaded with its inherent pepsin and the acids, lactic, hydrochloric, etc., etc. — could accom- plish nothing without a constant supply of nerve- energy. The lungs must absorb the electricity of the measureless immensity; otherwise nothing strong can occur, but death and transformation will hasten into the temple. Hence, the great necessity of reformation and knowledge in regard to these great facts, an unfolding of liberal ideas from the by-gone days of superstition and dogmas; when the old fashioned orthodox churches were built and kept as tight as drums during service. The result of ignorance; and narrowness of their creeds, concerning God and man. In this connection we are reminded of Florence Nightingale, the noble nurse who voluntarily went to the Crimean war to bind up the bleeding sol- diers. She says: "An extraordinary fallacy is the dread of night air. What air can we breathe at night but night air. The choice is between pure night air from without and foul night air 26 GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. from within. Most people prefer the latter. What will they say if it is proved to be true that fully one-half the diseases we suffer from are oc- casioned by people sleeping with their windows shut. An open window most nights in the year can never hurt anyone. In great cities night air is the best and purest out of the twenty-four hours. We could better understand shutting the windows in towns during the day than during the night, for the sake of the sick; from the absence of smoke and dust, as well as the quietude, all tend to make the night air the best for aiding the sick. It is impossible to keep well, and have good di- gestion, without pure air, and plenty of it ; it is also impossible to think large, manly, beautiful and virtuous thoughts, while respiring in an atmosphere of stagnation and consequent corrup- tion. People who sleep in close, ill-ventilated rooms are forever dreaming monotonous dreams, loaded with vicious pictures, and animated by strangers or demons, produced from the confined air. Idiots breathe superficially ; they seldom respire like an intelligent mind. Timid persons inhale small quantities of air. The coward has a narrow chest, and he only uses the upper portion of his lungs. "Why does the strongest horse al- ways have the broadest and deepest chest? The mind cannot improve, morally and intellectually, unless the lungs be large and full, constantly and GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE. 27 plentifully supplied with air. Health cannot be maintained in a confined atmosphere; no exalted thoughts, no spiritual perceptions, can manifest themselves. PROCESS OF DIGESTION. The Gastric Methods. The reasons in favor of full and intelligent respiration are numerous