HOME REMEDIES FOR COMMON DISEASES 741 



titles of fluids passing from the body. The result of 

 this great discharge of fluids is a rapid shrinking of 

 the tissues, giving to the features and other parts of 

 the body a pinched appearance. The nose is pointed, 

 the eyes sunken, and the skin appears dry and shriv- 

 eled. It is always cold, and sometimes covered with 

 a clammy perspiration. The discharges from the bow- 

 els sometimes have the appearance of thin rice-water 

 or thin gruel, which gives the disease a close resem- 

 blance to cholera. The depression of the patient is 

 very great, the voice becoming hollow, and sometimes 

 being lost altogether. Notwithstanding the serious as- 

 pect of the disease, it usually subsides in a few hours, 

 the patient making a rapid recovery. Sometimes, how- 

 ever, the discharges become involuntary, the pulse dis- 

 appears, and the patient finally dies of exhaustion. 



Treatment.— Ai the beginning of the affection, give 

 freely of warm liquids to facilitate evacuation of the 

 stomach. A large hot enema should be administered 

 after each evacuation of the bowels. The addition of 

 tannin, one dram to a quart of water, is serviceable. 



Wlien the vomited matters no longer show traces 

 of food, efforts should be made to stop the vomiting. 

 Give the patient bits of ice the size of a bean to swal- 

 low every few minutes. At the same time apply hot 

 fomentations over the stomach and bowels. If the 

 patient suffers much from cramp, give a warm bath. 

 Do not be alarmed if the vomiting and purging are 

 not checked at once. If the case is an unusually severe 

 one, or the patient is far advanced in years, or a young 

 child, a physician should be called at once. It is espe- 

 cially important in this disease, to withhold milk and 

 all its preparations. The first food taken should be 

 farinaceous. Preparations of gluten and granola 



