296 THE TREATMENT OF DISEASES. 



stomach, and then spreads all over the body, even the backs of the hands becoming 

 of a bright scarlet colour. The sensation of heat may be so urgent that the patient 

 undoes her clothes or throws off the bed-clothes, and even opens the windows in the 

 coldest weather. These heats last for a variable time, from a few minutes only 

 to an hour or more. They usually come on without any warning and without any 

 attributable cause. We have known cases in which they have occurred fifty or a 

 hundred times in the day. Sometimes there is a sensation of heat without any 

 flushing of the skin. Frequently they are followed by " chills " or by perspiration, 

 which may be very profuse. These symptoms are often associated with coldness 

 of the extremities, the feet and hands being often icy cold. They occur most fre- 

 quently in women about the time of the change of life, but younger women are 

 occasionally sufferers. We never remember meeting with this condition in men. 

 The best treatment is nitrite of amyl. Eight minims of nitrite of amyl are dissolved 

 in half an ounce of rectified spirit, and of this mixture three drops are to be taken 

 on sugar eveiy hour, or whenever the heats are troublesome. By this method we 

 have relieved or cured dozens of people. Benefit may be experienced immediately. 

 or not till the expiration of some days, or even a week. As the patient grow^ 

 accustomed to the remedy the dose should be gradually increased. We need 

 hardly say that the mode of treatment is perfectly safe, and that in a somewhat 

 extensive experience we have never known it produce even the slightest incon- 

 venience. We think it right to mention this, as some people seem to imagine that 

 nitrite of amyl is a remedy which should be used only with the greatest caution. 



Sometimes the occurrence of these heats and flushes is associated with consider- 

 able nervous depression. The patient may be so' despondent as to feel as if she 

 would go out of her mind. She may be so irritable as to be unable to fix her 

 attention on anything, and the slightest noise causes the greatest distress. There 

 is often considerable restlessness at night, the sleep being broken by harassing 

 dreams. This condition is often the result of over-work, grief, worry, or too long- 

 residence in towns, and want of change of air and scene. When the heats and 

 flushes are. the predominant symptoms, nitrite of amyl given as above will nearly 

 always effect a cure ; but when mental depression, nervousness, and sleeplessness 

 predominate, bromide of potassium proves even more successful. The best way 

 to give it is in the form of the mixture (Pr. 31), two table-spoonfuls three times a 

 day. Sometimes, however, all medicinal treatment fails to effect a cure, the symptoms 

 recurring again and again, and then the only thing to be done is to get a thorough 

 change of air and scene. Probably the best remedy is to travel on the Continent 

 for from three to six months, but this few people can afford to do. 



The flushings of the face, and hot and cold perspirations, are often relieved by 

 mix vomica, particularly when one or two drops of laudanum are added to each 

 dose. This treatment often controls the distressing flatulence associated with this 

 condition, and removes the sensation of heat and weight on the top of the head. 



Valerianate of zinc is a useful remedy for many of those numerous, distressing, 

 and changeable symptoms to which we have referred. It will sometimes remove 

 not only the flushings of the face, and the hot and cold perspirations, but also 

 restlessness, nervousness, depression of spirits, sensation of suffocation in the throaty 



