HOW TO CURE CRAMP.

Clutha Leader, Volume XL, Issue 44, 2 December 1913, Page 10

HOW TO CURE CRAMP.

**+ SIMPLE REMEDIES. When olio is awakened suddenly from sleep liy an agonising cramp in the calf of the leg, what should he do to bo cured? A doctor says this violent eontraetio'i of the muscles i.as many causes am! occurs in various degrees. Sometimes only out) or two toes are ;;;!ened; sometimes the calf is involved, and occasionally the whole leg may suffer from the spasm. 'Jiii> cramp may be only ar. affair of a few seconds er it may for hovrs i !..! leave tlic leg suit and sore next clay. it proceeds from extrenie excitement of a larjjo nerve or more commonly of part of the spinal rord, and the usual cause of this excitement is some nerve poison circulating in the blood. Most frequently the poison comes from the digestive organs. The stomach is out of order, irritating acids and other injurious substances are formed in it, and these give rise to irritation of the nerves and spasm of the muscles. In a large number of cases a small pinch of bicarbonate of soda swallowed m half a wineglass of water will instantly cure the cramp. When one is subject to flatulent indigestion a dose of some carminative mixture at bedtime will relieve the stomach and prevent the cramp. Tlio following is a perfectly harmless and a very effective remedy: Compound tineturo of cardamoms, 5 drachms; spirit of chloroform', 4 | drachms; compound spirit of ammonia, | - drachms. Dose, one or two teaspoons J If one takes a long walk without being it; a wineglass of water. I Another cause of cramp i.; {'aliguc. accustomed to much walking exercise or plays any game that throws a strain on the legs ho is vory likely to hare cramp when he goee 'to bed. This is all the. more -probable if after tho exercise he gets chilled. The best preventive of cramp in this case is a hot bath at Inxl-time. Rut if the spasm conies on the leg should bo slowly but forcibly stretched out and then rubbed vigorously upwards from the toes. Turpentine liniment is a good thing to use. A warmed piece of flannel rolled round the leg is another good remedy. _ (fouty and rheumatic people are especially liable to this unpleasant occurrence, and it is common in diabetes and other diseases.