LTH IN THE HOME.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 555, 2 April 1913, Page 7

LTH IN THE HOME.

HYSTERIA. & "During a fit of hysteria all constricting clothing should be loosened, exciting influences avoided, and quietude enjoyed. If the attack is mild, a few doses of lavender water may terminate it. -In severe cases the compound tincture of lobelia and capsicum may be given to ernesis. Occasionally paroxysms may be abruptly ended by working upon the fear of the patient. Baths, nutritious diet, judicious exercise, pleasant pursuits, and cheerful surroundings are conducive to recovery from hysterical tendencies." BREATHING. The nose, larynx, trachea, bronchial tubes, lungs and air-cells are included in the respiratory tr.act. Any affection of these involves more or less seriously the whole breathing apparatus. For illustration, a growth in the nose has caused asthma, which has disappeared upon removal of the foreign body. Then, too, an inflammatory condition of the bronchial tubes is likely to shut off the air from certain regions of the lungs.

Talking about the nose, why is it best to breathe through it rather than the mouth ? There are at least three good reasons. First, it,purifies the air, that is, the fine hairs in the nose strain out the particles of dust; second, the air has a longer .passage to travel to get to the lungs when inhaled — cold air is irritating; third, by virtue of the same reason, the air is moistened by contact with the mucous membrane. SOME USES OF RAW EGGS. A raw egg swallowed immediately will often dislodge a fishbone or anything similar which may be sticking in the throat. The white of an egg thoroughly beaten up with lemon-juice and honey or sugar is an excellent remedy for hoarseness. Pending the arrival of .a doctor, white of egg in large quantities is suitable to be administered in cases of accidental poisoning- from corrosive sublimate, sulphate of zinc, sugar of lead, lead water, red precipitate, vermiUion, blue vitriol, or saltpetre. A most healing application for a burn is composed of the white of an egg mixed with olive oil; while a "mustard plaster, if mixed with the white of an egg, is quite as efficacious, and there is no risk of the blistering of the ski.i, otherwise almost inevitable, winch so often deters people from applying one. -.■■

FRESH AIR AND PNEUMONIA

In talking of pneumonia to people in general it is necessary to say :md repeat many times that: pneumonia is not a bad cold run mad, for this conviction appears to be invincibly lodged in the lay mind. Pneumonia is first, last, and all the time an acute local disease of the lungs, which, according to the gravity of the case, become more or less consolidated or choked up. The more of the lung tissue that is thus choked the less the lungs are able to breathe. The first consequence of this helplessness on the part of the lungs is that the heart—that gallant organ —labours to get enough blood to keep things going, and this is why we see the distress ing rapid and shallow breathing so characteristic of the disease.

With all the heart can do it can only pump blood, it cannot oxygenate it —that is the function of the lunge;. # Presently, therefore, the blood stream becomes more and more impure, owing to lack ot oxygen, and in those.cases ending in death one of two things happens—either the heart gives out entirely, unable to stand the strain put upon it, or else the system is overcome by toxin*, that is to say, by the impurity induced by the lack of oxygenation. It has long been recognised that what the pneumonia patient needs is oxygen, and we are / sure that this is best supplied by a direct current of,fresh air from outside, and that this fresh air should be the basis of all treatment from the very beginning. Too often has life been lost by a failure to recognise this truth, or by a belief that rushing in canned oxygen at the last moment would effect a cure. There is less pneumonia, among country dwellers than among city people. . There is less pneumonia among people who ventilate well than among the stuffy. And there is less pneumonia in the summer than in the winter, because in the summer there is a free circulation of air through all our houses. The ideal treatment of pneumonia is to carry the patient into the open air and keep him there with proper precautions against wind atod weather. *■ But as this cannot always be done, /the patient can at least be placed in the largest, sunniest, and best ventilated room in the house. If possible-, a room with windows on two sides is much to be preferred to one which can be opened only to one point of the compass. By a system„oF screening it can always be managed that a direct current of very cold air shall not blow right on the bed', but the air of the room should be constantly renewed and always cool. Of all "cranks" the wfresK-aii; crank" is the -sanest, an<i his reward, in* ihw' pneumonia, sicE-room' is a rich eo.e. ; L S