DRINKS FOR THE SICK.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 4, Issue 169, 23 October 1880, Page 3

DRINKS FOR THE SICK.

! In speaking of tho annoying thirst of fever patients, I)r. H. 11. Elan*; hi his' i " Sick Room," says:— Thirst is a v»ry prominent and annoying i ! symptom of fever, and one thut requires a j little consideration. Plain water, when | taken beyond a ceitainamouut, is very apt i to disorder the'stoiuach and bywols,especially in fevers whore much fluid and but i little solid food is taken. Enough water ; to quench the thirst would certainly be ; enough ill most cases to disorder digestion, or, rather, further disorder > it, and So important is titj little that ' remains of this function that w ■ cannot i afford to abuse it. Small pieces of ice t held iu tho mouth, and allowed to dis- , solvo, sometimes answers tlie purn isa, but | nut in the majority of cases. Up to a j certain point, the action of tho water i taken internally, iu fevers, is excellent; i asiile from allaying irritation by quench- i ing thirst, it flushes the kidneys, carrying < off much of the effete material produced | by the high temperature. It has been 11 fnnrxi tl»at the addition of certain suli- 11 stances in water greatly increases its 11 power to queued thirst. This is especially ■; the-case with acids. One drachm ot hydro- !< eloric acid added to a quart of water will 11 give it sufficient avidity to accomplish the ' i douired purjioie, while, at the same time, I it adds to its pleasantness, and sometimes ' i relieves nausea. The use of aciils in ' ] fevers is highly commended by some j .' authors, ami it is, I think, tho best Way ' i to administer them. Tiie same amount's of sillpbut'iMts acid may bo added to a i 'quart of water when tho bowels are louse t or there i;i s. teudoiiey that way. In these j < cases acidulated barley-water is pleasant ! 1 and nourishing. The same may be said t ef tosst-waten In constipation oatmeal- i ( water may bo nsod in the same manner. ' { A f<:w tanuuiii'is added tti a glass of j f water will often assuage thirst and opeu I | !.ho bowels gently. j t Dr. Ringer, speaking on/.his suhject, | ] says:—" Although, perhaps, not strictly relevant tp our present .subject, a few remarks may be made hei-o conveniently on the drinks best suited to fever patients. To them, thirst is most important and . distressing, often causins.' much restless- j ncss a-nd irritability, these in their turn ' i often increasing the fever. The urgent j ■thirst must therefore be allayed, hit if I . left to themselves to satiate their craving, | patients wiil always drink to excess, which ] is very liable to disarrange the stomach, j impair digestion, produce flatulence, and i even diarrhoea. Theory and experience ; - both thaw that drinks made slightly!, hitler and somewhat acid, nUke thii>t j : effectually. A weak infusion of cas- | earilla or orange peel, acidulated slightly | ' ■vith hvdrocloric acid, was, with Graves > • of Dchlin, a favourite thirst - allaying i drink for fever patieutt. llaspberry I vinegar i 3 a useful drink. Stinking ice .! is very grateful. Sweot fruits, although I at first agreeable ani refroshiag, must be taken with csre and mo leratiou, for they eften give rise to a disagreeable t:\.<te, and , aro apt to produce tlatuJencj and di.irrheea.