The doctor at home and nurse's guidebook / edited by George Black.

Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The doctor at home and nurse's guidebook / edited by George Black. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    659/684 (page 607)
    worms, but Dr. Graham believes that there are few cases which will resist the proper use of salt, more especially if the usual means of strengthening a weakly constitu- tion be resorted to and saccharine substances be avoided as much as possible. Salt is a natural and necessary stimulant to the digestive organs : it excites them to a healthy and vigorous action and is particu- larly obnoxious to all kinds of worms. Persons troubled with these animals should be careful to increase their quantity of salt at each meal ; to lessen that of every kind of sweet food ; to avoid par- taking much of vegetables ; to regulate the bowels by the occa- sional employment of a mild pill and to avail themselves of the usual means of strengthening the constitu- tion, by having recourse to active exercise daily, early rising, the use of the cold or tepid bath, etc. These measures are highly advisable and useful, whatever kind of medicine be employed. At the same time, a dose of salt and water—for ex- ample, an ounce or two of common salt, dissolved in nearly half a pint of water—should be taken in the morn- ing fasting and repeated at the end of three or four days. This will generally act as a purgative and will certainly bring away almost every kind of worm. If necessary, the repetition may be extended to the third or fourth time and, in very severe cases, the quantity of salt used at each dose may be increased to three or four ounces. This plan is applicable to the cases of children, as well as to those of adults. Chil- dren should be restricted in the use of sweet things and taught to make a free use of salt at almost every meal. As a purging potion for young children, half an ounce of salt dissolved in a quarter of a pint of water will usually be suffi- cient. WORMS, REMEDIES FOR Preparations of iron are some- times very useful in expelling worms and in strengthening the alimentary canal, so as to preclude their reproduction. They are, in general, very appropriate remedies when considerable debility has been induced from the irritation excited by the worms. Camphor has been highly praised for its virtues in cases of worms by many doctors. Eight or ten grains of this substance may be dissolved, by means of a few drops of rectified spirits of wine, in an ounce and a half of water, taken twice or thrice a day. This may be tried alone,or taken in the intervals between the use of the salt-and- water purgative. It appears to be particularly efficacious in the de- struction of the long round worms (lumbrici). In the small white thread-worm, so often infesting the last gut in children, half a pint or a pint of lime-water should be in- jected once a day and a dose of castor-oil be given once a week for three or four weeks. Or, instead of the lime-water, a strong decoction of worm-seed, or a solution of salt and water may be injected after the same manner. This plan is gener- ally successful. The bristly down of the pods of cowhage is also a powerful remedy for worms. A great number of other medicines have been recommended, as tin- filings, male fern, tansy, tobacco, etc., and several of them are use- ful ; but we think the preceding remedies are the most powerful and the best. Many patent piedicines sold for the cure of worms are com- posed chiefly of calomel or some other active purgative. They are, no doubt, sometimes beneficial, but