Home Treatment.—­1.  Drink a glass of cold water an hour before breakfast, or hot water if it agrees better with you.

2.  Do not eat much meat.

3.  If the stomach wants tone, bitter tonics, like quassia, gentian, cardanum are good, even if drank as teas.  When the tongue is coated with a white thick fur, golden seal is good.  Medicines are not as essential as care and diet.

4.  Charcoal in small doses is good for’ a “gassy” stomach.

5.  If a bitter tonic is needed the following is good: 

Bicarbonate of Soda                            1 dram
Tincture of Nux Vomica                    l to 2 drams
Compound tincture of Gentian, enough for       3 ounces

Mix and take one teaspoonful to a dessert spoonful before meals.

[106 Mothers’ remedies]

Nervous dyspepsia.—­This is acquired from over work, worry, excitement, hurried or irregular meals, or inherited.  It shows itself in all sorts of symptoms and they must be met as they come.  Diet the same as for general dyspepsia, never eat when you are tired, rest after eating.

Ulcer of the stomach and duodenum (Upper part of bowel).—­Round or perforating ulcer.  The stomach ulcer is most common in women of twenty or thirty; servant girls, shoemakers, and tailors are frequently attacked.  Ulcer of the duodenum is usually in males and may follow large superficial burns.  The ulcer in the stomach is usually situated near the pylorus (small end) and in the first portion of the duodenum.

Symptoms.—­Pain, local tenderness, vomiting and bleeding.  These may not show until perforation or bleeding occurs.  Distress after eating, often nausea and vomiting of very acid fluid, loss of weight and lack of blood.

Pain in the region of the stomach and the back is the most constant symptom.  It is usually sharp, increased at once by food, relieved by vomiting.  The tender spot can be located.  Bleeding occurs in about one-half the cases and is usually profuse, bright red and fluid; if retained in the stomach the blood becomes clotted and brown.  Tar-like stools when there is blood in the bowels.  They usually recover under treatment, but may recur.

Physicians’ treatment for ulcer of the stomach.—­1.  Rest in bed most of the time for several months.

2.  Feed by the rectum at first in severe cases, then peptonized or plain milk or buttermilk (three to four ounces) every two hours, some adding eggs, chicken, scraped beef and farinaceous food, made of:  rice, flour, corn, potatoes, etc.

Cancer of the stomach.—­Usually occurs after the age of forty.

Symptoms.—­Indigestion for a few months; lack of blood and loss of weight.  Well marked case shows the following symptoms:—­Distaste for food, nausea, irregular vomiting, especially in cases where it is located near the pylorus—­the opening between the stomach and the small intestine—­usually one hour or more after eating; bleeding rarely profuse, usually of “coffee-ground type,” dragging, gnawing or burning pain in the region of the stomach, back, loins or shoulders, usually increased by food; progressive loss of weight and strength; peculiar sallow look, skin pale or yellowish.