Apoplexy. 1.  Mothers’ Remedies, Simple yet Effective Remedy for.—­“Place the feet of the patient in hot water and mustard,” This is a very simple treatment for such a serious disease, but very often will relieve as the hot bath will cause a reaction, take the pressure of blood from the brain and by this means has been known to save many lives.

2.  Apoplexy, Simple Injection for.-"Place dry salt on the tongue and give an injection as follows: 

Warm water       1 quart
Common salt      2 teaspoonfuls
Brandy         1/2 ounce

    This injection is recommended for any kind of a shock which affects
    the circulation.”

    The injection of the bowels will relieve the congestion by drawing the
    blood away from the brain.

Medical treatment must be to regulate the diet, bowels, kidneys, and stomach.  Restore the general health.

Caution.—­A person who has had an attack of this kind may have another.  The mode of life must be changed in most cases.  The patient must take things easy.  The bowels, kidneys, stomach, and liver must work naturally and the stomach must not be overloaded.  Too much meat must not be eaten; alcohol must be let alone; rich foods are prohibited.  Hurry, worry, anger, fright, excitement, etc., are bad.  Be lazy, take life easy, do not get over-heated, and sleep, sleep, sleep,—­in a room where there is plenty of good air.  Do not lift or strain to have a passage of the bowels.  Stooping is injurious.  The blood must be kept from the head.  Take proper care and you are likely to live years longer.  And now you may wonder why I give such cautions.  Apoplexy is directly due to a breaking of the wall of a blood vessel, large or small; due to a weakening, or decay, or degeneration of the wall.  This lets the blood into the substance of the brain and presses upon the nerve centers, causing the trouble and paralysis.  Any wrong action tends to fill the blood vessels very full and the weakened wall bursts.

Palsy.  Paralysis.—­A loss of movement, entire or partial, in the voluntary muscles of the body.  When this loss of power is complete it is called paralysis; when it is not complete, paresis.

Causes.—­Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, tumors in these parts, accidents and injuries, poisons, apoplexy, etc.

Symptoms.—­The patient cannot make all the usual motions of the part.  The affected muscles may waste after a time.

Different Varieties.—­

(a) Paralysis of the ocular (eye) muscles.—­The vision becomes double, the eyelids do not act normally, may droop.  The eye may not move in every direction as it should.

(b) Paralysis of the muscles of mastication (eating).  Symptoms.—­If paralysis is only on one side, it is difficult to chew; if on both sides, chewing is impossible.  The jaw hangs down.

[Nervous system 295]