Medicines.—­Tonics are needed here as in regular anemia.  The patient must be carefully treated, and very many of these cases can be cured.  The patient must render all the aid he can give, and the physician should gain his confidence.  If he does he will not need to give much medicine to put the patient to sleep, and if he does give it he can frequently use a Placebo with the same effect.  Mind has an influence over mind.  By “Placebo” is meant any harmless substance, as bread-pills, given to soothe the patient’s anxiety rather than as a remedy.

Sleep walking.—­There is a tendency to sleep walking in some families, often more than one child will do this to a greater or less extent.  It is very extreme in some cases, and the next morning they do not know anything about it.  The person is very seldom hurt and he can do some dizzy things.  Many persons walk about in their sleeping room or simply get out of bed.  Fatigue, worry, poor sleep, restlessness, nervousness, a hearty late dinner are aggravating causes.  As age advances and the person becomes stronger, the patient will do less of it.

Treatment.—­Avoid over-eating, worry, over-study.  The evening should be spent quietly.  Such persons had better drop parties, late hours or anything that tends to cause worry, fatigue or nervousness.

Stammering.—­This may be inherited to some extent; excitement, nervousness, bodily fatigue, want of rest, etc., make it worse.

Mother’s remedy. 1.  Stammering, Easy Cure for.—­“Read aloud in a room an hour each day.  Repeat each word slowly and distinctly.”

Physicians’ treatment.—­The person should be taught early to talk slowly, and to do everything to control himself and not get nervous.  There are schools for this trouble, and they seem to do good work.  They teach the patients how to speak slowly, distinctly and to keep their minds off of themselves.

Hiccough.—­This is caused by intermittent, sudden contraction of the diaphragm; obstinate hiccough is a very distressing symptom and sometimes it is hard to control.

302 Mothers’ remedies

Causes.—­Inflammatory causes.  It is seen in gastritis, peritonitis, hernia, appendicitis, and in severe forms of typhoid fever.  Irritative causes.  Swallowing hot substances, local disease of the gullet near the diaphragm, and in many cases of stomach trouble and bowel disorder, especially when associated with gas (flatus).  Specific causes:  Gout, diabetes or chronic Bright’s disease.  Nervous (Neurotic) causes.  Hysteria, epilepsy, shock, or brain tumors.

Mothers’ remedies. 1.  Hiccough.  Vinegar for.—­“One teaspoonful vinegar sipped carefully (so it will not strangle the patient) will stop them almost instantly.”

2.  Hiccough, Sugar and Vinegar Stops.—­“A few drops of strong vinegar dropped on a lump of sugar and held in the mouth until dissolved, will stop most cases of hiccoughs.”