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Apothecaries' Measure: Avoid

Hints to Bathers. -Avoid bathing within two hours after a meal. Avoid bathing when exhausted by fatigue or any other cause. Avoid bathing when the body is cooling after perspiration; but bathe when the body is warm, provided no time is lost in getting into the water. Avoid chilling the body by sitting or standing naked on the banks or in boats after having been in the water. Avoid remaining too long in the water-leave the water immediately there is the slightest feeling of chilliness. Avoid bathing altogether in the open air, if, after having been a short time in the water, there is a sense of chilliness, with numbness of the hands and feet. The vigorous and strong may bathe early in the morning on an empty stomach; the young, and those who are weak, had better bathe three hours after a meal. The best time for such is from two to three hours after breakfast. All that is necessary to keep a person from drowning in deep water is to keep the water out of the lungs. Suppose yourself a bottle-your nose is the mouth of the bottle, and must be kept out of the water; if it goes under, do not breathe at all till it comes out; keep legs, arms, all under but your nose; do that, and you cannot sink in any depth of water. All you need to do secure this is to clasp your hands behind your back, point your nose upward toward the heavens, and keep perfectly still. Your nose will never go under water unless you raise your chin, hand, knee, or foot above it.

Earache. If a living insect is in the ear, turn the head to the opposite side and fill the ear with tepid water, oil, or glycerine, and it will soon come to the surface. A bright light thrown into the ear will, also, often succeed in bringing it out. Any body that will not swell when moistened with water, may probably be removed by syringing the ear thoroughly, with the face held downward. None but the very gentlest probing of the ear should be attempted by any one but a physician. Earaches may often be relieved by using hot drinks, and a hot hop poultice over the affected ear.

Epileptic Fits. These are known by the pallor of the face at first, a peculiar cry, loss of consciousness, then flushing of face and violent convulsions, with foaming at the mouth, rolling of the eyes, and biting of the lips and tongue. In a fit of this kind, place the patient on the back, with little or no elevation of the head, control his movements also so far as to prevent injury, place a folded towel between the teeth, if possible, to prevent the biting of the tongue. When the convulsion is over, let the patient rest in some quiet place, having previously taken a slight stimulant if very much exhausted by the violence or length of the fit. Eye. Dirt in the eye may be washed out by squeezing from a sponge a small stream of tepid water. To wash lime from the eye use the tepid water moderately acidulated with vinegar or lemon-juice. Cinders and other small particles may be removed generally by touching them with a soft silk or linen handkerchief twisted to a point, or by using a loop of human hair. Metallic particles can be removed often best by the use of a magnet. To expose the eye more fully, the upper lid may be easily averted by lifting it by the lashes and pressing from above by a slender pencil or stick.

Fainting. When persons have fainted, lay them down with the head as low as possible, loosen the clothing, keep back any crowding that would interfere with plenty of fresh air; sprinkle water over the face, apply hartshorn to the nose, and if too long in recovering consciousness, place heated cloths or plates over the stomach.

To Save a Person on Fire.-Seize a blanket from a bed, or a cloak, or a carpet, or any woolen material. Hold the corners as far apart as you can, stretch them out higher than your head, and rush boldly on the person, throwing the fabric around the upper part of the body. This instantly smothers the fire, and saves the face. The next instant throw the unfortunate person on the floor. This is an additional safety to the face and breast, and any remnant of flame can be put out more leisurely. The next instant immerse the burnt part in cold water, and all pain will cease with the rapidity of magic. Next get some common flour, remove from the water, and cover the burned parts with an inch thickness of flour; if possible put the patient in bed, and do all you can to soothe until the physician arrives. Let the flour remain until it falls off itself, when a new skin will be found, and unless the burns are deep, no other application will be needed.

Fish-Hooks. When a fish-hook has entered any part of the body, cut off the line, file off the flattened end and pass the hook on through the flesh like you would a needle in sewing.

Fractures. Broken bones are easily recognized by the grating of the ends on each other, by the unusual bending of the limb, and by the pain caused by motion at this point. A fracture is called compound when the end of the bone protrudes through the skin. Whenever such protrusion is seen, the part should be cleansed and at once covered with adhesive plaster or a piece of linen saturated with white of egg. All fractures should be attended to by a surgeon; consequently the dressings suggested here are only temporary, and intended to protect the parts from further injury.

In fracture of the arm above the elbow, bandage the upper arm to the side of the chest, and place the hand in a sling. In fracture of the arm below the elbow, bend the arm at the elbow at a right angle, place the thumb uppermost, and bandage it between two padded splints, reaching from elbow to ends of the fingers, one being placed on the back of the arm, and the other on the front, and place the hand in a sling. In fracture of the leg below the knee, extend the leg beside the sound one, giving it the same position, place a pillow beneath from the knee down, fold the sides of the pillow over the leg, and secure it in that position by bandages. In fracture of the thigh bone, place the patient on the back in bed, relax the muscles of the leg by drawing the feet up toward the body sufficiently, bind splints to the outer and inner side of the broken. thigh, then bind both legs together, and turn patient on the side with the injured limb uppermost. In fracture of the knee-cap bind the whole limb to a splint on the back of it, being careful to place a sufficiently large pad beneath the bend of the knee In fracture of the collar-bone, place the patient on his back on a hard bed without any pillow. In fracture of the lower jaw, close the mouth and bandage so as to keep the two rows of teeth together. In fractures of the skull, lay the patient down and apply cold wet cloths to the head. In other fractures, place the patient in the most comfortable position possible, keep him quiet, and apply cold water to prevent swelling. For splints, pasteboard, leather, shingles, or pieces of cigar-box may be used.

Frostbite. In frostbites use gentle friction in a warm room, using enough cold water or snow to prevent too rapid reaction and consequent pain in the affected part. If very severe, call a physician, as gangrene may follow.

To Restore those who have been Frozen. -These require a mode of treatment entirely different for by warmth they would be destroyed altogether. Nothing further is to be done than to immerse them in snow up to the head, or to place them in a bath of the coldest water that can be procured without being frozen. Then life will return of itself; and as soon as any signs of it appear, give the patients a little warm tea or wine and put them to bed.