lest the patient choke. The head must be laid low,
and the face and chest flapped with a cold wet cloth, or
alternately with hot wet cloths; smelling salts (not too strong)
may be applied to the nose.
"When the faint has been recovered from, but the hemorrhage
continues so much that it is feared another faint may occur,
and, perhaps, be fatal, it may be warded off by drinking any hot
liquid; if Liebig's extract of meat, or strong beef tea, is at
hand and can be given hot, there is nothing better."
HEART DISEASE:--Dr. Ridge says: "I trench here on a delicate
subject, because, when there is real disease of the heart,
medical advice will of course have been obtained, and very
probably a doctor may have said that some alcoholic liquor is
essential. There are, also, several different forms of heart
disease which require altogether different treatment, and only a
physician can tell the difference, or appreciate the necessity
for the particular treatment required. But it may be pointed out
that alcohol is utterly unable to 'strengthen' the heart, or
give tone to the blood-vessels, or to the system at large.
"The alteration in the pulse due to alcohol is chiefly owing to
its paralyzing action on the blood-vessels, and when they are
too contracted, and thereby cause the weakened heart to labor
too much, the alcohol will give relief for the time. But we have
in nitrite of amyl, a fluid which will act more quickly and more
powerfully; but this must not be employed without medical
direction. It is very useful in cases of _angina pectoris_, or
_breast pang_, but is rarely required in the majority of cases
in which the valves of the heart are diseased. The paralyzing
action of alcohol is not generally produced by less than half a
wine-glassful of brandy or whisky, or twice that quantity of
wine, and often much more is required. The relief to uneasy
sensations which much smaller quantities sometimes produce is
due to their anaesthetic or benumbing action, by which the nerves
of the patient are rendered less sensible, although the danger
is by no means diminished. * * * *
"The only sensible way to avert the evil consequences of heart
disease is to strengthen the heart, and that is to be done by
strengthening the body generally. The amount of exercise, the
kind of baths, etc., whic
|