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VOMITING.
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after getting out of bed, which is owing partly to the change of pos-ture, but more to the emptiness of the stomach. It may generally beprevented by taking a dish of coffee, tea, or some light breakfast inbed. Pregnant women, who are afflicted with vomiting, ought to bekept easy, both in body and mind. They should neither allowtheir stomachs to be quite empty, nor should they eat much at once.Cold water is a very proper drink in this case; if the stomach be weak,a little brandy may be added to it. If the spirits are low, and the" person apt to faint, a spoonful of cinnamon-water, with a little mar-malade of quinces, or oranges, may be taken.
If vomiting proceeds from weakness of the stomach, bitters will beof service. Peruvian bark, infused in wine or brandy, with as muchrhubarb as will keep the body gently open, is an excellent medicine inthis case. The diluted acid of vitriol is also agood medicine,and may be taken in the dose of fifteen or twenty drops, twice or thricea-day, in a glass of wine or water. It has been said that habitual vo-mitings are alleviated by making oysters a principal part of diet.
A vomiting which proceeds from acidities in the stomach, is re-lieved by alkaline purges. The best medicine of this kind is themagnesia alba, a tea-spoonful of which may be taken in a cupful oftea, or a little milk, three or four times a-day, or oftener if necessary,to keep the body open.
When vomiting proceeds from violent passions, or affections of themind, all evacuantsmust be carefully avoided, especially vomits. Theseare exceedingly dangerous. The patient, in this case, ought to be keptperfectly easy and quiet, to have the mind soothed, and to take somegentle cordial, as negus, or a little brandy and water, to which a fewdrops of laudanum may occasionally be added.
When vomiting proceeds from spasmodic affections of the stomach,musk, castor, and other antispasmodic medicines, are of use. Warmand aromatic plasters have likewise agood effect. The stomach plas-ter (i. e. the compound plaster of ladanum) of the Londonand Edinburgh dispensatory, may be applied to the pit of the stomach,or a plaster of theriaca, which will answer rather better. Aromaticmedicines may likewise be taken inwardly, as cinnamon or mint-tea,wine with spiceries boiled in it, &c. The region of the stomach may-be rubbed with ajther, or, if that cannot be had, with strong brandyor other spirits. The belly should be fomented with warm water, orthe patient immersed up to the breast in a warm bath.
Saline draughts, taken in the act of effervescence, are of singularuse in stopping a vomit, from whatever cause it proceeds. These maybe prepared by dissolving a drachm of the salt of tartar in an ounce anda half of fresh lemon-juice, and adding to it an ounce of peppermint-water, the same quantity of simple cinnamon-water, and a little whitesugar. This draught must be swallowed before the effervescence isquite over, and may be repeated every two hours, or oftener, if thevomiting be violent. A violent vomiting has sometimes been stopped bycupping on the region of the stomach, after all other means had failed.
As the least motion will often bring on the vomiting again, evenafter it has been stopped, the patient must avoid all manner of action.The diet must be so regular as to eas y u P° n tne stomach, and no-thing should be taken that is hard of digestion. We do not howevermean that the patient should live entirely upon slops. Solid food,i" this case, 0 ft« n sits easier on the stomach than liquids.