_Treatment._—In nearly all cases, in full habits, having been exposed to great heat, alternating with cold, purging, sweating and extreme quiet, will relieve. Anointing the parts with warm goose oil, or boiled olive oil, is highly serviceable. In cases of long standing, with poor blood, the opposite treatment is indicated, _i.e._, food or medicines that create warmth, and supply principles wanting in the blood; such, for instance, as beef-juice, rare-done beefsteak, lamb chop, corn bread, pure wheat bread, milk, and stewed fruits.
Articular rheumatism, or that affecting the joints, long after the acute or first attack, can generally be cured by feeding the joints, as it were, from without. Ligaments and joints are not quickly affected by what enters the circulation, but very much can be gained by wrapping the joints with bandage, wet in some stimulating sedative of which hot water takes first rank, pulverized opium and water next. Dissolve ten grains in as much hot water as it will require to wet the bandages, apply and cover with a dry flannel. Liniments should be used with caution, as they tend to close up the pores of the skin.
Very much may be gained by taking a hot salt bath twice a week, not necessarily going to the sea-side. In all cases of rheumatism, with feelings of languor or loss of appetite, a tea of seneca, snake root and valerian is advisable, and may be drank at pleasure, cold. Also, a cold infusion of hoarhound and hops, made sweet with maple sugar, is good, if continued for quite a while. Dose—a pint during the day.
Soft bones, or a tendency to crooked limbs, in many families, may arise from a taint of ill-humors, or rachitis in the parents, or even grandparents; likewise, weak joints. The preventive means are, not to keep the infant too hot, or closely bound, while asleep. Children born free from any imperfection may develop distorted, if allowed to creep around or sit on a cold or damp floor, be tossed into a bed between cold sheets, when the nerves are excited and the blood is warm. It would require but little outlay to provide close flannel drawers for children to creep around in; besides, the nation would be blessed, in the future, with men and women possessing firm muscles, with well-fed marrow in their bones.