a-Sickness.

Biscuits and Water.--The biscuits referred to are manufactured in
Saltcoats.[A] They are made from the purest whole wheaten flour. The
late Mr. Bryden, of the Saltcoats Home, used them along with hot water
as sole diet in many serious digestive troubles, with marvellous
success. Where no food will lie on the stomach, one small, or half a
large, biscuit is to be taken three times a day, as a meal, and at
meal-times. This will prove amply sufficient to maintain the system in
such a case, until the stomach gains power for more. In the case of
SORES and ABSCESSES (_see_), such a diet of biscuits and water provides
pure blood, and makes healing by other treatment very much easier. We
have known limbs saved from amputation largely by such diet. It will
suit equally well the delicate young lady and the strong labourer. Too
much of ordinary food goes to increase ulceration and nourish disease.
The Saltcoats biscuit provides nothing for these ends, and is of
immense value as an aid to cure. One great advantage of this diet is
that it is a _dry_ one, and the biscuits _must_ be thoroughly chewed to
enable them to be swallowed at all. The saliva is thereby thoroughly
mixed with the food, which is all-important to make it digestible.
These biscuits are also so plain as not to tempt the patient to eat
more than he can digest, which is the great danger in sickness. The
slops of gruel and cornflour so often given are never chewed at all,
and often do nothing but harm. Such starchy foods really require to be
more thoroughly mixed with saliva than any other food, as unless, by
action of the saliva, the starch is converted into sugar it cannot be
assimilated in the stomach.

[Footnote A: By Mr. R. Black, baker.]

Bleeding.--In any case of this pack the feet and legs as directed in
Lungs, Bleeding from, and press cold cloths to the place the blood
comes from, stomach, womb (_see_ Miscarriage), or lungs. If it comes
from the nose, apply the cold cloths to the head and back of the neck.

Blisters.--The destruction of the skin over any painful part, by means
of blisters, is to be always avoided if possible (_see_ Burns, Knee,
Pleurisy, etc.)

Blood.--A most common trouble is anaemia, a lack of good red blood,
showing itself in a waxy paleness and whiteness of lips, often
accompanied by exhaustion and great fatigue. To remedy this, first
secure a supply of pure water, of which 80 per cent. of the blood is
made up. Gi