ease.

Bowels, Glands of.--Symptoms of glandular trouble in the bowels
are--weariness and pallor, lack of appetite, softness and shrinking of
limbs, with swelling of the belly. In its earlier stages, before
consumption sets in, this trouble may be perfectly cured. We have seen
even apparently hopeless cases recover under proper treatment. In its
essence the trouble is a failure of power in the nervous centres upon
which health of the bowels depends. To supply this needed power, take a
small bag of cotton cloth, like a little pillow-slip, of just the size
to cover the patient's whole back. Fill this with bran, prepared as for
poultice (_see_ Bran Poultice). Oil the back before applying this, and
place, if needed, four ply or so of cloth on the back to moderate the
heat to the skin. After half-an-hour, if the patient feels desirous,
renew for another hour; do this each day at bedtime for a week at
least. Rub the body all over with warm olive oil when this is taken
off; then place a bandage with only a gentle tightness in such a way as
just to help the relaxed bowels, but only just so much--not by any
means to try and force them into what might be thought proper
dimensions. Give a teaspoonful of liquorice mixture (_see_
Constipation) thrice a day before meals in a little hot water. Feed on
wheaten porridge and generally light diet, being careful to regulate it
so as to make the bowels work easily and naturally. If not too bad a
case, this treatment will soon tell favourably. Enemas (_see_) of
either cold or warm water, as required, will also greatly help.

Bowels, Inflammation of.--This (called medically Peritonitis) is an
inflammation of the membrane covering the bowels. It results from chill
or strain, and sometimes, in the case of child-birth, from dirt
introduced into the parts by handling with unwashed hands. In such
cases, the utmost care must be taken to ensure cleanliness, which will
secure against one fertile cause of the disease. The hands should be
always fresh and clean, and all cloths, etc., should be either most
carefully washed or burnt. Where the trouble arises from strain, or
chill, these lower the vitality, and the membrane becomes gorged with
blood at fever heat. To regulate this heat, then, and free the membrane
from the blood which over-fills it, is to lead to a cure. Rub the back
with warm olive oil, place on it a large BRAN POULTICE (_see_), or an
india-rubber bag of hot water covered with _mois