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For many years I was subject to sick headaches at irregular intervals. They would come on from a cold, from want of sleep, or under mental strain. When I began to travel and lecture I gave up the use of butter because I could not always get that which was good. Since that I have never had a severe attack of headache. I have recommended many others to deny themselves of butter and other fats with good results, using honey, fruit juice or milk instead.

With many, potatoes cause sick headaches, especially if mashed with a great deal of butter. They become soggy, and cannot be penetrated by the gastric juice. Some think that they should never be eaten at the same meal with acid fruits.

For prevention of attacks, the treatment for biliousness and constipation will be effectual. Rubbing, spatting, brushing and combing the head often wards off the pain. Large drafts of hot water, or hot lemonade, or salt and water may give relief. Put hot applications to the feet and fomentations upon the stomach. Also take a hot enema of three quarts of water and two tablespoons of salt. The latter seldom fails to ward off an attack if taken in time.

The following remedies have proved invaluable:

HEARTBURN is acidity of the stomach, caused by improper food or a failure in digestion. Avoid starchy foods, fats and meats. Avoid gravies. I know a lady who always has extreme acidity after partaking of chicken or turkey gravy, while nothing else has a similar effect. To remedy heartburn, take the meals entirely without drinking. The gastric juice that dissolves the food is not secreted until the liquids have passed from the stomach by absorption. Anything that lowers the tone of the stomach prevents it having power to perform both of these functions, consequently the food remains, to ferment and sour. If acidity is present, the gastric juice can be stimulated by eating a piece of burnt toast, or taking pulverized charcoal. Some, understanding this, make crackers containing charcoal. A few mouthfuls of these after the meal will answer the purpose.

Avoid a variety at one meal. Choose such articles as experience has proved to be best assimilated. Do not take magnesia, lime, soda, or any other alkaline for this trouble. They injure the mucous coat of the stomach, and the difficulty is more likely to recur another day. Drinking copiously of warm water may be resorted to, if the burning is severe. This will cause vomiting, and give relief. Abstain from food until the following day, and eat sparingly until the stomach has recovered a healthy tone.

FLATULENCE AND COLIC arise from a failure of intestinal digestion. Many of the vegetables are inclined to cause flatulence: beans, sweet potatoes, and cabbage most frequently. Corn meal, oat meal, and rolled wheat will produce flatulence, if not thoroughly cooked. All of these require more time in preparation than is usually given. See chapter on Dietetics for proper cooking of these.

To remedy flatulence, drink hot water warm water enemas, or use the fomenter over the stomach. Avoid such articles of food as cause the trouble.

HEMORRHOIDS OR PILES are often caused in pregnancy by inflammation of the rectum or pressure of the gravid uterus. Yet they are many times a local indication of a constitutional disturbance, and local applications can give only temporary relief. The most obstinate cases can be overcome in time by correct living. The diet and exercises should be similar to those for constipation.

? Fl. Ex. Hamamelis, ?ij. Linseed oil, ?ij.

Mix.--Apply externally two or three times a day, or inject with a small syringe.

GREEDY APPETITE is more to be feared than loss of appetite. One is hungry at all times, complains she can not get enough to eat. This is strong evidence that there are morbid conditions. The system is likely to take on excess of fat, and become loaded with poisonous elements.

Observe religiously a few rules:

On no account eat between meals.

Partake mostly of fruits and vegetables.

Keep away from the odor of food.

Take plenty of outdoor exercise.

DIARRHEA in pregnancy is not of frequent occurrence. Ordinarily, it is only an effort of nature to correct abnormal conditions; in such cases it requires no attention. If, however, it becomes persistent and troublesome, it will, contrary to common prejudice, usually yield to the use of acidulated drinks or the fruit diet. It may be best for a few days to keep quiet and avoid solid food. Enemas of hot water are frequently beneficial.

The following remedies are indicated:

The symptoms of pregnancy treated thus far are usually the result of some disturbance in the operations of alimentation. The few remaining to be considered would scarcely ever occur, if the entire system were rightly nourished. Still, not being immediately the result of failure in the digestive act, they merit special attention.

NEURALGIA and neuralgic toothache are common and distressing symptoms during gestation. The child of the forest, the peasant girl of Europe and the dusky cotton picker of the South probably have no conception of a neuralgic pain.

Lack of nerve food is another cause. The phosphates and other saline elements are insufficient. Also exhausted and weakened nerves, making an effort to recuperate, give the possessor great suffering. The mother, who already has several children, wearied and worried by their many wants, whose domestic cares are a continual burden, who has no surcease from the sexual relation, is the one likely to suffer from neuralgia. Often the pregnant woman strains every nerve that her house be put and kept in order. She spends anxious days and sleepless nights in weary watching over a sick child or husband. Suffering must surely follow. The tonics, stimulants and opiates prescribed by most physicians cause worse symptoms than the original trouble. Nature demands only rest. The relief obtained by drugs is at too great a sacrifice of vital force. Nearly all that take opiates attest that on the following day sufferings ensue from nausea, headache, loss of appetite, constipation, etc.

In most cases hot applications will give sure relief. Why is it, that simple measures are the last thought of? Use the fomenter locally; if that is not sufficient, give a full hot or thermal bath.

Human magnetism is superior to all other agents for neuralgia. Nearly every family has some member that possesses the gift of healing by the "laying on of hands." The spine and extremities should be manipulated, and then the affected part. The patient will fall into a restful sleep, awaken refreshed, if not cured, and have no poisonous drugs to be eliminated from the system.

Upon my entering the room, she seized my hand with a vise-like grip and cried: "Doctor, give me something, or I must die of this agony!"

I assured her that she should have help. Turning to her husband, I said: "Bring me a wash-bowl with hot water and ammonia in it. Put four bricks in the furnace as soon as you can."

Quickly the whole surface was cleansed of the obstruction to the pores. The heated bricks were wrapped in wet cloths and one placed each side of her face. Friction was applied to the extremities, and in less than half an hour after I entered the house the anxious husband and friends were rejoiced to see the patient enjoying a restful sleep. She made a speedy recovery. There are few cases of neuralgia that can not be relieved by this, or similar means. "Will not the pain return?" Perhaps, but not as likely as where the nervous sensibility has been benumbed with drugs.

If the mother has facial neuralgia or toothache, and can not be spared from family cares to take the needful bath and rest, or can not get magnetic treatment, temporary relief can be obtained by bathing the affected part in the tincture of aconite. This is rarely followed by unpleasant results, but should be used cautiously and only externally.

BURNING FEET are best relieved by bathing them in very hot water. A sand bath, too, is excellent. Have a box of moist sand, in which bury the feet for thirty or forty minutes. In summer one will find it very grateful to allow the bare feet to come in contact with green grass or freshly turned earth.

CRAMPS in the limbs are occasioned by pressure upon the crural and sciatic nerves; are frequently the direct result of pressure from clothing. For temporary relief lie flat upon the back, head and shoulders low, and hips elevated. Apply hand friction to the limbs and back. The only permanent relief is to take the exercises that will expand the ribs and walls of the abdomen, thus giving more room for fetal house-keeping.

Temporary relief can be obtained by bathing the limbs in cold water, and putting on a roller bandage made of strips of rubber. This should be from an inch and a half to two inches wide. It must be put on smoothly and equably. Begin at the toes, lap the edges about half an inch, make reverses to prevent creases, and extend above the swelled veins.

FOR RIGIDITY OF THE INTEGUMENT of the abdomen, bathe in hot water, then rub in olive oil or cosmoline. This symptom is not likely to be troublesome if the exercises recommended are being taken.

INSOMNIA is the result of reflex nervous action from stomach or uterus. The causes must be removed. Bathing feet and legs in cold water, or taking a sitz-bath, temperature 90 degrees, followed by thorough friction, will usually give sound, refreshing sleep. A compress applied to the back of the neck is good, especially if there is heat in the head. Try changing from the customary bed to a lounge or another apartment. Hand magnetism or the magnetic cap will afford relief to many. Tea and coffee often produce wakefulness, and should be omitted.

In place of the evening meal, take a cup of hot water or wheat coffee. When all other means are without avail, this abstinence seldom fails to secure sound, refreshing sleep, that is truly "Nature's sweet restorer."

For many years I was subject to insomnia. I found temporary benefit from looking steadily at one object, keeping the eyes wide open. It is better to have the object above and back of the head, so that the eye is forced to roll backward and upward. Keep the eyes open as long as possible. When at last they close, still in imagination look at the object, keeping the mind steadily upon it. There is one measure still better than this for insomnia; that is, to become entirely indifferent as to whether you sleep or not. Possess yourself of the belief that sleep is unnecessary for you, that you are as well off without it. Occupy your mind by reciting poetry, recalling the past, or planning work for the future, assuring yourself that your body is getting rest. If you can become entirely convinced of this fact, with no lurking combative belief, you will be surprised to see that you have obtained a condition which will soon result in oblivion.

LEUCORRHEA.--A thin, milky greenish or watery discharge is not unfrequently a great annoyance in pregnancy, and a drain upon the vitality. It is usually the result of inflammation in the uterus and vagina, or an irritation set up by hardened feces in the rectum. Leucorrhea is not a disease, but is simply the symptom of a disease, as the cough or sputa are symptoms of bronchitis. This is nature's effort to throw off inflammation. She fails in the attempt, and such a condition is produced that the discharge becomes chronic.

Do not use astringents for leucorrhea. They only palliate by drying the secretion for a short time. When the remedy is omitted the discharge returns, or more grave symptoms appear. The cause should be treated. For many cases good results will follow the use of hot injections of carbolic soap suds. Two hours a day, wear cotton in the vagina saturated with glycerine. This temporarily increases the discharge, but aids to remove irritation. Like other symptoms this yields to thorough hygienic measures.

PRURITUS of the vulva often becomes very troublesome; may be the result of a sanious leucorrhea, excessive dryness, inflammation or eruptions. For the first cause, treat accordingly. For inflammation of the labia apply cloths in a cold lotion of borax, one teaspoonful to a quart of water. For dryness apply glycerine upon cotton. Pruritus will usually be relieved by the following lotion:

? Tincture Lobelia } } a a ?ij " Benzoin } Glycerine } } a a ?j Alcohol } Add benzoin last, slowly.

Apply upon absorbent cotton or oakum. Cleanse the parts frequently with carbolic soap suds.

As hygienic treatment of pregnancy is fully given, other symptoms are omitted. Remember that suffering is the result of violated laws. With physical as moral law:

"Each man's life The outcome of his former living is. The bygone wrongs bring forth sorrow and woes; The bygone right breeds bliss, That which ye sow, ye reap."

HYGIENE OF PREGNANCY.--DRESS.

What more charming sight than a rosy, robust young woman! Full of vigor, life, strength, power; her step elastic, bounding, her face radiant, her presence magnetic! To such there are no fears, no forebodings in maternity!

She needs not the counsels of physician or books. Her own life fulfills the law. It is not for her I write, but for those who, constantly violating physical laws, never know the blessedness of health.

A woman possessed of a good constitution, having had proper physical training, is fully prepared to assume the responsibilities of marriage and maternity. As Nature's own child, she needs to make but little change in her habits during the period of gestation.

Realizing her obligations to offspring and posterity, long before assuming the marriage relation she has practiced all known laws of health.

Dr. Holbrook says: "Those ailments to which pregnant women are liable, are, most of them, inconveniences rather than diseases, although they may be aggravated to a degree of real danger. Arising, as they do, from the temporary physical condition of the organism, what they require is, not such medical treatment as may be needed for a true disease, but rather a general hygienic regimen. For a similar reason, while on the one hand it may not be possible to remove them entirely, yet on the other they can almost always be greatly alleviated.

The aim of this work is to show how this standard may be gained and maintained. The directions given in the following pages are simply teachings of nature. No nostrums or mysterious prescriptions are recommended, but the simple lessons herein given are an effort to teach women how to regain that which they have lost through the errors of civilization.

CONGENIAL SURROUNDINGS are essential for health of both mother and child. Wealth and luxuries are not needful, but comfort and agreeable companionship are desirable, with freedom from excessive physical burdens and mental anxieties.

Men and women are to-day suffering from lack of vitality, caused by the overwork and burdens of our pioneer mothers during gestation. The farmer who would not work his mare in foal, counsels or provides for his pregnant wife no relief from toil and care. The mechanic's wife, knowing the need of making every dollar do its utmost, performs the severest drudgery, with only aches, pains and puny offspring for her compensation.

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