Flushings, Hot.--These are often a really serious trouble, especially to women, at certain stages of life. Most often they come about the age of fifty, but in weakly persons may occur at any time. A disturbance in the nervous system, due to lack of energy, is the cause of such feelings. They are often accompanied by DEPRESSION (_see_). Any treatment ought to be directed to strengthening the nervous system. A good plain diet, easy to digest, is a most important matter. Soaping with soap lather over all the body (_see_ LATHER) will greatly restore the tone of the nerves of the skin. This may be done every night, and the CAYENNE LOTION (_see_) rubbed all over every morning for a week or two. This treatment will usually prove successful in curing. Fomentation.--Some general remarks on this important treatment we give here. First, no fomenting should be done for at least an hour after a meal. And it should usually be followed by a period of complete rest. A very good way to foment any part of the back or front of the body is by an india-rubber bag of hot water of the proper size and shape, with two or three ply of moist flannel between the bag and the skin. These bags can now be had of very various sizes and shapes, and one or more should be in every house. In fomenting a knee, foot, or ankle, a good sized half or even whole blanket is necessary. Fold this one way until it is twenty inches broad. Lay it out on a clean floor or table, and sprinkle _sparingly_ boiling water across one end. Roll this end over and sprinkle the roll, turn over again and sprinkle again, and so on until the whole is rolled up. Thoroughly knead and twist it, so that all is penetrated by the moist heat (_see_ illustration, page 32). Or it may be prepared by soaking the blanket in boiling water, and wringing it out with a wringing machine. It may then be unrolled and unfolded so as to permit proper wrapping round the limb to be fomented. Care must be taken not to _burn_ the patient, or give any shock by applying the fomentation too hot. It must be comfortable. _See_ Heat And Weakness. Sometimes fomentation may seem to increase the pain, say in a swelled limb, and yet we should persevere in the treatment. This may seem to contradict our dictum that we should be guided by the feelings of the patient. The reason is that if some dead matter has lodged deep down in the limb, it will have to be brought up to the surface ere the diseased state can be remedied. If strong fomentation is used in such a case, it is not unlikely to increase the painfulness of the limb, and a swelling may appear. It will at once be said that the disease is "getting worse." This is quite a mistake--the increased pain is arising from such stirring of life as will bring about a complete cure. If the treatment is continued, the swelling will by-and-by come to a head and burst, and can be treated as in Abcess.