Boric acid.

Camphorated oil.

Castor oil.

Aromatic spirits of ammonia.

Alcohol.

Olive oil.

Epsom salts.

Soda-mint tablets.

Vaseline.

Zinc ointment, together with other medicines the physician orders.

Ice bag, hot-water bottle and oiled silk.

Besides these articles, in the nursery--in readiness for emergencies and accidents--should be found the following:

Gauze bandages of various sizes.

Sterile gauze.

Boric acid crystals and powder.

Mustard.

A pocket case of instruments containing scissors, knife, dressing forceps, etc.

Syrup of ipecac.

Glycerin.

Tincture of iodine.

Package of ordinary baking soda.

Peroxid of hydrogen.

Absorbent cotton.

Needle and thread.

Lime water.

PATENT MEDICINES

Aside from the giving of castor oil and the application of vaseline to the nose, or of applying boracic acid to the eyes, no medicine should be administered to the baby without competent medical advice. There are numerous widely advertised nostrums frequently sold as soothing syrups to be used during the teething or during attacks of diarrhea, or cough spasms, croup, or worms, that contain dangerous drugs and should not be given to children. Many well-meaning but ignorant mothers are slowly but surely laying the foundations for serious nervous disorders and are often making veritable dope fiends out of their children. Patent medicines are dangerous things in the hands of the people; if we are going to give medicines to our little babies let us at least know what we are giving. Let some conscientious, scientific physician examine the baby and prescribe for its needs.

If urged to use a patent medicine, examine the label carefully, for the Federal Food and Drug Act requires the manufacturer of patent medicines to print plainly on the label of the bottle the name and amount of certain dangerous drugs which it may contain.

The drugs mentioned in this drug act and which are often used in patent medicine nostrums are, chloral hydrate, cocaine, heroin, chloroform, alpha or beta eucaine, opium, morphin, alcohol, cannabis indica, or any derivative or preparation of any such substance contained therein.

There are many other drugs sold on the market containing syrups or flavoring materials which may do harm--which may upset the baby's digestion.

Mothers avoid patent medicines. Consult your physician. Never give a baby any sort of medicine to induce sleep. Unless babies are sick or spoiled or hungry, they will go to sleep of themselves, and even in the days of a high fever a wet-sheet pack seldom ever fails to put the baby to sleep and can do no harm if properly given.

This may be as good a place as any to mention the dosage of castor oil which is as follows:

Up to three months, 1/2 teaspoon.

From three to six months, 1 teaspoon.

From six to nine months, 1 teaspoons.

From nine to twelve months, 1 dessert spoon (2 teaspoons).

From twelve months on, 1 to 2 tablespoons.

AFTER THE SICKNESS IS OVER

The physician will direct when the disinfectant bath is to be given to the patient previous to his liberation from isolation. The different diseases demand different treatment, but, on the whole, it is about as follows:

The day before the boy is to be allowed to go out among the family once more he receives a soap wash, clean sheet and bedding on the bed, and puts on clean garments. The following morning, his head thoroughly shampooed, his nails manicured, a second soap wash is given followed by a weak bichlorid bath (1 to 10,000 solution) which is followed by an alcohol rub. He is then allowed to go out of the sick room which is now to be thoroughly disinfected and fumigated.

After the illness is over, the sick room and the adjoining closets and ante rooms must be thoroughly disinfected or fumigated. If you are located in a city, the health authorities will do this after an infectious or contagious disease. Away from such conveniences, use the following method:

Place two ounces of crystals of permanganate of potash in a pan and have a pint bottle of formalin near by. Everything in the room is now exposed, dresser drawers are opened, all bedding, all garments--in fact everything that is in the room--is put in such a position as to be readily exposed to the fumes which are to follow. A line should be stretched across the room over which are thrown the bedding, garments, etc. The cracks of the windows and doors, except the one door of exit, are now sealed up with paper which has been dipped in green soap, and having the paper strips and pan of green soap ready just outside the exit door, the formalin is now poured over the permanganate crystals.

Fumes will immediately arise and permeate every corner, crack and crevice of the sick room. Now quickly make your exit, close the door and seal up key hole and cracks and s.p.a.ce under the door with paper dipped in green soap. Leave the room for six hours. After this with a well-moistened cloth to the nose, rush in and throw the windows open, hurry out and allow the room to air from twelve to twenty-four hours, after which wash woodwork and painted walls or take paper off and repaper walls; recalcimine ceilings and closets; scrub closet shelves and dresser drawers, bedsteads, and other furniture thoroughly. If the mattress is old throw it away, but if not, sun it for several days following the fumigation.

CHAPTER XXVII

DIGESTIVE DISORDERS

In this chapter we will consider the diseases which commonly occur during infancy and early childhood relative to digestion and the alimentary tract. Irregularity of feeding, feeding between meals, feeding too much at any given time, as well as feeding the wrong kind of food may cause stomach disturbances and intestinal troubles.

VOMITING

In a previous chapter, "The Feeding Problem," a common stomach disturbance, vomiting, was gone into quite thoroughly, and in pa.s.sing to other disorders, we wish to remind the mother that vomiting should always be taken seriously. The interval between meals should usually be lengthened, the time spent in feeding shortened, and it is often necessary to withhold all milk and food of any kind for twelve or eighteen hours, giving only boiled, unsweetened water. Vomiting frequently ushers in some acute disease, and in remote cases, when it is very persistent, it may indicate inflammation of the brain.

Complete rest is essential, trotting on the knee, suddenly changing the baby's position, or other quick movements must all be avoided. A physician should see the sick one and determine the cause of the trouble.

COLIC

Cases of ordinary colic are usually relieved by heat to the abdomen and feet, drinking hot water in which there has been dissolved a pinch of ordinary baking soda, or a portion of a soda mint tablet, or by the use of the photoph.o.r.e, as previously described. The treatment of such ordinary colic need not be given further consideration here because it has been described at length in a former chapter; but we do call the attention of the mother to a more serious form of recurring colic which so often accompanies chronic intestinal indigestion, marasmus, and malnutrition.

In most instances the food is radically at fault and should be reduced to a mixture which can more readily be digested and a.s.similated by the child. Often whey mixtures, peptonized foods, or b.u.t.termilk may be indicated. The weight of the baby, the age of the baby, and the color of the stools, must all be taken into account in the preparation of this easily digested food. Weak mixtures should be given at first and then gradually and carefully the quality may be strengthened until the normal formula is again used for the baby.

Injections into the bowel of water, to which has been added one level teaspoon of soda to the pint, will often give relief in this form of colic.

CHRONIC INDIGESTION

While this condition may occur at any time during babyhood days, it often makes its appearance during the last half of the first year and up to the fifth year. It is accompanied by mucus in the stools, chronic flatulence, constipation or diarrhea, or the alternating of the two, restlessness at night, distention of the abdomen ("pot bellied") accompanied by pain, a coated tongue with a fetid breath, and loss of appet.i.te. It is a pitiable picture--the weight is usually reduced and the child gives the appearance of being decidedly undernourished. This condition is usually occasioned by errors in diet, whether it be over-feeding or feeding of the wrong element of food, and, since the diet is usually responsible for the condition, in the line of treatment diet is a prime factor.

All fats must be taken from the food, sugars should be avoided, and the amount of starchy foods, such as flour, potatoes and bread, should be greatly reduced. b.u.t.termilk, skimmed milk, eggs, green vegetables, and fruit juices should be given. In the older child, if grains are used, they should be well toasted or baked.

JAUNDICE

It is altogether common and physiological for the newborn baby to pa.s.s through a few days of yellow skin which usually clears up in the second or third week, but it should not recur. Occasionally this yellow tint deepens, the whites of the eyes are yellow, the urine pa.s.sed leaves a yellow stain on the diaper, while pa.s.sages from the bowels are white or clay colored. If the child shows symptoms of ill health other than the yellow tint, it should receive medical attention. Older children troubled with jaundice should receive the following treatment: The photoph.o.r.e as described elsewhere should be applied to the liver and abdomen (the liver is on the right side), and this should be followed by the application of what is known as a heating compress, consisting of three layers--a cloth wrung from cold water, a mackintosh, and then two thicknesses of blanket flannel--which are all applied when the skin has been made red by the application of heat. (If the photoph.o.r.e is unavailable, a hot-water bottle may be applied.) The flannel is pinned snugly on the outside as the wet cloth goes next to the skin with the mackintosh between. This should remain on the abdomen for three or four hours, after which the hot application is again made to the liver and abdomen. The administration of broken doses of calomel is sometimes indicated in obstinate cases in connection with these applications of heat to the liver. Hot milk or mineral water may be taken with dry toast. In a day or two the color should clear up, the stools should be normal again, and the treatment may be discontinued.

WORMS