Symptoms. — Sometimes the convulsions ^xo. partial., thus an
arm may twitch or certain portions of the face. The writer
recollects being called to a child suffering from partial con-
vulsions, whose mother, recognizing, from the inflamed
condition of the gums, that the teething was at fault, took out
her penknife and scratched the surface, which was really
just what was required. Again, the convulsion may h& general.,
when the muscles of the face, eyes, eyelids and limbs are in
a violent state of rapid contraction alternating with relaxa-
tion. Froth may appear at the mouth, and if the tongue has
been bitten it will be tinged with blood. The head is
generally thrown back, and the thumbs pressed in upon the
palms of the hands.
Treatment. — If the teeth are plainly at fault, the gums must
be scarified, and three grains of bromide of potassium may
be given in a little water. If due to some indigestible article
of diet, then the best thing to do is to get rid of it as soon
as possible. The writer gave a child that took a very severe
fit during or immediately after dinner an emetic of mustard
Diseases of Infancy and Childhood 331
and water, which answered very well. Perhaps a safer emetic
would be a teaspoonful of ipecacuanha wine in tepid water;
drinks of tepid water being afterward given. This, of
course, is only to be given if it is thought that some in-
digestible article of food has given rise to the convulsions,
and if too long a time has not elapsed since it was swallowed.
If some hours have elapsed, it will be better to give a tea-
spoonful of castor oil. The following mixture will be found
useful; it may be given to children from one to three years
old: Bromide of potassium, two drachms; iodide of potas-
sium, half a drachm; syrup of orange peel, an ounce; water
to make four ounces. A teaspoonful every three hours, till
all tendency to twitching of the muscles has passed away.
Another very useful item of treatment is a warm bath or a
pack. A sheet should be wrung out of hot water and wrapped
round the child from the neck downward, and over this
one or two blankets. The child should remain in this for an
hour, after which it may be taken out and dried with warm
towels. Or the child may be immersed in a warm bath up
to the neck, or put in a tub or hip-bath with as much water
as can be got into it, so as to cover as much of the body as
possible. It should remain in this for about fifteen minutes,
during which cold cloths may be applied to the head.
Croup. Croup is an inflammatory disease of the larynx,
or upper part of the windpipe, and occurs in children, being
very common between two and five years of age.
Symptoms. — It is attended by very noisy inspiration on ac-
count of the narrowed condition of the glottis preventing
the free entrance of air into the lungs. The child feels as if
it were going to be choked, and it makes violent efforts
with the muscles of the chest, so as to increase the supply of
air within. Croup is a disease in which no delay should take
place in treatment, as imminent danger may ensue from suf-
focation.
332 Diseases of Infancy and Childhood
Page 186
Presented as published in 1894. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Symptoms. — Sometimes the convulsions are partial., thus an arm may twitch or certain portions of the face. The writer recollects being called to a child suffering from partial convulsions, whose mother, recognizing, from the inflamed condition of the gums, that the teething was at fault, took out her penknife and scratched the surface, which was really just what was required. Again, the convulsion may be general., when the muscles of the face, eyes, eyelids and limbs are in a violent state of rapid contraction alternating with relaxation. Froth may appear at the mouth, and if the tongue has been bitten it will be tinged with blood. The head is generally thrown back, and the thumbs pressed in upon the palms of the hands.
Treatment. — If the teeth are plainly at fault, the gums must be scarified, and three grains of bromide of potassium may be given in a little water. If due to some indigestible article of diet, then the best thing to do is to get rid of it as soon as possible. The writer gave a child that took a very severe fit during or immediately after dinner an emetic of mustard
Diseases of Infancy and Childhood 331
and water, which answered very well. Perhaps a safer emetic would be a teaspoonful of ipecacuanha wine in tepid water; drinks of tepid water being afterward given. This, of course, is only to be given if it is thought that some indigestible article of food has given rise to the convulsions, and if too long a time has not elapsed since it was swallowed. If some hours have elapsed, it will be better to give a teaspoonful of castor oil. The following mixture will be found useful; it may be given to children from one to three years old: Bromide of potassium, two drachms; iodide of potassium, half a drachm; syrup of orange peel, an ounce; water to make four ounces. A teaspoonful every three hours, till all tendency to twitching of the muscles has passed away. Another very useful item of treatment is a warm bath or a pack. A sheet should be wrung out of hot water and wrapped round the child from the neck downward, and over this one or two blankets. The child should remain in this for an hour, after which it may be taken out and dried with warm towels. Or the child may be immersed in a warm bath up to the neck, or put in a tub or hip-bath with as much water as can be got into it, so as to cover as much of the body as possible. It should remain in this for about fifteen minutes, during which cold cloths may be applied to the head.
Croup. Croup is an inflammatory disease of the larynx, or upper part of the windpipe, and occurs in children, being very common between two and five years of age.
Symptoms. — It is attended by very noisy inspiration on account of the narrowed condition of the glottis preventing the free entrance of air into the lungs. The child feels as if it were going to be choked, and it makes violent efforts with the muscles of the chest, so as to increase the supply of air within. Croup is a disease in which no delay should take place in treatment, as imminent danger may ensue from suffocation.
332 Diseases of Infancy and Childhood