CHAPTER XXni. 



THE F A M I L Y P H Y S IC I A N. 



iISEASE comes alike to all, and many friendly forms, are 

 hurried away, that with the knowledge of some simple 

 remedies might have been spared to us. 



When first attacked by disease, some simple remedy will 

 accomplish what a few hours later the most powerful medi- 

 cine xcill fail to effect. 

 The treatment therefore prescribed in this chapter will be first, 

 preventive, or such as shall tend to prevent attacks of disease ; 

 second, arrestive, or such as shall arrest disease in its first stages ; 

 and lastly, curative. 



We consider the first the most important of all. The preven- 

 tion of disease should be the study of the parent and the teaclier, 

 as the cure of the disease is the study of the physician. 



The foundations of disease are often laid in infancy, and with 

 infancy we shall commence our instructions. The care of tin; 

 infant is the loving task of the mother, and we are therefore sure 

 that we have only to show what is the right course to be pursued 

 and it will be joyfully taken. 



The mother is willing to sacrifice any thing or everything foj 

 her children, and yet few mothers take the time and trouble to 

 study the causes, nature and treatment of the simple diseases of 

 infancy and childhood. It is the testimony of every physician 

 with whom we have met that tens of thousands of little ones are 

 lost through the ignorance of the mothers ; mothers, too many of 

 them, who'^were accomplished in music, languages, literature, and 

 the teachings of the schools, but ignorant in that highest and 

 most sacred trust ever imposed upon woman, tlie care of cliildron. 

 And it is not so difficult a thing as may be supposed ; there is no 

 unfathomable mystery about the little form, but the laws ot its 

 life and well being are so plain that every woman of ordinary in- 

 telligence may master them by a few hours' careful study each 



" The youncr mother falls into that very natural and frequent 

 error of supposing that the first sign of discomfort that a babe 



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