MEASLES. 



33 



When the eruption is fully developed, the frequency of the pulse, 

 heat, thirst, redness of the eyes, and coryza disappear, or are much 

 alleviated ; the nausea and vomiting also subside. About the sixth 

 day, the watchfulness disappears, the cough and dyspnoea being the 

 only symptoms that remain. On the third or fourth day of the erup- 

 tion, the spots become pale, and gradually assume a yellow tint; and 

 when the redness has disappeared, the epidermis becomes detached 

 in small furfuraceous scales. 



In children with a delicate skm, the eruption sometimes appears 

 on the third day ; but in those with a thick, brown skin, it may not 

 be developed before the fifth day. 



In measles, the mucous membranes are very apt to be affected ; 

 generally, the membrane of the trachea, bronchi, fauces, nostrils, 

 and eyelids, is principally affected, but sometimes that of the stomach 

 or bowels principally suffers, producing nausea, vomiting, or purging. 

 At other times, the membranes of the brain are implicated, inducing 

 convulsions, stupor, or coma. 



The prognosis is unfavourable when the child is very young, 

 when the eruption appears before the third day, or when it suddenly 

 disappears. A leaden hue of the spots, petechise, or excessive 

 dyspnoea are also unfavourable signs. The prognosis is favour- 

 able when the gastro-pulmonary symptoms are slight, the progress 

 of the disease is regular, and when the skin is moist after the ap- 

 pearance of the exanthema. 



The sequelce of rubeola are, bronchitis, pneumonia, pleuritis, cseco- 

 colitis, diarrhoea, or ophthalmia. 



Treatment. — When the gastro-pulmonary symptoms are slight, the 

 treatment merely consists in keeping the patient in a mild tempera- 

 ture, on spare diet, and giving mild laxative and diaphoretic medi- 

 cines. If the soreness of the throat be very troublesome, the inha- 

 lation of the vapour of warm water is useful. 



As a general rule, all inflammations that precede, accompany, or 

 follow rubeola, when severe, should be treated as though that exan- 

 thema was not present. Should pneumonia, or laryngitis, set in, 

 the treatment according to the above rule should be on the general 

 principles laid down for the removal or alleviation of these affections. 

 If the eruption disappears suddenly, the treatment must depend upon 

 the cause producing this effect. If it is induced by the sudden deve- 

 lopment or increase of an internal inflammation, the attention must 

 necessarily be directed to the immediate subduing of the inflamma- 

 tory action. Secondly, if the recession depends on cold, the warm 

 or vapour bath should be had recourse to. Diarrhoea frequently 

 comes on during the convalescence, and,' if not too severe, is useful 

 in checking a tendency to thoracic disease ; should it, however, pro- 

 ceed too far, small doses of Dover's powder, and the occasional use 

 of the warm bath, will be found useful. A common sequela of 



