146 THE INVISIBLE WOELD 



thirds of them among children under two years 

 of age. Adults rarely have the disease. It may 

 be because most adults have it while young. As 

 a rule, no person has it but once. 



With young children, especially infants, the dis- 

 ease is severe, quite as much to be dreaded as 

 any other disease. Of course the severity varies 

 from the mildest form, which seems not much 

 worse than a common cold, up through some grades 

 to the most severe, which most always proves fatal. 

 In the severer cases, when the whooping begins, 

 the coughing spells are frequent and violent. With 

 each spasm the child may cough and whoop several 

 times. Tears may fall from the eyes; sometimes 

 blood from the nose; occasionally with vomiting. 

 These spasms may occur from five to fifty times 

 every twenty-four hours. Suffocation will some- 

 times seem imminent. 



But do not be frightened. These spasms are the 

 effort of Nature to throw off the poison generated 

 by the microbes. Do not call the doctor; the 

 mother is the best doctor. Keep away all drugs; 

 they can only <lo harm. Especially keep away 

 soothing sirup; it may soothe to sleep soon to the 

 eternal sleep. It may kill pain nine cases out 

 of ten, the patient, too. If you have any in the 

 house, throw it to the dogs, but tell them to look 

 out; it may stupefy and kill them! 



The one thing needful in these extreme cases is 

 intelligent, kind, constant nursing. Be with the 

 child at all times, day and night. Keep out doors 



