56 DISEASES OF CHILDREN. 



which generally goes on to the production of ulcers, and on the inflamed ulcers there 

 come white patches, which are due to the growth of a fungus, a white mould, in 

 fact, known as the Oidium albicans. It is highly probable that the inflamed and 

 ulcerated condition of the mouth is prior to the growth of the fungus ; but it also 

 seems probable that this fungus, directly it has begun to grow, helps to keep up the 

 inflamed condition, so that the two elements of this disease lean upon each other, as 

 it were, for mutual support. If a little of the white patch be placed under the 

 microscope, the fungus may be clearly seen, and those who possess a microscope may 

 be interested in Booking at it. Place a little particle of the white substance on a 

 glass slide, place upon it a drop of solution of potash, and then cover with a covering 

 glass. The fungus, when magnified by a quarter-inch object-glass, looks like a 

 number of branching threads. The ulceration and fungous growth sometimes travel 

 through the intestines, and the child is often, in fact, usually, troubled with diarrhoea, 

 and sometimes inflammation round the lower opening of the bowel. When this 

 occurs, the thrush is said to have "passed through." During an attack of thrush, 

 the health of the child usually deteriorates very much, and occasionally even children 

 die of the exhaustion caused by the diarrhoea. Strong children ought not to have 

 thrush, and whenever the disease breaks out it is a sign of something wrong, either 

 in the child itself, or else in its management. If children were kept as scrupulously 

 clean as they ought to be, we should undoubtedly hear less of this disease. In the 

 majority of cases it arises from injudicious feeding. A child with thrush should be 

 fed entirely on milk, and if it be a year old, or upwards, a little beef tea may be 

 added. If it is being fed on any of the numerous patent farinaceous foods, they 

 should be discontinued for a time. If fed by hand, care must be taken that the 

 feeding-bottle is clean, and that no particles of sour milk are clinging about the lips 

 and stopper or the tube, as is too frequently the case. If the child is being suckled, 

 the mother's breast should receive attention, to be sure that it is in a fit state for such 

 a purpose. A little lime water should be added to the child's milk if the diarrhoea is 

 very severe in the proportion of two table-spoonfuls to half a pint of milk. If this 

 should fail to arrest the diarrhoea, it is often advisable to give a little chalk mixture 

 a tea-spoonful three or four times a day. The child must be kept scrupulously 

 clean, and its mouth must be washed after every meal, and all particles of milk must 

 be removed by means of a camel's hair brush. The best application for the destruc- 

 tion of the fungus is a solution of sulphite of soda, or a very weak solution of carbolic 

 acid one part of acid to sixty of water. The fungus being destroyed, the ulcerations 

 will heal, and the inflammation subside ; but the application of glycerine of borax, 

 or borax and honey, is often of very great service. It occasionally happens that 

 older people have thrush, and we sometimes see, during the course of severe fevers, 

 when patients are too weak to cleanse their mouths properly, a growth of the 

 oidium albicans on the mucous membrane of the mouth. The same thing occurs, too, 

 towards the termination of chronic complaints of long standing; but whenever it 

 occurs, it may always be taken to indicate that the patient is in a state of very great 

 weakness. 



Tonsils, Enlargement of Sickly children, especially if they be scrofulous, and 



