INFANCY. 



and as the disease declines a little rhu- 

 barb should be superadded, which will 

 strengthen the bowels by its astringency 

 and at the same time correct their acri- 

 mony. When the disorder is removed, 

 the child's health will be restored by 

 some tonic or strengthening remedies, as 

 a tea-spoonful of camomile tea, or a few 

 drops of the compound tincture of gen- 

 tian, well diluted. These medicines 

 should be given two or three times a day, 

 the bowels kept regularly open, and the 

 testaceous powder not entirely relin- 

 quished, but occasionally administered. 

 Where the disease appears very malig- 

 nant, instead of the bitters recommend- 

 ed, a decoction of the bark, with the aro- 

 matic confection, will be preferable. 



In the use of absorbents, or testaceous 

 powders, the dose cannot be precisely 

 regulated, but must be increased or di- 

 minished according to the effects. Three 

 or four grains may be given three or four 

 times in the day : and when these medi- 

 cines are employed, the diet of the nurse 

 should also claim attention, and her 

 usual quantity of malt liquor be dimi- 

 nished. 



Besides this general treatment of thrush, 

 it has been also common to make appli- 

 cations to the part, in order to hasten the 

 exfoliation, or scaling, of the surface. 

 Such applications, however, are highly 

 improper, on the first attack of the dis- 

 ease, or till nature shows an actual dispo- 

 sition or tendency to this separation. By 

 beginning with such applications too ear- 

 ly, they only increase the soreness of the 

 surface, and by rudely clearing it of 

 the aphthous matter, give a deceitful ap- 

 pearance of amendment. It is proper, 

 however, that the child's mouth should at 

 all times be kept clean, particularly if 

 much foulness prevail, and there be an 

 appearance of thick sloughs. Of the se- 

 veral preparations that have been used 

 for this purpose, borax has gained a de- 

 cided preference ; and it may be mixed 

 \ip with sugar, in the proportion of one 

 part of the former to seven of the latter. 

 A small portion of this composition may 

 be put on the child's tongue, which will 

 dissolve and be conveyed to the other 

 parts of the mouth ; or it may be made 

 up into a paste with honey, which is a 

 better form. No violent rubbing of the 

 parts affected should ever be allowed to 

 take place, as it will both give unneces- 

 sary pain to the child, and extend the 

 duration of the disease, by producing a 

 new growth of the same morbid spots on 

 the surface. 



The skin and cuticle of infants is pecu- 



liarly delicate and irritable, and the ac- 

 tion of the air alone upon them, whenever 

 there is a change in the temperature of 

 the atmosphere, is almost always, and 

 sometimes altogether sufficient to pro- 

 duce efflorescences of some kind or other. 

 Hence it is not to be wondered at, that 

 they are subject to a variety of cutaneous 

 eruptions or rashes. 



The first eruption that is generally no- 

 ticeable is the red-gum, or red-gown, as 

 it was formerly called, and perhaps ought 

 to be called still ; the strophulus inter- 

 tinctus of authors. It consists in a papu- 

 lous efflorescence of small spots, confined 

 to the face and neck ; or in some eases 

 extending to the hands and legs, and even, 

 the whole body, in the form of large 

 patches. It sometimes appears in small 

 pustules, filled with a limpid, purulent, or 

 yellow liquor ; and frequently turns dry 

 and horny, and scales off without giving 

 any further trouble. Another appear- 

 ance it assumes is like small pin heads, 

 of a pearl colour, and not transparent. 

 Yet, whatever be its appearance, it is evi- 

 dently the effect of intestinal acrimony, 

 connected with the delicate state of the 

 skin, and determination of the blood to 

 wards it. Hence all that is wanted is an 

 attention to the state of the bowels, and 

 the use of testaceous powders in con- 

 junction with cordials or antimonials; 

 while the child should be kept moderate- 

 ly warm, that the eruption may not be 

 suppressed. 



It may be observed here, that the state 

 of the bowels and skin have a sympathe- 

 tic connexion, and the bowels, when dis- 

 ordered, are sensibly relieved by an ap- 

 pearance of eruption on the skin. Hence 

 such eruptions, instead of being suddenly 

 repelled, should rather be encouraged, 

 and even, if disappearing, should be in- 

 vited to return. 



The next variety of rashes or papulous 

 eruptions, worthy our attention, are those 

 denominated milk-blotches, crusta luctea, 

 or strophulus volaticus, by authors ; some 

 of whom, however, contend, that the 

 eruptions under these names have a 

 trifling difference from each other. It 

 may be so ; but the difference is not worth 

 pointing out at present. It generally oc- 

 curs in infants of an irritable skin, and 

 appears most commonly on the forehead 

 and the scalp, extending half-way overthe 

 face, in the form of large loose scabs. In 

 the progress of the disorder, these scabs 

 much resemble the smallpox when black- 

 ened, and at times continue to disfigure 

 the child for several mom hs. Though at 

 last they assume this dark appearance. 



