INFANCY. 



plaint of convulsions ; these are either 

 symptomatic, produced by worms or den. 

 tition, or precursive of the measles, small- 

 pox, or other eruptive fever ; in which 

 case, they are not necessarily to be re- 

 garded in an unfavourable view ; or they 

 are an original complaint, arising from a 

 morbid affection of the brain, or nervous 

 fluid. Whatever stimulates the nerves 

 in an immoderate degree may induce 

 convulsions, as may also an irritation of 

 the stomach or bowels, which is certainly 

 cither the predisposing or immediate 

 cause of most of the convulsions of chil- 

 dren. 



We have already mentioned, that, for 

 some months after birth, children should 

 be confined to breast milk. Where this 

 is not the case, and the food is made too 

 thick and pasty, convulsions are very 

 frequent, from the indigestion which na- 

 turally ensues. The bowels are thus dis- 

 ordered by occasioning their contents to 

 turn pasty, and cleave to their coats, so 

 as to prevent the due adoption of the nu- 

 tritious part of the aliment. Any offen- 

 sive load, whether from the quality or 

 quantity of food, excites a morbid secre- 

 tion, and that this is a cause of convulsions 

 may be known, from their being preced- 

 ed by nausea, costiveness, or purging, 

 pale countenance, swollen belly, and per- 

 turbed sleep. Repeated purges, parti- 

 cularly of castor-oil, or calomel, with some 

 light cordial, ^will be necessary and use- 

 ful. Veal tea, mixed with milk, is the 

 best nutriment; and if all farinaceous 

 food be avoided, the convulsions may of- 

 ten hereby, alone, be prevented from ap- 

 pearing. 



The children of the poor are not tin- 

 frequently afflicted with convulsions from 

 foul air, and want of cleanliness in their 

 skin and dress, a most extensive source 

 of disease. 



In convulsions arising from the irrita- 

 tion or foulness of the stomach and bowels, 

 these must be cleansed as already men- 

 tioned ; after which, if they appear to 

 continue, spasmodic remedies must be 

 administered, such as spirit of hartshorn, 

 tincture of castor, rectified oil of amber, 

 or two or three drops of laudanum. Bath- 

 ing the feet in warm water, and friction 

 all over the body, with camphor liniment, 

 are likewise very useful. 



When convulsion is a primary disease, 

 proceeding immediately from the brain, 

 bleeding, blistering, and purging, are re- 

 quisite ; and also bathing the feet in warm 

 water, friction of the legs, and rubbing 

 the soles of the feet with the compound 



spirit of ammonia. In delicate children 

 chalybeate water may be useful; and 

 where those of two or three years old are 

 subject to slight and frequent fits, issues, 

 or setons in the neck or between the 

 shoulders, should be made, and kept open 

 for a length of time. 



Another, and the most serious, species 

 of original convulsion, is attended with 

 an unmeaning countenance, and constant 

 stare and motion of the eyes, followed by 

 a temporary deafness or blindness, and 

 sometimes a loss of intellect. If water in 

 the head be not suspected, and the com- 

 mon nervous medicines, with purges and 

 blisters, have no effect, recourse must be 

 had to repeated vomits, and bleeding with 

 leeches ; where the body continues in a 

 good state, the water of prepared kali 

 may be beneficial as a diuretic. Much 

 benefit has also been derived from a free 

 use of musk, whether by the mouth or in 

 the form of injections. When this sort 

 of convulsion attacks young children, it 

 terminates very soon, and too often fatal- 

 ly, especially if connected with water in 

 the head. 



After all, alarming as convulsions are, 

 they are by no means either so generally 

 fatal or injurious to the system as is com- 

 monly believed. Their number is far 

 over-stated in the bills of mortality ; many 

 children, in particular, being said to die 

 under them, who are really the victims of 

 other disorders. An immediate and pro- 

 per application will seldom fail to relieve 

 the child, and as this may be necessary 

 before professional assistance can be ob- 

 tained, mothers, and those who have the 

 care of children, in such situations, should 

 so far understand the subject, as to enable 

 them to give the immediate aid required. 

 With this view, in addition to what has 

 already been said, we may observe, that 

 where the irritation proceeds from the 

 bowels, the readiest remedy will be a soap 

 clyster, with two or more tea-spoonfuls 

 of salt, and afterwards the purgatives, as 

 before directed. But when the child falls 

 suddenly into a convulsion, after sucking 

 or feeding, and the bowels have been be- 

 fore regular, the irritation may be sup- 

 posed to exist in the stomach ; especially 

 when there is an unusual paleness indicat. 

 ing sickness, or a considerable blackness, 

 with an appearance of suffocation, symp- 

 toms which may arise either from an over- 

 loaded stomach, or a small piece of indi- 

 gested food irritating, and perhaps plug- 

 ging up the inferior aperture of the sto- 

 mach. Here, without waiting for a regu- 

 lar emetic, some immediate means may 



