INFANCY. 



be tried to produce vomiting, as irritating 

 the gullet with the finger or a feather, or 

 throwing in a little smoke of tobacco, if it 

 be at hand ; any of which will provoke 

 instant vomiting, and, by relieving the 

 stomach of the cause of oppression, put 

 an end to the fit. This will be the better 

 and more easily accomplished, if the child 

 be in the mean time supported by a hand 

 placed under its stomach and belly. In 

 every case it is necessary to clear the 

 bowels ; and in most cases this is best 

 accomplished by pretty brisk doses of 

 calomel. 



The next infantile disease we shall no- 

 tice is hydrocephalus, or watery head. 

 This is divided into external and internal. 

 In the former, which is a very rare occur- 

 rence, the fluid lies on the surface of the 

 brain ; in the latter, much deeper, and 

 Within the 'ventricles, which, from the 

 mass of water they contain, are much 

 distended, and often distend to a mon- 

 strous size the entire cranium. 



External hydrocephalus, which some- 

 times appears immediately after birth, is 

 a very distressing, and generally a very 

 fatal "disorder. A succession of blisters 

 to different parts of the cranium offers the 

 best chance of cure. 



Internal hydrocephalus seldom takes 

 place before two, or after ten or twelve 

 years of age. It may proceed from ex- 

 ternal injuries, from schirrous tumours, 

 and excrescences within the scull, from 

 a watery state of the blood, a diminished 

 secretion of urine, a suddenly checked 

 perspiration, or some lingering disease ; 

 and there are not wanting instances of its 

 being hereditary ; or, perhaps, it may be 

 oftener referred to scrophula than to any 

 other cause. 



In young children it frequently begins 

 with cough, a quick pulse, difficult respira- 

 tion, flushed cheeks, a discharge from the 

 nose and eyes, with continual heat and 

 costiveness. The child often puts its 

 hand to its head ; and, during sleep, picks 

 its nose, and grinds its teeth ; the eyes 

 are impatient of light, the vision imper- 

 fect, the countenance unmeaning, the 

 hands tumid, and the fingers clinched. 

 The most decided symptoms, however, 

 are an inclination to lie on the back, a dis- 

 like to be moved, an increase of pain on 

 the head being raised, and an almost con- 

 tinual drowsiness. 



Though generally fatal, there are many 

 instances of cures being effected by medi- 

 cines ; of which, those most worthy trying 

 are, stimulant embrocations, blisters ap- 

 plied to the head and neck, active pur- 



gatives and diuretics, with the external 

 use of mercurial ointment. Strong sneez- 

 ing powders, as white hellebore, or the 

 compound powder of asarum, have often 

 been recommended, as well as electricity; 

 fox-glove, too, has been known to suc- 

 ced, in conjunction, as it should, in this 

 disease, always be given, with small doses 

 of calomel. By the use of this conjoint 

 plan, persevered in for a long time, and 

 accompanied with frictions upon the scalp 

 and spine of strong camphorated lini- 

 ment, the writer ot this article has seen 

 many cases yield, which were pronounced 

 by several practitioners altogether in- 

 tractable. 



The last infantile disorder we shall no 

 tice is that of rickets. These generally 

 show themselves, whenever they occur, 

 between six months and two years of age. 

 Rickets are evidently a disease of debility, 

 and hence, whatever tends to debilitate, 

 predisposes the constitution to their at- 

 tack. On this account they are often apt 

 to arise from unhealthy parents, and espe- 

 cially mothers who pass a sedentary life, 

 in unwholesome air, and feed on a weak 

 and watery diet ; or from an improper 

 nursing of children themselves, especial- 

 ly from their being kept wet, dirty, in a 

 'close damp air, and without due exercise. 

 Hence they are most common among the 

 children of poor people in manufacturing 

 towns, the disease having, in fact, never 

 appeared in this country till manufactures 

 began to flourish. Children begotten by 

 men at a late period of life, or by those 

 afflicted with the gout, gravel, or other 

 chronic diseases, or who have suffered 

 much from venereal complaints, are also 

 very subject to rickets. 



The disease first shows itself in a soft- 

 ness and flabbiness of the flesh ; the 

 child's countenance becomes bloated or 

 very florid, the belly and head enlarged, 

 and the body debilitated ; the pulse is 

 quick and feeble, and the appetite and 

 digestion bad. The teeth frequently rot 

 early and fall out ; the wrists and ankles 

 become unusually thick ; the spine or 

 back-bone assumes an unnatural shape ; 

 the breast is often deformed ; and the 

 bones of the arms and legs grow crooked. 



Weakness and relaxation being the 

 cause of this disorder, its remedy must, 

 of course, consist in promoting digestion, 

 and in bracing and strengthening the 

 solids. Hence nourishing, and especially 

 animal food, with a little port wine, is the 

 proper diet. Air and exercise are indis- 

 pensably necessary ; the cold bath, and, if 



