INFANCY. 
times in the day ; and when these medicines 
are employed, the diet of the nurse should 
also claim an attention, and her usual quan- 
tity of malt liquor be diminished. 
Besides this general treatment of thrush, 
it has been also common to make applica- 
tions to the part, in order to hasten the ex- 
foliation or scaling, of the surface. Such 
applications, however, are highly improper, 
on the first attack of the disease, or till na- 
ture shows an actual disposition or tendency 
to thjs separation. By beginning with such 
applications too early, they only increase 
the soreness of the surface, and by rudely 
clearing it of the aphthous matter, give a 
deceitful appearance of. amendment. It is 
proper, however, that the child’s mouth 
should at all times be kept clean, particu- 
larly 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 decided 
preference ; and it may be mixed up with 
sugar, in the proportion of one part of the 
former to seven of the latter. A small por- 
tion 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 
unnecessary pain to the child, and extend 
the duration of the disease, by producing a 
pew growth of the same morbid spots on 
the surface. 
The skin and cuticle of infants is pecu- 
liarly delicate and irritahle, and the action 
of the air alone upon them, whenever there 
js a change in the temperature of the atmo- 
sphere, is almost always, and sometimes al- 
together sufficient to produce 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 intertinctus 
of authors. It consists in a papulous ef- 
florescence of small spots, confined to the 
face and neck ; or in some cases 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 trou- 
ble. Another appearance it assumes, is 
like small pin heads, of a pearl colour, and 
not transparent. Yet whatever be its ap- 
pearance, it is evidently the effect of intes- 
tinal acrimony, connected with the delicate 
state of the skin, and determination of the 
blood towards 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 moderately 
warm, that the eruption may not be sup- 
pressed. 
It may be observed here, that the state of 
the bowels and skin have a sympathetic 
connection, and the bowels, when disorder- 
ed, are sensibly relieved by an appearance 
of eruption on the skin. Hence such erup- 
tions, instead of being suddenly repelled, 
should rather be encouraged, and even, if 
disappearing, should be invited to return. 
The next variety of rashes or papulous 
eruptions worthy our attention are those 
denominated milk-blotches, crusta lactea, 
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 pre- 
sent. It generally occurs in infants of an 
irritable skin, and appears most commonly 
on the forehead, and the scalp, extending 
half-way over the face, in the form of large 
loose scabs. In the progress of the disorder, 
these scabs much resemble the small-pox 
when blackened, and at times continue to 
d isfigure the child for several months.Though 
at last they assume this dark appearance, 
they begin as white vesicles, with a wa- 
tery discharge, and great itching of the af- 
fected parts. 
In this complaint, very little needs to be 
done. Where the case, however, is severe, 
an occasional drain by a blister between the 
shoulders, or behind the ears, will answer 
the good purpose of transferring, and conse- 
quently abating the irritation and itching. 
The same effect will attend washing the 
parts with warm beer and butter, where the 
discharge is very hot and acrid; and the 
tar-ointment has been employed with equal 
benefit in the same view.. 
The duration of the complaint is gene- 
rally judged of from the state of the urine ; 
and where this discharge is turbid or fetid, 
the disorder is seldom of long continuance. 
It generally ceases when the child has cut a 
few teeth ; should it, however, be obstinate, 
of which there are a few examples, the Har- 
rowgate, or any other sulphureous water, 
