INFANCY. 
natural or artificial, will have a good ef- 
fect. 
This eruption has sometimes been impro- 
perly mistaken for the venereal disease ; but 
its spontaneous disappearance is a proof 
that it has no sort of connection with siphilis 
of any kind. 
The tooth-rash affords several varieties, 
all of which belong to the strophulus tribe, 
and rank under the strophulus confertus. 
The first we shall enumerate is not alto- 
gether peculiar to this period. It much re- 
sembles the itch, and is most frequent in its 
appearance about the face and neck, though 
not exclusively confined to these parts. It 
has often, from its appearance, been mis- 
taken for the real itch ; but it differs so 
far, that it is of a most salutary tendency, 
and even sometimes critical in its nature, as 
preventing, at this juncture, serious effects 
to the child. ( 
No particular treatment is necessary, ex- 
cept merely avoiding cold, and keeping the 
bowels soluble. 
The next tooth-rash, at this period, is one 
that greatly resembles flea-bites, having a 
depressed point in the middle of the elevated 
spot. This disorder, in some instances, re- 
curs, uniformly, just before the appearance 
of a tooth, and when cut disappears. Here, 
in respect to treatment, the same observa- 
tion applies as in the former case. 
A third species appears in the form of 
measles, and is often mistaken for them. 
Some degree of sickness generally precedes 
its appearance, but there is, at the same 
time, little or no fever. It usually continues 
very florid for a few days, and when dis- 
appearing, does not dry off like the measles. 
The treatment here is very simple. The 
testaceous powders may be employed, with 
the addition of a little nitre and compound 
powder Of contreyerva; and as the disease 
declines, a little rhubarb, or other laxative, 
may be given for a day or two. 
A fourth species of tooth-rash is one 
which, though appearing like the former, 
soon spreads into large spots, at first of a 
bright red, and afterwards of a darker hue, 
similar to the purple spots that appear in ty- 
phous fevers, though this be entirely of a 
different nature. Some fever generally at- 
tends the eruption, followed frequently by 
small round tumours on the legs, which 
softening in a few days,, seem as if inclin- 
ing to suppurate, though this never takes 
place. 
Like the former, the treatment is simple ; 
and an attention to the state of the bowels, 
is the only direction to be given. Should 
the tumours not easily subside, a decoction 
or injections of the bark may be found 
useful. 
The next species of teeth-rash somewhat 
resembles the rash of scarlet fever, and is 
very rare. It is always preceded by sick- 
ness, fever, and a disordered state of the 
bowels ; but these symptoms disappear as 
soon as the eruption is complete, which 
shows evidently its critical nature of pre- 
venting a train of worse maladies. 
Such indeed is the variety in the tooth- 
rashes of children, that it would be almost 
endless to enumerate them; a variety 
arising from differences of constitution and 
other circumstances with which we are un- 
acquainted. But whenever an eruption 
appears at this period, the safest plan is to 
consider it as connected with the effort of 
toothing. If our judgment be correct, the 
complaint will decay as soon as the tooth is 
protruded ; and if it be not, its nature will 
be easily ascertained. By attending to the 
state of the bowels, as already pointed out, 
all danger of such eruptions will be avoid- 
ed ; and the more they are treated on the 
ground of being an effort of the constitution 
to relieve itself by an increased action to- 
wards the surface, the more will the safety 
of the child be consulted. It is of conse- 
quence, therefore, in order to silence the 
clamours of nurses on this head, to point 
out that no danger follows their appearance ; 
that, on the contrary, the child is benefited 
by them ; and that nature should be al- 
lowed to .finish her own work. 
Urticaria, or nettle-rash, is a papulous 
disease which generally occurs to children 
under two years of age. In its appearance 
it is alw'ays sudden, and is often very trouble- 
some. The child generally begins to scream 
before the cause of its illness is known, 
and on examining its body and limbs, a re- 
semblance so like the stinging of nettles is 
every where conspicuous, from which the 
disease has its name. 
This complaint is generally preceded by 
a slight fever ; some degree of sickness and 
pain in the head are also felt, particularly if 
the child have been exposed to cold. 
The nettle-rash of children may be con- 
sidered as a very simple disease, compared 
with that of adults. Its disappearance being 
often as sudden as its attack, it does not re- 
quire that serious treatment necessary to 
more advanced age. When it seems obsti- 
nate, a few grains of the compound powder 
of contreyerva or ipecacuanha may be ad- 
