INFANCY. 
either of a milky colour, or depositing a 
brownish sediment. Sometimes mucous 
matter is mixed with the urine, and where 
there is pain in making water the irritation 
of the bladder is taken off by it, as well as 
the general fever. In all cases the child is 
subject to shrieking-fits, and its fingers are 
often thrust into its mouth. The feet and 
hands are also occasionally known to swell, 
though it be by no means a frequent oc- 
currence, and only takes place where the 
bowels are in a costive state. Transient 
numbness of the legs and arms is also an 
occasional, but not a frequent, affection at 
this time. When these general symptoms 
are long continued, and prove severe on 
the constitution, they are often succeeded 
by an affection of the lungs, with cough and 
difficult breathing, and the attack of con- 
vulsions, general fever, scropliula, and atro- 
phy, or consumption. A more rare effect of 
them is the formation of water in the 
head. 
Difficult toothing, as a species of inflam- 
matory disease, is to be treated as such. 
Besides keeping the body open by gentle 
purgatives, as well as by clysters, especially 
where there is a retention of urine, the skin 
should be relaxed, and gentle sweats pro- 
duced by diluting drinks, and also by ad- 
ministering small quantities of tartarised 
antimonial wine, or James’s powders. A 
discharge should likewise be encouraged by 
a blistering-plaster behind the ears, or on 
the back ; and, on the first appearance of 
inflammation, a leech should be applied 
under each ear. A moderate looseness, be- 
ing beneficial in toothing, should rather be 
encouraged than checked. In fevers from 
this cause, from fifteen to twenty drops of 
spirits of hartshorn, in a spoonful of water, 
may be given to advantage every four 
hours, in five or six doses ; and where cos- 
tiveness does not prevent, three or four 
drops of laudanum may be added to each 
dose. 
Rubbing the gums with a little fine honey 
three or four times a day, and giving the 
child a crust of bread, roll of liquorice- 
root, wax-candle, or coral, to indulge the 
disposition for chewing which then presents 
itself, will afford ease ; but the only means 
to be depended on, is scarification with a 
lancet ; which takes off the tension of the 
gums, with scarcely any pain, and gives 
almost instantaneous relief to the child. 
The finger-nail, or a sharp-edged sixpence, 
are sometimes used for this little operation, 
but are clumsy substitutes ; the lancet, in a 
proper hand, is infinitely preferable. Here, 
as in many other cases, from the nerves 
being braced by exercise in the open air, 
and the use of the cold bath, the dangers 
attendant on toothing will be much remov- 
ed, and the child better able to support 
this painful and dangerous process, to 
which, and its concomitant disorders, so 
many children fall victims. 
A frequent attendant upon dentition is 
convulsions. As this alarming symptom 
usually proceeds from the teeth cutting 
through the nervous membrane covering 
the jaw immediately under the gums, the 
scarification already recommended is not 
only usefiil to prevent this occurrence, but 
has, in many cases, saved the infant’s life, 
after the most dangerous symptoms have 
taken place. It can never do harm, and 
may even be of service, though the fits 
should not proceed from toothing. Some- 
times it will be necessary to repeat the 
lancing two or three times, which may 
always be done with perfect safety, and 
with almost certain success. 
Lancing will also, in a great measure, 
prevent what is frequent in toothing, name- 
ly, ulcerated gums. When these take place 
they should be touched with honey, render- 
ed astringent and moderately rough, by 
roch-allum and white vitriol, while the body 
is kept open. 
We proceed to the very common com- 
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 regarded in 
an unfavourable view; or they are an origi- 
nal complaint arising from a morbid affec- 
tion of the brain, or nervous fluid. What- 
ever stimulates the nerves in an immoderate 
degree may induce convulsions, as may also 
an irritation of the stomach or bowels, 
which is certainly either the predisposing 
or immediate cause of most of the convul- 
sions of children. 
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 naturally en- 
sues. The bowels are thus disordered by 
occasioning their contents to turn pasty 
and cleave to their coats, so as to prevent 
the due adoption of the nutritious part of 
the aliment. Any offensive load, whether 
from the quality or quantity of food, excite* 
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