Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Supplement, Volume 1.djvu/927

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But when there is a preternatural membrane formed, which flops the paffages, this muft be cut through by a furgeon. "Junker's Confp. Med. p. 742.

Retention of the firjl Jiools, or meconium, which is in the bowels at the time of the birth. This diftemperature in the body occafions the Infant many fevere pains, and throws it into great danger ; difficulty of breathing, pains in the abdo- men, inquietude and convulfions, are the confequences of it. Nature often cures thefe by a difcharge of bilious acrid ftools, which are fometimes green, fometimes yellow like the yollc of an egg. When nature is not able to do this in time, me is to be aflifted by giving fyrup of rhubarb, or a very fmall quantity of oxymel of fquills ; fyrup of rofes may alfo be given, and oil of fweet almonds with fine fugar. When this goes off in a diarrhoea with acrid ftools, the com- mon abforbents and attemperating medicines are to be given. Powder of calcined cryftal is much recommended for this puipofe ; to which fome propofe the adding half a grain of aurum fulminans ; and the mucilaginous fubftances, fuch as gum-arabic, and tragacanth diffolved in barley-water, are of great fervice.

Stuffings of the breaft attend fome Infants in fuch a degree, that they feem afthmatic. In thefe cafes the folutive fyrups of rhubarb and rofes are to be given ; and afterwards the pectorals, as the iyrup of eryfimum and maidenhair, or fyrup of liquorice. An emetic may alfo be given of the fyrup or conferve of peach-bloffoms, and a fingle grain of calomel or two at the utmoft may be given, and often have great fucceis. If thefe fail, fmall dofes may be given of pow- ders prepared of diaphoretic antimony with twice its weight of detonated nitre ; and the common refolvents, fuch as the orrice-root and fperma-ceti, may be added ; and fometimes it is neceffary to add a fmall dofe of tartarum vitriolatum, with fome of the common abforbent powders.

Coughs fometimes attend Infants, but they are feldom obfti- nate, ufually giving way to the common pectoral fyrups, or a little fpermaceti, after the bowels have been unloaded by the laxative fyrups, or other gentle cathartics.

Coryza's and Gravedo's happen alio fometimes to Infants ; in thefe cafes the common iyrups before prelcribed are to be given ; and if they fail of effect, the nurfe muft take the medicines proper in thefe cafes j which, fee under their pro- per heads.

Running of the eyes and ears. This is a very common com- plaint, and is to be cured by fmall dofes of decoctions of pim- pernel root, faflafras, and the other fweetning woods, and by gentle laxatives on the intermediate days, in which calo- mel in fmall dofes of a grain or two ought always to have its part ; and the more acrid the matter difcharged is, the more neceflary is it to add to thefe things the mucilaginous medicines, fuch as folutions of gum-arabic and tragacanth in water, and mucilage of the feeds of quinces made by gently boiling them.

Cbajfings of the fiejh are very common in Infants, and ufual- ly arife from the fweats, urine, or acrid ftools difcharged upon the parts, efpecially when their nurfes are fo carelefs as to keep them dirty, and fuffer thefe things to remain long on the parts. In this cafe common flour, or powder, will often prove a cure ; or, when that fails, a little camphor and cerufs mixed among it, ufually proves effectual. But if internal caufes concur, fuch as a fharpnefs of the blood, and humors in

. the child, then the common abforbent and fweetning pow- ders are to be given internally, at the fame time that the others are applied externally to the parts.

Vomitings, in Infants, are rather falutary than hurtful, pro- vided they are moderate ; but when they are violent, they are to be remedied by giving gentle glyfters, to give a deri- vation to the mucous matter downward, and at the fame time applying externally the common ftrengthening and fiomachic plaifters, as oil of mace, and the like, and re- peating thefe applications as often as found neceflary.

Diarrhceas in Infants are ufually attended with pain, and the ftools are either green or of the colour of the yolk of an egg i it is not fafe to ufe aftringents to them, but they may generally be cured by abforbents, fuch as powder of cryftal, or crabs-eyes. Junker-'s Confp. Med. p. 74.3,

Cofiivenefs in Infants is a much more dangerous complaint, fubjecting them to many diforders. The common pur°-a- tive fyrups of rofes and peach-flowers are to be given in this cafe, as alfo emollient clyfters ; and fuppofitories are to be applied, for which purpofe nothing is fo proper as a piece of parfley-root cut into a proper fhape, and introduced after rubbing it over with butter. It is neceflary, however, to diftinguiih this coftivenefs from a natural firmnefs of the ftools when they are voided at moderate diftances of time, and that without pain ; for this is a very falutary habit in children, after the meconium is voided in the hrft ftools : It {hews a ftrength in the child, and is to be accounted a good fymptom.

Cutaneous eruptions. Thefe attend children in various forms, and are of very different kindi, ■> but in all the fame method of cure is to be ufed : The nurfe and child fhould both take decoctions of faflafras, and in the intermediate days laxatives with finall dofes of calomel. External applications to them

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muft be very mild and innocent, fuch are the oil of egg* mixed with an equal quantity of the oleum philofophorum* and oils in which wall-flowers have been infolated.

Aphtha, In this complaint Infants are found to have their tongues covered over with a white fkin or film, and much fwelled or inflated, and the internal part of the mouth fore. This diforder fometimes arifes from internal heat^ fometimes from the frequency and eagernefs of the child's fucking. The mouth in this cafe is to be wiped and cleanfed frequently with a rag dipped in wine and honey, or with a coarfer cloth dipped in fyrup of mulberries ; and if there be any febrile heat attending it, gentle alexipharmics and laxa- tive fyrups are to be given internally, and repeated as often as is found neceflary.

Convulfions, Thefe are caufed in children by feveral different means, and therefore require a different treatment. If they ahfe from a repreflion of fweats, the common alexiphar- mics are to be given, and in the intermediate times fmall dofes of mercurius dulcis. If they are owing to acrimonious humors in the bowels, they are to be cured by gentle dofes of fyrup of rhubarb, and powders of calcined cryftal, and other abforbents, with a little of fweet almonds. When they are caufed by abundant ferofities, valerian roots and au- rum fulminans, are greatly recommended. When they are epileptic, and return very frequently, cinnabar is to be given freely in powders ; and when they are owing to worms, mercurius dulcis is the belt of all remedies. It is to be obferved in general, that of the difeafes of chil- dren the far greater number are wholly owing to external caufes, very tew of them to any internal fault in the con- ftitution. The principal of thefe external caufes, are the following :

j. Changes of the temperature of the air. Thefe are brought oh in regard to Infants at the nurfe's pleafure, and it is often thrown into too profufe lweats by a clofe room and too warm covering, and perhaps in the midft of this fweat is im- mediately taken from under that covering, and expofed to the open air. To this are owing moft of the catarrhal af- fections to which Infants are fubjecr., and their fevers and cutaneous eruptions of the. feveral kinds.

2. Improper food and drink are another great fource of the dif- eafes of Infants. Nurfes frequently ftarve children, and more frequently cram them with much more food than is ne- ceflary ; and befides thefe irregularities in regard to quan- tity, errors in the quality are not lefs fatal. A thin and bi- lious milk throws them into gripings of the bowels, and bi- lious diarrhceas ; and milk when too thick gives them ftuf- fings or ftoppages at the breaft, and fometimes fuffocative catarrhs. And finally, the milk of a perfon, who has a remaining taint of the venereal difeafe, fubjedts the child to breakings-out, and. ulcers of many kinds. Junker's Confp. Med. p. 747.

3. Motion and reft improperly managed are alfo the fources of many of the complaints of children. Nothing is more pre- judicial to the health of a child, than that frequent cuftom of idle nurfes of rocking a child to fleep, whether it will or not ; the violent and continual motion in this cafe often gives the child a vertigo, which it never afterwards gets rid of. The binding children too tight in their drefs, is alfo another great caufe of diforders, by obftructing the due motions of na- ture in the circulation of the blood. The fetting children too early on their feet, and compelling them to walk too early, is alfo the caufe of many mifchiefs. And nothing is more mif- chievous than the frequent difturbing them out of their fleep : This makes them peevilh, and torpid, and fleepy at other times.

4. The fuppreflion of the natural excretions is alfo the origin of many diforders j and though this may fometimes happen from an innate caufe in the Infant, it much oftner is owing to the perverfenefs of the nurfe in feeding on acid foods, or fuch as are hard of digeftion ; and expofmg the child, as well as her own breafts to the cold air, when they are hot.

Infants, from the great tendernefs of their parts, are much more fubject to the feverity of difeafes, than grown perfons ; yet experience Ihews us, that they ufually get through them with lefs danger. An inftance of this is evident in the fmall- pox, from which people in general efcape much better when young, than at any other time. Convulfions, violent hic- coughs, and fevere and almoft continual crying, are obferved very often to be fatal to children in the firft fix weeks ; but are much lefs dangerous afterwards : And convulfions be- come habitual to children, tho' they are often very frequent in their returns upon every flight occafion, yet they are found much lefs dangerous than in other cafes. In general, all difeafes come to a fhorter period in Infants^ than in grown perfons.

Moft of the diftemperatures of children are to be cured by gentle correctives and evacuants ; and of thefe, the very mildeft in their operation are always to be chofem Vomits are very feldom neceflary to be given to children ; but when it is neceffary to provoke their ftomachs to throw up their contents, the putting the finger to the throat will ufually prove fufficient to fet them to reaching; or if this fail, a little fyrup or conferve of peach-bloffoms will take effect,

JMercurius