Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/386

 MEDICAU 364 When the child is feverish, that is, when he shivers and then seems to be flushed, with the skin hot and dry, he should be put to bed. Every mother ought to know how to take the temperature, and such nursing details will be considered fully in the Home Nursing Section. If the child's temperature is above normal, which is 98*4 degrees Fahrenheit, he ought to be kept in bed and given light diet and a dose of fluid magnesia. These simple measures will often suffice if the feverishness is due to some error in diet or slight chill and fatigue. Even when the cause is more serious, the mother can feel that she has taken due precautions which will affect for the better any illness that may develop. During a feverish attack the child is very restless, and tosses about in discomfort. In such cases, rapid sponging of the body with equal parts of whisky and tepid water is an excellent measure for bringing down the temperature. Care must be taken not to expose the child unnecessarily to the air by sponging and drying one part at a time. If he complains of thirst, sips of cold water may be given, but he should not be allowed to drink a large quantity of cold water. Gruel and hot milk are quite sufficient in the way of food, and he may have a cupful of this every two hours. If a child's temperature keeps up for more than a few hours, a doctor should be summoned, as all illnesses are best attended to at the beginning. Chills The commonest ailments in winter are rheu- matism, bronchitis, cold in the head, influenza, pneumonia, and pleurisy. Many of these originate in " chill," which is not the cause of the ailment, but a predisposing agent in all winter ailments. Children are peculiarly susceptible to chill, because they lose heat rapidly, and the mother who understands how to guard against chill, while not over-coddling, will go far to ensure health in the nursery. One of the chief causes of chill with children is over-clothing, with the risk that the child becomes over-heated with exercise, and catches' a chill as the result of the perspiration and damp clothing next to the skin. Wet feet is another frequent cause of chill. Damp-proof boots are absolutely necessary if children are to escape colds and other winter ailments. A mother should frequently inspect the soles of the children's foot-gear, and provide at least two pairs of boots in good condition, so that they may be worn on alternate days. This plan is more economical also, beca^ise boots last longer. The third cause of chill is damp clothing which is not changed quickly enough. If a child gets wet out of doors, he will not catch cold so long as he is moving about. Chill only occurs when the child sits down, because rapid movement generates heat, and the temperature is then maintained at its normal level. If a child comes in wet with rain or damp with perspiration, the clothing should be removed, the body rubbed briskly with a rough towel, and the child dressed in dry clothes. These measures will often prevent a rheumatic attack or cold in the head. The next article will deal with rheumatism in the nursery, because, in its slighter forms, it is dangerously apt to be neglected, and it is the main cause of heart disease in adult life. To be continued. THE CHILD WITH ^^ADEHOIDS*' Cause of the Disease — Effect on General Health — Why it Causes Deafness — Treatment •TliE presence of soft, spongy growths in the is responsible for considerable ill-health amongst children. The condition is due to an unhealthy state of the membrane lining the nose and throat, and is often associated with enlarged tonsils. Symptoms The adenoids vary in size from a pea to a large bean, and, although soft in texture, masses of them sometimes obstruct altogether the nasal passages. The child cannot breathe naturally by the nose, and " mouth breathing " is a marked sign of adenoid disease. The expression is vacant, the voice is dull or nasal ; the intellect, as well as the physical health, is adversely affected. Chronic catarrh of the nose may exist, and the child is subject to constant " cold in the head." The local catarrh often spreads up the Eustachian tubes (little passages' between the throat and middle ear), with the result that deafness is a very common complication of adenoids. the child appears stupid, partly from impaired hearing, partly because the mental development is hindered owing to the physical condition. Both mental and physical health are hampered because the blood is not getting sufficient oxygen, owing to the obstruction to natural respiration. The " night terrors " of the adenoid child are due to the circulation of poisons in the blood, which irritate the nerve-cells of the brain. These poisons would be got rid of or expired by the lungs if the air-passages were clear. Pigeon breast, barrel chest, and other deformities are apt to appear if adenoids are neglected for any time. Headaches, deafness, the depression occasioned by con^ta^t colds, hinder a child's school studies, and add to his apparent stupidity. It is not difficult for a mother to detect the presence of " adenoids " in a child. The mouth breathing, the vacant expression, the loud snoring at night, call her attention first to the matter. If nothing is done, and the child is left .to " grow out of it," matters get worse. The expression becomes more and more stupid and vacant, the child is constantly suffering from colds, sore throat, and attacks of earache and deafness. The adenoids sometimes disappear, but after a year or two the hearing may be permanently impaired, and the whole mental and physical growth is stunted. Treatment In most cases operation is necessary, and the sooner it is done the better. The operation is- a very minor one, and immediate improvement in general health follows. In very slight casee attention to the general health and breathing exercises will do a great deal of good. Change of air, diet, and healthy surroundings are necessary whether an operation is decided upon or not. A course of cod-liver oil is often beneficial. Deep breathing should be practised for ten minutes twice daily with the mouth closed until the habit of mouth breathing is curea If these measures are not followed by marked improvement within a reasonable time, operation should not be delayed. The unhealthy condition of the throat and nose encourages the presence of germs, and tubercular disease or consumption may follow adenoids.
 * ■ nasal passages, commonly called adenoids,