Page:Skin Diseases of Children.djvu/37

Rh grow and all treatment suspended save the daily use of a five per cent salicylated oil. If, however, at any time a slight scaliness or dry, brittle appearance of the hair is noted at any point, it is advisable to epilate again and convert the suspicious spot into a small bald disc. This plan of treatment is best calculated to effect a certain if not a speedy cure, but often it will require months of patient and persistent treatment, and perhaps a year or more in exceptionally extensive and chronic cases.

The parents or guardians of the patient should always be apprised at the outset of the obstinacy of the disease and its unfavorable prognosis as regards a speedy and pleasant cure, in order to avert the discouragement and dissatisfaction with the method of treatment which otherwise would naturally ensue.

It seems hardly necessary to add that no child with ringworm should be allowed to attend school. If our city Board of Health could make provision for a periodical inspection of the public-school children, with a view to checking the spread of ringworm and other contagious diseases, a considerable amount of suffering and expense could be saved to a certain number of scholars and their parents. Furthermore, if some careless physician were sued for malpractice for allowing an uncured case of ringworm or favus to attend school, simply because upon a hasty inspection, without the use of a microscope, he thought the child was all right, it might be unfortunate for the physician, but by no means a bad thing for the profession.