There is wonderful power in happiness and affection. Surround your child with both. Add sympathy and intelligent understanding of his needs and development, and you will, indeed, have a better baby. CHAPTER XIII BABY’S AILMENTS AND HOW TO TREAT THEM MOTHERS NOW STUDYING PREVENTIVE MEDICINE—REMEDIES WHICH SHOULD BE FOUND IN EVERY NURSERY—TREATMENT OF DIARRHEA AND CONSTIPATION—COLDS AND THEIR CURE—ADENOIDS AND THEIR REMOVAL—AILMENTS OF THE SKIN The suggestions and remedies offered in this chapter are not to be mistaken by the inexperienced mother as a substitute for the attention and prescription of the family physician in case of baby’s illness. They are given because hundreds of mothers, who will read this book, live miles from a town or village. The arrival of the physician is a matter of hours, and, in the meantime, an ailment may make rapid progress. Up-to-date doctors use comparatively little medicine in treating babies. They lay more stress on preventive medicine, and fortifying the baby so that it will throw off germs, contagion, etc. The prevention of disease in babies has been practically outlined in the preceding chapters. If a baby is properly fed and cared for, its illnesses will be few and slight, yielding promptly to simple treatment. The healthy baby can even come in contact with a contagious disease and not take it. The veil of mystery which has so long surrounded the practice of medicine is gradually being lifted by physicians themselves, who talk freely to mothers about the use of simple medicines, and advise them how to act in an emergency before the arrival of the family physician. This is the sort of advice contained in this chapter. It is to be followed only when a physician is not at hand, or when the case yields quickly to simple remedies. There is no reason why an intelligent mother should not know how to treat small ailments or symptoms of serious illness until the physician arrives to relieve her of the responsibility. Certain drugs should be found in every nursery, and these are the pure, unadulterated drugs prescribed by practicing physicians; they are not patent medicines: As cathartics, have castor-oil, calomel, milk of magnesia, citrate of magnesia. For croup and violent attacks of indigestion, which come from overloading the stomach with rich food, especially in older children, have syrup of ipecac. For coughing have liquid peptonoids and creosote. The latter can be put up by any registered pharmacist. Many physicians recommend the combination prepared by the Arlington Chemical Company, Yonkers, New York. Of all the remedies named castor-oil is, perhaps, the most important, as it is the safest laxative for children of all ages. Phillips’ Milk of Magnesia is recommended for very young babies; but castor-oil is the all-round dependable cathartic.