The Physical Training of ChildrenChavasse, Pye Henry
Science
The Physical Training of Children
Chavasse, Pye Henry
Child care; Children -- Health and hygiene
_What_ NOT _to do_.—The mother must neither take greens, nor cabbage,
nor raw fruit, nor pastry, nor beer; indeed, while the diarrhœa of her
babe continues, she had better abstain from wine, as well as from
fermented liquors. The child, if at the breast, ought _not_, while the
diarrhœa continues, to have any artificial food. He must neither be
dosed with gray powder (a favorite but highly improper remedy in these
cases), nor with any quack medicines, such as Dalby’s Carminative or
Godfrey’s Cordial.
103. _What are the symptoms of Dysentery?_
Dysentery frequently arises from a neglected diarrhœa. It is more
dangerous than diarrhœa, as it is of an inflammatory character; and as,
unfortunately, it frequently attacks a delicate child, requires skillful
handling: hence the care and experience required in treating a case of
dysentery.
Well, then, what are the symptoms? The infant, in all probability, has
had an attack of diarrhœa—bowel complaint as it is called—for several
days; he having had a dozen or two of motions, many of them slimy and
frothy, like “frog-spawn,” during the twenty-four hours. Suddenly the
character of the motion changes,—from being principally stool, it
becomes almost entirely blood and mucus; he is dreadfully griped, which
causes him to strain violently, as though his inside would come away
every time he has a motion,—screaming and twisting about, evidently
being in the greatest pain, drawing his legs up to his belly and
writhing in agony. Sickness and vomiting are always present, which still
more robs him of his little remaining strength, and prevents the repair
of his system. Now, look at his face! It is the very picture of
distress. Suppose he has been a plump, healthy little fellow, you will
see his face, in a few days, become old-looking, care-worn, haggard, and
pinched. Day and night the enemy tracks him (unless proper remedies be
administered); no sleep, or, if he sleep, he is every few minutes
roused. It is heart-rending to have to attend a bad case of dysentery in
a child,—the writhing, the screaming, the frequent vomiting, the pitiful
look, the rapid wasting and exhaustion, make it more distressing to
witness than almost any other disease a doctor attends.
104. _Can anything be done to relieve such a case?_
Yes. A judicious medical man will do a great deal. But, suppose that you
are not able to procure one, I will tell you _what to do_ and _what_ NOT
_to do_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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