The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-01-01
Croup-Before tne Doctor Comes.

There is no disease probably which caus-
es SO great fright 10 ,nothers.as as the Group
of chldren. Occurring, as it generally
does, at the hour Of night when the house
is first hushed in sleep, TIE loud hoarse
cough of the child sends dismal alarm to
the cdr of every sleeper; and awakens the
soundest to q sudden conception of danger.
The fright, fortunately, is generally much
greater than the occasion justifes, for nine
ty-Dine out of hundred times the disease
is only that comparatively trihing one, the
fuse and not the real Group the former
being very frequent, aud the latter a rare
complaint.
The false croup is distinguished from the
true by the suddeness of its invasion and
its occurring almost exclu sively in the
night. in the false there is no fever; in the
real there always is. The false comes aud
goes with the paroxysm the real is of
continuous and increasing severity. The
false never laots over two or three days,
with intervals of perfect health, the true
never ends before week and sometimes
lasts six. The talsc is seldom if ever fatal,
and the true is most commonly so.
While mothers can take courage from
the fact that the genuine Group is So rare
an affection that is probably the false with
which they will have to deal, it will be sat>
isfactory to them if unable TO distinguish
between the two diseases, to learn that
what is proper TO be done for one before
the doctor comes is proper for the other,
Though the disease of false Group ap.
pears more formidable to the ordinary OBJ
server than it does in reality to tho partisan
it is, however, sufficiently serious, for it &C.
casionally, though rarely causes death, to
call for the use OF every means of preyen-
tion and cure.
The most common cause Of the affection
Is sudden change from heat to cold, and
among very young Infants excessive crying
Is said to bring on occasionally an attack
OF Group. Exposure and great muscular
and vocal effort must be carfuly AVOIDED.
The scanty dresses worn by children in
this country, leaving the busts, arms; and
legs bare, greatly predispose to the disease.
1t Is said to be very rare among the Gers
mans, who dress their children more ra-
tlonaily, never exposing their necks aud
limos. The daily cold bath properly ap-
piled Is an excellent forti6er of the youth
tul constitution and preventative of Group.
The water should not be colder than 55 or
6O degrees Fahnheit, and the Shild should
be thrust rapidly into it and taken imme
diately out again, we'll rubbed and quickly
dressed. 1t Is essentially Important that
children should have the ftecst Opportunity
OF breathing the purest air. They should
never be allowed to pass their we'll ventila
ted apartments. The diet should be sim
pie but substantial, consisting of well baked
bread, milk aud due supply of roasted
meats.
Dur ing paroxysm, the simplist treats
ment is at all necessary. A flannel wrung
out of hot water and wrappd about the
neck of the child and a few teaspoonfuls of
gum ayrup made of powdered gum arabic,
sugar and watea given from time to tims
will be all that Is necessary for immediate
relief. Most people dose their children
with ipecacuanha until they vomit. This
IS rarely necessary, and it is doubtful
whether it is ever beneficial