The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-08-12
Cholera Infantum.

Oa0AOA AdAd0LO".
No disease is so common and fatal in hot
seasons as cholera infantum. A high tenn
perature Is the prime cause of this and all
other acute diseases of the stomach and
bowels. 1t comes as a sequel to several
maladles, indigestion, exhaustion, infamma-
ton of the intestinal mucous membrane-all
have the honor Of Introducing it. The in
fuence Of heat upon the i~nfantile system is
always great. In this malady, the direct ac-
ton OF heat and its secondary action by first
inducing chemical charges and by modifying
the character of food are very obvious. The
structure of Infancy is so delicate and so
susceptible, that it is very apt to yield. Its
nervous system is so fragile that it quickly
sinks under the depressing effects of great
heat. Changes in its daily diet disturb it's
food canal SO easily that it can bear only the
simplest processes of digestion. The food
OF infancy is so strongly perishable that we
need not wonde that SO many infants perish
under the influence of this disease in July
and August of nearly every year. Heat
then Is the primary cause of cholera infan-
tum. Initiated air, produced by decompo-
sitlon OF vegetable and animal matter and
poorly ventilated dwellings, is a secondary
cause. And SO we observe that this malady
is particularly severe and fatal in crowded
cities. The exciting cause may be insult
able food with sudden changes of tempera-
ture. If the day be hot, the night may be
cool, and SO the infant in its sleep by night
may be cool, and SO the infant in it's sleep
by night may not be covered enough to
keep it warm and prevent the GOODNESS of
the night from inducing congestion of the
bowels. Heat, food and vicissitudes of
temperature are the chief causes of this
serious malady.
The motheRssm milk is the only food needed
by the infant Niost mothers when proper
~ ted and well supplied with some nutri-
tlous fluid, yield milk enough in quantity
and rich enough in quality to supply all the
elements the infant needs to prolong it's life
and promote it's growth. Those infants,
who DO not obtain a full supply of this most
suitable of all ~infantile food, necessarily suf-
ter from cholera infantum in hot seasons of
the year. Observations show that a large
per cent. of those who do not get the moth
er's milk die before the chilly nights of
autumn come such milk is food and medi-
cine: 1t nourishes the body and regulates
the long canal. Some infants are compelled
to live on another's food. They may be
tortunateenough to get suitable supplies
from a wet nurse. But this is by no means
Wet nurses are usually obtained from the
IL ooStOOS "ilOoC CIdI dCCCI duu
habits unfit them for substitutes for moth
ers. The milk Of such women is 50 modi-
fed by character and habits as to cause
serious illness in the children they nurse.
This malady may be introduced by others,
dlarrhea of various degrees, or dysentery.
But cholera is a distinct disease, clearly
marked. The stools, at the outset are wa
terry and often saturating the napkin, but
hardly discoloring them. They may be pc
cu!larly musty in odor, or nearly smellless.
Vomiting. quickly follows diarrhea. The
stomach is SO much disturbed that it all
forms at once. The thirst is great, but the
appetite il. very small. The suffering in
FAINT extends its tiny hands and seizes spas
medically It's tiny cup. The head may be
hot but the feet are cool. The belly is not
enlarged or tender. 1t may be restless, but
has but little pain. The circulation of the
blood is weakening, the nervous system is
more and more disturbed. Its strength
rapidly dlminishes. The eyes and their ad-
lacent parts are sunken the lips and eve
lids are half open the pale skin is shrunk;
the child sinks and no longer smiles. It
dies, and the mother weeps.