The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-03-19
CARE or THE HEALTH.

DEASLES-0IMfIVA AMI 0bAA-
nENr.-Measles resembles very bad
cold, or influenza, with q rash. The
child appears out of sorts, loses its sp-
petite and is disposed to keep quiet, or
even remain in bed. Then comes q
little shifting at the nose. running at the
eyes, and perhaps a trifing sore throat.
These symptoms are very Characteristic,
and any nurse who has had the ordinary
experience of the nursery world, on see
ing these, suspects the onset of measles.
Any child presenting the appearances
we have mentioned should at once be
separated from its fellows until the dis
ease has either passed away or declared
itself. After the child has suffered for
two or three days Generally three) from
this feverish cold, the rash appears, and
when the rash appears the other symp-
toms generally increase somewhat in
severity. The rash appears first on the
forehead, at the roots of the hair; next
it goes to the cheeks; then the chest and
surface of the stomach are attacked
and lastly the arms and legs. The rash
consists of rose-colored spots, varying
in tint very much from pale pink to
decided red. The spots are of an aver.
age size of small spGt-pea, and may.
be scattered in separate spots or so close
together as to make the skin look uni
formly red. They are sometimes col
lected together in crescentic patches
but the crescents as rule are not easily
recognized. Each spot is said to last
about twenty-four hours and then fades,
and the eruption ought to have subsidized
entirely by the end of the fourth day at
ter appearing. As the eruption sub
sides the other symptoms subside also,
] the feverishness abates and at the end of
a week, in favorable and average cases,
the child will have passed through the
measles with very little trouble to itself
or its friends.
We have described an average at
tack, but it not unfrequently happens
that the special symptoms which we
have enumerated are SO severe as to
give real annoyance, if not to cause
alarm. Thus the eyes are not unfre-
uuently much Redeemed and inflamed.
The child feels as if there were sand be-
meath the lids, it is unable to bear the
daylight, and the discharge from them
may be considerable in amount. The
discharge from the nose may be copious,
accompanied by incessant sneezing, and
at times bleeding from the nose may
take place. The sore throat, too, may
be troublesome, and the glands under
the jaw and around the neck may be-
come enlarged and tender. The rash,
as we have said, varies in amount, and
in rare cases the whole face becomes
red and swollen, and the poor child is a
pitiable object, with its eyes swollen up
and intolerant of light, its throat too
sore to swallow, its nose tender and dis
charging, almost deaf from the spread.
ING of the trouble from the throat and
face to the ears and harassed by inces'
SAINT coughing and sneezing.
The treatment of uncompGcated mea'
l. sles is very simple matter. The disease
itself requires no treatment. There i:
no antidote for measles, and in spite Of
drugs and medicines it will run it:
course. The chief thing to be aimed Al
| is to take care that while the child il
suffering from measles it takes no harm
The patient should BE kept in warm
r well ventilated room and is probably
better in bed than running about. Hap
> PLY, the patient often prefers being il
, bed, so that there is no difficulty il
keeping him there. The light shoult
be partially excluded from the room i
there is much soreness of the eyes, ant
these, as well as the nose and mouth
should be kept scrupulously clean b.
> occasional washing with warm water
;, If thirst is complained of toast ant
water or lemonade, made without o
with very little sugar, may be given t.
t drink. The skin should be sponge'
once day with warm water to which
little vinegar may be added. Thi
+; should be done with the greatest care
since any undue exposure to the risk o
u catching cold is above all things to b
it avoided. The food should be bland
It nourishing and simple, and should var
according to the age of the patient
IS Milk, barly-water, soft buildings of Gus
a tard and farinaceous articles, beef tea
mutton or chicken broth, bread-crumb
y and gravy, and for older children dir