Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-12-27
THEIR CAUSES AND TREATMENT.

ana duration OF the euIerln9 resulting
from error or carelcssness of the parent
or nurse for the.child in infancy.
1t is a subject of which many ofus of the
household can make personal study and
application with profit:
Many children are afflicted by chronic
ailments and deformites, which require
the most constant attention if the sufferer
would have any chance of being restored
to health or the perfection of bodily
strength. Some of these are congenital,
or date from the time of birth, others are
the result of accident, or exhibit them
selves by degrees while the child is still
young. Some of them can be cured, some
are incurable. but nearly all car be in
some way ameliorated.
Now, as in all cases OF chronic diseases
in children, whether of the bones, or mus
Giles, or internal organs, the greatest care
should be taken that the conditien Of the
little patient is kept up to or as near to
health mark as possible.
Particular care should be taken Will
regard to diet. This ought to be suitable
for the age Of the child, and the meals
should be given with the greatest rcgu-
larity. Children should never be permit
ted to fast too long, nor should they b(
allowed too eat too much at time. They
ought to he taught at IL very early age The
benefits of eating slowly and mast eating
well. The clothing should be light, but
warm, comfortable, and moderately loose
Flannel, the softest that can he procured,
Il lrh, CHI hn
skin, ard there ought to be no tighincss o.
The dress anywhere, neither IN leet, legs
waist, arms nor neck. Carriers and corseI'
are injurious TO the health. An ovel
amount of coddling is most injudicious
Plenty of exercise in the open air Is
imperative if health is TO he maintained
Many poor child is positively starved
for want of fresh air. Close, stuily nurs
eiies and badly ventilated bedrooms have
10 account fora deal of infantlc mortality
and a vast deal Of the unhcalthfulneSs thai
renders life TO many at best but buldcr
and WEAKNESS.
The value of personal cleanliness canno
lie overratcd | know there alc many
leople who think it is quite enough if The
little ones are bathed once Il week. 1hl'
is great mistake; face and, hands and !re
should be kept constantly clean, and Tho
bath, cold or tepid. used every night a
bedtime. This, if the supper has not beer
Il late one, will conduce to $, und sleep
without which a child can never be well
Seven o'clock should be bedtime witt
Young ch!ldrcn the bed itself should Lt
a moderately hard mattress, never feathers
or down, and the bed clothes ought to bt
lahr, for perspiration is most weakening
especially if the child be at all delicate.
Rlckcls is disease of children, which
is unfortunately 100 well known TO need i
very minute description, and one which is
accountable for not few Of the nun-con
genital delol mites Of childhood. 1t usually
attacks children Of scroiulons tendency
in preference to others.
K ckcts in children ought to be antcl.
patcd, and during the first year Of lis lie,
if an infant be puny, pulling and weakly,
the greatest care ought to be taken OF 1t.
If the molhor is apparently not suong
enough 10 nurse the child well, II healthy
nurse should be procured, and in addition
to the milk a little farinaceous food shouId
be given as early as the eighth month, and
gradually stronger food, such rs e yolk,
broth, beef tea, very tender meat mlced,
etc.
The room in which the pllicnt sleeps
should he warm, but at the same time
most iudiciously ventilated, and the clio H.
ing he wears by day should be soft and
VAIN.
Complications should be watched for,
and the assistance of u medical man pro
cured ut once if anything like Il bad colo
should come, or diarrhea, or chlld-Crow.
ing. If aperient medicine should tie
req sired, it must / c of the mldcst kind
SUCH as little castor oil, teaspoOnful c.
two of SIENNA syrup, or rhubarb. ParTish's
chemical food-dose according TO age
does good deal in cases If ricke's
especially when taken in con junction with
cod liver oil.
The patient should not be taught the
use of his legs too soon, and if there he
signs Of nal ormatcn coming on, rop
erly adjusted spIints shout be worn ;
few hours every day.
There are II variety Of defol mites OF The
feet, usually clasS"d under the generic
name of club foot Some Of these are The
result of maiformaton bcfolc birth, bu
in Il large number of cases weakness ii
the bones, muscles or ligameuts that blnC
the Joints is the cause All cases of clUl
foot require surgical treatment, and The
.ooner this is had recourse to he better i
will be for the child himc eff and for al
interested in him.
Weakness of the ankle lint is very
common, and may ultimately lead Il
distressing delormily. The child is ohselv
cd 10 have tendency to turn the TOO
either out OF in at the ankle int, whicl
appears somewhat swollen ard drfnmcd
The heels of the boots are rot worn III
even keel, and the wearing of boots OIL
shoes down at heel at either side tends lt
increase the deformity. This SHOULD
therefore be guarded agar s.; they Ough
to be projected with steel on the sdt
whore they are most worn Meanwhile
attention to the general he nth is impera
i've Iron tonics should be given, with
cod liver oil and the syrup of the phos
pilates. Further than the wearing of M
elastic bandage and boots that fit pretty
tightly, and daily salt water donchmg tc
strengthen the ligameHls no local treat
ment will be needed.
Children that are in the Sigh est dcgrC,
weakly, nabby in muscle, pal" faced anC
small in bone, should never h. permitted
to walk 90 soon.
There is an affection Of the hip joint
usually called hip disease, which takes a
variety Of forms, and can only be conduct
cd to successful terminus by skillfu
surgeon Or physi ,ian. 1t comes on slowly
ard insidiou>ly; some pain about the knet
may perhaps be complained abou', +
slight degree of llmping is observed, and
Il G patient while in bed prefers lying or
the opposite side. When anything Of tn,
kind is noticed, aid should ho procurec
Immediately; all that parent can do /,
to obey the ORDERS of the family physician
see that no undue strain is put upon til,
painful limb and attend to the genera
health of the child.
Curvature Of the spine is Il very distress
ing Election. Too much Stopping
whether in school or at work. may give
rise to it. But whatever he the cause, OF
at whatever age the disease for disease i,
is-comes on, medical aid should BE-
resortcd to. In young children, it i;
important that the spine should have
complete rest For this purpose the little
patient is placed upon cushions, or has Il
couch especially adapted for his complaint
while everything possible must he d, ne to
strengthen his constitution, and much can