Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-07-27
CHOLERA INFANTUM.
Practical Hints Regarding the Care of
Children I'm Hot Weather.

NnAl0fen HOI W eatners
With the arrival of the extreme
warm weather cholera infantum has
again made its appearance. Four
deaths from this disease were reported
at the Health flee yesterday, ando it
is probable that the number will be
increased from day to day until the
last of August. No rhalady is more
dreaded by mothers, and none is per-
haps more rapid in its action and so
universally fatal in its results
During the heated term the little ones
are never safe, and mothers can not
exercise too much care regarding
their children's food, clothing and
bodily condition. Cholera in
fantum," said Dr. J. F. Isom yester-
day to Leader reporter, lit isas much
like Asiatic cholera as it is possible to
imagine. 1t is caused principally by
extreme heat When the temperature
at night ranges from 20 degrees up
ward many cases of the disease may
be expected, but if the nights are cool
there is not SO much danger, no mat
ter how hot the days. During the
day, let the weather be ever so
warm, a child will not be so much
affected by the heat as while sleeping,
and for this reason the warm nights
cause most of the trouble. Extreme
heat in child's body will arrest the
process of digestion, diarrhpa ensues,
and if this is not checked it will
eventually run into cholera infantum.
The disease is sometimes rapid in its
action, the little sufferer dying within
L.
while in other cases a child may be
sick for weeks with summer complaint
before cholera infantum ensues. The
discharge in cases of summer com
plant is filled with particles of
curdled milk, which cannot be digest
ed but in the last stages of cholera,
infantum the discharge is clear and
colorless, like rice-water, and is filled
with albumen. This discharge is
nothing but the watery portion of the
blood which leaks through the in
testines Many children die just as
if they had bled to death, but in most
cases of cholera infantum the patients
are seized with cramps and spasms,
dying In great agony. Teething chill
dren are more apt than others to be
afflicted with this disease, for the
reason that the nervous system is in a
constant state of irritation, and the
reflex nervous action generally affects
the stomach first.
Yes" continued the doctor, Gin
the great majority of cases children
die from neglect; not that parents do
not try to save their lives, but because
they do not know how to take care of
the little ones. During the warm
months the babies should be kept as
quiet as possible. During the day it
is good idea to give them plenty of
fresh air. They should be permitted
to play out doors in the shade all day,
and before they are put to bed at
night a cool bath would reduce their
temperature and fit them for a good
nights sleep. Mothers who nurse
children should avoid heating their
blood, and the bottles from which
youngsters drink should be scalded
daily and kept perfectly clear of sour
milk. No child suffering from
diarrhra should be permitted to go a
day without medical attention.
These directions, if followed, together
with proper attention to dress will
doubtless save the life of many an in
FAINT. Cleveland Leader