Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-04-12
Medicine for Infants.

In former essays we have said very
little regarding medicine to infants.
They very rarely need it, when they
are properly fed, clothed, have fresh
| air and are we'll protected against the
extremes of heat and cold they need but
very little; that may do them harm as
well as good. Paregoric may diminish
pain, but then it also checks the secre-
tons of the various glands and lessons
the free circulation of the blood. It is
always wise to seek the advice of
medical attendant If it can not. be obs
tanned, adapt the food to the condition
of the child. Costiveness or looseness
can nearly always be cured by the food
it takes. Medicine is rarely needed.
Still some mothers, living in sparcely
settled section of our country, where
physician can not easily be obtained,
should have some notion of what they
may safely do, when no physician can be
seasonabiy obtained. or can not be OBJ
tanned at all. In eases of emergency,
or cases that require medical attention
at once, a very limited knowledge of
the influence of y few. remedies or of
some simple treatment may be- valuable
by way of removing pain and saving
life. A little knowledge is not always
dangerous thing. =. Iowa 90
Membranous Group and commissions
require immediate attention. They arc
each often cured by a hot blanket bath.
Commissions are nearly always in this
way checked at once. Group may need
ipecae in small doses and certain outer
application, SO as to remove inhamma-
ton of the throat at once and check the
peculiar exudation,r that follows inflam-
nation In many cases, a hot. blanket
bath is always safe and useful. 1T will
always do a great deal toward palliat-
ing, if it does not cure the malady. lin
recent Inflammation of the lungs or
throat, no treatment is SO effective as q
warm blanket bath. It is always well
for a young, inexperienced mother to
avoid drugs of harsh character, and
resort to those that are mild and safe.
+ We prefer those medicines that are
homeopathic, so called, that can do no
harm and often do a great deal of good.
+. 1t is an error Ito have recourse to
medicine upon the appearance of the
slightest indications Of, disease. MANY
disturbances and diseases :, are, self
limited and need only good nursing,
they may subside by keeping the skin
in a warm and moist condition by daily
sponging and moderate friction In
years past, we have seen cases Of scar
latina, in which nothing else was done
but giving good nursing, mild food and
lemonade. The latter acts favorably
upon the skin and aids in throwing
freely out the usual eruption. The ten
dency of some mothers and even physi-
clans of the old school is in this disease
to depend too much on medicine. They
are too apt to suppose that a severe at
tack Of any malady requires severe
treatment. This may, sometimes be
true, but not always. =. -.
We have seen severe cases of diph-
liberia and scarlatina in which powerful
medicines did more harm than good.
Some families yield readily to certain
maladies and die, whether medicine is
given or not. Some twenty-four years,
ago three children OF one family died
of scarlatina. They were in charge of
a, regular practitioner. Some ten years
passed away, three other children were
and three years of age. they too had
scarIatina. The parents, dissatisfied with
the services of their former physician,
re -olved to employ one of the homeo-
pathic school. But they, too, died. This
case illustrates general truth, that
some children will die in spite of all art .
can do. Every physician finds that
teething is a simple process in some
families, whilst in others it induces Sc
we're diseases and ultimately death.
Lancing the gums always gives great
relief and never does any harm. Often
this is all that is needed. Possibly in q
few cases, some medicine that may aHay
nervous irritation may be useful, lest
commissions should occur. If the infant
has alhot and dry skin, sponging the
surface, especially the head and spine,
may give great, aid to the other, means !
of cure. For the same purpose the |
mother may give five to ten drops of the
sweet spirits. of nitrous ether in cold
water slightly sweetened. If an infant 4
is costive whilst teething, give half a
teaspoonful of castor oil, or as much cas-
toria. If it has diarrhoea, do not check
IL, uuless~it becomes severe. When
teething is, annoying and the infant has
q fullness Of the head, or when the fon-
taneiles are convex, a moderate loose
ness. of the'bowels relieves the head
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