The Wilmingtonian. (Wilmington, Del.) 1882-188?, 1884-05-31
HEALTH HINTS.
HOPPING COUGH.
FOR THE wILMINGroNIAN.

FOR THE WILMINGroNIAN.
There is considerable prevalence of
hooping-cough in Wilmington just now and
many parents are not a little concerned for
the safety Of their children while the young
sters are undergoing the ordeal. This con-
Germ is not without justification, for while
hooping-cough in this country is seldom a
direct cause of death, it often sets up innam-
nation of the lungs or commissions, and to
these causes large numbers Of deaths are
assigned.
Hopping cough is in most cases disease
of early life, and as rule occurs but once
in a lifetime. There are many adults who
have never had the disease; on the other
hand there have been cases in which it has
occurred a second time in the same subject.
The disease is most common in the elrly
spring and may last several months or even
the greater part of the year. 1t is most dan
gerous in infants that are tccthing or when
complicated with measles, or Group. In
either ease of the last named few Of
the little ones escape.
There are few maladies oil which so much
has been said and written us hooping-cough,
yet we know very little more now than did
our ancestors in the colonial days. II is trne
that we do not bleed children now, nor do
we poison them with heroic doses of calomel
and Tartar Emetic as the physicians did in
the good old times. The modern treatment
Of Hopping is what is called expect
ant, that is to say the keeping up of good
condition of the general health, against
which the disease harmlessly expends its
force, while complications inflammation or
convulsions) are treated as they arise.
The first symptoms are those of common
cold, but sooner or later the parents of the
child observe that the attacks of coughing
come on in sudden seizures or par0xysms,
and are accompanied by a prolonged shrill
inspiration or "hoop." The disease is now
fairly established and WM run It's course,
whatever means may be tried to arrest it.
There is no such thing as cure for Hoop
mg-cough any more than there is cure for
smallpox Or typhoid fever. What we have
to do is to stand by and watch for the mis-
chief which the disease is likely to set up.
we nave Salu IildJ Glle TWO most common
complications of IIuoping-congh are inflam-
nation of the lungs (Pneumonia) and con
WILSON'S. 1t is here that timely interference
may avail to save life, and for this reason we
offer few hints to parents as to the signs
which should put them on their guard.
So long as a child is not hot and feverish,
and there are no symptoms of impeded
respiration, there is no cause for alarm as to
the progress of the disease, SO far as the
lungs are concerned. But If child suffer-
ing from HOPPING cough becomes hot and
restless, if its breathing is quickened, and
especially if the cheeks are flushed, the lips
swollen and pale line appears from the
corner of the mouth to the edge of the nos
trils on each side, then we may be quite sure
that the lungs are involved, and that an
attack of bronchitis or pneumonia has to be
grappled with.
When this is the case it is best to place the
case promptly in the hands of a medical
man because every hour gained by him