The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-08-23
Snumes.

ticed that cold in the nasal cavities is
very apt to extend its influence to the
mouth and throat, unless proper means
are early used to check its natural
course. All diseases of the head and
throat are amenable to wise treatment,
unless they happen to occur as sequels
to measles, scarlatina, or diphtheria.
The most distressing and fatal forms of
these eruptive maladies are those that
end in diseases of the nose, throat and
chest.
Mothers cannot be too deeply i'm
pressed with the fact that chilling of the
body, frequent changes of temperature
of the home and outer air, are not only
the causes of severe attacks of eruptive
maladies but of fatal endings. The
common symptoms of snullles or irrita-
tons of the inner lining of the nostrils,
are dryness of the nose, sneezing and
eXcreting of water, small in quantity at
the outset, but copious in the sequel, so
as to disturb, more or less, the normal
respiration. Young infants suffer and
indicate that a cold has been taken, and
that the child needs more care in the
future. Its difficult respiration shows
that it may become a serious and fatal
malady. 1t may disturb and distress
the child, impair its sleep, lessen its
sucking powers, and impede its resplra-
ton. If coryza combines with int1am-
nation of the air tubes and air cells,
the result is always more or less severe.
In robust andvigorous children of three
years or more, it is rarely serious or
fatal, unless when the eruptive mala-
dies lend their force to reduce the
strength and vigor of the sufferer. But
in young infants and weakly children
its influence is severe. The effort to
respirc through the nose when it is full
of mucous, GNhauStS its energies and
lessons its power OF resisting the pres
sure of the malady. Then the outer
air, trying to enter the air cells, OBJ
structs the regular expansion and con-
traction of the lungs, and so induces
collapse of the pulmonary tissue and
produces acute Inflammation of the
inner lining of the air tubes and air
cells.
The constant effort to force the air
through the nasal passages and the
small quantity that ultimately enters
pulmonary cells, are the chief causes of
the distress we often witness in the
cOryza OF infancy.
Coryza, or snutlles, assumes various
degrees of severity and suffering. The
dryness, sneezing, etIusions from the
mucous membrane of the nasal cavities,
are constantly varying in their color.
1t may be Serious or mucous, more or
less copious, of a yellowish color,
thin and odorless, but ultimately be-
come purulent, and vet not distressing,
because in the later stages of the
malady, the ellusion loses more or less
its adhesiveness and is easily removed,
and restores the normal ease of breath
ing
Sometimes the wings of the nose,
and its entire end, become red and
swollen. The skin becomes tense and
shining, and assumes the aspect of cry
thema, or erysipelas. The upper lip is
often red, swollen, and eXcoriated by
secretions, copiously flowing from the
nose. In severe cases the breathing is
often difficult. If the nasal passages
are full so that no air can pass them,
the infant is compelled to keep its
HlOuuH always open, anu 81 vi ucoS
and stiffness of that cavity, the tongue,
| and throat, are causes of distress.
The cleansing of the nasal passage,
with a hair pencil and lard, or cosmo-
line, may often yield great relief. The
difficulty of respiration diminishes as
the child increases in age and strength.
In early age, infants breathe nearly
always through the nostrils, and cannot
keep the mouth open. Infants refuse
to suck, or suckle with great difficulty,
when the nasal passages are closed.
Isolated cases present special symptoms
that we need not describe. The recov-
cry depends on the age of the sufferer,
on the form and severity of the onset.
The simple form is rarely dangerous
The infant should be kept in the house
and be very warmly clothed Clear the
nasal passages and lubricate them with
glycerine or sweet oil, 10y means of Il
hair brush. If the coryZa is so severe
as to interfere with easy respiration,
give foot-bath night and morning,
and few drops of the syrup of ipecac
every three hours, and wear flannel
cap for two days, or till the snuffles are
relieved.-C. II. Allen, NJ D., in Vest
ern Rural.