Wichita eagle., 1888-01-17
Daily eagle
A DOCTORS ADVICE.
a LADY PHYSICIAN ON THE SUB
JECT OF INDIGESTION.

A Most Deplorable AiIment Among Chill.
dren-Some of the Leading symptoms.
Diseases Which Eollow--A Long List Of
Removable Causes.
Indigestion is the most deplorable ailment
among children. 1t usually begins and leads
Sto every other illness not traumatic that over
g. takes the little patient. And because the
word Indigestion (among children and dys-
pepsia among ''grown ups') has become such
a familiar one in the household, it is not re-
garded with sufficient eaynestness or fear
when applied to any particular member: con-
sequently many child is sacrificed while
waiting for something more important to de-
velop before scientific advice is sought
The signs of indigestion in the nursing are
paleness and shrunken face peevishness,
moaning, crying or screaming suddenly;
nausea, very great languor, occasional vom-
iting or retching, fatulence, hard abdomen,
eiuctation wind from the stomach, and
sometimes diarrhPa. These signs come soon
after nursing heartily at the breast orSbottle
in children who are considered well. Whether
one or more or ali of these signs are present
at the same time, none should be ignored if
persistent a day or two
AGGRAyATING SYMPTOMS.
In the larger child some of these signs may
become moe or less permanent and more ag-
gravating He grows puny and stunted in
growth, looks old and haggard suffers from
cold hands and feet and irregular appetite,
and finally real starvation sets in from re-
pea.ed nausea and vomiting. diarrhna, vio-
lent spells of collie, fretting and whining to-
I'd
lessness and sleeplessness at night In many
cases, in consequence Of indigestion, whether
transient or permanent, we shall have to
treat the patient for Inflammation of the
stomach, simple or severe diarrhoa, dysen-
terry or cholera infantuG, followed either by
death or very slow couvalescent stage, dur
ing which it is almost impossible to find the
right kind of food or drink, the proper guam
tty and quality at each meal, the correct
temperature In and out Of doors, or the
proper clothing for the night or day Indi-
gcstion In nervous child who usually has
commissions or ''fits" with any ailment what
soever. is very serious, and should be arrested
without delay.
The causes of indigestion per Sc. or as
forerunner to something mere FORMIDABLE. are
numerous, but, as a rule, readily detected.
They are pretty nearly the same whether it
Is simply indigestion or some of the seauela,
mentioned above; unfavorable hygienic con-
ditions, such as dampness from long continued
rains, or standing water under or about the
house, long continued spells CT excessive
heat, bad ventilation tclosed windows and
doors at night, through fear OF night air or
burglars, bad drainage sewer gas, bad odols,
filthy or crowded premises, cess pools, filthy
streets or alleys, neglected stables and wards,
Inferior wet nurse, artificial food, sour nlIrs.
ing bottle; unripe, wilted or decaying vere-
tables or fruit eaten by nurse or child, or
other unwholesome dish of mother or child
sudden weaving, impure drinking water, bad
cows milk and worse dairy milk, changing
wet nurse or artificial food; alcoholic bever-
ages, of whatever sort INDUCED in by mother
or wet nurse; cold and teething.
DANGEROUS OR FATAL.
Any one or more of the causes cited NAV,
within a short time, develop first class case
of indigestion, which, if not removed and
convalescence speedily brought about, NAV
result quickly in a dangerous or fatal case of
some sort of intestinal trouble In addition.
it must be remembered that very many chill
dren are weak and Old at birth, being already
far advanced in what is called nervous pros
tration in the adult. So that among the per-
sstent causes may be mentioned hereditary
predisposition, which hangs like a pail over
otherwise fair surroundings, and indicates
the constitutioIally short route 20 the grave.
Sex has some influence in the list of causes.
since the figures of several good authorities
represent one-third more boys stricken down
with infantile indigestion and its baneful
sequela.
And, to better understand the matter. we
must recognize an indigestion of the stomach,
which makes the little invalid squirm and
fret immediately after a meal is taken, as
well as indigestion of the bowels, which will
initiate the tantlunls of pain and restlcssness
as soon as the food passes out of the stomach
and enters the iptestines, some time within
an hour or two after meal Vomiting usl-
ally attends the stomach indigestion, while
diarrh9a more or less severe attends that of
the bowels. When both vomiting and di-
arrh9a are present at the same time. the
mucous membrane OF the stomach and some
portion Of the bowels are involved, and
makes the case much more complicated -
Odelia Blinn, NJ d., in Inter-Ocean