The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-02-06
Written for THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE.1
WEALTH HINTS
For Old and Young
by FELIX L. OSWALD, NJ. D.,
CHAPTER LII.
DISEASES OF overwhelmingly


CHAPTER LII.
DISEASES OF overwhelmingly
The idea that precocity in children is an
uufavorablo symptom may be founded on tho
circumstance that certain diseases (consump-
tion for instnnce) accelerate the growth--as if
Nature, foresoeng the probability ola premature
death, had fastened the process of development.
Rapid growth in certain cases, may, however,
be simply popularity Of family tendencies or
of climate, since all travellers agree that In tho
neighborhOod of the equator n child of three
years is rs well developed in body and mind as
II Northland youngster of six or seven. Negro
babies OF four years begin to assist their parents
i'll driving cattle or in taking care of still
younger infants, aud the idea that prccocious
youngster must necessarily eXpatc his mental
vigor by physical infrmities is altogether
gratuitous. In SPANS America, or even in
our own South States, one may come across
amazingly intelligent aud sclf.dependent kids,
who, nevertheless, enjoy the best of health, and
may preserve their mental capacities TO good
old age. Bright children always come to DO
stupid men," said village wiscacre in tho
presence of n juvenile Crichton. "My stars,
what bright youngstcr You must have becn,"
remarked Master Smarty. II is true, though,
that tho tallcst trees grow slow. Very few
men of extraordinary genius have been prize
scholars says the French philosopher Taine,
land many of our greatest modern poets aud
scientists were tho dunoes Of their grammar
schools. To somo degree that fact may be due
to our prepo5tcrOu5 methods of education, but
partly also to the circumstance that originality
Is the very essence of genius, and that individ-
uals destined TO open out new path of their
own are very apt to balll on public pike.road."
Physical backwardncss, on the other hand is
generally an untavOrable symptom. Children
should DO able to toddlc about at l6 months,
and the molars should make their appearance
before the end of the second year. From the
third TO the 10Th year the average annual
growth should not fall much below two inches;
but after 10 tho process of vertical development
is apt to become more Irregular, and | have
known cases OF boys who did not grow Mt all, or
only slightly in weight for two years after
their ith birthday, and then suddenly made up
for lost time by shooting up three or four inches
IN half year. South Of tho Rio Grande boys
and glrls of 10 are generally full grown, and,
indeed, often marry much earlier. 1t has how
ever, been remarked a n pccnjarty of the
American climate in general that boys of 10 are
generally taller aud little less stout BROAD
shouldcredj than their European cousins of the
same age.
PULSE.
During the fret two years OF life the pulse is
from 80 10 10 beats per minute more rapid than
afterwards, aud the average has been found to
be nearly 80 per minute. After three years
tho average is 100 aud less a considerable OK.
cess of that maximum being generally an indi-
cation Of ieyeri8h condition.
Respiration.
Breathing too. is more rapid in the years Of
infancy, though ia sleep the rate may sink from
10 to Is regulations per minute. Very slow
breathing in waking hours may simply indicate
capacious lungs, while accelerated respiration
more than 90 per miuutcl is n moro serious
symptom aud generally betrays pulmonary
defects OF some sort or other, unless the trouble
should he duo 10 congestion Of the alimcniary
organs an overloaded stomach, or an iudigcs-
tion, aggravated by the oycrhcatcd atmosphere
OF the nursery.
APPEARANCE OF TUE SKIN.
AZ time when faint of scrofua was an
almost universal heritage Of tho North Cauca-
sinu races IL used 10 loo considered n dangerous
symptom IL the cuticie OF a child was quito free
from eruptious. The Kings Evil " had to be
encountered sooner or later, aud it was thought
best 30 undergo the ordeal ia time the vigor
incident to the years of growth being point in
favor OF tho patient. sgrofula can be wholly
ObviatCd by ventilation and dictctic reforms,
but u remains true that an abHormally clear
aud smooth skin is an unfavorable symptom
It's significance j. founded on the circumstance
that pulmonary disorders absorb all impurities
of the system, aud thus. as IL were, make
the lungs the scapcgoat Of the organism Con
sumptivo children Of nine or ten years often
have u complexion resembling that of a
smooth wax figure, even ia the sharp CON
tragt Of the pale. white forehead aud the
carunc patch in the center of the checks
Children of that sort can bc fed ON almost any
diet Of their aimuiant.iuddlcd parents or
lodged ~ rocking tcnomeuts without impair
ing the purity of their wax cabinet expression
which is greatly ADMIRED by the relatives and
neghbors OF the poor patient till the checks
become hollow with chronic coughs and the
process OF tuberculosis enters the unmistaka.
bic stage of It's development. A flushed face,
on the other hand, IS symptom Of dictrtic
mistakes probably an excessive use Of animal
food. The butehcr-buys Of our American cities
generally advertise the nature OF their employ
mcut by a raw.b beef complexion" by no
means an indication Of ruddy health but
rather o: a cOnpeated condition of the superb
cial boOdyesses DR.. Isaac Jennings. of Obcr-
lin, o., the author OF worl, on Medical Re-
form, went 50 far rs to consider plllora much
moro favorable symptom, and the flushed
checks of Juvenile gOurmand are. indeed rs
different fr0ln the color of health as the nut
brown complexion Of rustic5 aud Southlaudors
Is from the hue OF inflammation.