Morning journal and courier., 1891-05-14

taking off the pack. It is we'll to put 6
 light woolen bandage about the throat for the remainder of the night; but never &C.,
 custom a child to being "bundled up" If
 the cold pack does not prove sufficient to
 give relief at once give repeated doses of syrup of ipecac, larger or smaller accord ing to the violence of the spasm, until vomiting ensues. An excellent cough medicine to keep in the house, and one which works we'll in cases of false croup,
 is the old-fashioned mixture of syrup of squills and parogoric, or a mixture of glycerine and water in equal parts. If with this treatment the child does not get easy and fall into natural sleep, but on
 the contrary, the choking sensation con- tinues or becomes worse, you may con- clude that you have case on hand of true croup, and the sooner you get a doc tor the better
 False croup you may relieve tonight and tomorrow morning there may be no
 trace of it; tomorrow night and the next night and for several nights it may come on again as badly as ever. It is not so, however, with true croup-there is no ''let mp" in this case, the condition gradu- ally gets more and more severe until death ensues from suffocation, or until the dis ease submits to treatment. The average duration of a case of real croup is about | seven or eight days, and many methods and remedies are advised.
 Both false and true croup may be guard ed against in great measure It is @ mis- | take to accustom children to such bum ding and wrapping up when they go out that active exercise is not easily taken | and, of course, I would not have you 20 | to the other extreme and not cloths them warmly enough, but if they are strong and
 lively the latter course is really the safest, | rNr- dad ha,- | and get warm. Look to it that their feet
 are attended to when they come in from playing in the wet. A good rubbing, or,
 better still, bathing in alcohol and water,
 and then rubbing, and dry, warm stock ings, will often prevent a case of croup or
 some other form of cold.
 If they are weak, or not really active and strong, a course of syrup iodide of iron will usually bring them up. See to
 it that they are regular and rather lax in
 their bowel movements, for nearly every
 preparation of iron has tendency to pro
 mote constipation.
 Death is almost always caused by suffo- | cation, on account of the closing up of the glottis by the membrane, which forms so | rapidly that constant attention with the probang or spray is necessary to impede | its growth. Which ever method of apply
 ing is used, any application that is irrita- ting is dangerous and should be avoided, as for instance nitrate of silver and seve- ral of the mineral acids.
 Probably the best solvent is freshly
 made limewater, and it may readily be ap- piled in form of vapor without any appa-
 ratus. Small pieces of fresh, unslaked lime may be put into wide-mouthed bot tie Ia pint glass fruit jar will answerl, and water poured upon it to slake it, and the patient may then breathe the fresh vapor as it rises. In cases of true croup this is probably the best course to pursue until the doctor comes. Tincture of iron full
 strength) may be applied to the membrane
 with csmers hair pencil or a probang This latter instrument is simply bit of fine sponge fastened securely with silk
 thread to the end of piece of whalebone
 or reed, about as long as lead pencil, and
 is simply swab.
 With this swab diluted tactic acid may be applied to the membrane, and, next to limewater, it is probably the best and safest solvent that can be used. To pre- pare it for use, simply add the acid to wa ter until it has a decidedly sour taste During an attack of croup it is necessary that We should do everything to keep the patient nourished, as the tremendous exer- ton of breathing, together with the ap- prehension of fatal result, are most ex- hausting.