The Saint Paul globe., 1900-03-18
Medical Notes.

Whooping cough has such characterls-
/ tic symptoms that it is seldom mistaken
for any other disease. 1t is chiefly i'm
! portant from the fact that many serious
| complications may occur. AS a rule the
younger the child the more serious the
attack will be, and for this reason young
children should be especially protected
from danger Of Infections as the violent
straining efforts during the paroxysms
| of coughing may lead to hemOrrhage and
rupture. Many cases of consumption
date in the beginning from an attack of
whooping cough, and children should for
this reason be kept from immediate con-
tact with coHsumptlves, every care being
taken to give them proper nourishment
and maintain hygienic environment. Med
icines by themselves are of little value
and much depends on good and careful
nursing. Every day, when the weather
allows, the child should be taken out of
doors, and under all circumstances should
! have constant supply of fresh air.
Woolen undergarments should be worn
! day and night and daily bathing should
/ be carefully practiced The diet should
! be simple, yet nourishing. Vapors and
! inhalatiOns rarely do any good and fire.
! qqently the patient improves after their
! discOntinuance The salt air of the sea-
! shore is highly recommended by many
! and can do no harm. the principal benefit
/ being due to the greater amount of time
! spent out of doors.
Specialists in skin diseases claim that
| pet cats are a common source of ring
| worm and favus, two very obstinate and
! lOat athSOmp diseases Of the skin EaVOuS
! is supposed to originate in mice, and
! cats, in catching mice, also catch the
| disease and communicate 1t to those who
handle them. House dogs, too, may be
! regarded as dangerous to health in no
small degree. Their habit of wandering
around the neighbOrhOod -nobbing with
other dogs and now and then engaging
| in a fight exposes the household to the
/ danger of invasion by microbes of a
dangerous character. Dogs are by no
means very cleanly in their dietetic ar
rangements, and it is no uncommon thing
to see even a highly bred dog dragging
home a bone with mass of carrion
! attached, in which germs OF all char
! acters are holding high carnival. 1t is
doubtful whether pets of any kind, es-
pecially household pets, should be toler-
| ated, unless Gagged, and even then scien-
| lists claim that there is danger that they
may become disease carriers. If a
! watchdog is considered necessary or de-
sirable he should be kept out of doors
| and never be admitted on terms of too
! great familiarity. Above all, dogs and
cats should never be allowed to lap chill
dren.
One of the best dressings in cases of
! eczema, burns and scalds, ringworm ana
! fayus, the shingles, and similar skin dis
! eases is Unnas gelatine dressing. This
| contains ! part of oxide of zinc, 2 parts
| of gelatine, 8 parts of glycerine and 4
| parts of water. After soaking the geia.
! tine in water for few hours the other
| ingredients are added and mixed by the
| aid of heat. When first made this mix
ture will have the proper consistency,
! but if kept any length of time or heated
| several times Il little water must be add
| ed. The surface to which it is to be ap,
! piled is first washed with alcohol and
| then busted with a mixture of 4 parts of
| starch and l part of calomel Then this
! tire surface which is affected and COW
! cred with a bandage. During the early
| treatment the dressing should be renewed
once week, but later not oftener than
once month and at the last only one 4
In three months. The mixture is also OF
great value in supporting varicose veins.
being preferable to elastic dressings or
elastic stockings.
Smallpox seems to have created small
riot recently at New Rochelle. N Y.