The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1905-08-25
Summer Disorders Of Infancy.

Inc most common stomach QlSOTQel
Is known as acute gastric catarrh
acute Indigestion, or acute dyspepsia
ALI three terms signifying the same
disorder. The chief cause is irrita
ton due to food, improper in quantity
or quality, spelling in the stomach.
This malady rarely occurs in in
fants fed on good breast milk, unless
something occurs to upset the mother
Older children often have attacks
from eating too much candy, unripe
fruit, pastry and the like. In grown
people this disorder is called q bilious
attack"
In bottle-fed infants, especially dur
ing the summer months, it is very
common complaint. The symptoms
are loss Of interest in play and sur
roundings, starting in the sleep, cry
ing with collie pains, drawing up the
legs on the abdomen, sharp, shrill cry,
paleness around the mouth, blueness
of the skin and cold feet; in severe
cases, fever, nausea and vomiting
of mucus and undigested food. When
the food has been more than usually
indigestible there are often convul-
sions and symptoms resembling those
of Inflammation Of the brain and
spinal cord.
The writer remembers we'll typi-
cal case. A child of three years, after
ootipo q puohor NJ win dfo11op opDlac
and drinking two cups of milk, was
suddenly seized with commissions, oc-
curing every half hour or less, and
remained unconscious for hours.
Some effort had been made to empty
the stomach by vomiting, but in vain.
An emetic and tickling the throat with
a feather brought up a mass of Jumps
of unripe apple and large, sour curds..
This soon restored the little one to
consciousness. A thorough enema and
dose of castor oil freed the alimen-
tary canal of the undigested food and
poisons produced by it; but several
days Of fever followed, during which
no food could be retained by the stom-
ach, and even water was rejected for
a time.
The best treatment in case Of acute
indigestion is to empty the alimentary
tract at once by an emetic of warm
water or the stomach ylavage; a thor
ough enema and mild cathartic to
free the bowels. Stop all food at
once, and do not try to put anything
into the stomach until the vomiting
ceases, unless it be ice-pills or sips of
hot water.
The collie pains can often be re-
lieved by lamentations. In the chill
stage at the onset, warm full bath
or a warm sheet pack is good; and a
hot mustard foot bath when the feet
are cold. If there is diarrhea, hot
enemas, followed by tepid or cool
ones, are often very soothing. In
cases Of infants, especially bottle-fed
babies, all milk should be kept out
Of the food for time. During the |
first twenty-four to thirty-six hours,
only pure cold water or ice should |
be given. After vomiting and purg-
Ing cease, the child may be fed tea,
spoonful or two Of white of egg (the
white Of one egg mixed with four
ounces or water or grueD. When the
patient begins to convalesce, milk,
modified and sterilized, may gradually
be given.
Watch the effects Of the change of
food, as the stomach is likely to re-
main irritable for long time, and
relapses are common, which, in hot
weather especially, may result in chol-
era infantum, or some other acute in
1ammatory disorder.