A treatise on the diseases of children : with directions for the management of infants from the birth / by Michael Underwood, M.D. ... ; with notes by a physician of Philadelphia ; three volumes in one ; vol. I[-III] ; from the sixth London edition.

  • Michael Underwood
Date:
1818
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on the diseases of children : with directions for the management of infants from the birth / by Michael Underwood, M.D. ... ; with notes by a physician of Philadelphia ; three volumes in one ; vol. I[-III] ; from the sixth London edition. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    on the other hand, often do not appear for a day or two afterwards, and come out in successive crops, especially, if the child be kept over-hot. Some of the red eruptions are often larger than others, and resembles those in the scarlet fever, with which the miliary rash is also sometimes thought to be mixed, in seasons when eruptive com- plaints are very ripe. Previous to the eruption, as well as some time afterwards, the pa- tient is usually very thirsty, is hot and cold, by fits, and the breathing is short and difficult. The urine is high-coloured, there is a slight delirium, and sometimes a sore throat, especially where the eruption is broad and very florid. Children generally revive as the rash comes out freely; but unless the complaint be very slight, the fever is rekindled, and they acquire no appetite for food until the eruption begins to turn dry. This fever being of the low kind, is attended with great languor, and calls for support; on which account both the medicines and diet should be of the cordial kind. White-wine whey, and wine in the panada and sagoe, in proportion to the degree of debility, are gene- rally necessary even for children of only a year or two old. The saline draught with confect. aromatica, and mistura camphorata is a good general medicine; and if the symptoms are more aggravated, the bark, volatile alkali, and the spir. aether, vitriol, compositus: blisters also are often very useful. A stool should be procured once in two days by means of a clyster, or a little rhubarb; and» plenty of drink be allowed, which may be lightly acidulated, and at times taken cool. The chamber should be kept airy, but the child screened from the wind, and be confined to the bed, until the rash disappears. If on the rash drying away, which in the milder species, is in three or four days, no fresh eruption should take place, the appetite and spirits soon return; and only a little rhubarb, or other gentle laxa- tive, is required, with the usual cautions in regard to diet, so neces- sary for every convalescent, and especially children, who have no discretion of their own. But if fresh crops appear, and the fever re- turns, the former plan must be continued: but if without fever, a few doses of physic, and quitting the warm bed will, probably, put an end to the complaint. Cynanche Parotidea, or Mumps. This is a tumour of the neck and throat, giving that peculiar cast' of countenance from which the complaint has acquired the English name. It is usually only a slight disorder in children, but as it ad vances, the skin becomes inflamed, putting on a light damask-rose colour; but the parts very rarely suppurate, which is the more re-
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