The diseases of children : a short introduction to their study / by James Frederic Goodhart.
- Sir James Goodhart, 1st Baronet
- Date:
- 1891
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The diseases of children : a short introduction to their study / by James Frederic Goodhart. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.
705/774 page 679
![are made by Mr. Hutcliiiison,coucerning the production of a pruriginous skin by eruptions of jinj* chronicity. All must be familiar with the fact that to scratch an itching spot is not only to make that part more ii’i i- tal)le, but also to extend the actual area from which the abnormal sensiition is transmitted. It is easy tluis to make the body itch all over ; and this condition begets a pruriginous habit of skin wliich is quite out of proportion to the external cause. Treatment.—Lichen urticatus is very obstinate. It tind all three affections in tliis group aie for the most pai't best treated by the strictest attention to the diet; but it is in many cases very difficult to say exactly in what element the cause of indige.stion lies. Some children are said to be worse wlien eating sugai', some wlien they have taken too much milk; but I must confess to having been unable to I'educe a not inconsiderable e.xperience to concrete and dogmatic statements. I laving already given full spa(^e to diet, I shall only say that it will require careful scrutiny and probably moditication according to the rules already detaileil. Next in importance comes the necessity to (leprive the surface as far as pos.sible of all excu.se for itching. This may be done both by external and intenial means. Externally, the most scrupulous attention is to be ])aid to cleanline.ss. The skin is to be bathed and the linen is to be changed frequently, to ensure the absence of such pests as fleas ; and in hospital out-patients scabies and pediculi mu.st be examined for and treated if pre.sent, 'L’he nature of the clothing next the skin must also be examined. Home people are unable to wear flannel, or particular kinds of flannel, meiino, Ac., and dyed flannels arc sometimes in use, which may account for external irritation. The itching of the ])a])ules may be mitigated by gently rubbing ovei’ them and the affected .skin a lotion of carbonate of soila, glycerine, and elderflower or I’ose-water (F. 46), or a lotion of corrosive sublimate—half a grain to each](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24990449_0705.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
