Volume 1

The household physician : a family guide to the preservation of health and to the domestic treatment of ailments and disease, with chapters on food and drugs and first aid in accidents and injuries / by J. McGregor-Robertson ; with an introduction by John G. McKendrick.

  • M'Gregor-Robertson, J. (Joseph), 1858-1925
Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The household physician : a family guide to the preservation of health and to the domestic treatment of ailments and disease, with chapters on food and drugs and first aid in accidents and injuries / by J. McGregor-Robertson ; with an introduction by John G. McKendrick. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    530/602 (page 458)
    INFLAMMATION OF EYES OF THE NEWLY-BORN. [Sect. XV. is uo haste, but it should not be delayed till the child has learned to speak and has accpnred the “ twang.” It is not nearly so simple an opera- tion as the former. In extreme cases the sej)ar- ation may be too great to permit of closure by operation, but a plate may be made to cover the opening. Blue Disease {Cyanosis) is due to an arrest of development interfering with proper aeration of the blood. While the child is still in the womb its own lungs are inactive and unex- pauded. The aeration of the blood of the child is effected indirectly through the blood of the mother. The blood of the child passes in the vessels of the cord to the placenta, which con- nects the child to the mother, and is there ])uri- fied by exchanges with the blood of the mother. Returning from the placenta the blood of the child passes to the upper chamber of the riglit side of the heart, partly directly and partly through the liver. In the adult the right and left sides of the heart are separated by a com- plete partition, but in the foetus an opening exists through which the pure blood can pass directly through the right upper chamber to the left, and from the left side it is then distributed through the body. After birth this opening should close, and then the blood requires to pass from the right side through the lungs, where it is purified, before it reaches the left. In rare cases this opening remains unclosed, and thus while part of the blood passes through the lungs to the left side, part escapes directly from right to left without previously passing through the lungs, and thus without aeration. The blood is, therefore, constantly deficient in oxygen, and the blueness arises in consequence. The child’s skin, its cheeks, lips, hands, and feet are markedly livid, the fingers and toes are clubbed and the nails are incurved. It breathes rapidly and is liable to attacks of breathlessness. In marked cases death usually occurs in a few days, in slighter cases life may be prolonged for some years. All that can be done is to keep the child quiet and to protect from cold. Tongue-tied. — This condition is due to shortening of the bridle of the tongue. When it is present the child cannot push the tongue out over the lips; and it interferes with the suckling. It is easily set right by turning up the tongue and dividing the front of the bridle by means of a blunt-pointed pair of scissors. This should only be done by a medical man, for if the scissors be directed upwards one of the blood- vessels running along the under surface of the tongue may be injured. Cataract.—Children are sometimes born with white sj:)ots in the lens of the eye, inter- fering with sight, or the whole lens may be white, rendering seeing impossible. This is due to some defect of nourishment in the womb. The child should be taken early to an oculist, as an operation is frequently necessary very early to prevent changes arising in the eye that would interfere with the usefulness of an opera- tion at a later period. (See p. 374.) Diseases of the Newly-born. Ulceration or Bleeding at the Navel.— If the bleeding be from the attached piece of cord it should be tied a second time nearer the belly. This may occur some hours after birth because the cord has been improperly tied. The clothing should be immediately undone and the cord tied again between the former place and the belly. Four or six strands of linen thread form the best material for the purpose. It may also occur owing to the remains of the cord being too early separated. If so, the bleeding is best stopped by gentle steady pressure with the finger or a small pad. It should not be allowed to continue, else the slow drain may be very hurtful. If the part be not healing properly, it should be carefully sponged frequently, and if necessary may be painted with an astringent like syrup of tannin, or tannate of glycerine. Inflammation of the Eyes.—One form of inflammation of the eyes of a newly-born child, if not watched with great care, may ruin the child’s eyes in the course of a few days, and I'ender the infant incurably blind. It begins usually about the third or fourth day after birth. The eyelashes stick together, and the borders of the lids are red and crusted. Both eyes are attacked, the one after the other. The lids become swollen, and in a da} or two thin fluid ])ours out of the eyes, the fluid in about a week has changed to matter, with which the eyes are constantly overflowing. The treatment consists in keeping the eyes scruj)ulously and constantly clean. Use warm water, and a soft rag or lint; open the eyes thoroughly, turning out the lids, and cleaning axoay every particle of matter. To the warm water a few drops of Condy’s fluid, sufficient to make the water slightly pink, may be added. This must he done