EVERYDAY TOPICS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 23, 22 October 1907, Page 3

EVERYDAY TOPICS.

WHEN. BABY' SWALLOWS A; BUTTON/ ■Vory commonly children are brought to us by anguished parents, 'who tell a history of a swallowed halfpenny o'r. button. 'Frequently the swallowed . object • is ' something that sounds much more dangerous,- 'such as a pin or'a : sharp-pointed plum stono. Tho cases may bc ; divided'into those which give symptoms and those in -which the patient feels perfectly normal, sin these latter cases there n-no need for.a- doctor's services. The foreign body has "evidently passed safely into' tho stoniach ,and will cause no further worry -unless, it ho some vory pointed object such as a pin, when ,of course, medical aid should be obtained. The only treatment necessary is a large inca] of bread, mashed potatoes, and other bulky soft foods, which will safoly incase the foreign body. In tho'.other class of cases, in which the object is sharp-cornered or angular, it-'niay be arrested-in the pharynx or oesophagus. The symptoms will be pain and coughing, perhaps, difficulty in breathing, and retching.' If the object be metal an "X"-ray photograph will •' show the exact position in ' the body, and/proper steps can then bo taken for its removal . If thqro.is no urgent shortness of. brcatli a very careful examination should' ho made with the finger of the throat and oesophagus as far down as .one'can get. If, the foreign body is found to lie-in the oesophagus, but too far down to ho reached with the- finger/ a drink of water may fuse it down into the stomach.. , If this is ineffective, a' doctor's services should be called in at. once, .'Ho' can Neither draw the object up with a "coin-catcher" or oesophageal forceps, or else, gentry push it down into _tho ; stomach by 'tlio use'of a fairsized -bougie:.. '. If .there, is urgent, shortness of breath little time.' should■' be wasted on, home remedies, as it. may ho, that an immediate trnchnotonivwjlj .tidj necessary to .save life.—H H Kiddle, M.B. :