MEDICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16205, 15 April 1916, Page 6 (Supplement)

MEDICAL NOTES.

• EXPOSURE OF CHILDREN.

Few mothers are anxious to have their children contract any of the usual diseases to which they are subject. Yet there has been an absurd sentiment abroad for years that if children escape diseases in their youth it will go all the worse with them later in life. But it is certainly right to protect everybody from disease so far as possible, and children, of all others, should be carefully guarded from all forms of contagion. There is none- of the so-called children's diseases, unless it be chicken-pox, which is not liable to be followed by a train' of serious consequences, besides being sometimes fatal.

A.HEALTHFUL BEDROOM. Never make the mistake of thinking that cold air is pure air if you sleep in a room without heat. A tightly-closed cold room Will rob your blood of oxygen the same as a tightly-closed warm one. Often persons whose bedrooms are small do not open their windows becauso they do not want to sleep in an icy wind. That, of course, would not be pleasant, nor is it necessary. A blanket thrown over the backs of two chairs and put near the window will serve as a wind-break; or tack some light-weight cloth over a screen and put it in the window, and you will have plenty of pure air circulating in the room without blowing directly on the bed. Although a cold room is the ideal sleeping-place, it is a waste of vitality to get into a cold bed and try to warm it with the heat from the body. Put a hot-Water bottle into the bed long enough before retiring to make mattress and clothes warm. This is especially essential for children.

MEASLES. A child with measles should be kept in bed for a few days after the temperature is lowered and the rash begins to fade. Most mothers know tlio symptoms, be cause- the disease is so common. When a child begins to cough and sneeze and show redness of the eyes they suspect measles if there is any in the neighbour hood. Keep the child isolated in his own room away from the others, because tho beginning is the most infectious time. The rash comes out on the fourth or fifta day, There- is always a certain amount of bronchitis, and if you are not very careful such complications as pneumonia, inflammation of the ears, and eye trouble follow. Make tho little patient wear a long-sleeved woollen jacket, in addition to his or her pyjamas, because there is danger of chill on tho chest, and the back must bo warmly protected. Light diet and plenty of nourishing food help to counteract the ill effects. Don't imagine that a child who has had measles is going to be quito so strong for a little while. Let him go easy with lessons, and give him a change of air and a tonic if you can. ' /

THE HOME NURSE. Tho normal adult pulse beats about seventy-two times every minute, and so much does fever hasten it that for every degree of temperature it beats ten or twelve times more, fairly galloping with a high fever, like a runaway steed. A child's pulse, even in health, is much fa'ster, being about one hundred at six years, and higher in a baby. Take your watch, place your first two or three fingers an the artery which lies on the inside of the wrist, and count- If both these tests show fever, you can well afford to believe it is present. Individual conditions may slightly affect the above, but they fairly represent the average case. A slight rise in temperature may mean only a slight disorder, especially in, a childeven a littlo' constipation may make a child feverish. But it's always safe td remember that a change of temperature may be the first symptom of serious disorder, and unless it is very slight and easily accounted for, a doctor should be called. It is never the part of even the trained nurse to diagnose or prescribe. It is her part to recognise and to heed them.

CUBING A GOLD.

Throat gargles may prove useful if used in time. A simple solution which will destroy the germs, without at the same time irritating tho throat, should be used. A dilute solution of peroxide may be used or a solution of cinnamon oil. One should stay in bed until the next mornbg or until the acute symptoms have disappeared, taking as little food as possii'o. Fruits and liquid foods are best undi .- these conditions. It matters not whethei [ the cold has gained a foothold— simple treatment will usually drive 't! away. We cannot emphasise too strong!" the importance of worry as. a cause of colds. Consequently in instituting treatment for colds one should endeavour t>; keep his mind in a cheerful statu. One should rest and sleep as much as possible, and when not sleeping he should keep his mind, not on business matters, but on subjects that will rest the mind and provide a mental change. Someone can be found to read a humorous story or cheerful, uplifting poetry—anything to keep the mind v away from matters that migji,cause worry or concentrate attention .is;! business worries. i

CUBING A COLD.

Tho quickest and surest way of curing a cold is to nip it in the bud. There are certain symptoms by which, one may know that a cold is impending. If these aro paid attention to, and treatment is started at once, tho cold will be very short-lived. But before we study these signs let us investigate for a moment toe reasjn why colds come at all. You should knew, then, that all forms of cold are caujed by germs. These germs are often preset in tho body without setting up a cold. This is because the body is strong enough, to resist, them. If, however, the defences of the body are weakened for even a moment these germs gain a foothold and soon set up a disturbance that results in what we call a "cold." Tho body defence is weakened in many ways; going for several days without enough sleep is a common way. One notices, when he lacks sleep, that he lacks energy; this merely becaut* our vitality is lowered. In this conditi . colds easily establish themselves. A aeries of big meals, consisting of far more food than tho body needs, is even a more common way of lowering the vitality; a late dinner just before going to bed is especially bad. Taking a cold bath in winter, when the body is cold, is another cause, as aro also wet, cold feet. Sleeping in a warm, unventilated room is another cause and insufficient clothing and worry.

INGROWING TOENAILS. This is really a somewhat misleading term, because it is the skin on either side of the nails that is so pressed up over the edge of tho nail that this edge cuts into the bed of the nail and causes trouble, varying from mild degrees of discomfort up to actual ulceration. Usually it, is the great toe that is affected owing to the fact that it usually projects above the others and is subject to pressure, both laterally and anteriorly. Of Course, the obvious advice as to the cure of such a condition is never to let it occi.r! Adopt a boot which is the shape of the normal foot and a size which does not permit the tip of the toe to strike against the boot. The dead cuticle which gathers between tho nail and the overgrowing fold of skin should be removed with a soft, orange-wood stick every night, while the stick also passes carefully- under the | I unattached part of the nail "from corner J to corner so as to raise it up and remove, all debris. The nails must.be pared! square. This is often a new idea to any victim of the condition, who always feels inclined to cut off the projecting angle of nail. If one stops to think, he will realise that each time ho cuts off an angle he is merely making a, fresh angle or an edge to press into the already painful tissue, the thing to do is to scrape the flat sur. face of the nail until the nail becomes thinned and pressure in the centre no longer causes pain at the sides. If the condition is very painful at any given time bathing the feet in hot water, or applying hot poultices, will be found to give relief.