MOTHER AND HOME.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19108, 28 June 1930, Page 20 (Supplement)

MOTHER AND HOME.

(By a Nurse.) There is something terrifying to mothers in the very sound of the word “croup”; yet few of them pause to think what they would do if the baby suddenly developed this trouble in the middle of the night. It is usually during the night that the first choking symptoms are apparent, and it is not always possible to have a doctor on the spot within ten minutes. in acute cases, every minute is precious, and an emetic should be given at once to prevent suffocation. Two teaspoonfuls of salt in a teacupful of water will be effective.

To Help Breathing. The next step is to settle the small patient in a sitting position, with pillows to support his back and a hot water bottle at his feet. A sponge wrung out of hot water and laid on the throat will help the breathing. Unless the sufferer is a tiny infant, good beef tea should be given to maintain che strength, as a sudden attack of croup is intensely exhausting. The room must be kept warm—at a temperature of about seventy degrees—but it is absolutely essential to have a current of fresh air, which must not, however, strike down in a draught. To Treat Croup.

After the first measures to ward off immediate danger, croup is treated by the inhalation of steam, and for this it is necessary to make some kind of tent over the cot. It is easy with a cot which has a canopy, because all you have to do is to throw blankets or sheets over the existing frame. A screen should be placed at the top and round the sides of an ordinary bed or, failing a screen, some kind of tent must be contrived with curtain rods and poles to support the sheets. The aim is, of course, to enclose the air round the child so that the steam and moisture may penetrate easily. The steam can be produced by an ordinary kettle on a spirit stove, placed on a chair or table so that the kettle is on a level with the child’s face, though it must not be near enough to risk scalding, of course. * The spout should be lengthened by a tin funnel or a roll of cardboard, and the vessel must be three-quarters filled with boiling water and kept boiling by the flame

underneath. If possible, a teaspoonful of eucalyptus oil should be added to the boiling water.

Washing Eiderdowns at Home. A good many people think that eiderdowns cannot be washed satisfactorily at home, but if a fine, breezy day is chosen for the task and the washing is carefully done, the result cannot be other than successful. First prepare a tub or bath of warm soapsuds; put the eiderdown in this and squeeze it until the water is dirty. Then prepare a fresh tubful and repeat the process, afterwards rinsing in clear, warm water. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible (do not wring) and then hang the eiderdown in the open to dry. Before taking it in, shake it well so that the filling will be evenly distributed, and then air it thoroughly.

How to Clean Ivory Beads. Ivory seems to become so easily discoloured and washing it does not help much. In fact, it only seems to make the brown stain worse! The very best way to clean your ivory beads is to mix a little whitening and lemon juice together to the consistency of thick cream, then to rub the beads gently with this, polishing with a chamois leather. This method of cleaning is equally successful with any other ivory objects vou may have, such as brushes, knife handles, or ornaments, and mav even be used for the piano keys if great care is taken. Do remember that ivory loves the sun and wind, and now that the weather is getting warmer leave your things on a sunny window-sill, spread out on a clean towel, for a few hours, Bike Carved Wood! Beauty may go unadorned, but plain, unpainted deal wardrobes and cupboards are better decorated! The newest way of brightening their appearance is to buy some heavy embossed wallpaper, paste it over the panels, and then enamel the framework to tone with the prevailing colour in your room. For a small cupboard, large filet medallions glued in the centre of the panels and outlined with gold, would look lovelj’' against a dark blue enamel background. Another idea is to mould a design in plasticine over the woodwork and then to paint the whole a rich brown, so that it will hava the appearance of expensive, carved woodwork. Simple notions, aren’t they? But so effective!