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Te Ao Hou, October 1956, Page 63

In highly strung infants difficult teething may bring on a convulsion, but remember that an attack is a sign that all is not well and the cause itself should be sought. Convulsions start suddenly. The child stiffens and may fall, becomes bluish and loses consciousness. The eyes roll up under the upper lids, the hands are clenched and the legs are stretched out. After a few seconds, the eyes and limbs begin to twitch. Gradually the movements subside and the child recovers consciousness or falls asleep. Control of the bladder and bowel may be lost during the convulsion and the tongue may be bitten. Watch this and slip a thin wooden peg or a wooden spatular between the teeth. DURING THE ATTACK quickly prepare a warm bath adding a dessertspoon of mustard to a gallon of water. If no mustard is handy, plain warm water will do. Place the child into the bath carefully leaving him there until the twitchings cease. Contact your Doctor who will be required to give the child a thorough examination in order to find the cause. CONSTIPATION has been mentioned as one of the causes of convulsions in a child. To prevent constipation encourage the child to drink plenty of cooled boiled water, and to eat oatmeal porridge for breakfast, wholemeal bread and plenty of vegetables. Roots and greens generally have plenty of roughage. For other meals, fruits of all descriptions are recommended. It is a very wrong practice to encourage the use of enemas in small children for it spoils the bowel rythmn and teaches laziness and sluggishness of action. DIARRHOEA: The opposite to constipation, could become an epidemic. “Summer sickness” it is often called. Sudden diarrhoea is due to an infection of the gastro-intestinal tract and it may be from any one of a dozen different germs. It's very hard on infants and toddlers. The vomiting and the increasingly frequent diarrhoea cause great loss of body fluid. Unless there is prompt treatment, they become gravely ill. If an infective diarrhoea doesn't clear up in the first day with ordinary treatment, contact your doctor. ORDINARY TREATMENT: If much purging has already taken place in the form of frequent motions, do not give castor oil. Give frequent drinks of boiled water to replace the loss of fluid and the stomach must be rested. No solid food, or milk to be given for 24–48 hours. Keep on boiled water and glucose drinks only, gradually returning to a suitable diet. ANOTHER TREATMENT: Give frequent spoonfuls of freshly grated raw, ripe apple. Another method is to wash and slice 6 to 8 apples, including the skins and the cores. Cook in a saucepan with water barely covering the apples for about 15–20 minutes. Add no sugar. Squeeze it all through a jelly bag and give the juice as a drink. Like a charm this dries up the diarrhoea.