The mother's medical adviser : on the diseases and management of children, with recipes / [by Thomas Wakley].

  • Wakley, Thomas, 1795-1862.
Date:
1846
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The mother's medical adviser : on the diseases and management of children, with recipes / [by Thomas Wakley]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    40/72 (page 32)
    When the inflammation begins to lessen, the tumid state of the eyelids gradually subsides, the formation of matter is much less in quantity and thinner and lighter in appearance, the eye is not so sensible to the stimulus of light, and the patient will be observed to open it a little. The period of its continuance is variable, but it will generally yield if the timely application of the pro¬ per remedies be had recourse to. It is almost needless to impress upon the reader that in such a disease as this no time should be lost in apply¬ ing to the medical practitioner for advice. It will, therefore, only be necessary to enter very briefly upon the treatment that should be pursued. Two or three leeches should be first applied, the bowels should be attended to, and goulard lotion applied to the eyelids. In the more advanced stages, a repetition of leeches with a small blister applied to the temples should be ftad resort to; the eyelids should be gently opened, and goulard lotion squirted between them, and over all, a bread and water poultice, with a little camphorated water sprinkled on its surface, should be applied to the eyes. The causes of this disease are usually cold, deranged state of the bowels, foreign substances getting into the eye, or from contact of a diseased discharge, which the mother may be suffering from during the birth of the child. ERYSIPELAS. This formidable disease, which is fortunately of rare occurrence, happens mostly within the first month after birth; but curious as it may appear many children have been born with the disease already far advanced. It seizes the most robust, as well as delicate children, and in an instantaneous manner; the progress is rapid.; the skin turns of a purplish hue ; and soon becomes ex¬ ceedingly hard. Tiie milder species of it often appears on the fingers