Plain instructions for the management of infants, with practical observations on the disorders incident to children : to which is added, an essay on spinal and cerebral irritation / by John Darwall.

  • Darwall, John, 1796-1833.
Date:
1830
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Plain instructions for the management of infants, with practical observations on the disorders incident to children : to which is added, an essay on spinal and cerebral irritation / by John Darwall. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    skin burns, and the hands especially are hot; the nights are rather restless, and sometimes pro- fuse perspirations accompany even the early stage of the complaint. The appetite of the lit- tle patient is for the most part at this time insa- tiable ; he is continually requiring food, and as it serves to allay his fretfulness, which is exces- sive, food is generally given in much greater quantity than when he was in perfect health. He still continues to play about, but is easily fa- tigued, and withdraws himself at times from his companions to rest himself. During this time, however, emaciation proceeds more or less rapid- ly, and the abdomen enlarges. Gradually he be- comes weaker—hectic fever is established—his appetite becomes variable, and at length totally fails. In some cases, however, this remains good to the very last. The bowels are now painful, they become more and more tympanitic, and ef- fusion ensues. A cough, which may perhaps have escaped notice from its slightness, increases, and is particularly troublesome during the night. The child grinds his teeth much, and his nights are very disturbed. Emaciation proceeds ra- pidly ; the patient becomes daily more feeble, and dies from mere exhaustion. Sometimes, how- ever, another disease is the source of the fatal termination, and pneumonia, hydrocephalus, or even acute peritonitis, may be the immediate cause of death.