e
bowels open, and avoid all exposure to cold. Large vesicles on the
face should be punctured early and irritation by rubbing should be
avoided.

_HOME TREATMENT OF DIPHTHERIA._

DEFINITION.--Acute, specific, constitutional disease, with local
manifestations in the throat, mouth, nose, larynx, wind-pipe, and
glands of the neck. The disease is infectious but not very contagious
under the proper precautions. It is a disease of childhood, though
adults sometimes contract it. Many of the best physicians of the
day consider true or membranous croup to be due to this diphtheritic
membranous disease thus located in the larynx or trachea.

SYMPTOMS.--Symptoms vary according to the severity of the attack.
Chills, fever, headache, languor, loss of appetite, stiffness of neck,
with tenderness about the angles of the jaw, soreness of the throat,
pain in the ear, aching of the limbs, loss of strength, coated tongue,
swelling of the neck, and offensive breath; lymphatic glands on side
of neck enlarged and tender. The throat is first to be seen red and
swollen, then covered with grayish white patches, which spread, and
a false membrane is found on the mucous membrane. If the nose is
attacked, there will be an offensive discharge, and the child will
breathe through the mouth. If the larynx or throat are involved,
the voice will become hoarse, and a croupy cough, with difficult
breathing, shows that the air passage to the lungs is being obstructed
by the false membrane.

HOME TREATMENT.--Isolate the patient, to prevent the spread of the
disease. Diet should be of the most nutritious character, as milk,
eggs, broths, and oysters. Give at intervals of every two or three
hours. If patient refuses to swallow, from the pain caused by the
effort, a nutrition injection must be resorted to. Inhalations of
steam and hot water, and allowing the patient to suck pellets of ice,
will give relief. Sponges dipped in hot water, and applied to the
angles of the jaw, are beneficial. Inhalations of lime, made by
slaking freshly burnt lime in a vessel, and directing the vapor to the
child's mouth, by means of a newspaper, or similar contrivance. Flour
of sulphur, blown into the back of the mouth and throat by means of
a goose quill, has been highly recommended. Frequent gargling of the
throat and mouth, with a solution of lactic acid, strong enough to
taste sour, will help to keep the parts clean, and correct the
foul breath. If there is great pros