rface being attended by the recurrence of the same symptoms.

The fortunate issue of these cases though frequent, is by no means
invariable, for sometimes they are but the precursors of that
formidable, I might indeed say, all but hopeless disease, water on the
brain. But even of itself congestion of the brain is by no means a
trivial ailment, for it may pass into a stage in which the smaller
discomforts of the child lead to the sad mistake that the condition of
the child is improving, instead of which it is really the dulling of
sensibility from approaching death. The head, indeed, becomes less hot,
the flush of the face grows slighter and less constant; but the
countenance is heavy and anxious, the indifference to surrounding
objects increases, and the child lies in a state of torpor or
drowsiness, from which indeed it can at first be roused to complete
consciousness The manner on being roused is always fretful, but, if old
enough to talk, the child's answers are natural, though generally very
short; and murmuring, 'I am so sleepy, so sleepy,' it subsides into its
former drowsiness. The bowels generally continue constipated, and the
vomiting seldom ceases, though it is sometimes less frequent than
before. In this state, without any apparent cause, the child sometimes
has an attack of convulsions, which subsiding, leaves the torpor deeper
than before. The fits return, and death may take place in one of them,
or the torpor growing more profound after each convulsive seizure, the
child at length dies insensible.

Now and then, especially in infants of only five or six months old,
recovery takes place even where there seemed almost no ground for hope.
The overfull vessels have at length relieved themselves, fluid has been
poured out into the cavities of the brain, the yielding skull has given
way under the pressure from within, and should the child after all
survive, its large head, due to chronic water on the brain, tells to all
who know how to interpret the signs, the tale of its past illness, and
the manner of its imperfect recovery.

Cases such as these are obviously beyond the reach of domestic
management, and call for all the resources of medical skill. The mistake
commonly made is that of calling in the doctor too late, because it is
not realised how grave may be the import of symptoms which at first
appear so little alarming; and the so-called experienced nurse having
said, 'Oh! it's nothing but the baby's teeth