a in it, it will
also cause this. What is called glycerine soap, and much of what is
sold as peculiarly desirable, is utterly unsuitable for an infant's
skin. Soda soap will cause serious outbreaks even worse than "hives,"
and will often not be suspected at all, as a cause.

Only M'Clinton's soap, which is made from the ash of plants, should be
used on tender skins.

When the "hives" are not very troublesome, they are apt to be
neglected; but this should not be, as in most cases this is the time
they may be easily cured. The true element in cure is found in
attention to the _skin_, as distinct from the stomach or blood.
M'Clinton's soap (_see_ Soap) applied as fine creamy lather will _cure_
hives, and will never, we think, fail to do so. We know of a nurse
plastering an infant's body with this soap, so that it was blistered.
This is a totally wrong way of working. The right way is to work the
soap and hot water as described in article Lather, and to apply it
gently with the brush to the parts affected. After applying it with
gentle rubbing for some time, and leaving some on the sore places, the
infant will usually be soothed to sleep. Where over-cooling is feared,
with a weak child, a little olive oil is gently rubbed on with the
second coat of lather. In any case of itchiness the above treatment is
almost certain to cure. Often the infant is suffering from too rich
diet. (_See_ Children's Food.) In such cases, thinner milk, and a
little fluid magnesia administered internally will effect a cure.

Remedy, Finding a.--It will sometimes occur, in the case of those
endeavouring to cure on our system of treatment, that on applying what
is thought to be the correct remedy, the trouble becomes worse. For
example, where there are violent pains in the legs, a bran poultice is
put on the lower back, and it is rubbed with oil. The pains become
worse instead of better, and perhaps our whole system is abandoned and
condemned. Now, all that is required here is to think and try until we
find the _true_ remedy. If the pain in the legs is rheumatic, the hot
poultice is all right. If it has been cramp, what is needed is a cold
cloth on the lower back, instead of heat. In the example above given,
what is needed is not to abandon the treatment, but to rectify the
mistake, and apply cold instead of heat. In a great many forms of
illness the same principle holds good. It is safer, where there is any
doubt, to try heat first, but not in