lk, and the poor creature,
half dead with poisonous "drops," begins ere long to have red on his
lips and on his cheeks, some fresh vigour in his muscles, and healthy
bone in the course of formation, where bone was only wasting before.
How is this explained? On the simple principle that the bodily system
can turn wheaten meal into all the elements wanted for good bodily
health. Beef tea, soups, "fine things" of all descriptions, never on
earth gave human beings solid strength, but in myriads of cases they
have been successfully employed to take it away. Above all, they fail
to give healthy bone.

Get the patient to take wheaten or oaten meal porridge twice a day at
least. We are not so stern as some in forbidding all else, though in
this we may fall short; but by all means let eating and drinking be
considered in the light of what we have been writing (_see_ Food in
Health).

Good air is important in this, as in all cases of ill-health.

Much depends, in this treatment, on cheerfulness of mind. Let the
patient feel that he is going to be cured. Avoid opium, tobacco,
alcoholic drinks, and all worry. This will actually increase the vital
exchange in the body and very much help the cure.

Bone, Soft.--Often, in the young, the bones are so soft that they bend
more or less, and the beginning of a distressing deformity appears.

In such a case plaster jackets and steel bands are of little use, and
often very painful. It is better to use bandages, applied so as to
support where that is necessary. Also avoid all long sitting, such as
is found at school. It is best sometimes not to permit the child to
walk at all. Better far to lose two years of schooling than to be
deformed for life. Parents should see to it, with all weakly children,
that school does not become a means of trouble. Continuous education is
not nearly so important as is sometimes supposed.

For positive treatment, let the parts be well and carefully rubbed
(_see_ Massage) every day with olive oil, in such a way as to direct a
flow of blood to the feeble bone. It must largely be left to the
healer's common sense how this is to be done, but a little thought will
show how. At many Hydropathic Establishments it may be learned.

This careful rubbing, with good diet and proper bandaging, will
gradually effect a cure in most cases. But here, as elsewhere, patience
must rule. Plenty of good porridge and milk, with abundance of fresh
air, work wonders in this dis