y the color of
the lips and gums. These, instead of being red, are a pale yellowish
pink, and the whole complexion has a sort of waxy pallor. In extreme
cases this pallor even becomes greenish. As the disease is accompanied
with little pain, and few if any marked symptoms, beyond sleepiness
and weakness, it often exists for some time without being suspected by
the parents.

(3.) The advent of many other diseases is announced by a languid
indifference to surroundings, and a slow response to the customary
stimuli. The child's brain seems clouded, and a light form of
torpor invades the whole body. The child, who is usually active and
interested in things about him, but who loses his activity and becomes
dull and irresponsive, should be carefully watched. It may be that he
is merely changing his form of growth--_i.e._, is beginning to grow
tall after completion of his period of laying on flesh, or vice versa.
Or he may be entering upon the period of adolescence. But if it is
neither of these things, a physician should be consulted.

[Sidenote: Monotony]

A milder degree of laziness may be induced by a too monotonous round
of duties. Try changing them. Make them as attractive as possible.
For, of course, you do not require him to perform these duties for
your sake, whatever you allow him to suppose about it, but chiefly
for the sake of their influence on his character. Therefore, if the
influence of any work is bad, you will change it, although the
new work may not be nearly so much what you prefer to have him do.
Whatever the work is, if it is only emptying waste-baskets, don't nag
him, merely expect him to do it, and expect it steadily.

[Sidenote: Helping]

In their earlier years all children love to help mother. They like any
piece of real work even better than play. If this love of activity was
properly encouraged, if the mother permitted the child to help, even
when he succeeded only in hindering, he might well become one
those fortunate persons who love to work. This is the real time for
preventing laziness. But if this early period has been missed, the
next best thing is to take advantage of every spontaneous interest as
it arises; to hitch the impulse, as it were, to some task that must
be steadily performed. For example, if the child wants to play with
tools, help him to make a small water-wheel, or any other interesting
contrivance, and keep him at it by various devices until he has
brought it to a fair deg