ently healthy and fat. It does not seem to matter whether
they are breast-fed or bottle-fed. The following conditions may be
regarded as contributory to eczema:

Exposure to winds; cold, dry air; heat; the use of hard water or strong
soaps; lack of cleanliness, and the irritation of clothing. It
frequently accompanies chronic constipation, indigestion, and other
conditions of the intestinal canal; overfeeding; too early or too
excessive use of starchy foods.

Eczema of the Face:--Eczema Rubrum.--This is the most frequent form.
It affects the cheeks, scalp, forehead, and sometimes the ears and the
neck. It begins on the cheeks as small red papules. These join together
and form a mass of moist, exuding crusts. They dry in time and may be so
thick as to form a mask on the face. The skin may be much swollen. When
the crusts are removed the face looks red and angry and bleeds easily.
It is exceedingly itchy. It causes restlessness, loss of sleep, and it
may affect the appetite, though, as a rule, the health remains good.
Eczema of the face is exceedingly chronic; it improves from time to
time, but it is cured with great difficulty only.

Infants suffering with eczema of the face begin to improve about the
middle of the second year and may be entirely cured about this time. The
reason of this is the greater amount of exercise the child is getting at
this period. If the disease continues longer it is because of the
unnecessary amount of fat that the child has.

Treatment.--Eczema is a notoriously tedious disease. There is very
little tendency for it to improve, if left to itself. The age, the
severity, and just how much you can rely upon the mother, or nurse,
faithfully to carry out directions--upon these its cure depends. At
best, the treatment may have to be carried out for months. If the eczema
is accompanied with constipation and indigestion in infancy, very little
can be done with the eczema until these conditions are removed.

There exists in the minds of the laity, and in some physicians also, an
idea that it is wrong, or dangerous, to cure, or "dry up," an eczema. It
is never dangerous, but highly desirable, to cure an eczema, whenever
possible. It is always wise, because it is always necessary, to get the
child in perfect condition before you treat the eczema. Cure the
constipation, or indigestion, or cold, or whatever is the matter with
the child; then treat the eczema. This is the only plan that offers any
succ