354

OF CONVULSIONS.

mon potash in the proportion of half an ounce to a pint ol spring watermorning and evening, taking care however to wipe the skin perfectly drvwith a piece of fine flannel. The back should be well rubbed everynight with camphorated spirit; and if, for internal use, a powder is pre-ferred, take prepared iron and powdered rhubarb of each five grains,white sugar ten grains ; mix and give the patient this dose every morn-ing fasting, and every evening an hour before supper. The iron may begradually increased to ten grains for a dose ; but if considerable looseness prevail, persist at first only in the use of one powder every day,giving the patient, then or at any other time, lime water rendered palatable by the addition of a little milk, or the decoction of hartshorn, forhis ordinary drink.

Sometimes issues have been found beneficial in this disease. Theyare generally necessary for children who abound with gross humours.

OF CONVULSIONS.

Though more children are said to die of convulsions than of anyother disease, yet they are for the most part only a symptom of someother malady. Whatever greatly irritates or stimulates the nerves mayoccasion convulsions ; hence infants, whose uerves are easily affected,are often thrown into convulsions by any thing that irritates the aliment-ary canal: likewise by teething, strait clothes, the approach of themall-pox, measles, or other eruptive diseases. Convulsions have alsobeen fatal to thousands of infants, occasioned by confined impure airand the want of cleanliness.

When convulsions proceed from an irritation of the stomach orbowels, whatever clears them of their acrid contents, or renders thesemild and inoffensive, will generally perform a cure: wherefore, if the childbe costive, the best way will be to begin with a clyster, and afterwardsto give a gentle vomit, which may be repeated occasionally, and the bodyin the mean time kept open by gentle doses of magnesia alba, or smallquantities of rhubarb mixed with the powder of crabs claws.

Convulsions which precede the eruption of the small-pox or measlesgenerally go off ups>n these making their appearance. The principaldanger in this case arises from the fears and apprehensions of those whohave the care of the patient. Convulsions are very alarming, and some-thing must be done to appease the affrighted parents, nurses, &c.Hence the unhappy infant often undergoes bleeding, blistering, andseveral other operations, to the great danger of its life, when a little time,bathing the feet in warm water, or immersing the child in a warm bath,and throwing in a mild clyster, would have set all to rights.

Belloste recommends mercury, in convulsions, to be given alongwith testaceous powders, which the Editor has seen attended with benefi-cial effects; therefore, when costiveness has preceded pain in the bowels,especially if there be an evident hardness and tension of the belly, agrain or two of calomel with a few grains of ginger, and five to eightgrains of jalap, may b i rea ; and also a clyster should be exhibited oftbin gruel and castor o which may be repeated every hour till stools