SCROFULA, OR KING'S EVIL.

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it, are not to be despised. If the patient can be kept alive by anymeans till he arrives at the age of puberty, he has a great chanceto get well ; but if he does not recover at this time, in all proba-bility he never will.

There is no malady which parents are so apt to communicate totheir offspring as the scrofula, for which reason people ought tobeware of marrying into families affected with this disease.

Observations. — One of the most effectual means of guardingagainst the scrofula, is a constant attention to keep the child dryand clean, by the immediate removal of all impurities, which notonly taint the air and relax the skin, but vitiate the humours ofthe body, in consequence of the absorption of their most noxiousparticles through the pores.

Washing children frequently, forms a necessary part of this plan.At first, lukewarm water is proper, as being best suited to thenew-born infant, on account of the warm temperature to which hehad been accustomed in the womb, and on account of the delicacyof habit which he may have inherited from his parents. But thewarmth of the. water should be gradually diminished as the infantgains strength, tili it can be used quite cold with great safety andbenefit. The cold bath, so essential to the cure of the scrofula,operates with still greater certainty as a preventive. It bracesand invigorates the frame, and thus directly counteracts one of theprincipal causes of the evil, which is relaxation. The whole bodyought to be washed every morning, and the lower half every night,after which the child is to be instantly wiped dry, and wrappedup in a warm blanket, to guard against the danger of sudden cold,and to secure all the advantages of so salutary an operation.

My former arguments, in favour of light and loose clothing forchildren in general, acquire double force when there is the leastreason to dread the scrofula. It is little short of murder to keepan infant of a delicate habit smothered in clothes, and panting ina sort of vapour-bath caused by the noxious steams of its ownbody. The covering both by day and by night should be as lightas is consistent with due warmth. The linen next the skin, whichis always imbibing perspirable matter, must be changed often ;and the same dress ought never to be kept on for more than twelvehours together.

Wholesome unconfined air, and frequent exercise, are grandpreservatives from all diseases, but especially from the scrofula.It is not enough to select the most spacious and lofty apartment inthe house for the nursery ; children should be taken out into thefields every day, particularly about noon, unless the heat be in-tense, as the most salutary exhalations from the earth then «bound,and the air is impregnated with the balmy essence of the sweetestplants and flowers. Cold and wet weather being deemed oneof the exciting causes of the scrofula, any wanton exposure to itwould be improper ; though even in this respect, less caution isnecessary, if the use of the cold bath be continued every morning.This will brace the thinnest, finest skin, and harden it against theimpressions of a damp, chilly atmosphere.

Exercise, besides strengthening the whole habit, and i v.erful/v

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