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THE APTHJ3 OR THRUSH.

it is not necessary to give the infant any kind of medicine.But if it should be retained or not sufficiently carried off,a little manna or magnesia alba may be given, as mentionedabove ; or, if these should not be at hand, a common spoonfulof whey, sweetened with a little honey, may be given.

The most proper medicine for expelling the meconium isthe mother's milk, which is always at first of a purgativequality. Were children allowed to suck as soon as they showan inclination for the breast, they would seldom have occasionfor medicines to discharge the meconium ; but even wherethis is not allowed, they ought never to have daubs of syrup,oils, and other indigestible stuff, crammed down their throats.

THE APTH2E OR THRUSH.

The apthae are little whitish ulcers affecting the wholeinside of the mouth, tongue, throat, and stomach of infants.Sometimes they reach through the whole intestinal canal ; inwhich case they are very dangerous, and often put an end tothe infant's life.

If the apthse are of a pale color, pellucid, few in number,soft, superficial, and fall easily off they are not dangerous ;but if opaque, yellow, brown, black, thick, or running together,they are bad.

It is generally thought that the apthae owe their origin toacid humors ; we have reason however to believe they aremore frequently owing to too hot a regimen both of the mo-ther and child. It is a rare thing to find a child who is notdosed with wine, punch, cinnamon waters, or some other hotand inflaming liquors, almost as soon as it is born. It is wellknown that these will occasion inflammatory disorders evenin adults ; is it any wonder then that they should heat andinflame the tender bodies of infants, and set, as it were, thewhole constitution on a blaze ?

The most proper medicines for the apthse are those of acooling and gently opening nature. Five grains of rhubarband half a dram of magnesia alba may be rubbed together, anddivided into six doses, one of which may be given to the childevery five or six hours till they operate. These powders mayeither be given in the child's food or a little of the syrup ofpale roses, and may be repeated as often as is found neces-sary to keep the body open.

Many things have been recommended for gargling the