Colic. Give castor oil, then a few drops of peppermint in hot water (never soothing syrup) ; keep the baby warm and lying on his abdomen. Gentle rubbing in a circular direction, and the application of hot flannels will generally .relieve it. If not, a physician should be notified as continued abdominal pain is a symptom of many serious disorders.

Cholera Infantum Caused by over or improper feeding, heat and impure air. Symptoms: Diarrhoea and intestinal pain, excessive thirst, but no appetite. Try no home remedies, seek medical aid at once.

Intestinal Obstruction. Symptoms: Obstinate constipation, followed by vomiting and abdominal distention ; usually not much temperature. Get medical advice promptly, as immediate operation may be imperative.

Convulsions. Caused by indigestion, worms, difficult dentition, or fright. Muscular twitchings coming on suddenly, sometimes even during sleep. Send for the doctor immediately, but do not await his arrival to put the baby in a hot bath. Give castor oil and an enema, according to directions given on page 55, using, if the child is small, a rubber catheter for a rectal tube.

Pneumonia. Primary symptoms: Chill followed by high temperature, cough, pain in chest, expectoration which gradually becomes rust colored and bloody. Put patient to bed and send for the doctor immediately.

Typhoid Fever. Primary symptoms: Temperature rising a little higher each day, nausea, headache, pain in back and limbs, nose bleed, sometimes constipation, sometimes diarrhoea, watery, yellow stools, abdominal pain. Put patient to bed and only allow liquid diet until the doctor comes.

Meningitis. May develop suddenly with continuous convulsions, or come on gradually with symptoms of fretfulness, restlessness, headache, vomiting, and intolerance of light and noise. Put patient to bed in a quiet, dark, well-aired room and only allow liquid diet till the doctor comes.

Croup. There are two forms of croup-the true or membranous and the false or spasmodic. The former is always associated with diphtheria, but since the use of antitoxine it has become a much rarer complication, seldom occurring when antitoxine is used. It comes on gradually.

False croup comes on suddenly, generally in the middle of the night; it is as a rule the result of exposure to damp and cold, excitement, or indigestion.

The spasm is the result of the spasmodic closing of the glottis. Though not dangerous, it is very distressing and calls for immediate treatment. Relief usually can be obtained best by applying hot fomentations to the throat, inducing vomiting by giving a drink of tepid water and salt-a teaspoonful to the glass-and by steam inhalations.

The most effective way of giving inhalations is with the croup kettle and canopy. The quickest way to improvise these is to tie an umbrella to the top of the child's crib and over this drape two sheets, pinning them to the sides of the bed. They must overlap about one inch and hang down far enough. over the sides and back of the bed to be tucked under the mattress. The lower third of the front space is left open for the admission of fresh air. Water is kept boiling in a kettle at the back of the bed by a gas or oil stove and a cone of cardboard or stiff paper is attached to the spout and inserted between the overhanging sheets to carry the steam over the child's head.

Minor Troubles

In nearly all cases of slight indisposition, even diarrhoea, a cathartic such as castor oil or calomel, followed by salts such as Rochelle salts, magnesium sulphate, or seidlitz powder, five or six hours later, together with rest and fluid or soft diet is indicated. Give as little medicine as possible without a doctor's order.

Canopy for Giving Steam Inhalations Made with a Sheet and Umbrella

Rear View of Croup Canopy Showing Stove, Kettle, and Tube for Steam