This is a constitutional disease due to poisoning from the absorption of pus into the blood. Bacteria are always present and enter the system from some local injury or decomposing tissue in the system, such as typhoid ulcers, sloughing membrane of throat in diphtheria, abdominal abscesses, decomposing placenta remaining in the womb after child-birth or miscarriage, suppuration in small-pox, and especially wounds made in handling dead bodies which are in an advanced state of putrefaction; also likely to result where a large part of the skin has been burned, and from inflammations where pus is formed in considerable amount.

Symptoms

Decided chill and rise in temperature, but often irregular chills, followed by profuse and exhausting night sweats. Skin soon becomes dry and hot; pulse 120 to 140, small and intermittent. Tongue at first coated with a white fur, later becomes glazed, dry, grayish-brown and cracked; skin slightly jaundiced, and usually diarrhoea.

Prevention

Wash wounds with water that has been boiled, and in any disease which pus is formed, care must be taken to have it removed, that it may not be reabsorbed.

Diet

Malted milk, malted cereals, pancreatinized meat powder, or eggs, and beef blood.

Whooping cough is an acute contagious disease and is primarily a catarrhal bronchitis or specific catarrh of the mucous membranes of respiratory tract, and attended by a peculiar laryngeal and bronchial spasm. It depends on a specific germ given off by the breath and conveyed through the air to the healthy. Incubation varies from five days to two weeks. It may be carried by clothing, and contracted by breathing infected air. The fever in early stage is intermittent, but great languor and restlessness are common.

The diet should be wholesome. (See infant feeding.)