ed result. By attaching a rubber tube to a steaming
kettle and introducing the steam under the covering the same result can be
produced. Sometimes you may not have all things you wish, then you must
make use of what is handy. You would be surprised perhaps to know how much
can be done to relieve sickness by what can be found in every house. (For
disinfectants see chapter on nursing.)

[176 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

MEASLES.--Measles is an acute infectious disease, distinguished by a
characteristic eruption on the mucous membranes and skin. It is very
contagious and spreads through the atmosphere. Almost everyone is
susceptible to measles and suffers at least one attack. The disease is not
frequent during the first year of life. It prevails in all countries.

Incubation.--This varies from thirteen to fifteen days. In calculating
this period we include the time from exposure to the appearance of the
eruption. One attack generally protects the person from another attack.
The period of the greatest danger of taking it extends through the period
of the eruption. It diminishes as the eruption fades. From this we learn
that the infection in measles takes place generally in the incubation
stage.

Symptoms and Description of Ordinary Type.--The first symptoms may be only
a headache or a slight disturbance of the stomach. There may be some fever
in the evening. There is now a redness and watery condition of the eyes,
and general feeling of weariness. The cold symptoms (coryza) are not yet
marked, but if we look in the mouth we may see a few spots on the mucous
membrane of the cheek. Then follow the sneezing, running at the nose, sore
and red eyes; running water, sensitiveness to the light, cough and fever.
The eruption now appears, and is first noticed on the side of the head and
the wings of the nose, as a red spotted eruption, which soon looks like a
pimple, and then "blotchy." Older people feel quite sick. The aching all
over, and headache are sometimes almost unbearable, especially when there
is much coughing. The face, eyes and scalp are soon covered by the red
rose irregularly shaped pimples, which next appear rapidly on the back of
the hands, fore-arms, front of the trunk, on the back and lower
extremities. This order is not always maintained. Sometimes it first
appears on the back.

The eruptive stage generally lasts three or four days, during which time
the symptoms are all aggravated, especially by any strong light, on