t night, without much warning.
It is a purely nervous disease and may be caused by reflex nervous
irritation from undigested food in the stomach or bowels, irritation of the
gums in dentition, or from brain disorders.

SYMPTOMS.--Child awakens suddenly at night with suspended respiration or
very difficult breathing. After a few respirations it cries out and then
falls asleep quietly, or the attack may last an hour or so, when the face
will become pale, veins in the neck become turgid and feet and hands
contract spasmodically. In mild cases the attacks will only occur once
during the night, but may recur on the following night.

HOME TREATMENT.--During the paroxysm dashing cold water in the face is a
common remedy. To terminate the spasm and prevent its return give
teaspoonful doses of {332} powdered alum. The syrup of squills is an old
and tried remedy; give in 15 to 30 drop doses and repeat every 10 minutes
till vomiting occurs. Seek out the cause if possible and remove it. It
commonly lies in some derangement of the digestive organs.

_TRUE CROUP._

DEFINITION.--This disease consists of an inflammation of the mucous
membrane of the upper air passages, particularly of the larynx with the
formation of a false membrane that obstructs the breathing. The disease is
most common in children between the ages of two and seven years, but it may
occur at any age.

SYMPTOMS.--Usually there are symptoms of a cold for three or four days
previous to the attack. Marked hoarseness is observed in the evening with a
ringing metallic cough and some difficulty in breathing, which increases
and becomes somewhat paroxysmal till the face which was at first flushed
becomes pallid and ashy in hue. The efforts at breathing become very great,
and unless the child gets speedy relief it will die of suffocation.

HOME TREATMENT.--Patient should be kept in a moist warm atmosphere, and
cold water applied to the neck early in the attack. As soon as the
breathing seems difficult give a half to one teaspoonful of powdered alum
in honey to produce vomiting and apply the remedies suggested in the
treatment of diphtheria, as the two diseases are thought by many to be
identical. When the breathing becomes labored and face becomes pallid, the
condition is very serious and a physician should be called without delay.

_SCARLET FEVER._

DEFINITION.--An eruptive contagious disease, brought about by direct
exposure to those having the disease, or by conta