head uncovered? or has it, though in the shade, been sitting or playing
out of doors in the intense heat of a summer's day? has it had a fall,
or been frightened? or is it suffering from whooping-cough which has of
late been very severe? or has its breathing been accompanied with a
peculiar catch or crow, the sign of spasmodic croup, and have at the
same time its hands been usually half clenched, and the thumb shut into
the palm, the sign of that disturbance which at length has culminated in
an attack of convulsions? Such are the questions, which in less time
than it takes me to write, or others to read, the intelligent mother
will put to herself, and will answer, instead of, in unreasoning alarm,
giving all up as lost, or hastening without reflection to do something
or other that were better left undone.

The first thing to do in every case of convulsions, be their cause what
it may, is to loosen the dress, so that no string nor band may interfere
with respiration, and for this purpose strings must be cut and dresses
torn. The next thing is to dash cold water on the face to induce a deep
inspiration, for sudden death in a fit almost always takes place from
interruption to breathing. With the same purpose the forefinger should
be put into the mouth, and run rapidly to the root of the tongue, which
should be drawn forward. The object of doing this is twofold; first, to
prevent the tongue falling back, as in these circumstances it is apt to
do, over the entrance of the windpipe and so producing suffocation, and
in the next place the act very frequently puts an end to the spasmodic
closure of the windpipe, and is followed by a deep-drawn breath which
announces the infant's safety. If the child has cut any teeth, the
handle of a spoon, round which a bit of rag has been wrapped, or a bit
of wood, or a thin strip of india-rubber, should be put between the
teeth as far back as possible to prevent the tongue being bitten; and
often this is all that can be done.

There are two circumstances, and two only, in which the warm bath is
likely to be of use. At the onset of one of the eruptive fevers, a hot
bath is sometimes of great service by stimulating the skin and thus
bringing out the rash. In these cases the fit scarcely ever comes on in
a child previously in perfect health, but for some hours at least it has
appeared very ill, tossing about with great restlessness, with a dry,
hot skin, and twitching of the tendons of the wris