lin-shaped" chest in rickets; a bulging
of one side in pleurisy with fluid; and a long, narrow chest,
with a general flattening of the upper part, in older children
predisposed to consumption.

THE ABDOMEN

The abdomen is swollen and hard in colic. It is also much
distended with gas in rickets, and is constantly so in chronic
indigestion in later childhood. It is usually much sunken in
inflammation of the brain or in severe exhausting diarrhea or
marasmus. It may be distended with liquid in some cases of
dropsy.

THE CRY

The study of the cry furnishes one of the most valuable means of
learning what ails a baby. A persistent cry may be produced by
the intense, constant itching of eczema.

The paroxysmal cry, very severe for a time and then ceasing
absolutely, is probably due to colic, particularly if accompanied
by the distention of the abdomen and the movements of the body
already referred to. A frequent, peevish, whining cry is heard in
children with general poor health or discomfort. A single shrill
scream uttered now and then is often heard in inflammation of the
brain. In any disease in which there is difficulty in getting
enough air into the lungs, as in pneumonia, the cry is usually
very short and the child cries but little, because it cannot hold
its breath long enough for it. A nasal cry occurs with cold in
the head.

A short cry immediately after coughing indicates that the cough
hurts the chest. Crying when the bowels are moved shows that
there is pain at that time. A child of from two to six years,
waking at night with violent screaming, is probably suffering
from night terrors. In conditions of very great weakness and
exhaustion the baby moans feebly, or it may twist its face into
the position for crying, but emit no sound at all. This latter is
also true in some cases of inflammation of the larynx, while in
other cases the cry is hoarse or croupy. Crying when anything
goes into the mouth makes one suspect some trouble there. If it
occurs with swallowing, it is probable that the throat is
inflamed.

With the act of crying there ought always to be tears in children
over three or four months of age. If there are none, serious
disease is indicated, and their reappearance is then a good sign.