diet should be most carefully looked into. The nursing mother will
earnestly look into every article of food she herself is eating, and
carefully avoid all foods that produce fermentation or decomposition.
The mother's urine should be examined and its acidity noted; if it is
above normal she should take some alkalines such as ordinary baking
soda or calcined magnesia. If it is a bottle-fed baby, any form of
flour should be removed from the food and the quantity of the milk
reduced. All this, of course, is done under the direction of the
physician. Repeated doses of castor oil may be given.

The name of the medicinal agents that have been used in the treatment
of eczema, is legion. Perhaps one of the most widely used is the early
varnishing of the affected skin with ichthyol (one part ichthyol, one
part distilled water), which is swabbed on after the skin has been
cleansed with olive oil. Allow this to almost dry, and then sprinkle
on talcum powder which smooths over the dry varnish of ichthyol. This
is worn every night and during the day, in bad cases, even when the
eczema is on the face. It is renewed each day, and is preceded by the
olive-oil bath. No water or soap is ever used in eczema. Fortunately,
the Eskimo has taught us that the skin really can be cleansed with oil
as well as with water. In the appendix will be found two
prescriptions, number one and number two, that have proved very
beneficial in some of the most severe forms of eczema.

HIVES AND FRECKLES

Hives, a crop of little raised red papules closely resembling lesions
caused by the sting of a mosquito, may make their appearance upon the
skin of the child, remain a few hours, and then disappear. Hives are
usually due to digestive disturbances and may be caused by such foods
as strawberries, nuts, pastries, pineapple, certain sea foods,
mushrooms, etc. A good cathartic, the taking of alkalines, such as
baking soda or calcined magnesia, with a bran or starch bath, or
possibly a soda bath, will usually correct the difficulty. The same
treatment may be used in nettle rash or prickly heat.

Freckles seem to run in families. Broad-brimmed hats or sunbonnets may
be worn, but under no circumstance should a little girl be bidden to
remain in the house and shun the beautiful, sunshiny outdoors just
because she freckles easily. Do not apply any lotions to the freckled
face without medical advice, for great harm may be done the tender
skin of the child.