ly prescribed is one of the most valuable
remedial agents we possess; but although powerful for good, when
misapplied, it is equally powerful for mischief. For instance, in
active inflammatory affections, before the loss of blood, the use of
the warm bath would greatly aggravate the disease; and yet, for an
infant with active inflammation of the respiratory organs, it is
continually resorted to. Again, nothing is more common than for a
child, when attacked with convulsions, to be put immediately in the
warm bath; and, generally speaking, it is extremely beneficial in this
class of diseases; but it is sometimes no less prejudicial, when
applied without due examination of the peculiarities of individual
cases. For, in plethoric and gross children, the local abstraction of
blood from the head, and the complete unloading of the alimentary
canal, are often necessary to render such a measure beneficial, or even
free from danger. In convulsions, however, and particularly when
arising from teething, a parent may, without hesitation, at any time
immerse the feet of the infant in water as warm as can be borne, at the
same time that cloths wet with cold water are applied to the head and
temples.

As a preventive, where there is a tendency to disease, the warm bath
may be employed without scruple, and will be found most serviceable.
Its value in this point of view is very great, and it is to be
regretted that it is not sufficiently appreciated and used. For
example, a severe cold has been taken, and inflammation of the air-
tubes is threatened: only put the child into a warm bath, and, with the
common domestic remedies, a very serious attack may be warded off.
Again, in the commencement of a diarrhoea, a warm bath, and
discontinuing the cause of the attack, will alone suffice to cure; and,
more-over, in the protracted diarrhoea attendant upon teething, where,
after various remedies have been tried in vain, the child has lost
flesh and strength to an apparently hopeless degree, Recovery has been
brought about by the simple use of the warm bath.

In the treatment of scrofulous children, warm and tepid bathing is of
great value. In such cases, a course of warm sea bathing, with active
friction over the whole surface after each bath, will at once relieve
that abdominal fulness which is generally present, improve the
functions of the skin, and give tone and vigour to the whole system.
Towards the termination of such a course of baths,