essen in force or frequency, becomes lower
in tone, less dry, and finally moist.

The _treatment_ should be most prompt, active, and energetic. Few
diseases require, for the safety of the patient, such quick and
efficient aid at the outset. Prepare at once sufficient hot water for a
bath, and make a fire in the room. In the meanwhile, immerse the child's
arms in some hot water, and apply cloths, wrung thoroughly dry from it,
to the throat. Give the child a tea-spoonful of powdered alum in a
little syrup, molasses and water, or honey. Repeat the dose in a quarter
of an hour if full vomiting be not excited by the first tea-spoonful. So
soon as the warm bath is ready (the water should have the temperature
of 98 deg. Fahrenheit), place the child in it, and keep up the heat of the
bath by the occasional addition of hot water. Have hot towels in
readiness to dry the skin completely, and a warm blanket in which to
wrap the patient. See that the temperature of the room is raised to
about 66 deg. Fahrenheit, and that it does not fall below this. Moisten the
air by putting a kettle of boiling water on the fire and diffusing the
steam from it by means of a long roll of paper fixed to the spout.

The warm bath and the emetic will usually relieve the breathing; but no
matter how complete this relief may appear to be, nor how quietly the
little one may sleep, it must be carefully watched all night, so that
the first return of unfavorable symptoms may be promptly treated. In all
instances also, however favorably the case may progress, the patient
must be confined to bed for several days, and the temperature of the
room, and the moisture of the air, carefully maintained, as directed for
the first treatment of the attack. If the child has had previous
attacks, or if the weather be cold and inclement, it should be kept in
this warm moist atmosphere for two weeks. Were these precautions known
and heeded we should have to lament fewer fatal cases of croup.

Of course in this, as in all other serious diseases, skilled medical
advice should be secured as quickly as possible. We have given the above
directions, not only for those so situated that they cannot secure
medical aid, but also for all others, in order that no valuable time may
be lost in commencing the treatment, that the efforts of the physician
may be intelligently seconded and carried out, and that the importance
of _promptness_ at the outset, and _prolonged care_ during
conval