smuch as they are rheumatic and not "growing pains," they should
be regarded seriously because of the heart damage they might do if
ignored, and especially so since the mildest attacks of rheumatism,
without any joint symptoms even, frequently leave the heart in very bad
shape. As a general rule it will be found that when a child has had a
number of attacks of bronchitis or asthma it is rheumatic and should
receive treatment for the rheumatic tendency.

Children with the tendency to rheumatism invariably eat too much red
meats and sugar,--the latter in the form of candy or as an excess in the
food.

Treatment of an Acute Attack.--The child should be put in bed and kept
warm. The bowels should be freely opened with citrate of magnesia. The
diet should be very light: milk and lime water or milk and vichy water,
with a piece of dry toast or zwieback, is all the child needs until the
fever is relieved. When a single joint is affected local measures may be
taken for its relief. Wraping the joints up with flannel cloths which
have been wrung out of true oil of wintergreen, and outside of this
oiled silk snugly bandaged on, is an excellent external application. The
flannel cloths should be kept moist by adding a little of the
wintergreen from time to time as it dries in. This can be done without
removing the bandage. This application is kept in place for twenty-four
hours and renewed if necessary. Such an external application will aid in
the actual cure of the disease and will quickly relieve the patient of
the pain. The oil of wintergreen used in this way should be the "true"
oil, and should be so specified when bought in the drug store.

Because of the great tendency to attack the heart a physician should
take charge of every case of acute rheumatism in a child.

To Treat the Tendency to Rheumatism.--Exclude red meats and sugar in
all forms as much as is possible. Give green vegetables freely, potatoes
boiled with the skins on, fish, eggs, and poultry. Cereals with milk,
especially well cooked Scotch oatmeal, are exceedingly good for these
children. By keeping up this diet after the acute attack has passed for
a considerable time, it is possible to cure the various other complaints
with which the child is afflicted,--tonsilitis, sore-throats, winter
coughs, head-colds, bronchitis, asthma, etc.

These children should wear woolen underwear all the year round. They
should be encouraged to drink water or vichy freely between