then the abdomen
and later the legs. By the time it invades the legs it has begun to fade
on the face. It fades slowly in the order of its appearance. Its
duration is about four days.

The skin is swollen; it burns and itches. The eyes are swollen and red
and intensely sensitive to light. There is usually a muco-pus discharge
from them. The cough is invariably an annoying feature. The fever is
high and reaches its highest point when the rash is at its height. As
the rash fades the fever subsides.

When the rash fades, the patient begins to "scale." The scales of
measles are fine, like bran, never in large patches like the scales of
scarlet fever. The amount of the scaling varies. It may be quite
considerable or it may be so small as to be overlooked.

Complications.--The most important and by far the most frequent
complication of measles is broncho-pneumonia. There may be various
conditions affecting the stomach, bowels, throat, ears, bronchi, and the
nervous system, which may accompany the disease but are seldom of a
serious or important character.

Treatment.--Measles runs a certain course and will run that course, no
matter what we may or may not do. We cannot stop it, or shorten it, or
lessen its severity. We can only hope to make the patient comfortable
and to prevent the development of complications.

The child should be put in bed and kept comfortably warm but not too
warm. The room should be kept at the ordinary temperature of the sick
room, 68 deg. to 70 deg. F. It should be darkened but not dark. The food should
be fluid and given regularly. The child may be given all the cool,--not
cold,--water it wants to drink. The bowels should be kept open daily. If
constipation occurs an enema may be given. The eyes must be carefully
watched and washed every hour or two during the day with a boracic acid
solution. If the cough is distressing, it may be rendered less
distressing, though we cannot hope to stop it until the disease has run
its course. The restlessness, headache and general discomfort can be
much modified by suitable remedies. If the itching is acute, the body
can be rubbed with carbolated vaseline. When the rash subsides and the
patient is free from fever a daily warm bath should be given in order to
facilitate scaling.

Should complications arise they should be promptly cared for by the
attending physician.

SUMMARY:--

1. Measles is the most prevalent infectious disease of childhood.