SORE THROAT, OR TONSILITIS.
It is with the deepest regret that I have to say that, of late, nearly every case of inflamed or sore throat is termed “diphtheria”—a name which sends a severely depressing blow to the heart of many a true, devoted mother. It is a pity that simple, curable diseases should be given such long, technical names that parents get frightened out of all common judgment, and give up all hope of successful efforts to save. I frequently hear mothers say, “I lost my boy just as I had entered him in school.” And rehearsing the causes, they are invariably these!—teething, diphtheria, “pneumonia on the lungs,” one or all; “He couldn’t live,” and explicit pains is taken to state that “the doctor said so.” I will simply state here that the throat is very likely to be affected while getting the first four grinders, or at the age of from sixteen to twenty-four months; and the true condition of the membranes of the mouth and throat cannot be guessed at. They should be examined by a skilled practitioner, that the danger may be modified in the outset. An ordinary sore throat may easily be converted into a malignant type by improper treatment; as in case of the sore throat of scarlet fever, for instance, the greatest danger arises from giving hot drinks, or applying some severe irritant to the membranes of the throat. It is well in all cases of sore throat to apply cooling treatment; this may be done by the following means: Wring a cloth out of hot water, wrap it around the throat, and cover with a dry flannel. Change every hour or two; give plentifully of warm barley-water to drink. Anoint the glands of the throat and ears once a day with goose or fish oil (no camphor), aiming to keep the parts soft, thereby scattering the inflammation. The diet should be nourishing, as of scalded milk, or, if the bowels are dry, raw milk with oatmeal pudding. The throat and mouth should be swabbed out frequently with a weak solution of bread soda; also common salt is good to excite the glands on the back of the tongue, and assist Nature to carry off the disease. By these, and various other domestic means, the sequences of scarlatina, such as dimness of vision, deafness, and glandular knots, may be avoided. Severe physic should never be given a child if costive while teething. There are other methods which, if applied, will be more lasting in effect; such as wringing a flannel cloth out of hot water, and covering the bowels; giving a pretty warm bath once a day. If injections are given, great care should be observed not to injure the soft internal folds of the lower bowel, but they should never be used if avoidable. Repeated but small doses of Epsom salts, dissolved in warm sweetened water, are invaluable.