The book is not intended as a handbook for the nursery; many such exist, and many of them are of great merit. Neither has it the worse than idle pretence of telling people how to treat their children's illnesses, without the help of a doctor. Its object is to give a description of the diseases of early life, such as may help a mother to understand something of their nature and symptoms, to save her from needless anxiety as to their issue, and to enable her wisely to second the doctor in his endeavours for their cure.
CHARLES WEST.
55 Harley Street, Cavendish Square.
August 1, 1885.
CONTENTS.
- PAGE
- [ADVERTISEMENT] [v]
- [PART I.]
- Introductory [1]
- [CHAPTER I.] [1]
- Mortality of children and its causes—Causes fourfold: Intermarriage—Hereditary taint—Unhealthy dwellings—Unwholesome food
- [CHAPTER II.] [5]
- General signs of disease—Shown by the cry, the temperature, the pulse and breathing—Rules for examination as to these points—Signs of absence of disease of the brain
- [CHAPTER III.] [12]
- General management of disease—Mothers who cannot nurse their children when ill—Importance of truth and keeping child happy—Rules for management of bed-room and bed—The bath—Poultices—Leeches—Cold applications—Medicines—Note-taking and relation to the doctor
- [PART II.]
- Plan proposed to be followed [31]
- [CHAPTER IV.] [32]
- On the disorders and diseases of children during the first month after birth—Still-birth—Premature birth—Imperfect expansion of lungs—Jaundice—Ophthalmia—Scalp-swellings—Ruptured navel
- [CHAPTER V.] [45]
- Disorders and diseases of children after the first month, and until teething is finished—Infantile atrophy—Rules for artificial feeding—Management of indigestion—Thrush—Teething—Affections of the skin—Eczema
- [PART III.]
- Disorders and Diseases incident to all Periods of Childhood [85]
- General Characteristics of Second Period of Childhood [85]
- [CHAPTER VI.] [88]
- Disorders and diseases of the brain and nervous system—Their mortality and its causes—Convulsions—Congestion of the brain—Sunstroke—Water on the brain—Inflammation from disease of the ear—Chronic water on brain—Brain disorder from exhaustion—Spasmodic croup—Epilepsy—St. Vitus's Dance—Palsy—Neuralgia and headache—Night terrors
- [CHAPTER VII.] [128]
- Disorders and diseases of the chest—Catarrh and snuffles—Bronchitis and pneumonia—Influenza—Pleurisy—Croup—Diphtheria—Hooping-cough—Asthma—Diseases of the heart
- [CHAPTER VIII.] [151]
- Diseases of organs of digestion—Description of process of digestion—Dyspepsia of weakly children—Jaundice—Diarrhœa—Peritonitis—Large abdomen—Worms—Ulcerated mouth—Quinsy—Enlarged tonsils—Abscess at back of throat—Diseases of kidneys—Incontinence of urine
- [CHAPTER IX.] [173]
- Constitutional diseases—Their nature—Chronic constitutional diseases—Consumption—Scrofula—Rickets—Acute constitutional diseases—Rheumatic fever—Ague—Mumps—Typhoid fever—Small-pox—Inoculation and vaccination—Chicken-pox—Measles
- [APPENDIX.] [213]
- Mental and moral faculties in childhood, and the disorders to which they are liable
- [INDEX] [231]