Lay the child on his side, the affected ear being uppermost, and fill the ear, from a teaspoon, with either water or sweet oil. The water or oil will carry the living thing, whatever it be, out of the ear, and the child is at once relieved.
298. If a child swallow a piece of broken glass, what ought to be done?
Avoid purgatives, as the free action on the bowels would be likely to force the spiculæ of glass into the mucous membrane of the bowels, and thus would wound them, and might cause ulceration, and even death. “The object of treatment will be to allow them to pass through the intestines well enveloped by the other contents of the tube; and for this purpose a solid farinaceous diet should be ordered, and purgatives scrupulously avoided.”
299. If a child swallow a pin, what should be done?
Treat him as for broken glass. Give him no aperients, or it might, in action, force the pin into the bowel. I have known more than one instance where a child, after swallowing a pin, to have voided it in his motion.
300. If a child swallow a coin of any kind, is danger likely to ensue, and what ought to be done?
There is, as a rule, no danger. A dose or two of castor oil will be all that is usually necessary. The evacuations ought to be carefully examined until the coin be discovered. I once knew a child swallow a penny-piece, and pass it in his motions.
301. If a child, while playing with a small coin (such as either a threepenny or a fourpenny piece), or any other substance, should toss it into his mouth, and inadvertently allow it to enter the windpipe, what ought to be done?
Take hold of him by the legs, allowing his head to hang downward; then give him, with the palm of your hand, several sharp blows on his back, and you may have the good fortune to see the coin coughed out of his mouth. Of course, if this plan does not succeed, send instantly for a medical man.