841. Sore Eyes frequently occur on the second or third day after the birth, occasioned by too early an exposure of the child to a cold atmosphere: the eyelids swell, become closed, and discharge a purulent matter. It may be relieved by fomenting the eyelids with equal parts of lime water and elder-flower water. Dip some fine old linen cloth into this mixture, moderately warmed, and apply it to the eyelids. This is a mild astringent application: if the swellings should not be reduced by it, the following, which is more astringent, will probably succeed: Take of white vitriol, two grains; rose-water, two ounces; mix them together. Should it be necessary, the quantity of white vitriol may be increased.
842. Sore Ears.—Excoriations of the skin frequently happen either behind the ears, in the folds of the skin, on the neck, in the groins, or wherever the folds of the skin, come in contact. Wash the skin morning and evening with cold water, make it perfectly dry with a fine linen cloth, then shake on lightly the following powder: Take white ceruse, one part; wheaten starch, in flour, three parts; mix them together. Or, take Goulard's extract, French brandy, of each, one drachm; rose-water, four ounces. Mix them together, and apply it with soft linen cloth to the excoriations of the skin.
The following liniment may be relied on: Take acetate of lead, one scruple; rose-water, half an ounce; melted beef marrow, one ounce. Rub the acetate of lead in the rose-water, until they are intimately mixed, then melt the marrow over a gentle heat; afterwards pour the mixture upon the marrow by little and little, taking care that each addition be incorporated with the marrow, so as to form an uniform mass. This may be applied with a camels'-hair pencil.
843. Sore Head.—This complaint appears first on the forehead, in large white spots or scabs, which, if neglected, soon spread over the whole surface of the head. It is sometimes dry, at others moist, with a thin, watery discharge. It is named the crusta lactea, or milky crust. There are two methods of treating it. Nurses encourage the discharge by applying cabbage leaves, oil-cloth, &c.; this is by no means necessary; it makes the head offensive, and the appearance of the child disgusting. It is much better to cure it as soon as possible, by washing the scabs night and morning with equal parts of brandy and water; then lay on the following ointment: Take, olive oil, five drachms; white wax, two drachms; calcined zinc, one drachm. Melt the oil and wax together, then add the zinc by degrees, and keep stirring it until they are intimately mixed.
844. Scald Head is totally unlike the preceding disease: brown-colored scabs appear on the crown of the head, which discharge a glutinous matter, and unite the hairs, so as to prevent their being separated with a comb: these scabs continue to spread until they occupy the whole of the scalp.
Keep the hair cut as close as possible, wash the head with a strong solution of soap in water, night and morning; as soon as it can be done, instead of cutting the hair with scissors, let it be shaved close once a day.