Third Week Treatment. This is the week we look for hemorrhage from the bowel unless the abdomen has been well treated during the second week; and even so, the cool compresses to the abdomen will be continued well into the third week—also the daily or semi-daily enema. The skin is kept in good condition with soap washing and friction baths, and a fairly liberal diet is maintained. During the whole course of the disease the skin is never allowed to get blue or mottled, being quickly restored to the normal red color by the mustard sheet bath, the short hot-blanket pack, or the dry-blanket pack with hot-water bottles. Under no circumstances let the child leave the room or his bed for at least another week.
MUMPS
Infants are rarely affected with mumps. It is a disease of the salivary glands and (as a rule) is usually preceded by pain between the ear and the angle of the jaw, accompanied in a short time by swelling and temperature. It is distinctly contagious even during the incubation period. There is much tenderness on pressure, and chewing is difficult and may be impossible. It usually occurs on the face and only one side may be affected. The bowels should be kept open, the mouth should be kept clean, and the side of the face should be protected by a layer of cotton held in place by bandages.
Hot fomentations may be applied if the pain is severe. The electric light bulb on an extension cord, that was mentioned in connection with earache, is very comforting in this condition.
Isolation should be maintained for ten days or two weeks after all symptoms have disappeared.
SCARLET FEVER
Scarlet fever is one of childhood's most dreaded diseases because of, first, its long quarantine; second, its terrible possibilities of contagion; and, third, its sequelae.
Absolute quarantine is necessary until ten days after the last signs of desquamation have disappeared.
This disease is always alarming because of the possibilities of its sequelae—the danger of pneumonia, inflammation of the ears, abscesses of the glands of the neck, and nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys).
Scarlet fever is highly contagious at any time during its onset and course. Among the first symptoms of the disease are sore throat, swollen glands, fever, etc. Vomiting on a street car or at the movie may spread the disease to more than one child who might otherwise have escaped. One child who may have only a very light form of the disease may give it to another child in the most severe form. Any such group of classic symptoms—vomiting, fever, rapid pulse, and sore throat—should cause any parent immediately to isolate the little sufferer for several days—awaiting the "rash"—which usually puts in its appearance after three or four days of increasing temperature.