HIVES AND FRECKLES
Hives, a crop of little raised red papules closely resembling lesions caused by the sting of a mosquito, may make their appearance upon the skin of the child, remain a few hours, and then disappear. Hives are usually due to digestive disturbances and may be caused by such foods as strawberries, nuts, pastries, pineapple, certain sea foods, mushrooms, etc. A good cathartic, the taking of alkalines, such as baking soda or calcined magnesia, with a bran or starch bath, or possibly a soda bath, will usually correct the difficulty. The same treatment may be used in nettle rash or prickly heat.
Freckles seem to run in families. Broad-brimmed hats or sunbonnets may be worn, but under no circumstance should a little girl be bidden to remain in the house and shun the beautiful, sunshiny outdoors just because she freckles easily. Do not apply any lotions to the freckled face without medical advice, for great harm may be done the tender skin of the child.
RINGWORM
Often upon the scalps of young children may be seen circles—rather, patches—which are slightly rough to the touch, and which cause the hair to fall out and the spots to remain bald. They are known as ringworms of the scalp. The affection may likewise appear on the body or the face, presenting a ring of reddened skin with a scaly border. Ringworm on the scalp is hard to treat and medical help should be secured, for, in spite of all that can be done, the disease often runs its course, leaving round bald spots over the head. Ringworm of the face, taken early, is helped by carefully painting with tincture of iodine. The mother should constantly bear in mind that ringworm is a "catching" disease, so that all handkerchiefs, towels, and clothes are to be kept separate. The disease known as mange which so often attacks dogs, is nothing more than ringworm, and children often contract the disease from dogs. Ringworm, whether it be on children or dogs, may be greatly helped by the use of tincture of iodine and other appropriate remedies.
BOILS
The much poulticing of boils has done an untold amount of mischief. Many children and adults are in their graves today because of improper treatment of boils. Blood poisoning which so often follows the careless poulticing, as well as the uncleanly opening of boils, can all be avoided. Before touching a boil, the surrounding skin should be thoroughly washed with sterile cotton and laundry soap and then disinfected with alcohol. Then, with a scalpel or a surgeon's knife which has been either boiled for twenty minutes or allowed to remain in pure carbolic acid two minutes and then in alcohol two minutes, it should be thoroughly opened down to the core so that the pus may come out. It is very much better for the trained hands of a physician to do this than for any member of the family to undertake such an operation—where the danger of blood poisoning is always present. The only treatment of skin eruptions containing pus which is justifiable for the home folks to undertake is to simply paint them with iodine. Under no circumstance should poultices be used.
FEVER BLISTERS
It is not at all uncommon for small children to develop a group of fever blisters on the lips when suffering with any disease, or experiencing a high fever. Even a simple cold or a spell of indigestion may be accompanied by fever blisters. They appear not only on the lips but also on the edges of the nose and may even be seen on the chin.
Early in their first appearance they may be treated with spirits of camphor or plain alcohol, which sometimes tends to abort them; but they usually run their course, and when they are fully developed they may be treated with zinc oxide, simple borated vaseline, or ichthyol.