Treatment Of Croup

The particularly dangerous characteristic of cronp is, like pneumonía, its suddenn""'. I8 action is so rapid, and the little patiënt is so soon in a condition that is very near to death, that parents "lose their heads," and from extreme fear and anxiety are unable to coolly go to work with their best judgment. yiiere are two sorts of cronp - one in vrhich the hoarseness and choking are caused by a sort of spasm or contraction of the glottis, and known to physicians as pseudo-croup or false croup, and in thisthere is little or no formation of menibrane. With false croup there is mnch tightness, the same harsh, brassy congh, the breatbing is wheezy, difficnlt anírapid. The attacks come on with catarrh and hoarseness, and are apt to recnr several nights, sometimes coming On in tüe aayume. There are many causes f or an attack of false cronp. Sometimes it originates from the stomach. An exceptionally hearty snpper or some indigestible f ood eaten during the evening may set up an initation which will bring on the symptoms of false cronp, but of conrse the nsual caose is exposure and wet f eet. It is really a mild disease, and quickly subsides under proper treatment, and is not apt to be f ollowed by dangerous complications. For immediate relief wet a towel in cold water and wring it out just dry enough to prevent its dripping, and fold it about the child's neck, then cover tbis with dry towels or flannel cloths to prevent the pillow, etc., f rom being wet. In many cases tbis wet packing of the throat is all that is necessary. Leave it on until the breathing is easy and natural, and be sure to rub the child dry and warm after taking off the pack. It is well to put a light woolen bandage about the throat for the remainder of the night, but never accustom a child to being "bundled up." If the cold pack does not prove snfficient to give relief at once, give repeated doses of sirup of ipecac, larger or smaller according to the violence of the spasm, nntil vomiting ensnes. An excellent cough medicine to keep in the house, and one which works well in cases of false croup, is the old fashioned mixture of sirup of squills and nareeoric, or a mixture of glycerine and water in equal parte. If with tbis treatment the child does not geteasy, and f all into a natural sleep, bnt, on the contrary, the choking sensation continúes or becomes worse, you may conclnde that yon have a case on hand of true croup, and the sooner yon get a doctor the better. GCAKDING AGAINST CROUP. . Fslse croup you may relieve tonight, and tomorrow morning there may be no trace of it; tomorrow night and the nest night and f or several nights it may come on again as badly as ever. It is not so, however, with true croup - there is no "let up" in this case; the condition gradnally gets more and more severe nntil death ensues from suffocation, or until thedisease submits to treatment. The average duration of a case of real croup is abcrat seven or eight days, and many methods and remedies are advised. Both false and true croup may be guarded against in great measure. It is a mistake to accustom children to such bnndling and wrapping up when they go out that active exercise ie not easily taken, and of course I would not have jou go to the other extreme and not clothe them warmly enough; but if they are strong and lively, the laiter course is Teally the saf est, provided they can come kdoors to rest and get warm. Look to it that their f eet are attended to when they come in from playing in the wet. A good rubbing, or better stül, bathing in alcohol and water, and then rubbing, and drv. warm stockines, will often vent a case of croup or some other f orm of cold. If they are weak, or not really active and strong, a course of sirup iodide of iron mil usually bring them up. See to it that they are regular and rather lax in their bowel moveruents, for nearly every preparation of iron has a tendency to proniote constipation. WKA.T TO DO FOR CEOUP. Death is almost always caused by suffocation, on account of the closing up of the glottis by the membrane, which forms so rapidly that constant attention with the probang or spray is necessary to impede its growth. Whichever method of applying is used, any applicatíon that is irritating is dangerous and should be avoided, as, for instance, nitrate of süver and several of the mineral acida. Probably the best solvent is freshly made lime water, and it may readily be apphed in f orm of vapor without any apparatus. Small pieces of fresh, unslaked lime roay be put into a wide moothed bottle - a pint glass fruit jar will answer - and water poured upon it to slake it, and the patiënt may then breathe the fresh vapor as it arises. In cases of true croup this is probably the best course to pursue nntil the doctor comea. Tincture of iron (full strength) may be applied to the membrane with a camel's hair pencil or a probang. The latter instrument is simply a bit of fine soft sponge, fastened securelv with fdife thread to the end of a piece of whalebone or reed abontas long as a lead pencil, and is simply a swab. 1 With this swab diluted lactio acid may te applied to the membrane, and next to lime water it is probably the best and saf est solvent that can be used. To prepare it f or use simply add the acid to water until it has a decidedly sour taste, ïtaring an attack of croup it is necessary that wb should do everything to keep the patiënt nourished, as tae tremendons esertion of hreathing, toj ether with the Dnrehenfrirm nf fxtal rfiS'.ilt. are taastíng.-