HOMEOPATHIC RESEARCH

- Benson.A.R, Whooping cough Whooping cough is an infectious disease, characterized by spasmodic attacks of coughing. During these coughing attacks the forcible drawing in of the breath causes a crowing noise, known as the "whoop." Before the whoop is present there is usually a period extending from two or three days to a week when the cough is hard, dry and irritating. It is a sort, sharp cough, coming very frequently, and is usually worse at night than in the day time. It resembles very closely the cough in acute bronchitis, but if the lungs are examined the lesions of bronchitis are not found. After a longer or shorter period the true spasmodic character of the cough becomes noticeable. The child may cough for five or ten minutes at a time, with frequent whooping, and usually the cough ends is vomiting of thick, stringy mucus. During these spasmodic attacks, the child becomes blue or purple in the face, rushes for the nurse's skirts or some article of furniture

-Benson.A.R, General diseases in Children Colds Colds may be due to exposure, to indiscretion in diet or to infection. Usually one or the other of these causes is combined with fatigue and consequent lowered resistive power. For example, the child after some unusual exercise, perhaps after playing too hard, is exposed to a draught which ordinarily would not be noticed. The result is a cold. The same thing occurs when a tired or weakened child is exposed to the infection of some other individual who has a contagious cold. The reason why some children take cold more easily than others is because they lack the vitality which is necessary to overcome disease. Considering these causes, it will be evident that colds are more or less preventable, and the question resolves itself into maintaining a high standard of health in the individual child. This can only be accomplished by careful attention to all the details of diet, exercise, bathing and general hygiene. Children who are subject

- Benson.A.R Bad Habits in children Thumb Sucking : Sucking the thumb, fingers or fist in young babies is frequently a sign of hunger. Older children, however, sometimes acquire the habit, especially at the age of teething. The habit is an injurious one because if practiced for any length of time, it causes deformities of the upper jaw and mouth breathing. Many adults who are made conspicuous by prominent front teeth can trace the trouble to thumb sucking in infancy. The habit may be corrected by repeatedly removing the fingers from the mouth when the child sucks them, until finally the idea of what is wanted becomes fixed in the child's mind. It is often wise to sew across the sleeve of the night garment below the hand, or the hollow aluminum balls which are made to go over the hands may be used.* In extreme cases it may be necessary to bandage pasteboard splints over the inner surface of the child's elbows so that it cannot bend the arms. Similar to this habit are the

- Benson.A.R Accidents in chidren Foreign Bodies : Foreign bodies sometimes become lodged in the nose. In such cases it is sometimes possible to dislodge them by closing one nostril and having the child make an effort to blow the foreign body out. If this cannot be done and the object is not within easy reach, no attempt should be made to remove it by unskilled hands. Serious harm may be done to the sensitive mucous membrane, and even with proper instruments it is not always easy to remove a foreign body without doing harm. Ear : When such bodies become lodged in the ear, or, as sometimes happens, insects fly into the ear, an attempt may be made to remove them by allowing a few drops of warm sweet oil to pass into the ear. It is not wise to put water into the ear, as such articles as peas, beans, etc., swell when wet and cause great pain and difficulty in removing them. Eye : Particles of dust in the eye may be removed if careful search is made for them in a light. They are most