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Cough in Measles

Categories: Infectious Diseases

It is likely to be severe, straining and barking and
hard to relieve. If it is too severe you can give, for a child one year

old:



Acetanelid 1/2 dram

Dover's Powder 1/2 dram



Mix and make into thirty powders.



Give one-half powder every two hours when awake or restless.



2. For a child two years old:



Paregoric
2 to 5 drops

Syrup Ipecac 3 drops



Mix.



Give every three hours, according to age, one to three hours for a child

two years old.



3. For Irritation of the Skin. Sponge once a day with water at 100

degrees F. containing a little alcohol or a pinch of sodium bicarbonate or

soda.



4. For Scaling. Use ointment of benzoinated lard, combined with five per

cent of boric acid.



Diet. The food should be light; milk, broths, and when the fever is gone

chicken and soft boiled eggs, jelly, toasted bread, crackers, cereals,

with cocoa for drink. Orange juice or lemon juice may be given in

moderation. Milk, one pint per day for every fifty pounds in weight of the

patient, during a fever sickness, is a safe and liberal allowance. Smaller

children in proportion. Mothers will be apt to give too much and it may

then prevent rest and steep. When the fever subsides you can give more

milk and some of the above foods. Water, as before stated, can be given

for the thirst quite frequently.





Teas. The laity gives lots of these to bring out the rash. It seems to me

before the rash is out the patient is feverish and chilly and the skin is

dry, and a small amount of tea given every hour or two might do good

unless the patient is made warmer. There are many varieties given. Elder

blossom seems to have the call. For some time after the patient is well he

may be bothered with a cough; it better be looked after if it continues,

for there might be bronchitis or some lung trouble left and unknown.



Caution. A person who has had the measles or German measles, should be

very careful about taking cold, for if they do they are liable to have

serious trouble, especially in the chest. It is very easy to take

bronchitis or pneumonia during and after an attack of measles. The mucous

membrane of these parts is left somewhat swollen and it remains

susceptible to disease for some time. "An ounce of prevention is worth a

pound of cure." Remain in the house three or four days longer than may

seem necessary and you will be paid for so doing by having good bronchial

tubes and lungs,--as good as before if you were careful during the attack.



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