Rash Or Hives

Sources: Papers On Health

Infants are often troubled with large red,

angry-looking spots, breaking out over the body, and causing trouble by

their heat and itching. These are commonly known as hives. If the water

in which a child is washed be hard, it will sometimes cause the skin to

inflame and become "hivey." If the soap has much soda in it, it will

also cause this. What is called glycerine soap, and much of what is

sold as peculiarly desirab e, is utterly unsuitable for an infant's

skin. Soda soap will cause serious outbreaks even worse than "hives,"

and will often not be suspected at all, as a cause.



Only M'Clinton's soap, which is made from the ash of plants, should be

used on tender skins.



When the "hives" are not very troublesome, they are apt to be

neglected; but this should not be, as in most cases this is the time

they may be easily cured. The true element in cure is found in

attention to the skin, as distinct from the stomach or blood.

M'Clinton's soap (see Soap) applied as fine creamy lather will cure

hives, and will never, we think, fail to do so. We know of a nurse

plastering an infant's body with this soap, so that it was blistered.

This is a totally wrong way of working. The right way is to work the

soap and hot water as described in article Lather, and to apply it

gently with the brush to the parts affected. After applying it with

gentle rubbing for some time, and leaving some on the sore places, the

infant will usually be soothed to sleep. Where over-cooling is feared,

with a weak child, a little olive oil is gently rubbed on with the

second coat of lather. In any case of itchiness the above treatment is

almost certain to cure. Often the infant is suffering from too rich

diet. (See Children's Food.) In such cases, thinner milk, and a

little fluid magnesia administered internally will effect a cure.