The best preservative, then, against the formation of tartar, is to see that the child cleans his teeth thoroughly night and morning with the brush and water, and also that he rinses out the mouth after the dinner meal. And if tartar should be disposed to form, then he must in addition use tooth-powder. If the gums should be tender, irritable, and bleed (as is frequently the case when an individual gets out of health, or the tartar accumulates) the mouth may be washed night and morning with a tumbler of tepid water, containing from ten to twenty drops of the tincture of myrrh, and the same quantity of spirits of camphor; or the following form may be used: Alum, one drachm and a half; Camphor mixture, five ounces and a half.—Mix. The use of acids to the teeth cannot be too strongly deprecated: they decompose their substance and lead to their rapid decay. Hence the whiteness produced by acid tooth powders and washes is not less deceitful than ruinous in its consequences. As has just been observed, they perform all that their vendors promise, causing the teeth, for a little while, to become very white and beautiful in their appearance, but at the same time injuring them irremediably; the enamel becomes gradually decomposed, the bone of the tooth exposed, and its death is the inevitable consequence. It is therefore of great importance when acid medicines are ordered for children that they should be taken through a glass tube, to prevent their coming in contact with the teeth. From a want of this precaution, I know a lady (and there are many such instances) who once had as sound and fine a set of teeth as any one could boast of, but from this cause has had nearly the whole of the upper row destroyed. She was in delicate health; it was judged requisite that she should take for a considerable time (with other medicines) sulphuric acid but the glass tube was not thought of, and the consequences followed which have been described. : Calomel, as it is frequently given alone, or in the little white powders, in infancy and childhood, by mothers and nurses, is productive of serious and indeed irremediable injury to the teeth. Mr. Bell says, "The immoderate use of mercury in early infancy produces, more perhaps than any other similar cause, that universal tendency to decay, which, in many instances, destroys almost every tooth at an early age. It is certainly not unimportant to bear this fact in mind, in the administration of this sovereign remedy, this panacea, as many appear to consider it, in infantile diseases." The teeth are exceedingly apt to suffer from sudden variations of temperature. Fluids, therefore, should never be taken into the mouth so hot or so cold as to produce the slightest pain; and, for the same reason, the water with which the mouth is cleansed should in winter be always warm or tepid. When ices are taken, the precaution of placing them in the centre of the mouth, so as to prevent contact with the teeth, should be carefully observed. There are many other causes which might be mentioned as tending to induce decay of the teeth, but their consideration here is purposely avoided. It is hoped enough has been said to draw the parent's attention to the subject of the teeth, to prevent their neglect, and yet at the same time to induce a cautious management. PART II. THE MATERNAL MANAGEMENT OF THE CHILD IN DISEASE. In the previous part of this work-devoted to the general management of the child in health-I have endeavoured to teach the young mother, that the prevention of disease is her province, not its cure; that to this object all her best efforts must be directed: and, moreover, that to tamper with medicine, when disease has actually commenced, is to hazard the life of her offspring. The advantage, however, of an early and prompt application of remedies in the diseases of childhood, generally so active in their progress and severe in their character, has induced me to attempt, in this the Second Part, to point out how the first symptoms of disease may be early detected by the parent. The subject has been felt to be a difficult one, and to give particular directions, quite out of the question; but it is hoped that the suggestions thrown out will in some measure answer the important purpose intended. The maternal management of disease, however, forms the principal portion of this division of the work; a subject which the author regards as of high and serious moment. Small as is the attention which has been hitherto paid to it, yet, in the diseases of infancy and childhood, how invaluable is a careful and judicious maternal superintendence to give effect to the measures prescribed by the physician! - how many a child is lost for want of it! CHAPTER I. HINTS FOR THE EARLY DETECTION OF DISEASE IN THE CHILD BY THE MOTHER. LIFE is soon extinguished in infancy. At this epoch any disease is formidable, and must be met most promptly. It is either sudden and active in its assaults, or comes with slow and insidious approach. The first signs of its coming on are not always visible to an unpractised eye: it may have made dangerous advances before the mother's mind is awakened to its presence; and medical aid may be solicited when remedies and advice are no longer of any avail. It is, therefore, highly important that a mother should possess such information as will enable her to detect disease at its first appearance, and thus insure for her child timely medical assistance, and |