Treatment. — The first thing therefore to be done is, if possible, to remove the patient to a purer atmosphere. If the bowels be confined, some mild aperient should be given, such as castor oil; or, in the case of a child or infant, the carbonate of magnesia. The following medicine should be given three times a day: Chlorate of potash, 80 grains; water, 4 ounces. A tablespoonful for a dose for an adult, a teaspoonf ul for a child. In the latter case some sugar may be added for the sake of flavoring it. The following lotion will also be found useful: Chlorate of potash, 40 grains; water, 4 ounces. The mouth being repeatedly washed with it. For children it will be as well to add a little honey, or for infants it will often suffice to smear borax and honey upon the tongue, whence it will be unconsciously applied in the mouth. With adults, some tonic will promote convalescence when the acute soreness has sub- sided. Itch. — Symptoms. — An eruption of small pimples, which excite intense itching. They occur most frequently, to begin with, between the fingers, and on the backs of the hands. After a few days, the pimples may also be detected in the bends of the joints — e. g., on the wrist, on the feet, and it may even spread all over the body. The itchmg is constant, though it is worse at night, when warm in bed, and after violent exercise. If the disease be neglected, and if cleanliness be not suf- ficiently attended to, the spots become inflamed and fill with matter. This disease is caused by a mmute microscopical insect, called the "Acarus scabies," which burrows beneath the skin. Treatment. — The following lotion should be applied: Quicklime, i ounce; sulphur, 4 ounces; water, i pint (imperial measure). These should be boiled together slowly for about four hours, and then allowed to stand till the clear yellow fluid can be poured off. Water should be added to this to make the quantity up to two pints. The manner of applying this lotion is to wasn the affected p.^rt Iff itli warm water, ancj then to apply the lotion for hal/ an 352 MEDICINAL. hour. After twelve nours, the body should be well washed with soap and water, and the skin carefully examined, to see if any spot remain unacted upon by the lotion. Its sufficient action must be judged by the aspect of the vesicles or pimples, those on which it has taken effect will present an opaque yel- low white head. This application, well applied once, will gen- erally be found efficient, but it may require a second, and even a third, application. If the pimples be inflamed, and have heads filled with matter, or be ulcerated, the lotion will aggravate them and give pain. Under these circumstances, it must either be considerably diluted with water, or the common sulphur ointment may be substituted for it. When the ointment is applied, it should be allowed to remain on the skin for two or three days, fresh quantities being applied if it is rubbed off. After the second or third day, the whole skin should be well washed with soft soap and water.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Treatment. — The first thing therefore to be done is, if possible, to remove the patient to a purer atmosphere. If the bowels be confined, some mild aperient should be given, such as castor oil; or, in the case of a child or infant, the carbonate of magnesia. The following medicine should be given three times a day: Chlorate of potash, 80 grains; water, 4 ounces. A tablespoonful for a dose for an adult, a teaspoonful for a child. In the latter case some sugar may be added for the sake of flavoring it. The following lotion will also be found useful: Chlorate of potash, 40 grains; water, 4 ounces. The mouth being repeatedly washed with it. For children it will be as well to add a little honey, or for infants it will often suffice to smear borax and honey upon the tongue, whence it will be unconsciously applied in the mouth. With adults, some tonic will promote convalescence when the acute soreness has subsided. Itch. — Symptoms. — An eruption of small pimples, which excite intense itching. They occur most frequently, to begin with, between the fingers, and on the backs of the hands. After a few days, the pimples may also be detected in the bends of the joints — e. g., on the wrist, on the feet, and it may even spread all over the body. The itchmg is constant, though it is worse at night, when warm in bed, and after violent exercise. If the disease be neglected, and if cleanliness be not sufficiently attended to, the spots become inflamed and fill with matter. This disease is caused by a minute microscopical insect, called the "Acarus scabies," which burrows beneath the skin. Treatment. — The following lotion should be applied: Quicklime, i ounce; sulphur, 4 ounces; water, i pint (imperial measure). These should be boiled together slowly for about four hours, and then allowed to stand till the clear yellow fluid can be poured off. Water should be added to this to make the quantity up to two pints. The manner of applying this lotion is to wash the affected part with warm water, and then to apply the lotion for half an hour. After twelve nours, the body should be well washed with soap and water, and the skin carefully examined, to see if any spot remain unacted upon by the lotion. Its sufficient action must be judged by the aspect of the vesicles or pimples, those on which it has taken effect will present an opaque yellow white head. This application, well applied once, will generally be found efficient, but it may require a second, and even a third, application. If the pimples be inflamed, and have heads filled with matter, or be ulcerated, the lotion will aggravate them and give pain. Under these circumstances, it must either be considerably diluted with water, or the common sulphur ointment may be substituted for it. When the ointment is applied, it should be allowed to remain on the skin for two or three days, fresh quantities being applied if it is rubbed off. After the second or third day, the whole skin should be well washed with soft soap and water.

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