Measles. — This is an infectious, eruptive fever, having an incubative period of about fourteen days, commencing with marked catarrhal symptoms, and belonging more especially to the ages of infancy and childhood. The little patient appears to have a severe cold; he has sneezing and running at the nose, "watering at the eyes," and a short, hard cough. This condi- tion, in the course or a day or two, or it may be in a few hours, becomes one of a distinct febrile state. A general heat of the skin comes on, the pulse is quickened, and on the third or fourth day, on the face, chest and body a mottled rash begins to show itself. The rash consists of distinct spots slightly raised above the surface of the skin, and clustered in groups, often having an indistinctly crescentic arrangement. It begins to disappear again in about three or four days, and is usually all gone by the end of a week. Treatment. — The catarrhal symptoms which usher in the measles require only the simplest treatment of nursing, warm baths, and low diet. When the eruption appears and makes it clear that the case is one of measles, the same plan of treat- ment is still applicable. There is a very large proportion of cases of measles that are in themselves so slight that they really amount to little more than an attack of common cold, and require no other treatment. If, however, there be fever, rather more severe, with a troublesome dry cough (which is very com- monly an attendant), a simple saline mixture, as follows, will be found of service: Powdered nitre, 1-2 drachm; ipecacuanha, I drachm; paregoric, 1-2 drachm; water (sweetened with sugar), 2 ounces. Mix. A teaspoonful to be given every four hours, to an infant about two or three years of age; the doses for older children should be increased, on the scale given in the list of medicines. For an infant under one year old it may MEDICINAL. 353 / be as well to omit paregoric. If there be constipation of the bowels, some simple aperient should be administered, such as castor oil or grey powder. The body should be sponged over every day with warm vinegar and water. Should the eruption suddenly disappear, and difficulty of breathing or other symptoms of congestion of the lungs, as shown by du .icss of the skin and coldness of the surface, come on, a hot bath, with mustard in it, should be had. At the same time stimulants, such as compound spirits of ammonia, wine, or brandy should be administered — e. g., for an adult, a drachm of spirits of salvolatile in a wine-glass of water, every two or three hours. Wine, to the extent of four ounces in six hours, may be given: or brandy in proportion, allowing for its greater strength. Measles in Adults. — When the disease occurs in adults it is usually more severe, and calls for more active treatment. The doses prescribed above should be augmented on the scale given in the list of medicines. There is a popular notion that measles leave behind them something that requires clearing away, and acting thereupon it is not uncommonly the case that the unfortunate child is actively physicked for a few days. The whole proceeding is based on error. When the child is well, better let well alone.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Measles. — This is an infectious, eruptive fever, having an incubative period of about fourteen days, commencing with marked catarrhal symptoms, and belonging more especially to the ages of infancy and childhood. The little patient appears to have a severe cold; he has sneezing and running at the nose, "watering at the eyes," and a short, hard cough. This condition, in the course or a day or two, or it may be in a few hours, becomes one of a distinct febrile state. A general heat of the skin comes on, the pulse is quickened, and on the third or fourth day, on the face, chest and body a mottled rash begins to show itself. The rash consists of distinct spots slightly raised above the surface of the skin, and clustered in groups, often having an indistinctly crescentic arrangement. It begins to disappear again in about three or four days, and is usually all gone by the end of a week. Treatment. — The catarrhal symptoms which usher in the measles require only the simplest treatment of nursing, warm baths, and low diet. When the eruption appears and makes it clear that the case is one of measles, the same plan of treatment is still applicable. There is a very large proportion of cases of measles that are in themselves so slight that they really amount to little more than an attack of common cold, and require no other treatment. If, however, there be fever, rather more severe, with a troublesome dry cough (which is very commonly an attendant), a simple saline mixture, as follows, will be found of service: Powdered nitre, 1-2 drachm; ipecacuanha, I drachm; paregoric, 1-2 drachm; water (sweetened with sugar), 2 ounces. Mix. A teaspoonful to be given every four hours, to an infant about two or three years of age; the doses for older children should be increased, on the scale given in the list of medicines. For an infant under one year old it may / be as well to omit paregoric. If there be constipation of the bowels, some simple aperient should be administered, such as castor oil or grey powder. The body should be sponged over every day with warm vinegar and water. Should the eruption suddenly disappear, and difficulty of breathing or other symptoms of congestion of the lungs, as shown by du .icss of the skin and coldness of the surface, come on, a hot bath, with mustard in it, should be had. At the same time stimulants, such as compound spirits of ammonia, wine, or brandy should be administered — e. g., for an adult, a drachm of spirits of salvolatile in a wine-glass of water, every two or three hours. Wine, to the extent of four ounces in six hours, may be given: or brandy in proportion, allowing for its greater strength. Measles in Adults. — When the disease occurs in adults it is usually more severe, and calls for more active treatment. The doses prescribed above should be augmented on the scale given in the list of medicines. There is a popular notion that measles leave behind them something that requires clearing away, and acting thereupon it is not uncommonly the case that the unfortunate child is actively physicked for a few days. The whole proceeding is based on error. When the child is well, better let well alone.

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