9.  STOMACHACHE.—­The cry of the child in suffering with pain of the stomach is loud, excitable and spasmodic.  The legs are drawn up and as the pain ceases, they are relaxed and the child sobs itself to sleep, and rests until awakened again by pain.

10.  LUNG TROUBLE.—­When a child is suffering with an affection of the lungs or throat, it never cries loudly or continuously.  A distress in breathing causes a sort of subdued cry and low moaning.  If there is a slight cough it is generally a sign that there is some complication with the lungs.

11.  DISEASE OF THE BRAIN.—­In disease of the brain the cry is always sharp, short and piercing.  Drowsiness generally follows each spasm of pain.

12.  FEVERS.—­Children rarely cry when suffering with fever unless they are disturbed.  They should be handled very gently and spoken to in a very quiet and tender tone of voice.

13.  THE CHAMBER OF THE SICK ROOM.—­The room of the sick child should be kept scrupulously clean.  No noise should disturb the quiet and rest of the child.  If the weather is mild, plenty of fresh air should be admitted; the temperature should be kept at about 70 degrees.  A thermometer should be kept in the room, and the air should be changed several times during the day.  This may be done with safety to the child by covering it up with woolen blankets to protect it from draft, while the windows and doors are opened.  Fresh air often does more to restore the sick child than the doctor’s medicine.  Take the best room in the house.  If necessary take the parlor, always make the room pleasant for the sick.

14.  VISITORS.—­Carefully avoid the conversation of visitors or the loud and boisterous playing of children in the house.  If there is much noise about the house that cannot be avoided, it is a good plan to put cotton in the ears of the patient.

15.  LIGHT IN THE ROOM.—­Light has a tendency to produce nervous irritability, consequently it is best to exclude as much daylight as possible and keep the room in a sort of twilight until the child begins to improve.  Be careful to avoid any odor coming from a burning lamp in the night.  When the child begins to recover, give it plenty of sunlight.  After the child begins to get better let in all the sunlight the windows will admit.  Take a south room for the sick bed.

16.  SICKNESS IN SUMMER.—­If the weather is very hot it is a good plan to dampen the floors with cold water, or set several dishes of water in the room, but be careful to keep the patient out of the draft, and avoid any sudden change of temperature.

17.  BATHING.—­Bathe every sick child in warm water once a day unless prohibited by the doctor.  If the child has a spasm or any attack of a serious nervous character in absence of the doctor, place him in a hot bath at once.  Hot water is one of the finest agencies for the cure of nervous diseases.

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18.  SCARLET FEVER AND MEASLES.—­Bathe the child in warm water to bring out the rash, and put in about a dessertspoonsful of mustard into each bath.