Fever.—­If the disease goes on and there is high fever, so that the patient suffers from it, it is better to reduce it by cool sponging than by the coal tar products like antipyrin, acetanilid, etc.  They are weakening and this is a weakening, prostrating disease.  Good, careful cool sponging generally relieves the excessive fever and restlessness.  The fever does not continue so long in this disease and it is not, therefore, so harmful.  Delirium is present in some cases when the fever is not high.

Irritating Cough.—­This can frequently he controlled by steam inhalations as directed under tonsilitis.  You can also put in the steaming water one teaspoonful to one tablespoonful of compound tincture of benzoin for this disease.  Hoarhound tea can be put in the water and the steam inhaled.  If such measures do not stop the cough, medicine will be needed.

[Infectious diseases 195]

Sore Throat.—­Spraying the throat with a solution of boric acid, one dram to one pint of hot water, is good.  Listerine is good in the same way and dose.

Bowels.—­They should be kept open from the first.  Salts are usually handy and good.

Medicines.—­Ten grains Dover’s powder at night is good; unless there is much weakness.  Some give quinine, some salol.  Quinine, one to two grains, is given one to three hours.  Salol, five grains, every three hours, especially for the backache.

Aspirin in five-grain doses for an adult every four hours is given very much now.  The bowels should be kept open with salts.

Diet.—­Children should take milk if there is no vomiting or diarrhea.  If there is vomiting and diarrhea, give only water or diluted milk, or nothing if they continue.  Water can generally be given.

For adults a good, nourishing diet when convalescence commences is necessary.  During the sickness, milk, eggs,—­raw and soft boiled, broths, soups, milk toast, can be given.  A person must be very careful after an attack of the grip.  He should remain in the house for some time, a week after he is well and thinks he can go out.

Typhoid fever.—­Typhoid fever is an acute infectious disease caused by a (Bacillus) germ, named after the discoverer (Eberth).  This germ enters into the system, as stated below, locates itself in different organs, especially in the small intestine.  It does its worst work in Peyer’s glands, situated in the small intestines.  They enlarge, ulcerate, break down and their structure is cast off into the bowel.  This eating goes so far, in some cases, that it eats through the tissue to the blood vessels and other bleeding follows.  Sometimes it goes through all the coats, the peritoneal being the last one.  If this occurs we have what is called perforation of the bowel and the peritoneum around this perforation inflames and there is the dread complication of peritonitis.  This is very fatal, as the patient is weakened from the inroads