The Mother's Manual of Children's Diseases

Book Excerpt: ...her child, and the child's welfare and the parent's happiness alike depend, in many instances, on the way in which she sets about to answer the question, 'What is the matter?'Some mothers send at once to the doctor whenever they see or fancy that anything ails their child. But this way of getting rid of responsibility is not always possible, nor, indeed, on moral grounds, is it always desirable, for the mother who delegates each unpleasant duty to another, whether nurse, governess, or doctor, in order to save herself trouble or anxiety, performs but half a mother's part, and can expect but half a mother's recompense of love. Whenever a child is unwell, a mother may do much to ascertain what is the matter, and may by the exercise of a little patience and common sense save herself much needless heart-ache, and her child much suffering. The first point to ascertain is the presence or absence of fever; that is to say, whether, and how much, the temperature of the body is higher than natural...