The sores in this instance are always tedious in
healing, and followed by the well-known pits or marks: these arise from
a loss of substance in the true skin, and occur more particularly on
the face, from the great vascularity of this part causing the pustules
to be more numerous here than elsewhere. It is a popular error to
suppose that by wearing masks of fine linen or cambric illined with
particular ointments, these scars or pits may be prevented: it is
impossible to prevent them; and any local application, except a little
cold cream or oil of almonds applied to the scabs when they harden,
will prove more injurious than useful. The child's hands, however,
should always be muffled to prevent its scratching or breaking the
sores, for otherwise he will not be kept from thus attempting to allay
the excessive itching which they occasion.
The hair should be closely cut at an early period of the disease, and
so kept throughout its continuance. This will contribute very much to
the comfort of the child, by preventing the hair becoming matted
together with the discharge from the pustules when they break, which
gives rise to great pain and irritation. In the confluent and worst
forms of this disease, this measure it is particularly necessary to
attend to, as also to the application of cold lotions to the head when
hot and dry (with other remedial means), as there is always a tendency
in these cases to the formation of abscesses, the healing of which is
troublesome and attended with difficulty.
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