. ORGANIC COMPOUNDS OF CARBON Alcoholic intoxication of acute and chronic tylie occurs only too often in childhood. Acute alcoholism usually results from carelessness in leaving the whiskey bottle or flask within the child's reach; some times the parents or caretakers give excessive amounts of alcohol to their children. Chronic poisoning with alcohol u.sually follows the habitual use of beer or wine (especially sweet wine) which are given to the children to "tone them up" or because "the child should drink with us." The usual symptoms of drunkenness (in acute poisoning) are rap idly succeeded by loss of consciousness, deep coma with pallor, cyanosis of the face, cold moist skin, and a scarcely palpable pulse which may be irregular. Convulsions SARI death may follow. Chronic poisoning results in poor physicial and mental development, neuropathic condi tions, psychoses, delirium tremens, cirrhosis of the liver; the same phenomena are observed as in adult life.
one's views may be on the question of total abstinence, it is a fundamental principle of pediatrics that alco hol must not be given to children in any- form or amount, even if only occasionally. The physician who yields to the parents importunities in this respect, fails in his duty as a professional man, Alcoholic intoxication in children requires evacuation of the stomach, emetics or lavage, and washing out of the large bowel, followed by abso lute rest, and maintenance of the temperature by artificial heat (hot water bottles, etc.). Injections of caffeine sodium salicylate, and artificial respiration may be necessary. Ice cold applications to the head are grateful. Chronic poisoning must be treated symptomatically: alcohol must be absolutely withdrawn.