Nitrite of amyl is a very useful agent in arresting convulsions, and may be employed without fear of danger even in young infants. The remedy may be administered by the mouth or by inhalation. In the case of an infant of six to nine months old, one-fourth of a drop of the nitrite may be given in mucilage and glycerine three or four times a day ; and if the child be actually convulsed the inhalation of a drop on a morsel of lint will usually put a speedy end to the spasmodic movements. Even in cases where the convulsive seizures are due to cerebral disease the symptom may be controlled by the same means. Dr. A. E. Bridger has reported some cases in which this plan of treatment was followed by the utmost benefit as far as the muscular spasms were concerned ; for although the nitrite cannot of course exercise any remedial influence upon the centric disease, it is of no small advantage to be able to control a symptom which of all others is distressing to those to whom the patient is dear. Dr. Bridger found that it was necessary to increase the dose every twenty-four hours by about one-third.
If the child have been lately the subject of exhausting discharges, warmth should be employed, and stimulants such as the brandy-and-egg mixture of the British Pharmacopoeia must be given energetically.
If the convulsive attacks axe followed by symptoms indicative of intra cranial mischief, such as stupor, squinting, ptosis, etc., the child should be kept quiet and an ice-bag be applied to his head. In such cases the treat ment must be conducted according to the conditions from which the con vulsion is supposed to have arisen.
When the convulsions have ceased, and signs of irritability of the ner vous system are no longer to be observed, we must take steps to improve the general condition of the patient. His bowels should be attended to, and his diet carefully regulated. If rickets be present, it must be treated according to the directions laid down for the management of these cases. Most children in whom the convulsive tendency exists are benefited by iron wine and cod-liver oil, for their nutrition is usually at fault, and both the alcohol and the iron contained in the wine are beneficial, while the oil is of the utmost value in supplying nutritive deficiencies. Fresh air, too, is of extreme importance, and the child should be warmly dressed and taken regularly out of doors.