Suddenly the character of the motion changes,--from being principally
stool, it becomes almost entirely blood and mucus; he is dreadfully
griped, which causes him to strain violently, as though his inside
would come away every time he has a motion,--screaming and twisting
about, evidently being in the greatest pain, drawing his legs up to
his belly and writhing in agony. Sickness and vomiting are always
present, which still more robs him of his little remaining strength,
and prevents the repair of his system. Now, look at his face! It is
the very picture of distress. Suppose he has been a plump, healthy
little fellow, you will see his face, in a few days, become
old-looking, care-worn, haggard, and pinched. Day and night the enemy
tracks him (unless proper remedies be administered); no sleep, or if
he sleep, he is, every few minutes, roused. It is heart-rending to
have to attend a bad case of dysentery in a child,--the writhing, the
screaming, the frequent vomiting, the pitiful look, the rapid wasting
and exhaustion, make it more distressing to witness than almost any
other disease a doctor attends.

104. _Can anything be done to relieve such a case_?

Yes. A judicious medical man will do a great deal. But, suppose that
yon are not able to procure one, I will tell you _what to do_ and
_what NOT to do_.

_What to do_.--If the child be at the breast, keep him to it, and let
him have nothing else for dysentery is frequently caused by improper
feeding. If your milk be not good, or it be scanty, _instantly_
procure a healthy wet-nurse. _Lose not a moment;_ for in dysentery,
moments are precious. But, suppose that you have no milk, and that no
wet-nurse can be procured: what then? Feed him entirely on cow's