Science.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 401, 14 January 1904, Page 2

Science.

';■ v I SEJECZEM.I is an inflammatory disease cMW of the skin, and is a very common ailment of childhood. It often occurs also in old people; it is much more rare in middle-life. The disease shows itself in as eruption/on the skin, generally of an oozing matter frem little vesicles which have followed the first eymptoms of the complaint—ie., red and slightly swollen patches on the Bkin. ■'. -- -, ''*'. . ' - It is the commonest of all skin diseases.

It is very prevalent during teething. Some babies have attacks of eczema; -■fath every fresh tooth that is out; but, once teeihmi? is over, they are often troubled , with it no more. Ti , : . \ I' ; , Vabistibs of Eozwi, " ■

i There are several v&nesiss of eczema. Sometimes it is acute; the face is swollen and inflamed so that the eyes are closed and the features altered almost past recognition. '- ' ' '>' , Such cases, fortunately, are rare. ' When they do occur, they must be treated by a doator. '■ -,•;.. - - \ - v .

Sometimes the symptoms are merely dry, red, scaly patches ob the skin, hardly, or perhaps not at aIJ, swollen, and not moist, but itehing intensely. Then there are others in which there ia an eruption o? tiny red pimples over the body and limbs, which may at first give the idea that the.patient has scarlatina (butthe fact of there being bo sore throat should dispel this fear), the red pimples dry up, and the ekin sheds. The commonest form, however, ia that of an eruption of of little vesicles following os the appearance of red and swollen patches, these vesicles burst and leave an; excoriated surface, with a discharge of a gummy fiaid, this forms a scab »b it dries. TBKATJCBNT'da-fecißiaA^ The ailment is chiefly-caused by an acid state of the blood, a gouty constitution predisposes to it Of all things sweet eating must be strictly, forbidden; sweets form acid in the stomach, end make the blood acid. One otrer-indulgence in aweetstuffs will bring on an attack of eczema in a child whj is subject to the ailment. '-;'> >,■■-■.

Fresh'--fruit and vegetables may be freely eaten. Straw berries are parti, cularly useful 5 asd, of all things,, green vegetables —spinach, sprouts, &3. ! It is most important, to avoid all Baited and preserved foods.

Fresh meat, and milk, and plenty of nourishing food is needed where there is much oozing dischasga, as it is weakening.

SPEED ON ENGLISH RAILWAYS. There is every indication that the racing in the railway world will be taken up again shortly, and the distance between the Metropolis and the Scottish capital covered in much lees time than was done a few years ago, when the strife for supremacy existed between the three campanies whose lines extend from north to south.

• Baring' was the term applied by the public, and though the companies concerned repudiated the word * racing,' preferring to substitute 'acceleration,' the fact still remains that it was simply strife as to who could 'get there first.' ? <•: Just at a time like the present the different railway companies are preparing their respective schedules for the coming summer service, which commences with the advent of May, but it is the month of July in which the full service is brought into force, and continues until the end of September, and the present year may see some record performances established. The Midland Company are making a new departure, inasmuch as they are about to lay water troughs on their main lines at Loughdorougb, Treetos, Cudworth, and Ormßide, on the London to Carlisle section, and at Grindleford, on the Sheffield and Manchester portion, and also at Matlock, on the Darby &sd Manchester lines, for the purpose of enabling the engines to take up a supply of water, whilst running, BULLET'S STEA.NGE EFFECT. M. Lecuier, of Sugny, in the Ardennes, an eld pensioner, who was wounded on the field of battle during the FrancoGerman war and suffered from a tumor caused by a shot in the leg, has undergone an operation. The bullet had been extracted in 1870, but the tumor continued and finally Lecuief oould not walk. The surgeons were greatly surprised in the course of the operation to find embedded in the wound a coin of ten centimes (a penny) bearing the effigy of Napoleon 111. and tfce date 1856, Tne penny is believed to have been carried into the thigh hy a German bullet which had first struck the soldier's purss. The coin was bent in two and covered with powder on ene side. It will be placed in th> local museum. The patient is now ont of danger and going on well.