Croup is a spasm of the muscles of the larynx, causing a sudden closure of the glottis - the opening into the windpipe - followed by a long indrawing of the breath, which produces the crowing sound. The term "croup " is very loosely applied by non-medical people. For descriptive purposes, the late Dr. Savill, in his excellent book, " Clinical Medicine," says that there are three types of croup occurring in childhood:

1. Nervous Croup, in which there is no cough or hoarseness. It is due to some irritation of nerves supplying the larynx. A child is often subject to such attacks, if . he is of a rickety type, from improper feeding and unhygienic conditions.

Treatment consists in putting the child into a hot bath and dashing cold water on the face. The provision of rest, quiet, and very careful diet is the best way to prevent further attacks.

2. Catarrhal Croup comes on very often at night, when the child has been suffering from cough and hoarseness for a few hours previously. It is associated with catarrh of the larynx, and the croup is due to the collection of a thick secretion around the larynx and the glottis.

The treatment is the same as for nervous croup, with special attention to the catarrh, which may be associated with some fever.

3. Membranous Croup is really diphtheria,

(which see), and is a disturbance of breathing caused by the diphtheritic membrane over the back of the throat.

Cystitis is an inflammation of the bladder, which may be either acute or chronic. The condition requires skilled medical and surgical treatment. Domestic measures may include rest and milk diet, and such fluids as milk and soda, barley-water, etc.

Dandruff is an infection of the scalp due to disorganised secretion of the sebaceous glands of the skin. Sometimes there is too much secretion. and the condition is called moist dandruff or moist seborrhcea. The natural oily secretion is diminished in dry seborrhoea, and the scalp is scaly. The scalp is often irritable, and the hair falls out. The condition is apt to be very chronic if it is not treated. One of the best treatments is to wash the hair once a week with a soap consisting of equal parts of soft soap and rectified spirits - say one ounce of each. This should be mixed into a lather with soft, warm water, and a little of the following pomade should be rubbed into the hair every night: