Toddlers

By the time children are 1-2 years of age, their sleep patterns tend to be geared to household routines. Most will be awake for lengthy periods during the day, and have a nap in the afternoon, though some may still need two naps a day. Sometimes they will be very tired and not relaxed enough [...]

Stop the bleeding, always use direct pressure … “Put your thumb on it.”

IF MINOR: Clean the wound with clean, running water, follow up by cleaning with an antiseptic solution, then apply an antiseptic dressing — mercurochrome or acriflavine are useful.

Use a clean dressing to cover the wound — a band aid or a bandage — [...]

Tonsillitis is a common infection of childhood but is seen less often in adults.

During the teens, a sore throat may be due to tonsillitis or it may be due to glandular fever or infectious mononucleosis.

In the early stages, it may be difficult to tell the difference between them but later the typical greyish-white membrane over [...]

Normally when specimens of tissue are examined by the pathologist to determine their nature, he sets the tissue in paraffin for about 24 hours before making thin sections to examine under a microscope.

In the technique of frozen section, the piece of tissue removed is frozen by carbon dioxide snow (what we know as “dry ice”).

The [...]

Along the course of the intestinal tract, a large number of interesting events take place. As you know, digestion commences when saliva is pumped into the mouth. More juices, mainly acid and certain chemicals, are injected into the stomach. Further along, other chemicals called enzymes are pumped into the intestinal passageways also. All these are [...]

Activity

Gradually more control of muscular movements is gained. When lying on the back the baby is able to keep the head in the mid position, and is able to rotate the head in many directions, while sitting or while lying down. If a baby so desires, he is able to keep his head erect and [...]

A number of marine organisms are poisonous to humans. These can be divided into those which are poisonous when eaten and those which are venomous, either stinging or injecting poison.

Ciguatera poisoning is caused by eating fish which have consumed toxic algae which colonise damaged coral reefs. Herbivorous fish graze on the algae, which is incorporated [...]

Bruises are made up of blood that has escaped from capillaries (tiny blood vessels) or larger blood vessels and can be seen through the skin. They vary from pinhead-size to several centimeters across. Bruises usually are black and blue in color. If they are near the skin’s surface, they appear maroon or purple. Bruises of [...]

Are You Drinking Too Much?

One in 10 people who drink will become an alcoholic. While moderate drinking yields health benefits, problem drinking wrecks lives. If you have trouble with alcohol, you should not drink at all, states the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. Check yourself for the following signs that you may or [...]

Screening specific groups of people who are either totally without symptoms or who have symptoms that prompt a search for disease in its earliest stages has been a part of preventive medicine in the UK for about seventy years, since the regular examination of schoolchildren was first introduced on a national basis. Shortly afterwards-during World [...]