Child's Health Primer For Primary Classes Part 9

4. How much of it is needed to kill a dog?

5. What harm can the nicotine in one cigar do, if taken pure?

6. Tell the story of the visit to the snuff mill.

7. Why are boys made sick by their first use of tobacco?

8. Why does not smoking a cigar kill a man?

9. What is said about a little poison?

CHAPTER IX.

OPIUM.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A]LCOHOL and tobacco are called narcotics (nar kot'iks).

This means that they have the power of putting the nerves to sleep.

Opium (o'pi um) is another narcotic.

It is a poison made from the juice of poppies, and is used in medicines.

Opium is put into soothing-syrups (sir'ups), and these are sometimes given to babies to keep them from crying. They do this by injuring the tender nerves and poisoning the little body.

How can any one give a baby opium to save taking patient care of it?

Surely the mothers would not do it, if they knew that this soothing-syrup that appears like a friend, coming to quiet and comfort the baby, is really an enemy.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Don't give soothing-syrup to children._]

Sometimes, a child no older than some of you are, is left at home with the care of a baby brother or sister; so it is best that you should know about this dangerous enemy, and never be tempted to quiet the baby by giving him a poison, instead of taking your best and kindest care of him.

REVIEW QUESTIONS.

1. What is a narcotic?

2. Name three narcotics?

3. From what is opium made?

4. For what is it used?

5. Why is soothing-syrup dangerous?

CHAPTER X.

WHAT ARE ORGANS?

[Ill.u.s.tration: A]N organ is a part of the body which has some special work to do. The eye is the organ of sight. The stomach (stum'ak) is an organ which takes care of the food we eat.

THE TEETH.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Different kinds of teeth._]

Your teeth do not look alike, since they must do different kinds of work. The front ones cut, the back ones grind.

They are made of a kind of bone covered with a hard smooth enamel (en am'el). If the enamel is broken, the teeth soon decay and ache, for each tooth is furnished with a nerve that very quickly feels pain.

CARE OF THE TEETH.

Cracking nuts with the teeth, or even biting thread, is apt to break the enamel; and when once broken, you will wish in vain to have it mended.

The dentist can fill a hole in the tooth; but he can not cover the tooth with new enamel.

Bits of food should be carefully picked from between the teeth with a tooth-pick of quill or wood, never with a pin or other hard and sharp thing which might break the enamel.

The teeth must also be well brushed. Nothing but perfect cleanliness will keep them in good order. Always brush them before breakfast. Your breakfast will taste all the better for it. Brush them at night before you go to bed, lest some food should be decaying in your mouth during the night.

Take care of these cutters and grinders, that they may not decay, and so be unable to do their work well.

THE CHEST AND ABDOMEN.

You have learned about the twenty-four little bones in the spine, and the ribs that curve around from the spine to the front, or breast-bone.

These bones, with the shoulder-blades and the collar-bones, form a bony case or box.

In it are some of the most useful organs of the body.

This box is divided across the middle by a strong muscle, so that we may say it is two stories high.

The upper room is called the chest; the lower one, the abdomen (ab do'men).

In the chest, are the heart and the lungs.

In the abdomen, are the stomach, the liver, and some other organs.

THE STOMACH.