Recovery.—­The course of the disease varies considerably.  In mild cases the symptoms disappear very soon.  In the worst form the patient may die in a week or ten days.  As a rule, in moderately severe cases after persisting for five or six weeks, the condition remains about the same for a few months, and then improvement slowly begins and recovery takes place in six to twelve months.  In neuritis from alcohol drinking there is a rapid onset as a rule, with delirium and delusions.  The result is usually favorable and after persisting for weeks or months improvement gradually begins, the muscles regain their power, and even in the most desperate cases recovery may follow.  The mental symptoms are very severe in alcoholic cases.  Delirium is common.  It takes much longer for such cases to regain what they call their normal condition.

Neuritis following diphtheria and other infectious diseases.  The outlook in cases from these diseases is usually favorable, and except in diphtheria, fatal cases are uncommon.  It is most common from diphtheria.  Recovery, in neuritis from diphtheria, takes place in about three months, but some cases are fatal.

Neuritis from lead.—­The first symptoms are those of intestinal colic, lead line on the gums, “dropped-wrist.”  The recovery is quite gradual and the poison may be cast out in three to four months.

In Neuritis from Arsenic.—­We have disturbance of the stomach and bowels first, then the legs and arms are about equally affected, weakened; may recover in two to six months.

Treatment for acute kind.—­The first thing to do is to rest in bed and control the pain and acute symptoms.  Hot applications help to relieve the suffering.  Patient must be kept comfortably and constantly warm and quiet.  Hot applications of lead water and laudanum.

Medicines.—­It may be necessary to use morphine to control the pain.  Remedies such as antipyrine or aspirin are often used.  A physician must be called.  When the disease is caused by arsenic and lead and alcohol, of course you must remove the cause before you can hope for any improvement.

Caution.—­Any one can readily understand from reading this description that the thing to do is to be careful not to needlessly expose yourself to taking cold.  One subject to rheumatism or neuritis, even in small degree, should take care not only not to take cold but not to overdo in laboring; cold, wet and over-exertion cause the majority of the acute attacks.  But some are caused by diseases, such as diphtheria, typhoid fever, etc., and a great many cases of neuritis following these and other infectious diseases can be avoided if proper care is taken during and after these diseases.  Such care can easily be taken.  Keep your rooms warm and comfortable, and the patient in bed or in a comfortable room until all danger is past.  How often I have heard a doctor blamed for such results when in most cases it is the patient’s or nurse’s