"Does a man throw his precious pearls and diamonds into the sea?"
"Why, then, do ye cast the priceless health and beauty of your
children to the winds?"
I cannot undertake to relate at present one tithe of the precautions
taken in the care of infants. Did I venture so to do I should have to
"descend" to the minutest particulars, such as the dispensing with
"pins," and the making the baby's dress in one piece, the nursing, and
form of the cradle, to the mode in which the baby is to be placed at the
side of the mother, to prevent its being overlaid or injured,--
everything, in fact, which in Montalluyah is thought essential to
protect infants and save them from unnecessary suffering, in order that
their young strength may be husbanded for the future requirements of the
man.
To give you some notion, however, of the minutiae to which our care
extended, I will explain to you one series of precautions which has
great influence on the child's health, beauty, and intelligence.
Young children formerly suffered greatly from fits and various diseases,
caused by the want of healthy circulation. When more advanced, and
whilst learning to walk, they were subject to falls. This was amongst
the most serious evils of early neglect, for it was demonstrated beyond
doubt that accidents to the infant, prominent amongst which were blows
received on its head, not only affected its after-growth, and laid the
foundation of nervous and other disorders, but were often attended with
the sadder result, that the child's intellect was impaired.
Nevertheless, so little was this danger apprehended, that many people
long indulged in the foolish habit of boxing children's ears, unaware
that the shock produced on the nerves of the head, which are the
conduits of electricity, often made a child stupid, if, indeed, the
effects of this brutal practice were not in after-life attended by more
serious consequences. In learning to walk, also, the weight of the
child's body, pressing on the legs too heavily, has a tendency to make
them crooked or bent, and to affect other parts of the body.
To obviate these evils, a man named Drahna invented, at my suggestion,
certain mechanical contrivances, which were so efficacious, and
prevented so much suffering, that his name will never be forgotten as
one of the great benefactors of our world.
These contrivances are respectively adapted to the infant when it cannot
sit up, when it can sit up, when it has acquired strength beyond the
second stage, and, lastly, when the limbs have acquired sufficient
strength to support the increased weight of the body.
The contrivance, in the first stage, is calculated to give the infant
healthful exercise, circulate the blood, and, at the same time to
protect him from injury. It consists of a soft spring-cushion, on which
the baby is laid; two little elastic bands on this cushion secure the
arms, whilst other bands secure the head, ankles, and waist. By turning
a small handle the machine is very gently set in motion, but by pressing
down a knob its velocity may be increased at will. So agreeable is the
action of the machine, that when the motion is altogether stopped the
child will often cry, or rather coo, that the movement may be repeated.
For the second stage, the instrument is similar to the first, but larger
and stronger.
The third stage is adapted to the time when it is judicious to begin to
teach the child to walk. The legs, and, indeed, every part of the body,
are supported by the instrument, which cannot be overturned. When this
is put into motion, the child's left leg is first moved, then the right,
and so on alternately. A perfect idea of walking, with the necessary
movement of the joints, is thus given to the child, without the
slightest strain on its limbs, as yet unfitted to bear the weight of its
own body. The machine continues in motion for a time sufficient to
exercise without causing fatigue.
As soon as the child has acquired the knowledge of the motion, and his
limbs are strong enough to support the weight of the body without
injury, these machines are put aside, and the fourth contrivance is
used. In this, the mechanism consists of a framework with very light and
soft bandages, made with the plumage and down of birds. With these
bandages the child's head, knees, elbows, wrists, shoulders, and loins
are gently bound. The framework to which the bandages are attached has a
projection from every point, on which the child, in case of accident,
can possibly fall, and he is thus effectually protected; for, as the
projection allows of his falling only slightly out of the perpendicular,
the concussion is but slight, and the young one is only pressed gently
on the soft down.
As the child increases in strength, the projections are removed at
intervals, one by one, commencing with those corresponding to the knees,
the last removed being those protecting the head, which are retained for
a long time. Even when they have been removed, the head is still guarded
by a light turban with inside springs, made so as to yield gently to a
blow, and thus save the head; so important is it considered to protect
this superior portion of the human frame.
When the bandages are first removed from the knees, the child has
perhaps some falls; but these, the head and other parts being protected,
are not attended with any serious consequences; and if the child
actually falls, the sensation of pain he may experience may teach him to
be more careful in future. Such lessons would, indeed, be valuable at
all times; but they would be purchased at too great a cost if learned at
the price of injury to body and mind.
The use of these four instruments was followed by remarkable results;
and they are thought of such great value to the community that the
districts supply them gratuitously to the poor. Those thus charitably
bestowed are less ornamental than the others, but equally efficient.