let them be lanced; in the second, if the secretions from the bowels are
either unhealthy or scanty, give him a dose of aperient medicine, such
as castor oil, or the following: Take two or three grains of powdered
Turkey rhubarb, three grains of pure carbonate of magnesia, and one
grain of aromatic powder. Mix. The powder to be taken at bedtime, mixed
in a teaspoonful of sugar and water, and which should, if necessary, be
repeated the following night. In the third place, if the food he be
taking does not agree with him, change it (_vide_ answer to question
33). Give it in smaller quantities at a time, and not so frequently; or,
what will be better still, if it be possible, keep him, for awhile,
entirely to the breast.
_What_ NOT _to do_.—Do not let him overload his stomach either with
breast-milk or _with artificial food_. Let the mother avoid, until his
sickness be relieved, greens, cabbage, and all other green vegetables.
109. _What are the causes, the symptoms, the prevention, and the cure of
Thrush?_
The thrush is a frequent disease of an infant, and is often brought on
either by stuffing him or by giving him improper food. A child brought
up _entirely_, for the first three or four months, on the breast, seldom
suffers from this complaint. The thrush consists of several irregular,
roundish, white specks on the lips, the tongue, the inside and the
angles of the mouth, giving the parts affected the appearance of curds
and whey having been smeared upon them. The mouth is hot and painful,
and he is afraid to suck: the moment the nipple is put into his mouth he
begins to cry. The thrush sometimes, although but rarely, runs through
the whole of the alimentary canal. It should be borne in mind that
nearly every child who is sucking has his or her tongue white or
“frosted” as it is sometimes called. The thrush may be mild or very
severe.
Now with regard to _What to do_.—As the thrush is generally owing to
improper and to artificial feeding, _if the child be at the breast_,
keep him, for a time entirely to it. Do not let him be always sucking,
as that will not only fret his mouth, but will likewise irritate and
make sore the mother’s nipple.
_If he be not at the breast_, but has been weaned, then keep him for a
few days entirely to a milk diet—to the milk of ONE cow—either boiled,
if it be hot weather, to keep it sweet; or unboiled, in cool
weather—fresh as it comes from the cow.
The best medicine is the old-fashioned one of borax, a combination of
powdered lump sugar and borax being a good one for the purpose: the
powdered lump sugar increases the efficacy and the cleansing properties
of the borax; it tends, moreover, to make it more palatable:
Take of—Biborate of Soda, half a drachm;
Lump-sugar, two scruples:
To be well mixed together, and made into twelve powders. One of the
powders to be put dry on the tongue every four hours.
The best _local_ remedy is honey of borax, which ought to be smeared
frequently, by means of the finger, on the parts affected.
Thorough ventilation of the apartment must be observed; and great
cleanliness of the vessels containing the milk should be insisted upon.
In a bad case of thrush, change of air to the country is most desirable;
the effect is sometimes, in such cases, truly magical.
If the thrush be brought on either by too much or by improper food, in
the first case, of course, a mother must lessen the quantity; and, in
the second, she should be more careful in her selection.
_What_ NOT _to do_.—Do not use either a calf’s teat or wash-leather for
the feeding-bottle; fortunately, since the invention of india-rubber
teats, they are now nearly exploded; they were, in olden times, fruitful
causes of thrush. Do not mind the trouble of ascertaining that the
cooking-vessels connected with the baby’s food are perfectly clean and
sweet. Do not leave the purity and the goodness of the cow’s milk (it
being absolutely necessary to feed him on artificial food) to be judged
either by the milkman or by the nurse, but taste and prove it yourself.
Do not keep the milk in a warm place, but either in the dairy or in the
cellar; and, if it be summer time, let the jug holding the milk be put
in a crock containing lumps of ice. Do not use milk that has been milked
longer than twelve hours, but, if practicable, have it milked direct
from the cow, and use it _immediately_—let it be really and truly fresh
and genuine milk.
When the disease is _severe_, it may require more active treatment—such
as a dose of calomel; _which medicine must never be given, unless it be
either under the direction of a medical man, or unless it be in an
extreme case,—such as dysentery_; therefore, the mother had better seek
advice. See the Treatment of Dysentery.
In a _severe_ case of thrush, where the complaint has been brought on by
_artificial_ feeding—the babe not having the advantage of the mother’s
milk—it is really surprising how rapidly a wet-nurse—if the case has not
been too long deferred—will effect a cure, where all other means have
been tried and have failed. The effect has been truly magical! In a
severe case of thrush, pure air and thorough ventilation are essential
to recovery.
110. _Is anything to be learned from the cry of an infant?_
There is a language in the cry of an infant which a thoughtful medical
man can well interpret. The cry of hunger, for instance, is very
characteristic,—it is unaccompanied with tears, and is a wailing cry;
the cry of teething is a fretful cry; the cry of earache is short,
sharp, piercing, and decisive, the head being moved about from side to
side, and the little hand being often put up to the affected side of the
head; the cry of bowel-ache is also expressive,—the cry is not so
piercing as from earache, and is an interrupted, straining cry,
accompanied with a drawing up of the legs to the belly; the cry of
bronchitis is a gruff and phlegmatic cry; the cry of inflammation of the
lungs is more a moan than a cry; the cry of croup is hoarse, and rough,
and ringing, and is so characteristic that it may truly be called “the
croupy cry,” moreover, he breathes as though he breathed through muslin;
the cry of inflammation of the membranes of the brain is a piercing
shriek—a danger signal—most painful to hear; the cry of a child
recovering from a severe illness is a cross, and wayward, and tearful
cry; he may truly be said to be in a quarrelsome mood; he bursts out
without rhyme or reason into a passionate flood of tears; tears are
always, in a severe illness, to be looked upon as a good omen, as a sign
of amendment: tears, when a child is dangerously ill, are rarely if ever
seen; a cry at night, for light—a frequent cause of a babe crying—is a
restless cry:
“An infant crying in the night:
An infant crying for the light:
And with no language but a cry.”
111. _If an infant be delicate, have you any objection to his having
either veal or mutton broth to strengthen him?_
Broths seldom agree with a babe at the breast. I have known them to
produce sickness, disorder the bowels, and create fever. I recommend
you, therefore, not to make the attempt.
Although broth and beef-tea, when taken by the mouth, will seldom agree
with an infant at the breast, yet, when used as an enema, and in small
quantities, so that they may be retained, I have frequently found them
to be of great benefit: they have, in some instances, appeared to have
snatched delicate children from the brink of the grave.
112. _My babe’s ankles are very weak: what do you advise to strengthen
them?_
If his ankles be weak, let them every morning be bathed, after the
completion of his morning’s ablution, for five minutes each time, with
bay salt and water, a small handful of bay salt dissolved in a quart of
rain water (with the chill of the water taken off in the winter, and of
its proper temperature in the summer time); then let them be dried;
after the drying, let the ankles be well rubbed with the following
liniment:
Take of—Oil of Rosemary, three drachms;
Liniment of Camphor, thirteen drachms:
To make a Liniment.
Do not let him be put on his feet early; but allow him to crawl, and
sprawl, and kick about the floor, until his ankles become strong.
Do not, on any account, without having competent advice on the subject,
use iron instruments or mechanical supports of any kind: the ankles are
generally, by such artificial supports, made worse, in consequence of
the pressure causing a further dwindling away and enfeebling of the
ligaments of the ankles, already wasted and weakened.
Let him wear shoes, with straps over the insteps to keep them on, and
not boots: boots will only, by wasting the ligaments, increase the
weakness of the ankles.
113. _Sometimes there is a difficulty in restraining the bleeding of
leech-bites. What is the best method?_
The difficulty in these cases generally arises from the improper method
of performing it. For example—a mother endeavors to stop the hemorrhage
by loading the part with rag; the more the bites discharge, the more rag
she applies. At the same time, the child probably is in a room with a
large fire, with two or three candles, with the doors closed, and with
perhaps a dozen people in the apartment, whom the mother has, in her
fright, sent for. This practice is strongly reprehensible.
If the bleeding cannot be stopped,—in the first place, the fire must be
extinguished, the door and windows should be thrown open, and the room
ought to be cleared of persons, with the exception of one, or, at the
most, two; and every rag should be removed. “Stopping of
leech-bites.—The simplest and most certain way, till the proper
assistance is obtained, is the pressure of the finger, with nothing
intervening. It _cannot_ bleed through that.” [Sir Charles Locock, in a
_Letter_ to the Author.]
Many babies have lost their lives by excessive loss of blood from
leech-bites, from a mother not knowing how to act, and also from the
medical man either living at a distance, or not being at hand.
Fortunately for the infantile community, leeches are now very seldom
ordered by doctors.
114. _Supposing a baby to be poorly, have you any advice to give to his
mother as to her own management?_
She must endeavor to calm her feelings, or her milk will be disordered,
and she will thus materially increase his illness. If he be laboring
under any inflammatory disorder, she ought to refrain from the taking of
beer, wine, and spirits, and from all stimulating food; otherwise, she
will feed his disease.
Before concluding the first part of my subject—the Management of
Infancy—let me again urge upon you the importance—the paramount
importance—if you wish your babe to be strong and hearty,—of giving him
as little opening physic as possible. The best physic for him is
Nature’s physic—fresh air and exercise and simplicity of living. A
mother who is herself always drugging her child, can only do good to two
persons—the doctor and the druggist!
If an infant from his birth be properly managed,—if he has an abundance
of fresh air for his lungs,—if he has plenty of exercise for his muscles
(by allowing him to kick and sprawl on the floor),—if he has a good
swilling and sousing of water for his skin,—if, during the _early_
months of his life, he has nothing but the mother’s milk for his
stomach,—he will require very little medicine—the less the better! He
does not want his stomach to be made into a doctor’s shop! The grand
thing is not to take every opportunity of administering physic, but of
using every means of withholding it! And if physic be necessary, not to
doctor him yourself, unless it be in extreme and urgent cases (which in
preceding and succeeding Conversations I either have or will indicate),
but to employ an experienced medical man. A babe who is always, without
rhyme or reason, being physicked, is sure to be puny, delicate, and
unhealthy, and is ready, at any moment, to drop into an untimely grave!
CONCLUDING REMARKS ON INFANCY.
115. In concluding the first part of our subject—Infancy—I beg to
remark. There are four things essentially necessary to an infant’s
well-doing, namely, (1) plenty of water for the skin; (2) plenty of milk
for the stomach; (3) plenty of fresh air for the lungs; (4) plenty of
sleep for the brain: these are the four grand essentials for a babe;
without an abundance of each and all of them, perfect health is utterly
impossible!
CHILDHOOD.
_Household treasures! household treasures!
Are they jewels rich and rare;
Or gems of rarest workmanship;
Or gold and silver ware?
Ask the mother as she gazes
On her little ones at play:
Household treasures! household treasures!
Happy children—ye are they._
J. E. CARPENTER.
ABLUTION.
116. _At twelve months old, do you still recommend a child to be_ PUT IN
HIS TUB _to be washed_?
Certainly I do, as I have previously recommended at page 19, in order
that his skin may be well and thoroughly cleansed. If it be summer time,
the water should be used cold; if it be winter, a dash of warm must be
added, so that it may be of the temperature of new milk; but do not, on
any account, use _very warm_ water. The head must be washed (but not
dried) before he be placed in his tub; then, putting him in the tub
containing the necessary quantity of water, and washing him as
previously recommended (See Infancy—Ablution), a large sponge should be
filled with the water and squeezed over the head, so that the water may
stream over the whole surface of the body. A jugful of cold water
should, just before taking him out of his bath, be poured over and down
his loins; all this ought rapidly to be done, and he must be quickly
dried with soft towels, and then expeditiously dressed. For the washing
of your child I would recommend you to use Castile soap in preference to
any other: it is more pure, and less irritating, and hence does not
injure the texture of the skin. Take care that the soap does not get
into his eyes, or it might produce irritation and smarting.
117. _Some mothers object to a child’s_ STANDING _in the water_.
If the head be wetted before he be placed in the tub, and if he be
washed as above directed, there can be no valid objection to it. He must
not be allowed to remain in the tub more than five minutes.
118. _Does not washing the child’s head, every morning, make him more
liable to catch cold, and does it not tend to weaken his sight?_
It does neither the one nor the other; on the contrary, it prevents
cold, and strengthens the sight; it cleanses the scalp, prevents scurf,
and, by that means, causes a more beautiful head of hair. The head,
after each washing, ought to be well brushed with a soft brush, but
should not be combed. The brushing causes a healthy circulation of the
scalp.
119. _If the head, notwithstanding the washing, be scurfy, what should
be done?_
After the head has been well dried, let a little cocoanut oil be well
rubbed, for five minutes each time, into the roots of the hair, and,
afterward, let the head be well brushed, but not combed. The fine-tooth
comb will cause a greater accumulation of scurf, and will scratch and
injure the scalp.
120. _Do you recommend a child to be washed_ IN HIS TUB _every night and
morning_?
No; once a day is quite sufficient; in the morning in preference to the
evening; unless he be poorly, then, evening instead of morning; as,
immediately after he has been washed and dried, he can be put to bed.
121. _Ought a child to be placed in his tub while he is in a state of
perspiration?_
Not while he is perspiring _violently_, or the perspiration might be
checked suddenly, and ill consequences would ensue; _nor ought he to be
put in his tub when he is cold_, or his blood would be chilled, and
would be sent from the skin to some internal vital part, and thus would
be likely to light up inflammation—probably of the lungs. His skin, when
he is placed in his bath, ought to be moderately and comfortably warm;
neither too hot nor too cold.
122. _When the child is a year old, do you recommend cold or warm water
to be used?_
If it be winter, a little warm water ought to be added, so as to raise
the temperature to that of new milk. As the summer advances, less and
less warm water is required, so that, at length, none is needed.
123. _If a child be delicate, do you recommend anything to be added to
the water which may tend to brace and strengthen him?_
Either a handful of table salt or half a handful of bay salt should be
previously dissolved in a quart jug of _cold_ water; then, just before
taking the child out of his morning bath, let the above be poured over
and down the back and loins of the child—holding the jug, while pouring
its contents on the back, twelve inches from the child, in order that it
might act as a kind of douche bath.
124. _Do you recommend the child, after he has been dried with the
towel, to be rubbed with the hand?_
I do; as friction encourages the cutaneous circulation, and causes the
skin to perform its functions properly, thus preventing the perspiration
(which is one of the impurities of the body) from being sent inwardly
either to the lungs or to other parts. The back, the chest, the bowels,
and the limbs are the parts that ought to be well rubbed.
CLOTHING.
125. _Have you any remarks to make on the clothing of a child?_
Children—boys and girls—especially if they be delicate, ought always to
wear high dresses up to their necks. The exposure of the upper part of
the chest (if the child be weakly) is dangerous. It is in the _upper_
part of the lungs, in the region of the collar-bones, that consumption
first shows itself. The clothing of a child, more especially about the
chest, should be large and full in every part, and be free from tight
strings, so that the circulation of the blood may not be impeded, and
that there may be plenty of room for the full development of the rapidly
growing body.
His frock or tunic ought to be of woolen material—warm, light, and
porous, in order that the perspiration may rapidly evaporate. The
practice of some mothers in allowing their children to wear tight bands
round their waists, and tight clothes, is truly reprehensible.
_Tight_ bands or _tight_ belts around the waist of a child are very
injurious to health; they crib in the chest, and thus interfere with the
rising and the falling of the ribs—so essential to breathing. _Tight_
hats ought never to be worn; by interfering with the circulation they
cause headaches. Nature delights in freedom, and resents interference!
126. _What parts of the body in particular ought to be kept warm?_
The chest, the bowels, and the feet should be kept comfortably warm. We
must guard against an opposite extreme, and not keep them too hot. The
head alone should be kept cool, on which account I do not approve either
of night or of day caps.
127. _What are the best kinds of hat for a child?_
The best covering for the head, when he is out and about, is a
loose-fitting straw hat, which will allow the perspiration to escape. It
should have a broad brim, to screen the eyes. A sunshade, that is to
say, a sea-side hat—a hat made of cotton, with a wide brim to keep off
the sun—is also an excellent hat for a child; it is very light, and
allows a free escape of the perspiration. It can be bought, ready made,
at a baby-linen warehouse.
A knitted or crocheted woolen hat, with woolen rosettes to keep the ears
warm, and which may be procured at any baby-linen warehouse, makes a
nice and comfortable winter’s hat for a child. It is also a good hat for
him to wear while performing a long journey. The color chosen is
generally scarlet and white, which, in cold weather, gives it a warm and
comfortable appearance.
It is an abominable practice to cover a child’s head either with beaver
or with felt, or with any thick, impervious material. It is a
well-ascertained fact, that both beaver and silk hats cause men to
suffer from headache, and to lose their hair—the reason being that the
perspiration cannot possibly escape through them. Now, if the
perspiration cannot escape, dangerous, or at all events injurious,
consequences must ensue, as it is well known that the skin is a
breathing apparatus, and that it will not with impunity bear
interference.
Neither a child nor any one else should be permitted to be in the glare
of the sun without his hat. If he be allowed, he is likely to have a
sun-stroke, which might either at once kill him, or might make him an
idiot for the remainder of his life, which latter would be the worse
alternative of the two.
128. _Have you any remarks to make on keeping a child’s hands and legs
warm when, in the winter time, he is carried out?_
When a child either walks or is carried out in wintry weather, be sure
and see that both his hands and legs are well protected from the cold.
There is nothing for this purpose like woolen gloves, and woolen
stockings coming up over the knees.
129. _Do you approve of a child wearing a flannel night-gown?_
He frequently throws the clothes off him, and has occasion to be taken
up in the night, and if he has not a flannel gown on is likely to catch
cold; on which account I recommend it to be worn. The usual calico
night-gown should be worn _under_ it.
130. _Do you advise a child to be_ LIGHTLY _clad, in order that he may
be hardened thereby_?
I should fear that such a plan, instead of hardening, would be likely to
produce a contrary effect. It is an ascertained fact that more children
of the poor, who are thus lightly clad, die, than of those who are
properly defended from the cold. Again, what holds good with a young
plant is equally applicable to a young child; and we all know that it is
ridiculous to think of unnecessarily exposing a tender plant to harden
it. If it were thus exposed, it would wither and die!
131. _If a child be delicate, if he has a cold body or a languid
circulation, or if he be predisposed to inflammation of the lungs, do
you approve of his wearing flannel instead of linen shirts?_
I do; as flannel tends to keep the body at an equal temperature, thus
obviating the effects of the sudden changes of the weather, and
promotes, by gentle friction, the cutaneous circulation, thus warming
the cold body, and giving an impetus to the languid circulation, and
preventing an undue quantity of blood from being sent to the lungs,
either to light up or to feed inflammation. _Fine_ flannel, of course,
ought to be worn, which should be changed as frequently as the usual
shirts.
If a child has had an attack either of bronchitis or of inflammation of
the lungs, or if he has just recovered from scarlet fever, by all means,
if he has not previously worn flannel, _instantly_ let him begin to do
so, and let him, _next_ to the skin, wear a flannel waistcoat. _This is
important advice, and ought not to be disregarded._
_Scarlet_ flannel is now much used instead of _white_ flannel; and as
scarlet flannel has a more comfortable appearance, and does not shrink
so much in washing, it may for the white be substituted.
132. _Have you any remarks to make on the shoes and stockings of a
child? and on the right way of cutting the toe-nails?_
He ought, during the winter, to wear lambs’ wool stockings that will
reach _above_ the knees, and _thick_ calico drawers that will reach a
few inches _below_ the knees; as it is of the utmost importance to keep
the lower extremities comfortably warm. It is really painful to see how
many mothers expose the bare legs of their little ones to the frosty
air, even in the depths of winter. “Tender little children are exposed
to the bitterest weather, with their legs bared in a manner that would
inevitably injure the health of strong adults.”
Garters ought not to be worn, as they impede the circulation, waste the
muscles, and interfere with walking. The stocking may be secured in its
place by means of a loop and tape, which should be fastened to a part of
the dress.