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1902

Page 270

Presented as published in 1902. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
In the latter part of the first year, pure water may occasionally be given. Those parents who accustom their chil- dren to drink water only, bestow on them a benefit, the value of which will be sensibly felt through life. Habits of intemperance, the curse of after life, are often laid in infancy. Rising early in the morning is good for all children, provided they wake of themselves, which they generally do ; they ought not to be waked out of their sleep. Children, till they are two or three years old must never be allowed to walk long enough to be weary. In laying a child to sleep, place it upon the right side oftener than on the left, but twice in the twenty-four hours it should be changed to the left side. Laying it on its back when it awakes, is enough of that posture, in which alone it can move its legs and arms with freedom. Place the cradle so that the light may come equally on both eyes, to prevent squinting. Infants cannot sleep too long. Sleep promotes a more calm and uniform cir- culation of the blood, and facilitates assimilation of the nutriment received. Mothers and nurses should try and ac- custom infants, from the time of their birth, to sleep in the night, preferably to the day. To awaken children from sleep with a noise, or in an impetuous manner, is unwise and hurtful ; also to carry them from a dark room immediately into a glaring light, for the sudden impression of light debilitates the organs of vision, and lays the foundation of weak eyes from infancy. Infants are sometimes very restless at night, caused by either cramming them with too much food, by tight night clothes, or by being overheated with blankets, &c. Never give an infant wine, spirits, or any drug, to make it sleep. Milk, water, or both mixed, whey or thin gruel ; these are the fittest for infants. The more simple and light their drink, the more they will thrive. A bed-room or nursery, ought to be spacious and lofty, dry, airy, and not inhabited through the day. Feather beds should be banished from nurseries, as they are an unnatural and debilita- ting contrivance. The windows should never be open at night, but left open the whole day, in fine clear weather. Nurses ought never to conceal any ac- cident befalling a child. All violent impressions on the senses and bodies of children should be avoided. It is in- INF 220 INK Jurious to toss them about rapidly and violently in their arms. Loud crying, or shouting in their ears, presenting glittering objects to their view, and sudden and too great a degree of light ; such practices are very injurious. Do not bare their arms, throat or legs, have all well covered. Thousands of young children die annually, simply from want of their limbs being protected from cold ; sacrificed merely to follow a foolish fashion. INFECTION, to Prevent. — Sprinkle a room, &c. with a solution of chloride of lime ; or sprinkle dissolved camphor in spirits of wine upon your handkerchief ; it may be diluted with acetic acid. Or, smoke this mixture: — Tobacco, 4 ozs. ; cascarilla bark, % oz. ; un- bum t coffee, ground, i oz. ; mix, and smoke occasionally.