Very important is the changing of clothes
with infants. When their thighs are wet,
and all next to them is soiled, they should
be changed at once, always. Neglect of this
may cause chafing of the skin, very disturb-
ing to the child, and sometimes as bad as a
burn. A soft sponge is, when the skin is
tender, better than a rag or towel ; but a
sponge must be well cleansed every time,
with soap and hot water, to be used again.
Dusting with a little " pat " filled with fine
starch or arrow-root powder is very sooth-
ing and protective.
When the skin has become sore about
the thighs, the child will show it by a sharp
cry on wetting itself. Redness also, as
well as tenderness to the touch, will be
found on examining it. Then talloiv, cold
cream (of the apothecary), or oxide of zinc
ointment, should be applied gently every
night and morning (or oftener if need be)
after changing it. The worst cases, such as
come only from considerable neglect, may
need to be treated like burns, with soft rags,
wet with lime-water and sweet oil (equal
parts, mixed), and covered with oiled silk.
THE FAMIL Y DOCTOR
91
Babies, as well as adults, should have
the head kept cool, and the feet warm.
Out of doors, a cap is all right — thick or
light according to the season ; but there is
no need of any cap being worn in the house.
They are better without it.
A frequent trouble is with the bed-covers
at night. First, never forget that covering
makes 710 warmth of itself, It only keeps (by
non-conduction) what warmth the bod}^ has
of its own. So, if a baby is put cold into a
cold bed, especially if it be sick, it may
scarcely get warm all night. In that case
the bed- clothing should be warmed first ;
by passing a hot flat- iron under and over it ;
or, for an ill bab}^ keeping a warm brick or
bottle or tin of hot water in the bed w^hile
needed .
Restless children will often fling and
kick the bed-covers all off at night ; and
this exposes them to taking cold. Watch-
ing them all night is hard service. Much
better will be the canton-flannel night-gown,
sewn up tight (like mittens) at the ends of
the hands and feet. If they do throw every-
thing else off, this will keep them still pretty
warm.
Must infants always wear flannels in the
daytime ? Delicate ones certainly should,
in our climate ; thick (though soft) flannel
in winter, and light flannel in summer time.
When an infant shows itself, at two or three
years of age, to be hardy, its summer flannel
may be left off safel3^ Silk, or merino,
will do for all but weakly children.
Bathing. — A new-born child should be
bathed only in ze^<2rw water, in a warm room.
From 95° to 90° should be the temperature
of its bath ; the thermometer had better be
used, as the touch is so uncertain. As it
gets older, at least if it seems " hearty," the
water may be allowed gradually to go down
to 85° ; or, in warm weather, even 80°.
The best test of its not being too cool, is,
the infant being rosy and merry after the bath.
A child should like its bath, if it is rightly
managed ; never startling it with a sudden
plunge, but accustoming it to it by degrees.
A mother had better bathe her own baby, if
she is well and strong enough to do so.
One error especially to be avoided is,
letting a child, once wet all over, sit half in
Page 234
Presented as published in 1901. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Very important is the changing of clothes with infants. When their thighs are wet, and all next to them is soiled, they should be changed at once, always. Neglect of this may cause chafing of the skin, very disturbing to the child, and sometimes as bad as a burn. A soft sponge is, when the skin is tender, better than a rag or towel ; but a sponge must be well cleansed every time, with soap and hot water, to be used again. Dusting with a little " pat " filled with fine starch or arrow-root powder is very soothing and protective.
When the skin has become sore about the thighs, the child will show it by a sharp cry on wetting itself. Redness also, as well as tenderness to the touch, will be found on examining it. Then tallow, cold cream (of the apothecary), or oxide of zinc ointment, should be applied gently every night and morning (or oftener if need be) after changing it. The worst cases, such as come only from considerable neglect, may need to be treated like burns, with soft rags, wet with lime-water and sweet oil (equal parts, mixed), and covered with oiled silk.
Babies, as well as adults, should have the head kept cool, and the feet warm. Out of doors, a cap is all right — thick or light according to the season ; but there is no need of any cap being worn in the house. They are better without it.
A frequent trouble is with the bed-covers at night. First, never forget that covering makes no warmth of itself, It only keeps (by non-conduction) what warmth the body has of its own. So, if a baby is put cold into a cold bed, especially if it be sick, it may scarcely get warm all night. In that case the bed- clothing should be warmed first ; by passing a hot flat- iron under and over it ; or, for an ill baby keeping a warm brick or bottle or tin of hot water in the bed while needed .
Restless children will often fling and kick the bed-covers all off at night ; and this exposes them to taking cold. Watching them all night is hard service. Much better will be the canton-flannel night-gown, sewn up tight (like mittens) at the ends of the hands and feet. If they do throw everything else off, this will keep them still pretty warm.
Must infants always wear flannels in the daytime ? Delicate ones certainly should, in our climate ; thick (though soft) flannel in winter, and light flannel in summer time. When an infant shows itself, at two or three years of age, to be hardy, its summer flannel may be left off safely Silk, or merino, will do for all but weakly children.
Bathing. — A new-born child should be bathed only in warm water, in a warm room. From 95° to 90° should be the temperature of its bath ; the thermometer had better be used, as the touch is so uncertain. As it gets older, at least if it seems " hearty," the water may be allowed gradually to go down to 85° ; or, in warm weather, even 80°. The best test of its not being too cool, is, the infant being rosy and merry after the bath. A child should like its bath, if it is rightly managed ; never startling it with a sudden plunge, but accustoming it to it by degrees. A mother had better bathe her own baby, if she is well and strong enough to do so.
One error especially to be avoided is, letting a child, once wet all over, sit half in