The Arkansas advocate., 1831-05-25
THE PASSIONS OF INFANCY.

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 THE PASSIONS OF INFANCY.
 Let not the reader be surprised .at the expression, ssthe passions ofinfancy." Many Many Of the passions, it is true, have this early period no existence, while oth- CTS may be said to be yet i'll the bud nevertheless, even in the cradle, fear, an- ger, and resentment display themselves, oft times to q very great extent, prodnc- ing present injury to the little beings by whom they are exhibited, and if not combated. promptly and judiciously talk ing such deep root as to be with difficult ty yeradicated. or even controlled in after life. The proper moral education of infants is q subject not exactly within our province; we have merely introduce ed the subject, for the purpose. of mal- ing a few observations on the influence which the indulgence of these passions have uponthe health of young children.
 Crying, screaming, and various motions of the limbs and body, are the means by which the passions of fear and anger are expressed during infancy. Children. it istrue, frequently cry from pain or un- oasiness. while not unfrequently their cries would appear to be excited by a kind of instnctive impulse, there being no other cause to which, apparently. they can be attributed. Many authors have indeed conceived 1t improper to prevent, in any case, the crying Of .in- f;lnts. unless 1t proceed from absolute pain of sickness; they believe that, dur ihg this period of fife, frequent fits oi crying arc useful, by expanding the chest, developing the lungs, and calling
 into exercise the muscles of respiration.
 That, te :. certain extent, these effects are produced by the crying ofsinfants, cannot be doubted. But it is not true that crying is very common in infants during health and when properly nurs- ed; por that allowing them frequent in- diligence in it has any salutary effect; ts;i the contrarJ, it is ii common observa- iion, that frctful and peevish children seldom thrive we'll. When from any cause, whether improper food, or cloth ing, pain or passion, an infant is thrown into frequent fits of crying, particularly when these fits arc violent and longcon- tinucd, as is generally the case when they arc excited by fear or anger, their effects are often very serions. The un- due amount of blood which they deter mine to the brain, not unfrcquently pro- daces an injury Of this organ, laying the foundation for dropsy of the head, or giving rise to convulsions of various kinds. Hence the importance of avoid ing every cause capable of exciting these violent paroxysms of crying, or, when they have been excited, of endcav- bring quickly to calm them, by walking the infant about, or attracting it's atten- ton by some object calculated to amuse 1t. Two means, however, which are frequently rrsortcd to, to stop the cries of infants are strongly te be -ep.'etbstcd. d.-- The first is, applying it immediately to the breast, or forcing into its stomach with the spoon quantity of food. This may quiet the child, and even cause it to sleep, but it almost always has the eff feet of overlooking the stomach, and of inducing sickness, colcky pains, or otl,- CT mischief. The other means to which we have alluded, is the use of laudan um, parcgoric, or other opiates this, If frequently repeated, never fails to de strog the powers Of tho stomach. to re- itard the growth and development of the body, and to induce q general condition of the system altogether adverse to the health and life of the child. Quictinc drops, as they arc termed, carlninativcs. | cordials, or sinodynes should never be l given toaninfan during slate ofhealth, l 4 { lie only composing means which art may at any time be allowed to employ. f arc gentle motion, and the softand sooti. ! ing lullaby of the nurse. In children. even at n very carly periods n kind of I .cheerfulness of disposition may be ex- cited by yarious innocent means, and this probably is the very best manner of. avoiding those repeated and violent spells of crying, from which iniuryis to ! he anticipated. Infants, whenkept free from fifth and every cause of.uneasiness, when loosely clad. sheltered from cold, and allowed their proper amount of rest. .<i-.a v,e 1ss l;v><,<l t1 -Ea..c.9.e