Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-12-13
BREAD AND BABIES.
A Very Domestic Essay From a
Revolutionary Source.

y
Elizbeth Cady Stanton turns her at
tention away from the most serious ques-
ton Of female rights, and talks about
Well-bred babies in the last Revolution /:
We are constantly asked if women
vote, what will become Of the bread and
babies?
I, In view of the heavy bread, and badly
cooked food we find on most tables, and
the shocking mortality among infants,
we contemplate with wonder and pity
the blind faith of man in the maternal
and culinary intelligence Of "the weak
minded" who have no aspiration beyond
Hecker's -four, Mrs. Winslow's soothing
syrup, and Wheeler and Wilson's sew
ing machine. Seeing that women have
devoted themselves through the ages TO
domestic economy and failed, as miser-
ably as men have in the art of govern
= ment, We have, after mature thought,
come to the conclusion that just as
woman's enlightened interest in political
questions will improve the state, so mans
skill and science are necessary to re-
deem the home from its present disorder,
disease and death. If there are two
things we thoroughly understand, they
are babies and bread, and for our know
ledge of both these divine arts we are
indebted to philosophical, scientific gen.
tlemen.
The only valuable work we ever saw
on Infancy was written by q man,
Andrew Combe, of Scotland, a close
observer, a sound thinker, and q learned
psychologist. We shall never forget
how tempest tossed We we're when We
first found ourself the happy possessor
Of a man child without the slightest
knowledge of what to do for his comfort
and protection. An ignorant nurse
fdgeted round the room day and night,
sang melancholy d%itties, and rocked
vehemently, while the child cried con-
t~inually with a loud voice, and We wept,
prayed, and philosophical BY turns.
Reasoning on general principles, we at
last came to the conclusion that mas
much as the child was large and vigor-
Gus, there must be some mistake on the
part Of the nurse that he was not quiet
and comfortable. Accordingly We for
tilted ourself in that opinion By a faith
full reading Of what Mr.. Combe had to
say on babies in general. The result of
this consideration of his opinions was q
prompt revolution in the whole nursery
department, and a transfer of pain from
the baby to the nurse, who stood hum
bled and chagrined as she saw her time
honored system summarily set aside, the
pills, paregorie, catmint, and cradle
driven out, while pure air, sunlight and
common sense walked in. Oh! what
signs, what groans, what doubtful shak-
ings of the head, what suppressed laugh
ter and whisperings in the hall we heard
during the first few days after the in
auguration of that dynasty of health,
happiness and rest to that new born
soul.
When the three hours cry began that
day ~hich ancient danes assured US was a
custom that had been faithfully kept by
all the sons of Adam from time imme-
mortal, we ordered the little sufferer to be
promptly stripped to the skin and put in
a warm bath that brought instant re-
lief, after which he was dressed in a few
light garments hung on the shoulders,
with no swaddling bands, no pressure on
the lungs or bowels, and laid down to )
sleep. he was fed (accOrding to Combe) !
every two hours by day, and but !
once burning the night. After that we !
had peace, though eternal vigilance on )
our part was its price. The custom of F.
babies up as tight as q drum is .
both cruel and absurd. We asked the :
who tortured our frst-born =
in that way, why she did il ? "The bones :
Of young babies are so soft and their !
flesh so tender" said she, that they are !
in constant danger of dissolution unless :
pinioned together" We soothed :
her fears by pointing to the fact that =
colts and calves, puppies and kittens, all :
lived and fourished without bandages, "
md, for the benefit of the race, we said Z
We would make the experiment on one of L
he human family. :
If babies are regularly fed, bathed '
md comfortably dressed, and in a pure ;.
atmosphere, they will be quiet and :
The ignorance of women on L
hese subjects Is truly lamentable. We
lave seen children a year old that had :
lever tasted water, when they should
lave it half E dozen times every day =
I'm the hour of their birth. We have
ound fathers who worked hard all day
omplain bitterly of being disturbed at
light by crying children, hence the I
ommon use of Mrs. Winslow's soothing Is
yrup, which only tends to increase the :
condition Of the nervous &c &c
ystem, and permanently weaken the v
rain. %
Young mothers no doubt imagine that d,
MS Mrs. Winslow is some experienced, ff
.umane old lady, who loves little chill e.
rem, knows just how to soothe them to o.
Ieep and pilot them through all the pit n
Of infancy, when, in fact, this 10
bominable syrup is compounded by C
ONE ignorant man, in whiskers, broad IL
10Th and boots, who lives and fattens DC
q his illgotten gains, while babies are CO
INT by the hundreds to untimely graves &C
r made idiots and ~lunatics for life. %