Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1869-09-10
DUTIES WHICH sO.uB E.TRE.vTs
.vEGLECT.
FToM THE NOTE BOOK OF AN EMINENT ply
SICIAN,

FToM THE NOTE BOOK OF AN EMINENT Ply
sIC1AN.
1t is said of Cato tho Censor, that no al
ways superintendent the bathing of his chill
dren. This may Justly be considered tho
wisest act of a proverbially wise man.
Maria Theresa, amid all the cares of n most
cventful public life, found time daily to
give her personal attention to tho details of
bathing, dressing and feeding of her large
family of children. Such examples of pa
rental and maternal care of cnildron stand
out in bright contrast with the affected in
difference of our Weather classes for per-
sonal attention to their nurseries.
Mrs. s. informs me, with disdainful
toss of the head, that must ask the nurse
in regard to the condition of her child. She
does not know what food it takes, how or
when it is bathed, how it sleeps, or what it
wears. She rarely sees the child except
when some genteA lady calls and requests
to see it. She even remarks with appar-
ent pride, that her little girl prefers the
nurse, and will cry when she (her mothor)
attempts to caress her. Such an acknowl-
edgment is one of the many melancholy
evidences that the rapidly increasing wealth
and luxury of our times are slowly but
surely sapping the very foundations of do
nestle life and happiness, and thereby dis
migrating our whole social structure.
Being called TO see the child of Mrs. s.,
was as usual referred to the nurse for in
formation. The child was pale and oma-
ciated, with peculiarly brilliant eyes,
strongly indicative of her approaching
physical disability. Her hands were uii-
steady, and when spoken to conyulsive
tremor slightly distorted hor features.
learned from the nursc-a thoughtless and
inconsiderate young woman--all the par
tculars of her daily management of the
child, and, as / had feared, the further fact
that the mother never gave her any specific
directions in regard TO the details of the
nursery. This examination concluded, 1
sought the mother to discharge most seri-
GUS and solemn duty.
"Nour neglect of the common duties of
a mother" pointedly replied to her in
quries, ais already beginning to yield its
legi innate fruits. The nurse, though will
ing to do as directed, has had no expert
ence with children of her own, and hence
has not the first maternal feeling for the
child. To get through her work carly, she
awakens her in the morning, long before
the child has finished her sleep, and gives
her n bath. If there is no warm water,
which happens as often as every other day,
she gives a cold bath. At this hour the vi
tai powers ar low and i'll adapted to resist
the depression of a temperature thirty or
forty degrees below that of the bed from
which she has just been taken. Her sys-
tenn reacts very feebly, and all the forenoon
and perhaps all day she is pale, cold and
languid. This depression of the vital fore
os congosts all the internal organs, renders
the circulation feeble, impairs digestion
and assimilation, and dwaris all the nutri-
tive processes. You a,c correct in your
opinion that the child is going into II do
cline. None but the most vigorous chill
dren could long withstand the evil effects
of such treatment. Again, the food Of your
child is entirely unfit for her. She sits at
the table with the servants, and they amuso
themselves by giving her tea, coffee, sweet
meats, candies, etc. She has not taken any
bread or milk or meat in six months. Her
vitality is, therefore, not only depressed,
but she is deprived of the very food by
which she il to be sustained. But this is
not all the child has become so nervously
eXctabc that in the early part of the night
she suffers severely from night terrors-a
species of infantile delrium-tremens and
to save herself the inconvenience of being
kept awake, the nurse gives her large an
odyne nightly, which she says puts her
dead asleep all night. BY this mismanage-
ment, your child has become peevish, ir-
ritable, and fretful, and the nurse disci-
plincs her by threats of punishment, shut
ting her in dark room, etc., etc. The re-
suit is, that, fear acting upon morbidly
sensitive nervous system, is gradually de
veloping chorea (St. Vitus Dance, will
which she is soon 10 be afflicted unless you
Immediately change the whole course o
her life. You must yourself become re
sponsible for her daily care and training
you must personally attend to her bathing
food and dress and habits of sleeping, i
you would rescue her from her present per
ilous condition. The slender thread of he
existence is daily becoming more and NOR
attenuatcd by your neglect, and if no
strengthened by your maternal care ant
sympathy, will soon be snapped in twaii
by the increasing tension"
The result Of this interview will be In
salvation of the child; the mother wa
reused at once to n keen sense of her dut,
by n feeling Of remorse at her neglect.
was more than ever convinced that it is tn
plain duty of the family physician, who i
always listened 10 respectfully and consid
erately, to endeavor by well directed argu
monts to counteract these growing evils
No one, not even the spiritual adviser, cal
so readily appeal to the mothers sense G
justice, and to her concealed consciousness
of neglected duty, which natural affection
daily brings 10 her remembrance.-Hedrt
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