The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-06-24
The Baby's sSecond Summer"

The little one IS teethlng and unless 1t
has strong constitution, and proper food,
clothing, and attention, it is often very
peevish, and shows symptoms of illness
that call for careful nursing.
Its bowels will probably be "loose," and
that is all right, provided this looseness
dose not become downright diarrhGa, or
take on a dysenteric appearance. Con-
stipation is more dangerous than simple
loosennss-more likely to be accompanied
by commissions or diseases of the head
To check diarrh0a suddenly, may throw
the disturbance to the head, and cause a
malady more dangerous and difficulty to
reach. I have invariable found that an
injection of cool mot shockingly cold
water, Immediately following every passage
of the bowels that had a sling appearance,
mitigated this symptom of dysentery. 1t
simply washes and cools the lining of the
intestine which tho slime shows to be
morbidly irritated. If farther treatment
seems necessary to prevent dysentery, wrap
a bandage of double coarse linen "a folded
towel will do,) wrung out of cool water,
around the little ones abdomen, and over
this secure double dry towel. Wet this
compress again before it becomes dry, uu-
less the child is sleeping. If you would
prevent bowel diseases in children, be care
full to keep their lower limbs warm.-
Of course nothing is more important than
the diet, which should be plain and nutri-
tious, and given as regularly as possible
Nature calls for bone. making material, and
the nursing mothers food or tho food of
the weaned baby should not be lacking in
this element. Any food that requires
much chewing is clearly improper for it.
If mothers are healthy and arc surround
ed by intelligent friends who will guard
them from over-work and excitement, it
seems most safe for teething babies to
depend mainly upon its mothers milk for
nourishment; but many case of cholera
infantum has resulted from some severe
physical strain or mental agitation of the
mother; and because of this intimate con-
nection between mother and child, it is,
perhaps, best, that teething child should
not be too dependent upon the breast.
watchful mother can refuse to nurse her
babe for several hours after any unavoida-
BILE excitement, drawing off the milk by
artificial means and giving her child
more wholesome food. My heart aches as
Iwrite this, because our race is still in such
ignorance and wickedness as to make it
almost impossible for mothers to give their
babes fair start in life, in respect to
health and happy temperament. 1t is not
uncommo FOR teething children to suffer
great distress just before a passage of urine,
and mothers arc sometimes in entire ignor
ance of the cause of their cries. If the
writhing and crying ceases after this dis
charge, there is little doubt in respect to
the seat of pain. For this know nothing
better land in all this matter l speak from
experience as we'll as inquiry than warm
sitz-baths. If the child is accustomed to
wake in the night with this distress, try
the warm bath before putting it to bed
Simply to immerse the feet in warm water
and hold them there few minutes, after
ward drying them and guarding them from
cold, is often sufficient to prevent this
trouble returning. Water that feels only
warm to your hand may DO very hot for
tender little feet. AS children 60, in these
degenerate days, the mother of teething
child has almost constant work and anxiety
night and day, in the simple care of her
child, and should be relieved from other
labors, and encouraged to take needed rest
and outdoor exercize. If people were
wise just herein the case of young chill.
dren and tile mother Of young chaldren-
statistics would show much smaller pro-
portion of deaths of infants under three
years of age. At present not half the hu.
man race lives beyond the age Of five.
american Agrieulturtst.