Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-09-13
Timely Words to Mothers.
GFrom the New York Tribune.1


Our Quaker friends in Philadelphia, al
WAYS foremost with useful, practical advice
and help, have lately issued pamphlet
addressed to mothers on the subject of the
terrible mortality of late years among chill
dren during the summer months, and the
means, aside from medical aid, of its pre-
vention and cure, The directions are
drawn up by a committee Of TIE Obstetri-
cal society of Philadelphia, and the names
are those of men who stand highest in lheif
profession in the treatment of children. u
course these directions are especially inten-
ded for the poorer class of mothers who are
unable to fly with their teething babies
out of the foul air of town, or to keep them
under the constant oversight Of skilled
physician. The rules, like all those most
effective in hygiene, appear to an ordinary
reader absurdly simple; yet it is after all
disobedience to the simple rules of health
and morality, for which, since the days of
lamenting Jeremiah to the present time
the people are destroyed. When the Phil
adelphia doctors urge rpon mothers in
cities during the summer months the abso-
lutte necessity 81 bathing the child by i'm
mersion in the morning in tepid water and
sponging it at night, the rule appears SO
commonplace an EFFICIENCY OF decency
that It is passed over with indifference,
Just as the Syrian leper scoffed at the pro-
phet's orders to wash himself seven time.
Eff he had hidden thee dosome great thing,
! wouldst thou not have done itf inquired
his servants. We have shrewd suspicion
that the simple rules even in regard to
washing are neither known to nor CON-
pretended by the majority OF mothers, OF
| the wise old Quaker doctors would not
have issued them thus authorltatively.
We. therefore, make an abstract of them,
| anxious to do our part in averting the ter
ribie doom of last summer from the little
ones.
minute particular; the change OF night
and day clothing, clean with each change
2. A bed or cot apart from its mother
for the child. .
3 Plenty of fresh air. The baby should
he taken to the Park, the boats that ply
up aud down the rivers the shady side o
broad streets or public squares; kept care
fully ont of the room where cooking o
washing is going on, and given plenty o
ice water to drink
4. The house kept scrupulously clean
Wallis whitewashed; slors and garbag
I promptly removed; and the air purified b.
, carbolic acid or qu:cklime.
5. The child, II SICK. must Do kept 10 ~
mothers milk alone, or if that prove Insult
,, Gent, to goats or cows milk. There is n
safe substitute for milk to infants Th
, have not cut their front teeth. No chill
Z should be weaned as rule, until after II
second summer. The food which natur
has provided will often save the life of
child when everything else faile.
s. without the advice of o physician, n
I child should be given spirits, cordials, ca
; minatives, or soothing syrups Of any KIM
, Thousands Of children, the physicians adj
. die evny gear from the use Of these poisons..
: In fact, the sum and substance of the
= directions seem to be simply to guard Il
4 child against poisoning in air, foul clothe
q food, or medicine; which brings us back
. the first statement that pure country
: sea air is the only absolute safeguard Il
the life of young infant.