The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1874-07-23
Msefnl aud Curious.
THE BABY.
How 90 Feed, Dress and Care fer the Little
Ones in Warm Weather.

Ones i'm Warm Weather.
In July or August the baby beeomes or ought
to become point of public interest. II grown
men or women suffer from bad ventilation, un-
cleanliness Jr indigestion, they have themselves
to blame. But when the poor baby is the VIC
tim lt Is matter of deliberate cruelty. Summer
after summer teething children fall in heca-
tombs, sacrificed to the ignorance or carelessness
OF their parents This year. however, as last, ill.,
struetions have been published by the Board of
Health IN some neighboring cities by which the
most uneducated mother may understand how to
protect her child from danger as far as possible
during the season of heat and foul air. The di-
rections are based upon plain principles of COM
mon sense, which We would suppose would be
patent to anybody of ordinary intelligence, but
which are unfortunately the very facts soonest
ignored and neglected. Irish or German moth
ers, like Naaman of old, are usually willing to
try any cure which any prophet may recommend
the more miraculous aud difficult the better;
but as for steady washing of themselves or
their children in the waters of Jordan or Croton
to make them whole, they are apt, like the Sy-
Ran, to sniff conteruptuousy at. the idea, and go
faithfully on their way through dirt to death
Washing. however, might be called the basis Of
baby's salvation through teething; thorough
sousng of the little body in plenty Of cold water
every morning, and when the weather is extreme
ly hot 4 tepid sponge bath at night; washing,
too, constantly of all clothes and clolhs nsed by
the infant, to afford it perfectly clean garments
at all times. Whatever milk be given should I've
thoroughly sweet and cool; infants under two
years should he restricted in their diet to milk,
oatmeal, and beef broth minced raw beef in
small quantities. There is popular prejudice
among uDedGcated woman against the "nlean-
ness" of refusing food to "ther children which
they eat themselves, to which cause is owing
One-half the deaths among that class Of infants.
The swarms of sallow, puny, wizened face babies
which we see at the doors of tenement houses
fed on morsels of pork, vegetables, unraised
bread, and occasional sips of tea and lager beer,
which may fall to their mothers lucky lot. 1t is
not heat or malaria teething against which
the doctors have to contend so mnch the Oh
stnate ignorance of the parents. Fresh air is, of
course tonic and cure superior to any medi-
cine; every hour passed by the child under the
trees in the squares the rivers gives it
new chance for life No anyodynes or soothing
syrups should be given except under medical d.
rectiOn.
So far the doctors. There are ether rules as
practical in effect but which only affection can
suggest One is the laying aside for the brief
hot season the rigor of parental discipline. Many
well meaning women feel it to be their duty to
teach their children implicit obedience at the
earliest age, and to punish any ill-temper
peevishness. Now, an infant never cries unless
when hungry, hurt OF sick; the emitting of the
teeth frequently affects the brain and produces
nervous irritabity, which relieves itself by
peevish complaints or crying To whip child
for such conduct is sheer cruelty, and simply in
creases what is an actual disease. Through
these perilous two months the helpless little
creatures require not only the skillful care of
wise Mother, but the brooding love of the most
tender one. If they do fret and cry against the
dscOmforts and pains of a world into which they
came without choice, and whichs hOws them Just
now the toughest side-what wonderful Y.
Tribune.