American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-07-18
The Baby in Hot Weather.

In July and August the baby becomes,
or ought to become, point of public in
terest. If grown men and women suffer
from bad ventilation, uncleanlincss or
indigestion, they have themselves to
blame. But when the poor baby is the
victim it is a matter of deliberate cruelty
Summer after summer teething children
fall in hccatOmbs, sacrificed to the ig-
norancc or carelcssness of their parents.
This year however, at last, Instructions
have been published by the boards of
health in some ncighboring 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 dircc-
tions are based upon plain principles of
common sense, which we would suppose
would be patent to anybody of ordinary
intelligence, but which are unfortunately
the very facts soonest ignored and neg
lccted. Mothers, like Naaman of old
are usually willing to try any cure which
any prophet may recOmmend-thc more
miraculous and 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 Syrian, to sniff contemptu
Ously at the idea, and go faithfully on
their way through dirt to death.
Washing, however, light be called the
basis of baby's salvation through teeth
ing; a thorough sousing of the little body
in plenty of cold water every morning,
and when the weather is extremely hot
IA tepid sponge bath at night washing
too, constantly of all clothes and cloths
used by the infant, to afford it perfectly
clean garments at all times Whatever
milk be given should be thoroughly sweet
and cool; infants under two years should
be restricted in their diet to milk, oatmeal
mush, or Cruel carefully prepared, and
beef broth OF minced raw beef in small
quantities. There is popular prejudice
among uneducatcd women against the
meanness of refusing food to their
children which they eat themselves" to
which is owing one half the deaths among
that class of infants. The swarms of
sallow, puny, wizened faced babies which
we see ut the doors of houses
are fed on morscls of pork, vegetables.
unraised bread, and occasionally sips of
tea and lager beer which may fall to
their mothers lucky lot. 1t is not heat
or malaria or teething against which the
doctors have to contend so much as the
obstinate ignorance of the parents. Fresh
air is of course Il tonic and cure superior
to any medicine; every hour passed by
the child under the trees in the squares
or on the rivers g ives it Il new chance for
should be given except under medical
direction.
SO far the doctors There are other
rules rs 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 we'll
meaning women feel it to be their duty
to teach their children implicit obedi-
ence at the earliest age, and to punish
any ill-temper or peevishness. Now, an
infant never cries except when hungry,
hurt or sick; the cutting of the teeth fire.
quently affects the brain and produces a
nervous irritability, which relieves itself
by peevish complaints or crying. To
whip IA child for such conduct is sheer
cruelty, and simply increases what is an
actual disease. Through these perilous
two months the helpless little creatures
require not only the skillful care of il wise
mother, hut the brooding love of the
most tender one. If they do not fret and
cry against the discomforts and pain of
Il world into which they come without
choice and which shows them Just now
its toughest sidc-what wonder?-Ne,r
loIk I'ribune.