Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-09-05
CARE 0F INFANIS.
How Mortality Among Little Ones May
be Lessened. Suggestions by the Wis.
consIn state BUardOf Health.
rHECLorH1N6.

climate the use Of flannel upon the
chest, the abdomen and he extremit-
les can rarely lie safely dispensed with
at any season Of the year. Even
during the heat of summer. if the child
be ut all feeble, the use OF this material
should not be neglected, though the
garments may and should be light, il
care be taken TO meet the changes Of
the weather. 4 fruitful cause Of dis
ease hes IN the fact that by following
prevailing fashions, young children are
often so clothed that no adequate pro
lection is given to the chest or extrem.
tiles. In this respect radical reform
is needed in many households.
The clothing should be loose through.
out the whole period of infancy and
child lfe-so loose that there may be
no impediment to the circulation Of the
blood or 10 the freeSt movements of
limbs and body. 1t is better, N hot
weather especially, if the whole cloth
ing can be changed daily, but if this
cannot be done let it at least be thor
oughly shaken when removed at night,
and so hung up or spread out that il
shall be thoroughly aired.
For children old enough tC be restless
at night, it is desirable TO use for night
dress a combination suit of waist and
drawers in order to have the ex'remi-
ties etiectually protected in case the
bed-clothing is thrown Oft. This dress
should also be thoroughly shaken when
removed in the morning. and, if posi-
BILE, aired and summed out of doors dur
ing part of the day.
Soled linen or garments soiled By the
discharges of young infants should be
changed at once. They should not be
dried i'll the nursery or living room, nor
should they be used again before being
washed
For infants, the only natural and best
possible food is breast milk. The pru-
dent mother who, having sufficient
supply, finds her babe thriving on this,
will be careful to feed il with nothing
else during the first few months Of its
life, especially if it be during the heat Of
summer. Such a mother will carefully
guard her own health, avoiding over
fatigue, over-heating her system, and
anything else that may impair the nut
riment Of her child. In general such
food and Such habits as keep The nictber ~
the best heath, without reference 10
special diet for the purpose, will best
preserve and keep pure the nourish.
ment for her babe.
The babe should not be nursed too often.
Overlooking is Il prolific source Of dam
ger. SO far as possible, q child should
he fed at regular hours. Prof. jacob,
whose directions have for several Y ars
received the sanction Of the Board of
Health of New York city, says: Nurse
an infant Of month or two, every tive
or three hours-of six months or over,
five times in twenty-four hours, and no
more"
Probably no rules can be given that
would be of more general application
than the above, though much must be
left to the discretion OF the mother.
The breast should not be given simply
to quiet tie child, nor should it, if well,
bepermitted to 90 to sleep at the breast
until il has finished It's meal. The child
from the first should be less frequently
nursed during the night than the day,
and ut an early age can pass the entire
sleeping hours of the mother without
nursing.
If the mothers supply of milk be
insufficient, the chill may be cautiously
fed artiiicially in part, using the natural
food and its substitute alternately; but
if it be possible, he should be wholly
nursed during the first months of his
life and should not be entirely weaned
for 81 year WEAVING should not take
,,laoo hAfnrn di,r No hnnf n
summer. The process of weaving
should be gradual, artificial food being
substituted for the natural with such
increasing frequency that the child will
at last rellnquish the breast quietly.
II is when a child has 10 be wholly
brought up by hand" that the greatest
danger occurs. Here the problem is to
supply food which shall most nearly
approach the character of that furnish
ed by the mother. While this may
possibly be done by using the milk Of
other animals, for most families the
only substitute practically available is
the milk OF the COW, which, with care
tul preparation, is well fitted for the
purpose, very few instances only being
excepted. But there are some simple
anu tuslIy ODstlANh luito NblNtllilIE 10
selection ard subsequent care which
are not sufficiently needed, though the
baby's life may often depend upon their
proper observance.
1t is of first importance that the milk
be pure, and that it be from healthy,
well-fed animals. 1t should be received
undilutcd, in perfectly clean vessels,
and as soon after milking as possible
1t should be kept by itself, and, in hot
weather in the coolest possible place;
in such weather it may with advantage
be boiled, and divided In separate por.
tons when received in order TO avoid
the disturbance Of the VIII Die at the
preparation of each meal.
The milk thus carefully selected and
cared for in order 10 make il most
nearly approach the character Of that
given by the mother, should be diluted
should be slightly sailed, AMI should be
sweetened by the addition Of about two
teas poonfuls Of pure white sugar 70 the
pint. or better with twice that quantity
of sugar of milk which may be obtained