Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-12
Care OF INFANTS.
Mortality OF Infancy.

the destruction Of life. This is especially true
OF the first mind OF the seven years OF infanule
existence one infant OF every I'VE dies oefor3
the nIst year: one OF tn.ee before me compile
ton of the NTH year, and Two OF every five De
fore the expiration OF the seventh year. This
mortality OF young life arises not only from
the fact tnat frsn constitutions are transmitted
TO infants by their parents. but that their
organs are exceedingly delicate and easily In
vaded By disease, and when one organ becomes
diseased other organs also take on diseased
action with much more readiness than they do
when az has matured them. 1t Is, therefore,
this extreme liability, In the diseases OF Infancy,
on one organ involving another IN disease. thus
producing complications usually fatal, that eX-
plains the startling fact that TWO OF everG I've
or the human race die before the flfCh year.
il 10 a very easy matter for an infant 10 ger
sick, but an exceedingly troublesome ana dill
cult matter to get IL well again; Tor with the
most skiIlful treatment and Watcnful care 1t
has but three chances OF I'VE OF recovery.
Hence Il is not a wonderful fact that thu in
sInctlve solictude OF mother should throw
around her infant, every ttne 1t is sick. the
narrowing apprehension that It VIII die.
SYMPTOMS OF SICKNESS.
The Difference between a well and a sick babe
ia too marked 10 be unUbseryed even by the
most Careless. When q babe Is Well its every
movement denotes gladnesS and AMIN ttion: IL
nurzes well. sleeps we'll, and Is easily amused
with anything intended TO attract its gaze. Its
eyes are the organs through which It ex dresses
lis Delight, aud cooling Is the manifestation OF
It's Joy and satisfaction. When sick all tbs Is
changed; and as gladneSS and animation are snp
signs OF health. so GullneSs and fTetfn!DpsS ar.
the tokens OF sickness IL either refuses to nurse
or does 30 In a tltfnl or spaSmodc manner Its
sleep Is broken and Unquiet, and aS soon as &c
aWaseS IL begins TO cry. OBJECTS nat amused
it when Wen no longer interest It. and all efforts
TO divert the infant from the influence or sick
ness are vain. and while sick 10 is. as It were.
inconsolaoie; how 10 pacfy 1t taxes all the love,
patience and endurance mother can possibly
command These are the general or usual symp-
IONS manifested by an absence OF health; and
are common 10 the beginning OF almost all the
stckneSses OF Infants, and may Indicate tempora.
~ deTaI cement OF the functions OF the organs
OF the Infants body or the commencement OF
sc i Ius seases OF those organs, which may ter
inmate either In tedious conyalasccnce or In
Death.
CARR WHEN THE INFANT Is SICK.
When an infant Is sick, IL Is Of Indispensable
Importance to an Intelligent care Of 1t to know
'rh1 IL Is sick and 1chee 1t Is sick. whether the
causes producing the sickness are operating In
the mead chest or abdomen. AID what are the
symptoms that lead TO definite conclusion
That the disease Is certainly located for in
stance, IN the head, and not In the chest, or In
Inc abdomen and not In either the chest or
head. The head, the chest and the abdomen
ere filled by essentially different organs, aud
tleSe respective parts have essentially different
aaues 10 Perform. II Is harmonious and
painless performance OF all the duties OF ali the
organs OF me H. ad, Chest and abdomen, that
Constitutes The condition OF he alth. Wnen dis
ease nFades either OF these organs, Its func-
painful manner and sickness Is the result. As
the organs OF the head, chest and abdomen are
difIeIently formed and constituted, and have
cinerent functions TO perform so when disease
they present different and respective Sfyns OF
mat disease. Hence. although the infant Is
without speech, and cannot tell In words where
It's pain IS the diseases of the organs of its
BODY have language which when properly
understood and Interpreted, unerringly tell the
presence OF disease, and make known It's local
tiy. sensations ana not thoughts are expressed
result or mental operations, but or physical
causes; and IL Is important for q mother 10
know when her infant Is sick what these ex-
preSoiol5 mean.
DISEASE or THE HEAD.
III the Drain Is the seat OF the disease the
infant Is fevertsh. fretful and wakeful: its cry
Is sharp. piercing aud at times shrIek,no.
when quiet, IL lies With its eyes closed ana is
taSlly startled by any unusual sound: and
vases 5,s axes alarmed and agltated, throwing back
us ncad, 61d trembling, as though 1t had fear
or falling, when taken In the arms IL either
Fefse s 10 nurse. or takes the breast eagerly and
as hastily les 1t go again; It's stomach is sick,
and now and then the infant yomfts or makes
occasional efTsrts 10 yoLnit. When duiet and
not disturbed, IL moves its head from side TO
rde, often throwing the head back, In an
sttempt 10 oury IL deep in the pillow Frequently
signing. and utter1ng a low moan or wall. "A
the disease advances, the infant will be seem
lngy quiet or doing, until 1t Is aroused by
pain or dstaroed by the attempt 10 give IL food
infant Is suffering in The first stages OF fnfiaTn
nation OF The brain, ana II Is only In his stage
ia. We science OF medicine claims any chanct.
OF preventing fatal termination. IL the
lhlSiAma jiO1 Is suffered 10 go on and the
ittaht iahS itto ii stupor, the damage 10 the.
oaaih Is already Gone, and medicine Is power
- 10 restore the brain 10 Its natural con
1tlon. A. the StupOr Increases all saase al j
psln passes away: the infant becomes ineen /.
Idle. ttd quickly perishes III Increased ssuDor
OF ConsG ,lons. (!
DISEASE or TFg CgESf
When AZ infant Is suGeTiD, from disease 81 he /
'rSa no - the chest, II Is too much occupici IN |
Getting It's breath 10 cry much or aloud. TIC !
fort at crying gives It pain. It's co lgh i |
short and hacking, and after each effort 10 |
,ouSh IL utteTS sharp and suppressed cry; .
% much pain that the infant suppresses it as |
.Oon as possible. Tine skin Is hot the pulse |
rapid, and the respiration short and painting |
he nos Ills expand and contract violently, and |
% great Is the effort OF breathing that It moves
ne whoic upper part OF the body. Thus the |
snort cough, quick pulse. hot skin and rapid !
breathing. plainly tell that the Infants disease |
8 IN the chest. and its functions OF respiration
'fe seriously imptded and laborlouily per- /
-oTm,d
DISEASE OF THE ABDOMEN
u the infant Is suffering from disease OF tn,
'rsans OF the abdomen It's cry is both loud and
ioient and Is usually accompanied with the
shedding OF profuSion OF tears the pain
'auss1g The infant TO cry row and then abate3 |
AZ d the infant ceases crying; but soon the pain !
Surns, and With It's return the infant resumes |
Us passionate cries, and with this crying draws !
Up Ia strong manner its limbs towards the |
lcdomen; as the pain passes of the limbs re-
AK and stretch out again, while the infant Sobs
tsef 10 sleep. TheSe are usually the early /
y mptoCs OF disease OF the abdomen ia Infants.
Nd the language whereby the infant exprj .s5aS
Is olsconfort tells that thu disease Is located
% the ABDOMINAL region. such are the com
non symptoms OF the ordinary diseases OF in
ants aud III but ordinary observation Dc al
aimed lt Is not difficult 10 tell where. whether
n the mead. chest or abdomen. the Tarlaifs dis
ass or Infants are located.
THB MOTHERS PITY.
mothers first duty to her infant +, 10 do
III iG her power 70 keep it well, and her second
iuty, when 1t Is sick, is 10 keep IL rs quiet as ,
'oS-tole ID room OF eguable Temperature Wen |
'entilated aud moderately lighted The tenn
lerature should D. kept at hfty-five degrees ror
Use Asses or the head and abdomen, and for dts
'ase or the Chest al sixty degrees. This tenn
,eTature SHOULD not DC regulated by the feetaCs
" the mother, but by the actual use OF a Their
nometer, placed 10 such a position in the nrr-
'ery as TO De fartheSt from the heat OF the stoTe
'r draught OF air caused by the occasional
opening and shutting OF the doors. A Their
0OInedeT IL a nursery Is almost Indispensable
n cold weather and II mothers would use them
more frequently for the purpose OF equa1hing
ne temperature their infants would be much
!. 50 liable 20 the frequent colds from which
hey too often suffer: for Of all conditions most
onduciye TO the maintenance of the health OF
III infant nothing is so essential as keeping 1t In