Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1882-07-25
HEALTH HINTS.
TEHE DRAFTS nEP0RT FUR last
WEER-ALARMING MORTALI'
tn AMONG CHILDREN.

and Deaths for the past week shows
that out of the thirty-two deaths re-
ported, twenty.three were children,
fifteen of which were under one year Of
age. This is certainly an alarming
decrease the population Of the city. In
view Of this fact everything that will
tend to diminish this death rate among
the little ones should be given the
widest publicity. Some years ago the
death rate in Philadelphi& would, dur.
ing the heated term, often exceed 800
in week, the greater number being
children under Eve years of age. Now
with larger population, the total
deaths last week Of persons Of all ages
was only AL, while frequently in mid
summer of other years the reports have
shown that the deaths Of children alone
has exceeded 500.
The decrease of the mortality among
the babes is ascribed by some of the best
physicians in Philadelphia to the fact
that people are beginning to under
stand the beneficial effects of fresh air,
and adaptation of the Old adage that an
"ounce Of prevention is worth pound
Of cure" The Sanitarium on Windmill
Island opposite the city, has no doubt
been an active agent in this good work,
as thousands of children are there given
the fresh air, and provided with cool
baths and plenty of pure country milk.
DR.. William II. Ford, ex.President of
the Philadelphia Board Of Health, says:
"I am Satisfied that the Sanitarium
is the most important local cause in the
remarkable diminution Of the death
rate among children. Last week there
were only forty nine cholera infantum
cases and the week before there were
but seventeen Ii is not an unusual thing
to have two hundred deaths in a week
from cholera infantum in mid summer.
Children cannot bathe and their skins
get itchy and they are peStered by in
sects and cannot sleep. Their milk or
food is soured and those disorders of in
digestion set in which cause them to
refuse food and without food or sleep
they soon die"
The residents Of Wilmington have no
lack of places where they can take the
babes sor q change Of air. The beauti-
full banks Of the Brandywine present
many attractive spots, or for small
fare the little ones can be taken over
the river to Pennsgrove.
Now we have still another place
opened on the high grounds in the wes-
tern part of the city, that is accessible
by the cars of the Front street railway
company. While the heat continues it
will be well for mothers and others VITO
value their childr ems lives and health,
to be governed by the following simple
but effective rules that are now being
distributed by the Philadelphia Board
of Health
RULES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF IN
FANTs DURING THE HOT SEASON.
RULE 1.-Bathe the child once day
in tepid water. If tits feeble, sponge
iU all over twice day with Tepid wa
ter, or with tepid wafer and vinegar.
The health of a child depends upon its
cleanliness.
RULE 2.-Avoid all tight bandaging.
Make the clothing light and cool, and
80 loose that the child may have free
play for its limbs. At night undress
it, sponge it, and put on a slip. In the
morning remove the Flip, bathe the
child, and dress 1t in clean clothes.
RULE 3.-The child should sleep by
itself in a cot or cradle. 1t should be
put to bed at regular hours, and be ear
| iy taught TO 90 to sleep without being
nursed in the arms. Without the ad-
Woe OF a physician, never give 1t any
Spirits, Cordials, Carminatives, Sooth-
ing Syrups or Sleeping Drops. Thous-
ands of children die every year from
these poisons. If the child trets and
does not sleep, tits either hungry or else
| i'll. fill, IL needs physician. Never
quiet it by candy or cake; they are the
common causes OF diarrhoea and other
troubles.
RULE 4.-Give the child plenty of
fresh air.
Whenever it seems to suffer from the
heat, let it drink freely of ice water.
Keep it out OF the room in which wash
ing or cooking is going on. 1t is ex.
cessive heat that destroys the lives OF
young infants.
RULE 5.-Keep your house sweet
and clean, cool and we'll aired. In
very hot weather let the windows be
open day and night. Whitewash the
walls every spring, and see that the
cellar is clear of all rubbish. Lst no
slops collect to poison the air. Correct
all foul smellsby pouring into the sinks
and privies Carbo'ic Acid or Quick
lime, or the Chloride of Lime, or q
strong solution of Copperas.
RULE 6.-Breast.m is only proper
food for infants. If the supply is ample
and the child thrives on 1t, no other
kind of food should be given-while the
hot weather lasts. If the mother has
not enough, she must not wean the
child, but give it, besides the breast,
goats or cows milk, as prepared under
Rule s. Nurse the ohild once in two or
three hours during the day.
Avoid giving the breast when you
are over fatigued or over-heated
RULE IF, unfortunately, the child
must be brought up by hand, it should
be fed on milk diet alone-that is,
warm milk out Of q nursing bottle, as
directed under Rule 8. Goats milk is
the best, and, next to it, cows milk.
If the child thrives on this diet, no
other kind Of food whatever should be
given while the hot weather lasts.
RULE If the milk is known to be
pure, it should have one third part of
hot water adde to it, until the child is
three months old after this age the
proportion of water should be gradually
iessened. Each halfpint of this food
should be sweetened, either with a
heaping desert.spoontul Of sugar or
milk, or with teaspoonful of crushed
sugar. When the heat Of the weather
is great, the milk may be given quite
cold. Be sure that the milk is unskim-
med have it as fresh as possible, and
brought very early in the morning.
. RULE Eff the milk should disa-
agree, a tablespoonful of lime. water,
may be added to each bottleful. When
ever Ture milk cannot be got, try the
Condensed Milk, which often answers
admirably.
RULE iO.-The nursing bottle must
be kept perfectly clean; otherwise the
milk will turn sour, and the child will
be made i'll. After each meal it should |
be emptied, rinsed out, taken apart,
and the nipple and bottle placed In
clean water, or in water to which little