The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-10-14
How She Nearly Killed the Baby.

"AaecS w thai paper as lOiiOWS.
A short leader in the Sun of the 6tl
inst. headed, ''How to Save Babies,
and containing some important hints e
the city fathers concerning the sewag,
arrangements in certain localities, ha.
suggested to me the idea that our cit,
mothers are responsible for imperfec
sewage in another sense. i mean thai
directly connected with those tinv tab
ernacles which have been intrusted by
Providence to their keeping.
Not that the mysterious labyrinth Of
minute drain pipes is defective. Nature
has seen to it that these are perfectly
adapted for their work.
But the delicate clay of which they are
nodded cannot bear the overwork which
ignorant mothers and nurses force upon
them by over-feeding their babies. Still,
Nature tries. in spite of all, to keep up
the drainage, until the delicate tissues
become diseased and finally worn out and
the cradle is empty.
Why is it that the human mother was
considered complete without that in
stinct which should guide her unerringly
in the management of at least the tenn
poral interests of her infant?
Pussy, who but two years ago was as
blind and helpless as the four mewing
things by which yesterday our house.
hold was increased. apparently under
stands as thoroughly how to carry each
kitten by the back of its neck, and, after
depositing one after the other in the most
comfortable spot she has been able to
select after several weeks previous
searching, cuddles down beside them
and administers to their wants as if for
years she had been accustomed to the
business. or at least had graduated from
the school of trained nurses under the
direction of some ancient DR.. Tom or
Tabby. The pullet marches with rs
much dignity and self-reliance at the
head OF her first brood of downy balls as
her own stately Brahmin mother did
last summer when she headed her sew
enth procession. There were no con-
situations necessary, no calling in old
Mrs. Hennypenny, Drs. Cockalorum OF
l2uack. The young mother knows how
TO feed her chicks.
Alas for us poor representatives of the
human maternal sisterhood. Notwith-
we have the benefit of centu-
ries of physiological, medical and scien-
lhc discovery, we are, so far as the
teath rate can prove the fact, as igno- |
ant, and possibly more so. than was
Mother Eve when she handled her
naughty little Cain.
Just here short chapter from nv own
experience may not be inspropos. Last
ear l fed my baby, as was recommend
ID by my physician, who is considered |
me OF our best, upon condensed milk
md oatmeal Cruel.
All went well until July, when she
vas three months old. At that time /
eething commenced, and the usual
ymptoms OF summer complaint soon
manifested themselves. The stereotyped 1
dvice from doctors, sisters, cousins and /
UNITS was: Keep up with his usual
Dod-that is, the milk, drop the oat-
zeal, give her medicine, and take her to
ne country" was told that when
alves were allowed to have all the milk
ley would take they become sleek and
1t, and that the correct inference must
that the poor little baby, now any
hing but "sleek and fat" must to be-
ome so. have milk every time she cried,
very time she went to sleep, every time
ne awakened, every. time she was
lirsty; in short, at all times, dav and
lght Myenergies were all bent in one II
irection-viz.: toward stimulating and !,
BAKING the already unnatural appetite
n milk and oatmeal. which have no
oubt was simply caused by thirst. took
sr to the country, and during the five
eeks we remained there did not
now what it was to have an hours rest, ,
~ or night-crying, moaning. vomit- /
g. and all the rest of it, poor baby, !
hose fault it was not; poor mamma.
hose fault it was. continued to gorge
e child in this way to the extent of an
tire can every twenty-four hours. No q
'rdened wretch ever more zealously !
nffed the unfortunate goose, destined I
r pate de foie gras. I brought her :
me from the country, took her to /
'ney Island, but sea air could do moth
g for the poor innocent, who still, not h
weakness and emaciation, .
ntinued to ply the bottle as constantly n
ever! Autumn weather came to our
scue. and she did not get to Heaven 4
Ter all =
The proverbially much-to-be-dreaded c
cond summer, with its array of woes n
the shape OF back teeth, eye teeth and o
mach teeth, was dawning upon us. fl
mamma had, for the Sec fl
d time, cut her own wisdom teeth. h
d concluded to experiment in the use p
the limited amount of reason with
lich her Maker had endowed her. /
" that all l had succeeded in doing
t year had been to nearly kill the baby, !.
d altered my entire course the very =
'ment the first symptoms of summer :,
nplaint appeared, which was in June. :,
Every morning / boiled three table 5,
'onfuls of fine oatmeal ina quart Of Al
yhtly sailed water one hour After ii
aiming and thinning it somewhat with IN
d water, I added heaping teaspoon Il
of condensed milk and tablespoon o,
of sugar. placed it in the refrig- o,
tor. and gave it only when 1 knew a
child waa RALLY bs,pr~~v A. -