The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1885-08-20
THE HOUSEHOLD.

even in infancy.
THE HOUSEHOLD.
What has the Baby to Do With
temperance
We propose to show that before
the baby's mind can receive any
impression in regard to temperance,
its body can receive strong bias
to alcoholism. And this bias is Of
ten given ignorantly, no doubt, in
temperance families. We desire
here to make plain, clear presen.
tation Of daily facts. We call in no
aid of rhetoric or special pleading
to re-enforce our case-the baby VS..
alcohol.
WHAT YOUNG MOTHER'sAID
Said a young mother to me one
day, ~ have just been to lecture
on THE Care of Infants and am
frightened, Mortified at my own
practices"
"What is alarming in your prac.
tees ?"
1.-THE lecturer warned especially
against the use Of any alcoholic
stimulants about the child, either
externally or internally. We were
told that by administering alcohol
to infants, tendency toward alco-
holization could be produced. Now,
my baby has always had alcohol in
the water in the water in which he
was bathed, and every night he had
a sling before I put him to bed"
"And what induced you to begin
such practices
AN AMERICAN MRS. CAMP.
II knew nothing about babies.
1 had no mother to advise me. My
monthly nurse began that way with
baby. 1 supposed she knew what
was exactly right, and I went on as
she began. She is called very skill
full. But from this day on, l shall
Danish all alcohols from the nursery.
l suppose if I had mentioned my
methods to other mothers, either
they would approved, as doing the
same thing themselves, or they
would have been silent, as not wish
ing to interfere with my affairs. In
six months l may have seriously in
jured my child"
Careful investigation proves to
me that, especially in cities, the
monthly nurse makes large use Of
alcohol in treating the baby. Let
me take the case of one whom, mea
-culpa, engaged for young rela-
tive.
ANOTHER MRS. HARRIS.
The nurse put a liberal portion OF
whiskey into the water of the
child's bath, ito keep the infant
from taking cold" She wet the
babes flannel bandage with brandy,
'"to strengthen its stomach" and II
it cried, she prepared gin-sling ito
raise the wind" Each night she
gave the little one a strong sling
-Hto make it Sleep" She did no.
think that the stipend Of twelve
dollars weekly paid her for being
disturbed at night, and, in plain
:speech, she put the nursing asleep
DRUNK EVERY NIGHT.
THE consequence was that it was
too heavily asleep to be reused to
nurse, and the young mother, hav.
ing a large supply of natural food
for her babe, was at first incOmmOd.
ed, and then, after several nights
when her child could not be awak.
.ened to take its food, the conse.
-Iuence to the mother was seven
weeks in bed with "a milk.leg.'
During this time the nurse got hel
~eighty-four dollars, and continued
to alcoholic the child. The infant
became stupid, irritable when
awake, and as its food did not di
sgest, was troubled with wind and
grew thin. Why did not the food
digest? The stomach of the infant
lis so delicate that undiluted cows
milk is too strong for ii, and if cows
milk is given, it must be prepared
by water and sugar for the capacity
of the sensitive organ which is t.
receive it. Into this delicate stom
ach, incapable Ofusing clear milk
the nurse poured alcohol, in varied
strength and quantity, but still al
-cohol; and as alcohol, If poured on
an oyster or an egg,'will cook tina,
.oyster or egg, making it q hard
-mass ia IL IN no Vyondoro<1 ~ A. a,