The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-27

Suppose we begin with baths re-
marked the head nurse of the babies
ward in the post graduate hospital of New
York City. the other day, when asked for
advice as to the care of delicate infant
during the summer months a baby
should never be bathed in cold water-the
shock is too great. For a delicate, all
ing, teething child the temperature should
be about 80 degrees, and as the little one
becomes more vigorous the temperature
may be lowered to about 20 degrees. We,
OF course mean this hospital, never Use
anything for bathing purposes except
clear water. That is, unless the child has
be prescribed by a physician. In case the
baby is troubled with heat, oatmeal bran
may be safely added to the water, also a
little bicarbonate of soda.
las to clothing, during the summer We
make no change from winter garments,
except for using lighter weight sacks,
cloaks, etc. 1 think it a good plan 10
keep flannel over the childs bowels dur
ing the first summer of its life. 1t may
be in the shape of a shirt or band, though
l prefer the former. The best diapers
are of linen. after the newnesS has been
thoroughly washed out. In the summer,
care should be taken never TO pin them
too tight and to see that the child is thor
oughly dried whenever a change is made.
Failure to do this is the principal cause
of chatting; a child's flesh forms little
carefully dried. Then it should be lightly
busted with talcum or pure rice powder.
do not believe in grease as preYenta-
tive for chafing-it is heating-but where
the skin is already irritating, a good boric
ointment ought to be applied
For the ordinary baby, no great
amount of soap is necessary, but 1t
should always be of the very best quality.
We prefer and use the pure CASTLE, which
is green. But before leaving the subject
of baths. powder. etc, 1 would like TO
state that any powder carelessly used
VIII do great amount of harm When
the little creases, to which l referred. are
not carefully dried, and powder is dusted
on, it soon cakes, chatting follows. and in
the heat of summer Inflammation IS the
result. This is very serious and causes
the baby serious suffering.
We never use mattresses; always
thick double blanket, folded and placed
on soft, finely woven springs. This is
covered by a sheet, and these sheets
hottest weather linen is TOO cold for
child; in fact, the best covering is a cot
ton sheet and as many soft, light, blank
cts as the weather requires.
Now as to the proper feeding of chill
dren when teething. That is a question
over which doctors and nurses are s1lH
puzZling their brains. Improper food is
the arch enemy to the health and life of
babies in summer time. 1 think / can
safely say that in warm weather nine
tenths of the sickness among children IS
caused by carelessly prepared food OF
course il would be useless to give liSI
of diets for that is 9. point which only
physician or an experienced nurse can
decide. But when milk is used.
and after all, that is the great baby food,
il should be sterilized: that is, boiled Tor
five minutes. After sterilizing, Il may be
kept in the refrigerator, but should al
ways be warmed before given to the
child. There is one point it may be well
10 mention. / have always found that
ice-cold milk, when put over the fire IN
the summer, curdleS instantly, showing
clearly that it needs sterilization before
being consigned to the refrigerator. we
use a good open-mouthed bottle. Whlch
may be cleaned with a brush. and rub
Der nipple. These we cleanse once day
in the following manner: We soak them
over night in solution OF DicarOonate OF
soda, half strength, that Is, a solution
half as strong as a saturated solution. In
the morning they are taken out Of soak
and washed with warm water ana green
soap. then rinsed in clear water Of
course between a child's meals its bot
ties and nipples should be thoroughly
r.nsed and where possible, 1t Is good TO
dry then in the sun.
ance of drinking water. Indeed, cannot
understand how the little things i've
without it, But ice water is very lnlurl-
Gus. 1t should be COOL but never chilled,
and be frequently given in small guam
Then. too, baby ought to go bare
footed in summer and by all means It
should be allowed heaps of sunlight
don't mean exposure to the direct rays
of the sun. perhaps. but let it play where
il can have the sunshine freely. There
are some physicians who contend that
child should be stripped for an nour
dav. have its head protected and be left
i'm strong sun bath. Like a plant
child must have sunlight If you expect 20
keep it healthy and growing. Where one
wishes to allow the child TO carry out the
doctors prescription of nude sun bath.
IL must. of course. be done IN the heat OF
the day. 1t is always best TO cut the hair
of a delicate child. If for no other rea-
SON. II prevents a certain amount of fret
ting over It's toilet, and to a sick or deai-
cate child this almost amounts TO torture
EMILY MLAWS.