The times., 1897-06-27
A TEETHING BABY.
The Proper Care OF a Delicate Child
During Hot Weather. =

The Proper Care of Delicate Child
During Hot Weather. q
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 adelicate infant
during the summer months a baby
should never he bathed in cold water. the
shock is too great For a delicate, ailing,
teething child the temperature should be-
about 50 degrees, and as the little one
becomes more vigorous the temperature
may Re lowered to about rs degrees We,
OF course I mean this hospital, never use
anything for bathing purposes excepting
clear water. That is unless the child has
some special disease; then the bath should
be prescribed by physician. In case tina
may be safely added to the water; also a
little bicarbonate Of soda.
"As TO clothing, during the summer We
make no change from winter garments, ex.
cept for using lighter weight sacks ,cIcaSs,
etc. l think it good plan to keep flannel
over the child S bowels during the first SUM-
mer OF It's life. II may be in the shape Of
shirt OF band, though prefer the former.
The best diapers are OF linen, after the
newness has been thoroughly washed
out. Ia the summer care should be taken
never to pin them too tight and to see that
the Child is thoroughly dried whenever
change is made. Failure TO do this is the
nj iraa1 "a Of oh % ffe.cf
forms little creases and folds, all of which
should he carefully dried Then it should
be lightly busted with talcom or pure rice
powder 1 do not believe in grease as a
preventative for chafing-it is heating but
where The skin is already irrItated q goud
boric ointment ought TO be applied.
For tie ordinary baby, n o great amount
or soap is necessary, but it should always
he of the very best quality. We prefer
and use pure CASTLE, which is green. But
before leaving the subjects of baths, powder,
etc, l would ike TO state that any powder
carelessly used will do a great amount OF
HARM When the little crcases, 10 which
l referred, are not carefully dried an pows
der is busted On, it soon cakes. chatting
follows, and in the heat of simmer, in
namation is the result. This is very Sc.
rious and causes the baby serious suffer
ing. Al
I'VE never use mattresses; always a
thick, double blanket, folded and placed
on soft, finely woven springs. This Is
covered 10y sheet, and these sheets should
never be OF linen. Even in the hottest
weather linen is too cold for a ohlld; IN
fact, the best covering is a GOTTEN sheet,
and as many soft, light blankets as the
weather requires.
NOW, as t. the proper feeding OF chill.
dren when teething Thatis question over
which doctors and nurses are still pulling
their brains. Improper food is the arch
enemy 20 the health and life of babies in
summer time. l think l can safely say
that III warm weather nine-tenths of the
sickness among children is caused by care
lessly prepared food or course, it would
be useless 70 give list of diets, for thar is
point which only a physician or an ex-
peIienced nurse can properly decide. But
when milk Is used-and, after all, that ts
the great baby food-it should be sterilized;
that is, Boiled for five minutes. After sUer-
ilizing IL may be kept in the refrigerator,
but should always be warmed before given
70 the child. There Is one point it may be
well % mention. / have always found that
ice cold milk. when put over the fire in
summer, eurtlles Instantly, showing clearly
that it needs sterilization before being con-
signed 20 the refrigerator. u
I'VE use a good open-mouthed bottle,
which may be cleaned with a brush, anda
rubber nipple. These we cleanse once q
day in the following maner: We soak
them over night in a solution OF bicarbon-
ate of soda. half strength, that is, solu-
ton half as strong as a saturated sOlu-
tion. In the morning they are taken QUO
of soak and washed with warm water and
green soap, then rinsed in clear water.
OF course between child's meals its bot
ties and nipples should be thoroughly rinsed,
and where possible, it is good TO dry them
in the sun.
Yes: | think a baby needs an abund-
ace of drinking water. Indeed, cannot
understand how the little thi ngs live
without il. But ice water i 5 very iDjuris
ous. 1t should be cool, but never chilled,
and be frequently given il small quanti.
ties. q
Then, too, baby ought to 20 bare
footed in summer, and by all means 10
should be allowed heaps OF sunlight. Z
dun't mean exposure TO the direct rays
OF the sun. perhaps, but let it play
where it can have the sunshine freely
There are SOME physicians who contend
that g child should be stripped for an
hour a day. have its head protected and
be left in strong sun bath. Like q
plant. child must have sunlight if you
expect to keep it healthy and growing.
Where one wishes to allow the child to
Gerry out the Doctors prescription of a
nude sun bath, it must Of course he done
in the heat of the day It is always best
to cUt the hair OF delicate child Iffor
no other reason, it prevents certain
amount of fretting over its toilet, and TO
q sick or delicate child this almost amountS
to torture