The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-24
PROPER CARE OF BABIES.
LESS SICRNESS As WOMEN BECOME
BETTER EDUCA TED.

ana the Ehect OF the HiEher Education OF
Women-simple Rules That Would Pre-
vent Much sickness Among Babies.
These are busy days for the dispensaries and
fatal days for the babies. Even in uptown
neighborhoods and among the well-to-do. doc
tors are kept busy with the little ones. And
yet, in spite Of the heat. there Ia little excuse
for the prevailing sickness. according to one
physician.
Fully seventeenth OF the illness among ba-
bies is directly due to the ignorance. lazincSs
or incompetency Of the mothers" said a physi-
clan who has gained wide reputation for his
success In the treatment OF babies diseases
and whose practice covers the worst of the ten
emcnt districts and the most fashionable neigh
boz Gods OF the city. 1T has always been 10.
and the population Of the world illustrates the
theory of the survival OF the fttest. II is a
wonder thut any of us are alive, and, although
conditions are improving. IL is surprising that
the mortality among children ia not even great
err than it is. The theories concerning the care
of babies Of forty years ago are enough to make
ones hair stand on end, and the worst Of
II is, the traditions stick so tightly that 1t is
very difficult to uproot them. The mothers
among ME poorer class are too ignorant to
understand the sanity of modern methods, and
the educated mothers are either overindul-
gent or influenced by the advice OF older wo-
lltI, Ip mn ~ Idblllbll. II IN u IlfdSNlIt w
work with the young mothers In well-to-do
families to-day. They are intelligent, rational.
earnest. and ready TO assist n physician but
the grandmothers and maiden Runts. with the
best intentions in the world. play havoc with
tho babies.
Now right here I want to say one thing. and
say 1t strongly. There's an awful amount Of
nonsense talked about the carelessness and
responsibility OF fashionable mothers. and
about the higher education Of woman leading
to neglect OF children. People assert that the
most devoted and self-sacrifcing mothers arc
found in the common walks Of life. l say that
Is absolute rot. I've had experience with thou
sands and thousands Of mothers Of all sorts and
conditions. and I've found that the better edu-
Gated the woman is the better mother she
makes. Our college girls have clear, logical
minds. They know something Of physiology
and physics and hygiene. When 1 explain to
one of them the vital Importance of a
certain proportion of fat and sugar in
a baby's food or the danger of slight
mistakes in diet or in the caro- Of a
baby she understands exactly what l mean,
feels the responsibility. and follows my direc-
tons to the letter. The ignorant mother in
dulGes the child. ~ncElects my directions. and
probably fbs to me when l tax her with having
disoheyed orders. As for society women. l do
not find that they neglect the babies. They
don't have them in their arms all the time and
are not perpetually feeding them. but that's
lucky for the babies. l know dozens Of wealthy
mothers in this city. leaders in society. women
whose checks are good for thousands. some
times for millions, who spend hours every day
preparing their babies food, and will not allow
any one else to attend 10 the bottles. because I
have convinced them that one cannot rely upon
a nurse in such matters.
"NTptbnr devotion is EoIJnp, IonLipr hut
ignorance can do as much harm as deliberate
negligence. and the majority of mothers are
ignorant. Nine-tenths Of the diseases of chill
drGn come from, dietctic causes Either the
babies are not fed with the right thing, or they
are fed in np improper manner In the case Of
4 nursing baby. the diet and health Of the
mother has, q course. much to do with the
you frI n mother rational and self-sacriticinG
q! that point; Among the pe1E. one OF the chief
Almost all Of the women keep, tea stewing on
the back of the st@}ye and take a drink q it
good thing for a nursing %rofher, aud you 'eapft
persuade Ie7 them that it, is nj9Ti2us to the baby
Then the children arr allowed 10. eat all
sST.E Of '4 tiGSSf, That s sa2nid b,nS Snisr t aSd 1 "t5ar
when he will eat anything that is given to him.
i AM"i miIk m; s5 eat @hG rSobfi s6y IS . RRa}f}i'Pi}Ek TX s" f. In IN
poor families. where the m0thcr has TO work
anu = I ~ bDiI'i'b. Sh' ~ XIV u ldb1 al
most anything t? keep II quLct-lgmp, sugar or
bananas and often nsreSorfc: We have any
In a regular parcgoric drunk. Another, re;
source q hu9y m~others.qnd one which isn't
F padiFIsr to as TIE Il is p sniTed. fh Sn rgh ssy f FiPpt so or
flscatcd theusani, Of those things, They are
an snj Hh BON al on, i Jh .T,1 draw va 9 tSt5y , mouth
6rI" 1gr,t u y S al 52TtS b of REi sst t6 and &C intn ,Se
1T is easier for poor people to feed a bottle
baby correctly than t used 10 be. SterilizGd
prosu rs 'n Il tSr "R n9t I ERmES's1ffR@ on G most mosh %i7s
know enough " boil the milk themselves be-
fore giving II to babies: In families where
mix heated 70 only 49,. but it is safer to toll
busy or ignorant mothers TO bring the milk to
the only sensible diet for children, the only
thing that appr2%Simates what nature inteYds
cases OF sickness as temporary makashifts. but
none OF them contains enough fat. and they all
b bnE ths tg0 dd mFG maxi t.ss atron THf G%nb %!y H nSks 'st,
rs, l said. they are most valuable at times.
"0f course aiarrhGH is the great summer
fed. but they pui! along through the cool
weather, because they are strong enough IN
pinned. though. and the arst hot weather ,foors
In june than in August. II is a clearing ont 81
Al. the babies thRt have been hanging 10 life by
'Hasl GS SysS enrS ia dTfT eiadia'ss e IS sl n. fG,sary in sum
mer Than IN winter, but there is not enough at
tentiQn paid to. the matter during the winter.
mothers understand,' Nothing should be al
lowed ~ Interfere With feeding a baby at rcGu-
mother 10 feed the child Between those hours.
child Of two months should he fed every two
hours and twice during the night. After three
monthsi i should 10. fed every three hours and
not at al at night: some persons hold up their
ing baby TO feed il, but II ought to be done IL
the baby is asleep At the regular hour for meals.
thar is done through the day there will he no
need Of feeding the baby at hight; whereas. II
the baby is fed irr"Rulnrly during the day il Ia
wide awake and ready for meals often during
the night.
You would be surprised to know how many
the haby?' answer, oh, whenever he cries for
it, Now that's absolutely criminal and does
as much harm as bad food. and the mistake Is
lust about az. common in wealthy homes as in
POOR ones, II women could only be persuaded
TO be- scrtlpnlnus about the care Of milk and
hnttlns. 10 Msn milk mnllh.h nccnrhing 10 q