Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-15
THE CARE ar INFANTS
Health Officers Instructions to Physicians
to the Poor.
Safeguards Against Diseases Incident
to Heated Term Information of
Interest to GeneranrPubIic.

In view of the approach of the heated
term, during which there is invariably
largely increased number of deaths among
the younger children, DR.. VIM. G. Wood
| ward, the District health officer, has Issued
to the physicians to the poor a series of
| instructions for the care of infants during
hot weather. These instructions DIR. Wood
ward has carefully prepared, with a view of
giving not only those to whom the circular
is addressed valuable Information, but also
the general public The instructions are as
follows:
1.-The home in which the baby lives should
be kept as clean and as we'll ventilated as
possible Children suffer from the effects
Of foul air more quickly than grown people.
Give the baby plenty of fresh air. On
hot days it should be kept out of doors in
the cool of the morning and in the even
ing II it is out during the hottest part OF
the day it should be on the shady side of a
broad street or in a park. Do not expose
it directly to the heat of the sun.
Always protect the baby's eyes from
bright light.
Have its clothing light, cool and clean,
and so loose as to allow free play for the
limbs.
Clothing Should De Aired.
1.-The clothing which has been worn by
the child during the day, if it is to be worn
again, should be hung out during the night
so as to air thoroughly. Night clothes
should be aired during the day. Diapers
which have been wet or soiled should not
be used again until after they have been
washed.
Give the child a tub bath and sponge
bath every day.
Put it to sleep at regular hours each
day, always in bed by itself if possible.
IF child frets or does not sleep, try to
find out what makes it do SO, and 0y re-
moving the cause stop the trouble. Never
give child soothing sirup other medi-
cine to quiet it or to put 1t to sleep unless
you have been ordered to do SO by physi-
clan.
Use talcum powder to prevent chatting,
and if 1t does occur use some simple oint-
ment to heal it.
Give a reasonable quantity of water to
drink, preferably water which has been
boiled and cooled.
do not begin to give a child food other
than breast milk before it is ten months
old, unless advised to do SO by a physi-
cian
As to Nursing.
"A child should be nursed every two
hours during the daytime and once or twice
during the night, until it is four or five
weeks old. After that age it is not nsces-
sary to feed it SO often; every three hours
during the daytime and once in the night
is sufficient. Il physician advises the use
OF food other than breast milk, he will
state the kind of food to be used and how
often the child is to be fed with it. Care
fully battle the nipple before and after
nursing.
IF the mother has not milk enough, or if
she has consumption or any other serious
illness, she should consult physician to
learn whether to try to bring the child up
by the bottle
DO not wean the child just before or
during hot weather, nBr before it is ten
months old. At any other time, as soon
as the center teeth have come, the child
should have, in addition to It's milk, one
two other meals each day, consisting of
milk and stale bread, or broth not contain
Ing too much grease. Gradually the moth
ers milk should be withdrawn from the
child so that it will be weahed completely
by the time it is twelve months old unless
delay. Milk should continue to be the main
article of diet until the end of the second
or third year. When the child is one year
old it may have oncs day, in addition
to its bread and milk or BROTH the yoke of
a fresh soft.boiled egg and later lean beef
mutton or fowl can be added to its diet. 1t
should not be given any ham, pork, bacon,
tea or coffee.
There is more danger of giving child
too much food than of giving it too little.
Do not nurse it or feed it every time it
cries. A few drops of water is very often
all it wants.
Heat Effects.
Heat kills babies and young children
largely because 1t spoils their milk and
other food. If these be kept fresh and
sweet, cholera infantum is not apt to oc-
cur.
<"Use only fresh milk See that it is clean
and cold when you get it. Keep it clean
and cold until you use it. If 1t sours too
soon or seems to have too little cream,
notify the health department.
"A child should be vaccinated by the
time it is one year old.
IF the child is ill, especially if it be taken
during the summer with an attack of vom-
lting and diarrhea, send for q physician
at once.
THE advice and services of a physician
to the poor can be obtained by those
able to employ a medical attendant, by ap-
plying at the station house of the police
precinct in which the patient lives. Free
medical advice and assistance can be OBJ
tanned, too at any Of the dispensaries
throughout the city,.
STREET RAILWAYS IN PARIS.