The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1900-02-24
THE ToUGHENING PROCESS.
How to Harden the Consultation Of
Weak and Delicate
Children.

Some very crude Ideas have existed,
and still receive ZONE credence 10 GER
tain quarters, relative 10 the process
Of hardening the constitution" as Il
Is called. Many people are not yet
sufficiently cognizant Of the fact that
the constitution Is never toughened or
hardened" by undue exposure to the
summers sun, the winters wind. or by
indulgence in strains or over efforts.
lll-iniormed mothers sometimes dip
their infants In cold water with this
same follacious idea Of manufacturing
hardness. 1t Is a constantly weaken
Ing, enervating process, and when the
babe succumbs TO some acute malady,
and Is laid away under the "mysteri-
Gus dlEpensation Of Providence" idea
Il ought to be Numbered through the
land that exposure does not tougher,
while the sentiment should appear In
letters as startling as those which
Belshazzar saw on the wall OF old,
that Providence works no miracles 10
eounteract human folly. and that a.
lures laws are memorable, standing
on the statute hook Of time subject 10
no amendments at the hands Of man.
The best way to harden the human
constitution Is TO do It as we would
harden the constitution Of a horse, by
taking good care OF IL, fostering its
Vitality, always remembering that this
exposure idea doesn't show the bl-
man body as much courtesy even az
we show to a hat or a garment, which
ore never made better, but always
worse, by being banged about. Good
care, then, is the thing needed. This
does not mean coddling and over
s%wathlng, which are quite as bad as
undue exposure. 1t means the happy
medium in this as in all things.
Weakly children may be greatly
strengthened by sun baths and snolnt-
ings with oils. These two statements
need qualifications and explana-
ton. As to the sun baths, II
were well II every dwelling was so
constructed that one room could be
had specially for sun baths-a room
on the sunny side, Of course, having a
broadkide Of glass, and arranged so
that uniform temperature can be
maintained. In this room both the
young and the old could get much
benefit by exposure Of this sort OF the
whole body TO the suns rays, being
careful at first to avoid sunburn.
Nervous and weakly ones generally
would find in sunlight thus applied a
fine nerve tonic.
M 10 anointlngs Of oil, II the work
Is thorough the body may receive
considerable nourishment in the alb
sorption OF the oil, and this room
where the sun baths are taken would
be Just the best place in which TO APP
ply oils to the body. As TO the kinds
OF oil 70 be used ! would suggest olive
oil, codliyer oil or lsnolin, dilute
with yasaline. After these iniuno.
tons, all surplus oil remaining on the
skin should be wiped OF, and when
baths are taken salt should be used in
the water In the proportion Of, say,
II teaspoonful TO each four quarts
Of water,
For a change now and then, bi-car.
Donate Of soda may be used, or a little
borax. Let nothing that | have said
here be construed TO mean that the III.
tie ones should be deprived Of out.
door exercise in the cooler seasons,
my remarks being intended simply a,
a plea for protected exposure-an ex.
posure stopping short Of allowing a
child to get actual suffering from the
elements as a means Of tougbeuing-a
iallaclous Idea, fraught only with dan.
ger to innocent and helpless creature.
to whom humanity owes its tender.
est most merciful care.-Portland
(Me.) Transcript.