New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-26
SWATHED IN Wells.
overanxious Mothers Apt to Bundle Baby
Too Much on First Cold Days.

Now that cooler weather is here. and the morn
Ing air has a sharp tang OF autumn, the little toiA
who throng the park on every pleasant DAY are
beginning 10 take on the appearance Of small
human partridges. so carefully swathed are they
In warm closely buttoned wraps" says a mother
who knows" 1T is Of course desirable uat
proper precaution be taken against cold. Duh u
is not in any a wise proceeding TO put on
heavy garments so early in the season. Tor thefe
IS stiu enough OF summer in the air to render the
children uncomfortably warm Just as soon as they
begin to run and romp in the way that heaIthy
children will. and it is while in this overheated
condition that they are in most peril OF TAXING
cold
Until the cold weather is actually here It IS
the better plan to make such changes as are
necessary in the under rather than the outer gar
ments, substituting a medium weight WoolIeh
shirt and ne soft. merino stockings for the thin
gauze and isle thread articles during the
hot weather. With the body and extremiues thus
protected the danger of a chill IS reduced TO
minimum especially the wool being next lhe
skin will readily absorb any moisture that may
result from violent exerton- With woOllen IN
derclothing as an ever present safeguard a light
weight cloth serge coat should amply cover al
requirements in the way Of an outdoor garment
But even more pernicious than this persistent
overlooking is the custom OF putting thick vells
over the faces of babies and little children when
ever there is the slightest chiliness In the at
mosphere-and in far as the babies are con-
cerned. very often when there is not DID you ever
ioclng IN the possession OF your first little nesting
that your precious baby Is just as eager to make
of those wide open blue ewes OF MS as YOU
/ CT your gentle brown ones? Then why, IN the
name all is sensible, do you insist upon
shrouding his face with yard or so OF GiouoAe
woven material whenever you send hIIn out lo an
siring-if call II by SO palpable mlsnoIneI
from the tiny traveller as If it laden with
deadly miasma- II the hlmy bit OF Iaee or chiiiIh
brinefnr ABOUT an unhealthy condition OF the COM
involving
disaser-the veil that the uckless infant Is forced
for it is made for the most part of fine white wool
woven in pattern so close and H t , In5 -
difficult as to approximate the lmpessloIe, 10
Child Old enough to keep its eyes open and use
them ntelligenty is positive cruelty; Tor. instead
supposed to do it really subjects them to strain
ras,,Te 70 q strong light Behind his impenetrabe
mask the baby keeps his eyes constantly az Nork
about him the result too often being either myopia
strabisnus the former due to proJTaeted nerve
the closely woven flaments Of wool
bs5s tYes are too weak to bear the light Of day
is nothing or less than arrant nonsense, II
he child should after the first week or two Of it's
NE De f glboIlv uncovered care being OBJ
served however. 50 to adjust the sunsnade az
tached to the baby carriage that neither the rays
Of the sun nor the glare from the sky can tall
directly upon the baby eyes. a little ordinary
effectualIy provide for this need
IF mothers couIc only Teai,4 1 ~ ftn an Il 70 he
9IalraSve small baby-overweighted with clothing
ana rigs strapped UP like trussed chicken, 50
-, eree resuiration is almost as Impossible as
,-oir1rfarv motion and forced by the same trick
-, +baf ohscures his vision 70 inhale and rem
~. bjs own warm breath until it becomes posi-
fivelv fetid-it Is safe to predict that a reform
movement would speedily be Instituted that would
a. least abolish the pernicous face covering even
III n did nothing else -. q. H-.-o-
az. so--etsrres hanDeus. however that II becomes
! a r1atter Of necessity to provide soHe spch pTo-
.ortior FOR a sleeping very young BABY, OWING
= - --ovfrrifv OF vicious poisonous Insects
HXer mis- Is the case the most satisfactory resuls
III ~ obtained by throwing piece q cltsr 80
or roso1lito bar-preferahly green-!iEluy oEeI W.
this simple eNDedlent eIIeclusi.is
- tie fncursiOn Of winged pests, while
nnr--nifting free circulation OF air throush ana
t-...b he covering. Moreover. the transparency
- - litter offers obstacle 20 the baos