New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-10
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BATHING THE BABY.

Cleanliness Is the one irrevocabIe law OF nursery
management Other laws may be subject TO
change or modification. and their enforcement be
governed by varying circumstances and conditions.
but the dictun BE clean. be clean. and evermOre
be clean" is immutabe were the laws Of the
Modes and Persans IN oIden time. For without
absolute cleanliness in his person and his sur
roundings. In hts food, his clothing, and in the
very air he breathes, no baby can be really
healthy and vigorous lacking vScr and
health. he know very little Of comfort and
even less OF happiness. Hence the bath is one Of
the primary considerations OF his daily life. and
is not be omitted for any reason whatsoever
save that Of severe illness; indeed under such
conditions il is only rarely that there is any need
for its discontinuance. since the small patient will.
in most instances. be vastly more uncomfortable
without the refreshing sponge" than with it,
Before preparing the baby for his bath take spe-
claI pains to see that everything likely De
quired during the operation is in readiness and
within easy reach. in order that. once the child IS
undressed. he may be bathed and redressed quick
w. without the discomfort and risk Of lying
clothed while some missing article is being searched
for Have the room comfortably warm. with the
Thermometer registering about 70 degrees Fahren-
heit and take all possible precautions against any
sudden lowering OF the temperature. such as might
be caused by the opening OF doors windows.
II the weather be chilly or damp. though the
season be summer 1t is the part OF wisdom 10
have fire or a gas stove burning in the room. for
IL is a point to be borne always IN mind that chill
dren extremely SuSCepUDie 10 cOlO moreover.
heat Is necessary for the purpose of warming the
babys clothing: for. no matter how carefully the
latter may have been aired after laundering, il is
virtually certain to have gathered more less
dampness from being laid away. and unless this
is dispelled before the garments put the
baby must inevitably suffer
II should not be necessary to observe that fresh.
clean clothing should be put every morning at
the conclusion OF the bath. for IL the little gar
nents are made simply and OF inexpensive. wash
able material. they always ought to be. they
can be so easily and cheapy laundeFed TO leave
absolutely no excuse for dlverglng from this i'm
portant rule OF hygiene. An exception may possi-
bly, be made In regard to the hannes suppOsins
they are not soiled in any way: but nothing that
has been IN the slightest degree dampened or
stained should be again without being
washed. As for the practice OF drying dampened
diapers and putting them again, unlaundered il
Is impossible to condemn IL too strongly. Aside
from its onensiveness. it is a prolific source OF
chatting and various skin disorders II takes lit
tie time and labor to wash. rinse dry and iron
diapers thus rendering them whoIesomey clean
and comfortably soft. that wonders what the
motive can be for following any less hygienic
method
rubber oathtub. with folding supports, is such
convenient piece OF nursery furniture that no
modern nursery can be considered complete with
out II; nevertheless when expense an item 10 be
considered. a fair substitute be found in the
more familiar baby's bathtub OF enamelled ware,
placed. for convenience sake on low table. Bath
ing the baby IN tub is at once less tedious and
more thorough than the old fashioned method OF
washing him in the lap. while IL obviates much
Of the handling that would otherwise % unavoid-