Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-13
STRIKERS WATCHING BUILDING.
THE BABY'S MEDICINE
PUT FAR BACK ON TONGUE AND
HOLD THE NOSE.

Isn't there any way of giving baby
medicine so that the whole household is not
upset and at least three doses admins
tered before he gets one?" writes dis
tracted parent. Indeed there is. Like
everything else. 1t Is simple when one
knows how. and even castor oil will slip
down In a second. however baby may wish
it wouldn't
Castor oil should never be given without
first heating 1t a little This does not mean
getting 1t hot nor putting a burning spoon
into the little mouth. The object Of neat
ing is merely to thin little the consist
ency of the heavy oil, and the most gen
tie warmth will do this. This change alone
makes the liquid go down more easily.
When this dose is to be given 1t is we'll
to call in a member of the family to act
assistant. Put baby down on the bed
on his back and have ready a small napkin
or other bit of linen wrung out in cold
water Fold this fiat just large enough to
go under baby's chin up to the ears. Give
this to the assistant and instruct her in
her duty. which is merely that of holding
the wet compress against the chin at the
psychological moment. This second is when
you gently hold the infants nose which
you are TO do just as you put the oil well
back into his mouth. but not in the throat,
which would then cause him to choke.
Holding the nose destroys the sense of
taste. and the wet compress causes a flow
of saliva that helps to send the medicine
DOWN. The thing necessary to success Is
that all shall be done together, and that
the oil shall fall on the precise spot on the
tOngue-that is 10 say. II should drop as
close to the throat 1t can without going
into the throat. To put it too near the
front of the mouth gets all over babys
gums and gives him flu. benefit of the
nasty favor. If an infant fights at taking
any kind of liquid medicine 1t may be
given in this way. but Il rule the little
one swallows any unconsciously.
If medicine in "A powdered form Is to be
given | think the simplest and. for young
child. the best way. is to give 1t dry.
Open his mouth and have the dose ready on
the point Of spoon. Drop tails quickly
well back on the tongue. and then nurse
or give him a bottle at once.
The idea that older children have. some
times. of medicine in the form Of pills
makircS them sick Is that should not
be given way to. for it Is a sheer nervous
notion. and the more the child is allowed to
give way to IT the harder will the trouble
get later on.
saw one small child made to swallow
two tiny pills three different times recently
before the dose would stay down. but when
amid sobs and tears the fourth was taken.
II did not return and she was broken OF the
habit Only few months ago a child Of
seven years declared that she could not.
she did not say would not" take tiny
pm. iier hotAeI argued ana commanded
for more than twenty minutes without at
fecting the child. and finally spanked the
tot Still the child couldn't and 1t was
not until after three spankings that she
could and did. with no unpleasant after
results Certainly two months afterward
the little girl volunteered to her mother
the information that II she had not been
spanked and made TO take the pill at that
time she would never have taken any
again. 1t was not uglness the part OF
the child. but nervous terror of medicine.
Since she has taken calmly what has been
given.