Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-13
AVOIDING BAD COLDS.
A Chapter for inexperienced Mothers
and Others.

Many mothers are wondering why their
babies are having bad colds at this season
and more than one careful parent de-
clares that she is certain the infant hasn't
been exposed to the cold weather, but has
been kept carefully indoors. That this is
indeed so explains frequently delicacy and
colds among children, and the sooner you
mothers realize this the better for them
and you. Let your baby go out in all
kinds Of weather If the youngster Is at all
healthy. Keep 1t so with fresh air and
sun when the latter shines Naturally any
baby with tendency to throat or lung
weakness must be kept from damp air. and
it would seem superfiuous to say that every
child should be well wrapped when taken
out of doors But it is quite necessary to
assert this positively, for some mothers
idea seems to be that when you say take
baby out no matter how cold the weather
may be the statement means cold won't
hurt the baby. Cold may kill, and certainly
will make it Ill If the youngster is not so
warmly dressed that the temperature of the
body does not go down. The point of the
whole thing is to have the baby's lungs get
plenty of cold and fresh air. but take pre-
cious good care that the body does not be-
come cold.
For very young baby it is enough that
its nose alone is uncovered; one a little
older does not need face covering, but
thick cap, loose fitting, will be enough for
the head.
The fact that during the winter city chill
dren are kept so closely housed as a rule,
explains their pallor and debility 1t isn't
tonics half as much as fresh air that they
need. Suppose IL is cloudy and cold. That
is not likely to hurt them half as much as
too much steam heat. Be sure their feet
are dry and warm, then turn them out
You don't find children living out of town
pale now. To the contrary, they are ROSY
and strong looking, and they are playing
outdoors frequently, even when it rains
Children should live out of doors; they
ought to be brought up in the fresh air and
sunshine. Without it they droop and die.
for life is sun child" and it's beginnings
cannot thrive deprived of it's native ele-
ment In childhood the foundation is laid
for mature life. Pale delicate hot-house
children, when brought up in the heated at
mosphere of the luxurious modern house,
have stamina for the future
sBut haven't time to keep my baby out
doors all day." signs a young mother who
does her own work. Quite true; but there
are more ways than one of accomplishing
the end. If you live in an apartment and
are so fortunate as to have sunny fire es-
cape, that is a solution of the difficulty.
Put the baby in its carriage warmly dressed
and covered and put the perambulator out
on the fire escape. 1t can't roll off and the
baby is fully as well off as though you were
pushing it up and down the sidewalk
Even If the fire escape scheme isn't prac-
ticable because of being in the shade
there is still another way. There must be
one room that Is sunny. Put on the child's
out-of-door things, open wide the window,
close the door SO that there shall be no
draught and let the fresh air stream In
If the child Is old enough to walk 1t should
not be put into carriage. but may have
some toys to play with and be turned
loose In the room. 1t will need precisely
the same clothing as when playing out Of