The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-12-30

IN the good ld-fashioned days there
was popular notion that, any
woman physically capable OF bear
ing a child was mentally competent
10 care for the helpless little creature.
In those times young mothers TOOK NJ
tie or no pains to educate themselNe'
along scientific lines of nursery care :
indeed. there was no opportunity 10.
such training. The lore OF the nursery
1T would descend Ike fire from hcaN-
en- upon the young madonna. Alons
with that proverbial love WhiCh III.
baby is advertised to bring with IL was
supposed to arrive nursery WISDOM
When we compare this state OF al
fairs with the present situation, con
trast the ignorances OF treatment we
encountered with the faNotinS conu.
tiuns surrounding a latter-day iniaht'
we might ask, IF all these ahNlou7
and surrounding precautions are need
ful 70 preserve life. how did we sur
vive?'
There was then only the good ola
family doctor to rely on. and he treat
ed old and young impartially relying
upon and leaning heavily against ina
same maternal instinct that was uit
overworked. perhaps, I'm those less SCI
entiflc days Now, in every CITY pt
AM, size we find physicians whose sole
and sufficient occupation Is the car
of children and the study OF their
needs
"'The Book in my fathers house
meant the Bible states young nus
band. IN our home it means volume
my wife keeps on her candle table. IL
NAV be an inspired writing don
know She draws It on us continually.
It's a book on the care OF young emil
dren by the babies pope
II is 10 these experts. popes and car
tiinals OF popes, issuing their protocols
in every city, that our young mothers
now look for their instruction, and re-
ceive 1t in detail, with nothing spared
nothing left to the Imagination, no
chances taken. no dependence what
ever placed upon that old stan OF nur-
sery care. maternal instinct. 1t may
not be quite safe, quite sane, to say
that TO any instinct, unframed ana un-
guided, may be wholly trusted inc
most responsible tasks; but neither
does II appear quite safe, quite sane,
TO belittle those important Instincts
so delicate and perceptive. that have
in the past proved capable OF great
accomplishment
AS a case in proof we may cite the
story of the poor afflicted child drag
ged from clinic TO clinic, her case in
teresting because peculiarly obscure.
When she worked up at last through
subordinates into the clinic OF the
greatest diagnostician of them all. that
aged prophet, as experienced in human
life as he was in his profession,
glanced fleetingly at the patient. lis
tened uninterestedly TO the intricate
case history. but sat with deep eyes
fixed on the child's silent mother. a
plain, hard-working woman, unintelli-
gent OF face. without apparent powers
OF observation, without vocabulary. To
her ne spoke at last briefly:
"What do you think, madam, is the
matter with your child?"
The answer was instant spoken with
patient humility. but with the readi-
ness OF one who had long held a fixed
opinion for which no one had hitherto
thought IL worth while to call.
1T think she has thus and so, Doc
tor"
1t was not : specific disease she
named. but certain neglected symp-
toms quoted as, in her mind directly
, responsible for the serious results The
departure indicated by her homely
phrases was Illuminating. IL was tho
| testimony OF the closest and most accu-
rate observer of them all, one intimate
with the patient If what che stated
was correct. the case was absurdly
clear. The consulting physician looked
the child over with a new interest. ITS
what she has he said briefly. "The
mother knew" And the next case was
called.
Here was an example of the perfect
combination-pure science, pure in
stinct. working is one. neither arrogat-
Ing TO itself an excathedra position.