The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-04-07
Too Much Science Is
Dangerous For Babies
Modern Methods Do Not Place Enough Reliance On
the Maternal Instinct-The Desire to Be Scien-
tific Leads to Harmful Exactness

m the good old-fashioned days there
was popular notion that any
woman physically capable or pear,
ing child was mentally competent
IN care for the helpless little creature.
In those times young motheIS LON ~
along scientific lines Of nursery care'
indeed. there was no opportunity loa
such training. The lore OF the nursery
if would descend like fire from heaV-
en- upon the young madonna; Aio zig
with that proverbial love" when the
baby is advertised to bring with 1t was
supposed to arrive nursery WISDOM.
When we compare this state OF al
fairs with the present situation, con-
trast the ignorances OF trealmenI Me
Encountered with the favoring condi-
lions surrounding a latter-day in1ant'
we might ask, IF all these ANXIOUS
and surrounding precautions are need
full to preserve life, how did we sur
yive?
There was then only the good. old
family doctor to rely on, and he treat
I'D old and young impartially, relying
upon and leaning heavily against tnat
same maternal instinct that was p.l
overworked, perhaps, in those less SCI.
entific DAVIS Now, in every city OF
an size we find physicians whose sole
and sufficient occupation is the care
of children and the study OF tneir
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 taple; IL
may be an inspired writing don't
know. She draws il on us continually.
It's a book on the care of young chill
dren by the babies pope.
It Is to these experts, popes and car
diDals of popes, issuing their protocols
I'm every city, that our young mothers
now look for their instruction. and re-
ceive it 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 and I'M
guided, may be wholly trusted the
most responsible tasks; but neither
does 1t 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 neetingly at the patient, lis
tened uninterestedly to the intricate
case history, but sat with deep eyes
fixed on the childs silent mother,
plain, Woodworking woman. unintelli-
gent Of face. without apparent powers
OF observation. without vocabulary. To
her he 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 II worth while to CALL
II think she has thus and so. Doc
tor"
1t was not a 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. It was the
testimony of the closest and most accu-
rate observer of them all, one intimate
with the patient. II what she stated
was correct. the case was absurdly
clear. The consulting physician looked
the child over with new interest. TITS
what she has" he said briefly. 1.-The
mother knew" And the next case was
called
Here was an example of the perfect
combi-a tion-pure science, pure in
stinct, working as one, neither arrogat-
ing to itself an excathedra position.