Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-12-14

Cleanliness Is one OF the foundation stones on
which is reared the beautiful structure of babys
good health and good temper When it is neglected.
all sorts of weaknesses, discomforts and irrations
creep in.
Unceanliness invites disease and furnishes a lodg-
ing place for germs. Moreover the baby that starts
Oft life by being comfortable through cleanliness
forms clearly habits which it never loses. Whenever
mother tells that she can't keep her three or
four year old baby clean that it simply attracts
dirt wherever 1t goes whatever it does wonder
how she started it off at birth. And have noticed
at Better Babies Contests that many minor defects
small ailments be traced by the examining phys
clans directly to carceasness the part OF the
mother. ~
Preparations for keeping the baby clean start be-
fore he is born. In drawer or basket covered from
dust, should be placed number Of old, soft clean
towels, thoroughly washed and dried piece Of soft
WOODEN blanket outing flannel, roll of sterized
gauze. at least half pound in quantity and the same
of sterilized absorbent cotton bottle of olive
cottonseed sweet oil, small package OF borc
acid, pure white soap Or the best CASTLE, and a
box Of talcum powder
trained nurse of long experience in maternity
cases tells me that the modern doctor looks first 10
the newborn baby's eyes, Science has proven that
large proportion Of men and women who are blind
owe the aflicton to lack Of care at BIRTH The eyes
easily infected at that time and blindness is
the inevitable result.
This nurse starts baby's by washing out
his eyes very gently with piece Of gauze, dipped
in weak solution Of boric acid, directly she has
applied the sterilized dressing to the cord Then she
rubs baby from head to foot with the oil mentioned
above rolls it up in the soft, blanket, lays it
its right side and turns her attention to the mother
feeling sure that baby's are safe from infection
Later she gives the baby its first sponge bath
OF warm water and pure soap, taking infinite care
not to disturb the dressing Of the cord After TIE
bath she washes out baby's mouth with gauze and
weak solution of boric acid and throws this piece Of
gauze away. With second piece Of gauze and
of the acid solution, she then gives babys eyes a
second washing, dresses him, feeds him and tucks
him away for his first sleep, in perfect cleanliness
and perfect comfort At first sac uses sterilized
sauze for all wash purposes with old, soft linen or
toweling for drying The gauze is then burned, each
towel washed and dried before it is used again. Later
baby, when year DID, has soft wash rag and towels
of his own which no else is permitted to use
and these are washed and dried as scrupulously as
his clothing. -
For week, only the sponge bath is given baby
lying bath blanket the nurses lap. After
that, if he is we'll and strong, he may be bathed in
tub. In households where there is the regulation
d
a special tub must be provided for the baby. The
enameed tub is the best and it must not be used for
any purpose except the babys baths. If the family
tub is used, it must be cleaned scrupulousy before
baby is put into the water The skin of the newborn
baby is very tender and infection is always at hand.
At the Better Babies Contests heard more than
physician trace eruption on babys skin to
careless bathing or of the tub. Doctors say
that bad of bols be traced to infected
tub. In fact, there are who love their babies
yet thoughtless to leave diapers soaking in tle
bath tub, where after superficial rinsng off with
warm water, baby is bathed. Diapers, all of babys
clothing, in fact should be soaked and washed in
separate utensils, in the bath tub.
The bathing of the baby each morning should be
systematic process, done hastily or careless
ly. There should be thermometer for the room
and for the bath ITSELF The room thermometer
should register from Is degrees to so degrees r. For
the first eight weeks of the babys life, the bath
thermometer should show that the water is loo deasa
grees f. From two months to six the temperature
Should be SO degrees F. From six months to twenty
four, it should register from 50 to 80 degrees n.
The mother who desires to insure her baby good