Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-05-20
Health and Right Living

It lis Just as natural to want to
fondle n baby as 10 Is to peek ut
one when you pass 3 baby car
riage. The soft little things. sweet
and loveable. make an appeal 70
the most hard boiled OF human be-
ings. But babies should not h.
fondled. 1t is bad for them. More
than this, II Is positively danger
GUS.
Some persons are SO fascinated
by newborn chicks that they do
not trust themselves to take the
fluffy little things In their hands.
There Is a positive temptation TO
squeeze the attractive birdlets 10
death.
If you resist the temptation to
fondle u baby chick, why should
you be possessed to fondle a hui
man haby2 Yet you a hardly re-
sist the impulse TO do So
You can't blame young rarents
for being crazy ever the first baby.
The long days OF anxiety are over
and they are more than rewarded
by the precious Gift. IL is natural
to bounce and jiggle and toss and
kiss the sweet smelling infant.
But, dear parents, you mustn't.
The tender muscles, the frail back
bone, the soft little head. the deli
cate organs. are not strong enough
for play Careful ms You may be-,
your handling Is too rough for the
child. You must be patient. You
must wait.
The less you fiddle and fuss with
the infant the more 1t will grow
in strength. What q newborn
baby needs Is sleep. 1t must be
left alone.
You needn't think the baby viii
be lonesome. You needn't think
you are ~neglecting II.
On the contrary, when YOU
practice self-control. and leave the
baby to its own devices. the better
you are as a parent. by SO doing
you will be entitled to all the prizes
ms a model parent.
Cruel? or course I am. But I
am truthful and for once. certainly,
strictly scientific.
kissing a baby in the mouth IS
really "a crime. IE should be pro-
hibited by law IL anything should
be. Kiss it on the back Of the neck,
IL you wish, but never on the
mouth.
In our noses ana on our lips are
many germs. They NEAR little TO
us hardened grcwnpus. We have
powers Of resistance, the products
Of long years Of contact with these
evil agents. We are not easily vic
timized by such things. But a baby
is different
To an adult a cold is usually an
aiiment Of little consequence. Per-
haps we do not ray rs much atten-
ticn to our colds as we should, but.
anyhow we survive them. But there
is not the same certainty that a
baby viii survive a hard cold.
1t is really remarkable how a
baby wears down In 1t gets a nasal
infection There Is danger or an
ear complication There l. a pos
sibiliry OF pneumonia. Even if II Is
no more than a nasal disturbance
and never goes farther, Ii under
mines the vitality Of the tender
infant.
1t Is true or the father, partic-
ularly. that he may bring from the
outside world germs that are I'M
friendly to little babies. He should
not touch the child until he has
thoroughly washed hands and face
with soap and water. IT viii be
better still If he changes his
clothes. After this he may take
the child ir his arms and admire At
from a distance or several inches.
But. dear daddy. give all the
kisses 10 your wife and wait till
the baby is older before you shower
Il with these attentions. + am sure
this Is good advice.