The Maternal Management of Children, in Health and Disease. Thomas Bull
- 248
Their Value and Importance - 152
Their Management and Preservation - 154
Chap. IV.
HINTS FOR THE EARLY DETECTION OP DISEASE IN THE CHILD BY THE MOTHER.
I. Signs of Health - 163
II. Signs of Disease - 164
Of the Countenance - 165
Of the Gestures - 169
Of the Sleep - 171
Of the Stools - 172
Of the Breathing and Cough - 175
III. Other Circumstances which will assist in the early Detection of
Disease - 178
The Influence of the Seasons in producing particular Forms of Disorder - 178
The Influence of an hereditary Predisposition to certain Diseases - 179
Chap. V.
ON WHAT CONSTITUTES THE MATERNAL MANAGEMENT OF THE DISEASES OF CHILDREN.
I. Accidents and Diseases which may occur to the Infant at Birth, or soon after - 187
1. Still-born - 187
2. Injuries received during Birth - 193
3. Retention of Urine - 194
4. Swelling of the Breasts - 195
5. Inflammation of the Eyes - 196
6. Hare-lip - 199
7. Bleeding from the Navel-string - 201
8. Ulceration or imperfect Healing of the Navel - 20l
9. Bleeding from the Navel - 203
10. Jaundice - 204
11. Tongue-tied - 205
12. Moles and Marks on the Skin, etc. - 206
II. Disorders of the Stomach and Bowels; viz., Indigestion -
Flatulence - Vomiting - Griping and Looseness - 208
1. In the Infant at the Breast - 21O
2. At the period of Weaning - 217
3. In the child brought up by Hand - 221
Maternal Treatment - 222
III. Costiveness - 229
In Infancy - 229
In Childhood - 231
IV. Worms - 234
Not so frequent as popularly supposed; an error productive of mischief - 234
How produced and how best prevented - 237
V. Scarlet Fever - 239
Mild Form - 239
With Sore Throat - 242
Scarlet Fever compared with Measles - 245
Maternal Management - 246
VI. Measles - 253
Description - 253
Compared with Scarlet Fever and Small Pox - 255
Maternal Management - 256
VII. Small-Pox - 262
Natural Small-Pox - 263
Small-Pox in the Vaccinated - 266
Maternal Management - 268
VIII. Hooping Cough - 275
Description - 276
Maternal Management - 279
IX. Croup - 286
Signs of its Approach - 286
Maternal Management - 289
Its prevention - 289
X. Water in the Head - 291
Its Prevention - 292
Maternal Management - 298
THE MATERNAL MANAGEMENT OF CHILDREN.
Chapter I.
ON THE GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF INFANCY AND CHILDHOOD.
The line of demarcation made between infancy and childhood, both by ancient and modern writers, has always been arbitrary. I would draw the line between the two, at a period of time which appears to me to be the most natural, the most simple, and least likely to lead the reader into the danger of misapplying any part of the practical directions of this, or any future chapter of the work. We will consider, then, that—
Infancy, commencing with birth, extends to about the end of the second year, when the first dentition is completed.
Childhood extends from about the second, to the seventh or eighth year, when the second dentition is commenced.
Sect. I. DIETETICS OF INFANCY.
In the early months of infancy the organs of digestion are unsuited to any other food than that derived from the breast of the mother. So little capable are they, indeed, to digest any other, even of the blandest and most digestible kind, that probably not more than one infant in six or seven ever arrives at the more advanced periods of life when deprived of the kind of nourishment nature intended for this epoch.
It is not every parent, however, who is able to become a nurse; and with many this office would not only be highly injurious to their own health, but materially so to that of their offspring. This may arise from various causes, hereafter to be noticed, but whenever they exist a wet-nurse is demanded.
Again, the latter resource is not always attainable, so that the hazardous experiment of an artificial diet, or bringing up by hand, as it is then termed, is obliged to be resorted to.
Thus, infantile dietetics naturally divides itself into Maternal
Nursing, Wet-Nurse Suckling, And Artificial Feeding.
1. MATERNAL NURSING.
PLAN OF SUCKLING.
From the first moment the infant is applied to the breast, it must be nursed upon a certain plan. This is necessary to the well-doing of the child, and will contribute essentially to preserve the health of the parent, who will thus be rendered a good nurse, and her duty at the same time will become a pleasure.
This implies, however, a careful attention on the part of the mother to her own health; for that of her child is essentially dependent upon it. Healthy, nourishing, and digestible milk can be procured only from a healthy parent; and it is against common sense to expect that, if a mother impairs her health and digestion by improper diet, neglect of exercise, and impure air, she can, nevertheless, provide as wholesome and uncontaminated a fluid for her child, as if she were diligently attentive to these important points. Every instance of indisposition in the nurse is liable to affect the infant.
And