Things' are circulated among the reading classes of the community, the more extensive will be the diffusion of a strong antidote against the power of spurious and vain knowledge."*

ABLUTION.

3. Is a new-born infant to be washed, for the first time, in warm or cold water?

It is not an uncommon plan to use COLD water from the first, under the impression of its strengthening the child. This appears to be a cruel and barbarous practice, and is likely to have a contrary tendency. Moreover, it frequently produces inflammation of the eyes, stuffing of the nose, inflammation of the lungs, or looseness of the bowels. Although I do not approve of COLD water, we must not run into an opposite extreme, as HOT water would weaken and enervate the infant, and thus would predispose him to disease. Luke-warm RAIN water will be the best to wash him with. This, if it be summer, may have its temperature gradually lowered, until it be quite cold; if it be winter, a dash of warm water may still be added, to take off the chill.

4. Which do you prefer, flannel or sponge, to wash. a child with?

A sponge-a large sponge. A sponge cleanses and gets into all the nooks, corners, and crevices of the skin more effectually than flannel. Besides, sponge

* British and Foreign Medico-Chirurgical Review,' July, 1855.

is softer and more agreeable to the tender skin of a child than flannel.

5. Is it necessary to wash a new-born infant's head with brandy, to prevent him from taking cold?

It is not necessary.—The idea, that it will prevent cold, is erroneous; as the rapid evaporation of heat, which the brandy causes, is more likely to give cold than to prevent it.

6. Should that tenacious, paste-like substance, adhering to the skin of a new-born babe, be washed off at the first dressing?

It should, provided it be done with a soft sponge and with care. If there be any difficulty in removing the substance, gently rub it, by means of a flannel, with a little lard, or fresh-butter, or sweet-oil; after the parts have been well smeared and gently rubbed with the lard, oil, or butter, let all be washed off together, and thoroughly cleansed away, by means of a sponge and warm water. If this paste-like substance be allowed to remain on the skin, it may produce excoriations or eruptions. Besides, it is impossible for the skin to perform its proper functions if that tenacious substance be allowed to remain on it.

7. Have you any general observations to make on the washing of a new-born infant?

A child should be thoroughly washed every morning, from head to foot; wetting the head first, and paying particular attention to the groin, hams, arm-pits, &c. The skin should be thoroughly, but

quickly dried after every ablution with a warm, dry, soft napkin, first enveloping the child in it, and then gently absorbing the moisture with the napkin: not roughly scrubbing and rubbing the tender skin of the infant, as though the nurse were rubbing down a horse. Directly after the infant is dried, all the parts that are at all likely to be chafed, should be well powdered. After the infant is well dried and powdered, the chest, the back, the bowels, and the limbs, should be gently rubbed; taking care, not to expose the child unnecessarily during such friction. The infant should be partially washed every evening; indeed, it may be necessary to use a sponge and a little warm water frequently during the day, namely, each time after the bowels have been relieved. Cleanliness is one of the grandest incentives to health, and, therefore, cannot be too strongly insisted upon. If more attention were paid to this subject, infants would be more exempt from chafings, eruptions, and consequent suffering, than they at present are. After the second month, if the infant be delicate, the addition of two handfuls of table-salt to the water he is washed with of a morning will tend to brace and strengthen him. With regard to the best powder to dust infants with, there is nothing better, for general use, than starch, reduced to a very fine powder by means of a pestle and mortar. Some mothers are in the habit of using white-lead; but, as it is a poison, it should on no account be resorted to.*

* In one case, related by Kopp ('Journ. de Pharm.' xx, 603), a child was destroyed by it.

8. If the parts about the groin and fundament be excoriated, what is then the best application?

After sponging the parts with a little tepid water, and then drying them with a soft napkin, there is nothing better than dusting the parts frequently with finely powdered Native Carbonate of Zinc.

MANAGEMENT OF THE NAVEL.

9. Should the navel-string be wrapped in singed rag? There is nothing better than a piece of fine old linen rag, UNSINGED; when singed, it frequently irritates the infant's skin.

10. How should the navel-string be wrapped in rag?

A round piece of soft linen rag, about the size of a tea-saucer, should have a hole, the size of a shilling, cut in the centre of it; through this hole, the navelstring should be inserted, and the rag wrapped neatly around it, and kept in its place by thread, tied around, as you would a cut-finger, to keep on the rag. The navel-string thus covered, should be placed on the abdomen of the child, pointing upwards, and secured in its place, by means of a flannel belly-band.

11. If, after the navel-string has been secured, bleeding should (in the absence of the Medical man) occur, how should it be restrained?

The nurse or attendant should immediately take off the rag, and tightly retie the navel-string with a ligature composed of four or five whitey-brown threads; and, after carefully ascertaining that it no

longer bleeds, fasten it up in rag as before. Bleeding of the navel-string very rarely occurs; yet, if it should, and the Medical man should not be at hand, the child's life, or after-health may be endangered, if the above directions be not adopted.

12. When does the navel-string separate from the child?

From five days to a week after birth; in some cases, not until ten days or a fortnight, or even, in rare cases, three weeks.

13. If the navel-string does not come away at the end of a week, should any means be used to cause its separation?

Certainly not. It should always be allowed to drop off, which, when in a fit state, it will readily do. Meddling with the navel-string has frequently cost the infant a great deal of suffering, and, in some cases, even his life.

14. Sometimes, the navel is a little sore, after the navel-string comes away; what should then be done?

A little simple-cerate should be spread on lint, and applied to the part affected every morning, and a white-bread poultice every night, until it be quite healed.

CLOTHING.

15. Is it necessary to have a flannel-cap in readiness, to put on as soon as an infant is born?