CHILDREN 
 
 WELL AND HAPPY 
 
 MAY BLISS DICKINSON, R.N. 
 
 > J 61 
 .16 
 
 1918 
 
Class 
 
 Book 
 
 Copyright^ . 
 
 COPYRIGHT DEPOSm 
 
 v 
 
MOTHERHOOD 
 
/^X//, Ms/Afau £//ss(p,cl 
 
 CHILDREN 
 WELL AND HAPPY 
 
 A MANUAL FOR 
 THE GIRLS' HEALTH LEAGUE 
 
 AJS<rft 
 
 BY 
 
 MAY BLISS DICKINSON, R.N. 
 
 n 
 
 PUBLISHED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS STATE FEDERATION 
 
 OF WOMEN'S CLUBS 
 
 LeROY PHILLIPS 
 BOSTON 
 

 Copyright, 1918 
 By MAY BLISS DICKINSON 
 
 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 
 
 JUN 25 1918 
 
 ©CI.A499466 
 
TO 
 
 MY MOTHER 
 
 MALAH BLISS DICKINSON 
 
 "Earth's noblest thing, a woman perfected' 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I. Personal Hygiene i 
 
 II. Home Sanitation 16 
 
 III. The Newborn Baby 29 
 
 IV. Breast Feeding 38 
 
 V. Bottle Feeding 46 
 
 VI. Care of the Baby's Food .... 55 
 
 VII. Care of the Baby's Body .... 63 
 
 VIII. The Baby's Clothing 71 
 
 IX. Habits and Training 78 
 
 X. The Baby's Teeth 88 
 
 XI. Emergencies 93 
 
 Appendix A. Organization of the Girls' 
 
 Health League Classes 103 
 
 Appendix B. Recipes no 
 
 Index 113 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Motherhood Frontispiece 
 
 Correct Posture when Standing ..... 2 
 
 Wrong Way to carry Schoolbooks 5 
 
 Right Way to carry Schoolbooks 5 
 
 Section of the Skin 7 
 
 The Correct Kind of Toothbrush 9 
 
 Ideal Ventilation 20 
 
 The Baby's Bed 34 
 
 Model Birth Certificate 36 
 
 Weighing the Baby 44 
 
 Modification of the Milk 49 
 
 Pasteurizing the Baby's Milk 53 
 
 Homemade Refrigerator 56 
 
 Filling the Baby's Bottles 57 
 
 Testing the Temperature of the Milk .... 60 
 
 Correct Way to Hold the Baby while Feeding . 61 
 
 Bathing the Baby 64 
 
 Baby Clothes 72 
 
 Nose and Throat Passages — Normal and 
 
 abnormal ^ 80 
 
 Baby Exercising 86 
 
 Child brushing his Teeth 90 
 
 Bath Thermometer 95 
 
 Protecting the Baby from his Mother's Cold . 99 
 viii 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 The purpose of this book is to give 
 schoolgirls definite help in learning how 
 to keep themselves and other children 
 well and happy. 
 
 The problem is a double one : How 
 can we best safeguard the health of our 
 schoolgirls? and What can we do through 
 them to save the babies ? To the first 
 question the answer is that we can teach 
 the girls the sacredness of life by in- 
 structing them in personal hygiene and 
 in the care of the home. The object of 
 such instruction is to give each girl a 
 " sound mind in a sound body " and to 
 fit her for a woman's work in the world. 
 The solution of the second part of the 
 problem is to be found in the careful 
 training of the schoolgirl in the general 
 principles of hygiene as applied to babies. 
 
x Children Well and Happy 
 
 Because the Health League classes 
 reach the girls during their formative 
 years, they offer a splendid opportunity 
 to establish those habits of life that make 
 for health and consequent happiness and 
 usefulness. Now as never before we are 
 coming to realize that the strength of a 
 nation depends primarily on the spiritual 
 and physical health of its citizens and 
 also on the training of its children to 
 assume in later years their duties as 
 fathers and mothers. 
 
 The author wishes to express her ap- 
 preciation and gratitude to the many per- 
 sons who have manifested interest in the 
 work of the Girls' Health League, which 
 was launched under the auspices of the 
 Massachusetts State Federation of Wom- 
 en's Clubs. She wishes also especially 
 to thank the following: Mrs. Herbert J. 
 Gurney, President of the Massachusetts 
 State Federation of Women's Clubs, for 
 
hitro duct ion xi 
 
 her encouragement ; Dr. Payson Smith, 
 Commissioner of Education of Massa- 
 chusetts, for his indorsement; John B. 
 Hawes, 2d, M.D., for his criticism and 
 advice; Margaret V. Grogan, M.D., for 
 her medical assistance ; Miss Florence 
 Hilton, Director of Physical Education, 
 Framingham public schools, for illustra- 
 tions of posture ; G. W. Cokell of Fram- 
 ingham for photographic work of unusual 
 value ; the Tri-Ad Studio artists for their 
 excellent designs. 
 
 MAY BLISS DICKINSON, R.N. 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 May this little book go forth bearing 
 words of healing, health, and joy to you 
 who faithfully study them, and, also, to 
 those little ones whom the kind Father 
 may place in your arms in the wonderful 
 years to come. 
 
 MRS. SAMUEL W. McCALL 
 
CHILDREN 
 WELL AND HAPPY 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 PERSONAL HYGIENE 
 
 Suggestions for demonstrations. 1. Demon- 
 strate the correct posture when standing, walking, 
 and sitting. 2. Show the right and wrong kinds 
 of shoes. 3. Demonstrate the correct way of carry- 
 ing schoolbooks. 4. Show samples of soap — 
 pure castile, Ivory, and a cheap scented variety 
 — and explain the right and wrong uses of soap. 
 
 Personal hygiene may be defined as 
 the wise and systematic care of the body. 
 The reasons why every girl should take 
 care of her body are : 
 
 First, good health means power to do 
 one's work in life well. 
 
 Second, health is an aid to happiness 
 and personal attractiveness. 
 
Children Well and Happy 
 
 CORRECT POSTURE WHEN , . 
 
 STANDING ClUtieS. 
 
 Good health helps 
 to give a person an 
 active, cheerful mind, 
 and this makes one 
 alert, capable, and 
 able to work to the 
 best advantage. Good 
 health gives poise 
 and grace to the body 
 and helps to create 
 efficiency. 
 
 The following are 
 good rules : 
 
 i. Form health- 
 giving habits. 
 
 2. Let keeping well 
 and happy be one of 
 your most important 
 
 The person who 
 honestly wishes to be useful must begin 
 at once to make good health a certainty. 
 
Personal Hygiene 3 
 
 Rules for Correct Posture 
 
 Standing. We should stand correctly in 
 order that the organs of the body — heart, 
 lungs, stomach, liver, and kidneys — may 
 have room and be in position to do their 
 work well. We should stand erect, chin 
 in, chest high, abdomen flat, and with the 
 weight of the body resting on the balls 
 of the feet. 
 
 Walking. In walking the weight of the 
 body should be thrown well forward. 
 
 It is correct to let the heel touch the 
 ground first, but the weight should very 
 quickly be transferred to the ball of the 
 foot. The correct position of the feet is 
 with the toes pointed straight forward. 
 This straight-foot position is characteristic 
 of our best athletes, our native Indians, and 
 others who are noted for great endurance 
 in running and walking. Two things are 
 essential : stockings should be a little 
 
4 Children Well and Happy 
 
 longer than the feet, and shoes should 
 be roomy at the toes and have heels riot 
 more than one inch high. 
 
 Sitting. As our schoolgirls sit many 
 hours each day, it is vital to their health 
 that they sit correctly. When sitting, one 
 should push back in the chair as far as 
 possible. In the resting position the 
 entire trunk should lean backwards 
 against the back of the chair; the hips 
 should not be allowed to slide forward 
 in the seat. In the active position the 
 trunk is held erect or inclined forward. 
 When leaning forward in a sitting posi- 
 tion, the trunk must be held erect or 
 inclined forward, and the bending should 
 be from the hips, not from the waistline. 
 Girls should not sit on one foot nor with 
 the knees crossed,, as these positions inter- 
 fere with the circulation. When a person 
 is sitting, the feet may be crossed if a 
 change of position is desired. 
 
Personal Hygiene 
 
 WRONG WAY TO CARRY 
 SCHOOLBOOKS 
 
 RIGHT WAY TO CARRY 
 SCHOOLBOOKS 
 
 Carrying of schoolbooks. In going to 
 and from school, books should be carried 
 on the right arm one clay, on the left arm 
 the next day, or they may be divided and 
 carried partly on each arm. Of course 
 
6 Children Well and Happy 
 
 the best plan is not to carry many books 
 home. All pupils should prepare as many 
 lessons during the study periods of each 
 school day as classes will permit. 
 
 Position when reading. Children should 
 be taught at an early age not to let the 
 light, either natural or artificial, shine in 
 their eyes. The strongest light should 
 come from the left. Light from above is 
 the best. One should not read too long 
 at any one time without looking up at 
 some distant object in order to rest the 
 muscles of the eyes. 
 
 Care of the Skin 
 
 The skin is the outer covering of the 
 body. It serves as a protection to the 
 body and as an organ of excretion. Many 
 waste products which would act as poisons 
 if retained in the body are carried away 
 through the pores of the skin by means of 
 perspiration. This perspiration is produced 
 
Personal Hygiene 7 
 
 by sweat-producing glands. Closely related 
 to these are the oil-producing glands. The 
 constant presence of perspiration and oily 
 
 -^ — epi-cl ermis 
 
 jJkJSs — siue2j" dland 
 
 material from the glands makes it impor- 
 tant that the skin be kept clean so that 
 the pores may not become clogged. 
 
 Handkerchiefs. It is important that the 
 child be supplied with clean handkerchiefs 
 
8 Children Well and Happy 
 
 and be taught the proper use of them. 
 A child should be told never to use a 
 handkerchief belonging to anyone else. 
 A handkerchief should be held before the 
 nose or mouth when coughing or sneez- 
 ing. One should never spit on the side- 
 walk, in the house, or in any public place. 
 
 Baths 
 
 Cleansing bath. The most important 
 bath is the cleansing bath of warm water 
 and soap, which should be taken at night 
 or after exercise. After taking this bath 
 one should dash or rub cold water over 
 the skin. The body should be quickly 
 dried and given a brisk rubbing with a 
 coarse towel to increase the circulation. 
 
 Cold bath. A cool sponge bath, taken 
 the first thing in the morning, has a stimu- 
 lating effect on the body. It sends the 
 blood to the skin and quickens the cir- 
 culation. This bath should be followed 
 
Personal Hygiene 9 
 
 by a brisk rubdown with a rough towel. 
 A cold plunge bath should not be taken 
 without the advice of a physician, as cold 
 baths are not beneficial to everyone. 
 
 Brushing the teeth. The greatest factor 
 in preventing decay of the teeth is cleanli- 
 ness. The teeth should be brushed the 
 
 THE CORRECT KIND OF TOOTHBRUSH 
 
 first thing in the morning and the last 
 thing at night, and, when convenient, 
 should be rinsed after eating. The lower 
 teeth should be brushed with a half- rotary 
 motion up, and the upper teeth should be 
 brushed down. This will assist in remov- 
 ing particles of food from the teeth and 
 will prevent injury to the gums. Dental 
 floss should be used between the teeth. 
 Coarse food which requires much chewing 
 
io Children Well and Happy 
 
 strengthens the teeth and is excellent for 
 
 the digestion. 
 
 It is well to use a simple mouth wash 
 
 of one-half teaspoonful of soda or salt in 
 
 a glass of tepid water. Have the dentist 
 
 clean the teeth twice a year; do not wait 
 
 until the teeth ache before going to the 
 
 dentist. 
 
 Food 
 
 Food is that which supplies nourish- 
 ment to our bodies. Although many ele- 
 ments enter into the composition of what 
 we eat, food is roughly divided into three 
 classes : proteids, carbohydrates, and fats. 
 Some foods contain all of these elements ; 
 others contain only one or two of them. 
 
 Proteids. The proteids build and repair 
 the tissues of the body and include such 
 substances as the lean of meat and fish, 
 the white of egg, milk, and parts of vege- 
 tables. Dried peas, dried beans, and nuts 
 contain large percentages of proteid. 
 
Personal Hygiene n 
 
 Carbohydrates (sugars and starches). Car- 
 bohydrates form the essential parts of 
 vegetables and furnish body heat and 
 muscular power. Foods containing a large 
 percentage of starch are bread, potatoes, 
 rice, macaroni, tapioca, and cereals. Such 
 foods as candy, maple sirup, honey, and 
 molasses are almost entirely sugar; while 
 carrots, parsnips, and beets contain a large 
 percentage of sugar. 
 
 Fats. Fats are the energy-producing 
 part of our diet. They may be of either 
 vegetable or animal origin — as cream, 
 butter, yolks of eggs, nuts, meat, and 
 fish fats. 
 
 Mixed diet. A mixed diet consisting of 
 all the food elements in proper proportion 
 is necessary to supply material for the 
 normal growth of the body. Everyone 
 should eat vegetables freely not only be- 
 cause they are good for the bowels (acting 
 as a wholesome laxative) but also because 
 
12 Children Well and Happy 
 
 many of them, especially the green vege- 
 tables, contain important organic matter, 
 such as iron. 
 
 Bread and butter. Bread has often been 
 called the staff of life. In other words, 
 bread and butter alone form an almost 
 perfectly balanced meal. Bread should 
 never be eaten until it is at least twenty- 
 four hours old. Stale bread cut thin and 
 toasted in the oven until it is crisp is 
 appetizing and wholesome. Instead of giv- 
 ing large amounts of bread and butter to 
 children three times a day, mothers should 
 substitute in part vegetables and fruits. 
 
 Coarse foods. Coarse foods are espe- 
 cially valuable because they require thor- 
 ough mastication, which is the real function 
 of the teeth. This helps to keep the 
 tongue and teeth clean. Another reason 
 for giving coarse foods to children is that 
 the circulation of blood in the gums and 
 throat is improved by chewing. 
 
Personal Hygiene 13 
 
 Milk. Milk contains all the essential 
 elements of a well-balanced diet and is 
 one of the most important foods. It 
 should be taken slowly and with other 
 food, such as graham crackers, and should 
 constitute an important part of the diet 
 of every child. Children up to fourteen 
 years of age should take milk, or milk 
 flavored with cocoa, in the place of tea 
 and coffee. 
 
 Water. While water is not classed as a 
 food, it makes up three fifths of the total 
 of the fluids of the body and aids in the 
 elimination of the waste products of the 
 body. All foods contain some water, while 
 fruits and vegetables are largely composed 
 of it. A glass of water should be taken 
 before breakfast, in the middle of the 
 morning, and in the afternoon, and two 
 glasses in the evening. One glass may be 
 taken with the meals if it is taken after 
 the food in the mouth has been swallowed. 
 
14 Children Well and Happy 
 
 Six or eight glasses of water should be 
 taken during every twenty-four hours. 
 
 Candy. Many people believe that candy 
 is harmful. This is because children, and 
 indeed adults, are apt to eat it at the 
 wrong time and to eat too much of it at 
 one time ; nevertheless it has high food 
 value, and a little pure candy eaten once 
 a day, after a meal, is healthful. 
 
 Bowels. When there is any trouble with 
 the stomach or bowels look for the cause 
 in some mistake or indiscretion in the 
 diet. The family physician should be 
 consulted. 
 
 Care of the bowels. The bowels should 
 move at least once every day. A regular 
 habit of bowel movement can and should 
 be formed. The best time is in the morn- 
 ing, after breakfast. Many of the head- 
 aches, muddy, pimply complexions, and 
 bad tempers are due to constipation. This 
 condition may be relieved by exercise, by 
 
Persona/ Hygiene 15 
 
 the eating of coarse food, vegetables, fruits, 
 such as apples, prunes, and oranges, and 
 by drinking plenty of water. 
 
 Exercise. Exercise, as either work or 
 play, is necessary because it stimulates 
 the action of all the organs of the body. 
 The blood circulates more freely during 
 exercise, and more waste products are 
 thrown off. One should not take violent 
 exercise immediately after eating ; neither 
 should one exercise when unduly fatigued. 
 Work must be wisely alternated with play 
 and rest, because efficiency ends when a 
 person becomes overtired. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 HOME SANITATION 
 
 Suggestions for demonstrations. 1. Demon- 
 strate the ventilation of a room. 2. Demonstrate 
 the dusting of a room. 
 
 By home sanitation we mean keeping 
 the house clean and giving the forces 
 of nature, such as sunshine, fresh air, and 
 pure water, their fullest opportunity to 
 work for us. By letting the out of doors 
 indoors we give nature a fairer chance 
 at her great task of keeping us well and 
 happy. 
 
 The house is a protection for the family 
 and should have healthful and cheerful 
 surroundings. The housewife should un- 
 derstand the principles of home sanita- 
 tion and thereby secure for her family a 
 
 healthy and happy life. 
 16 
 
Home Sanitation 17 
 
 Location of the house. The location of 
 the house is often decided more by neces- 
 sity or convenience than by the considera- 
 tion of health. If possible, a tenement or 
 house should be so situated as to secure 
 good air, sunshine, good drainage, and 
 good neighbors. A house with a southerly 
 exposure or placed with its corners to the 
 points of the compass has a distinct hy- 
 gienic value and is always to be preferred, 
 because it gets the sun in each room at 
 some time during the day. 
 
 Sunshine. Abundant sunshine and light 
 in the home are of great importance, and 
 help to make the home healthful and more 
 cheerful. People living in rooms which 
 have no sun become pale and gradually 
 lose strength. 
 
 Pure air. Sunshine and pure air are the 
 most important essentials for healthy life 
 in the home. Nothing will take the place 
 of fresh air. Everyone should be taught 
 
1 8 Children Well and Happy 
 
 to fill the lungs with it by slow, deep 
 breathing. We breathe on an average 
 eighteen times a minute, or 25,920 times 
 every twenty-four hours. No matter how 
 well rooms are ventilated, it is a good plan 
 to open the windows wide a few times each 
 day. This helps to rid the atmosphere of 
 impurities. 
 
 Oxygen. Oxygen is the element in the 
 air that sustains life ; it is inhaled through 
 the lungs, taken up by the blood, and car- 
 ried to all parts of the body. 
 
 Carbon dioxide. The air also contains 
 carbon dioxide, which is a product of com- 
 bustion in many forms, such as respiration 
 and the decomposition of animal and vege- 
 table matter. Although enormous quanti- 
 ties of carbon dioxide are constantly being 
 forced into the air, it is likewise being 
 removed constantly — especially by grow- 
 ing vegetation. Plants and trees, under 
 the influence of sunlight, absorb much of 
 
Home Sanitation 19 
 
 the carbon dioxide ; therefore plants, which 
 many people like to have in their rooms, 
 not only please the eye but have a prac- 
 tical value. 
 
 The condition of plants in the house is 
 a good test of home sanitation. If the 
 leaves drop off, probably the rooms are 
 overheated and the air too dry. There is 
 some truth in the saying, " Where plants 
 will not grow, people ought not to live." 
 The breathing of impure air causes a 
 feeling of discomfort ; the habitual breath- 
 ing of bad air causes headache and lessens 
 the resistance of the body to disease. 
 
 Impurities of air in homes. Many condi- 
 tions may help cause bad air in our homes ; 
 among these are mentioned overcrowding, 
 oil stoves, gas stoves, and the kind of 
 housekeeping which permits the accumu- 
 lation of dust and waste. 
 
 Good ventilation. By good ventilation 
 we mean a sufficient supply of fresh air of 
 
20 Children Well and Happy 
 
 suitable temperature and moisture, kept 
 systematically in motion. Moving air 
 
 
 - : - ' ' " ■ 
 
 <.X.;.+ 
 
 IDEAL VENTILATION 
 
 serves a double purpose — that of bringing 
 to us a fresh supply and of taking away 
 the warm, moist, impure air by which we 
 
Home Sanitation 21 
 
 are surrounded. The best and simplest 
 way to ventilate a room is to have one or 
 two windows open at both the top and the 
 bottom. During storms or in the winter 
 time, ventilation may be secured by cover- 
 ing a wire screen with thin outing flan- 
 nel. This allows the entrance of fresh air 
 without drafts. 
 
 Drafts. There is a superstition that 
 colds are caused by drafts. As a matter 
 of fact, moving air is a necessity, and 
 drafts do not cause colds. Drafts, sudden 
 chilling of the body, and dampness may 
 be predisposing causes, but in themselves 
 they will not produce a cold. Such con- 
 ditions lower the general vitality of the 
 body and favor the development of infec- 
 tion when the specific cause is introduced. 
 
 Temperature of air. The temperature of 
 the air has a very important bearing on 
 health. The harmful effect of extremes 
 of temperature has caused the death of 
 
22 Children Well and Happy 
 
 many babies. The temperature of heated 
 rooms, during the day, should be between 
 68° and 70 F. 
 
 Humidity. By humidity we mean the 
 moisture in the air. Many of the colds 
 which occur in the winter are due to the 
 dry air in homes and places of work. 
 Extreme dryness irritates the mucous 
 membranes of the nose and throat, and 
 this irritation is favorable to the devel- 
 opment of infection. Moisture may be 
 added to the air in two simple ways : by 
 keeping a dish of water on the radiator 
 and by keeping plants in the rooms, for 
 plants constantly throw off moisture. 
 
 Water. The purity of the water that is 
 used in the household, whether it comes 
 from a public water supply or from a well 
 in the country, is a question of great im- 
 portance. Every housewife should know 
 the source from which the water used in 
 her household comes. 
 
Home Sanitation 23 
 
 Water is considered pure from the stand- 
 point of health when it is free from pol- 
 lution, color, odor, poisonous salts, and 
 turbidity. Clear, sparkling water is not 
 necessarily pure however. The purity of 
 water can be determined only by analysis. 
 
 In most states the public water supply 
 of cities and towns is inspected regularly 
 and the water is examined, so that the 
 people may be protected from clanger of 
 infection. When the water used in a 
 household is obtained from a well or pri- 
 vate water supply, an analysis of it should 
 be made. 
 
 All wells should be carefully con- 
 structed and covered, so that there may 
 be no danger of pollution from surface 
 drainage. Privy vaults should not be near 
 the well or so located that there will be 
 drainage from them to a well ; otherwise 
 the germs of typhoid and other diseases 
 may find their way to it through the 
 
24 Children Well and Happy 
 
 ground and become a source of danger 
 to the persons using the water. As an 
 extra precaution all discharges from 
 persons who have tuberculosis, cholera, 
 dysentery, or typhoid fever should be 
 effectively disinfected before they are 
 emptied into a privy vault or into a 
 flush closet. 
 
 Purification of water. If the purity of 
 the water is doubted, it should be boiled 
 for five or ten minutes in a clean, covered 
 kettle. This renders it safe. The flat 
 taste which often results from the boiling 
 may be remedied by shaking the water 
 in a bottle or pouring it from one clean 
 pitcher to another or by simply expos- 
 ing it to the air overnight. Water should 
 be kept cool, and should be protected 
 from dust. 
 
 Household filters. The domestic filter 
 is of little value. It will remove visible 
 particles of matter, but will have very 
 
Home Sanitation 25 
 
 little effect upon bacteria. If such filters 
 are used, they should be carefully and in- 
 telligently cleaned several times a day. 
 
 Care and arrangement of rooms. All the 
 rooms in the house should be well venti- 
 lated and kept scrupulously clean. The 
 windows should be entirely screened in 
 order that they may be opened at both 
 top and bottom. The screens should be 
 put on in the spring before the flies and 
 mosquitoes appear and should not be re- 
 moved until all danger from them is past. 
 Screens should be brushed frequently. 
 
 Dust and dusting. Dust is brought into 
 the home on shoes and clothing, and is 
 blown in from the outside. Dust must 
 be kept under control by the use of a 
 vacuum cleaner, a carpet sweeper, or a 
 damp broom, and by good ventilation. 
 Children should not be allowed to remain 
 in rooms that are being swept, for dust 
 causes an irritation of the eyes, nose, and 
 
26 Children Well and Happy 
 
 throat and also is frequently a carrier of 
 disease germs. The dusting of furniture 
 should be done with a damp cloth. This 
 will wipe off the dust and not stir it up 
 into the air where it will be inhaled or 
 will settle again. A feather duster should 
 not be used. Dampened dusters may be 
 prepared in the following way: spread 
 the dusters out smoothly on a towel that 
 has been wrung out of hot water, roll, and 
 let them lie for half an hour before using. 
 
 The cellar. The cellar should extend 
 under the entire house. If there is no 
 cellar, the space under the floor should 
 be well ventilated. There should be win- 
 dows on at least two sides of the cellar to 
 give ventilation and light, and the win- 
 dows should be well screened. The cellar 
 requires constant care and should be kept 
 not only dry but clean and free from rub- 
 bish and substances that decay or absorb 
 and hold moisture. 
 
Home Sanitation 27 
 
 Care of food. Young people should 
 learn to care for food in the home. Food 
 should be fresh, clean, and wholesome. 
 It should be protected from dust and 
 handled only with clean hands. The de- 
 velopment of bacteria may be prevented 
 by keeping the food cold and clean. 
 Fruits should be washed before being 
 used. The outer covering of berries is 
 easily bruised, and such fruits are fre- 
 quently contaminated by dust and flies. 
 Fruit should be full-grown but not over- 
 ripe when eaten. Vegetables such as 
 lettuce, celery, and radishes, that are 
 eaten uncooked, should be thoroughly 
 washed and rinsed in several waters. 
 
 Care of garbage. Garbage consists chiefly 
 of the refuse matter from the kitchen. It 
 should be kept in a clean metal can with 
 a tight-fitting cover, since it will attract 
 flies, rats, and other vermin. It is impor- 
 tant that the can be frequently emptied 
 
28 Children Well and Happy 
 
 and cleaned. Be careful that broken glass, 
 broken dishes, nails, tacks, or old papers are 
 not mixed with the kitchen refuse. Have 
 a separate can or barrel for- ashes and all 
 glass and metal rubbish. The fair criterion 
 of good housekeeping is the amount of 
 garbage. A large amount of garbage means 
 carelessness and waste in the kitchen. 
 
 Dishcloth and dish towels. Beware of 
 a greasy, damp, disease-carrying dishcloth 
 that is hung in a warm, dark place. The 
 dishcloth and dish towels should be kept 
 clean by washing them with soap and hot 
 water every day. They should be hung 
 out in the sunshine in the open air. 
 
 Clean hands. Clean hands mean more 
 than personal cleanliness. They mean 
 clean door knobs, furniture, and clothing. 
 The hands should he washed frequently 
 with warm water and soap, and always 
 before handling food, after going to* the 
 toilet, and before taking the baby. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 THE NEWBORN BABY 
 
 Suggestions for demonstrations. 1. Demon- 
 strate the washing of the baby's eyes. 2. Demon- 
 strate giving the baby the oil bath. 3. Demonstrate 
 giving the sponge bath. 4. Show how to make 
 the baby's bed and how to place the baby in it. 
 
 First care of baby. The hands should 
 be carefully washed before handling the 
 baby. When the baby comes his eyes 
 must be washed with a two per cent solu- 
 tion of boric acid. 1 The proper care of the 
 eyes at this time may be the means of 
 preserving the eyesight. A fresh piece 
 of cotton should be used for each eye. 
 Always wash the lids from the nose to- 
 ward the outer corner of the eye ; then 
 burn the cotton. The baby should then 
 
 1 See Appendix B. p. 109. 
 29 
 
3<d Children Well and Happy 
 
 be placed upon his right side, with his 
 head a little lower than his body. 
 
 Oil bath. When the baby is born there 
 is on his skin, particularly in the creases, 
 a white cheeselike substance that can be 
 removed only with oil. Therefore the 
 baby's first bath should be of warm olive 
 oil or vaseline, applied with a piece of soft 
 cotton and allowed to remain for an hour 
 or more and then very gently wiped off. 
 A water bath should not be given until 
 the second day. 
 
 A sponge bath. A sponge bath should 
 be given daily up to the sixth or ninth 
 day, after which the warm tub bath should 
 be substituted. Essentials for the bath are : 
 
 i. A warm room (72 F.) 
 
 2. A bath thermometer 
 
 3. A large flannel bath apron 
 
 4. Two basins of warm water 
 
 5. Two soft washcloths 
 
 6. Two large soft towels 
 
The Newborn Baby 31 
 
 7. Olive-oil soap or pure castile soap 
 
 8. Pure talcum powder 
 
 9. Two per cent boric-acid solution 
 10. Absorbent cotton 
 
 The toilet articles should be kept on a 
 white enamel tray, which is easy to clean. 
 After everything is prepared for the bath 
 the fresh clothing should be warmed. The 
 mother puts on her apron and takes the 
 baby in her lap ; she then undresses him 
 and wraps him in the bath apron. The 
 temperature of the bath should be ioo° F. 
 by the thermometer, and this should never 
 be guessed at, because the water feels very 
 much warmer to the sensitive skin of 
 the baby than to the hand- of an adult. 
 The head and face are first washed 
 with the warm w r ater and carefully dried. 
 The body is then bathed with the warm 
 water and soap, rinsed with clear water, 
 wrapped in soft towels, and dried by pat- 
 ting. Great care must be taken to dry 
 
32 Children Well and Happy 
 
 thoroughly all the folds and creases of the 
 skin. A little lanolin or sweet oil should 
 then be gently rubbed into the folds or a 
 little talcum powder may be dusted on the 
 neck, behind the ears, under the arms and 
 knees, in the groin, and on the buttocks. 
 Wipe away all superfluous powder, as it is 
 apt to get wet and cake, and will then 
 irritate the skin. 
 
 For the tub bath see page 63. 
 
 Dressing the baby. In dressing and 
 undressing the baby the garment should 
 be put on and off over the feet. This will 
 prevent dust or other foreign particles on 
 the clothing from entering the eyes, nose, 
 or mouth of the baby. After the baby is 
 dressed his nose, ears, and eyes should 
 be cleaned by means of twisted cotton 
 dipped in a two per cent solution of boric 
 acid. A fresh piece of cotton should be 
 used for each eye, ear, and nostril and 
 should then be burned. 
 
The Newborn Baby 33 
 
 Development 
 
 Crying. It is necessary for a newborn 
 baby to cry a little every day; this tends 
 to expand his lungs. 
 
 Sight. A newborn baby is not able to 
 distinguish objects, but his eyes are very 
 sensitive to light and must be carefully 
 protected. 
 
 Hearing. The hearing soon becomes 
 acute ; therefore loud and sudden noises 
 should be avoided, as they startle and ex- 
 cite the baby. It is well to keep him in 
 a room away from noise and confusion. 
 
 Speech. When six or seven months old 
 a baby begins to try to utter words and 
 will usually be able to say a few words 
 when nine or ten months old. The aver- 
 age child, however, does not begin to form 
 sentences of more than two or three words 
 until he is about eighteen months or two 
 years of age. 
 
34 Children Well and Happy 
 
 Baby's bed. The newborn baby sleeps 
 about nine tenths of the time. He should 
 have a bed by himself. The first bed may 
 be made in an ordinary clothes basket or 
 in a light box. Table padding makes a 
 
 THE BABY'S BED 
 
 good mattress if folded to six thicknesses, 
 because it is easily laundered and is inex- 
 pensive. When washed it should be dried 
 out of doors in the sunshine. If the mate- 
 rial used in the crib mattress is excelsior, 
 it should be made as smooth as possible, 
 with a soft pad placed on top of it. Curled 
 
The Newborn Baby 35 
 
 hair is more expensive, but is light, cool, 
 and easily cleansed. The crib mattress 
 should always be protected by a piece of 
 rubber sheeting covered with a soft pad. 
 The baby's bed should be raised at least 
 twelve inches from the floor to escape drafts. 
 
 Pillows. The baby's head should not be 
 elevated, as he will take more air into his 
 lungs when no pillow is used. If the 
 mother wishes, she may place a folded soft 
 cloth under the baby's head. 
 
 Birth registration. See that the baby's 
 birth is promptly and accurately registered. 
 Later he may need his birth certificate to 
 prove his 
 
 1. Identity 
 
 2. Legitimacy 
 
 3. Right to inherit property 
 
 4. Right to enter school 
 
 5. Right to seek employment 
 
 6. Right to vote 
 
 7. Right to hold office 
 
 8. Privilege to travel in other countries 
 
36 Children Well and Happy 
 
 IRegistrs department 
 
 CITY OF 
 
 County of , State of 
 
 City Hall 
 
 The following is an abstract from the Record 
 of Births in said City: 
 
 No 
 
 rsoN i 
 \dau.j 
 
 of 
 
 was born in. 
 
 1T betebE Certify that the above is a true copy 
 from the Record of Births in the Custody of the 
 City Registrar. 
 
 CITY 
 SEAL 
 
 City Registrar 
 
 MODEL BIRTH CERTIFICATE 
 
 Protection against flies and mosquitoes. 
 
 The baby must be protected from flies 
 and mosquitoes because malaria and other 
 
The Newborn Baby 37 
 
 diseases may be transmitted in this way. 
 Flies are carriers of filth and disease 
 germs and therefore should never be 
 allowed to touch the baby's lips or the 
 baby's bottle. 
 
 It is important that netting be placed 
 over the baby's bed and be large enough 
 to tuck in under the mattress. It should 
 not hang down over the sides of the bed. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 BREAST FEEDING 
 
 Suggestions for demonstrations. 1. Demon- 
 strate how to hold the baby when feeding him. 
 2. Demonstrate how to weigh the baby. 
 
 Every mother should nurse her baby 
 if she is well and has the milk; it is 
 her most important duty for the time 
 being, and all other things should be 
 secondary to it. 
 
 The reasons. Breast milk is nature's 
 food for the baby. It is fresh, sterile, 
 and always at hand. It is the least ex- 
 pensive food that can be given, and con- 
 tains the proper elements of food in the 
 right proportions. 
 
 Breast-fed babies seldom have bowel 
 troubles — which are apt to be so fatal 
 
 in bottle-fed babies, especially in hot 
 
 38 
 
Breast Feeding 
 
 39 
 
 weather. Ten bottle-fed babies die to one 
 fed on the breast. 
 
 Hours for nursing. At the end of the 
 first twenty-four hours the baby is put 
 to the breast. Because of the scant 
 quantity of milk in the breasts, every 
 four or six hours is often enough for the 
 first two days. Until the mother's milk 
 comes no food should be given to the 
 baby except a little cool boiled water, 
 not sweetened. If the milk is very 
 scanty, the physician will probably order 
 a few bottle feedings. For a normal baby 
 the following feedings are recommended : 
 
 From Birth 
 
 From Three 
 
 From Eight 
 
 to Three 
 
 to Eight 
 
 Months to 
 
 Months Old 
 
 Months Old 
 
 One Year Old 
 
 6 A.M. 
 
 6 A. M. 
 
 6 A.M. 
 
 9 A.M. 
 
 9.30 A.M. 
 
 IO A.M. 
 
 12 noon 
 
 I P.M. 
 
 2 P.M. 
 
 3 P-M. 
 
 4.3O P.M. 
 
 6 P. M. 
 
 6 P.M. 
 
 8 P.M. 
 
 I O P. M. 
 
 9 P.M. 
 
 12 midnight 
 
 
 i 2 midnight 
 
 
 
40 Children Well and Happy 
 
 The mother should nurse her baby 
 regularly and give nothing between feed-^ 
 ings except unsweetened boiled water. 
 If the baby is awakened at feeding 
 times during the day, he will soon form 
 the habit of nursing regularly. 
 
 How to hold the baby. While the baby 
 is nursing do not hold him too closely 
 to the breast, as he must have plenty of 
 air to breathe. If the baby is nursing 
 from the right breast, he should be held 
 on the right arm, and the mother's left 
 hand should press the breast away from 
 the baby's nose. 
 
 Length of nursing time. The baby 
 should not nurse more than ten minutes 
 at first nor more than twenty minutes at 
 any time. He should not be allowed to 
 fall asleep while nursing nor be permitted 
 to take his meal too rapidly, as this latter 
 may cause him to hiccup. If a baby 
 nurses too rapidly, withdraw the nipple 
 
Breast Feeding 41 
 
 from his mouth for a few seconds. This 
 may be done every three or four minutes. 
 
 Baby's stomach. The infant generally 
 takes more fluid at each feeding than the 
 stomach can hold at one time. Almost 
 as soon as the milk is swallowed it be- 
 gins to pass into the intestines. Breast 
 milk is digested and passed on more 
 rapidly than cow's milk. 
 
 Mixed feedings. When the mother's 
 milk is of good quality, but is not suffi- 
 cient in quantity to satisfy the baby, it is 
 necessary to give him additional food. 
 This is done by giving alternate feed- 
 ings of the breast milk and modified 
 milk. Mixed feedings should always be 
 given under the doctor's directions. Every 
 bit of breast milk helps the baby, because 
 it tends to make the digestion of artificial 
 food easier. 
 
 Advice to nursing mothers. Keep your- 
 self well. As long as you are well the 
 
42 Children Well and Happy 
 
 baby will keep well. Even though you 
 have but little milk at first, do not get 
 discouraged ; be patient and persevering. 
 You should have lunches of milk and 
 gruel — one in the middle of the morn- 
 ing, one in the afternoon, and another at 
 bedtime. Remember that an active, cheer- 
 ful mind is an important factor in good 
 health. Nothing upsets a baby more 
 quickly than a nervous, irritable mother. 
 
 Diet of a nursing woman. The meals 
 should be simple and nutritious and should 
 include a large amount of liquid. Milk, 
 cereals, eggs, and soups should form the 
 principal part of the diet. Some of the 
 foods to be avoided by a nursing woman 
 are cabbage, onions, garlic, and sour fruits. 
 
 Weaning. The healthy baby should be 
 weaned from the- breast between the 
 ninth and the eleventh month. Every 
 baby ought to be weaned entirely at the 
 age of one year, but it is better not to 
 
Breast Feeding 43 
 
 wean him during the summer. If a baby 
 has been taught to take water from a 
 spoon or cup, there will be no trouble 
 at the weaning period in having him take 
 his milk from a cup. Weaning should 
 take place gradually. During the process 
 the mother should take less liquids and 
 usually some laxative to produce free 
 movements of the bowels. 
 
 Weigh the baby. The baby should be 
 weighed once a week. Scales similar to 
 grocers' scales, with a basket attached, 
 may be used, as they are more accurate 
 than spring scales. 
 
 Directions for weighing. Have the scales 
 in a warm place, protected from drafts. 
 Undress the baby, wrap him in a small 
 blanket, and place him in the basket 
 on the scales. Write down the total 
 weight; then lift the baby out, weigh the 
 basket and blanket together, and subtract 
 this amount from the first weight. The 
 
44 Children Well and Happy 
 
 average healthy baby weighs from seven 
 to seven and one-half pounds at birth, 
 and his average length is twenty inches. 
 
 WEIGHING THE BABY 
 
 A healthy baby usually doubles his weight 
 at the end of the fifth month, and by the 
 end of the first year weighs three times 
 as much as at birth. For instance, if 
 he weighs seven pounds at birth, he 
 
Breast Feeding 45 
 
 should weigh fourteen pounds at the end 
 of the fifth month and twenty-one pounds 
 at the end of the first year. 
 
 If the length is twenty inches at birth, 
 the baby should grow about four inches 
 during the first five months and eight 
 inches during the first year. The follow- 
 ing table shows the actual gain in weight 
 of a healthy baby that was breast fed : 
 
 7| pounds 
 ni pounds 
 16 pounds 
 18 pounds 
 
 20 pounds 
 
 2 1 pounds 
 
 Weight at birth .... 
 Weight at age of two months 
 Weight at age of four months 
 Weight at age of six months 
 Weight at age of eight months 
 Weight at end of first year . 
 
 A child may be in good health and yet 
 not conform to these averages. This need 
 cause no uneasiness, providing the child 
 is well and gains in weight. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 BOTTLE FEEDING 
 
 Suggestions for demonstrations. 1. Show and 
 demonstrate the care of utensils to be used in 
 modifying milk. 2. Demonstrate the process of 
 modifying milk. 3. Demonstrate the process of 
 pasteurizing milk. 
 
 Foods. Condensed milk and proprie- 
 tary foods should be used only in emer- 
 gency or on the advice of a physician. 
 They are of value only in the rare in- 
 stances when a baby cannot digest cow's 
 milk or when prescribed by a physician. 
 
 Cow's milk. If a baby cannot have 
 
 breast milk, the next best food is properly 
 
 modified cow's milk. Cow's milk, when 
 
 used for the baby, must be fresh. It 
 
 should be delivered in sealed bottles. 
 
 Milk sold from open cans should never 
 4 6 
 
Bottle Feeding 
 
 M 
 
 be given to a child. Milk should not be 
 left standing on the doorstep nor in a 
 warm kitchen, but should be placed in the 
 ice box as soon as received, where it 
 should be kept covered and at a tempera- 
 ture between 35 and 45 ° F. 
 
 Choice of milk. Whenever possible, cer- 
 tified milk should be used. Certified milk 
 is milk produced under conditions that 
 conform to certain standards of cleanli- 
 ness laid down by the state. Uncertified 
 milk may of course often be used without 
 danger, but if there is any question about 
 its purity, it should be pasteurized (see 
 page 52 for directions for pasteurizing). 
 
 COMPARISON OF MOTHER'S MILK AND 
 COW'S MILK 
 
 
 Mother's Milk 
 
 Cow's Milk 
 
 Fat .... 
 
 3.50 per cent 
 
 4.00 per cent 
 
 Sugar . . . 
 
 7.00 per cent 
 
 4.50 per cent 
 
 Protein 
 
 1.25 per cent 
 
 3.50 per cent 
 
 Salts .... 
 
 .20 per cent 
 
 .70 per cent 
 
48 Children Well and Happy 
 
 No matter how cow's milk is modified, 
 it differs from human milk in certain 
 other ways that we do not understand, 
 and this renders it less desirable for infant 
 feeding than human milk. 
 
 Modified milk. The formula for the 
 baby's food must be given by a nurse or 
 a physician. The following general direc- 
 tions for feeding a baby that does not re- 
 quire a special formula have been prepared 
 by a committee of the American Medical 
 Association : 
 
 Beginning on the third day the average baby 
 should be given three ounces of milk daily, di- 
 luted with seven ounces of water. To this 
 should be added one tablespoon of limewater 
 and two level teaspoons of sugar. This should 
 be given in seven feedings. 
 
 At one week the average child requires five 
 ounces of milk daily, which should be diluted 
 with ten ounces of water. To this should be 
 added one and one-half even teaspoons of sugar 
 and one ounce of limewater. This should be 
 
Bottle Feeding 
 
 49 
 
 MODIFICATION OF THE MILK 
 
 given in seven feedings. The milk should be 
 increased by one-half ounce about every four 
 days. The water should be increased by one- 
 half ounce every eight days. 
 
50 Children Well and Happy 
 
 At three months the average child requires 
 sixteen ounces of milk daily, which should be 
 diluted with sixteen ounces of water. To this 
 should be added three tablespoons of sugar and 
 two ounces of limewater. This should be given 
 in six feedings. The milk should be increased 
 by one-half ounce every six days. The water 
 should be reduced by one-half ounce about 
 every two weeks. 
 
 At six months the average child requires 
 twenty-four ounces of milk daily, which should 
 be diluted with twelve ounces of water. To this 
 should be added two ounces of limewater and 
 three even tablespoons of sugar. This should 
 be given in five feedings. The amount of milk 
 should be increased by one-half ounce every week. 
 The milk should be increased only if the child 
 is hungry and digesting his food well. It should 
 not be increased unless he is hungry, nor if he 
 is suffering from indigestion, even though he 
 seems hungry. 
 
 At nine months the - average child requires 
 thirty ounces of milk daily, which should be 
 diluted with ten ounces of water. To this should 
 be added two even tablespoons of sugar and two 
 
Bottle Feeding 51 
 
 ounces of limewater. This should be given in 
 five feedings. The sugar added may be milk 
 sugar or, if this cannot be obtained, cane (granu- 
 lated) sugar or maltose (malt sugar). At first 
 plain water should be used to dilute the milk. 
 
 At three months, sometimes earlier, a weak 
 barley water may be used in the place of plain 
 water ; it is made of one-half level tablespoon of 
 barley flour to sixteen ounces of water and cooked 
 for twenty minutes. (See Appendix B.) 
 
 Fill the feeding bottles, cork them, and put 
 on the ice. If the milk is not certified, it should 
 be pasteurized. 
 
 Utensils. The utensils used for pre- 
 paring the baby's food should be reserved 
 exclusively for that purpose. The best 
 material for these utensils is enamel or 
 agateware. 
 
 LIST OF UTENSILS 
 
 i. A big covered kettle or dish pan. This 
 should measure at least eighteen inches in diam- 
 eter, so that all other utensils may be boiled in 
 it at one time. 
 
52 Children Well and Happy 
 
 2. Bottles. There should be as many bottles 
 as there are feedings in one day. 4 
 
 3. Nipples. It is important to select those 
 that can be turned wrong side out to be cleaned. 
 
 4. A bottle brush. 
 
 5. A nipple brush. 
 
 6. A sixteen-ounce graduated measuring glass. 
 
 7. A tablespoon, teaspoon, and cream dipper. 
 
 8. A teapot of enamel or agateware in which 
 sterile water is kept for use as needed. 
 
 9. A wire rack for holding bottles. 
 
 10. A roll of nonabsorbent cotton for the 
 stoppers for the feeding bottles. 
 
 Pasteurizing. This process consists of 
 heating the milk to 145 F. and keeping 
 it at this temperature for thirty minutes. 
 The following method may be used : Fill 
 the bottles with the modified milk and 
 place in the wire rack. Put the rack in 
 a dish of water, with the water just above 
 the level of the milk. Suspend a milk 
 thermometer in the water and heat until 
 the thermometer registers 145 F. Keep 
 
Bottle Feeding 53 
 
 at this temperature for thirty minutes, 
 then take out the rack and cork the 
 bottles at once. Place carefully in a dish 
 of cool water or put an inverted basin over 
 
 PASTEURIZING THE BABY'S MILK 
 
 the rack containing the bottles and set 
 under the cold-water faucet. Cool quickly 
 and place on the ice at once. 
 
 If no pasteurizing outfit is at hand, the 
 bottles of milk may be heated in a double 
 boiler until the steam arises. Continue 
 
54 Children Well and Happy 
 
 heating at this temperature for fifteen 
 minutes. If the pasteurized milk is used 
 for a long time, it is well to give the baby 
 orange juice to prevent rickets and scurvy. 
 This should be given in the morning, reg- 
 ularly, three quarters of an hour before 
 feeding time. One teaspoonful should be 
 given at first, and the amount gradually 
 increased up to one tablespoonful. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 CARE OF THE BABY'S FOOD 
 
 Suggestions for demonstrations. 1. Show a 
 homemade refrigerator. 2. Demonstrate the care 
 of bottles. 3. Demonstrate the care of rubber 
 nipples. 4. Demonstrate the process of steri- 
 lizing water. 
 
 Homemade refrigerator. An ice box to 
 keep the baby's milk in good condition 
 may be made in the following way at 
 very little cost: In a wooden box about 
 eighteen inches square and of about the 
 same depth, put a layer of sawdust three 
 inches deep. Then put a ten-quart pail 
 (or a larger one) in the center of the box. 
 Add more sawdust and put a cardboard 
 collar around the pail, to keep the saw- 
 dust in place. It is also well to put a 
 layer of cheesecloth over the sawdust. 
 
 55 
 
56 Children Well and Happy 
 
 Inside this pail place another (smaller) one, 
 to hold the ice. The bottles are put in 
 the larger pail, which should be securely 
 covered, and a bag of sawdust is placed 
 over it. The box should be tightly closed 
 by a wooden cover lined with several 
 
 PM)DED 
 COVER 
 J >\ TO 
 S \ T30X 
 
 PAIL COYER 
 
 HOMEMADE REFRIGERATOR 
 
 thicknesses of newspaper. The inner pail 
 should be taken out and cleaned every 
 morning. 
 
 The box described above will keep 
 cold for twenty-four -hours with five cents' 
 worth of ice in it. The cover should not 
 be left off any longer than is necessary 
 to remove the bottles. 
 
Care of the Baby s Food 57 
 
 FILLING THE BABY'S BOTTLES 
 
 Care of bottles. New bottles should be 
 placed in a kettle of cold water, put on 
 the stove, and boiled for twenty minutes. 
 
58 Children Well and Happy 
 
 They should then be removed from the 
 stove, but left in the kettle until the water 
 cools. Bottles treated in this way will not 
 break easily. 
 
 As soon as the baby has finished feed- 
 ing, the bottles should be rinsed with cold 
 water, cleaned with a bottle brush in clear 
 hot water, then filled with fresh water 
 and set aside. In the morning, before the 
 day's food is prepared, all bottles should 
 be scrubbed with hot water and Ivory 
 soap; they should then be rinsed thor- 
 oughly in several waters, boiled in a solu- 
 tion consisting of two teaspoonfuls of soda 
 to one quart of water, and rinsed in clear 
 boiled water. 
 
 Care of bottle nipples. New nipples 
 should always be scrubbed and boiled for 
 three minutes before being used. It is 
 better to buy nipples that can be turned 
 inside out. There should always be at 
 least two nipples clean and ready for use. 
 
Care of the Baby s Food 59 
 
 Immediately after the feeding the nipple 
 should be removed from the bottle, washed 
 in cold water, scrubbed inside and outside, 
 rinsed well, and placed in a jar of sterile 
 water or a two per cent solution of boric 
 acid. Nipples should be boiled daily for 
 about three minutes. 
 
 When it is time to feed the baby the 
 bottle should be taken from the ice box 
 and placed (still corked) in a dish of water 
 deep enough to come above the milk line. 
 The water is to be heated until the milk is 
 warmed. The water should not boil, as that 
 renders the milk less easy to digest and is 
 apt to make the baby constipated. A clean 
 cloth should be placed in the bottom of the 
 dish or kettle, to prevent the bottle from 
 slipping and breaking. The temperature 
 of the milk should be tested by dropping 
 some of it on the inner surface of the 
 arm. If it feels warm to the skin, it is 
 the correct temperature for the baby. 
 
60 Children Well and Happy 
 
 The mother should never put the nipple 
 into her own mouth to test the temper- 
 ature. The nipple should be handled only 
 
 <>\ 
 
 l^>^ 
 
 TESTING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE MILK 
 
 by the neck ; the part that goes into the 
 baby's mouth should 'never be touched. 
 
 Holding the baby while feeding. The 
 baby should be held by the mother or 
 nurse in the same position as for breast 
 feeding. The bottle should be held so 
 
Care of the Baby's Food 61 
 
 CORRECT WAY TO HOLD THE BABY WHILE FEEDING 
 
 that the neck is continually filled, in order 
 that the baby may not suck in air. The 
 feeding should be finished in twenty 
 minutes. If the baby nurses too rapidly, 
 
62 Children Well and Happy 
 
 withdraw the nipple for a moment several 
 times during the feeding. If the baby 
 falls asleep, the bottle should be removed, 
 and no more milk should be given until 
 the next feeding time ; he should not 
 be permitted to nurse a little and then 
 sleep a little, and thus unduly prolong 
 the feeding. 
 
 Sterile water to drink. The water which 
 is given the baby to drink should first be 
 boiled and then put where it will cool. 
 Before it is given it should be slightly 
 warmed. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 CARE OF THE BABY'S BODY 
 
 Suggestions for demonstrations. 1. Demon- 
 strate the preparation of a two per cent solution of 
 boric acid. 2. Demonstrate giving the baby a tub 
 bath. 3. Demonstrate giving the baby a bran bath. 
 4. Demonstrate protecting the baby from drafts. 
 
 Preparation for the bath. A tub bath 
 may be given to the baby as early as the 
 sixth or ninth day. The morning bath 
 should be given three quarters of an 
 hour before the nine o'clock feeding. The 
 mother should wash her hands carefully 
 before handling the baby. The temper- 
 ature of the room in which the bath is 
 given should not be below 7 2° F. If the 
 room is too hot — so hot that the baby 
 perspires — there is grave danger of his 
 
 being chilled when the bath is over. 
 63 
 
64 Children Well and Happy 
 
 The tub should never be put on the 
 floor, but always on a chair or low table. 
 
 BATHING THE BABY 
 
 This makes it easier for the mother to 
 give the bath and also helps protect the 
 baby from dust and drafts. Screens should 
 be used to secure complete protection 
 
Care of the Baby s Body 65 
 
 from drafts. For the first four weeks the 
 temperature of the water should be be- 
 tween 98 and ioo° F. As the baby grows 
 older the temperature should be gradually 
 lowered. Suitable temperatures are 
 
 ioo° F. at birth 
 98 F. at one month 
 95 F. at three months 
 90 F. at six months 
 85 F. at twelve months 
 
 If the baby is bluish and does not react 
 well, it means that the water was not the 
 right temperature or that he was in the 
 water too long. Always use a bath ther- 
 mometer ; never guess at the temperature. 
 
 After everything is prepared for the 
 bath and the clean clothing warmed, un- 
 dress the baby. He should be weighed 
 once a week, at this time. 
 
 The bath. He should then be wrapped in 
 a warm blanket and held in the lap while his 
 eyes, ears, nose, face, and head are washed. 
 
66 Children Well and Happy 
 
 The nose and the ears. The inside of the 
 baby's nose should be carefully cleaned 
 every day with a soft, wet twist of absorb- 
 ent cotton. The external ears should be 
 washed daily. No attempt should be made 
 to clean the inside of the ears except with 
 a piece of cotton wound around the end 
 of the little finger. 
 
 The eyes. The eyes should be cleaned 
 each morning, at first with a two per cent 
 solution of boric acid, and after two months 
 with warm sterile water. A separate piece 
 of cotton should be used for each eye. 
 The lids should be washed from the nose 
 toward the outer corner of the eye. If the 
 eyes show a mattery secretion and the 
 lids are swollen, a physician should be 
 consulted at once. Infection of the eyes 
 has often resulted in blindness. 
 
 The mouth. The baby's mouth should 
 be cleaned once a day by the use of a 
 swab, made by twisting a bit of absorbent 
 
Care of the Baby s Body 67 
 
 cotton on a wooden toothpick, wet in 
 a two per cent solution of boric acid. 
 After each feeding a teaspoonful of warm, 
 sterile water may be given to wash the 
 milk down. The old method of cleansing 
 the mouth with a piece of gauze twisted 
 over the finger frequently injured the 
 delicate tissues. Except in emergency the 
 finger should not be put inside the baby's 
 mouth. 
 
 The scalp. For the first few weeks 
 the baby's scalp should be washed at the 
 time of the bath. If yellow scales form, 
 rub warm olive oil or vaseline into the 
 scalp at night, and in the morning wash 
 it with warm water and pure castile soap, 
 rinsing thoroughly. If the scales do not 
 come off, repeat the operation as many 
 times as necessary. Do not use a comb 
 to remove the scales, as this will irri- 
 tate the scalp and render the condition 
 worse. 
 
68 Children Well and Happy 
 
 The nails. The baby's nails should be 
 cleaned with a toothpick over which has 
 been twisted a little absorbent cotton. 
 The nails should be carefully cut with 
 small scissors in order to prevent him 
 from scratching himself. 
 
 The body. It is best to wash the baby's 
 entire body with warm water and soap 
 before placing him in the tub. The bath 
 in the tub is for rinsing off the soap and 
 for exercise. He should be turned over so 
 that his chest will rest on the mother's 
 forearm while his feet touch the bottom 
 of the tub. Teach the baby to like the 
 bath, and he will not be frightened. He 
 should not stay in the water more than 
 two or three minutes, and when lifted out 
 should be wrapped in a soft, warm bath 
 towel. He should be dried quickly by 
 gently patting the skin with soft towels, 
 not by wiping. Take special care to dry 
 all the folds and creases ; rub these with 
 
Care of the Baby's Body 69 
 
 sweet oil or lanolin, or powder them care- 
 fully. Powder, if used, should be lightly 
 dusted on the neck, behind the ears, under 
 the arms and knees, in the groin, and on 
 the buttocks. Rub off all superfluous 
 powder; if it gets wet and hardens, it 
 will irritate the skin. 
 
 Dressing. The baby should always be 
 dressed while lying on his back or on a 
 bed or pillow. Pin the flannel band at the 
 side with small safety pins ; then put on 
 the shirt and be careful that the draw 
 string at the neck is not tied too tightly. 
 Next put on the diaper snugly. The ger- 
 trude is placed inside the slip and both 
 are put on at the same time. These two 
 garments should be drawn on over the 
 baby's feet. If the weather is cool, the 
 baby should be wrapped in a flannel 
 blanket. 
 
 Bran bath. If the baby's skin is sensi- 
 tive or if he has heat rash, a bran bath 
 
70 Children Well and Happy 
 
 will prove beneficial. Prepare this by put- 
 ting bran into a cheesecloth bag six inches 
 square, and soaking this in the bath until 
 the water is milky. Do not use soap with 
 the bran bath, nor with an ordinary bath 
 when the baby's skin is sensitive. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE BABY'S CLOTHING 
 
 Suggestions for demonstrations, 1. Show sam- 
 ples of clothing for a baby. 2. Demonstrate how 
 to dress a baby in hot weather. 3. Demonstrate 
 how to dress a baby in cold weather. 
 
 Clothes. The clothing must always be 
 roomy and loose and adapted to the 
 season, climate, and temperature. 
 
 FIRST SET OF CLOTHES 
 
 Four flannel binders 
 
 Four knitted bands 
 
 Three shirts and three nightgowns 
 
 Three flannel gertrudes 
 
 Three dozen diapers 
 
 Four long white dresses 
 
 Flannel bands. These bands should be 
 
 made of all-wool flannel, four inches wide 
 
 and about twenty-eight inches long, that 
 71 
 
72 Children Well and Happy 
 
 -A 
 
 is, long enough to reach twice around the 
 baby's body. They should have no hems 
 and should be fastened at the left side 
 
 BABY CLOTHES 
 
 with small safety pins. Bands must be 
 adjusted with great care ; they should not 
 be drawn too tightly, but should be made 
 so snug that they will neither slip down 
 and bind the baby's legs nor slip up and 
 interfere with the expansion of the chest. 
 
The Baby s Clothing jt* 
 
 Knitted bands. Knitted bands may be 
 of wool and cotton or of silk and wool. 
 Next to the smallest size is the most 
 practical one to buy. It should fit snugly, 
 should not wrinkle, and should not have 
 rough seams. 
 
 Shirts. Baby shirts come in several sizes 
 and weights. It is well to begin with the 
 second size, as the first size is so soon out- 
 grown. They should be high-necked, long- 
 sleeved, and should open all the way down 
 the front. Silk and wool is the best mate- 
 rial because it is light in weight and wears 
 well. The lightest weight should be worn 
 in summer, a little heavier weight in the 
 spring and fall, and a still heavier in the 
 winter. There is a tendency in winter 
 time to use shirts that are too heavy. The 
 result is that the baby perspires too freely. 
 This makes his clothing damp and ren- 
 ders him more liable to take cold. Babies 
 living in overheated houses and wearing 
 
74 Children Well and Happy 
 
 clothing that is too warm soon become 
 sensitive to cold and drafts and are less 
 able to resist sickness. 
 
 Flannel gertrudes. The gertrudes should 
 be made of all-wool flannel or of wool and 
 cotton. They should open on the shoulders. 
 
 Dresses. The dresses should be simply 
 made of soft material. They should be 
 laundered without starch. Both the shirt 
 and the dress should be loose around 
 the baby's neck and arms, since any tight- 
 ness or roughness in the clothing may 
 irritate the skin. 
 
 Nightgowns. Nightgowns may be made 
 of flannel, stockinet, cotton, or flannelette. 
 The winter nightgowns should be long 
 enough to allow the bottom to be closed 
 by a draw string. This will make sure that 
 the baby's feet are covered at all times 
 even if he kicks off his bedclothes. 
 
 Diapers. Diapers should be made of 
 bird's-eye linen, cotton, or stockinet. For 
 
The Baby s Clothing 75 
 
 a young baby they should measure about 
 eighteen or twenty inches square and be 
 folded but once. Never use a folded in- 
 side diaper, as a wad of thick material 
 between the legs is injurious. A small 
 inside folded cloth five inches square may 
 be used, or a quilted pad about ten inches 
 square may be laid under the baby after 
 the diaper is on. This pad will protect the 
 skirts from urine. During the mother's 
 waking hours the diaper should be changed 
 as often as it is wet or soiled. In the night 
 it should be changed when the baby is taken 
 up for feeding or if he is restless. 
 
 All diapers should be washed each time 
 after they become wet. The soap used in 
 washing them should be carefully rinsed 
 out, and they should be boiled thoroughly 
 at least twice a week. A careless soaking 
 and wringing through one or two waters 
 is not an adequate cleansing. Care must 
 be taken in selecting the soap to be used 
 
j 6 Children Well and Happy 
 
 in washing the diapers, since some soaps 
 will cause an irritation of the skin, even 
 when the clothing has been well rinsed. 
 
 Stockings. It is important to keep the 
 baby's legs and feet warm. Stockings and 
 diapers should meet. In cold weather the 
 baby should wear stockings ; in summer he 
 will not require any covering for his feet. 
 
 Short clothes. The baby should be put 
 into short clothes about the fifth month, 
 for at that time he begins to show signs 
 of wanting to use his legs and to kick. It 
 is not wise, however, to make this change 
 during very cold weather. 
 
 Clothing in summer. The greatest care 
 should be taken to see that the baby is 
 not dressed too warmly in summer. Too 
 heavy clothing whether in summer or in 
 winter will make him perspire too freely 
 and render him more liable to colds and 
 bowel troubles. The mother should feel 
 of his body occasionally; if she finds it 
 
The Baby s Clothing jj 
 
 constantly moist, the clothing is too warm. 
 In summer only the thinnest undershirts 
 should be worn, and warmer outer gar- 
 ments should be added as it grows cool 
 toward night. Light-weight knitted or 
 crocheted jackets are easily made. 
 
 Clothing in winter. Clothing should 
 always be adapted to the season. If the 
 baby is not dressed warmly enough, he 
 will have cold hands and feet, and his legs 
 and arms will be bluish. A baby must 
 have fresh air, but his body must be kept 
 warm. This is most important ; unless 
 this is done his vital force will be lessened 
 and he will not gain as he should. When 
 taken out he must be warmly dressed with 
 a long woolen or wool-lined coat with a 
 shoulder cape. In cold weather a silk cap 
 with a lining of wool is best. Take care 
 that the neck of the coat and the cap rib- 
 bons are not too tight. Leggings will be 
 necessary after the baby is in short clothes. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 HABITS AND TRAINING 
 
 Suggestions for demonstrations. 1. Demon- 
 strate how to protect a baby from flies and mos- 
 quitoes when sleeping. 2. Show how to support 
 a baby over a chamber. 
 
 Do not forget that during infancy life's 
 habits are being formed and that this 
 period is of greater educational impor- 
 tance than any other of his life. 
 
 The normal baby is well and happy. 
 Babies who are properly fed and kept 
 clean, who have plenty of sleep and fresh 
 air and are trained in regular habits, are 
 usually well and good-natured. On the 
 other hand, if babies are fussy and rest- 
 less most of the time, there is something 
 wrong. Patiently search for the cause of 
 
 the trouble and see that it is removed. 
 
 78 
 
Habits and Training 79 
 
 Sleep. A newborn baby sleeps about 
 nine tenths of the time. He should not be 
 disturbed except for necessary care. After 
 he has been made comfortable and fed he 
 should be laid in his crib and trained to 
 go to sleep without rocking and without 
 a pacifier of any kind. 
 
 The daily amount of sleep required for 
 different ages is approximately as follows : 
 
 First month 18 to 20 hours 
 
 Second to sixth month . 16 to 18 hours 
 
 Sixth month 14 to 16 hours 
 
 One to two years . . . 1 2 to 1 4 hours 
 
 During the first year a nap in the mid- 
 dle of the forenoon, and another in the 
 afternoon, is desirable. The afternoon nap 
 should not be so late as to interfere with 
 the night's sleep. 
 
 A healthy baby sleeps with his mouth 
 closed. Mouth breathing is caused by 
 some obstruction in the air passages, usu- 
 ally enlarged tonsils or adenoids. Other 
 
80 Children Well and Happy 
 
 signs of the presence of adenoids may 
 be restlessness at night, snoring during 
 sleep, or frequent attacks of head colds. 
 When any one of these symptoms is 
 
 Beck Tonsil 
 
 From Which 
 
 ADENOIDS 
 
 CROW 
 
 Swollen 
 Tonsil 
 
 NOSE AND THROAT PASSAGES 
 Left, normal ; right, abnormal 
 
 present the child should be placed under 
 a physician's care at "once; otherwise its 
 normal growth and health may be seri- 
 ously retarded. 
 
 The sleeping room should be dark, well 
 ventilated, and quiet. The baby should 
 
Habits and Training 81 
 
 always be protected from drafts, but the air 
 should be fresh and cool. After being fed 
 he should be placed on his side, and after 
 the next feeding, laid on the opposite side. 
 
 Sleeping out. After a baby is six weeks 
 old he should take his naps out of doors 
 when the weather permits. He should be 
 protected from flies and mosquitoes and 
 shielded from the sun, wind, and dust. 
 Remove the shoes and loosen the clothing 
 before placing him in his crib. If the 
 weather is cool, his feet and body must 
 be kept warm. 
 
 Bowel movement. The baby's first stools 
 are of tarlike consistency, with little or 
 no odor. After a day or two the stools 
 change to a light yellow in color, are soft 
 in consistency, and have little or no odor. 
 During the first week the bowels move 
 two or three times a day. As the child 
 grows older, one or two movements a 
 day will be sufficient. 
 
82 Children Well and Happy 
 
 The mother should begin to train the 
 baby to use a chamber as early as the 
 third month. He should be placed on a 
 small chamber held between the mother's 
 knees, his back being supported against 
 her body. In order to form the habit of 
 having the bowels move regularly this 
 should be done at the same hour each day. 
 If the bowels do not move, insert a soap 
 or glycerine suppository into the rectum. 
 This will help direct the baby's atten- 
 tion to the reason for his being placed on 
 the vessel, and the suppository starts the 
 bowels moving. This habit is soon estab- 
 lished. The child should be placed on the 
 chamber after the early morning feeding 
 and again in the afternoon. 
 
 Bladder. Habits of regularity in empty- 
 ing the bladder may be formed by placing 
 the baby on the vessel every three or four 
 hours during the day and the last thing 
 at night. 
 
Habits and Training 83 
 
 Thumb sucking. The habit of thumb or 
 finger sucking begins in early infancy 
 and may continue until the child is six 
 or eight years old if it is not broken. If 
 persisted in, it may cause marked de- 
 formities of the jaws and teeth. When 
 the thumb or finger is put into the mouth 
 it should be gently but firmly removed. 
 By this method the habit will be gradu- 
 ally overcome. It may be necessary to 
 pin the sleeves to the side of the dress, 
 so that the arms cannot be raised. 
 
 Pacifier. Never use a rubber nipple, 
 sugar ball, or any other pacifier. 
 
 Kissing. Under no circumstances should 
 anyone kiss a baby on the mouth. Com- 
 mon colds, tuberculosis, diphtheria, whoop- 
 ing cough, measles, and many other diseases 
 are transmitted in this way. Remember 
 that disease may be present in the secre- 
 tions of the mouth and nose and on 
 the lips. 
 
84 Children Well and Happy 
 
 Crying. A well baby never cries with- 
 out cause. Normal crying is loud and 
 forceful, and the mother will soon learn 
 to distinguish it from the cry of pain, 
 hunger, or discomfort. A baby has no 
 other way of expressing his needs — there- 
 fore his cry should be heeded. When he 
 cries the mother should see that he is 
 made comfortable, that his hands and feet 
 are warm, that his diaper is not wet, and 
 that no pins are pricking him. Often 
 merely a change of position is sufficient 
 to quiet him. Do not take him up at the 
 first cry ; most babies like to be held and 
 will often cry simply to be taken up. 
 
 Cry due to colic. The cry of colic is 
 sharp and spasmodic. The baby will 
 draw his legs up, and the muscles of the 
 abdomen will be hard and tense. 
 
 Cry due to hunger. The normal cry of 
 hunger is heard some time before the feed- 
 ing is due, and is accompanied by the 
 
Habits and Training 85 
 
 sucking of the thumb or the fingers. If the 
 baby is not getting sufficient nourishment, 
 the cry of hunger is a continuous fretful 
 sound and is heard soon after a feeding. 
 
 Cry due to temper. The cry of temper 
 is loud and strong ; the baby usually kicks, 
 and his body stiffens. This is easily rec- 
 ognized, because when the baby gets what 
 he wants he will stop at once. When 
 a baby cries from temper let him cry it 
 out. The struggle will not be long, be- 
 cause he will soon learn that this crying 
 is useless. 
 
 Cry due to illness or fright. The cry of 
 most forms of illness is low, moaning, and 
 fretful. The cry of fright is sudden and 
 loud. The child should be taken up, 
 comforted, and put down again as soon 
 as he is quieted. In all cases of persistent 
 crying the doctor should be called if the 
 mother does not succeed in her attempts 
 at quieting. 
 
86 Children Well and Happy 
 
 Exercise. The young baby gets his ex- 
 ercise by crying (which expands his lungs), 
 also by kicking and waving the arms. It 
 is important that the clothing should not 
 be so tight as to interfere with these 
 natural movements. 
 
 BABY EXERCISING 
 
 When he is in short clothes, at regular 
 times each day he should be placed on 
 the floor, on a thick - blanket, and allowed 
 to roll and creep about at will. 
 
 Twice a day if possible, but always just 
 before bedtime, the baby should be placed 
 on a large bed in a warm room with all 
 
Habits and Training 8>y 
 
 his clothing removed, and should be en- 
 couraged to kick and play for ten or fif- 
 teen minutes. He may be played with 
 at this time, but must not be permitted 
 to become excited. 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 THE BABY'S TEETH 
 
 Suggestions for demonstrations. 1. Demon- 
 strate the preparation of a baby's mouth wash. 
 
 2. Demonstrate the care of the baby's first teeth. 
 
 3. Demonstrate the care of the toothbrush and 
 explain the necessity for such care. 
 
 The best way to secure sound, healthy 
 teeth in a baby is for the mother during 
 her girlhood to see that her own teeth are 
 in good condition and to keep well and 
 happy, because it is then that the founda- 
 tions of health for life are established. 
 The mother must take the best care of 
 her teeth at all time^ and maintain her 
 health in every possible way. A sickly 
 mother usually means a sickly baby. 
 
 The first teeth of the child are called 
 the milk teeth and are twenty in number. 
 
The Baby's Teeth 89 
 
 In a normal baby the first tooth usually 
 appears about the sixth month. 
 
 The teeth usually come as follows : 
 
 Two lower central incisors . 6 to 9 months 
 
 Four upper incisors . . . 8 to 12 months 
 
 Two lower lateral incisors "1 
 
 _ . . >. 12 to 18 months 
 
 Four anterior molars J 
 
 Four canines (the " eye " and 
 
 "stomach" teeth) . . . 18 to 24 months 
 
 Four posterior molars . . . 24 to 30 months 
 
 Cleansing the teeth. As soon as the 
 first tooth appears, it should be cleansed 
 each day with a small piece of gauze or 
 cotton saturated in a weak solution of 
 bicarbonate of soda and water. A tea- 
 spoonful of water after each feeding or 
 after taking fruit juice will help to cleanse 
 the mouth. 
 
 Drooling. When the baby is about four 
 months old the flow of saliva is increased. 
 This is an indication that the salivary 
 glands are developing, and not, as is com- 
 monly thought, a sign that the teeth are 
 
go Children Well and Happy 
 
 trying to push their way through the 
 gums, although this may be the case. 
 
 CHILD BRUSHING HIS TEETH 
 
 Teething. Babies nourished by healthy 
 breast milk cut their teeth earlier than 
 those who are bottle fed. When the teeth 
 begin to come the gums are apt to be 
 
The Baby s Teeth 91 
 
 red and swollen. Special care should be 
 taken at this time to keep the mouth 
 clean. It is a mistake to dread the teeth- 
 ing period and to feel that the baby is 
 sure to be sick. Sickness at this time 
 usually attributed to teething is more apt 
 to be due to faulty feeding or to some 
 other condition, and the family physician 
 should be consulted at once. 
 
 Diet. Good teeth in a baby depend 
 largely on his diet. During the first few 
 months of his life, in addition to milk he 
 should be given fruit juice and meat juice 
 (see Appendix B). As his teeth develop he 
 should be given food that requires chew- 
 ing ; this is necessary to keep the teeth 
 and muscles of the jaw strong and healthy. 
 
 Teeth and their care. By the time the 
 child is two and a half years old the tem- 
 porary teeth should be fully developed. 
 These are replaced by the permanent 
 teeth, which usually begin to appear about 
 
92 Children Well and Happy 
 
 a. 
 
 the sixth year. Their condition will largely 
 depend upon the care given to the first 
 teeth ; neglect of the temporary teeth is 
 a frequent cause of decay in the perma- 
 nent teeth. 
 
 After the teeth come they should be 
 cleansed with a soft brush in the morn- 
 ing and after the evening meal. A good 
 mouth wash consists of a two per cent 
 boric acid solution or a weak solution of 
 bicarbonate of soda and water (one-half 
 teaspoonful to a glass of water). 
 
 Care of the toothbrush. After being 
 used the toothbrush should be cleansed 
 with soap and warm water, thoroughly 
 rinsed, and completely dried. Each day 
 it is well to place the brush in the 
 sunshine. 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 EMERGENCIES 
 
 Suggestions for demonstrations. 1. Describe 
 the bath thermometer and illustrate its use with 
 water at different temperatures. 2. Demonstrate 
 the preparation of an enema and show the correct 
 position of the body when taking one. 3. Show 
 how to protect the baby from infection when the 
 mother has a cold. 
 
 Babies should be protected from exces- 
 sive excitement. The brain grows as 
 much during the first year as it does 
 during the entire remainder of life. As 
 the baby's nervous system is easily upset, 
 he should be kept free from disturbing 
 influences. 
 
 Convulsions. Anything which upsets 
 the baby's nervous system may interfere 
 with the process of digestion. This, as 
 
 93 
 
94 Children Well and Happy 
 
 well as improper food, constipation, or 
 some acute illness may be the cause 
 of convulsions. When in a convulsion, 
 the baby loses consciousness, the legs 
 and arms stiffen, and the facial muscles 
 begin to twitch. Send for a doctor at 
 once. Meanwhile the baby should be 
 placed in a tub of warm water. If a ther- 
 mometer is not at hand, some adult 
 should always test the temperature by 
 placing her arm, up to the elbow, in the 
 water. Great care should be taken that the 
 water is not too hot, as many babies have 
 been seriously burned in this way. The 
 temperature of the water should be slowly 
 raised to 108 F. by adding hot water. 
 A cold compress should be placed on 
 the child's head and frequently changed. 
 When the convulsion ceases the child 
 should be removed from the bath and 
 wrapped in a warm blanket, and his face 
 should be bathed with cold water. If 
 
Emergencies 
 
 95 
 
 necessary, he may be kept in the bath 
 about twenty minutes. If a child has 
 convulsions and a tub is not 
 available, he should be wrapped 
 in a large bath towel which has 
 been dipped in water at a tem- 
 perature of 104 F., wrapped 
 in a soft blanket, and the face 
 and hands should be bathed in 
 cold water. 
 
 Colic. Colic, or a pain in the 
 bowels, is indicated by a sharp, 
 spasmodic cry, a drawing up of 
 the legs, and a contraction of 
 the muscles of the face and 
 abdomen. The sufferer should 
 be given a little warm water to 
 drink and should have a soft, 
 hot flannel placed over the abdomen and 
 around the feet, or he should be laid on 
 his stomach across a hot-water bag which 
 is protected by a cloth covering. 
 
 BATH THER- 
 MOMETER 
 
96 Children Well and Happy 
 
 Constipation. It is important that the 
 mother who is nursing a baby should have 
 a free movement of the bowels each day; 
 if her bowels are kept open and her diges- 
 tion is good, the baby will not, as a rule, 
 be constipated. A little water given to 
 the baby between feedings will help to 
 prevent constipation. Fruit juices, such as 
 prune and orange juice, should also be 
 given. The most effective way of over- 
 coming or preventing constipation is to 
 develop the habit of having the bowels 
 move at the same time each day. The 
 baby should not be allowed to go more 
 than twenty-four hours without a move- 
 ment. Except in emergency, however, do 
 not give the baby an enema or suppository 
 or any medicine unless ordered to do so 
 by a physician. 
 
 Enema. An enema of two to four 
 ounces of warm water, to which has been 
 added a little soapsuds and one or two 
 
Emergencies 97 
 
 tablespoonfuls of warm olive oil, will usu- 
 ally cause a movement of the bowels. 
 
 Directions for giving an enema. Place 
 the baby on his back with a folded towel 
 under his buttocks. A soft rubber catheter 
 is safer to use than the hard rubber nozzle 
 provided for this purpose. Allow the water 
 to run freely through the catheter before 
 inserting, so as to prevent injecting cold 
 water and air into the rectum. Lift the 
 baby's feet with the left hand and with the 
 right insert the oiled catheter gently into 
 the rectum for two or three inches. 
 
 Diarrhea. A well baby usually has one 
 or two movements a day. Frequent move- 
 ments, or diarrhea, may be the beginning 
 of a severe illness, and a physician should 
 be consulted at once. This condition occurs 
 more frequently with bottle-fed babies. If 
 it occurs in a breast-fed baby, it is usually 
 because the mother has not been careful 
 about her diet or because the baby has 
 
98 Children Well and Happy 
 
 been given improper food. To relieve 
 this condition, if a physician is not at 
 hand, give one teaspoonful of castor oil 
 and omit the feeding in order to let the 
 baby's stomach rest. 
 
 Prevention of chafing. The skin of the 
 baby is sensitive and may be easily irri- 
 tated. For this reason the baby's diaper 
 should be removed as soon as soiled and 
 the skin cleansed with warm water. The 
 folds of the skin should be thoroughly 
 dried and dusted with a little talcum 
 powder, or olive oil may be applied, before 
 the clean diaper is put on. 
 
 Colds. Common colds are contagious 
 and in infants often lead to serious illness. 
 A mother with a cold, when nursing her 
 baby, should tie a* handkerchief loosely 
 over her nose and mouth in order to pro- 
 tect the child from infection if she should 
 cough or sneeze. Many children's diseases, 
 such as whooping cough, measles, etc., 
 
Emergencies 
 
 99 
 
 PROTECTING THE BABY FROM HIS MOTHER'S COLD 
 
 are transmitted through the secretions of 
 the nose and mouth. Any member of 
 the family who has a cold should keep 
 away from the children, and particularly 
 from the baby. 
 
ioo Children Well and Happy 
 
 Vaccination. Before the discovery of vac- 
 cine, smallpox was the most dreaded dis- 
 ease in the world and more prevalent than 
 measles is to-day. A hundred years ago it 
 was considered a disease of the children ; 
 to-day, by the simple and safe process of 
 vaccination, it has been almost entirely 
 eliminated, except in those localities where 
 through prejudice or ignorance the chil- 
 dren are not vaccinated. Therefore every 
 baby should be vaccinated before he is six 
 months old ; this should be repeated at 
 about six years of age, and later if there 
 is a smallpox epidemic. 
 
 The best place for vaccination is on the 
 left arm. If the leg be selected, as it is 
 occasionally (especially with girls), the child 
 should stay in bed during the reaction 
 following vaccination. 
 
 The aftercare of a vaccinated child is 
 important. A dressing of clean, sterile 
 gauze should be placed over the point of 
 
Emergencies 101 
 
 vaccination and held in place with strips 
 of adhesive plaster. The dressing should 
 be changed only by the physician or under 
 his orders. If it sticks to the scab, it 
 should not be pulled off; the cloth should 
 be cut away around it and a small piece 
 left adhering to the arm and a fresh dress- 
 ing placed over this. Do not apply vase- 
 line or any kind of ointment to the point 
 of inoculation. Nothing must touch it 
 but clean boiled water and sterile dressing 
 handled by clean hands. 
 
 A vaccinated child should have a bath 
 and a change of underwear daily, but it is 
 important that the dressing over the vacci- 
 nation should be kept clean and dry. The 
 child should not be permitted to play in 
 gardens, stables, or dusty streets until the 
 arm has completely healed. 
 
APPENDIX A 
 
 ORGANIZATION OF THE GIRLS' HEALTH 
 LEAGUE CLASSES 
 
 I. Preliminary Meeting 
 
 The mothers and teachers should be invited 
 and urged to attend the meeting for the organ- 
 ization of a class. The success of this move- 
 ment for the health of our girls and for the 
 saving of our babies depends largely upon the 
 interest and cooperation of the mothers and 
 teachers. 
 
 The organizer should preside, and the school 
 physician should be asked to explain the object 
 of the league. 
 
 At this preliminary meeting membership cards 
 should be distributed to those desiring to join 
 the class. These are not to be signed until the 
 girls have taken them home and secured the 
 signatures of their parents or guardians. While 
 everything possible should be done to make the 
 club proposition attractive, no girl should be 
 103 
 
io4 Children Well and Happy 
 
 urged to join against her will. An unwilling 
 member is not a good member. 
 
 In order to secure careful personal supervision 
 and free discussion, a class of not more than 
 twelve is desirable, but as many as twenty-four 
 may be directed by an experienced teacher. 
 
 The form of membership card is given below : 
 
 Girls' Ibealtb Xeague 
 
 Under the Auspices of the 
 
 Public Health Department of the 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS STATE FEDERATION OF 
 WOMEN'S CLUBS 
 
 I desire to become a member of the Girls' Health League, 
 
 and promise to do my part towards making others well 
 and happy. 
 
 Name 
 
 Address 
 
 Date 
 
 Approval of Parent or Guardian 
 
 Attendance at lectures 123456789 ion 12 
 
 (Check each lecture attended) 
 
Appendix A 105 
 
 II. First Meeting of the Class 
 
 1. The membership cards should be collected. 
 
 2. The members elect a president, a vice 
 president, and a secretary. The organizer and 
 instructor are to be honorary president and 
 vice president, respectively. 
 
 3. Membership cards are to be given to the 
 secretary for filing. At each succeeding meeting 
 these are to be checked to show attendance. 
 
 4. A card like that reproduced below should 
 be filled out and forwarded to the headquarters 
 of the Girls' Health League. 
 
 Girls' Iftealtb ^League 
 
 Under the Auspices of the 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS STATE FEDERATION OF 
 WOMEN'S CLUBS 
 
 State Class Number 
 
 Town 
 
 Class Rank 
 
 Number of Members 
 
 Organizer Instructor 
 
 Address Address 
 
 Date of Organization 
 
106 Children Well and Happy 
 
 III. Order of Business for the Meeting 
 
 i. Calling meeting to order by the president. 
 
 2. Calling the roll by the secretary. 
 
 3. Reporting the illness of any member. 
 
 4. A short quiz on the last lesson. 
 
 5. A twenty minutes' talk by the instructor, 
 followed by a half hour devoted to practical 
 demonstrations on the subject of the lesson. 
 
 The following articles are suggested for use 
 in the demonstrations : 
 
 Large-sized washable doll 
 
 A complete set of baby clothing 
 
 A bathtub 
 
 Scales 
 
 A pad for the scales 
 
 Clothes basket for baby's bed 
 
 Mattress 
 
 Sheets 
 
 Stork sheeting 
 
 Mattress protector 
 
 Blankets 
 
 Spread 
 
 Two bath towels 
 
 Two face towels 
 
 Two wash cloths 
 
 Toilet articles 
 
 Utensils for preparing the baby's food 
 
Appendix A 107 
 
 The object of the demonstrations is to make 
 the work of the league of practical value to the 
 girls. 
 
 After attending three successive meetings of 
 the class each member will be given a Girls' 
 Health League button, which is reproduced in 
 
 the accompanying cut. The presentation of but- 
 tons signifies that the girls are members of the 
 Girls' Health League. On receipt of the button 
 each girl agrees to do some definite act each day 
 to make others well and happy. 
 
108 Children Well and Happy 
 
 IV. Finishing the Course 
 
 At the completion of the course each girl will 
 be given an oral examination and will be asked 
 to write an essay on the care of a baby. The 
 following subjects are suggested : 
 
 i . What do you mean by personal hygiene ? 
 
 2. What do you mean by home sanitation ? 
 
 3. Give three reasons why a mother should nurse 
 her baby. 
 
 4. If a baby must be bottle fed, what is the best 
 substitute for breast milk, and who should direct how 
 the food be prepared ? 
 
 5. If a baby is bottle fed, how would you care for 
 its milk ? 
 
 6. What can you do to help save the babies ? 
 
 Certificate of (©ratjuatton 
 
 #trte' $ealt!j league 
 
 Wnbtr the SuBpirtB of ttjf 
 
 fl^aftsactjuscttis &tate feneration of iHlomen's ciubjj 
 Ct)is Certifies tftat 
 
 satisfactorily complcteo ttje course of gtuor prescribeD by tbe 
 fiBirlg" l^ealtt) league in 
 
 ^v 
 
 &L* %ujL^ H 
 
 I L..,.. 
 
 fa*%%te.,Ufr 
 
Appendix A 109 
 
 The class average, together with one of the 
 essays, should be sent to the headquarters of 
 the league. 
 
 On receipt of the essays and the class records 
 certificates will be presented to the graduates by 
 the Public Health Department of the Massachu- 
 setts State Federation of Women's Clubs. The 
 form of certificate is given above. 
 
APPENDIX B 
 
 RECIPES 
 
 Limewater. To make limewater, add one tea- 
 spoonful of unslaked lime to one quart of cool, 
 boiled water. Pour into a bottle and shake thor- 
 oughly. Let it stand twenty-four hours ; pour off 
 the clear fluid at the top and strain. Keep in a 
 cool place. 
 
 Barley water. Mix two teaspoonfuls of barley 
 flour with a little cold water, then add one quart 
 of water and boil twenty minutes in a double 
 boiler. Strain through a very fine sieve and add 
 enough boiled water to make one quart. 
 
 Rice water. Rice water is made in the same 
 way as barley water, but only one teaspoonful of rice 
 is used to one quart of water. 
 
 Oatmeal water. Mix two even tablespoonfuls 
 of oatmeal with a little cold water ; add one quart 
 of water and boil for at least one hour in a 
 double boiler. Strain through a fine sieve and 
 add enough boiled water to make one quart 
 
Appendix B 1 1 1 
 
 Beef juice. Select the third cut of the round 
 lean beef, broil it slightly on both sides, cut in 
 small pieces, and squeeze the juice from it with 
 a potato ricer or a meat press. Add a pinch of 
 salt, and before using warm it slightly by stand- 
 ing the cup containing the juice in a dish of 
 hot water. 
 
 Whey. Warm one pint of fresh milk to about 
 no° F. Add one teaspoonful of essence of pep- 
 sin or a junket tablet and stir until it is well 
 mixed. Pour into cups and let stand until it 
 jellies. Then break up the curds with a fork 
 and strain through a sieve. The liquid is called 
 whey, and it is sometimes used when babies 
 cannot digest cow's milk. 
 
 Two per cent boric acid solution. Put one 
 teaspoonful of boric acid powder in a pint of 
 boiling water and keep in a clean bottle. 
 
 Soap suppository. Take a piece of Ivory or 
 castile soap and cut out a piece two inches long 
 and about the size of a lead pencil. Narrow to 
 a dull point at one end. 
 
INDEX 
 
 Adenoids, 80 
 
 Air, necessity for, 17; im- 
 pure, 19; temperature of, 
 
 Baby, care of the newborn, 
 29-37 ; breast feeding, 38- 
 45 ; bottle feeding, 46-54 ; 
 caring for food of, 55-62 ; 
 the bath, 63-70 ; clothing, 
 71-77; training, 78-S7; 
 teeth and their care, 88- 
 92 ; sicknesses, 93-101 
 
 Bacteria, preventing develop- 
 ment of, 27 
 
 Barley water, 51, no 
 
 Bath thermometer, use of, 94 
 
 Baths, for girls, 8 ; oil, 30 ; 
 sponge, 30 ; tub, 63-70 ; 
 bran, 69; for convulsions, 94 
 
 Beds, 34 
 
 Beef juice, 11 1 
 
 Bicarbonate of soda solu- 
 tion, 10 
 
 Birth, registration of, 35 
 
 Boric acid solution, 67 
 
 Bottle feeding, 46-54; special 
 foods, 46 ; cow's milk, 54 ; 
 modified milk, 48 ; utensils 
 necessary in, 51; pasteur- 
 izing, 52 
 
 Bottles, care of, 57 
 
 Bowels, care of, 14, 81 
 
 Breast feeding, reasons for, 
 38 ; hours for, 39 ; position 
 of baby for, 40; mixed feed- 
 ings, 41 ; diet for mother, 
 42 ; weaning, 42 
 
 Candy as food, 14 
 
 Carbohydrates, n 
 
 Carrying schoolbooks, 5 
 
 Cellars, care of, 26 
 
 Certified milk, 47 
 
 Chafing, avoidance of, 98 
 
 Chamber, use of, 82 
 
 Clothing, 71-77; bands, 71- 
 73 ; shirts, 73 ; gertrudes, 
 74 ; dresses, 74 ; night- 
 gowns, 74 ; stockings, 76 ; 
 short clothes, 76 ; for sum- 
 mer, 76; for winter, 77 
 
 Colds, 98 
 
 Colic, crying due to, 84; treat- 
 ment of, 95 
 
 Condensed milk as food, 46 
 
 Constipation, 96 
 
 Contagion, avoiding, 99 
 
 Convulsions, 93 
 
 Correct posture, 3-6; when 
 feeding baby, 60 ; during 
 the bath, 68 
 
 Crying, normal, 84 ; due to 
 hunger, 84; due to temper, 
 85; due to illness, 84-85 ; 
 due to fright, 85 
 
 13 
 
ii4 Children Well and Happy 
 
 Dental floss, use of, 9 
 
 Diapers, 74 
 
 Diarrhea, 97 
 
 Diet, for nursing mothers, 
 42 ; for babies, 91 ; for 
 children, 91 
 
 Discharges from sick per- 
 sons, 24 
 
 Dishcloths and towels, 2S 
 
 Drafts, 21 
 
 Dresses, selection of, 74 
 
 Dressing the baby, 69 
 
 Drooling, 89 
 
 Dust and dusting, 25 
 
 Ears, care of, 66 
 
 Emergencies, 93-101; con- 
 vulsions, 93 ; colic, 95; con- 
 stipation, 96; diarrhea, 97; 
 colds, 98; vaccination, 100 
 
 Enemas, 96-97 
 
 Exercise, 15, 86 
 
 Eyes, care of, 66 
 
 Fats as food, 11 
 
 Filters, 24 
 
 Flies, protection from, 36 
 
 Food, three classes of, 10 ; 
 mixed diet, 11 ; milk, 13; 
 candy, 14 ; care of, 27, 55- 
 62 ; for nursing mothers, 41 
 
 Fright, crying from, 85 
 
 Garbage, care of, 27 
 Gertrudes (petticoats), 74 
 
 Girls' Health League classes, 
 103-109 
 
 Hands, care of, 28 
 
 Health of nursing mothers, 
 
 Hearing of babies, 33 
 Hunger, crying from, 84 
 
 Illness, crying due to, 85 
 Indigestion, 84 
 
 Kissing, 83 
 
 Laxatives, use of, 96 
 Limewater, 50, no 
 
 Maltose, in modifying milk, 5 1 
 Mattresses, choice and care 
 
 of, 34 
 Milk as food, 13 
 Milk sugar, 51 
 Modified milk, 48 
 Mosquitoes, protection from, 
 
 36 
 Mouth, care of, 10, 66 
 
 Nails, care of, 68 
 Nightgowns, 74 
 Nipples, care of, 58 
 Nose, care of, 66, 80 
 Nursing. See Bottle feeding 
 and Breast feeding 
 
 Oatmeal water, no 
 
IndiW 
 
 1 1 
 
 Oil-producing glands, 30 
 Orange juice for babies, 91 
 
 Pacifiers, 83 
 
 Pasteurizing milk, 52 
 
 Personal hygiene, 1-1 5; value 
 of good health, 1 ; correct 
 posture, 3; care of skin, 6; 
 baths, 8; food, 10; exer- 
 cise, 15 
 
 Perspiration, avoiding undue, 
 21 
 
 Pillows, 35 
 
 Plants in houses, 19 
 
 Privy vaults, 23 
 
 Proprietary baby foods, 51 
 
 Protein, 1 1 
 
 Reading position, 6 
 Recipes, 1 10 
 
 Refrigerators, homemade, 55 
 Rice water, 1 10 
 Rickets, avoiding, 94 
 
 Sanitation, home, 16-2S 
 Scales, use of, 44 
 Scalp, care of, 67 
 Screens, 25 
 
 Scurvy, prevention of, 6j 
 Shirts, selection of, 73 
 Shoes, selection of, 4 
 Sitting position, 4 
 Skin, care of, 6 
 
 Sleep, 79 
 
 Speech of babies, 33 
 Spitting, 8 
 Standing position, 3 
 Starch as food, 1 1 
 Stockings, selection of, 76 
 Sugar, as food, 1 1 ; in modi- 
 fying milk, 49 
 Sunshine, value of, 17 
 Suppositories, 96, in 
 
 Talcum powder, use of, 98 
 
 Teeth, care of, 9, SS-92 
 
 Teething, 89 
 
 Temper, crying from, 85 
 
 Temperature, in pasteurizing 
 milk, 52 ; for bath, 63 ; of 
 sleeping room, 79 ; of bath 
 for convulsions, 93 
 
 Thermometer, use of, 95 
 
 Thumb sucking, 83 
 
 Toothbrush, care of, 92 
 
 Vaccination, 100 
 Vegetables as food, 1 1 
 Ventilation, 19 
 
 Water, the body's need of, 
 13; purity of, 22-24; use 
 of, in modifying milk, 48 ; 
 sterile, 62 
 
 Weaning the baby, 42 
 
 Weight of baby, 43 
 
 Whev, 1 1 1 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS <9 
 
 022 169 356 5