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THE BLiBY: 
 
 HOW 
 
 TO KEEP IT WELL. 
 
 
 3 
 
 BY 
 
 J. B. DUNHAM, M.D. 
 
 
 U _/^n-... ' 
 
 CHICAGO : 
 GEOSS & DELBRIDGE. 
 
 1885. 
 

 Copyright, 
 By GROSS & DELBRIDGE, 
 
 18 8 5. 
 
DEDICATION: 
 
 TO 
 
 THE MOTHEES OF AMERICA. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 This little work is intended as a practical guide 
 in the preservation of the health of infants and chil- 
 dren, and also as an aid toward the development of the 
 best types of humanity, physically, intellectually, and 
 morally. Trusting that those who rock the cradles of 
 the Nation, and who are ever in the van when good is 
 to be accomplished, may find in the following pages 
 such information as is needed in the homes of rich 
 and poor alike, I commit my work to their kindly 
 criticism, and trust to their verdict as the best reward 
 of my labors. In the preparation of the work, I take 
 pleasure in acknowledging my indebtedness to the fol- 
 lowing authors : Meigs, Pepper, West, Smith, Teste, 
 Vogel, Guernsey, Gatchell, Dalton, Hooper and 
 others. Current medical literature has also been care- 
 fully scanned for the fullest light and latest knowledge 
 upon the topics treated. 
 

INDEX. 
 
 ABDOMINAL band, 22-23... Abdominal rupture, 23-24... Absti- 
 nence from bone-producing food, 11. ..Acid, test for, ^...Ad- 
 vantages of regular nursing, 3 1-32... After birth, 19. ...Air, 
 impure, 21... Air, out-door, 50... Alcoholic stimulants, 12... 
 Alcoholism, mortality from, 20... Anger, fits of, 34... Arrow- 
 root feeding, 44. ..Albumen water, 48... Artificial feeding, 34... 
 Artificial feeding, prevalence of, 34... Artificial feeding, ne- 
 cessity for, 35... Avoid violent exercise, 13... Author's acknowl- 
 edgment, 3. 
 
 B 
 
 BATHS, sitz, 12... Baths, temperature of water, 15... Baths, 
 baby's first, 21... Band, abdominal, 22-23... Baby's bed, 33... 
 Baby, what to feed the, 37... Baby, how to feed the, 37-42... 
 Baby, when to feed the, 43. ..Beef tea, 47. ..Birth, before, 11... 
 Birth, after, 19... Bottle-feeding, 42... Bronchitis, 21... Breasts, 
 care of, 27. 
 
 c 
 
 CAEE of the breasts, 27... Caution, 44... Candy, pernicious effects 
 of, 46... Character, pre-natal influences upon, 16... Cleanliness, 
 15-33... Coffee, 11,... Corson, Dr., 39... Consumption, 20-21-35 
 ...Colostrum, 28... Constipation, to prevent, 12-30-38... Croup, 
 21... Cup feeding, 42... Colic, 31. 
 
 D 
 
 DIET, 47. ..Diet, law of, 12. ..Diet, expectant mother, 11. ..Diet, 
 nursing mother, 29. . .Diet, infant's, 26-29. . . " Diet in Disease, ' ' 
 47. .".Diphtheria, 51... Dress, 14-50... Dressing the navel, 
 22... Dressing for sore nipples, 26... Duration of pregnancy, 11. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 E 
 
 EXERCISE, 13... Exercise in open air, 13... Exercise, avoid vio- 
 lent, 13... Expectant mother as nnrse, 13. 
 
 F 
 
 FEVER, scarlet, 51. ..Feeding by hand, 36. ..Fits of anger, 34... 
 Filter, to make a, 56. ..Flour ball, 45... Flannel underclothing, 
 14... Food, starchy, 12-44... Food, bone producing, 11... Food, 
 wholesome and unwholesome, 9... Fruit, necessity of ripe, 30. 
 
 G 
 
 GATCHELL, CHAS., 38...Gatchell, preparation of infant food, 
 38... Gertrude Baby Suit, 24-25... Gelatin, 40... Gelatin, how 
 to prepare, 53... Gum-arabic water, 38-40-54... Grosvenor, L. 
 C, 22. 
 
 H 
 
 HANI) feeding, 36... Harmful use of soap, 21... Health of nursing 
 mother, 29... Horizontal position when nursing, 32... How to 
 feed the baby, 42. 
 
 I 
 
 IMPURE air, 21... Impressions, sudden, 16... Infantile debility, 
 20... Infant, separate bed for, 33... Infants, diet for, 26... In- 
 fants, Author's diet for, 40... Infants, Corson's diet for, 39... 
 Infants, Gatchell's diet for, 38... Infants, Sebert's diet for, 38. 
 
 K 
 
 KOUMISS, 49-54. 
 
 LACTATION, 27... Law of diet, 12... Lamp in sleeping-room, 33 
 ...Lemonade, cooling effects of, 30. ..Life, 9. ..Life, pre-natal, 
 10... Litmus-paper, 30... Lime-water, 41-54. 
 
 M 
 
 MEAT, raw, 48. ..Measles, 52. ..Mental states transmitted, 17... 
 Mind of mother, condition of, 19... Milk, poisonous character 
 of, 34... Milk, care of the, 40... Milk, scalded, 47... Milk, test 
 for acid in, 40. ..Milk, to suppress breast, 46. ..Moral state, 15. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 N 
 
 NAVEL-dressing, 22... Nervous influence, 34... Nervous temper- 
 ament, excess of, 20... New-born, teas for the, 28... Nursing 
 the sick, expectant mother, 13... Nursing mothers, health of, 
 29... Nursing mothers, diet for, 29... Nursing, frequency of, 
 30... Nursing, regularity of, 30... Nursing at night, 32... Nur- 
 sing, position when, 32... Nurse, wet, 35. 
 
 o 
 
 OIL, sweet, 29. ..Oil bath, 21. ..Opium, 12... Out-door air, 50. 
 
 P 
 
 PARENTS, present and prospective, 10... Paper, litmus, 40.... 
 Physician, necessity of, 36... .Pneumonia, 21. ...Poisonous char- 
 acter of milk, 34.. ..Pre-natal impressions, 16.. ..Pre-natal life, 
 11... .Preface, 3.. ..Pregnancy, duration of, ll....Pure water, 18- 
 30-56....Position when nursing, 32. 
 
 R 
 
 RAW meat, 48.. ..Rest, 13.. ..Regularity of nursing, 31-32.. ..Regu- 
 larity of stool, 12-31. ...Ripe fruit, 12....Rickets, 35....Routh, 
 Dr., 44. 
 
 $ 
 
 SALT, 38-40....Scarlet fever, 51....Scrofula, 20-35-52... .Scalded 
 milk, 47.. ..Separate bed for infant, 33.. ..Self-control, 19.... 
 Sickness, causes of, 20-21... .Sitz-bath, 12....Skin diseases, 35.... 
 Sleep, directions for first, 25.. ..Sleep, regularity of, 31.... 
 Sleeping-room, ventilation of, 14-33... .Sleep, 14.. ..Soap, harm- 
 ful use of, 21. ...Specific affection, 20-35.. ..State, moral, 15.... 
 Stool, regularity of, 12-31. ...Starchy food, 44. ...Stimulants, 
 alcoholic, 12... .Sudden impressions, 16....Sweet oil, 29. 
 
 T 
 
 TEA, use of, ll....Tea, beef, 47....Teas for new born, 28....Teeth- 
 ing, 31.. ..Temper, fretful, 34....The care of the milk, 40.. ..To- 
 bacco, 12.. ..To prevent constipation, 12-31....To make a filter, 
 56. ...Transmission of mental states, 17.. ..Traveling, avoid, 46. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 u 
 
 UNDEK-CLOTHING, how supported, 15....Upas, 21. 
 
 V 
 
 VASELINE, 46....Ventilation of sleeping-room, 14-33....Verrier, 
 Dr., 44. 
 
 w 
 
 WATEE, pure, 28-30-56....Water, albumen, 48....Water, drinking, 
 42....Water, oat-meal, 38.. ..Water, barley, 38....Water, gum- 
 arabic, 38-40-54....Water, lime, 41-54. ...Wet-nurse, 35....When 
 to feed the baby, 43.. ..What to feed the baby, 37....Weaning, 
 43... .Weaning, best time of year, 44. ...Weaning, number of 
 teeth before, 43.. ..Weaning, Verrier's device for, 44....Wine 
 whey, 49. 
 
THE BABY: 
 
 HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 
 
 LIFE. 
 
 "The life of man, considered in a physical way, is 
 nothing else than an incessant ceasing and being, a 
 continual change of destruction and restoration: an 
 everlasting contest of chemical decomposing powers, 
 with all the combining and creative vital forces." New 
 material from the organic and inorganic world, is 
 moment by moment, though insensibly to us, incor- 
 porated into our physical body, there to act in one of 
 two very important capacities : 
 
 First — as wholesome food that may enter through 
 the lungs, digestive organs, skin, etc., etc., and by 
 assimilation, become part of a healthy physical life. 
 
 Second — unwholesome food, that may enter by 
 the same channels, but be productive of a condition 
 the very opposite of health — or, disease. The import- 
 
10 THE baby: 
 
 ance that thus attaches itself to everything with 
 which man is connected in a physical way, demands 
 absolute obedience to the plain but unalterable laws 
 of a wise Creator. From the earliest moment of 
 earthly existence to its latest hour, health and happi- 
 ness depend upon this obedience. 
 
 The thinking people of to-day are earnestly study- 
 ing how they may bring about a widespread knowledge 
 of the laws governing the health of the human race, 
 present and to come. The application of this valuable 
 knowledge becomes, of necessity, an individual matter, 
 and in just so far as there is failure to live up to the 
 knowledge acquired, to that extent a sin is committed 
 against the sacred temple of the body whose delicate 
 mechanism, perfect in the first place from the Creat- 
 ive Power, was given us to keep in adjustment. 
 
 This matter is fraught with great interest to 
 parents, both present and prospective — and the pur- 
 pose of the following pages will be more than met if 
 they aid and encourage an investigation of the laws 
 that govern ante-natal conditions, and show how 
 deeply, impressions made at that time, influence the 
 future character of the child both physically and 
 morally. For through the channels of heredity, 
 in a great measure, must come the strengthening 
 and elevation of the future Anglo-Saxon race: this 
 means, individually, to every prospective father and 
 mother, a knowledge of how to beget and rear healthy, 
 happy and gifted children. It is important alike to 
 the hovel and the palace. Nature is no respecter of, 
 persons, and a law disobeyed, brings its quota of 
 suffering equally to all grades of social standing. 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 11 
 
 BEFORE BIRTH. 
 
 Foetal life, with a duration approximating 280 
 days, is the period of organization for the human body. 
 At the close of this period it is fitted to take up a 
 separate existence. Before taking up the subject of 
 infantile hygiene we desire to call attention to the 
 care that should be given the expectant mother during 
 the period of pregnancy. The importance and gravity 
 of this subject render it one that is well worthy our 
 most careful consideration. Evidences of pregnancy 
 do not fall within the scope of this work, and when a 
 doubt exists it may be dispelled by a consultation 
 with your physician ; or that failing, Father Time will 
 certainly settle the question. The expectant mother 
 should consider as likely to affect herself and offspring: 
 Diet, exercise, sleep, dress, cleanliness, and — most 
 important of all — moral and physical states. 
 
 DIET. 
 
 This should consist of plain nutritious food. 
 Highly seasoned foods as well as tea and coffee, should 
 be used in moderation — one cup of coffee and the same 
 amount of tea being as much as any expectant mother 
 should indulge in per day. The peculiar desires for 
 unusual articles of food may be indulged in to a 
 moderate extent, provided digestion is not thereby 
 deranged. It is not wise to listen to those who 
 advise total abstinence from all articles of food that 
 tend to the formation of bone in order that delivery 
 may be easy. It is but another form of child 
 murder. As well advise abortion at the sixth month 
 
12 the baby: 
 
 in order that delivery may be easy. Let the expect- 
 ant mother indulge in ripe fruit, farinaceous food and 
 frequent sitz-baths, and the same desirable results will 
 be obtained at no loss to the child. 
 
 Alcoholic stimulants should be relegated to the 
 companionship of opium and tobacco, and the trio 
 placed upon the list of poisons to pregnant women. 
 By so doing two great victories will be gained — the 
 first for the mothers who are slaves to a habit, the 
 second (and greater) for the unborn babe who thus 
 escapes an early but dangerous training that predis- 
 poses to intemperance and the indulgence in narcotics 
 in after years — to say nothing of being placed in 
 imminent danger of an early death through a weak- 
 ened constitution, or falling a victim to idiocy, 
 epilepsy, deaf-mutism or blindness. A common sense 
 application of the law of diet, viz : — supply the lack of 
 the system, — will be the best guide in individual cases. 
 For spare women, milk, sweets, and sweet fruits, 
 starchy and fat foods, if the latter can be borne. For 
 fleshy women an opposite course is usually best, and 
 consists of such food as lean beef, veal, mutton, fish, 
 chicken, turkey and game. Use vegetables containing 
 but little starch, chief among which are cabbage, 
 tomatoes, onions, celery, greens and squash. Sour 
 fruits are also beneficial, among which are cranberries, 
 lemons, sour apples, currants, cherries, etc., etc. 
 
 In addition to diet to prevent constipation (see 
 page 30), too great stress cannot be laid upon the 
 observance of a regular time each day to go to stool — 
 about an hour after the morning meal is probably the 
 best : but if some other hour of the day interferes less 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 13 
 
 with necessary duties, set apart a reasonable amount 
 of time in which to have the bowels evacuated, attend 
 to it always at that time and attend to that alone. 
 This advice, if persistently followed, will cure many 
 cases of constipation without a drop of medicine, and 
 if not followed the most skillful physician will usually 
 fail in curing the trouble. 
 
 EXERCISE. 
 
 To the overworked mother a better heading to 
 this subject would be, Red. To such we say, rest all 
 you can ; and the good Lord knows that will often be 
 far from enough. Nothing is more helpful in reviv- 
 ing the weakened energies of the overworked mother, 
 than a regular period of outing every day, either in 
 the buggy, or walking. To the tired person, of course 
 the former is to be preferred. In our cities the street 
 cars are available at trifling cost, and nothing short of 
 death in the family should be allowed to interfere 
 with this endeavor to secure a breath of fresh air. 
 But to those upon whom Fortune has lavished her gifts 
 so that exercise is not a necessity, a word of advice 
 may be given. Horseback-riding, roller-skating, dan- 
 cing, and all forms of violent exercise must be avoided. 
 Moderate exercise in the open air, such as buggy-rid- 
 ing or walking, is a great benefit, and is a matter of 
 necessity if health would be maintained. Nursing 
 the sick, with its attendant anxiety and loss of regu- 
 lar rest, is very detrimental ; and only the nearest 
 and dearest of earthly ties can be an excuse for a 
 woman to thus jeopardize her future highest interests. 
 
14 the baby: 
 
 SLEEP. 
 
 The rest should be as nearly regular and unbroken 
 as possible, and the sleeping- chamber should be large 
 and well ventilated. Pure, fresh air is a matter of 
 stern necessity, if health would be maintained at all 
 times. Pure or impure air at this time means a 
 healthy child in the first instance, and a sickly, illy 
 nourished one, with probable early death, in the 
 second. A quiet afternoon nap of at least half an 
 hour should never be neglected by either the expect- 
 ant or nursing mother. "I do not have time," is no 
 excuse at all. You must take time, just as you would 
 take time to lie in bed if you were sick. This time, 
 at first seemingly lost, will be returned to you and 
 your family in smiles and the mutual feeling that 
 mother is not a drudge. The embryo that partakes 
 to a greater or less extent of every influence that sur- 
 rounds the mother, will be immensely benefited, and 
 the babe that took a quiet rest every day for months 
 before it was born has the habit so thoroughly learned 
 that putting it to sleep at a regular time every day 
 during the following months is not a serious matter, 
 for it actually wants to go to sleep, and thus aids in 
 paying the interest on the time the mother took for 
 regular daily sleep during the months of gestation. 
 
 DRESS. 
 
 Dress in a manner suitable to the season. But, 
 save in the very hottest months, it will be conducive 
 to health to wear flannel underclothing ; thus avoid- 
 ing danger from taking cold by sudden changes of 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 15 
 
 temperature. The drawers and skirts should be sus- 
 pended by a loose-fitting waist, or better, by shoulder 
 straps, in order that the weight may be thrown upon 
 the shoulders and thus avoid tight bands about the 
 abdomen. If at no other time, comfort as well as 
 common sense will interdict the use of a corset, unless 
 it be during the very early weeks of pregnancy. Light 
 woolen hose should be worn and the feet protected by 
 thick-soled shoes. Especially is this necessary when 
 employed in household duties, or in out-door exercise, 
 when there is a possibility of the feet becoming damp. 
 In preparing for a journey, always provide yourself 
 with wraps so that you cannot become greatly chilled. 
 
 CLEANLINESS. 
 
 Bathing should be indulged in now as at other 
 times, to an extent sufficient for cleanliness, from once 
 to twice a week. Frequent warm sitz-baths undoubt- 
 edly have a beneficial effect if taken during the latter 
 weeks of gestation. 
 
 Rubbing the body with a coarse towel or flesh- 
 brush will often give relief to a nervous condition 
 which is the result of derangement of circulation.. 
 The temperature of the water should be not less than 
 78° Fahr. 
 
 MOEAL STATE. 
 
 We take up the consideration of this subject real- 
 izing that there has been and continues to be much 
 speculation regarding it; but being fully persuaded 
 that the moral state of both parents at the time of 
 
16 THE baby: 
 
 conception, and of the mother afterward until deliv- 
 ery, is to a very great extent an index of what the 
 future child will be, I deem it my privilege and duty 
 as a physician to offer a few plain and, I believe, prac- 
 tical hints regarding a subject about which a false 
 modesty has kept many intelligent people in Egyptian 
 darkness. The prevailing idea that through the effect 
 •of sudden impressions, especially disagreeable sights, 
 & mother marks her child, is corroborated just often 
 enough to keep up the belief among those most inter- 
 ested: so that every mother, at time of delivery, 
 especially among the less intelligent, will desire an 
 early examination of her infant, to learn whether it is 
 " marked," always referring to some sudden impres- 
 sion that occurred during the period of pregnancy. 
 Cases might be cited wherein there was a remarkable 
 and almost unmistakable combination of cause and 
 effect resulting in the unpleasant "mark." But hun- 
 dreds of cases can be given where single impressions 
 were not followed by the disagreeable mark, to every 
 one that resulted otherwise. While sudden impres- 
 sions leave but infrequently their " mark," it is not so 
 with those that surround the mother day after day 
 and become incorporated into her very being. These 
 are the impressions that leave their well-nigh inefface- 
 able stamp upon her offspring; not, perhaps, by some 
 noticeable physical deformity, but they are moulded 
 into the character of the child. If the ante-natal 
 conditions have been what they should be, continually, 
 a blessing to the family and to society will come with 
 the birth of that child. In this case, the mother has 
 performed her noblest duty, the father has exercised 
 his highest power. Angels could ask no more. But 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 17 
 
 if these pre-natal influences have been adverse, ma- 
 lign, dark with ignorance, wicked with carelessness 
 and neglect, the family and society will stand nine 
 chances out of ten to realize the perversion of all that 
 is good, condensed in that embodied mind as its 
 vehicle. 
 
 I cannot better illustrate my meaning regarding 
 the transmission of mental and moral states than by 
 quoting the report of two cases given by Dr. Baer. 
 
 MENTAL STATES TRANSMITTED. 
 
 Case I. — Mrs. G. has four children, and the 
 youngest is now sixteen years of age. When the first 
 child was begotten, she was comfortable and happy. 
 She brought her husband, who was a poor man, ten 
 thousand dollars and placed it at his command, and 
 while this lasted all went well. They flourished like 
 green bay trees, at home and abroad. The first-born 
 was a cheerful, lovable son; high in his aspirations, 
 full of hope and bright anticipations. After this birth 
 money fled apace, poverty soon followed, ushered in by 
 tippling at wine bottles, and card playing. In due 
 time the second child, a girl, was born — arrogant, petu- 
 lant, quarrelsome, eccentric and of low morals. Strife, 
 contention, drunkenness, thievery, and all sorts of 
 irregularities ensued; and the third child, another 
 daughter, came — wayward, vulgar, liking the bottle and 
 all manner of lewdness ; and until nearly eight years 
 of age, found it difficult to use even common words. 
 Is passionate and violent, and has no inclination to 
 improve herself in any way. The fourth and the last 
 
18 THE BABY I ' 
 
 child is quite idiotic, and has the drunken swagger 
 which was peculiar to his father ; has but a very limited 
 vocabulary, and is not qualified for any kind of busi- 
 ness or mental improvement. This child, the mother 
 assures me, was begotten during a prolonged drunken 
 debauch. Here is a family that might be cited, with 
 a little perseverance, as a type of hundreds. 
 
 Case II. — Mrs. D. has three children nearly 
 grown, and all of them exceedingly peculiar. The 
 oldest child is a girl, moody, despondent, peevish, 
 fretting, crying on all occasions, never satisfied; 
 threatens her life, is secretive and destructive. When 
 quite a young child, frequently killed kittens, pups, 
 goslings, young chickens, and such like, just because 
 she enjoyed the sport. She was begotten, as her 
 mother informed me, contrary to her wishes ; she used 
 every effort to destroy the embryo, and when she 
 found that she could not succeed, she became very 
 despondent, melancholy and retiring. She says she 
 now sees in her daughter the very workings of her 
 own mind while carrying her. Here is a very com- 
 mon representation, leading, no doubt, to the present 
 frequency of suicides. I never hear of a suicide without 
 wondering if the parent tried to effect abortion and 
 failed; and having harbored this murderous spirit to 
 the end of gestation, brought forth a child with a like 
 character, — murderous, fiendish, quarrelsome and com- 
 bative. She was brutal to her playmates, her pets, 
 and her parents, when corrected ; often threatening to 
 kill herself, or others, as provocation offered. The 
 mother became tinctured with the prevalent doctrine 
 of women's rights, and her husband became her deter- 
 mined opponent. In consequence of their radical 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 19 
 
 differences a divorce was strongly threatened. Unex- 
 pectedly to the wife she conceived, the second time. 
 She desired relief from her harden, bnt having failed 
 before, after a severe ordeal well-nigh costing her her 
 life, and the doctor informing her that to effect a 
 miscarriage wonld be death to her, she put on an air 
 of reckless indifference and became the incarnation of 
 "hauteur," took her husband to task on all occa- 
 sions, and flirted with other men to disturb his equa- 
 nimity. Her gestation ended, another daughter came 
 forth reflecting the very likeness of her mother's 
 conduct in almost every particular. She plays the 
 coquette at one time, and is the creature of " hauteur" 
 at another. She is a real mystery to herself and 
 everybody else. At length the parties became 
 ashamed of their works and resolved to do better ; or, 
 in other words, became one in feeling and action; 
 ceased being merely conjugal partners and sought 
 light from within and above themselves, and became 
 more intimately conjoined — conjugal. The third child 
 came, a son, as bright as the morning, full of goodness, 
 love, and truth ; a real Godsend to the family. You 
 cannot behold the young lad but to love him, admire 
 his ready wit and easy manners. He seems really 
 destined to be an honor to his parents and his country. 
 
 The condition of mind that the mother should 
 cultivate, and in which every one with whom she is 
 connected should earnestly assist her, is that of an easy 
 self-control. 
 
 AFTER BIRTH. 
 
 The product of conception having reached an age 
 when nature deems it fit to take up a separate exist- 
 
20 the baby: 
 
 ence, the future man or woman is ushered into the 
 world — a helpless being. 
 
 In order to better understand the art of preserv- 
 ing the health of our little charge, it will be wise for 
 us to study for a short time the different diseases 
 which are liable to attack the baby, in order that we 
 may better understand what to do to ward off a com- 
 mon enemy. 
 
 First let us consider the causes of sickness that 
 seem so prone to attack the infant. These may be 
 divided into two classes : first, predisposing ; second, 
 exciting. For the former class, the physical condition 
 of the parents is largely accountable. Among these 
 may be found Scrofula, Consumption, Infantile debility 
 as a result of overwork and, among the poor, underfeed- 
 ing. Alcoholism is directly accountable for a heavy 
 increase in the mortality of children on account of its 
 being productive of radical constitutional impairments 
 in the infant, and to which its life often becomes a 
 sacrifice. An excess of the nervous temperament in 
 father and mother is often reflected in a child of 
 weakened vital power, and it falls an easy victim to 
 the first adverse circumstance. And last but not least 
 among this class of diseases, is a terrible but nameless 
 disease that may become the direct cause of an early 
 and it may almost be said a fortunate death. 
 
 Second — Exciting causes are influenced somewhat 
 by different climates. With the temperature at 90° 
 to 95° Fahr., and a vitiated atmosphere as a result of 
 decaying vegetation, diarrhoeas in all forms, also nerv- 
 ous affections producing convulsions, are to be looked 
 for. While with an excessively low temperature, as 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 21 
 
 in our northern regions during the winter months, 
 coupled with the necessarily close living and attendant 
 impure air resulting from improper ventilation and 
 carelessness in regard to cleanliness, Croup, Bron- 
 chitis and Pneumonia, as well as Consumption in its 
 various forms, lead the van as causes of early death. 
 Impure air, be it hot or cold, is as the deadly Upas to 
 the tender infant. 
 
 "With a competent medical attendant at confine- 
 ment, directions are superfluous until the babe, 
 wrapped in a previously warmed blanket, is handed 
 to the nurse, who should occupy, if possible, another 
 room, having a temperature of about 75° Fahr. The 
 nurse, seated before a good fire, proceeds to wash the 
 baby by anointing it freely with warm sweet oil. Re- 
 move the oil from the surface by using a few pieces of 
 old and very soft linen. Having dried the child care- 
 fully with this material, cast the soiled clothes into 
 the fire. Do not be so inconsiderate of the feelings of 
 your hired help as to ask her to wash them ; for they 
 have no cash value, and are only a source of torment 
 in the laundry. Without using a drop of water or a 
 bit of soap, our little charge is now prepared to be 
 clothed. Before considering the subject of dressing 
 allow me to call the mother's attention to the use of 
 soap in washing the baby. 
 
 First — It is harmful. Why? Because there is 
 alkali in all soaps, from the cocoanut to the finest 
 toilet article, and this substance is very injurious to 
 the tender skin of the babe for at least the first year 
 and frequently much longer. As a direct result of the 
 use of soaps of all kinds and at all times, babies suffer 
 
22 the baby: 
 
 from excoriations on different parts of the body, and 
 the skin that should be like velvet becomes harsh 
 and dry ; yet the little one is daily put through a 
 process that is no more sensible than would be a bath 
 in weak lye, in order that baby might be clean. The 
 necessary result must be that the child feels all over 
 just as your face would when washed in strong soap- 
 suds. And — by the way — persons who desire to keep 
 the skin in a healthy and comely condition, will not 
 indulge in its use; or if at all, then sparingly. 
 
 Second — No excuse can be made by any mother 
 for the use of soap upon the infant's body, unless 
 that is the only way to get the baby clean. Every 
 sensible mother knows that warm soft water will 
 cleanse the skin of the infant perfectly, without the 
 use of soap; because the little one is exposed to no 
 factory grease or other substance that requires soap 
 to remove it. And further, when a bath is given 
 every day in warm soft water, what opportunity is 
 there for an accumulation of matter which will justify 
 us in using anything so injurious to the tender skin 
 as an alkali? 
 
 Having finished the oil bath, the navel is best 
 dressed by a pad of absorbent cotton, held in place by 
 a light band of sufficient length to go one and one-half 
 times around the body, then carefully joined with 
 pins. Dispense with the band entirely as soon as the 
 navel dressing comes off. For the satisfaction of 
 those who doubt the expediency of this breach of a 
 time-honored custom, I cannot do better than quote 
 from L. C. Grosvenor, M.D.: 
 
 "IsTow the Creator has made the abdominal wall 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 23 
 
 elastic for a purpose — to accommodate itself to the 
 varying condition of the child's digestion. If it has a 
 full meal the wall is large enough ; and if it has eaten 
 little, it is none too large. If there is wind in the in- 
 testine, the abdomen distends and gives it room, till it 
 can find its way through sixteen feet of convoluted in- 
 testine. The bandage destroys all, this elasticity and 
 defeats the Creator's plan in the matter." There is 
 nothing to warrant the fear that rupture will occur if 
 a bandage is not worn for months ; for all must admit 
 that an unevenly adjusted band can easily do harm 
 besides causing great discomfort, and that it cannot 
 possibly do any good. Now a band that fitted exactly 
 and was always just in the proper place at every point, 
 — a condition that never exists for over ten minutes 
 after dressing — would be of no use whatever unless 
 nature has failed to provide sufficient protection to 
 the very important organs in the abdominal cavity. 
 Who doubts that an all- wise Creator knew just the 
 amount and kind of protection these important organs 
 need? The bandaged baby ruptures by the band being 
 close at one part and loose at another. The walls, for 
 some cause, are distended, but being forced by an in- 
 elastic, band to remain in place at one point where it 
 fits neatly, extra pressure is thrown upon an unpro- 
 tected point and a rupture results. 
 
 Should the band be put on by one who knows 
 "how to do it right," I admit it will stay about in 
 place and be just about as comfortable as a plaster of 
 paris bandage; but suppose the child cries lustily, 
 the abdominal walls cannot be distended, and, as a 
 direct result, we frequently have scrotal hernia in the 
 boy baby, and rupture into the femoral region if a girl. 
 
24 the baby: 
 
 In the matter of how shall the baby be dressed, 
 the question of health and comfort to the child must 
 be considered of prime importance ; and scarcely sec- 
 ondary are the questions of economy of money , time and 
 strength of the mother. So far as I have been able to 
 learn, nothing so nearly fulfills all the conditions in a 
 desirable manner as "The Gertrude Baby Suit." A 
 lucid description of this suit, with directions for cut- 
 ting a pattern for the same, is best given by its origin- 
 ator — a practicing physician, and high authority upon 
 all matters pertaining to babies. 
 
 " The under-garment should be made of nice 
 fleecy canton flannel — cut princess — reaching from the 
 neck to ten inches (twenty-five inches long) below the 
 feet, with sleeves to the wrists, and having all the 
 seams and hems upon the outside — the latter turned 
 over once and felled or cat-stitched, not to make a 
 rope, a tie and one button behind. Here you have a 
 complete fleece-lined garment, comfortable and healthy, 
 and one that can be washed without shrinking. The 
 next garment is made of baby flannel (woolen), also 
 cut princess, reaching from the neck to twelve or 
 fourteen inches below the feet to cover the first, with 
 generous armholes, pinked or scalloped, but not 
 bound, and with two buttons behind at the neck. 
 Embroidery maybe used at pleasure." " The ordinary 
 baby dresses are all right except that I would have 
 them thirty inches to a yard in length." 
 
 "Now these three garments are put together 
 before dressing — sleeve within sleeve — and then are 
 put over the little one's head at once and buttoned 
 behind, and the baby is dressed, there being but one 
 pin — a diaper pin — in baby's dress instead of fifteen." 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 25 
 
 Discard the use of a shoulder blanket. You will 
 thus save yourself much trouble and the baby many a 
 cold ; because the garment will often be over the head, 
 about the neck or off entirely. These changes are dan- 
 gerous exposures. 
 
 The night-dress should consist of but two articles : 
 — a canton flannel gown similar to the under-garment 
 of the " Baby Suit," only a little longer, and a diaper. 
 11 The Baby Suit" diaper consists of two pieces 18 
 inches square and 10x12. The first is folded diagon- 
 ally once ; the second so that it shall be 10x10. Lay 
 the second upon the centre of the large diaper so that 
 the unfolded edge shall correspond with the long 
 folded edge of this piece. "This saves the heat and 
 discomfort of so many thicknesses over the hips and 
 kidneys and has the advantage of a small piece to 
 wash for the soil and plenty of sop where most 
 needed." No other goods equal canton flannel for 
 diapers, it being soft, warm, and absorbent. Turn 
 the hem once on the right side and sew or catstitch, 
 thus avoiding a corded edge. Use the fleecy side 
 next the baby. The weight of the goods used should 
 be governed by the time of year for wearing. 
 Carefully avoid too much clothing in hot weather, as 
 it is often productive of a very distressing rash which 
 disappears upon a change to lighter clothing, and 
 daily baths in clear soft water. 
 
 The new-born babe, having been properly dressed, 
 should be placed in a crib without rockers, upon a 
 soft mattress without a pillow, always upon its right 
 side ; cover comfortably and allow it to take a quiet 
 sleep before obliging us to take up the very important 
 and perplexing subject of diet. 
 
26 the baby: 
 
 INFANT DIET. 
 
 This subject loses much of its perplexity both to 
 the physiciau and the parents when the mother whom 
 God has appointed to take up this holy duty is able to 
 properly perform her part in the sustentation of the 
 life of her offspring, in a manner that shall be con- 
 ducive to perfect health. Among the conditions of 
 the breasts themselves to be guarded against, on 
 account of evil effects upon the secretion of milk, is 
 the distressing one of sore nipples. 
 
 The tortures of the Inquisition were not more pro- 
 ductive of excruciating pain than is nursing a hearty 
 babe under such conditions. How it may be avoided 
 is always matter of great moment to a previous 
 sufferer, and one of gravity to the infant ; for not 
 infrequently this becomes the direct cause of its los- 
 ing its natural supply of food in an otherwise healthy 
 mother. In my own private practice I have found 
 nothing that has given me more satisfaction as a pre- 
 ventive and also as a curative remedy than the 
 following : 
 
 Cosmoline (Pure) - r One ounce. 
 
 Fluid hydrastis (Merrill's) One half drachm. 
 
 Borax - Ten grains. 
 
 To prepare, melt the cosmoline with moderate 
 heat. Add hydrastis and borax. Stir well together. 
 Put in a tin box and allow it to cool. Anoint nipple 
 with this once a day for a week or two before expected 
 confinement. Bathing the nipples in cold tea, for 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 27 
 
 several weeks before confinement, is recommended by 
 some. It has the advantage of being always at hand 
 and is perfectly harmless. A solution of tannic acid 
 applied to sore nipples immediately after nursing is 
 often curative. Care must be taken to remove this 
 before the child is to nurse or it will soon be weaned. 
 After confinement, should there be a tendency toward 
 sore nipples, dry carefully with piece of old and very 
 soft linen and anoint with salve each time. Just after 
 child nurses, which should not be oftener than every 
 three hours, apply in small quantities at a time, thus 
 saving the necessity of washing the nipples off. For 
 while the medicines composing the salve are not poi- 
 sonous, yet the introduction of any considerable 
 amount might be detrimental to the health of the 
 child. Discontinue the use of this gradually in the 
 course of ten days, if curative. If not, consult a phy- 
 sician, as internal remedies may be necessary to effect 
 a cure. Consult a physician at once in case of threat- 
 ened difficulty with the breasts. As a hygienic pre- 
 caution, see that they are not exposed to the cold. 
 Always let the nipple be carefully dried immediately 
 after nursing the child. 
 
 LACTATION. 
 
 During the early months of nursing, the child is so 
 entirely dependent upon its mother that in studying 
 to preserve its health we must of necessity give the 
 greater attention to the mother; for a child that is 
 nursed by a healthy, vigorous mother, who furnishes 
 an ample supply of good milk, usually has little cause 
 for complaint. Within an hour or two after birth, 
 
28 the baby: 
 
 the child, on being pnt to the breasts, will remove a 
 portion of the fluid that has been accumulating for 
 some time prior to confinement. This substance is 
 called Colostrum and has its special purpose, viz : to 
 act as a mild purgative, and thereby remove from the 
 bowels a substance that has been collecting during the 
 previous months. This should be the first substance 
 taken into the child's stomach ; provided, of course, the 
 mother is living and also that no condition exists that 
 her physician considers a positive bar to the perform- 
 ance of the function. Under no circumstances should 
 the infant be fed on the abominable teas of different 
 kinds, that are always being suggested by some offi- 
 cious visitor. 
 
 If the child will not sleep and cries much before 
 it is convenient for nursing, in place of the teas give a 
 little pure water. 
 
 Dosing an infant on teas, at this period of its life, 
 besides being unnatural, is liable to cause kidnej^ 
 troubles, which even the most careful physician will 
 scarcely suspect until it may be " too late." We bow 
 to the " will of Providence," when we should, with 
 downcast face, blame ourselves for being the direct 
 cause (through blind subservience to an ignorant 
 custom) of a needless death. The Colostrum having 
 been removed by the child during the first few hours 
 of life, the practical question to the mother is, Are 
 there any rules to aid in guiding me, so that my infant 
 may not sicken and perish through a failure on my 
 part to furnish healthy food? In the following chap- 
 ter it will be our aim to give such directions as shall 
 aid in bringing about this desirable result. 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 29 
 
 HEALTH OF NURSING MOTHERS. 
 
 The advice liere offered for the guidance of nurs- 
 ing women is such as careful scientific physicians and 
 intelligent and experienced nurses and mothers have 
 found of practical value. I use the word "advice" 
 instead of rules, purposely ; for no matter how careful 
 he may be in his study of individual cases, and sug- 
 gestions as to diet, the young physician will learn 
 (and the young mother as well) that there are no " set 
 rules" by which Baby's diet, even though it be a 
 mother's milk, can always be made to agree with its 
 tender subject. 
 
 Nursing mothers may be divided into two classes : 
 first the lean ; second the fleshy. The leaner the per- 
 son the more watery the milk, and for such an one 
 oatmeal gruel with milk, cocoa-shell tea, chocolate, 
 vegetables with a little meat, except, perhaps, beef, 
 mutton and fish, will usually be sufficient. If the 
 complexion is very light sweets may be added to the 
 above dietary with benefit, and if the child appears to 
 stand in immediate^need of richer food let the breast 
 be bathed just before nursing with good sweet oil. 
 Use special care that this operation be performed 
 gently, lest a sore breast be the result. The fleshy 
 mother, with milk rich in casein, might be a failure 
 as a nurse on the above diet: but by using bread, 
 butter, mush, eggs, potatoes, etc., with warm drinks 
 of milk and water, or mild tea and coffee with an 
 abundance of cream and sugar, also abstaining mostly 
 from meats, the milk may be made to give excellent 
 satisfaction as an infant's diet. Babes who are nursed 
 by fleshy mothers will frequently be benefitted when 
 
30 the baby: 
 
 not seeming to thrive by adding to their diet some 
 form of dextrine food. My own experience has preju- 
 diced me in favor of Mellin's food for infants. Rich 
 hearty food is productive of indigestion and feverish- 
 ness, thereby diying up the milk. 
 
 Fruits are a matter of absolute necessity to the 
 diet of the nursing mother. Their special use is to 
 prevent constipation — a condition which is liable to at 
 once show its evil effects in the child by frequent 
 attacks of colic and indigestion. Let all foods of 
 every kind tending to produce constipation be scrupu- 
 lously avoided. The articles especially liable to pro- 
 duce this condition are tea, coffee, wine, beer, pork, 
 veal, salt-meats, cheese, beans, cakes, pastry, pickles, 
 biscuit, fresh bread, muffins, griddle-cakes. In hot 
 weather when perspiration is abundant pure cold 
 water should be indulged in ad libitum. Lemonade 
 frequently drank also has a beneficial effect from its 
 marked cooling effect upon the blood. 
 
 If the infant vomits or passes curds, and cries 
 with colic, this trouble will be allayed if the mother 
 keeps as quiet as possible ; but if the child belches or 
 vomits water which is " so sour," an opposite course is 
 best, and moderate out-door exercise may be followed 
 by happy results. Nursing should not be permitted 
 oftener than every three hours. The strictest regu- 
 larity should be observed as to the times when baby 
 takes its meals during the day. If it awakes at five 
 or six o'clock let it be nursed then, and every three 
 hours thereafter until bedtime. Every four hours is 
 often enough, but to some it seems too long. Several 
 very important reasons may be adduced why the fore- 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 31 
 
 going advice should be closely followed. First, it 
 induces regularity of sleep. A child bathed regularly 
 every morning and nursed or fed soon after will find 
 it almost impossible to resist the temptation to go to 
 sleep for an hour or two. Second, the babe thus fed 
 will seldom be troubled with colic. Third, regularity 
 of feeding — in infants as well as adults — induces regu- 
 larity as to time of stool, and the regularly-fed baby 
 will have one or two stools per day instead of none or 
 a dozen. Diarrhoea and dysentery, to be followed 
 later by the dreaded Cholera Infantum, are far less 
 liable to occur ; for many times they are the result of 
 an attack of indigestion induced solely by the habit 
 of feeding at any and all times. Fourth, teething is a 
 much less serious matter; for under these circum- 
 stances the child, besides being better nourished, has 
 a digestive apparatus in such a condition that it is 
 not fatally diseased by the slightest derangement of 
 some other portion of the body. Fifth, every mother 
 who desires to grow old fast will find no better method, 
 than to nurse the baby every time it is restless. The 
 happy girlish brightness of the young expectant 
 mother is in a few short months transformed into a 
 tired, worn-out, haggard expression, accompanied . 
 usually with hair uncombed, shoes not laced, and a, 
 dragged-out appearance generally. The young father- 
 — though ashamed of the thought, — nevertheless feels 
 that this does not seem like the beautiful girl he 
 brought home such a short time ago ; who was then 
 always cheerful and happy, but now is so cross and 
 miserable. A change has come over his home : the 
 young wife is tired in the evening, the baby is fretful 
 and instead of being soothed and rested after a hard 
 
32 the baby: 
 
 day's work, by the sight of their contentment and 
 happiness, he is actually made more tired by jnst one 
 look at the face of his wife. He becomes disgusted 
 and seeks a few pleasant companions in the saloon ; 
 she becomes discouraged and finds miserable relief in 
 tears. Regularity of nursing would allow this same 
 mother to take regular exercise every day in the open 
 air — a positive necessity if health is to be maintained, 
 and prime milk is to be secreted. A short period of 
 quiet rest and sleep would also be easily secured every 
 day and, instead of being worried to death, by the 
 baby nursing all night, she would get a refreshing 
 sleep, and rise in the morning feeling that she had 
 ■something to live for. The father, encouraged by the 
 restful smiles of his wife, goes to his day's work with 
 the feeling that " there is no place like home." Should 
 the baby object too strongly to waiting till its regular 
 hour for nursing, a plain rubber nipple with a little 
 white sugar in it may be drawn over a large cork, 
 immersed in water for a moment, then given to the 
 baby to suck. There is some deception in this, but the 
 end more than justifies the means. 
 
 For the first three or four months the child may 
 demand one meal during the night ; but do not allow 
 a healthy babe the breast oftener than once between 
 9 p.m., and 6 a.m. After four months of age not at all 
 between 10 p.m., and 5 a.m. 
 
 The mother should assume the horizontal position 
 during the act of nursing her child. She thus secures 
 needed rest, thereby enabling the mammary glands to 
 secrete a better quality of milk. The abdominal and 
 pelvic organs are less liable to give future trouble ; for 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 33 
 
 the delicate organs in the abdominal and pelvic cavi- 
 ties are often seriously injured by nursing the child in 
 an upright position ; on account of the superimposed 
 weight of twelve to twenty pounds which presses 
 upon the delicate structures, obstructing their free 
 action, thereby inducing diseased conditions, that once 
 acquired may ever remain. Some firmness may be 
 necessary to establish this rule, but it will well repay 
 persistent effort on the part of the mother, as it will 
 enable her to get the regular rest which is so necessary 
 to the preservation of health. This habit may be 
 much more easily established by putting the babe in a 
 separate bed alongside the mother. From old-time 
 custom many will object to this; but to such we say, 
 try it, and we are sure a faithful trial will prove very 
 satisfactory to the mother and result in good to the 
 baby. Have no fear that a healthy child will either 
 starve or freeze if it is well covered in a separate bed, 
 even though it sleep from 10 p.m. until six o'clock the 
 next morning. Both mother and infant rise refreshed : 
 it with a good appetite ; she with a much better quali- 
 ty and supply of milk than could be possible if her 
 rest had been frequently disturbed. Incidentally, let 
 me warn all mothers never to allow a lamp to burn in 
 the sleeping -room. Besides the gas from combustion, 
 which poisons the air, a very disagreeable odor arises 
 from a lamp left burning low. If you must have a 
 light, allow it to burn at full height and provide for 
 extra ventilation. What has been said regarding 
 cleanliness of person, and ventilation of sleeping-room 
 for the expectant mother (see page 15), is equally 
 applicable here. 
 
34 THE BABY : 
 
 NERVOUS INFLUENCE. 
 
 "No secretion so strongly manifests the influence 
 of the nervous system and especially of emotional 
 states both upon its quantity and quality as the mam- 
 mary glands." The secretion of milk proceeds best in 
 a tranquil state of mind with a cheerful temper ; then 
 the milk is regularly abundant and agrees with the 
 child. On the contrary a fretful temper lessens the 
 quantity of milk, makes it thin and serous, and causes 
 it to disturb the child's bowels, producing intestinal 
 fever and much crying. Fits of anger produce a very 
 irritating milk, followed by griping in the infant, with 
 greenish stools. Grief has a great influence on lacta- 
 tion, and consequently upon the child. The loss of a 
 near and dear relative, or a change of fortune, will 
 often so much diminish the secretion of milk as to 
 make artificial aids necessary for the sustenance of the 
 child. Anxiety of mind lessens the quantity and alters 
 the quality of the milk. Many cases are on record 
 which prove that it is highly dangerous to the life of 
 the child, for the mother to nurse it immediately after 
 sudden and severe fright, fits of anger, and all forms 
 of violent mental emotions — as the milk at such 
 times may acquire an actually poisonous character. 
 
 ARTIFICIAL FEEDING. 
 
 This practice — than which there is none more per- 
 plexing to the physician or the nurse — has become 
 entirely too prevalent. A prominent lady physician 
 has tersely but truly said that it is criminal negli- 
 gence on the part of the mother not to use her utmost 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 35 
 
 efforts in nourishing her child as a wise Creator 
 intended. Yet looking at the matter in this light, 
 and theorizing as we may, experience, the crucial test 
 of all theories, proves that many mothers who would 
 gladly nurse their infants are incapable of supplying 
 them that nutriment which is productive of healthy 
 growth. When there are simply disorders of lactation, 
 as, too scanty or too free a flow of milk, or the quality 
 seems to be at fault, close attention to the diet, with 
 the aid of appropriate medicines, will usually be suc- 
 cessful in bringing about a healthy secretion. The 
 unmistakable presence of consumption, scrofula, rick- 
 ets, chronic skin disease and specific affections in the 
 recently delivered woman make the question of how 
 shall the baby be fed, one of grave importance. In 
 either case the child's chances are materially lessened 
 for reaching puberty; but the weight of experience 
 seems to favor allowing it in this dilemma "the 
 horn" of artificial food. It goes without saying that 
 the motherless waif left on the threshold at twilight, 
 as well as "Mamma's darling" left in a motherless 
 home, must be artificially fed. 
 
 WET NURSE. 
 
 When circumstances make it possible to secure 
 the services of a recently delivered woman, who has 
 lost her child by death ; and who is known to be free 
 from those diseases that are of a constitutional char- 
 acter and is not subject to rheumatism, it is best to 
 employ such an one. Let her be well paid and of a 
 character above reproach. 
 
36 THE BABY : 
 
 Let the foster-mother be comfortably situated in 
 the home of the real mother. 
 
 Under no circumstances should you tempt a poor 
 woman to put her child on artificial food, that she 
 may nurse yours ; for the poor but true mother loves 
 her infant as dearly as you do yours ; and it is wicked 
 to thus tempt her to jeopardize the life of her child for 
 a few paltry dollars. General directions given nurs- 
 ing mothers in the foregoing pages are equally apropos 
 for the wet nurse. 
 
 HAND FEEDING. 
 
 The numerous dietary plans which have been pro- 
 posed for the tender infant lead us to infer at once 
 that no one has discovered a specific diet entirely 
 healthful in all cases. With the various individual 
 peculiarities of infants and the different conditions 
 that often are present in the same case at different 
 times such a discovery is impossible. We can at best 
 only approximate to foods which will give fair satis- 
 faction. This may seem a strange statement to the 
 anxious mother who had hoped to here find unfailing 
 rules for artificial feeding. The suggestions herewith 
 appended as to what the baby shall eat or drink are 
 such as have been found by experience to be the 
 very best under ordinary circumstances; but when 
 sickness appears, a physician should be consulted and 
 he should be able to determine whether and wherein 
 the food is at fault and advise the special change 
 demanded by the case. Do not go to him for medi- 
 cines every time your child has the colic, vomits, or is 
 troubled with diarrhoea ; but instead, if these disorders 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 37 
 
 are at all persistent or seem likely to be serious, seek 
 his advice as to what change in diet would be most 
 likely to prove beneficial. Pay him for it as you 
 would for medicine, and shun large doses of drugs. 
 They are a veritable poison to the tender infant. 
 This subject may best be considered under three 
 heads : 
 
 First — What to feed ; 
 Second — How to feed ; 
 Third — When to feed. 
 
 WHAT TO FEED. 
 
 Many foods have from time to time been devised 
 and not a few patented, whose special purpose seemed 
 to be to promote a little growth in the babe and a 
 marvelous growth in the originator's financial condi- 
 tion. Such foods, among which are Horlick's, Nestles', 
 Neave's and a host of others, are of great benefit at 
 times; but aside from being very expensive, if their 
 use is continued, for months, you will be sadly disap- 
 pointed in a majority of cases, if more than a tithe of 
 what the proprietors claim for them, i,s believed. 
 Asses' and goats' milk have been used to some extent. 
 On.accoimt of their scarcity and inconvenience these 
 foods are of small interest to any except the chemist 
 and physiologist. Cow's milk, with such additions as 
 make it correspond quite closely, chemically, to the 
 mother's milk, constitutes the food upon which the 
 babe that is to be "brought up by hand" must, in 
 nearly all cases, depend. 
 
38 the baby: 
 
 For the infant under four months of age Dr. 
 Gatchell prescribes the following food : 
 
 Fresh cow's milk - - One half pint; 
 
 Pure water - - - One half pint ; 
 Gum arabic water - One teaspoonful ; 
 
 Sugar of milk - One teaspoonful ; 
 
 Salt - One saltspoonful ; 
 
 Lime water - . - One teaspoonful. 
 
 Let the water be hot and in it dissolve the sugar 
 and a pinch of salt ; stir in the gum arabic water : it 
 readily dissolves; now add the milk and the lime 
 water, stirring all well together, and it is ready for use. 
 He further says that if the child is under one month 
 of age more water should be added. Possibly in a few 
 cases this may be true, but in the majority I think the 
 above already contains too much water. For a child 
 over four months old the Doctor would add, instead of 
 pure water, oatmeal water or barley water — the 
 former if the child is inclined to constipation ; the 
 latter, if a looseness of the bowels is present. As to 
 dilution, another says, during the first month one 
 third water should be added, the second month one- 
 fourth, and after the fourth month pure milk may be 
 given, warm. Dr. Sebert is very emphatic in his 
 denunciation of excessive dilution of cow's milk for 
 infants. According to his statement, cow's milk con- 
 tains only about three per cent, more solid matter 
 than that of woman. He says a slight dilution may 
 be of advantage, bat that most infants will digest pure 
 cow's milk if it is of good quality, and comes from an 
 animal well-fed'. 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 39 
 
 Dr. Corson, somewhat of an enthusiast on the 
 subject of feeding pure cow's milk to babies, prepares 
 it as follows : 
 
 Pure cow's milk - - One pint ; 
 
 Hot water - Two tablespoonsful. 
 
 Let this be well sweetened. The last is too indefi- 
 nite and I would advise in its place one teaspoonful of 
 pure sugar of milk. He says a healthy infant of one 
 month will take from one pint to one quart of this 
 preparation (some more, some less), for each 24 hours, 
 — one and a half pints being the average quantity 
 used. My own experience has made me emphatically 
 opposed to the dilution of milk to the extent that it is 
 generally carried by the advice of the physician. One 
 third water during the first month is usually an ample 
 dilution, and after that let the quantity be decreased. 
 
 The matter of dilution is one that demands close 
 attention on the part of the nurse and physician until 
 the proper proportion has been shown by its agree- 
 ment with the infant's stomach. But bear in mind 
 that this stomach is small, and also that in order to 
 thrive it must have a certain amount of nourishing 
 food. Now to the necessary amount of nourishment 
 add an equal amount of water and my word for it a 
 disturbance will be created in the child's digestive 
 system, probably making it sick and causing hours of 
 anxiety in the family circle. Fowne in his Chemistry 
 says, "Human milk is remarkable for the difficulty 
 with which its casein (cheese) coagulates. It gener- 
 ally contains a larger proportion of sugar than cow's 
 milk but scarcely differs from it in other respects." 
 
40 THE baby: 
 
 To those who are continually striving to create a 
 chemical compound that shall resemble mothers' milk 
 we would refer the above as a chemical fact to be 
 taken into consideration. It certainly is opposed to 
 excessive dilution if the two are to be at all similar. 
 
 Take of milk as prepared (see page 39) 
 
 - Two gills ; 
 Pure water - One gill or less ; 
 
 Sugar of milk - - - One teaspoonful. 
 
 Warm by placing in cup and putting that in a 
 vessel containing hot water ; or if at night milk may be 
 prepared before going to bed and gently warmed over 
 a lamp. 
 
 If after continuing this food for a time the baby 
 vomits or passes solid curds you may with benefit add 
 one tablespoonful of gelatin or the same of gum-arabic 
 water. If the trouble continues add a pinch of salt to 
 the preparation twice during the 2-i hours. 
 
 THE CARE OF THE MILK. 
 
 • 
 
 Carelessness in regard to the above often lays the 
 foundation for a fatal illness. Arrange to have fresh 
 milk morning and evening. Provide yourself with 
 blue litmus paper (all drug stores keep it), and as 
 soon as you receive the milk, unless it conies directly 
 from your own cow or that of a near and trustworthy 
 neighbor, immerse a small strip of this in the milk. 
 If the color changes to a red, even though it be slight, 
 the milk is beginning to sour and is unfit for use as an 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 41 
 
 infant's food. An idea of the peculiar change of color 
 may be gained by immersing a small piece of the paper 
 in vinegar or any substance known to contain acid. 
 The above test should be made frequently during the 
 day, especially during the hot months, no matter where 
 the milk comes from; for oftentimes morning's milk 
 will sour during a hot summer afternoon, and if fed to 
 the baby at such a time, sickness is almost certain to 
 follow, even though it be but slightly " turned." 
 Better let the baby cry for hours for something to 
 eat than give it any of this unfit food. To the 
 fresh milk (never use skim milk), add two table- 
 spoonsful of lime-water. Place the milk thus 
 prepared in a vessel containing water and allow 
 it to scald but never boil. Scalding is not so 
 necessary in cold weather, for its special purpose is to 
 aid in keeping the milk sweet. Let all vessels used 
 in handling the milk be frequently and thoroughly 
 washed and rinsed. Soda added to the wash water 
 will aid materially in cleansing perfectly. A common 
 milk crock with oval bottom is the best vessel in 
 which to keep the milk both day and night. Let ,two 
 be used for the purpose, so that one may be airing 
 while the other is in use. Cover with a napkin and 
 this with a board suitable in size. In summer place 
 in the coolest spot you can find, using special care 
 that the milk may not become tainted by decaying 
 meats or vegetables. If you can afford to keep the 
 milk on ice so much the better. Dip out of the crock 
 each time such an amount as you will learn from 
 experience you will need — usually about one-fourth 
 of a pint; prepare this by following such of the 
 foregoing directions as your judgment may dictate. 
 
42 the baby: 
 
 When the infant is satisfied, if any food remains 
 throw it out. Though a seeming waste of money, 
 it is the greatest economy in the end. If pos- 
 sible milk should be procured from the same cow all 
 the time ; but if you must buy of a milkman you had 
 better be supplied from the common stock, as he comes 
 morning and evening, thus avoiding the risk of chang- 
 ing milk frequently. If using from one cow it is very 
 necessary that her milk should not be " too old." An 
 abundant supply of pure drinking water is a necessity 
 if you would expect the cow to give healthy milk. 
 
 HOW TO FEED THE BABY. 
 
 The time-honored custom of using a bottle is open 
 to serious •objections as well as the whole system of 
 hand-feeding. But as nothing better has yet pre- 
 sented itself, when the breast is denied, the physician 
 can only make suggestions regarding appliances 
 already in use. A small cup with thin, flaring edges 
 is recommended by a few, and this idea has some 
 good points, but there are also overbalancing physio- 
 logical objections. The discussion of the relative 
 advantages of both modes would scarcely be interest- 
 ing to the mother. Procure a bottle which is easily 
 cleansed, is smooth on the exterior, and has a long, 
 narrow neck, with rirn around the mouth of sufficient 
 prominence to hold a plain rubber nipple. Black 
 nipples are said to be the most wholesome. Never 
 allow yourself to be induced to buy the 'high-priced 
 nursing-bottle with long rubber and glass tubing. 
 The mother does not live who can keep one of them 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 43 
 
 clean and sweet during hot weather. The plain bottle 
 and nipple can be kept sweet, with proper care. It is 
 most easily and surely done by washing them thor- 
 oughly immediately after each meal. Rinse well in 
 cold water and leave them in a basin of pure cold 
 water until next meal. 
 
 WHEN TO FEED THE BABY. 
 
 All that has been said on this subject regarding 
 the child which is nursed at its mother's breast, applies 
 with equal force to the bottle-fed baby. In fact, so far 
 as the child's health is concerned, it is more impor- 
 tant, if that were possible, that absolute regularity in 
 times of eating be made a rule. No exception to this 
 rule should be permitted — not even though the baby 
 is fretful and some one imagines it is hungry. I 
 believe that the prevalent custom of stuffing a child's 
 stomach, together with irregularity of meal-time, 
 destroys the lives of twenty babies to every one that 
 dies from lack of nourishment. 
 
 WEANING. 
 
 How far the process of teething should be ad- 
 vanced, when the child is weaned from the mother's 
 breast, is a question upon which the best medical 
 authorities differ so widely that the advice ranges all 
 the way from the cutting of two teeth to twelve. 
 These widely differing views afford conclusive evi- 
 dence that no set rules can be applied to which all 
 should conform. A number of teeth should have 
 
44 the baby: 
 
 appeared. The exact number does not matter so 
 much as time of year, health of child, and quality of 
 mother's milk. April, May, and the last half of Octo- 
 ber and November are considered the best months as 
 to time of year. Never wean a baby when it is sick, 
 unless your physician determines that the fault is in 
 the milk. On account of poor quality or deficient 
 quantity of milk, weaning may be a positive necessity. 
 
 A short time ago I had a case in which the three- 
 months-old babe came near starving to death while 
 nursing a mother who furnished an ample supply of 
 milk, but of a quality very deficient in nourishment. 
 This was proven by weaning the child and putting it 
 on a diet of almost pure cow's milk: it immediately 
 began to thrive, and was soon in excellent health. 
 Dr. Yerrier says, when the mother wishes to wean the 
 child she has only to cover the nipple with some bitter 
 substance, salt, soap, tannin, solution, golden seal, etc. 
 
 When the child is artificially fed, the matter of 
 weaning needs little attention ; for after it is about six 
 months old, it should have added to its milk suitable 
 quantities of substances of nutritive value. 
 
 Caution : Before the teeth appear, never put into 
 the milk or feed the child bread, crackers, arrowroot, 
 sago, tapioca, rice, or other substances containing a 
 large amount of starch. All food given at this time 
 should be of animal origin. For until dribbling ap- 
 pears, showing that the glands are beginning to act, 
 a child may starve to death on any or all of these 
 substances. Dr. Routh, of London, says : "I cannot 
 conceive of anything more injurious than this popular 
 arrowroot feeding. I believe it is a cause of the death 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 45 
 
 of many infants." After this period (six months of 
 age), -the diet should consist principally of milk, to 
 which may be gradually added a few simple articles 
 of food. At from six to eight months of age, the best 
 thing to add to the nutritive value of the milk is the 
 flour ball. 
 
 ' ' Flour - One pound ; 
 
 Salt - One teaspoonful ; 
 
 Sugar-of-milk - One teaspoonful ; 
 
 Cold water - - Four tablespoonsful. 
 
 " Mix well together ; tie the mass up tightly in a 
 stout muslin cloth or a pudding-bag so as to form a 
 firm ball. Boil this in a kettle of water from early 
 morning until bedtime. Take it out and hang it up 
 to drain and dry. The next day open it and take off 
 from the surface the layer of dough which will be 
 found. There will remain a hard solid ball. Dry 
 this in the sun or the open oven. Keep it in a dry, 
 cool place, and as it 'is needed shave off from one side 
 two or three teaspoonfuls ; make this into a paste, free 
 from lumps, with a little water; then stir it into a 
 pint of milk, and scald, being careful not to let it 
 boil." This addition should be made at the time lime- 
 water is added ; for of course milk should be scalded 
 but once. The sugar-of-milk is desirable, but may be 
 omitted if not at hand. Milk should form the princi- 
 pal portion of the child's diet till it has sixteen teeth 
 at least, without special regard to age. Well-made 
 broths of chicken, mutton, or beef, are valuable at 
 this time as a change. One small meal of finely-cut 
 rare mutton-chops, slightly seasoned, with the soft 
 
46 the baby: 
 
 parts of a slice of milk-toast or a soft-boiled egg may 
 be given — at first sparingly, — at noon meal. 
 
 A small quantity of the well-chopped white meat 
 of a thoroughly boiled chicken may be eaten, and this 
 can be followed by a well-cooked potato seasoned with 
 butter and salt. Boiled rice, with gravy or beef juice, 
 will do well in some cases. Much subsequent trouble 
 may be saved by not allowing the child at this age to 
 eat in a promiscuous manner of whatever happens 
 to be on the table. Nothing- is more common at this 
 time than the feeding of candy. This must be posi- 
 tively forbidden if you care anything for the health of 
 your child ; for the stomach and bowels are deranged 
 and the teeth oftentimes greatly injured by its use. 
 Too great stress cannot be laid upon the evil of this 
 pernicious habit. 
 
 Only under the direst necessity should the babe 
 be exposed to the dangers incident to a long journey 
 until the process of teething is complete. Our little 
 charge having reached the period when weaning is 
 advisable if it has been nursing, we must bid adieu to 
 the mother ; for hereafter the child is physically sepa- 
 rated from her as far as food is concerned. As a last 
 suggestion to the mother, so far as your own health is 
 concerned — if you have trouble in drying up the milk, 
 take of pure Vaseline two ounces, of tincture of Bella- 
 donna one drachm. Add the Belladonna and stir well 
 together. Anoint the breast carefully with this cerate 
 three times per day for two days ; then on rising and 
 retiring, for such a time as seems necessary. 
 
 The same amount of Belladonna may be put in 
 two ounces of pure soft water and used as directed 
 for cerate. 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 47 
 
 "As supplementary to the foregoing I desire to add 
 some directions regarding diet, air and dress in the 
 more common diseases peculiar to infants. For, no 
 matter how careful we may be, disease is liable to 
 show itself; and to be forewarned is to be forearmed. 
 
 DIET. 
 
 In arranging a diet for diseases peculiar to infants, 
 milk must, of necessity, constitute the principal part 
 to the close of teething, in the great majority of cases. 
 But when the dreaded Cholera Infantum appears, 
 milk may disagree with the deranged digestion, and 
 some other food must be found if the child is to be 
 saved. 
 
 Dr. Gatchell, in his excellent work on " Diet in 
 Disease," gives the following recipes as especially 
 applicable to this condition. What will agree with 
 one child, may not with another, but these recipes 
 cover a wide range of diet, and among them may 
 usually be found a satisfactory food. 
 
 SCALDED MILK 
 
 " May be given, if retained on the stomach. Prepare 
 it with lime-water and sugar-of-milk, with a small 
 pinch of pepsin in it. Condensed milk may be used 
 if perfectly pure and fresh milk cannot be obtained." 
 
 BEEF-TEA. 
 
 " When the child is in a weak and low condition, 
 beef-tea is to be preferred to all other foods. Give of 
 
48 the baby: 
 
 a good article of beef-tea as nmcli as the child can 
 take and retain; repeat at frequent intervals. Re- 
 member that in that low and prostrate condition into 
 which children with this disease so rapidly pass, beef- 
 tea is the most important dietetic article that can be 
 given. It is stimulating, and rouses the waning 
 strength. After getting up a reaction by its use, give 
 again condensed milk, fresh milk, or ' infant's food.' " 
 
 RAW MEAT. 
 
 "Scraped beef has been successfully used in the 
 dietetic treatment of cholera-infantum. 
 
 "Take a piece of fresh beef with one surface cut 
 across the grain; scrape this surface with a spoon 
 until as much of the pulp is scraped off as possible. 
 Now with a sharp knife take off a thin slice and make 
 a fresh surface and scrape as before; repeating this 
 until it has all been reduced to a soft puree. By this 
 method the indigestible, fibrous part of the meat is 
 rejected. Feed this puree to the baby, after adding a 
 little fine salt to it. A little pepsin will aid its 
 digestion. Many sick children have been brought up 
 from very low conditions on this diet alone." 
 
 ALBUMEN WATER. 
 
 " Cold water - - One half pint; 
 
 Whites of two eggs ; 
 Sugar-of-milk - - One teaspoonful. 
 
 " Drop the whites of the eggs into the water and 
 stir gently without beating, until they are well mixed. 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 49 
 
 Sweeten. Give cold or frozen. This will sometimes 
 be found to be a valuable aid in nourishing a child 
 when sick with diarrhoea." 
 
 WINE WHEY. 
 
 .. 
 
 Fresh milk - - One pint ; 
 
 Sugar-of-milk - - One teaspoonful ; 
 
 Sherry wine - - One teacupful. 
 
 " Heat the milk to the boiling point, and add the 
 wine. Let it simmer gently until the curd forms. 
 Strain through a cloth and sweeten with the sugar. 
 This will sometimes agree with the sick child when 
 other foods fail." 
 
 KOUMISS 
 
 "Will be eagerly taken by some sick children when 
 all other foods are rejected, and many sick babies 
 have been brought up from very low conditions on 
 this alone. The preparations of milk with gelatine, 
 gum-arabic, or barley-water may be tried if other 
 foods disagree. Sometimes what agrees in one case 
 fails in another, and we must change until a food is 
 found which will suit the given case. It will not 
 often be necessary to search outside of those here 
 recommended. The natural reaction of the contents 
 of the bowels is alkaline. In cholera infantum, or the 
 bowel complaints of infancy, they often become acid 
 in reaction, and then the stools become green in color ; 
 for acid, acting on the bile, with which all healthy 
 passages are colored, changes^it from a yellow, the 
 
50 THE BABY : 
 
 natural color, to green. Hence a change in color from 
 green to yellow is favorable, for it shows that the 
 secretions are losing their acid character." 
 
 OUT-DOOR AIR. 
 
 Pure air is an absolute necessity for all, if health is 
 to be maintained, and it is equally needed if health 
 is to be restored. No class of diseases are perhaps 
 more directly influenced by the condition of the air 
 as to purity than digestive troubles, — from simple 
 diarrhoea to the dreaded cholera infantum to which 
 infants are subject. 
 
 This statement is borne out by the fact that many 
 cases occurring in our cities during the summer 
 months are cured by simply going with them to a 
 healthy locality in the country where an abundance 
 of pure air is obtained. When the country is out of 
 the question the infant should enjoy frequent trips 
 to the parks. But under no circumstances should an 
 infant, sick or well, be taken out during the middle of 
 the day in a hot sun. Every physician has frequent 
 calls during the hot months to attend babies previous- 
 ly well who are often fatally ill from this cause. 
 
 DRESS. 
 
 Nothing need be added to what has already been 
 said on this subject except to emphasize the fact that 
 the extremities should be warmly clothed in cold 
 weather, not forgetting the body of course. In hot 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 51 
 
 weather, however, too much clothing is equally per- 
 nicious and the very lightest garments should be worn 
 during the heat of the day with such additions morn- 
 ing and evening as will promote comfort. This is the 
 only rule to follow, in sickness as well as health. 
 
 SCARLET FEVER. 
 
 In the matter of diet, milk, under ordinary cir- 
 cumstances, is the very best food. Do not for a 
 moment hold to the ancient but exploded theory that 
 a fever patient should be starved either in food or 
 drink. Give both in abundance if the child desires 
 them. The great Dr. Graves of England had the 
 courage to declare that "he fed fevers," when all the 
 profession were against him and were starving their 
 fever patients, young and old, to death. 
 
 DIPHTHERIA. 
 
 Patients suffering from this disease must be well 
 nourished with liquid food. Soft-boiled eggs with all 
 the milk the child can be induced to take, is always 
 good medicine. 
 
 During the time of extreme prostration wine or 
 brandy may be needed, but they should always be 
 given under the physician's directions. Incidentally, 
 let mothers be on their guard when their little ones 
 are recovering from this dreaded disease ; for a slight 
 over-exertion may precipitate a fatal paralysis of the 
 
52 the baby: 
 
 heart. During convalescence, the child should occupy 
 the horizontal position as much as possible. 
 
 MEASLES. 
 
 This common, but ofttimes serious, affection in 
 infants demands about the same diet as in scarlet fever. 
 Never expose your children to measles knowingly; 
 for notwithstanding all opinions to the contrary, 
 statistics prove that it is a disease which is fraught 
 with considerable danger to young or old, the aver- 
 age death-rate being about one in every fifteen well- 
 defined cases. 
 
 SCROFULA. 
 
 This disease, though usually inherited, may be 
 acquired by bad hygienic surroundings ; such as lack 
 of sunlight, bad air, unwholesome food and a total 
 disregard of cleanliness ; but whether originating from 
 the above causes or through heredity, much depends 
 upon proper care of the child's food, if we would hope 
 for improvement in health. 
 
 If nursing, too early weaning is to be guarded 
 against. After weaning, a bountiful supply of good 
 milk should be given ; to which add a tablespoonful of 
 lime-water to each glass of milk. Beef which has been 
 broiled quickly over hot coals may be cut up in fine 
 pieces and spread on bread lightly buttered. 
 
 This forms a very palatable and at the same time 
 nutritious " Piece." 
 
 Cod-liver oil is highly recommended, but it is so 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 53 
 
 disgusting to the child that it is of little practical 
 use. 
 
 A scrofulous child should have plenty of fresh air 
 and sunshine, and, if old enough, unlimited privileges 
 to play in good clean dirt. 
 
 A bath before putting the child to bed at night is 
 better than to keep it from contact with the health- 
 giving earth. If you are tempted to keep such little 
 ones always neat and clean and ready u to be seen by 
 company," remember that like the tender house-plant 
 they are likely to go to an early grave, before the 
 slightest exposure to disease, unless intelligent care 
 can strengthen them to withstand its invasion. 
 
 GELATINE. 
 
 " Cox's gelatine - - One half ounce ; 
 
 The white of one egg ; 
 Pure soft water, boiling hot, One pint. 
 
 " Soak the gelatine for about ten minutes in a 
 teacupful of cold water ; then pour upon it the boiling 
 water and stir until the gelatine dissolves. Beat well 
 the white of one egg and stir it briskly into the gelatine 
 solution ; put it on a slow fire, and stir gently till it 
 boils ; let it stand a minute, then strain well through a 
 jelly-bag. When cool it will form into a stiff jelly. 
 Keep this well covered and in a cool place. One third 
 of a shilling package of Cox's gelatine is one-half 
 ounce. Russian isinglass or Cooper's gelatine may be 
 substituted by those who are accustomed to their use." 
 
54 the baby: 
 
 . GUM-ARABIC WATER. 
 
 "Dissolve enough pure gum-arabic in two ounces 
 of water to make a thick syrup — like mucilage. Keep 
 this in a wide-mouthed bottle well corked. After 
 diluting the cow's milk with water — which process 
 accomplishes the first step indicated as being necessary, 
 viz., decreasing the proportion of casein and butter as 
 well as that part of the second which requires the pro- 
 portion of water to be increased — it only remains to 
 add those elements which exist in too small a 
 quantity." 
 
 LIME-WATER. 
 
 " Get a piece of unslacked lime the size of an egg, 
 break it up, put into a clean quart bottle of filtered 
 rain-water. Let this stand over night; the next 
 morning it is read}' for use. There will still be a 
 heavy sediment of lime in the bottom of the bottle, 
 but the water will have taken up all that it can dis- 
 solve. When you have used all the water in the 
 bottle, fill up again with water on the lime that 
 remains, and repeat this again and again as long as 
 the lime lasts. Do not shake the bottle, but use the 
 clear lime-water off the top." 
 
 KOUMISS. 
 
 " Fresh rich milk - - Three quarts; 
 Hot water - Three quarts; 
 
 White sugar - - Half a pound ; 
 Good yeast - One teacupful. 
 
HOW TO KEEP IT WELL. 55 
 
 "Dissolve the sugar in the hot water, add this to 
 the milk and let them cool down until luke-warm. 
 Now slowly and carefully stir in the yeast. Set the 
 crock containing this in a warm place, as you would 
 bread to rise — stir it occasionally, and in five or six 
 hours it will be slightly sparkling, and small bubbles 
 will rise to the surface when stirred. When it reaches 
 this stage put it in stout bottles, tie down the corks 
 and set the bottles in a cool place — in the refrigerator 
 or on the floor of a cool cellar. A thick mass will 
 form on the surface (the casein) ; when it begins to 
 separate, and once or twice a day for several days, the 
 bottle should be well shaken, and this will fall in a 
 powder to the bottom. When two days old it is ready 
 for use, although it will keep for a much longer time 
 and may be used when a week or more old. It is best, 
 however, when from two to four days old. Care 
 should be taken in opening as it is highly effervescent. 
 Use a champagne tap if possible. In starting a new 
 lot, instead of yeast use a bottle of old Koumiss, stirring 
 it into milk and water carefully as directed for the 
 former. If a larger quantity be wanted than this 
 recipe provides for — six or seven quarts — the quantity 
 of the different ingredients used may be correspond- 
 ingly increased. 
 
 "If there be too much alcohol generated put in 
 less sugar. Very stout bottles must be used — ordinary 
 ones are apt to burst. If you do not succeed in mak- 
 ing a good article the first time, try again, and yet 
 again. Like bread-making, this is an art in which 
 practice makes perfect. As already said, the use of 
 Koumiss has been followed by great benefit in many 
 cases of consumption. 
 
56 the baby: how to keep it well. 
 
 " A bottleful a day may be taken in addition to 
 the ordinary diet. Drink a glassful before each meal." 
 
 PURE WATER. 
 
 Great care should be taken that the water used 
 in preparing the milk is pure. Ordinarily, filtered 
 soft water is sufficiently pure, but if there is any doubt 
 whatever, it should be boiled and then filtered. If 
 boiling is necessary put cold fresh water in a kettle, 
 quite hot, and boil as quickly as possible. 
 
 TO MAKE A FILTER. 
 
 "A very good filter can be made out of a common 
 earthen flower-pot. Get a new flower-pot with a hole 
 in the bottom; line it with a piece of new canton 
 flannel; put into the bottom of this, to the depth of 
 two inches, some clean sand; over this put a layer of 
 pounded charcoal, and fill up with fine gravel. This 
 domestic filter will answer the purpose of the most 
 elaborate and is very easily made. After several 
 weeks' use it should be renewed." 
 
LIST OF 
 
 MEDICAL BOOKS 
 
 PUBLISHED BY 
 
 GROSS & DELBRIDGE. 
 
 48 Madison St, CHICAGO. 
 
 The Science and Art of Obstetrics. By Sheldon 
 Leavitt, M.D. ; Prof, of Obstetrics and Clinical Mid- 
 wifery in Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital, 
 Chicago; with an Introduction by Prof. Ludlam. 659 
 pages, octavo. Price, cloth, $6.00; sheep, $7.00. 
 
 Text-Book of Materia Medica, Characteristic, 
 Analytical and Comparative. By A. C. Cow- 
 peethwaite, M.D. : Prof, of Materia Medica, and Dis- 
 eases of Women in the Homoeopathic Department of 
 the State University of Iowa. Third edition, revised 
 and enlarged, making a volume of 716 pages. Cloth, 
 §5.00 ; half morocco, S6.00. 
 
 Key Notes of Medical Practice. By Chas. Gat- 
 chell, M. D. ; formerly Professor of The Theory and 
 Practice of Medicine, University of Michigan; Attend- 
 ing Physician to Cook County Hospital. Pocket Book, 
 flexible leather, 217 pp., $1.75. 
 
11 GROSS & DELBRIDGE S PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 Diseases and Injuries of the Bye. A Practical Trea- 
 tise on the Medical and Surgical Treatment of the Dis- 
 eases and Injuries of the Eye. By J. H. Buffum, 
 M.D. ; 0. et A. Chir; Professor of Ophthalmology and 
 Otology in the Chicago Homoeopathic Medical College. 
 450 pp. Cloth, containing 150 wood engravings, and 
 25 colored lithographs. $4.50. 
 
 Lectures on Fevers. By J. R. Kippax, M.D., LL.B. ; 
 Prof, of Principles and Practice of Medicine in the 
 Chicago Homoeopathic Medical College ; Clinical Lec- 
 turer and Visiting Physician to the Cook County Hos- 
 pital; author of "Handbook of Skin Diseases," etc. 
 Octavo. 460 pp. Illustrated. $4.50. 
 
 A Physiological Materia Medica. By W. H. Buet, 
 M.D. 992 pages, octavo. Cloth, $7.00; sheep, $8.00. 
 
 Clinical Companion to "The Physiological Ma- 
 teria Medica." Being a Compendium of Diseases, 
 their Homoeopathic and Accessory Treatment. By W. 
 H. Buet, M.D. 252 pp. Price, cloth, $2.50; flexi- 
 ble leather, $3.00. 
 
 A Complete Minor Surgery. The Physician's Vade- 
 mecum. Including a Treatise on Venereal Diseases. 
 By E. C. Feanklin, M.D., late Professor of Surgery 
 in the University of Michigan ; author of ' ' Science 
 and Art of Surgery," etc. Illustrated with 260 
 wood cuts. 423 pp. Octavo. Price, cloth, $4.00 ; 
 sheep, $4.50. 
 
 A Manual of Venereal Diseases. Being a condensed 
 description of those affections and the Homoeopathic 
 Treatment. By E. C. Feanklin, M. D. , author of 
 "Science and Art of Surgery," "A Complete Minor 
 Surgery," etc., etc. Ill pages, octavo. Price, $1.25. 
 
GROSS & DELBRIDGE S PUBLICATIONS. Ill 
 
 Lectures on Clinical Medicine. By M. Le De. P. 
 
 Jousset; Physician to the Hospital Saint- Jacques, of 
 Paris; Translated with Notes and Additions by R. 
 Lndlam, M.D. Large 8vo of over 500 pages. Cloth, 
 $4.50; half morocco, $5.00. 
 
 An Index of Comparative Therapeutics. With 
 pronouncing Dose-List in the genitive case — Homoeo- 
 pathic Dose-List — Tables of Differential Diagnosis, 
 Weights and Measures, etc. By Samuel O. L. Pottee, 
 A.M., M.D. Second edition. Cloth, $2.00; leather 
 tuck, $2.50. 
 
 Ruddock's Family Doctor. Being a reprint of De. 
 Ruddock's "Vade Mecum," "Diseases of Women," 
 "Diseases of Infants and Children," and "Essentials of 
 Diet." With Notes and Additional Chapters, by 
 James E. G-eoss, M.D. 734 pp. Crown octavo ; cloth, 
 $3.00. 
 
 The American Homoeopathic Dispensatory. De- 
 signed as a Text Book for the Physician, Student and 
 Druggist. By T. D. Williams, M.D. ; Member Illi- 
 nois State Pharmaceutical Association, Active Member 
 American Public Health Association, Attending Gynae- 
 cologist Cook County Hospital, etc.- 705 pp. Octavo. 
 Half leather. Red edges. $4.00. 
 
 The Soul and the Body. A Sermon to Medical Stu- 
 dents. By Rev. L. P. Meecee. 12mo. Cloth. 32 pp. 
 25 cts. 
 
 'Bless Thee, Bully Doctor !" By M. E. Dicus, M.D. 
 Illustrated by 100 finely executed wood cuts. Cloth, 
 50 cts. 
 
iv GROSS & delbridge's publications. 
 
 How to Feed the Sick. By Chas. Gatchell, M.D., 
 author of "Key Notes of Medical Practice," "Treat- 
 ment of Cholera," etc. 2d edition. Cloth, $1.00. 
 
 The Baby. How to Keep It Well. By J. B. Dunham, 
 M.D. Cloth, 75cts. 
 
 Practitioner's Guide in Urinalysis. By Cliffoed 
 Mitchell, M.D. 205 pp. Cloth, $1.50. 
 
 The Physician's Condensed Account Book. An 
 Epitomized System of Book-keeping, avoiding the 
 necessity of separate Journal, Day-Book and Ledger, 
 combining system, accuracy, and easy reference with a 
 minimum of labor. 272 pages. Price, $3.50. 
 
 The Physician's Day-Book and Ledger. Arranged 
 by T. D. Williams, M.D. 220. pp. Price, $2.00. 
 Sample pages sent on application. 
 
 Label Book, for the Use of Physicians and 
 Pharmacists. Containing more than thirty-five 
 hundred gummed labels in large, clear type, and bound 
 in a neat and substantial manner. Price, 50 cts. Sent 
 postpaid on receipt of price. 
 
 A Condensed Chemistry. For Students and Physi- 
 cians. By Cliffoed Mitchell, M.D. (In Press.) 
 
 The Medical Era. A Monthly Journal of Medicine. 
 Each number contains 32 double-column quarto pages. 
 Volume commences in July. Terms, $2.00 a year in 
 advance. 
 
 A discount of 20 per cent from adove prices, to physicians. 
 
GROSS & DELBRIDGES PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 How to Feed the Sick ; or, Diet in Disease. By 
 
 Charles G-atchell, M. D., 2d. edition, revised and 
 Enlarged. Price $1.00. 
 
 This work is a very practical and timely volume not only for 
 those who are sick, but also for those who are not really well, 
 and to whom the problem, "What shall I eat," is of vital impor- 
 tance. As introductory, the various forms of animal, vegetable 
 and inorganic foods are considered and their relative merits 
 carefully pointed out. The Chapters that follow are devoted to 
 such practical subjects as How to feed your Patients, Diet for 
 Dyspepsia with aids to Digestion, Diet for Constipation, Rectal 
 Alimentation, etc.; Diet in Consumption, Diet in Diabetis, 
 Bright's Disease, Gravel; How to nurse the Baby, How to 
 choose a Wet Nurse, How to wean the Baby, How to feed the 
 Baby, Diet for Chloera Infantum, Diet for Travelers, Seasick- 
 ness, the Corpulent, Scrofula, Rickets, Scurvy, Chlorosis, Col- 
 lapse, Rheumatism, Asthma, Heart Disease, Alcoholism, Diar- 
 rhoea, Dysentery, Cholera, Diphtheria, Gastritis, Biliousness, etc. 
 Diet for convalescents is a valuable chapter. Then follows a 
 long and carefully prepared list of recipes for the preparation 
 of Beverages, Meats, Broths, Soups, Breads, Gruels, etc., etc. 
 
 Milwaukee, Wis. 
 ''I consider your work on "How to Feed the Sick" to be the 
 most practical, and therefore the most useful, work on the 
 subject with which I am acquainted. No physician should be 
 without it ; every mother should have it. It is in use in many 
 of the households in which I practice." C. C. Olmsted, M. D. 
 
 "This work is plain, practical and valuable. It is really a 
 clinical guide on diet, and one the profession will find reliable 
 and correct." — United States Medical Investigator. 
 
 "Evidently much investigation, thought and carefulness have 
 entered into the production of this work, and we believe it to 
 be worthy a place in every household." — The. Magnet. 
 
 * * * "^vVe have carefully examined the work and shall 
 cheerfully recommend it for family use. The directions as to 
 what food and drinks, and modes of preparation are very 
 judicious." ***** Resp. Yours, 
 
 Janesville, Wis. Dr. G. W. Chittenden & Son. 
 
 Milwaukee, Wis., Sept. 8, 1880. 
 "Professor Gatchell's "How to Feed the Sick" is the best book 
 on the subject for the people. It contains in 160 pages an 
 astonishing amount of condensed information on a subject of 
 great importance, and one but little understood. Its style is 
 admirable, pithy and to the point. The book has no padding 
 about it, and deserves an immense sale. Sam'l Potter, M. D. 
 
 GROSS & DELBRIDGE Publishers, 
 
 48 Madison St., CHICAGO. 
 
DR. GROSVENOR'S 
 
 Gertrude Baby Patterns. 
 
 FIVE PATTERNS: 
 
 Dress, Flannel Skirt, Underskirt, Diaper and 
 
 Nightgown. 
 
 Health and Comfort for the Child, 
 
 AND 
 
 EASE FOB THE MOTHER. 
 
 No bandage, no shirt, no pinning, no skirt with band, 
 
 no shoulder blanket. The little one is dressed 
 
 with one pin (the diaper pin), not fifteen. 
 
 TO DRESS THE BABY. 
 
 Take the cotton flannel underskirt, put over it 
 the sleeveless woolen flannel, then the dress over that, 
 sleeve within sleeve, and put them over baby's head 
 as one garment (only one pulling on of sleeves), but- 
 ton behind, and the little one is dressed. 
 
 IN SET OW FIVE F^TTEIIRIN-S, fl.OO. 
 
 Sent free by mail on receipt of price. 
 
 For sale only by Gross & Delbridge, 48 Madison Street, Chicago.