Paedotrophia, or, The art of nursing and rearing children. A poem, in three books / translated from the Latin of Scevole de St. Marthe ; with medical and historical notes; with the life of the author, from the French of Michel and Niceron ... by H.W. Tytler.

Date:
1797
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Paedotrophia, or, The art of nursing and rearing children. A poem, in three books / translated from the Latin of Scevole de St. Marthe ; with medical and historical notes; with the life of the author, from the French of Michel and Niceron ... by H.W. Tytler. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    When thefe are doom'd to flioot, awhile, in vain, 265 And pierce the gums with unremitting pain. Sharp humours flow from fuch inteftine wars. Nor can the points affiduous break the bars. But tear their latent way, like fmother'd fire. And vex the fwelling jaws with tortures dire. 270 How great, alas! appears the wrath of Heav'n ! And is it thus our teeth mufl ftill be giv'n ? Thofe ufeful inftruments, that cherifh life. That break our viands with unceafing ftrife. And for the flomach grateful food prepare, .^75 Elfe of the hallow'd blefTmg none could fhare. The crying child indeed his fingers brings Within his mouth, whence humour conftant fprings. To prefs the gums, that fwell with gnawing pain. And ilrives to aid himfelf, but ftrives in vain. 2,80 Ver. 270. jind vex the fwelling jaws with tortures dire.] Dr. Cadogan, on nurling children, p. 31, would make us believe that teething, though frequently fatal to infants, is no difeafe. It were much to be wiflied that experience confirmed the truth of this obfervation. Tf it be no difeafe of itfelf, it is at leaft the caufe of many, which fometimes no art can cure. The ftate of dentition is one of the moft dangerous periods of life, and re- quires moft particular attention j though I cannot agree with the' remark of Dr. Arbuthnot, that every tenth child dies of it. . Th^