Volume 1

The household physician : a family guide to the preservation of health and to the domestic treatment of ailments and disease, with chapters on food and drugs and first aid in accidents and injuries / by J. McGregor-Robertson ; with an introduction by John G. McKendrick.

  • M'Gregor-Robertson, J. (Joseph), 1858-1925
Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The household physician : a family guide to the preservation of health and to the domestic treatment of ailments and disease, with chapters on food and drugs and first aid in accidents and injuries / by J. McGregor-Robertson ; with an introduction by John G. McKendrick. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    517/602 (page 445)
    EXERCISE AND SLEEP OF INFANTS. Children in Health.] fulfils the conditions that have been set forth? Flannel ought, undoubtedly, to form the chief part of an infant’s dress, a long-sleeved flannel gown from the neck downwards being the prin- cipal garment. As, however, the child’s skin is j apt to be irritated by rubbing against the flan- ^ nel, a shirt of fine lawn is usually put on next the skin. It is customary also foi’ a roll of flan- nel—a binder—to be wound round the belly. During the early weeks of the child’s life this is valuable, by giving pi’otection and support to the navel. Hut it is cthnost constantlif too tightly drawn, and seriously interferes with the action of the chest and belly, greatly impeding breathing. It should always be so slack that the hand can be readily passed between it and the skin. The use of the binder should not be continued longer than six or eight weeks. After that time it should be daily made nar- rower and shorter till in a few days it is entirely given up. The flannel dress should be fastened by means of buttons or tapes, even safety-pins being not devoid of danger, and it should ex- tend for 10 inches or so beyond the feet to keep the legs warm. It should never be so tight- fitting at any part as to limit freedom of move- ment. A light woollen shawl, to be thrown over the child when it is being carried from one part of the house to the other, comjDletes all its necessary clothing. The head needs no special covering indoors, either by day or by night. When the child is taken out, it requires a covering for the head, a soft, light woollen hood being preferred, and it also needs an extra wrap, a woollen shawl being the best. If a cloak is used, the mistake should not be made of fasten- ing it on by tying round the neck only, half strangling the child, as it too often does. The thickness and closeness of the material forming the added garment should depend upon the weather and season of the year. About the third month of life, when the child begins to exercise its limbs more freely, its clothes are usuall}'^ shortened. Stockings and soft pliable shoes become necessary. The clothing at this period cornmoidy consists of a linen, cotton, j or flannel shirt next the skin, of a pair of stiff- , starched cotton stays, of a flannel petticoat made | with a body, an outer cotton one, and of a dress with short sleeves. There are some objections ^ to be taken to this arrangement. The shirt should always be of flannel, unless that has already proved too irritating. The stays are worse than useless, they are positively injurious, ' a hindrance alike to free movement and free growth. There is no justification of any kind for retaining them. Instead of each petticoat having a body of its own, or being simply but- toned at the waist, a light flannel body should be made separately. Round the waist it should be provided with buttons to fit corresponding button-holes in the petticoats. With this arrangement, if one petticoat be wet it can be removed at once without undressing the child. From the waist-band of this body suspenders for stockings can be attached. The dress should always have long sleeves, and should not be low- necked. For night a woollen night-dress should be provided, but no night-cap or other covering for the head. Exercise, Air, and Sleep.—Even the very young infant derives great benefit from such exercise as is directly possible to it, as it lies free and unrestrained on its mother’s or nui'se’s lap. For this reason the washing and dressing of a child should be leisurely rather than hur- riedly performed, provided care be taken against the risk of cold. Even the youngest infant should be accustomed to the open aii', carried in its nurse’s arms. The daily airing should be a regular ceremony, on dull as well as on bright days. The child should have extra clothing according to the season and the state of the atmosphere on the particular day; and the face should be protected by a light veil. With such precautions the child will not be affected by moderate changes of weather; and it will seldom be necessary to j:>rohibit its going out. At first, of course, the infant is to be taken into the open air for only a few minutes at a time, fifteen to twenty, and the time is to be gradually extended as seems desirable, and according to the state of the weather. Carrying in the nurse’s arms is better than wheeling in a perambulator. The motion of the perambulator is not so agreeable, and the child is apt to become stiff and chilled in a constrained position. As regards rest, the infant passes most of its time asleep, and it is, therefore, important to make no mistake I'egarding its bed and bed coverings. From its birth the child should sleep in its own bed and not with its parents or nurse. A wicker basket, lined inside, provided with a firm mattress, covered by a small blanket, a small, not too soft, pillow, and a miniature pair of blankets and down quilt, form a very com- foi’table sleeping-place. Tlie bassinet should be raised off the floor. Children are commonly kept too warm in such little cots, coverings being heaped upon them, curtains being drawn round