The care of infants : a manual for mothers and nurses / by Sophia Jex-Blake.

  • Sophia Jex-Blake
Date:
1903
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The care of infants : a manual for mothers and nurses / by Sophia Jex-Blake. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    117/136 (page 97)
    Tin.] TREATMENT OF CONSTIPATIOX. 07 holding a sponge wrung out of hot water to tlie throat, and applying smelling salts or sal volatile to the nose. If these measures are not sufficient, from ten to twenty drops of wine of ipecacuanha may be given as an emetic, and if sickness ensues the child will usually be much the better for it. This remedy, however, is by no means to be left about in the nursery, but should be care- fully locked away, and only used in cases of real emergency. As to the condition of the bowels, the mother and nurse are often needlessly solicitous. Babies vary in this respect even in health, and though it is of course desirable to ensure regularity, it is by no means necessary to dose the child with physic whenever the slightest deviation from rule occurs. If, however, there is a persistent ten- dency to constipation, it may be well to give a teaspoonful of fresh olive oil once or twice a day, or to dissolve a teaspoonful of manna (an old- fashioned but excellent remedy) in the bottle of milk, if brought up by hand. Sometimes it will be sufficient to rub the baby’s abdomen with warm olive oil before it is put to bed; and it is always well to give such gentle measures a trial. Children who have breast-milk are less liable to constipation, and if it occurs it can generally be traced to a similar condition in the mother, to whom, in that case, treatment should be directed. If the child appears to suffer from indigestion as