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in infants at the breast, fairly traceable to bad porter, which vitiating the quality of the milk, no medical treatment cures the disease until this beverage is left off or changed, when it at once disappears. The following is a case in point: —

On the 25th May, 1836, I was called to see an infant at the breast with diarrhoea. The remedial measures had but little effect so long as the infant was allowed the breast-milk; but this being discontinued, and arrow-root made with water only allowed, the complaint was quickly put a stop to. Believing that the mother's milk was impaired from some accidental cause which might now be past, the infant was again allowed the breast; in less than four-and-twenty hours, however, the diarrhoea returned. The mother being a very healthy woman, it was suspected that some unwholesome article in her diet might be the cause; her regimen was accordingly carefully inquired into, when it appeared that porter from a neighbouring publican's had been substituted for their own for some little time past. This proved to be bad, throwing down, when left to stand a few hours, a considerable sediment; it was discontinued; good sound ale taken instead; the infant again put to the breast,-upon the milk of which it flourished, and never had another attack.

Again, the nurse should take exercise daily in the open air. Let it be remembered (as before

observed) that nothing tends more directly to maintain a good supply of healthy milk than air and exercise; and the best wet-nurse would soon lose her milk, if constantly kept within doors. Sponging the whole body too with cold water with bay salt in it, every morning, should be insisted upon, if possible: it preserves cleanliness, and greatly invigorates the health. United with this the nurse should rise early, and also be regularly employed during the day in some little portion of duty in the family, an attendance on the wants of the child not being alone sufficient.

SECT. III. WEANING.

The time when to take place. The time when weaning is to take place must ever depend upon a variety of circumstances, which will regulate this matter, independently of any general rule that might be laid down. The mother's health may, in one case, oblige her to resort to weaning before the sixth month, and, in another instance, the delicacy of the infant's health, to delay it beyond the twelfth. Nevertheless, as a general rule, both child and parent being in good health, weaning ought never to take place earlier than the ninth (the most usual date), and never delayed beyond the twelfth month.

I should say further, that if child and parent are both in vigorous health, if the infant has cut several of its teeth, and been already accustomed to be partially fed, weaning ought to be gradually accomplished at the ninth month. On the other hand, that if the child is feeble in constitution, the teeth late in appearing, and the mother is healthy and has a sufficient supply of good milk, especially if it be the winter season, it will be far better to prolong the nursing for a few months. In such a case, the fact of the non-appearance of the teeth indicates an unfitness of the system for other than the natural food from the maternal

any

breast.

And again, if the infant is born of a consumptive parent, and a healthy and vigorous wet-nurse has been provided, weaning should most certainly be deferred beyond the usual time; carefully watching, however, that neither nurse or child suffer from its continuance.

The mode. It should be effected gradually. From the sixth month most children are fed twice or oftener in the four-and-twenty hours; the infant is in fact, therefore, from this time, in the progress of weaning; that is to say, its natural diet is partly changed for an artificial one, so that when the time for complete weaning arrives, it will

be easily accomplished, without suffering to the mother, or much denial to the child.

It is, however, of the greatest importance to regulate the quantity and quality of the food at this time. If too much food is given (and this is the great danger), the stomach will be overloaded; the digestive powers impaired; and, if the child is not carried off suddenly by convulsions, its bowels will become obstinately disordered; it will fall away from not being nourished, and perhaps eventually become a sacrifice to the over-anxious desire of the parent, and its friends, to promote its welfare.

The kind of food proper for this period, and the mode of administering it, are detailed in the section on " Artificial Feeding."

Much exercise in the open air (whenever there is no dampness of atmosphere) is highly necessary and beneficial at this time; it tends to invigorate the system, and strengthens the digestive organs, and thus enables the latter to bear without injury the alteration in diet.

Drying up the milk. It may be necessary directly after delivery, from the delicate health of the mother, local defect, the nipple, for instance, being too small or obliterated by the pressure of tight stays, death of the infant, or some equally

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urgent cause, to dry up, or "backen the milk," as it is popularly called.

Now it is a very frequent practice to apply cold evaporating lotions to the breast for this purpose. It is true they may produce a rapid dispersion of the milk: but they ought never to be resorted to, as they frequently give rise to symptoms of an alarming and dangerous character. The best and safest local application consists in the following liniment:

Compound soap liniment, three ounces;
Laudanum, three drachms;

Camphor liniment, one drachm.

Or, if this is found too irritating, compound soap liniment alone. Either of these liniments must be applied warm, and constantly, by means of several layers of linen or flannel, covered by a piece of oiled silk; and the breast gently pressed or rubbed for five or ten minutes, every four or five hours, with warm almond oil.

Sometimes the skin is so thin and sensitive, that the compound soap liniment proves too stimulating, and covers the breast with an irritable eruption. In these cases bread and water poultices must be substituted, but the warm almond oil must also be used as directed in the former

cases.

While the breasts remain only moderately hard,

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