LETTER ON THE INSTRUCTION OF THE DEAF AND DUMB. To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. SIR, PERHAPS you may not object to insert in your Cottager's Monthly Visitor the two following paragraphs; the first extracted from a Bath newspaper published last month, the second from the Supplement to the "Encyclopedia Britannica," published 1817. "In England there appears to be, out of nearly two thousand persons, one deaf and dumb; and the estimates taken in the United States, in Scotland, and in Ireland, furnish nearly the same average."Bath Chronicle, October 1825. "It has been ascertained, by the result of actual inquiries, that the number of deaf and dumb persons in Scotland is not less than eight hundred."— Encyclopedia Britannica. It appears to me that no means ought to be omitted which may serve to call the attention of the public to the number of these unfortunate uneducated mutes, who are doomed to the misery of pos sessing faculties, without the power of using them; are the slaves of violent passions, without the knowledge of that religion which would teach and enable them to control these passions; who are in consequence heirs to more than a double portion of human misery, the lot of humanity, without the hope of a blessed immortality-that hope which can make all sorrows light, and enable the true Christian to " rejoice in the midst of tribulation." But not only do I plead the cause of the deaf and dumb: I believe that a more general diffusion of the art of instructing these unfortunate mutes would serve indirectly to a general improvement in the science of education. The greatest difficulty which a teacher has to encounter, is to persuade himself that a sentiment may be expressed in a manner perfectly clear to himself, be couched in language which he conceives most easy and familiar to all capacities, and may yet entirely fail to awaken any interest, or to give a single clear idea to the mind of his pupil, whom he expects to enlighten. The ear of his pupil will catch his tones, the mouth will repeat them, and the teacher, hearing his words re-echoed, often convinces himself that the meaning of these words must have entered the understanding, and ought to have touched the heart of his pupil; though he sees a vacant stare, which he scorns as stupidity, or a listless wandering eye, which he characterizes as idleness. The teacher of the deaf and dumb is not liable to the same self-deception. The ear of his pupil not being able to catch his words, the tongue cannot repeat them. The teacher therefore cannot remain satisfied with having merely caused the vibration of the organs, which are but the channels by which the heart and understanding are reached. The vacant listless eye of his pupil, instead of irritating him against the little learner, will only make him task anew his own ingenuity to devise some other means of reaching the understanding. Instead of blaming or chastising, he smiles affectionately on his little pupil, and exerts his own faculties in some new direction, in order to meet those of his scholar; and he does not rest till he has found out the right channel of communication, intricate only because unobserved and unstudied. He perseveres, till he is convinced by the glistening eye, the animated gesture, and the appearance of joyful exultation, which the whole frame assumes, when the faculties really expand, and the heart is really touched, that he has gained his end, and that he has reached the seat of thought, will, and affections. I am, Sir, Your humble servant, D. D. TREATMENT OF THE SICK. To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. SIR, I SEND, as a contribution to your Cottager's Visitor, the following remarks respecting the treatment of the sick, particularly of sick children, before the aid of medical advice has been obtained. In addition to the peculiar symptoms which mark the different varieties of diseases, there are some which, more or less, accompany almost every description of illness from the very beginning; such are languor, dullness, dejection, weariness, and unwillingness to move. These unpleasant feelings are the natural and common attendants on illness, but are very commonly attributed to weakness; and this opinion is confirmed by the inability of the sick person to eat. "I feel very ill, weak and low, and can eat nothing," is the common reply made by a sick neighbour, when inquiries are made after him; and he unhappily concludes, because he feels weak, that weakness is the cause of his ailing; and consequently that what are called "nourishing things". are required to remove this weakness: and, proceeding to act on this conviction, either spirits, wine, or strong beer, are resorted to. A mild disease is thus frequently rendered violent-and a disease more serious rendered fatal. These observations apply in important cases to. every age, but more especially to infancy; during which tender period, improper treatment is very frequently fatal. The complaints of infants, nineteen times in twenty, are occasioned either by inflammation or irritation; and numbers, under these circumstances, have been hurried out of the world by the wellmeant, but mistaken proceedings of those to whose care they have been entrusted. A child, when attacked with inflammation, droops, appears uneasy and feeble, and refuses food. These appearances are commonly supposed to denote weakness; and to what remedy do many ignorant mothers fly in such cases? to gin, brandy, or wine! as they say, and hope, to strengthen and revive. But what is the effect? strength to the disease, and frequently death to the infant. It is impossible to calculate the number of deaths thus occasioned. In complaints of importance, early medical advice is strongly recommended; much more may often be done towards their removal in the first forty-eight hours, than can afterwards be effected in two or three weeks. But the distance from medical assistance often renders it impossible to obtain immediate advice. Let no time, however, be lost in seeking it; and carefully avoid every hurtful means, particularly those before mentioned, such as strong liquors, and other heating means. Let it be an invariable rule, with those who have the care of children, never to give spirit, wine, or beer, without the permission of the medical attendant. In the absence of medical advice, some simple remedies may often be employed with advantage. A man or woman, being feverish, may, if rather sick, take an emetic, and a common dose of salts, or senna tea, drinking toast and water, or gruel; but, if suffering from pain and high fever, good advice should be obtained without delay. Children are often attacked suddenly, and dangerously, with convulsive fits; and means for reliev. ing them should be quickly used. If much time must elapse before medical aid can be procured, the gums should be examined, and, if teething be suspected, much good may be done by cutting the gums with a penknife, quite down to the rising teeth. This is not a painful operation, and is totally free from difficulty and danger. Rhubarb, magnesia, or senna tea, may in common cases be safely administered to children, and one or other of these, or a gentle emetic, will often be useful, as many of their ailings begin in the stomach and bowels. These are recommended in cases of slight indisposition only. Cough, difficulty in breathing, pain, fever, and other serious symptoms, call for able advice, and that early. Be not tempted to administer any quack remedy, especially such as are intended to procure sleep. Opium, in every form, is a dangerous drug where infants are concerned, unless prescribed by a judicious person. Food very commonly becomes sour in the stomachs of children, especially that containing sugar; it is therefore desirable that they should never know the taste of this article. Pies, cakes, and every thing of the kind, should be kept from them. Their food cannot be too simple. In early infancy, if the mother cannot supply sufficient nourishment, a good substitute will be found in fresh skimmed milk, boiled, and added to an equal quantity of oatmeal gruel, which infants will suck readily from a proper bottle; and without sugar, if they have never tasted it. When bread is used, it should be several days old, and well baked; small pieces of new bread, put into the oven, and baked quite hard, are, I think, better still. Should these remarks meet the eye of a benevolent giver to the poor, I strongly exhort him conscientiously to refuse spirit and wine, without the |