OF CHILDREN. 7
cloths. No sooner are they freed from their bracings, than theyseem pleased and happy; yet, strange infatuation ! the momeut thevhold their peace, they are again committed to their chains.
If we consider the body of an infant as a bundle of soft pipes, re-plenished with fluids in continual motion, the danger of pressure willappear in the strongest light. Nature, in order to make way for thegrowth of children, has formed their bodies soft and flexible; andlest they should receive any injury from pressure in the womb, hassurrounded the fatus every where with fluids. This shews the carewhich Nature takes to prevent all unequal pressure on the bodies ofinfants, and to defend them against every thing that might in theleast cramp or confine their motions.
Even the bones of an infant are so soft and cartilaginous, that theyreadily yield to the slightest pressure, and easily assume a bad shape,which can never after be remedied. Hence it is, that so many peo-ple appear with high shoulders, crooked spines, and flat breasts, whowere as well proportioned at their births as others, but had the mis-fortune to be squeezed out of shape by the application of stays anabandages.
Pressure, by obstructing the circulation, likewise prevents theequal distribution of nourishment to the different parts of the body,by vhich means the growth becomes unequal. One part grows toolarge, while another remains too small; and thus in time the wholeframe becomes disproportioned and misbapen. To this wemust add,that when a child is cramped in its clothes, it naturally shrinks fromthe part that is hurt; and by putting its body into unnatural postures,it becomes deformed by habit.
Deformity of body may indeed proceed from weakness or disease ;but, iu general, it it the effect of improper clothing. Nine-tenths, atleast, of the deformity among mankind must be imputed to thiscause. A deformed body is not only disagreeable to the eye, but bya bad figure both the animal and vital functions must be impeded,and of course health impaired. Hence few people remarkably mis-hapen are strong or healthy. •*
The new motions which commence at the birth, as the circulationof the whole mass of blood through the lungs, respiration, the peri-staltic motion, &c. afford another strong argument for keeping thebody of an infant free from all pressure. These organs, not havingbeen accustomed to move, are easily stopped ; but when this hap-pens, death must ensue. Hardly any method could be devised moreeffectually to stop these motions, than bracing the body too tightwith rollers and bandages. Were these to be applied in the samemanner to the body of anadult for an equal length of time, they wouldhardly fail to hurt the digestion and make him sick. How much morehurtful they must prove to the tender bodies of infants, we sha!leave any one to judge.
Whoever considers these things will not be surprised that so manychildren die of convulsions soon after the birth. These fits are ge-nerally attributed to some inward cause ; but in fact they often ■"