20

OF CHILDREN.

«ho had her Godfrey's cordial, DaflVs elixirs, Dalby s carminative,<*c. at hand. Such generally imagine, that a dose of medicine willMake up for all defects in food, air, exercise, and cleanliness. Byerrors of this kind, I will venture to say that one half the childrenwho die annually in London lose their lives.

Allowing children to continue long wet, is another very perniciouscustom of indolent nurses. This is not only disagreeable, but it gallsand frets the infant, and, by relaxing the solids, occasions scrophulas,rickets, and other diseases. A dirty nurse is always to be suspected'

jNature often attempts to free the bodies of children from bad hu-mours by throwing them upon the skin; by this means fevers andother diseases are prevented. Nurses are apt to mistake such criticaleruptions for an itch, or some other infectious disorder. Accordinglythey take every method to drive them in. In this wav many childrenlose their lives; and no wonder, as Nature is opposed in the very me-thod she takes to relieve them. It ought to be a rule, which everynurse should observe, never to stop any eruption without proper ad-"lce, or being well assured that it is not of a critical nature. At anyrate, it is never to be done without previous evacuations

Loose stools is another method by which Nature often prevents orcarries oft the diseases of infants. If these proceed too far, no doubtthey ought to be checked ; but this is never to be done without thegreatest caution. Nurses, upon the first appearance of loose stools,frequently fly to the use of astringents, or such things as bind theocly Hence inflammatory fevers, and otherfatal diseases, are occa-joned. A dose of rhubarb, a gentle vomit, or some other evacuationshould always precede the use of astringent medicines.

One of the greatest faults of nurses is, concealing the diseases ofchildren from their parents. This thev are extremely ready to doespecially when the disease is the effect of their own negligent 'Many instances might be given of persons who have been renderedJametor life by a fall from their nurse's arms, which she, through fearconcealed till the mis/ortune was past cure. Every parent who in'trusts a nurse with the care of a child, ought to give her the strictestcharge not to conceal the most trifling disorder or misfortune thatmay Detal it.

We can see no reason why a nurse who conceals any misfortune« h.chi happens to a child under her care till it loses its life or limbs,should not be punished. A few examples of this would save the lives

T y r : ,)Ut as there is little reason to ex P«t that it will

ever De the case, we would earnestly recommend it to all parents tolook carefully after their children, and not to trust so valuable a trea-sure entirely ,n the hands of a hireling.

No person ought to imagine these things unworthy of his attentionOn the proper management of children depend not only their healthand usefulness rn life, but likewise the safety and prosperity of thestate to which they belong. Effeminacy ever will prove the ruin "!any state where it prevail, ; a „d, when its foundations are laid in in-fancy it can never afterwards be wholly eradicated. Parents whouve their oftsprmg, and wish well to their country, ought therefore