JAUNDICE.
It frequently happens, during the first or second week after birth, that the skin of the child becomes very yellow, and it has all the appearance of having the jaundice. This gives rise to great distress to the parent when she perceives it, and she becomes very anxious for the medical man's next visit.
Now, ordinarily, it is of no consequence; commonly disappearing spontaneously, and requiring no medical treatment. If, however, it does not go off in two or three days, a tea-spoonful of castor oil should be given once, or oftener, if necessary.
It is, of course, possible for an attack of real jaundice to occur at this early period, and a disease of a very serious nature will then have to be dealt with; but, except as a consequence of malformation (a very infrequent occurrence), it is not likely to arise; and therefore jaundice during the first and second week after delivery need not create alarm.
Tongue-tied.
FROM WHAT IT ARISES.—This arises from the bridle under the tongue being so short, or its attachment to the tongue extended so near the tip, as to interfere with the motions of the organ in sucking, and, in after years, in speaking. It is a rare occurrence, although nothing is more common than for medical men to have infants brought to them supposed to be labouring under the above defect.
HOW ITS EXISTENCE MAY BE DETERMINED.—The best guide for a parent to determine whether it exist or not, is for her to watch whether the infant can protrude the tip of the tongue beyond the lips: if so, it will be able to suck a good nipple readily, and nothing need or ought to be done. No mother will unnecessarily expose her infant to an operation, which, unless very carefully performed, is not altogether unattended with danger; and, if she suspects any defect of this kind to exist, she has only to observe the circumstance mentioned above, to satisfy her mind upon the subject.