Third Morning after Birth.—Eleven, A. M.—Mrs. E. rested well during the night. Arose at six, and took her usual bath. Reclines now awhile. Would be able to walk up and down stairs were it necessary. Her infant is remarkably well, and sleeps the greater part of the time. Mrs. E. is one of that very small number of mothers that has energy of character, resolution, and system enough to nurse her infant regularly, and not during the night time. Once in three hours, between 6 A. M. and 9 P. M., at the very most, is as often as she will allow it to take the breast.
Seventh Day.—Mrs. E. has been improving day by day, from the first. She has had no inconvenience whatever; no pains of any kind, no swelling of the breasts or feverishness. Has well-nigh her natural amount of strength. Her infant, too, is doing remarkably well.
Case III.—Nov., 1845.—Mrs. C., a poor woman of this city, not long since made known to me, that in her destitute condition she would receive, as a great favor, if I would attend her in childbirth. She informed me that on previous like occasions, she had suffered beyond description, both at the time of confinement and subsequently. She had borne two children—the first it was necessary for her physician to destroy before the birth could take place. The birth of the second was also attended with the greatest difficulty. It was now some weeks before her expected time. Her husband had deserted her, so that she was compelled to follow her occupation (that of a seamstress) during the whole day and much of the night. From this constant sitting and confinement within doors, she had become much enfeebled, and had a severe and constant pain in the side.
I directed her to wash the whole body daily twice, when not chilly, in Croton water, and to take each half day as much exercise in the open air as she could possibly find time for, and could practice without causing too great fatigue. The woman followed the directions, and was at once sensibly benefited. The severe pain in the side left her almost immediately. When her period arrived, delivery took place in a very short time, and with comparatively little suffering. Bathing in mild forms was practiced the day of, and subsequent to, delivery, and the patient walked about each day, and was scarcely confined a single hour.
There is one fact to be mentioned in her management of the infant. She was directed at first to have it washed in tepid water. Supposing she would follow the same course for the future daily washings, I made no further inquiry till some days after, when I ascertained that she had used the water of the natural temperature. I asked her why she did not moderate the temperature of the water as at first, and as people generally do. She answered, that when she bathed herself before the child’s birth, every bath seemed to strengthen it very much; and, therefore, she chose to use the cold water now for the same reason. She had the good sense always to keep the child sufficiently warm, particularly after the bath. It is proper to mention that the Croton water at this time was not far from 65° Fah. The child has been, and is now, one of the healthiest and most vigorous I have ever seen of the age.
The above notes were written some months since. The case is again brought to mind, by the mother’s coming to-day to work for us at her usual occupation. She says, “What a strange thing it is, my little baby has never been sick a single hour. What wouldn’t I give if my other boy could have been so.” The child is one of the brightest imaginable; knowing, observing, good-natured, and now, at the age of six months, sits near his mother, playing, laughing, crowing—the most perfect picture of health. He is every day once, and generally twice, washed in cold water.
Case IV.—Oct. 25, 1847.—The same woman was again confined early last spring. She had been living, I found, in a small cellar-room, where there were but three small panes of glass, and to which the sun could never come. The place was damp and dark, and the air necessarily very foul, it being in an alley in which many poor, dirty families were living. Here the poor woman lived, paying an exorbitant rent, supporting herself and two children by the hardest work rather than beg.
The night of her confinement was a very stormy one. The wind howled among the old buildings, tearing off shingles and shutters, and the rain poured down in perfect torrents. Ships were lost that night, and sailors, with the captain and officers, swept overboard.
The labor this time, as before, was an easy one. It took place at midnight. Every thing went on well, and she was, after a reasonable time, left to get sleep, as we supposed she would. I found, however, in the morning, that, notwithstanding she had been wholly free from pain, she had not slept at all. She acknowledged that, powerful as had been the effects of water for good at the previous time, the old ideas had yet haunted her, that she must either die, or submit to the application of those terrible instruments that had been used in her first confinement. She now felt so rejoiced at her getting through again safely, that she could not sleep at all. So we found her in the morning early, she, her two children, and the new-born babe, all on one narrow settee bed together, apparently contented and happy.
Two ladies who understood these matters of water-treatment, went now, it being Saturday morning, and administered our patient a bath. The water was moderated a little, but left still quite cool. This day she could obtain no sleep, for she had but one room, and the children must remain there. She sat up considerably, but not so much as to cause over-fatigue. In the evening the ladies went again, and administered the bath. She slept well during the night. The next morning, Sunday (the second day), the ablution was administered at 7 o’clock, at which time the patient arose. She remained up all day, until 10 o’clock in the evening, at which time the ladies again administered the bath. She slept well this night, was up all the next day, and so onward, and has been constantly well up to the present time.