VIII. THESE things being all very carefully and tenderly performed, every Part of the Body ought to be diligently searched, in case of a Dislocation, or any other Accident, happened by Violence in the BIRTH, or otherways; that present Remedies may be used, according to the Nature of the Circumstances: And especially the two Conduits of the URINE and ORDURE are to be examined; since it sometimes falls out that these are not perforated, and consequently that the Meconium cannot be voided, which inevitably proves fatal, unless timely Care be taken.
IX. AS to the URINE, all Children discharge it as soon as born, at least as soon as they feel the Heat of the Fire; when if the Excrements, properly called MECONIUM, tho’ improperly COLLOSTRO by the Italians, do not follow a little after; I mean within an Hour or two; then a small Suppository may be used, such as a sugar’d Almond anointed with a little boiled Honey; or a Piece of Venice-Soap anointed with fresh Butter; as also a little Syrup of Roses or Violets, mixed with the Oil of sweet Almonds by Expression, that is, drawn without Fire, may be given in the Mouth, anointing the Belly with the same Oil, or with fresh Butter; in like manner as a small Clyster (upon occasion) may be discreetly used and managed to purpose.
X. THE INFANT being in these respects provided for, it is now to be duly dressed and swaddled in its Swathing-Cloathes; and beginning with the HEAD, a Compress of a three or fourfold fine Linnen Rag, about four Inches broad, is to be applied to the MOULD, for defending the (yet open) BRAIN from Cold, &c. which Compress is to be carefully covered with, and pinned to the ordinary CAPS made on purpose. Next then, some small soft RAGS are to be laid behind the Ears, upon the Breast, in the Arm-Pits, and the Groins; after which the BABE is to be wrapped softly up in warm Blankets, and discreetly swathed; not too strait, especially not about the Breast and Stomach, that it may breathe the freer, and the better retain the MILK it sucks. The ARMS are to be stretched along the Sides, and the LEGS equally streight, with a little of the Bed betwixt them; and the HEAD is always to be kept steady, as the whole CHILD is to be preserved thus warmly wrapped up, and judiciously appointed. But now because the INFANT is commonly committed to the Nurse’s Care, I shall, in the next Place, enter upon the Description of the proper Person for that purpose.
CHAP. VIII.
Of the NURSE and her Regimen, together with the requisite Qualities of her MILK.
THO’ the BABE may be brought up by the Hand only, without Suckling, as many Instances of very thriving Children testify; yet because the most natural, common, and commendable way is to suckle it, I come now to touch upon the proper NURSE, her Milk, and Diet. Upon which I first observe, that the prime and chief Quality of a good NURSE is, that she be the Mother of the Fosterling INFANT herself; and that because her MILK, being generated of the same Blood, of which the CHILD is formed, and has hitherto been nourished, is of a nearer Affinity with the Nature of her BABE, than the MILK of any other strange Woman whatsoever; which can differ no less from the Maternal Milk, than the own Mother, and the other differ in Constitution and Temperament of Body, Regimen, and Method of Living, &c. All which affect the INFANT in no small Degree; for as the Blood is generated of the Chyle, and the Spirits of the Blood, so the CHILD imbibes the very Manners and Disposition, as well as the gross Humours and Qualities of the NURSE with her Milk.
AS a Lamb sucking a Goat, changes not only its Nature, but even its Skin and Wool into the Goat-Kind; so it is also among the rational Creatures: From hence we have justly the old Proverb, touching an ill-natured Person, that some Brute or other has been his NURSE. And hence it is that Romulus and Remus, the Sons of Mars (without any Reality) are said to have been nursed by a Wolf[[182]]; Pelias, the Son of Neptune, by a Mare; Telephus, the Son of Hercules, by a Hind, &c. Not that they ever actually sucked such Creatures, only their NURSES were of such Tempers and Natures, which they were thus supposed to have by the Breast infused into them.
AND, in short, daily Experience, as well as many Learned Authorities, may sufficiently convince us, that Children really suck in the several vitious Inclinations and depraved Passions of their NURSES; such as Anger, Malice, Fear, Melancholy, &c. Agreeable to which Opinion, Diodorus says[[183]], that Nero the Emperor’s NURSE was very much addicted to Drinking; which Habit Nero imbibed from her, to such a Degree, that the People took notice of it, and from thence instead of Claudius Tiberius Nero, call’d him Caldius Biberius Mero. The same Author relates of Caligula, that his NURSE used frequently to moisten her Nipples with Blood, that he might take the better hold of them; which (says the same Diodorus) was the Cause of his being so cruel and Blood-thirsty all the Days of his Life; that he not only committed frequent Murders by his own Hand, but even wished that all humane Race was but one Neck, that he might have the pleasure to cut it off.
IN short, honest Parents perceiving their Children to incline variously, one to Thieving, another to Drinking; one to Stupidity, another to Barbarity; are amazed at such Degeneracies of Mankind, not knowing after whom the Child can take those Propensions. But abstracting from this, how many fine Children do we daily see thrown into Fits, Rickets, Consumptions, &c. merely by sucking their imprudent NURSES, when enraged, or otherways in a Passion? If then the Case stands thus, that every Disorder of the NURSE is a real Detriment to the INFANT, surely, upon this Account, all Parents ought to know Her well, to whom they entrust these Dear Pledges of their sacred and natural Desires.
MOREOVER yet, besides all these Things, the tender Care, as well as the Love and Affection of the Mother to her own Child, by far surpasses that of any mercenary NURSE whatsoever. Wherefore the Mother, tho’ perhaps not the best NURSE in other respects, is always preferable to a STRANGER: Which if People of Probity and Honour would more observe, I sincerely believe that there would not be so many graceless, disobedient, and undutiful CHILDREN of our Age. I do not think what I have read of Scipio Africanus to be any singular Instance; namely, that He esteemed Her more for his Mother, who nursed him two Years after his Birth, than Her who brought him forth, and then forsook him in the World. Agreeable to which, and most à propos, was the Answer of the Philosopher, Favorinus[[184]], to the Mother of a certain Noble-woman in CHILD-BED, who was dissuading her Daughter to nurse the CHILD she had born; viz. I entreat thee Woman (says he) suffer her to be the whole and entire Mother of her own Son. And verily, She only can be properly so called, who carefully nurses as well as brings forth her own CHILDREN. Hence it is that the Earth is called the Mother of all Things, not so much because she produces all Things, as because she maintains and nurses what she produces.