There is a charming, bewitching little picture of a babe sucking his thumb in Kingsley's Water Babies, which I heartily commend to your favourable notice and study.
66. But if an infant be allowed to suck his thumb, will it not be likely to become a habit, and stick to him for years—until, indeed, he become a big boy?
After he have cut the whole of his first set of teeth, that is to say, when he is about two years and a half old, he might, if it be likely to become a habit, be readily cured by the following method, namely, by making a paste of aloes and water, and smearing it upon his thumb. One or two dressings will suffice as after just tasting the bitter aloes he will take a disgust to his former enjoyment, and the habit will at once be broken.
Many persons I know have an objection to children sucking their thumbs, as for instance,—
"Perhaps it's as well to keep children from plums, And from pears in the season, and sucking their thumbs." [Footnote: Ingoldsby Legends.]
My reply is,—
P'rhaps 'tis as well to keep children from pears;
The pain they might cause, is oft follow'd by tears;
'Tis certainly well to keep them from plums;
But certainly not from sucking their thumbs!
If a babe suck his thumb
'Tis an ease to his gum;
A comfort; a boon; a calmer of grief;
A friend in his need—affording relief;
A solace; a good; a soother of pain;
A composer to sleep; a charm; and a gain.
'Tis handy, at once, to his sweet mouth to glide;
When done with, drops gently down by his side;
'Tis fix'd, like an anchor, while the babe sleeps.
And the mother, with joy, her still vigil keeps.
67. A child who is teething dribbles, and thereby wets his chest, which frequently causes him to catch cold; what had better be done?
Have in readiness to put on several flannel dribbling bibs, so that they may be changed as often as they become wet; or, if he dribble very much, the oiled silk dribbling-bibs, instead of the flannel ones, may be used, and which may be procured at any baby-linen ware house.