Advice to a Mother on the Management of Her Children

by Pye Henry Chavasse

"The tears that heal and bless"—H. Bonar.

Tears, when a child is dangerously ill, are rarely, if ever, seen; a cry, at night, for light—a frequent cause of a babe crying—is a restless cry:—

"An infant—crying in the night;
An infant crying for the light:
And with no language hat a cry."—Tennyson.

111. If an infant be delicate, have you any objection to his having either veal or mutton broth, to strengthen him?

Broths seldom agree with a babe at the breast I have known them produce sickness, disorder the bowels, and create fever. I recommend you, therefore, not to make the attempt.

Although broth and beef-tea, when taken by the mouth, will seldom agree with an infant at the breast, yet, when used as an enema, and in small quantities, so that they may be retained, I have frequently found them to be of great benefit, they have in some instances appeared to have snatched delicate children from the brink of the grave.

112. My baby's ankles are very weak: what do you advise to strengthen them?

If his ankles be weak, let them every morning be bathed, after the completion of his morning's ablution, for fire minutes each time, with bay-salt and water, a small handful of bay-salt dissolved in a quart of rain water (with the chill of the water off in the winter, and of its proper temperature in the summer time); then let them be dried; after the drying, let the ankles he well rubbed with the following liniment:—

Take of—Oil of Rosemary, three drachms;
Liniment of Camphor, thirteen drachms:

To make a Liniment