It might sometimes be necessary to give opening medicine, but the less frequently the better. The following, when it becomes absolutely necessary to give an aperient, are some of the best, simple, and safe that can be administered by a mother to her baby. I give you several, as it might be well, from time to time, to vary them: (1.) One or two teaspoonfuls of fluid magnesia, made palatable by the addition of a little sugar, may be chosen; or (2.) The popular remedy of syrup of rhubarb and castor oil:
Take of—Syrup of Rhubarb,
Castor Oil, of each half an ounce:
To make a Mixture. A teaspoonful to be taken early in the morning, first well shaking the bottle.
It might be well again to state, that the bottle must be violently shaken just before administering the mixture, or the oil will not mix with the syrup; or (3.) A teaspoonful of syrup of rhubarb, without the admixture of the castor oil may be given early in the morning occasionally; or (4.) A teaspoonful of equal parts, say half an ounce of each, of fluid magnesia and of syrup of rhubarb, may be taken for a change. Another safe and palatable aperient for an infant is (5.) Syrup of senna, from a half to a whole teaspoonful being the dose. Castor oil is another medicine prescribed for a baby’s costiveness, and, being a safe one, may occasionally be used. Care should be taken to have the castor oil freshly drawn, and of the best quality. (6.) Syrup of red roses and castor oil (of each equal parts), being a good, elegant, and pleasant way of giving it:
Take of—Syrup of Red Roses,
Castor Oil, of each six drachms:
To make a Mixture. A teaspoonful to be taken occasionally, first well shaking the bottle, and to be repeated every four hours, until the bowels be relieved.
(7.) An excellent remedy for the costiveness of a baby is a soap suppository, the application of which will be found a safe, speedy, and certain method of opening the bowels. It is made by paring a piece of white curd-soap round; it should be of the size, in circumference, of a cedar pencil, and it must be in length about two inches. This should be administered by dipping it in a little warm sweet oil, and should then be gently introduced up the bowel in the same manner as you would an enema pipe, allowing about a quarter of an inch to remain in view. It must then be left alone, and in a minute or two the soap suppository will be expelled, and instantly the bowels will be comfortably and effectually relieved. When a child is two or three years old and upwards a dip-candle suppository is superior to a soap suppository.
If it be absolutely necessary to give opening medicine, it will be well to alternate the use of them—that is to say, to give at one time the syrup of senna, at another the fluid magnesia sweetened, and a third to administer the soap suppository dipped in oil, but waiting at least two days between, the bowels being costive all the time, before resorting to an aperient. Bear in mind, and let it make a strong impression upon you, that the less the bowels of an infant are irritated by opening medicine, the aperient being ever so simple and well-selected, the better will it be for him both now and for the future.