BESIDES the external and internal Excrements mention’d in the foregoing Chapter, the Infant in a few days after BIRTH, pukes up a certain Sort of viscid Phlegm; for which Reason it ought to have no SUCK until this Humour be evacuated, lest the Milk incorporating with that Matter, both should corrupt: To prevent which Inconveniency, some order a little Oil of sweet Almonds by Expression, and a small Quantity of Sugar-Candy, or a little fresh Butter and Honey mixed.
INSTEAD of which, however, I have seen some Jewish Matrons give also the new-born Child for the first Thing, a little Salt dissolv’d and mix’d in a Spoonful of Hysop, or Saxifrage-Water; which (tho’ no improper Prescription in itself) yet I conceive their chief Reason for it to proceed from Ezek. 16. 4. where the Lord summing up the Duty of the MIDWIFE, says, Thou wast not salted at all, &c. Again farther——
THE Learned Arnoldus de Villa Nova, advises us to give the CHILD, for the first Thing, half a Scruple of fine pulverized Coral in a little of the Woman’s MILK; and that (says he) to prevent FITS, to which new-born Children are very subject.
ALL which may be indifferently us’d, according to Pleasure, tho’ I take a small Spoonful of Sugar’d Wine, given twice or thrice a day, for the first four or five days running, to be the most preferable Remedy for Prevention: By reason that the Wine cuts and loosens the Acid Humour, preparing afterwards by Concoction and Digestion what remains, as the Sugar temperates and helps to expurge the Acrimony: Which being duly done, I would order the Infant always to rest, laying it not on its Back, but on its Side, that this morbifick Matter may be the more commodiously voided by the Mouth, as already precautioned in Chap. 7.——
THIS Humour being then thus prepared and discharg’d, the Breast of some other clean and sound Woman may be given the CHILD, until the Mother’s Milk be purified for its proper Use; which it can scarce be supposed to be, before the Dissolution of the MILK-FEVER, that is before the ninth day after DELIVERY: From which time, it is to be maintain’d and nourish’d for the first three or four Months by BREAST-MILK only; augmenting however its Allowance from day to day, in proportion to its Age and Strength, that the weak Stomach may never be overloaded, so as to occasion Vomiting, or (which is worse) a DIARRHÆA: To prevent which Inconveniency, let the INFANT rather suck often, and a little at a Time, than too much at once.
AFTER these first Months are over, a little thin PAP may be given it every Morning, and in time twice a day; which is commonly made of Flower and Milk, or Ale, with a little Sugar and Butter: But because FLOWER is of itself humid and viscid, and may not only occasion Pains and Obstructions, but also, engender Gravel and Worms, it ought to be first well dryed in a new or clean earthen Pot in an Oven; or, what is better, the Pap may be made of the Crumb of a Loaf: Which Diet is properly observ’d, until the time of Teething, laying it still, a little after its Meal, to rest upon its Side, or now and then upon its Back, with the Head a little rais’d; however not in the Bed with the Nurse, for fear of overlaying it, but in a Cradle close by her Bed-side; always very carefully covering the Child’s Face, that the Light may not offend its tender Eyes, and render them any ways distorted or goggled: And as the Infant may be brought up by the Hand without Suckling, so it may easily be accustomed to Sleep without Rocking. But be that as it will, as soon as the CHILD is furnish’d with Teeth, it is proper by degrees to use it to a little more solid Food, such as Bread and tender Meats or Fleshes, however, a little chewed by the NURSE: In the mean time no Crude, or Meats of hard Digestion, are to be allow’d it, because such Things produce a Corruption of Humours, whence Worms engender, and other various, grievous, and irregular Symptoms arise.
BUT before I proceed farther, I ought to observe, that the Duty of the Nurse does not consist entirely in the abovesaid Conditions; for the BABE must be as duly washed and shifted, unswaddled and reswaddled as Fed: Wherefore from the Birth, until the third or fourth Month, it ought to be loosed and washed all over in warm Water twice or thrice a day, before the warm Fire; as also in the night time if necessary, that the Acrimony of the Excrements may not offend it: Upon which at every singular Occasion, the Nurse may also rub its tender Body gently, not only for the better Concoction of its Aliment, but also for strengthening and consolidating its Members; which Offices being all carefully and affectionately done, the Infant is to be shifted toties quoties, and orderly reswaddled in clean, dry and warm Clouts and Blankets. However yet, from the third Month until the Teething-Time, the Body needs only be washed once a day, or (if you please) every other day; as from thence forward it may only be twice a Week.
MOREOVER, when the CHILD begins to use its Hands and Feet, if it moves briskly from place to place, it is a good Sign of a strong and lively Constitution; as it is the Reverse, when it sits torpidly or drowsily still and unactive. Which notwithstanding, these brisk INFANTS are not to be allow’d such Motions too soon, I mean not to use their Feet prematurely or too fast, as many ignorant Nurses commonly encourage them to do: Because by these means, their tender Legs may be easily distorted or become crooked. Whereas when they are more firm and well-grown, they may be learned to walk by the help of the Nurse’s Hand, or of a Leading-String; as afterwards they may be inur’d to walk of themselves, by the means of a small Vehicle or Chariot, as is generally well known in populous Places.
AS to the time of Ablactation, or weaning the CHILD from the Breast, it is not always the same; some being more robust and lively than others, and consequently may be sooner wean’d; but others are more weak and tender, and accordingly require longer time of the Breast. However this be, the Infant ought not to be wean’d before it has its compleat Sett of Teeth; because if sooner, it can no ways duly prepare its VICTUALS by the Mouth, for Concoction in the STOMACH, which may be of very bad Consequence; Besides, in the time of Teething, especially about the Eruption of those call’d the Dog-Teeth, the Child is subject to Fevers, Pains of the Gums, and various other Symptoms, which would certainly be of more Danger by far, if it was at that Juncture to be deprived of the Breast.
OTHERWAYS, I take the due and proper Time for Weaning the Infant, to be about the 18th or 24th Month, rather longer than shorter; because it surely finds the Benefit of this proper and benign Aliment all the Days of its Life. Yet at what time soever it happens to be done, the Child is not on a sudden to be accustomed to different sorts of Victuals, but rather, while it yet Sucks, to be gradually brought to the Use of what is most convenient for its Nutrition, such as Hen or Chicken-Broth, or the Soup of other Meats, mix’d with a little Crumb of Bread; or a Soup made of Ale, and Crumbs, with a little Fresh-Butter, which is of excellent Nourishment: As before, or about the Time that the Infant is to be Wean’d, a little half chew’d Meat of any Sort, provided sweet and fresh, may be given it for a good weaning Repast.
UPON this Head, I shall only farther observe, that the Ablactation, or Weaning, always happens more conveniently in the Spring or Autumn, than in the Summer or Winter, and that more auspiciously with the encreasing than with the decreasing Moon: And this, because otherways, besides the Alteration which happens to the Child from the Change of its Diet and Aliment, another may easily affect it from the Calidity or Frigidity of the Ambient Air.
BUT besides, in short, that the Infant may be the better and the more readily Wean’d, the Nurse’s Nipples may be anointed with the fresh Juice of Wormwood; or with a Liniment of the same Juice, Honey and Aloes; or any other proper Ingredients, discreetly us’d, that its tender Lips or Gums may not be inflam’d, nor the weak Stomach hurt or offended. However, the better way is, that the Nurse withdraw herself from the Child’s Presence; upon which it is to be plentifully fed, as already advis’d, allowing it a little Ale, but no Wine, for its Drink.
NOW as to the Diet and Regimen of Children from Ablactation to the first Seventh Year of their Age, I would farther observe, that it differs yet altogether from that of more adult Persons, since their infirm Habits and tender Bodies can no way tolerate, or withstand the consequential Effects of an irregular Diet, or an Erroneous Regimen: Besides this Age requires Victuals frequently, and that not only what is sufficient for Nutriment, but also for Growth: And moreover they ought still to be now and then bathed or washed at Times.
BUT touching the Affections and Passions of their Minds, great Care must be taken, that they be not provoked to Wrath or Anger, nor frighted with fearful Notions or Phantasms; since such Things make strong Impressions upon their soft Bodies, and frequently give Origin to Convulsions, Epilepsies, &c. However, as Children are naturally more prone to Evil than to Good, and to Vice rather than to Virtue, they are not to be too much indulged; but from their Infancy upwards, all such perverse Faculties and Passions of Mind are to be so curbed and moderated, that they may become subservient and obedient to Reason; and that because this very Age is the proper Time to lay the Foundation of their future good Qualities and Disposition, agreeable to the Rules and Præscripts of a right rational Oeconomy.
I know This is sometimes accounted a hard Task, but if we consider that the Whelps of Savage Bears and Lions may be so tamed, as to obey the Motions of their Keeper, how much more easily may the Sons of Men be inur’d to follow the Laws of right Reason? Their Passion first discover themselves most commonly by Crying and Tears, tho’ sometimes also otherways; wherefore such Fits of Anger or Passion ought to be prudently reprehended in them; and when neither Admonitions nor Commands may prevail, then Threats ought to take place, that all Frowardness and Obstinacy may be stifled in the Bud; for the Mind of Youth may be justly compar’d to a Mass of Wax or Clay, on which we may readily stamp what Impression we please to make.
FOR these Reasons, their Attendants, or such other Persons as may be occasionally about Children, ought carefully to avoid doing or saying any mean, base or vile Thing, especially in their Presence or to their Knowledge; since here the old Proverb holds most true, that, we are drawn by Precept, but led by Example. Wherefore to moderate and mitigate their Passions, Children ought to be allowed proper Diversions, and such Exercises of Body as their Age and Constitution will permit; and that also, because if they were to be brought up lazily or sluggishly, without Motion or Exercise, their Victuals which is now commonly given them both plentifully and frequently, could not possibly disperse itself nor digest, upon which the innate Heat would infallibly suffer a sensible Decay.
THESE Things being duly observed, it now only farther remains, that the Child be well train’d up, and carefully educated; instilling all along into its Mind the Principles of Humanity and Morality, and instructing it gradually in the Knowledge of Arts and Sciences; which it will even at this tender Age be found capable of Conceiving: For the Human Mind being naturally adapted to attain to the Cognition of all sublunary Things, may be thus endued and furnished with the most laudable Arts, before it can distinguish the Use of them; since according to the Philosopher’s wise saying[185], Nostrum scire nihil aliud est, quam Reminsisci. Because (I say) the Mind of Man perceives and comprehends the Notion and Knowledge of all temporal Things in it self, notwithstanding that it cannot easily display it self, by reason of the burthensome Oppression of the Body and its gross Humours: Like as a Fire, overlaid with Ashes, must be raised up and fomented, before its engender’d or retain’d Sparkles can exert themselves with any Lustre; so it is even with us, before the Light and Instinct of our Natures can shine forth: For as some Roots cast no Smell, or breathe no Fragrancy of themselves, unless they be softly touched or squeezed with the Hand; so neither do our Natural Powers and Faculties exert or show themselves, unless they be diligently exercised and cultivated.
THUS we have now guided and conducted the Child from its Birth, to the Seventh Year of his Age; which being only meant by the Infant, that was safely Born, and continued all along in Health; I come now in the next place, to hint upon what is farther Requisite towards the rearing of such Children, whole Misfortune it may be, either to come into the World with Infirmities, or to be afterwards subjected to them in their Cradles. And First,