erent had a patent been taken out for
them, and had they been largely advertised as 'Dr. West's improved
children's bedsteads'! The uninclosed spring mattress, and the
wedge-shaped horsehair cushion, both of which I introduced in Ormond
Street, are also very valuable. The latter slightly raises the head and
shoulders, and renders any other than a thin horsehair pillow for the
head to rest on unnecessary.

A few more hints about the bed may not be out of place. First of all,
after early infancy is over, at latest after nine months, except for
some very special reason the napkin should be done away with. It heats
the child, chafes it, and makes it sore; it conceals the inattention of
the nurse, and at the same time renders it less easy to keep the little
one absolutely clean than if a folded napkin is placed under the hips,
whence it can be at once removed when soiled. In all serious illness a
piece of macintosh should be placed under the sheet, as is done in the
lying-in room, and a draw-sheet, as it is termed, over it. The
draw-sheet is, as its name implies, a folded sheet, laid under the hips,
and withdrawn in part when needed so as to prevent the child ever lying
on linen that is wet or soiled. It can be drawn away from under the
child, and a portion still clean and dry brought under it, while the
soiled part is rolled together and wrapped up in macintosh at one side
of the bed until a new draw sheet is substituted, which is easily done
by tacking a fresh sheet to that which is about to be withdrawn, when
the fresh one is brought under the child's body as that which is soiled
is removed. The greatest care should always be taken that the under
sheet is perfectly free from ruck or wrinkle; in long illnesses the skin
becomes chafed and bed-sores may be produced by neglect of this simple
precaution. The complaint that a child throws off the bed-clothes is
easily remedied by a couple of bits of tape tied on either side loosely
from the sheet or blanket to the sides of the cot.

When children are compelled to remain long in bed, great care is needed
to prevent the skin from being chafed, which is the first step that
leads to the occurrence of bed-sores. Careful washing with soap and
water daily of the whole body, not only of those parts which may be
soiled by the urine or the evacuations; the washing afterwards with pure
tepid water; careful drying, and abundant powdering with starch powder,
will do much to prevent the acc