lives, would not find their usefulness and happiness
increased, by the possession of a kind of knowledge, intimately allied
to their best feelings and affections! And how important is it, to the
mother herself, that her efforts should be seconded by intelligent,
instead of ignorant, assistants!"

In order to be prepared for such benevolent ministries, every young lady
should improve the opportunity, whenever it is afforded her, for
learning how to wash, dress, and tend, a young infant; and whenever she
meets with such a work as Dr. Combe's, on the management of infants, she
ought to read it, and _remember_ its contents.

It was the design of the author, to fill this chapter chiefly with
extracts from various medical writers, giving some of the most important
directions on this subject; but finding these extracts too prolix for a
work of this kind, she has condensed them into a shorter compass. Some
are quoted verbatim, and some are abridged, chiefly from the writings of
Doctors Combe, Bell, and Eberle, who are among the most approved writers
on this subject.

"Nearly one half of the deaths, occurring during the first two years of
existence, are ascribable to mismanagement, and to errors in diet. At
birth, the stomach is feeble, and as yet unaccustomed to food; its
cravings are consequently easily satisfied, and frequently renewed."
"At that early age, there ought to be no fixed time for giving
nourishment. The stomach cannot be thus satisfied." "The active call of
the infant, is a sign, which needs never be mistaken."

But care must be taken to determine between the crying of pain or
uneasiness, and the call for food; and the practice of giving an infant
food, to stop its cries, is often the means of increasing its
sufferings. After a child has satisfied its hunger, from two to four
hours should intervene, before another supply is given.

"At birth, the stomach and bowels, never having been used, contain a
quantity of mucous secretion, which requires to be removed. To effect
this, Nature has rendered the first portions of the mother's milk
purposely watery and laxative. Nurses, however, distrusting Nature,
often hasten to administer some active purgative; and the consequence
often is, irritation in the stomach and bowels, not easily subdued." It
is only where the child is deprived of its mother's milk, as the first
food, that some gentle laxative should be given.

"It is a common mistake, to suppose, that, becaus