ly
rejected.

One caution more in regard to the use of flannel may be necessary. With
some children, owing to a peculiarity of constitution, flannel will
produce eruptions on the skin, which are very troublesome. Whenever this
is the case, the flannel should be immediately laid aside; upon which
the eruptions usually disappear.

If parents would take proper pains to get the lighter, softer kinds of
flannel for this purpose, and be particular about its looseness and
quantity, I should prefer, as I have already intimated, to have very
young children, in our climate, wear this material the greater part of
the year, excepting perhaps July and August.

My reasons for this course would be, first, that I like the stimulus of
soft flannel on the skin, if changed sufficiently often, better than
that of any other kind of clothing. Secondly, cotton is so liable to
take fire, that its use in the nursery and among little children seems
very hazardous. Thirdly, silk is not quite the appropriate material, as
a general thing, besides being too expensive; and fourthly, linen is
not warm enough, except in mid-summer.

Except, therefore, in July and August, and in cases of idiosyncracy,
such as have just been alluded to, I would use flannel for the
under-clothes of young children, throughout the year. But whenever they
acquire sufficient strength to walk and run, and play much in the open
air, I would gradually lay aside the use of all flannel, even in winter.
Great attention, however, must be paid to the _quantity_. The parent
who, guided by this rule, should keep on her child the same amount of
flannel, and of the same thickness, from January to June 30th, and then,
on the first of July, should suddenly exchange it for thin linen, in
moderate quantity, might find trouble from it. It is better to make the
changes more gradually; otherwise, whatever may be the material of the
dress, the child will be likely to suffer.

SEC. 4. _Quantity._

The quantity of clothing used by different individuals of the same age,
in the same climate, possessing constitutions nearly alike, and
following similar occupations, is so different as to strike us with
surprise when we first observe the fact.

One will wear nothing but a coarse linen or cotton shirt, coarse coat,
waistcoat, and pantaloons, and boots, in the coldest weather. He never,
unless it be on the Sabbath, puts on even a cravat, and never in any
case stockings or mittens.

Another,