n artificial diet at any period.

[FN#37] See page 34.

MATERNAL TREATMENT OF THE DISORDERS OF THE STOMACH AND BOWELS.

As must have been already seen, the maternal treatment chiefly
consists in the removal of the cause of the disorder; medicine may
occasionally be exhibited by the mother, but its use in her hands must
be very limited indeed.

Unfortunately the general resource and only remedy of most mothers in
affections of the stomach and bowels is an aperient, and a combination
containing calomel is the one too frequently selected. The primary
cause of the disorder is undetected, and consequently no measures taken
for its removal, but purgative powder after purgative powder is given,
the evil being supposed to rest in the bowels alone, and that such
means must eventually get rid of it. The mother is not aware all this
time that the real source of the derangement is probably in the diet
itself; that there is some error here, and that unless this is
corrected, the remedies must be worse than useless. The consequence of
such a plan of proceeding is usually very sad; a confirmed and
obstinate diarrhoea but too commonly ensues, and the infant is
sometimes reduced to the last extremity.

The removal of the cause of the disorder, then, in a large number of
instances of derangement of the stomach and bowels, if effected early,
will cure the disease, and without further remedy. But it will be
asked, by what method is this cause to be detected? In this way. In all
human probability the primary cause of the disorder is connected with
the diet; this is the case in ninety-nine instances out of a hundred.
Well, then, is the sick child at the breast? If so, ascertain whether
the breast-milk is healthy and wholesome, or whether any circumstances
exist which have rendered it otherwise? If nothing faulty is found
here, the next question would naturally be, whether the rules and
regulations laid down for suckling have been strictly adhered to? Or,
whether the infant is sufficiently old to render it at all probable
that a tooth may be irritating the gum?

Perhaps the child is being weaned; well, is there any error here? Is
the change being attempted too early? or too suddenly and abruptly? If
this is not the case, then, has the child been overfed, or is the food
given of the proper description?

Is the child being brought up by hand? Then, there is every reason to
suspect, either that the quality of the food given