augment in importance. The obligation is imposed upon her of nourishing
it with _her own_ milk, unless there are present physical conditions
rendering nursing improper, of which we are about to speak. It is well
known that the artificial feeding of infants is a prominent cause of
mortality in early life. The foundlings of large cities furnish the most
striking and convincing proof of the great advantages of nursing over
the use of artificially-prepared food. On the continent of Europe, in
Lyons and Parthenay, where foundlings are wet-nursed from the time they
are received, the deaths are 33.7 and 35 per cent. In Paris, Rheims, and
Aix, where they are wholly dry-nursed, their deaths are 50.3, 63.9, and
80 per cent. In New York city, the foundlings, numbering several hundred
a year, were, until recently, dry-nursed, with the fearful and almost
incredible mortality of nearly one hundred per cent. The employment of
wet-nurses has produced a much more favorable result. Therefore, if for
any reason the mother cannot nurse her own child, a hired wet-nurse
should be procured. This brings us to the consideration of

HINDRANCES TO NURSING, AND WHEN IT IS IMPROPER.

Women who have never suckled often experience difficulty in nursing, on
account of the sunken and flat condition of the nipple. We have pointed
out the causes of this depression, and how by early attention before the
birth of the infant it may be prevented. If, however, these precautions
have been neglected, and it is found that the nipple is not sufficiently
prominent to be grasped by the child's mouth, it may be drawn out by a
common breast-pump, by suction with a tobacco-pipe, by the use of the
hot-water bottle in the manner described, or by the application of an
infant a little older. Neither the child nor the mother should be
constantly fretted in such cases by frequent ineffectual attempts at
nursing. Such unremitting attention and continual efforts produce
nervousness and loss of sleep, and result in a diminution of the
quantity of the milk. The child should not be put to the breast oftener
than once in an hour and a half or two hours. By the use of the
expedients mentioned, the whole difficulty will be overcome in a few
days.

_Delay in applying the child to the breast_ is a common cause of
trouble. After it has been fed for several days with the spoon or
bottle, it will often refuse to suck. When nursing is deferred, the
nipple also becomes tender. For th