ception; and therefore, both in the interest of the mother and child,
the husband should renounce his usual privileges at such times.

Most women do not have their periodical illness, and consequently are
not liable to a second pregnancy, before seven months have elapsed after
childbirth. There are, however, numerous exceptions to this rule, and it
is impossible to foretell who will and who will not be the exception.

Moreover, as any excitement of the passions alters to some extent the
secretion of the breasts, often to the injury of the child, it is every
way advisable that great temperance be exercised in all cases in the
marital relations at these epochs.

SIGNS OF OVER-NURSING.

The symptoms of over-nursing may be enumerated as follows:--Aching pain
in the back; often, pain across the shoulders, and on the top of the
head or forehead; marked paleness of the face; inability to sleep;
frightful dreams when sleep does come; great debility; extreme
depression of the spirits; disorders of the sight, and mental
disturbances, which take on the form of melancholia, the delusions
relating mostly to subjects of a religious character, to the effect that
the unpardonable sin has been committed, and the like. The headache is
situated on the top of the head, and this spot may be noticed to be
perceptibly hotter to the touch than other parts of the head. These
symptoms indicate that the process of nursing is making too great a
drain upon the system.

A woman in ordinary health will generally be able to suckle her child
for twelve months without experiencing any bad effects. When the child
is kept at the breast much beyond this time, most mothers render
themselves liable to the injurious consequences we have mentioned. Some,
indeed, cannot furnish the child all the nourishment it needs longer
than three or four months, without detriment to themselves. In such
cases, by feeding the child two or three times a day, the mother may be
relieved of the burden of its entire support, and may thus be enabled to
continue nursing. The proper food for infants, under these
circumstances, will be shortly mentioned. The prostrating effects of
nursing upon the body and mind of the mother are in some, though
comparatively rare, instances so marked, as to render it altogether
improper from the commencement.

The treatment of the condition of system described as resulting from
over-nursing is, if it cannot be remedied by partially feeding the