infant and the use of tonics, to remove the child from the breast
altogether, and either procure a wet-nurse for it, or wean it. The
wet-nurse is greatly to be preferred; and the preference is the
stronger, the younger the child. We have already alluded to the great
difficulty of rearing children from birth by the hand. But after the
infant has attained the age of several months, the danger of artificial
feeding is much lessened, provided that the weaning does not take place
during hot weather. This brings us to the consideration of the regimen
of the mother who cannot nurse her own child, of the rules for the
selection of a wet-nurse, of the directions for bringing up by hand, and
of the proper method of weaning. These subjects we will now take up in
the order mentioned.

DIRECTIONS FOR MOTHERS WHO CANNOT NURSE THEIR OWN CHILDREN.

There are many reasons why a mother should, if possible, nurse her own
child. 'One of the principal is,' says the distinguished Dr. Tilt, 'that
as nursing, generally speaking, prevents conception up to the tenth
month, so it prevents the ruin of the mother's constitution by the too
rapid bringing forth of children, and, we might even add, prevents a
deterioration of the race, by the imperfect bringing up of this
too-fast-got family.'

The same author appropriately adds: 'But while advocating maternal
nursing, we must not forget that woman is not now the Eve of a primeval
world; that human nature, wherever it is now met, in barbarous tribes or
in civilised communities, is frequently so deteriorated, so diseased or
prone to disease, that, by nursing, a mother may sometimes undermine her
own frail constitution for the sake of giving an imperfect sustenance,
and perhaps a poisonous heritage, to her babe.'

Some mothers, however anxiously they may wish to do so, cannot nurse
their children. They are shut out from this charming and tender
experience in the life of a woman. The milk that comes is not
sufficient, and quickly disappears. Because of the influence of the mind
of the mother over the child at her breast, to which we have before
called attention, women who are very hysterical and nervous, subject to
violent perturbations of the mind, should not, particularly if there be
any family tendency to insanity, expose the child to the mischievous
effects latent in their milk. So, also, the presence of certain diseases
forbids wet-nursing. Thus it is ordinarily prohibited by consumption,
sc