Practical observations on the diet of infancy and childhood / by Thomas Herbert Barker.

  • Barker, T. Herbert (Thomas Herbert), 1814-1865.
Date:
1850
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Practical observations on the diet of infancy and childhood / by Thomas Herbert Barker. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    partake freely of wine, porter or ale, and the conse- quences may be too great a fulness and febrile con- dition of the system, and diminution, instead of increase, of the quantity of milk; or if these effects be not produced, the milk may be of too rich a quality from superabundance of cream, and disorder of the digestive organs of the infant and all its at- tendant inconveniences may be the consequence. Stimulants should not be used unless prescribed by the medical attendant. The bowels should be attended to, and a proper selection of aperients should be made, when they are required, inasmuch as the infant maybe affected by their effect upon the milk. If the infant's bowels be also constipated, the mother may take a saline purgative, as Epsom or Cheltenham salts ; if other- wise, she should choose a vegetable aperient, as Castor oil, conserve of senna, or five grains of the compound extract of colocynth, with two grains of the extract of henbane, to prevent its griping. The mother should attend to the state of the skin, and have recourse either to the tepid or cold- water shower-bath, or to sponging the body with tepid or cold salt-water. She should take exercise, in the open air, avoid late hours, maintain a tranquil temper and cheerful disposition. A return of the monthly periods during suckling, often interferes considerably with the quality of the milk, especially if it occur during the earlier