Here, how^ever, it may be vSuitable to
refer briefly to lancing the gums. Health}^
babies may often pass through their teething
without needing to have their gums lanced.
But some may be, by this simple and harm-
less means, kept from having convulsions,
which, if brought on, may threaten their
lives. Use a clean, sharp lancet, and divide
the gum with a straight, firm cut ; in the
direction of the edge if it be an incisor, and
across the crown if a molar tooth ; and
then there will never be any ' ' scars ' ' or
other trouble.
It is well to lance the gums whenever
they are much s^eollen, red. painful, and
worrying, to the child, making it nervous
and hard to' get to sleep; or when, even
though not swollen, the tooth is evidently
not far within the gum, which seems tense,
and a source of irritation, calling for relief.
Many a child, once helped by this measure,
will ask for it, with looks if it has no words,
to have it repeated.
557
94
THE FAMILY DOCTOR
A lesser, but not iininiportant means of
relief for worriment of the mouth during
teething, is the use of rubber rings, bits of
ivory, etc., smooth and firm, but too large
to swallow, for the child to bite upon.
When there is much heat of the mouth, a
soft rag filled with pounded ice will, in sum-
mer time, do the most good.
At no time is it more needful than dur-
ing dentition, to be very careful about the
food which the child takes. Indigestion is
a very common exciting cause of convul-
sions.
Summer Dangers.
In our American cities, hot weather kills
more young children than any other cause.
Look at the weekly record of deaths in New
York or Philadelphia, and you will find that
every degree of noon temperature above 95°
costs scores if not hundreds of little lives . In
those cities, about one-half of the deaths of
children in the first year of life, and nearly
one-third of those in the second year, take
place in June, July, and August.
High heat^ a^oivding^ filth, and itnsidtable
food, conspire against children in the sum-
mer homes of the city poor. But the rich
maj^ suffer also, from excessive heat, toitm air,
and impi'oper diet, for their children ; and
these causes produce many cases of siLmmer
complaint, or " cholera infantum."
Whoever, of our city families, can take
their infants out into the country, during
their first, second and third summers, for
the months of June, July, August, and Sep-
tember, ought to do it. With those who
cannot, the next best thing is to ta'ke or
send them out on frequent excursions, on
land or water, and to have them often in the
open parks or squares ; for as much pure,
cool air as they can get. It is the best pre-
ventive, and often the best curative, of sum-
mer complaint.
For those who are obliged to live in the
crowded parts of towns or villages, the rules
given by the Obstetrical Society of Philadel-
phia *' for the management of infants during
the hot season " have proved serviceable. I
will quote them here, in addition to what
has been already said on our previous pages
on the same subjects.
558
Rules for Management of
Infants.
Ride I . — Bathe the child once a day in
tepid water. If it is feeble, sponge it all
over once a day with tepid water, or with
tepid water and vinegar. The health of a
child depends much upon its cleanliness.
Page 238
Presented as published in 1901. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Here, however, it may be vSuitable to refer briefly to lancing the gums. Health}^ babies may often pass through their teething without needing to have their gums lanced. But some may be, by this simple and harmless means, kept from having convulsions, which, if brought on, may threaten their lives. Use a clean, sharp lancet, and divide the gum with a straight, firm cut ; in the direction of the edge if it be an incisor, and across the crown if a molar tooth ; and then there will never be any ' ' scars ' ' or other trouble.
It is well to lance the gums whenever they are much swollen, red. painful, and worrying, to the child, making it nervous and hard to' get to sleep; or when, even though not swollen, the tooth is evidently not far within the gum, which seems tense, and a source of irritation, calling for relief. Many a child, once helped by this measure, will ask for it, with looks if it has no words, to have it repeated.
A lesser, but not unimportant means of relief for worriment of the mouth during teething, is the use of rubber rings, bits of ivory, etc., smooth and firm, but too large to swallow, for the child to bite upon. When there is much heat of the mouth, a soft rag filled with pounded ice will, in summer time, do the most good.
At no time is it more needful than during dentition, to be very careful about the food which the child takes. Indigestion is a very common exciting cause of convulsions.
Summer Dangers.
In our American cities, hot weather kills more young children than any other cause. Look at the weekly record of deaths in New York or Philadelphia, and you will find that every degree of noon temperature above 95° costs scores if not hundreds of little lives . In those cities, about one-half of the deaths of children in the first year of life, and nearly one-third of those in the second year, take place in June, July, and August.
High heat^ avoid filth, and unsuitable food, conspire against children in the summer homes of the city poor. But the rich maj^ suffer also, from excessive heat, foul air, and improper diet, for their children ; and these causes produce many cases of summer complaint, or " cholera infantum."
Whoever, of our city families, can take their infants out into the country, during their first, second and third summers, for the months of June, July, August, and September, ought to do it. With those who cannot, the next best thing is to ta'ke or send them out on frequent excursions, on land or water, and to have them often in the open parks or squares ; for as much pure, cool air as they can get. It is the best preventive, and often the best curative, of summer complaint.
For those who are obliged to live in the crowded parts of towns or villages, the rules given by the Obstetrical Society of Philadelphia *' for the management of infants during the hot season " have proved serviceable. I will quote them here, in addition to what has been already said on our previous pages on the same subjects.
Rules for Management of Infants.
Ride I . — Bathe the child once a day in tepid water. If it is feeble, sponge it all over once a day with tepid water, or with tepid water and vinegar. The health of a child depends much upon its cleanliness.