A mother ought daily to satisfy herself as to the state of the bladder and the bowels of her child. She herself should inspect the motions, and see that they are of a proper colour (bright-yellow, inclining to orange), and consistence (that of thick gruel), that they are neither slimy, nor curdled, nor green; if they should be either the one or the other, it is a proof that she herself has, in all probability, been imprudent in her diet, and that it will be necessary for the future that she be more careful both in what she eats and in what she drinks. She ought, moreover, to satisfy herself that the urine does not smell strongly, that it does not stain the diapers, and that he makes a sufficient quantity. A frequent cause of a child crying is, he is wet, and uncomfortable, and wants drying and changing, and the only way he has of informing his mother of the fact is by crying lustily, and thus telling her in most expressive language of her thoughtlessness and carelessness. 88. _How soon may an infant dispense with diapers_? A babe of three months and upwards, ought to be held out, at least, a dozen times during the twenty-four hours; if such a plan were adopted, diapers might at the end of three months be dispensed with--a great _desideratum_-and he would be inducted into clean habits--a blessing to himself, and a comfort to all around, and a great saving of dresses and of furniture. "Teach your children to be clean. A dirty child is the mother's disgrace," [Footnote: Hints on Household Management, By Mrs C. L. Balfour.] Truer words were never written,--A DIRTY CHILD IS THE MOTHER'S DISGRACE. AILMENTS, DISEASE, ETC. 89. _A new born babe frequently has a collection of mucus in the air passages, causing him to wheeze: is it a dangerous symptom_? No, not if it occur _immediately_ after birth; as soon as the bowels have been opened, it generally leaves him, or even before, if he give a good cry, which as soon as he is born he usually does. If there be any mucus either within or about the mouth, impeding breathing, it must with a soft handkerchief be removed. 90. _Is it advisable, as soon as an infant is born, to give him medicine_? It is now proved that the giving of medicine to a babe _immediately_ after birth is unnecessary, nay, that it is hurtful--that is, provided he be early put to the breast, as the mother's _first_ milk is generally sufficient to open the bowels. Sir Charles Locock [Footnote: In a _Letter_ to the Author.] makes the following sensible remarks on this subject:--"I used to limit any aperient to a new-born infant to those which had not the first milk, and who had wet nurses, whose milk was, of course, some weeks old, but for many years I have never allowed any aperient at all to any new born infant, and I am satisfied it is the safest and the wisest plan."