The Eugenic Marriage, Volume 4 (of 4): A Personal Guide to the New Science of Better Living and Better BabiesHague, W. Grant (William Grant)
Science
The Eugenic Marriage, Volume 4 (of 4): A Personal Guide to the New Science of Better Living and Better Babies
Hague, W. Grant (William Grant)
Eugenics; Hygiene; Marriage
C. Inadequate Head Covering.--Professor Kerley states that this is one
of the "most frequent causes of disease of the respiratory tract in the
young." He calls attention to the fact that "mothers carefully clothe
the baby with ample coats, blankets, leggings, etc., before they take
him out for the daily walk. They dress him in a warm room taking plenty
of time to put on the extra clothes, during which time the baby frets
and perspires. When all is ready they place upon the hot, almost bald
head of the baby a light artistically decorated airy creation which is
sold in the shops as children's caps. The child is then taken out of
doors and because of the inadequate covering of the hot perspiring head,
catches cold and the mother never knows how it came." Every baby and
child should wear under such caps a skull cap of thin flannel,
especially in cold weather. In summer or windy day a light silk
handkerchief folded under the cap is a very excellent protection.
D. Subjecting a Baby to Different Temperatures Suddenly, is liable to
be followed by a cold--for example, taking the child from a warm room to
a cold room, or through a cold hall, holding the child at an open window
for a few moments.
E. The Practice of Wearing Rubbers Needs Some Consideration.--They
should never be worn indoors for even five minutes. They should not
therefore be kept on in school, nor should they be worn by women in
stores when they go shopping. When it is actually raining, or snowing,
or when there is slush or wet mud they are needful; but they should not
be worn simply because the weather is threatening or damp. Children
should not put them on to play--worn for any length of time when active
they are harmful. If worn to and from school they should be taken off at
once when in school or at home. Wearing rubbers prevents free
evaporation of the natural secretion of the skin, keeps the
feet moist and invites colds and catarrh. In damp weather, or when
children play during winter months, they should be shod with stout shoes
with cork insoles.
The same argument applies to storm coats of rubber, water-proof
material. They should not be worn as overcoats all day, but only when
going to and from school or business when it is actually storming.
Underclothing or hosiery should not be heavy enough to cause moisture of
the skin. Health demands a dry skin at all times. The necessary degree
of body heat should be attained by the quality of the outer clothing,
not by the quantity of the underclothing. Many men and women wear heavy
underclothing which causes moisture when indoors, with the result that
they get surface chills when they go outside if the weather is cold and
as a result catch cold. The underclothing should be just heavy enough to
be comfortable indoors and the extra warmth necessary when outside
should be supplied by a good overcoat or furs.
F. Direct Infection.--A baby may catch cold if kissed or "hugged" by
an adult who has a cold.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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