The breasts are sometimes distended from an over-secretion of milk; this is relieved by saline cathartics, by abstinence from liquids, and by the use of a compression breast bandage. This is made of a straight piece of muslin, with a shallow notch cut in one edge for the neck, and, a deep one for each arm; the bandage is closely applied over the breasts, and the ends pinned in front; it is also pinned over the shoulders. In debilitated women the supply of milk may be insufficient; the most reliable evidence of this is the fact that the infant ceases to gain in weight. CHAPTER XIII. THE NEW-BORN INFANT. The Infant's Toilet; the Crib; Feeding of Infants; Artificial Feeding; the Wet-nurse; Characteristics of Healthy Infants; the Stools; Constipation; Urination; Dentition. "O thou child of many prayers, Life hath quicksands; life hath snares." -- LONGFELLOW. The Infant's Toilet.-- So soon as the mother has been made comfortable, the toilet of the infant is attended to. This should be made near the register or stove; and the lap of the nurse should be covered with a small flannel blanket. The baby's body will be found to be covered over with a white, greasy, somewhat cheesy substance; some sort of grease is needed for its removal; rendered lard, sweet oil, and lanolin are the best; vaselin is less effective. All of this cheesy substance must be at once removed; the most difficult parts will be in the folds and creases. The nurse should grease the palms of her hands, then take the head of the child between them, and thoroughly grease it; particular attention must be given to the ears; then come the neck, shoulders, arms, chest and back, groins, external genital organs, and lower extremities. After the child has been thoroughly gone over, the grease should be rubbed off with a soft towel. A rectal injection of one tablespoonful of warm water is given at once to unload the bowels of the meconium; this generally acts before the baby's toilet is completed. The meconium is the first discharge from the infant's bowels after birth, and that which had collected in the intestines during the pregnancy.