The Four Epochs of Woman's Life; A Study in HygieneGalbraith, Anna M. (Anna Mary)
Science
The Four Epochs of Woman's Life; A Study in Hygiene
Galbraith, Anna M. (Anna Mary)
Women -- Health and hygiene
In lieu of the regular sterilizing apparatus, milk may be similarly
prepared by placing the milk in an ordinary glass fruit-jar with a
screw lid. This is placed in a colander over a pot of boiling water;
the milk should be allowed to boil in the open jar for two minutes;
the jar-lid is then screwed on, and it should steam for twenty minutes
longer.
The capacity of the infant stomach at birth is about one ounce, which
is the average quantity of food that should be taken at one meal. The
average rate of increase in the amount of food is one and a half drams
a week for the first six months; subsequently somewhat less. The
intervals of feeding should be two hours at birth, and increased to
three hours at the end of the third month. The food should be given at
a temperature of 99∞ F. and fed directly from the sterilizing bottle.
Fresh Air.-- In warm weather the baby is taken out-of-doors in from
three to four weeks after birth; in cold weather not before two to
three months. In the latter case it is prepared for the change by
being first dressed as for the street, with wrap and cap; the windows
of the room are then opened, and the infant is carried about here. In
the winter months when the baby is first taken out, it is better to
carry it in the arms, as it will be kept warmer in this way, and if it
does become chilled it will be more quickly noticed.
Characteristics of the Healthy Infant.-- The average weight of an
infant at birth is about seven pounds, and its length is about twenty
inches; the extremes are four pounds or a little less up to eleven
pounds. The head and trunk of the child are developed out of
proportion to the limbs.
The skin of the new-born infant varies from pinkish to red; about the
fourth day the color becomes somewhat yellowish; this tinge should
disappear about the end of the second week, and at the same time the
skin begins to peel off.This process lasts about two weeks longer,
when the baby's skin takes on its normal color.
The shape of the head varies greatly, much being due to the amount of
pressure during labor; but this disappears in a few days. As a rule,
the large bones of the head are felt to be separated by membranous
ridges called sutures; there is one on the median line on the top of
the head, and at either end of the suture is a large open space,
called a fontanel. The largest one is at the front of the head, and is
called the anterior fontanel; it is about large enough to be covered
by the tips of two fingers, and is of a lozenge shape; this opening
does not close till the child is about eighteen months old. In a
healthy baby this fontanel should be on a level with the bones of the
head; a slight pulsation may be noticed in it, due to the pulsations
of the vessels of the brain. There is a much smaller three-cornered
fontanel at the back of the suture, and one behind either ear; these
soon close up with bone.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account