THE MODE.--It should be effected gradually. From the sixth month most children are fed twice or oftener in the four-and-twenty hours; the infant is in fact, therefore, from this time in the progress of weaning; that is to say, its natural diet is partly changed for an artificial one, so that when the time for complete weaning arrives, it will be easily accomplished, without suffering to the mother, or much denial to the child. It is, however, of the greatest importance to regulate the quantity and quality of the food at this time. If too much food is given (and this is the great danger) the stomach will be overloaded, the digestive powers destroyed, and if the child is not carried off suddenly by convulsions, its bowels will become obstinately disordered; it will fall away from not being nourished, and perhaps eventually become a sacrifice to the overanxious desire of the parent and its friends to promote its welfare. The kind of food proper for this period, and the mode of administering it, is detailed in the previous section, on "Artificial Feeding."[FN#12] [FN#12] The kind of food after the sixth month to the completion of first dentition, p. 44. Much exercise in the open air (whenever there is no dampness of atmosphere) is highly necessary and beneficial at this time; it tends to invigorate the system, and strengthens the digestive organs, and thus enables the latter to bear without injury the alteration in diet. THE DRYING UP OF THE MOTHER'S MILK.--This will generally be attended with no difficulty. When the weaning is effected gradually, the milk will usually go away of itself without any measures being resorted to. If, however, the breasts should continue loaded, or indeed painfully distended, a gentle aperient should be taken every morning, so that the bowels are kept slightly relaxed; the diet must be diminished in quantity, and solid nourishment only taken. The breast, if painfully distended, must be occasionally drawn, but only just sufficiently to relieve the distention. In either case they must be rubbed for five or ten minutes, every four or five hours, with the following liniment, previously warmed:-- Compound soap liniment, one ounce and a half; Laudanum, three drachms. Sect. III. DIETETICS OF CHILDHOOD. Childhood, as has been before intimated, extends from about the second to the seventh or eighth year, when the second dentition is commenced. No precise rules of diet can be laid down for this period, as this requires to be adapted in every case to the particular constitution concerned. There are, however, certain general principles which must be acted upon, and which can be easily modified by a judicious and observant parent, as circumstances and constitution may require.