The maternal management of children, in health and diseaseBull, Thomas
Science
The maternal management of children, in health and disease
Bull, Thomas
Child care
The amount of suffering, too, may be greatly lessened by the
thoughtful and discerning attentions of the mother. The wants and
necessities of the young child must be anticipated; the fretfulness
produced by disease, soothed by kind and affectionate persuasion; and
the possibility of the sick and sensitive child being exposed to harsh
and ungentle conduct, carefully provided against.
Again, not only is a firm and strict compliance with medical
directions in the administration of remedies, of regimen, and general
measures, necessary, but an unbiased, faithful, and full report of
symptoms to the physician, when he visits his little patient, is of
the first importance. An ignorant servant or nurse, unless great
caution be exercised by the medical attendant, may, by an unintentional
but erroneous report of symptoms, produce a very wrong impression upon
his mind, as to the actual state of the disease. His judgment may, as a
consequence, be biased in a wrong direction, and the result prove
seriously injurious to the welldoing of the patient. The medical man
cannot sit hour after hour watching symptoms; hence the great
importance of their being faithfully reported. This can alone be done
by the mother, or some person equally competent.
There are other weighty considerations which might be adduced here,
proving how much depends upon efficient maternal management in the time
of sickness; but they will be severally dwelt upon, when the diseases
with which they are more particularly connected are spoken of.
Sect. 1.--ACCIDENTS AND DISEASES WHICH MAY OCCUR TO THE INFANT AT
BIRTH, OR SOON AFTER.
STILL-BORN.
Sometimes the child comes into the world apparently dead, and, unless
the most active exertions are made by the attendants, is lost. The
superintendence of the means used devolves upon the medical man; but it
would be often well if his assistants were already acquainted with the
measures pursued under these circumstances, for they would be more
likely to be carried into effect with promptitude and success, than
they now frequently are. And again, the still-born child is frequently
in this state from having been born very rapidly, and before the
medical man can have arrived, it will be more especially useful in
such a case, that the attendants in the lying-in-room should know how
to proceed.
The various causes producing this condition it is unnecessary to
mention.
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