She ought, moreover, to satisfy herself that the urine does not smell strongly, that it does not stain the napkins, and that he make a sufficient quantity. A frequent cause of a child crying is, he is wet and uncomfortable, and wants drying and changing, and the only way he has of informing his mother of the fact is by crying lustily, and thus telling her in most expressive language of her thoughtlessness and carelessness. 88. _How soon may an infant dispense with napkins?_ A baby three months and upward, ought to be held out at least a dozen times during the twenty-four hours; if such a plan were adopted, napkins might at the end of three months be dispensed with—a great _desideratum_—and he would be inducted into clean habits—a blessing to himself, and a comfort to all around, and a great saving of dresses and of furniture. “Teach your children to be clean. A dirty child is the mother’s disgrace.” Truer words were never written: A DIRTY CHILD IS THE MOTHER’S DISGRACE! AILMENTS, DISEASE, ETC. 89. _A new-born babe frequently has a collection of mucus in the air-passages, causing him to wheeze: is it a dangerous symptom?_ No, not if it occur _immediately_ after birth; as soon as the bowels have been opened, it generally leaves him, or even before, if he give a good cry, which as soon as he is born he usually does. If there be any mucus either within or about the mouth, impeding breathing, it must with a soft handkerchief be removed. 90. _Is it advisable, as soon as an infant is born, to give him medicine?_ It is now proved that the giving of medicine to a babe _immediately_ after birth is unnecessary, nay, that it is hurtful—that is, provided he be early put to the breast, as the mother’s _first_ milk is generally sufficient to open the bowels. Sir Charles Locock makes the following sensible remarks on the subject: “I used to limit any aperient to a new-born infant to those which had not the first milk, and who had wet-nurses whose milk was, of course, some weeks old; but for many years I have never allowed any aperient at all to any new-born infant, and I am satisfied it is the safest and the wisest plan.”