SINCEsomeonly, notallChildren, happen to bringInfirmitieswith them into the World; and because suchIndispositionsas are chiefly meant here, discover themselves presently at the Time ofBirth, and require immediateCure; I shall concisely enter upon, and briefly comprehend them All here, as they most commonly fall out, in this presentChapter.
INorder to which, I shall previously observe, that suchInconveniencieshappening to theInfant, may have a doubleOrigin, and proceed either from aDefectin Nature, or theEffectof a difficultBirth: TheFirstmay take Rise from various Causes, such as of theParental Seed, theForming Faculty, theMaternalorUterine Constitution, anillegitimate TimeofBirth, and the like; as theLattermay also arrive, not only from aDifficult, orPreternaturalLabour,&c.but also from the ignorant, rough Usage, or barbarous Treatment of theMidwife. However, not to insist too long on these Things, it very often, and too commonly happens.
I.THAT, TheChildsuffers so much in theBirth, that (when born) it is hard to know, whether it bedeadoralive, not one part of the Body being perceiv’d tomove; which however may bethuswell known,viz.by laying myHandupon itsBreast, I shall feel the Motion of theHeart, if alive, tho’ never so weak; as I shall also perceive a smallPulsationof theArteries, by touching theNavel-Stringnear theBelly.
INwhichCase, I would immediately order theInfantto be laid in aWarm BedorBlanket, and quickly carried to theFire; where itsMouthis to be open’d, as itsNoseis to be clean’d and unstopp’d with smallTentsdipp’d in warmWhite-Wine, andLinnenwet with the same applied to itsBreastandBelly; spurting always in the mean time, a little of the sameWineinto itsMouthandNose, until it begin to stir: Or then I would distil a drop ofAqua-Vitæ, from time to time upon itsTongue, bathing itsPulsesandNostrilswith the same, while I anointed itsMouthwithHoney.
II.ITsometimes only happens, that the tenderFaceis bruisedBlackorBlew,PaleorLivid; which may also as well proceed from the Bones of thePelvis, or from theChild’sbeing BornFace-upwards, as from theMidwife’shard Usage. In thisCondition, I would only order it to be frequently anointed with theOil of Sweet Almonds, drawn withoutFire, that is, by Expression; upon which it soon recovers itsNatural Colour.
III.AGAINsometimes theInfantis born with aKnoborTumouron theCrown of its Head, occasion’d by its hardPressureagainst theOrifice, or by its strictCompressionin the same: In whichCondition, I would immediately foment it withwarm WineorAqua-Vitæ, and apply aCompressto it, either wet in thesame, or in theOil of RosesandWinebeat together; and the sameFomentationandCompressmay serve for any other Part of the Body, which may be swell’d byrough Usage, or otherways, in adifficultBirth. But inCaseofSuppuration, it must be open’d in a proper place with aLancet, applying afterwards aPlaisterofBetony. As also inCaseof aFracture, or any sort ofDislocation, thePartsmust be join’d and reunited, and duly retain’d in theirNatural Positionby convenientBoulstersorSplinters, until they be firmly closed and reconjoin’d. Moreover
IV.INDifficultBirths, it very commonly falls out that theHeadis pressed into anoblong Formby theBonesof thePelvis, because theScullnot being made of one piece, is not equallyhardorfirm; theSuturesbeing only surrounded withMembranes, especially theTopof theHeadis soMembranousand soft, that theBonesforming theScullmay be easily pressed one upon another; from whence we have thisoblong Figureof theHead. However, in short, this may be corrected and reduced to itsNatural Shape, by frequent, but cautious and skilful,Handling.
V.WEAKChildren, and such as comepræmaturely, or before their Time, into the World, have theMouldandSuturesvery open, and theBonesfar distant: In which Condition they are only to be softly bound about with a smallCross-Cloth, committing the rest toNature; which in time, and by degrees, will close up and consolidate theseSutures; and sooner or later, according to theinnate HeatandMoistureof theInfant, unite and join theBonesof theHead.
VI.SOMETIMESalso it happens that the Child isTongue-ty’d, by the too straitAstrictionof itsBridle; so that thisMembercannot freely extend or move itself, thro’ theCapacityof theMouth; which in theInfancyimpedes or hinders itsSucking, as in riper Years it does theFacultyofSpeaking: In thisCase, theTongue, being supported or held up, on each side of the String, by a small forkedInstrument, ought to becut a-crossby sharpScissorsas much as is needful; which however must be done with Caution, not to hurt theVeinsunder theTongue.
VII.THEInfantis also sometimes troubled with a small roundTumourunder theTongue, fill’d withvitious Blood, orpituitous Matter; whichAëtiusandPaulus Æginetacall’dRanula Linguæ; WhichCasemay be managed, and theTumourdissolved by a littleAmmoniac Salt, or such other properRemedies; but if Occasion require, the same may be open’d by aLancet.
VIII.ITalso happens, tho’ but seldom, that theChildis born with a closeFundament; andthatsometimes shut up by the singleSkin, and sometimes by afleshy Substance: In the firstCondition, there appear somelivid Marksof theMeconiumthro’ theSkin, which feels soft to theTouch. Upon which occasion, anApertionmust be made with a smallIncision-Knife, a-cross, not long-ways, that it may the better receive around Form, and not so easily grow again together; which however must be done with great Caution, that theSphincterof theRectummay not be hurt: And theMeconiumbeing afterwards voided, whether by aSuppository,Clyster, or otherways; theOrificeis to be stopp’d up with aLinnen-Tent, anointed at the beginning withRose-Honey, but afterwards with some drying and cicatrizingOintment, such asUnguentum-Aleum,Pompholyx,&c.Dressing it always as often, and as soon, as theExcrementsare evacuated, lest theApertionshould turn to anUlcer.
BUTin the otherCase, where theFundamentis stopped up withFlesh, that neither any Mark nor Appearance of theRectumis seen or felt, whereby its trueSituationmay be known, or the proper place where theApertureought to be made; TheOperationis much more difficult, and theInfantbut seldom escapes the fatal Consequence of thisMisfortune: Which Difficulty notwithstanding, we are diligently to do our Best upon such Occasions; to which End, anApertionmust be made withinhalfan Inch of theChild’sRump, being the certain place of theRectum; which in theinterimmust be perform’d with the greatest Care and Judgment by a smallIncision-Knifewith one Edge, turning theBack upwards, and thrusting it so forward, until theAperturebe made big enough for theExcrementsto pass thro’, always prudently regardingtheSphincteras above; upon which theWound, &c. are to be dressed and order’d, as in the precedingCase.
IX.INlike manner, it also may happen that theInfantis born with itsUrinary Passageshut up; upon which Occasion, a convenientApertionmust also be made with a properLancet: WhichOperationmust likewise be perform’d with great Prudence and Ingenuity.
X.MOREOVER, It also sometimes falls out, that theChildis infected with theVenereal Lues, from the Predominancy of thatDistemperin theMother;whichCase easily discovers itself by manyPustulesandUlcersappearing at theBirthin diverse Parts of its Body, especially about theHead,Belly,ThighsandClunes: Upon which theCuremay be pertinently protracted to a more advanced Age, tho’ prudentMeasuresmay be taken, to keep theDistemper under, but if theConditionbe Malignant, theRemedyis commonly prevented byDeath.
XI.FINALLYas to the small or punyFaultsofNature, such as a distorted or wryMouth, crooked or flatNose, thick or flabbyLips, rough or uglyVisage, or the likeBlemishes,——
THEChild’sBodybeing tractable like a piece ofWax, or thePotter’s Clay, These may be Judiciously corrected and Ingeniously amended, and a more Delectable and AmiableFormgiven to[186]everyPart; as inCaseof anyBlemishof theEyes, whether they be Discoloured, or Sparkling, Dim or Short-sighted, Squint or Goggle, Rolling or Goat-eyed; a Lovelyblack Colour, and agraceful Beauty, may be also artfully given them[187].
NOW(I think) These are all the most commonSymptomsorIndispositionswhich theChildbrings with it into the World; which being thus briefly discuss’d, I come at length to——