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"Medical Advice on the Bodily and Mental Health of Children" (1794)

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52. Do children rest and sleep without being rocked?
Yes. If they be kept continually dry and clean, and in fresh air, they will rest and sleep well, if not disturbed; the rocking and carrying about of children is quite useless.

(Observation. As the human soul in a state of infancy is disturbed by rocking, carrying about and dancing, such practices ought to be considered as dangerous and erroneous. The mother ought to play with the child in an affectionate and gentle manner; ought to give it frequent and bland exercise, and instil gradually into its mind a knowledge of such objects as attract its notice.)

53. Is it in general necessary to keep children quiet?
Yes, it is.

54. What is therefore very bad?
The making a great noise about children; and it is still worse to frighten them.

55. It is, therefore, not advisable, I suppose, to frighten children into sleep?
By no means; because they may be thrown into convulsions, and get cramps.

56. Is it necessary or good to give children composing draughts, or other medicines that tend to promote sleep?
No. They cause an unnatural, and, of course, unwholesome, sleep; and are very dangerous and hurtful.

57. How long must a mother suckle her child?
For nine or twelve months.

(Observation. In fact the child ought to be suckled till it has two teeth in each jaw. Some children are suckled for two or three years; a practice not only erroneous, but hurtful both to mother and child.)

58. What sort of aliment is prejudicial to the health of children?
Meal-pap, pancakes, and tough, heavy, and fat meats.

59. What harm do they do?
They obstruct the bowels; and children’s bellies get, by those indigestible meals, hard and swelled.

60. What food is most suitable for children?
Pure, unadulterated new milk, and thin gruel; grated crusts of bread; or biscuit boiled with water only, or mixed with milk.

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