impurity, because of the hair; which having cleanfed let a woollen-cap be inftantly put upon it, to prevent the child's catching cold; and then let her proceed to wash the rest of the body, as principally the armpits, groins, &c. which parts must be gently cleanfed with a foft linen-rag, or fpunge dipped in this lukewarm liquor. If the flimy matter sticks so close, that it will not be easily wafhed off from these places, it may be fetched with oil of fweet almonds, or away a little fresh butter melted in the wine, and afterwards well dried off. This cuftom is neceffary, in order to clear the infant's skin from this kind of milky mucus, which is the fediment depofited thereon from the waters in which the child fwam during the time of pregnancy; and proceeds not as fome will have it, from the diet of the mother, neque a femine utriufque fexus, which cannot reach the child's body, being envelopped in its integuments. The colour is various, according as this lymphatic humour is more or lefs impregnated with milk. One must also cleanse and unstop with tents of fine rags, wet in a proper li quour, the ears and noftrils. As for the eyes, eyes, they may be wiped with a foft dry rag, not dipped in this wine, that it may 'not pain them, and make them smart. The mouth, tongue, and jaws, may be cleanfed by the finger. These things being all very carefully and tenderly performed, we must diligently examine, whether the infant has any defect, or if there be not a diflocation; whether the nose be ftrait, or if it be not tongue-tied; whether there be no bruise or tumour of the head; whether the mold be not over-fhotten; or if the fcrotum be not fwelled; in fhort, whether it fuffered any violence in any part of its body in the birth, or otherwife, that prefent remedies may, according to the nature of the circumstances, be used; and especially if the conduits of the urine and ftool be opened; fince it fometimes falls out, that these are not per forated, and confequently, that the meconium and urine cannot be voided, which inevitably proves fatal, unless timely care be taken. How How to fwaddle a new-born infant. FTER the midwife hath washed and A cleansed the child according to di rections, and that the hath viewed every part of its body, let her then fwaddle it, beginning with the head, which must be well covered; first, taking a compress three, four, or five times doubled, let her pin it to the customary cap, and apply it to the mold of the head, which is very thin, fenfible, and extremely fufceptible of cold, and exposed to other injuries, it not being as yet formed into a bone. Therefore fhe ought to be very careful not to press hard on that part, which may be of great detriment to the infant. She ought likewise to be very cautious, that whatever is wrapped about the child's head, defigned either for ufe or ornament, be not too ftreight bound, leaft it might hinder the fcull from yielding to the action of the brain, whence headachs, and other ailments often arife. In the next place, let there be thin and foft compreffes laid on all the parts where excoriation commonly happens, as behind the ears, upon upon the breast, in the arm-pits, the groins, &c. after which the babe is to be wrapped up in warm blankets, and fwaddled as ufual. It is not neceffary to give a particular direction how this ought to be done, because it is fo common, there is scarce a woman but knows it: but we'll only fay in general, that a child muft not be fwathed too streight, especially about the breast and stomach, that fo it may breathe with more freedom, and not be forced to vomit up the milk it fucks, because the stomach cannot be fufficiently extended to contain it; and fuch a practice may poffibly, in time, converting this vomiting into an habit, prove a very great prejudice to the child. For the fame reason, the lacing children too tight, and the prepofterously bracing them up in fteel bodices, in order to give them a fine fhape, are highly pernicious. As to the urine, all children render it as foon as they are born, or at leaft as foon as they feel the heat of the fire; and fometimes alfo part of the meconium, but ufually a little after. If the infant should discharge none of the meconium within twenty-four hours after its birth, that it may not remain too too long in the inteftines, and caufe fits and painful gripes, a small fupofitory may be used, fuch as a little caftile foap rubbed over with fresh butter; as alfo, a little fyrup of violets, mixed with the oil of fweet almonds cold drawn, may be given at the mouth, anointing the belly with the fame oil, or with fresh butter. In like manner a gentle glister may be cautiously used and managed to purpose, if occafion requires; otherwise it would be cruel to torment a child with medicines fo very early. It is not abfolutely neceffary, that the infant, when managed as above, fhould immediately begin to fuck; on the contrary, it should be kept from the breaft for twelve hours at least after its birth; nay, it would be better to hinder its fucking for twentyfour hours, which the moft ignorant midwives of themselves commonly obferve; for the meconium, fo called from its likeness to pénovos or opium, ftill remaining in the infant's ftomach and inteftines, would coagulate the milk, and prevent its laudable coction. The origin of this matter, is derived, by fome from the nutritious lymph, or waters in which the infant fwims, and which, they fay, |