each end, to prevent their entangling; and tie the navel-string therewith, about two fingers breadth of the child's belly, making first a double knot; then bringing the thread round, let the midwife make a fecond on the oppofite fide, and afterwards a third, if requifite, for the greater fecurity: this being done, let her cut afunder the navel-ftring with fciffars a fingers breadth below the ligature, so that three fingers breadth of it is left hanging at the child's belly. She muft make use of pretty thick thread, and must not tie the ligature too ftreight, left it cut through the navel-string; in which case, the remaining part thereof may prove too short for a fecond ligature, and a mortal hemorrhage might thereby fupervene; neither must it be too flack, left the child, which is wrapp'd up in fwaddling cloths, bleed to death before it is discovered, as hath happened to feveral children. Let her therefore carefully obferve, after the operation is performed, whether the blood paffes through or not; if it does, the navel-string must be tied a new, to close it more exactly. This being done, wrap up the end of the navel-ftring, three or four times about with a small rag, dry, or B 3 dipp'd

dipp'd in oil of rofes; then having put another small comprefs of three or four doubles on the child's belly, above the navel, lay the umbilical string fo wrapped up upon it, that

it

may not touch the naked belly, and by its cold, occafion gripes; on the top of all, put another small bolfter, and then fwathe it with a linen roller four fingers broad, to keep it fteady, left by rolling too much, or by being continually stirr'd, by the motion of the belly, it happens to fall off, before the vessels be quite clofed up and healed.

'Tis very convenient, as we have faid, to lay the remaining part of the navel-string on the upper part of the belly, that so if by chance the veffels be not fufficiently closed, the blood, detained by its weight, may have the lefs impetus against the ligature, and not fo foon pass through, as if it were turned downwards; for we find fometimes the navelftring to be fo great in some children, that although it were very close tied at first, coming afterwards to wither and dry, the ligature is rendered loofer, by means of which, an effufion of blood eafily enfues, if care be not taken to tie it ftreighter.

The

The navel-string being thus treated, begins daily to dry away, and is commonly feparated from the belly about the 6th or 7th day, feldom fooner or later.

But what is

moft obfervable, in this cafe, is, that the remaining veffels fall off here betwixt the ligature and the infant, very close to the belly; whilft in the ligature of the other parts of the body, it happens quite the reverfe; for the part on the outfide of the ligature falls off: however, we must by no means meddle with it, but give it time to fall off of its own accord, left, if we pull it abruptly, before the arteries are intirely clofed and healed up, a flux of blood follows, or left it may caufe an ulcer, and other difeases hard to be cured, of which hereafter.

There are fome good women who are a little fuperftitious in the tying of the navelftring longer or fhorter, according to the dif ference of the fex, for fome pleasant reasons they affign: but it is a mere abuse; for at whatever distance they tie the knot, either nearer or further, though half a foot from the belly, yet it will always be feparated in the very fame place, just close to the belly; because the abdominal muscles contract them

felves there, and form a kind of ligature: wherefore, whether boys or girls, let the knot be made as we have already directed, or at least an Inch from the belly, left it might pain and inflame the child's navel.

It will not be from the purpose to mention here a business of great confequence, which is fometimes capable to kill the new-born babe, without almost knowing the cause of it. 'Tis a bad custom some midwives have, before they make the knot, they drive all the blood out of the navel-ftring into the infant's belly, believing, that by this means. they strengthen the child when 'tis weak: but 'tis no fuch thing; for as foon as these veffels are ever fo little cooled, the blood they contain quickly lofes its fpirits, and is half coagulated in an inftant; which is the reason, that being driven back into the infant's liver, is fufficient to caufe very great accidents; not because of its abundance, but becaufe' having quite loft its natural heat, it is afterwards foon corrupted, and changes and fpoils the child's blood, with which it comes to mix. Wherefore, whether the child be trong or weak, if you will not put it in danger of its life, or at least cause it to have great

great oppreffions, pains and gripes, forbear driving the blood thus out of the navel-string into the infant's body.

When the midwife hath ordered the child's navel, as we have directed, let her presently wrap the child up in a linen bed, warm'd for that purpose, and carry it without delay to the fire, before it is fwaddled; for the impreffion this heat makes on the child, occafions it to discharge urine immediately, and frequently fome of the meconium: moreover being thus kept loofe for a while, and expofed to the action of the fire, the organs of refpiration which were confined and inactive, are by this means expanded.

D

How to cleanse a new-born babe.

URING the nine months the child is

in the womb, it gathers a thick and whitish matter, with which it is covered when born, and which mixing with the blood that is fhed in labour, makes the child look fomewhat difagreeable: let her therefore wash the infant all over with milk, ale, or fome wine and water a little warm'd; begining firft with the head, where there is most impurity,