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."
This advice of Sir Charles Locock—to give no aperient to a new-born infant—is most valuable, and ought to be strictly followed. By adopting his recommendation much after misery might be averted. If a new-born babe's bowels be costive, rather than give him an aperient, try the effect of a little moist sugar dissolved in a little water; that is to say, dissolve half a teaspoonful of pure unadulterated raw sugar in a teaspoonful of warm water, and administer it to him; if in four hours it should not operate, repeat the dose. Butter and raw sugar is a popular remedy, and is sometimes used by a nurse to open the bowels of a new-born babe, and where there is costiveness answers the purpose exceedingly well, and is far superior to castor oil. Try, by all means to do, if possible, without a particle of opening medicine. If you once begin to give aperients, you will have frequently to repeat them. Opening physic leads to opening physic, until at length his stomach and bowels will become a physic shop! Let me, then, emphatically say, avoid, if possible, giving a new-born babe a drop or a grain of opening medicine.
