It might be well again to state, that the bottle must be violently shaken just before administering the mixture, or the oil will not mix with the syrup; or (3.) A teaspoonful of syrup of rhubarb, without the admixture of the castor oil may be given early in the morning occasionally; or (4.) A teaspoonful of equal parts, say half an ounce of each, of fluid magnesia and of syrup of rhubarb, may be taken for a change. Another safe and palatable aperient for an infant is (5.) Syrup of senna, from a half to a whole teaspoonful being the dose. Castor oil is another medicine prescribed for a baby's costiveness, and, being a safe one, may occasionally be used. Care should be taken to have the castor oil freshly drawn, and of the best quality. (6.) Syrup of red roses and castor oil (of each equal parts), being a good, elegant, and pleasant way of giving it:
Take of—Syrup of Red Roses,
Castor Oil, of each six drachms:
To make a Mixture. A teaspoonful to be taken occasionally, first well shaking the bottle, and to be repeated every four hours, until the bowels be relieved.
(7.) An excellent remedy for the costiveness of a baby is a
soap suppository, the application of which will be found
a safe, speedy, and certain method of opening the bowels.
It is made by paring a piece of white curd-soap round;
it should be of the size, in circumference, of a cedar pencil,
and it must be in length about two inches. This should
be administered by dipping it in a little warm sweet oil,
and should then be gently introduced up the bowel in the
same manner as you would an enema pipe, allowing about
a quarter of an inch to remain in view. It must then be
left alone, and in a minute or two the soap suppository
will be expelled, and instantly the bowels will be comfortably
and effectually relieved. When a child is two or
