During infancy: Bathing and cleanliness

During infancy.
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cleanliness is essential for children's health. The main points that special attention must be paid by the parent for this purpose are:

At first the child should be washed daily with warm water and a bath every evening for a thorough cleaning of the body is extremely necessary. The bathing a delicate baby of a few days or even weeks old in cold water in order "to Harden" the Constitution (as it is called), is the most effectual way to undermine its health and lead to future illness. By degrees, however, that the water as it is sponged in the morning should be tepid, the evening bath will remain hot enough to be grateful for that emotion.

A few months after passing the water temperature is gradually lowered until cold is employed, as it can be either sponged or even thrown into it, every morning during the summer. If plunged into cold water, but it must be kept in, but a minute of this period, especially the impression of cold continued for any significant time hit the vital energy and prevent the healthy glow on the surface, which usually follows momentary and brief action of cold, and where its usefulness depends. With some children, yes, there are so extreme delicacy and inadequate response as to make it cold bath dangerous, no warm glow over the surface takes place when its use inevitably do damage: its effects must therefore be carefully monitored.

The surface of the skin should always be carefully and thoroughly rubbed with a dry flannel, yes, more than dry, the skin should be warmed and stimulated by the industrious gentle friction made use of. In this process of washing and drying may not be languidly, but briskly and quickly, and will then be considered to be one of the most effectual means of strengthening their infancy. It is particularly necessary to gently wipe the arm pits, groins, and nates, and if the child is very fat, it will be good for dust over these parts with hair-powder or starch: This prevents excoriations and wounds that are often very annoying. Soap is only required that the parts of the body, which is subject to receipt of dirt.

In childhood.
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When that period arrives, or shortly after, bathing, but all too often lax, hands and face, where the child is kept clean, and with this the nurse is satisfied, the daily ablution of the whole body, but is still necessary, not only for maintenance of cleanliness, but because it promotes a high level of health of the child.

A child of a vigorous constitution and robust health, as he rises from his bed refreshed and active by his night's rest, should be viewed in a shower-bath, or, if that excites and alarms him too much, to be sponged from head to foot with salt water. If the weather is very cold, the water can be a little tepid, but if his constitution will have to bear the cold water throughout the year. Then the body should be dried quickly, and urgent, but well rubbed with a little coarse towel, and put on clothes without undue delay. This should be done every morning of the child's life.

If such a child is at the sea-side, should be utilized in this circumstance, and seabathing should be replaced. The best time is two or three hours after breakfast, but he must not tire in advance, for if so, the cold bath can not be used without risk. Care must be taken that he did not stay too long, as the animal heat will be lowered in an appropriate manner, which would be most harmful. The boys of a weak constitution, much damage is often produced in this way. It is also a matter of great consequence in bathing children that they should not be intimidated by immersion, and all necessary precautions should be taken to prevent this. The healthy and robust boy, also should soon have to learn to swim, when practicable, it is attended by the most beneficial effects, it is a very invigorating exercise, and the cold bath thus becomes twice as useful.

If a child is a delicate and strumous constitution, the cold bath during the summer is one of the best tonics that can be employed, and if they live on the coast, sea-bathing will be found in the singular advantage. The impact, however, the sea-bathing in such a constitution should especially be seen, for unless it is managed by a glow, a sense of increased strength, and a big appetite, it will do good, and should at once be abandoned too hot or lukewarm bath. The perception that water baths generally relax and weaken, is wrong because in this case, as in all cases, when properly employed, they would give tone and energy to the whole system of reality, the lukewarm bath is for this child, what the cold bath is to the more robust.

In conclusion: if bathed in any form can not be obtained from the event, so cold saltwater sponging should be used daily and all year, as long as the correct response or filament follows its use, but since this is not the case, and this would normally occur If the child is delicate and cold weather, vinegar and lukewarm water, or tepid salt water, must be replaced.