ake it beneficial, especially to strong
constitutions. It is its indiscriminate application to all new-born
children, without regard to strength of constitution, or any other
circumstances, that I most strenuously oppose. Of its occasional use,
under the eye of a physician, and by parents who will discriminate, I
shall say more presently.

Our first duty on receiving a new inhabitant of the world is, to see
that it is gently but thoroughly washed, in moderately warm soft water,
with fine soap. Special attention should be paid to the folds of the
joints, the neck, the arm pits, &c. For rubbing the body, in order to
disengage anything which might obstruct the pores, or irritate or fret
the skin, nothing can be preferable to a piece of soft sponge or
flannel. Though the operation should be thorough, and also as rapid as
the nature of circumstances will permit, all harshness should be
avoided. When finished, the child should be wiped perfectly dry with
soft flannel.

While the washing is performed, the temperature of the room should be
but a few degrees lower than that of the water; and the child should not
be exposed to currents of cold air. If the weather is severe, or if
currents of air in the room cannot otherwise be avoided, the dressing,
undressing, washing, &c., may be done near the fire. And I repeat the
rule, it should always be done with as much rapidity as is compatible
with safety.

Here will be seen one great advantage of simplicity in the form of
dress. If the more rational suggestions of our chapter on that subject
are attended to, it will greatly facilitate the process of washing, and
the subsequent daily process of bathing, which I am about to recommend
to my readers.

This washing process is also an introduction to bathing. For it should
be repeated every day; but with less and less attention to the washing,
and more and more reference to the bathing. How long the child should
stay in the bath, must be left to experience. If he is quiet, fifteen
minutes can never be too long; and I should not object to twenty. If
otherwise, and you are obliged to remove him in five minutes, or even in
three, still the bathing will be of too much service to be dispensed
with.

Nothing should be mixed with the water, if the infant is healthy, except
a little soap, as already mentioned. Some are fond of using salt; but it
is by no means necessary, and may do harm.

The proper hour for bathing is the early part of the