when we bathe a child; and the caution is particularly necessary
in the administration of the cold bath. Some writers even recommend,
that during the whole process of undressing, bathing, exercising, and
dressing, singing should be employed. There is philosophy in this
advice, and it is easily tried; but I cannot speak of it from
experience.

There is one thing which may serve to calm our apprehensions--if we have
any--of danger; which is, that though the child's lungs are feeble at
first, from their not having been, like the heart, accustomed to
previous action, yet when they get fairly into motion and action, and
the child is a few months old, they are probably as strong, if not
stronger, in proportion, than those of adults.

Bathing in cold water should never be performed immediately after a full
meal. Neither is it desirable to go to the contrary extreme, and bathe
when the stomach has been long empty; nor when the child's mental or
bodily powers are more than usually exhausted by fatigue.

Although I have given these rules for those who are determined to use
the cold bath with their children, yet, for fear I shall be
misunderstood, I must be suffered to repeat, in this place, that,
uninformed as people generally are in regard to physiology, I cannot
advise even its moderate use. On the contrary, I would gladly dissuade
from it, as most likely, in the way it would inevitably be used, to do
more harm than good.

There is no sort of objection to what might be called local bathing with
cold water. If the child's head is hot at any time, the temples, and
indeed the whole upper part of the head, may be very properly wet with
moderately cold water--taking care to avoid wetting the clothes. But
avoid, by all means, the common but foolish practice of putting spirits
in the water.

A tea-spoonful of cold water cannot be too early put into the mouth of
the infant. The object is to cleanse or rinse the mouth; and the process
may be aided by wiping it out with a piece of soft linen rag. If a part
or all of the water should be swallowed, no harm will be done. This
practice, commenced almost as soon as children are born, has saved many
a sore mouth.

There are other forms of bathing besides those already mentioned; among
which are the shower bath, the vapor bath, and the medicated bath. The
shower bath--for which purpose the water is commonly used cold--is but
poorly adapted to the wants of infants. The shock is much great