Therefore, let her examine whether the conduits of the urine
and stool be clear, for want of which some have died, not being able to
void their excrements, because timely care was not taken at first. As to
the urine all children, as well males as females, do make water as soon
as they are born, if they can, especially if they feel the heat of the
fire, and also sometimes void the excrements, but not so soon as the
urine. If the infant does not ordure the first day, then put into its
fundament a small suppository, to stir it up to be discharged, that it
may not cause painful gripes, by remaining so long in the belly. A sugar
almond may be proper for this purpose, anointed all over with a little
boiled honey; or else a small piece of castile-soap rubbed over with
fresh butter; also give the child for this purpose a little syrup of
roses or violets at the mouth, mixed with some oil of sweet almonds,
drawn without a fire, anointing the belly also, with the same oil or
fresh butter.
The midwife having thus washed and cleansed the child, according to the
before mentioned directions, let her begin to swaddle it in swathing
clothes, and when she dresses the head, let her put small rags behind
the ears, to dry up the filth which usually engenders there, and so let
her do also in the folds of the armpits and groins, and so swathe it;
then wrap it up warm in a bed with blankets, which there is scarcely any
woman so ignorant but knows well enough how to do; only let me give
them this caution, that they swathe not the child too tightly in its
blankets, especially about the breast and stomach, that it may breathe
the more freely, and not be forced to vomit up the milk it sucks,
because the stomach cannot be sufficiently distended to contain it;
therefore let its arms and legs be wrapped in its bed, stretched and
straight and swathed to keep them so, viz.
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