A treatise on the diseases of children : with directions for the management of infants / by the late Michael Underwood.

  • Underwood, Michael, 1736-1820.
Date:
1842
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on the diseases of children : with directions for the management of infants / by the late Michael Underwood. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    elude the cold, as the infants who are carried in their nurses' arms ; but, notwithstanding, frequently sutler extremely from the degree of cold to which they are exposed; and why should children, who are less able to bear sucli effects of cold, be inured to that which even strong men and women cannot sustain with impunity ? True it is that some very robust infants endure the cold in a very remarkable manner, and these are often quoted as examples of the'benefit to be expected from the hardening system ; but a wise man will be cautious how he follows that as an example, which is mentioned only because it is extraordinary. The rules which are to guide our practice should be drawn from what is usual, not from what is uncommon; yet we are too often led away to imitate what is marvellous, and despise that which is more accordant with nature's laws and precepts. Thus, on the evidence of one strong, vigorous infant, the hardening system is applauded and adopted ; and we neglect to inquire what numbers have sunk into the silent grave, in the vain attempt to render them, by exposure to the cold, equally vigorous and robust. — S. M. [The author of the Letters observes, there is a degree of temperature which would be incompatible with health, growth, and life. Yet young animals bear heat comparatively much better than older animals, and much better than cold. This is evident in regard to the human species, from the fact that children born under an Indian sun, do well during the first two or three years. They then begin to droop, and it becomes necessary to send them to breathe an European air. Still the heat of a hot summer, and of heated rooms, is extremely injurious to infants, whom it exhausts by its oppressive effects on the sensations and on the respiration, and by inducing profuse transpiration. But it requires still greater precaution to avoid cold than heat, generally speaking ; and we have more facts to bear upon this point, that upon the question of the effects of heat. Foals, calves, and lambs- brought forth amidst severe cold, do not thrive, but, if not succoured by warmth, pine and remain puny, or die. Chickens hatched under similar circumstances of inclement weather, also pine and become affected with what is termed the 'pip,' the feathers hanging loosely or falling off; and young tur- keys, especially, die in considerable numbers. So of infants born in the early months of winter, or of summer, I have good reason to suppose that the former die in a much larger proportion than the latter. But if cold be thus pernicious, damp is still more so. It is in a damp season that the young of various animals suffer most and pine, and die. Damp upon the body is, indeed, a perpetual source of cold by evaporation ; and dampness, in the form of vesicular vapour in the atmosphere, becomes equally a source of cold by