A treatise on the diseases of children ; with directions for the management of infants.

  • Underwood, Michael, 1736-1820.
Date:
1835
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on the diseases of children ; with directions for the management of infants. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    by the mouth* of the assistant being placed immediately upon the child’s, than by means of a blow-pipe; although the air is certainly less pure; at the same time preventing the return ol the air before it has entered the lungs, by the lingers of one hand placed at the angles of the mouth, and those ol' the other on each side of the nose. But I have sometimes imagined that I might atti'ibute much of my success not only to the continuance of this, but to the manner of doing it: by attempt- ing to imitate natural respiration, by forcing out the air I have thrown in, by a strong pressure against the pit of the stomach ; thus alternately blowing in, and pressing out the air, for a long time together, omitting it only now and then, to make use of some of the above-mentioned means. I believe, however, that these means can do very little to insure the life of the child, until it begins not only to gasp, and that with shorter intervals, but also to breathe in a somewhat uniform manner. At this time, should the child not be disposed to cry, which is frequently the case, nothing seems so likely to succeed as a tobacco,brandy and water, or other very stimu- lating clyster; or putting a little Scotch snuff, or other pun- gent powder, up the nose; which latter, if they induce sneez- ing, will soon be followed by a strong cry, and the child be with certainty restored. Amongst other means, that of warmth is very essential, to which end, the infant should be entirely covered with very hot cloths, which should be renewed as fast as they become at all cool; or the body may be immersed in a tepid bath of salt and water, or milk, and be well rubbed all over: the chord may likewise be suffered to bleed a little, especially if the face * Perhaps the warmth imparted to the lungs of the infant bv the breath of the operator, may be the means of rendering the vitiated air thus thrown in, more efficacious than the more pure, but colder atmospheric nir would prove. The objection frequently made, that it must be wrong to breathe into the lungs of a still-born infant from the mouth of the attendant, because the air is contaminated, is certainly shown by experience to be invalid.—S. M. t Tobacco clysters so often produce syncope, that it seems extraordinary they should be recommended in such a case as this. All direct sedatives, of which tobacco is one, are likely to be prejudicial in this state.—S. M.