86 THB SICK mam's COMPANION. 



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ly it will in Ihe course of a very short time cease 

 of itself. During this time it will he proper, 

 however, to keep the howels well regulated and 

 open with some suitable c athartic, or opening 

 medicine, and not indulge too much in gross and 

 improper food. No degree of fever in child bed 

 should be passed over unattended to, or be 

 thought lightly of, for even the most serious are 

 •ften slight at the beginning. Neither should 

 any local pain, or tenderness, or fullness of the 

 bowels, be neglected, least they should firise from 

 the incipient stage of some inflammation, which, 

 if not checked at first by proper medicines, and 

 iuitable diet, might, in a short time, put on some 

 alarming appearance: and here let me remind 

 you, that it is much easier to prevent diseases, 

 than it is to cure them. It may here be remark- 

 ed also, that no woman after child bearing is to 

 be half starved, as some physicians have so of- 

 ten recommended. Proper regard in this respect, 

 ghould always be paid to Iter habit, former man- 

 ner of living and her present stale. Too great 

 indulgence and too great abstinence, are both to 

 be dreaded, and both extremes should be equal- 

 ly avoided. Womt-n in former times, were 

 obliged, or thought so, to remain in bed for i^ 

 certain number of days after delivery, and by 

 this unnecessary practice, pursued more for a kind 

 of 8hammode>^ty, than any regard to health, they 

 become very much fatigued and weakened. In 



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