children allowed to suck as soon as they show an inclination fc 
breast, they would seldom have occasion fer medicines to dis 
the meconium ; but even where this is not allowed, they ought neve 
to have daubs of syrup, oils, and other indigestible stuff, Y 
down their throats. cate 
THE THRUSH. 
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Turvsn are little whitish ulcers affecting the whole inside of the 
mouth, tongue, throat, and stomach, of infants... Sometimes they 
reach through the whole intestinal canal; in which case they are 
very dangerous, and often put an end to the infant’s life... | 
if the thrush are of a pale color, clean, few in number, soft, super- 
ficial, and fall easily off, they are not dangerous, but if they are opake, 
yellow, brown, black, thick, or running together, they ought to be 
dreaded. . This disorder is caused by too hot a regimen, both of the 
mother and child, It isa rare thing to find a child wha is not dosed 
with wine, punch, cinnamon water, or some other hot and-inflam- 
ing liquor, almost as soon as it is born, afflicted with.the thrush. 
The proper medicines for the thrush are, such as destrey canker, — 
and gentle laxatives. For the last purpose, rhubarb or magnesia 
may be given in small doses till they operate ; the bowels must be 
kept open during the whole disease. To destroy the canker 
gles may be made of decoctions of gold-thread, sage, black 
roots, or witch-hazle bark, all of which should be sweetened with 
honey. . With these the mouth and throat should be washed and — 
gargled, at the same time allewing the child wallow a little. 
There is a little bulbous milky root, growing in parts of 
the state of New-York, which | have known by the name ofthe 
Rattle-snake root, and has the first year, three single.stems of about 
six inches in length, with a broad three-cornered leaf to each, and 
the second year runs up in a large reddish stalk from two to four 
feet high, bearing seed. This root is superior to any thing -else 1 
have ever known for destroying all kinds of canker in the mouth 
and bowels, As much as will lay upon a sixpenny piece. may be 
steeped to a wine-glass full of water, sweetened, and a tea-spoonful 
given at a time, occasionally washing the mouth with it. . Borax, — 
—— with honey, and rubbed in the child’s mouth, is a popular re- 
ye 4 ~ a rE > . . eS aS mie 
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- HICCUPS, ACIDITIES, AND GREEN STOOLS. =) 
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Some infants are much incommoded by hiccups; arising probably 
from acidity of the stomach. Most diseases of children are accom- 
panied with evident signs of acidity, as green stools, gripes, dc. 
These appearances have induced many to believe that the. diseases 
of children were owing to an acid abounding in the stomach and 
bowels ; but whoever considers the matter attentively will find 
- pees symptoms of acidity are oftener the effect than the cause 
diseases. 
