OF INFANCY. 383 



cradle, they are obliged to lie in the fame pofi- 

 tion, and are chained down by bandages, this fi- 

 tuation foon becomes painful. They are befides 

 often wet and chilled by their excrements, the 

 acrimony of which irritates their delicate and 

 fenfible fkin. In this condition, the efforts of 

 children are extremely feeble; and their calls 

 for relief are exprelTed by cries and groans. 

 This fuccour fhould always be fpeedily admini- 

 ftered ; or rather the inconveniencies they feel 

 fhould be prevented, by frequently changing 

 part of their clothing. The favages are fo at- 

 tentive to this article, that, though they cannot 

 change their furs fo often as we do our linen- 

 cloths; yet they fupply this defeat by employ- 

 ing other fubflances, of which they have no oc- 

 cafion to be fparing. In North America, they 

 put wood duft, which they obtain from trees 

 that have been corroded by worms, into the bot- 

 tom of the cradle, and renew it as often as ne- 

 ceflary : The children are laid upon this powder, 

 and covered with fkins. Though this powder 

 may, perhaps, be as foft as our down-beds; yet 

 they ufe it not for the purpofes of delicacy, but 

 becaufeit quickly abforbs moifture of every kind. 

 In Virginia, they place the child naked upon a 

 board covered with cotton, and provided v,'ith 

 a hole for the palTage of the excrement. The 

 cold in this country is unfavourable to fiich a 

 pradice ; but it is almoft general in the eaft of 

 Kuropc, and particularly in Turkey. This pre- 

 caution 



