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tlie hip^inftead of feating them upon the arm. 

 ■ The lower clafs of white women, in Barbadoes, 

 have adoped this cuftom, from the example 

 of the negroes, among whom it feems to be 

 the univerfal mode of nurfing ; and, perhaps, 

 It would admit of argument, whether this 

 method be not preferable to the European cuf- 

 tom of carrying them upon the arm. Seated 

 upon the hip, the infant foon learns to cling, 

 and in a great meafure to fupport itfelf ; but, 

 placed upon the arm, it muft always remain a 

 helplefs or deadweight upon the mother, being 

 without the power of affifting itfelf, or reliev- 

 ing its pofition. Further, it is fo conveniently 

 placed when upon the hip, that the mother 

 can fupport it with much greater facility, for 

 by only putting the arm behind it, the child 

 can lie back, or reft and change its pofture in 

 various ways : thus the weight becomes lefs fa- 

 tiguing to the mother, and perhaps lefs inju- 

 rious to the infant ; for, at this tender age, 

 the long bones of the thigh, not being firmly 

 olTified, are liable to yield, and a degree of de- 

 tormity may be induced, from their being made 

 to bear the whole weight of the body, at long 

 and frequent periods, upon fo narrow a feat 

 as the arm. 



