286 THE NEW ZEALAND FAMILY HERB DOCTOR. 
attend to the general health, first of the mother, from whom 
the child draws its nourishment, also that of the baby. See 
that the stomach and bowels are kept right. In the form of 
medicine, if required, use only the simples we have mentioned, 
and all things being equal; you will have little trouble with 
baby’s teething. Ifthe infant is brought up on the bottle, 
we would recommend the slippery elm digestive food, with 
good milk. Ifthe milk is vomited in lumps put ina little salt. 
If the stomach is very weak five to ten grains of pepsin added 
to the pint of milk, or milk and water, kept warm for from 
three to five hours, will predigest it. 
We may here give a few hints on the care of the teeth 
in childhood and adult life. The great bulk of mankind pay 
little attention to these most useful members till they begin 
to ache. Then they will seek to cure the pain with nostrums, 
which often augument the evil; when the tooth is too 
troublesome, the offending member is often extracted. This 
ought to be a warning to take more care, but it 1s generally 
soon forgotten, till one after another is gone, the sufferer 
hoping to get a new set when the bulk of the original onesare 
out. We heard an eminent dentist in Chicago tell the class of 
students, of which we were a member, not to be deluded with 
this hope, as it was just as easy to run a race with a wooden 
leg as to masticate your food witb artificial teeth. 
First, then, we would recommend parents to see that their 
children use the brush to their teeth, after the permanent set 
has been acquired, night and morning, or especially at bed- 
time, when any fragment of food between the teeth may be 
removed. Salt and water, into which 2 few drops of Condy’s 
Fluid (or solution of permanganate of potash), sufficient to 
colour the water, will form a good tooth and mouth wash. Let 
the teeth of children be examined occasionally, andif any signs 
of decay are seen, then take them toa dentist for advice. If it is 
desirable to get them stopped. have it done, as 4 decaying tooth 
becomes a cause of infection to the others. If iney ache 
