form her that it is most readily loosened by rubbing the part over with lard or fresh butter, after which a little soap will remove the whole. The same plan is recommended to be pursued again if the skin of the infant does not appear to be thoroughly cleansed after the first washing. Afterwards it is not necessary to wash an infant more than once a day, except locally, as circumstances point out. If the strength of the new-made | fant, the mother should be able to inmother permit, after the end of six or seven days she may be removed for an hour or two into another room, provided it be not very remote from her own, and that it be brought to a similar temperature. During the time she is absent from her own room, the nurse should see that it be thoroughly ventilated. This change of air will assist to strengthen the mother; but there is usually a prejudice, almost unconquerable, in monthly nurses, that ladies should not change their rooms for the first fortnight or three weeks of their confinement, which system has often so weakening an effect, that, at the end of a month, a lady is sometimes as weak and reduced as if she had had a serious illness. At the end of the month, or even before that time, if the weather and other circumstances permit, gentle exercise is very desirable for the lying-in lady, and particularly if she suckle her baby; because, whatever tends to give her health and strength, will render her better able to perform that important duty. The nurse should, in the morning, have in readiness a basin of tepid water, a very soft sponge, and a fine soft towel. On her right hand should stand her basket, in which should be laid her dust bag, containing powdered starch, a clean flannel band, and, in proper order beneath, all the other articles she will require in dressing the baby. The nurse herself should wear a flannel apron, upon which she should lay the child while gently extricating him from the clothes which are about to be changed. The head, face, and throat, are then to be washed with the sponge, and to be dried with a soft linen towel. Remember how very delicate and tender the skin of an infant is, and do not suffer it to be rubbed but in the most gentle manner; indeed, an infant should rather be gently pressed than rubbed with the towel, and particularly under the joints; the hands, arms, and thighs should next be washed, and when perfectly dry, the starch powder may be used in those parts which appear at all tender or likely to become chafed; but unless this be the case, it is better to use no powder of any kind. Drying the skin well, when it has been wetted, is the best mode to prevent soreness. In washing an infant during the The infant should not be kept longer month, the water should be tepid, for undressed than can be avoided; but if water either too hot or too cold is alike it do not appear to be chilled, the nurse injurious. The whole body of the in- may gently rub its back, head, and fant, with the exception of the head, limbs with her hand, until there is a should be immersed in the water when general appearance of circulation. it is washed. If a nurse be so ignorant soon as the clothes have been put on, as not to know what will take off the the nurse should dip the end of a soft white mucous matter which occasionally piece of cambric into warm water, and adheres to the skin of a newly-born in-cleanse the tongue with it. Some nurses Washing Infants.-This is a chief duty for mothers or nurses. The experience of the latter enables them to dress and wash an infant with more facility, and with greater gentleness, than others; but their prejudices are often unconquerable in favour of ignorant and vulgar practices, by which an infant may be tormented, if not seriously inconvenienced; therefore the young mother should learn what is right to be done, and then be prepared to oppose firmly any contrary modes which her nurse may suggest. As employ sugar and water for this pur-thered. Infants are also liable to return pose; but unless there be any disease in the mouth, plain water is the best; and the friction on the tongue should be so gentle as not to occasion the infant to cry out. from their stomachs any surplus of milk they have received; and when this occurs while they are sleeping, they should be gently lifted up, so that what they vomit may be entirely emptied from the mouth. The cry of an infant ought never to be disregarded, as it is Nature's voice, which speaks of some pain or suffering. Cries, however, are of different kinds : for example, that of hunger may be known; it is short and wrangling; but when the cry is a continued one, and the legs are drawn up, there must be When there is hair on the head of an infant, great care should be taken to dry it well after washing; for, to put a cap on with the hair damp, would be to incur the danger of cold and inflammation in the eyes, or of ear-ache and deafness. A careful nurse will endeavour to guard the organs of sense from any injury, such as exposing the eyes to a strong glare of light, or the ears un-pain. In such a case as this, the breast covered to currents of air. Nursing an Infant.-An infant should not be nursed in an upright position for the first two months of its life. It is painful to see the bent back and weak neck of a young child compelled to support a weight to which it is rarely equal. Some ladies, however, err in the other extreme, and, by keeping their infants too long in a reclining position, have prevented that gradual supply of strength which might have been acquired by a gentle and timely use of the muscles and bones of the back and neck; and when infants have been brought to this state, it has been difficult to ascertain whether it had been caused by the disuse of the parts, or was the effect of disease. An infant should rarely be taken out of doors for the first month of its life, unless the weather be peculiarly favourable. The extremes of heat or of cold are alike injurious to it, and damp weather is peculiarly so. An infant should never be left to sleep alone. Frightful accidents have occurred from negligence in this respect; and, indeed, for the first few days of its life, an infant should not be in its bed for half an hour at a time without being looked at; for, if it should chance to roll on its face, it has no power to turn itself again, and were it left for any length of time in this situation, with its face against the blanket or pillow, it would be in great danger of being smo must not be administered until the pain be removed. Warm bathing, gentle friction on the bowels, examination of the clothes to ascertain whether any ligatnre is drawn too tight, should be first tried, and if the infant still appear to be in pain, a gentle aperient medicine, or an injection, should be administered. Powerful medicines should be given only by the advice of the medical attendant. To Secure Photographs in Albums.-From starch is made a preparation known as dextrine; it is in the form of a powder, and this made into a rather stiff paste with cold water, is the best material for fixing photographs in albums. Keep the dextrine very clean, and proceed as follows: cover the whole back part of the photograph lightly with the paste, then place it on the page of the album, with a sheet of white blotting paper on the other side of the album page. Then gently smooth over the face of the picture with a handkerchief. Thick starch will also answer the purpose. Seasonings for Soups.-Spices always should be put in whole into soups. Allspice is one of the best, though it is not so highly esteemed as it deserves. Seville-orange juice has a finer acid than lemon-juice, but both should be used with caution. Sweet herbs for soups. or broths consist of knotted marjoram, thyme and parsley-a sprig of each tied together. The older and drier onions. are, the stronger their flavour; in dry | thers, which have long slender shafts, seasons also they are very strong; the terminating in a web of the most exquiquantity should be proportioned accord- site green edged with gold. The tail ingly. Although celery may generally consists of eighteen feathers, of a greybe obtained for soup throughout the brown colour, and assists in supporting year, it may be useful to know that the train, when it is expanded, and asdried celery-seed is an excellent substi- sumes its fan-like form. The pea-hen tute. It is so strongly flavoured that is rather smaller than the male bird, and a drachm of whole seed will enrich half her colour is more subdued and homely. a gallon of soup as much as will two The legs of both male and female are of heads of celery. Mushrooms are much a grey-brown. That of the former disused, and when they cannot be obtained plays a strong spur, and the feet are fresh, mushroom ketchup will answer clumsy, at striking variance with the the purpose; but it should be used very grace and elegance of his general form. sparingly, as nothing is more difficult The voice is also harsh and dissonant. to remove than an over-flavouring of ketchup. A piece of butter in proportion to the liquid, mixed with flour, and added to the soup, when boiling, will enrich and thicken it. The finer flavouring articles, as ketchup, spices, wines, juice, &c., should not be added till the soup is nearly done. Wine should be added late in the making, as it evaporates quickly in boiling. A tea. spoonful of sugar is a good addition in flavouring soups. MANAGEMENT OF THE PEA-FOWL.It would be idle to think of domesticating these birds in the ordinary poultryhouse or yard. Their habits are of the most rambling description, and they cannot be confined to one spot, though they may be so accustomed to it that they will make it their home, to which they will constantly return. They are very destructive birds in gardens; therefore, they should never be kept, except where there are extensive lawns or parks and shrubberies for them to disport in. They require no shelter at night, for they love to roost on trees, frequenting the very highest branches; and when they cannot find a tree, they will perch upon a hay-stack or the roof of a house. Pea-Fowl. This gorgeous bird is a native of India, being found in great numbers in the extensive plains of that country, in the neighbourhood of the ganges, and in the kingdom of Siam. It has long been naturalised in Europe, but in the country it is now kept more for ornament than use. The male bird -the well-known peacock-is one of the most beautiful of the feathered creation. It is elegantly shaped, its length, from the tip of the bill to that of the tail, being about four feet. The head, neck, and breast are of a brilliant blue, shaded with gold; the back and upper part of the wings are bright ash, mixed with black stripes; the ground of the feathers of its splendid fan-like train is black; but they are studded with what are popularly called "eyes;" lovely spots, of a round form, diversified with the most attractive colours, and sparkling with the radiance of the brightest gems. The neck and head They do not pair. The peacock reare gracefully formed; and from the quires four or five hens, who generally crown springs a tuft of twenty-four fea-make their nests on the bare ground, After they have passed what may be called the age of infancy, they require very little food, providing chiefly for themselves; but where you wish to at· tach them to yourself, and to train them to come back to a particular locality, you must feed and pet them, giving them the same food as turkeys. By feeding and kindness, he will come for his meal as punctually as a human being. They know the voice of their keeper. If she calls them, they will come to her, and eat out of her hand. The hen is more timid than the male, and cannot be brought to show such confidence in her keeper. |