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12
Every infant should sleep in a cot by itself.
It is very dangerous to allow an infant to sleep in the
same bed with an older person, as numberless lives are
sacrificed every year from overlaying.
You can always make a good and cheap baby's cot out of
an orange box.
If, owing to teething or any other cause, the child is
restless or fretful, do not on any account be tempted to give it
teething powders or soothing syrups. If the restlessness
continues seek medical advice.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
SUMMER DIARRHCEA.
This is a most dangerous disease amongst young children
and is especially fatal to infants under I year of age.
July, August and September are the months when
it chiefly occurs.
In all cases medical advice should be obtained without'
delay.
Cause. The disease is caused by germs which exist in
dirt of all kinds—the dust of rubbish heaps, ill-kept back yards
and dwelling rooms. When the dust is blown into the milk
and other foods, or is carried there on the feet of flies, these
germs soon multiply a thousand-fold especially in the case of
milk, and unless they are killed by boiling the milk before
giving it to the child, they will go on multiplying in the infants'
bowels and set up the inflammation which causes this very fatal
form of Diarrhoea.
How to prevent it. Pay special attention during the
summer to the directions given on pages 4-5 about ventilation
and the cleanliness of your house and yard. This is the time
to limewash the walls of closets, passages and cellars.
Animal and vegetable refuse should be burned in the
kitchen grate instead of being put in the dustbin. See that
the dustbin is regularly emptied.
Nuisances should be reported to the Sanitary Department at
once.
If you are still suckling the baby when the summer sets in,
don't think of weaning till after September, unless advised to
do so by a doctor, as breast feeding is the best protection of
all against Summer Diarrhoea.