Fresh air, wholesome food, regular bathing, and plenty of sleep will insure the normal growth of the average baby, and are within reach of every one who has the care of young children.

The writer is indebted to Miss Scovil, Superintendent of Newport Hospital, and one of the associate editors of the Ladies’ Home Journal, for many of the above hints concerning the diet of infants.

EMERGENCIES.

As frequent accidents occur during the performance of household duties, a few suggestions as to how slight injuries should be treated may prove useful to the young housekeeper.

Cuts.—­A cut should be washed with cold water, covered with a small pad of cotton, bound up, and left alone.  Should matter form, the bandage must be taken off, the wound bathed with carbolized water, 1-80, and a little carbolized vaseline spread on a bit of linen and laid over it.  The washing and dressing should be repeated two or three times a day if there is much discharge.

Bruises.—­A flannel wrung out of very hot water, and laid on a bruise, relieves the soreness.

For bruises on the face, apply ice.  Brown paper wet in vinegar is an old-fashioned remedy.  If the skin is broken, treat as a wound, with carbolized water and carbolized vaseline.

Sprains.—­Both hot and cold treatment is recommended.  Immerse the joint in water as hot as can be borne.  Keep up the temperature by gradually adding more hot water.  Let it soak for an hour or more.  Then wrap in warm flannel, and surround with hot water bags or bottles.

Stings.—­Bathe the part in ammonia, or baking soda and water; wet a cloth in the same, and bind over it.

Burns.—­The best household remedies for burns are baking soda and carbolized vaseline.  For slight burns mix the soda to a paste with water, and spread thickly over the part; cover with linen or old cotton.  This may be kept wet by squeezing water over it.  If shreds of clothing adhere to a burn, they should be soaked with oil, and not pulled off until softened.  If the skin is gone, spread carbolized vaseline on linen, and bind on the part until the doctor arrives.

In burns caused by acids, water should not be applied to the parts.  Cover with dry baking soda.

If caused by an alkali, such as lye, ammonia, or quick-lime, use an acid, as vinegar or lemon juice, diluted.

Poisoning.—­For poison ivy, saturate a cloth in a solution of baking soda, or ammonia and water, and lay over the part.

When poison has been swallowed, the first thing to do is to get it out of the stomach.  Secondly, to prevent what remains from doing more mischief.  Give an emetic at once.  One tbsp. of salt in a glass of tepid water; 1 tsp. of mustard, or 1 tsp. of powdered alum in a glass of tepid water.  A tsp. of wine of ipecac, followed by warm water.  Repeat any of these three or four times if necessary.  The quantities given are for children; larger doses may be given to adults.  It is well to give a dose of castor oil after the danger is over, to carry off any remnants of the poison that may have lodged in the intestines.