Med. Times 18:109, 1848
Mrs. R. aged thirty-eight... of Kimoss-shire [Scotland] isthe mother of six children, the youngest being under two years.
On the 5th of April 1848 [26 weeks of gestation] the painsof labour came on rather unexpectedly, and in less than two hours shegave birth to a female child, which, on my arrival, I found verycarefully wrapped up and placed so as to receive the gentle warmth ofa fire. Unloosening the cloths to enable me properly to tie the cord,which had been hastily cut through and tied about six inches from thenaval, I found a tiny infant, the proportions of which I did notthink it proper then to take time to ascertain. As it was notexpected to survive long it was placed on a cushion in an easy chair,so as to be sheltered from draughts of air, and at the same time soas to receive benefit from the fire, being previously wrapped up infolds of cotton wool and covered over with flannel. An earthenwarebottle, filled with warm water, which has been pretty constantlycontinued, was placed behind the cushion. To attempt otherwise todress the infant was never once thought of. This was about 10 A.M. Asthe infant showed more signs of vitality, the lips and mouth weregently moistened with a mixture of one part of cream, three parts ofwarm water, and sweetened with sugar. At first it was not observed toswallow, but in the evening, when I returned, there could be littledoubt that this had been the case from the minute quantities of themixture, given from time to time, not having been rejected. On thefollowing day, to this mixture from three to four drops of sherrywine were added, and continued to be used as yesterday. On the thirdday the deglutition was very perceptible. Of this advantage wastaken, and under the eye of a most careful female relative from threeto four drops of wine were given every six hours, in as much of themixture as the infant was found able to swallow.
On the seventh day the child was weighed and found, including asmall flannel roller, to be twenty-four ounces. The roller wasunder one ounce in weight. At this period the length of the child wasnot taken, but was supposed to be from twelve to thirteen inches. Asthe feelings of the mother were most acute, and as, indeed she wasconsidered to be in a dying state, and as it was not expected thatthe infant could suck, an occasional wetnurse was not got till theninth day; the other nourishment being supplemented nearly as above.At first the nurse merely milked a proportion into the mouth, but inless than eight days it was found that the child could draw a little,which gradually improved. Occasionally a small portion of magnesiausta or castor oil was given, so as to ensure regularity in thebowels. About the end of the third week very fine oatmeal gruel,sweetened with sugar, was alternated with the cream and water, thequantity of wine being gradually increased; and latterly the quantitygiven during twenty-four hours has been from one to one and a halfteaspoonful.
When six weeks and one day old, the weight was accuratelyascertained to be thirty-nine ounces; the length, as nearly asa tape applied to the child would enable, showed sixteen and ahalf inches; and on the 30th of May the weight wasforty-three ounces, having gained four ounces since lastweighing. At the last period the circumference, by the forehead andocciput, was barely eleven and a half inches.
During the last four weeks the child has been regularly bathed inwater, at first tepid, but latterly of the temperature of from65° to 70° of Fahrenheit; and occasionally, according tothe testimony of the very careful female relative, who has hithertoso creditably and successfully super-intended the nursing, sometimesconsiderably lower; and the infant is described as uniformlyenlivened and strengthened after the bath. The stomach, it isremarkable, has never once given way; and this must be solelyattributed to the extreme care observed in regulating the proportionsof nourishment, whether by the breast or by the spoon; and it hasbeen remarked that the little creature seems uncommonly happy afterher doses of wine and gruel. When lifted for necessary purposes, shedoes not fail to testify by her crying the sense she entertains ofthe annoyance.
Of the benefits to be derived, in such cases, from the judicioususe of wine, there can be but little doubt; and, without wine, itseems almost certain the other nourishment would have been of littleavail; and the same may be said of the proper regulation of thetemperature -- in this case hitherto exclusively artificial, exceptduring the short periods when applied to the nurse's breast. Atpresent all looks well, but the mother being dead, and the familyarrangements requiring, at no distant period, the removal of theinfant to the abode of the wetnurse, half a mile distant, the changeis not to be viewed without suspicion as to its effects.