baby who has no artificial appliances to make him sleep. No! rockers
are perfectly unnecessary, and the sooner they are banished the
nursery the better will it be for the infant community. I do not know
a more wearisome and monotonous sound than the everlasting rockings to
and fro in some nurseries, they are often accompanied by a dolorous
lullaby from the nurse, which adds much to the misery and depressing
influence of the performance.

81. _While the infant is asleep, do you advise the head of the crib to
be covered with a handkerchief, to shade his eyes from the light, and,
if it be summer time, to keep off the flies_?

If the head of the crib be covered, the babe cannot breathe freely,
the air within the crib becomes contaminated, and thus the lungs
cannot properly perform their functions. If his sleep is to be
refreshing, he must breathe pure air. I do not even approve of a head
to a crib. A child is frequently allowed to sleep on a bed with the
curtains drawn completely close, as though it were dangerous for a
breath of air to blow upon him [Footnote: I have somewhere read that
if a cage containing a canary, be suspended at night within a bed
where a person is sleeping, and the curtains be drawn closely around,
that the bird will, in the morning, in all probability, be found
dead!] This practice is most injurious. An infant must have the full
benefit of the air of the room, indeed, the bed room door ought to be
frequently left ajar, so that the air of the apartment may be changed,
taking care, of course, not to expose him to a draught. If the flies,
while he is asleep, annoy him, let a net veil be thrown over his face,
as he can readily breathe through net, but not through a handkerchief.

82. _Have you any suggestions to offer as to the way a babe should be