NOTE: - 70 -

CHAPTER XXVII. On Children’s Difficult Teething.

222. The cutting [teething] of a child’s teeth begins for the most part in the seventh month, sometimes earlier, and sometimes later. In many [children] they come out easily and without pain, while in many [others], with difficulty and distress. 223. The signs of a child's teeth coming out are: A. From the child's mouth comes an excessive amount of saliva (drool), or the cheeks swell. B. [The child] frequently puts the fingers into the mouth, and the gums itch. C. The gums swell, and small swellings become visible upon them (which can be examined by rubbing the finger), and there is heat and pain in the gums, which also prevents [the child] from nursing. 224. The unbearable pain caused by the coming of the teeth brings about various kinds of ailments in the child; namely, heat [fever] of the whole body, [and] purging from the mouth [vomiting] and from the belly [diarrhea]. These signs often occur several weeks before the teeth come out, which disperse [and subside] after the teeth have come out. 225. At the time of the aforementioned illness, one must not nurse the child too frequently, but [rather] place into [the child’s] hand the remedy under number 38, so that [the child] may rub and tug at it with the gums, or a marshmallow root, or a bread crust, or a raw carrot, and [the caregiver] should frequently rub a finger over the gums.

CHAPTER XXVIII. On Weaning the Child from the Breast

226. It is not possible to determine with certainty the time for weaning a child from the breast, the reason [being] that it is necessary to suckle a child possessing a feeble constitution for a longer time than those possessing a robust and healthy constitution. Nevertheless, suckling ought not to continue for more than eighteen months, the reason [being]