Domestic Encyclopædia (1802)/Crying

CRYING, the act of weeping, usually accompanied with tears; but this term is more generally applied to the squalling of infants.

It is remarkable, that the first symptoms of human life are uniformly those of loud cries: hence, superstitious persons are apt to imagine that such are the prognostics of future misery. Those who reflect upon the previous situation of the new-born, who is now surrounded by a different element, and placed in a much colder temperature, may easily account for this natural phenomenon. Instead, therefore, of being alarmed by those plaintive expressions, we ought to rejoice; because they indicate expanded lungs, and vital action. In a similar manner, judicious persons will consider the frequent and almost instinctive cries of children, as they advance in age, unless arising from accidental and obvious causes. The conduct of those mothers, who from an excess of tenderness, and of those nurses, who from too much officiousness, exert their utmost endeavours to relieve the clamorous noise of infants (often by the most absurd and pernicious means), equally deserve to be censured. Admitting that in some, nay, in many cases, it proceeds from a concealed pain, yet experience has sufficiently evinced, that these very cries alleviate, and often totally remove, such painful sensations as are produced by flatulency, gripes, &c. Nevertheless, when children continue in an uneasy state for a considerable time, violently drawing their legs towards their belly, we may conclude that they are afflicted with colic pains; or, if they suddenly move their hands and arms to their face, while crying, we may attribute it to difficult teething; and, if other morbid symptoms accompany these loud complaints, especially if repeated at certain periods of the day, we ought, in such cases, by no means to neglect them, but endeavour to ascertain the efficient causes.

Hunger is frequently assigned as a motive for crying, but it is not always reaily so; the latter is the sole language of infants, by which they manifest all their sensations and wants. If they cry without intermission, it may be considered as an indication of the return of appetite, and they ought to be satisfied either by the breast, or other means; but, if they vociferate quickly and abruptly, it may be reasonably supposed to proceed from a sense of pain. Circumstances of this nature claim the most diligent attention of mothers and nurses. We therefore earnestly enjoin them, particularly the former, to study the exact distinction of the different sounds expressed by their infants; as the result of such inquiries would greatly enable the medical assistant to ascertain, with more precision, the true cause of infantine diseases.