Bulletin of the Lying-In Hospital of the City of New York (Volume 7)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1911 Excerpt: ... abandoned for a cotton swab, which was equally effective and more sanitary. The hand was also used for touch, tickling and pressure. For various reasons no tests of the pain sense were made, but general observation of this large material under conditions of disease, minor operations, etc., which are ordinarily more or less painful, led us to believe that the pain sense is fully present in the new born but not so diffusely or clearly manifested in pain reactions of various kinds as in later life. The temperature sense was not specifically tested, but deductions were made from observations in the baths, warm and cool, exposure to the air, etc., which proved adequately a well-developed temperature sense at birth. Taste. A concentrated salt solution, a one per cent solution of acetic acid, simple syrup and tincture of gentian, were employed to test sensibility to salt, sour, sweet and bitter. Smell. The following substances were used to test the olfactory sense: asafcetida, compound spirits of orange, oil of rose geranium, tincture of gentian and mother's milk. Results Of The Inquiry. A certain number of full term children were examined as quickly as possible after birth to determine the sensitiveness of the nerves of special sense during the first six hours of life. Thirty-one studied as to their reactions to light are classified as follows: TABLE V. REACTIONS TO LIGHT. FIRST SIX HOURS IN THIRTY-ONE INFANTS. Forty-eight studied in relation to sound stimulus reacted as follows: TABLE VI. REACTIONS TO SOUND. FIRST SIX HOURS IN FORTY-EIGHT INFANTS. Seventy-eight investigated as to their reactions to touch are classified in TABLE VII. REACTIONS TO TOUCH. FIRST SIX HOURS IN SEVENTY-EIGHT INFANTS. TABLE VII.--Continued. Hour Stimulus Reactions Sole--toes extended. ...