HOW MOTHERS CARE FOR BABIES IN ARABIA

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1665, 27 January 1904, Page 24

HOW MOTHERS CARE FOR BABIES IN ARABIA

v Babies in Arabia are rubber! with brown powder as soon, as they are born, . ; and their eyelids are painted. Then, instead of being dressed. warm, sort flannels, they are wrapped in -calico anci ; tied : up like a bundle so .tight-they can-not-move handis or feet-."’ Then tight hoods are put on their 'heads, with blrae beads sowed on the front to keep off the K : evil eye.i- Tlieso babies cry a good deal ; and I should tbinlc they wouild. ; They cannot: move, and, flies arid 1 other insects c>,. crawl over them and) bite them, and the sand gets in their eyes and hurts them. 'When a baby iV about sux weeks old; a sacrifice is offered-and . the baby’s hair is cutraiid weighed, ana. the.same weight in silver is' given: to the/ poor. If he hasn’t more;hair than' some of our six . ; weeks’: : babies' its 1 weight-.-in gold, or even anight :be--givep: and no t make'the poor much richer, •. or the - .pa-rjents:muoh poorer. Tliomother puts his peck.and iaruis, and a veree from the koran is written and put.

in'a little silver or leather case and hung'about his neck to keep off evil. If he is sick this is his medicine: A verse from the koran is; written; with ink on paper, then the ink is washed off and the-inky water is given to> him to drink. I' wish you could see the funny little cradles these babies sleep in. They arc made of date sticks fitted together. The rockers are almost fiat, so when, the poor thing is rocked.he is so shaken up that, it is a wonder if lie is not seasick. I am sure any good New Zealand baby would rebel at such treatment.