The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

To the Printer.

Desire to publish for the Benefit of Posterity, the following approved Method to prevent, at the Birth of a Child, its having the Small-Pox or any Diseases of Putrefaction ever after, viz.

When a Child is new-born, and the Midwife going to tie and cut the navel-string, let the thread that is to tie it not be drawn close immediately; but when it is about the navel-string, and ready to draw and knit close, drive up with the finger and thumb, the blood that is at the root of the navel, that you may drive away out of the child's body, the loose blood that is newly come in by the spring, and when all is drained out draw presently the thread close, and knit it fast, and cut off the navel-string; this will cause that this child will never at any age, have the SMALL-POX, tho' he or she should converse daily with those which are infected with it. This hath been often tried.

That person will be also free from several other diseases, proceeding from corruption that children and adults are subject unto. The reason of this is, that a great cause of such diseases proceedeth from the unconverted menstrual blood of the mother, which nourishes the child during its abode in the womb, which when it is distributed thro' the body of the child, and is converted into its substance or juice, is not so noxious: for it is then the natural nourishment of it: But when the child is born to the free air, then it expecteth nourishment by the mouth, and what cometh in by the navel, and is not already converted into some substance, or essential juice of the child, lyeth rotting there, and is a ferment of putrefaction, and breaks out in some higher or universal fermentation of the humours, when other circumstances do make the whole ripe for it.