Round Table Discussion

Abstract

Chairman Osborne: The material which we will cover will be material which must be spoken about in terms of groups of people, types of individuals and different classifications of diagnosis. We will lose a great deal of the effect of what we have to discuss if we get off on a small subject connected with an individual case, so I hope we can refrain from citing specific cases. You all recognize that we can't make progress if any of us are going to present specific individual problems on a specific case. Fortunately we have some disagreement among members of the panel for where everyone agrees there is a lack of interest, especially in the field of cutaneous diseases, and particularly in the eczematous diseases. If we seem to disagree it is because the material calls for disagreement and the literature backs us up on that disagreement. We are going to start with the general phase of the subject: the care of the skin of the newborn. I am going to ask Dr. Norman Ross to discuss the care of the skin of the newborn from the standpoint of the pediatrician. Dr. Ross: In these newborn infants overzealous cleaning of the baby and too much anxiety on the part of the nurse following birth is apt to do far more harm than good. The baby when born has a membranous covering that should not be too thoroughly and vigorously removed. Soap is not advisable. Plain water will remove sufficient of it and, in fact, delay of thorough bathing of the infant for a few days would probably be advisable.