New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-16
INFANT DIET.

We published q week OF two ago an abstract of
rules issued by The Philadelphia Society for the
Guidance of mothers in the treatment of teething
children during the hot weather. Our friends OF the
press have taken kindly and general an interest
in these that we make room the more gladly for
similar abstract of a Schedule of Directions fur
nished by DR.. A. jacob at the request of the Public
Health Association of this city, concerning nfantile
diet during Summer giving it place more willingly
as it is intended to apply to certain cases of which
the more general directions took no cognizance.
1. Overlooking DR.. jacob is of opinion, does more
harm than anything else. A baby of a month or two
should be nursed every two or three hours. baby
of six months and over, should be nursed five times
in twenty-four hours, and no more. When baby
gets thirsty in the meantime, give it a drink of
water or barley water, without sugar.
In case the mothers milk is not more than half
enough she is to change off between breastmilk and
food in case the baby must depend upon food alone
the Doctor recommends barley the barley to be
powdered by being ground in clean coffeegrinder)
one teaspoonful boiled with little salt in gill of
water for Is minutes, strained, and mixed with half
as much boiled milk and a lump of white sugar; to
be given lukewarm through nursing bottle; bottle
and mouth-pece to be kept scrupulously clean.
Babies over six months must be given more milk in
proportion. When babies are costIve, oatmeal is to
be used instead of barley. The food of baby
should be perfectly sweet, which may be proved by
trying it with o small strip of blue ltmus paper.
| II the paper turn red make q fresh mess.
| Infants of six months may have beef tea or beef
soup once day; of year old may have crust of
bread or piece of rare beef to suck. No candies
| to be given. In the case of Summer complaint,
fresh air is, with DR., jacob, every other skilled
physician the best restorative He prohibits lauda-
&c mil
everything to eat drink must be withheld for four
or six hours.
| With certain other of Dr. Jacobs rules we must
venture respectfully to disagree But few babies
however hardy, could bear the frequent" cold
baths he recommends in very hot weather. Two in
the day-one cold in the morning, and tepd one at
night-are in our opinion sufficient. And the adj
mnistraton Of whisky to a healthy infant even as
preservatve, in the very hottest weather and limited
| to but teaspoonful in "a hours, appears to us a
most unwise resumption of the old English practice
| unsuited both to American constitutions and eli
mates. He very judiciously however, as it appears
| to US, recommends the use of mixed milk from a
number of cows for infants diet, rather than from
one as in case of the necessity for change the transit
ton is not so dangerous for the child
| These rules may, to even mothers, appear trivial
from their simplicity; but so far diet and hygiene
for children concerned it is in the simplicity
Of treatment and steadness of that safety lies
DR.. jacob belongs, as we believe, to that most
eminent class Of physicians with whom prevention
of disease is more important object than cure--an
object only to be accomplished by the enlghten
ment of mothers, until they are able to perform
| their part, both before and after BIRTH in givins
sound bodies to their children. The people, as in
the days of the prophet arc perishing for lack OF
| knowledge; not knowledge of medicines patent OF
otherwise, unfortunately. for every woman and
| almost every man has favorlte dose for every
symptom OF disease. but knowledge Of plain rules Of
health.