Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-05-27
Food for Children.

1t is probably true that in this coun-
try more children are killed or made
weakly for life by improper food, or
over or under feeding, than by any
other cause, and this is the more I'M
pardonable because the kinds of food
which, for children, are the most whole
some and nourishing are usually cheap
and easily to be had and prepared.
There are few people in the United
States SO poor that they cannot get for
their children, not only the right kind
of food, but also plenty of it. so that
here again we can only fall back upon
the excuse, if we dare call it such, of
our own ignorance and thoughtlessness.
In almost every house the children
habitually get sweet cakes and pies,
hot breads, preserves, pickles, ETC.,
which cost twice as much, both in
money and in the labor of preparation,
as would the plain, digestible food
which alone is suitable for growing
children; and yet it seems almost i'm
possible for mothers to realize that in
giving these things to their children
they are not only wasting time and
money, but are also directly injuring
their helpless little ones. 1t is certainly
a very fortunate thing that nature pro-
vides for baby at its entrance into life
food which is all sufficient for its needs,
for otherwise it seems as if the ingenu-
ity of ignorant parents would by this
time have extinguished the human race.
Even as it is, some mothers insist On
giving babies all sorts of food, some
times going SO far as to believe, OF say
they believe, that little of anything
that they themselves can eat will not
hurt the baby. A woman might as well
say that the baby's little hands can do
the work of her hands, as that its little
stomach can do the work of her stom-
ach; and the result of such treatment is
that the baby pines, falls sick, is drugged
with medicine, and in nine cases out of
ten, dies, the victim of its mothers ig-
nOrance.
A child which is completely weaned
at twelve months should, from that time
until it is eighteen months old, be fed
four times day upon milk, simple prep
arations of the different grains, boiled
or baked potatoes mashed fine, beef tea,
crackers and bread. From eighteen
months, when children ara healthy, Q
greater variety of food may be given,
but the same care should be taken in
regard to the regularity of their meals
(for habit of eating at odd times is
harmful at any age) and that they get
nothing which is not plain and whole
some. Sweet cakes, pastry, hot breads,
greasy or highly-seasoned food of any
Kind should be strictly forbidden; while
almost any meat Except pOrk) fish,
rice, oatmeal, cornmeal, almost all
kinds of fruit, and all easily digested
vegetables, such as potatoes, tomatoes.
spinach, etc, may be given, well cooked
and in proper quantities, the heaviest
meal being taken in the middle of the
day, and the condition of the bowels
being always carefully watched.
Now any woman with common sense
and fairly good health can do all this
without much trouble, and in the end
will find that it is the easiest way TO
bring up her children, for this sort of
care will keep them well and strong,
saving all the expense and anxiety Of
the frequent illnesses which are usually
the lot of children who are permitted to
eat all sorts of things at all sorts Of
times. As. for example. in teething.
when babies which are properly fed and