The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-06-04
Care OF 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 un-
pardonable because the kinds of food
which, for children. are the most whole
some and nourishing, are usually cheap
and easily to he had and prepared.
There are very 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 to call it such, of
our own ignorance and thoughtlessness.
In almost every household the chill
dren habitually get sweet cakes and
pies, hot breads, preserves, pickles, ETC.,
which cost twice rs 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 in.
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. It is GER
tainly very fortunate thing that ma
into life food which is all sufficient for
its needs, for otherwise it seems as if
the ingenuity OF ignorant parents would
by this time have extiDguished the
human race. Even as it is, some
mothers insist on giving babies all sorts
of food, sometimes going so far az to be-
lieve, or say they believe, that a little
of anything that they themselves can
eat win not hurt the baby. A woman
might rs well say that the baby's little
hands can do the work of her hands, as
that lis little stomach can do the work
of her stomach; 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 ignorance.
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 pre-
parations of the different grains, boiled
or baked potatoes mashed fine, beef tea,
crackers and bread. From eighteen
months, when children are healthy, a
greater variety of food may be given,
bnt the same care should be taken in re-
gard to the regularity of their meals (for
a habit of eating at odd times is harmful
at any age) and that they get nothing
which is not plain and wholesome.
Sweet cakes, pastry, hot breads, greasy
or highly seasoned food of any kind
should be strictly forbidden, while al
most 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 be.
ing taken in the middle of the day, and
the condition of the bowels being always
carefully watched.
Now any woman with common sens
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 oi
care will keep them we'll 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 a. properly fed and cared
for suffer very little, while badly man
aged children are almost always in pain
and frequently have fits, convulsions,
those choleric attacks which are so COM
mon cause OF death, especially in cities
You cannot make good bread out of bad
-four, you cannot grow strong plant
from an unripe seed, you cannot build a
sea-worthy boat out of decayed timber
how then can you expect your children
to be healthy unless You give them in
their food the material from which tC
make healthy bone and muscle, nerve
and fleshP-Hanlpt % Tract.