Connecticut western news., 1881-02-02
What Should Children Eat and Drinks

Dinner for children should always Ee early: and about this let me remark that if beef or mutton be given, both of which, whether boiled or roasted, ale highly nutritious, it should be cut up very finely, or even minced, and the child should be taught to eat very slow ly, and to masticate the food well. Childrens food, like that of grown up people, ought to be varied change is always agreeable, and conducive to good digestion. I like to see children sit down to dinner, and I delight to see them enjoy it, but hurrying over meals and they are greatly prone to this-should always be discouraged, while, on the other hand, nothing indi- geatible shorld be placed befoce them, Game of various kinds, as well as fowl, pigeon, and rabbit, make very nice change, and so does white fish, with the exception of herrings and mackerSl, or any other strong-tasted and oily fish. Although little salt should always be sprinkled over childs food, he should not be permitted to eat salted provi- sions of any kind, nor such indigestible food as pork, goose, or even duck, and turkey should be given but sparingly. The stuffing generally used with this lat ter IS very likely to produce fit of in. digestion if given to Q child. There are vegetables which child may eat, and others that he ought not to partake of {; potatoes, for example, turnips, and roots generally, are very wholesome, but cabbage and greens are provocative of internal disturbance. Even pota- toes, turnips and parsnips, however, should be mashed. And here let me give word of warning; they ought not to be mashed on the plate with the back of a fork {; they will be lumpy if they are. The mashing ought to be complete and thorough. Puddings of sage, rice, or semolino, or even corn flour, should always form part of the child's dinner, and suet dumpling, il eaten with syrup, makes very nice change.
 What should child drink? Milk ol water, or milk and water, with meals, o1 very little tea or coffee we'll diluted with milk. Cocoa is most nourishing I cannot, indeed, speak too highly in it's praise As to beer or wines, I should say never under any circumstances al low a child to partake of them, except under the orders or sanction of medi cal man. The supper should be early say SIX o'clock, and may be light pud ding of any kind, porridgo and milk, ol bread and butter with milk-diluted tea Children live fast, and be it remembered that they require more food in compari son to their size than grown-up people do, for they have not only to repair tho waste of tissue, but to build and feeC bone and nerve and muscle. Even be tween meals, therefore, if occasion de mands it, do not deny them 8 crust O bread.
 There is little need of physic where children are we'll cared for, well clothed and well fed. If laxative is needed, either teaspoonful of magnesia may be mixed in the pap, or little fluid mag. nesia administered, but remember that magnesia too often given is apt to form concretions of dangerous kind. Cas- tor oil warmed, so as to make it run easy, is sometimes good, the only ob, lection to it's administration being that force is required, and I know by exper. fence that child will sometimes strug- gle so against swallowing medicine as to cause itself mischief. Syrup of rhubarh is another harmless aperient, and one which will not weaken the, child but, after all, the less medicine you give, the better, unless the child be actually fe. vered, and then it is time to send fol the doctor.