Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-08-11
Food and Drink for Children.
Dinner for children should be e:

Dinner for children should be early,
and about this let me remark that if
beef or mutton be given, both of which,
whether boiled or roasted, are highly
nutritious, it should be cut up very
finely or ever minced, and the child
should be taught to eat very slowly and
to masticate the food well. Children's
food, like that of grown-up people,
ought to be varied; change is always
agreeable and conducive to good diges-
ton. / like to see children sit down to
agood dinner, and / delight to seethem
enjoy it, but hurrying over meals-and
they are generally prone to this-should
always be discouraged, while on the
other hand, nothing indigestible should
be placed before them. Game of vari-
Gus kinds, as well as fowl, pigeon and
rabbit, make q very fine change, and
so does white fish, with the exception of
herring. or mackerel, or any other
strong-tasted or oily fish. Although a
little salt should be sprinkled over a
child's food, he should not be permitted
to eat sailed provisions of any kind, nor
any indigestible food as pork, goose or
even duck, and turkey should be given
but sparingly. The stuffing generally
used with the latter is very likely to
produce a fit of indigestion if given to
a child. There are vegetables that a
child may eat, and others that he ought
not to partake of; potatoes, for exam
pie, turnips and roots generally are
very wholesome, but cabbage and
greens are provocative of internal dis
turbance. Even potatoes, turnips and
parsnips, however, should be mashed.
And here let me give a word of warn
ing; they ought not to be mashed on the
plate with the back of a fork; they will
be lumpy if they are. The MASKING
ought to be complete and thorough.
Puddings of sage, rice or semolina, or
even corn flour, should always form
part of a child's dinner, and suet dump
ling, if eaten with syrup, makes a very
nice change.
What should a child drink? Milk or
water with meals, or a very little tea or
coffee we'll diluted with milk. Cocoa is
most nourishing; [ cannot, indeed,
speak too highly in its praise. As to
beer or wines l should say never under
any circumstances allow a child to par
take of them, except under the orders
or sanction of a medical man. The
supper should be early. say six o'clock.
and may be light pudding of any kind,
porridge and milk, or bread and butter
with milk-diluted tea. Children live
fast, and be it remembered that they re-
quire food in comparison to their
size than grown-up people do, for they
have not only to repair the waste OF
tissue, but to build and feed bone and
nerve and muscle. Even between meals,
therefore, if occasion demands it, do
not deny them a crust of bread.
There is little need Of physic where
children are well cared for, well
clothed and well fed. If a laxative be
needed, either a teaspoonful of magnesia
may be mixed in the pap, or q little
fluid magnesia administered, but re.
member that magnesia too often given
is apt to form connections of a danger.
Gus character. Castor oil warmed, SO
as to make it run easy, is sometimes
good, the only objection to its admins
tration being that force is required, and
1 know by experience that a child will
struggle so against swallowing medicine
as to cause itself mischief. Syrup Of
rhubarb 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 fevered, and then it is time tc
send for the doctor Register.