Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-07-26
Summer DiarrhRa Of Children.
NECESSITY OF PROPER FOOD AND HYGIENE TO KEE
THEM IN HEALTH.

NECESSITY OF PROPER FOOD AND HYGIENE TO KEEP
THEM IN HEALTH.
From the Sanitary Engineer
The season is now at hand when a great increase
in the number OF deaths OF young children in our
large cities is to be expected The combination OF
high temperature with the conditions existing In
such Cities and especially In those localities nhaD
tated by the poorer classes is certain to produce
in such children diarrh9al affections, which, in
many cases, are fatal. Precisely why this should
be the case we do not yet know but there reason
to think that IL is due TO combination OF several
causes, OF which high temperature and sudden
changes in temperature are most important In
England, it has been observed that summer diar-
rhras are especially prevalent In Leicester, al
though IT Is not hotter there than I'm many other
towns In the country hot weather does not pro-
duce this effect TO anything like the extent which
II does In towns, and It Is well known that the re-
moval OF young child suffering from this affection
TO the country is OF the sureSt methods cure
In many cases 1t seems as II these summer diar-
rhOeaS and certain forms or cholera infantum were
due to minute organisms. in which the high tenn
perature has produced an unusual state OF activity,
and that cows milk, as taken from the bottle, is
the probable means by which these tnfectlye par
tcles gain admission 10 the system.
DR.. n. s. Davis OF Chicago, who has given special
bowel diseases, that they far more destructive
to children than to adults that they prevail almost
exclusively during the warmer months OF the year,
and especially In that part OF the United States
north OF the north line OF the gulf states and east
OF the Rocky mountains, and that they usually
occur in groups, corresponding with waves OF high
latter half OF june two or more In July, and or
two In August A continuous high temperature has
less effect than sudden variations While ignor-
ance and poverty, producing uncleanliness, over
crowding, and insufficient or improper food supply,
are also powerful agents In the production
OF this class OF diseases, 1t must not be
supposed that the children OF the well-to-do
classes, no matter how cleanly and com
Portable their dwellings, escape these affections
They chiefly affect children under two years OF
age, and are greatly Influenced by the character Of
their food. Practical measures for the prevention
m IN he laff of
the diet, the free OF cool water In the form Of
baths, and the affording OF opportunities TO the
child TO breathe pure air by excursions TO the coun-
try or on the water. or late years much has been
done In this last direction by public charity IN pro-
yiding the means for such excursions. For large
part OF our city population and especially for the
tenement house class the precautions OF most prac-
teal value are those connected with the food OF the
Infant. This food should he milk-milk which has
been preserved from contamination, which has not
stood in open vessels In foul and crowded localities
nor been placed In half-cleansed nursing bottles.
The mothers milk is best OF all; next comes the
milk OF a wet nurse and next fresh and sweet COWS
milk.