, 1888-10-28
FOOD FOR INFANTS.
A Physician Gives Some Good Advice TO
Anxious HIothers-Health Hints

"A 1h1HACAAh oohis SOOu AlNAft 70
Anxious ers-He Hints.
As to the kind of food best suited to
young children, it may be accepted as an
axiom that unless the mothers milk pos
itively disagrees with her babe, it is bet
ter than any artificial preparation. The
rule Is that the child will thrive best and
have the best chance of life which is
nourished at its mothers breast. Even
If the milk at first seems to disagree with
the child, it will usually be found that
this is due to removable causes. By at
te~ntien-te-o or disregardLo fhygienic- rules
the milk may be made healthfnl or inju-
rious. The mother with an infant at
breast should always remember that fact,
and regulate her diet accordingly. She
should avoid sour foods and drinks and
alcoholic s~timulants, for these nave a
direct effect upon her milk. Highly
seasoned foods should not be eaten. Pep
per has a tendency to dry up the milk
supply. A little ripe, but not overripe,
fruit will do no harm, but care must be
taken that it is not green or decomposed.
The objects to be obtained from the
mothers feeding are to build up her own
strength and to produce a plentiful sup
ply of wholesome milk for the child.
Eggs are usually excellent Milk is good,
and so is cocoa and broma. Tender meat,
if in a perfect state and well cooked,
makes excellent food. but it should be
taken with other foods indicated above,
SO as not to put too much work upon the
digestive organs. 1t may be remem-
bered that preferences in food must al
ways be consulted, for the appearance,
odor and taste of food is of nutritive
value. The mother should avoid. so far
as possible, worry and excitement, and it
is highly important that she does not
subject herself to overheating. All these
things directly affect the quantity and
quality of the milk supply.
When on account of the quality or in
sufficient quantity of the mothers milk
some other food must be provided for the
child 1t is very important that no mistake
be made in selecting the substitute.
Goats milk comes nearest to the infant
food of nature, but to many people that
is out of the question. Besides, even if
o~btainable, it is sometimes difficult to get
children to drink it on account of its
strong odor. After this comes cows
milk. This is difficult to obtain in the
city in a pure state, and the quality, of
course, is not uniform. To people living
in the city, and especially people in hum
BILE circumstances, it is not easy to get
one cows milk. 1t is therefore custom
airy with physicians to recommend con-
densed milk, because it is more uniform,
less liable to decomposition and purer.
When cows milk is used it should be
freshly boiled every time the bottle is
filled. The boiling destroys any disease
germs lurking in the fluid and renders it
less liable to i~rritate the delicate stomach
of the babe. Weaken it with water and
add a little lime water. This aids digestion
and prevents the acid stomach to which
young children are so liable. Many arti-
fetal foods for infants are advertised now
adays, but probably lone of them are
equal to milk properly prepared.
Avoid nursing bottles with long rubber
tubes. Milk will collect in them and turn
sour in spite of the utmost efforts at
cleanliness. They cannot be thoroughly
cleaned. Such bottles have produced
many cases of intestinal arrangement.
TIT simpler the bottle the better. A plain
bottle with a rubber nipple is all that is
necessary. Have two bottles, and while
one is in use keep the other in a strong
solution of bicarbonate of soda after It
has been thoroughly secured out. Do not
use a nipple too long. 1t soon becomes
saturated with the milk and should be
thrown away. These precautions should
not be disregarded. Disease germs are
facts, and uncleanliness aids their rapid
development. Care in these matters makes
the difference between a healthy and q
sickly child.-W. A. Graham, M. D., in
New York World.