The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1891-06-19

of toffee and tum mint pie, promptly
answered the little fellow. Imagine my
horror when the mother turned to the
waiter and coolly said, Bring this boy a
cup of coffee and a piece Of mince pie
~ large cup Of strong coffee and an
ample section Of rich looking mince pie
were accordingly set before the small
customer. and were disposed Of by him
with a speed and gusto which could not
be well surpassed even by a much older
representative Of our pie, pickle and
sweetmeat-bolting republic
Another lady says Of her four-year-old
nephew: He positively refuses to take
anything for breakfast except 'koppy
las he calls coffee. His mother tries to
persuade him to take something else,
but his only demand is, more koppy,'
and he always gets IL" She adds, He
looks like a little old man already"
Here Is the list Of the contents Of a
box sent by a loving, foolishly thought
less mother to her young daughter away
at school, to wit:
Five large. rich. heavily frosted cakes, some
of them containing preserved fruits, one Of
them coeoanut. one almonds; a quantity OF
jam, a Jar OF jelly and two jars Of pickles.
Indigestion, headache, lassitude and a
falling off in study follow the receipt of
n Of these .'Pandora's boxes" as surely
as night follows day, and often a pro-
longed period Of ~indisposition viii be
found to date from it.
1t is a lamentable fact that American
children and American youth are not
only allowed to eat food which is IN
wholesome for them, but are tempted
! and encouraged 10 do so. This is the
more astonishing when we consider the
degree of scientific study and careful
observation which have been brought to
bear in perfecting the methods for stock
culture, poultry culture and kindred
subjects, and contrast it with the utter
disregard of consequences which pre-
walls where children are the objects of
care instead OF calves, pigs and chickens.
In the former case the food is selected
with a view to the needs Of the growing
creature. Quality, quantity and regular
ity of supply are all wisely considered,
while all unsuitable articles are rigorous
ly excluded from the dietary.
The results are, as a matter Of course,
almost uniformly satisfactory, or if in
any way the creature fails to thrive,
even the most illiterate owner will i'm
mediately suspect some fault in food or
surroundings, seek for it and set it right.
In the latter case intelligent parents
viii see their little mes growing up puny
and peevish, with narrow chests and lily
knit frames, and never think of looking
| g., .1,,ro e.. ~ ,,z-oh Loo r. 9 ao++fOD
to work in a scientific, or better, a COM
mon to remedy the def
ciencies which they deplore.
verify believe that if children had a
market value which could be quoted on
the stock exchange or in the morning
papers there would be a speedy reyolu-
ton in the methods, or lack Of methods,
now employed in their rearing.
The lining membrane of the digestive
tract is of the most delicate and sensitive
order; its secretions are possessed OF
chemical qualities fine and subtle in the
extreme; its absorbents are exquisite in
construction, and the entire canal is
under a nervous control responsive and
irritable in the highest degree. To put
upon these tender and undeveloped or
gans in the child tasks which in the
mature condition are often too great fol
their perfect performance is as unrea
sonable as it would he to harness q year
ling colt to an express wagon and ex
pect him do the work of a full grown
animal.
The 1ich, highly seasoned food which
abounds upon the American table; the
soups and side dishes, hot with pepper
and other seasoning; the sauces and
gravies, the pickles and condiments, the
freshly baked bread, hot biscuits and
cakes, the pies, rich puddings and pre-
serves, the endless combinations of sugar,
lard, butter, eggs, -four, preserved fruit;
and spices, denominated cake, all Of
which disagree with the stomach, or. il
other words, present to the digestive
juices a problem of separation and chem.
ical reduction not easily solved by these
powerful agents even in the adult, are tC
the young little less than rank poison.
Too often tea and coffee are added to the
above, the more completely to unbalanct
the nervous system and to help lay the
foundation for years Of future suffering
perhaps, alas, of inebriety, as a direct re
suit of the craving produced by the con
dition Of digestive organs long accus-
toned to over stimulating and irritating
combinations in the diet.
Besides the indiscretions practiced il
the home in this regard we find all
grades of children III the city buying
and eating, between meals, candies,
nuts, cakes and other articles. The
stomach thus always being kept at work
soon comes to resent the abuse and none
of its work is properly done.
And here let me say that the temp
tat!ons which are placed in the way Of
school children in cities and towns By
street vendors Of vile and u~nysh9lesome
compounds, who flock about school
houses at the intermissions, are a public
nuisance, and should, If possible, he sup
pressed By the authorities.
The food Of children should be simple,
nourishing and regularly taken. Milk,
fresh and sweet; tls best Of bread,
white and brown, thoroughly baked
and never cut OF eaten until Il day old;
oatmeal and any Of the varieties of pre-
pared grains; the best Of meats and veg
etables, nicely cooked and served; eggs,
simple buildings, fruits, freshly stewed
or those which have been preserved in
glass jars, should make up the dietary.
The heartiest meal should be taken in
thc middle sf fbe dav Active children