The Washington times., 1894-03-23
Hb0Ut Baby's Food
In Summer Months

As the warm weather approaches, how many
mothers are looking forward to baby's "sec-
ond summer" with anxiety, for the heat and
"teething" are a double menace. No man or
woman ever has quite the hold in the house
hold which the baby has; and not only its
parents and the family physician take an in
terest in the subject of baby's food, but
scientific men think time well spent which is
devoted to studying the little monarch's
needs.
Milk necessarily enters largely into the diet
of the child under five years of age, but even
milk, baby's natural food, contains within its
composition the germs of disease, which the
scientists and doctors lump under the conyen.
lent head of microbes and bacteria
Cows milk and mothers milk are neither iree
from these breeders OF disease. IL Is we'll
known fact that a mothers cross temper may
affect the health of her child, not only through
example. but through its natural fountain of
nourishment, before il is old enough to have
its feelings colored by the reflected light OF
mothers smiles or frowns.
After many interesting experiments par
tial remedy has at least been found, and the
process is through sterilization.
heat IL sufficiently to destroy the germs OF
disease microbes or bacteria) which may be
in the apparently most healthy of cows milk.
Scientific machines have been invented to
sterilize either milk or water in large guam
titles. In several cities there are large estab-
lishments where all the milk they sell is first
put through the process OF sterilization.
Mr.. C. A. Carey, veterinarian OF the agri-
cultural experiment station of the Agricultu-
raj and Mechanical College of Auburn. Ala,
has made many interesting tests OF milk, and
recently issued pamphlet full ofpractical in
formation in regard to sterilization OF milk
in small quantities for family use or on
farms. That same advice is just as applica-
bic TO city needs.
The latest word on sterilization, however,
comes from the United States Department of
Agriculture and was prepared at the request
of Secretary Morton by the chief of the bu-
reau of animal industry, DR.. D. Z. Salmon.
The method he recommends is SO simple that
any woman can readily adopt it.
Take milk bottle, or even small fruit jar.
and plug it tightly; il a bottle with clean
cotton or cork. If a fruit jar put the cover
on loosely and place bottles or jars in tin
bucket with a tight-ftting lid, and the bucket
in a kettle with a false bottom in cold water,
and the water about the same height as the
milk, say a little over two-thirds full.
The false bottom to the outside boiler may
be made of a pie tin inverted after several
holes have been punched in If with nail and
hammer This bottom must be at least one
half inch from the kettle TO allow for the cir
culation of the water. A hole should he
punched in the lid OF the pail, a cork inserted,
and chemical thermometer put through the
cork SO that the bulb dips into the water.
This is for the temperature 10 be watched
without removing the cover. When the milk
is thus prepared. the apparatus is placed on
the range or stove and heated TO l55 degrees
,lai+ md Eapt for hOnr
when it is removed from the fire and the cover
or cork made fast and alright. Then the
milk will have lost nearly all of its disease
breeding anmalcul9 and will keep sweet for
twenty-tour hours.
II one is going on journey it may be de-
sirable to keep milk much longer, and the
way to do that is TO treat it as housekeepers
do their ..sweet pickle" Put it through the
exactly same process for three consecutive
mornings. when it will keep for six or more
weeks as pure and fresh as the day it was
canned.
You can readily see how convenient that
would be to one going on railway journey.
or to a city where it might be good milk
could not be readily obtained. If milk is
heated to even 167 degrees. 1t Is said to under
go chemical changes which unfit it for baby
food. or anybody else's food.
The mother cannot be too careful about
cleaning bottles before using the second time
every bit of milk from the inside. A good
way to do Is to always fill the milk bottles
with cold water Immediately they are emptied
And always keep them alright during and
after the sterilization. Never fill upthe kettle
after the water in the steriizer begins to boil.
Fix it Just as it should be at first. and do not
leave this part OF motherly care to a young
and thoughtless nurse or stupid girl.
anyone fit to be mother can find no better
use for her time than to devote herself to
baby's bodily health and TO forming its little
mind as its nature opens and grows like a
flower Never put cold water into hot bottles
nor cold bottles into boiling water unless you
want to break them.
A great deal of illness among children as
well as adults comes from drinking impure
water One is always greatly astonished at
these magnifled views of the tiny things that
live and move in every drop of water how |
ever pure we think it. To unwearied research |
of scientific men we owe the knowledge that |
typhoid fever and diphtheria and cholera all !
have germ centers i'll water; but it is a relief |
to begin to know where ones enemies do lurk. |
for then we may hope to exterminate them, |
Extreme heat or extreme cold only can kill |
one of these dreadful mites" Water should |
be heated from POS to 2l6 degrees FareDheit |
to kill microbes. It should be bottled cold, |
and the same course pursued in heating it for
sterilization as for milk. only it must boil |
from thirty to sixty minutes.
When cold. lay the bottles sdeway on the
crates in the ice box. \ little care on the part |
of the housewife may not only prevent illness
in the family, but that far sadder thing.
death. from coming nigh to dear ones during
the coming Summer.
An Exquisite Baby Basket
An pyurliSita hal,y In Eat now on owl