The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-01-13
XIV. FOODS FOR INvALIDs AND
CHILDREN.

Owing to differences of temperament
and constitution, every case Of feeding
needs NATURALIZATION. and where
there is no doubt on the subject, even
IN conditions of health, the advice Of
an authority on the subject should be
sought. Fortunately for both invalids
and children, scientists and physicians
are inclined to pay special attention to
this important phase Of preventive
medicine. and it is possible for mother,
nurse and physician to cooperate on
food questions with some hope or
achieving desirable results.
The study of dietetics as applied TO
the nursery and the period Of child
+ hood, as well as in its relation TO in
valids, requires practical application or
theory to individual needs. no matter
what system Of feeding is decided
upon. Parents must understand that
what is provided for the average table
in the way of food may not always De
given with impunity to children. Wen
trained nurses and expert physicians
+ appreciate more fully than parents the
{ benefit in disease that comes from Wen
I selected, properly prepared ana tnof-
oughly assimilated food. Parents as a
rule and many unframed nurses Tor
get. although they may acknowledge
the Importance of the fact, that the
food an adult can receive and asslTni-
+ late does harm to the tender organs
/ of a child-Organs that depend very
largely for their development upon a
t proper. selection and administration Of
/ assinlilable food. Carelessness and ig-
! norance at this period of life are quick
+ " followed by perniciOus results
The treatment of almost all diseases
REQUIRES. the special application of food
principles, and many of them, espec-
tally in children, may be avoided Dy
care in this direction. Any one who VIII
study the nature of food products,
whether heterogeneous, caFbOnaceous OF
mineral, their proportion OF waste ana
water, those needed to build tissue,
furnish heat purify the blood, ETC., VIII
i comprehend at once the value OF die
tetic knowledge in the selection and
preparation of the food required under
5 special conditions. DR.. Burnet of Lon
don says this knowledge is the founda-
! ton of sound practical dietetics, and
the subject is one of the greatest I'M
portapce. DIR. Rotch, professor Of dis
( eases Of children at Harvard, says IN
/ "Pediatries": lust as the highest aim
( in medical art should be directed 10
the province of preventive medicine so
/ the highest and most practical brdncn
of preventive medicine should consist
of the study of the best means tor
starting young human beings in lie.
II 1t is a proper or an improper
nutriment which makes on mars the
perfection of the coming beings in lie
We should be guided by what
nature has taught US throughout many
/ ages in studying the form of nutriment
suitable for an especial period OF NE
! A nourishing diet must he supplied
during the entire season OF child
youth. and at the same time be sup
plemented by favorable hyglenic sur
roundings and by plenty of exercise OF
various kinds To call every set OF
muscles into play, lack Of sufficient ex-
ercise diminishing tissue change. Dur
ing this early period of life larger sup
plies of certain food elements are re
! quirad than in adult life, when physi-
cal growth has ceased and bodily ac-
/ tiyity has grown less. 1t must also be
/ understood that under various condl-
tions in the life of the same child diff
! ferent foods aud quantities VIII he re-
quired. The diet must be adapted 10
the power Of the constitution at the
time, and it must be of the highest nu-
tritive value possible for present di-
/ gestive power If the child's digestion
/ is normal and its life an active and
out-of-dOor one il can aSsimilate more
and stronger food than If. from varia-
lions in climate and other caCses. il
/ leads a more quiet life. and if for any
/ reason its digestion is not no TO the
normal standard. consideration must be
+ given particularly to quantity and as
sanitation It must always be remem-
! bered that eating, through repair, IS
/ intended to balance. not 10 increase. the
waste caused by the constant action
and change going on in the organs
] This waste, if not fully cOunterbal-
anced, will soon cause suffering and
/ illness. but the mistake so constantly
met with of overlooking must be alb
soIutely avoided. The amount of nutri-
/ ton in the cases of delicate children
and of invalids must be even more care
l fully considered. One of the most inn
/ pOrtant reasons for this is that energy
must not be wasted in getting rid of
superfuous material. as organic dis
/ ease may result A little food thor
oughly digested is far better than much
that is half-digested. 1t is necessary
( 10 understand how TO supply, as near
! ~ as possible. the same materials that
the body is regularly losing, as, for in
stance when we give heat-formiug
/ food in cold weather and liquid in hot
weather. Drink constitutes food as well
as what we eat
/ AS each nutritive ingredient serves
/ its own peculiar purpose. it can read
I lily be seen why it is necessary for a
mother, nurse or physician to under
! stand something of the elements Of
/ food and their action. A mother or
nurse should be able TO detect immedi-
ate needs in individual cases, as on ac-
count Of proximity they are generally
/ the only ones who notice the daily var
( iations in conditions requiring daily
notifications of diet. While they need
not actually cook the food required
/ they should know Just what to select
under certain conditions, and exactly
/ how to have it prepared. They should
not OILY be able to note by results
whether directions have been carried
out but also be willing. if necessary, TO
see to il personally that this is done.
A little supervision judiciOusly applied
viii frequently prevent difficulties that
are likely to occur as a result Of care
lessness upon the part of servants.
One should seek to know the changes
needed in health, illness and interme-
diary stages. In illness this knowledge
would enable one to ably supplement-
the efforts of physicians, and in cases
of slight indispOsition one might fire.
Quently be able to seize the opportunity
through careful diet Of overcoming all
ments which uncared for might prove
serious. For instance, If one recognized
the fact that the eliminative processes
were hampereG enc would cut down al
buminoids, as, for instance, in cases OF
constipation the supply of fruit, veg
etables. cereals, etc, should be rela-
lively greater in menus than milk, eggs,
meat. etc. Again. as the Preparation,
Intervals and amounts in feeding chill
dren and invalids are Of equal impOr-
tance with such knowledge as IS indi-
Gated one would be likely to feed less
ct a time and make the occasions more
frequent, and the food would be more
| daintily prepared in order 70 make 1t
more easily assimilated than IS re-