Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-04-19
NURSERY COOKERY.
,rNERAL CARE OF CHILDREN IN
ILLNESS. E--
Continued from last weekly
~ christine rerhune Herrick.

BY CnTlbtiHc
Never does the training of children in
ohi,s of obedience prove more valua-
Ne than when they are i'll.
Disobedience, or delay in obedience.
lways inconvenient, to say. the least,
ssumes the dignity of calamity when
child Is seriously III. There are times
hen his very life may depend upon, the
bromptness with which he will take
Medicine, will submit to Treatment or
conform to rules.
A mother OF the old school, whose chill
ren had early learned the law of i'm
bIIrit obedience, wondered little at
tertain proviso that always accompa-
lied the Doctors directions for remedies
10 be given to her small girl, who was
suffering from an attack OF measles
Intended with throat complications.
Doctor" finally asked the mother,
with trfie Of irritation, why do you
Invariably say, Give her s., and SC, II she
Nill take it?' OF course she will take 1t
h tell her to do So"
ut is by no means matter of course
jn most cases, madam" returned the
physician. "Your child may have been
unusually well trained, but I can as
bure you that the majority OF children
have their own way to an extent that
makes 1t tremendously difficult to induce
them to take unpalatable medicine. Only
|last week had as patient little boy
who was in dangerous condition from
bowel trouble. He not only absolutely
|itfused the remedy I wished to give him.
| hut actually fought against 1t so flercely
that his mother and nurse were obliged to
bold him down in the bed while poured
| the medicine down his throat. really
believe that the harm he did himself by
f bis struggles offset any benefit he gained
from the medicine"
This may have been an extreme case,
hut there are others almost as fragrant.
Contrast with this the testimony OF an
Iother person, now a woman grown, who
|in her childhood used to have to submit
Ito generous doses of castor oil, given in
| the old harbarous fashion, mixed with
hot milk.
THE mere sight and smell of It turned
|my stomach" she says; when I saw
my mother coming towards the bed with
that cup Of doom in her hand, used to
shut my eyes and pray, with all the fer
vor of my childish soul, that might die
before 1t reached me. But 1t never oc-
Cured to me that I could possibly re-
fuse 10 take It,"
Even with the most obedicnt children
It Is better sometimes, as measure Of
consideration. tU vary thu simple COM
|mands by little gentle diplomacy that
may bring trifle of diversion into the
monotonous succession of dosing re-
call well one genial physician, always
remarkably successful In his treatment
Of children, who would go through the
form of presenting a tablet to each per-
son In the room, winding up the performs
ance with the small patient who was to
be benefited by the dose, drawing the
while comparisons between the dociIity'
with which the grown-ups took their
medicine and that which would be dis
played by the small boy when his turn
came,-comparisons greatly to4the adj
vantage of the junior. Mere triviality,
no doubt, but after a long siege in sick
room even trifies assume the Importance
Of events.
Diplomacy of the same order must be
practiced when 1t Is necessary to coax
cild to take food. The sense of duty
that induces an adult to eat, because II
he does not his strength will fail, is
lacking in child. He has not the grasp
on the perspective that sustains one in
present discomfort with the thought of
future good. To the child, the immedi-
ate discomfort Is everything. Mention
has already been made In these papers OF
the desirability of having a pleasing va
rlety in order to tempt the weak appetite
OF the patient. but while this is much. II
Is not enough. Nothing in the way of
dainty appointments should be wanting
on the invalid's tray. His milk should
be given to him In a pretty cup or glass.
and this should be changed from time to
time If he seems to weary of the one de-
voted to this purpose. I@recollect one
invalid who would willingly drink pep
tonized milk from red glass, although
he turned from II In distaste when II was
offered to him in a clear tumbler. An
other person--this one grown woman
suffered from utter lack of appetite for
days until she took a fancy that she
could eat IL her tray were furnished with
a god-handled knife and fork that were
among the family heirlooms. The knife
and fork were brought and the invalid
straigtway turned In and ate her food
with enjoyment. Sick people are hardly
sane in every point. and the least little
thing will make or mar meal.
So let the tray be all that there is of
daintiness In its appointments, so far
as napery. china, glass and silver are
concerned. Brighten 1t further by lay
Ing flower or two on the napkin or be-
Side the plate. Hunt up amusing stories
to tell the little invalid while he eats, SO
that he will take one mouthful after an
other, almost unconsciously. Or, for q
change, a play may be made of the |
meal. The morsels cut up on the plate !!
may be small chickens or minnows, or
little birds about to fall a prey to the fox,
or to the fish or bird hawk. Each VIC
I'm makes a remark as he is about to be |
deVoured. Or there is gulf to be filled |
and each spoonful has Its especial place
In stopping the chasm. Or the 'milhis a
Stream that must be swallowed in order
to make the way clear for the hero to
pursue the wicked giant, or to open the |
path for the heroine into fairy land. The
facility in making up such table talk
grows with practice. and certain helpfult
- .-5-z.. = Z -
The Newark Municipal Election.