The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-07-23
HOW TO SAVE BABIES.
Dr. Leonard K. Hirshberg Corrects
 Some Popular Errors.

Dr. Leonard K. Hirshberg Corrects
 Some Popular Errors. "The majority of illnes9s. especially summer diseases from which children die, are within the power of mothers to prevent" said Dr. Leonard K. Hirsh-
 berg yesterday. This result can only
 be brought about, however" he contin- #ued, through a crusade of education
 for the benefit of the general public iii
 teaching the principles of hygiene and
 the preparation of infant food. Legis-
 lation alone is not effective. and unless
 physicians are brave enough here and
 there to rise above medical prejudice
 and try even in small way to in-
 struct the public through the voice of
 the press little progress will be made in
 the prevention of disease. .,
 'In diseases common to children
 said Dr. Hirshberg, "the younger the
 child the less likely it is to recover.
 This is because of the undeveloped pow
 CTS of resistance In the infantile organ
 ization. This holds good, especially with regard to summer troubles. The feeding of children after the first year
 should be as carefully watched as dur
 ing the early months of infancy, for most of the stomach and intestinal dis
 turbances during the second year are directly traceable to errors in giving solid food. During the child's second year many of these summer complaints cah be avoided by a diet of milk. bread, a cereal food, beef or a little mutton and light fruits. s...
 INDUCED IN PREFERENCES "The common experience that many children will not take milk is due to the fact that other foods please them preferences. This should not be done, for milk should constitute the main part of the diet. When the slightest signs of intestinal derangement appears the diet should be immediately made simpler and changed into one resem- bling the first year food. with the ex- ception of an increase iii the daily quantity. In children over eighteen months old several ounces of meat pulp
 daily, whites of eggs and raw-beef juice will prevent many serious diseas- es. Fruits must be given judiciously. "In diseases accompanied by fever the food should be decreased in quanti- l ty and plenty of water given to drink. Bottle-fed infants need only have the milk diluted with more water than usual, Regularity in feeding, just as with healthy infants. at stated inter- vals must be carefully regarded; usu- ally two-hour intervals are best.
 ! "Older children who refuse to take milk should be fed upon kumyss. broth beef juice or gruel, but neverfice cream or jellies, which are only too frequently given. If a child is not gaining ir weight something is wrong and any loss in weight should be immediately investigated.
 PURE MILK NEEDED,
 "The prevention of many summer dis 1 eases among the poor is dependent I upon the opportunity they have of ob. l taining pure cows milk and knowl- I edge of how to feed 1t, and an adequate ! amount of fresh tir for each child Children should never remain long ir ! the same room or space and ventilation should complete day and night. Many troubles of infancy are directly due to \ bad air and poor food. Scurvy and | rickets are two raaladies especially 1 traceable to errors in feeding. Wheth. CT the children with this disease are