The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-01-02
THE RATIO OF REAL MOTHERS.



The folks in one of our largest cities read in
their paper at breakfast not long ago that S35 hit
tie children. all less than years of age, had died
in that city during the preceding week The status
tics aroused the press and people, and the leading
medical practitioner among children In the city
was 'nteryiewed.' His comment on the statistics
was brief: My surprise Is not that the $50 little
tots are dead but that the other hundreds
alive Urged to explain his impressive statement,
he added: The ignorance of the average mother
connection with the diet and care OF her child Is
so great that it is almost beyond belief" And
then the staid old physician went on to say From
an experience born of forty-three years practice
among children my conservative conclusion Is that
the ratio of real mothers III this country is less than
ten in hundred.' Ones first thought reading
so remarkable statement is to dismiss 1t Is ex-
travagant And yet if one goes into the matter
a little it is surprising and sad to find how very
close to the truth is the old physicians estimate
Interview if one will the marons of the city hos
pitfalls to whom thousands of children are yearly
brought; talk with the average practitioner among
children: come into contact with the teachers of
the young, and one soon begins to consider such
a statement with respect instead of ncredulity.
1t is positively sad to think of the criminal g-
norance which exists on the part of all too many
mothers with regard to what young child can
wisely and safely eat. A short time since L had
the curiosity TO watch the breakfast which moth
or gave 10 her little girl of sleeping car.
First. an orange: then piece of bread and but
ter (about one inch wide and three inches long,,
two pieces of dried beef, two olives, and five good
sized pieces of walnut candy! And all this at
O'Clock in the morning Finally the whole mess
was washed down by the child with large cup of
black coffee. The mother all these things
well with nursing baby in her arms. In an hour
the 3-year-old child was i'll, the mother tcar-
sick" and wondered why, and spent the rest of the
morning feeding the balance of the walnut candy
the child her side, and in dosing herself with
acid phosphates. The little child was pale. anaemic
and understood, and yet all advice offered the moth
er about the diet of her child proved absolutely
ayailing "Why, she's had those things to eat since
she baby" was her surprised rejoined, while
all the time she was allowing the child of months
in her to suck at a huge piece of the same
walnut candy as, she held it between her fingers.
AN ignorant woman" is the quick judgment Not
at all. She was above the average woman III in
telligence.
At recent luncheon boy ate the following:
Three broiled oysters two potato croquettes fried
IN deep fat). three hot raised biscuits, two ginger
snaps, slice of cake serving of coffee Jelly,
and a large cup of cambria tea The boys mother
in addition to all 3hs. offered him large slice of
fruitcakc but he didn't happen TO want it. During
the course Of the afternoon he was given, By his
mother dozen separate pieces of cream
candy. his boy is, of course, insUticently nOur-
ished and to the mother the constant ailing condi
ton of her child Is matter of absolute surprise!
4 little girl of two years and half in another
and wanted. AT meal she ate three hclpings of
fried Saratoga potato chips and two cars of green
corn, finishing with dessert of pneapple! The
little girl is languid, pale and understood, and in
a sadly anaemic condition. \ type of the in
dulgent grandparent, who undoes more in one hour
than a parent has been able to accomplish in a
week with the training of child had her little
granddaughter of years at her home to luncheon.
The grandmother belongs TO that class, comfort
ing to themselves, that "know everything about
children" vet shhe fed her grandchild two pork
chops and a boiled apple dumpling. The poor little
tot was violently i'll with catarrh of the stomach
for a week, and it was three weeks more before she
had recovered from her grandmothers wisdom
The grandmother agonized over the chd's illness,
but could absolutely responsibility on her
part. An intimation on the part of the ply
stefan that the child might have been made i'll by
so hearty % luncheon met by the all-wise
grandmothers explanation that she had raised sew
eral children of her own and that mothers in
stnct for child was infinitely surer than all the
combined knowledge Of the medical profession! 1t
this same oracle of grandmother who gave
teething child of twelve months ice cream, choco-
late layer cake and assorted cakes, and then Won
dered why the child was i'll all night.
A little chap of Is fed three times day, for
breakfast. luncheon and dinner on red meats by a
mother who has reputation throughout the coun-
try for her able discourses before Mothers clubs
on the training of children Fainly have ply
sicians endeavored to dissuade this mother from
her course. I'VE have always had chops for break
fast, steak for luncheon, and roast beef for din
ner. and see how strong and well 1Ec are,a her