The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-22

or her daily menu 70 q good deal simpler
b that Of many children living In cheap
oenernanes. Doubtless ppany wealthy fathers
and mothers do cot end drink To exoess;
out In ths3r nursery these came parents
prescribe only the sinplest foods. Even
when Mlas and Master Nnliions 90 pioniok-
Ing, hampers and baskets are not unpaoked
till tho regular meal hour comes around
When the foregoing remarks were re-
ferred TO Dr.. =, Franklin Dunseith, whose
Practice includes hundreds OF poor families
n . thickly populated district Of the West
Side, he answered oheerfully: b..
oh. yes, the smaller children In this
nsighborhood after an outing to Coney
Island or elsewhere usually have q con-
vulBion. That's tho means nature takes
to show her disapproval Of the system
Of dietary practised during such outings
which In pra otised for that matter at home
most days OF tho year. In spite of tho
fact that this district In flooded with circu.
lars giving easily understood rules for
feeding children In hot weather, it il al
most impossible TO make the vera 90 mother
realize until her child is ~aiarmingly i'll that
babies Of two years and under should never
have fruit and candy to eat and that when
they are under I've years to mix up fruit,
cake. candy, ham, cheese, beer and q few
other things IN the stomach in the course
Of the day means inevitable suffering for
the child anda hurry oaA for doctor. Yet
this sort Of thing 10 constantly happening
among the families Of tradesmen and me-
chanics. wen to do people who generally
have q little spare cash for excursions and
picnios; and 70 them. as to the very poor,
the arrival Of the fruit season works no
end OF harm.
'For example, there are Italian families
not far from here who live IA % and less
a week the year around and whose staple
Of diet Is bread. This bread, which Is ba ked
into loaves about eighteen inches In diam
eter, Ii Of good quality, and In winter when
the children eat practically nothing else
they thrive and keep well. Then the fruit
seaso arrives and the pushcart brings
to their doors fruit at one cont each. On
half o dozen pieces for q cent, fruit which
by the next morning II not sold viii go into
the garbage can, 30 near Is It TO rottemess,
and this refuse Of the market is eagerly
bought and eaten. Or they viii offer fruit
as hard as marbles and about as ripe, and
this, too, finds ready sale. In either case
the stuff is poison, and sometimes it comes
near being fatal to the eater. Even
IN cases where the fruit Is Of good quality
the quantity eaten makes 1t dangerous.
Fruit Is composed mostly Of water and
sugar. with a little fibre or moro fibre, as
the case may be; and pack q youngsters
stomach with II, or. worse stin, with fruit
and other sweets In conjunction, and the
stomach has more sugar than II can safely
take care OF. the overplus ferments and an
intestinal disturbance IL established which
may result fatally.
sMost Of the mothers in this neighborhood
have been told this at one time or another
by one or another physician, but that
does not prevent every family on an outing
from filing the lunch basket with bananas,
the least to 30 desired fruit for children
for any one, In faot-and cakes and pies,
which arc administered In half hourly In
stalments all day long. Yes, II n the poor
than the rich who eat too much.
Here Il the advice I give respecting days
outings. Supposing somethin warm Ia
for breakfast, which ought to be
milk for children under 2
years. a cereal or other light dish for those
that breakfast Is eaten at 8
or earlier; then 1t would be far better
II the lunch boxes were left untouched till
noon, except, OF course. Ia the case OF the
By that time the fresh air, whether
down the Bay or up the Hudson, or over
In Bronx Park. viii promote q healthy ap-
provided the stomach is let alone
and the children and adults.
too, will be ready to relish plain, hearty
food like cold meat and bread and butter,
which may be topped of with fruit and
cake and candy without injury.
knowing most OF the pionickers as well
40 I do, I generally qualify this prescription.
which I know very well will not be followed,
BY advising that II they find 1t impossible
to wait till noon, to stay their hunger at 10
or 80 with q sandwich or bread and
butter only. and not blunt their appetite
Tor lunch by eating fruit and cake, which
Iorty- times out Of fifty Is exactly
what they insist or doing. Again, II q
hearty noon meal IL eaten, the stomach Is
he better for resting till early supper time.
but I qualify this statement also by eaying
Il hunger insists, give between times bread
and butter, not sweets. II his menu were
followed, topping of with a supper Of bread
md warm milk or milk colored with toa,
which some children prefer, it would mean
sating five times q day, which ought surely
o be enough for any one. and that boys
md girls. and grown folks, too. would
back from a days outing helped
instead Of harmed; also that commissions
would be less common.
But no.. the fashion in this quarter Is
lunches, especially during trips
lway from home. and / don't believe the
fashion IL at all likely to change very soon, |
40 matter what the physicians preach
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