New-York tribune., 1908-09-01
THE BACHELOR AND THE BABY.

There seems to be some mistake in the way
babies are distributed remarked the old bache-
lor Most parents no more capable of TAX
ing care of a child than if they children
themselves What do 1 know about il? Well,
would have TO know very little to know less than
most of the parents / have had occasion to OBJ
serve. My particular grudge against them at the
present time is that that they don't know enough
10 give baby drink of water when il is thirsty.
Thousands of babies suffer for want of water.
Most mothers to think that when a child
has all the milk it wants drink it needs no
water. Possibly that is true when child is fed
on what nature intended 1t should have but 1t is
not true when IL is fed substitutes
The last thing the average parent thinks Of
when baby cries is that II may be thirsty. One
young couple of my acquaintance have e baby
about ten months old that used TO keep them
awake every night from 1 o'clock until day
light by continual cry. If they offered milk, he
would eagerly reach for 1t, poor child! but
soon it touched his lips he would push it back
and cry harder They warmed the milk. sweet
ened it. changed him from crib to bed. all to
purpose After than week of such trials.
the father concluded it only spunk. and tried
spanking He said they had tried everything they
could think Of. I asked, Did you try water?' No,
he did not think OF that. But the baby was not
thirsty: they offered him milk several times every
night He refused it every time. The next night
the baby got drink of water For several
months after that he would wake up every night
sleep almost Immediately. Sometimes he would
sit up and drink without opening his eyes. "a IL
he had time to spare from his sleep But at
time could milk be substituted for the water.
Yesterday I a doctors wife with her baby.
about year old. The child restless.
remarked that these hot days children often want
drink of water and can't ask for II. A drink of
water given. and the child satisfied The
mother said I guess that is what she wanted.
She often wants water and will take nothing else
in place of IL. II took a long time find out
what she wanted It is only short time since
found Il out The mother Is a normal school
graduate and taught physiology in the public
schools The father has had four years OF prac-
tice a physician.
When mothers meet they discuss their babies
and tell what time they have managing them
If babies could meet and tell what time they
having trying to teach their parents. you
might hear something like this:
Baby No. /: Just think what time had try
ing to get drink OF water last night ] cried for
four consecutive hours. Oh how suffered!
Every time cried those giants tried TO feed me
take the hint. They don't know food from drink.
They make all kinds Of extracts such as tea cof-
fee. beer wine. and call Il drink-!n fact call any
thing drink that will run down the throat
Baby No 2: We bSttle babies have a hard
tine time OF j. We seldom n get perfectly balanced
giants don't understand but try 20 please us by
ntters Worse Every GIr tim. cry hes stun ns
with something to eat. When they try 10 give
me water It is Ice cold ! kick at that
Baby No s.; I've my parents trained. When
BY @ the ss hoursad usa ali babies cried Nov When
giants think we don't know much. Maybe we
Know that none Of their msnuf.ctured drinks are
equal to water. Close hot rooms make US want
the water thsy so often faii to give US