The Glenwood post., 1909-01-02
MILK FOR BABES--BUT-
TERMILk FOR ADULTS

milk is a perfect food. This is true
In sense; and in another it is alto
gether untrue and misleading
The natural food of the infant is
mothers milk. But the appalling NOR
tality Of infants is due chiefly to the
use of cows milk, carrying the seeds
of disease from the COW, the air and
water, and planting them in a soil
made favorable by improper feeding,
lack Of fresh air, bathing and ex-
ercise. Not even cereal starch kills
more infants between the ages OF one
and six than does milk in the first two
years.
Cows milk differs materially from
the infants natural food, containing
twice as much proteid and only about
half as much sugar, but the danger
lies more in the contamination of the
milk sold in the cities. Fortunately
good work is being done in many
places to remedy this evil.
Milk is called the perfect food be,
cause 1t contains all the elements nee
essary for the growth of the infant,
and in the proper proportion. But the
physical constitution and development
of the infant differ much from those
of the adult, and the food should diff
fer accordingly.
The growth of the infant in the
first six years is rapid, and large
proportion of lime is necessary to
build the bony framework. Milk is
in this respect an appropriate food for
the infant and inappropriate for the
nd, ,,lf Th1 ~F II, no,
needed for maintaining the bony
framework Of the adult, is largely de-
posted in the arteries. contributing to
the distinctive disease of old age
hardening of the arteries.
The prime cause of hardening Of the
arteries, which is also a cause of
heart failure" and of certain forms
of insanity, is auto-intoxication, or self
poisoning, resulting from the alb
sorption of waste matter from the
lower part of the alimentary canal. OF
which shall have more to say in deal
ing with Bread" in subsequent ar
ticle.
Deficiency of iron in the blood of the
adult is serious; the percentage of
iron in cows milk is small CORE
spending to the nervous inactivity of
the infant. In this particular milk is
very unsatisfactory adult diet,
though 1t sustains life indefinitely.
But the unsutability of milk to the
adult is more evident on comparing
the infant with the adult anatomy and
physiology: In the inf1nt, for in
stance, the upper part of the alimen-
tary canal is almost a straight tube,
allowing the milk to pass quickly to
the Intestine. which is adapted to its
digestion. The adult stomach is a
deeply curved pouch. which in certain
abnormal conditions retains the food
for several hours longer than the
proper time for digestion. The fer
mentation of milk alone is not always
serious, but the fermentation of meat,
cereals and fruits in the stomach,
through the agency Of milk, leads to
serious results.
The proportion Of iron in the blood
is very small, bat very important.
When 1t is found to be deficient it is
very difficult to supply it. Probably
its best source is the brown part of
wheat which is excluded from our
fine patent white fiours, of which we
shall speak later Grapes, the
brown part of wheat, cabbage (raw)
and lettuce readily supply iron.
1t has been found that persons living
exclusively on milk lack sand"
quality which the infant never needs
to display, since it is absolutely de-
pendent.
In flesh-eating animals the stomach
and liver are much larger in proper
tion than in the vegetable-eaters. An
apparent exception is found in the
Illuminating animals, like the COW,
which gathers large quantity of food
and stores 1t in the first of series of
stomachs for future chewing. The de-
velopment of the food tube indicates
the food adapted to the animal. AL
though the infant digestive organs are
better adapted to milk than the adults,
they are not perfectly adapted to
cows milk. To feed dog or child
of two years on what we eat our
selves" indicates a sympathetic but
thoughtless disposition.
Sterilized or boiled milk is open to
the same objection as roasted peanuts.
Its vitality. it's real life-giving quail
ties are largely destroyed.
It is most unfortunate that our peo-
pie are ignorant Of the value of goats
milk, especially for infant feeding.
The goat is the healthiest Of all ami
mails and the slowest to degenerate
when domesticated. Rarely, II ever,
is the goat known to contract tuber-
culosis or any other disease. The
milk is superior in every way to cows,
and the poorest can own poor mans
cow" which can be fed on the potato
peelings. cabbage leaves or anything
else that 10 clean.
Hardly any other food Is compat-
ible with milk. except uncooked.
whipped eggs, rice or toasted bread.