The Washington herald., 1912-10-01
BY FRANCES SHAFFER.

Some of the statements which have
still in progress in this city. should be
thoughtfully considered by all who are
intrusted with the care and concerned
with the welfare of children.
They pleasantly upset some cut-and-
dried notions that occasionally bear
rather heavily upon the little folk who
make their way to maturity under a
rigorous sort of health system.
DIR. Woods Hutchinson's Advice.
DIR. Woods Hutchinson. of New York.
among other things. declared that a
child should be allowed to eat as often
as he wanted to; that his little stom-
ach was ''geared for a cotinuous per-
formance," and that he should have
what his system called for. II it was
sugar. why, sugar let il be. for he
needed ii and should have It. He added
that he should eat at least six times n
day until he was seven or eight years
old and, judging from certain vora-
cious appetites within my ken there
are many older lads and lassies who
might be minded to ask the indulgent
doctor to Sip along the age limit to
let them -. For the normal, healthy
and very active kiddie is perpetually
hungry, whether he is six. eight, or
several years older, and 1t is refresh
ing to hear a wise and experienced doc
tor send forth this elastic and welcome
pronunciamento:
"A child wants what he wants when
he wants il. and he ought to have it,"
Because some Of us have seen little
folk very carefully brought up, fed
only at certain hours. allowed only
narrowly stipulated things. stinted in
quantity and variety, never quite sat
isfied, forever craving what they could
not have. And, alas. We have seen them
pass on and on toward maturity. puny.
pale and undeveloped. Then we have
seen the little piggies across the way,
allowed to eat between times when they
were desperately hungry, granted
comfortable range of likeable food,
quite INDUCED, in fact: and they grew
rounder, roster and happier all the while.
In the fulnesS of ignorance We do not
attempt TO say which is the better meth
cd, but We know right well which is
the more satisfying and comfortable,
more appealing to young and healthy ap-
petites. And We hope the doctor is quite
right.
MnInutrition General.
And in this connection it was DIR. Max
Rubner, of Berlin, who said that mall
nutrition in children had become so gen.
eraI throughout the world that the ques-
ton must be seriously taken up IF the
human race is to be saved from degen-
Grafton"
And thep-do you know, what he
added?
Housekeeping Noble Art.
''Housekeeping,' he said, lis a noble
art and a high vocation and one of the
best methods OF correcting the degener-
ate tendency of the present time. Cases
of actual starvation in this day and
generation are rare, but cases of under
nourishment are common to an extent
that is horrifying."
Primarily. one supposes that is meant
to cover the unfortunate classes where
lack of money together with lack of
proper discrimination, help along the
sorry process of undernouTishment. But,
remembering the statement of DR..
Hutchinson and recalling some observa-
tions of our own, 1t really seems that
there are many well-situated, well-inten-
toned folk who have too long taken to
heart the theory that seating between
meals is a pernicious custom for little
folk. And one believes that just in the
name of health, some boys and girls in
homes where plenty reigns are denied the
very things they need to make them
grow as nature intended they should.
Let your child eat all he wants to and
as often as he wants to- says the doc
tor. and. bearing in mind the delights
attendent upon certain early and frequent
raids Upon the family larder where good
les were in abundant confusion, one is
very pleased to read the indulgent ad-
vice.
Pleasant Memory.
It's a long while ago, but memory slips
back to school days and the amazing
difference in the contents of lunch bas-
they called it-in one
Southern school of pleasant memories.
Some of the lunches were put together |
somehow. anyhow, made up of whatever |
happened to be convenient. with no spe-
cial care for the nourishment or the
appetite of the hungry little youngsters |
And some-why. they were a perpetual