Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-05-03

What has become of the rosy
checked children we used to see? Is
it because they are coddled and kept
too closely confined in the homes and
in school rooms, or is it lack OF the
right building food? Possibly some
of both.
There are many families with chill
dren living in cities, having their
homes in apartments and no yards
for them to play in. Mothers who
. cannot afford nurses, fear the danger
of having tl-2m play on the streets;
consequently they are. indoors with
games and books more than they
should be.
/ If they are within walking distance
/ of school that helps a great deal.
/ Then ventilation and sanitary condi-
tons are receiving proper attention
! both in schools and homes, so again
that is a great gain to the children.
But foods Most mothers say TO
me: MY child will not eat whole
wheat bread or eggs or drink milk"
He does not like this, or that or the
other thing. Only yesterday an in
telligent woman was asking me what
to do with her 9-year-old boy who
would eat only the things he liked
and very few of these. Upon inquiry
she, said he was well and strong"
Later, as we talked, it developed that
he was pale and nervous. That sure
Iy does not make healthy (and that
is what we mean by Handsomely chill
dren.
Suppose your child was i'll and a
physician was sent for. What would
mother think of him if he opened
his medicine case and said to the lit
tie child: What medicines would you
like? You may have whatever kind
you choose"
We know that no sane doctor would
do such a thing, but that is just what
mothers and fathers are and have
been doing for years with foods and
then wonder why their children are
pale, nervous, irritable and take cold
easily.
For healthy children a mother
should begin to eat right food her
self at least six months before the
child is born Necessary building up
is furnished at this period by the
mothers blood, hence it should be
pure and of good quality. The teeth
and bones of the child get a good
start when the mother is careful to
eat bone food such as cows milk,
eggs, especially yolks, peas, beans,
lentils (dried), whole wheat bread and
outer grains, such as oatmeal, IN
pearled barley and unpublished rice.
We have said plain cooking. That
means knowing the right foods to buy,
the best ways of cooking to retain
all the nourishment, served in a vari-
ETY. of ways and attractively and then
seeing that the child eats it. There
will be no danger but that he will like
ii, so say nothing about that part of it.
We should certainly be willing to
do as well by our children in giving
them the right food TO eat to build
bone, muscle, blood and make rosy
cheeks, as the farmer is to give just
the right food to his prize poultry
and cattle. Children properly fed need
not get sick. Their bodies will be
well fed and able to resist all so-called
children's diseases.
Fruit, natural unpublished rice and
certified or pasteurized milk, whole
wheat bread or mullins and a limited
amount of butter, about one-half al
ounce. When a cereal is eaten, dc
not give them the acid fruits such a:
grape fruit and oranges. Give ole
fashioned oatmeal, well cooked, IN
pearled barley, whole wheat and corr
meal.
: Add raisins, currants, dates and fig
10 mullins or cereal occasionally, a
this is good natural sweet which
!, children need. A child's needs viii
guide him with such food and no dan
ger of over-eating.
! Soups made of combination OF fou
OF five vegetables and greens or an
iof the thick cream soups, potatoe