The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-21
CARE OF THE BABY.


ers of Dickens must wonder how
the youth OF his day existed at all! But,
though We have. fortunately for the
children. got far away from such dras-
tic remedies, circumstances do arise
when certain amount OF dosing and
treatment Is necessary, and the first hot
weather Is emphatically one OF them.
Many minor ailments-and much bad
temper!--can be prevented by intelli-
gent anticipation: indeed, here a lesson
might be gained from the old days.
when the need OF dose was taken for
granted. Not OF course. that one would
like to see wholesale dosing resorted
to once more-indeed. there Is still far
too much flying TO medicine on all oc-
casions; but rather that the probable
need OF some corrective should be re-
membered. and the proper treatment ad-
mlnistered In time.
The first signs OF trouble are seen
in restlessness at night and fdgetiness
by day. tendency to crossness. and
often to disobedience and fretfulness:
sometimes tiny rash under the skin
Will be seen after a fairly warm bath,
and child suffers from capriciousness
OF appetite (Which is not the same
thing as loss OF appetite, though this,
shows a tendency to either constipa-
ton or diarrh9a.
Now all these. temper and troubles
OF physical conditions alike, are due to
the overheated condition OF the blood.
and little simple dosing and careful
dieting will soon mend matters. ] am
thinking, Of course, Of nursery children,
not OF infants, who are, or should be,
immune from such conditions.
In hot weather, too, danger arises
from n faulty condition in the food
sometimes; this is especially the case
with milk. and It is doubly necessary to
see that the milk used comes from q
guaranteed source, and that II Is kept
under hygienic conditions in the house.
Fruit, too. becomes q danger, and the
eating OF unripe or overripe fruit IL q
very common cause of nursery ailments.
/, Now to consider the question OF medi-
cine and dieting when the first warm
weather appears.
II For the former, when circumstances
. render 1t necessary. magnesia may be
safely recommended provided 1t Is In a
suitable form for childrens use. Any
. obvious disturbance in the internal ar
rangements should he counteracted by
this. in preference to castor oil. or even
heat the blood. tendency which is. au
contraire. counteracted in magnesia.
With older children simple saline
draught may often be given with ad-
/, vantage.
A good, homely remedy. too. II made
by simply stewing prunes in water in
, which some SIENNA pods have been
soaked, l OF. OF the pods being put into
!. one pint of boiling water and left until
, the water Is cold. Nrain the water
then. and stew / pound OF prunes in
1t, adding four or Ave tablespoonfuls
OF golden syrup; then pass the mixture
, through a sieve and keep II in a we'll
stoppered bottle, giving one teaspoonful
, as dose each morning. 1t is quite
nice to take and generally liked by
children.
In diet less meat or gravy should be
given than usual. and potatoes. too,
. should be reduced in quantity or alto
, gether omitted, while porridge, lentils.
. beans and similar foods should be
abandoned altogether. Very often a
few days strict dieting, substituting fish
or eggs entirely for meat or soup. fruit
and custard and cold milk buildings for
suet puddings of various kinds, and re-
ducing the quantity Of butter eaten, will
work wonders. Green vegetables, es-
pecially spinach, are distinctly valuable,
provided they are we'll cooked, but
salads or raw vegetables in any form
should never be given to young chill
dren. Such a diet, especially by knock
ing Off butter, and possibly some guam
tity OF the milk taken. will be somewhat
lowering. but to- combat this the addi-
ton of Horlick's matted milk to the Diet
mr. will h. bAn oil In
deed. 1t is good to let this take the place
of ordinary milk or bread and milk once
a day certainly for while.
Barley water again. when carefully
prepared is a first rate drink for chill
dren in hot weather and makes a well
come change to plain water or milk and
water; but lemonade should be only
very sparingly given, and then only
when carefully made with fresh lemons.
A child should be allowed to drink as
much as II likes either of barley water
or plain cold filtered water; the extra
persplration caused by hot weather will
often induce thirst. and the need nature
makes felt in this way should be met.
, In hot weather, too. when there Is las
situde or signs OF Ill health. one OF the
excellent patent foods should be given
for TIME. In this way the nutriment
required which is not given by the or
binary diet will be obtained. for 1t Is no
use to force a child to eat more than It
wants at ordinary meals-a very COM
mon nursery mistake in the first warm
weather. 1t is quite surprising to find
the difference which a cup of Horlick's
milk once or twice a day and a meal
, OF some good patent food Tor supper
, will make, even In few days, in a
child who is peevish and generally out
OF sorts.
The question OF fruit is a vexed one.
and with gooseberries everywhere II is
, well to put parents on their guard
Really fresh fruit, either raw or cooked,
provided 1t Is in good condition and free
from skins. strings and pips, is excel
lent--only 1t Is fairly big proviso.
Gooseberries. for instance, and rhubarb
"a very valuable nursery food th!s)
should be carefully rubbed through a
sieve after having been stewed with
raw brown sugar for young children.
Then it can be given freely, even to
quite TIMES from IL months onward,