New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1915-10-09
THE DIET OF THE SCHOOL
CHILD.

have been handed down from gen
GRAFTON to generation. Occasion.
ally magazine writers, either
"faddists," cooks, or physicians,
have tried to reform the country
in general. Medical magazines
and textbooks, Astounding in sci
entrifc material. have attempted
the instruction Of physicians.
Yet, in spite of these attempts,
people at large continue to eat
what their mothers and fathers
have always eaten-namely. those
things which taste best, and which
can be most easily obtained and
prepared, with no thought what
ever as to their desirability as
food.
When one considers that from
three to eight per cent. of our
school children are improperly
nourished, and that from twenty
to thirty per cent. are decidedly
below the physical standard, it is
obvious that knowledge Of the
causes of this impairment OF
health should be more thoroughly
disseminated. Insufficient fresh
air and lack of sleep are certain
ly important factors; but improp-
err feeding is the most important.
We all know how surely poor
nutrition predisposes to illness,
and thus indirectly to death. The
Importance Of information con-
corning good food and proper
feeding is therefore most evident.
By "good" food we mean not
only enough food, but food Of
good quality, we'll cooked, to
which nothing harmful has been
added. Proper feeding implies
careful mastication, regularity in
meals, and the avoidance of re-
lance upon one variety of food to
excess.
To supplement good feeding it
is necessary to have a good APP
petite, and the digestive organs
must be working properly. 1t
may be necessary to secure these
normal conditions by correcting
anaemia with iron and fresh air;
bu improving breathing with the
removal Of diseased tonsils or OBJ
structing adenoids; BY treating
or extrac ting decayed teeth; and
by avoiding late hours. When a
child has poor appetite, it is al
ways an indication that something
is wrong; that somewhere in it's
economy there is an abnormal
condition requiring attention.
Only a relatively small number
Of parents are financially unable
to provide properly for their fam
lilies. and the majority of these
families are assisted by private
or public charities. Some chill
dren are really starving because
of their parents craving for al
coholic drinks, the purchase of
which soon depletes a scanty
purse. It is for the future to
ork out a practical way for help
ing these unfortunates.
The majority of cases Of i'm
proper feeding Of children can
very properly be attributed to
ignorance Of food values, and ig-
norance of proper food prepare
ton. Let me briefly consider
some of the more common errors
that parents make in regard to the
feeding of their children.
Among all classes of people
over-indulgence in the use of con-
fectionery and pastry is a most
common fault. Children easily ac-
quire a liking for sweets, and
parents, relatives and friends
continue to indulge them in this
taste. Most healthy children can,
with IMMUNITY, eat sugar in mod
crate amounts; and, for time at
least. many children can consume
considerable quantities of confec-
tionery without any real harm.
AS a general rule, however, ex-
cessive eating Of sweets is one of
the most potent causes of gastric
disturbances. This is especially
true when cheap candies, often
containing mildly poisonous in
gradients, are used, and, especial
~, when such candies are eaten
on an empty stomach. Over-in-
diligence in sweets is usually ac-
companied by irregularity in eat
ing. Children should have regu-
lar meals, and eating between
meals should be discouraged. al
small amount of wholesome sweets
may be eaten, preferably at the
end Of a cal. Penny candies"
should always be svoided.
Poor cooking of food is, un.