Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1922-03-15
THE COUNTY NURSE DEPT.
Coffee


At the present time the children in
the schools are urged to drink milk,
and are requested net TO drink tea or
coffee. There is a reason for this
The rules of the Health Chart were
printed few weeks ago, but here they
are again:
Weekly bath, Ave points.
Brush teeth, twice daily, one point.
Sleep with windows open, one point
Personal cleanliness: Clean hands,
clean face, clean neck, clean ears, one
point. If in addition to this the child
sits erect in his seat, and stands
straight, he will receive gold star
5 Drink two glasses of milk a day,
no tea or coffee, one point.
The following article on coffee, is
one l have used before in county
health work in explaining COFFEE
TO children. Upon questioning children
IN the schools as to the reason for not
drinking tea or coffee, many queer
answers are given; Coffee is a dead
~ poison; 1T will make you black
1T will make your teeth come out;"
1T is not good for YOU" is the ans
wer given by the majority of pupils.
Few children seem TO know JUST
WHY they are asked not to drink
tea or coffee The following informa-
ton may be of use in instructing chill
dren about coffee. Coffee is a drink
made from the seeds of a cherry-like
berry growing upon a shrub or low
tree. While the fiavors of tea and
coffee are not the same yet both de-
pend on caffeine, for their stimulat-
ing effect. Caffeine is rapid acting
stimulant to the heart, brani, spinal
cord, muscles, respiratory center, and
kidneys.
The adult is a grown person, and
may use his own discretion as to the
use of tea or coffee. Children must
build bone, muscle tissues, good red
blood and thinking material (brain)
Such building material is found in the
following food groups:
l Milk and dishes made principally
from milk, meat, fish, poultry, fats,
and meat substitutes.
Bread and cereals.
Butter and other wholesome fats.
Vegetables and fruits.
Simple sweets.
The children will observe that cof-
fee is not included in this group of
body building materials. Coffee is not
good building material as it contains
nv tRNa ANSNNNPehhb tAiC anu HIN
or cream that may be added to make it
more palatable) so that money spent
for coffee is as good as wasted and
as Florence Nesbit says in House
hold Management" worse than vast
ed when given to children as it does
them harm.
Coffee contains the drug caffeine,
and every cup of coffee contains a
certain amount of caffeine. This is
another reason children should not
drink coffee. (Although we find this
drug in coffee, explain TO the children
that coffee is not a deadly poison"
and it does not make you black, etc.
as these statements are not true and
should be corrected.
The stimulative properties of cof-
fee will often wake us up when we
feel sleepy, or refresh us when we are
tired, but il also has the ability to
make us nervous, irritable, restless
and sleepless if we drink one or more
cups before retiring at night. Chill
dren who are habitual coffee drinkers
become nervous, irritable, and are
often hard to manage ut home and in
school These children have frequent
headaches, do not sleep we'll at night,
and are tired during the day, and as
tire mind is tired and confused the
school work is often very poorly done.
What should take the place of cof-
feet MILK, plenty of water, or weak
cocoa. Although milk is a liquid as
we drink it, milk is classified as a
FOOD. 1t contains some of all the
elements needed for days growth of
bones and teeth, besides what is need
ed for other things.
The body is likened TO house, and
the best materials obtainable are the
ONLY materials suitable for building
purposes. This house 1.-THE body) is.
the only body we are ever going to-
have so it is "up TO us" to take ex-
eellent care Of it. Milk contains all
the materials nee ssary for growth,
coffee none. Which is the better ma
terial to put into our house, the body?
Children readily answer, MILK.
Oh, Mister COTE Pot,
Twill surely make you sad
When | tell you what / heard,
1t made me pretty mad.
Someone, Mister Coffee Pot,
Said you and Mister Tea
Had never really been
Right good friends to me
You always made believe you were
But now I've found you out
II have nothing more TO do with you,
You're not true blue scout.
So farewell, Mister Coffee Pot,
To you and TO your ilk,
I've found really, truly friend,
His name is Mister Milk
PALMA II. GRAIN. Co. Nurse.