The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-10-06

A LITTLE BUY WHO GhIIS Ills TEETH
 Our Montana reader tells me she is a reader of this column but yet has not read anything about what she is going to ask of me.
 Well try to give prompt consideration to every letter that conforms to the reasonable rules, but can't seem to get this racket organ zed quite well enough to answer these inquiries before I get 'em. -Sse.f
 Then the lady explains You see, she has a boy of five He seems perfectly healthy in every way, except that the little rascal gives his par ents, aunts and everybody much anxiety when he is asleep, for he grits his teeth in his sleep, and he has been doing so for a whole year, and mother and pop and Aunt Mary and even grandma just cant understand why he does it.
 Aunt Mary got her dander up if you can imagine her needing to do any such thing, and asked the doctor about it one day, and the doctor, poor fish. muffed 1t badly by opining that it is just nervousness" However, grand ma herself pronounces the child not the least bit nervous and ma feels pretty sure he has regular hours and well balanced diet, what ever that may be. I remember Charlie Brad burn used to balance his diet neatly enough, and it had brown sugar on top. where as the best poorer kids could get sprinkling of insipid white sugar on ours. So if this young un gets plenty of Nvell balanced diet he is lucky. Fine practice for youngsters too. balanc- ing their diet No mean trick to keep 1t bal anced and nibbe all around the edges as you come strollng back to the playgrounds to break up the game.
 I told here (perhaps it was during the blz- gard in Montana) recently how careful study of hundred more children of divers shades some of whom had worms and some of whom had none had shown that just many of the kids without worms grit their teeth in sleep as do kids with worms. So that ought to eliminate the Saireygamps from the council.
 I also told here recently that gritting the teeth in sleep is sometimes due to too acid urine which in turn is due to an insufficient propor- ton of fresh vegetables, fresh fruits and greens salad relishes in the childs diet.
 In all cases of gritting or grinding of the teeth in sleep it is probable that there is atend- ency toward spasmodic affections--doctors call this spasmophilia. Such children have spasms or convusions where normal children would have only restessness or where older persons might have chill as with the onset of any acute feverish illness such as scarlet fever. We don't understand just why certain children are spasmophilic. It may be that they happen to lack calcium in their blood, bones. soft tissues nerves. It may be that their calcium metabil- ism is deficient. It may be that their calcium food supply is deficient. It may be that they get insufficient Vitamin Dr, or insufficient sunlight (ultraviolet) naked skin or both. Anyway. no harm to try a course of cod liver oil or vi- osterol. See that the child gets plenty of the foods suggested, as we'll as plenty of fresh milk and other dairy products and fresh eggs, cooked and served to suit the child's taste.
 QUESTIONS, AND ANSWERS Physiology os Sex
 Shall appreciate your advice on choice of which gives information about sex physiology well as general physiology. (F. J.)
 Answer-Mottrams "Physiology," published w.
 Pacifier
 Years ago you helped me tremendously sim- ply by calling me a fool My sister in law has had charge of my baby much of the time. and she taught him to take pacifier. Now l find can't break him of it, and she says am silly not to let him have it. (Mrs l.. V. W)
 Answer-This time I'd have to qualify 1t some. If you let the in-laws get the baby into such bad habits you are one all right. Better take the baby off somewhere and take the paci- fer away and let him cry till he makes up his mind it is no use. Then the habit is broken. Be- sides causing deformty of the palate and of the teeth, the pacifer makes q neurotic out of the child-and if you do not stop such coddling and pamperng now you're going to have devil to control bye and bye. .... ..... ...
 No Names Given Out
 I noticed 6 party wanted Q remedy for poison ivy. If you will give me the party's name and address will he glad to send them tube of our -. CD. III. G.l
 Answer--It wasn't party. It was person. am not at liberty to give out the identity of correspondent unless the correspondent gives consent Anyway if you think you have good remedy for ivy poisoning. tell me what 1t is and if think 1t Is worth mentioning I'll mention it to correspondents who ask for such remedy. No nostrums need apply No secret hocus- pocus can go through this column.