THE CARE AND FEEDING OF CHILDREN

A CATECHISM FOR THE USE OF MOTHERS AND CHILDREN'S NURSES

By

L. EMMETT HOLT, M.D., LL.D.

PROFESSOR OF DISEASES OF CHILDREN IN THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS (COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY)

ATTENDING PHYSICIAN TO THE BABIES' HOSPITAL AND THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL, NEW YORK

Fourth Edition, Revised and Enlarged

NEW YORK AND LONDON D. APPLETON AND COMPANY

1907

COPYRIGHT, 1894, 1897, 1903, 1906 By D. APPLETON AND COMPANY

[Transcriber's Note: The text scans did not include a Table of Contents so the following has been added for the convenience of the reader.]

CONTENTS

I. THE CARE OF CHILDREN

Bathing Genital Organs Eyes Mouth Skin Clothing Napkins Nursery Airing Weight, Growth, and Development Dentition

II. INFANT FEEDING

Nursing Weaning Artificial Feeding Selection and Care of Milk Used for Infant Feeding Modification of Cow's Milk Food for Healthy Infants—The Early Months Food for Healthy Infants—The Later Months General Rules for Guidance in the Use of the Formulas Given Addition of Other Foods to Milk Overfeeding Loss of Appetite Changes in Food Required by Special Symptoms or Conditions Common Mistakes in Milk Modification and Infant Feeding Preparation of Cow's Milk at Home Directions for Feeding Infants Intervals of Feeding Regularity in Feeding Sterilized Milk Modified Milk of the Milk Laboratories Peptonized Milk Feeding During the Second Year Feeding During the Third Year

III. THE DIET OF OLDER CHILDREN

Milk and Cream Eggs Meats and Fish Vegetables Cereals Broths and Soups Bread, Crackers, and Cakes Desserts Fruits Indigestion in Older Children General Rules to be Observed in Feeding Food Formulas

IV. MISCELLANEOUS

Bowels Sleep Exercise Cry Lifting Children Temperature Nervousness Toys Kissing Convulsions Foreign Bodies Colic Earache Croup Contagious Diseases Scurvy Constipation Diarrhoea Bad Habits Vaccination Weight Charts



THE CARE AND FEEDING OF CHILDREN



PART I

THE CARE OF CHILDREN

BATHING

At what age may a child be given a full tub bath?

Usually when ten days old; it should not be given before the cord has come off.

How should the bath be given?

It should not be given sooner than one hour after feeding. The room should be warm; if possible there should be an open fire. The head and face should first be washed and dried; then the body should be soaped and the infant placed in the tub with its body well supported by the hand of the nurse. The bath should be given quickly, and the body dried rapidly with a soft towel, but with very little rubbing.

At what temperature should the bath be given?

For the first few weeks at 100 deg. F.; later, during early infancy, at 98 deg. F.; after six months, at 95 deg. F.; during the second year, from 85 deg. to 90 deg. F.

With what should the bath be given?

Soft sponges are useful for bathing the body, limbs and scalp. There should be a separate wash-cloth for the face and another for the buttocks.

What are the objections to bath sponges?

When used frequently, they become very dirty and are liable to cause infection of the eyes, mouth or genital organs.

Under what circumstances should the daily tub bath be omitted?

In the case of very feeble or delicate infants on account of the exposure and fatigue, and in all forms of acute illness except by direction of the physician. In eczema and many other forms of skin disease much harm is often done by bathing with soap and water, or even with water alone.

GENITAL ORGANS

How should the genital organs of a female child be cleansed?

Best with fresh absorbent cotton and tepid water, or a solution of boric acid, two teaspoonfuls to the pint. This should be done carefully at least once a day. If any discharge is present, the boric-acid solution should invariably be used twice a day. Great care is necessary at all times to prevent infection which often arises from soiled napkins.

How should the genital organs of a male child be cleansed?

In infancy and early childhood the foreskin should be pushed back at least twice a week while the child is in his bath, and the parts thus exposed washed gently with absorbent cotton and water.

If the foreskin is tightly adherent and cannot readily be pushed back, the physician's attention should be called to it. The nurse or mother should not attempt forcible stretching.

When is circumcision advisable?

Usually, when the foreskin is very long and so tight that it cannot be pushed back without force; always, when this condition is accompanied by evidences of local irritation or difficulty in passing water.

EYES

How should the eyes of a little baby be cleansed?

With a piece of soft linen or absorbent cotton and a lukewarm solution of salt or boric acid,—one half of an even teaspoonful to one pint of water.

If pus appears in the eyes, what should be done?

They should be cleansed every hour with a solution of boric acid (ten grains to one ounce of water). If the lids stick together, a little vaseline from a tube should be rubbed upon them at night. If the trouble is slight, this treatment will control it; if it is severe, a physician should be called immediately, as delay may result in loss of eyesight.

MOUTH

How is an infant's mouth to be cleansed?

An excellent method is by the use of a swab made by twisting a bit of absorbent cotton upon a wooden toothpick. With this the folds between the gums and lips and cheeks may be gently and carefully cleansed twice a day unless the mouth is sore. It is not necessary after every feeding. The finger of the nurse, often employed, is too large and liable to injure the delicate mucous membrane.

What is sprue?

It appears on the lips and inside the cheeks like little white threads or flakes. It is also called thrush. In bad cases it may cover the tongue and the whole of the inside of the mouth.

How should a mouth be cleansed when there is sprue?

It should be washed carefully after every feeding or nursing with a solution of borax or bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), one even teaspoonful to three ounces of water, and four times a day the boric-acid solution mentioned should be used.

SKIN

How should the infant's skin be cared for to prevent chafing?

First, not too much nor too strong soap should be used; secondly, careful rinsing of the body; thirdly, not too vigorous rubbing, either during or after the bath; fourthly, the use of dusting powder in all the folds of the skin,—under the arms, behind the ears, about the neck, in the groin, etc. This is of the utmost importance in very fat infants.

If the skin is very sensitive and chafing easily produced, what should be done?

No soap should be used, but bran or salt baths given instead.

How should a bran bath be prepared?

One pint of wheat bran should be placed in a bag of coarse muslin or cheese-cloth, and this put in the bath water. It should then be squeezed for five minutes until the water resembles a thin porridge.

How should a salt bath be prepared?

A teacupful of common salt or sea salt should be used to each two gallons of water.

How should the buttocks be cared for?

This is the most common place for chafing, as the parts are so frequently wet and soiled; hence the utmost pains should be taken that all napkins be removed as soon as they are wet or soiled, and the parts kept scrupulously clean.

If the parts have become chafed, what should be done?

Only bran and salt baths should be used, and in very severe cases even these may have to be omitted for a day or two. The parts may be cleansed with sweet oil and a little absorbent cotton, and the skin kept covered with a dusting powder composed of starch two parts, boric acid one part.

What is prickly heat, and how is it produced?

It consists of fine red pimples, and is caused by excessive perspiration and the irritation of flannel underclothing.

How should it be treated?

Muslin or linen should be put next to the skin; the entire body should be sponged frequently with equal parts of vinegar and water, and plenty of the starch and boric-acid powder mentioned should be used.

CLOTHING

What are the most essential things in the clothing of infants?

That the chest shall be covered with soft flannel, the limbs well protected but not confined, and the abdomen supported by a broad flannel band, which should be snug but not too tight. It is important that the clothing should fit the body. If it is too tight it interferes with the free movements of the chest in breathing, and by pressing upon the stomach sometimes causes the infant to vomit soon after swallowing its food. If the clothing is too loose it is soon thrown into deep folds or bunches, which cause much discomfort. No pins should be used, but, instead all bands about the body should be basted. The petticoats should be supported by shoulder straps.

How should the infant be held during dressing and undressing?

Nothing is more awkward than to attempt to dress a young baby in a sitting posture. It should lie upon the nurse's lap until quite old enough to sit alone, the clothing being drawn over the child's feet, not slipped over the head.

Of what use is the band?

It protects the abdomen, but its most important use is to support the abdominal walls in very young infants, and in this way to prevent the occurrence of rupture.

How long is this band required?

The snug flannel band, not usually more than four months. In healthy infants this may then be replaced by the knitted band, which may be worn up to eighteen months. The band is an important article of dress in the case of thin infants whose abdominal organs are not sufficiently protected by fat. With such, or with those prone to diarrhoea, it is often advisable to continue the band until the third year.

What changes are to be made in the clothing of infants in the summer?

Only the thinnest gauze flannel undershirts should be worn, and changes in temperature should be met by changes in the outer garments. The greatest care should be taken that children are not kept too hot in the middle of the day, while extra wraps should be used morning and evening, especially at the seashore or in the mountains.

Should older children be allowed to go with their legs bare?

If strong and well there is no objection to this in very hot weather. In cold weather, however, it is doubtful if any children are benefited by it, particularly in a changeable climate like that of New York. Many delicate children are certainly injured by such attempts at hardening.

What sort of underclothing should be worn during cold weather?

Never the heaviest weight, even in winter. Four grades are usually sold, the next to the heaviest being thick enough for any child.

Do little children require as heavy flannels as older people?

Not as a rule. They usually live in a warm nursery; their circulation is active; and they always perspire easily during their play. When they go out of doors, the addition of coats and leggings renders thick flannels unnecessary.

Are not many little children clothed too thinly for the ordinary house?

Very few. The almost invariable mistake made in city homes is that of excessive clothing and too warm rooms. These two things are among the most frequent reasons for their taking cold so easily.

NAPKINS

How should napkins be taken care of?

They should he immediately removed from the nursery when soiled or wet. Soiled napkins should be kept in a receptacle with a tight cover, and washed as soon as possible.

Should napkins which have been only wet be used a second time without washing?

It is no doubt better to use only fresh napkins, but there is no serious objection to using them twice unless there is chafing of the skin. Clean napkins, changed as soon as wet or soiled, are of much importance in keeping the skin healthy.

What are the important things to be observed in washing napkins?

Soiled napkins should not be allowed to dry, but should receive a rough washing at once; they should then be kept in soak in plain water until a convenient time for washing,—at least once every day,—when they should be washed in hot suds and boiled at least fifteen minutes. Afterward they should be very thoroughly rinsed or they may irritate the skin, and ironed without starch or blueing. They should never be used when clamp.

NURSERY

What are the essentials in a good nursery?

The furnishings should be very simple, and unnecessary hangings and upholstered furniture should be excluded. As large a room as possible should be selected—one that is well ventilated, and always one in which the sun shines at some part of the day, as it should be remembered that an average child spends here at least three fourths of its time during the first year. The nursery should have dark shades at the windows, but no extra hangings or curtains; about the baby's crib nothing but what can be washed should be allowed. The air should be kept as fresh and as pure as possible. There should be no plumbing no drying of napkins or clothes, no cooking of food, and no gas burning at night. A small wax night-light answers every purpose.

How should a nursery be heated?

Best by an open fire; next to this by a Franklin stove. The ordinary hot-air furnace of cities has many objections, but it is not so bad as steam heat from a radiator in the room. A gas stove is even worse than this, and should never be used, except, perhaps, for a few minutes during the morning bath.

At what temperature should a nursery be kept during the day?

Best, 66 deg. to 68 deg. F., measured by a thermometer hanging three feet from the floor. Never should the temperature be allowed to go above 70 deg. F.

At what temperature during the night?

During the first two or three months, not below 65 deg. F. After three months the temperature may go as low as 55 deg. F. After the first year it may be 50 deg. or even 45 deg. F.

At what age may the window be left open at night?

Usually after the third month, except when the outside temperature is below freezing point.

How often should the nursery be aired?

At least twice a day—in the morning after the child's bath, and again in the evening before the child is put to bed for the night. This should be done thoroughly, and the child should be removed meanwhile to another apartment. It is well to air the nursery whenever the child is out of the room.

What symptoms are seen in a child who is kept in too hot a room?

It becomes pale, loses appetite, shows symptoms of indigestion, occasionally vomits, stops gaining in weight, perspires very much, and takes cold easily because of this and also because of the great difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures. Its condition may be such as to lead one to suspect very serious illness.

AIRING

How early may airing indoors he commenced and how long may it be continued?

Airing in the room may be begun, even in cold weather, when the child is one month old, at first for only fifteen minutes at a time. This period may be gradually lengthened by ten or fifteen minutes each day until it is four or five hours. This airing may be continued in almost all kinds of weather.

Is there not great danger of a young baby's taking cold when aired in this manner?

Not if the period is at first short and the baby accustomed to it gradually. Instead of rendering the child liable to take cold, it is the best means of preventing colds.

How should such an airing be given?

The child should be dressed with bonnet and light coat as if for the street and placed in its crib or carriage which should stand a few feet from the window All the windows are then thrown wide open, but the doors closed to prevent draughts. Screens are unnecessary.

At what age may a child go out of doors?

In summer, when one week old; in spring and fall, usually at about one month; in winter, when about three months old, on pleasant days, being kept in, the sun and out of the wind.

What are the best hours for airing out of doors?

In summer and early autumn a child may be out almost any time between seven in the morning and sunset; in winter and early spring, a young child only between 10 or 11 A.M. and 3 P.M., although this depends somewhat upon the climate. In New York and along the Atlantic coast the early mornings are apt to be damp and the afternoons raw and cloudy.

On what kind of days should a baby not go out?

In sharp winds, when the ground is covered with melting snow, and when it is extremely cold. A child under four months old should not usually go out if the thermometer is below freezing point; nor one under eight months old if it is below 20 deg. F.

What are the most important things to be attended to when the child is out in its carriage?

To see that the wind never blows in its face, that its feet are properly covered and warm, and that the sun is never allowed to shine directly into its eyes when the child is either asleep or awake.

Of what advantage to the child is going out?

Fresh air is required to renew and purify the blood, and this is just as necessary for health and growth as proper food.

What are the effects produced in infants by fresh air?

The appetite is improved, the digestion is better, the cheeks become red, and all signs of health are seen.

Is there any advantage in having a child take its airing during the first five or six months in the nurse's arms?

None whatever. A child can be made much more comfortable in a baby carriage, and can be equally well protected against exposure by blankets and the carriage umbrella.

What are the objections to an infant's sleeping out of doors?

There are no real objections. It is not true that infants take cold more easily when asleep than awake, while it is almost invariably the case that those who sleep out of doors are stronger children and less prone to take cold than others.

What can be done for children who take cold upon the slightest provocation?

They should be kept in cool rooms, especially when asleep They should not wear such heavy clothing that they are in a perspiration much of the time. Every morning the body, particularly the chest and back, should be sponged with cold water (50 deg. to 60 deg. F.).

How should this cold sponge bath be given?

The child should stand in a tub containing a little warm water, and a large bath sponge filled with cold water should be squeezed two or three times over the body. This should be followed by a vigorous rubbing with a towel until the skin is quite red. This may be used at three years, and often at two years. For infants a little higher temperature (65 deg. to 70 deg.) may be used.

WEIGHT, GROWTH, AND DEVELOPMENT

Of what importance is the weight of the child?

Nothing else tells so accurately how well it is thriving.

During the first year a record of the weight is almost indispensable; throughout childhood it is of much interest and is the best guide to the physical condition. It will well repay any mother or nurse to keep such a record.

How frequently should a child be weighed?

Every week during the first six months, and at least once in two weeks during the last six months of the first year. During the second year a child should be weighed at least once a month.

How rapidly should an infant gain in weight during the first year?

There is usually a loss during the first week of from four to eight ounces; after this a healthy child should gain from four to eight ounces a week up to about the sixth month. From six to twelve months the gain is less, usually from two to four ounces a week.

Is it to be expected that bottle-fed infants will gain as rapidly as those who are nursed?

They seldom do so during the first month; after that time under favourable circumstances the gain is usually quite as regular, and during the latter half of the first year it is likely to be more continuous than in a nursing infant, because the latter usually loses weight at the time of weaning.

Why do they not gain so rapidly at first?

It takes a few weeks for the stomach to become accustomed to cow's milk, and until this is accomplished it is necessary to make the milk very weak or the child's digestion will be upset.

For a child of average weight at birth (seven to seven and a half pounds) what should be the weight at the different periods during the first year?

At three months it should be twelve to thirteen pounds; at six months, fifteen to sixteen pounds; at nine months, seventeen to eighteen pounds; at one year, twenty to twenty-two pounds. At five months a healthy child will usually double its weight, and at twelve months it will nearly treble its weight.

Do all healthy infants gain steadily in weight during the first year?

As a rule they do; yet it is seldom the case that one gains every week for the entire year. With most infants there are from time to time periods of a few weeks in which no gain is made. These are more often seen from the seventh to the tenth month and frequently occur when the child is cutting teeth, sometimes during very hot weather.

Is it true that every infant who gains rapidly in weight is thriving normally?

Not invariably. Some who are fed upon prepared infant foods increase rapidly in weight but not in strength, nor in their development in other respects.

Is the weight of as much value in the second year as a guide to the child's condition?

After the first year, the gain in weight is seldom continuous; there are many interruptions, some depend on season, and others often occur without apparent cause.

At what age should the fontanel close?

The average is about eighteen months. It seldom closes earlier than fourteen months, and it should not be open at two years.

At what age should a child hold up its head?

As a rule during the fourth month, and often during the third month, the head can be held erect when the body is supported.

When does an infant first laugh aloud?

Usually from the third to the fifth month.

When does it begin to reach for toys and handle them?

Usually from the fifth to the seventh month.

At what age should a child be able to sit and to stand alone?

At seven or eight months a healthy child is usually able to sit erect and support the body. During the ninth and tenth months are usually seen the first attempts to bear the weight upon the feet, and at eleven or twelve months most children can stand with assistance.

When should a child walk alone?

The first attempts are generally seen in the twelfth or thirteenth month. At fifteen or sixteen months the average child is able to run alone.

What conditions postpone these events?

Prematurity, a very delicate constitution, any severe or prolonged illness, and especially chronic disturbances of digestion making feeding difficult. A common cause of late sitting, standing, or walking is rickets.

Should a child be urged to walk?

Never; he is usually quite willing to do so as soon as his muscles and bones are strong enough. None of the contrivances for teaching children to walk are to be advised.

When do children begin to talk?

Generally at one year a child can say "papa" and "mamma" or other single words. At the end of the second year the average child is able to put words together in short sentences.

If at two years the child makes no attempt to speak, what should be suspected?

Either that the child is a deaf-mute or that it is mentally deficient, although this is occasionally seen in children who are only very backward.

Table showing the Average Weight, Height, and Circumference of Head and Chest of Boys[1]

At birth Weight 7-1/2 pounds. Height 20-1/2 inches. Chest 13-1/2 " Head 14 "

One year Weight 21 pounds. Height 29 inches. Chest 18 " Head 18 "

Two years Weight 26-1/2 pounds. Height 32-1/2 inches. Chest 19 " Head 19 "

Three years Weight 31 pounds. Height 35 inches. Chest 20 " Head 19-1/2 "

Four years Weight 35 pounds. Height 38 inches. Chest 20-3/4 " Head 19-3/4 "

Five years Weight 41 pounds. Height 41-1/2 inches. Chest 21-1/2 " Head 20-1/2 "

Six years Weight 45 pounds. Height 44 inches. Chest 23 "

Seven years Weight 49-1/2 pounds. Height 46 inches. Chest 23-1/2 "

Eight years Weight 54-1/2 pounds. Height 48 inches. Chest 24-1/2 "

Nine years Weight 60 pounds. Height 50 inches. Chest . 25 "

Ten years Weight 66-1/2 pounds. Height 52 inches. Chest 26 "

The above weights are with ordinary house clothes.

[1] Weights for the first four years are without clothes.

The weight of girls is on the average about one pound less than boys. They are about the same in height.

Charts showing weight curve for the first year, and from one year to fourteen years are given at the end of this book.

DENTITION

How many teeth are there in the first set?

Twenty.

What is the time of their appearance?

The two central lower teeth are usually the first to appear, and come from the fifth to the ninth month; next are the four upper central teeth, which come from the eighth to the twelfth month. The other two lower central teeth and the four front double teeth come from the twelfth to the eighteenth month. Then follow the four canine teeth, the two upper ones being known as the "eye teeth," and the two lower as the "stomach teeth"; they generally come between the eighteenth and the twenty-fourth month. The four back double teeth, which complete the first set, come between the twenty-fourth and thirtieth month.

At one year a child usually has six teeth. At one and a half years, twelve teeth. At two years, sixteen teeth. At two and a half years, twenty teeth.

What are the causes of variation?

The time of appearance of the teeth varies in different families; in some they come very early, in others much later. The teeth may come late as a result of prolonged illness and also from rickets.

What symptoms are commonly seen with teething?

In healthy children there is very often fretfulness and poor sleep for two or three nights; there may be loss of appetite, so that only one half the usual amount of food is taken; there is salivation or drooling, and often slight fever; there may be some symptoms of indigestion, such as vomiting or the appearance of undigested food in the stools. In delicate children all these symptoms may be much more severe.

How long do these symptoms last?

Usually only three or four days; but there may be no gain in weight for two or three weeks.

What is the cause of most of the other symptoms attributed to teething?

Nearly all of them come from indigestion due to bad feeding.



PART II

INFANT FEEDING

What is the best infant food?

Mother's milk.

Of what is mother's milk composed?

Thirteen parts solids and eighty-seven parts water.

What are the solids?

Fat, sugar, proteids, and salts.

What is the fat?

The cream.

What is the sugar?

It is lactose, or milk sugar.

What are the proteids?

The curd of the milk.

Are all these elements necessary?

Yes; we cannot expect to rear a healthy infant unless they are all in his food.

Of what use is the fat?

It is needed for the growth of the bones, the nerves, the fat of the body, and the production of heat.

Of what use is the sugar?

It is needed for the production of heat, and to make fat in the body.

Of what use are the proteids?

They are needed for the growth of the cells of the body, such as those of the blood, the various organs, and the muscles.

Of what use are the salts?

Particularly for the growth of bone.

Of what use is the water?

By means of the water the food is kept in a state of minute subdivision or in solution, so that the delicate organs of a young infant can digest it. It is also necessary to enable the body to get rid of its waste.

NURSING

Should all mothers attempt to nurse their children?

As a rule they should do so, but there are many conditions when they should not.

What are the most important ones?

If the mother has or has had tuberculosis or any other serious chronic disease, or is herself in very delicate health, she should not try. She is likely soon to fail in nourishing her child, and the attempt may do herself much harm as well as injure the child.

How often should infants be nursed during the first two days of life?

Usually only four or five times daily, since there is very little milk secreted at this time.

When does the milk come in abundance?

Usually on the third day, sometimes not until the fourth or fifth day.

Should the infant be fed anything additional during the first two days?

Usually not; if much food were necessary, we may be sure Nature would have provided it. Water, however, should be given regularly.

How frequently should an infant be nursed during the first week?

After the third day, every two hours during the day and twice during the night. The frequency during the rest of the first year is given in the following table:

————————————————————————————————— PERIOD. Nursings in Interval Night nursings 24 hours. by day. (10 P.M. to 6 A.M.). ————————————————————————————————— 1st and 2d day 4 6 hours. 1 3 days to 6 weeks 10 2 " 2 6 weeks to 3 months 8 2-1/2 " 2 3 to 5 months 7 3 " 1 5 to 12 months 6 3 " 0 —————————————————————————————————

How long should the child be kept at the breast for one nursing?

Not over twenty minutes.

Should the child take both breasts at one nursing?

If the milk is very abundant one breast may be sufficient, otherwise both breasts may be taken.

What are the important things to be attended to in nursing?

First, regularity; it is just as important as in the case of bottle-feeding. Secondly, the nipples should be kept clean by being washed after every nursing.

What should be the diet of a nursing mother?

She should have a simple but generous diet with plenty of fluids; three regular meals may be given and gruel, milk, or cocoa at bed-time and sometimes between meals. She may take eggs, cereals, most soups, and nearly all vegetables, avoiding sour fruits, salads, pastry, and most desserts. Meat should not be taken more than twice daily, and in many cases but once. She should take but little tea or coffee, and ordinarily no wine or beer.

Are fruits likely to disturb a nursing infant?

Sour fruits in some cases may do so, but sweet fruits and most cooked fruits are useful.

What else is important in the life of the nursing mother?

She should lead a simple natural life; should have regular out-of-door exercise, preferably walking or driving, as soon after her confinement as her condition will permit. She should have regular movements from the bowels daily. She should be as free as possible from unnecessary cares and worry; her rest at night should be disturbed as little as possible; she should lie down for at least one hour in the middle of the day.

Does the nervous condition of the mother affect the milk?

Very much more than her diet; worry, anxiety, fatigue, loss of sleep, household cares, social dissipation etc., have more than anything else to do with the failure of the modern mother as a nurse. Uncontrolled emotions, grief, excitement, fright, passion, may cause milk to disagree with the child; at times they may excite acute illness, and at other times they may cause a sudden and complete disappearance of the milk.

Does menstruation affect the milk?

In nearly all cases the quantity of milk is lessened so that the infant is not satisfied and may gain less in weight or not at all. In many cases the quality of the milk is also affected to such a degree as to cause slight disturbances of digestion, such as restlessness, colic, and perhaps some derangement of the bowels. In a few, attacks of acute indigestion are excited.

Is regular menstruation a reason for stopping nursing?

Not invariably; as a rule both functions do not go on together. But if the child is gaining regularly in weight between the periods, nursing may be continued indefinitely, although it may be well to feed the infant wholly or in part during the first day or two that the mother is unwell.

What symptoms indicate that a nursing infant is well nourished?

The child has a good colour, sleeps for two or three hours after nursing, or, if awake, is quiet, good-natured, and apparently comfortable. It has normal movements of the bowels and gains steadily in weight.

What symptoms indicate that a child who is nursing is not properly nourished?

It does not gain and may even lose in weight. It no longer exhibits its usual energy and playfulness, but is either listless and indifferent or cross, fretful and irritable, and is apt to sleep poorly. It grows pale and anaemic and its tissues become soft and flabby. When the milk is scanty it will often nurse a long time at the breasts, sometimes three quarters of an hour, before stopping. At other times it may take the breast for a moment only, and then turn away in apparent disgust.

What should be done when such symptoms appear?

This depends upon the severity of the symptoms and how long they have lasted. If the child has made no gain for three or four weeks, or is losing weight, immediate weaning will probably be necessary; in any case, other food in addition to the breast milk should be given at once. One may begin by alternating the nursing and the bottle-feeding and increase the number of bottle-feedings as may be indicated by the results.

Is there any objection to a baby being partly nursed and partly fed?

None whatever; it is often better from the outset to feed the baby during the night, in order not to disturb the mother's rest.

What symptoms indicate that the mother's milk disagrees with the child?

The child suffers from almost constant discomfort sleeps; little and then restlessly, cries a great deal, belches gas from the stomach, and passes much by the bowels, or if not passed, the gas accumulates and causes abdominal distention and colicky pain. There may be vomiting, but more often the trouble is intestinal. Sometimes the bowels are constipated, but usually the movements are frequent, loose, green, contain mucus and are passed with much gas.

What should be done under these circumstances?

If the symptoms have persisted for two or three weeks and the child is not gaining in weight, there is little chance of improvement, and the child should be taken from the breast at once. If there is some gain in weight, one may try for a little longer, endeavouring to improve the mother's milk by rest, fresh air, careful diet, etc. However, one should always realize that the trouble is with the milk, not with the child.

What changes should be made if a nursing infant habitually vomits?

If this occurs soon after nursing, the infant has usually taken too much and the time of nursing should be shortened, or one breast may be given instead of two; the nursing should also be interrupted by occasional rests, so that the milk is not taken too fast.

If the vomiting occurs some time after nursing and is repeated, it is a sign of indigestion; often because the milk is too rich in fat. The intervals between nursings should then be lengthened; the breast milk may be diluted by giving one or two tablespoonfuls of plain boiled water, lime-water, or barley-water, five or ten minutes before nursing; the mother should eat less hearty food, especially less meat.

What should be done if the infant has frequent or habitual colic?

This is usually because the milk is too rich in proteids; the mother should take more out-of-door exercise, eat less meat, and seek to control her emotions; all causes of worry should be removed.

Can constipation in a nursing infant be controlled through the mother's milk?

Only to a limited extent. It is important that the mother's bowels be regular and her digestion good. An increase in the meat and milk of her diet is sometimes beneficial.

WEANING

At what age should the child be weaned from the breast?

Usually weaning should be begun at nine or ten months by substituting one feeding a day for one nursing, later two feedings, and thus gradually the child is to be taken from the breast altogether.

What is the principal reason for weaning earlier?

The most important one is that the child is not thriving—not gaining in weight and not progressing normally in its development. Serious illness of the mother, or pregnancy, may make weaning necessary.

At what age should the weaning be completed?

Generally at one year. In summer it may sometimes be advisable to nurse an infant a little longer rather than wean in warm weather; but even then the dangers of weaning are much less than those of continuing to nurse, as is so often done, after the milk has become very scanty and poor in quality.

When should a child who is weaned from the breast be taught to drink from the cup, and when to take the bottle?

If weaning is done as early as the eighth or ninth month it is better to give the bottle; if from the tenth to the twelfth month the infant should be taught to drink or be fed with a spoon.

How may some of the difficulties in weaning be overcome?

By feeding every nursing infant once a day or by giving it water regularly from a feeding-bottle. It then becomes accustomed to the bottle. This is a matter of great convenience during the whole period of nursing when the mother or nurse is from necessity away from the child for a few hours; when more feeding is required at weaning time the child does not object.

When should a child be weaned from the bottle?

With children who are not ill, weaning from the bottle should invariably be begun at the end of the first year, and after a child is thirteen or fourteen months old the bottle should not be given except at the night feeding.

Is there any objection to the child's taking the bottle until it is two or three years old?

There are no advantages and some serious objections. Older children often become so attached to the bottle that only with the greatest difficulty can they be made to give it up. Frequently they will refuse all solid food, and will take nothing except from the bottle so long as it is given, and when finally at three or four years, it is taken away, they will not touch milk during the rest of their childhood. The difficulty is here that children form the "bottle habit." This habit is troublesome, unnecessary, and should by all means be prevented. An exclusive diet of milk for children of two or three years often results in anaemia and malnutrition.

How should one train a child to do without the bottle?

This is usually very easy if it is begun at one year. The milk should be poured into a tiny glass or cup and little by little the child is taught to drink; at first only a small portion of the food is taken in this way, the balance being given from the bottle; but in the course of a few weeks the average infant learns to drink from a cup without difficulty, and all the food can be so given.

If the child is two or more years old, the only effective means of weaning from the bottle is through hunger. The bottle should be taken away at once and entirely, and nothing allowed except milk from a cup until the child takes this willingly. Sometimes a child will go an entire day without food, occasionally as long as two days, but one should not be alarmed on this account and yield. This is a matter of the child's will and not of his digestion, and when once he has been conquered it is seldom that any further trouble is experienced. As soon as a child has learned to drink his milk from a cup, cereals and other solid foods may gradually be added to the diet. The educational value of such training is not the least important consideration.

Can a baby just weaned take cow's milk of the same proportions as one of the same age who has had cow's milk from birth?

Very rarely; to give a baby who has had nothing but the breast from birth, plain cow's milk, or even that milk which a bottle-fed baby of the same age might take, is almost certain to cause indigestion. The change in the food is quite a marked one, and should be made gradually by beginning with a very weak milk and increasing its strength as the baby becomes accustomed to take cow's milk.

What would be the proper proportions for an infant weaned at four or five months?

About the same as for a healthy bottle-fed infant of two months; the quantity of course should be larger. The food can in most cases be gradually increased so that in two or three weeks the usual strength for the age can be taken.

What would be the proper proportions for an infant weaned at nine or ten months?

About the same as for a bottle-fed infant at four or five months, to be increased as indicated above.

Will not a child lose in weight when placed upon so low a diet?

Very often it will do so for the first week or two, but after that will gain quite regularly; the acute indigestion, however, which generally accompanies the use of stronger milk will, in most cases, cause a greater loss.

ARTIFICIAL FEEDING

What foods contain all the elements present in mother's milk?

The milk of other animals,—cow's milk being the only one which is available for general use.

Is it not possible for infants to thrive upon other foods than those containing fresh milk?

They may do so for a time, but never permanently. The long-continued use of other foods as the sole diet is attended with great risk.

What are the dangers of such foods?

Frequently scurvy is produced (see page 141), often rickets, and in other cases simply a condition of general malnutrition,—the child does not thrive, is pale, and its muscles are soft and flabby.

THE SELECTION AND CARE OF MILK USED FOR INFANT FEEDING

What are the essential points in milk selected for the feeding of infants?

That it comes from healthy cows, and that it is clean and fresh.

Is it not important to select a rich milk?

By no means; in fact the very rich milk of highly bred Jerseys and Alderneys has not been found nearly so satisfactory in infant feeding as that from some other herds, such, for example, as the common "grade cows."

Which is the better, milk from one cow or the mixed milk of several cows?

The mixed, or "herd milk," is usually to be preferred since it varies little from day to day; while that from a single cow may vary considerably.

How fresh is it important that cow's milk should be for the best results in infant feeding?

This depends very much upon the season, and how carefully milk is handled. As ordinarily handled at the dairy and in the home, milk should not be used for infants in winter after it is forty-eight hours old; in summer not after it is twenty-four hours old, and it may be unsafe in a much shorter time. When handled with especial care milk may be safe for a longer time.

What are the two essentials in handling milk?

1. That it be kept clean and free from contamination. This necessitates that cows, stables, and milkers be clean, and that transportation be in sealed bottles; also that those who handle the milk do not come in contact with any contagious disease. All milk-pails, bottles, cans, and other utensils with which the milk comes in contact should be sterilized shortly before they are used, by steam or boiling water.

2. That it be cooled immediately after leaving the cows, and kept at as low a temperature as possible; to be efficient this should not be above 50 deg. F.

Milk produced under hygienic conditions and handled with special care is sold in bottles in a number of cities under the name of "certified," "guaranteed," or "inspected" milk. When available such milk should be used for infants. Of course the extra care bestowed in its production and transportation increases the cost of the milk, but the best will usually be found in the end to be the cheapest.

How should milk be handled in the home when obtained fresh from the cows?

That to be used for infants should be strained through a thick layer of absorbent cotton or several thicknesses of cheese-cloth into quart glass jars or milk bottles which should be covered and cooled immediately best by placing the bottles quite up to their necks in ice water or cold spring water, where they should stand for at least half an hour. That required for children who take plain milk may now be poured into half-pint bottles, stopped with cotton, and put in the ice-chest, or the coolest place possible. This first rapid cooling is very important and adds much to the keeping qualities of the milk. Milk loses its heat very quickly when cooled in water, but very slowly when it is simply placed in a cold room. After standing four or five hours the top-milk may be removed; after twelve to sixteen hours the cream may be removed.

How should milk be handled when bottled milk is purchased?

It should be cooled as just described, as its temperature is usually somewhat raised during transportation If it has been bottled at a dairy, the cream or the top-milk may be removed after an hour or so.

How should milk and cream be handled when they are purchased in bulk?

Such milk should never be used for infants when it is possible to obtain bottled milk, as it is much more liable to contamination. Both cream and milk should be poured at once into covered vessels and kept in the coolest place possible. The cream and top-milk will seldom rise upon such milk with any satisfactory regularity.

What are the important things to be secured in nursery refrigerators?

Absolute cleanliness is essential; hence the inner portion should be of metal. Those made entirely of metal are unsatisfactory as in them the ice melts very quickly. If the ordinary metal refrigerator sold is encased in a wooden box, we have the best form. Another easy way of securing the same result Is to make for the refrigerator a covering or "cosey" of felt or heavy quilting, which can be easily removed when wet or soiled.

The compartments of the refrigerator should be so arranged that the bottles of milk are either in contact with the ice or very near it. The supply of ice should be abundant. Often the amount of ice is so small, and the bottles so far away, that the temperature of the milk is never below 60 deg. or 65 deg. F. To be really effective a refrigerator should have a temperature where the milk is placed of not over 50 deg. F. The temperature should be tested with the nursery thermometer from time to time to ascertain what results are being obtained. Spoiled milk owing to a faulty refrigerator is to be blamed for many attacks of acute illness among infants. Next to the feeding-bottles it is the one thing in the nursery which should receive the closest attention.

THE MODIFICATION OF COW'S MILK

Can cow's milk be fed to infants without any changes?

No; for although it contains similar elements to those in mother's milk, they are not identical, and they are not present in the same proportions.

Is this a matter of much importance?

It is of the greatest importance. There are few infants who can digest cow's milk unless it is changed. To change cow's milk so as to make it more nearly resemble mother's milk is called modifying cow's milk.

How is this milk whose proportions have been changed distinguished from the original unchanged milk?

The changed milk is usually called "modified milk"? the original unchanged milk is known as "plain milk," "whole milk," "straight milk," or is referred to simply as "milk."

What are the principal differences between cow's milk and mother's milk?

Cow's milk has a little more than half as much sugar; it has nearly three times as much proteids and salts; its proteids are different and much more difficult of digestion; its reaction is decidedly acid, that of mother's milk is faintly acid or neutral.

Are there any other important things to be considered?

Yes; mother's milk is always fed fresh and is practically sterile. Cow's milk is generally kept twenty-four hours and sometimes much longer. It is always to a greater or less degree contaminated by dirt and germs, the number of which increases rapidly (1) with the age of the milk; (2) in proportion to amount of the dust or dirt which enters it; (3) with any increase in the temperature at which the milk is kept.

It is just as important for success in infant feeding that these conditions receive attention as that the proportions of the different elements of the milk are right.

How is the acidity of cow's milk overcome?

By the addition of lime-water or bicarbonate of soda. If lime-water is used, one ounce to twenty ounces of food is generally required; if soda is used, twenty grains to twenty ounces of food.

If there is a tendency to constipation the milk of magnesia (Phillips's) may be used; from one half to one teaspoonful being added to each twenty ounces of food.

How is the sugar best increased?

By adding milk sugar to the food; one ounce to each twenty ounces of food will give the proper quantity for the first three or four months. This will make the proportion about the same (between 6 and 7 per cent) as in mother's milk.

How should the sugar be prepared?

Simply dissolved in boiled water; if the solution is not clear, or if there is a deposit after standing, it should be filtered by pouring through a layer of absorbent cotton, half an inch thick, which is placed in an ordinary funnel.

Will not cane (granulated) sugar answer as well?

Not as a rule; however, there are many infants who get on very well when cane sugar is used. It has the advantage of being much cheaper. A good grade of milk sugar is somewhat expensive, costing from twenty-five to sixty cents a pound, and cheap samples are apt to contain impurities.

If cane sugar is used, what amount should be added?

Considerably less than of the milk sugar. Usually about half the quantity (half an ounce to twenty ounces of food) is as much as most infants can digest If the same quantity is used as of the milk sugar, the food is made unduly sweet, and the sugar is likely to ferment in the stomach and cause colic.

Is not the purpose of the sugar to sweeten the food in order to make it palatable?

Not at all; although it does that, its real use is to furnish one of the essential elements needed for the growth of the body, and the one that is required by young infants in the largest quantity.

How do we know that this is so?

By the fact that in good breast milk the amount of sugar is greater than that of the fat, proteids, and salts combined.

We have seen that cow's milk has nearly three times as much proteids (curd) and salts as mother's milk. How are these to be diminished?

By diluting the milk.

Will it be sufficient to dilute the milk twice (i.e., add two parts of water to one part of milk)?

Not for a very young infant. Although this will give about the quantity of proteids present in mother's milk, the proteids of cow's milk are so much more difficult for the infant to digest, that in the beginning it should be diluted five or six times for most infants.

If cow's milk is properly diluted and lime-water and sugar added does it then resemble mother's milk?

No; the mixture contains too little fat.

What is the easiest way of overcoming this?

By increasing the fat in the milk before dilution. It may be done by using top-milk or a mixture of milk and cream.

What is top-milk?

It is the upper layer of milk removed after standing a certain number of hours in a milk bottle, glass jar, or any tall vessel with straight sides. It contains most of the cream and some of the milk just below.

The strength of the top-milk is measured by the fat it contains—e.g., a 10-per-cent milk contains 10 per cent fat; 7-per-cent milk contains 7 per cent fat, etc. These are the two strengths of top milk most used in infant feeding.

On what does the percentage of fat in top-milk depend?

1. On the length of time the milk has stood.

2. On the manner in which the top-milk is removed.

3. On the number of ounces removed.

4. On the richness of the milk used.

Unless these are known it is impossible to say even approximately how strong in fat the top-milk is.

When and how should top-milk be removed?

If milk fresh from the cow, or before the cream has risen, is put into bottles and rapidly cooled, the top-milk may be removed in as short a time as four hours. In the case of bottled milk it makes little difference if it stands a longer time, even until the next day. The best means of removing it is by a small cream-dipper[2] holding one ounce; although it may be taken off by a spoon or siphon. It should not be poured off.

[2] Obtained from any of the Walker-Gordon milk laboratories, from James Dougherty, No. 411 West 59th Street, New York, and from many druggists. Price, 20 cents.

How can we obtain a 10-per-cent top-milk with the different kinds of cow's milk?

From a rather poor milk (containing 3—3-1/2 per cent fat) by removing the upper eight ounces from a quart, or one fourth.

From a good average milk (containing 4 per cent fat) by removing the upper eleven ounces from a quart, or about one third.

From a rich Jersey milk (containing 5—5-1/2 per cent fat) by removing the upper sixteen ounces, or one half.

How can we obtain a 7-per-cent top-milk with the different kinds of cow's milk?

From a rather poor milk, by removing the upper eleven ounces from a quart, about one third.

From a good average milk, by removing the upper sixteen ounces, or one half.

From a rich Jersey milk, by removing the upper twenty-two ounces, or about two thirds.



What is cream?

Cream is often spoken of as if it were the fat in milk. It is really the part of the milk which contains most of the fat. It differs from milk chiefly in containing much more fat.

In what ways is cream now obtained?

(1) By skimming, after the milk has stood usually for twenty-four hours? this is known as "gravity cream." (2) By an apparatus known as a separator; this is known as "centrifugal cream"; most of the cream now sold in cities is of this kind. The richness of any cream is indicated by the amount of fat it contains.

The usual gravity cream sold has from 16 to 20 per cent fat. The cream removed from the upper part (one fifth) of a bottle of milk has about 16 per cent fat. The usual centrifugal cream has 18 to 20 per cent fat. The heavy centrifugal cream has 35 to 40 per cent fat.

FOOD FOR HEALTHY INFANTS[3]—THE EARLY MONTHS

[3] The directions and formulas given in the following pages are intended only for guidance in feeding children who are not suffering from any special disturbance of digestion; directions for such conditions are given in a later chapter.

What are the most important points to be remembered in modifying cow's milk for feeding during the early months?

That of the different ingredients of milk the sugar is most easily digested; the fat is next; while the proteids are the most difficult.

What relation should the fat bear to the proteids during this period?

For most infants with good digestion the best results are obtained when the fat is three times the proteids. However, this is not true of all. There are many healthy infants who are unable to digest this proportion of fat, and who do much better when the fat is made only twice the proteids.

How can one obtain formulas in which the fat is three times the proteids?

By using for dilution a 10-per-cent milk (i.e., milk containing 10 per cent fat) which serves as the primary formula from which all the other formulas of this series are derived.

In 10-per-cent milk the fat is just three times the proteids.

How can one get the 10-per-cent milk?

(1) As top-milk, as described on page 64; or, (2) by mixing equal parts of plain milk and ordinary cream (containing about 16 per cent fat); (3) from any of the milk laboratories it may be ordered directly.

Is it better to obtain the 10-per-cent milk by using a mixture of milk and cream, or as top-milk?

If one can get milk fresh from the cows, the top-milk is to be preferred on account of freshness. The food can then be made up when the milk is but a few hours old. In cities, if one uses bottled milk, the upper third may also be used. But if one buys milk and cream separately, it is usually more convenient to mix these, as the cream will not rise upon milk a second time with any uniformity.

How can one obtain formulas in which the fat is twice the proteids?

By using for dilution a 7-per-cent milk (i.e., milk containing 7 per cent fat) which serves as the primary formula from which all the other formulas of this series are derived.

In 7-per-cent milk the fat is just twice the proteids.

How can one get the 7-per-cent milk?

(1) As top-milk, as described on page 64; or, (2) by mixing three parts of milk and one part of ordinary (16 per cent) cream; (3) from any of the milk laboratories it may be obtained directly. As in the case of 10-per-cent milk, the top-milk is generally to be preferred to a mixture of milk and cream.

How should the food be prepared during the early months?

It is convenient in calculation to make up twenty ounces of food at a time. The first step is to obtain the 10-per-cent milk or the 7-per-cent milk to be used as the primary formula. Then to take the number of ounces of this that are called for in the formula desired.

Note.—One should not make the mistake of taking from the top of the bottle only the number of ounces needed in the formula as this may give quite a different result.

There will be required in addition one ounce of milk sugar[4] and one ounce of lime-water in each twenty ounces. The rest of the food will be made up of boiled water.

[4] If the milk sugar be measured in the milk-dipper, two scant dipperfuls may be calculated as one ounce. If measured in a tablespoon, three even tablespoonfuls may be calculated as one ounce.

These formulas written out would be as follows:

First Series

Formulas for the Early Months from 10-per-cent Milk

—————————————————————————————- I. II. III. IV. V. —————————————————————————————- 10-per-cent milk 2 oz. 3 oz. 4 oz. 5 oz. 6 oz. Milk sugar 1 " 1 " 1 " 1 " 1 " Lime-water 1 " 1 " 1 " 1 " 1 " Boiled water 17 " 16 " 15 " 14 " 13 " —————————————————————————————- 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. —————————————————————————————-

As the milk sugar dissolves in the water the total in each column will be exactly twenty ounces. The food is strengthened by gradually increasing the milk and reducing the water.

The approximate composition of these formulas expressed in percentages is as follows:

———————————————————— FORMULA. Fat. Sugar. Proteids. ———————————————————— I. 1.00 5.50 0.33 II. 1.50 6.00 0.50 III. 2.00 6.00 0.66 IV. 2.50 6.00 0.80 V. 3.00 6.50 1.00 —————————————————————

Second Series

Formulas for the Early Months from 7-per-cent Milk

—————————————————————————————- I. II. III. IV. V. —————————————————————————————- 7-per-cent milk 2 oz. 3 oz. 4 oz. 5 oz. 6 oz. Milk sugar 1 " 1 " 1 " 1 " 1 " Lime-water 1 " 1 " 1 " 1 " 1 " Boiled water 17 " 16 " 15 " 14 " 13 " —————————————————————————————- 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. —————————————————————————————-

The approximate composition of these formulas expressed in percentages is as follows:

———————————————————— FORMULA. Fat. Sugar. Proteids. ———————————————————— I. 0.70 5.50 0.35 II. 1.00 6.00 0.50 III. 1.40 6.00 0.70 IV. 1.75 6.00 0.87 V. 2.00 6.50 1.00 —————————————————————

How is one to decide whether to use the First or the Second Series of formulas?

With a large, strong child, having a good digestion one should use the First Series. With a smaller, less vigorous child, whose digestion is not so good, or with one who does not do well upon the First Series, the Second Series should be used.

Why is it necessary to make the food so weak at first?

Because the infant's stomach is intended to digest breast milk, not cow's milk; but if we begin with a very weak cow's milk the stomach can be gradually trained to digest it. If we began with a strong milk the digestion might be seriously upset.

How rapidly can the food be increased in strength from Formula I to II, from II to III, etc.?

No absolute rule can be given. Usually we begin with I on the second day; II on the fourth day; III at one week or ten days; but after that make the increase more slowly. A large infant with a strong digestion will bear a rather rapid increase and may be able to take V by the time it is three or four weeks old. A child with a feeble digestion must go much slower and may not reach V before it is three or four months old.

It is important with all children that the increase in the food be made very gradually. It may be best with many infants to increase the milk by only half an ounce in twenty ounces of food, instead of one ounce at a time as indicated in the tables. Thus from 3 ounces, the increase would be to 31/2 ounces; from 4 ounces to 41/2 ounces, etc. At least two or three days should be allowed between each increase in the strength of the food.

What general rule can be given for increasing the food?

To increase when the infant is not satisfied but is digesting well.

How does an infant show that he is not satisfied?

He drains the bottle eagerly and cries when it is taken away. He often forms the habit of sucking his fingers immediately after. He begins to fret half an hour or an hour before the next feeding is due.

In the series of formulas given in the table the quantities are mentioned for making only twenty ounces of food. How should it be prepared when more than this quantity is needed?

It is equally convenient to make up 25 ounces, 30 ounces, 35 ounces, or 40 ounces at a time.

To make—

25 ounces of any formula add one quarter more of each ingredient. 30 " " one half " " 35 " " three quarters " " 40 " " twice as much " "

Thus 25 ounces of Formula I would be obtained by using 21/2 ounces of milk, 11/4 ounces of sugar and lime-water, 211/4 ounces of water; 30 ounces of the same would require 3 ounces milk, 11/2 ounces lime-water and sugar, and 251/2 ounces water; 35 ounces would require 31/2 ounces milk, 13/4 ounces lime-water and sugar, and 293/4 ounces water. The amount of water need not be calculated in any case, but after measuring carefully the other ingredients enough water should be added to bring the total up to the amount required.

How great an increase in the quantity should be made at one time?

One may make up five ounces additional food; but the first two days only two or three ounces of the additional amount should be given; the next two days, four ounces; after two days more, the five ounces may be given.

The increase in the quantity given at a single feeding should not be more than a quarter of an ounce.

FOOD FOR HEALTHY INFANTS—THE LATER MONTHS

How long should the fat be as much as three times the proteids?

This is seldom of advantage longer than three or four months.

What changes should then be made in the milk?

After Formula V of the First Series (6 ounces of 10-per-cent milk in 20 ounces of food) has been reached, the fat should be increased very slowly for this proportion (3 per cent) is near the limit for most healthy children. The milk should now be strengthened chiefly by raising the percentage of proteids.

How is this accomplished?

The 10-per-cent milk and the formulas derived from it should now be discontinued, and those made from 7-per-cent milk used.

Third Series

Formulas for the Later Months from 7-per-cent Milk

—————————————————————————————- I. II. III. IV. V. —————————————————————————————- 7-per-cent milk 7 oz. 8 oz. 9 oz. 10 oz. 11 oz. Milk sugar 1 " 1 " 1 " 3/4 " 1/2 " Lime-water 1 " 1 " 1 " 1 " 1 " Boiled water 12 " 11 " 10 " 4 " 3 " Barley gruel 0 " 0 " 0 " 5 " 5 " —————————————————————————————- 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. 20 oz. —————————————————————————————-

Since the sugar dissolves, the total will be twenty ounces in each column.

Of any of the formulas, 25 ounces is made by using one quarter more of each ingredient; 30 ounces, by using one half more; 35 ounces, by using three quarters more; 40 ounces, by using twice as much, exactly as described in the First Series on page 73.

The approximate composition of these formulas expressed in percentages is as follows:

———————————————————— FORMULA. Fat. Sugar. Proteids. ———————————————————— I. 2.50 6.50 1.25 II. 2.80 6.50 1.40 III. 3.15 7.00 1.55 IV. 3.50 6.00 1.75 V. 4.00 6.00 2.00 —————————————————————

How should the food be increased during this period?

Beginning with I of this Series, which should usually follow V of the First or Second Series (pages 70, 71), the increase may generally be made in a week or ten days to II; in about two weeks more to III; now more slowly to IV and V. When IV or V has been reached, the same formula may sometimes be continued for three or four months with no other change than an increase in the quantity.

In passing from Formula V of the First Series to Formula I of the Third Series the proportion of fat is at first reduced. Is this necessary or important?

No; it only happens to come so in simplifying the calculation. It may be avoided by taking off at first the upper 13 ounces as top-milk and using 7 ounces of this in a 20-ounce mixture, in place of Formula I; and by using for the next increase the upper 15 ounces as top-milk, taking of this 8 ounces in a 20-ounce mixture in place of Formula II. Then should follow Formula III.

What further addition may be made to the food of the later months?

Usually about the sixth or seventh month, farinaceous food in the form of gruel may be added, this taking the place of part of the water and part of the sugar.

What changes may be made in the food when the infant has reached the age of ten or eleven months?

The proteids may be still further increased, and the sugar and the lime-water reduced until plain milk is given.

How may this best be done?

At first one feeding a day of plain milk and barley gruel may be given; later, two feedings; then three feedings, etc. Let us suppose an infant to be taking such a modified milk as Formula IV or V (page 76), six feedings a day. The plain milk diluted only with barley gruel would at first replace one of these feedings; then two, three, four, etc., these changes being made at intervals of about two weeks. The proportions of the milk and barley gruel should at first be about 5-1/2 ounces milk, 2-1/2 ounces barley; later, 6 ounces milk, 3 ounces barley; still later, 7 ounces milk, 2 ounces barley, until finally plain milk is given to drink and the cereals given separately with a spoon. This is reached with most infants at fourteen or fifteen months; with many at twelve or thirteen months. Other forms of farinaceous food may of course be used in the place of the barley, and in the same proportions.

With some infants the addition of a pinch of bicarbonate of soda may be advantageously made to each milk-feeding when the lime-water is omitted, but with most this is unnecessary.

If the infant strongly objects to the taste of the milk when the milk sugar has been omitted, a small quantity (one fourth to one half teaspoonful) of granulated sugar may for a time be added to each feeding, then gradually reduced.

GENERAL RULES FOR GUIDANCE IN THE USE OF THE FORMULAS GIVEN

It should again be emphasized that these formulas are not intended for sick children nor for those suffering from any marked symptoms of indigestion. For such infants special rules are given later.

What should be the guide in deciding upon a formula with which to begin for a child who is to be artificially fed?

The age and the weight are of some importance, but the best guide is the condition of the child's digestive organs. One should always begin with a weak formula, particularly, (1) with an infant previously breast fed; (2) with one just weaned, as a child who has never had cow's milk must at first have weaker proportions than the age and the weight would seem to indicate; (3) with infants whose power of digestion is unknown. If the first formula tried is weaker than the child can digest, the food can be strengthened every three or four days until it is found what the child is able to take. On the contrary, if the food is made too strong at first, an attack of indigestion will probably follow.

How should the food be increased in strength?

The first essential is that it be done very gradually; abruptly increasing the food usually causes a disturbance of digestion.

It is never wise to advance more rapidly in strengthening the food than from one formula to the next one in any of the series given; with many infants it is better to make the steps of increase only half as great as those indicated (page 72).

How rapidly should the food be increased in quantity?

The increase should not be more than a quarter of an ounce in each feeding; or from one and a half to two ounces in a day.

When should the food be increased?

In the early weeks an increase may be necessary every few days; in the later months sometimes the same formula may be continued for two or three months. It is, however, impossible to give a definite rule as to time. One cannot say with any child that an increase is to be made every week or every two weeks. A much better guide are the conditions present.

The signs indicating that the food should be increased are, that the infant is not satisfied, not gaining in weight, but is digesting well, i.e., not vomiting, and having good stools. One should not increase the food, however, so long as the child seems perfectly satisfied and is gaining from four to six ounces a week, even though both the quantity and the strength of the food are considerably below the average; nor should the food be increased if the child is gaining from eight to ten ounces a week, even if he seems somewhat hungry. The appetite is not always a safe guide to follow.

How can one know whether the strength or the quantity of the food should be increased?

In the early weeks it is well first to increase the strength of the food, the next time to increase the quantity, then the strength again, etc. After the fourth or fifth month, the quantity, chiefly, should be increased.

If a slight disturbance or discomfort occurs after the food has been strengthened, is it best to go back to the weaker formula or to persist with the new one?

Symptoms of minor discomfort are seen for a day or two with many infants after an ordinary increase in food; but in most cases an infant soon becomes accustomed to the stronger food and is able to digest it. If, however, the symptoms of disturbance are marked, one should promptly go back to the weaker formula. The next increase should be a smaller one.

Should one be disturbed if for the first two or three weeks of artificial feeding the gain in weight is very slight or even if there is none?

Not as a rule. If the infant does not lose weight, is perfectly comfortable, sleeps most of the time, and does not suffer from any symptoms of indigestion, such as colic, vomiting, etc., one may be sure that all is going well and that the infant is becoming used to his new food. As the child's appetite improves and his digestion is stronger, the food may be increased every few days and very soon the gain in weight will come and will then be continuous. If, however, the scales are watched too closely and, because there is only a slight gain in weight or none at all, the food is rapidly increased, an acute disturbance of digestion is pretty certain to follow.

Is not constipation likely to occur if the child is on a very weak food?

It is very often seen and is due simply to the small amount of residue in the intestine. Under these circumstances, if the bowels move once every day, one should not be disturbed even when the movements are small and somewhat dry. As the food is gradually strengthened, this constipation soon passes off; while if injections, suppositories, or cathartics are used to produce freer movements, the functions of the bowels are likely to be disturbed.

Under what circumstances should the food be reduced?

Whenever the child becomes ill from any cause whatever, or whenever any marked symptoms of indigestion arise.

How may this be done?

If the disturbance is only a moderate one and the food has been made up for the day, one third may be poured off from the top of each bottle just before it is given, and this quantity of food replaced by the same amount of boiled water.

If the disturbance is more severe, the food should be immediately diluted by at least one half and at the same time the quantity given should be reduced.

For a severe acute attack of indigestion the regular food should be omitted altogether and only water given until the doctor has been called.

If the food has been reduced for a disturbance of digestion, how should one return to the original formula?

While the reduction of the food should be immediate and considerable, the increase should be very gradual. After a serious attack of acute indigestion, when beginning with milk again, it should not be made more than one fifth the original strength, and from ten days to two weeks should pass before the child is brought back to his original food, which should be done very gradually. It is surprising how long a time is required with young infants before they completely recover from an attack of acute indigestion, even though it did not seem to be very severe. The second disturbance always comes from a slighter cause than the first one.

THE ADDITION OF OTHER FOODS TO MILK

How long should modified milk be continued without the addition of other food?

This depends upon circumstances; usually, for about six months; but if the infant is thriving satisfactorily the milk may be used alone for ten or eleven months; with some infants who have especial difficulty in digesting cow's milk, it is advisable to begin the use of other food at three or four months or even from the outset.

What is the first thing to be used with milk?

Farinaceous food in some form, usually as a gruel.

How are these gruels made?

They may be made directly from the grains or from some of the prepared flours (page 149). The flours are usually to be preferred as being more simple of preparation.

How should they be used in making the food?

They should be cooked separately, rather than with the milk; when the food is mixed, they take the place of a portion of the water in the formulas given on pages 70 and 71.

How much of the gruel should be used?

If it is prepared as recommended on page 149, it may make according to circumstances from one sixth to one half the total quantity of food.

Which of the farinaceous foods are to be preferred?

Those most used are barley, oatmeal, arrowroot, and farina. There is not much difference in their nutritive value; oatmeal gruel is somewhat more laxative.

What value do these substances possess as infant foods?

Some of the starch is digested and absorbed; but the chief value of gruels is believed to be that when added to milk they render the curd more easily digested by preventing it from coagulating in the stomach in large tough masses. This is certainly true with many infants, but there are others who are not at all benefited, and not a few young infants whose digestion is made distinctly worse by the use of farinaceous food, particularly when employed in considerable quantity. The addition of gruels to milk for all infants is not to be recommended.

What further additions may be made to the diet of healthy infants during the first year?

Beef juice, the white of egg, and orange juice.

How and when may beef juice be used?

With infants who are strong and thriving satisfactorily it may be begun at ten or eleven months; two teaspoonfuls may be given daily, diluted with the same quantity of water, fifteen minutes before the midday feeding; in two weeks the quantity may be doubled; and in four weeks six teaspoonfuls may be given. The maximum quantity at one year should not be more than two or three tablespoonfuls.

With delicate infants who are pale and anaemic, beef juice is more important, and it may often be wisely begun at five or six months in half the quantities mentioned.

When should white of egg be used?

Under the same conditions as beef juice, particularly with infants who have difficulty in digesting the proteins (curd) of milk. At six months half the white of one egg may be given at one time, and soon after this the entire white of one egg. The best in manner of cooking is the "coddled", egg (see page 151).

When should orange juice be begun?

Usually about the eleventh or twelfth month; it should be given about one hour before the feeding; two teaspoonfuls at first, then one tablespoonful at a time, and later three or four tablespoonfuls. It is particularly useful when there is constipation. It should always be strained, and care should be taken that it is sweet and fresh.

OVERFEEDING

What is meant by overfeeding?

Giving an infant too much food; either too much at one time or too frequently. Overfeeding is sometimes practised during the day, but is chiefly done at night.

Is not an infant's natural desire for food a proper guide as to the quantity given?

The appetite of a perfectly normal infant usually is; but overeating is a habit gradually acquired and may continue until twice as much food as is proper is taken in the twenty-four hours. This habit is most frequently seen in infants whose digestion is not quite normal; because of the temporary relief from discomfort experienced by taking food into the stomach, they often appear to be hungry the greater part of the time, especially at night.

What are the causes of overfeeding?

The most common one is the habit of watching the weight too closely, and the conviction on the part of the mother or nurse that because a child is not so large nor gaining so rapidly as some other infant of the same age, more food or stronger food should be given.

What harm results from overfeeding?

All food taken in excess of what a child can digest becomes a burden to him. The food lies in the stomach or bowels undigested, ferments, and causes wind and colic. When overfeeding is longer continued, serious disturbances of digestion are soon produced. The infant is restless, fretful, constantly uncomfortable, sleeps badly, and stops gaining and may even lose in weight. Such symptoms may lead to the mistaken conclusion that too little food is given, and it is accordingly increased, when it should be diminished. One of the results of long-continued overfeeding is dilatation or stretching of the stomach.

What should guide one as to the quantity of food to be given to any infant??

(1) The size of the infant's stomach at the different months; (2) the amount of milk which the healthy nursing infant gets; (3) the quantities with which most children do best. The table of quantities and intervals of feeding, on page 108, gives the average figures derived from these sources. It is seldom wise to go beyond the limits there stated; nor should one insist upon giving any fixed amount if it is clearly more than the child wants or can be made to take except by continued coaxing.

LOSS OF APPETITE

What is to be done when without any other signs of illness a child's appetite gradually fails?

This is often the result of a long period of overfeeding or the use of milk too rich in fat. If in all other respects the child seems well and simply does not want his food, it should be offered at regular hours, but not more frequently; on no account should he be coaxed, much less forced, to eat, even though he takes only one half or one third the usual quantity. The intervals between feedings should not be shortened but rather lengthened. Often, with a child a year old, it is necessary to reduce the number of feedings to four or even three in twenty-four hours. Water, however, may be offered at more frequent intervals. The food should be weakened rather than strengthened. No greater mistake can be made than, because so little is taken, coaxing or forcing food at short intervals through fear lest the child may lose weight.

THE CHANGES IN THE FOOD REQUIRED BY SPECIAL SYMPTOMS OR CONDITIONS

Infants with weak digestion and those suffering from various forms of indigestion have often especial trouble in digesting the fat of milk. To meet the needs of such there is required a series of formulas in which the fat is lower than in those already given.

These formulas are obtained from plain milk.

Fourth Series

Formulas from Plain Milk (containing 4-per-cent Fat)

————————————————————————————- I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. ————————————————————————————-

Plain milk 5oz. 6oz. 7oz. 8oz. 9oz. 10oz 12oz. 14oz. Milk sugar 1 " 1 " 1 " 1 " 3/4 " 3/4 " 1/2 " 1/2 " Lime-water. 1 " 1 " 1 " 1 " 1 " 1 " 1 " 1 " Boiled water 14 " 13 " 12 " 7 " 6 " 5 " 2 " 0 " Barley gruel 0 " 0 " 0 " 4 " 4 " 4 " 5 " 5 " ————————————————————————————- 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 oz. oz. oz. oz. oz. oz. oz. oz. ————————————————————————————-

When larger quantities than 20 ounces are required they are calculated in the same manner as described on page 73 in speaking of 10-per-cent milk.

The approximate composition of the formulas of the Fourth Series expressed in percentages is as follows:

———————————————————— FORMULA. Fat. Sugar. Proteids. ———————————————————— I. 1.00 6.00 0.90 II. 1.20 6.00 1.00 III. 1.40 6.50 1.20 IV. 1.60 6.50 1.40 V. 1.80 6.00 1.60 VI. 2.00 6.00 1.80 VII. 2.40 5.50 2.10 VIII. 2.80 5.50 2.50 ————————————————————

Why is it that an infant so often vomits some of its food within a few moments after finishing its bottle?

Usually because the quantity is too large. Sometimes it is due to the fact that the food is taken too rapidly, from too large a hole in the nipple. It may be due to too tight clothing, or to moving the child about in such a way as to press upon the stomach.

What are the principal causes of, and the changes in the food required by habitual vomiting, regurgitation, or spitting up of small quantities of food between feedings, often repeated many times a day?

This is always a symptom of gastric indigestion, and a most troublesome one. In such conditions the fat and often the sugar also should be reduced and the lime-water increased.

Formulas made from rich top-milk or milk and cream are to be avoided. Those made from 7-per-cent milk are less likely to be the cause of trouble than those from 10-per-cent milk; but if the symptoms are at all severe it is better to use instead of these the formulas of the Fourth Series derived from plain milk.

Reduction in the sugar may be made by adding only one half ounce of milk sugar to each twenty ounces of the food; in severe cases the sugar may be omitted altogether.

It is often advisable to double the amount of lime-water—i.e., use two ounces to each twenty ounces of food.

The malted foods and all other foods containing much sugar usually aggravate the symptoms.

The intervals between meals should generally be half an hour longer, and sometimes an hour longer, than when digestion is normal.

The quantity given at a feeding should generally be less than with a normal digestion. Usually a smaller quantity of a strong food succeeds better than a larger quantity of a weak food.

What are the causes of, and food changes required by a constant and excessive formation of gas in the stomach, leading to distention and pain, or eructations (belching) of gas and often of a sour, watery fluid?

This is often associated with habitual vomiting, and is due to similar causes, but particularly to the sugar, which should be greatly reduced or omitted entirely.

What changes should be made when there is habitual colic?

This is generally due to an accumulation of gas in the intestines which forms there because the proteids (curd) of the milk are not digested. They should be reduced by using in the early months a weaker formula—i.e., instead of Formula V of the First or Second Series, IV might be used, or, for a short time, even III. The proteids may be reduced in the middle period by using weaker formulas If we desire to reduce the proteids without reducing the fat, we may change from the Second to the First Series.

Another means of relieving habitual colic is the use of partially peptonized milk (page 115); still another the dilution with barley-water instead of plain water.

What change should be made if curds appear in the stools regularly or frequently?

This is usually associated with habitual colic, and has to be managed exactly like that condition, by the means just described.

How should the milk be modified for chronic constipation?

The constipation of the first weeks of life has been already referred to (page 82); it usually disappears as the food is gradually strengthened in all its proportions.

Habitual constipation at a later period is difficult to overcome by diet alone. It sometimes depends upon the fact that the proteids are too high, and sometimes that the fat is too low. Hence it is more frequent when infants are fed upon plain milk variously diluted (page 90), then when 7-per-cent or 10-per-cent milk is used, and diluted to a greater degree. But it is not desirable to use a top-milk containing more than ten per cent fat for this purpose, nor is it wise to carry the fat in the food above 4 per cent (i.e., 8 ounces of 10-per-cent milk, or 12 ounces of 7-per-cent milk, in a 20-ounce mixture) or other disturbances of digestion may be produced.

In some cases the use, in place of milk sugar, of ordinary brown sugar, in half the quantity, is of assistance; or of some of the malted foods (Mellin's food, malted milk, cereal milk) also in the place of milk sugar.

The substitution of the milk of magnesia for the lime-water as recommended on page 60 will often be found useful.

To infants over nine months old, orange juice may be given.

What special modifications are required during very hot weather?

During the warm season it is well to make the proportion of fat less than during cold weather. During short periods of excessive heat it should be much less. The fat is reduced by using 7-per-cent milk in place of 10-per-cent (i.e., the Second instead of the First Series of formulas, page 71), or plain milk in place of the 7-per-cent milk in the Second and Third Series (page 90). At such times also the usual food should be diluted, and water should be given freely between the feedings.

What changes should be made in the food of a child who, with all the signs of good digestion, gains very little or not at all in weight?

If the child seems hungry the quantity of food may be increased; but if the child will not readily take any more in quantity the strength may be increased by the use of the next higher formula. One should, however, be extremely careful under these circumstances not to coax or force a child; for this plan is almost certain to cause disturbance of digestion and actual loss in weight. A better policy is that of looking after the other factors in the child's life,—the care, sleep, fresh air, etc., for with these rather than with the food the trouble often lies.

What should be done with infants who in spite of all variations in the milk continue to have symptoms of indigestion and do not thrive?

Except inmates of institutions who form a class by themselves, most infants who receive proper care thrive upon milk if the proportions suited to the digestion are given. Still there are some who do not. The nutrition of such is always a matter of difficulty.

If a wet-nurse is available the employment of one is the thing most likely to succeed, particularly if the infant is under four or five months old.

If the infant is older, or if a wet-nurse cannot be obtained, some of the substitutes for fresh cow's milk may be tried. One of the best is condensed milk, Borden's Eagle brand, canned, being preferred. This is more likely to agree if the symptoms are chiefly intestinal (colic, flatulence, curds in the stools, constipation or diarrhoea) than if they are chiefly gastric (vomiting, regurgitation, etc.).

How should condensed milk be used?

For an infant three or four months old with symptoms of indigestion, it should at first be diluted with 16 parts of boiled water, or, sometimes preferably, with barley-water. With improvement in the symptoms the dilution may be made 1 to 14, 1 to 12, 1 to 10, and 1 to 8, these changes being gradually made. The intervals between feedings and the quantities for one feeding are given on page 108.

How long should condensed milk be continued?

In most cases it should be used as the sole food for a few weeks only. Afterward, one feeding a day of a weak formula of modified milk (e.g., No. III or IV of the Second Series, page 71) may be given; later two feedings, and thus gradually the number of milk feedings is increased until the child is taking only modified milk.

Condensed milk is not to be recommended as a permanent food where good fresh cow's milk can be obtained.

What are the objections to its use?

It is very low in fat and proteids, and high in sugar. This accounts for its easy digestibility, and also explains why children reared upon it often gain very rapidly in weight, yet have as a rule but little resistance. They are very prone to develop rickets and sometimes scurvy.

Are the proprietary infant foods open to the same objections as condensed milk?

They are. What has been said of condensed milk applies equally well to most of those that are sold in the market as substitutes for milk.

What changes in the food are required by slight indisposition?

For slight general disturbances such as dentition, colds, sore throats, etc., it is usually sufficient simply to dilute the food. If this is but for two or three feedings, it is most easily done by replacing with boiled water an ounce or two of the food removed from the bottle just before it is given; if for several days, a weaker formula should be used.

What changes should be made for a serious acute illness?

For such attacks as those of pneumonia, bronchitis measles, etc., attended with fever, the food should be diluted and the fat reduced as described on page 95. It should be given at regular intervals, rather less frequently than in health. Water should be given freely between the feedings. Food should not be forced in the early days of an acute illness, since the loss of appetite usually means an inability to digest much food.

What immediate changes should be made in the food when the child is taken with an acute attack of gastric indigestion with repeated vomiting, fever, pain, etc.?

All milk should be stopped at once, and only boiled water given for ten or twelve hours; afterward barley-water or whey may be tried, but no milk for at least twenty-four hours after the vomiting has ceased. When beginning with modified milk the quantity should be small and the fat low, which may be secured by the use of the Fourth Series of formulas in the place of the First or Second Series. The proportion of lime-water may be doubled.

What changes should be made for an attack of intestinal indigestion attended by looseness of the bowels?

If this is not severe (only two or three passages daily) the fat should be lowered in the manner stated just above, and the milk should be boiled for five minutes. If curds are present in the stools, it may be still further diluted.

If the diarrhoeal attack is more severe, and attended by fever and foul-smelling movements of greater frequency, all milk should be stopped immediately and the diet mentioned just above under the head of acute disturbances of the stomach should be employed.

What changes in the food should be made when the child seems to have very little appetite and yet is not ill?

The number of feedings should be reduced, the interval being lengthened by one hour or even more. No greater mistake can be made than to offer food every hour or two to an infant who is not hungry. Such a course only prolongs and aggravates the disturbance.

What other conditions besides the food greatly Influence the child's digestion?

Proper clothing, warm feet, regular habits, fresh air, clean bottles, and food given at the proper temperature are all quite as important as the preparation of the food; quiet peaceful surroundings and absence of excitement are also essential to good digestion.

COMMON MISTAKES IN MILK MODIFICATION AND INFANT FEEDING

I. In using modifications made from top-milk, much confusion arises from the notion that top-milk is a single definite thing, whereas its composition depends upon a great variety of conditions and, unless all these are known, it is impossible to tell how strong it is. Directions for the removal of top-milk should be explicitly followed (see page 63), or the results will be very different from those expected.

II. In formulas calling for a certain number of ounces of top-milk of any given strength, the mistake is made of removing only the number of ounces needed for the formula. The proper way is to remove the amount required to secure a top-milk of the desired strength and then to take of this the number of ounces needed in the formula.

III. A rich Jersey milk is used as if it were ordinary milk. The formulas given in this book are chiefly calculated on the basis of a good average milk which contains about 4 per cent fat. Many persons have the idea that the richer the milk, the more rapidly the child will gain in weight, and hence the superiority of such milk for infant feeding. While it is true that some children taking a very rich milk may, for a time, gain rapidly in weight, yet sooner or later, serious disturbances of digestion are nearly always produced.

IV. The food is increased too rapidly, particularly after some disturbance of digestion. If, in an infant three or four months old, an attack of somewhat acute indigestion occurs, the food should seldom be given in full strength before two weeks. The increase in the diet should be made very gradually, the steps being made only one half those indicated in the series of formulas on pages 70 and 71. Otherwise it generally happens that the attack of indigestion is very much prolonged and much loss in weight occurs.

V. When symptoms of indigestion occur, the food is not reduced rapidly enough. Indigestion usually means that the organs are, for the time, unequal to the work imposed. If the food is immediately reduced by one half, the organs of digestion soon regain their power and the disturbance is short. In every case the amount of reduction should depend upon the degree of the disturbance.

PREPARATION OF COW'S MILK AT HOME

What articles are required for the preparation of cow's milk at home?

Feeding-bottles, rubber nipples, an eight-ounce graduated measuring glass, a glass or agate funnel, bottle brush, cotton, alcohol lamp or, better, a Bunsen gas burner, a tall quart cup for warming bottles of milk, a pitcher for mixing the food, a wide-mouth bottle for boric acid and one for bicarbonate of soda, and a pasteurizer. Later, a double boiler for cooking cereals will be needed.

What bottles are to be preferred?

A cylindrical graduated bottle with a rather wide neck, so as to admit of easy washing, and one which contains no angles or corners. A single size holding eight ounces is quite sufficient for use during the first year. All complicated bottles are bad, being difficult to clean. One should have as many bottles in use as the child takes meals a day.

How should bottles be cared for?

As soon as they are emptied they should be rinsed with cold water and allowed to stand filled with water to which a little bicarbonate of soda has been added. Before the milk is put into them they should be thoroughly washed with a bottle brush and hot soap-suds and then placed for twenty minutes in boiling water.

What sort of nipples should be used?

Only simple straight nipples which slip over the neck of the bottle. Those with a rubber or glass tube are too complicated and very difficult to keep clean. Nipples made of black rubber are to be preferred. The hole in the nipple should not be so large that the milk will run in a stream, but just large enough for it to drop rapidly when the bottle with the nipple attached is inverted.

How should nipples be cared for?

New nipples should be boiled for five minutes; but it is unnecessary to repeat this every day as they soon become so soft as to be almost useless. After using, nipples should be carefully rinsed in cold water and kept in a covered glass containing a solution of borax or boric acid. At least once a day they should be turned wrong side out and thoroughly washed with soap and water.

What sort of cotton should be used?

The refined non-absorbent cotton is rather better for stoppering bottles, but the ordinary absorbent cotton will answer every purpose.

Which is better, the Bunsen burner or the alcohol lamp?

If there is gas in the house, the Bunsen burner is greatly to be preferred, being cheaper, simpler, and much safer than the alcohol lamp. If the lamp is used, it should stand upon a table covered with a plate of zinc or tin, or upon a large tin tray. The French pattern of alcohol lamp is the best.

Give the directions for preparing the food according to any of the above formulas.

The nurse's hands, bottles, tables, and all utensils should be scrupulously clean. First dissolve the milk sugar in boiling water, filtering if necessary. Then add the milk and cream and lime-water, mixing the whole in a pitcher. A sufficient quantity of food for twenty-four hours is always to be prepared at one time. This is then divided into the number of feedings required for the day, each feeding being put in a separate bottle, and the bottle stoppered with cotton. The bottles should then be cooled rapidly by standing, first in tepid then in cold water, and afterward placed in an ice chest. If the milk is to be pasteurized or sterilized, this should precede the cooling.