n should not indulge in tea and coffee.)
_Exercise._--As a general rule, active muscular exercise in children
disturbs their digestive process far less than mental effort, when
taken immediately after meals; and every adult is familiar with the
romping which children can undertake straightway after dinner, often,
though not always, with impunity, whereas a proportionate amount of
exercise on the part of an adult might produce a severe dyspeptic
attack.
Much of the headache and inattention of pupils during school hours is
the direct result of an ill-regulated diet, or from vitiated
appetites.
* * * * *
INFANTS' DIET.
One of the most important subjects included in a domestic science
course of study is the feeding and care of infants. A subject
requiring special intelligence and consideration; one which embodies
the condensed information of the preceding chapters, and is the
foundation upon which the future physical structure is built.
It is not upon the mother alone that the baby depends for care and
attention. Many young girls, especially elder sisters and nurse-maids,
have this responsibility placed upon them when they are little more
than children themselves. To these, as well as to young mothers, the
following suggestions may prove helpful.
The first demand of an infant is for food, and upon the quality and
quantity of the article provided depends the health of the child, as
well as the comfort of the household.
Milk is the only food required by an infant until it is, at least,
seven or eight months old, or until sufficient saliva is secreted to
assist digestion; some authorities say one year, others until the
child has sufficient teeth with which to masticate food. If nature's
supply is not available, or sufficient, the best substitute is cow's
milk. As cow's milk contains less sugar of milk, and fat (cream), than
human milk, these must be supplied. Being more acid than alkaline,
this must be corrected by the use of lime water.
There is more casein (curd) in cow's milk than in mother's milk,
therefore water must be added to reduce this. The following
proportions have been submitted as a digestible form of preparing
cow's milk for young infants (Dr. Meigs):--
Cream, 2 tbsps.
Milk, 1 tbsp.
Lime water, 2 tbsps.
Milk-sugar water, 3 tbsps.
One quarter of this amount to be given every two hours during the day,
and once or twice at night.
After
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