d should be confined to this, till the
period of weaning, Dr. Dewees answers, No. I am surprised at this; and
my surprise is increased, when I find him, almost in the very next
breath, urging with all his might, numerous reasons against the very
common notion, that children in early life require a variety of food. He
even insists on the importance of confining the child to a single
article of food when it is practicable. Yet he has not given us so much
as one reason why it is not practicable in the case before us; but has
gone on to speak of barley water, gum arabic water, rice water,
arrowroot, &c. I venture, therefore, to dissent from him, and to answer
the foregoing question in the affirmative. When one good and substantial
reason can be given for _change_, the decision will, however, be
reconsidered.

I have already stated the general rule for preparing this substitute for
the mother's milk. But there are several minor directions, which may be
useful to those who are wholly without experience on the subject.

If possible, the milk used should not only be just taken from the cow,
but should always be from the _same_ cow; for it is well known, that the
quality of milk often differs very materially, even among cows feeding
in the same pasture, or from the same pile of hay; and the stomach
becomes most easily reconciled to the mixture when it is uniform in its
qualities. Great care should also be taken to see that the cow whose
milk is used is young and healthy.

The mixture should not be prepared any faster than it is wanted, and
should always be prepared in vessels perfectly clean and sweet, and
given as soon as possible after it is prepared, to prevent any degree of
fermentation. It is never so well to heat it by the fire. If taken from
the cow just before it is used, and if the water to be added is warm
enough, the temperature will hardly need to be raised any higher.

When it is impracticable, in all cases, to take milk for this purpose
immediately from the cow, it should be kept, in winter, where it will
not freeze; and in summer, where there will be no tendency to acidity.

Some mothers and nurses are addicted to the practice of passing the food
through their own mouths, before they give it to the child--with a view,
no doubt, to see that it is at a proper temperature. This practice is
not only wholly unnecessary, but altogether disgusting, and even
ridiculous. A thermometer would answer every purpose; and sa