y, is small, ranging from one-half to
one ounce of strained juice daily, this amount is increased gradually
until the child is taking from one and one-half to two ounces each
day. It has been found advisable to administer the fruit juice
between the two morning feedings. As a rule, the fruit juices are
given at the beginning of the seventh month, but they may be given at
a much earlier date, the time being adjusted by the physician.

RICKETS

Rickets, like scurvy, is being discussed by scientists both in America
and abroad. The disease is widespread, particularly in its subacute
form, and its effect upon the health of the child is so serious that
no amount of effort to prevent its development should be considered
too great.

~Calcium Retention in Rickets.~--The disease is characterized by a
failure of the bones to lay down lime salts, this failure causes a
softness and flexibility in the structure of the bones which permits
them to bend into deformities. Then, too, it is a well established
fact that any interference with the calcium metabolism in the body,
will inevitably bring about disaster. (See Mineral Metabolism, page
185.)

~Factors Inducing Rickets.~--According to Dr. Eddy, "It is impossible
at present to determine whether rickets is a true avitaminose or a
consequence of deficiency in a series of factors."

~Treatment.~--For breast-fed babies it is necessary to adjust the diet
of the mother to include more of the vitamine bearing foods, since
milk contains vitamines only in proportion to the amount eaten in
food. For artificially fed children, the giving of cod liver oil has
recently been adopted as the surest and safest method of curing and
preventing the development of the disease. Like treatment is used with
breast-fed infants if the need arises.

The value of cod liver oil in this respect has only been recently
recognized. Mellanby of England claims that the oil owes its curative
and preventive properties to the presence of the "A" vitamine. But
scientists in this country have not fully accepted this view. Eddy
states, "It may be that the power of the oil is due to its 'A'
vitamine content, in which it is known to be rich, or it may be due to
a new vitamine, but the fact that the oil is a preventive in this
respect gives the pediatrist another agent to insure normal growth."

~Sunshine as a Factor.~--It has been found that the disease rickets is
more prevalent in winter than in summer; this is bel