ctively turn from what would do them harm. I
do not believe that there is much truth in this contention. If we
watch an infant after weaning, at the time when his diet is gradually
being enlarged to include more solid food, with new and varied
flavours, we may see his attention arrested by the strange sensations.
With solid or crisp food there may be a good deal of hesitation and
fumbling before he sets himself to masticate and swallow. With the
unaccustomed flavour of gravy or fruit juice there may be seen on his
face a look of hesitation or surprise. In the stolid and placid child
these manifestations are as a rule but little marked, and pleasurable
sensations clearly predominate. With children of more nervous
temperament it is clear that sensations of taste are much more acute.
Even in earliest infancy, children have a way of proclaiming their
nervous inheritance by the repugnance which they show to even trifling
changes in the taste or composition of their food. We see the same
sensitiveness in their behaviour to medicines. The mixture which one
child will swallow without resentment, and almost eagerly, provokes
every expression of disgust from another, or is even vomited at once.
In piloting the child through this phase, during which he starts
nervously at all unaccustomed sensations and flavours, the attitude of
mother and nurse is of supreme importance. It is unwise to attempt
force; it is equally unwise, by excessive coaxing, cajoling, and
entreaty, to concentrate the child's attention on the matter. If
either is tried every meal is apt to become a signal for struggling
and tears. The phase, whether it is short or long continued, must be
accepted as in the natural order of things, and patience will see its
end. The management of this symptom,--refusal of food and an
apparently complete absence of desire for food,--which is almost the
commonest neurosis of childhood, will be dealt with later. Here it is
mentioned because I wish to emphasise that if too much is made of a
passing hesitation over any one article of food, if it becomes the
belief of the mother or nurse that a strong distaste is present, then
if she is not careful her attitude in offering it, because she is
apprehensive of refusal, will exert a powerful suggestion on the
child's mind. Still worse, it may cause words to be used in the
child's hearing referring to this peculiarity of his. By frequent
repetition it becomes fixed in his mind that this is p