The best proof that a child is doing well is increase of weight, a healthy appearance, and lack of fretfulness. Sometimes, when restless, it is only a drink of water that it needs, as children suffer much from thirst in warm weather. From the Twelfth to the Eighteenth Month Continue with milk, _undiluted_ with water, as the principal food. Use with it Mellin's food as before, Nestlé's food, Ridge's food, Imperial Granum, oatmeal porridge _strained_, soft custard, soft-cooked eggs, cocoa[72] cooked in water, with milk added or cooked in milk, and cracker-crumbs boiled in water, with milk added. After Eighteen Months The same diet as for the previous six months, with the addition of scraped or pounded chicken, mutton, or beef; mashed baked potatoes with beef-juice poured over; toasted bread or toasted crackers rolled into crumbs, and soaked in milk or broth; junket, and plain, simple puddings, such as cream-of-rice, tapioca, and arrowroot. A diet similar to this should be the chief food to the seventh year. It may be varied by farina, wheat-germ, and other grain mushes, dried rusk and milk, or Zwieback[73] and milk, sponge cake with cream or milk, snow-pudding, and other wholesome and delicate desserts, and cooked fruits. =Foods to be Carefully Avoided.= Veal, pork in any form except bacon,[74] highly seasoned stews, curries, canned meats or dried meats in any form, baked beans, fruit cake, also all cakes or gingerbread made with so-called "cooking-butter" or with common lard, raw fruits, lobsters and crabs, new potatoes, berries, and cabbage. DISTRICT NURSING In England and in some parts of America district nursing, or nursing among the very poor of certain sections of a city, is an established part of a nurse's work. Her duties are to go from house to house among the sick, to administer medicine and food, and to make the surroundings of her patient comfortable. There is no way in which one may reach the hearts and sympathies of the poor so quickly as by helping them to, or showing them how to do for themselves, those things which they think they need. Their first consideration is for the immediate necessities of life--food, clothing, and shelter. Their days are spent in a struggle with the world for these--too often an unequal struggle, in which the world conquers. A nurse, or any other person who can gain admission to their homes and sympathies, may help them in many ways as no other can. Great good may be done by teaching them economical and simple methods of preparing their food, which as a general thing is cooked both badly and wastefully.