A Treatise on Domestic Economy; For the Use of Young Ladies at Home and at SchoolBeecher, Catharine Esther
General
A Treatise on Domestic Economy; For the Use of Young Ladies at Home and at School
Beecher, Catharine Esther
Home economics
The result of the treatment of the inmates of the Orphan Asylum, at
Albany, is one, upon which all, who have the care of young children,
should deeply ponder. During the first six years of the existence of
this Institution, its average number of children was eighty. For the
first three years, their diet was meat once a day, fine bread, rice,
Indian puddings, vegetables, fruit, and milk. Considerable attention was
given to clothing, fresh air, and exercise; and they were bathed once in
three weeks. During these three years, from four to six children, and
sometimes more, were continually on the sick-list; one or two assistant
nurses were necessary; a physician was called, two or three times a
week; and, in this time, there were between thirty and forty deaths. At
the end of this period, the management was changed, in these
respects:--daily ablutions of the whole body were practised; bread of
unbolted flour was substituted for that of fine wheat; and all animal
food was banished. More attention also was paid to clothing, bedding,
fresh air, and exercise. The result was, that the nursery was vacated;
the nurse and physician were no longer needed; and, for two years, not a
single case of sickness or death occurred. The third year, also, there
were no deaths, except those of two idiots and one other child, all of
whom were new inmates, who had not been subjected to this treatment. The
teachers of the children also testified, that there was a manifest
increase of intellectual vigor and activity, while there was much less
irritability of temper.
Let parents, nurses, and teachers, reflect on the above statement, and
bear in mind, that stupidity of intellect, and irritability of temper,
as well as ill health, are often caused by the mismanagement of the
nursery, in regard to the physical training of children. There is
probably no practice, more deleterious, than that of allowing children
to eat at short intervals, through the day. As the stomach is thus kept
constantly at work, with no time for repose, its functions are deranged,
and a weak or disordered stomach is the frequent result. Children should
be required to keep cakes, nuts, and other good things which they may
have to eat, till just before a meal, and then they will form a part of
their regular supply. This is better, than to wait till after their
hunger is satisfied by food, when they will eat their niceties merely to
gratify the palate, and thus overload the stomach.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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