The Physical Life of Woman: Advice to the Maiden, Wife and MotherNapheys, George H. (George Henry)
Science
The Physical Life of Woman: Advice to the Maiden, Wife and Mother
Napheys, George H. (George Henry)
Women -- Health and hygiene
Dr. J. Forsyth Meigs directs the following article of diet as one which
he has found to agree better with the digestive system of the infant
than any other kind of food:--'A scruple of gelatine (or a piece two
inches square of the flat cake in which it is sold) is soaked for a
short time in cold water, and then boiled in half a pint of water, until
it dissolves--about ten or fifteen minutes. To this is added, with
constant stirring, and just at the termination of the boiling, the milk
and arrowroot, the latter being previously mixed into a paste with a
little cold water. After the addition of the milk and arrowroot, and
just before the removal from the fire, the cream is poured in, and a
moderate quantity of loaf sugar added. The proportions of milk, cream,
and arrowroot must depend on the age and digestive powers of the child.
For a healthy infant, within the month, I usually direct from three to
four ounces of milk, half an ounce to an ounce of cream, and a
tea-spoonful of arrowroot to half a pint of water. For older children,
the quantity of milk and cream should be gradually increased to a half
or two-thirds milk, and from one to two ounces of cream. I seldom
increase the quantity of gelatine or arrowroot.'
The egg is a valuable article of food for infants and young children,
especially in conditions of debility. It should be given nearly raw, and
is best prepared by placing it in boiling water for two minutes. It is
then easily digested.
Beef-tea, prepared in the manner described on page 234, is highly
nutritious and useful as a food for infants: if it produce a laxative
effect, it should be discontinued. When the child shows signs of
weakness or of a scrofulous condition its nutrition will be improved by
mingling with its food a small piece of butter or mutton suet.
During the first four or five months the food should be thin, and taken
through a teat, thus preventing the stuffing of the infant.
On attaining the age of twelve or fifteen months, infants are usually
able to digest ordinary wholesome solid food, neatly and well cooked,
when mashed or cut into fine pieces.
An article of food employed for the diarrhœa of infants is prepared as
follows:--'A pound of dry wheat flour of the best quality is packed
snugly in a bag and boiled three or four hours. When it is taken from
the bag it is hard, resembling a piece of chalk, with the exception of
the exterior, which is wet, and should be removed. The flour grated from
the mass should be used the same as arrowroot or rice.'
Infants nourished by prepared food thrive well enough during cool
weather, but during the warm months of the year they are exceedingly
liable to bowel complaint, of which large numbers of the spoon-fed
infants of cities die each summer season. Hence the importance of taking
them into the country; and keeping them there until the return of cool
weather lessens the danger of city life.
WEANING.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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