FoodNet

Foods and home making

1928

Page 254

Presented as published in 1928. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
The baby’s eyes should be shaded from the sun when he is napping outdoors. Even in cloudy weather, his eyes should be protected from the glare of the sky. In hot weather, the baby should not be outdoors during the middle of the day when the sun is hot. In winter the baby carriage or bed should be put outdoors in a sheltered place. The baby’s head should be protected with a hood. A hood attached to a wrap is a better protection than a separate one. The pillows and blankets used in the carriage should be warmed before the baby is put into it. It is also advisable to put a hot-water bottle (well covered) in the foot of the carriage. When the weather is stormy, the baby should have fresh air, but he should not be taken outdoors. He may be placed in a room with the windows open. The baby should, of course, have on his outer wraps just the same as when he goes outdoors. Why should a baby be put in the sunshine ? Have you ever noticed how pale and unhealthy a plant becomes when it is put in a dark place ? Plants must have sunlight to make them grow and be healthy. Babies, children, and grownups also need sunshine. A baby needs sunshine so that his bones will be well formed and strong. Sunshine protects baby from a disease of the bones called rickets. (See Figure 138, page 469.) We know that when we sit beside a window on which the sun is shining, we can feel the heat of the sun. Heat rays from sun- light pass through window glass. But there is a certain kind of rays coming from sunlight which does not pass through ordinary glass or cloth. These rays , called ultra-violet rays, are necessary to keep the baby healthy. Hence, the baby should be exposed to sunlight outdoors; he should wear no clothes when the weather is warm. His head and eyes should be protected, however. Ultra-violet rays do not pass through ordinary glass, but some of them go through special kinds of glass now being manu- factured. If this glass is put in a window facing the south or 494 Health and Child Care southwest, and the baby is placed near the window when the sun is shining, he will get the effect of some of the ultra-violet rays. This glass can be put in a window in place of ordinary glass. It costs about $1.25 a square foot. Why is cod-liver oil called bottled sunshine ? Many babies are given cod-liver oil during the months when there is a limited amount of sunshine. They are given this oil because it affects the body somewhat as do ultra-violet rays. Both ultra-violet rays and cod-liver oil make it possible for the body to make use of the calcium which it gets in its food. Calcium is very neces- sary to make the bones hard and to develop the teeth and other parts of the body. Even though a baby were given plenty of milk to drink, he might not have power to make use of the cal- cium contained in the milk. In such a case, the baby would develop rickets. Sunshine , cod-liver oil, and proper food will prevent rickets. Because cod-liver oil affects the body in about the same way as the ultra-violet rays of the sun, it is often called bottled sunshine. Cod-liver oil has this wonderful effect on the body because it is rich in vitamins. This oil is no longer considered a medicine. It is a food. How and when should a baby be given water to drink? A