flilk. — Cow's milk is almost the only
kind used in this country for infants ; here
and there, goat's milk may be had. Cow's
milk is stronger in " solid " contents than
woman's milk, but the latter is sweeter.
Commonly, then, during the first months,
a little pure water is added (half, or less, of
the amount of milk), and a little white sugar.
As the child grows older, less water is
needed, and within the year often, none at
all. A great mistake was formerly made,
in mixing two pints of water with every
pint of milk ; the poor things sometimes,
no doubt, starved under such a regimen.
But, sometimes, the thicker and harder
curds made in the stomach with cow's milk
may be difficult for the babe to digest. It
becomes colicky and fretful, or it refuses
the bottle. Then we nuist add rather more
water, and something else to help to diffuse
the clots, thus keeping them from forming
solid masses.
Starchy materials will do this prettv
well. Such alone will not nourish a child
fully ; arrowroot, farina, and other starches
contain no nitrogoi, and some of this ele-
ment is indispensable for the growth of
muscles, bones, and brains. Moreover,
during the first three or four months very
little saliva or pancreatic juice is formed,
and, without these, starch is not digested.
But the viechanical qualities of starch fit it
for mixing up the casein and albumen of
milk in the fluids of the stomach,, and so
promoting its digestion.
What May be Used with Milk. —
Simple articles, especially barley, rice,
and oatmeal, are commonly available for
this purpose. Either of them does best
when ground (or beaten in a mortar) to a
fine powder for use. Barley-^'2X^x answers
well when the bowels are about right (that
is, from two to four moderate, natural pass-
ages daily) ; I'ice, when there is diarrhoea ;
oatmeal, when the child is " bound, " or not
free enough in the bowels.
For barley-water, a teaspoonful of barley-
meal for a two or a three months' old infant,
two teaspoonfuls for one over six months,
may be mixed with a tablespoonful or two
of cold water, and then put into a pint of
water. Bring this to the boiling-point, and
boil it down to half a pint. Strain it through
a fine sieve or a clean linen cloth, and stir
it in with a pint of milk, adding a little salt,
and an even teaspoonful of granulated white
sugar✪ Barley-Water. Put what is not used at once, in a
cold place (on ice, if it be summer time, or
in the spring-house in the country) to keep
for the next feeding-time. Never give milk
twenty-four hours old to a young child,
under any circumstances.
Rice and oatmeal may be prepared in the
same way, and used according to the state
of the child's bowels, ivhen milk alone does
not appear to digest well. Should neither of
these simple additions meet the difficulty,
you may safely try some of the " infants'
foods." Mellin's, Horlick's, Nestle's, and
Imperial Granuni are, among the l)est.
These "foods" are not, like arrow-root,
sago, and tapioca, merely starches. They
contain some also of the nitrogenous ma-
terials.
go
THE FAMILY DOCTOR
Page 232 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1901. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
flilk. — Cow's milk is almost the only kind used in this country for infants ; here and there, goat's milk may be had. Cow's milk is stronger in " solid " contents than woman's milk, but the latter is sweeter. Commonly, then, during the first months, a little pure water is added (half, or less, of the amount of milk), and a little white sugar. As the child grows older, less water is needed, and within the year often, none at all. A great mistake was formerly made, in mixing two pints of water with every pint of milk ; the poor things sometimes, no doubt, starved under such a regimen.
But, sometimes, the thicker and harder curds made in the stomach with cow's milk may be difficult for the babe to digest. It becomes colicky and fretful, or it refuses the bottle. Then we nuist add rather more water, and something else to help to diffuse the clots, thus keeping them from forming solid masses.
Starchy materials will do this prettv well. Such alone will not nourish a child fully ; arrowroot, farina, and other starches contain no nitrogen, and some of this element is indispensable for the growth of muscles, bones, and brains. Moreover, during the first three or four months very little saliva or pancreatic juice is formed, and, without these, starch is not digested. But the mechanical qualities of starch fit it for mixing up the casein and albumen of milk in the fluids of the stomach, and so promoting its digestion.
What May be Used with Milk. — Simple articles, especially barley, rice, and oatmeal, are commonly available for this purpose. Either of them does best when ground (or beaten in a mortar) to a fine powder for use. Barley-water answers well when the bowels are about right (that is, from two to four moderate, natural passages daily) ; I'ice, when there is diarrhoea ; oatmeal, when the child is " bound, " or not free enough in the bowels.
For barley-water, a teaspoonful of barleymeal for a two or a three months' old infant, two teaspoonfuls for one over six months, may be mixed with a tablespoonful or two of cold water, and then put into a pint of water. Bring this to the boiling-point, and boil it down to half a pint. Strain it through a fine sieve or a clean linen cloth, and stir it in with a pint of milk, adding a little salt, and an even teaspoonful of granulated white sugar. Put what is not used at once, in a cold place (on ice, if it be summer time, or in the spring-house in the country) to keep for the next feeding-time. Never give milk twenty-four hours old to a young child, under any circumstances.
Rice and oatmeal may be prepared in the same way, and used according to the state of the child's bowels, ivhen milk alone does not appear to digest well. Should neither of these simple additions meet the difficulty, you may safely try some of the " infants' foods." Mellin's, Horlick's, Nestle's, and Imperial Granuni are, among the best. These "foods" are not, like arrow-root, sago, and tapioca, merely starches. They contain some also of the nitrogenous materials.
go
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Barley-Water