Peptogenic milk powder......

Milk, fresh and cold..........

Water......................

Cream......................

1 level teaspoonful. 4 tablespoonfuls (fid. oz. 2). 4 tablespoonfuls (fid. oz. 2). 1 tablespoonful (fid. oz. 1/2).

Heat cautiously over a flame, stirring constantly with a food thermometer* and being careful to observe that the temperature is maintained at about 115o F. for full six minutes; never let the mixture boil. Then put into a nursing bottle, and cool to 98°F., when it is ready for administering. The cup should be held by the hand over the flame, thus making it easy to regulate the heat to which the milk is exposed.

It is important to follow out these directions absolutely, for should the temperature of the mixture not be maintained at a sufficiently high point, the pancreatin contained in the peptogenic powder will perform its work imperfectly; on the other hand, should the heat nearly approach the boiling-point all digestive activity will be suspended.

* A bath thermometer taken out of its wooden frame makes a serviceable and sufficiently accurate instrument for observing temperature in food preparation.

Humanized milk so prepared is adapted to the average infant's digestion. As age advances, the proportion of milk may be increased to a proportion as high as 2 to 1 of water, and the total quantity of the mixture augmented. As an increase in quantity is made, it is necessary to preserve the relations of the peptogenic powder to the liquid; namely, one teaspoonful to each four ounces and a half.

Sometimes it will be found necessary to carry the process of predigestion further than can be accomplished by following the directions already given. This may be readily done by increasing the length of the time of heating. One can thus easily produce in the milk any degree of change up to complete peptonization, when the liquid becomes clear and very bitter. Conversely, when it is desirable - in case of returning health, for instance - to resume a plain milk diet, the time of heating is gradually shortened until the powder is added to the milk mixture just at the time of feeding. When the time comes to abandon the digesting powder entirely it is most important to supply its place in the food by an equal bulk of milk sugar.

The milk and cream referred to are of such quality as can be obtained from a reliable city dealer; extra rich milk or cream may, under some circumstances, require to be more diluted. If it be desired to prepare the whole day's food supply at one time, the required quantity is heated in bulk to 115°F., kept at this temperature for ten minutes, with constant stirring, and then brought quickly to the boiling point (212°) to destroy the activity of the pancreatin. Next it is poured into the feeding bottles, which, after being stopped with cotton, are placed in cold water to rapidly cool the mixture, and then in a refrigerator to await the feeding time when they are reheated to 98°F.