Which Of These Diluents Is Preferable?

"The barley water or gelatine, the bicarbonate of soda for sour stomach, and the lime water in case of diarrhoea; but neither lime water nor soda should be used continuously."

These Diluents Are For Breaking Up The Curds. How Do You Make The Milk Richer?

"That is done by adding cream and sugar. Sometimes half cream and half milk are used, but it is better to take the top milk; that is, after the milk has stood some six hours the cream and milk of the upper half of the can or jar is skimmed off for use. To each half-pint of top milk two and a half to three heaping teaspoonfuls of ordinary sugar should be added."

How Would You Mix The Ingredients For A Child Two Months Old?

"A child two months old would require, say, twenty-four ounces each day, prepared as follows:

Top milk....... 8 ounces.

Barley water .... 16 ounces.

Sugar .......... 4 heaping teaspoonfuls.

If gelatine water, lime water or soda water be used instead of barley water, it will require the same amount."

Will Children Thrive Better On This Mixture Than Pure Milk?

"Very much. Milk, without dilution, is too rich for many babes. They cannot digest it, and are not nourished, but get diarrhoea and die. Many a young babe has been carried to the grave, because its mother did not know of this way of modifying milk."

What Is The Next Most Important Thing To Know?

"That the milk has not been poisoned by disease-breeding germs."

"I don't see how we are to know this."

"If people do not keep their own cows, so that they know that they are clean and healthy, and do not know that the water used in washing the milk vessels is not contaminated by barnyards or privies, or if so, that it has been boiled before using on milk vessels, it is not safe to use milk unless pasteurized or sterilized."

How About Cellars With Decaying Vegetables?

"Well, milk must be. kept in an atmosphere that is sweet: if this cannot be done, it must be put in sealed or air-tight jars."

"I have often heard that milk is a great absorbent of poisons from the atmosphere."

"That is true: for there is no other animal food which so quickly decays as milk, or which so readily absorbs poison from the atmosphere, so that the greatest care is needed to prevent its contamination. Milk is an ideal food for infants and children, but if not kept from infection, it becomes a source of virulent sickness and death. This fact makes it incumbent upon us to use the utmost care to protect milk from all unclean or contaminating influences, and it must never be allowed to stand in open vessels, where there is foul air, and especially in the sick chamber. It is even objectionable to have milk stand in open vessels in sitting rooms, kitchens or pantries."

Suppose There Is Doubt About The Quality Of The Milk?

"There may be doubt if you keep your own cow, and there certainly will be if milk is purchased from dairymen. In such cases, it will be much better to buy pasteurized milk in bottles, which should be kept tightly corked. If this cannot be done, the milk should be strained and pasteurized in bottles or fruit jars that are fitted with airtight lids; the latter are preferable, because easier cleaned. (For method, see 'Milk.')1'

"Doctor, I have heard that it is better to feed a child with milk from only one cow."

"Yes, many writers have advocated this; but it is more reasonable to suppose that the milk from a herd of cows would have a more uniform daily average than that of any one cow."

Should The Milk Be Warmed Before Giving To The Child?

"Certainly. Enough should be poured out of the supply jar for one feeding and the bottle set in warm water (not hot enough to scald the hand), and left until the milk is as warm as fresh milk.'

How Much Should Be Given At Each Feeding?

"That depends on the age of the child: you will see from the table I gave you that at first a baby takes only an ounce of milk at a feeding, but when a year old, eight or nine ounces at a time. One thing is of greatest importance, and that is, not to put more milk into the nursing bottle than the child should have at one feeding, according to age and amount given in the table."

Why Is This?

"It prevents over-feeding, and you know exactly what the child is getting. If there be indigestion, the amount should be at least temporarily reduced; and if extra hearty, slightly increased. There must be uniformity, both in amount and as to time."

This Can't Be Done When The Mother Nurses Her Babe?

"Yes, it can; the child should not be permitted to nurse longer than fifteen or twenty minutes. Some foolish mothers are disposed to give their babies everything they want, as though their opinions were worth more than the most learned men, who have cared for thousands of children, both in hospitals and private practice. The safe side is on that of short allowance; this will not likely do any harm - extra allowance probably will."

If One Lived In A City And Found It Difficult To Get Any Milk Except What Is Partly Skimmed, What Should Be Done?

"Some sweet cream should be purchased and mixed with the milk - say one part cream to two parts of milk. This should then be diluted with barley or gelatine water, freshly made, put in a bottle or fruit jar, then pasteurized and set in a cool place. The amount necessary for each day should be prepared in this way."

What Is The Best Way To Feed Babies With Milk?

"The nursing bottle is generally used, and it is one of the most objectionable things connected with hand-feed-ing.

For What Reason?

"From the fact that bottles are hard to clean, and because people persist in using rubber tubing. This can hardly be cleaned, and is, therefore, a breeding-house for bacteria."