OUR BABIES

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LIV, Issue 9023, 31 October 1925, Page 6

OUR BABIES

By Hygeia I Published under the auspice,-. M the j Royal New Zealand .S' -fiery tor the - Health ot Women and Children ( Pit in- t ket Society.) / ■‘lt i- wiser to put up a levee at the tup of a precipice than to maintain an : anihc.iau a- the Ir-ttom.. Alhuu Worms. Last week we pkbiished a iif'tiicrs letter regarding the trouble she was ha vine in trying to rul her little child . ot worms. | We then indicated the best general j hvgienic treatment, the most apple-j print- ddel V tin -imple measu les w hicn usually get rid of tile pest, at die same time emphasising the necessity for paiticular cieanfi ue.ss <d lingers ami nails, and avoidance ot sucking the nr.gcis lest this shouhl h-ad to reinieetion. Wc now wish to give nuv readers an intelligent idea 01 the iiatun and <au.-e of this most annoying and irritating disorder. As we said last week : Small thread worms are very common. and they should always he got rid of as soon as possible, as they cause intense itching and irritation, restlessness and disturbed sleep, and this tends to upset the whole system. Fur- . llier.. the itching and consequent scratching induced not infrequently, lead to tlic formation of bad habits. Cause or Effect. The first question to ask is whether in a given case the worms are to be regarded as the real cause of the trouble. or rather as an evidence that the general health anti the bowel and its contents are not what they should be? As a rule ordinary worms don't tend to flourish in a perfectly healthy (towel ; but on the other hand, worms are almost sure to take up their abode ami flourish if the bowel becomes chronically weak and sluggish, especially if more or less chronic catarrh of the bowel becomes established, accompanied by flic passing of slimy or .jelly-like' mucus. Worms tend to flourish in this mucus. The Law of Parasites. Tin great cause of the invasion of the hotly by parasites of any kind — from microbes to worms —is a lack of defensive, robust health, and pure blond. There are myriads of tiny enemies ever ready and on tire look-out to attack and feed on all living things, whether plant or animal, ami these enemies always tend to select the weak rather than the strong for their prey. One might have supposed it would be otherwise : one might have supposed that parasites would prefer to live on plants with pure, sweet sap. or on babies with rich, red. healthy blood ; but this is not the case. They choose the feebler organisms or the weaker parts of those who may be otherwise strong. Fighting the Feeble. Any gardener or farmer will tell you—indeed, you can see tor yourself —that blight comes on the smaller, feebler cabbages or turnips— those growing in the poorer parts of the field or insufficiently supplied with air, light and water. The strong, vigorous-grow-ing plants nearby will be found quite free from the pest; but you would only have to weaken any of these plants by cutting most of its roots or by depriving it of proper supplies of air and water, to cause an army of aphides to cover its leaves and weaken If further in the course of a few weeks. Are Worms Generally the Cause or The Effect? Speaking to students regarding a condition of feebleness and falling-off most frequently seen in children about the time of their second “teething”’ a distinguished physician says: “Other oases of debility with intestinal disorder will be brought to you simply for worms, and I want to impress upon you that you should always regard norms as a symptom, and no; as a disease. They are a symptom of chronic intestinal catarrh rather than a disease in themselves.'' The Lesson. j It must surely be clear to our reader.from what we have said that the best | means of preventing the invasion of worms and all other troubles is to keep our babies and children well and ht. We should go over the essentials for Health on Pages 1 and 2 m the Society's Hook. “Feeding and Care ot Baby.” and see whether wo faro failing in any respect. When children get te-wh giro them something to gnaw ---at first a oone. later a fair proportion cl likkl widen runs; be thoroughly eh ed. leach tho j child.v* chew, and di ! O-’tl it on j paix | E-p.-.dally re-;riot dim quantity of j mi gar and -weet-. Children would be j vo! v much happr. r ami ne:iT?bier it ihev j had i. -w.it-, at ; pi. A- it K nearly} ■vt i y child i, dam-.g-, d by oxte-- it) > ibi-. directi u. i* -w. ei;■> must be given, let the j -•liilur, n hav-- --m- e at meal-tune > Aiu ;ij > lini-h the nm;d v. .la a lot <>■ ■ ripe um-ooked apple well ctmved.