OUR BABIES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 31 October 1925, Page 19

OUR BABIES.

(By Hygeia.) [Published under the auspices of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (Plunket Society).] ABOUT WORMS. Bast week we published a mother’s letter regarding the trouble she was having in trving to rid her little child of worms. We then indicated the best general hveienie treatment, the most apnro-ni-iate diet and the simple measures which usually get rid of the nest, at fho same time emphasising the necessity for particular cleanliness of fingers and nails, and avoidance of sucking the fingers lest this should lend to reinfection.

Wn now wish to give our readers an intelligent idea of. the nature and cause of this most annoying- and irritat>nff disorder. Ac n-p said last week:

Small +h-pnd worms are yerv oom"'"'i. and they should always be got, rid of n= coon nc noscitle nc thev on nco ■•- + onco i+chiug and irritation. re«tk»co_

"o c ° mid disturbed sleeu. and +his feuds to unset dm whole system. Purt.her. the itohin" and conseoueut sovatchino 1 '"induced not infreonently lead to the formation of had 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 and the bowel and its contents are not what they should he? As a rule ordinary worms don’t tend to flourish in a perfectly healthy bowel; but, on the other hand, worms are almost sure to take up their abode and flourish if the bowel becomes chronically weak and sluggish, esnecially if more or less chronic catarrh of the bowel becomes established, accompanied bv the passing of slimv or ielly-like mucus. Worms tend to flourish in this mucus. The Law of Parasites. The great cause of the invasion of the body by parasites of any kind—from microbes to worms—is a lack of defensive, robust health, and pure blood. There are myriads of tiny enemies ever ready and on the look-out to attack and feed on all living things, whether plant or animal, and 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 baye supposed that parasites would prefer to liye on plants wit-Ji pure, sweet san or on babies with rich, red, healthy blood; hut this is not the ease. They choose the feebler organisms, or the weaker parts of those who may he otherwise strong. Fighting the Feeble.

Any gardener or farmer will tell you —indeed, you can see for yourself—that blight comes on the smaller, feebler cabbages or turnips—those growing in the poorer parts of the field jor insufficiently supplied with air, light and water. The strong, vigorous-growing plants nearby will he 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 it 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 cases 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 worms as a symptom, and not as a disease. They are a symptom of chronic intestinal catarrh rather than a disease in themselves.” The Lesson. It must surely be clear to our readers 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 fit. We should go over the Essentials for •Health on Pages 1 and 2 of the Society’s Book “Feeding and Care of Baby,” and see whether we are failing in any respect. When children get teeth give them something to gnaw—at first a hone, later a fair proportion of food which must he thoroughly cheAved. Teach the child to chew, and don’t feed it on pap. Especially restrict the quantity of sugar and sweets. Children would be very much happier and healthier if they had no sweets at all. As it is, nearly every child, is damaged by excess in this direction. If sweets must be given, let. the children have one each at meal-time. Always finish the meal with a bit of ripe, uncooked apple, well chewed.