How Bowed Legs are Caused.

Otago Witness, Issue 2676, 28 June 1905, Page 66

How Bowed Legs are Caused.

— An Article of Exceptional Importance

and Interest. —

Before we can properly understand how bowed legs are caused we must know something about what bone is in its chemical composition. Bone is the material ox which the framework or skeleton of the body is formed, and when any deformity arises, it is nearly always in connection with the bony part of the "body ; therefore, eveiyone who has the care of children should have some intelligent idea on this very import-ant subject. Bone consists partly of animal matter and partly of earthy or mineral niattei. The first is almost entirely gelatine. Tiiis gives to bone its toughness and flexibility. The second consists principally of phosphate of lime, and it is this which gives to the bone its hardness.

— An Interesting Experiment. —

Procure a long thin bone from the butcher.

Place it for a few days in a weak solution of muriatic acid, or in vinegar. Either of these will cause the earthy matter (or lime) to be dissolved, so that only the gelatinous part remains. You can then, if the bone is long enough, tie it into a knot .'

Imagine lite hard bone of a bullock becoming so flexible as this ! We learn from this an important lesson in the care of young children, namely, the value of lime as an article of their food.

It must not, however, be imagined that merely taking the lime -you buy in a builder's yard and administering it in the iorm of lime-water will have the effect of making their legs strong.

Lime given in that way is in a. crude state, and if given in large quantities will produce troublesome constipation and various stomach ailments.

— Milk is the Best Food. —

Lime-water should never be given in large quantities. _ Its only value is as a neutralises of acid, and a small quantity is sometimes useful when children have to b-3 fed on cows' milk brought from a distance, or on the milk of stable-fed cows, which is naturally more acid in its composition than the milk of grass-fed animals. "But if we should not give lime-water."' you may say, " how are- we to give enough lime to make strong bones?" The answer is simple — give milk. This mjl<l» innocent -lootias liquid realljr

coiitains more lime than "lime-water," and contains it in a form that can be easily ami quickly assimilated. It also contains, in its most digestible form, another important material for the prevention of bowed legs, i.e., fat. The sad disease known as rickets, from which bewed legs and other bodily deformities so often spring, is principally caused by want of fat. In this disease the bones of young children do not harden properly, they remain soft, and when the child is allowed to walk much, the heavy body pressing on the soft leg-bones causes them to bulge out, and thus the legs become what we called " bowed."

Nothing can supply the place of milk to young, growing creatures, be they human or animal. A curiously instructive experiment was made some years ago by a, foreign experimentalist named Guerin to prove this. He wanted to try if the deprivation of milk would affect young puppies as it would affect babies. He took several pups in equally good condition which were being suckled. He weaned half of them suddenly, and fed them on raw meat. This may at first sight seem a suitable food for the young of carnivorous animals such as dogs, but the event proved otherwise. The little creatures pined away. Their food disagreed "with them, their limbs bent, and after some weeks they had . developed all the symptoms of rickets ! Babies whose mothers won't or can't nurse them, and who are fed on "pap* or some other kind of starchy food during the first few months of their lives, are very apt to become " rickety,"' and to suffer just as these unfortunate puppies did.

The very A B C of infant rearing is to understand this fact — i.e., that

—Milk is a Complete Food. — It contains everything that is necessary to make flesh, muscle, blood, and bone. During the first months of life, until the teeth come it should be the only food used. Every other kind (unless in cases illness, when the doctor may advise something else) is likely to do mischief.

— Curative Treatment. —

Heavy children who seem weak on their legs should not be encouraged to walk. Let them creep about on a rug — out of doors if the weather is fine — and get their exercise in that way. but^do not try and "teach them to walk."' They will walk without teaching when the leg-bones are stronger. Bathe and rub the legs twice a day with tepid sea-water or salt-and--vrater. Give plenty of milk, fresh air, and sleep. If the legs are already becoming bowed, consult a doctor without delay. Bowed legs can be made straight if treated in time.