DUTY OF EVERY MOTHER TO LKVKN HOW TO HUMANISE COW'S MILK.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13791, 24 October 1908, Page 9

DUTY OF EVERY MOTHER TO LEARN HOW TO HUMANISE COW'S MILK.

It is the duly of all mothers and nurses to learn how to picpare suitable artificial food lor babies, but most people arc not a Ware that even among breast-fed infants there are few. if any, who would not bo benefited by receiving .some humanised milk— in other words, cow's milk modified in accordance with the composition of human milk at and for some months alter the time ol weaning. Dr. Jiolt, professor of matters bearing on the rearing and treatment of children at the Columbia University, and chief physician to the Babies' Hospital. New York- the leading authority of the day on his subject — asks the question, "Cannot most children take plain cow's milk before they are fifteen mouths old?" and gives his opinion as follows: — "Many can, but many cannot, or at least they do much better when the milk is modified." (In other words, "humanised.") At weaning and between nine and twelve months of age there is no doubt whatever as to the great safety and advantage of giving the b;>Ky some humanised milk instead of suddenly setting it to digest and accommodate its system to ordinary cow's milk. Babies properly treated in this way lose little or nothing at weaning, though mothers, going on the experience of the past, always expect some ground to be lost, and are prepared fov :> trying time both for themselves and their offspring. It is a mistake to suppose that the troubles of infancy are over at nine months. An eminent professor of children's diseases says: "During the second year of life as much care is required as during the first. This fear of the second summer would he largely overcome if the child were not allowed to eat food ursuited to its digestion. Mo-=t of the illnesses and many of the doaths throughout childhood are traceable to improper diet." The following table shows what we lielieve to be the best and safest diet i'or the average baby from the tenth to the fifteenth month, whether it has been breast-fed or not : — Human- Oat jelly Numised milk. New orharlev her of

The fable is taken from the society's -pamphlet, the only addition needed being Hie gradual introduction about the twelfth month oi such simple articles uf food as rusks, toa'-t, bread, etc., as explained in the pamphlet. Surely nothing can hv simpler than the course rf feeding hero recommended. We "know of nothing better, indeed nothing so good; yet Dr. Hendry says, reflecting on the society's work and advice t«» mothers: "Let us cast aside our armamentarium of pots and pans, ther-inomt-i.ors, and measure-glasses."' This as, indtvd, an exhortation to turn back ihe hands of the clock. The curse of fcahyltood has been lack of knowledge, system, and accuracy. As Herbert Spencer says: "For one way of going right there* are a "hundred ways of gojng wrong." AYe have sot down clearly what lias been abundantly proved in •practice throughout the Dominion to he a very simple way to go right — a ♦,'ourse u{ feeding devised in general accord ujtii the actual experience and opinions ol tihe highest authorities of the day and in accord with the results of the' most scientific researches. AYe can only regret that any scientific man should come forward to counsel in effect a persistence in the careless. liap-fci*za-rd muddling of the past, insteod ■of backing what we know to be the most conducive to the welfare of the child.

Jloutli. .No. oi Milk s. jelly. : iced ling: 07.. Tonth :5o Eleventh... ;J() Twelfth ... 20 Thirteenth J"> Fifteenth.. 10 Eighteenth 0 oz. 5 10 M lo 20 oz. ;j 5 7 30 JO 10 (i 5 ,>