OUR BABIES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 13, 16 January 1932, Page 19 (Supplement)

OUR BABIES

SUMMER DIARRHCEA What can we du to prevent summer diarrhoea? First.—We must see that every baby has “tho 12 essentials” in his daily life. We must see that every baby has what every baby needs. Tho first two pages of the Society’s book, “Feeding and Care of Baby,” should be perfectly familiar to every mother in the land. If the baby who has lived in fresh air, been naturally fed, trained in regular habits, and has received all the other essentials for good health chances to get ill. he “throws off the germs as the bow of an ocean liner throws off the spray—he is pretty well germ-proof. Secondly.—Wo must specially consider the matter of food. Natural feeding is tho great preventive. Professor Budin has shown that in Paris, out of 250 deaths of infants occurring in midsummer week, less than 30 were of breast-fed babies. As we have said, humanised milk is the best substitute; but in hot weather special precautions are necessary in the preparation and keeping of milk. Making and Keeping Milk in Hot Weather Instead of pasteurising baby 's milk bring it up tu the boil, and keep it about that temperature for five minutes. Whether boiled or pasteurised, the milk must bo cooled quickly and at once to well below GOdeg. Fahr, if possible. Germs multiply with extreme rapidity in warm milk. Cover the jug loosely with damp butter muslin, auu stand in running or frequently-changed cold water. (Needless to say, if ice is available the problem is solved). In the country a running stream or artesian well may be handy, but in the towns it may be impossible to get tap water below GOdeg. Fahr. A pailful of water left outside iu the air all night away from the cany morning sun will be quite cold for some hours., Select the shadiest, draugutiest, cleanest place for the milk safe, and stand tho jug of cooled milk in the safe in a shallow dish of tile coldest water available. Be sure tie damp muslin dips into the water all round, so that it will keep damp aud so cool by i evaporation. This method always ensures some cooling, especially in hot. dry weather. When there is any doubt as tu whether the milk has remained below GOdeg. Fahr, always rcscald what is left of the day’s supply in the evening, and again cool quickly, and place iu the coldest •plaxie available for the night. Naturally, if it is possible to obtain fresh milk twice daily, It is best to make the humanised miiK morning and evening. There are various kinds of safes and coolers, details of which may be obtained from the Plunket nurses or Karitane hospitals, but the simple, easily available methods suffice in the great majority of cases if carefully carried out. Thirdly.—Extra special care must be taken with regard to cleanliness during hot weather. Billies, jugs, bottles, and teats must be washed absolutely free of all traces of stale milk. An almost invisible amount of stale milk may render a whole day ’s supply of fresh milk poisonous. Vessels which have contained milk should always be washed in cold water first, and then in hot water and soap. Hot water “sets” the milk on the utensil, and makes it difficult to remove. Beware of flics. Keep everything under cover. Remove soiled napkins at once, and cover. Wash the hands after changing baby before again handling him or his food. Wash the nipples thoroughly before nursing baby. Fourthly.—Be extra careful to ensure regularity of the bowels; and see that baby has freedom of movement in the open air as much as possible. Let him be out of doors practically all day, and all night, too, if it can be arranged, but avoid overheating him. Lastly.—Do not worry about baby, but be on the watch for warning symptoms of trouble, and ready to take prompt measures. Weaning If possible do not wean baby during the hot season, especially if the weather is very hot. If weaning cannot be avoided it should be done gradually, with great care in the preparation and diluting of the artificial food, which should be humanised milk, made and graded according to the directions in “Feeding and Caro of Baby” or the instructions of the Plunket nurses. Even one breast feed a day during the hottest weather is better than none, delaying complete weaning until cooler days come. Indigestion Indigestion, due to overfeeding or to unsuitable food or irregular feeding, is the main predisposing cause of diarrhoea; therefore motners should be eternally vigilant, especially during summer. They should be perfectly regular, and should give tae children nothing unsuitable or likely to disagree. Unfortunately, nis just during the summer holiday months —the warmest time of the year—that the feeding of both babies and older children tends to become irregular and unsuitableWhen travelling or away from home the usual routine is broken, often with disastrous results. Many a child makes no progress during January or February for this reason. The disordered digestion and lower resistance leave him easy prey to any infection—ripe for an attack of diarrnoca. He may not die, he may completely recover, but at least his progress will be checked, perhaps for months, and tnere is grave risk of lifelong damage. Some hints on food for children when travelling will be given in these columns in a week or two. When away from home make every eltort to secure good pure milk. Always 0011 it before use for the first few days, and continue to do so if there is any doubt as to the freshness of the supply. Spare no pains to keep all feeding utensils scrupulously clean. For tnc older children beware of “pieces” of unsuitable food —cakes, sweets, bananas, and other unripe or over-ripe fruit, etc. Next week we shall go into the simple treatment of a threatened attack of diarrhoea.