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Food for the infantIn a considerable minority of cases, however, it becomes necessary, ?on account of some of the causes already indicated, that artificial food should be substituted entirely or in part for the breast. These are the cases which furnish so much sickness or mortality, especially in our larger cities. It must not be understood that artificial feeding implies in itself anything injurious to the child, but as ordinarily employed it is such a poor substitute for the natural food that the results are, as a rule, very unsatisfactory. With care and attention a bottle-fed infant may and often does enjoy the most robust health ; and there are certain combinations of artificial food which give, as a rule, excellent results as a substitute for mother?s milk. Yet while physicians are accustomed to rely upon these sr jstitutes, they are equally well aware that there must be an adaptation of means to meet the requirements of individual cases ; that the effects upon the child, as indicated by the condition of his digestive organs must be carefully observed, as an index to possible modifications of diet. A food which may meet the requirements in four successive cases may require modification in the fifth ; and it is extremely important for mothers to realize the fact that there is no such thing as a universal infants? food ; that the nourishment of infancy must vary, not only according to age and season, but also with individual peculiarities ; and that? her vigilance may not be relaxed, so soon as she has obtained from a friend or physician a formula for preparing infants? food. The best plan in every case in which difficulty is experienced is to place the matter in the hands of a physician. Yet a few directions for the composition of food, which will in many cases answer all requirements, are appended: The simplest substitute for mother?s milk is obtained by diluting cow?s milk. The milk of the cow differs from that of woman in two essential details : It is considerably richer in solid constituents but contains less sugar. To approximate it to human milk it is merely necessary then to add a certain amount of water and sugar, preferably ? milk sugar. ? The amount of dilution varies with the age of the infant ; since mother?s milk is less rich in the early months of nursing than it subseqently becomes, a correspondingly greater amount of water must be added to the cow?s milk to secure the proper consistence. The milk, as obtained from the cow should be mixed with its own bulk of water for a child one or two months old ; if the milk be obtained from a dealer it will rarely be necessary to add more than half its bulk of water ; the mixture may be sweetened with table sugar, or better with sugar of milk. This preparation often answers admirably as a substitute for the mother?s breast, especially in the country ; in large cities the plan is less often successful, since the milk cannot be obtained so fresh, and in warm weather at least, has always undergone fermentation whereby irritating compounds are formed. Yet it is oftentimes possible to obviate, to a certain extent, these disadvantages by previously boiling the milk. Yet if it be impossible to secure fresh and pure cow?s milk, it will be best to resort to one of several other modes of preparing artificial food. A very popular mixture, and one which has rendered valuable service, is an attempted imitation of the natural composition of milk ? a popular and ready form of Liebig?s food. The ingredients required are : Malt, - One-half ounce. Flour, --__- One-half ounce. Skimmed milk, - Six ounces. Bicarbonate of potassium, - - Seven grains. Water, - - - - - One ounce. Malt should be crushed or ground in a coffee-mill. All the ingredients may be mixed, put into a clean pan, boiled for eight or ten minutes and constantly stirred ; then strained through an ordinary piece of muslin ; if the child must be fed from the very first, it will be desirable to increase the quantity of water in the above mixture to six ounces. After the first two or three weeks the quantity named will be insufficient, as the child requires two or three teacupfuls. The mixture tastes quite sweet; no sugar should be employed. The disadvantage of this food is the necessity for this somewhat complicated preparation every twelve or twenty-four hours. A most satisfactory and generally applicable food can be obtained from arrow root and cream. Dr. Meigs, of Philadelphia, gives the following directions: ? A scruple of gelatine (or a piece two inches square of the flat cake in which it is sold) is soaked for a short time in cold water and then boiled in half a pint of water until it dissolves?about ten or fifteen minutes. To this is added, with constant stirring, and just at the termination of the boiling, the milk anda rrow root, the latter being previously mixed into a paste with a little cold water. After the addition of the milk and arrow root, and just before the removal from the fire, the cream is poured in and a moderate quantity of loaf sugar added. The proportions of milk, cream and arrow root must depend on the age and digestive powers of the child. For a healthy infant less than a month old, I usually direct from three to four ounces of milk, half an ounce to an ounce of cream and a teaspoonful of arrow root to half a pint of water. For older children, the quantity of milk and cream should be gradually increased to a half or two-thirds milk and from one to two ounces of cream. I seldom increase the quantity of gelatine or arrow root. ? A still simpler food may be prepared simply from arrow root and cream. Two teaspoonfuls of arrow root are added to half a pint of water, stirred over the fire until pasty, and then strained ; a tablespoonful of cream is then added and given warm. The most important feature in the success of artificial feeding is perfect cleanliness of the bottles and tubes employed ; and only such bottles and tubes should be used which can be readily taken to pieces and thoroughly cleansed, from the point of the rubber nipple to the bottom of the bottle. A failure to observe this simple precaution will certainly vitiate any and all attempts at artificial feeding, whatever material be employed ; for there occurs fermentation in the milk and other matters collected at the joints and in the crevices of the feeding bottle ; and these fermented matters passing into the child?s stomach with the next installment of food, must derange its digestion. For cleansing the bottles and tubes, warm water containing a little borax may be used. The success of the attempt to substitute artificial food will be ultimately measured by the welfare of the infant ; yet careful observation may early indicate the imperfections of the method in use before the child?s health has been seriously impaired. Perhaps the most important indications of failure in the character of the food are to be observed in the appearance of the infant?s discharges, which should be always carefully inspected by the mother herself and not left entirely to the chance observation of the nurse. Indeed, it may be said as a general truth, that serious disorders of infancy - which are, in a majority of cases, derangements of digestion and their consequences ? might be often avoided if the appearance of unnatural stools were always regarded as a demand for a careful supervision of the diet; and this applies to children at the breast, as well as those artificially nourished. In this way it would be often possible to avoid that scourge of infancy?summer complaint; the first indications of this affection should be met not so much by medicines as by a regulation of the child?s food and general management. Whether sustained by the breast or by artificial means, the infant will usually, in six or seven months, be able to digest other food also ; yet a mistake is often made in permitting the child to have such food at a too early date ; not infrequently a four months babe is supplied with crackers and similar articles, while the mother wonders why the child is not well. As a rule, nothing should be given aside from the regular diet until the completion of the sixth or seventh month, and then it may not feed promiscuously upon whatever chances to be in its way, but must be gradually accustomed to the digestion of solid food. As a preparation, it may be well to give the child, even as early as the fourth or fifth month, some of the artificial food already mentioned, without, however, discontinuing the breast ; later, soups and broths ? containing but little fat ? may be administered in small quantities. The general principle should not be forgotten, that until the child has some teeth it cannot properly dispose of anything solid ; the attempt will almost certainly result in disaster to its alimentary organs. But first, if you want to come back to this web site again, just add it to your bookmarks or favorites now! Then you'll find it easy! Also, please consider sharing our helpful website with your online friends.
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