ioo6 The Cornell Reading-Courses 



testinal disturbances. That's what makes the baby cry so much; not, as 

 mothers think, insufficient food. Do not overlook a serious illness because 

 the child is teething; for teething very rarely makes the baby sick. 



8. " From the seventh month on, give one meal of broth daily. From 

 the eighth month, give 2 to 3 tablespoonfuls of strained oatmeal, rice, 

 tapioca, farina, flour soup, zwieback, daily. From the tenth month on, 

 strained apple sauce, prune juice, orange juice.* Never give the baby more 

 than five meals a day all in all.'' 



Modified milk mixtures must always be used with common sense. 

 Directions are given to serve as guides and are not infallible rules. If a 

 child digests its food well but shows too great symptoms of hunger between 

 meals, increase the amount given at a meal. If the child is not hungry at 

 meal times increase the intervals between meals. There will be many 

 similar points of adjustment to be made, for no schedule can be absolutely 

 perfect for all cases. Cleanliness, accuracy, and regularity can and 

 always should be observed. 



DILUENTS 



The question is often asked, which is best to use in diluting milk mixtures, 

 water or some kind of gruel. If the baby suffers habitually with con- 

 stipation, a thoroughly cooked thin oatmeal gruel should be used in place 

 of water to dilute the milk. Barley gruel is also somewhat laxative, 

 though less so than oatmeal. Rice water may be used when there is a 

 tendency to looseness of the bowels. The use of barley or oatmeal is 

 advisable in cases in which the milk seems to cause slight indigestion. 

 Many physicians believe that it is always better to use a thin gruel instead 

 of water as a diluent, because the thickened starch aids in breaking up 

 the curd which cow's milk forms when it reaches the stomach, and thus 

 helps the baby to digest the milk. If gruels are used they should be care- 

 fully made, very thoroughly cooked and strained, and should be rather 

 dilute. 



Barley water or gruel. — To i quart water add i tablespoonful well- 

 washed barley. Boil very slowly for several hours or until reduced to i 

 pint. Strain and use. If too thick, dilute with a little water that has 

 been boiled. 



Oatmeal water. — To | cup rolled oats add i quart water. Boil slowly 

 two hours. Strain and use. If too thick, dilute with a little water that 

 has been boiled. 



Rolled-oat jelly. — To i cup rolled oats add 3 cups water. Cook two 

 hours or longer in a double boiler. Rub through a strainer. The coarser 

 part may be reserved for use by the adult members of the family. 



* If the baby is fed with boiled milk, a teaspoonful of strained orange juice diluted with 2 to 4 times its 

 amount of water should be given between feedings several times a day. — Author. 



