334 



MEDICAL SECTION 



is readily soluble in water, and solutions can be 

 prepared of the strength required. The plan which 

 I adopt is to order a solution of 10 gr. to the drachm. 

 A drachm of this solution is added to each quarter of 

 a pint of milk, thus giving the 2 gr. to the ounce of 

 milk which is required. It may be added to the milk 

 when it is first delivered in the morning, or to each 

 feed as it is prepared. I always bring the milk just 

 to the boil, or in other words " scald " it, not only 

 because this renders it much safer from the point of 

 view of infection, but also because the citrated milk 

 curd is softer as the result. Occasionally a pellicle of 

 mould may grow on the surface of the solution if it is 

 kept in a warm place, but this may be obviated by 

 the addition of a few drops of chloroform water. 

 Sodium citrate is also sold in tablet form, one or more 

 of the tablets being crushed and added to the milk, 

 but I have found that the solution is the more reliable 

 preparation. Citrated whole milk may be begun 

 when the baby is 2 weeks old. 



With regard to quantities, clearly the amount will 

 be less than if the milk is given diluted. No hard- 

 and-fast line can be drawn as to the frequency or sizi 

 of the feeds, since so much depends on the vigour an< 

 strength of each particular child, and the proportioi 

 of its weight to its size, and 1 do not propose to giv< 

 a table of amounts, being convinced, not only of theii 

 inutility, but also of their possible danger. Roughl; 

 speaking, for the second fortnight of life about f oz. 

 is sufficient ; for first to second month, i^ oz. ; foi 

 second to third month, 2\ oz. ; for third to fourtl 

 month, 3^ oz. ; fourth to fifth month, 4! to 5 oz. 

 These figures must only be taken as roughly approxi- 

 mate. Some infants will take more with benefit, 

 others need to be treated as though of a younger ag( 

 The surest guides are the baby's appetite, the weighl 

 chart, the state of the motions, and the genera) 

 progress. 



