DISTURBANCES OF GROWTH 251 



more than meet the actual requirements of the growing child, and it is 

 equally important that the diet of the mother be chosen so as to furnish 

 a satisfactory amount of each of these two substances. 



There is the greatest need for an appreciation of the dangers of border- 

 line malnutrition in children. This is rare indeed among medical men. 

 It is time that the profession should understand the progress which has 

 been made in the investigation of nutrition, which has made possible 

 the accurate estimation of the quality of each of the important components 

 of the diet. This in turn allows the specialist in nutrition to predict that 

 certain combinations of natural foods will have certain shortcomings, and 

 will fall short of the optimum in the nutrition of an animal. It is no 

 longer justifiable to form judgment as to how well an infant is nourished, 

 by its growth or by its appearance. The only safe way is to make those 

 who are responsible for the welfare of the infant familiar with the prin- 

 ciples by which quality in milk or other foods is to be judged, and it is 

 their duty to make certain that the diet is of such a character as to pro- 

 mote growth and development in an optimum manner. It is the life 

 history which we are to consider, and not the rate of growth during the 

 months of infancy. We must attain our goal of making the diet of every 

 infant of such a character as to afford uninterrupted and optimum de- 

 velopment to its adult size. This will fortify it against unfavorable in- 

 fluences of various kinds which may react upon its well-being in later life. 



