28 THE HUMAN BODY. 



The inorganic matters of human milk yield, on analysis, 

 in 100 parts calcium carbonate 6. 9; calcium phosphate 70. 6; 

 sodium chloride 9.8; sodium sulphate 7.4; other salts 5.3. 

 The lime salts are of especial importance to the child, which 

 has still to build up nearly all its bony skeleton. 



When undiluted cow's milk is given to infants they rarely 

 bear it well; the too abundant casein is vomited in loose 

 coagula. The milk should therefore be diluted with half or, 

 for very young children, even two thirds its bulk of water.. 

 This, however, brings down the percentage of sugar and. 

 butter below the proper amount. The sugar is commonly 

 replaced by adding cane sugar; but sugar of milk is readily- 

 obtainable and is better for the purpose. If used at all it 

 should, however, be employed from the first; it sweetens 

 much less than cane sugar, and infants used to the latter 

 refuse milk in which milk sugar is substituted. Cream from 

 cow's milk may be added to raise the percentage of fats to 

 the normal, but must be perfectly fresh and only added to the 

 milk immediately before it is given to the child. While 

 milk is standing for the cream to rise it is very apt to turn 

 a little sour; the amount of this sour milk carried off with the 

 cream is itself no harm when mixed with a large bulk of fresh 

 milk; it carries with it, however, some of the fungus whose 

 development causes the souring, and this will rapidly de- 

 velop and sour all the milk it is added to if the mixture be 

 let stand. As the infant grows older less diluted cow's milk 

 may gradually be given; after the seventh or eighth month, 

 no addition of water is necessary. 



In the first weeks after birth it is no use to give an infant 

 starchy foods, as arrowroot. The greater part of the 

 starch passes through the bowels unchanged; apparently 

 because the pancreas has not yet fully developed, and has 

 not commenced to make its starch-converting ferment 

 (p. 341). Later on, starchy substances may be added to 

 the diet with advantage, but it should be borne in mind 

 that they cannot form the chief part of the child's food; it 

 needs proteids for the formation of its tissues, and amyloid 

 foods contain none of these. Many infants are, ignorantly. 

 half starved by being fed almost entirely on such things as 

 corn-flour or arrowroot. 



