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MUSGRAVE AND RICHMOND. 



3. Diluents are most important aids in infant feeding and they deserve 

 especial notice here, because of the necessity for care as to the quality 

 of water and of the other substances used. The following Table Xo. 14 

 gives the contents of a few of the principal diluents used in preparing 

 foods for infants. 



Table No. 14. — Giving analyses of a few diluents for baby food (taken from Rotch). 



Mibstance. 



Preparation. 



Sol- 

 ids. 



Ash. 



Fat. 



Total 

 Fro- 

 teid. 



Case- 

 in. 



Lact- 

 albu- 

 min. 



Su- 

 gar. 



Starch 



Oat meal water__ 

 Do 



2 oz. cooked A. hour, fin- 

 ished product 1.000 cc. 



3 oz. cooked A. hour, fin- 

 ished product 1,000 cc. 



2 oz. cooked A hour, fin- 

 ished product 1.000 cc. 



3 oz. cooked A. hour, fin- 



3.52 

 5.21 

 3.48 

 5.19 



0.03 

 .05 

 .03 

 .04 



0.08 

 .11 

 .02 

 .03 



0.41 

 .47 



.54 

 .H8 









2.99 

 4.58 

 2.88 

 4.43 









Barley meal 

 water. 

 Do— 















Fat free cows' 



ished product 1,000 cc. 



.05 3.55 







5.00 

 5.10 



milk. 

 W h e v from 











0.90 



cows' milk. 













The contents of these diluents is not generally considered in percentage 

 feeding, but in feeding infants in the Tropics, where the percentages are 

 not as accurate as they are at home, it appears more advisable to include 

 the contents of such substances as barley water when making the calcula- 

 tions for percentages. 



Coconut water as a diluent has already briefly been noticed, and it 

 would seem advisable to study this substance, as well as some others of 

 local use, to ascertain their value and action upon the digestive tract of 

 children. 



There is now a voluminous literature on the employment of a solu- 

 tion of sodium citrate as a modifier of the curd in cows' milk used for 

 infant feeding and its great value in this respect has been amply demon- 

 strated. It is not generally employed in the Philippines and we would 

 urge physicians to look more carefully into its merits. Limewater while 

 an excellent modifier of the cows' milk curd in certain cases, is too 

 extensively given and is often employed in too great a concentration. 



IV. DIET. 



Facts are expressed conservatively in stating that for the last four 

 vears an average of 2,500 children under 1 year of age have died annually 

 in the city of Manila for want of sufficient or proper food. 



