Advice to a Mother on the Management of Her Children Part 12

My opinion is, that aperients, as a rule, are quite unnecessary, and should only be given in severe illness, and under the direction of a judicious medical man. How much misery, and injury, might be averted if milk were always given to a child in combination with water!

Aperients, by repet.i.tion, unlike water, increase the mischief tenfold, and cork them up most effectually; so that the bowels, in time, will not act without them!

A mother before she gives an aperient to her child should ponder well upon what I have said upon the subject, it being a vital question, affecting, as it does, the well-being and the well-doing of her child.

144. _But, if a child's bowels be very costive, what is to be done to relieve them_?

Do not give him a grain or a drop of opening medicine, but in lieu thereof, administer, by means of a 6 oz. India-rubber Enema Bottle, half a tea-cup or a tea-cupful, according to the age of the child, [Footnote: For a babe, from birth until he be two years old, one, two, or three table-spoonfuls of warm water will be sufficient, and a 2 oz. Enema Bottle will be the proper size for the purpose of administering it.] of warm water; now this will effectually open the bowels, without confining them afterwards, which opening physic would most a.s.suredly do!

145. _Is it necessary to give a child luncheon_?

If he want anything to eat between breakfast and dinner let him have a piece of dry bread; and if he have eaten very heartily at dinner, and, like Oliver Twist, "asks for more!" give him, to satisfy his craving, a piece of _dry_ bread. He will never eat more of that than will do him good, and yet he will take sufficient to satisfy his hunger, which is very important.

146. _What ought now to be his dinner_?

He should now have meat, either mutton or beef, daily, which must be cut up very small, and should be mixed with mealy, _mashed_ potato and gravy. He ought _always_ to be accustomed to eat salt with his dinner. Let a mother see that this advice is followed, or evil consequences will inevitably ensue. Let him be closely watched, to ascertain that he well masticates his food, and that he does not eat too quickly; for young children are apt to bolt their food.

147. _Have you any objection to pork for a change_?

I have a great objection to it for the young. It is a rich, gross, and therefore unwholesome food for the delicate stomach of a child. I have known it, in several instances, produce violent pain, sickness, purging, and convulsions. If a child be fed much, upon such meat, it will be likely to produce "breakings-out" on the skin. In fine, his blood will put on the same character as the food he is fed with. Moreover, pork might be considered a _strong meat_, and "_strong_ meat and _strong_ drink can only be taken by _strong_ men."

148. _Do you approve of veal for a child_?

My objection to pork was, that it was rich and gross; this does not apply to veal; but the objection to it is, that it is more difficult of digestion that either mutton or beef; indeed, all young meats are harder of digestion than meats of maturity; thus mutton is more digestible than lamb, and beef than veal.

149. _Do you disapprove of salted and boiled beef for a child_?

If beef be _much_ salted it is hard of digestion, and therefore ought not to be given to him; but if it have been but _slightly_ salted, then for a change there will be no objection to a little. There is no necessity in the _winter_ time to _salt_ meat intended for boiling; then boiled _unsalted_ meat makes a nice change for a child's dinner.

Salt, of course, _must_ with the unsalted meat be eaten.

150. _But suppose there is nothing on the table that a child may with impunity eat_?

He should then have either a grilled mutton chop, or a lightly-boiled egg; indeed, the latter, at any time, makes an excellent change. There is great nourishment in an egg; it will not only strengthen the frame, but it will give animal heat as well: these two qualities of an egg are most valuable; indeed, essential for the due performance of health: many articles of food contain the one qualification, but not the other: hence the egg is admirably suitable for a child's _occasional_ dinner.

151. _Are potatoes an unwholesome food for a child_?

New ones are; but old potatoes well cooked and mealy, are the best vegetable he can have. They ought to be _well mashed_, as I have known lumps of potatoes cause convulsions.

152. _Do you approve of any other vegetables for a child_?

Occasionally: either asparagus or broccoli, or cauliflower, or turnips, or French beans, which latter should be cut up fine, may with advantage be given. Green peas may occasionally be given, provided they be thoroughly well boiled, and mashed with the knife on the plate. Underdone and unmashed peas are not fit for a child's stomach: there is nothing more difficult of digestion than underdone peas. It is important, too, to mash them, even if they be well done, as a child generally bolts peas whole; and they pa.s.s through the alimentary ca.n.a.l without being in the least digested.

153. _Might not a mother be too particular in dieting her child_?

Certainly not. If blood can be too pure and too good she might! When we take into account that the food we eat is converted into blood; that if the food be good the blood is good; and that if the food be improper or impure, the blood is impure likewise; and, moreover, when we know that every part of the body is built up by the blood, we cannot be considered to be too particular in making our selection of food. Besides if indigestible or improper food be taken into the stomach, the blood will not only be made impure, but the stomach and the bowels will be disordered. Do not let me be misunderstood: I am no advocate for a child having the same food one day as another-- certainly not. Let there be variety, but let it be _wholesome_ variety. Variety in a child's (not in infant's) food is necessary. If he were fed, day after day, on mutton, his stomach would, at length be brought into that state, that in time it would not properly digest any other meat, and a miserable existence would be the result.

154. _What ought a child to drink with his dinner_?

Toast and water, or, if he prefer it, plain spring water. Let him have as much as he likes. If you give him water to drink, there is no fear of his taking too much; Nature will tell him when he has had enough. Be careful of the quality of the water, and the source from which you procure it. If the water be _hard_--provided it be free from organic matter--so much the better. [Footnote: See the _third_ edition of _Counsel to a Mother_, under the head of "Hard or soft water as a beverage!"] Spring water from a moderately deep well is the best. If it come from a land spring, it is apt, indeed, is almost sure to be contaminated by drains, &c.; which is a frequent cause of fevers, of diphtheria, of Asiatic cholera, and of other blood poisons.

Guard against the drinking water being contaminated with lead; never, therefore, allow the water to be collected in leaden cisterns, as it sometimes is if the water be obtained from Water-works companies. Lead pumps, for the same reason, ought never to be used for drinking purposes. Paralysis, constipation, lead colic, dropping of the wrist, wasting of the ball of the thumb, loss of memory, and broken and ruined health, might result from neglect of this advice.

The drinking fountains are a great boon to poor children, as water and plenty of it, is one of the chief necessaries of their existence; and, unfortunately, at their own homes they are not, oftentimes, able to obtain a sufficient supply. Moreover, drinking fountains are the best advocates for Temperance.

Some parents are in the habit of giving their children beer with their dinners--making them live as they live themselves! This practice is truly absurd, and fraught with great danger! not only so, but it is inducing a child to be fond of that which in after life might be his bane and curse! No good end can be obtained by it; it will _not_ strengthen so young a child; it will on the contrary, create fever, and will thereby weaken him; it will act injuriously upon his delicate, nervous, and vascular systems, and by means of producing inflammation either of the brain or of its membranes, might thus cause water on the brain (a disease to which young children are subject), or it might induce inflammation of the lungs.

155. _What ought a child who has cut his teeth to have for his supper_?

The same that he has for breakfast. He should sup at six o'clock.

156. _Have you any general remarks to make on a child's meals_?

I recommended a great sameness in an _infant's_ diet; but a _child's_ meals, his dinners especially, ought to be much varied. For instance, do not let him have day after day mutton; but ring the changes on mutton, beef, poultry, game, and even occasionally fish--sole or cod.

Not only let there be a change of meat, but let there be a change in the manner of cooking it; let the meat sometimes be roasted; let it at other times be boiled. I have known a mother who has prided herself as being experienced in these matters, feed her child, day after day, on mutton chops! Such a proceeding is most injurious to him, as after a while his unfortunate stomach will digest nothing but mutton chops, and, in time, not even those!

With regard to vegetables, potatoes--_mashed_ potatoes--ought to be his staple vegetable; but, every now and then, cauliflower, asparagus, turnips, and French beans, should be given.

With respect to puddings, vary them; rice, one day; suet, another; batter, a third; tapioca, a fourth; or, even occasionally, he might have either apple or gooseberry or rhubarb pudding--provided the pastry be plain and light.

It is an excellent plan, as I have before remarked, to let her child eat jam--such as strawberry, raspberry, or gooseberry--and that without stint, either with rice or with batter puddings.

_Variety of diet_, then, is _good for a child:_ it will give him muscle, bone, and sinew; and, what is very important, it will tend to regulate his bowels, and it will thus prevent the necessity of giving him aperients.

But do not stuff a child--do not press him, as is the wont of some mothers, to eat more than he feels inclined. On the contrary, if you think that he is eating too much--that he is overloading his stomach--and if he should ask for more, then, instead of giving him either more meat or more pudding, give him a piece of dry bread. By doing so, you may rest a.s.sured that he will not eat more than is absolutely good for him.

157. _If a child be delicate, is there any objection to a little wine, such as cowslip or tent, to strengthen him_?

Wine ought not to be given to a child unless it be ordered by a medical man; it is even more injurious than beer. Wine, beer, and spirits, princ.i.p.ally owe their strength to the alcohol they contain; indeed, nearly _all_ wines are _fortified_ (as it is called) with brandy. Brandy contains a large quant.i.ty of alcohol, more than any other liquor, namely 55.3 per cent. If, therefore, you give wine, it is, in point of fact, giving diluted brandy--diluted alcohol; and alcohol acts, unless it be used as a medicine, and under skilful medical advice, as a poison to a child.

158. _Suppose a child suddenly to lose his appet.i.te? is any notice to be taken of it_?

If he cannot eat well, depend upon it, there is something wrong about the system. If he be teething, let a mother look well to his gums, and satisfy herself that they do not require lancing. If they be red, hot, and swollen, send for a medical man, that he may scarify them. If his gums be not inflamed, and no tooth appears near, let her look well to the state of his bowels; let her ascertain that they be sufficiently opened, and that the stools be of a proper consistence, colour, and smell. If they be neither the one nor the other, give a dose of aperient medicine, which will generally put all to rights. If the gums be cool, and the bowels be right, and his appet.i.te continue bad, call in medical aid.

A child asking for something to eat, is frequently, in a severe illness, the first favourable symptom; we may generally then prognosticate that all will soon be well again.

If a child refuse his food, neither coax nor tempt him to eat: as food without an appet.i.te will do him more harm than it will do him good; it may produce either sickness, bowel-complaint, or fever. Depend upon it, there is always a cause for a want of appet.i.te;--perhaps his stomach has been over-worked, and requires repose; or his bowels are loaded, and Nature wishes to take time to use up the old material;--there might be fever lurking in his system; Nature stops the supplies, and thus endeavours, by not giving it food to work with, to nip it in the bud;--there might be inflammation; food would then be improper, as it would only add fuel to the fire; let, therefore, the cause be either an overworked stomach, over-loaded bowels, fever, or inflammation, food would be injurious. Kind Nature if we will but listen to her voice, will tell us when to eat, and when to refrain.

159. _When a child is four or five years old, have you any objection to his drinking tea_?

Some parents are in the habit of giving their children strong (and frequently green) tea. This practice is most hurtful. It acts injuriously upon their delicate, nervous system, and thus weakens their whole frame. If milk does not agree, a cup of very weak tea, that is to say, water with a dash of _black_ tea in it, with a table-spoonful of cream, may be subst.i.tuted for milk; but a mother must never give tea where milk agrees.

160. _Have you any objection to a child occasionally having either cakes or sweetmeats_?

I consider them as so much slow poison. Such things both cloy and weaken the stomach, and thereby take away the appet.i.te, and thus debilitate the frame. Moreover "sweetmeats are coloured with poisonous pigments." A mother, surely, is not aware, that when she is giving her child Sugar Confectionery she is, in many cases, administering a deadly poison to him? "We beg to direct the attention of our readers to the Report of the a.n.a.lytical Sanitary Commission, contained in the _Lancet_ of the present week (Dec. 18, 1858), on the pigments employed in colouring articles of Sugar Confectionery. From this report it appears that metallic pigments of a highly dangerous and even poisonous character, containing chromic acid, lead, copper, mercury, and a.r.s.enic, are commonly used in the colouring of such articles."

If a child be never allowed to eat cakes and sweetmeats, he will consider a piece of dry bread a luxury, and will eat it with the greatest relish.

161. _Is bakers' or is home-made bread the most wholesome for a child_?