Public School Domestic Science Part 30

Macaroni is an excellent food for young children.

FRUIT.

Baked apples and the juice of an orange are the only fruits which should be given to children under two years of age.

RICE.

Rice is an excellent food for young children, but not for infants.

VENTILATION.

Foul air is injurious to grown persons, but it is infinitely more dangerous to the sensitive organization of a child. Therefore special attention should be given to the ventilation of rooms occupied by a baby (see page 132).

Fresh air, wholesome food, regular bathing, and plenty of sleep will insure the normal growth of the average baby, and are within reach of every one who has the care of young children.

The writer is indebted to Miss Scovil, Superintendent of Newport Hospital, and one of the a.s.sociate editors of the _Ladies' Home Journal_, for many of the above hints concerning the diet of infants.

EMERGENCIES.

As frequent accidents occur during the performance of household duties, a few suggestions as to how slight injuries should be treated may prove useful to the young housekeeper.

_Cuts._--A cut should be washed with cold water, covered with a small pad of cotton, bound up, and left alone. Should matter form, the bandage must be taken off, the wound bathed with carbolized water, 1-80, and a little carbolized vaseline spread on a bit of linen and laid over it. The washing and dressing should be repeated two or three times a day if there is much discharge.

_Bruises._--A flannel wrung out of very hot water, and laid on a bruise, relieves the soreness.

For bruises on the face, apply ice. Brown paper wet in vinegar is an old-fashioned remedy. If the skin is broken, treat as a wound, with carbolized water and carbolized vaseline.

_Sprains._--Both hot and cold treatment is recommended. Immerse the joint in water as hot as can be borne. Keep up the temperature by gradually adding more hot water. Let it soak for an hour or more. Then wrap in warm flannel, and surround with hot water bags or bottles.

_Stings._--Bathe the part in ammonia, or baking soda and water; wet a cloth in the same, and bind over it.

_Burns._--The best household remedies for burns are baking soda and carbolized vaseline. For slight burns mix the soda to a paste with water, and spread thickly over the part; cover with linen or old cotton. This may be kept wet by squeezing water over it. If shreds of clothing adhere to a burn, they should be soaked with oil, and not pulled off until softened. If the skin is gone, spread carbolized vaseline on linen, and bind on the part until the doctor arrives.

In burns caused by acids, water should not be applied to the parts.

Cover with dry baking soda.

If caused by an alkali, such as lye, ammonia, or quick-lime, use an acid, as vinegar or lemon juice, diluted.

_Poisoning._--For poison ivy, saturate a cloth in a solution of baking soda, or ammonia and water, and lay over the part.

When poison has been swallowed, the first thing to do is to get it out of the stomach. Secondly, to prevent what remains from doing more mischief. Give an emetic at once. One tbsp. of salt in a gla.s.s of _tepid_ water; 1 tsp. of mustard, or 1 tsp. of powdered alum in a gla.s.s of tepid water. A tsp. of wine of ipecac, followed by warm water. Repeat any of these three or four times if necessary. The quant.i.ties given are for children; larger doses may be given to adults. It is well to give a dose of castor oil after the danger is over, to carry off any remnants of the poison that may have lodged in the intestines.

After a poison has burned the mouth and throat, plenty of milk may be given, also flour, arrowroot, or cornstarch gruel.

For drowning and other serious accidents, see Public School Physiology.

FURNISHING A CLa.s.s-ROOM.

The furnishing of a cla.s.s-room should be so complete that each pupil should be able to attend to the appointed task without delay. The furniture should consist of a stove, or range, gas stove if more convenient, a hot water tank or boiler, sink, table (side), towel rack, 2 dozen chairs, or seats with tablet arms, a cupboard or kitchen "dresser" for table ware, a large cupboard or arrangement for lockers, in which caps, ap.r.o.ns, etc., should be kept, a large table--horseshoe shape is the most satisfactory--with drawers, and s.p.a.ce for rolling pin, bread board, etc., underneath. The table should be large enough to allow at least 2 ft. 6 in. for each pupil. Twenty pupils is the limit of a practice cla.s.s. On the table should be placed at regular intervals, 10 gas burners with frame. The teacher's table should stand in the opening at the end of the table so that she may see each pupil while at work, and when demonstrating may be seen by each pupil.

The following list of utensils will be found sufficient for practice work for a cla.s.s of 20 pupils.

EARTHEN, CHINA AND GLa.s.s WARE.

1 dinner set.

2 quart pitchers.

2 pint pitchers.

2 small oval baking dishes.

2 small round baking dishes.

4 4-quart bowls, with lips.

6 2-quart bowls, with lips.

4 1-quart bowls.

12 baking cups.

6 kitchen cups.

2 small platters.

2 medium size platters.

2 deep pie plates.

6 shallow pie plates.

2 jelly moulds.

1 teapot.

1 dozen quart gem jars.

1 dozen pint gem jars.

6 4-quart stone jars or crocks.

1 dozen fancy plates, and gla.s.s dishes for serving.

WOODENWARE.

1 wash-board.

12 small bread boards.

12 rolling pins.

2 chopping trays.

2 potato mashers.

1 potato ricer.

1 water pail.

1 scrubbing pail.

1 pail or bucket for refuse.

1 flour bucket, with cover.

6 wooden spoons--small.

1 2-gallon ice cream freezer.

1 broom.

1 whisk-broom.

1 crumb pan and brush.