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43
An alteration in many of the insanitary practices which
are in vogue in thousands of houses can only be made by
educating the housewife, and this education can be carried on
most effectually and most certainly by women themselves.
Our health visitors therefore set out in plain and easily understandable
language the faults of the average housewife and
the manner in which those faults may be corrected with ease
and without cost. They point out that one of the main factors
in connection with health is that of food. As a rule, food is
badly prepared, and without any consideration at all as to its
particular value in supporting a complicated organisation. We
try to teach therefore how it can be prepared scientifically,
according to appropriate food values, in variety, and at the same
time quality, and entirely to the advantage of the family.
THE HOME.
Whilst it is universally conceded that babies cannot sleep
too much, except for the proper intervals of feeding and washing,
it is a fact that many babies in Deptford are not allowed the
amount they require owing to the foolishness and ignorance of
parents. In the same way we find that older children are permitted to be out of bed and frequently in the streets long after
their proper sleeping time. Such a gross neglect of duty on the
part of parents must tend to weaken the child, both mentally
and physically, and make it less able to stand against competition
in the future. Very few children get more than 9 hours sleep
although between the ages of 4 and 6 thirteen hours is the proper
amount, between 7 and 9 eleven hours, between 9 and 14 ten
and a half hours, from 14 to 17 ten hours, to youths and maidens
from 17 to 21 nine and a half hours, to young men and women
from 21 to 27 nine hours, and eight hours to all later stages.
Between the ages of 3 years and 6 years children begin to
show the effects of bad feeding and improper sanitary and
hygienic conditions in the home. Though not ill, they exhibit