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547
mothers do not realise this, and only consult the doctor when artificial
foods and various drugs have already been tried upon an ailing
baby. The digestive disturbance resulting from this amateur
experimentation may take weeks or months to cure. Under no
circumstances should a young baby be weaned or given medicine
without a doctor's advice.
"Systematic Talks on Mothercraft are urgently needed. 1
have only been able to give occasional addresses, owing to the large
number of babies not previously seen by the Doctor. An infant
'new' to the Doctor takes about four times as long to see as one
previously thoroughly examined. I propose to increase the number
of these collective talks as opportunity occurs.
"Very few babies have been seen suffering from malnutrition,
but a large number suffer from over-feeding and too frequent feeding.
Education in food values is needed. Some mothers say they cannot
afford porridge. In reality they cannot afford to omit such a
nourishing, cheap food as oatmeal. Others have not the haziest
idea how to scramble an egg or make a junket (curds and whey.)
Both of these are excellent digestible foods for young children.
Insufficient hard food for the teeth is given, and too much 'sop.'
"If all older girls were taught in a practical manner the
importance of thorough cleanliness, digestible cookery, diet from the
economic standpoint, and sensible clothing, many ailments would
be avoided and lives saved.
"Very few infants suffer from their parents' inability to provide
suitable clothing. Hundreds suffer from the faulty distribution
of the clothing provided. Many young children are exposed to the
risk of Bronchitis and Pneumonia (two of the principal causes of
infantile mortality), Diarrhoea, Rheumatism, and Heart Disease,
for life because their parents follow foolish and dangerous fashions
(e.g., bare thighs and openwork socks in winter).
"Among 'toddlers' many cases of insufficient gain in weight
are due to too little sleep. The same cause is responsible for some
mothers' inability to feed their babies."