Practical observations on the diet of infancy and childhood / by Thomas Herbert Barker.

  • Barker, T. Herbert (Thomas Herbert), 1814-1865.
Date:
1850
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Practical observations on the diet of infancy and childhood / by Thomas Herbert Barker. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    during the time of eating should be avoided. This was a rule laid down by Abernethy in reference to the diet of adults, and the habit should be com- menced during childhood. The best beverage for children is toast-water, freshly made. The latest meal—bread and milk—should be taken at six o'clock in tlie evening, not later. Soon afterwards, the child should go to bed. Avoid the foolish cus- tom of allowing children to stay up to a late hour as a treat. In the fourth or fifth year, the bread and milk may be given without water. At this age also the early meal on awaking in the morning may be discontinued. This course of food will not suit all stomachs. Meat or broth every day would perhaps lead to ful- ness of the system in some. But it will be easy to observe this, and accordingly to lighten the quality and the quantity of the diet. A lightly-boiled egg may occasionally be substituted with advantage for meat. Cocoa is a more suitable beverage for child- ren than tea. Ripe fruits, such as the orange, strawberries, currants, a few grapes, the skins being rejected,—and roasted apples may be allowed, but stone-fniits and nuts must be avoided, also dried fruits, with the exception of figs. Whatever varia- tions may be made, let the whole course of diet be simple, bland, and nutritious. Avoid pastry, pork, veal, salt-beef, new or heavy bread, tea-cakes, strong tea, sweetmeats, and especially (the importance of