Occasional papers on the prevention of some common diseases in childhood / by J. Sim Wallace.

  • Wallace, J. Sim (James Sim), 1869-1951
Date:
1912
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Occasional papers on the prevention of some common diseases in childhood / by J. Sim Wallace. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Gerstein Science Information Centre at the University of Toronto, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Gerstein Science Information Centre, University of Toronto.

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    soak every particle of food before giving it to the child, can we wonder ? To pound, scrape, pnherize, and mince food is not forbidden by the medical profession ; in fact, it is strong]V advocated and encouraged. At a later stage, sav about the thirteenth month, when the first temporary molars have taken their positions, what happens when the child is restricted to this soft diet ? The previous troubles continue and the teeth get dirty and tender from want of use; later they become carious and the tenderness increases, while for the same reasons mastication is not performed, and so oral sepsis and other troubles resulting therefrom become more or less thoroughly established. The child is pronounced con- stitutionally or hereditarily delicate to soothe the feelings of the anxious mother, and to avert all trouble in investigat- ing real and preventable causes. But it may be asked, why, then, has the milk-soaked diet been brought into existence ? Well, I have no doubt it is because milk was considered the most excellent food for children, but it was found that cow's milk, when it was given to children undiluted, formed large clots in the stomach, and thence consequently led to various intestinal troubles. This did not dissuade those in authoritative positions from holding to their guns and still advocating undiluted milk. No, they said, soak bread in the milk so that the clots will be broken up. And if there is choking and spluttering, see that it is thoroughly soft and well broken up before the child gets it. If the child does not thrive, blame the mother for not teaching the child to masti- cate its food. Imagine teaching a child to perform a complex
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