Science.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 407, 25 February 1904, Page 7

Science.

SCREAMING FITS. 3KF perpetually indulged ia, are very <jlb likely to end in other and more 2K serious fits. They must be checked. At the first sign of contortions in the little face, invent some errand for the mite.sor in some way divert its attention from itself. If, however,' the screams have bagnn, wash the face, back of. the neck, and hands with cold water, and give water to drink. The chick should then be warmly wrapped up and put to bed in a darkened room for a time.

STARVED ON STAKC3. Teiy neatly all of the ailments baby suffers from during the first few years of his little life are due to indiscretion ia diet. One of the biggest mistakes mothers make is to think that if any article of food be sufficiently soft to suit baby's toothless gums, it will suit his email digestion equally well; therefore the mite sups off bread-and-mijk sponge-cake moistened in tea, soft biscuits, and actually, bacon; then baby grows feverish and fretful and thin, and often the bones, instead of growing harder as the months go on, get aoiter and softer, and twist into all sorts and conditions of weird shapes, and all because his food is not suitable. Supposing a : baby fed as I have described were to die, and its little stomach and intestines were examined after death, the latter would in all probability be found simply lined with starch. The reason is as follows : Flour abounds in starch; naturally, therefore, ail foods with flour as a basis are chiefly composed of the same material. Now, the diet best suited to grown-up digestions consists very largely of starchy foods. Starch ss starch, or as it exists in malt, potatoesj &c, is insoluble, and before it can be assimilated and made of uee to the human frame it has to be converted into sugar. The saliva is provided in the mouth for this especial purpose. Take a morsel of ordinary starch, plaoe it on the tongu*, and in a few minutes it will taste sweet, proving thereby that the change has taken place. But poor baby, until he has begun to cut his teeth, has no saliva at all, and therefore the Btaxchy foods remain etareh, and in consequence, if fed on these, and nothing more, the poor child gradually starves. Nature knew what she was about when she sent baby into the world, and at the same time provided a natural supply of food for him; therefore, if the chick is to grow bonny and bright, feed him as Nature dictates, or should Nature's supply fail, substitute a preparation of milk as nearly like human milk as possible.

SHORT STOCKINGS. Short stockings do quite as much harm to children's feet as short shoes. Tney are a fruitful source of ingrowing toenails. Mothers are of(en careless in this respect, particularly if they are buying stockings for a family of growing children. The rapidity with which the different sizes become outgrown confuses them, and the result is that the steadily enlarging foot of the boy or girl slipping into the early teens is Tery often not provided for. ALWAYS. Always change baby the moment he is wet. Always put his diapers to Eoak in cold water. Always nee feeding-bottles without'a tcbe. Always soak the raouthpieoe ih boracic lotion after use.Always let baby sleep between blankets, Always keep the nursery windows a I little open at the top.