Science.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 428, 21 July 1904, Page 7

Science.

DEATH IN THE HANDSHAKE. 35flP£ BRUSSELS savant has Just pab|>£j|<f lished a treatise on shaking MBk h*nds, a form of greeting which he states is rnont dangerous, the mutual pressure of the hand being nothing more than an exchange of undesirable microbes, thousandß of which inhabit every inch of the hand, The most dangerous persons to shake hands with, it appearß, are doctors, surgeons, nurses, hairdressers, butchers, sausagemakers, tripe merchants, tanneis and leather dressers, while the least dangercue persons, it seems, are workers in metal, because the metal sets up an oxidisation, which acts as an antiseptic A. safe course is to salute only with our heads and our hats or always wear gloves, DELICATE BABIES. The great difficulty in rearing babies who can't be nursed by mother or wetnurue is to provide food which they oan digest, for we have then only animal milk to fall back upon, and this differs from that of mother in several ways. Look at this table, which shows the difference between human and animal milk. It has been compiled by Professor McKeadrick, and is sot at all difficult to understand. The knowledge it gives is vsry useful to mothers and nurses. Table ov Analysis os Mile, . In 100 parts of milk we find s

The remainder of the 100 parts in each is made up of water. From this we Bee V„„„_ ill. 1 1 S_ 1.1

that human milk has leea casein than cow's milk, bat more than asses, rather

lesa fat than cow's, but much more than ie found in asses' milk, more sugar and less salt than either; and that goat's milk is richest of all.

There is a popular idea that asses' milk is valuable food for delicate babies, but see how deficient it is in fat and in the flesh-forming casein, It may tide a baby over a crisis of a week or two, but for a continuance it would be n .starvation diet. It is, too, enormously dear, about six shillings a quart, and sometimes, not to be had at that. Goats' milk is very rich, but it is difficult to procure, and sometimes does not agree. The most important difference in the milks, however, does not appear in the analysis.»--r It consists in the quality of the casein, which is the part of milk that becomes curd in the stomach. The casein of cow's milk turns in the stomach into a firm, stiff curd. The casein of mother's milk and of asses' and goats milk turns into quite a different kind of curd—one that is soft, flaky, and easily digested. - The important thing, then, when you have to bring up a baby 'on the bottle,' and when into the bottje you have to .put cows' milk and water, is to do something to the milk which -will enable the baby to digest the curd of it, for this is the great difficulty of the delicate baby, A strong one will digest the card and be nourished by it. A delicate one will pass the curd in lumps or vomit cutds, and, in consequence will be half-starved for want of the nourishment contained in the fleshforming part of the milk. To make cow's milk digestible we mast first try diluting it with barley-watar, or, if there is diarrfcee-a, with water in which a pinch of isinglass is dissolved Or try condensed milk for a short time. This should never be used for long. Babies reared on it often sailer from sourvy or become rickety. For a short time, however, it is,very useful. It is more easilj -dige&jbed than ordinary cow's milk, and may carry the baby over a few weeks till its digestion improves If, howeuer, curdy matter etill persists in appearing, «nd 'the infant does not thrive, try what has saved many a baby's life—ie., peptonislng the milk. This means digesting, or partly digesting, it beforehand, so that when swallowed the child's digestion is not taxed in the effort "to assimilate fche»milk. -

The best tning for the purpose is Peptogenic Milk Powder. To be had, with full directions how to use, from »Ey chemist.

' 'lt is recommended. by physicians to hospitals for children, and is a very great boon in solving the problem of how to rear delicate.babiest- -jir^' To Make Barley-Water: Put three teaspoonfuls of washed pearl barley into one quart of cold water, Boil till the quantity is reduced to a pint and a half. Strain, and it will be: ready for use as soon as it has cooled..; It must be freshly made every day. Allow a new-bom baby one ounce of milk os> IjWo\. ounces of barley-water, and gradually increase the quantity of milk until, at nine months, it is being given without any added ibarley-water.

Casein (flesh foim- Human Cow Asa Goat ing part of) 3 45 3 84 170 ,4 20 Pat 310 3'3'8 155 5 80 Milk Sugar 6 70 4 75 5 80 4 94 Salts (i e. Lime, &s.) 0 30 075 0 50 100