RHUBARB RECIPES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2413, 30 January 1909, Page 9 (Supplement)

RHUBARB RECIPES.

■Rhubarb iSou-p: Aliake a weak stock of two-pennyworth of -bones, a carrot, and one or two onions in three pints of water irntiil tbe goodness has been well extracted from them. -Strain well. ’Take six or seven sticks of rhubarb, remove any tough skin, ami then cut into short lengths. Throw into the stock, and add a mo-derate-sized onion, sliced, a thin slice of bread, -and popper and -salt to taste. Bring to- a boil, remove the scum, and then simmer gently for about twenty minutes, or until tbe rhubarb is tender. Strain. Heat up again and serve with little dice of toasted bread. This soup forms an acceptable change from tho usual gravy or vegetable soup.

Rhubarb Fool:. Cut- up the rhubarb and -place it in a clean saucepan, with as much sugar as you think will be accessary to sweeten it. iSimmcr over a very slow fire. When the fruit is reduced to- a pulp pass it through a- coarse sieve, and then mix it with ias much cold milk or custard as will bring it to the consistency of batter. If not sufficiently sweet castor sugar shoufid be added before the -milk or custard is stirred in.

Rhubarb Fritters: Prepare a thin pancake batter. Out some rhubarb up into small pieces, and stir them into the Ibatter. Prepare the*;Trying fiat in the usual way, and when it is properly hot drop in a spoonful of the batter, mixing it well before the spoonful is removed from the bowl. Three or four spoonfuls can be done at one time, provided the pan is largo enough to allow of .a space between each. When one side of the fritter is done turn over and fry the other. Have ready some kitchen pope r on twhieh to drain each fritter 1 as it is removed from the pan. 'Serve them on a very hob dish, and place a little knob of butter and * a pinch of nutmeg on each, and dredge over lightly with castor sugar. .Preserved Rhubarb: Take one pound of the best stalks of rhubarb, peel them, then cut into pieces of about two inches; in length. P.ut them into a stewing pan. Add threequarters of a, pound of best white sugar, also the rind and juice of a tell von, cutting the rind into narrow strips? and simmer gently untiil the rhubarb is quite soft; take it out carefully and put into, dry jars. Allow the syrup to boil for about;- one hour, then pour it over the fruit. When it is cold, put .a- piece of'.paper, usually soaked in brandy, over it and tie the jars down with a .piece of bladder, or the parchment paper obtainable at most stationers, to exclude the air.

' OUR BABIES. (By Hygoia.) Published under the auspices of 1 he Society for the Promotion of tin Health of Women and Children. CIRCULAR TO MOTHERS. The following summary of advice to mothers of babies bom during-the last nine or 10 months has been issued by lllie 'Society in Dunedin. It -will! be noted that nothing is said as to iho duties of the expectant mother (exercise, food, habits, attention to breasts, etc.), nor as to trying to get the baby to suckle inuiin a few hours of birth, and persisting in doing so every three or four hours for .as long as a week, in' spite of failure to induce a flow of milk, b; giving in. Each omissions are due merely to the ficti that the circular could not reach mothers until towards the end of a week after childbirth. AVIIAT IS BEST FOR BABY?

Nursing by the mother is -best for the baby, and best for tho mother’s health, also. Nearly every baby is born healthy, yet few are as strong and well as they should -be at the end of a month or two.

This falling off c.in easily -be prevented. (Babies don’t mako themselves delicate and sickly—they become so through faulty treatment. Mother and Nurse nre Entirely Responsible. The Baby’s Fate is in Their Hands. AVhat Must They do. and AVhat Alust They not do? ABSOLUTE ESSENTIALS.

Fresh Air.—A current of pure fresh air day and night is absolutely essential.

Keep the. baby in tlie open air as much as possible. AATien in the house (let the room (whether bedro’om or sitting room) have an ample, current of pure coo! outside air flowing through it all tho time. Keep baby out of the direct line of draught, hut don’t be frightened of tlie air being cold. Pure cold air is invigorating, and prevents “catching cold.” AVarm, stuffv air is poisonous and devitalising, and makes babies iliablo...to “catch cold” when taken out into the open. There is no danger, but actual safety, in free-flowing night air. The baby, should never sleep with its mother, but in a separate cot. Tho newborn babe needs special care and attention. For the first- few days it is well to have a fire in the bedroom in cold weather: but, unless for special reasons, this is not advisable after a week or 10 days. Even when there is a fire the room must not be allowed to warm up much, but must have a very free flow of pure open air through it day and night. iSee that tlie baby is sufficiently covered with light, open, lluff.v or porous woollen materials, and if necessary use a hot bottle as well. Clothing.—Next the skin _ clothe with a silk-and-wool singlet to prevent irritation.' Over this is placed the binder, which should be given up when the cord is healed, say at the end of 10 days or a fortnight. Neither the back nor tho abdomen needs any support whatever. A binder ■may cause -rupture, and will not prevent- it. On the other hand it prevents the belly walls from becoming strong, and always restricts deep ihoM'ltby brouthing, even if lightly applied. Common, cheap, porous flannel clothing affords ample warmth without! heaviness. Food. —‘Suckling by tho mother is infinitely the best on all grounds, and should be continued, if -possible, until several teeth are through. Where the mother’s supply runs short she should do her best by exercise, attention to food, bowels, bathing, etc., to increase supply. Make up deficiency with cow’s milk properly modified, and prepared to suit the baby—in other words, with “humanised milk.” Don’t 'use patent foods, condensed milk, or mere diluted cow’s milk and cane sugar. Exercise, -Regularity, Cleanliness, and other essentials are dealt with in the “summary of needs” given further on.

The Society’s pamphlet on “The heeding and Care of the Baby” will be forwarded on receipt of 3d in stamps by .Mrs Carew. lion, secretary, S Heriot row, Dunedin. While the advice and recipes given in the pamphlet are clear and simple we strongly advise mothers to seek the practical advice of the Plunkct Nurse, who will show them in a simple liome--1 y way how best to clothe and bath the baby, how to ventilate tne rooms, in what position to place the cot, etc. Further, in eases where artificial feeding is unavoidable the Blanket -Nurse will show the mother just how to prepare or -adapt the humanised milk for the particular baby, and how to keep it cool and safe. SPECIAL WARNING. - The great iseourge of is diarrhoea, especially in summer. The wav to prevent this is to ensure perfect health thy strict -attention to all the simple babyneeds referred to herein. , „ . , Diarrhoea is generally supposed to he due directly to something in the food which 'lias disagreed. This no doubt is a main cause, hut severe diarrhoea generally conics on only when a baby’s digestion and )U\ti itiou have boon -failing for some tune, owing to -unsuitable food, impure air, lack of exercise, etc. Had he been weighed it would have been noticed that* he was not making -proper progress. Weigh the baby every week, and never neglect- indigestion, green stools, or diarrhoea. (See the iSocietv ’ s -p ahiohlet.) ' SUMMARY OF NEEDS. 1. Pure Cool Plowing Air, day and night. ... ~r 2 Breast-Feeding if possible. (Mother must take plenty of exercise, and pay strict attention to feeding, bowels, etc.). ~ . 3 If baby cannot be suckled -use Properly -Graded Humanised Milk, which must he kept in a cool safe outside the house. (Consult Plunket Nurse*) , - 4. Feed Quite Regularly, waking hahy if necessary. There is a growing opinion among leading authorities that the feedings hitherto recommended have been too frequent, and it will be found ibeneficia-1 to both mother and child to allow from half an hour to an hour -longer intervals than are diown in ordinary standard feeding tables. Intervals of from two and ahalf to three hours are host during the early months, and every throe and a half to four 'hours after three or four months. „ , 5. Regulation of other Habits—e.g., bowels, etc.

6. Suitable Clothing-. ■' thdit. Silk and wool singlet next skTu. No binder after fortnight. 7. 'Bathing. AVarm, cosy corner. No dawdling. 8. Exercise. Kicking, ..etc,, sh ai L be encouraged. A baby licit lying its cot all day. long neither moved nor handled tends to become a dedicate miserable weakling. . 9 Cleanliness m everything. 10. Weigh week. Don’t resort to bottle-feeding unLcs humanised milk of full strength .when starting to use it. (See pamphlet.) , , , . Don’t keep milk or any'baby-food inside the house, but m an outside safe or airy box. Tlie bottle or jug should bo /loosely covered, say with a perfectly clean saucer, <aj keep out falling particms, but must on no account be kept cm iced or sealed. . Don’t make sudden changes. Am exception is the . immediate change to boiled water, or sugar-of-milk solution, on account of severe indigestion or diarrhoea. Don’t use a comforter. Comforters damage the j iws and embryo teeth, spoil digestion, arid give rise to diarrhoea. Don’t, use a tube feeding bottle. Don’t use patent 'foods, soothing syrups, or powders. Don’t give anything between feed--ings (unless a drink of boiled water for thirst). Don’t give any biscuit, rusks, or solid food until several teeth arc cut. , Don’t be led astray; by odier mothers, however kindly, merely be- . -cause they happen themselves to have brought up a number ot children. Don’t vein in warm summer wea-ther,-unless under a doctors advice. LADY PLUNKET NURSE'S. Tho Society for the Promotion ot the Health of Women and Children is founded on a basis of friendly mutual helpfulness, and hopes soon to embrace in its membership the majority of the more responsible adult population. , , , „ Tho work of tlie Plunket Nurse is to heln mothers at their homes and elsewhere in matters affecting the health and well-being of themselves and their offspring. . The Society’s Nurses are specially expert in practical details as to the best methods to be used in the^ rearing of babies in accordance witn the most advanced knowledge of the uay. They are selected Hospital Nurses, who have undergone a further course of practical training at tne Iviiitauc Babv Home to qualify them >as reliable ' "uides to mothers. Their mission \ not to one class more in an another. ' ~ The broad scheme the Society lias in view is really an extension of education which will help to fit a woman to carry out -perfectly the most s trred and responsible of her duties a; nci familv, to the race, and to posterity. “Instruction in Parenthood, as Herbert Spencer calls it. is a first duty ol the community, to its mothers, ana to the risina generation. The Society hopes that the services of the Plunket Nurses will be ircc'A used in the spirit in which they are tendered. No fees will be allowed, because tho work is done in the interest- of the whole communty. not merely to help the individual mother. The Society will be more than amply repaid if its efforts bring, about the ail'l-round advance in health, eificiency, and happiness which is antiexpressed by her Excellency Lady Plunket the -purpose of the movement is a patriotic one—- “ For the sake of the women ana children, for the advancement oi the Dominion, and for the honor of the Empire.” The Society teaches what every mother and nursegirl ought to know. It holds that practical lessons in the intimate domestic duties of moths, hood and the nursery can be most fitly and properly conveyed by a -speciallytrained and experienced nurse, the Plunket- Nurse is a nurse with a special mission —a mission to supp'.y enlightened instruction, free to all, m practical domestic hygiene as a meeting mother and child. [NOTE. —The next article under this heading will appear in AA edne-sday morning’s issue ot the paper. |