Page:The physical training of children (IA 39002011126464.med.yale.edu).pdf/19

 After a few months the child requires other food than that derived from the mother, and it is of great importance that no mistake be made in the kind of food given the child; for, as we have already seen that the condition of the pulmonary organs of the adult depends to a very great extent upon the clothing of the infant, so will the condition of the digestive organs depend upon the selection of the food for the infant at this period of its existence, and if it be of the proper character all will be well, but if, as is too often the case, the food given be of an indigestable nature, the ground-work of dyspepsia is laid, and it will torment the unfortunate creature as long as he lives. In a great majority of cases children are given table-food far too early, and nothing is more common than to be told by the mother that her child grows "thinner and thinner," though she is giving it all the meat it will eat. Now, our author shows us that the reason the child does not thrive is because its digestive organs are not far enough advanced to extract the nutriment from food of this kind, but that it irritates, and is a positive injury to the infant. And he then explains the important fact that the child does not thrive on that kind of food that contains the most nutriment itself, but on that which is best adapted to the condition of the digestive organs at the time it is given. And then he tells us what that is, and takes us on from step to step, making all the changes necessary in the diet throughout the entire period of infancy and childhood. He also calls our attention to those articles of food that are indigestable at all times, and gives many important directions in