FOO arul have, in many families, be- 'JL'lic alini Iren ou jht to be adapted to I , and the
ere.
by no means to • -. ateiy, and promis- cuously with every kind of food : as, by this indulgence, the arsi passages are distended, and their Stomachs gradually acquire an un- natural craving for victuals, before the preceding meal is pro] mil ited. Such conduct is parti- cularly injurious during the first year of their age : for, when their stomachs become more vigorous, they may be enabled, by slow de- crees, to digest different kinds of victuals, the nature and properties of which are extremely opposite ; though excess in quantity is always hurtful. No food whatever, that has been prepared for many hours, should be gives to children, espe- cially after being icai med up, as it generates flatulence, heart-burn, eostiveness, and a variety of dis- orders which are equally painful snd difficult to remove. Sudden changes from liquid to solid food arc equally dangerous: one kind of aliment only, should be given at each meal, in moderate portions ; and not a multiplicity of incon- gruous mixtures, in immediate suc- cession, such as brodi or soup, meat boiled or roasted, after taking- milk, fruit, {jjsc. All stimulating dishes, prepared for adults, as well as beer, wine, spices, coifee, and other heating liquors, shoidd be carefully with- held from children; as they often occasion the most afflictive com- plaints, for instance, eructations, vomiting, spasms, and convulsions, especially during dentition ; and, FOO [3 r 9 if the hap 1 . of indulgence gurvivi come iiabii . . ., scrophula, and coostinuH tion. There is another abuse in the ttg of children, which cannot usly reprehended, name- ly, to introduce chewed vf , into their mouth, a practice equally disgusting and unwholesome. — Young and healthy mothers, it has been said, may safely perform this office for their children : but, in such case, it is requisite that the pan nt be in a complete state of health, that she be provided with, sound teeth, and rinse her mouth previously with pure water. Under these circumstances, she may ^en-i ture to perform mastication, though it Mould be more advisable to re- linquish this practice, and to give infants such food only as they are able to chew and digest. Having already treated on die food of adults, under the arucic Diet, and on the different modes of preparing it, under that of Cook.- in'g, we have but a few remarks to add for the information of the reader. Fegetalles are, with a few ex- ceptions, more diriicult of digestion than animal food but a due pro- portion of both, with the addi- tion of acids, during the summer months, i.-, alike grateful and con- ducive to health. On the whole, the flesh of young quadrupeds is less nutntive than after they have attained a proper age; though it will, in general, be more easily converted into alimentary matter. In a salted -,VMe, meat not only loses a considerable part of its ge- ars and spirituous particles, but it likewise becomes oppressive to
