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The Care of Babies: Illinois

When the stools are unnatural in character or more frequent than four a day, a physician should be promptly called. - Milk Mixtures. - The following method of preparing the milk mixtures given in the accompanying tables is recommended by the Illinois State Board of Health as the most convenient and satisfactory for those using bottled milk.

Set apart a separate quart of milk for the baby and do not shake it or The Chapin cream dipper. Courtesy State Board of Health of Illinois. pour any milk out of it until after the baby's food has been prepared.

Then what is left may be used by others. The top part of the milk, the upper third, or upper half, as required, may be taken off with a spoon by tilting the bottle gently without shaking, and dipping from it with care not to lose sight of the cream line. But it is much better to order through your druggist what is known as the Chapin cream dipper.

This inexpensive little device is shown in the illustration. It holds just one ounce and is convenient both for dipping and measuring. If a spoon is used, remember that eight teaspoons are equivalent to one THE CARE OF BABIES ounce, or four dessertspoons, or two tablespoons.

The 10% milk required by the table for milk mixtures from birth to three or four months of age, may be secured from the upper third of a bottle of good 4% milk, or by mixing two parts of good whole milk with one part of cream. The 7% milk required by the table from the third or fourth month to the end of the ninth or tenth month may be secured from the upper half of a bottle of whole milk, or by mixing three parts of whole milk with one part of cream .

A pinch of salt may be added to the food if desired.

The milk sugar required should always be dissolved in hot water. It sours quickly when dissolved, so do not prepare more than one day's supply at a time. Or, use one-half the quantity of pure granulated or, preferably, lump sugar. solve in hot water and thoroughly mix.

Dis- The quantity given in the first table is twenty ounces. This is the amount that will be used by an average baby during the first four weeks of life if fed every two hours at the rate of about two ounces each feeding. It is easy to estimate the quantities required for larger amounts. For a twenty-five ounce mixture add one-fourth more of each ingredient.

For a thirty ounce mixture, add onehalf more of each ingredient. If the baby is fed artificially from birth, begin with mixture No. 1 in the first table. Substitute the succeeding mixtures gradually until the third or fourth month. Observe carefully how the baby thrives and especially any change in weight. After the fourth month the above mixtures are not strong enough and those given in the second table should be substituted.

When weaning older infants use the mixture suited to its age from one of the accompanying tables.

TABLE FOR MILK MODIFICATION PREPARED BY STATE BOARD OF HEALTH OF ILLINOIS Milk Mixtures.- (From Birth to Three or Four Months of Age.) 1. Milk-sugar, 1 oz. (3 level tablespoonfuls.) Lime water, 1 oz.