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The Care of Babies: Water

MATERIALS FOR MILK MODIFI- CATION Water. The purity of water with which infants' food is diluted is equally as important as the purity of the milk. The benefits of clean milk are entirely lost if it is diluted with dirty water. Pure spring water, which can be purchased in bottles in many localities, is to be preferred for diluting infants' food, but if it is necessary to use water from cisterns, wells, or streams of doubtful purity, boil the water for half an hour and store it in clean glass bottles stoppered with cotton wool or antiseptic gauze. Do not allow it to stand over six hours.

Lime Water.-Lime water is used to overcome the acidity of cow's milk and to lessen the consistency of the curd. There are some infants with whom it does not agree, and if used too freely it may cause constipation.

Vichy water is a good substitute for lime water and should be used if the latter does not agree. Either can be obtained from a druggist. But in buying material of any kind for infant feeding, patronize only druggists in whom you can have confidence. Some unscrupulous druggists sell ordinary unfiltered tap water for lime water.

Sugar.-Sugar is not added to cow's milk to sweeten it and make it more palatable, but to make it conform as nearly as possible to mother's milk. Milk sugar is best if you can get a pure article from a reliable druggist. But milk sugar often contains impurities. Hence, unless you are very sure of the reliability of your dealer, use cane sugar; this is rarely adulterated or impure. Loaf sugar is the purest form of sugar and among the purest of all foods.

Use only half the quantity of cane sugar that you would of milk sugar.