19.  DRINKS.—­If a child is suffering with fevers, let it have all the water it wants.  Toast-water will be found nourishing.  When the stomach of the child is in an irritable condition, nourishments containing milk or any other fluid should be given very sparingly.  Barley-water and rice-water are very soothing to an irritable stomach.

20.  FOOD.—­Mellin’s Food and milk is very nourishing if the child will take it.  Oatmeal gruel, white of eggs, etc. are excellent and nourishing articles.  See “How to cook for the Sick.”

21.  EATING FRUIT.—­Let children who are recovering from sickness eat moderately of good fresh fruit.  Never let a child, whether well or sick, eat the skins of any kind of fruit.  The outer covering of fruit was not made to eat, and often has poisonous matter very injurious to health upon its surface.  Contagious and infectious diseases are often communicated in that way.

22.  SUDDEN STARTINGS with the thumbs drawn into the palms, portend trouble with the brain, and often end in convulsions, which are far more serious in infants than in children.  Convulsions in children often result from a suppression of urine.  If you have occasion to believe that such is the case, get the patient to sweating as soon as possible.  Give it a hot bath, after which cover it up in bed and put bags of hot salt over the lower part of the abdomen.

23.  SYMPTOMS OF INDIGESTION.—­If the baby shows symptoms of indigestion, do not begin giving it medicine.  It is wiser to decrease the quantity and quality of the food and let the little one omit one meal entirely, that his stomach may rest.  Avoid all starchy foods, as the organs of digestion are not sufficiently developed to receive them.

A TABLE FOR FEEDING A BABY ON MODIFIED MILK.

2d week: 
Top Milk 1-1/2 oz. 
Milk Sugar 4 teaspoons
Barley Gruel 10 oz. 
Cream 2-3/4 oz. 
Lime Water 2 oz.
1-1/2 oz. at feeding
10 times a day

3d week: 
Top Milk 6 oz. 
Milk Sugar 5-1/2 teaspoons
Barley Gruel 18 oz. 
Lime Water 4 oz.
2 oz. at feeding
10 times a day

4th to 8th week: 
Top Milk 9 oz. 
Milk Sugar 8 teaspoons
Barley Gruel to make a quart
Lime Water 4 oz.
3 oz. at feeding
8 times a day

9th to 12th week: 
Top Milk 11 oz. 
Milk Sugar 7-1/2 teaspoons
Barley Gruel to make a quart
Lime Water 4 oz.
3 oz. at feeding
8 times a day

4th month: 
Top Milk 13 oz. 
Milk Sugar 7 teaspoons
Barley Gruel to make a quart
Lime Water 4 oz.
3 to 4 oz. at feeding
7 times a day

5th to 7th month: 
Top Milk 15 oz. 
Milk Sugar 6-1/2 teaspoons
Barley Gruel to make a quart
Lime Water 4 oz.
4 to 5 oz. at feeding
6 times a day

7th to 9th month: 
Top Milk 17 oz. 
Milk Sugar 6 teaspoons
Barley Gruel to make a quart
Lime Water 4 oz.
6 to 7 oz. at feeding
6 times a day