[All about baby 577]

How should refrigerators be treated?  The inner portion should be of metal.  An ordinary metal refrigerator, as sold, if encased in a wooden box makes the best kind.  A covering of felt and heavy quilting can be made for the refrigerator which can be removed easily when wet or soiled—­it must be kept absolutely clean.  The compartments for the milk should be so arranged that the milk bottles be either in contact with the ice or near it.  The supply of ice should always be abundant, or the temperature of the milk will not be low enough.  The temperature should not be higher than 50 degrees F.; it is oftener 60 to 65 degrees F. To tell the temperature, use a nursery thermometer and this should be used from time to time to know what temperature the milk is in.  Milk is often spoiled in too warm temperatures in refrigerators, and also in unclean refrigerators.  Many cases of sickness are caused by it.  The refrigerator should carry a temperature of near 50 degrees F., and be absolutely clean, and the compartment for the milk should be absolutely separated from other food compartments.

MODIFIED COWS’ MILK.

Can cows’ milk be fed to infants without being modified?  No; because, although the elements are similar to those in mothers’ milk, they are not identical, and are present in different proportions.

Is this a matter of great moment?  Yes, for very few infants can digest cows’ milk unmodified.

What does modifying cows’ milk mean?  It is changing cows’ milk so as to make it more nearly like mothers’ milk.

What is this changed milk called?  Modified milk; and the original milk is known as “plain milk,” “whole milk,” “straight milk” or “milk.”

State the principal differences between cows’ milk and mothers’ milk?  Cows’ milk contains a little more than half as much sugar.  It contains nearly three times as much proteids (curds) and salts, and the proteids are different and much harder to digest.  The reaction is decidedly acid, while the mother’s milk is faintly acid or neutral.

Any other things of importance to consider?  Yes; mothers’ milk is always fed fresh and sterile, while cows’ milk is always more or less contaminated by dust or germs which increase rapidly with the age of the milk in proportion to the amount of dirt in it and with any increase of temperature at which the milk is kept.  So pasteurization and sterilization are done to destroy the effect of germs.

How can the acidity of cows’ milk be overcome?  By adding lime-water or bicarbonate of soda.

How much lime-water should be used?  About one ounce to twenty ounces of food.

How much bicarbonate of soda?  About twenty grains to twenty ounces of food.

Suppose there is a tendency to constipation in the infant?  You can then use Phillip’s milk of magnesia, or some other good preparation, adding one-half to one teaspoonful to each twenty ounces of food.