In such matters an ounce of personal experience is worth a pound of cut-and-dried theory.  We—­my wife and I—­have been reared in an atmosphere suspicious of doctors, both sets of grandparents having relied rather on herbs, water treatment, goodness of heart and faith in God; and their children have had too many evidences of medical ignorance to accept any dogmas.  We are anti-vaccinators, nearly vegetarian, and, to come to the point, we have four children who will persist in thriving on a basis of always too little rather than too much of food.  The respective ages are girl 13, boy 10, girl 6, boy 2.

All have been brought up on these lines:  never pressed to eat, but continually asked to chew thoroughly.  Foods “rich in proteid” put sparingly before them.  Milk has been well watered; and eggs, bacon and other tempting and rich foods only on rare occasions given to them.

We would ask readers who can to make the following experiment:  Let your children have a good drink to start the day, and then run and play; don’t offer food till asked for.  You will almost to a certainty find, if you start this plan immediately after weaning, that day by day and year after year it is twelve to one o’clock before they inquire for “something to eat.”  We have done this for twelve years, with children of entirely different temperament and of both sexes.  They go to school, poor things! breakfastless.  During these twelve years light breakfast for father has been on the table—­he goes without lunch—­and not once in fifty do they ask to join him.  Nor, if invited, will they after three or four years of age.

 The have never had a fever which lasted more than a day or two, and
 they are all above average height and weight.

 They get fruit in season just as asked for, and as much to drink as
 they like, but not at meal-times.

Our experience is over a period of twelve years, and we have come to the conclusion that the infectious diseases so prevalent and death-dealing amongst children of all classes, rich or poor, are, in the main, the result of over-feeding.  We find it wise to keep highly nutritious foods (like eggs, cheese, meat, etc.) away from children—­that is, for regular consumption; a little occasionally may do no harm.

You will have it borne in on our minds year by year, as your children grow up under such a plan, that Dr Rabagliati, Hereward Carrington and others are quite right.  We do not get our strength, nor heat, from food.  Let the force of animal life (zoo-dynamic, I believe Dr Rabagliati calls it) have free play, and your children can’t help growing up well and strong.

In to-day’s London Daily Chronicle I see a special article by Dr Saleeby, under this heading:  WORLD’S DOCTORS VERSUS DISEASE. 5000 MEDICAL MEN MEET TO-DAY.  THE TRIUMPHS OF THREE DECADES.  We know how much this wonderful