American Red Cross Text-Book on Home Hygiene and Care of the Sick Part 25

17. That in one's own case, the rule that everyone needs regular meals, regular hours of sleep, and daily exercise out of doors, may be safely violated.

APPENDIX

The New York City Department of Health has kindly permitted us to include the following circulars of information issued by the Division of Child Hygiene.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH THE CITY OF NEW YORK

INSTRUCTIONS TO PARENTS REGARDING THE CARE OF THE MOUTH AND TEETH.

The physical examination of school children shows that in many instances the teeth are in a decayed and unhealthy condition.

Decayed teeth cause an unclean mouth. Toothache and disease of the gums may result.

Neglect of the first teeth is a frequent cause of decay of the second teeth.

If a child has decayed teeth, it cannot properly chew its food.

Improperly chewed food and an unclean mouth cause bad digestion, and consequently poor general health.

If a child is not in good health, it cannot keep up with its studies in school. It is more likely to contract any contagious disease, and it has not the proper chance to grow into a robust, healthy adult.

If the child's teeth are decayed, it should be taken to a dentist at once.

The teeth should be brushed after each meal, using a tooth brush and tooth powder.

The following tooth powder is recommended:

2 oz. powdered precipitated chalk.

oz. powdered Castile soap, 1 dram powdered orris root.

Thoroughly mix.

This prescription can be filled by any druggist at a cost not to exceed fifteen cents.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CITY OF NEW YORK

Instructions to Parents Regarding the Care of the Nose

The physical examination of school children shows that in many instances they breathe through the mouth because they cannot breathe properly or sufficiently through the nose.

This may be due to bad habits in regard to keeping the nose clean, or, in a majority of instances, to a growth which is known as "adenoids" and which stops up the back of the nose. In either case, the air is not breathed through the nose, and the child becomes what is known as a "mouth breather."

Constant breathing through the mouth causes the child to become pale, restless in its sleep and dull in its actions. The child often speaks as though it had a cold in the head. Frequently there is an almost constant discharge from the nose.

Mouth breathing renders a child especially liable to contract tuberculosis and other infectious diseases; in fact, the child has very little resistance to disease of any kind.

Every child should be given a handkerchief, and be taught to thoroughly blow the nose several times each day. If, after doing this regularly, the child is still unable to breathe properly through the nose, it is probable that an adenoid growth is present. Such children should be taken to the family physician or to a dispensary for further advice and treatment.

Do not wait too long in the hope that the child will outgrow the condition, for the effect of adenoid growths persisting throughout childhood may injure the person for life.

Have your child's throat and nose examined one month after measles, scarlet fever, or diphtheria.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CITY OF NEW YORK

Instructions to Parents on the Care of Children's Hair and Scalp

Children affected with vermin of the head are excluded from school. The following directions will cure the condition:

Mix one-half pint of sweet oil and one-half pint of kerosene oil. Shake the mixture well and saturate the hair with the mixture. Then wrap the head in a large bath towel or rubber cap so that the head is entirely covered; the head must remain covered from six to eight hours.

(Tincture of larkspur may be used instead of oil mixture. The directions for use are the same.)

After removing the towel, the head should be shampooed as follows:

To two quarts of warm water add one teaspoonful of sodium carbonate (was.h.i.+ng soda). Wet the hair with this solution and then apply Castile soap and rub the head thoroughly about ten minutes. Wash the soap out of the hair with repeated was.h.i.+ngs of clear warm water. Dry the hair thoroughly.

Nits: If the head is shampooed regularly each week as above described, it will cure and prevent the condition of "nits."

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CITY OF NEW YORK

DIET FOR CHILD FROM 12TH TO 18TH MONTH

FIRST MEAL--ON RISING.

(1) 1 to 2 ounces juice of a sweet orange

or

Pulp of 6 stewed prunes

or

1 ounce pineapple juice.

(2) 8 ounces milk with either zwieback, or toasted biscuits or stale toasted bread.

Note: Fruit must be given either hour before or hour after milk.

SECOND MEAL--DURING FORENOON.

Milk alone or with zwieback.

NOON MEAL.