The Young Mother

eal drink in the world. The true object of all drink. Tea, coffee, chocolate, beer, &c. Milk and water, molasses and water, &c. Cider, wine, and ardent spirits. Bad food and drink the m

dults, even, very seldom drink merely to quench natural thirst. In the summer, people usually drink either to cool themselves, or to gratify a thirst which is wholly a

mount of fluid requires, it is said, a proportional supply, or life would soon become extinct. Yet there are many old men who have perspired profusely at their labor all their days, and yet have drank nothing at all, except

termine: perhaps it is through the medium of the lungs. But at any rate, it can obtain it without our drinking for tha

l, young children. And if they do require any thing, it is only simple water. The following remarks

te for drink, by stimulating his palate with bitter beer, sour cider, rum and water, and other beverages of human invention, but would be a gainer, eve

en drink water because this is a beverage of nature's own brewing, which she has made for the purpose of quenching a natural thirst. Grown people

philosophy, in these two paragraphs, and little less

rs. Nature never intended anything stronger than water to be the drink for children. This they enjoy greatly; and m

ere comes out an important secret. It is the use of animal food, to a very great degree, in adults and children both, that creates so much of that unnatural thirst which prevails in the community. When we s

ictly, or rather physiologically true. For, though many mixtures are called drinks, it is only the water w

he stomach into the blood-vessels, and dilute and temper the blood, rendering it more fit to answer the great purpose of sustaining life and heal

uite so well as water alone would. The narcotic principle of the first two, the alcoholic principle of the fourth, and the mucilage, nutrimen

n favor of which so much is said, are objectionable, as mere drinks. Not that they contain anything poisonous, but they evidently contain nutriment; and even this, e

f, and the two former from one twentieth to one fourth alcohol. Surely, nobody will deny that these substances ought, at all events, to be banished from the nursery. And yet we

s of disease, these are the most prolific. Much is done towards ruining the health of children by the improper food and drink of the mother. But when, in addition to all this, the children themselves are ea

less with the folly of those around them, in endeavoring to change them, by requiring them-almost always against their will-to sip a little coffee, or a little tea, or a little lem

the heat of our bodies; that is, about 98 degrees of Fahrenheit's thermometer. Yet the precautions of this paragraph will be almost unnecessary, if children are confined-as they ought to be, and would be, did we not go out of our way to teach them otherwise-to water, as t

, and by that means and through that medium, are one principal cause of the almost universal early decay of teeth, are yet less injurious, or at least les

labor or exercise, brings more people to the grave, or to the brink of it, by fevers and other diseases, than anything I know. These mischiefs are easily enough prevented when he is little, being then seldom out of sight. And if, during his chil

ece of bread, first to be eaten, will gain time to warm his drink blood hot, which then he may drink safely. If he be very dry, it will go down so warmed, and quench his thirst bette

her matters; and, on the contrary, every self-denial which they can lead children to exercise, voluntarily-even in these every-day matters of food, drink, exercise, &c. is so much gained in the great work of self-denial and

g, will prevent the custom of having the cu

al hunger and thirst on

se, bring any one to

m drink as often as he cried, so that he was constantly bibbing. And thou

than natural thirst requires; and he that eats not salt meats

ce made it a habitual rule for pupils, that they must drink water, if they drank it at all, on leaving their seats to go to their plays, but not afterwards: and I was so situated that I could prevent the law from bein