PEPTONIZED MILK.
What is peptonized milk? Milk that has been partially digested.
What part of the milk has been digested? The proteids (curd).
Does this alter its taste? No, if it is peptonized for only ten minutes, but if it is fully peptonized the milk has a bitter taste.
How can the bitter taste be avoided in partly peptonized milk? At the end of ten or fifteen minutes place the milk in a sauce-pan and raise it quickly to the boiling point; this kills the ferment so that the milk will not become bitter when it is warmed for feeding; or the milk can be cooled rapidly by placing the bottles first in cool and then in ice water; but in this way the ferment is not destroyed, and the milk may become bitter when warmed for feeding.
[ALL ABOUT BABY 595]
How is milk peptonized? By the action of a peptonizing powder composed of a digestive agent known as the extractum pancreatis and bicarbonate of soda. This is added to the plain or diluted milk. This agent can be bought in tubes or tablets, and is the active ingredient of the peptogenic powder.
Will you describe the process? Place the plain or modified milk in a clean glass jar or bottle, and then rub up the peptonizing powder or tablet with a tablespoonful of milk, and add it to the milk and shake the bottle. Place the bottle in a large pitcher or basin of water of about 110 degrees F., or as warm as the hand can bear comfortably, and allow it to remain for ten to twenty minutes if you wish to peptonize the milk but partially; or if you wish it completely peptonized let it remain for two hours.
Is it better to peptonize the whole day's supply, or each bottle separately just before feeding? If you peptonize the whole day's supply at once raise the milk to the boiling point after it has been peptonized; if only the one feeding do not peptonize it more than ten minutes before feeding for the ferment will work while the child is feeding. It can be done either way.
Is not the completely peptonized milk distasteful? Not so in the case of young infants; older infants will take a few feedings without objection, but it cannot be used for children much older than five months.
How much of the agent should be used? For a single feeding of four ounces one may use one-eighth of a tube with a weak formula of milk or one-sixth with a stronger formula. For one pint of plain milk five grains of the extract and fifteen grains of bicarbonate of soda will be needed. This amount is usually put up in one tube or tablet. Less will be required in weaker formulas of modified milk.
What advantages has peptonized milk? Partially peptonized milk assists greatly in digesting the curd of milk. Young infants sometimes have trouble in digesting the curd. When completely peptonized it is good in attacks of acute indigestion.
How long may I give it? It may be used for a few days when completely peptonized; when partially peptonized it can be used for two or three months, and when you wish to give other food, leave off its use gradually by shortening the time of peptonizing and lessening the quantity of the powder used.
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FEEDING DURING THE SECOND YEAR
How many meals should a child have during the second year? Five.
Shall I prepare the milk for all day at one time? It is better to prepare the milk for all day during the second and third years. If you wish to modify it by adding cream, water, etc., prepare as done during the first year, and later when only plain milk is used, the quantities needed for the different feedings should be put into one or two bottles, pasteurized or not as necessary. In this way the different feedings are kept separate. Prepare the food as soon as possible in the morning alter the milk has been received.