ons, there are certain elements which must be
had,--phosphates to harden the delicate bones; nitrogen for flesh, which
is only developed muscle; carbon,--or sugar and fat, which represent
carbon,--for the whole wonderful course of respiration and circulation.
Water, too, must be in abundance to fill the tiny stomach, which in the
beginning can hold but a spoonful; and to float the blood-corpuscles
through the winding channels whose mysteries, even now, no man has fully
penetrated. Caseine, which is the solid, nourishing, cheesy part of milk,
and abounds in nitrogen, is also needed; and all the salts and alkalies
that we have found to be necessary in forming perfect blood. Let us see if
milk will meet these wants.

COMPOSITION OF COW'S MILK.

(_Supposed to contain 1,000 parts._)

Water 870.2
Caseine 44.8
Butter 31.3
Sugar 47.7
------
_Carried forward_ 994.0

_Brought forward_ 994.0

Soda }
Chloride of sodium and potassium}
Phosphate of soda and potassa }
Phosphate of lime } 6.0
Magnesia }
Iron }
Alkaline carbonates }
-------
1,000.0

Mother's milk being nearly the same, having only a larger proportion of
water, will for the first year of our baby's life meet every demand the
system can make. Even the first teeth are no sign, as ignorant mothers
believe, that the stomach calls for stronger food. They are known, with
reason, as milk-teeth, and the grinders delay their appearance for months
afterward. A little oatmeal, bread and milk, and various porridges, come
in here, that the bones may harden more rapidly; but that is all. The baby
is in constant motion; and eyes and ears are taking in the mysteries of
the new life, and busy hands testing properties, and little feet walking
into mischief, all day. This is hardly the place to dwell upon the amount
of knowledge acquired from birth to five years of age; yet when you
consider how the mind is reaching in every direction, appropriating,
investigating, drawing conclusions which are the foundation of all our
after-knowledge, you will see that the brain is working with an int