with a
spoon. This is reached with most infants at fourteen or fifteen
months; with many at twelve or thirteen months. Other forms of
farinaceous food may of course be used in the place of the barley, and
in the same proportions.

With some infants the addition of a pinch of bicarbonate of soda may
be advantageously made to each milk-feeding when the lime-water is
omitted, but with most this is unnecessary.

If the infant strongly objects to the taste of the milk when the milk
sugar has been omitted, a small quantity (one fourth to one half
teaspoonful) of granulated sugar may for a time be added to each
feeding, then gradually reduced.

GENERAL RULES FOR GUIDANCE IN THE USE OF THE FORMULAS GIVEN

It should again be emphasized that these formulas are not intended for
sick children nor for those suffering from any marked symptoms of
indigestion. For such infants special rules are given later.

_What should be the guide in deciding upon a formula with which to
begin for a child who is to be artificially fed?_

The age and the weight are of some importance, but the best guide is
the condition of the child's digestive organs. One should always begin
with a weak formula, particularly, (1) with an infant previously
breast fed; (2) with one just weaned, as a child who has never had
cow's milk must at first have weaker proportions than the age and the
weight would seem to indicate; (3) with infants whose power of
digestion is unknown. If the first formula tried is weaker than the
child can digest, the food can be strengthened every three or four
days until it is found what the child is able to take. On the
contrary, if the food is made too strong at first, an attack of
indigestion will probably follow.

_How should the food be increased in strength?_

The first essential is that it be done very gradually; abruptly
increasing the food usually causes a disturbance of digestion.

It is never wise to advance more rapidly in strengthening the food
than from one formula to the next one in any of the series given; with
many infants it is better to make the steps of increase only half as
great as those indicated (page 72).

_How rapidly should the food be increased in quantity?_

The increase should not be more than a quarter of an ounce in each
feeding; or from one and a half to two ounces in a day.

_When should the food be increased?_

In the early weeks an increase may be necessary every few days; in the
later m