To commence, then, I fear it must be admitted that the majority of British infants are reared on imperfect milk by weak or ill - fed mothers. And thus it follows that the signs of feeble vitality, of fretful disposition or of disease, may be observed at a very early age, and are apparent in symptoms of indigestion or in the cravings of want manifested by the "peevish" and sleepless child. In circumstances where there is no want of appropriate nutriment, over - feeding or complicated forms of food, suitable only for older persons, produce for another infant troubles which are no less grave than those of the class whose supply is impure or deficient.

In the next stage of life, when infancy has been passed and childhood is attained, among the poor, the little one takes his place at the parents' table, where lack of means, as well as of knowledge, deprives him of food more suitable than the rough fare of the adult, and moreover obtains for him, perchance, his little share of tea, or even of beer or gin. On the whole, perhaps he is not much worse off than the child of the well - to - do, who becomes a pet, and is already familiarized with complex and too solid forms of food, as well as with stimulating drinks, which custom and self - indulgence have placed on the daily table. And soon afterwards commence in consequence - and entirely in consequence, a fact it is impossible too much to emphasize the "sick headaches" and "bilious attacks," which pursue their victim through half a lifetime, to be exchanged for gout or worse at or before the grand climacteric. And so common are these evils that they are regarded by people in general as a necessary appanage of "poor humanity," and together with measles or hooping cough, to be part of the natural and necessary development of the full - grown and complete man! No notion can be more erroneous, since it is absolutely true that the complaints referred to are self - engendered, form no necessary part of our physical nature, and for their existence are dependent almost entirely on our habits in relation to food and drink. I except, of course, those cases in which hereditary tendency is so strong as to produce certain evils, some special care notwithstanding, exercised on behalf of the unfortunate victim of an ancestor's self - indulgence. Equally, however, on the part of that little - to - be - revered progenitor were ill - chosen food and drink, or more probably an excessive indulgence in the quantity thereof, the cause of his disease, and not the physical nature of man.