Page:Wood - Foods of the Foreign-Born.djvu/85

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THE NEAR EAST
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vised to use one quart of milk a day. After being treated for some time, she showed no improvement, and it was discovered that she had not had the milk. When questioned why she did not take it she said: "The milk come in a bottle—I get it from the goat in my country. The doctor ordered milk and I do not know what else is in the bottle; there must be something besides milk to make it cost so much." After all was explained and milk ordered for the patient for a month, she began to improve, and then she was convinced that although we have an expensive way of obtaining milk, it has the same virtue.

In the majority of these homes the men return for the midday meal. There are comparatively few Eastern women over here. Often an Eastener and his wife run a restaurant or coffee house, and board a number of men. Sometimes a bulletin board is hung in these places, upon which letters received from folks at home are posted for others besides the recipient to read. Eating at these coffee houses is a very social occasion; the food is well cooked, although the service lacks some of the conventionalities of this country.

Because of the indoor occupations of these peoples, their incomes are more regular than the incomes of those who are laborers, or do other seasonal work.

Among the Syrians, Armenians, Greeks, and Turks we usually find the children well nourished, with plenty of growth-promoting material and mineral matter in their diets. Milk is not given in as large quantities as it should be, and fruit is also found by them to be expensive.

The undernourished children need more milk added to their diet. Wheat is used extensively, either whole or cracked, cooked in water until nearly done; then milk