PEDIATRICS Vol. 53 No. 5 May 1974, pp. 655
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Dr. Hoffman's Warning to Children Who Won't Eat Their Soup

T. E. C. Jr. M.D.

Dr. Heinrich Hoffman (1809-1894) who practiced medicine in Frankfurt was also the author of "Struwweltpeter" or "Slovenly Peter." This book published in 1844 is next to Grimm's fairy tales, Germany's greatest contribution to children's literature.

Would present day child psychologists approve of this poem to be read to children?

The Story of Augustus who would Not have any Soup AUGUSTUS was a chubby lad; Fat ruddy cheeks Augustus had: And everybody saw with joy The plump and hearty, healthy boy. He ate and drank as he was told, And never let his soup get cold. But one day, one cold winter's day, He screamed out ‘Take the soup away! I won't have any soup today.’

Next day, now look, the picture shows How lank and lean Augustus grows!

Yet, though he feels so weak and ill, The naughty fellow cries out still ‘Not any soup for me, I say: O take the nasty soup away! I won't have any soup today.’

The third day comes: Oh what a sin! To make himself so pale and thin Yet, when the soup is put on table, He screams, as loud as he is able, ‘Not any soup for me, I say: O take the nasty soup away! I WON'T have any soup today.’

Look at him, now the fourth day's come! He scarcely weighs a sugar-plum; He's like a little bit of thread, And, on the fifth day, he was—dead!