Question: Im trying to modify the text of the first select option via javascript. 
But it empties the entire select option

```
 <select name='stuff'>
      <option value="a"> Pepsi </option>
      <option value= "b"> Juice </option>
 </select>

<script type="text/javascript">
    document.getElementsByName('stuff')[0].innerHTML = "Water";
</script>

```

Answer: 
You want to read from the [options](https://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/Web/API/HTMLSelectElement) collection and modify the first element in there:

```
document.getElementsByName('stuff')[0].options[0].innerHTML = "Water";

```
You can try this:

```
 $('select[name=stuff] option:first').html("abcd");

```