Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-30
DEATHS OF INFANTS
DR.. WOODWARD ISSUES STATE
MENT GIVING FIGURES.
Artificial Feeding Disapproved-The
Situation Discussed-Sugge
Made by Health Office.

Relative to the death of infants under
two years of age during the past week Or.
w. c. Woodward. the health officer, has
issued the following statement:
During the week ended July %, twenty
one children under two years of age
Twelve white and nine colored) died from
diarrhoeal diseases. Two were breast fed
and nineteen bottle fed. OF the bottle-fed
infants nine We're, before being taken Ill.
fed on cows milk. boiled in five instances.
Pasteurized in one. and used without spe-
cial precautions other than dilution IN
three. Eight were fed on condensed milk
of various brands. Two were fed ma
terials which the manufacturers claim to
be food for infants
Nipples and bottles were generally we'll
cared for. The sanitary surroundings Of
the infants who died during the past week
were much better than have been noted at
any previous time.
Inquiry was made so far as was prac-
ticable to determine why artificial feeding
had been Used in the cases above referred
to. with varying results. In some cases
there was alleged to be a deficiency In tho
quantity or quality. or both, of the natural
nourishment. Illness the part of the
mother was alleged as the cause in one in
stance. In one case mother was COM
PEELED to go out to work and was unable
to take her infant with her. In no in
stance was 1t admitted that bottle feeding
was a matter of choice.
Condition Recognized.
1.-The health department recognizes the
fact, of course, that in certain unfortunate
cases mothers are physically unable to
nurse their offspring and that in others the
necessity under which the mother finds her
self Of earning a livelihood prevents her
from doing SO. For these reasons 1t IS
necessary in some cases to find artificial
nourishment and thus far none has been
found better than good cows milk properly
cared for and modified to suit the demands
Of the individual infant as determined by its
age and general condition Of health. Cows
milk forms, moreover, the most important
article in the dietary of children. especially
after weaving and in the second year OF
life. No satisfactory substitute has ever
been found for It, 1t Is largely for these
reasons that the health department deems
1t necessary during the heated season to
make special efforts to insure the purity
and wholesomeness Of milk and to caution
those responsible for the care of children
as to the dangers incident to its use unless
1t has been properly produced and cared
for
Day Nurseries Suggested.
So far as relates to the artificial feed
Ing Of children during the first year of life
because of the inability of their mothers
to supply nourishment. it may be stated
that in those cases where this condition
arises from the fact that the mother finds
IT necessary to earn her own living and is
unable to take her infant with her, pro-
vision should be made by some of the
charitably inclined citizens for the estab-
lishment of day nurseries on proper basis.
If. as has been suggested. however large
rumber Of mothers are unable because of
physical debility to nurse their offspring,
the condition is only a little less grave than
that presented by the death of the Off
spring itself, such physical debility being.
as 1t must certainly be. of comparatively
recent origin would seem to indicate a
deterioration in the vital forces of the race.
the cause of which should be discovered
and removed"