Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-20
TRACES THE CAUSES
Report Relative to Deaths
Among Infants.
SUBJECTS DISCUSSED
DIR. LYNCH REVIEWS CONDITIONS
IN SUMNER OF 1908.
Methods Employed in Rearing Chill
dren-Source Of Milk Supply-Re-
suit of Investigation.

Woodward. the District health officer. a
special report of considerable interest rela-
tive to an investigation conducted by DR..
Lynch into the causes of deaths of infants
less than two years old. DR.. Lynch investi-
gated the causes of the death from diar-
hroeal diseases of 26O infants during the
summer OF 1903. The following subjects
were inquired into:
1. Methods of feeding and character OF
food and It's preparation. If any. previous
to administration. 2. Reasons for bottle
feeding g. Source of milk supply, when
cows milk was used. f. Method OF nam
ding the milk. s. Kind of bottles and
nipples used and method of caring Tor
same. 6. Change in character of food, II
any, during illness. Z. Water supply. 8.
Environment. 8. Probable cause of illness.
Text Of the Report.
The report of DIR. Lynch is in substance
as follows:
"Of the total number, 200, or 80 per cent,
were bottle fed, while only twenty-nne, or
about II per cent, were breast fed, and in
vestigation showed that the latter, with
few exceptions, were delicate or de1ective
from birth. This fact, of itself, Is signih-
cant. Thirteen, or per cent. Of the IN
fants were subjected to combined 1eeolhs.
that is, nursed at the mothers breast ana
also fed from the bottle. One was 1ed on
broths and soups, and in eight instances
the character of the food could not be
learned. OF the bottle-fed infants ninety
four, or 44.99 per cent, were put on PLAIN
cows milk modified by dllutlon with
water, the milk having been boiled or heat
ed in an attempt to Pasteurize 1t, IN 1orty-
five Instances, while in the remaining forty
nine cases no attempts at sterilization were
made.
Inquiry was made as to why babies
faI nf
as nature intended they should be. The
reasons given were various-some on &c
count of a deficiency in the quantity or
quality or both. of the milk secreted by
the mother; others ascribed the alleged
necessity to illness on the part OF the
mother. In many instances, however the
statement was made that the mothers were
compelled to work daily at some service
place and leave their infants to the ten
der mercies of neighbors. baby farmers
or children of their own. too young 70
know how properly to care for them IL
was commonly stated that the babies De-
gan life on mothers milk and continued
to thrive until the mother was strois
enough to resume work at her service
place. whereupon the infant was, OF ne
cessity put on the bottle, and, IN snort
time began to sicken, grow gradually worse
and finally persisted. In one instance, our
ing the absence of the mother at her
service place. the infant was said to nave
been fed on bread and gravy. In no IN
stance was it admitted that bottle feeding
was resorted to from choice Ihere Is
reason to believe. however, that TINS state
ment in some instances at least, may De
taken cum grano sails. The mother OF
one of the breast-fed infants stated that
she was thrty-five years OF age, was mar
ried at the age of fifteen mad given oirt =,
to eleven children, had nursed them an
at the breast, and only one had died during
infancy.
Use of Cows Milk.
IL cd
by the poorer classes is purchased at the
small grocery stores, where, as ruie' II Is
so carelessly handled that the first pur-
chasers get the cream or top mix, "hiie
these who come later get SKINNED milk,
either of which cause the infant fed on 1t
to become Ill in the course OF time IN
each instance the milk supply was inquired
into and list of the dairymen Kept SO as
to determine If milk sold by any partlcu IA
ealer appeared suspicious by reason OF ms
supplying an unusual number OF lnfants
dying from diarrhoeal diseases. AS re-
suit of this investigation, no dealer was
fc und to supply number great enough ~
cause suspicion to TALL on MIN.
"Among the very poor the facllltles at
hand were wholly inadequate for the proper
care and handling of milk, little. II any; ice
being used for cooling purposes; ne I'd IN
Of this very necessary COMMODITY leo. III
numerous instances, to the use OF con
densed milk, a form OF infant 1000 hislis
luxurious to the large majority OF ln1ants.
:"rhe bottles most commonly used were
m iIlassortment of whisky TASKS, beer
botties Yeast powder bottles, and In iact
most any sort of bottle except one "liSh
&c hest adapted for such purposes niimely,
cne without sharp angles at the bottom
W. whose sides and bottom are rounded at
noint of union, instead of forming sharp
angle, as in the case OF ORDINARY pot.ies.
rendering it extremely difficult TO free them
NV the usual method of washing from coag-
decOmDOSllR
of milk. A bottle not thoroughly cieah
containing perhaps very small Par.icle ~
decomposing casein, may, when nliea WIN
fresh milk and given to the helpless infant,
he the shark which kindles the first fires or
q confederation which, ere long, burns up
the slender stock of vitality, percnahce al
ready weakened by lack or proper care
sunlight and fresh air, and the little life
gees back to its Creator. victim OF ig-
norance or carelessness. or potn.
Proper Cleansing Methods.
1.-The proper method of cleansing nursing
,o+,,es and nipples seemed to be generally
known. but how faithfully it was carried
ont could not. of course, be determined. A
large number of bottles were inspected and.
as a rule they appeared fairly clean. In
few instances nipples attached to long rub
her tubes were used These nipples cam
not be too strongly condemned, as 1t Is
practically impossible thoroughly to cleanse
them by methods used In the home. The
best form of nipple is one which slips over
the neck of the bottle and can be turned
inside out and thoroughly scrubbed. after
which it should be placed in solution of
boric acid and allowed to remain there until
used again.
I'm the majority of cases no change was
made in the character Of the food or
method of feeding during the period of Ill
ness, and 1t Is interesting to note how many
infants apparently failed to receive any
medical attention whatsoever. Many others
received such attention only when too late
to be effective.
1.-The water supply consisted Of unboilcd.
urfiltered Potomac water in most cases.
and even this in scanty amounts in some
instances, and practically none at all In
many others, the mothers apparently not
realizing the Importance of administering
water freely to these helpless little infants
who cannot make known their wants by
word of mouth, but do SO quite plainly in
the character of their cries, if the parents
have the intelligence to interpret them. On
account of intense thirst, babies frequently
make night hideous with their cries of an
guish, and are at last made oblivious to
their sufferngs by the administration OF