Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-08
MILK VALUE TEST
IN BABY FEEDING
Report on Operation of the
Oyster Depots for First
Eighteen Months.
PASTEURIZED MILK HAD
THE HIGHER NUTRIMENT

New light is thrown on the question of
the comparative nuttritive value OF pas
teurized and raw milk for infant feeding
in statistics contained in a report on the
first eighteen months operation OF the
George NJ. Oyster jr., milk philanthropy,
issued today.
The subject, which long has been a
source of disagreement between health
experts and scientists, has been given
careful study in connection with the OPP
Grafton of Mr.. Oysters philanthropic baby
milk stations in Washington. The con-
clusion arrived at in the report gives pas
teurized milk a slight advantage over the
raw product
By computing the number of days be-
tween the first and last weighing of ba-
bies receiving pasteuriZed and raw milk,
and the net pounds and ounces gained
during that period, it was possible to as
certain with mathematical exactness. the
report points out, the actual net gains
of Ill infants fed on pasteurized milk and
20S on raw milk.
Daily Gain in Weight.
The average net gain for babies of the
former class, it is stated, was .42I4
ounces per day, while the average net
gain for infants receiving raw milk was
1858 ounces per day.
In the case of siXty-two other babies,
the report asserts for whom physicians
prescribed both pasteurized and raw milk
at different times. changing from one to
the other at various PERIODS an interest
ing comparison was made. BY comput-
ing the days when these babies were re-
ceiving one milk or the other anC the
gain made in pounds and ounces, it was
found that the infants while receiving
paSteuriZed milk made an average net
gain of .4t51 ounces per day. the average
net gain record for the babies while re-
ceiving raw milk being .444O ounces per
day.
1.-The results of either Or of both OBJ
servations above referred to- states the
report would seem to indicate that no
possible injury to the nutritive proper
ties of milk for infant feeding results
from modern, scientific pasteurization,
and it must be conceded certain possible
risks be eliminated through the care
full pasteuriZation of milk that cannot be
SO completely and safely eliminated in
any other way
Covers Eighteen-Month Period.
The report, which was prepared by
Ivan Comings Weld. director, covers the
operation of the Oyster philanthropy from
April q, 1911, when it began, until Oc-
tober "a. 1912, at the conclusion Of the
first eighteen months. The document
contains number OF interesting studies,
gives reasons for bottle feeding and dis
cusses some of the home conditions under
which the milk station babies lived.
During the eighteen months referred
to milk was dispensed at the various
philanthropic stations as follows: Chill
dren's Hospital, 1lS,O00 bottles; Colored
Social Settlement. $1,000; Casualty Hos
pital. 5000; Friendship House. 68.0O0;
Neighborhood House, $1,000: Noel House,
1000. and Georgetown Hospital, 800,
making total of 377, 800.
The percentage of milk given away
and disposed of at prices less than cost
was as follows: Neighborhood House. 80
per. cent pay cases and 81 per cent free
cases: Friendship House, 81 per cent
pay and 6S per cent free: Casualty Hos
pital and Noel House. As per cent pay
and 81 per cent free; Social Set
Element House, q per cent pay and 73 per
cent free. and Chldren's Hospital, 33 per
cent pay and 81 per cent free.
The statement is made that a total of
795 babies We're prescribed for one or
more times during the period covered by
the report. The infants came to the sta
tons in almost every conceivable degree
of health, varying from those who were
apparently in excellent health to those
who were critically i. i'll. The average
weight of babies of this age, it is as
serted, is seventeen. pounds and four
ounces.