The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-01-22
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copyright, 1914. by A. S. Cray
MOTHERS MILK.

fed baby of the most ignorant and
slovenly mother
OF course, when the childs artificial
food is prepared and given by an intel
ligent person under competent advice,
the baby may get through with a mini
mum of discomfort and danger from
digestive disorders arising from bac-
terial contamination of its food from
unclean cans, bottles, spoons, nipples
tubes and other utensils, devices and
attachments intervening between the
COW or the factory and its mouth; but
granting that all sources of bacterial
contamination are overcome, there
still will remain the absence of an au-
tomatically adjusting physiological
food supply, which no other than the
human animal can furnish.
In composition milk is highly COM
pick and variable The important con-
stituents are the fats. held in emul-
sion as minute oil droplets; casein, a
nucleo-albumen which clots under the
influence of rennin; milk albumen or
lactalbumen; a proteid resembling
serum albumen; lactoglobulin; lactose
Or milk sugar; lecithin, cholesterin,
phosphocarnic acid, urea, citric acid,
engines and mineral salts The min.
eral contents of milk comprise appre-
ciable quantities Of sodium, calcium,
magnesium, iron, phosphorus and cho-
rine. besides probably minute quaint.
ties of other elements not yet deter
mined.
BY reason of the fact that casein
and milk sugar do not exist In the
blood it Is held that they are formed
by the secretory metabolism Of the
gland cell under the action of a hor
none Stimulating property. And the
composition of the milk fat and the
astrological appearance Of the gland
cells during secretion leads to the
view that the fat is also constructed
within the gland itself. Bunge has
called attention to the fact that the In.
organic salts of milk differ quantita-
lively from those in the blood plasma
and resemble closely the proportions
found in the body Of the young animal,
thus indicating an adaptive secretion.
The casein of human milk is smaller
in amount, curdles in looser focks
than cows milk and seems to dissolve
more easily and completely in gastric
Juice. Human milk also contains rela.
lively more lecithin and less ash, while
cows milk, on the other hand. con
tains less sugar and fat. Human milk
in short, is a. complex compound nc
factory can even approximate to any
appreciate degree.
Experience by poultry raisers proves
artificial brooding to be lamentably in
efficient; the best kerosene lamp, as
sisted by the most earnest human eff
fort, making but a pitiable showing
compared with the average results
achieved by sturdy old hen-and bot
tie fed babies are about at par wit
brooder chicks.
The absence of normal building me-
terial while the foundations of life ar
being laid insures a handicap the o.
ganism must carry all through life
hence every mother should recogni2
the ethical and racial obligations sh
is under to keep up supply Of mil
through the period of normal lactatio
This brings up the question of no
poor or deficient supply of mother
milk may be increased or bettered ar
how 1t may be maintained through IL
period Of lactation Generally Il
physician is not consulted about II
smatter until short time before Il
baby is expected, and then the best
can do is to recommend nourishir
diet. 1t is highly suggestive in tn
connection to note that practical
every such recommendation includ
some form Of malt extract. and tn
practically without exception all pr
prietary compounds claiming to
good for nursing mothers are found
on malt Experience proves that not
ing appears more quickly to promo
the secretion of milk than good ms
extracts and many brands possessil
various degrees of merit and grad
of nutritive value are to be found
the market.
The experience Of dairymen prov
that 1t makes little difference VIII
food is given COW; the quality of Ii
milk. so far as the fat content is &C
cerned, will remain the same. Quail
is inherent and essentially matter
type and of breeding, but quantity c;
be developed. A cow will be born
give milk containing. for example, TO
per cent butter fat, and she will &C
tinue to give four per cent milk und
all conditions, be the quantity much
little. An abundance of food and v
ter coupled with kind treatment m
increase the quantity of milk give
but it will not influence the qualit
that will remain steadfastly at 70
per cent fat.
The COW is generally believed to
the most placid. calm and docile Of a
mails; nevertheless she is highly sen
tive to handling and under identlt
conditions of food and stabling o
mixer may be able to secure neal
double the quantity OF milk from t
.nx, s,,{lLar will n