Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1915-01-22
copyright. 1914. by A. s. Gray)
MOTHERS MILK.

l / ~ ID universally COuCcuSo Nn0S SaA'
most carefully bottle.fed infant has
smaller chance OF escaping trouble ant
achieving health and life than a breast
fed baby Of the most ignorant ant
s.ovenly mother. IT, '."
or course, when the child's 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 it's food from
nnclean cans, bottles, spoons, nipples
tubes and other utensils devices ant
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
pley and variable. The important con-
stitaents are the fats, held in emul'
sion as minute oil droplets; casein, a
nucleo-albumen which clots under the
Influence of renuin; milk albumen or
lactaibumen: 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 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 qnantita-
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, fiocks
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 no
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 ef-
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 with
brooder chicks.
The absence of normal building ma
terial while the foundations of life are
being laid insures handicap the orr
ganism must carry all through life;
hence every mother should recognize
the ethical and racial obligations she
is under to keep up a supply Of milk
through the period OF normal lactation.
This brings up the question of how
a poor or deficient supply Of mothers
milk may be- increased or bettered and
how it may be maintained through the
period of lactation. Generally the
physician is not consulted about the
matter until short time before the
baby is expected, and then the best he
can do is to recommend a nourishing
diet. 1t Is highly suggestive in this
connection to note that practically
every such recommendation includes
some form Of malt extract, and that
practically without exception all pro-
prietary compounds claiming to be
good for nursing mothers are founded
on malt. Experience proves that moth
ing appears more quickly to promote
the secretion of milk than good malt
extracts and many brands possessing
various degrees of merit and grades
Of nutritive value are to be found in
the market. ~
But at best such emergency meas.
ures and the attempt to force things in
this manner are not likely to give
either satisfactory or lasting results
because it Is not entirely question
OF food; there is a psychological, a
purely mental side to it as we'll.
The experience of dairymen proves
that 1t makes little difference what
food is given q COW; the quality of the
milk, SO far as the fat content is con.
cerned, will remain the same. Quality
is inherent and essentially matter of
type and of breeding, but quantity can
be developed. A COW will be born to
give milk containing. for example, four
per cent butter fat, and she will con.
tinue to give four per cent milk under
all conditions, be the quantity much Or
little. An abundance OF food and wa,
ter coupled with kind treatment may
increase the quantity Of milk given.
but It win not influence the quality:
that will remain steadfastly At four
per cent fat. 2js Il y s &
The COW is generally believed to be
the most placid, calm and docile Iof ami.
mails; nevertheless she Is highly sensi.
tive e to-! handling and undor identical
conditions Of food and stabllng one
milker may be able TO secure nearly
double tIul y the quantity Of milk from the