Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1915-01-28
tcODyright. 1914. by A. S. Gray)
MOTHERS MILK.


slovenly mother.
or course, when the childs artificial
food Is prepared and given by an intel.
hgent person under competent advice,
the baby may get through with mini.
mum OF discomfort and danger from
digestive disorders arising from bac-
terial contamination OF its food from
unciean 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-
Dramatically 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.
stituenfs 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; proteid resembling
serum albumen: iactoglobulin; 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 1t is held that they are formed
by the secretory metaboism OF the
gland cell under the action OF hor'
none stimulating property 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 10 the fact that the In.
organic salts Of milk diiler 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 flocks
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
appreciable degree.
Experience by poultry raisers proves
artificial brooding TO be lnmentably in
efficient: the best kerosene lamp. as
sisted by the most earnest human ef'
fort, making but q pi.iable showing
compared with the average results
achieved by a stur'ly old hen-and boz.
tic fed babies are about at par with
brooder chicks
The absence Of normal building ma.
terial while the foundations ur life are
being laid insures handicap the or
ganism must carry all through life:
hence every mother should recognize
the ethical and racial obligations she
is under TO keep up supply Of milk
through the period Of normal lactation
This brings up the question OF how
a Door or deficient supply Of mothers
milk may be increased or bettered and
how Il may be maintained through the
period of lactatiOn Generally the
physician ls not consulted about the
matter until a short time before the
baby is expected. and then the best he
can do IS 10 recommend a nOurishing
diet Il is highly suggestive In this
connection to note that practically
every such recomm ,ndatiOn 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.
The experience Of dairymen proves
that Il makes little difference what
food IL given a COW; the quality OF the
milk. SO far as the fat content is con-
cerned, will remain the same. Quality
a inherent and essentially matter OF
tyne 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.
hut Il will not influence the quality;
that will remain steadfastly at four
per cent fat.
The COW is generally believed to be
the most placid. calm and docile Of ami
mails; nevertheless she is highly sensi-
tive 70 handling and undnr Identical
conditions Of food and stabling one
mixer may Be able 10 secure nearly
6odbls the quantity Of milk from the
aame COW that another mixer WIN pro