Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-02-05
Health Officer FouIks Fa-
vors Mothers Breast
Nursing
SAYS WE PAY PRICE
Nothing He Says Can Take Place Of
Nature-Thousands Sent Ia Tn
timely Graves

Il. is a noted and I might say
notorious fact that thousands Of help
less infants are sent 10 untme!y
graves annually, because their moth
ers decline to assume their natural
duty to nurse them at the breast"
Says City Health Officer DR.. Louis
f. FculkS. Some mothers refuse to
nurse their babies because il wou!d
interfere with their business or social
t!uSies. white others simply don't want
the bother. Scmc years ago IN dis
cussing this matter with fashion
able young mother asked her 70
frankly give me her reasons for not
nursing her baoy, and she said: We'll
decor. in the first place, why should
turn myself into 4 COW when there
IS 10 use in my doing 50? Then
what aye ali Of the patent, scientific
baby foods made for. if they are nc:
for Us mothers to use? Why should
.r. my baby drain my strength and
take hours cf my time daily, when !
can turn t over to The nurse. who can
feed it on cows milk o. paten. food
which will answer just as vel as i
! fci il 1T my brcast?'
Yes. that is juss what she told
me. ard she was perfectly honest
aoou. il! Bus that is rather an ex-
treme case, and thank the Lord that
all mothers don't have her point Of
view Neither COWS milk nor any pat
en-! baby food, no matter how Sc:en
tificaI!y It may be prepared. can pos
Silly take the place Of natural
mothers milk. Of course. many babies
have to take such food and they
manage to live through it, but it IS
Just as wei! 70 note the simple fact
that many don't! The mortality, rate
of oottlc-fed babies is very high.
Ii is true that many mothers are
physically unable to furnish breast
milk to their babies. but why is this
50? Il i. a rare thing: indeed to find
in nature the female Of any form Of
animal life that nurses its young. un-.
able 70 furnish full and ample sup
ply Of mix. And why is this ttue?,
Il, is because they are normal and
htaShy, and live. and have for gene
rat!ons lived, more in accordance with
the simple laws of nature.
The modern human oein@s. both
male and female. are far from the ma
tural normal type they should be. We
have become creatures Of social Gus
toms. faGs and fancies, bur we pay
the price in more ways than one!
It is tn. birthright Of every baby
to be nu1sed at its mcthcr's breast.
If through sickness or physical de-
fects the mother is unable to furnish
milk. she should have our ympatiT.
BIT if she fails to do so for personal
selfish reasons. she should be looked
upon as one who has Shirked the most
solemn duty of motherhood. When a
child is brought into shis world, it has
a moral right to a fair chance to live.
ard it is the sacred duty Of chose con-
cc!ned in It's being. to see that it has
It. That beautiful picture Of the old
fashioned mother seated in the rock
inr chair, nursing her ba1y at her
breast, IS one that no artist ever did
nor ever can do full justice 10!
Once upon time a celebrated
horticuturist decided to improve a
certain plant by intensive culture and
special care. And when he had raised
it almcst up to the higher standard
he had set, behold. It ceased to bear
either fruit or f!cwers! Do you see
tie point?