London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

Lambeth 1914

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lambeth, Metropolitan Borough of]

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Table: The methods of feeding were carefully inquired into, and the method that was found most general was breast feeding (supplemented occasionally with cow's milk or other artificial food), 95.4 per cent., but in a small proportion (4.6 per cent.) artificial feeding alone was being employed. The details are as follows:—

The methods of feeding were carefully inquired into, and the method that was found most general was breast feeding (supplemented occasionally with cow's milk or other artificial food), 95.4 per cent., but in a small proportion (4.6 per cent.) artificial feeding alone was being employed. The details are as follows:—

1. Natural (Breast) Feeding.
Years.Totals.*
1911.1912.1913.1914.1911-14.1908-10.
(a) Breast entirely2943264025842851110185138
(b) Breast and Cow's Milk175252190159776311
(c) Breast and others183220258199860251
2. Artificial (Hand) Feeding.
(a) Cow's Milk1228978102391111
(b) Others4951516721858

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At the time of the first official visit 83.7 per cent. of the 1911-14
infants visited were found to be breast-fed entirely, as compared
with 87.5 per cent. of the 1908-10 infants, and these large proportions
are to be explained by the fact that the first official visit is
made early after notification. Later it is found that this breastfeeding
had been either replaced by artificial feeding or
supplemented by artificial feeding, due to the mothers' milk
diminishing or disappearing altogether on the mothers leaving their
beds and getting about their houses, the mothers going out to work,
&c., the change of feeding taking place generally about the second
or third month.

Table: The nature of the artificial foods in use are interesting, as follows:—

The nature of the artificial foods in use are interesting, as follows:—

Artificial Foods.
Years.Totals.*
1911.1912.1913.1914.1911-14.1908-10
Patent foods88100128109425129
Condensed milk144171181157653180
Cow's milk2973412682611167422

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*The figures for 1908-1900 are added from the 1910 Annual Report for
statistical comparison and so as to bring the figures up to date since the adoption
of the Notification of Births Act.