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(d) Method of Feeding. One of the most interesting facts learned
from this work has relation to the feeding of these children, of
whom about 1,400 may be considered to have been healthy at the
time of visit. As many as 1,503 of the total (or 80.8 per cent.) were
wholly breast-fed. Only 5 per cent, were fed wholly on cows' milk,
and 2.0 per cent. were fed on "condensed" milk or artificial foods.
It must be borne in mind that the investigation was generally
made before the child was two months old, and always before the
end of the third month. It may therefore be said that in Finsbury,
up to the end of the third month, 80 per cent. of the children are
breast-fed. Of the remaining 20 per cent. a large proportion die,
as will be seen subsequently. Further, it is probable that if we
had obtained the returns three months later, nothing like 80 per
cent. would have been found to be breast-fed. But the fact remains
that in the first trimester of life the majority of Finsbury children
are breast-fed, and of that method of feeding these two things may
be said:—first, it is the most economical for the family, and
secondly, it is the most healthy for the child.
It may be added that in connection with these visits to births
175 sanitary notices were served for defects found in the homes of
these infants; 12 of them had relation to overcrowding, 14 had
relation to unclean bedding, and the remainder dealt chiefly with
unclean rooms.