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33
at three months it may be about 9 to 11 lbs.; at six months about 13
to 15 lbs.; at nine months about 16 to 17 lbs.; and at 12 months 19
to 20 lbs. Dufour's standard has been used in the Finsbury Depot, as
in French Depots. It is well known that the standard rise in weight
in the early months of life is greater than subsequently, but roughly it
may be said that throughout the twelve months of infancy the average
increase ought to be about one pound a month (12 lbs. + 7 lbs. at
birth = 19 lbs.). We have taken that as a standard, with the following
result:—
Out of the 253 infants 198 (or 78 per cent.) have each gained an
average of 4 oz. per week, (i.e., approximately a pound per month).
Of the 198 infants 62 were first children, 30 were second, 42 were
third or fourth, and as many as 64 were fifth children or more than
fifth. Of the mothers of these 198 children only 79 could be described
as at all healthy.
Secondly, as to the saving of life. There were 9 cases of death out
of the 253 infants (4 from epidemic diarrhcea). This yields an infant
mortality rate of 35"5 per 1,000 births. The infant mortality rate for
the Borough during 1907 was 109 per 1,000 births Comparison is
impossible between these figures, as they are affected by very different
circumstances. In 1906 the Depot infant mortality worked otit at
65*5 per 1,000 births (the Borough rate being 157 3). Without making
any close comparison between these various figures, some things may
at least be said :—
(1) That the death-rate among the Depot-fed children in
1907 was extraordinarily low, two-thirds less than among other
children in the Borough, even though the Depot children were
more frail and ill than the others. The broad fact is that here
were 253 artificially fed infants (70 per cent. of them ill or ailing),
of whom only 9 died. Yet it is from this identical class of the
community that Finsbury has, in past years, experienced an
excessive infant mortality.
(2) That much of this substantial saving of life has been
due to careful infant management in addition to suitable milk.
The two things go together. The true milk Depot, properly controlled,
is also a School for Mothers, as the French workers
pointed out years ago. It is idle to credit an improved milk