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32
Infantile Deaths.
The deaths of 210 infants were referred to me by
you for investigation. Visits were paid to the addresses
given, and the information obtained was as
follows:—
The homes of 92 infants who died from various
Diarrheal diseases, 74 from Diarrhœa and 18 from
Enteritis, etc., were visited, and enquiries made as to
the method of feeding adopted. The use of feeding
bottles with long rubber tubes appears to be decreasing;
only five mothers admitted their use.
Of the 74 who died from Diarrhœa, 13 were entirely
breast fed; 15 were partly breast fed; 35 were hand
fed; 5 who died in hospital were breast fed till they
went there; and in 5 instances no information could
be obtained, as the mother could not be found.
Ten babies (all over nine months old) had been
having much the same food as the rest of the familyone
of them was thought to have been upset by fish.
Another had been given sheep's brains. One had been
fed by the doctor's advice, on patent foods. Eight
had lived entirely upon condensed milk (not a cheap
brand in any case), and 16 had had cows' milk.
Of those dying from Enteritis and other forms of
this disease,
3 were breast fed;
1 partly so—also had oatmeal;
4 lived on cows' milk;
1 had condensed milk;
2 same food as rest of family;