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22
The children breast fed are nearly twice as many as those
fed in other ways. The number of children fed exclusively
on patent food is very small. Fifteen children were being fed on
boiled bread, biscuits, and other unsuitable foods. There is reason
to believe that the use of boiled bread either alone, or in combination
with other foods, is far too common amongst Finsbury mothers
for their babies.
Here is a method of preparing it given by one of the mothers
affected :— "Take one slice of bread, and boil it in a pint of water
until it becomes a pulp. Strain through linen or muslin, and then
beat up with a little butter. Give a baby of three months half a
teacupful twice or three times a day."
This boiled bread for infants is a most unsuitable food, and cannot
be too severely condemned. The large number of mothers who
breast-feed their children, is matter for much congratulation.
One mother, whose husband was unemployed, returned to her
work three weeks after her confinement, and, though debilitated,
jaundiced, and anaemic, came home at every meal-time to breast
feed her baby. Another mother had rheumatic gout when she was
17 years, had since married, and had 5 children, all living.
Later she became so crippled that she was unable to hold her
baby to the breast, but had to get her husband or a neighbour to
do it for her. These examples of maternal devotion and selfsacrifice
could be multiplied many times in Finsbury.
Condition when first brought. —Six of the children were
premature and consequently very delicate: 261 or 55 per cent,
were fat, 76 were thin, and 138, or nearly one-third, were definitely
wasting, due to irregularities of feeding, improper or unsuitable
food.
The large percentage of wasting children is very deplorable, and
shows the need there still is for sound, practical, common sense
supervision and instruction.
Age when first brought.—41 were under 1 month, 210 were
between 1 and 3 months, 103 between 3 and 6 months, 112
between 6 and 12 months, ana 15 over 12 months old.