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109
Prevention of Summer Diarrhœa among Infants,
Immediately upon receipt of a notification of a birth the following
bill with other literature (see page 14) is posted off to the parent:—
Metropolitan Borough of Poplar,
Public Health Department,
Bow Road,
(Corner of Fairfield Road),
Bow, E.
Prevention of Summer Diarrhœa among Infants.
During the warm weather of every summer, many hundreds of babies
get sickness and diarrhœa, from which very many die.
This illness is nearly always caused by wrong feeding, and bottle-fed
babies mostly suffer. With care, mothers can keep babies from having
the complaint, and can do much to help them to recover if they do take it.
Very few babies who are suckled by the mother die from diarrhoea ;
therefore make a special effort to feed your baby at the breast,
and avoid weaning during the summer months—July, August and
September.
If a baby must be fed on the bottle do not use a tube bottle, which
has been called the baby killer. Always have two boat-shaped feeding
bottles without tubes. Long tubes cannot be kept clean and are death
traps in the summer. Therefore only use a clean glass bottle or feeder
with a teat over the neck.
The jugs and feeding-bottles used for the milk should be kept
scrupulously clean by scalding. Summer diarrhoea may be caused by
stale milk or a dirty bottle.
If, unfortunately, you must feed baby with the bottle be sure to get
cow's milk as fresh as possible and boil it immediately on its arrival at
the house. Milk should always be kept covered and in a cool place.
Flies (which are poisonous), dust, and germs in the milk may give the
baby diarrhœa.
Only make one feed at a time. Do not use old feeds. If baby does
not use all the feed, destroy what is left in the bottle.
Wash out the bottle and teat in hot water and soda directly baby
is fed, and keep them in cold water until the next feeding time. Always
finally wash the bottle and teat before putting in the feed.