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78
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
Mother's Milk is by far the Best Food for Infants.
Regularity in time of feeding is most important both for the
mother's sake and for the child's. During the first two months the
infant should be fed every two hours in the day and every four at
night. After two months the interval between each meal should be
gradually increased to three hours in the day, but the infant should
be allowed to sleep from 11 at night to 5 in the morning without a
meal.
If the mother has not enough milk, cow's milk should be given
in addition; the two milks will not disagree.
Weaning.—The infant should not be weaned before the ninth
month. It should be gradual, and should never take place if possible
during July, August, or September, as it is during these months that
deaths from Diarrhoea among hand-fed infants are most frequent.
If the infant cannot possibly be fed at the breast the best thing
instead is cow's milk, which should be prepared in the following
way:—Boil all the milk when it is received from the milkman, pour
into a perfectly clean jug surrounded by cold water, stir the milk
occasionally till cold, store it in the coolest place in the house and
keep closely covered to prevent dust or flies from getting into it.
Each meal should be made up as follows :—
For an Infant under Two Weeks Old.
Milk 1 tablespoonful.
Water 2 tablespoonsful.
Creain ½ a teaspoonful.
White Sugar ½ a teaspoonful.
Mix and then warm. Give this every two hours during the day and
every four hours during the night.
For an Infant from a Fortnight to Two Months Old.
Milk 1½ tablespoonsful, gradually increasing to 2.
Water 3 tablespoonsful.
Cream 1 teaspoonful.
White Sugar ½ a teaspoonful.
Mix and warm. Feed as before.