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102
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
inability through poverty, this year, to buy cows' milk. We
are sorry at the same time to note the prevalent habit of
dipping the 'comforter' into the tin of condensed milk, it thus
becoming a fruitful source of intestinal trouble.
"The use of farinaceous food alone is slightly on the
decrease. A contrast in the attitude of mothers with regard
to patent foods is shown in the following cases :—One was
found, at the first visit, to be already following the pamphlet
given at the birth of an older child, who was proudly shown
as never having had a day's illness, 'and,' the mother added,
'I will never buy patent foods again.' The other was feeding
her infant of less than six weeks on condensed milk and a
certain patent food. It was impossible to influence her, as
she was going in for that particular patent-food prize.
"Again, the use of boat bottles is largely on the increase.
315 boat bottles were used (Putney two, Balham 23, Tooting
126, Southfield four, Fairfield 54, Springfield 106), as against
55 tube bottles (Balham six, Tooting 12, Fairfield 13, Springfield
24). Both tube and boat bottles were in use in 11
instances (Balham two, Tooting four, Southfield one, Fairfield
3, Springfield 1), and spoons were used in preference to
either in 96 cases (Putney one, Balham 12, Tooting 50, Fa'rfield
nine, Springfield 24). Several mothers have told us that
they would use the boat shape but that they cannot afford it,
every penny being of importance when the husband is so
frequently out of work. The large number of spoons used is
due to the fact that mothers are often afraid that giving a
bottle may wean the baby from the breast.
"It has again been difficult to keep in touch with the
mothers of illegitimate children. In the Springfield \\ ard
one, and in Tooting two, wrong addresses were given, and it
was impossible to trace them. 13 had removed immediately
after the birth (Putney one, Balham one, Tooting four, Southfield
two. Springfield five), and of these, five came into the
Borough for the confinement only, and two of the infants had
died from prematurity before the mother's removal. Therefore
we were only successful in visiting 46 (Balham four,
Tooting 19, Southfield five, Fairfield eight, Springfield io),