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distribution in all forms of decaying organic matter, i.e., in dirt. Certain
conditions associated with a hot dry summer and autumn are
favourable to the growth of this organism, and its virulence and
power under these circumstances appear to be increased to an
enormous extent.
Favoured by such conditions it soon gains access to milk and
similar food materials that have not been handled with the utmost
care, and so becomes established in the intestine of the infant that
is deprived of the protection of breast feeding. The evidence that
we have collected on the subject of infant feeding, brings out very
clearly the high percentage of artificially fed children found among
the fatal cases, and points to the neglect of breast feeding alone, for
the first six months of life at any rate, as being by far the most
fatal flaw in the infant's armour against such diseases as diarrhcea.
In the large majority of our cases, then, breast feeding was not
employed, and the infant had to depend for the most part, on cow's
milk, in one form or another, for its nourishment. It is obvious
that to insure some measure of purity, the treatment and handling
of this milk should be subject to a high degree of skill and knowledge,
We have seen how, in reality it is treated:—
1. On its way from the cow to the purchaser,
2. In the home.
I shall deal with suggestions on these two points later.
It was also observed that much ignorance existed amongst the
mothers who were visited, as to the proper care and handling of
infants. Irregular and careless feeding of the child was found to be
very common.
Proceeding to other conditions in the home bearing on this point,
we find that 13 per cent. of the mothers were personally unclean, of
their houses 24 per cent. were unquestionably dirty, and of the backpremises
33 per cent. were ill kept. It is not that these mothers
were wanting in solicitude for their children, most of them