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156
pletion of a month, leaving 145, or three-fourths, who persevered with
the milk for more than one month ; of these 90 continued for over
three months, and 52 over six months. The average duration of
feeding was three months.
Reasons i-oit Discontinuing. Satisfactory reasons for discontinuing
such as age of child, moving out of the Borough, etc., were given in
100 cases ; unsatisfactory reasons, such as inability to meet the
expense, dissatisfaction of mother, etc., in 89 cases. Of these, 2 were
refused the milk because the mothers persistently neglected to keep
the rules. It is satisfactory to note that in 6 cases the Depot-milk
was given up because the mother was able to resume suckling her
child. There is always a readiness with certain persons to try a new
thing and to discard it again without a fair trial; this quality of the
mind no doubt accounts for a large proportion of those who discontinued
within a month—" mother dissatisfied." Of genuine complaints
against the milk the number has been exceedingly small. Delicate
and diseased children of course are frequently unable to digest any
form of milk, and though perseverance with the Depot milk would
probably be the best course in most cases, it is not to be wondered
at that the mother is anxious to try any new food recommended.
The expense was given as the reason for discontinuing in 21 cases,
but no doubt it was the chief or secondary reason why several other
mothers gave up Depot-milk. The charge made for the milk is on
the whole about the same as would have to be paid for unmodified
cow's milk, if given in sufficient quantity, so that it may be concluded
that children who are denied Depot-milk on account of the cost
either get an insufficient supply of cordinary milk or else some form
of condensed milk. In either case they will be insufficiently nourished
and their health will necessarily suffer. Many children have been
paid for by a few charitable persons or societies, but there is great
need for more help of this kind.
Reasons for coming ox Depot. Any artifical feeding being only
a regrettable alternative to breast-feeding it is necessary to give a
reason for 204 children admitted to the Depot in 1907 not being able
to have their own natural food. The table below gives full particulars.
It is to be noted that 153 mothers were unable to suckle on account
of illness or entire loss of milk from other causes, and with 62 the