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The large proportion of delicate children is also indicated by the
fact that 125 infants were recommended by medical practitioners
who are seldom consulted as to feeding a baby so long as he keeps
well. 45 were sent from lying-in hospitals, and 20 by the Woman
Inspector.
Weighing of Infants, The weight is by no means theoretically
the best way of judging of the health of a baby. Activity, liveliness,
contentment, colour of skin, are together a better test of health at
any one time, but there is no scale by which these can be measured.
By general consent, a weekly or fortnightly weighing has been
adopted as the best practicable means of judging of the progress of
an infant. Statistics as to the average weight of infants under one
year have been obtained by various persons. Dufour's standard and
weight chart have been adopted for the Woolwich Depot.
The bringing of children to be weighed every fortnight is a condition
of having the Depot-milk, but inasmuch as most of the families
supplied live a considerable distance from the Depot, and that
mothers are often prevented by illness, weather, and family circumstances,
from leaving home, it is not possible to absolutely insist on
the infants being brought. In all, 171 Depot-fed children were
weighed at least twice, and of these 75 gained more than the average
weight (several very much more), 19 gained just the average, and 77
gained less than the average. Of the latter, in most eases the gain
was very little less than the average, and may be considered as
showing very satisfactory progress of the child; but 39 of these
children were weighed only twice and their progress was not therefore
fairly tested. 69 children were weighed five and more times at
fortnightly intervals, and their progress was thus a much better test
of the value of Depot milk. Of these 39 gained more than the
average, 2 gained just the average weight, and 28 less than the
average. On the whole then, judging by the weight gained by
infants who had the milk long enough to give it a fair trial, we may
conclude that while taking Depot milk more than the average weight
is gained. As the average is mainly compiled from healthy breastfed
children this is a very satisfactory result.
Mothers feeding their infants on the breast were encouraged to
bring them to be weighed; altogether 17 breast-fed infants were