In remote regions of Guatemala, the Indian women today 
still utilize ixbut, but only when they have trouble producing 
breast milk, especially during the first 3 days postpartum. In 
these far-off localities, the baby has no other food or water, and 
depends on his mother’s milk for both, during a period of 2 
months or longer. 
In Guatemala City, on the other hand, the urbane women are 
no longer interested in ixbut; they can obtain other foods for 
the baby such as powdered milk, bottled milk, eggs and veget- 
ables. 
Dr. Juan José Hurtado V., a specialist in pediatric medicine 
in Guatemala City, concurs that ixbut is used much less in 
Guatemala in 1979 than it was 30 years ago when he was a 
resident intern. In those days, Dr. Hurtado heard a great deal 
about the merits of ixbut as a galactagogue: midwives fre- 
quently recommended it. In fact, when Dr. Hurtado was born 
in Guatemala City in 1926, his mother took an infusion of ixbut 
leaves three times a day for several days and was able to 
breast-feed him. At that time, ixbut was a ‘‘fashionable”’ 
medicinal herb, readily available in several local markets. At 
the present time, it is vitually impossible to find ixbut in any 
market in or near Guatemala City. According to Dr. Manuel 
Serrano, ixbut is still sold in small quantities, from time to time, 
in the more remote, indigenous markets of San Felipe Re- 
talhuleu, Coban and Colomba. 
Dr. Hurtado categorizes ixbut as a non-toxic, beneficial, 
medicinal herb, rarely used or even mentioned today in 
Guatemala City. 
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian 
Pediatric Society have recently issued a joint statement to 
encourage all physicians to recommend breast-feeding (18). 
The ‘‘breast is best’? movement is apparently gaining in popu- 
larity. The Harvard Medical School Health Letter stresses the 
critical role of breast feeding in preventing gastroenteritis in 
infants in developing countries. Respiratory infections, men- 
ingitis and other overwhelming infections are less frequent 
among breast-fed infants. 
Mrs. Dina Nathusius is one of the Guatemalan leaders of La 
Leche League International, Inc., of Franklin Park, Illinois — 
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