302 MEDICAL SECTION 



ESSENTIAL FACTORS IN THE 

 SCIENTIFIC SUBSTITUTE FEEDING OF 

 INFANTS. 



BY HENRY L. COIT, M.D. 



Newark^ New Jersey. 



THE history of artificial infant feeding in civilized 

 countries is analogous to that of therapeutics : each 

 has had its empirical period ; and during this period, 

 like the polypharmacy of therapeutics, there have 

 been forced upon the profession innumerable com- 

 mercial substitutes for breast milk. 



After half a century of plodding research in the 

 pursuit of truth as- it relates to infant nutrition, 

 crowded on all sides by ignorance and aggressive 

 commercialism, we are beginning to lay a scientific 

 basis for a satisfactory system of artificial infant 

 feeding. The scientific period began with a group 

 of men notable among whom were Biedert and 

 Meigs, who in 1870 and 1880 taught the importance 

 of accurate adjustment of substitute mixtures, and 

 based their teaching upon the study of woman's 

 milk. 



It was ten years later, in 1890, that Rotch of 

 Harvard awoke the American profession from its 

 indifference and gave the first impetus to a general 

 interest in this important subject. 



Since then a multitude of workers have contri- 

 buted to our knowledge ; these include the repre- 

 sentatives of the German school with others in 

 England and America. 



The scientific method is based upon principles 

 evolved from the study of normal infant life. These 

 principles if followed will lead the infant feeder to 

 such generalizations as the following : Never em- 

 ploy any substance not isomeric with its counter- 

 part in the infant's natural food : Have a valid 





