Science and Physical Development 



child's first birthday, and meanwhile a committee 

 of ladies make friends with the mother, visit her, 

 and give her advice as to the bringing up of the 

 child. So far, the effort is said to have been most 

 successful, and the death-rate among the infant 

 population has fallen one-half in six months. 



To experiments such as these point is given by 

 the publication of the Report of the Medical Officer 

 of the London County Council schools, in which 

 it is shown that, so far as the limited number of 

 figures go, in a year in which infant mortality is 

 high the physique, even of the survivors, is poor, 

 and when the infant mortality is low the survivors 

 are stronger. If, then, we can keep down the 

 mortality, we may hope not only to lessen suffer- 

 ing and waste of life, but also to produce a stronger 

 stock. 



MILK SUPPLY 



If, however, the child cannot get breast-feeding, 

 what is the alternative ? " Modified cow's milk," 

 we are told, " is by far the best." l But the poor 

 more often use tinned milk, which is dearer and 

 inferior ; or, what is worse still, " highly diluted 

 and probably sour cow's milk, in which groats or 

 bread have been soaked." Then, early in its career, 

 the unfortunate child is encouraged to eat what- 

 ever the parents eat, so that one witness cites a 

 case where a baby, who was very ill, had been fed 

 on tinned salmon and orange juice. 2 Pure milk 

 is clearly the first necessity of life for children ; and 



1 Report, p. 51. 2 Ibid.) p. 57. 



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