THE INORGANIC CONSTITUENTS OF MILK 



55 



5. Feeding experiments, where the mother was fed with calcium 

 lactate and calcium phosphate to the amount of I gm. per diem, 

 showed no increase in the calcium in the milk. Further, the removal 

 of milk from the dietary of the mother, thus decreasing appreciably 

 the amount of calcium taken, did not effect any reduction in the 

 calcium content of the milk. 



These observations suggest that the variation in the calcium 

 content of the milk of individual women is as great as variations 

 from other causes. 



Bahrdt and Edelstein (1910) prepared a comprehensive table 

 of the values obtained by previous observers in a large number 

 of samples of human milk. It is unnecessary to quote the tables 

 fully here ; it may be stated generally that great divergences in the 

 calcium content evidently occur between the milk of individual 

 women. 



Among the mothers of healthy children the variations extend 

 from between o - o8 per cent, and 0-028 per cent., or between 300 

 and 400 per cent, difference. The average amount was found by 

 them to be 0-042 per cent., a figure which is about one-third higher 

 than the usual average given. With these great individual 

 differences the figure for the average amount is of little practical 

 value. Further, a table was prepared showing the lime content 

 of the milk of a number of mothers having rickety children. In 

 this series the figures varied between 0-04646 per cent, and 0*019 

 per cent. As many of the mothers in the second series were in the 

 eleventh to thirteenth month of lactation, the' low figures may be 

 to some extent due to the late stage of lactation. The addition 



