DRIED MILK AS A FOOD FOR INFANTS 211 



infants, many of the difficulties of the milk supply are obviated. 

 It must be clearly stated, however, that no subsequent treatment 

 of the milk, such as desiccation, should be allowed to provide an 

 excuse for dirty methods, or for carelessness in milk production 

 or in transit. 



Much of the danger of contamination in the home is avoided 

 by the use of dried milk, and there is no temptation to give the 

 infant stale milk from motives of either economy or laziness. The 

 milk supply is at hand and can be used as required. 



Economically it avoids waste in the homes, and if carried out 

 on a large scale should help to reduce waste in the general supply. 



A good deal of discussion has arisen upon the nutritive value of 

 dried milk for the routine feeding of infants. The first investi- 

 gations were made in France and Belgium, and formed the cause 

 of much discussion both in Lyons and Paris. The developments 

 in dried milk feeding are of recent date, the book published by 

 Prof. Porcher appearing in 1912. Dried milk had been used in 

 several places for infant feeding before this date, but the cases 

 were comparatively few in number and the results had not been 

 published. 



Porcher and Bonnamour, in Lyons, have upheld the feeding 

 of infants with dried milk, not necessarily to the exclusion of 

 boiled milk obtained fresh, but as affording a safe food for infants, 

 more especially perhaps in the summer-time and also as a supple- 

 mentary food to breast-feeding. 



Bonnamour (i, 2) gives details of a number of cases fed by him at 

 his infant consultation in Lyons. Out of 900 children which passed 

 through his hands some 56 had to be artificially fed over pro- 

 longed periods, and these children were fed upon dried milk. 

 Bonnamour groups them under four main headings : 



Group I. Nine infants who received mixed feeding for a 

 short period. Dried milk was gradually increased as the breast 

 milk failed. 



Group II. Six infants only breast-fed for a few days. 



Group III. Seventeen infants fed exclusively on dried milk 

 after a preliminary period of two or three months' breast-feeding. 



Group IV. Twenty-one sick children who were for the most 

 part ' nurse ' children in bad condition. 



Bonnamour used half-cream milk up to six months of age 

 with proportions of one teaspoonful of milk to three of water, 

 rising gradually to three of milk to eight or nine of water. He 

 obtained for the most part extremely good results, although the 

 weight curves of some of the children remained somewhat low. 



The accompanying diagram (see next page) shows the weight 

 curve of a case taken from Group III. 



Bonnamour states that he did not prescribe dried milk as a 

 food for infants who were making satisfactory progress upon 

 ordinary boiled or sterilised milk. He found, however, that it 



