314 



MILK AND ITS HYGIENIC RELATIONS 



record has been made in this country, but in the absence of the data 

 referred to, it cannot be regarded as establishing any very definite 

 facts in regard to the future well-being of children in relation to their 

 method of feeding. 



Breeding Experiments from Artificially-fed Guinea-pigs. Experiments 

 of interest were carried out by Schroeder in order to ascertain the 

 effect, if any, of the methods of feeding in the early days of life, upon 

 fertility in guinea-pigs. The animals used were those already referred 

 to on pp. 177-8 as having been used by Schroeder for the investiga- 

 tion into the nutritive value of raw and boiled cows' milk for young 

 guinea-pigs. A number of the surviving guinea-pigs were used for 

 breeding purposes in order to ascertain whether artificial feeding 

 could be regarded as having a detrimental effect upon fertility. The 

 accompanying table shows the results. 



Breeding Record 



It seems clear that there is a decreased fertility in all the artificially- 

 fed groups. The more favourable results appear to be obtained in the 

 case of those guinea-pigs fed on boiled milk. Schroeder points out, 

 however, that some caution must be exercised in accepting the very 

 unfavourable results on the raw milk series, owing to the presence in 

 some of the milk of the Bacillus abortus. There is reason to believe 

 that this bacillus has a prejudicial effect upon the fertility of cows, 

 and it is therefore reasonable to assume that some such effect is also 

 possible in the case of these pigs which may likewise have been infected 

 with this organism. 



This table is one of considerable interest. It cannot necessarily 

 be taken as absolutely comparable with the effects which might be 

 produced in human infants fed upon cow's milk, but it is extremely 

 suggestive. It also receives additional value in that, as far as I can 

 ascertain, it is the only attempt which has hitherto been made to trace 

 the fate of animals fed artificially for so long a period, and to endeavour 

 to ascertain the effects of such feeding upon their progeny. 



REFERENCE 



SCHROEDER, ' An Experiment with Raw and Heated Cows' Milk, and its Lesson,' 

 Amer. Journ. Dis. Child. 1913, vi. 334. 



