126 THE MILK SITUATION IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 



unable to provide, in part or wholly, the cost of the necessary supply 

 of wholesome and nutritious milk, appropriately suited to the infant's 

 needs. 



While (in the absence of facilities for securing milk prepared at 

 regularly established depots in accordance with specially adopted 

 formulae) pasteurization at home of milk for infants' use, in ap- 

 paratus of which several economical patterns are obtainable in the 

 open market, is qualifiedly recommended, its preparation in this way 

 requires such intelligent and careful manipulation that it is, in the 

 opinion of the committee, better and cheaper to purchase milk already 

 pasteurized under competent supervision, from infants' milk depots 

 or from properly equipped commercial establishments. 



IMPORTANT FUNCTION OF VISITING NURSES. 



In this connection the committee feels that a noteworthy adjunct 

 of the local Straus Laboratory, and one which could hardly be ex- 

 pected to obtain in association with a commercial agency furnishing 

 modified milk on a purely business basis, is the stationing of a regis- 

 tered physician at the laboratory at certain specified hours, to give 

 advice free of charge to parents concerning the proper treatment of 

 infants and to prescribe the formula of milk best suited for the 

 infant at the particular period of its growth. Commendable service 

 is rendered in this direction by the Instructive Visiting Nurse Society, 

 which details nurses to the several settlement houses and to the 

 homes of parents for the purpose of imparting practical instruction 

 regarding the bathing, clothing, feeding, and other care of infants. 

 The extreme efficacy of this practical information and active assist- 

 ance extended by the Instructive Visiting Nurse Society in reducing 

 infant mortality is especially recognized, authorities agreeing thai- 

 proper clothing, bathing, and medical attention constitute as impor- 

 tant a factor in the successful rearing of the infant as the provision 

 of suitable food in appropriate measure. 



Dr. Wcl war ol especially recommends that arrangements be made 

 for the instruction of mothers in caring for their infants. This can, 

 he stated, be done in no other connection so well as in conjunction 

 with the free distribution of milk to persons unable to pay for it and 

 the distribution of milk at reduced prices to persons who are unable 

 to pay the ordinary market price for milk of proper quality and 

 composition. 



The committee recurs to the fact that the superior value of maternal 

 nursing can not be overestimated, it being stated on reliable authority 

 that were mothers able universally to nurse their children from one- 

 third to one-half of the deaths of infants would be prevented, the 

 enormous loss of life occurring among artificially fed infants being 

 undoubtedly due in major portion to bad milk and its improper use 

 as an article of diet. Mothers should be encouraged in every pos- 

 sible way to nurse their infants, regardless of financial or social 

 status, for it has been conclusively proved by extended series of care- 

 ful systematic investigations that the mortality among bottle-fed 

 infants is vastly greater than among those that are breast fed. When 

 breast feeding is clearly impossible, however, a fulsome supply of 

 pure cow's milk, modified to meet the special needs of the infant, 

 should be rendered available for both rich and poor, and mothers 



