MILK. 175 



RICH MILK. 



An opposite condition of the milk to that just described 

 frequently exists, viz. that in which its nutritive principles 

 are in excess, a fact which is most readily ascertained by an 

 examination of the state of the globular element of the milk : 

 this being superabundant, it may, as already shown, be con- 

 cluded that the sugar and cheese likewise occur in unusual 

 quantities. (See Plate XIY. Jig. 5.) 



This condition of the milk is not to be regarded as an alter- 

 ation of its qualities, but merely as an exaggeration of them ; 

 nevertheless, it is one which is often incompatible with the 

 well-being of the child. This rich milk is often too strong 

 for the digestive powers of the child, whose nutrition in con- 

 sequence suffers : it, moreover, is sometimes the occasion of 

 colic and diarrhoea. 



The state of the milk just noticed, and its consequent 

 effects upon the child, may be modified and even entirely 

 remedied by a judicious regulation of the diet as well as by 

 permitting the milk to remain in the breast for a considerable 

 time, the effect of which retention is to render it more watery ; 

 the infant, also, should not be allowed to take the breast except 

 at long intervals. 



At the same time that the globules are more numerous in 

 milk which is very rich, they are also larger. The size of 

 the globules is likewise found to undergo an increase from the 

 first days of lactation, and this increase continues for some 

 months afterwards : thus, the globules of the third month 

 are larger than those of the first month, and those of the 

 sixth month still larger, the number of the very small 

 globules having diminished very considerably. The increase 

 in the size of the globules referred to, is not, however, so uni- 

 form or so constant as to allow of the determination from it 

 of the age of the milk. 



p 4 



