﻿INFANT FEEDING. 



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It has been shown that fresh milk is practically at present eliminated 

 from our armamentarium, and with this fact before us text-books on 

 infant feeding become almost valueless just at the point where our 

 problem begins. This condition is of course largely responsible for the 

 confusion, each man being to a great extent thrown upon his own 

 resources. 



The most generally used foods among the better classes have mainly 

 been the so-called evaporated creams, diluted four to ten times with 

 water, with perhaps the addition of an indefinite amount of limewater 

 and sugar. When diluted sufficiently to give a suitable proteid percent- 

 age, the fat and sugar are far below the requisite amount. While the 

 addition of milk sugar or cane sugar makes up one of the deficiencies, 

 the fat percentage remains low, and as a result constipation and other 

 defects of nutrition are very frequently observed. In many instances 

 various mixtures of milks and of foods containing starch and sugar are 

 concocted; these overcome the constipation, but they still leave the fat 

 deficient, or the proteids too high and thus other and more serious dis- 

 turbances arise. 



Inasmuch as conditions are such as to make the employment of 

 preserved milks imperative in the feeding of infants, it is necessary to 

 use these substances to the best advantage. To accomplish this end our 

 experience has shown us that it is better to disregard the claims and 

 directions of the milk manufacturers, to analyze their products carefully 

 and by careful combinations to institute percentage feeding with the use 

 of these artificial foods. It is remarkable what may be done in this way 

 with patients presenting the greatest difficulties in feeding. 



However, in order to secure the best results with this percentage feeding 

 of artificially prepared, milks a most important prerequisite is constantly 

 to impress upon mothers and nurses the necessity of the supervision of 

 the physician. It is justifiable to explain to the mother that feeding of 

 the infant is a more strictly medical matter than is even medical supervi- 

 sion at the birth of the child. Absolutely nothing should be fed except 

 what is prescribed in writing by the physician and if members of the 

 family are taught this from the birth of the infant and their confidence 

 is assured by a carefully prepared formula for feeding, but little difficulty 

 will be experienced in controlling the situation and insuring the health 

 of many babies who would otherwise perish from dietetic errors. For 

 this percentage feeding in Manila our armamentarium consists prin- 

 cipally of the following substances : 



1. Plain, sterilized, uncondensed milks: There are five brands on the 

 market. 



2. Pure creams: There are three brands on the market. 



