AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
117 
MILK EOR CHILDREN—A VERV IMPORTANT 
SUBJECT. 
The brief article in our last number, at 
page 93, alluding to this subject, has called 
forth a number of inquiries for further in¬ 
formation. We can not devote our space to 
better purpose than in giving entire the fol¬ 
lowing essay written for the Western Lancet, 
by Dr. J. U. Heckerman, of Tiffin City, 
Ohio. We trust every one having the care 
of children whether in city or country, will 
read it carefully. It is generally an easy 
matter to obtain farrow cow’s milk not only 
‘ for children “ brought up by hand ” but also 
for those weaned at the age of 12 to 15 
months, before they have teeth enough to 
masticate solid food, and who consequently 
live much on cow’s milk. Whether Dr. H’s. 
conclusions are entirely correct or not, it is 
certainly better to err on the safe side, es¬ 
pecially when, as now, scarcely half of the 
children born attain the age of three years. 
Here is what Dr. Heckerman says : 
Except bread alone, there is perhaps no ar¬ 
ticle that enters so largely into the nutrition 
of man as that of milk. As food and drink, 
it is extensively consumed by the adult por¬ 
tion of our race, it constitutes the exclusive 
nourishment of nine-tenths of all children 
under twelve months, and forms the chief 
diet of the remaining one-tenth. 
The chemical and medical properties of 
milk have long been made the subject of 
scientific investigation, and long has the 
writer in vain looked for something from the 
pen of a senior observer on the point of 
which he now wishes to direct attention. 
It has ever been a desideratum in the rear¬ 
ing of children who are denied the breast of 
a mother or nurse, to procure milk from an 
animal in which it approaches nearest to that 
of the human female, and which shall uni¬ 
formly have the same constituent properties. 
In looking over the tables which are given 
of the constituents of milk, we seldom meet 
two authors who agree in their observations; 
indeed, so great are the discrepancies, that 
they only serve to confound us in confusion. 
This circumstance can be accounted for by 
the different animals experimented upon, the 
season of the year, the character of the food 
afforded, and the period of pregnancy or non¬ 
pregnancy of the animals at the time of the 
experiments. 
Taking the cow, we find that exercise and 
food, among other things, greatly affect the 
quality of the milk. The milk of cows kept 
in the byre contains a larger amount of buty- 
rine than is afforded by animals running at 
large, while the milk of ihe latter abounds 
more in caseine. So great, indeed is the in¬ 
fluence of food upon the secretions, that, 
when cows are fed upon bitter or strong¬ 
smelling grass or herbs, the taste and smell 
of such grass is imparted to the milk. 
Milk, we have already said, forms, the 
chief diet of that unfortunate class of infants, 
who are reared by dry nursing, and it is es¬ 
timated that three-fourths of these die ; in¬ 
deed it has been said that, in London, this 
mortality amounts to seven-eights of the 
whole number. Be this as it may, we do 
know the mortality to be very great, suffi¬ 
ciently so, at least, to demand the earnest 
attention of every physician. 
Standard authors direct children who are 
thus reared, or who have been early weaned 
from the breast, to be supported upon milk 
largely diluted by water and sugar, without, 
however, any reference to the condition of 
the animal from which the milk is derived. 
This we hold to be a serious defect, to be 
especially so considered, when the remedy 
is at hand, yet seldom or never used for lack 
of information upon the subject. 
Lasigne found that the milk of cows far 
advanced in pregnancy, contains neither ca¬ 
seine, sugar of milk or lactic acid, but 
abounded in albumen and uncombined soda ; 
while from the same animal, shortly after 
parturition, the three first named substances 
were .found, and_',albumen was entirely ab¬ 
sent. 
It is now the received opinion, that upon 
the accession of a peculiar condition, a 
woman should no longer furnish nourish¬ 
ment to a former child, and that such con¬ 
tinuance proves detrimental to the health of 
both parties. These views are confirmed 
by experience, and by the habits of inferior 
animals. 
If the milk of a woman in this condition 
afford improper nutriment to a child, surely 
the same fluid from a cow, in like condition, 
can not be proper. Remembering then, that 
cows, on an average, are pregnant three- 
fourths of the w'hole year, the inference 
must be that the milk ordinarily derived 
from these animals is.not of a proper char¬ 
acter to constitute the diet of infants. 
With a view to remedy this universally 
existing evil, I would suggest to the profes¬ 
sion the propriety of having milk cows 
spayed, in order to procure milk of a uniform 
consistency. The act of spaying is per¬ 
formed with facility, and is unattended with 
danger, the only precaution necessary being 
that no food be given for twelve to fifteen 
hours, and the milk drawn immediately be¬ 
fore the operation ; the animal becomes 
kindly disposed, is easily kept, will yield bet¬ 
ter, and a larger amount of milk in a given 
time, and is with great ease brought into a 
marketable condition. 
The steps of the operation upon the cow 
are the same as upon the calf or the sow, 
except that it is important to place her upon 
the right side, unless the operator be left 
handed. The best time for operating is 
about four weeks after parturition, as the 
future amount of milk will depend upon the 
quantity given at the time of the operation. 
For some weeks after, the secretion of milk 
will be small, but will gradually increase 
until the amount previously given is furnished 
which we have known continued without in¬ 
terruption (of course less in winter than in 
summer) for the space of ten years. 
It is not expected that every father can be 
circumstanced to keep a cow for the accom¬ 
modation of his child ; but if physicians 
were to direct the attention of those who 
keep cows to the above facts, it would be 
found advantageous to keep the spayed in¬ 
stead of the ordinary animal, and the propri¬ 
etors of milk furnishing dairies would readi¬ 
ly furnish the supply, if the demand was 
made. The above facts briefly stated we 
think of sufficient importance to claim the at¬ 
tention of every medical practitioner, as 
furnishing him the means of preventing 
much suffering on the part of advanced in¬ 
fancy and saving the domestic idol in the 
circle of many grateful friends. 
REVIEW OF PRICES, WEATHER, &C. 
American Agriculturist Office, 1 
New-York, Jan. 26, 1856. j 
Since our last summary (Dec. 29), the 
transactions in Breadstuff's and farm produce 
generally have been quite limited. The cold 
weather and deep snow, have obstructed 
travel and the transportation of produce, 
while a large stock in the hands of city deal¬ 
ers has prevented any scarcity, or marked 
elevation of prices. Apples, Potatoes, Tur¬ 
nips, Onions, &c , have hardly changed dur¬ 
ing the month. 
Constant rumors of peace in Europe and 
favorable news as to the foreign supply of 
Breadstuff's, have materially checked specu¬ 
lation. Flour and grain wentdown consider¬ 
ably for a time, but within a week past they 
have slightly revived under the influence of 
reports from abroad. Ordinary State Fiour 
has been as low as $7 75 per bbl., but yes¬ 
terday this brand sold for $8a$S 12—a slight 
decline from the preceeding day. 
We find upon our note-book records of 
sales of Breadstuff's for the 25 business days 
ending yesterday (excluding New-Year’s 
day) : of Flour, 320,250 barrels ; of Wheat, 
314,200 bushels ; of Corn, 759,500 bushels ; 
of Rye, 200,700, bushels ; of Barley, 8,000 
bushels. Our last report Dec. 29, for 28 days, 
gave of Flour, 441,450 bbls.; of Wheat, 598, 
900 bushels; of Corn, 1,283,000 bushels; 
and of Rye, 359,500 bushels. 
The following figures show the present 
price of some of the principal agricultural 
products, and also the variations since our 
last report. 
Dec. 29. Jan. 26. 
Flour—Ordinary State.$8 25f® 8 31 $8 00® 8 12 
Mixed Western. 8 12® 8 25 8 12® 8 25 
Favorite and Ex. State.. 8 37® 8 50 8 18® 8 31 
Extra Genesee... 0 50® li 50 9 0(1® II 25 
Wheat—Canada White ... . 2 10 ® 2 20 2 05® 2 20 
Southern White. 2 12® 2 13 2 10® 
Southerd Red. 1 95® 2 00 1 95 ® 2 00 
Western Red- 1 9ll® 2 00 I 75® 1 80 
Corn—Western Mixed. 92® 93 90® 93 
New Yellow and White 80® 94 83® 91 
Rye. 
1 
30® 
1 
31 
1 
29® 
1 
31 
Barley. 
1 
20® 
1 
25 
1 
18® 
1 
25 
Oats—Western_ 
50® 
53 
49® 
51 
Cotton—Middling.. 
9 J-® 
n 
9® 
9T 
Rice. 
TPlOOlbs 
4 
25® 
5 
62 
4 
87® 
5 
50 
Pork—Mess . 
TP'bbl... 
16 
50® 19 
50 
14 
5015)15 
50 
Dressed Hogs. 
TP lb.... 
8® 
8i- 
7 T® 
74 
Lard. 
P lb.... 
12® 
13 
11® 
m 
Butter—Western.. 
TP lb.... 
18® 
23 
20® 
24 
State. 
TP lb.... 
23® 
33 
25® 
34 
Potatoes—Carters. 
TP bbl.. 
1 
50® 
1 
75 
I 
62 (a) 
l 
75 
Mercers. 
•F bbl.. 
1 
62® 
1 
.87 
2 
00® 
12 
Onions—Reds. 
TP bbl.. 
1 
75® 
1 
87 
i 
62® 
1 
75 
White. 
. TP bbl.. 
2 
26® 
2 
50 
2 
25 fS) 
O 
37 
Apples—Same as at 
our last,. 
75® 
2 
50 
Beef cattle have been somewhat scarce and 
high, having been kept out of market by the 
condition of the railroads, but last Wednes¬ 
day a full supply came in, and prices went 
down. We quote Premium cattle IHc. per 
lb. net or dressed weight; First quality 10c. 
allc.; Medium quality 9a9ic.; Poor quality, 
8c.a8£c.; Poorest quality 7c.a7|c.; General 
selling prices 9c.al0ic. Average of all 
sales about 9^c. 
The Weather, the past month, has been 
very cold. No signs of a “ January thaw ” 
have been observable. On the 5th inst. 
more snow fell during a few hours than ever 
dropped down in the same space of time 
within our recollection. On the morning of 
the sixth the ground was covered with a 
white mantle averaging nearly two feet in 
thickness. Full three feet of snow fell dur¬ 
ing the month. E. Merriam, “ the great 
weather man,” reported 36 inches of snow at 
