The Nursling, By Pierre Budin: .Authorised Translation by William J.
Maloney, C.B. (Caxton Publishing Company. 21s. net.) —M. Bain professes obstetrics in the University of Paris, and directs the Clinique Tartsier, where the treatment of the newly born is conducted on the most approved methods. This volume contains ton lectures on the feeding and hygiene of infants. Professor Sir Alex. Simpson, of Edinburgh, has prefixed an introduction, and gives therein an appreciation of both lecturer and translator. The figures are net a little surprising. The Paris average,. of, infantile =08E4: from ;1897-1904 was 170 per 1,000. Under' the influence of H. Budin'a-Consnitittion, for Itiirslings it was inly-46. In one provincial town in 1898; during eideptionally. hot summer, it was.. 285 per. 1,000 ; in the same place, under the influence of the same preventive causes, it'fell to 77 in the similar conditions of 1904. The .figures given for French towns generally are not less appalling . than those which refer ti England and Scotland. Of course there are
many causes at work. An obvious one is the disuse of breast- feeding. Another is the unsuitability of artificial foods. We may note the following statement made in the translator's
preface With the object of ascertaining the average composi- tion of the milk offered for sale throughout London, Mr. J. 'W. Peek, F.C.S., and I analysed 101 samples, taken at random,. between September 28 and October 10, 1896 ; 68 had been skimmed ; from some 20, 25, 30, even in one instance 65, per cent. of the fat had been removed ; 89 contained added water, some to the extent of 30 per cent." Things seem to be still worse in Paris. Here samples were examined from the whole city on Sune rst, 1897, with the result that it was found that "all bad been skimmed ; some had also been watered."
Previous page
