Excessive infant-mortality : how can it be stayed? : a paper contributed to the National Social Science Association, (London meeting) : to which is added a short paper, reprinted from the Lancet, on infant-alimentation, or artificial feeding, as a substitute for breast-milk, considered in its physical and social aspects / by M.A. Baines.

  • Baines, Mary Anne.
Date:
[1862]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Excessive infant-mortality : how can it be stayed? : a paper contributed to the National Social Science Association, (London meeting) : to which is added a short paper, reprinted from the Lancet, on infant-alimentation, or artificial feeding, as a substitute for breast-milk, considered in its physical and social aspects / by M.A. Baines. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    teetli, to avoid every tiling that can obstruct the machinery which Nature, when not interfered with, works so perfectly. Over-feeding is especially hurtful. It is from that cause that convulsions so frequently occur with children, during the early months of their existence. Not fewer than 25,000 deaths—chiefly of infants— fi’om “ convulsions,” took place in the year 1859. Can it be said that these were “natural” deaths? although under that description the sudden deaths of infants are'most frequently recorded. Efibrts have been made to obtain a better classi- flcation of the “causes” of death, but the arrangement is still far from perfect. For instance, no certificate describing a death as “natural” should be accepted, save in those rare cases which can be referred to the decay of old age, when—as it has been graphically described—“ the weary wheel of life stands still.” The word “teething” should also be expunged from the Registrar’s tables as a cause oi death, no such thing ever occurs. With reference to the 25,000 deaths from “ con- vulsions” Dr, Farr remarks,—“probably these are only part of the disease which is the result of organic lesions, or local irritations, that are never discovered.” So it is with “ teething ;” some unfavourable circum- stances or conditions produce convulsions : and, because it is the custom to ascribe convulsive seizures, of whatever nature, to irritability attending dentition, this prevailing error takes place.