A History of Infant Feeding: Part IV--Nineteenth Century Continued

The care and especially the feeding of infants improved during the 19th century in England. There was special exhortation to raise the standards of infant care among the poor. Conditions of infants both inside and outside workhouses improved during the century and the value of infant life increased. The 2 main obstacles to progress in this direction were the general ignorance of slum mothers regarding hygiene and correct methods of artificial feeding and the lack of standards of cleanliness of cows milk. Cows were maintained in unsanitary conditions milk was watered and water was often contaminated. The consequences of good and bad methods of infant feeding and of good and bad social conditions were reflected in the levels of infant mortality. These levels fell by 50% from 1731-1791; the decline was slower in the 19th century. Infant mortality statistics illustrate the importance of breast feeding. Mortality levels in a study in 1863 were found to be lower among breast fed infants. The popularity of wet nurses peaked at the end of the 18th century. By 1863 the safety of artificial feeding was such that wet nurses could be eliminated. Feeding bottles have been known and used throughout history since the Roman times. The 1st step toward dehydrated milk for use as an artificial infant food was made in 1835. Supplemental infant foods were developed simultaneously.