Climate and Health in Hot Countries and the Outlines of Tropical Climatology: A Popular Treatise on Personal Hygiene in the Hotter Parts of the World, and on the Climates That Will Be Met Within Them.Giles, George Michael James
Science
Climate and Health in Hot Countries and the Outlines of Tropical Climatology: A Popular Treatise on Personal Hygiene in the Hotter Parts of the World, and on the Climates That Will Be Met Within Them.
Giles, George Michael James
Hygiene -- Popular works; Medical climatology; Tropical medicine
Diarrhœa is naturally rare in infants fed entirely at the breast, and
from what has been said it will be clear that the surest protection
against this terribly fatal malady lies in the avoidance of bottle
feeding; for to carry out the latter safely in a tropical climate, would
tax the resources of a skilled bacteriologist. It is, however,
unfortunately the fact that European women residing in such climates are
very often really unable to suckle their children, in spite of all the
good will to do so; and when the supply is inadequate and has to be
supplemented by artificial feeding there is little real gain, as the
bottle, with all its dangers, must needs be used several times in the
day. On this account, whenever the mother is unable to fully nourish her
infant, by far the safest course is resort to wet nursing. I have met
with people who have a sentimental objection to entrusting their child
to a woman of another race; and are even capable of believing that the
mental and moral qualities of their offspring may be affected by such a
diet; but it should be needless to say that there is no foundation
whatever for any such idea. Great care is of course necessary in the
selection of the foster-mother, who should be young, healthy, and
vigorous. Her own baby ought not to be much older than the one she is to
nurse, while it is needless to say that she should never be permitted to
nourish both infants together. It is also most important that she should
be examined, and, if possible, selected, by a medical man.
When, however, artificial feeding is unavoidable, the most elaborate
care as to the purity and cleanliness of the milk and all utensils that
come in contact with it are required. In hot climates it is not enough
to merely wash the bottles and jugs which are used. They should be
boiled at least once a day, and in very hot weather, even each time
after using. The simpler the bottle is in its construction the better,
those with long tubes and elaborate screw stoppers being so dangerous
that it is far better to resort to spoon feeding than be tempted to use
one, even as a temporary expedient. The form of bottle which presents
least dangers, because the most easily cleaned, is that in which the
nipple is in one piece, with an elastic cap that is made to fit the
mouth of the bottle, thus doing away with the necessity of any stopper
or cork. Moreover, if the special bottle chance to get broken, it is
generally easy to find some medicine phial, or other small bottle, over
which the cap can be stretched and which serves equally well. Rubber
will not stand repeated boiling, hence, when not in use the nipple
should be always kept immersed in a strongish solution of boracic acid
(10-15 grs. to the ounce) and rinsed before and after using in ordinary
drinking water. In making the boracic solution, a sufficient approach to
chemical accuracy may be made by placing an eggspoonful of boracic acid
in a breakfast cup and filling up with boiling water.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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