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قراءة كتاب Remarks on the Subject of Lactation

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‏اللغة: English
Remarks on the Subject of Lactation

Remarks on the Subject of Lactation

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دار النشر: Project Gutenberg
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vomiting, diarrhœa, general debility, scrofula, tabes mesenterica,—rickets, convulsions, epilepsy,—and lastly meningitis, or that peculiar inflammation of the investing membranes of the brain which gives rise to the effusion of serum, constituting the well known and very fatal disease termed by medical practitioners Hydrocephalus, or Hydrencephalus, and popularly Water on the Brain.

The disease last mentioned being by far the most important, and that chiefly referred to in the following observations, I shall commence with a brief statement of the conclusions which my experience has led me to form respecting it; they are the same I made public four years ago[E], having since that time seen no reason to make any alteration in them. I believe,

1st,—That if children be suckled for an undue length of time[F], they will be liable in consequence to be affected with meningitis[G], or inflammation of the investing membranes of the brain.

2dly,—That should they not become affected with the disorder in question during or soon after the time they are thus improperly suckled, they will nevertheless acquire therefrom a predisposition to cephalic disease at some future period of their lives.

3dly,—That children who are suckled for an undue length of time, when labouring under other diseases, will be much more liable to have the head secondarily affected, than children brought up in a different manner.

4thly,—And lastly, that the same effects will take place in infants if suckled by women who have been delivered an undue[H] length of time; although the infants themselves may not have been at the breast for too long a period.


CASES IN ILLUSTRATION OF THE FOREGOING VIEWS.

I.

Cases of Meningitis[I] supervening upon protracted suckling.

CASE I.

—— Wilshire, aged two years seven months, died of 'Water on the brain,'—suckled twelve months.

CASE II.

—— Park, aged one year ten months, died of 'Water in the head,'—suckled fourteen months.

CASE III.

Prince V——, aged two years and a few months, died of Hydrencephalus,—suckled until his death. In this case I was consulted a short time previously, and recommended the breast-milk to be withheld—my advice was not followed.

CASE IV.

Emma Lane, aged two years, admitted at the Infirmary for Children for Meningitis,—suckled one year and eleven months.

CASE V.

The mother of the preceding suckled another child 'a very long period,' and it died of 'Water on the Brain.'

CASE VI.

Edmund Power, aged two years, still at the breast, admitted for Chronic Hydrocephalus: the head is of great magnitude; fontanelles open: superficial veins large and prominent.

CASE VII.

Sophia Hamley, aged one year two months, still at the breast, admitted for Meningitis.

CASE VIII.

William How, aged one year six months, admitted for Meningitis,—suckled thirteen months.

CASE IX.

David Hepburn, aged two years six months, admitted for Meningitis,—suckled two years four months.

CASE X.

Samuel Hanks, aged one year nine months, admitted for Meningitis,—suckled one year eight months.

CASE XI.

Amelia Hill, aged two years six months, admitted for Meningitis,—suckled one year nine months.

CASE XII.

—— Hughes, died of 'Water in the head,'—suckled fourteen months.

CASE XIII.

—— Ferreira, aged seventeen months, died of 'Water in the head,'—suckled until its death.

For the five following cases I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. William Griffith, an intelligent surgeon of Eaton-street, who, having some time ago been apprised of my peculiar views, has since directed his attention particularly to the subject. They completely confirm my opinions, and will have more weight with the public than any additional evidence I could adduce from my own practice.

In the letter inclosing these cases, Mr. Griffith writes thus—'from the observations I have been enabled to make, I am led to believe that disease almost invariably follows protracted suckling. I may add in conclusion, that I perfectly concur with the views which you entertain on the subject.'

CASES XIV. XV.

'—— Jackson, residing at ——, aged two years six months, who had been kept at the breast twenty-two months, was in a dying state when I was requested to see her. The pulse was preternaturally slow—great stupor—dilatation of the pupils, and diastasis of the bones of the head. In six hours from the time I first saw her she died, and the mother was desirous that the head should be examined, having lost a child previously, in what she considered a similar manner. On removing the scalp I found the cranium very much enlarged and altered in shape. Between the tunica arachnoides and pia mater, there was a quantity of water effused;—the sides and upper surface of the brain were exceedingly soft. In the lateral ventricles there were from six to eight ounces of water. In answer to a few questions I asked the mother, she stated that her former child was, during the first ten months of its life, a plump, healthy infant,—after that period he altered,—the stomach, bowels, and head became affected, and, in the course of a few months, he manifested similar symptoms to those which proved fatal in the case of his sister. He was suckled for twenty-one months, and died at the age of twenty-seven months. The mother of these children has one other child alive, and at my urgent request it was weaned at nine months,—it is now seventeen months old, and in excellent health.'

CASE XVI.

'Mrs. A——, of ——, had a little boy who at ten months old had nine teeth, which were cut with little or no difficulty:—at this time he was in good health,—he was allowed the breast until nineteen months, and at the expiration of three months more, died of Hydrocephalus.'

CASE XVII.

'Mrs. T—— lost a child of Hydrocephalus, and has an infant now at the breast seventeen months old;—the little patient is frequently suffering from cerebral disturbance. I have repeatedly advised

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